"It actually worked."
Charles turned his head at the sound behind him.
Before setting off for Azkaban, he had given Lucius a bracelet — an alchemical artifact of sorts. Though the magic served only as a vessel, what was truly stored within it was a move he had recently acquired — Mystical Guard!
Mystical Guard, while resembling the ability Wonder Guard, was in fact a move. It cloaked the entire field in a mysterious barrier, shielding allied Pokémon from abnormal statuses, confusion, and sleep for five turns.
This move, along with Intimidate and Pressure — the two abilities he had used during his trial at the International Confederation of Wizards — were all recent additions to his repertoire.
One could say it was a blessing born of misfortune.
Because the Confederation had decided to put him on trial, the fame of Pokémon had spread rapidly across the wizarding world. What had once been known only among a handful of schools now became a name whispered across nearly every corner of magical society.
Many still had no idea what a Pokémon truly was — but they had at least heard the word multiple times in recent weeks.
As a result, the "Pokémon Popularity Index" within Charles's system had risen sharply, now surpassing thirty percent.
The new move and abilities were only part of the reward. Alongside them came a host of machines and devices: Pokémon Trading Machines, Power Generators, and more. He had also unlocked ordinary Pokémon from the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions — the third and fourth generations.
With four generations' worth of Pokémon data now in his grasp, the incubators in the Breeding House had been working nonstop, practically smoking from overuse. New Pokémon were being hatched daily and assigned to newly designated zones within the Reserve. His trusted aides ensured that each of them grew strong and healthy.
In short — this round of rewards was exceptionally generous.
Now, as the bracelet containing Mystical Guard activated, its effect radiated outward to envelop all nearby Death Eaters. The Dementors, cut off from their prey, emitted chilling wails that clawed at both flesh and soul.
"What spell is that—?" the Death Eaters muttered, inching toward Lucius, their eyes fixed greedily on his bracelet.
"Mind your thoughts," Lucius said coldly, his voice edged with arrogance. "This was the Dark Lord's gift."
The others quickly averted their gazes, fear replacing desire.
"As expected of the Dark Lord. His power surpasses imagination!" someone shouted fanatically, staring at Voldemort's back.
Meanwhile, the Aurors patrolling Azkaban had noticed the disturbance. The shining silver orb in the distant sky drew their attention — and the Dementors' strange collective movement was even more unsettling.
"Don't tell me… the Dark Lord plans to attack Azkaban?" one Auror said nervously. In his vision, a shadow was rapidly approaching.
At first, he thought it was a Dementor — but soon his face turned as pale as death.
"It's— it's the Dark Lord! Alert the—"
"Avada Kedavra!"
The "Voldemort" figure's curse shot from his wand, striking the Auror down instantly. The others suffered the same fate — collapsing one by one.
But in truth, no one had died.
The spell that burst from Charles's wand wasn't the Killing Curse at all — but a Stunning Spell laced with Sleep Powder.Combined, the two produced an enhanced effect: victims fell into a state of deathlike slumber, while the spell's hue turned green, mimicking the deadly curse.
Charles landed lightly on the dark soil outside Azkaban's tower — a small graveyard where the prison's dead were buried.
"Filthy place," he muttered.
He stepped forward, unhurried, toward the crumbling prison gates.
The prisoners inside stared at him like hollow puppets, eyes empty of life. None called out for help as he passed, as though he were nothing but an illusion — or perhaps… a Dementor.
Yet as he ventured deeper, a few began to notice something was wrong.
Wait — since when did Dementors have feet?And ears?And eyes?Have I gone mad?
The deeper he walked, the more familiar faces he saw — Death Eaters who had been imprisoned ten years ago. Upon seeing Voldemort, many broke down in tears, their decade of torment transforming into boundless hatred toward the Ministry and absolute devotion to their resurrected Dark Lord.
"Master… hahahahaha—"Bellatrix Lestrange, wild-haired and hollow-eyed, froze for a heartbeat upon seeing Voldemort. Then she burst into maniacal laughter, a deranged demoness reborn.
"I knew you'd come for us — I knew you'd never truly die!" Bellatrix howled, her laughter bending her spine, her bulging eyes gleaming like skull sockets stuffed with pearls.
"Well, well… who do we have here — Bellatrix Lestrange. I almost didn't recognize you," Charles said in Voldemort's voice.
Nearby, the other Lestrange brothers widened their eyes and dropped to their knees, trembling in awe.
"My faithful followers… I have returned!"He raised his arms, voice cold and cruel. "Rejoice, for you never betrayed me — and those who dared to cast my servants into this wretched hole… shall be punished!"
It was an impromptu speech — yet his eyes burned with a power that made every word feel like a curse.
And at that moment, the truth dawned upon them —Their Dark Lord had returned.
A deafening roar of jubilation erupted through Azkaban.
The surge of joy drew the attention of the hovering Dementors.They swarmed downward in a storm of black shadows, eager to feast on the bliss below.
But standing between them and their prey… was Charles.
From the Destruction Wand, a torrent of magic burst forth.Around the small island, the black soil and jagged rocks split apart.Boiling magma surged upward, erupting into dark-red flame.The inferno spread rapidly — across the island, into the frozen sea — until the ocean itself seemed to burn.
The towering blaze spiraled skyward, joining heaven and earth.Any Dementor caught in its reach was instantly incinerated — reduced to foul, drifting ash.
The Death Eaters within the flames stared in awe.Those outside watched in terror.
"Come—" Charles's voice echoed like a death knell, reaching the ears of the Death Eaters still circling overhead."This fire will not harm my true servants!"
(End of Chapter)