https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-503-The-Baiting-Operation-Begins/13461370/
Chapter 504: Illusion
Chapter 504: Illusion
Time ticked by slowly.
Harry and his two friends appeared anxious and uneasy. Harry stared at the fire in the fireplace, hoping it would suddenly change color, and a Wizard would emerge to tell them what had happened. A Patronus delivering a message would also do... but nothing happened.
The logs crackled, and the atmosphere in the office grew heavy and oppressive. Harry felt it was due to the high temperature—after all, it was the end of July, nearly August, and few people would choose to light a fire at this time.
He needed a temperature-regulating pendant... Harry thought idly, but the weight of his worries quickly overshadowed the thought. He couldn't stop the ideas from flooding his mind... he had personally handed over the hair, agreeing to the plan. If Sirius suffered any harm as a result, it would be entirely his fault.
Just then, the fire in the fireplace suddenly shot up, reaching the height of a person, and the color turned emerald green. A figure began to spin and emerge.
It was Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Harry's heart pounded, and he heard a stifled scream beside him. He couldn't tell if it was Ron or Hermione who had made the sound. The fire had returned to its orange hue, indicating that no one else was coming. Harry's heart clenched.
Where was Sirius? Where was Mrs. Bones? He shouted in his mind.
"How did it go?" Felix jumped up from the sofa, clutching the coin he had been fidgeting with.
"Pretty well", Kingsley Shacklebolt said, his face sweaty, his clothes disheveled, and covered in brownish mud, as if he had just been in a battle. "We caught two Death Eaters, Mcnair and Luke Wood, August Luke Wood."
"Voldemort, did he show up?" Felix asked, frowning.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione held their breath, staring expectantly at Kingsley Shacklebolt. Kingsley shook his head, looking confused and puzzled. "No one. In fact, there were only those two Death Eaters. The rest were a motley crew—Dementors, a few werewolves and vampires, and some Dark Wizards... Mrs. Bones believes they were under the Imperius Curse."
"So Voldemort was just testing us? He was hiding in the shadows, observing?" Felix muttered, not entirely satisfied with the result.
"Seems that way", Kingsley Shacklebolt said, breathing heavily. "There were plenty of cannon fodder, swarming at us, which caught us off guard. I even wondered when the Death Eaters had become so brave... the casualties happened during that chaos—"
"Casualties?" Hermione gasped.
"Oh, no one died", Kingsley Shacklebolt clarified. "A few were injured, but not critically. The two Death Eaters were positioned at the back, seemingly only there to complete the probing mission. They kept their distance, firing spells from afar. Sirius and Mrs. Bones took one down, and the other... I suspect Dumbledore intervened secretly."
Felix had a clearer picture now.
"Where is Sirius? Where is he now?" Harry couldn't help but ask.
"He's with Mrs. Bones. I came back alone to report, and to bring some people to escort the prisoners back. Oh, and healers, of course." Kingsley Shacklebolt turned to Felix. "Mr. Heap, this operation barely met expectations. You can take them back now. Mrs. Weasley is waiting in Arthur's office."
Felix nodded silently. Then Kingsley Shacklebolt hurried out of the office.
"Let's go, I'll take you back", Felix said.
"Is it over just like that?" Harry asked, still feeling a bit incredulous.
"Can't be helped. Voldemort didn't take the bait", Felix shrugged. "This is war. You can't expect your opponent to make a fatal mistake right from the start and end the conflict in one go, although..." He frowned, considering the message Lucius had sent back. Voldemort had been unusually low-profile recently, hardly showing up at all.
Of course, it was possible he was gathering his followers.
The batch of Death Eaters who had escaped from Azkaban had all been sent out.
"We'll go meet Mrs. Weasley first, then you'll return to the Order of the Phoenix", Felix said. They left the Minister of Magic's office and took the elevator to the second floor, where the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was located. The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was on this floor as well. The four of them stepped out of the elevator into a corridor lined with doors.
“We need to go through two sets of gates, then turn left, then right, and finally walk straight to the end of the corridor,” Ron said to a somewhat dejected Harry. “I’ve been here a few times; the Aurors' cubicles are quite distinctive...”
After passing through the first oak door, they arrived in an open area where the Aurors concentrated their work. At the moment, there weren’t many people around. A few who were present gathered together, their expressions a mix of excitement and worry.
“The operation was sudden... not much news...”
“Hope for the best.”
“Kingsley Shacklebolt said it was a great victory, didn’t he?”
“Chester, congratulations on your promotion. You must be the youngest head of the Dangerous Animals Committee?”
“I had a bit of help from my family,” a young man said with a restrained drawl, subtly displaying the family crest on his chest.
...
“Chester Avery!?” Hermione suddenly turned around, her voice shrill, eyes fixed on the boasting young man.
Chester stood in a cubicle, looking in her direction. His smile quickly turned cold, and he said haughtily, “It’s me. And you are—” His gaze shifted between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, then saw Felix behind them, and his voice wavered. “So the ceremony is over?”
Hermione wasn’t about to let it go. She stared at him and whispered, “You evil—”
“Hermione,” Felix interrupted.
