439The frigid wind howled across the turbulent North Sea, carrying with it the acrid stench of dark magic and despair. Harry Potter's eyes watered as he materialized on the jagged rocks at the base of the island of Azkaban, his companions appearing around him with a series of muffled cracks. The towering fortress loomed above them, its obsidian walls seeming to absorb what little light the overcast sky provided. Waves crashed against the island's shore, sending sprays of icy water over the assembled group.
Harry's gaze swept over his allies, taking in their grim expressions. Dumbledore stood tall, his long silver beard whipping in the wind and his eyes fixed on the imposing structure before them. Beside him, Professor McGonagall's lips were pressed into a thin line, her eyes fierce and her wand already drawn. Moody's magical eye swiveled wildly, scanning for unseen threats, while Flitwick, dwarfed by his companions, looked uncharacteristically serious.
His eyes fell on Sirius next and a frown emerged on his face. The man was ashen-faced as he gazed up at his former prison.
"Sirius?" Harry asked searchingly, jolting the man from his thoughts.
Gazing at his godson, Sirius shook his head.
"I just… I'd hoped I'd never have to see this place again," he breathed. The haunted look in his godfather's eyes made Harry's chest tighten. "I thought I was ready, but… wait… just give me a minute please…"
Dumbledore placed a comforting hand on Sirius's shoulder, his voice gentle but firm. "It is totally understandable, Sirius. Take your time. Focus on the task at hand. We must move quickly."
The group huddled closer, wands at the ready. The air crackled with tension and their fear was palpable. Harry felt Daphne's hand slip into his, her fingers ice-cold but her grip firm. He glanced at her, taking in her determined expression, her blonde hair plastered to her face by the sea spray.
"Remember the plan," Moody growled, his magical eye swiveling wildly. "We're here to extract, not engage. If you see You-Know-Who, you get the hell out of there. No heroics, everyone," he added, fixing the group with a stern glare.
Harry nodded, swallowing hard. The sheer weight of what was at stake pressed down on him, heavier than the oppressive atmosphere of Azkaban itself. Even though he had fought Voldemort before, he could not help but feel apprehensive of what was about to come.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream rent the air, causing several in the group to flinch. Flitwick let out a startled squeak, nearly losing his footing on the slick rocks. Bill Weasley steadied him, his eyes wide as he glared at the prison fortress, his scarred face set in grim determination.
"It seems Tom has begun his assault in earnest," Dumbledore said grimly, his blue eyes lacking their usual twinkle. "We must hurry. Apparition would not be possible, so we will have to make the rest of the way on foot. Cedric, William, secure our exit point. The rest of you, with me."
As they began their ascent up the treacherous path to the prison's entrance, the very rock beneath their feet seemed to tremble. Dementors swarmed overhead, their rattling breath filling the air with an otherworldly chill. The temperature plummeted further, frost forming on their robes and hair.
"So they have already chosen their side," Dumbledore whispered, but everyone heard him loud and clear. Those who had fought in the previous war glared up at the foul creatures, recalling a similar development not even two decades ago.
"We should've expected it," Cyrus muttered. The group braced themselves as a horde of Dementors swirled toward them, their skeletal arms spread wide as they swooped down to wrap them in an embrace of death and decay.
Harry glared heatedly as he swirled his wand around, the tip glowing an ethereal shade of white as his Patronus erupted from his wand in a burst of silvery light. Around him, his allies followed suit, a menagerie of silvery guardians forming a protective bubble around the group. Dumbledore's phoenix soared majestically, while McGonagall's cat prowled at their feet. Cyrus' fox darted between the larger patroni, its bushy tail held high.
The Dementors howled and shrieked in agony as they were viciously repelled, sent soaring high in the air and far away from their location.
The group slowly trudged forward and it took them a little while before they reached the main gates. The dark iron structure was twisted and warped as if subjected to intense heat. The acrid smell of burnt flesh assaulted their nostrils, causing Elphias Doge to gag and turn away. The iron bars had melted in places, forming grotesque, dripping patterns that seemed to move in the flickering light of distant spell fire.
