Chapter 701: Past and Present
Chapter 701: Past and Present
Under the dim light of the Lumos spell on the wand, Ryan and the others carefully exited the small building, restoring everything to its original state. Then, the two of them walked through the thick snow towards the town exit, guided by the light.
"I wonder how the Christmas Eve dinner at our Manor is coming along?" Liam remarked, glancing at the brightly lit Weasley Family house. The Weasleys had somehow managed to hang a string of magical lights around their home and placed a small Christmas tree in their tiny yard. Though modest, the scene exuded a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The Weasleys were not the only ones; every inhabited house on the street radiated a warm glow. The air was filled with the aroma of various delicious foods, creating a sense of warmth and comfort in everyone's hearts.
"I think the Handymen will surprise us", Hermione said, sniffing the air and then linking her arm with Liam's. "Even though we can't celebrate Christmas with our parents this year, having a small Christmas Eve feast with the six of us living here is still something to be happy about."
After registering at the town gate, Ryan and the others left Hogsmeade. When they reached a spot where no one in town could see them, Liam teleported back to his Manor.
Entering the Manor's grand hall, Liam found that the Handymen had decorated the room with a festive atmosphere. The ceiling was adorned with colorful streamers and mistletoe, interspersed with palm-sized lanterns that twinkled. In each corner of the room stood a Christmas tree, each decorated with numerous ornaments.
The large dining table in front of the fireplace was now covered with a new snow-white linen tablecloth. Six sets of golden cutlery, five large and one small, were neatly arranged in front of the corresponding chairs, and several exquisite ornaments were placed in the center of the table.
"Master, can we begin now?" A Handy floated in after Liam had changed into his formal attire. "Everything is almost ready, and we can start the banquet at any time."
Soon, everyone in the house took their seats. Three Handies then brought in the prepared dishes one by one, placing them on the table. The plates were filled with plump, glistening roast goose, various neatly arranged roasted meats, and a variety of sauces on small silver platters. A crystal dish held a fresh and vibrant salad.
"May the war end soon, and may our future be better than ever", Liam, as the Master, raised a glass of elffruit wine and toasted. After the toast, everyone began to enjoy the sumptuous Christmas dinner. Each person took turns sharing light and amusing stories, dispelling the unease brought by the recent tensions.
At the dinner table, Liam received some good news: both Wandmakers had confirmed that their families were safely hidden in places Voldemort could not find. Receiving such reassuring news during the holiday was certainly cause for celebration.
As a result, the two Wandmakers left the table somewhat tipsy. Liam called for two robots to take care of the elderly men.
When the two wand masters were drunk, they shared many stories from the past, the most important of which was how the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters rose to power. As witnesses to the previous war, their accounts provided Liam with deeper insights into the events of that time, some of which were useful for the current conflict.
At the beginning of the last war, Voldemort used his charisma and persuasive skills to promote anti-Muggle ideas and marginalize Muggle-born wizards through relatively peaceful means. While people were wary, the lack of violent acts and the internal conflicts within the Wizarding World meant that, apart from Dumbledore's warnings, no one acted to stop Voldemort.
However, once Voldemort gathered enough followers, they no longer satisfied themselves with mere propaganda or legal means to achieve their goals. Soon, violent incidents became frequent, and the war truly began.
At first, the Ministry of Magic had a significant advantage. Although many Death Eaters came from pureblood families and had received comprehensive magical combat training, they were still outmatched by the Ministry's organized and professionally trained forces.
But Voldemort’s own power leveled the playing field. Whenever he appeared on the battlefield, whether it was Aurors or Hit Wizards, they would crumble at the slightest touch. No matter how many advantages these Ministry of Magic armed personnel had, they could not stop Voldemort’s advance.
After each victory, Voldemort would execute the prisoners who refused to surrender and then, along with his subordinates, kill their families. Through the terror created by these actions, Voldemort’s side easily coerced more people into joining their ranks.
As his power grew like a snowball, the Death Eaters became bolder, directly casting the Imperius Curse on people or recruiting various dark creatures. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Magic’s Aurors and Hit Wizards were intimidated by Voldemort’s brutal tactics, falling into a state of semi-paralysis, and were hesitant to confront the Death Eaters.
In this situation, even Professor Dumbledore could not turn the tide of the war. As the only Wizard in Britain at the time who could face Voldemort directly, he had too many places and people to protect. This not only divided his attention but also prevented him from being able to arrive in time during each of Voldemort’s attacks.
Fortunately, Voldemort’s misguided decision to murder Harry, who was still an infant, led to the Killing Curse rebounding onto himself. His temporary death caused the vast criminal organization built on his power to disintegrate almost instantly.
Now, in this new war, Voldemort has resorted to the same tactics, launching attacks to revive the memories of the terrifying past. However, Liam’s appearance has changed everything.
Unlike Wizards born a century ago, who adhered to the traditions of Wizard combat and upheld due process, such as Dumbledore, Liam, having grown up in the modern world both in his first and second life, understands war in a more conventional sense. Therefore, from the beginning of the war, Liam’s sole focus has been on eliminating the enemy’s fighting strength and war potential.
His approach differs significantly from Dumbledore’s. He aims to kill as many enemies as possible in battle and destroy as many of their resources as he can, rather than using limited force, as Dumbledore often preferred to capture enemies alive and give them trials. This self-imposed restraint often led to the escape of enemies.
Additionally, the humanitarian decision to spare innocents in previous actions inadvertently created a group of burdens for Voldemort’s side—people who consumed resources without providing any help, further weakening Voldemort’s war potential.
In a sense, what Liam is doing now is similar to what Voldemort did in the past, except the roles are reversed. Unlike Dumbledore, Voldemort is not willing to risk his own life to protect his people and resources, which allows Liam to spread fear among the Death Eaters at a much faster rate than they did in the wizarding world.
Liam’s strength also means that Voldemort dares not take the initiative to change the course of the war as he did in the past. He knows that if he is delayed even a little, allowing Liam and Dumbledore to join forces, he will face a significant cost, if not death.
Therefore, after the full-scale war broke out, Voldemort chose to hide and use his absolute advantage to gradually wear down his resistance. On one hand, this strategy makes it impossible for Dumbledore and Liam to pinpoint his location and eliminate him, as a Wizard of his caliber is difficult to catch if he avoids combat.
On the other hand, Voldemort’s evasion has exposed his weakness, and the morale of both sides has started to shift. Ryan and his allies no longer view Voldemort as an invincible Dark Lord, while the Death Eaters, though still obeying his orders out of fear of his brutality, have significantly reduced their proactive actions.
As a result, three months after the full-scale war began and Ryan and the others joined the fight, the number of missing and deceased people has drastically decreased. Liam can proudly say that their blood and sacrifice have brought a peaceful Christmas to everyone, and all the hardships and killings were worth it.
(End of Chapter)
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