Chester looked both enraged and bewildered. He wanted to say something harsh but was intimidated by Felix standing nearby. His eyes flickered between fear and malice. Finally, he huffed and turned to leave without a backward glance.
Hermione still glared at him.
“How could someone like him get a promotion?” As they walked through the second oak door and down the empty corridor, Hermione continued to fume. Harry and Ron were surprised by her intense reaction. They had never heard of Hermione having any interaction with this person.
“I remember now!” Harry suddenly said, “Avery, remember? In the graveyard, Voldemort’s first target for torture among the Death Eaters, because he pretended to be under the Imperius Curse after Voldemort’s fall to avoid punishment...”
Ron also recalled. “That’s right, but the voice was different. That Avery was clearly much older—”
“Doesn’t that just prove they’re all corrupt?” Hermione said bitterly. “Professor, why doesn’t the Ministry of Magic arrest all the known Death Eaters?”
“Calm down, Hermione Granger,” Felix said. “The Ministry of Magic represents order and can’t just arrest people without cause... but there’s definitely covert surveillance.” A temporary escape meant little; Lucius could always provide evidence to send a batch of people to Azkaban.
But no one knew what a desperate and rulerless Voldemort might do.
The key to this war had always been Voldemort alone.
“Ms. Bones should really investigate those Pureblood scum...” Hermione muttered. Ron glanced over, and she quickly added, “Oh, your family doesn’t count, you’re—”
“—a traitor to the Purebloods,” Ron nodded, amused.
On the second floor, in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Artifacts, they found Mrs. Weasley. She was relatively calm, accompanied by Percy. When she saw Harry and the others enter, she rushed over, hugging and kissing them.
“Thank goodness you’re all safe—”
“Mom,” Ron struggled. “We never even left!”
“Alright, even so...” She smiled. “Your father went to help. I heard no one was hurt, and they caught a bunch of bad guys. The operation was quick and very successful... Ms. Bones led the charge, and we have a good Minister.”
Mrs. Weasley was clearly very satisfied with the outcome. Harry glanced at Professor Hup, who remained silent, and wisely decided not to tell her that the greatest danger of the operation—Voldemort—had not appeared.
“Let’s wait for Arthur, just to see him,” Mrs. Weasley said hesitantly. “Then we’ll go back and prepare your birthday party.” She turned to Harry. “And you, Percy, you must come tonight.”
"Mom, I'm busy", Percy grumbled. "I have a dozen reports to write—"
"Bring Penelope along—be careful if you forget", Mrs. Weasley finished her sentence, leaving Percy with a look of resignation.
They took the elevator to the Ministry of Magic's main hall, where they could see the gilded fireplaces on one side of the wall from a distance.
Ten minutes later—
Felix stared at the fireplace area. The fireplaces burst into flames, and figures emerged one by one, triumphantly returning. The grand hall, adorned with gold, suddenly became bustling with activity, and applause echoed through the air.
Aurors escorted about twenty black-robed wizards into the hall. These black-robed wizards all wore hoods, resembling Death Eaters. However, their masks were removed, and their robes were dirty and tattered as they stumbled forward.
To Felix, these attackers—most of them looked quite disheveled. A few pale-faced vampires with dark circles under their eyes appeared listless, as if they hadn't slept in days, standing out in the crowd.
Among the vampires, one stood out. He looked alert, looking around with curiosity and no trace of fear. When his gaze met Felix's, he grinned widely.
Harry also watched the crowd, knowing that some of these people might have been controlled by Death Eaters using a spell. But he had no idea how to check. If Avery had managed to escape punishment years ago by claiming he was under the Imperius Curse, what would happen now?
Harry's scar suddenly throbbed painfully.
Harry's eyes widened, his mind felt like a boiling cauldron, with a spoon stirring relentlessly. Occlumency could barely keep him from passing out. Harry felt dizzy and disoriented, his perspective shifting rapidly as he found himself in someone else's body, looking through their eyes at his enemies—
The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter; the Pureblood scum, Ron Weasley; the Mudblood, Hermione Granger; and the formidable threat, Felix Hep.
"No—!" Harry shouted, unsure whose mouth had spoken the words.
"Harry, what's wrong?"
"Harry?"
Harry panted, bending over and pointing in a direction: "Voldemort... he's here!" He realized his consciousness had returned to his body. Sirius and Amelia Bones quickly ran over, stopping in shock upon hearing his words.
Felix narrowed his eyes, staring at the direction Harry pointed—there was no Voldemort, only the bound attackers.
"He really is here!" Harry insisted, Voldemort standing calmly, meeting his gaze with blood-red eyes. "Don't let him hurt anyone!"
But the others seemed completely unable to see Voldemort.
"He's right there! Voldemort!" Harry was terrified. Why wasn't anyone looking at Voldemort? Why were they staring at him?
"Harry, what—"
"Is it an illusion?"
"He's right there", Harry tried to explain, his eyes fixed on the spot. "He's wearing all black! Black suit, black tie, tilting his head, moving his fingers. He's drawing his wand—"
The people around him took a step back, looking at him warily.
