"Don't even think about it, Potter."
Isolde gestured towards Harry. "Like the little whelp said, using Blasting Charm will only blow you all to kingdom come if you can't get out in time."
Isolde paused, then threw his head back, arms outstretched. "Amazing, isn't it? Muggles, without a speck of magic, can create something so powerful!"
"The first time I saw a Muggle explosion, I was enraptured!"
Isolde wore a manic grin. "Explosion is art!"
The steam room grew hotter; the Carpenters were deliberately pushing the boiler towards critical overpressure!
"But even without Blasting Charm, you're only delaying the inevitable. This whole place is destined for an explosive masterpiece."
Isolde turned away. "That is, if you're still alive to see it."
A strange gas hissed into the enclosed space.
"...?"
Moody sniffed the air, his face grim. "Nerve gas?"
He immediately pulled a vial from his pocket. Against a dark wizard like Isolde, skilled in potions, preparedness was key.
The other Aurors followed suit, even offering antidotes to Harry and the others.
Isolde clapped. "Not bad, a well-prepared bunch. If I hadn't created Horcruxes, and if my brother's Animagus form hadn't been leaked, you might have actually wiped us out this time, wouldn't you?"
"What a shame. Most of what I've accumulated over the years, and my two Horcruxes, gone just like that. Were they only useful as a last resort, then?"
He didn't resist as Kingsley stepped forward to bind him. "But eliminating all of you would be a grand victory!"
Kingsley frowned at Isolde's words.
"Ignore him. Focus on the boiler," Scrimgeour ordered, studying the machine, trying to figure out a solution.
"What about a Freezing Charm to cool it down?" Tonks suggested.
"No."
Moody glanced at Isolde's smug face. "I have a bad feeling about that."
The pressure control system was malfunctioning; a sudden, localized cooling without depressurization would only worsen the situation, creating a deadly hazard.
"Give up. Instead of struggling, chat with me and await the grand finale of explosive art!"
Cedric spoke up, "You said you became fascinated after seeing this once in the Muggle world. Judging by how much you know, does that mean..."
"Precisely. I've experimented extensively."
Isolde grinned. "I've caused several explosions in the Muggle world, you know."
"..."
Cedric took a deep breath. "You're a madman."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Kingsley and the others overheard, but their focus remained on the imminent disaster.
Then, a flash of blue and pink caught their attention.
Harry and Malfoy, dressed in drag, stood at the door.
"The Alohomora didn't work, and we can't use the Blasting Charm, right? So..."
"Scarface."
"Right."
"One, two!" they grunted in unison.
Together, they ripped the iron door from its hinges.
Isolde stared, utterly dumbfounded. "...!"
Scrimgeour and the others, especially Tonks, were stunned.
Cedric, having witnessed this before, was less surprised.
The smugness vanished from Isolde's face, replaced by a bewildered expression. "Are you lot... actually wizards?"
Are they dragon hatchlings in human form?
"Heh...we'll think about it when we get back to Azkaban."
Although Isolde was just a Horcrux, Scrimgeour's team wouldn't let him escape easily.
"Good work, kid," Kingsley said, patting Malfoy's shoulder.
Malfoy, still in women's clothing, seemed even more afraid of Kingsley, and remained silent.
Moody met Harry's gaze and nodded. He had to admit, without Harry's unexpected intervention, he wouldn't have been able to handle this situation.
I'm getting old. Getting captured last time was bad enough, but this time I was tricked. Still not vigilant enough!
...
Outside the underground steam room...
They found Samuel Carpenter already captured, courtesy of Nagini and her two companions.
"That old bastard's an Animagus?"
Tonks glared at Samuel Carpenter. "We almost died down there."
Malfoy stared at Samuel Carpenter, seemingly fascinated. Animagus?
"Too bad Isolde isn't here. We could have caught both brothers," Kingsley said, sounding regretful. "Still, catching Samuel Carpenter is a good start."
"Let's get out of here."
Scrimgeour led the way; Moody called out to the others before following him.
They had no intention of dealing with the near-destroyed room.
The abandoned clockwork factory was far from any Muggle settlements, so they thought it best to be rid of it.
Besides, blowing it up would also help them deal with the Carpenter brothers' dark magic artifacts left behind.
It made things easier for the Aurors.
...
Meanwhile, shrouded in the perpetual gloom of Knockturn Alley…
Isolde Carpenter, in his true form, emerged from Borgin and Burkes and walked along the narrow, winding alleyways. Slippery residue from an unknown creature lingered on the ground, making a soft "plop" sound as he stepped on it.
He pulled his black trench coat tighter, the faint traces of dark magic's corruption visible on his face beneath the hood.
"..."
So much time had passed, and still no word from his brother. Their plan had failed, and Samuel Carpenter had been captured.
He couldn't save his brother alone.
He needed to rely on others.
Besides, the Ministry of Magic was supposedly controlled by that 'person.' Even if that person didn't care about such trivial matters, the Ministry was formidable even without their intervention.
He needed help. He'd heard whispers of the goblins making moves; perhaps he should investigate.
---
Creation is hard.
Every chapter takes thought, time, and a piece of something real. If this story has given you even a moment of enjoyment, the best thing you can do is send a Powerstone, leave a Review, and add this to your Bookmarks. It costs you nothing, but it means everything to a writer trying to keep going.
And if you have a thought — a reaction, a theory, a single line about what you felt — drop it in the comments. I may not be able to reply to everyone, but I read each and every comment. Every single one.
Your support is what keeps this story alive. Thank you for being here.