"The bastard chose to waltz in from the front door. As if he couldn't be arrogant enough," Harry remarked disdainfully.
"It seems he has left a little gift behind. Typical of Tom, always making sure to cover his back in one way or another. Alastor, Minerva, if you would," Dumbledore said, gesturing towards the mangled entrance, his voice calm despite the chaos that awaited them.
With a series of complex wand movements, Moody and McGonagall began dismantling the complex series of wards. Sparks of various colors danced around the gate as layer after layer of magical protection was stripped away. The gates groaned open, the sound echoing ominously through the night, revealing a scene of utter chaos within.
Bodies littered the floor—guards and prisoners alike. Some were clearly dead, eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling, while others moaned in pain or lay ominously still. Spellfire illuminated the darkness, angry red and sickly green flashes reflecting off the damp stone walls. In the distance, a familiar voice bellowed orders, its maniacal laughter sending chills down everyone's spines.
"That's Bellatrix," Sirius snarled, his face contorted with hatred. His grip on his wand tightened, his knuckles turning white.
"Stay focused," Daphne hissed, her eyes scanning the carnage for any sign of movement. "Remember why we're here."
Suddenly, a figure stumbled towards them from the shadows. Harry raised his wand, a curse on his lips, before recognizing the shock of pink hair.
"Tonks!" He exclaimed, rushing forward to support the battered Auror. Her robes were torn and singed, and she leaned heavily on Harry, favoring her left leg.
"The dark bastard is here," Tonks gasped, blood trickling from a gash on her forehead. Her usually vibrant hair was a dull mousy brown, a sign of her exhaustion. Daphne quickly went to work on her injuries, grimacing at the sight of the exposed flesh and the blood trickling out of her wounds. Wincing, Tonks continued, "I've no idea how long he's been in here, but we found these people already dead by the time we arrived. It's a massacre in there. Kingsley... I lost track of him in the chaos."
"The bastard's been waiting for reinforcements to arrive," Harry hissed. "He wants blood for everything that's happened lately. We should've prioritized this plan instead of stalling until Christmas!"
Dumbledore's eyes hardened, a steely glint replacing their usual twinkle. "There is no time to think about past mistakes, Harry. What matters is what we face now, and I believe the situation is clear."
He eyed everyone present, all of whom were staring at him, silently asking for instructions. Releasing a deep breath, Dumbledore continued, "I believe we have no choice but to engage. Elphias, Benjy, escort Ms. Tonks to safety and rendezvous with Cedric and William. The rest of you, pair up and proceed with caution. Our priority remains the same—extract any Death Eaters we can and secure as many prisoners as possible before they can be turned to Voldemort's cause."
"I can continue," Tonks protested, only to be immediately denied by Moody who eyed her injuries.
"You will be a liability going forward. You've done enough already. We will handle the rest."
Tonks made to protest but Daphne squeezed her hand firmly, an understanding look on her face. The metamorph did not look happy but she did not protest any further, nodding in defeat.
Moody nodded at Benjy Fenwick and Elphias Doge who stepped forward and helped Tonks toward the exit.
As the trio walked out of the fortress, the group resumed their advance. They neared a corner and Harry felt a familiar coldness creep into his bones. He turned to see a lone Dementor gliding towards them, its rattling breath growing louder with each passing second. The creature's tattered cloak billowed around it, revealing glimpses of rotting, scabbed flesh beneath.
Sirius, who had admirably caught his bearings and had been advancing with determination, suddenly froze. His face, already pale, turned ashen. His eyes glazed over, lost in some terrible memory. The wand in his hand trembled violently.
"Sirius!" Harry called out, alarmed by his godfather's reaction. However, Sirius seemed beyond hearing, trapped in a personal hell of Azkaban's making.
The Dementor drew closer, its scabbed hand reaching out towards Sirius. Frost spread across the stone floor, creeping towards them with alarming speed.
