Ch322- Escalating
Ch322- Escalating
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Bellatrix was still out in the open, laughing wildly as she threw curses at the Aurors. Her glee was twisted, taking full advantage of Dumbledore’s hesitation. A flash of green shot from her wand, barely missing one of the Aurors as they ducked behind cover. The man was spared, but not before his leg caught on fire.
Amelia Bones had moved up closer to the front, her wand flashing as she fought off Bellatrix’s followers, who seemed almost eager to throw themselves at the Aurors despite the mounting losses. But Bellatrix spotted her in the fray, a dark grin spreading across her face as she raised her wand, aiming with lethal precision.
“Avada Kedavra!” she shrieked, the green curse racing toward Amelia with deadly speed.
Amelia’s eyes widened as she saw the curse coming, barely registering what was about to happen. But just before the spell could reach her, the ground between her and Bellatrix shifted, transfiguring itself into a solid slab of stone that absorbed the curse. The green light impacted the barrier with a dull thud before dissipating, leaving Amelia unharmed.
She blinked, stunned, and glanced around in confusion, trying to see where the sudden protection had come from. But there was no one near her, no one who seemed to have cast the spell. Dumbledore’s gaze flicked over to the stone block as well, a faint frown creasing his face, though he said nothing. Bellatrix, meanwhile, scowled in irritation, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the battlefield for whoever had dared to thwart her.
From his hidden vantage point, Harry cursed under his breath. Just when he thought he wasn’t playing the hero, here he was, making moves like one. But then again, Amelia Bones was practically family—Auntie, even. He couldn’t just watch her die in the middle of this chaos, caught off guard by Bellatrix's unhinged rampage. So, despite his frustration at intervening, he would do it again without question.
With Amelia momentarily safe, Harry refocused on the fight unraveling before him. Bellatrix’s forces were stretched thin, her low-tier followers either dead or taken down by the Aurors’ relentless advance. Bellatrix herself was still holding her ground, but even she couldn’t protect all her dwindling loyalists.
Flashes of curses streaked through the air, spells slamming into walls, shattering stones and glass. Bellatrix’s grunts—desperate, reckless, barely trained—were panicking under the Aurors’ coordinated assault. The alley was packed with half-crazed Death Eaters, but their disorganized curses were no match for the Ministry’s Aurors.
Harry saw Kingsley and Moody working side by side, leading a small group of Aurors in a tight formation, picking off the Death Eaters methodically. Kingsley took down two grunts with a smooth series of hexes, while Moody sent another Death Eater sprawling with a well-aimed curse to the chest.
Bellatrix, catching sight of her supporters falling one by one, screamed in fury, her curses growing more savage with each second. She targeted Amelia again, hurling a hex that narrowly missed her and instead sent a nearby Auror crashing into a wall. Moody bellowed at the fallen Auror, gesturing wildly. “Up, you fool! We’re not here for a nap!”
Amelia didn’t waste the opportunity, her wand flashing as she fired a Stunner that clipped one of Bellatrix’s companions, sending him reeling to the ground. A swift series of hexes from nearby Aurors took down two more of Bellatrix’s ragged followers, forcing her to backpedal, her wild eyes darting between the advancing Aurors and her fallen comrades.
It was clear the fight was tipping in the Aurors’ favor. Bellatrix was outnumbered, and her lower-level supporters were now either dead or surrendering. The only ones left by her side were her most loyal followers—those equally deranged and willing to go down fighting and a few who would sell their families for their own lives.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
A few Death Eaters looked ready to bolt. Lucius Malfoy, with his typical calculating look, was eyeing the exits. Crabbe, Goyle, Nott looked uneasy, casting glances toward the back alleys like they were ready to slip away. The Carrows wore similar expressions, visibly reluctant to continue the fight that was quickly slipping out of their control. Each of them had joined this skirmish to support the Dark Lord’s ideals, but they had no intention of dying for Bellatrix’s vendetta today. The moment they saw their numbers dwindling and the Aurors gaining ground, they began eyeing potential escape routes.
Before any of them could make their escape, a familiar face appeared out of the shadows—Augustus Rookwood. Unlike the other Death Eaters, he was calm and focused, his eyes quickly assessing the chaotic battle around him. As a former Unspeakable, he wasn’t some easily rattled lackey; Rookwood knew his way around a fight, and his calm, detached approach made him stand out amid the frenzied loyalty Bellatrix commanded.
Bellatrix spotted him immediately and let out a wild laugh. “Rookwood! Just in time!” she shouted over the noise, her eyes blazing. “Let’s show these Ministry fools what it means to stand against us!”
She knew he wasn’t like her other so-called “allies,” most of whom were already considering turning tail. Rookwood, however, was formidable. His loyalty wasn’t in question, and he had a unique understanding of dark magic, thanks to his background in the Department of Mysteries. With him, Bellatrix seemed even more emboldened.
Rookwood gave a brief nod, his expression calm, as if this chaos was just another day at the office. "Let’s make sure they remember," he replied, his tone even.
Without further discussion, they began working together, sending a torrent of curses and hexes at the approaching Aurors. Rookwood’s spells were calculated and precise, designed to disorient and disable rather than kill. Bellatrix, on the other hand, was all vicious intensity, launching curses that crackled with lethal intent. Her spells were less controlled, but they forced the Aurors to stay back, defending themselves against her barrage.
The Aurors braced themselves as they pressed forward. Kingsley and Amelia took the lead, using defensive charms to shield their forces. Dumbledore was holding his position, still waiting, his wand movements almost effortless as he deflected Bellatrix’s wild spells but did no further move.
“Take cover!” Kingsley barked to a nearby group of Aurors as Bellatrix fired off another volley of curses.
Seeing Rookwood step into the fray with some of the nastiest curses only few knew, Dumbledore’s gaze darkened. Bellatrix was mad, unpredictable and dangerous, but Rookwood was something else entirely. Unlike her chaotic curses, his magic was rare, lethal, and deeply informed. Every curse and hex Rookwood cast carried the weight of knowledge he amassed from the Department of Mysteries, coupled with the experience gained from his years serving under Voldemort. Even worse, Dumbledore knew Rookwood’s magic wasn’t limited by morality or hesitation; he wielded every dark spell the Ministry had ever documented, and then some.
Without a word, Dumbledore made his move, his wand flashing as he advanced on Rookwood. He couldn’t let this escalate any further, especially not with Bellatrix’s forces dwindling. His sudden approach forced Rookwood to focus on him, and Dumbledore’s spells clashed against the former Unspeakable’s dark curses, creating a storm of magic that illuminated the dingy alley in eerie flashes.
Meanwhile, the rest of Bellatrix’s followers were beginning to falter. Lucius Malfoy had been keeping a careful eye on the battle, his calculating gaze taking in the chaotic scene. Now that Rookwood was here, the odds of a clean escape seemed slimmer by the second. Bellatrix was unpredictable, and the loyalty she demanded was a double-edged sword; loyalty meant nothing when it led straight to an early grave. Lucius glanced sideways at the remaining Death Eaters: Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and the Carrows. They all looked back, the same hesitancy flashing in their eyes. No one wanted to say it outright, but they all had the same thought—this wasn’t worth dying for.
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