"Hogwarts, hmm... I'll discuss it with the Ministry of Magic and see if I can pass off this hot potato."
Warden Ludemis sighed heavily, finally making a decision.
Truth be told, he found Cassian Drayke more than just unsettling—there was something deeply unnatural about the boy. If he remained in Azkaban, trouble was sure to follow. Sending him to Hogwarts, however, would make him Dumbledore's problem. Ludemis preferred to avoid glory or disaster—his motto was simple: seek no merit, only avoid fault.
A few days later, Ludemis called an urgent meeting at the Ministry of Magic. With a pitiful tone, he painted a tearful picture of poor young Cassian, tormented daily by Dementors. He called it a "profound injustice" that a mere child should suffer in a place like Azkaban. He argued that it was only humane to release the boy and give him a chance at a normal education—a chance to reform.
Although a handful of Aurors voiced opposition, the majority of Ministry officials, swayed by Ludemis's emotional appeal, voted in favor of transferring Cassian Drayke to Hogwarts.
Ludemis returned to Azkaban looking quite pleased with himself. Two Aurors accompanied him as he approached the cell that housed the infamous child.
"My dear boy," Ludemis began, forcing a kindly smile. "I'm so terribly sorry you've had to endure such hardships here. But thanks to my tireless efforts, you'll soon be leaving this dreadful place. You've been granted a second chance—a chance to study at Hogwarts, where you'll make friends and enjoy sunshine and laughter."
Cassian turned his head slowly, silver eyes locking onto Ludemis with chilling intensity.
"Oh? Should I thank you for this kindness?" he asked, voice emotionless.
The gaze made Ludemis's forced smile falter. It felt as though Cassian were peering straight into his soul, peeling back every layer of pretense. He tried to hold the smile, but it twitched at the edges.
"N-No, no… it's the least I could do," he stammered. "A child like you should never have been placed in Azkaban."
Cassian's lips curled slightly into a mirthless smile. "I'll be back."
The color drained from Ludemis's face. "No—no, you mustn't return. This is Azkaban Prison. Having a criminal record will stain your life and ruin your future. You're being given a clean slate—embrace it."
"My life belongs to me," Cassian said coldly. "Not to you."
"Yes… yes, of course," Ludemis replied quickly, nodding, brow beaded with sweat.
Cassian's reputation preceded him. Though only nine, he had already killed more dark wizards and Death Eaters than some seasoned Aurors. Even now, the pressure Cassian exuded filled the cell like a choking fog.
"You locked me up for two months," Cassian said, voice flat. "And now you're kicking me out like it never happened. Doesn't that seem… incomplete?"
Ludemis's heart sank. He could feel it—the spell. Cassian was using something subtle, something dark. Not quite Imperius, but a kind of mental pressure, a terror that crept in like cold water rising around his ankles.
The warden had faced many deranged criminals in his time, but none had the uncanny presence of this boy. Even so, Ludemis had survived countless threats. He steeled himself.
"Are you trying to blackmail me?" he asked, bewildered.
Cassian tilted his head slightly. "Two months of torture by Dementors. No compensation. Is that justice?"
Ludemis clenched his fists at his sides. The audacity of this child! Every other prisoner in Azkaban would beg to be let go—Cassian was negotiating.
And the worst part? The boy was immune to the Dementors' effects. If he hadn't been, Ludemis wouldn't be so desperate to be rid of him.
But if Cassian changed his mind and refused to leave Azkaban, that would be a nightmare. The Ministry had already approved his release. They couldn't force him to leave—he had to choose to go.
Ludemis swallowed hard. "What do you want?"
"A Dementor," Cassian said immediately.
"Absolutely not!" Ludemis snapped, face going pale. "Dementors are dangerous magical creatures, strictly regulated by the Ministry. They cannot be handed over to individuals!"
Cassian clicked his tongue. "Tch."
"Why do you want one?" Ludemis asked, though he already dreaded the answer.
Cassian shrugged, deadpan. "To keep as a pet."
The Aurors behind Ludemis exchanged horrified glances. Ludemis himself looked like he might faint.
"You… you maniac… A Dementor isn't a pet! That's not even—no! Pick something else."
Cassian sighed. "Fine. Then give me money. I assume my property was seized?"
"Of course it was!" Ludemis said quickly. "You killed two Muggles. The Ministry had to handle the fallout."
Cassian raised an eyebrow. "Then you'd best give me some gold. You don't want me to start robbing people after I leave, do you?"
He held out a small hand.
Ludemis stared at him, stunned. This is extortion.
But the logic was disturbingly sound. If Cassian left Azkaban and started stealing, the Ministry would blame him, the warden who released him. And if Cassian ended up back in Azkaban, it would be nearly impossible to remove him again.
"How much?" Ludemis asked through gritted teeth.
"Don't be stingy," Cassian said, pointing to the purse at Ludemis's belt. "Give me that."
"You—!" Ludemis began, but stopped himself.
"When I take from Death Eaters, I take the whole purse," Cassian said coolly. "It saves time."
A cold silence followed. Ludemis slowly drew his wand, unfastened the purse, and tossed it to the boy.
It clinked with the sound of Galleons.
A death knell, Ludemis thought grimly.
Cassian caught the pouch without looking and weighed it in one hand.
"Better."
Ludemis turned away, trembling with rage and unease. The boy wasn't even ten years old. What would he become in another ten years?
But that wasn't his problem anymore.
He was Dumbledore's responsibility now.
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