Chapter 44 Escape from Azkaban

"Oh, night that hides and protects us, cover for us as we crawl, faithful companion to whom we belong: Be the stage for our serenade and shouts," he sang, pausing with long, dance-like movements.

Men of distinct ages, covered to protect their identities, dressed as standard-bearers and symbols of their master, Lord Voldemort. These men were in small boats lined up near some part of the North Sea, heading towards Azkaban.

Although his poetic moment was not met with appreciation but rather with mocking laughter from the present men, seizing the opportunity to distract themselves, it proved effective in calming tempers.

"Shafiq, you wretched actor, had no idea of your penchant for dramatic theater."

"Ohh, what magnificent poetry, hahahaha."

"You're a lousy wizard, but with rhymes, not bad at all, kkk."

Raven Shafiq felt slightly embarrassed, regretting acting on impulse, revealing his artistic side at this moment. It seemed fitting; damn, I hope they forget.

Severus Snape leaned against one of the boats, paddling, his expression showing obvious displeasure.

....

Severus's Point of View: I am questioning whether these men, whom my lord entrusted to me, are truly capable. Could they at least show a modicum of decorum? They act like children. Damn, we are going to invade the bloody Azkaban prison. I settle on one side and, firmly holding my wooden oar, I tell them with a stern and serious tone: "Paddle, you lazy ones, the boats don't move on their own."

As a result, we return to silence. I notice their dissatisfied, irritated eyes, and some even look scared. Damn, we are on a mission in which many will surely die, and I am leading them there. They can't reject me, run away, they can't. Little do they know that I am caught in the same dramatic complex. How life has become so complicated… My pulse twinges slightly at the location of the Dark Mark, the symbol that makes me Voldemort's slave, and that I willingly accepted. Anyway, I wonder how many will return alive.

My eyes observe the rising tower, tall and inhospitable, draped in darkness. But something makes my stomach churn: the local magic, its wards, so complex and ancient that make Azkaban fortress impregnable and, at least theoretically, escape-proof. These wards are the main reason we're here with non-magical means, rowing boats.

Upon finally reaching an artificial platform created to accommodate the island, everyone sighs. Tension hangs in the air, along with the sound of waves breaking against the tower structure. It's now or never.

I prepare urgently, taking out my wand and some artifacts. I move to a strategic part of the platform that has access to the wards, starting the process of deactivating them. Azkaban's defense system includes its natural location that makes it challenging, in the middle of the ocean, far from any resource or help.

The infamous Dementors, basically the local guards, are carnivorous beings that are neither creatures nor beasts nor beings but rather specters. Muggles created representations of them, the famous image of Death with a Scythe. Well, at least Dementors don't use scythes! Although they can devour your soul. Additionally, there is a system of magical wards and protections that should not be underestimated: Anti-Apparition, Barriers, Detection, Blood Wards, and some so cruel that curse a wizard invader, draining their magic, leaving them exhausted and fragile. This is the main reason why internal escape is problematic; after all, a wizard without magic is no better than a Muggle. There is also a whole apparatus of Auror wizards, who work as police and resident guards. All this only proves the madness or idiocy of the mission we are undertaking. But of course, there are measures to bypass such defense!

Severus opened a compartment of a small bag, about 15 centimeters, enough to be comfortable in the hand, but strangely, as he inserted his hand, it was swallowed entirely by the bag. From there, he pulled out a small wooden board, which was much larger than the size of the bag – clearly an example of a bag enchanted with the extension spell. With a careful flick of his wand, he spoke in a silky, low voice, "Aperium Activa." Flashes started in a coordinated chain reaction, spreading across the Azkaban ward map, creating a clear and potent magical interference that would surely attract attention.

"The Azkaban system is isolated, although it still needs to be deactivated. The ministry won't know we're here. You idiots, prevent anything from reaching me for the next few minutes, and under no circumstances interrupt me. Understood?"

"Yes!" They said in unison, their voices sounding irritated.

The shadows and occasional cries of prisoners created a tense atmosphere and fear in the hearts of the men there, while Severus reflected on his role with concentration.

 'I can't understand how things got to this point. Lucius is a jerk, but still a supporter who gave me a place in the toughest times at Hogwarts. We are close to being considered almost friends, although I don't like that word, not since Lily. But I owe at least something to Lucius, beyond Voldemort's interest. But I admit, invading Azkaban was not one of his brightest ideas.'

