A Traitor Among Us

An abandoned church on the outskirts of Duisburg.

This 15th-century Gothic architecture has long been forgotten by Muggle; its walls are covered with thorns and vines, and its stained glass windows are reduced to empty frames, clearly indicating that it has been in a state of disrepair for many years.

However, in the eyes of the wizards, this place was shrouded in a barrier of ever-changing colors—layers upon layers of Protective Charm, Confundus Charm, and curses, transforming the interior into an elaborately arranged lair.

According to Bernard's testimony and subsequent investigations, this was one of Silver Fox's most important Safe House and a transit hub for coordinating supplies and intelligence in Europe.

Joint surveillance by the French Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards revealed that several individuals with active magical abilities gathered at this location tonight, suggesting they may be conducting an important transaction or meeting.

Time is of the essence; there are less than twenty hours left before the Security Council vote.

Veratia, based at the Confederation Headquarters, urgently authorized this multinational raid with the authority of the chairman, and handed over on-site command to Harry, not only because he was the one who knew Voldemort's methods best, but also because his unfathomable magic might be the fastest and most terrifying weapon to tear through the opponent's defenses.

Besides Harry, those involved in the operation included Kingsley's elite Britain Auror squad, two Dark Arts experts from the French Ministry of Magic, and Cassandra —whose knowledge of curses and Dark Arts traps was unparalleled.

Hermione and Ron coordinated intelligence and communications from the rear command post, while Bill and Lupin were ready to provide remote support to break the curse at any time.

The group hid in the woods outside the church. The night wind whistled through the bare branches, making a sound like a lament, a yearning, a sob, a complaint.

"The barrier structure is complex, with at least seven nested layers and a curse feedback mechanism," the France expert reported in a low voice, the Detection Crystal in his hand reflecting a chaotic halo. "Forcibly breaking through will trigger an alarm and at least three types of area-of-effect attack spells."

Kingsley looked at Harry: "Harry, what do you say? We have a standard, incremental solution, but it will take time, about thirty minutes."

Harry stared at the seemingly living barrier, and he could clearly feel the malice flowing within it.

Since absorbing the almost infinite magical energy source of the Philosopher's Stone, his perception of magic has become exceptionally sharp, even allowing him to see the weaknesses in the structure of spells.

"We don't have thirty minutes," Harry said calmly, his wand already sliding into his hand, the Holly Wood providing a comforting touch. "Besides, we don't need any."

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Harry took a step forward.

There was no lengthy incantation, no complicated opening gesture; he simply raised his wand, the tip pointing at the distorted barrier.

The next moment, a torrent of immense magic surged forth like a burst dam!

The moment the magical torrent broke free of the wand, it seemed to acquire its own will, transforming into a colossal pillar of light over ten feet in diameter, crashing with an angry roar as it slammed into the magical barrier surrounding the church!

"Merlin— " a young Auror murmured, instinctively taking a half-step back.

There was no explosion, no violent flashes of light. The magical barrier, which the France experts considered exceptionally sturdy, proved as fragile as a damp Parchment before this pillar of light, composed purely of vast magical power.

The moment they made contact, the outermost Muggle Repelling Charm and Confundus Charm vanished silently like soap bubbles.

Immediately afterwards, the Protective Charm's light barrier twisted violently, emitting a piercing shriek as it could not withstand the strain. It shattered in less than two seconds, its fragments dissipating into countless points of light.

The hidden curse and its feedback mechanism attempted to retaliate, sending several murky black-green beams of light towards the pillar, but they were like mud oxen sinking into the sea, failing to even stir a ripple.

The beam of light surged forward relentlessly.

The second, third, and fourth layers—all magical defenses became meaningless in the face of this absolute power disparity.

It's not about cracking techniques or finding loopholes, but about the most direct and ruthless magical crushing!

The entire process took less than ten seconds. When the platinum-gold magic beam finally dissipated, the awe-inspiring composite magic barrier surrounding the church had vanished, leaving only the scorching magical afterglow in the air and charred marks on the ground, molten from the excessive magical impact.

The church itself remained intact— Harry precisely controlled the range of his magic, destroying only the magical defenses without damaging the building's structure in the slightest.

