Big Catch (2)

Read up to 40 chapters ahead on Patreon - patreon.com/Dark_sym

-----

Next, Ethan efficiently assigned tasks to all the Aurors present.

The Aurors were divided into specialized teams, each tasked with hunting down those who had betrayed the Ministry.

He either paired one of his team members in every group or a trusted Auror handpicked by Tonks.

And so, the grand arrest operation began.

Meanwhile, Dolores Umbridge sat in her cramped, dimly lit office.

Gone were the luxuries she once enjoyed as Deputy Minister of Magic.

Now, she was relegated to the Centaur Liaison Office—an insignificant department that hardly anyone ever visited.

Her office was barely large enough to fit a desk and chair. A single, crooked bookshelf hung on the wall, empty and gathering dust.

Despite the dreary conditions, Umbridge leaned back in her chair, resting her feet on the desk with her eyes closed.

Her normally prim hair was unkempt, and stray tufts of fur clung to her once-pristine clothing.

Not long ago, she would have never allowed herself to appear so disheveled, but now, she no longer cared.

Scattered across her desk were several newspapers, each riddled with jagged holes—cut out by Umbridge herself with scissors.

The missing sections contained images of Ethan. Those images were now tacked onto the wall, serving as makeshift dartboards.

A handful of darts pierced through his face, a testament to her seething hatred.

She blamed Ethan for her downfall.

Whenever boredom crept in, she would hurl darts at his picture, venting her frustration.

"Just wait until Voldemort returns," she thought bitterly.

"Then we'll see what becomes of you, Ethan!"

Umbridge had never been truly loyal to anyone; she had always aligned herself with whoever held the most power.

But after thoroughly alienating Fudge, her prospects within the Ministry were ruined. Seeing no chance of regaining favor, she had turned her sights to Voldemort instead.

By leaking classified Ministry intelligence she had gathered during her tenure, Umbridge had quickly ingratiated herself with the Death Eaters.

No one ever entered her office, so the incriminating images pinned to her walls had gone unnoticed for quite some time.

But today was different.

A sudden knock at the door jolted Umbridge from her thoughts.

Her pulse quickened.

She didn't know who it was, but instincts took over.

In a swift motion, she swept the damaged newspapers off her desk and yanked Ethan's mutilated images from the wall, shoving them into a drawer.

Running her hands through her messy hair, she forced a saccharine smile onto her face.

"Come in, please," she called out sweetly.

To her disappointment, the visitor was nothing more than a young girl—likely a recent graduate.

Umbridge's eyes narrowed as they landed on the badge pinned to the girl's chest.

Ethan's Magic Crisis Response Team.

Her expression darkened.

No one in the world loathed Ethan more than she did. And now, one of his people had come knocking at her door.

'Why?'

"What are you doing here?" Umbridge snapped, her voice sharp and unpleasant.

Then, she noticed two stern-faced Aurors standing behind the young girl.

Her face paled.

The sight of the Aurors sent a wave of dread crashing over her.

A cold realization settled in—her secret dealings with the Death Eaters had likely been exposed.

"Ms. Dolores Umbridge, you are accused of collaborating with the Death Eaters. Please come with us for questioning," Penelope Clearwater stated, her tone icy and authoritative.

"Gods—I have no idea what you're talking about!" Umbridge stammered, desperately trying to feign innocence.

"That's why you're being investigated," Penelope replied coolly, stepping forward.

Panic flared in Umbridge's eyes. Without warning, she lunged for her wand.

"Bombarda!" she shrieked, attempting to curse Penelope.

But Penelope was faster.

"Petrificus Totalus! Langlock!"

Two spells shot from Penelope's wand in rapid succession, both striking Umbridge with precise accuracy.

Her mouth clamped shut, silencing any further protests, while shimmering magical ropes wrapped tightly around her, binding her limbs.

The two Aurors stepped forward, hoisting her off the ground like a rolled-up carpet.

They carried her out of the office and into the corridor, her muffled screams of outrage going unheard.

This scene was unfolding across the wizarding world.

All over Britain, Aurors stormed homes, businesses, and hideouts, rounding up Death Eaters.

Some were taken into custody without resistance, while others fought back, forcing duels to break out in the streets.

But Ethan had planned the operation meticulously. His careful strategies ensured that few Death Eaters managed to land any significant blows against the Aurors.

Few—but not none.

One of the most formidable challenges came from Corban Yaxley.

Unlike the others, Yaxley did not go down easily.

He was in his office when the Aurors arrived, and the moment he realized he'd been exposed, he retaliated ruthlessly.

His first instinct was to escape via the Floo Network, but Ethan had anticipated this.

The Ministry's entire transportation system had been temporarily shut down—only authorized Aurors could enter or leave.

Realizing his escape route had been cut off, Yaxley prepared to fight.

His capture team was among the largest.

Even battle-hardened Aurors like Alastor Moody and Rufus Scrimgeour had joined the raid, knowing Yaxley's skill as a duelist.

The moment the door was flung open, Moody and Scrimgeour attacked without hesitation.

But Yaxley was ready.

With a flick of his wand, he cast a Protego Maxima, deflecting their spells instantly.

Then, in a calculated move, he aimed a Reducto at the chandelier hanging above, sending it crashing down. The sudden destruction momentarily distracted Moody and Scrimgeour, giving Yaxley enough time to hurl a Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder across the room.

Thick black smoke billowed out, shrouding him in complete darkness.

By the time it cleared, Yaxley was gone.

Chaos erupted in the Ministry's halls as Yaxley fought through the building, casting spells in every direction, determined to escape.

But Ethan had prepared for this as well.

Every exit had been sealed. The only way out was through an army of Aurors.

With no other option, Yaxley resorted to raw combat. Spells flew in rapid succession as he dueled through the corridors, taking down several Aurors in the process.

But sheer numbers eventually overwhelmed him.

Even a wizard of his caliber couldn't hold off an entire squad indefinitely.

After a relentless exchange of spells, he was finally subdued.

Several Aurors bore injuries from the battle, including Moody, whose arm was gashed open by flying debris from an explosion.

Blood dripped from his fingers onto the polished marble floors of the Ministry.