Chapter 14: The Capture
The silence after the ambush was colder than the Nevermore ruins' stones, their magical scars dimming under a fading moonlight that cast long, jagged shadows. The air was sharp with frost, the ground littered with spell-singed vines and a chipped dagger, its blade glinting faintly, a grim reminder of their fleeting victory. We won, but at what cost? Leo's triumph curdled into a cold lump of fury as Lila's scream echoed in his mind—a flash of light, a jarring crack, and she was gone, snatched by retreating Black Thorn operatives in the chaos. I put her there. Our double agent. His fists clenched, knuckles whitening, the scorched hydra scale in his pocket seeming to burn, tying back to the ruins' secrets. The group stood frozen, their breaths misting, the ruins now a tomb of their failure. A frayed cloak scrap, tangled in a root, fluttered in the chill breeze, grounding his defiance. We can't lose her. Hermione's eyes blazed, her voice sharp.
"We get her back. Now."
She's with me. Leo's voice was raw, echoing off the crumbling walls.
"We're getting her back! No one gets left behind."
His eyes burned, meeting the group's—Wednesday's icy, Enid's worried, Agnes's resolute. We're still a family. A nasally voice broke through, Zacharias Smith lurking at the ruins' edge, his Hufflepuff scarf askew, his tone dripping with skepticism.
"Captured? Typical Outcast mess."
Leo snapped, his voice low and dangerous, his wand sparking faintly.
"Mess? We fix."
He doesn't get it. This is our fight. The air shimmered, a dark script pulsing in his vision.
[MINISTRY'S GOT HER. THIS IS SERIOUS.]
A cage animation locked shut with an ominous click. Leo's lips curled, bitter.
"Serious? We're fiercer."
They won't break us. Fear for Lila twisted his gut, a cold knot, but defiance surged, a flame against the frost. She's one of us, like Pixel. The ruins' chill seeped into his bones, a physical cost urging action, the moonlight fading as if time pressed them forward.
The Ministry's labyrinthine corridors hummed with oppressive magic, their stone walls lined with stern portraits, their painted eyes tracking the group's every step like silent sentinels. The air was thick with wax and ash, the Floo Network's embers still warm in their cloaks from the risky entry, the scent grounding Leo's resolve. This place is a cage, built to crush us. His boots echoed on the polished floor, a chipped quill from the dorm in his pocket a tangible link to their sanctuary. The group—Leo, Hermione, Wednesday, Enid, Agnes—moved in tense silence, wands drawn, the distant wail of alarms tightening Leo's chest. They're hunting us, like in the forest. Hermione's hands trembled, her voice a hiss, her robes dusted with ash.
"We'll be caught."
Her eyes darted to a flickering torch, its light casting jagged shadows. Leo squeezed her hand, his voice a low rumble, steadying her fear.
"Together, we're unstoppable."
We have to believe it. He whispered, trying to lighten the mood, his breath misting.
"Sneaking into the Ministry? Just another day."
Hermione's lips twitched, her voice sharp but playful.
"Day? Nightmare."
She's scared, but she's fighting. A stolen map, snatched during the forest raid, guided them to a cell marked "Echo Prison," its name chilling Leo's spine, tying to the Beast Echo's curse and the Basilisk venom's sting. This is their weapon against Outcasts. A frayed tapestry on the wall swayed, its threads loose, urging them forward. Enid's scarf snagged on a portrait frame, her whisper urgent.
"We're close. I can feel it."
She's right. Lila's here. Leo's beast-speaking caught the faint hoot of an owl in the rafters, a sign of life in the oppressive maze. We're coming.
The "Echo Prison" was a miserable box, its rune-locked bars glowing with malevolent red light, like the Basilisk's echo in the Chamber. Lila sat inside, pale and wide-eyed, her scarf torn, her hands gripping the bars, but hope sparked as she saw them, her voice a whisper.
"You came."
Of course we did. Hermione's wand blurred, cracking the runes, her face a mask of fierce concentration, sweat beading on her brow, her breath ragged from the effort. She's pouring everything into this. Leo's heart raced, footsteps echoing closer, the alarms' wail growing louder.
"Hurry!"
The runes gave way, the bars melting into shimmering gold, like the potion that saved Pixel. Lila stumbled out, trembling but resolute, her grip tight on Leo's arm.
"I owe you everything."
She's back. But aurors shouted at the corridor's end, wands raised.
"There they are!"
Leo focused, his beast-speaking summoning a flock of owls from the Ministry's rafters, their furious hoots erupting like a storm. A blizzard of feathers and talons swarmed the guards, who scattered in confusion, their spells fizzling. Take that. The air shimmered, a triumphant script pulsing.
[NICE ESCAPE! NOW RUN BEFORE THEY LOCK YOU UP TOO.]
A key animation pulsed, glinting. Leo shouted, dodging a stray spell, his muscles screaming.
"Run? Sprint!"
The group fled, owl screeches and clanging bars fading behind, the corridors' hum intensifying. A chipped goblet, knocked over in the chaos, rolled across the floor, grounding their triumph. We got her back. Lila's eyes shone, her redemption solidified, tying to her forest spell. But the System's warning pulsed, chilling the victory.
[YOU'VE RATTLED THEIR CAGE. EXPECT PAYBACK.]
We declared war. A loose portrait frame creaked, urging them toward the next fight, the Ministry's magic pressing down like a threat.
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