bioinnovel Chapter 434 A Desperate Struggle
Chapter 434 A Desperate Struggle
Chapter 434 A Desperate Struggle
At this point, Coban Yaxley had no idea what the consequences of making things worse would be.
The brightly lit corridor was packed with onlookers, three or four deep, completely blocking the passage.
The crowd of onlookers, shoulder to shoulder, whispered among themselves, and the whispers echoing between the walls gradually coalesced into a rumbling thunder.
Everyone quickly figured out what had happened. The new director, Belvina, summoned Yaxley on the grounds of "fabricating and spreading rumors." Yaxley disagreed, which led to the disturbance.
So, here's the question.
On one side is the beautiful and approachable Belvina Black.
On the other side was Coban Yaxley, with a face full of scars and a haughty air about him.
Between these two, who do the staff of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement trust more, Belvina or Yaxley?
Most of the people in the corridor supported Belvina; they felt that Belvina was more trustworthy, both in terms of her character and social standing.
Besides, who is Belvina Black, and who is Coban Yaxley? How can they be compared?
Belvina is the current Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, a representative of the hardliners in the Ministry of Magic, and someone highly regarded by both the Minister and the Headmaster.
Moreover, Belvina herself never showed any discrimination against half-blood wizards or Muggle-borns; she was also a professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts.
Regarding family background, although the Black family has a legitimate lineage, the only male member of the family, Sirius Black, was James Potter's best friend, Harry Potter's godfather, and Dumbledore's confidant.
For these reasons alone, the officers of the Enforcement Division had no reason not to believe Belvina Black, especially since the person on the other end was Coban Yaxley.
The Yaxley family, one of the Twenty-Eight Pureblood Families, is also of pureblood lineage. Every member of the family throughout history has been a believer in pureblood supremacy, without any exceptions.
As for Coban Yaxley himself, he was prosecuted by the Ministry of Magic, and although he was eventually acquitted, everyone knows what was going on!
With a criminal record, what gives Coban Yaxley the right to try and smear Belvina Black?!
Of course, not everyone believed in the new director, Belvina. A small number of people stood with Yaxley and sympathized with the vulnerable.
In the eyes of these people, Belvina, who was in a dominant position, was the one at fault. If she hadn't made a mountain out of a molehill and gone too far, Yaxley wouldn't have gone to the point of taking hostages.
Look at how badly she's been driven! Her face is full of menacing features, and her eyes are gleaming with malice. She must have suffered so much injustice!
Besides, there were also some indifferent bystanders in the corridor. They didn't care about right or wrong, and only hoped that things would escalate and someone would die!
"Everyone! Get out of my way!"
As more and more people filled the corridor, Yaxley finally realized that something was wrong.
"Get out of my way! Let me pass!" he continued shouting. "If you don't move, don't blame me for being rude!"
With his face full of scars, Yaxley leaned against the wall, yelling at the crowd as he slowly moved toward them, holding Roland Foley hostage.
Coban Yaxley's menacing gaze grew increasingly sinister and cruel, while old Foley, who had brought this upon himself, turned red in the face, unable to even utter a cry for help.
"Currently, everything can be discussed. Please don't get agitated!" Pierce Sinkness feigned concern. "Even if you feel wronged, you can't act impulsively!"
Kingsley Shackle and Gadwin Robards exchanged glances again, and the two Aurors were now in complete agreement. They both felt that Sinkness, driven by selfish motives, was being presumptuous and had misunderstood Belvina's intentions.
As the deputy director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Pierce Sinkness deliberately condoned Corban Yaxley's successful hostage-taking, escalating the situation.
Then, Sinkness publicly displayed his incompetence in the crowded corridor; his persuasion was weak and useless.
Even if Sinkness is not held accountable afterward, he will gradually be marginalized because of his incompetent performance today.
Whether it was selfishness or she was genuinely stupid, it doesn't matter now, unless he can publicly take down Yaxley before Belvina arrives and reverse his bad reputation in everyone's eyes.
"Get out of the way, all of you get out of the way!" Coban Yaxley waved his wand wildly in agitation, sparks flying from the tip.
The self-righteous Sinknis continued his useless persuasion, still failing to grasp Belvina's intentions; he was blinded by his own judgment.
Kingsley and Gadwin were highly focused; they didn't care whether Foley lived or died, but they couldn't ignore the others watching in the hallway. If Yaxley made any rash move, the two would immediately take action against him.
Just then, the crowd that had been slowly backing away in the corridor suddenly stopped.
Immediately afterwards, a commotion arose from the back of the crowd.
"The director is here!"
"It's Miss Blake!"
The shouts from behind the crowd immediately drew everyone's attention, and everyone turned to look behind them.
