When the moonlight illuminated the room, Maximus realized he had entered a kind of trance while waiting for the cloak of night to fall. He was mentally planning the next steps and strategic moves for his group. After a moment of reflection, he rose decisively and went down to the room where the others were.
"We're moving to our new hideout," he announced. "Once there, we'll begin with the plans, and each of you will have an assigned task."
He handed each of his companions their journals, and together, they left that second-to-last refuge, moving silently through the night in their tattered robes. After a brief walk, they arrived at the warehouse by the station. Maximus cautiously opened the door, and upon entering, his eyes scanned the large space: dusty compartments, but the walls were sturdy, though decorated with cobwebs.
"This will be our long-term hideout," he said with a faint smile. "We'll make it our home. Make yourselves comfortable and find a spot to settle."
While the others explored the place, Maximus noticed a deep calm in the atmosphere. It was as if the location emitted a faint aura of darkness, something that comforted him strangely. He began to understand that his new form allowed him to feel an affinity for spaces of darkness and solitude—a sixth sense guiding him toward the peace he longed for.
Soon, his priority became clear: fortify their hideout. "At last," he thought, "I can put into practice the runes I learned from Voldemort's essence." So he set about reinforcing doors and walls with runes to repel spells and conceal all magic within the warehouse's confines. He also added runes to repel Muggles and, to a certain extent, other wizards.
While working, he noticed a staircase leading down to a vast basement, likely once used to store disused train cars. The place was filled with scrap metal but was mostly empty. A memory crossed his mind: a spell to create a kind of underground swamp. He began reciting the incantation, clearing the debris from the space and slowly filling it with water using Aguamenti, inscribing various runes to preserve the new lake.
"This lake will be useful to us," he said quietly, almost meditating. He felt that instead of sleeping, they could find rest in the water, entering a kind of "suspended animation" that would allow them to regain strength.
After days of work, the fortification was complete. The group had managed to acquire proper robes, a welcome change from their Transfigured clothing, whose magic easily wore off. Maximus knew he would eventually need to obtain an unclaimed wand. Regulus's wand could be tracked, and he couldn't risk losing his only magical tool. He decided, then, to leave it in the hideout, protected under the defenses he had created.
One night, with a plan already in mind, he spoke to the others:
"I'll be gone for a while, maybe several days. Stick to the plan. Rachel, you're in charge. Teach them everything you know," he nodded at her with confidence before turning away. "I'll see you soon."
He waited until the night was at its darkest to leave, moving stealthily through the streets until he reached the Leaky Cauldron. Upon entering, the pub was just as he remembered: dark, grimy, with the bartender polishing a glass at the counter and only a couple of people scattered around.
"What can I get you?" asked the bartender, looking at him with some suspicion.
"I'm here… for the Alley. I lost my wand. Could you open it for me?" Maximus requested, hidden under his hood.
The man looked at him for a moment but reluctantly agreed. He led him to the back, tapping the third brick behind the trash bin.
"There you go," he said, stepping aside.
"Thank you for your help," Maximus replied in a grave tone before stepping into Diagon Alley.
The narrow alley was silent. Several buildings looked abandoned, likely due to the ongoing war. At the end, Gringotts Bank stood tall, guarded by two goblins. While inspecting the area, he heard nearby whispers and quickly hid in an empty shop.
"Did you hear that?" asked a voice.
"No, but the Ministry already warned about more attacks… we have to be cautious."
"This is no way to live! They throw Avada Kedavras at us, and we can only Petrify them! We need change!"
Suddenly, he heard the familiar sound of Apparition, followed by a shout:
"Death Eaters! Call for reinforcements!"
"Avada Kedavra!" several voices shouted. Silence once again took over, broken only by the footsteps of someone approaching the two fallen bodies.
"Quick, cast the Dark Mark and let's scatter," ordered a voice. Maximus heard the sound of more Apparitions.
When he was sure the area was clear, he emerged from his hiding place and observed the bodies of two fallen Aurors. An idea crossed his mind. Quickly, he searched their robes, finding a few valuables, wands, and twenty Galleons. With nothing else to search for, he slung the older man's body over his shoulder and returned to his hideout, hoping Tom, the bartender, was hiding due to the chaos left by the Death Eaters.
Upon re-entering, he noticed the place was empty and slipped back to his hideout. He dropped the body on the floor and took a deep breath—a habit he no longer needed but still remembered from his former life.
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Author notes
I´ve opened a p4treo n so if you like my works you can support me there!, I have drawings, and maybe sometimes the chapter is a bit earlier also I´ve put polls there to vote for new arcs and storys anyways it´s only to support me if you like what I write, I will keep publishing here :).
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