"Expecto Patronum!" Harry shouted, summoning every happy memory he could muster. Thoughts of his friends, of Sirius, of the family he'd found in the wizarding world fueled his spell. His stag burst forth, more brilliant than ever before, and charged at the Dementor.
The creature recoiled, wailing as it fled before the onslaught of pure, positive energy. As it retreated, Harry rushed to Sirius's side, gripping his shoulders firmly.
"Sirius, look at me," he urged, green eyes locking onto grey. "You're not trapped here anymore. We're here to fight, remember? To stop Voldemort."
Slowly, awareness returned to Sirius's eyes. He blinked, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Harry?" he murmured, confusion giving way to understanding. "I... thank you. For a moment, I was back... back in my cell."
Harry squeezed his godfather's shoulder. "You're free now. And we need you. Are you ready?"
Sirius straightened, a fire rekindling in his eyes. He gripped his wand with renewed purpose. "Let's show these Death Eaters what the Marauders can do."
A crash echoed from deeper within the prison, followed by maniacal laughter that could only belong to Bellatrix Lestrange. Dumbledore's voice cut through the cacophony, issuing orders and rallying their forces.
Harry exchanged a determined look with Daphne, who had moved to cover them during the Dementor encounter. Her face was set with grim resolve, but her eyes softened as they gazed at his godfather.
"You sure you'll be okay, Sirius?" She asked, concern visible on her face.
"You should leave too if it's affecting you so much, Black," Moody said firmly. "I'll tell you the same think I told that niece of yours. We can't have liabilities going forward."
"Then it's a good thing I won't be one," Sirius responded firmly, glaring. The two wizards stared heatedly for a prolonged period before Moody's lips quirked slightly.
"Suit yourself."
The man resumed his walk, leaving Harry and Daphne standing with Sirius at the end of the small procession. They saw Sirius straighten himself and square his shoulders before he followed behind them. Daphne turned to him and a small smile graced her features.
"Together?" she asked, extending her hand.
Harry smiled as he took it, intertwining their fingers. "Together," he agreed.
With a shared nod, they plunged into the depths of Azkaban, following close behind Sirius. The sounds of battle grew louder with each step, spellfire illuminating their path through the twisting corridors. Whatever plans they had made, whatever preparations they thought would be enough, Harry knew one thing with certainty—they had been blindsided, and all those plans had most likely gone up in smoke.
As they rounded a corner, they came face to face with a group of prisoners trying to free other prisoners from their cells. Spells began to fly, and the real battle commenced. Harry ducked a jet of red light, retaliating with a Stunning Spell of his own. Beside him, Daphne moved with fluid grace, her wand a blur as she cast shield charms and offensive spells in rapid succession.
Sirius let out a bark-like laugh as he dueled, some of his old fire returning. "Just like old times, eh James?" he called out, deflecting a curse and sending its caster flying backward.
Harry ignored the mistake, knowing his godfather's mental state right now, triggered by the dark memories that those Dementors had made resurface in his mind.
The air filled with shouts, the crack of spells, and the acrid smell of ozone. Through it all, Harry could hear Dumbledore's powerful voice somewhere ahead, dueling what sounded like multiple opponents at once.
In no time, the prisoners were subdued and taken care of. Bound and confined in a cell to look over later, the group continued their venture further ahead.
The higher they ventured into Azkaban's labyrinthine corridors, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. The stone walls seemed to close in around them, slick with moisture and centuries of despair. Their footsteps echoed ominously, mixing with the distant sounds of battle and the ever-present howling of the wind outside.
Sirius led the way, his face set in grim determination. Despite his earlier moment of weakness, he now moved with the fluid grace of a man intimately familiar with these hellish passages. "The high-security cells are this way," he muttered, gesturing down a particularly dark corridor. "If Voldemort's really here with his most loyal, that's where they'll be."
As if in response to Sirius's words, a high, cold laugh echoed through the passage once again. Daphne's hand tightened around her wand, her knuckles white with tension.
