One figure after another fell. Blood stained the newly repaired walls, the newly paved ground, and the newly carved runes. Screams, incantations, and the low laughter of the Death Eater echoed through the ruins of Azkaban.
The stitched-together monster led the way, its eyes darting around, observing every corner. It didn't need to intervene—the Death Eater were enough.
"Left wing cleared." A Death Eater ran over to report, blood splattered on his silver mask.
"There's still resistance on the right wing," another Death Eater said. "A few Auror are hiding in the tower."
The stitched-together monster stopped in its tracks. Bellatrix's voice came from the fused half of its face. "Take care of them."
The Death Eater charged towards the tower. The glow of spells flickered across the ruins—red Reductor Curse, green Killing Curse, purple Binding Charm. Walls blasted open, rubble flew, and smoke billowed. Several Auror peeked out from behind cover and returned fire, but outnumbered, they were quickly overwhelmed. " Full Body-Bind!" one Auror shouted, a gray light striking a Death Eater, who instantly stiffened and fell straight to the ground. " Crucio!" another Death Eater retaliated, a blue arc of electricity striking the Auror, who screamed and collapsed, his body convulsing violently. The battle grew increasingly fierce. The Death Eater, but the Auror were far more skilled, each a rigorously trained combat Wizard. They fought in groups of three, back to back, providing cover for each other, their spells precise and deadly. One Death Eater was knocked away, another disarmed, a third bound—but more Death Eater surged from the black smoke, filling the gaps.
"There are too many of them!" an Auror shouted, his voice filled with anxiety.
"Hold on! Reinforcements are on their way!" his companion responded, waving his wand repeatedly, three beams of red light shooting out and forcing back two approaching Death Eater. In the distance, the sound of Apparition echoed. A dozen Auror in scarlet robes appeared at the edge of the ruins, wands already in hand. They were the elite of the Ministry of Magic, recently transferred from London. Leading them was an old Auror with gray hair and a scar on his face— Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Spread out! Three in a group! Don't let them get close!" Shacklebolt's voice was steady and powerful, clearly audible amidst the chaos of the battlefield. The Auror quickly formed ranks. Lights of spells shot from their hands, intertwining with the Death Eater ' incantations in the air. Green, red, gold, blue—lights of various colors flashed like festive fireworks, but each carried a deadly intent.
One Death Eater charged too far forward and was struck by all three spells simultaneously. His body flew through the air, crashing into the remaining wall before sliding down and remaining motionless. "Retreat! Retreat to the tower!" shouted one of the Death Eater.
"No! They've blocked our escape route!" another Death Eater replied, his voice filled with fear.
Shacklebolt personally led the advance. His wand was precise and swift, each spell striking a target. One Death Eater was knocked away, another disarmed, and a third bound. The Auror behind him followed his rhythm, advancing step by step, forcing the Death Eater deeper into the ruins. "They're about to collapse!" a young Auror shouted excitedly.
As soon as he finished speaking, a muffled rumble came from underground.
The ground began to tremble.
It wasn't an earthquake, nor magic, but footsteps. Countless footsteps came from the depths of the ruins, growing closer and louder. Shacklebolt's expression changed. "What's that sound?"
The prisoners poured out from underground.
They wore tattered prison robes, their faces were deathly pale, their hair disheveled, and their eyes burned with a mad light. Some were long-serving prisoners, some were newly captured Death Eater, and some were pure dark Wizard —but at this moment, they had only one goal: escape. "Get out!" one prisoner shouted, "The door's over there!"
"Kill all those Auror!" another prisoner shouted. "If we don't kill them, we won't get away!"
The prisoners surged toward the Auror like a tidal wave. They had no wands, but they had teeth, nails, fists, and the rage and hatred that had accumulated over countless years of imprisonment. They pounced on the Auror, biting, scratching, and attacking in any way they could.
The Auror were forced to distract themselves. Some were tackled, some were bitten, and some were dragged into the crowd. The light of the spell thinned, and the formation began to break. The Death Eater seized the opportunity and launched a counterattack.
"Now! Charge!" shouted a Death Eater, pointing his wand into the sky, and a red flare rose into the air.
