Chapter 725: Werewolf Pack
Chapter 725: Werewolf Pack
"Death Eaters are quite resourceful", Liam said as the two of them advanced deeper into the forest toward their predetermined location. "It seems our previous attacks have revealed some of our tactics, and this time their setup is clearly targeting those weaknesses."
"You're right, I have the same feeling", Hermione replied, running a few steps ahead and standing on a tree trunk before turning to face Liam. "They likely restricted our scouting abilities from the start, trying to disrupt our usual ambush tactics that have given us a significant advantage in the past, and they're concealing their own forces."
At this point, Hermione furrowed her brow and asked, "The problem is, there's no record of any issues with this place in the archives from the past few centuries, and I don't believe the Death Eaters could set up such a large-scale ritual array."
"I think the Death Eaters probably just discovered this place and found a way to activate what was already here", Liam said as he continued walking. "Remember, they come from various Pureblood Families, and their clan records are likely far more comprehensive than those of the Ministry of Magic. Perhaps someone found something useful in their archives."
As they discussed, the two of them moved quickly. Fortunately, while the dimension was filled with various interferences and turbulence that prevented most people from Apparating, for Ryan and the others, it only increased the difficulty of dimension traversal, not making it impossible.
Of course, for safety's sake, Liam teleported a few hundred meters ahead alone first, then used the Phoenix Mark's special ability to pull Hermione to his side. Using this method, they spent 15 minutes crossing the five kilometers of eerie woodlands.
"This should be it", Liam and Hermione stood side by side on a large rock. In front of them was an invisible barrier similar to the one they had encountered on the way in, but unlike that barrier, this one had no mist on the outside.
"It looks like we've arrived", Ryan and the others confirmed the area was safe and crossed the invisible boundary. Before them lay a patch of flat grass about the size of a Quidditch pitch, with a simple tent set up in the center.
The tent appeared ordinary, with no magical reactions. When Ryan and the others lifted the curtain and entered, they found the three members of the Greengrass family lying on a tattered carpet near the tent's entrance.
There were also several other men and women, all unconscious and placed in various spots within the tent. In the center, a cauldron slightly larger than a regular one was boiling a green, mud-like liquid.
Unlike a regular cauldron, this one had a small brass foot about the size of Liam's arm at the bottom. In theory, if this were the legendary Jumping Cauldron, it should be hopping around using this foot. However, it was now mounted on a silver rack with snake-shaped relief carvings, suspended over a green magical flame, and the small foot was twitching continuously.
After muttering a few spells, Liam cast a pink glow over the cauldron. A sound like cold water hitting hot oil followed, and a mass of fluorescent green runes appeared on the outside of the cauldron.
These runes had an eerie feel, as if someone had drawn them randomly while drunk with a wand. However, the rhythmic, breathing-like glow and the flowing magical power indicated the strength contained within them.
"What is this?" Hermione, who had just finished checking the unconscious people in the tent, turned around and saw this. "Why do I feel uncomfortable looking at these symbols?"
"Do you feel uncomfortable? I think that's normal", Liam explained. "These runes are a branch of ancient Greek, known as Blasphemous Script during the mythological era. They are used specifically for creating dark magical artifacts and writing dark magic books, providing a boost to dark magic casting. For example, this cauldron has been thoroughly corrupted by these runes, likely drawn by the Dark Lord himself."
"Completely contaminated?" Hermione's eyes widened. "So the plan to transform those Muggles into wights is real? Can this cauldron really do that?"
"Of course it can. Don't forget that this Jumping Cauldron is listed in the legends alongside the Deathly Hallows. Considering the power of the Deathly Hallows, it's understandable that this cauldron could achieve what was planned." Liam nodded in confirmation and then asked, "By the way, what's the situation with these unconscious people?"
"The situation isn't good", Hermione said. "During my examination, I found that they all drank a peculiar elixir. This elixir isn't lethal, but it puts them into a deep sleep. Moreover, apart from the three from the Greengrass clan, everyone else shows signs of torture."
"Deep sleep and torture?" Liam furrowed his brow. "What kind of deep sleep is this? Can we wake them up? I think this place isn't safe, and we need to quickly move these non-combatants to a safer location."
"I'm sorry, but I don't have the ability to do that", Hermione replied, her expression grim. "This elixir, though not lethal, is extremely complex. Forcing them to wake up could cause permanent damage to their souls."
Hermione paused for a moment before continuing, "The others, apart from the Greengrass clan, are likely Muggle-born wizards kidnapped by the Dark Lord. I recognized a few of them from the missing persons photos in our newspaper. Their condition is worse because the torture has harmed their souls, and forcibly waking them could be fatal."
After speaking, Hermione used the Phoenix Mark to transmit the specific results of her examination to Liam. Liam was surprised to find that the complexity of this elixir rivaled that of Veritaserum. Even if he used the power of Rose Madonna, it would take him at least half an hour to analyze and create the corresponding antidote.
However, the people who set this trap clearly didn't intend to give Liam any time to prepare. Just as Liam finished reading the information Hermione had sent via the Phoenix Mark, several howls echoed from outside.
"Werewolves", Ryan and the others, who had dealt with Lupin and his group for a long time, immediately recognized the source of the howls. From the few howls, they could clearly tell that the werewolves outside had almost surrounded them.
"Damn! Today is the full moon", Liam realized, according to the lunar calendar, it was the 15th. He had only paid attention to the lunar calendar during the New Year in his previous life, and over the past few years in Britain, he had completely forgotten about it.
"Truly devious", Liam thought to himself. The strong magical interference in the area made it impossible for even a wizard with special dimensional traversal skills to guarantee the safe transport of the unconscious people. Moreover, it would be difficult to move so many people at once.
Clearly, the group had lured Liam here using the Jumping Cauldron, then used the Greengrass clan's women and a few innocents to delay them, and finally summoned a group to finish them off. However, Liam was curious about why Voldemort had chosen werewolves.
Based on the simple tests Liam had conducted, even werewolves like Professor Lupin, who could maintain human consciousness in wolf form, struggled in small-scale 3+3 team battles with wizards. The werewolves on Voldemort's side, who lost their human consciousness upon transformation, would fare even worse.
If Voldemort had mixed Death Eaters and werewolves, Liam suspected that they might end up fighting each other before even encountering him.
If only werewolves were sent, Liam didn't think a group of mindless werewolves would pose much of a threat. Even the most optimistic estimate put the number of werewolves willing to join Voldemort at no more than two hundred. Despite their powerful magical and physical defenses, Liam didn't believe they would be a match for him, especially given their fatal weakness of lacking intelligence.
(End of Chapter)
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