"Bellatrix," Sirius growled, his eyes flashing with hatred.
They rounded another corner and found themselves in a vast circular chamber. Cells lined the walls, their doors blasted open, and in the center stood a group of figures, their dark robes billowing around them as if alive with dark magic.
Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to a woman who could only be Bellatrix Lestrange. Her wild black hair formed a demented halo around her gaunt face, and her heavily lidded eyes gleamed with madness as she twirled her curved wand between long, skeletal fingers. Beside her stood an imposing man with a scraggly beard who he assumed was her husband, Rodolphus, his face etched with cruel lines, and his brother Rabastan, who wore an expression of savage glee.
The Carrow twins, Alecto and Amycus, huddled together, their piggy eyes darting nervously around the chamber. Despite their fear, there was an unmistakable air of cruelty about them, as if they could hardly wait to inflict pain on others once more.
Antonin Dolohov cut an imposing figure, his sallow face twisted into a sneer as he surveyed the destruction around him. Next to him, Augustus Rookwood's intelligent eyes took in every detail of their surroundings.
Travers paced restlessly, his wand tapping against his leg in an erratic rhythm. Mulciber stood still as a statue, only his eyes moving as they flicked from one exit to another. Thorfinn Rowle, massive and blonde, cracked his knuckles menacingly, a sadistic grin spreading across his brutish features.
For a moment, both groups stood frozen, assessing each other in tense silence. Slowly, Bellatrix's face split into a maniacal grin.
"Well, well," she cackled, her voice echoing off the damp stone walls. "If it isn't my dear cousin… and is that ickle baby Potter with you? Oh my, what a handsome snack you've grown into… so much like your blood traitor father! Those eyes are the mudblood's heritage though."
Harry glared at the evil woman as she cackled again.
With the same cruel grin plastered on her face, Bellatrix asked in a conspiratorial whisper, "I heard you killed little Crouchy, baby Potter. I could not believe it, you know? What would Mummy and Daddy think about their baby boy becoming a killer, I wonder?"
Sirius stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of Harry and Daphne, much to Bellatrix's amusement.
"Tell me, Siri. Have you come to join our little reunion? Have you all? Come, join us. We'll leave soon, and we'll have a lot of fun!" She sighed dreamily, cackling.
Sirius regarded the woman with unveiled disgust, his lips curled. "The only place you're going, Bella, is back in a cell. One where you can rot for the rest of your miserable life."
Bellatrix's laugh was like shards of glass falling on a metallic floor. "Oh, Sirius, always so dramatic. You talk so big… can't you see you're outnumbered, blood traitor? You, your dear baby Potter, and the little girl don't stand a chance."
As if on cue, more figures emerged from the shadows behind Harry. Dumbledore strode forward, power radiating from him in palpable waves, with McGonagall and Flitwick flanking him, their wands raised and ready. Moody's magical eye swiveled wildly, taking in every detail of their opponents as he banged his staff on the harsh black floor.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Bellatrix," Dumbledore said calmly, though his blue eyes were hard as steel.
The air crackled with tension, magic building like electricity before a storm. Harry could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing up, his heart thumping furiously in his chest.
Rodolphus Lestrange sneered, "The great Dumbledore, come to stick your nose where it's not wanted. How predictable."
"Predictable, perhaps," Dumbledore replied, a hint of steel entering his voice. "But effective nonetheless."
The Death Eaters spread out, forming a loose semicircle. Harry and his allies did the same, each person subtly shifting to face the opponent they deemed most threatening.
Bellatrix's eyes locked onto Harry's, a twisted smile playing on her lips. "I'm going to enjoy this, baby Potter. So very much. We'll have lots of fun playing together."
"Eye your man, bitch!" Daphne spat, stepping up beside Harry as she pointed her wand at her.
"Oh? Baby Potter has a girlie!?" Bellatrix cackled. "Great! We'll all play together. I'll bring out all my tools. They must be wanting the taste of fresh blood after all these years… Oh my poor babies…"
Harry gripped his wand tighter, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the rage of his Daphne beside him, and he knew how much she wanted to curse this woman.
