"Bob, did you see what happened today? I feel like if we keep waiting, the consequences could be dire!" After Moody finished his performance, Jason eagerly leaned against the cage to find Bob.
After saying that, he specifically glanced at Sike, who had been thrown back into his cell. At this moment, Sike still had that blank expression, looking incredibly unsettling. Even Jimmy, who usually strongly disliked him, was now sitting on the side with pale lips, not even daring to approach him. Today, Moody used his actions to show everyone in the prison what true despair was!
"Indeed, we can't wait any longer." Bob, too, had lost his usual composure, looking anxiously at Jason. "I noticed that the Silver Spears leader glared at me specifically at the end. He probably still resents me for provoking him earlier. I'm afraid this so-called loyalty test will be my turn tomorrow."
"Then you mean… we leave tonight?" Jason was also in a panic right now. If everyone was going to be brainwashed by those Silver Spears guards, it wouldn't be long before everyone became walking corpses. At that time, let alone escaping, they might even forget their own names.
"I'm afraid this is our only choice…" Bob sighed with a worried expression. "Although our preparations are still not sufficient, if we keep waiting… we will lose our only chance to regain freedom!"
Jason's eyes also became firm upon hearing this. "Then let's do it. If I have to live like those brainwashed people every day, I'd rather die!"
"Then we act tonight!" After Jason said this, Bob also made up his mind and nodded, but still mumbled with a slight worry, "But we don't know the movements of those Silver Spears at night. If we just rush out like this, our target will be too obvious, and the success rate… is really not high!"
"I can help you!"
Just as Jason and Bob were whispering, a voice suddenly cut in. The two of them were startled and turned their heads to see that it was Jimmy, who had also approached the cage at some point.
"Jimmy, you… why are you here?" Jason looked at Jimmy with some surprise. His usual conversations with Bob were very discreet, but today, having lost their focus, neither of them noticed someone approaching.
"Captain, you and Bob are preparing to escape, aren't you? Actually, I've always known about this." Jimmy's face was bitter at this moment, completely devoid of his usual youthful innocence and cheerfulness. "Although I'm young, I'm not a fool. Every two days, you two huddle together and whisper, and late at night, Captain always hides under his blanket secretly practicing wandless magic. I've actually seen all of this."
"What?" Jason was even more surprised upon hearing this, and at the same time, he exchanged glances with Bob, then couldn't help but look at Jimmy. "Then why have you never said anything?"
"Say anything? Why would I say anything? Wouldn't it be better if you could really escape? Maybe you could even bring people to rescue us." Jimmy gave a bitter smile. "I actually know I don't have much ability. All this time, I've only caused trouble for you, Captain, so after learning that you planned to escape, I didn't think about joining in, so as not to drag you all down in the end. All I could do before was cover for you."
"Jimmy…" Jason was deeply moved upon hearing Jimmy's heartfelt words, but still asked somewhat strangely, "You're a good lad, how could you cause us trouble? But what did you mean by saying you could help us?"
"You're planning to escape this wretched place through that fireplace tonight, aren't you?" Jimmy seemed to have guessed their thoughts. "If you two just rush out like this, the probability of successfully getting away is probably close to zero."
"That's right." Jason still trusted Jimmy as a companion, and immediately admitted, "But you've also seen the methods those Silver Spears use against us. Even if the success rate isn't high, Bob and I plan to give it our all. Even if we're killed during the escape, it's better than becoming an emotionless walking corpse!"
After saying that, Jason specifically exchanged glances with Bob, and both saw that hint of determination in each other's eyes.
"So that's how it is. All this time, I thought you were a bit soft-hearted, Captain, but I didn't expect that among us, you are actually the most courageous person." Jimmy looked at Jason and Bob with admiration. Then he leaned in a little closer and whispered, "If I can help you attract some of the Silver Spears' attention when you escape, will your success rate of getting away be higher?"
"Attract their attention?" Jason was slightly startled upon hearing this, then widened his eyes and looked at Jimmy. "You mean… but wouldn't that put you in danger?"
"Heh, you say that as if we wouldn't be in danger if we continued to wait." Jimmy looked at Jason beside him with determination. "Tonight, I will find a way to create a commotion, and then you two take this opportunity to run. If you have a chance to find someone to rescue us after you get out, then that's naturally for the best. If not, please take good care of yourself. That way, my efforts won't be in vain."
