The alchemical glass eye in Moody's socket spun wildly.
"No, Severus, the Death Eaters aren't that mad," he said, his voice hoarse as he thumped his cane hard against the floor. "They wouldn't set an ambush in Azkaban. In that wretched place, they'd struggle to even stand their ground, let alone organize a proper attack."
Moody's words, laced with the certainty of a seasoned Auror, temporarily quelled the group's concerns about a trap. Yet, the atmosphere in the office remained heavy, far from relaxed.
Sitting beside Moody, Benjy Fenwick, a typically cautious member of the Order of the Phoenix, spoke hesitantly. "Alastor's right. Dementors don't distinguish between friend and foe."
"But, Alastor, the greatest threat might not be the Dementors… or an ambush." His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his voice faltering. "If You-Know-Who himself is there, or happens to show up…"
"Exactly," Severus Snape interjected, his gaze sweeping across the room before settling on Professor McGonagall. "The biggest variable is You-Know-Who himself.
"Unless we can pinpoint his whereabouts or create a distraction large enough to draw his attention entirely away from Azkaban, we can't eliminate that risk."
With that, he gave Professor McGonagall a slight nod, his eyes carrying an unspoken suggestion—it was time to call upon someone capable of creating such a diversion.
Professor McGonagall understood Snape's intent immediately. She took a deep breath and said decisively, "Mr. Green is currently in the hospital wing with Albus. I'll go fetch him…"
Before she could finish, the office door swung open, and Gellert Grindelwald's tall, elegant figure appeared in the doorway.
"Heard someone's looking for me?" he said, standing just outside, his pale grey eyes scanning the tense group before settling on Professor McGonagall.
"Mr. Green," McGonagall said, rising quickly and offering a slight bow, "we've just learned that two of our comrades, Frank and Alice Longbottom, are being held in Azkaban. We're urgently discussing a plan to rescue them.
"But the greatest obstacle is You-Know-Who. If he's at Azkaban or arrives after being alerted, the rescue mission will be doomed. That's why we need your help to draw him away from Azkaban. Only you can do this."
Grindelwald raised an eyebrow, his face otherwise expressionless.
He didn't respond to McGonagall's request. Instead, he strolled into the office at a leisurely pace and settled into an empty chair near the door, his posture relaxed, as if he'd just been told the evening's dinner menu.
The office fell into an awkward silence.
"Mr. Green," Snape's voice broke the tension, "what Professor McGonagall says is true. None of us here, myself included, can confidently distract and hold off You-Know-Who while escaping unscathed. His power is immense and dangerous. Only you," he said, locking eyes with Grindelwald, "have the strength and experience to match—or even surpass—his."
"What's all this talk of 'You-Know-Who'?" Grindelwald's indifference seemed to fade slightly, replaced by a hint of disdain and amusement.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes slowly sweeping over the group, then let out a soft, mocking chuckle. "You don't even dare speak Voldemort's name, yet you think you can stand against him?"
The name seemed to carry an icy curse, chilling the room.
Except for Snape, who remained impassive, and Grindelwald himself, everyone else shuddered involuntarily. Moody's grip on his cane tightened, and the others drew in sharp, quiet breaths, their eyes betraying barely concealed fear.
Grindelwald took in their reactions with a glance.
"Hmph…" He stood, his handsome face twisting with contempt and disappointment. "Look at you lot. A mere name—a symbol—reduces you to this?"
"Rest assured," he said, his tone laced with mockery, "on this ship, protected by layers of ancient magic, saying his name won't trigger any detection spells."
"Mr. Green," Snape said, meeting Grindelwald's gaze without flinching, "doesn't this only prove the courage of those in this room?
"Even without your exceptional power, we choose to stand against the most evil wizard alive—Voldemort—knowing full well we might lose our lives.
"If we die, it will be because we chose to face him, trembling or not."
When Snape said "Voldemort" again, though the others couldn't help but show discomfort, no one made a sound. The tense atmosphere now carried a resolute determination.
At this, Grindelwald slowly rose to his feet.
He reached out, smoothing a faint crease in his pristine robe sleeve.
With this simple gesture, an intangible aura emanated from him—not aggressive, but heavy with a profound, heart-stopping pressure, like a slumbering lion stretching its limbs.
"Very well," Grindelwald said, his voice returning to its earlier languid tone. "I'm bored anyway. I'll go meet him.
"Let's see just how much this Voldemort, who terrifies you all and even defeated Albus Dumbledore, is really worth."
Snape's heart steadied, knowing Grindelwald had agreed.
"Mr. Green," he added quickly, providing key information, "Voldemort's followers, the Death Eaters, bear a unique Dark Mark on the inner skin of their left forearm—a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth.
"Summoning Voldemort is simple: any Death Eater need only press hard on that mark, and Voldemort will sense the location and choose whether to answer the call and appear."
"A summoning mark?" Grindelwald nodded slightly, a glint of understanding in his eyes. "Convenient design. Saves me the trouble of hunting him down."
Without another word, he turned and strode toward the door. Vinda Rosier, who had been standing silently nearby, immediately followed.
"Vinda," Grindelwald said without looking back, "stay here."
Rosier paused, her face clearly showing reluctance. "Sir, I…"
"That's an order," Grindelwald said.
Rosier pressed her lips together, stepped back, and bowed slightly. "Yes, sir." She remained inside the door.
"Mr. Green," McGonagall hurried forward, her voice quickening, "we plan to reach Azkaban and begin the rescue around six tomorrow morning. There's no need to rush off now—you can prepare."
Grindelwald was already stepping out of the office. He only replied faintly, "Understood. I know what to do," before his figure vanished beyond the door.
