Evil Plan
Upon seeing Kingsley bring in the Auror, Bernard certainly wouldn't sit idly by and wait to be killed.
He quickly stood up, a cloud of black mist bursting from his body as he attempted to Apparition, but the spatial anchoring spell prevented him.
With a ferocious expression, he uttered a short incantation and flung his briefcase away.
With a bang, the briefcase exploded, spewing out acrid green smoke and countless cursed metal fragments.
"Shield Charm!" Harry and several Auror simultaneously erected a barrier, protecting Theodore and the others.
Cassandra waved her wand, and a chilling whirlwind swept away most of the poisonous mist and debris.
The battle ended with little suspense; Harry used only two Charms to force Bernard to his knees, and Kingsley and several other Auror quickly rushed forward and dragged him back.
"Clean up the scene, take the target away, and check for any other magical traps or tracking markers," Kingsley quickly ordered, Auror immediately began to move.
Harry walked over to Theodore: "Are you alright?"
Theodore shook his head, his face even paler than before, but he remained relatively calm. "If it weren't for your prior arrangements—thank you."
"You did a great job." Harry patted him on the shoulder.
In his first time participating in such an operation, facing Dark Wizard, Theodore's performance far exceeded expectations.
Bernard was swiftly taken to a secret interrogation room at the French Ministry of Magic, Truth Serum and Legilimency revealed his identity: he was a high-ranking errand boy codenamed "Silver Fox," a key figure in Voldemort's inner circle, whose real name was irrelevant, and who was responsible for making initial contact and assessments with several potential partners in Europe.
He knew about Silver Fox's Safe House and backup contact methods, and he also vaguely knew that Silver Fox and his group were under the command of a the Dark Lord known as Miss Merope, but he had never met her in person, or even seen Silver Fox's true face. Every contact was made through encrypted magical items and intermediaries.
More importantly, he revealed a crucial piece of information: Silver Fox has been paying close attention to the movements of the Nott Family in Britain recently, not only because Old Nott was an important contact, but also because the Nott Family's heritage may indeed involve some secret knowledge about soul magic, which is one of the things Miss Merope urgently needs for her current great project.
Bernard's mission was to confirm whether Theodore truly possessed any clues, and to obtain them if possible.
"It seems our bait just happened to hit a nerve," Cassandra said after learning the interrogation results. "The Nott family's library might indeed hold some secrets we don't know about."
"Bernard knows limited information, but through him, we might be able to track down Silver Fox." Hermione analyzed the several Safe House addresses and contact methods she had obtained. "Further action from the French Ministry of Magic and the Confederation is needed. But this will take time, and Silver Fox is likely already on alert."
Just then, Veratia sent an even more urgent message from headquarters: the pressure on the Security Council had reached a critical point. The opposition had jointly proposed a bill to establish an independent oversight committee to review all major decisions regarding the Purification operation and to temporarily freeze further large-scale reconnaissance of the Holy Grail region until a comprehensive assessment was completed.
The proposal has received considerable support from centrists, and the vote will take place in 48 hours.
"They want to tie my hands," Veratia's voice came through the encrypted communication. "If the proposal passes, all our actions will be bogged down in bureaucracy, and Voldemort will gain valuable time."
"We can't let them through," Harry said firmly.
"I will do my best to maneuver, but we need a convincing victory to shut them up," Veratia said. "Bernard's testimony and potential clues are useful, but not enough. We need to do something more convincing before the vote."
After the communication ended, the atmosphere in Grimmauld Place became tense again.
Time is of the essence; they need to find a way to break the deadlock within 48 hours.
"Perhaps we can take a two-pronged approach," Harry thought for a moment and said. "On one hand, using Bernard as a lead, the Confederation and the French Ministry of Magic could organize a rapid raid on Silver Fox's hideout. The goal isn't to capture him, but to destroy a key location, obtain more physical evidence, and create a stir. On the other hand—"
He looked at Cassandra and Hermione: "We'll go straight for the Nott Family's library. Since Silver Fox and Voldemort value the Nott family's potential knowledge so much, it's very likely that something truly crucial is hidden there."
