Ancient Wizards Return to Hogwarts...

Chapter 228 Bellacritus and the Happy Crystal Ball

[Visitor, please present permission from the Ministry of Magic]

Taking advantage of visiting humans and absorbing their pleasure is an open secret among Dementors. Aside from the high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Magic, every wizard goes through this.

The Dementors were greatly surprised to encounter such a rebuff from the four people in front of them, and at the same time, they became more cautious.

They then requested permission from the visitors, as required by regulations.

Taurus pulled open his robe and took out a crystal ball from his bosom. Unlike ordinary prophetic crystal balls, this one was filled with colorful smoke, and just one glance at it could evoke a feeling of joy from the bottom of one's heart.

The Dementors became agitated the moment they saw the crystal ball.

"This is our 'permission.' We won't take any prisoners away; it's just a simple questioning." Taurus spoke calmly, stating their needs without flinching as they faced the overwhelming encirclement of Dementors.

His meaning was simple and clear: let the four of us in, and we won't cause you any trouble.

After he finished speaking, he handed the crystal ball to the Dementor that was closest to him.

The Dementor instinctively raised its arm and took the crystal ball from Taurus with a large, gray, thin, and scab-covered hand that emitted a faint glow.

After the crystal ball was handed to the Dementors, the multicolored smoke inside immediately dissipated. The commotion among the Dementors intensified, with many from the back pushing to the front, eagerly inhaling the dissipating smoke. Those already at the front, not wanting to be left behind, also joined the fray, sharing the smoke.

No Dementor wanted to deal with the four uninvited guests.

Since they won't and dare not take prisoners off the island anyway, let them be.

Seeing that the Dementors were no longer blocking him, Taurus immediately led his three companions deeper into Azkaban.

"To put emotions into a crystal ball, what a brilliant idea!" Gemini couldn't help but praise after entering the castle.

"You flatter me." Taurus was the inventor of that special crystal ball, and he was a little embarrassed to be praised by name.

"But besides feeding Dementors, what other use is this kind of emotion crystal ball?" Gemini's next question silenced Taurus like a tongue-locking spell.

This invention hasn't found a practical application yet. Perhaps when people are feeling down, they can inhale a little bit of "happy" emotion to cheer themselves up?

"Huh? If it can be used to fill up happiness, then it can certainly fill up other emotions too, right? Could you fill me up with 'that kind' of crystal ball, the kind of crystal ball that captures the feelings between men and women... I'm quite curious about what those feelings are like! It would be even better if you could customize the female lead—" Gemini seemed oblivious to Taurus's emotional shift. He slapped his forehead and found a fantastic application for Taurus's invention.

"Gemini, if you want to get back to headquarters alive, you'd better shut up." Aries tried hard to suppress his laughter and told Gemini to shut up first.

A hint of confusion and bewilderment flashed in Gemini's eyes: He was helping Taurus find applications for his invention, so Taurus should be thanking him, right?

However, after seeing Taurus's face gradually turning crimson, he decided to keep quiet.

The four men entered Azkaban prison, passing by cell after cell.

The cells are semi-open, with no walls to block the view; only black iron pillars confine the prisoners inside.

These pillars are covered in the marks of time; a few kicks and they might break. However, prisoners who have been in Azkaban for a long time become half-dead and lose even the thought of escaping.

As the four passed by the cells, they noticed many prisoners wrapped in dirty blankets, huddled in the corners of their cells, motionless, seemingly asleep. Their food trays sat outside the cells, the food already ice-cold, and appeared completely untouched.

Gemini noticed that one cell was an exception; the plates outside the other cells looked untouched, but the plates outside this cell were empty.

This piqued Gemini's curiosity: who could possibly maintain their appetite in such an environment? He was pretty sure that Dementors wouldn't possess any cooking skills.

The turkey, bread, jerky, and pickles on the plate should only be considered cooked and edible.

He looked into the cell and saw a man huddled in a corner of the room like the other prisoners. The man had long, dirty, tangled hair and was very thin, looking like a skeleton covered in skin.

Hearing someone approach, the prisoner raised his head. Gemini found a pair of eyes in those deep, dark sockets, and from those eyes he caught something unusual: this person seemed different from the other prisoners.

He still maintains his "emotions," which is the ultimate luxury here.

Gemini noticed the nameplate on the cell door that read: Sirius Black.

"An interesting fellow." Gemini had a premonition that he would hear this name again in the future.

Searching through the cells one by one, the four finally stopped outside a room marked "Bellatrix Lestrange".

Gemini glanced at the food tray outside the cell and noticed that Bella seemed to have eaten a little of what was inside, but not much; she only took a bite or two of each item.

"Bellatrix," Aries called out the prisoner's name, but the prisoner in the cell completely ignored them.

Taurus glanced at Gemini and pulled out a crystal ball from his pocket that was exactly the same as the one he had used to bribe the Dementors.

"This is its proper use." Taurus gently stroked the crystal ball, letting the colorful smoke inside drift towards the prisoner in the cell, and with her slow breathing, it entered her nostrils.

call……

Bella's expression gradually became more lively. The joy that Taurus brought her was like sweet dew nourishing parched soil, moistening her soul, bringing her some vitality, and adding a touch of life to her face.

The smoke continued to pour in, and Bella's condition gradually improved. When a blush appeared on her cheeks, Taurus cut off the emotional supply to her.

This time she reacted; she turned her head sharply and looked at the crystal ball in Taurus's hand with greedy eyes.

"A little more!" she hissed.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The first update is here!

Exhausted, drained dry by the company...

Please wait a little longer for the second update; there will definitely be more tonight.

(End of this chapter)