Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures

“Bella, what did that wretched woman say this time?” Evan asked again, his tone soft and coaxing.

His magical power surged, and he had succeeded in clouding Bellatrix’s mind.

Bellatrix stared blankly at Evan, as if caught in a trance — almost as though she had fallen into his eyes.

No words were needed. Through her gaze, a hazy vision unfolded in Evan’s mind.

He saw many Death Eaters in black cloaks searching for something amid a landscape of ruins.

The ground was littered with rubble and debris. Not far away loomed massive black stones. It seemed to be a valley — he could see the silhouettes of distant mountains. Just as Evan was about to take a closer look, the scene suddenly zoomed forward, revealing a deathly gray forest. The tree trunks were bare, devoid of green leaves, only the carcasses of crows hanging from their branches.

This place…

Evan frowned. The forest’s sudden appearance was deeply unsettling.

The dead trees, the lifeless crows dangling from them — he could feel the stench of death.

Was this some kind of Dark magic? Or was it connected to an evil god?

If this vision came from Bellatrix’s memory of the Dark Witch, then this place might well be connected to the Death Chamber in the Ministry of Magic.

Questions piled up as the once-clear path was swallowed by thick fog.

As Evan’s thoughts lingered on one of the dead crows, the vision in his mind began to shake violently: Bellatrix was fighting his magic.

He hurriedly stopped his intrusion, and the blurry scene faded.

“She’s still rummaging through that pile of ruins for that cursed spell,” Bellatrix muttered, sounding annoyed. “She even wants us to send people to help her search. She knows perfectly well that Potter will go there. If there’s even the smallest gap in the net…” She stopped abruptly, looking momentarily confused, then turned sharply suspicious eyes on Evan. “If you can capture Mason and Potter before that happens, the problem won’t exist. Don’t just stand there like an idiot — take that sword to the vault. Those filthy little goblins can’t be trusted.”

“This sword…” Evan took the blade from the house-elf.

“This is the Sword of Gryffindor, you fool. It’s what the Dark Lord wants. I demanded that Snape hand it over to me, because only I am worthy of keeping what belongs to him,” said Bellatrix almost feverishly. Whether it was the lingering effect of the magic or not, her expression had taken on a manic, hysterical edge. “I am unique, the Dark Lord’s most loyal servant, and only I deserve to bear his glory!”

“We are all loyal to the Dark Lord and want to gain glory from him.”

“No, I am not like the rest of you. My loyalty to him is unrequited. If he needs it, I am ready to dedicate my soul, body, and everything at any time.”

Evan stared at her in silence. Perhaps the magic had heightened her frenzy, but did this woman remember who she was? Saying such things about another man right in front of her own husband — how was Rodolphus Lestrange supposed to feel? What could he do?

What could he possibly do — of course, he could only choose to forgive her. After all, the “other man” in question was Voldemort…

Being caught in the middle of the love triangle between Bellatrix and Voldemort, Rodolphus Lestrange was truly pathetic.

“Put the sword in the vault, Rodolphus. Don’t let those filthy wandless creatures at Gringotts lay a finger on it. And remember — don’t touch anything else in my vault,” said Bellatrix haughtily.

She lifted her chin, her eyes roaming over the desolate Diagon Alley, then ran her long, thin tongue over her lips.

“Before you return, I can go from shop to shop and check the bloodlines of the wizards and witches inside — see if there are any Mudbloods hiding among them. Come, Rabastan, you’re coming with me.”

The atmosphere suddenly froze. Bellatrix was taking Harry with her to torment those poor wretches.

That was truly … an unexpected turn!

No one had expected Bellatrix to do this. Harry wasn’t the real Rabastan Lestrange, he wasn’t as cruel, and he couldn’t skillfully wield the Cruciatus Curse or other torturous Dark Arts. His presence with Bellatrix would easily reveal his true identity.

Even if he could, Harry would never bring himself to join Bellatrix in committing those atrocities.

And if Bellatrix were to realize that Harry Potter was standing right beside her, she would be overjoyed — ecstatic.

Evan’s right hand tightened around his wand. If things came to the worst, he would have to try to seize control of Bellatrix’s mind — but that was no easy feat. The chance of success was slim. Harry, after all, had once shaken off the Imperius Curse in his fourth year by sheer willpower, let alone a notorious Death Eater.

And now, having just probed Bellatrix’s thoughts, Evan had already made her wary. On top of that, there were goblins and Ministry wizards watching them from behind.

“What’s going on? You two look strange today?” said Bellatrix. “Rabastan, isn’t that your favorite thing?”

“Rabastan can’t go with you.”

“I’ll go!” Harry shouted suddenly. “Rodolphus, you’d better hurry to the vault.”

He moved quickly to Evan’s side, giving him a subtle signal to go along with Bellatrix in order to buy time.

Harry had underestimated Bellatrix. He had oversimplified the situation. Evan was certain that without magical interference, Bellatrix would have seen through his disguise in a single second.

“No, Rabastan, you’re coming to the vault with me,” said Evan, his right hand tightly gripping his wand.

At that moment, he caught a flicker of blankness in Bellatrix’s expression.

Someone was casting a spell on her, Hermione’s Confundus Charm!

But unlike the guards they had confused earlier, Bellatrix didn’t fall for it; she shook it off in an instant, her dazed expression shifting rapidly.

Crap, we’re busted!

Bellatrix had sensed the magic and realized someone was attacking her. Her eyes widened.

Just as she was about to scream, Evan stepped forward. He drew his wand with his right hand and swung it wildly across Bellatrix. To conceal his movements, he pulled her in, slipping his arm around her shoulders in a seemingly intimate embrace.

To others, it looked like Evan gave Bellatrix a close, conjugal embrace.

Their heads met, and it almost looked as if Evan had kissed her, but in reality, he leaned close to Bellatrix’s ear and whispered softly, “Imperio!”

Bellatrix’s body trembled violently, and Evan held her tightly.

He knew how strange he must look at that moment, but he could no longer afford to care.

He cast the Imperius Curse once more, and soon, a curious sensation shot down Evan’s right arm, a feeling of tingling warmth that seemed to flow from his mind, down the sinews and veins connecting him to the wand and the curse it had just cast.