On his other side, Sirius vibrated with barely contained energy, ready to unleash years of pent-up rage.
The chamber fell silent, almost all sounds fading away as if the very prison itself was holding its breath. The only sound was the faint drip of water from the ceiling accompanied by the howling winds outside and the ragged breathing of the combatants.
Dumbledore's voice cut through the silence, calm and clear. "It's not too late to surrender. No more blood needs to be shed here today."
Rabastan laughed – a harsh, scratchy sound that must've been the result of years of screaming under the hospitality of the dementors. "Always the optimist, Dumbledore. But we both know there's only one way this ends."
The tension in the room reached a fever pitch. Harry's muscles coiled, ready to spring into action. He could see similar readiness in the postures of both his allies and the Death Eaters.
Bellatrix raised her wand, the tip glowing with barely contained crimson magic. Her eyes, alight with madness, darted from one opponent to another, as if deciding who would be the first to fall.
Sirius mirrored her movement, his wand aimed squarely at his cousin. "It ends here, Bella," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
"Oh it does," Bellatrix licked her lips, eager to get the show started, when suddenly, a bone-chilling cold swept through the room. The temperature plummeted, frost creeping across the stone floors and walls. The dim light from flickering torches sputtered and dimmed as if struggling against an oppressive darkness.
A heavy, unnatural silence fell, broken only by the sound of billowing fabric. From the shadows emerged a tall, skeletal figure, its movements unnaturally fluid, almost serpentine.
Lord Voldemort glided into the chamber, his bare feet making no sound on the frosted stone.
His appearance was terrifying – chalk-white skin stretched taut over sharp bones, scarlet eyes gleaming with malevolence and slits for nostrils that flared as he surveyed the scene before him. His black robes seemed to absorb what little light remained, giving the impression that he was cloaked in a living shadow.
"My lord!" Bellatrix cried out, her voice a mixture of reverence and ecstasy. She fell to her knees, the other Death Eaters quickly following suit.
Voldemort's lipless mouth curved into a cold smile. "Rise, my faithful servants. I see you are very much enjoying this freedom that you all so richly deserve."
On the other side of the chamber, reactions were mixed. Dumbledore stood tall, his blue eyes hard as diamonds as he faced his former pupil. McGonagall's lips thinned to near invisibility, her wand hand steady despite the fear evident in her eyes. Flitwick glared and held his ground, while Moody's magical eye spun wildly as if trying to find some weakness in the Dark Lord's defenses.
Harry gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowed in hatred and his grip on his wand harder than ever before. Beside him, Daphne's face had gone pale, but her own grip on her wand remained firm. Sirius growled low in his throat, his wand still pointed at his cousin who had eyes filled with worship for only one individual.
Voldemort surveyed his followers before his gaze swept over his opponents, lingering on Harry and Dumbledore longer than the others. "Harry Potter," he hissed, his voice soft yet carrying clearly through the chamber. "Once again, you stand in my way, intent on taking my servants from me. But not for long." His red eyes shifted to Dumbledore. "And Albus Dumbledore, ever the puppet master. You seem to derive some sadistic pleasure in watching your pawns fall, don't you?"
Dumbledore's voice was calm, but steel underpinned every word. "They are not pawns, Tom. They are brave witches and wizards who stand against your tyranny of their own free will. It is their morality that guides them."
A flash of anger crossed Voldemort's face at the use of his old name. "Free will? Morality? You speak of things that do not matter in the grand scheme of things, old man. I seem to recall saying the same thing to young Harry here. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it."
"Is that what you told these people, Tom?" Dumbledore gestured to the Death Eaters. "That you would grant them power? Yet here they stand, your servants, bowing and scraping for your approval."
Voldemort let out a tired sigh as if he was almost disappointed. "I tire of your moralizing already, Dumbledore. I believe it is time to end this."
"Indeed it is, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly.
