"Dumbledore?" Yaxley's pupils contracted. "Are you sure?"
He had faced Grindelwald himself. He knew how terrifying Grindelwald was, and he could hardly imagine what Dumbledore, the man who had defeated him, was capable of.
"I—I'm sure," Torin said, nodding frantically. "I flew over there..."
Wearing the Invisibility Cloak, Torin had flown near the inn where Fudge was staying. He soon spotted Dumbledore leaving with several people. Dressed in white, Dumbledore stood out starkly in the moonlight.
Afraid he might have mistaken him for someone else, Torin flew closer. When he recognized the people behind Dumbledore as their agents among the Aurors, he fled in terror.
As Torin recounted what he had seen, Yaxley's heart sank. The mission had failed. There was no chance of success now. Even the Dark Lord himself would have a hard time of it.
The handful of Death Eaters they had brought were no better than stray dogs before Dumbledore. Sending them in would only be throwing their lives away.
But why was Dumbledore here?!
They had their own people among the Aurors guarding Fudge, and none of their reports had mentioned Dumbledore being here these past few days. More importantly, why had he come? There was only one explanation: the operation had been exposed. The mole had leaked it.
Damn that mole. Yaxley wished he could subject the mole's entire family to a full course of the Cruciatus Curse and show that rat what a Dark Wizard could do!
The next instant, Yaxley made his decision. "Go! Now! Immediately! Everyone withdraws. The mission's over!"
Torin was about to take off when Yaxley grabbed him. "Kid. The Invisibility Cloak."
Torin gave an awkward smile and handed it back.
Then the Death Eaters mounted their Broomsticks and soared into the sky.
Yaxley kept cursing the mole among