It's clear that Veratia's initial training was very effective; Harry now handles his immense magical power with ease.

A deathly silence fell over the surroundings. Except for Cassandra, who was not surprised, all the other wizards present, including the most experienced Kingsley, were dumbfounded and unable to utter a sound.

They had seen powerful wizards and profound spells, but they had never seen such a primitive and domineering way of breaking them, which completely overturned their understanding of wizard combat.

Harry put down his wand, his expression unchanged.

"Barrier cleared. Kingsley, as planned, Team A will seal off the outer perimeter, Team B will follow me in. Cassandra, watch out for any remaining traps inside."

His voice brought everyone back to reality. Kingsley quickly suppressed his shock, gave a gesture, and the Auror immediately sprang into action, spreading out in an orderly fashion to occupy various entrances and high points.

Harry took the lead and headed towards the heavy, decaying wooden door of the church.

The powerful binding spell that had been attached to the door had been rendered ineffective by the impact. With a gentle push, he actually used magic to disarm the last mechanical mechanism, causing the door to slide open silently, raising a cloud of dust.

The interior of the church is much wider than it appears from the outside, clearly due to Untraceable Extension Charm.

The high dome was long since broken and obscured, revealing a dim night sky. Moonlight shone through the gaps, illuminating the scene below.

The place has been completely transformed: the altar has been replaced by a bubbling, dark green cauldron that emits a nauseating stench; benches have been pushed aside, and crates and unidentified objects covered in black cloth are piled up; twisted Runes are drawn on the walls, and in the center of the ground is a complex Magic Array that is not yet fully activated but has begun to emit a faint red light.

About fifteen or sixteen black-robed wizards were gathered here, clearly stunned by the violent destruction of the barrier and the terrifying Magic Fluctuation that erupted in that instant.

Some people remained in the posture of casting spells or carrying things, staring blankly at the doorway; many more frantically grabbed their wands, their faces filled with incredulous fear.

"Auror! Put down your wands!" Kingsley's booming voice echoed through the empty church, carrying an unquestionable authority.

His response was met with beams of roaring, incantated light! Green, red, and even black and purple cursed beams—these Dark Wizard reacted quickly, knowing that surrender would lead to certain death, and immediately chose to put up a desperate resistance.

However, their resistance seemed so weak and powerless in the face of Harry.

Harry didn't even need to use his vast, ocean-like magic again; he simply pointed his wand forward, and a massive, solid Shield Charm, like a crystal wall, instantly unfolded, covering almost half of the church entrance area.

All the spells that were fired struck the barrier, which shimmered with a faint white-gold halo, like raindrops hitting a steel plate, having no effect other than creating a few ripples.

"Stunning Spell!" Harry's voice was extremely calm.

But what shot out from the tip of his wand was not the usual red beam, but a dazzling platinum light! The light was fan-shaped, covering a very wide area, and extremely bright, as if a miniature sun had suddenly risen inside the church!

Wherever the light passed, the first five or six Dark Wizard were struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, before they could even scream. They were sent flying backward, crashing heavily into distant walls or boxes, collapsing and falling unconscious. The wands in their hands even shattered from the instantaneous overload of magical energy.

This was just the beginning. Harry moved his wand slightly, and the fan-shaped light of the Stunning Spell Cleansweep the darkness like a searchlight.

The remaining Dark Wizard were terrified. Some tried to find cover, some frantically fired Counter-spell at the light, and others tried to Apparition to escape—but the space had already been anchored by the Auror.

All resistance or escape was futile; the platinum-gold light swept past at a speed that appeared slow but was inescapable.

Every Dark Wizard touched by the edge of the light instantly lost consciousness, like a puppet with its strings cut.

Their Protective Charm were as flimsy as paper, their Protego shattered like glass, and their attempts to retaliate were instantly dissolved upon contact with the Platinum Light.

In just three or four breaths, only one black-robed wizard remained standing in the church.

The person stood in the center of the unactivated Magic Array, dressed in an elegant dark purple robe, wearing a silver fox mask, and holding a magic wand inlaid with a black gemstone.