A bolt of blindingly white light erupted from Dumbledore's wand, streaking towards Voldemort. The Dark Lord deflected it with a lazy flick of his own wand, sending it crashing into the ceiling. Chunks of stone rained down, forcing both sides to scatter.
"Kill them all!" Voldemort roared, and chaos erupted.
Spells flew in every direction, the air thick with multicolored beams of light. The cramped confines of the chamber made the fighting close and desperate, with allies and enemies alike jostling for position.
Dumbledore and Voldemort circled each other, their duel a deadly dance of light and shadow. Dumbledore conjured a flock of golden birds that swarmed Voldemort, only to be incinerated by a wave of dark fire. The flames curled back on themselves, forming a massive serpent that lunged at Dumbledore. With a twirl of his wand, Dumbledore transformed the fiery beast into harmless smoke, which he then solidified into razor-sharp icicles and sent hurtling back at Voldemort.
Around them, the battle raged. Bellatrix cackled madly as she flung curses at Sirius, who deflected them with a combination of skill and reckless bravado, a grin on his face. "What's wrong, Bella?" he taunted, dodging a jet of green light. "Azkaban slow you down?"
Bellatrix snarled and flung another Killing Curse at her cousin who ducked under it once again, retaliating with a powerful bonebreaker aimed at the witch's midsection. Bellatrix parried it away with ease, sending it colliding against the wall.
Nearby, McGonagall and Cyrus dueled the Carrow twins, her transfiguration skills turning the very environment against them. Stone hands erupted from the walls, grasping at the Death Eaters, who blasted them apart with snarled curses. Cyrus was quick to pounce on them though, his vicious curses forcing them on the defensive.
Flitwick, despite his small stature, was a whirlwind of motion, his charm work keeping Antonin Dolohov at bay. The two former duelists fought with dexterity and finesse, their wands twin blurs of motion as they flung and swatted curses aside. Both wizards deflected the curses aimed at them with ease, retaliating with barrages of spells that had them stumbling backward.
Moody faced off against Rookwood, the former Unspeakable utilizing his immense knowledge of dark magic to its fullest. Their duel was proof of the years of experience they had in dark magic and its counters. Curses flew thick and fast, the air between them shimmering with residual magic.
Harry found himself back-to-back with Daphne as they faced Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange respectively. Harry flung a piercing hex toward the Death Eater who swerved out of the way just in time, the spell narrowly missing his ear.
Meanwhile, Daphne deftly deflected a nasty-looking purple curse from Rabastan. She followed it up with a quick Reductor curse that caught Rabastan in the chest, sending him flying against the wall.
The battle shifted constantly, combatants weaving between each other, spells going wide and striking unintended targets. However, it was soon clear that only a few of the Death Eaters seemed combat-ready.
Rowle, aiming for Sirius, accidentally struck Mulciber with a Blasting Curse, sending him crashing into a wall where he splattered in a display of blood and gore, his skull exploding upon impact. He was quickly taken down by Daphne who struck him with a targeted cutting curse straight at the knees, slicing it cleanly. The Death Eater's cries of agony echoed throughout the cavern as Daphne quickly cauterized the wound before turning around to aid Harry in his fight against Rudolphus Lestrange, not that he needed it. The older Lestrange brother was doing everything in his power to keep Harry's powerful spells from hitting him, mostly failing.
Meanwhile, Travers, dueling fiercely with Kingsley who no one had seen arrive, stumbled over the prone form of the unconscious Rabastan, leaving himself open to a Full Body-Bind Curse from the dark-skinned auror who deposited him over to where a weeping Rowle lay, holding his thighs in agony.
Through it all, Voldemort and Dumbledore continued their titanic struggle. The very air around them pulsed with power, their spells growing ever more elaborate and deadly. Voldemort conjured a swarm of spectral hands that reached out, intent on choking Dumbledore. The old wizard easily transfigured them into butterflies with a flick of his wand. The delicate insects burst into flames as they neared Voldemort, the heat forcing him back a step.
"You cannot win, Tom," Dumbledore said, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "Surrender now, and end this madness."
