Moments later, Bellatrix's eyes gleamed as if something had suddenly occurred to her. She bared her teeth in a crazed grin and sneered:
"Lucius Malfoy? Is that you?! What now, finally remembered to curry favor with the Dark Lord because you just realized he's coming back?! Hahahaha! You've been a fool for so long, have you finally come to your senses?!"
Lucius rolled his eyes but restrained the urge. He replied with stiff patience:
"The Dark Lord has already returned. I'm here today on his orders, to break you out."
Bellatrix gasped, startled. She pressed her face against the bars in disbelief, her voice urgent:
"He's… really back? He's back?! Let me out, let me out! I must see my Lord!"
Meanwhile, Blu, listening, began to tremble uncontrollably. Stammering in disbelief, he begged:
"M-Mr. Malfoy… y-you can't… please, I beg you, let me go! I won't say a word, I swear! I won't stop you, on the contrary, I could even…"
But before Blu could finish, Lucius stepped behind him and said coldly:
"Thank you for your hospitality… but I'm afraid…"
"Avada Kedavra."
A flash of green light burst forth. Blu collapsed with a thud, lifeless.
From the corridor of Azkaban, a high, maniacal laugh echoed:
"Hahahaha! Well done, Lucius, well done! Hahahaha, I've waited so long for this day! Let me out, I can hardly wait another second!"
Lucius stood silently over Blu's corpse, momentarily lost in thought. Only when Bellatrix began shouting insistently did he move, pointing his wand at the cell door.
"Alohomora."
The heavy iron door sprang open, surprisingly smoothly, even to Lucius.
Bellatrix wasted no time. She shoved the door aside and strode out with triumphant glee. Clapping Lucius on the shoulder, she chuckled darkly:
"I always thought Narcissa married a spineless idiot, but look at that, you've turned out to be mildly useful after all."
Before Lucius could respond, Bellatrix sauntered over to Blu's corpse and rummaged through his robes. Moments later, she pulled something free: a wand.
She caressed the wand with both hands, raising it to her nose like a sacred relic. She inhaled deeply, a twisted smile spreading across her face:
"Finally… I've finally felt a wand again. I missed this, such a delicious scent. My Lord, wait for me, I'll be serving you again in no time! Hahahaha!"
Cackling madly, Bellatrix twirled the wand and fired off a volley of spells. Lightning cracked down the hallway as explosions rocked the corridor, several cell doors blew open with a deafening crash.
Bellatrix shouted toward the now-open cells:
"Oi! What are you lot waiting for?! Planning to rot in there forever? Or are you all dead already?!"
One by one, grim-faced prisoners stepped out into the dim corridor. Lucius recognized most of them instantly, among them was Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix's husband.
Rodolphus walked straight over to Bellatrix and gave her a long, wordless look. Then, without a word, he turned his cold gaze on Lucius.
Lucius felt a shiver crawl down his spine, as if a venomous serpent had fixed him in its sights. Rodolphus's voice was low and sharp:
"Lucius Malfoy? It's really you. Looks like life on the outside has treated you well."
Lucius responded with a dry sneer:
"Spare me the tone, Rodolphus. Everything I've done, this, included, was for the Dark Lord's cause. Without me, even if you escaped tonight, you'd be back in a cell tomorrow, caught by the Aurors."
Rodolphus gave a noncommittal laugh and said coolly:
"What about our things?"
Lucius blinked, taken aback.
"Your things? What things?"
Rodolphus scowled.
"Our wands, of course. Don't tell me you didn't bring us our wands?"
Only then did Lucius realize the oversight. With visible irritation, he muttered:
"I came here under the guise of a Ministry envoy, I couldn't very well waltz in with a dozen wands, could I? You want a wand? Fine. The Aurors posted at the docks have plenty. Go help yourself."
Rodolphus snorted.
"What, you think I can't? We're not you, Lucius. We are the Dark Lord's most loyal and capable warriors. You are nothing but a cunning, slippery snake."
Lucius snapped back without hesitation:
"And yet it was this 'slippery snake' who just freed you from your cell."
As the tension flared, Antonin Dolohov stepped between them, his voice cool but firm:
"That's enough. Save the arguments for later. This isn't exactly the place for a reunion."
He gave Rodolphus a pat on the shoulder. Rodolphus shoved it off but remained silent.
Watching the scene unfold, Lucius felt exhaustion creep in. Inwardly, he found himself comparing these so-called elite Death Eaters to the enforcers of the Alliance.
And the comparison wasn't flattering.
Aside from being noticeably more deranged, these Death Eaters, worn down by years in Azkaban, seemed pitiful next to the sharp, disciplined members of the Alliance.
A deep sense of doubt stirred in Lucius's heart once more. Had he made the right choice?
Looking at his broken comrades, madness etched into their faces, but no strength or growth, Lucius couldn't help but think: Even without Wentworth, the Alliance would crush these people.
But this wasn't the time for such thoughts.
Leading the ragtag group of escapees, Lucius quietly guided them toward the docks.
As they neared the pier, he whispered cautiously:
"Bellatrix and I will go first, try to take them out quickly—wait, what are you doing, Bellatrix?!"
Before he could finish, Bellatrix was already staggering toward the dock, cackling wildly:
"Ready to die, sweethearts?! Mummy's coming!"
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