Taking advantage of everyone's averted attention, Coban Yaxley dragged the nearly strangled Foley towards the crowd, trying to force his way out.
However, Kingsley and Gadwin's attention was focused on him, and as soon as Axley made a move, the two Aurors immediately stepped forward and forced him back with their wands.
"You two, stay away!" Coban Yaxley roared, pressing his wand against Foley's temple once more.
Roland Foley, who was being held hostage, was about to be strangled to death. He had no strength to resist, his eyes rolled back, and he couldn't even look at them for help.
"Yaxley, you'd better let Foley go," Kingsley said, his voice slow and deep. "If you strangle him, what will you use to blackmail us?"
"If you take a Wezengamo member hostage and cause their death, we can kill you on the spot," Gadwin said with a hint of excitement, seemingly eager to see Yaxley strangle Foley.
Coban Yaxley heeded the warnings from the two Aurors, but he still didn't loosen his grip, continuing to hold Roland Foley tightly.
As Yaxley saw the crowd in the corridor slowly part to the sides, he saw Belvina walking towards him step by step.
At this point, Coban Yaxley finally realized he had been tricked; whether he accepted the summons or not, he had no way of leaving the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
If he accepts the summons, he will fall into Belvina's hands, and his Death Eater identity will inevitably be exposed.
If he refuses to accept the summons, things will inevitably escalate, and his Death Eater identity will be exposed, and in public no less.
Taking Wizengamo member Roland Foley hostage and escalating the situation is not a way out; it only serves the purpose of others.
Pierce Sinkness was another person who suddenly understood. The deputy director finally realized Belvina's intentions, and he finally realized that summoning Yaxley was actually a good thing for him.
By summoning Yaxley, Sinkness can sever ties with him and use this opportunity to clear his name and reintegrate into the new Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
But what did Pierce Sinkness do? He neither succeeded in summoning Yaxley nor managed to subdue the troublemaking Yaxley in public. How could such an incompetent wizard continue to serve as deputy director?
"Yaxley, let go of Foley, let's talk."
Belvina tried to persuade them while standing in front of the crowd.
She first glanced at Sinkness with disappointment, then nodded at Kingsley.
"I have nothing to say to you, Blake!" Yaxley's expression grew increasingly sinister. "Let me go, or I'll kill him!"
As he spoke, Yaxley tightened his grip, making it even harder for Roland Foley to breathe.
"You should know that I disagree with this old man's beliefs. Threatening me with his life—don't you find that ridiculous?"
Then, Belvina said to Foley, who was being held hostage, "Mr. Foley, rest assured, we will all remember your sacrifice today, and the compensation from the ministry and the division will be delivered to your home soon."
Gadwin Robards glanced at Belvina with slight surprise. He knew that the new director was always unconventional in his actions, but he did not expect that he had underestimated Belvina.
You know what, you know what, it's actually quite compatible!
"Blake!" Yaxley shouted, "You fabricated charges and framed your colleagues. Today, I'm going to expose your ugly face in front of everyone!"
Most of the people in the corridor looked disdainful; Yaxley's reputation was too bad for them to believe.
Of course, the small group of people who sympathized with Yaxley nodded repeatedly, still feeling that Belvina had gone too far, and that she had pushed him to the brink.
Those who remained indifferent and neutral looked at Belvina, eager to know how the new director would deal with Yaxley.
"Before exposing my ugly face, we should be honest with each other first," Belvina said calmly, rolling up her sleeves to reveal her smooth arms.
Then, she raised her arm high so that everyone present could see it clearly.
"Some people know, some may not, that the Dark Lord brands the Death Eaters with the Dark Mark on their left forearms," Belvina announced loudly. "The Dark Mark is both a 99..."
Before Belvina could finish speaking, Yaxley interrupted her in the coldest and cruelest way.
The crowd crammed into the corridor only saw Coban Yaxley, his face contorted in a grotesque expression, open his mouth, and a blinding green light appeared, so bright that everyone couldn't open their eyes.
Immediately afterwards, a chilling, deep, trembling sound, like that of a gong, echoed down the corridor.
The next second, Coban Yaxley pointed his wand at the crowd of onlookers, and his wand began to spew out a small stream of black flame!
Belvina waved her wand, a flash of brilliant golden light streaked across the sky, and the black flames vanished instantly, as if they had never existed.
Then, Belvina made a grasping motion with her free left hand, and the wand in Yaxley's hand miraculously flew into her hand, disarming Corban Yaxley.
"Using one of the Unforgivable Curses, the Killing Curse, on a person, and even attempting to burn the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with Fiendfire, tsk tsk!" Belvina clicked her tongue. "Any one of these charges would be enough to sentence you to life imprisonment in Azkaban, Mr. Yaxley."