Picking up from where we left off,
Hector's primary objective had always been finding a chance to slip away, and crossing wands with Voldemort was definitely the last thing he wanted, as it would force him to reveal his trump cards prematurely. However, Hector was weighed down by Wendell as dead weight, and he truly lacked the confidence to safely use Apparition to spirit Wendell away while the boy remained unconscious.
Someone might ask: where was Aurora? Didn't the previous part mention that Hector seemed to hear her cries echoing in his ears? Indeed, had Aurora arrived, Hector's chances would have been considerably higher. But the reality of the situation was this: upon receiving Hector's call, Aurora had rushed over immediately and at top speed, only to be abruptly blocked by an inexplicable obstacle just as she was about to arrive. No matter how close the distance between them, and no matter what desperate measures and signature magic Aurora pulled out, the transparent barrier standing before her stubbornly remained.
Fortunately, that transparent and solid barrier only blocked Aurora's physical form; the message she wished to convey still managed to slip through a crack in the barrier, swiftly finding Hector the moment he leaped out of the house.
Chapter 154