226- Happy Crystal Ball
[Visitors, present the Ministry of Magic's authorization.]
For Dentors, "taking advantage" of visiting humans—siphoning away their happiness—was an open secret among their kind. Aside from high-ranking Ministry officials, every other wizard had to go through this experience.
This ti, however, they hit a dead end with the four visitors before them. This not only puzzled the Dentors but also made them more cautious.
Following protocol, they demanded to see the visitors' authorization docunts.
Taurus pulled open his robe and retrieved a crystal ball from his robes. Unlike ordinary prophecy orbs, this one was filled with swirling, multicolored mist—just a single glance at it could evoke a deep sense of joy.
The mont the Dentors laid eyes on the orb, they stirred restlessly.
"This is our 'authorization docunt.' We won't be taking any prisoners—we simply need to ask so questions."
Taurus' tone remained calm and steady, his expression unfazed despite being surrounded by Dentors.
His ssage was clear and straightforward: Let us in, and we won't cause trouble.
After speaking, he extended the crystal ball toward the nearest Dentor.
The Dentor instinctively raised its arm, using a dimly glowing, gray, emaciated hand covered in scabs to take the crystal ball from Taurus.
The mont the crystal ball changed hands, the multicolored mist inside began to seep out.
A greater commotion broke out among the Dentors—many from the back rows pushed forward, eagerly siphoning the mist. Those already at the front refused to be left behind and joined the frenzy, fighting for their share.
Not a single Dentor paid attention to the four intruders anymore.
So long as these wizards didn't try to take any prisoners off the island, they couldn't care less what they did.
Seeing that the Dentors had stopped obstructing them, Taurus imdiately led his three companions deeper into Azkaban.
"Bottling emotions into crystal balls—what a genius idea!" Gemini couldn't help but praise the concept as soon as they entered the fortress.
"You're too kind," Taurus replied.
He was, after all, the inventor of these specialized crystal balls, and being suddenly praised like this caught him slightly off guard.
"But besides feeding Dentors, do these emotion-infused crystal balls serve any other purpose?"
Gemini's next words hit Taurus like a Tongue-Tying Curse, leaving him completely speechless.
This invention indeed hadn't found a practical use yet.
Perhaps, when people were feeling down, they could inhale a bit of 'happiness' to lift their spirits?
"Huh? If happiness can be bottled, then other emotions can be too, right? Hey, can you make 'one of those' crystal balls?"
Gemini suddenly clapped his hands as if he'd just discovered the perfect application for Taurus's invention.
"You know, the kind involving n and won… that kind of thing. I'm really curious what the emotions in those monts feel like! And if I can customize the female lead, that'd be even better—"
He seed completely oblivious to Taurus's darkening expression.
"Gemini, if you want to make it back to headquarters alive, you'd better shut your mouth." Aries barely managed to hold back a laugh as she cut him off.
A flicker of confusion and bewildernt flashed across Gemini's eyes.
He was helping Taurus find a practical use for his invention! Shouldn't Taurus be thanking him instead?
But after seeing Taurus's face steadily turning crimson, Gemini wisely chose to stay silent.
...
The four of them stepped into Azkaban, passing by row after row of cells.
The cells were semi-open, with no solid walls to block the view—only black iron bars imprisoning the inmates.
These bars were scarred by ti, so worn that a few strong kicks might just break them.
But the prisoners of Azkaban, after rotting away in this place for so long, had long beco half-dead, incapable of even thinking about escaping.
As the four of them passed by the prison cells, they noticed that most of the inmates were wrapped in filthy blankets, curled up in the corners of their cells, completely motionless—almost as if they were asleep.
At the entrances of the cells, their al trays lay untouched, the food inside as cold as ice, showing no signs of having been eaten.
But then, sothing caught Gemini's attention.
One cell was different.
While every other al tray remained untouched, the tray at the entrance of this particular cell was empty.
A flicker of curiosity rose in Gemini's mind.
Who in this wretched place still had the appetite to eat?
He was certain that Dentors didn't have any culinary skills to make the food appealing.
The turkey, bread, jerky, and pickled vegetables that had been on the plate were probably just barely edible, cooked just enough to not be raw.
He peered inside the cell.
A man was curled up in the corner—just like the other prisoners—but unlike the others, this man had long, filthy, matted hair.
He was thin—so thin that he looked like a skeleton wrapped in skin.
Sensing soone approaching, the prisoner lifted his head.
Gemini t his gaze—deep, hollow eyes, dark and sunken.
And yet… there was sothing different about them.
Unlike the other inmates, this man still held onto his emotions—sothing that was the rarest luxury in Azkaban.
Gemini glanced at the naplate on the cell door.
It read: Sirius Black.
"Interesting guy," Gemini mused.
He had a feeling this wouldn't be the last ti he heard that na.
Going through the prison cells one by one, the four finally stopped in front of a door with the naplate:
"Bellatrix Lestrange."
Gemini deliberately glanced at the al tray outside her cell.
It looked like Bellatrix had eaten a little—but not much.
She had only taken a bite or two from each item.
"Bellatrix." Aries called out her na.
But the prisoner inside gave no response—as if she hadn't heard them at all.
Taurus exchanged a look with Gemini before reaching into his robes and pulling out a crystal ball—identical to the one they had used to bribe the Dentors earlier.
"This is its real purpose." Taurus murmured, gently stroking the crystal ball.
Inside, the colorful mist began to swirl and drift out, flowing toward the prisoner inside.
With each slow breath, the mist slipped into her nostrils.
"Haah… Haah.."
A change swept over Bellatrix's expression.
The joy that Taurus infused into her soul was like rain soaking into parched earth—replenishing her spirit, bringing a faint spark of life back into her.
A trace of color returned to her hollow cheeks.
The mist continued to flow, and Bellatrix's condition gradually improved.
When a hint of rosiness finally appeared on her face, Taurus cut off the supply.
And that was when she reacted.
Her head snapped up—her greedy gaze locking onto the crystal ball in Taurus's hand.
"More… give more!"
A hoarse, almost desperate voice rasped from her throat.
___________
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