Chapter 652: Ambush (Part 2)
Chapter 652: Ambush (Part 2)
In the interrogation chamber beneath the Ministry of Magic, an interrogation was underway, with eight Dementors circling the skylight on the ceiling. A chill and despair enveloped the entire room. On a high platform facing the room's entrance, Muggle-Born Registration Committee Head Lancorn Albert was barking like a mad dog. "Derek Creswell, the evidence of your forged family tree is irrefutable. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"You can't do this to me. My magic is innate; I didn't steal it from anyone. Besides, I've worked diligently for the Ministry of Magic for 20 years without a single mistake—" Derek Creswell, bound to a chair with iron chains, angrily protested.
At that moment, a sobbing sound came from the benches. It was a middle-aged woman with brown hair. She and a group of Muggle-born wizards, who had been summoned to testify, huddled together in fear on the hard wooden benches, trembling. Several wizards covered their faces with their hands, perhaps instinctively trying to shield themselves from the Dementors' greedy mouths. Some had family members with them, while others sat alone. The Dementors floated up and down, occasionally passing by the group, sucking away their happiness and spreading despair.
"Shut up, you filthy Mudblood", Lancorn Albert spat, spittle flying onto Derek Creswell's face. After his tirade, he turned to a middle-aged witch with blonde hair and a Death Eater mark on her forearm. "Mary, take note. This is a stubborn Mudblood. He should be locked in the Black Cell to rot away with the Dementors."
"Yes, I've noted it", Mary, the middle-aged witch, quickly scribbled with her quill, her face pale under the light of a jackal-like Patronus.
After confirming that his words had been recorded, Albert turned back to the group of Muggle-born wizards, preparing to spew more insults. Suddenly, the distinctive, eerie screech of a Dementor came from outside the courtroom.
"Rupert, go see what's happening. I hope it's not some overconfident fools trying to break in", Albert ordered the Death Eater Hit Wizard standing by the door, then turned his attention back to the huddled group of Muggle-born wizards.
"This courtroom represents absolute justice. I swear, I will thoroughly cleanse—"
Lancorn Albert's rant was cut short as Rupert, who had gone to investigate, crashed through the door, flying backward with a forearm-thick purple crystal embedded in his chest.
For a moment, the interrogation chamber was deathly silent. Before anyone could react, the exposed part of the crystal on Rupert's body exploded, sending a fan of purple, transparent crystal shards flying toward the trial platform.
"Protective Shield!" Albert cast the spell, but the energy contained within the crystal shards far exceeded their expectations. The Armor Charm shattered the instant the shards made contact, and several shards sliced into Albert's body, causing multiple wounds and making him howl in pain.
Mary, standing beside him, didn't have time to cast a spell when the crystal exploded. Instead, she ducked behind the trial table. This turned out to be fortuitous, as the explosion was primarily designed to break through magical defenses, and the thick, iron-reinforced wooden table successfully blocked the crystal shards aimed at Mary.
"Avada—" Albert, taking advantage of the chaos, raised his wand again. But before he could finish the spell, a flurry of yellow papers flew in from the doorway. Most of the yellow papers soared toward the ceiling, transforming the Dementors into a swarm of blue fireballs that screeched and darted around.
The remaining yellow papers targeted Albert. One of them, sharp as a blade, severed his hand and wand, while the others pinned him to the trial chair.
"Who are you?" Albert, completely immobilized, struggled to stare at the entrance of the Black Hole. A few seconds later, Liam and Hermione emerged from the darkness of the corridor and entered the trial chamber.
"This is a great place", Liam said, ignoring the severely injured Albert. He surveyed the trial room and gestured for Hermione to explain the situation to the Muggle-born Wizards, who were huddled together like quails, trembling in fear. He then walked up the steps to Albert's side.
"Who we are doesn't matter", Liam said, pulling a pistol from his coat with his left hand and pointing it at Albert's head. He thought that for the Head of the Muggle-Born Registration Committee, dying by a Muggle weapon would be a fitting end. "What matters is that we can use your life to warn everyone that killing innocents will only lead to your own death."
With that, Liam pulled the trigger. Several gunshots rang out, and Albert's skull exploded, leaving no hope for even magic to save him.
"Give me your wand", Liam said, pointing his wand at Mary, who was cowering under the table, hands over her head, trembling. She didn't look like a Death Eater. "Or I'll take it from your corpse."
Mary felt as though a weight had been lifted from her. She quickly pulled out her wand and slid it across the floor to Liam. He bent down to pick it up and said, "Stay there and don't cause any trouble."
Seeing Mary nod, Liam stepped down from the trial platform, walking through the blood. By now, Hermione had released Derek Creswell from the trial chair and let him join his wife. She then addressed the group of Muggle-born Wizards: "You should leave with us and go home to gather your children and flee. You've seen what's happening here; you won't get justice."
"Where can we go now, Mr. Liang?" Derek Creswell asked, supporting his wife.
"You know me?" Liam was curious.
"Of course, most of us here know you. Second-class Order of Merlin, Triwizard Tournament Champion. We all say you will be Britain's greatest Muggle-born Wizard in a century", Creswell said earnestly, and more than half of the others nodded in agreement.
It seems my East Asian face is quite recognizable, Liam thought. "Since you all trust me, head north when you leave. Professor Dumbledore has established a strong resistance fortress there. If going north is too difficult, going abroad is also a good option. The farther you are from the Ministry of Magic in London, the better."
Seeing that the Muggle-born Wizards were taking his advice, Liam distributed the two usable wands he had confiscated to two of them. Even so, half of the Wizards still had no wands. Their wands had been taken away before they entered the interrogation chamber.
"Each person without a wand should follow someone who has one", Liam instructed. "Move as quickly as possible when we leave. We'll try to buy you time in the main hall."
"What about you?" a middle-aged Witch with black hair asked. "The Ministry of Magic is full of Death Eaters. How will you get out once they surround you?"
"Don't worry", Hermione reassured her. "We came in with a plan to get out, so once we reach the entrance hall, just run as fast as you can. The faster you run, the more time we'll have to escape."
"Alright, let's go", Liam said after all the preparations were made. He and Hermione led the 20-plus Wizards toward the lift.
(End of Chapter)
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