Theodore is one of ours now; he can take us in.
"The risk is very high," Cassandra pointed out. "You should know that some of the defenses of Pure-blood families are notoriously complex and insidious, and Voldemort's men may also be secretly monitoring the area. If we are discovered, Theodore will be immediately exposed, and we will be in danger as well."
"So we need speed, secrecy, and Theodore's full cooperation," Harry said. "We don't need to empty the entire library; we just need to search selectively. Hermione, can you create a priority search list based on Theodore's previous catalogues and summaries?"
"I can try," Hermione replied immediately, "But time is too tight."
"Ron, inform Professor Lupin and Bill that we need top-tier anti-curse and anti-trap experts on standby, ready for remote support or emergency intervention." Harry continued the deployment. "Cassandra, you and I, along with Theodore, form an infiltration team. Draco will provide support outside. The operation is tomorrow night, during the Nott Family's routine magical maintenance and protection period, which may experience brief fluctuations."
"This is a desperate gamble, Harry," Ron said with some concern.
"We don't have many options, Ron." Harry took a deep breath. "Veratia's holding down the fort at the International Confederation of Wizards, Voldemort's ritual may be accelerating. We need to get something substantial, whether it's intelligence to strike at the enemy or evidence to persuade those bureaucrats."
The plan was thus abandoned. Hermione stayed up all night, combining Theodore's notes with her own research to compile a detailed search list and a list of possible types of protective magic, along with corresponding countermeasures.
Bill and Lupin provided their remote decryption solutions and emergency contact information. Theodore was also prepared; using his new patriarch's authority, he adjusted the manor's guard patrol routes and the maintenance schedule for some protective magic for tomorrow night, creating a brief and inconspicuous window of opportunity.
The next night, under a dark and windy sky, it was the perfect time for murder and arson.
Harry, Cassandra, and Theodore, having cast the Disillusionment Charm, glided silently across the magical perimeter of the manor like three ghosts.
Holding the family head's token, Theodore disarmed some of the family's protective measures at the most crucial moments.
Avoiding the sparse lights and the occasional House Elf passing by, they ventured deep behind the main buildings of the manor and came to a separate building— the Nott Family's library.
Of course, there are more than just books inside; there are also some clever gadgets that can make your little hands silently go haywire.
The Stone Gate was engraved with strange serpentine patterns, and it was clearly not something legitimate.
Theodore recited a long and strange incantation, then pricked his fingertip with a dagger and smeared a drop of blood onto the snake's eye in the center of the door.
The Stone Gate slid open silently, revealing a winding passage.
"Stay close to me and don't touch anything, including the patterns on the walls and floor," Theodore warned in a low voice, leading the way inside.
The interior was much larger than I had imagined, with countless tall bookshelves arranged in a twisted manner, some even floating in the air, held in place by an invisible Magic Field.
The air was thick with the smell of aged Parchment, and an unsettling sense of oppression. The books were of all kinds, ranging from the most common History of Magic to forbidden Dark Arts tomes, a dazzling array of selections.
Their objective was clear: they headed straight for the innermost Restricted Vault.
After avoiding several automatically triggered warning spells and traps along the way, they finally arrived at a door.
"I don't fully understand the defenses inside either," Theodore said gravely. "My father only taught me how to open the outermost layer. Many of the mechanisms and curses inside are accumulated over generations of our family, and some of them may not even be fully understood by my father."
"Stand by plan," Harry said, turning on his phone and video-calling Hermione and Bill to get to work.
Over the next few hours, Hermione remotely directed the search of key areas based on Theodore's vague memory of the interior layout and his book classification habits.
Cassandra was responsible for dealing with the ever-evolving ancient curses and magical contraptions, while Harry was in charge of keeping watch and using powerful magic to forcibly break through some of the most troublesome defenses.
Theodore, acting as both guide and partial access provider, worked diligently.
They found many shocking books of Dark Arts, but most of them were not urgently needed at the moment.
Time ticked by, and finally, things took a turn for the better.
