"Thank you, thank you so much, Sir Wilson! If you can help get our comrades out of this mess, I, Nathan, will do anything for you!" Nathan said eagerly, looking at Alex as if he were their savior.
Andre stood up firmly.
"If you want to thank Sir Wilson, let's do it after your friends are safe. There's no time for delays; every minute we wait could put those hostages in more danger."
He then turned to the Auror who had just arrived with news.
"Send an urgent message to Auror squads One through Four. Tell them there's a critical operation they need to be ready for immediately."
Then he glanced at Edmond beside him.
"Mr. Schmidt, since the identities of these wizards are sensitive, I don't trust other departments in the Ministry right now. We'll need your help. If we manage to rescue them from that prison, can you arrange somewhere safe for them?"
"Sending them straight home could be too risky."
Edmond nodded thoughtfully.
"You're worried some might try to silence them after they come forward, right? No problem. I'll notify their families to vacate a manor immediately. Honestly, the Wizengamot Council and senior Ministry officials share the blame for this mess, and I'll be reporting this to the other councilors as soon as possible."
After saying that, Edmund turned to Nathan and the others.
"I'll have someone escort you to my manor to rest later. Take care of yourselves, you might need to be questioned by the Council down the line."
Seeing that these two big men had everything arranged, Nathan and Bob both looked relieved and grateful.
Nathan spoke up firmly.
"My lords, could you let me go back to the prison with you? I want to keep fighting. One of my companions might still be in trouble. He covered our escape today."
"Are you sure?" Edmund asked, surprised.
Nathan nodded without hesitation, and Bob also spoke up, ready to go along.
"It's not impossible," Andre said decisively, "but you can only go alone. You need to understand that you are direct witnesses to this incident, and it's too risky for both of you to go. One of you has to stay behind under the protection of the Aurors."
Andre's words were clear: at least one witness must be kept safe.
Nathan and Bob realized, faintly, that they were involved in something serious, otherwise, Director Andre wouldn't be so cautious.
But Nathan's thoughts were still with Jimmy, and he didn't care about the risks.
He immediately agreed, saying he was willing to go with the main force while Bob stayed back to recover.
Under the leadership and initiative of Andre and his team, they successfully unraveled the mystery behind the kidnapping of the silver wand, convincing both Nathan and Bob in the process.
With that hurdle cleared, everything else fell into place smoothly.
After some careful research by the fireplace at the Ministry of Magic, Alex pinpointed the exact location of the warehouse prison.
Without hesitation, Andre stepped up and showed what it meant to be a true hero, leading Edmund, Alex, and Nathan in a daring counterattack on the prison.
Facing hundreds of captive wizards and Muggles, a fierce battle broke out, with Moody taking charge of the silver wand.
The fight was spectacular, full of dazzling spells and intense clashes that kept everyone on edge.
When Andre unleashed his unique "Wind Calling Curse," it scattered the silver wand, allowing Moody and the others to retreat with an almost invincible air.
The prisoners erupted in deafening cheers, and even the allied wizards couldn't hide their excitement.
After all, the silver wand had made it clear throughout the day that they were ready to abandon everyone without a second thought.
With the warehouse prison liberated, the civilian wizards who had been held captive for so long finally tasted freedom.
They didn't yet know it was Nathan and Bob who had made this rescue possible, but to them, Nathan quickly became a hero.
Yet when Nathan saw Jimmy, someone he had always cared deeply about, safe and sound, he quietly reverted to his humble self and insisted that the credit go to Andre, Edmund, and Alex.
Naturally, the freed wizards showered Andre and the Ministry personnel with heartfelt thanks.
However, when Andre organized the evacuation and arranged for the prisoners to be temporarily housed at the Schmidt family manor, many were puzzled.
After all they had been through, what they truly wanted was to return to their families.
They had endured unimaginable mental and physical torture, and the first thing many did upon learning they were free was to sit down and cry, looking more vulnerable than children.
At that moment, the advantages of having Nathan accompany them became clear.
Nathan stepped forward boldly, exposing the conspiracy between the silver wand and certain Ministry of Magic officials.
He warned that if they didn't accept temporary protection now, those villains might retaliate and silence them, and even their families outside could be in danger.
After Nathan's explanation, everyone suddenly realized that, during their long imprisonment, they had not only suffered torture but also uncovered many secrets about the club.
In particular, they learned about the club's plan to use civil society to divide the country, and the other imprisoned wizards who had cooperated with the club hadn't even tried to hide it.
When Edmond promised to take good care of everyone and allow them to maintain contact with the outside world, most agreed to his proposal.
Of course, the cooperating wizards weren't happy about this.
Although the Aurors' rescue saved them from becoming walking dead, they knew they were likely to go straight from being the club's prisoners to criminals in the eyes of the Ministry.
Still, no one paid attention to their protests.
In fact, their complaints only strengthened the resolve of the hesitant civilian wizards to accept the containment order.
After all, what other choice was there?
Being released on the spot would mean facing legal punishment or returning to the club, both impossible options.
Instead, they decided to stand together and ensure that these dangerous people would be caught and brought to justice, finally easing the anger in their hearts.
'While we were imprisoned, didn't they mock us?' they thought.
'Now it's their turn to feel the weight of public judgment!'
Just as everyone was finalizing their plans, a figure suddenly jumped out from the crowd and called out, "I have important information about the silver wand! I used to be a high-ranking member and know many of the club's secrets.
I'm willing to be a tainted witness for the Law Enforcement Division!"
Everyone froze, then looked carefully at the man.
Like the other criminals, he was dressed in worn, shabby clothes and appeared very old, more like a beggar you'd see on any street corner.