Voldemort's response was a scream of fury and a bolt of green light that Dumbledore avoided with a speed that belied his ancient appearance. The Killing Curse struck the wall behind him, blasting a hole through the thick stone.
The fight spilled out through this new opening, combatants pouring into the corridor beyond. Harry, still guarding Daphne's back, found himself face-to-face with Bellatrix. Her eyes gleamed with insane glee as she raised her wand.
"Crucio!" she shrieked, her eyes alight with glee. However, Harry was already moving.
He intercepted the Cruciatus Curse with a large block of concrete that had fallen from the blasted ceiling and sent a silent Blasting Curse that Bellatrix barely managed to shield against. Her eyes widened as the shield shattered and she was flung backward against the wall. She felt her breath knocked out of her lungs as she collided painfully. Daphne, seizing the moment, fired off a quick "Incarcerous!"
Ropes sprang from her wand, wrapping themselves around Bellatrix's legs who stumbled forward. Irate, she roared as she thrust her wand forward, but her aim proved wild as the rope tightened around her, making her stumble again. The wild Killing Curse went wide and struck Rowle, who had been writhing painfully on the floor. The Death Eater went rigid and toppled like a felled tree, dead.
The battle continued to rage, and the air was thick with dust and magical residue, making it hard to see and breathe. Cries of pain and triumph mingled with the sound of crumbling stones and the crack of spells.
Dumbledore and Voldemort's duel had taken on an almost elemental quality. Fire and water, earth and air bent to their will as they fought like titans from the legends. A column of water became a prison of ice, only to be shattered by a blast of intense heat. The very stones of Azkaban trembled under the force of their magic.
Voldemort, still locked in combat with Dumbledore, took a moment to survey the battlefield. His serpentine eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation, and a flicker of rage passed across his inhuman features. Things were not going according to plan.
Mulciber's form was crumpled against a wall, his entire upper body a ruined mess. Nearby, Rowle lay motionless, his vacant eyes staring at the destroyed ceiling. The Carrow twins were bound and unconscious, with McGonagall keeping her wand trained on them. Rabastan Lestrange was also knocked out cold, having been taken out in the initial exchange of spellfire by none other than Daphne. Alongside him lay an unconscious Travers, his body frozen and bleeding from multiple wounds.
The remaining Death Eaters were being steadily pushed back. Bellatrix, for all her madness and skill, was struggling to hold her own against both Harry and Daphne. She had succeeded in getting rid of the ropes but the two made a formidable pair as they pushed the manic witch on the backfoot.
Meanwhile, Rodolphus fought with the desperation of a cornered animal, but he was no match for Sirius who flung curses and hexes as if his life depended on it. Dolohov and Rookwood, formidable as they were, found themselves overwhelmed by McGonagall, Flitwick, Cyrus, and Moody. The numbers were stacked against the Death Eaters, and their master knew it.
Voldemort's lipless mouth curled into a snarl of fury. Victory was slipping through his fingers like sand. With a wordless roar of rage, he swept his wand in a wide arc, sending Dumbledore stumbling back several paces. In that brief respite, Voldemort made his decision.
"Enough!" he bellowed, his high, cold voice cutting through the chaos of battle. "It's time to end this farce."
With a complex series of wand movements, Voldemort began an incantation in a language so ancient and terrible that it made everyone's skin crawl. The temperature in the room plummeted, an unnatural chill seeping into the very bones of all present.
"Tom, don't—" Dumbledore started, recognizing the spell easily. Alas, it was too late.
"Protego Diabolica!" Voldemort roared to the heavens, and the world around them darkened even further.
To be continued…
Thanks for reading, everyone, and if you'd like to read more chapters and fics or have a say in what goes, check out the link on my profile. Chapters 34, 35, and 36 are already available.
There are also character artworks for the ladies if you're interested in seeing what they might look like.
I'll be back soon with the next update for this fic. Meanwhile, check out my other fics if you haven't yet. Cheers!