"Bastards! You traitors! You piece of trash!"
Young Rookwood was furious. Seeing that his carefully laid plans were about to be ruined by his subordinates deserting, he completely lost his temper.
" Avada Kedavra!" He abruptly turned his wand, and a beam of green light shot towards the back of the dark wizard running in the lead!
"Puff!"
The man didn't even utter a sound before collapsing to the ground. This ruthless move did indeed halt his escape.
But Young Rookwood's madness completely chilled the hearts of the others, and the remaining dark wizards ran even faster, with some even resorting to underhanded tactics against their companions, all in an effort to secure a better position at the front.
In a fit of rage, Young Rookwood unleashed several more Killing Curse, taking down two more, but it was no match for the overwhelming tide of destruction.
Finally, with a loud bang,
Someone had blasted a gap in the gate with Blasting Curse, and the crowd surged out like a flood bursting its banks.
Only Draco and Hermione remained, along with several gradually cooling corpses inside the vault, and Young Rookwood, his face filled with resentment.
In just a few minutes, the situation reversed.
Just moments ago, there was a large and powerful encirclement.
At this moment, Young Rookwood was left all alone.
Draco removed the fire barrier and came out with Hermione. He seemed to have exhausted himself, with sweat beading on his forehead.
Hermione ran to Harry's side to check on him and, after confirming that he was only unconscious and had lost blood, breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Draco stopped a few meters away from Young Rookwood, looking at his dejected state, and said with a hint of amusement, "I heard... you're going to chop me into eight pieces?"
Young Rookwood's hand gripping the wand trembled violently, his lips quivering, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He was truly unwilling to accept it!
A perfect plan, meticulous traps, and methods to restrain the opponent... everything was ruined by the defection of those incompetent subordinates and his own impatience and madness.
He calculated everything, except for the human heart.
Draco glanced at the faintly glowing black stones on the surrounding walls and nodded.
"The legacy left by your grandfather is indeed quite something. You even managed to find this kind of unorthodox counter-array."
"However, Young Rookwood, one must rely on one's own strength. If you can calm down and practice magic diligently for a few more years, and wait until you are stronger before devising this plan, perhaps... there really is a sliver of a chance."
Young Rookwood. suddenly looked up:
"You... you're just bluffing! Without Ancient Magic, that fire barrier you just created definitely won't last long! If we all attack together, you won't be able to stop us!"
"You guessed right." Draco surprisingly admitted, "That fire barrier did consume a lot of mana. I didn't expect your formation to also increase the mana consumption of ordinary magic."
"If those people had really fought back all at once, I might have had to put in a lot of effort, and I might even have gotten injured."
Draco then changed the subject:
"However, it's no use saying all this now. As a return gift for your meticulously planned welcome ceremony, I've decided... to reward you with a lifetime of free room and board in Azkaban, how about that?"
Young Rookwood froze, staring at Draco in disbelief. "You... you're not going to kill me?"
"Kill you?" Draco shook his head, glancing at Hermione. "I promised my wife I wouldn't kill indiscriminately unless absolutely necessary. You used to keep a low profile in the Ministry of Magic; I haven't heard of you committing any unforgivable crimes."
"Unlike Voldemort, who was so heinous, killing you would bring me no real benefit."
"It seems more appropriate to lock you up in Azkaban, letting you slowly reflect on your foolishness in the company of Dementor."
Hermione looked up and gave Draco a warm look, a relieved smile unconsciously curving her lips.
Young Rookwood. was completely stunned.
Who would have thought that the person he painstakingly wanted to kill, despite having overwhelming advantages, would only send him to prison?
This... this is simply not in line with his understanding of the behavior of Pure-blood nobles, especially the Malfoy family!
"Then... then what you just said, that your father brought the Auror and Dumbledore brought the Order of the Phoenix... was also a lie to me?" Young Rookwood asked in a hoarse voice.
"Of course..." Draco paused for a moment, "I'm not kidding you. Before we left for Little Hangleton graveyard, I already sent messages to my father and Dumbledore owl."
"Judging by the time, they should be arriving soon."
Suddenly, a commotion of footsteps and shouts erupted outside the vault, followed by the sound of the door being flung open!
" Harry! Harry, are you in there? Answer me!" Sirius's extremely anxious voice rang out first.
Immediately afterwards, a group of people rushed into the vault.
Leading the group was Dumbledore, flanked by Lucius and Narcissa, both with their wands drawn. Behind them followed Professor Snape, Lupin, Madam Pomfrey, and other staff members, as well as members of the Order of the Phoenix and several fully armed Auror the Ministry of Magic.
Sirius charged ahead, immediately spotting Harry unconscious in the corner. He pounced on him like a madman, shouting, " Harry! Merlin! How are you? Answer me! Madam Pomfrey! Quick! He needs treatment!"
Madam Pomfrey was following closely behind, immediately stepped forward.
Draco looked at the surging crowd and shrugged at the Young Rookwood: "See? What did I tell you? Say Dumbledore, Dumbledore will appear."
Dumbledore quickly scanned the scene inside the vault: the unconscious Harry was being treated, Hermione was unharmed.
Draco showed signs of excessive magical depletion but was still in good spirits. On the ground lay several corpses of dark wizards, and... Young Rookwood, pointed at by Draco's wand.
He already understood the gist of it, and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes, but his expression remained serious. He nodded to Draco, then looked sternly at Young Rookwood.
The moment Lucius saw Young Rookwood., his face turned ashen, and his eyes flashed with cold light.
He clearly recognized the Rookwood family remnant and guessed that he was the mastermind behind Harry's kidnapping.
Narcissa rushed to Draco and Hermione's side immediately, anxiously looking her son up and down:
" Draco! Honey! Are you alright? Hermione, how about you? Merlin, thank goodness, you scared me to death!"
With a choked voice, she pulled Hermione into her arms as well.
Hermione was taken aback by Narcissa's sudden hug, but then felt the slight tremor in Narcissa's body, and her heart warmed. She gently hugged her back and whispered, " Draco and I are both fine, Auntie. I'm sorry to have worried you."
"It's alright, it's alright!"
After Sirius confirmed that Harry was only unconscious and had lost too much blood and was not in immediate danger, he calmed down a bit, but his eyes were still full of murderous intent as he looked at Young Rookwood.
Lupin and the others quickly subdued the Young Rookwood and confiscated his wand.