Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

Chapter 1099: Chapter 186: When Fireworks Bloom

Braun glanced at his pocket watch and reminded, ”Everyone, it’s about time.”

”Good!” Vito shouted hastily.

As if to confirm Braun’s words, several unmarked black military vehicles sped down the street like ghosts.

”Screech—!”

The vehicles came to a sudden stop right in front of the entrance of the Watergate Building.

The car doors burst open with a bang, and a group of fully armed special forces soldiers poured out, moving swiftly and silently, sealing off the entrance and charging inside.

Abigail, hiding in the shadows of the corner downstairs, felt her heart sink sharply.

She recognized this formation and style of equipment—these were not ordinary police or FBI agents, but more professional and ruthless special units!

She anxiously looked up at the top floor of the building, where the windows remained eerily dark and calm.

Braun... did he know the place downstairs was surrounded? Could he get away in time?

Seeing the special forces soldiers rushing into the lobby, Abigail gritted her teeth, pulled out her magic wand, pointed it at the night sky, and flicked her wrist!

A slender, blazing red light shot from the tip of the wand like a reverse shooting star, soaring into the sky!

”Boom!”

The red light suddenly exploded in the high sky, transforming into a giant and brilliant firework that painted the entire night sky a glowing crimson!

At the moment the fireworks exploded, Abigail immediately used the Disillusionment Charm on herself, then quickly changed her hiding spot, holding her breath and tightly gripping her magic wand.

Two seconds later, a team of special forces dashed out of the building, launching an intensely alert search of the surroundings.

Abigail’s heart pounded like a drum as she eyed the items in their hands!

The soldiers were holding not just guns, but also some strange scanning devices.

In her past as a mercenary, Abigail had learned that Muggles could detect hidden individuals using sound waves or body heat rather than relying on vision.

She didn’t dare take chances and immediately Apparated.

”Bang!”

A massive explosion boomed from the corner, and the muzzles of the special forces instantly swung in that direction. Moments later, one of them spoke into a walkie-talkie:

”It’s a wizard... but they’ve already left.”

A voice on the walkie-talkie replied, ”Get upstairs immediately! That fellow’s accomplices are at the Wrightford residence!”

”Yes!”

The special forces operative responded, decisively turning and running back into the building, yet without real hope of capturing the opponent.

—The warning had already been sent out. If the lookout downstairs could Apparate, wouldn’t the ones upstairs be able to?

...

As the eye-catching red firework exploded in the night sky, Vito had already closed the last briefcase full of documents and stepped quickly into the wardrobe space.

Just moments ago, the room had been crowded and noisy; now it was empty and desolate, with only scattered disarray left behind.

The only ones remaining were Vid and Mikhail.

The Firebird let out a high-pitched cry, with its body bursting into a blaze of golden-red flames!

It transformed into an extremely hot fireball, flying swiftly around the room, igniting fierce fires wherever it passed.

”Woo—woo—!!!”

The fire alarm was instantly triggered, emitting sharp wailing sounds as the sprinklers on the ceiling spouted a deluge of water.

However, even under control, the flames released by Mikhail weren’t Fierce Fire, and they weren’t so easily extinguished.

Before the flames vanished, the traces left by Vid and the others would undoubtedly be reduced to ashes first.

After scorching a circle, Mikhail transformed into a stream of fire and charged into the wardrobe’s entrance.

With a snap, the wardrobe door closed, and the entire wardrobe seemed to lose its support, quickly collapsing, folding, and transforming!

In less than a second, the upright wardrobe shrank into a palm-sized pencil case.

Vid bent down to pick up the pencil case, stuffed it into the inner pocket of his coat, and stepped onto the window sill.

In the corridor outside, the heavy and dense stomping of boots echoed like thunder, rapidly approaching.

Vid glanced back at the room being rapidly consumed by flames, then suddenly dropped downward, his flame-lit shadow contracting and transforming...

In an instant, a peregrine falcon with gray-brown plumage and sharp eyes appeared silently.

”Boom—!”

The moment the door was broken open, a blast of fierce fire erupted, forcing back the leading soldiers.

Meanwhile, the peregrine falcon spread its wings, glided silently like a real ghost.

It slipped lightly through the rising flames and dense smoke, darted out the window, and instantly melded into the profound night of Washington.

Behind, angry roars could be heard:

”Damn it, not a single one was caught; they all escaped!”

...

The peregrine falcon did not go far.

It circled the night sky once, taking in the chaos below:

More and more vehicles swarmed in, surrounding the building completely;

Fully armed special forces continued to charge into the building;

Some disturbed politicians harshly rebuked, while others tried to sneak away amidst the chaos but were immediately captured by the highly vigilant special forces;

The shrill sirens of fire trucks and police cars grew louder from afar, but the television stations with their cameras arrived first.

The peregrine falcon folded its wings, dove down, and landed in the dense canopy of an oak tree in Fog Valley Park just a street away.

Hidden among the thick leaves, it was hard to spot even in daylight.

Vid changed back to human form, seated on a sturdy branch, his gaze penetrating the gaps in the leaves as he stared distantly at the building engulfed in chaos.

The entire building seemed rudely awakened from slumber. The alarm’s red lights flashed on the structure, more windows lit up one after another, reflecting the panicked silhouettes of residents swaying by the windows.

Evacuation and lockdown were happening simultaneously, and the flames had been initially controlled, yet thick smoke continued billowing out from the top few windows.

...

Abigail hadn’t gone far; after Apparating nearby, she quickly removed her cloak and changed into regular Muggle attire, then circled back.

After all, other than Braun, she had nowhere else to go and didn’t know what she could do now.

Merging into the crowd of ordinary onlookers, Abigail’s gaze remained fixed on the distant, fire-lit, and bustling Watergate Building, clenching her fists.

She heard some journalists nearby excitedly discussing which bigwig would be brought down this time, snapping photos rapidly whenever someone came in or out of the building.

The ”click, click” sounds and constantly flashing lights annoyed Abigail to no end, and just as she was feeling incredibly anxious, almost unable to resist taking the risk to check things out, a tap on her shoulder caught her off guard.

Abigail spun around abruptly, nearly throwing a punch, only to see Braun smiling serenely.

”Worried about me?” Braun said nonchalantly, ”Don’t worry, I’m fine. But I’m surprised you actually didn’t leave for real.”