The Rise of the God-Emperor

CH 43: The Forest Lab Infiltration

The forest was eerily silent as Harry and his team moved through the dense underbrush. The sun had barely risen, casting long shadows that flickered between the trees. The mission had begun at dawn, as planned, and Harry, Luna, Draco, Seamus, and Susan had made their way deep into Northumberland's forest without a hitch so far.

Harry kept his wand at the ready, his eyes scanning the dense surroundings as they approached what was supposed to be the Muggle lab. The spell created by the students in the science wing had worked, detecting faint electrical signals from hidden cameras along the perimeter of the lab. But they had easily disabled them with a simple spell, allowing them to slip closer to the facility undetected.

Luna, always alert to the unusual, paused, tilting her head. "We're getting close. I can feel the magic—it's faint, but it's there."

Draco, who was right behind her, raised his wand. "How much farther, Potter? This place looks like it's buried deep."

"Not much farther," Harry whispered, pointing ahead. "There's a clearing up ahead where the lab should be hidden. We'll go in quietly, take what we need, and get everyone out."

Seamus grinned, his voice low. "Just like old times, right? Only this time, we're dealing with a bunch of scientists instead of Death Eaters."

Harry shot him a wry smile but said nothing as they pushed forward. His heart pounded in his chest—every mission, every rescue felt like it carried the weight of the world, and this one was no different.

The Lab in the Forest

They reached the clearing, where a small, nondescript building lay hidden beneath a thick canopy of trees. It looked like nothing more than an abandoned warehouse from the outside, but Harry knew better. The faint hum of Muggle electricity buzzed from within, and the protective wards around the building shimmered faintly, almost invisible.

"Wards," Susan muttered, narrowing her eyes. "Nothing too strong, but they'll alert whoever's inside if we don't take them down quietly."

Luna stepped forward, her wand raised. "Leave it to me."

She muttered a soft incantation, waving her wand in delicate movements that made the air shimmer around the building. Slowly, the wards dissolved like smoke, leaving the entrance unprotected.

"All clear," Luna whispered, turning to Harry.

Harry nodded. "Alright. Stick to the plan. We go in quietly, disable anyone we find, and get the Muggleborns out of there. We're not here to fight unless we have to."

Draco was already moving toward the door. "Let's get this over with, then."

Inside the Lab

The moment they slipped inside, Harry's senses went into overdrive. The lab was cold and sterile, with long hallways lit by harsh fluorescent lights. It was a mix of Muggle technology and dark magic—just like the last one.

They moved silently, their footsteps barely making a sound as they crept through the corridors. Doors lined the walls, each one sealed with locks that Harry quickly disabled with a flick of his wand. The deeper they went, the more unsettling the atmosphere became. The air smelled faintly of chemicals and metal, and the faint hum of machinery was everywhere.

Finally, they reached the main chamber.

Inside were ten Muggleborn parents—all bound, their wrists shackled to the walls. Their faces were pale and drawn, fear etched into every line. And scattered throughout the room, sitting in makeshift cages, were twenty children. Their wide eyes stared blankly ahead, clearly traumatized by the ordeal they had been through.