While working on very sensitive spells, Severus felt the local air cool, the color and lighting starting to unravel, taking on more sepia tones, lifeless, and the deepest feelings of anguish began to emerge and submerge in unprepared minds. Three of the Dementors floated out of the walls, creatures resembling human form but were not; skin over bones, elongated limbs, almost mummified disfigured faces under ghostly black cloaks. Under their dominion, all feelings, happy or sad, are sucked, taken until nothing is left. Only an empty soulless shell still breathing from what were once their bodies.

 In the face of tension, Severus remained calm and continued his work, even when a terrible chill passed through his entire body, he did not falter, trusting that, at the very least, the idiots his master sent could interrupt them for a few minutes. What he didn't expect was that he overestimated the intelligence of these wizards!

"Lumos Solem!" one of the Death Eaters shouted. And the place was taken by a sparkling light, illuminating everything but doing absolutely nothing against the dark creatures.

:(

:(

:0

"Shafiq, you imbecile!" one of the Death Eaters shouted, furious, although his face covered by the iron mask did not express his facial features.

"Expecto Patronum," Severus diverted from his activity and cast a corporeal Patronus, a spell based on positive feelings that calls the guardian animal to protect. In Severus's case, an ethereal and incorporeal hind, which moved quickly hopping towards the Dementors , driving them away.

. "Damn, does the 'smart' Mr. Shafiq still not understand that we're on an infiltration mission, or that the damn Lumos Solem just let everyone – aurors, dementors, prisoners, fish, gods, demons, ancestors – know we're here?" Severus said still with a silky voice but carrying a sinister gleam with every word.

 Shafiq: "Eh, I thought I could scare off the Dementors..."

"Enough!"

"Change of plans. Throw our lord's mark into the sky, and let's advance with force now. Understood?"

"Yes, we understand. Thank you for making our lives easier, Shafiq!!!"

They demonstrated a quick ability to react under Severus's commands, understanding that this complicated things and that now only combat remained. One of them raised his wand to the sky and summoned his lord's dark mark: "Morsmordre." The experienced wizards soon conjured their versions of Patronus: a pelican, a bull, a horse, and a serpent, all translucent and floating beside them. This spell was known to be the most effective weapon against Dementors; the keyword here is repel because there is no known means to truly kill them.

"Bombarda!" A spell descended rapidly and without warning from one of the towers, hitting one of the unsuspecting Death Eaters, throwing him away; his situation was unknown. But as a quick response, a Death Eater cast a deadly spell on the auror in the tower: "Avada Kedavra." The response was so immediate that the auror hadn't finished taking cover, receiving an intense green flash that hit him squarely in the face, descending from the tower like a puppet whose strings had been abruptly cut. An instant, painless, and indefensible death, such was that spell.

 Severus finally overcame the narrow path of the stone corridor, entering the smooth and slippery staircases. Of the 15 who came with him, only 9 managed to get there; intense combat led to casualties. Of course, twice as many aurors fell, but that wasn't important; they should reach the wings where the prisoners' cells were.

 Entering one of the wings, Severus encountered two Aurors casting quick spells, but fortunately for Snape, he managed to use a protective spell "Protego," creating a translucent shield, interrupting the attacks. After the successful defense, he used in quick succession invisible bursts of his curse "Sectumsempra," which could not be contained by the aurors. Their bodies were shredded as if they were victims of a wild animal with claws, disfigured to the point of being unrecognizable, and still writhing on the ground, awaiting certain death.

 Finally, they reached the cell where Lucius was held, an inhospitable place without any sanitary conditions, made of stone, gloomy, with accommodations soiled by feces and a strong smell of urine. The man, Lucius Malfoy, or what remained of him, was enchanted and trembling, whispering, "Don't… Don't… Hurt me..."

 Severus raised his voice: "Lucius, is that you?" It went unanswered. He already expected a difficult situation for his friend, but this was even worse. "Confringo!" A spell exploded the bars, releasing Lucius.

 Severus embraced him, taking him out of the cell, and besides that, freed other men, mainly imprisoned Death Eaters. They started an aerial escape; everyone used a spell from their lord, unsupported flight. They enveloped themselves in ashes and smoke, escaping from the castle at high speed, while still dodging spells or the pursuits of the Dementors, which were kept at bay by the Patronus. Until they crossed a safe distance for apparating. Thus, the greatest Azkaban escape of the millennium happened, creating ripples in the magical world.