Chapter 651: Ambush (Part 2)
Chapter 651: Ambush (Part 2) (Please subscribe, favorite, and vote)
The British Ministry of Magic is currently maintaining a very high state of alert. From the conversation Liam and Hermione overheard earlier, they learned that one now needs a special identification coin to enter the Ministry. During their earlier wanderings through the floors, they also noticed several Hit Wizards in gray uniforms patrolling various areas.
However, perhaps due to a misplaced trust in these defenses, or because overly complex security measures would severely hamper the Ministry’s efficiency, internal defenses remain extremely lax. Take the Redwood Door in front of them, for instance; it has no defensive magic at all.
Approaching and opening the door would be a foolish move, as there are over a dozen busy wizards in the clearing outside. If the door to an empty office suddenly opened, it’s hard to imagine no one would notice.
Fortunately, the new magic they learned during their last trip to the Feyrealms came in handy. A simple Silence Spell and a first-level Silent Illusion allowed them to slip into the office and quietly close the door behind them.
The office has an ostentatious feel, with excessive gold trim on the walls and furniture, and green velvet wallpaper, giving the entire room an overly decorated appearance.
The desk was spotlessly clean, with only a stack of new parchment and a gold-inlaid inkwell and quill. Behind it, a transparent glass cabinet displayed what appeared to be valuable artworks.
"Is this an office? It looks more like a drawing room or smoking room in a noble’s castle", Rose Crystal said curiously, flying around the small office.
"You’re still a bit careless, little one", Liam said with a smile, carefully sensing the room. He then aimed a pink beam of light at a section of the green velvet wall. After a subtle wave of magical power, the wall rippled like water, revealing a redwood door.
"A simple alarm spell, easy to deal with", Hermione said, examining the door. She extended her hands, and a wave of Shadows seeped into it. A few seconds later, with a soft click, the door slid open.
Behind the door was a small Chamber of Secrets, lined with filing cabinets filled with folders. After checking to ensure there was no other magic, Liam stepped inside.
The folders were organized by type and alphabetically. Each folder was labeled with a name, and the cabinets and folders were color-coded: red for absolute enemies, yellow for suspects, and green for potential allies. Each type of cabinet was arranged alphabetically by surname. Liam quickly found his own folder, which was in the red cabinet.
He didn’t bother looking at the folder, as he could guess its contents—likely detailing his involvement with Voldemort and some evaluations. Over the next few minutes, he placed over 20 green Wildfire Jars in the room, setting a 15-minute timer and a tripwire connected to the secret door.
"The operation went much smoother than we planned", Hermione said after restoring the door to its original state. "Next, should we go and eliminate the targets on our list?"
"No, I’ve changed my mind", Liam said. "Eliminating the others isn’t as important. I think our next task should be to raid the interrogation room."
"Why raid there?" Hermione asked, puzzled. "What’s the point?"
"Of course there’s a point", Liam said, handing her a piece of parchment he had found in the archive room.
"This is—Trial Schedule?" Hermione whispered after a quick glance. "The tenth trial is for someone who stole magical bloodlines? They’re holding ten trials in one day? Are they insane?"
"Think about Auschwitz, Hermione", Liam said. "Sometimes, certain events aren't about people losing their minds but about different factions vying for power. They always need a grand excuse. So, for the next while, I think we should focus on getting to the trial room and rescuing as many innocents as we can."
"Agreed", Hermione nodded. "Saving the innocent is far more important than destroying our enemies. We can always deal with them later, but once the innocent are harmed, it's irreversible."
With a unified plan, the three of them resumed their invisibility and left the office the same way they came in, hurrying toward the elevator. Fortunately, there were enough people heading to the main hall, and they soon joined the flow, transferring to the elevator bound for the tenth trial room.
The tenth trial room couldn't be reached directly by elevator, so Ryan and the others had to return to the Department of Mysteries level. They then followed a dimly lit, torch-lit corridor to the Black Gate of the Department of Mysteries, and from there, they took a left and continued downward.
As they reached the bottom level, Liam suddenly felt the temperature drop sharply, and white frost began to form on the stone walls. At the same time, Ryan and the others felt an overwhelming sense of despair wash over them.
Dementors. They all thought the same thing. Even though they had been cleared out before, these dark creatures, like cockroaches, were incredibly resilient, especially in times of despair and suffering. It was no surprise that just a short time after the last purge, Voldemort's side had managed to breed so many Dementors, now guarding the court entrance.
Liam was prepared for this. He pulled out a thick stack of talismans from his pocket and signaled Hermione and Rose Crystal to be on guard for any movement at the entrance.
Once all preparations were in place, Liam sprinted around the final corner and, before the Dementors could react, threw the talismans from both hands in a crisscross motion.
Unlike the worst-case scenario they had anticipated, the Dementor population had been severely weakened by the previous purges. Although their numbers had somewhat recovered, they were far from their former strength. Now, only eight Dementors stood at the court entrance, arranged in two rows of four, which was less than a third of the talismans Liam had prepared.
Each Dementor was hit by three or four talismans, and as soon as the talismans made contact, blue flames, like wind chimes, began to spread from their centers.
The flames immediately halted the Dementors' advance, causing them to fly around the corridor in a frenzy. Black mist billowed from their bodies, trying to extinguish the flames.
However, nothing they did helped. The tattered robes, the rotting flesh, and even the black mist the Dementors exhaled to smother the flames were all ignited by the Blue Flames. The azure fire spread rapidly, and within seconds, the eight Dementors were reduced to eight glowing blue fireballs.
The screams of the Dementors as they burned finally caught the attention of those inside the courtroom. With a loud creak, the heavy black door of the courtroom opened, and a young wizard, wearing a Hit Wizard uniform with the sleeves rolled up to reveal the Dark Mark, stepped out, wand in hand.
"A trial of Mudbloods is in session—"
(End of Chapter)
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