"Jimmy!" Jason's heart lurched upon hearing Jimmy's words, which sounded like a last will, and he was so moved that he almost choked up.
But Jimmy firmly shook his head to stop him, "Captain, don't hesitate. Now is not the time for indecisiveness. If you can escape, those of us still in prison will still have hope of seeing the light of day again. But if we continue to delay, what's the point of us even living?" After saying that, Jimmy specifically glanced at Sike next to him. This guy used to be the person he hated the most, but today's encounter made him feel pity for him.
Jason composed himself upon hearing this, then exchanged glances with Bob, and finally nodded firmly, "Alright! Then we'll do it. Jimmy, don't worry, as soon as I get out, I'll immediately go to the Ministry of Magic and seek help from the Aurors."
"The Ministry of Magic?" Jimmy hesitated. "Having been here for so long, you should also know the connections between those club collaborators and civilian groups, right? They have been pushing for Germany's division. There are probably their people within the Ministry of Magic as well. Is it really reliable to go directly to the Ministry of Magic?"
"No matter how powerful the club's Silver Spears forces are, a person like Director Andre of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement will definitely not collude with them. As long as we find him! We will have hope!" Jason said with a firm tone.
Andre's reputation in the German wizarding world was well-known. Aside from his somewhat bad temper, he had always presented himself as someone who hated evil like poison. So when Jason spoke his name, Jimmy and Bob both nodded in conviction.
At this moment, Moody, who had been listening to their conversation beside the three men's cage, also nodded in satisfaction. He wasn't afraid of them breaking out of prison; he was afraid they wouldn't run. Making up their minds was a good thing. However, the bond between Jimmy and Jason was truly strong. Moody was even touched after hearing their heartfelt exchange, almost feeling a hint of guilt—though it was only almost.
That night, at midnight.
Many people in the prison couldn't sleep that day. Their minds constantly replayed the scene of the Silver Spears guard brainwashing those wizards. Some even woke up from nightmares after falling asleep. And just as everyone was anxious, a faint light suddenly appeared inexplicably in the darkness. When they sat up to look for the source of the light, they discovered that one of the cells had somehow caught fire!
"Fire! Fire! Help!"
A piercing scream suddenly echoed throughout the entire prison, followed by more and more shouts and commotions, one after another.
The fire started in Jimmy and Jason's cell. At first, it was just a flame inexplicably appearing on one of the blankets, but when Jimmy threw the burning blanket into the makeshift wooden toilet, the fire gradually spread, even igniting the adjacent cell through the bars. This sudden incident instantly ignited the anxiety in the hearts of the prisoners, causing even wizards who were not at the fire's location, or even on the same side, to shout loudly and cry, as if the end of the world was approaching early. Soon, the entire prison instantly became as lively as a morning vegetable market.
"Quiet down! All of you, quiet down! Everyone, hurry and put out the fire! Don't let me find out who's causing trouble, or I won't spare you!" The Silver Spears leader suddenly appeared, shouting angrily at the surroundings. Then, a large number of Silver Spears guards dispelled their invisibility and appeared, gathering around the cell to cast spells and extinguish the fire.
At this time, everyone around also clearly observed that the number of guards in the prison at night was significantly less than during the day, only a few people in total. This made many people bolder, and some even openly started shaking the iron bars, trying to escape from their cages amidst the chaos. This made the prison even more chaotic, but the Silver Spears leader also stepped forward at this moment. With just a few instances of the Cruciatus Curse, he knocked several troublemaking wizards to the ground, also deterring others with ill intentions.
Then, the Silver Spears guards quickly brought the fire under control. However, neither these Silver Spears guards nor the troublemaking, noisy wizards noticed that two invisible wizards had already left their respective cells and were slowly approaching the nearby fireplace.
Jason and Bob also hadn't expected that Jimmy's plan would be surprisingly effective. Originally, they had only intended to use the fire to attract some of the Silver Spears' attention. But who would have thought that this one fire almost agitated everyone in the prison? The Silver Spears guards were either busy putting out the fire or dealing with the troublemakers in other cells. They actually approached the fireplace without any obstruction!