More Death Eater poured out of the black smoke, from every corner of the ruins, and from behind the prisoners. They were no longer scattered individuals, but an organized and coordinated attack. Spells rained down like a storm, Auror fell one after another.
Shacklebolt knocked away a prisoner who lunged at him and blocked a Killing Curse, but a Cutting Curse slashed his left arm, and blood dripped down his arm. He gritted his teeth and persevered, swinging his wand repeatedly to knock down another Death Eater.
" Shacklebolt! To the right!" an Auror shouted.
Shacklebolt turned and saw a stitched-together monster—not the leader, but a smaller monster made up of two Death Eater —rushing toward him. Its four arms stretched out at the same time, its claws gleaming in the morning light.
Shacklebolt had no time to dodge.
A golden beam of light shot out from behind him, striking the monster in the chest. It let out a shrill roar, its body exploded, black liquid splattering everywhere, corroding the ground and creating craters that emitted blue smoke.
Shacklebolt turned around and saw a Phoenix.
Golden feathers, a long tail, and black eyes —Fawkes hovered in mid-air, wings outstretched, golden light emanating from its body, dispelling the surrounding darkness. It let out a clear cry, a sound that, though not loud, carried clearly throughout Azkaban, reaching the ears of everyone.
The Death Eater stopped what they were doing at the same time.
" Dumbledore..." a Death Eater murmured, his voice filled with barely concealed fear.
" Dumbledore's here!" another Death Eater shouted, taking a few steps back.
The prisoners were equally terrified. They knew what the Phoenix meant— Dumbledore, the invincible, greatest white Wizard in the Wizarding World. If he came, none of them would escape.
The Auror seized the opportunity to counterattack. The light of the spell shone again, forcing the Death Eater to retreat, and the prisoners scattered and fled. Shacklebolt knocked down a Death Eater and rescued a young Auror who was surrounded by prisoners.
"Hold on!" he shouted, " Dumbledore coming!"
Fawkes hovered in the air, its golden light spilling across the battlefield. It let out another cry, a cry with an indescribable, warm, and peaceful power that boosted the morale of the Auror and instilled fear in the Death Eater.
But Dumbledore did not appear.
Only Fawkes.
The stitched-together monster stood atop the highest point of the ruins, its eyes all fixed on the Phoenix. A slow, sinister grin spread across Bellatrix's face, revealing a grotesque, satisfied smile.
"Only the Phoenix." Her voice was low and chaotic, carrying a morbid, almost manic pleasure. " Dumbledore... really can't intervene..."
She raised an arm and pointed at Fawkes. "Kill it."
The Death Eater hesitated. To kill Dumbledore's Phoenix? That was suicide.
"Kill it!" Bellatrix's voice was even sharper. " Dumbledore isn't coming! He can only send his bird! He's finished!" The Death Eater exchanged glances, then simultaneously raised their wands.
Several green beams of light shot towards Fawkes.
Fawkes deftly flipped through the air, dodging the Killing Curse. It swooped down, its claws slicing through the mask of a Death Eater, who fell screaming. It took flight again, golden light emanating from its body, repelling several approaching Death Eater.
But it only had one bird.
The Death Eater grew in number, and the spells became increasingly dense. Fawkes dodged one after another, but its movements began to slow, and the golden light began to dim. It let out a sharp cry, its voice carrying an undisguised weariness.
Shacklebolt knocked down a Death Eater and looked up at the Phoenix. His face was grim.
He knew Dumbledore wouldn't come.
If Dumbledore could come, he would have come long ago. He wouldn't have let his Phoenix fight alone, nor would he have let his students and subordinates die here. Something must have happened to him—serious injury, unconsciousness, or something worse.
But Shacklebolt didn't have time to think about these things.
A Death Eater charged at him, his wand shooting out a red glow. He blocked it, counterattacked, and knocked him down. Another Death Eater rushed at him, and another, and another.
Fawkes let out another cry in the air, but the sound was no longer clear; instead, it was hoarse and weary, like the final cry of an exhausted warrior.
