Chapter 662: First Battle
Chapter 662: First Battle
Boom, boom, boom, crash. Just as the sky had darkened for less than ten minutes, several beams of different colors shot out from the forest outside Hogsmeade, striking a wall and the surrounding ground. The ground was blasted into several large craters, and the wall that was hit was blown open, then collapsed.
This first strike was like the firing of a starting gun, and in an instant, the sky was filled with spells of various colors. Even though they had previously analyzed that the attack on Hogsmeade was not likely to be the main force of the enemy, the situation now did not look easy. Sounds of something breaking or collapsing could be heard from time to time, and Liam even saw a large tree at the entrance of Hogsmeade set on fire by magic, burning like a torch.
"It looks like everyone can still hold their ground", Hermione observed after watching the situation from the second floor for a while. "There are about fifty to sixty Wizards attacking Hogsmeade, divided into three small teams coming from three directions. Honestly, if they split into more teams, we'd be in real trouble. Our Hit Wizards and Volunteers are not equipped for small team operations."
"Do you think these attacking Death Eaters don't want to fight in small teams?" Liam said after a careful observation. "They just can't do it. Despite the chaos outside, the disorganized spell lights indicate that the Dark Wizards' organizational level is low. If they really tried to conduct small team assaults, they might completely disintegrate. Once the siege turns into a free-for-all, it would be even more disadvantageous for the attackers."
After explaining, Liam and Hermione went down to the first floor. The first floor had been cleared to create a Healing Room, and Penelope was prepared with a large stack of potions and the charm paper Liam had given her, ready to treat any injured.
"Are you about to leave?" Penelope looked up at Liam and Hermione as they walked down the stairs. "Lupin and the others are waiting in the backyard."
"Yes, we're leaving", Hermione nodded at Penelope. "Stay safe here. If anything goes wrong, go to the Chamber of Secrets below. Liam and I have prepared enough magic to ensure your safety."
"Got it, good luck today", Penelope said, raising her wand in a formal Wizard salute as Ryan and the others opened the door and headed towards the backyard.
In the backyard, twelve Werewolves were already in position. Seeing Liam come out, Lupin approached and asked, "Liam, where should we go now?"
"The main road of Hogsmeade is opposite Black Lake, and there are no enemies there", Liam thought for a moment and said. "Hogsmeade Station is closer to the Ministry of Magic and is also between the town and Hogwarts Castle, so it shouldn't need immediate help. Percy and his team are at the village entrance, and they seem to be holding their own. The terrain there makes it difficult for the enemy to spread out even if they have more numbers."
"So, we'll jump over the back wall and enter the forest. Then, we'll use the cover of the trees to eliminate the group of enemies parallel to the back wall", Liam concluded.
"Alright, let's go", Lupin said, and then led the Werewolves, who were still in wolf form, over the wall and leaped out. Liam and Hermione followed, using the wall's corner to gain leverage and flip over.
A few seconds after they climbed over the wall, Ryan and the others ran into the forest about ten meters away. Under the cover of night, the Death Eaters, who were about a hundred meters away, did not notice them and continued to exchange spells with the Hogsmeade Guards.
As soon as they entered the forest, Liam immediately approached a tree and placed his hand on it. Activating Nature Sense, Liam quickly felt the number and distribution of the enemies in the forest.
"There are 17 Death Eaters in the forest, distributed like this—" Liam cleared a spot on the ground under the moonlight and began to draw a rough map of the enemy's positions with his wand. The Werewolves transformed into human form and gathered around. "They are currently in a stalemate with the villagers in town. We can circle around to their rear and deliver a fatal blow."
After finishing his speech, Liam turned his head towards the group of Werewolves. "This is now a real war, so I hope you can put aside your usual mercy and use lethal force in battle."
"We understand", the former Auror William stepped forward. "Kindness and mercy are for our own side. When facing enemies, only giving it our all can ensure victory. Please rest assured, we have lived on the dark side of the Magical Worlds since becoming Werewolves. We know what to do in a situation like this."
"Alright, then let's take care of the three people guarding their rear", Liam glanced at the Werewolves raising their wands. "Once we've completed our task, we'll signal you. When you receive my signal, attack the enemy's flank with full force."
Seeing the Werewolves all nod in understanding, Liam and Hermione used their Grapple Hooks to climb up a tree. They then ran nimbly and quietly along the branches, while the Werewolves transformed into wolves and moved swiftly towards the enemy's location below.
It was summer, and the forest was lush with thick foliage, providing excellent cover for Liam and Hermione. They soon reached a position directly above the enemy's sentry posts.
In a way, the sentry posts were strategically placed. With one hidden and two visible, they could observe the situation behind the attackers. Especially the hidden sentry, who stood on a tree branch and wore an Invisibility Cloak, would have been impossible for an ordinary Wizard to locate if not for Liam's ability to communicate with nature.
However, once discovered, the hidden sentry's inability to move easily became a significant weakness. Liam and Hermione used the Disillusionment Charm to approach the tree where the hidden sentry was stationed and easily neutralized the surrounding alert spells. Hermione then fired a small gray ball at the hidden sentry.
At the same time, Liam launched a prepared Avada Kedavra. The two spells hit the hidden sentry simultaneously. Liam's spell killed the sentry instantly, while Hermione's gray ball transformed into a transparent net, blocking any possible magical communication.
With the hidden sentry neutralized, taking out the two visible sentries was a breeze for Liam. The Death Eaters had focused most of their attention on the hidden sentry, making the visible sentries more of a token presence.
For example, the two visible sentries, who were supposed to be patrolling separately, were now huddled around a purple fire, completely ignoring their surroundings. They were roasting some small animal over the fire, and when Ryan and the others appeared above them, they didn't even notice anything was amiss. This created extremely favorable conditions for the ambush.
Five seconds later, two flashes of cold light, and all the sentries were eliminated. After a thorough check to ensure there was no fourth sentry, Liam signaled the group of Werewolves.
Lupin and the others had already been lying in wait nearby, so they surged forward just seconds after receiving the signal, passing by the tree where Ryan and the others were. Soon, the sound of spell explosions and cries of alarm echoed from the front. The Death Eaters attacking Hogsmeade had not expected anyone to breach their carefully set up perimeter without any warning, and they were caught off guard.
"Let's join the action!" Seeing the chaos ahead, Liam and Hermione exchanged a glance and nodded. Then, they both leaped from the branches and sprinted towards the battlefield.
(End of Chapter)
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