" In the North Cape, on the top shelf of that bookshelf inlaid with bones, there's an iron box locked with the Chain!" Hermione suddenly shouted.
They rushed there immediately; it was an inconspicuous corner with bookshelves that looked extremely old, and most of the books piled on them were tattered.
On the top shelf, a Scabbers iron box was tightly bound by several black the Chain engraved with blood-red Runes. "That's it!" Theodore whispered. "My father once mentioned this when he was drunk. He said it contained the family's darkest secret, and the key had long been lost—"
Harry and Cassandra exchanged a glance and simultaneously raised their wands.
Two condensed, almost tangible flames shot from the tip of the wand, one violet and the other jet black, intertwining precisely to form two slender threads of flame that carefully wrapped around the black magical the Chain.
A piercing shriek emanated from the Chain, the crimson Runes flashing wildly in an attempt to resist, and echoes of soul-wrenching wails filled the air.
A few seconds later, the most critical magical nodes were melted, the Chain let out a mournful cry, broke inch by inch, and turned into black smoke and dissipated.
The lid of the metal box automatically popped open a crack.
The three approached cautiously. There was no gold or silver treasure in the box, only several scrolls that looked like they were made of human skin, and a palm-sized Bone Fragment.
The Bone Fragment was engraved with extremely complex dark gold patterns, and its shape resembled a Forehead bone.
Hermione gasped as she saw the Bone Fragment through the phone video. "This—this pattern! I've seen something similar in the rubbings of ancient South America rituals Bill sent me! This could very well be the remains of a powerful ancient wizard, crafted into an extremely potent medium for soul magic! No wonder Voldemort wanted it!"
Just then, from deep within the library, a low and sinister chant suddenly came, the ground trembled slightly, and the books on the shelves moved and rustled without any wind.
"Damn it! The ultimate defense has been triggered! We've been discovered! Run!" Theodore's expression changed drastically.
Harry grabbed the Scrolls made of human skin and the strange Bone Fragment from the box, stuffed them into a pocket enchanted with Untraceable Extension Charm: "Get out!"
Without lingering, they used the pre-prepared Portkey to instantly return to Grimmauld Place, Number 13.
Exhausted, Harry collapsed onto the Living Room carpet and immediately took out what he had obtained.
Hermione, Lupin, and Bill, who rushed over, immediately surrounded them and began to examine them.
The text on the Scrolls made of human skin needs time to be deciphered, but Bill's initial examination of the white Bone Fragment confirmed it to be a medium containing terrifying spiritual power, likely directly related to the core of Voldemort's ritual plan.
More importantly, while examining the Bone Fragment, they accidentally triggered a fragmented image it recorded—a blurry memory: atop a majestic snow-capped mountain, an altar engraved with thorns and Holy Grail patterns, where countless bound wizards and Magical Creatures, amidst their wails, transformed into a torrent of pure energy, flowing into a distorted figure at the center of the altar—the image abruptly ended.
But that's enough!
"Send these, along with the images, to Veratia immediately!" Harry said urgently. "This is the leverage we need! Voldemort isn't preparing ordinary Dark Arts; he's planning an unprecedented large-scale Blood Sacrifice and Soul Consumption ritual, aiming to become some kind of monster close to a god! We must stop him at all costs. Any delay or compromise is paving the way for this massacre!"
The information was sent to the headquarters of the International Confederation of Wizards at top speed, with less than 24 hours remaining before the Security Council vote.
Upon receiving the information, Veratia immediately convened an emergency press conference. In her capacity as chairman, she disclosed, to a limited extent, key evidence concerning the extreme dark rituals discovered in the Nott Family's Restricted Vault, displayed fragments of Bone Fragment images, and issued a warning in an unprecedentedly stern tone.
"We are facing an evil ritual aimed at destroying the very foundations of the Civilization magical world! Any obstruction, delay, or weak excuses in this endeavor are tantamount to handing the executioner the knife! The International Confederation of Wizards must unite and, with the firmest resolve and the swiftest action, destroy this threat! I urge all delegates to make the right choice in tomorrow's vote, based on their conscience and their responsibility for the future of the magical world!"