It swooped down and rescued an Auror who was being attacked by Death Eater, its golden light forcing the Death Eater back. But when it took flight, its movements were noticeably slower, and its golden feathers dimmed considerably in the morning light.
The stitched-together monster stood high above, its eyes watching everything unfold. Bellatrix's voice emanated from that fused face, carrying a morbid, almost manic pleasure.
" Dumbledore... you really can't do it..."
She raised six arms and pointed at Fawkes.
"Kill it."
The Death Eater simultaneously raised their wands. Dozens of green beams shot out at once, weaving a web of death that enveloped Fawkes. Fortunately, at the last second...
Fawkes tumbled rapidly through the air, its golden feathers tracing arcs in the morning light. Dozens of green Killing Curse swept past it, some striking the ruins and blasting them into a shower of rubble.
Some shot into the sea, creating water columns several meters high; others collided with each other, exploding into green specks of light in mid-air. Fawkes dodged most of them, but one grazed its tail feathers, and a few golden feathers drifted down, swirling in the air before slowly falling into the sea.
It let out a sharp cry, its voice no longer clear and melodious, but tinged with pain and rage. It flapped its wings and soared, distancing itself from the Death Eater, circling above the ruins of Azkaban. Its golden light, though dimmed considerably, still burned stubbornly. Shacklebolt knocked down a prisoner who lunged at him, looking up at the Phoenix, his face growing even more grim. He knew Fawkes wouldn't last much longer. If Dumbledore truly couldn't come, they might all die here today.
"Shrink the formation!" he shouted. "Move towards the tower! Defend using the terrain!"
The Auror fought and retreated, converging on the only relatively intact tower in the ruins. Enchanted lights intertwined behind them as Death Eater pursued relentlessly, prisoners scattered and fled, and the entire Azkaban was like a boiling pot of porridge—chaotic, bloody, and insane.
Just then, a series of Apparition explosions echoed in the distant sky.
A dozen figures appeared simultaneously at the edge of the ruins. They wore robes of various colors, some dark blue, some dark green, and some dark red—not Auror uniforms, but the everyday attire of Hogwarts professors.
Filius Flitwick stood at the very front. He was short, but his wand was held aloft the highest. His face lacked its usual gentleness and humor, displaying only a serious, almost ruthless, fighting spirit.
" Hogwarts professors, line up!" His voice was high-pitched yet clear, carrying a powerful force through the noisy battlefield.
Pomona Sprout stood to his left, wand gripped tightly in her hand, her apron still stained with dirt, but her gaze was resolute, showing no sign of backing down. Beside her were several professors, also from Hufflepuff, each with a solemn expression.
Horace Slughorn stood on the right, his belly slightly bulging beneath his dark green robes, fine beads of sweat on his forehead, but his hand holding his wand was steady. He glanced at the carnage on the battlefield, took a deep breath, and then nodded, as if confirming his resolve. The other professors spread out, each in their assigned position, each ready.
" The Death Eater are over there!" Flitwick pointed to the center of the ruins, where black-robed, masked figures were faintly visible among the rubble. "Their goal is to rescue the prisoners, we can't let them succeed! Spread out, three to a group, cover each other!"
" Flitwick," Sprout began, his voice low and firm, " Professor Dumbledore, he..."
" Professor Dumbledore sent us," Flitwick interrupted her, his tone calm but authoritative. "That's enough."
He didn't say how Dumbledore was doing, whether he could come, or why he had only sent them. But everyone understood that if Dumbledore could come, he definitely would. His absence meant something had indeed happened to him. But they didn't have time to think about these things, because the Death Eater had already discovered them.
" Hogwarts people!" shouted a Death Eater, pointing his wand in the direction of the professors, "Kill them!"
A dozen or so Death Eater broke away from the main battlefield and charged towards the professors. The light of spells flickered in their hands, green, red, and purple, weaving into a web of death.
"Smash yourselves!" Flitwick swung his wand, and a beam of blue light shot from its tip, striking the Death Eater at the front. The man froze, falling straight to the ground, his wand slipping from his hand—not a Killing Curse, but some kind of Binding Charm Flitwick had created specifically to deal with dark Wizard.
It is more potent and lasts longer than the Full Body-Bind ".