The squirrel had barely scurried up the tree when a Spell struck the spot it had just occupied, shattering the protruding tree roots.
"Tsk, quick reflexes!"
A voice grumbled with displeasure.
"Who's there?" Lucius Malfoy immediately pointed his Wand.
A faintly familiar voice echoed, "Having fun, Lucius?"
That voice… I've heard it somewhere before. It sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it right now.
Lucius Malfoy warily stared in that direction. However, since the person had just offered assistance, he didn't act rashly before understanding their identity and intentions.
A rustling sound of footsteps echoed through the woods as a figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
When Lucius Malfoy clearly saw the man's face, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"You?" Lucius froze in place, asking in astonishment, "You're still alive?"
Barty Jr.'s pale face bore a sickly smile, his eyes deeply sunken. Those eyes reflected the flickering flames in the woods, gleaming with a hint of madness.
He took two steps forward, his boots crunching the dry branches on the ground, and said with a smile, "What… surprised?"
Lucius's Adam's apple bobbed. His Wand lowered but remained gripped tightly in his hand. He whispered, "The Ministry of Magic announced you were dead."
"They thought I was dead, but because of my dear father—" Barty Jr.'s eyes flashed with sarcasm and resentment—"I'm still alive."
"Barty Crouch? I can't believe it."
Lucius guessed how Barty Jr. had been smuggled out of prison by his father, and a look of disdain and contempt appeared on his face.
"I thought he was truly as advertised… an unyielding, iron-willed warrior who tolerated no impurity!"
He relaxed, knowing full well that Barty Jr. was a loyal Death Eater. If bones could be engraved, Barty Jr.'s every bone would likely be covered in Dark Marks.
To be honest, the madness of this young man, fresh out of school, had once terrified Lucius.
So, even after more than a decade, Barty Jr. would absolutely not choose to reform, despite his parents' protection or his father's teachings.
In Lucius's eyes, as fellow criminals who had also miraculously escaped imprisonment, they could still grudgingly be considered companions.
Of course, among Death Eaters, there was generally no such thing as camaraderie; mutual exploitation and cooperation were the norm. In situations like the one just now, lending a hand or tripping up relentless pursuers was common.
Feeling blood continuously draining from the wound on his shoulder and his body growing cold, Lucius quickly aimed his Wand at the injury and cast a Healing Spell.
Seeing Barty Jr.'s gloomy expression, his heart tightened, and he quickly said with a laugh,
"Thank you for your help just now. Those crazy Leprechauns were cursed by you too, right? What a masterpiece. It seems we think alike—to cause a stir during this competition."
"What's your purpose in causing trouble, Lucius?"
Barty Jr. looked at him, slowly revealing a smile and his stark white teeth.
"All these years, you've done very well! A manor, vaults, immense wealth, a Hogwarts board member, an honored guest at the Ministry of Magic, Minister Fudge's special advisor…"
He sounded like he was grinding his teeth, like a viper hissing softly: "Lucius, you're living such an enviable good life, why are you still causing trouble while wearing a mask? If you get caught, everything you have will be gone."
Lucius's jaw tightened, his fingers turning pale from the force.
Perhaps it was too much blood loss; although the wound was gradually healing, he still felt cold all over, and his heart was pounding fast.
"I…" Thinking of Barty Jr.'s fanaticism and loyalty, Lucius whispered, "I want to declare to the entire Wizarding World that we still exist… I think we can't forget who we are…"
"Really?" Barty Jr. slowly advanced, pressing closer: "I thought you were going to say… you suspected the master might have resurrected due to the change in the Dark Mark, and that's why you were testing things out this way!"
"How could that be?" Lucius's heart suddenly leaped to his throat. He instinctively took a step back, gripping his Wand again, and forced himself to argue, "Of course, we also want to find the master, hoping to continue serving him…"
"Oh?" Barty Jr. sneered, "Someone like you, a coward who didn't even dare go to Azkaban for him, a faithless wretch who's been at large for over a decade—who would still believe your loyalty?"
Lucius frowned, "Don't say it like that. How are you any different from me? Is rotting in prison really better than being active outside? You, me, Nott, Macwell, Severus—we just chose a smarter way to show our loyalty."
"Don't compare me to you cowards!"
Barty Jr. violently swung his Wand. Lucius hastily cast a Spell, but he was a step too late. A red Spell struck his wrist, sending both his Wand and him flying.
He clutched his arm and looked up, seeing Barty Jr.'s cold, murderous eyes and the Wand pointed at the tip of his nose.
"I ask you, Lucius Malfoy…" Barty Jr. said slowly, "Have you tried to find the master all these years? Even once?"
Cold sweat beaded on Lucius's forehead.
"I…" He stared intently into the other's eyes, forcing himself to speak, "I naturally…"
Before he could finish, Barty Jr. said calmly, "No, you haven't!"
Lucius's pupils suddenly constricted. Before he could do anything, a bright light erupted from the tip of the Wand.
With a loud *bang*, Lucius's body convulsed violently, his bones twisting and deforming. His scream was choked in his throat, and when the air finally escaped, it had turned into a gurgling sound.
He watched in shock and terror as Barty Jr. seemed to transform into a giant, his already bulging eyes appearing even more so.
Lucius Malfoy's clothes and Wand lay on the ground. In their place was a fist-sized, yellow toad.
Under Barty Jr.'s malicious smile, the toad trembled in fear. He tried to hop up, attempting to escape the demon before him and find someone to break the Spell, but after only two hops, he was pulled back by a surge of Magical Power.
"I shouldn't have turned Sirius Black into a squirrel just now," Barty Jr. sighed. "Otherwise, he wouldn't be escaping my grasp now."
As he spoke, he took out a thin golden ring and placed it behind the toad's front limbs. Then, pointing his Wand, the ring shrank, finally clasping tightly onto the toad's body, digging into its flesh.
Barty Jr. grabbed the toad, forcing it to look him in the eye. He sneered, "I know you can undo the Transfiguration Spell, but if I were you, I wouldn't. Do you know why?"
He flicked the golden ring. "I asked the Master, and he personally cast an Immobilization Charm on this. The moment you transform back into human form... it will split you in half!"
"Enjoy your new form, Lucius Malfoy!"
Barty Jr. tossed the toad to the ground, then bent down to pick up Sirius Black's clothes, found a black hair strand within, and waved his Wand.
Lucius Malfoy's discarded clothes, Wand, and other belongings all burst into flames. Barty Jr. turned and left, leaving only a toad squatting on the ground, croaking desperately.
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