"Put your wand down, Harry", Hermione said, her voice trembling.
What was she talking about? Harry couldn't understand. He suddenly looked at his own hand, and his wand appeared there, as if by magic. His hand didn't seem to obey him, and a force was struggling against him.
"Use your Occlumency, Harry", Felix said gravely, his eyes fixed on the peculiar vampire. His eyes sparkled, and Mind Chamber Magic was instantly released. In the void of the mental space, he caught a glimpse: a thin person lying on the ground, moaning in pain; another—Voldemort, sneering arrogantly, raising his wand.
"Avada—"
Felix instantly cut off the magic.
In reality, the pale-faced vampire collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"He's dead!" the Auror escorting him exclaimed in horror.
At the same time, Harry felt a wave of dizziness. When he came to, he found himself lying on a couch. He heard muffled voices.
Harry strained to listen, but his head bumped into someone's hand.
"Harry?" Hermione whispered.
"Shh", Harry shook his head slightly, opened his eyes, and realized from the decor that he was in the Minister of Magic's office, but not in the same room.
“Dumbledore, I need to know the reason. That boy—” It was Amelia Bones’ voice, but it sounded muffled, as if something was blocking it.
“He has a name!” Sirius barked angrily.
“Alright—Harry said he saw the Dark Lord and could accurately describe the Dark Lord's actions. We all know that’s not true, it might be an illusion, but—” Amelia Bones’ voice lowered.
Harry strained to hear more, but Hermione silently handed him an Extendable Ear. He gave her a grateful look and inserted one end into his ear, making the voices much clearer.
“—his movements, he was mimicking the movements of the Dark Lord he described.”
Harry’s heart sank as if it had plunged into the icy depths of a lake.
“Are you suggesting the Dark Lord is controlling Harry?” Dumbledore asked calmly.
“It’s a possibility,” Amelia Bones said dryly, and Sirius let out a bark-like sound. “It could also be a curse. We all know Voldemort is very skilled at these. I need your opinion so we can make the right arrangements.”
There was a moment of silence—
“That scar, Voldemort’s failed spell linked Harry to him. When they are close, they influence each other. And Harry, he’s just a fifteen-year-old boy, clearly at a disadvantage—”
Dumbledore said softly.
“But I can assure you, Amelia. Harry is absolutely safe at Hogwarts and with the Order of the Phoenix, both for others and for himself. Moreover, it’s worth noting that Harry has a natural talent for Occlumency, and Felix’s tutoring has been quite effective—”
“Thank you for the compliment, Headmaster Dumbledore,” Felix’s voice said.
“Alright, I trust your judgment,” Amelia Bones conceded. “The boy—Harry, should he be sent to St. Mungo’s?”
“I think Mrs. Weasley will take good care of him,” Dumbledore said briefly.
The footsteps became clearer, and Harry immediately buried his head in the sofa, pretending to be asleep, his mind in turmoil. Hermione took the opportunity to pull the Extendable Ear out of his ear. The next second, Dumbledore, Amelia Bones, Sirius, and Felix entered the room.
She awkwardly hid her hand behind her back.
“Let’s bring Mrs. Weasley in. She must be very worried,” Dumbledore said gently.
“I’ll go tell Mum,” Ron stood up and said.
“Also—about the Thief-Repelling Falls, we need to act quickly. Mr. Heap, can you come with me to Future World Inc.?”
“Of course,” Felix nodded.
Harry drifted off to sleep again.
...
When Felix and Amelia Bones emerged from Future World Inc., it was already completely dark. Most shops had their doors and windows shut, and only the magical lamps at the entrances emitted a soft light, illuminating the Wanted posters clearly.
“I’ll use the Floo Network to get back to the Ministry of Magic. Don’t worry,” Amelia Bones said.
Felix nodded, watching her disappear into the fireplace. He turned toward Swordfort, intending to study the Thief-Repelling Falls’ documentation and identify the challenges.
Suddenly, a small figure emerged from the darkness—a young boy, no more than seven or eight years old.
A neighbor’s child? Felix didn’t sense any threat from him, but... he noticed the letter in the boy’s hand.
“A bald uncle asked me to give this to you,” the boy said timidly, his voice quavering. “He told me to wait here. I want to go home... but I can’t leave.”
Felix’s eyes narrowed. He quickly used his magical vision to inspect the envelope, which had only a faint trace of magic. He took the letter and patted the boy’s head. “I’ve got it. Go home quickly.”
Once the boy disappeared, Felix opened the letter. It contained only an Apparition address and a malevolent magic that seemed to challenge him.
“Want to duel, do you? I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time. Last time, I had many spells I didn’t get to use.”
Felix murmured to himself. It seemed he had received the same treatment as Dumbledore, being privately challenged by Voldemort. His transformation into a Rune and his escape from the Killing Curse must have left a deep impression on Voldemort.
He Apparated directly from Diagon Alley.
A cool breeze blew, making it the perfect time to test magic.
(End of Chapter)
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