Chapter 141 – The Forest Hiding Vampires
Phineas frowned at the unfolding scene and turned to Puff beside him.
"Puff, go alert the others. If war breaks out here, we won't have the numbers."
Puff nodded and vanished with a snap of his fingers.
Lisa glanced at Phineas, concern written all over her face.
"Master, you should leave with Puff. It's too dangerous here."
Phineas sneered slightly.
"Danger? Of course it's dangerous. But since I've chosen revenge, I won't shrink from it. This is our best chance. If they catch wind of our assault on their stronghold, it'll be even harder to find them in the future."
He was right. If the vampires learned that the wizards were about to strike, they would disappear. No matter their reasoning, their first move would be to conceal their base.
Phineas reminded himself that this wasn't just about venting anger. This was also about completing his mission—and claiming the rewards that came with it.
The mission reward for avenging the vampire attack was too important to ignore. Destroying the reformist base would push the mission progress significantly forward.
The assault on the castle was inevitable. What Phineas needed to figure out now was how to avoid alerting the vampires inside before reinforcements arrived.
"Fall back. Let's hide," Phineas whispered to Lisa.
She hesitated, then nodded when she realized his intent—to remain undetected until their allies arrived. They retreated quietly behind a low hill.
Phineas reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and withdrew a bundle. As heir to the Black family, whose recently revealed wealth stunned the wizarding world, he had the funds to commission custom clothing enchanted with the Seamless Extension Charm.
This particular suit was one of several nearly identical sets he owned, and from within it, he pulled something very un-wizardlike—a Muggle ghillie suit.
Wizards rarely paid attention to Muggle tools. After all, they could use spells for camouflage. But here, so close to the vampire stronghold, Phineas believed the Muggle method was smarter. Vampires likely had ways of sensing magic, and casting spells now would be as good as announcing their presence.
Muggle equipment didn't carry any magical traces—perfect for stealth.
Lisa copied Phineas, donning a suit made of strips that mimicked grass and branches. She lay flat on the forest floor, motionless.
Perhaps it was the magic Puff had used, or maybe the vampires kept regular patrols. Moments after they'd camouflaged themselves, the castle gates creaked open.
Several vampires stepped out. Judging by their ragged clothes and the absence of magical auras, these were the lowest-ranked of their kind.
The vampires wandered into the forest, checking their surroundings periodically, then hunted down two deer and carried them back to the castle.
The whole encounter was nerve-wracking. The vampires had headed straight toward where Phineas and the others lay hidden, as though they suspected someone was there.
Lisa clutched her wand, ready to strike, but Phineas signaled her to stop.
Yes, attacking now might let them escape safely—but that would mean abandoning the mission. After tracking the castle down, they couldn't afford to lose this chance. If they waited just a little longer, they might be able to wipe out the entire group.
Phineas held his breath as the vampires passed. Luckily, they only scanned the area and didn't inspect too closely. They soon returned with the deer.
Watching them retreat, Phineas even wondered if their main reason for coming out had been hunting.
Contrary to Muggle myths, vampires didn't survive solely on blood. While blood gave them power, it didn't fill their stomachs. They could eat regular food—and often did.
Hiding deep in the forest, cut off from society and with their other strongholds under attack, these vampires had to rely on local wildlife to survive.
As the last vampire disappeared back into the castle, Lisa finally broke the silence.
"Master, please, let me handle this. You should leave."
Phineas was too important—to the werewolves, to the Black family. This place was far too dangerous. Lisa hoped desperately that he would Apparate back to London and leave the rest to them.
Even if everyone else died, they would've achieved Phineas's purpose.
But Phineas refused.
He wasn't here just to oversee the mission. Personal involvement would significantly boost its progress. And more than that—he wanted revenge. With his own hands.
Phineas was not known for kindness or mercy. He'd once sent nearly 80% of Britain's pure-blood heirs to Azkaban just to protect himself.
He paid back kindness with loyalty—but vengeance with force.
And Puff, his ever-reliable house-elf and captain of the elf combat squad, had never once failed him.
Just as the low-level vampires dragged the deer inside, Puff reappeared beside Phineas.
"Master, Puff has returned—with support."
The words had barely left his mouth when thick black mist rolled in around them.
From the shadows emerged a crowd of wizards—dozens of them—appearing through a signature method long associated with Death Eaters: black apparition smoke.