Chapter 721: Pre-War Planning
Chapter 721: Pre-War Planning
The next day, all the trainees woke up early and began their exercises under the leadership of Liam and Hermione. Even though wizards primarily rely on magic for combat, physical training is still essential.
Fortunately, Liam had ample resources. With a generous budget, he could rapidly improve the physical fitness of his followers. Thanks to memory infusion, the intense training allowed them to quickly master the techniques of spellcasting.
"I think the resources we each consume in a day could rival what the heads of Pureblood Families use in a month for training", Derek Crimp, the former Director of the Goblin Liaison Office, said during dinner after a grueling day of training. He explained the value of the potions and magical items Liam provided. "A small bottle of Soul Stabilizer costs 12 Galleons, and Stamina Elixirs containing Riame Bull Blood cost 20 Galleons. Most importantly, these items are incredibly rare and highly sought after."
As a Muggle-born wizard, Derek, even as a Ministry of Magic official, could never afford such items. However, through interactions with his colleagues, he had a good understanding of their value. So, during dinner, he began to introduce his companions to the worth of these resources.
"Honor is Loyalty", the followers of Ryan and others murmured softly. They understood why Liam was investing so much in them. As Muggle-born and Half-blood wizards who had long been overlooked, they were not averse to offering their loyalty. First, Liam had a good reputation and had saved them from dire situations. They naturally did not resist following such a leader.
Second, Liam was willing to provide them with resources that they had always dreamed of but could never obtain, even as fringe figures in the Wizarding World. In such a situation, becoming followers was something they eagerly pursued.
Lastly, and most importantly, Liam's goal of eliminating bloodline discrimination and providing equal opportunities for all wizards was not only just but resonated deeply with those who had suffered from such discrimination. This made them see Liam's goals as their own, giving them a strong sense of purpose in their actions.
Therefore, despite the intense and exhausting training, everyone persevered. Whether they were recent graduates or former employees in their thirties and forties, their eyes were filled with the light of hope.
After two weeks of arduous training, everyone successfully passed the final evaluation. At the banquet that evening, they inquired about Liam's next plans.
"Tomorrow, take a day off, and the day after, gather to reinforce the defenses of Hogsmeade", Liam said at the dinner table. "I've received reliable intelligence that the Dark Lord will launch a new attack the day after tomorrow. The only problem is that I don't know the specific target of the attack."
"What should we do?" someone asked. "We definitely need to do something, but without knowing the target, where should we go?"
"I suggest you all go to Hogsmeade", Liam said. "This attack might involve the Dark Lord himself, so I don't recommend splitting up. Hogsmeade is the only place where you can act as a cohesive group."
"Of course, this isn't just about your safety", Hermione added, noticing a few discouraged faces. "Hogsmeade has the highest concentration of civilians, making it the most challenging to defend. From another perspective, it's also the place where you are most needed."
Hermione's words were not just empty reassurance. Hogwarts and Azkaban were both fortress-like structures, far easier to defend than a residential area like Hogsmeade.
"Of course, if the Dark Lord attacks Hogsmeade, don't worry too much. As long as you stay confident and don't fear, you can hold him off for several minutes without injury. And Headmaster Dumbledore is at Hogwarts Castle; that's more than enough time for him to arrive", Liam reassured everyone, noticing their lingering fear of Voldemort.
After the meal, Liam and Hermione saw these people off at the Manor. They only returned to their room after watching them all Apparate away from the Manor gates.
"How are your preparations for the day after tomorrow?" Hermione asked once they were back in the room. "I haven't received any letters from Mr. Greengrass recently, and I'm a bit worried—"
"There's no need to worry about that", Liam reassured her. "After all, our communication with him is secret, and this matter is so important. It's only natural to keep contact to a minimum in such circumstances."
"Still, no news is the best news at this point. We agreed that he would send us the specific details tomorrow at noon. As long as he gets in touch then, everything is fine. For now, it's best for him to stay out of contact for safety reasons."
"Alright, as long as everything is within our expectations", Hermione said, shaking her hair. "I'm going to bed now; the training over the past two weeks has nearly drained me."
The exhaustion wasn't just physical; it also affected her soul. Even with memory infusion as a foundation, guiding thirty people in their studies at once was a complex and challenging task. After nearly half a month of such work, Hermione, despite her enhanced body, felt she could barely keep up.
Of course, Liam wasn't having an easy time either. This led to both of them sleeping until ten the next morning. Fortunately, after a long rest, they felt their energy restored and were ready for the action the day after.
At noon, a wind chime in the Great Hall tinkled. Liam immediately Apparated to the letter receiving point and found a parchment scroll about the size of a finger placed there.
The parchment was simply rolled up, with no wax seal bearing a clan badge or even an envelope. Following the method agreed upon with Mr. Greengrass, Liam tapped the ends of the wax seal with his wand and then circled the parchment three times with the wand tip. Instantly, the parchment unrolled itself.
This was a small trick used to seal secret documents; if not opened correctly, the text on the parchment would disappear. The unrolled parchment contained only two lines: it instructed Liam to go to the Greengrass Manor at 6:30 PM the next day to escort Mr. Greengrass's wife and two daughters to a safe place. His wife would inform Ryan and the others of the location for the magical ritual.
"Looks like Mr. Greengrass is being quite cautious", Liam muttered to himself as the words on the parchment slowly faded and disappeared. However, given that this was their first major collaboration, Liam understood Mr. Greengrass's prudence.
Upon returning to the Manor, Liam informed Hermione about the letter. After hearing its contents, Hermione asked, "In this situation, where do you plan to arrange for them to stay?"
"We can't just stuff them into Sirius Black's house like we did with the Malfoys. After all, Mrs. Malfoy is a member of the Black family, while the Greengrasses, though they have some ties to the Blacks, wouldn't fit in well there for shelter", Liam explained. "How about sending them to Hogsmeade?"
"Not a good idea", Hermione shook her head. "After this operation, the Greengrass family will likely be on the Dark Lord's hit list. Hogsmeade is too risky; it's not secure enough, and we can't take that chance."
(End of Chapter)
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