His body was trembling slightly, not from the cold, but from the deep-seated fear and shock.

As Silver Fox, he had witnessed many powerful Dark Wizard and even felt Miss Merope's unfathomable dark magic, but the pure, boundless, and overwhelming White-Gold Magic before him was completely beyond his comprehension.

"Silver Fox?" Harry walked forward, his steps steady, platinum light slowly flowing around him, making him look like a judge of light who had stepped out of mythology.

The Auror quickly swept past him on either side, checking on the fallen and taking control of the scene.

"You—what kind of monster are you?" Silver Fox's voice was hoarse, coming through the mask, carrying an uncontrollable tremor. He tried to raise his wand, but his arm felt as heavy as a mountain.

"The Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the International Confederation of Wizards Task Force." Harry's tone remained calm, but every word carried immense weight. "You're under arrest. Put down your wand and remove your mask."

"

A flicker of struggle flashed in the Silver Fox's eyes, which quickly turned into madness.

He slammed his wand into the core of the Magic Array beneath his feet, roaring, "With blood as the catalyst, with souls as the sacrifice, the Abyssal Sanctuary— "

He wanted to forcefully activate this magic circle, which was clearly of a sacrificial or summoning nature, as a last-ditch effort!

I said, "Put it down."

Harry didn't even cast a spell. He simply pointed his wand at the Silver Fox again, and this time, an immense, mountain-like magical pressure descended, precisely enveloping the Silver Fox.

"Ugh--!"

The Silver Fox's incantation abruptly stopped, as if an invisible giant hand had gripped its throat.

He felt the air around him become as heavy as steel, every cell was groaning, magic was stagnating in his body, and even breathing became extremely difficult.

The wand that was stuck in the ground snapped with a "crack" as it was broken by the backlash of his own magic and the external pressure!

Countless cracks appeared on the Silver Mask on his face, then it exploded with a "bang," revealing a pale, horrified face.

His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, unable to move an inch. He could only stare at Harry with bloodshot eyes, as if looking at a god—or a demon—descended upon the mortal realm.

Kingsley stepped forward, quickly put magic-suppressing handcuffs on Silver Fox, and cast a powerful Stunning Spell. Only after Silver Fox completely lost consciousness did Harry withdraw the suffocating magical pressure.

The battle lasted less than two minutes from its start to complete control of the entire battlefield.

Our side suffered zero casualties, all fifteen enemy soldiers were unconscious, one was captured, and the key target, Silver Fox, was captured.

Apart from the marks left by the spell, there was almost no other damage inside the church.

The Auror began a methodical search of the scene, sealing the bubbling cauldron, examining the crates, and noting the Runes on the walls and the Magic Array on the ground.

Cassandra walked over to Harry and asked in a low voice, "How are you feeling?"

"It's alright." Harry flexed his wrists slightly; he didn't feel tired at all.

The magic of the Philosopher's Stone is just too damn thick; what he used just now was probably only a ripple on the surface.

What he really needs to adapt to is the precision with which he controls this power, avoiding excessive damage or destruction.

But Veratia had already resolved this weakness.

Cassandra glanced at him but said nothing more.

She walked toward the Magic Array and began to carefully study its structure and possible functions.

Soon, the Auror discovered the most important thing in Fang Yi the altar.

It was a mithril box with multiple layers of protection. When opened, it contained a thick stack of documents, including copies of encrypted communications with several Dark Wizard Gang in South America, records of the acquisition and transshipment of specific magical materials in various parts of Europe, an incomplete inventory list, and several photographs that could only be seen with magical developing fluid.

The photos depict several influential Pure-blood families patriarchs or important members in Europe meeting with Silver Fox or his men in various secluded settings.

Among them were a distant cousin of Nivea Meriweather, the Britain representative previously investigated by Veratia, and a senior France parliamentary assistant who had consistently criticized the Purification campaign.

"Ironclad evidence." Kingsley examined the documents, his expression grave. "It's not just black market dealings and terrorism, but also attempts to infiltrate Confederation officials and political figures from various countries. This is enough to give Ms. Grindelwald overwhelming credibility at the Council."