On the endless wasteland, hidden within an inconspicuous basin, grew a grove that seemed strangely out of place with its barren surroundings.
In the centre of this unlikely forest, concealed by a thick canopy, sat a large-scale stockade that bristled with defensive measures.
The perimeter walls were covered with strange runic patterns that seemed to pulse with malevolent energy. Though constructed from wood, the outer barriers gleamed with metallic lustre and bristled with spikes of the same enchanted material. Each wooden point caught the light with a cold gleam, as if warning all passing creatures to keep their distance.
Within the central tent of the fortified compound, seven or eight figures sat around a scarred wooden table, counting the spoils from their latest operation.
A sharp-featured, weasel-like middle-aged man gazed obsequiously at the rough-looking leader occupying the centre position. "Worthy of being the boss! To successfully infiltrate such a tightly sealed forest like the Forbidden Forest!"
"Second brother is absolutely amazing!" chimed in someone from the corner of the table, looking admiringly at a young man seated beside their leader while gesturing dramatically with both hands. "Without second brother's expertise, we never could have discovered that such powerful magical creatures existed in this wasteland!"
"I thought those beasts only appeared in the African reserves! Never expected to find specimens here!"
"Haha, you two don't need to lay it on so thick." The rough man laughed heartily before continuing, "However, this operation is nearly finished. In two more days, we'll pack up and head back to civilisation, but we can leave this camp standing and relocate it for future use!"
At the camp's main gate, two sentries leaned casually against an ancient tree, chatting idly to pass the boring hours of guard duty.
"You know, though the Forbidden Forest is nearly impossible to penetrate, it's really a goldmine once you're inside!"
"Absolutely! Just over a month's work and each of us brothers can pocket several thousand Galleons. Much better than what those Ministry Aurors make!"
"Too right, hahaha!"
Just then, two rather thin birds flew overhead in lazy circles, catching one guard's attention.
"What are those two up there?"
His companion squinted upward and waved dismissively.
"Look like Diricawls to me. Don't worry about them. Even if we shot them down, they wouldn't fetch much at market."
"True enough. Want to have a drink tonight when our shift ends?"
"You sneaky devil, did you secretly bring alcohol? If the boss finds out..."
Behind a cluster of low rocks beside the wasteland's edge, Evans listened intently to the two Diricawls' detailed reconnaissance report before speaking in carefully measured tones.
"Seven sentries total, positioned across three entrance points and one central watchtower. Each guard wears basic protective cloaks enchanted to withstand two or three full-power Stunning Spells before failing."
"Beyond these seven sentries, the camp houses approximately twenty dark wizards. Two possess considerable skill, while the remainder are weaker than standard Aurors, though they likely know substantial dark magic. In one-on-one combat, victory could go either way."
"Besides the dark wizards themselves, the camp's holding cages contain numerous captured magical creatures. The most formidable is an XXXXX-class Demiguise, but it's been heavily shackled. Its natural invisibility abilities should be severely compromised, and its combat effectiveness significantly diminished. Additionally, there are several cages housing XXXX-class Grindylows and Fire Salamanders. The remaining specimens are mostly magical creatures with limited fighting ability but considerable market value due to their rarity."
After thoroughly describing the entire camp's defensive capabilities and personnel distribution, Evans turned his attention to the young wizards crouched beside him among the rocks.
"Assuming I wasn't here to assist you, how would you handle such a well-organised group of poachers?"
Hearing Professor Kahn's challenging question, the students exchanged uncertain glances before lowering their heads to consider this rather daunting tactical problem.
Though they represented the most skilled students in their respective year groups, and experienced duellists like Wood and Harry could probably match ordinary Aurors in combat, twenty dark wizards only marginally weaker than professional law enforcement, plus two genuinely dangerous opponents... if they attempted a direct frontal assault, they would definitely be overwhelmed and captured without making any meaningful impact.
Even with their magical creature companions, the strongest among them remained Della's loyal Bowtruckle. While its archery skills were certainly respectable, it could realistically ambush only one or two enemies before the remaining dark wizards would react and coordinate their defences.
After several moments of intense contemplation, Percy spoke with careful authority.
"First, we absolutely cannot attempt a direct assault, since there's far too great a power differential between our forces and theirs. We'd possess no meaningful advantage in straightforward magical combat."
Harry crossed his arms and shot Percy a sideways look. "Are you just stating the completely obvious?"
"Could you please let someone finish their thoughts?" Penelope retorted sharply. Their gazes met and locked, sparking with barely contained animosity.
Just as the confrontation threatened to escalate into a full argument, Della's soft, hesitant voice drifted from nearby.
"Um... please don't fight, okay? Let's listen to what Percy has to say first."
Though Harry still wore an expression of obvious displeasure, she clicked her tongue in frustration and turned away without further comment.
Seeing the potential conflict dissolve harmlessly, Percy wiped nervous perspiration from his forehead, breathed a barely audible sigh of relief, and continued his tactical analysis.
"Since direct confrontation is impossible, I believe our best approach involves creating substantial chaos and seeking opportunities within that disorder."
"You mentioned those cages contain an XXXXX-class Demiguise. The poachers captured and imprisoned it, so the creature must harbour considerable resentment toward its captors. If we can release it during the peak of confusion, it will definitely throw those poachers into complete disarray."
"At that crucial moment, we can attempt to secretly liberate the other magical creatures and escape alongside them to safety. As for dealing with these poachers permanently, we can seek reinforcement from the school or Ministry after reaching secure territory. Poachers operating within the Forbidden Forest should all be wanted criminals. The Ministry will definitely dispatch Aurors to eliminate the threat."
Percy's confidence grew as he developed his strategy, and he added one final crucial element.
"If we can establish communication with those imprisoned creatures before releasing them, perhaps we can rely on their natural abilities for a coordinated counterattack. I remember reading that Demiguises are exceptionally powerful magical beings. If we could somehow restore its invisibility capabilities, we might not be completely outmatched against those dark wizards."
"Little Black and I can attempt to establish contact with the imprisoned creatures!" Harry raised his hand eagerly. "I have my Invisibility Cloak, Little Black can turn invisible naturally, and she can understand other creatures' speech patterns. If we encounter immediate danger, escaping would be relatively straightforward."
"As for creating the initial chaos, leave that to us!" George and Fred exchanged meaningful looks, both displaying identical mischievous grins that promised elaborate mayhem.
"With Little Cloak's assistance, we guarantee those people will be so thoroughly confused they won't know which direction is north!"
"The specific form of chaos still requires detailed discussion," Percy interjected with characteristic caution. "Except for Harry's infiltration mission, we all need to participate actively. We can't simply rely on you two to create all the necessary distraction."
"However, we'll definitely follow your lead when the moment arrives."
Percy genuinely respected his twin brothers' remarkable ability to cause controlled mayhem, provided he wasn't their intended target.
After hearing Percy's comprehensive explanation, Evans noted that none of the other students seemed inclined to raise objections, and he nodded with measured approval.
"The plan demonstrates sound tactical reasoning. Let's attempt it. Don't worry about the outcome. Given these poachers' overall capabilities, regardless of what complications arise, I can handle any necessary fallback measures."
With that reassurance, Evans opened one clasp of the reinforced case gripped in his hands, allowing faint but unmistakable beast roars to emanate from within its magically expanded interior.