"Mr. Green, wait!" McGonagall called out, anxiety rising. She rushed to the door, pulling a token engraved with the Hogwarts crest from her robes. "Take this—it'll help you find your way back," she said, reaching out to hand it to him.
But from the corridor came only Grindelwald's fading voice: "No need." The hallway fell silent, and McGonagall gently closed the office door.
The room soon buzzed with renewed discussion.
"Mr. Green's actions," McGonagall said, staring worriedly at the closed door, "given his personality and methods, will likely cause a major stir in the wizarding world. His identity…"
"There's no helping it, Professor. It may be the inevitable cost," Snape said, stepping closer and lowering his voice so only those nearby could hear. "Unless he remains an invisible figure on this ship forever, his power will draw attention sooner or later.
"And the world doesn't have that many coincidences. There aren't many wizards with such strength. It's not as if someone could go missing in Switzerland while a mysteriously powerful wizard appears here.
"As long as we firmly deny his identity, only an infuriated British Ministry would act. Other countries' magical authorities won't interfere in Britain's affairs over a 'suspected' escapee.
"As long as Mr. Green doesn't resume his old ambitions or pose a public challenge, they won't risk provoking us and making an unimaginable enemy."
McGonagall's furrowed brow relaxed slightly. After a moment's thought, she nodded heavily. "You're right, Severus."
"Then," she said, turning and raising her voice, "we need to decide who will go to Azkaban for the rescue.
"Against Dementors, the Patronus Charm is the only effective defense. We must ensure those going can reliably summon a corporeal Patronus. If you don't mind?"
The office lit up with flashes of silver light.
Professor Flitwick's tiny silver hummingbird darted agilely through the air; Emmeline's swan Patronus stretched its wings gracefully; Moody's sleek cheetah prowled swiftly around the room; Benjy Fenwick's slightly hazy silver chow dog appeared…
But the most striking was Snape's. He chose to use Dumbledore's Elder Wand.
With a clear "Expecto Patronum," a massive, solid, radiant silver serpent surged from his wand's tip, its light illuminating every shocked face.
The serpent's head reared high, its coiled body occupying nearly a quarter of the office, pushing the other Patronuses to the corners.
McGonagall's gaze lingered briefly on Snape and the wand, her expression complex, but she said nothing.
"Very well," she said, turning to the group. "A covert rescue shouldn't involve too many. Severus, Emmeline, your Patronuses are the clearest. If you're willing, you'll go. Alastor knows Azkaban's layout best, but your condition…" Her eyes turned to Moody.
"They're fine!" Moody growled, pointing to his bandaged nose. "This doesn't hinder me—it's just for show, per healer's orders. Doesn't affect my wandwork. Besides, Frank and Alice were captured protecting me. I have to go!"
"Alright," McGonagall said, no longer objecting. "Then you'll lead, Alastor. Severus, Emmeline, please be careful."
Time passed in tense preparation. At two in the morning, a biting wind swept across the deck.
Three figures in dark cloaks stood at the ship's edge.
Nearby, under the effects of Professor Flitwick's expertly cast Obliviate, Sleeping, and high-level Confundus Charms, Peter, James, and Sirius, along with their luggage, were neatly "placed" in a corner of the deck, awaiting Flitwick's later transport.
Meanwhile, Snape, Moody, and Emmeline stood fully equipped at the deck's edge.
Eileen hurried to Snape's side, silently pressing a neatly wrapped block of chocolate into his hand. Snape nodded and tucked it away.
"Everyone, final broom checks!" Moody rasped, warily scanning the surrounding darkness.
After confirming all was ready, the three exchanged a glance.
"Move out!" Moody's voice rang out.
The three mounted their broomsticks, black cloaks billowing in the wind.
Snape kicked off first, soaring into the thick, star-strewn night sky. Moody and Emmeline followed closely, vanishing into the vast darkness, speeding toward the sea of clouds below.
They pierced the clouds, descending rapidly, landing on a desolate, hard, unfamiliar highland. All around, only the eternal glittering stars above and the cold, glinting rocks below.
"Hold on!" Moody growled, extending his calloused hand. Snape and Emmeline gripped his arm tightly, and with a loud crack, they Disapparated.
When their feet touched ground again, a biting, salty sea breeze stung their faces.
Before them stretched the boundless, churning black North Sea, faintly lit by starlight and moonlight. Massive waves roared, crashing relentlessly against the steep cliffs below, each impact a thunderous boom. Behind them, vast grasslands stretched into the deeper darkness of the early morning.
This was near the Yorkshire coast, where Snape had once been with Dumbledore.
Without pause, Moody swiftly produced a simple but sturdy wooden raft, enlarging it.
Emmeline deftly used a Levitation Charm to lower it steadily into the turbulent waters below.
The small raft bobbed violently in the waves, like a leaf on the verge of being swallowed.
The three leapt aboard.
Snape flicked his wand, conjuring a large cloth imbued with a powerful Disillusionment Charm and Concealment Spell. It swiftly covered the raft, its corners secured to the edges.
The cloth blended seamlessly with the rippling water and dim starlight, rendering the raft invisible on the churning sea.
"Go!" Moody barked.
Snape and Emmeline pointed their wands at the water.
"Propulso!"
An invisible force propelled the raft forward.
It sliced through the raging black waves, speeding silently and stealthily toward the fortress at the heart of the North Sea.
————
Supporting me on Pa-treon to gain early access to advanced chapters and enjoy expedited updates. Your support is greatly appreciated.
pat-reon .c-om/Dragonhair
(Just remove the hyphen - and space, to access Pa-treon normally.)