The mastermind behind Hogwarts

Chapter 409 The Punishment That Was Ten Years Late

"What is she doing?"

Neville stammered, but a strange light shone in his eyes as he stared intently at him.

"Lord Voldemort!!!"

"I feel so awful!"

Bellatrix suddenly sprang out of bed, yelling and screaming in frustration, pounding the bed like a madwoman.

Moriarty knew what was going on after a moment's thought: Bellatrix had been imprisoned for ten years.

This fueled Bellatrix's madness, and in her rage, she showed Moriarty and Neville her face.

Grayish-white, lifeless. Staring at two large dark circles under his eyes, as if deliberately smoked, his eyes were filled with madness.

Her lips were also pale and bloodless.

Her hair was a mess; her once beautiful, shiny black hair was now thinning considerably—just like Sirius Black's.

Neville stared blankly at Bellatrix, his eyes filled with astonishment and shock, as if he felt that the latter had already been punished.

Moriarty saw through Neville's thoughts and said with a smile, "If you think this woman has repented, you are very wrong."

Sound is not blocked by magic, and Bellatrix heard it immediately and responded.

"Who?"

Bellatrix roared, "Who's there?"

Neville swallowed hard and timidly walked towards the cell.

Moriarty walked behind Neville, closing the door behind him and casting a spell to ensure the Dementors wouldn't notice them.

"Are you... are you Bellatrix Lestrange?" Neville asked timidly.

"A little boy?" Bellatrix licked her lips, her eyes gleaming green as she looked around.

But she couldn't find Neville; Moriarty was far more powerful than her.

With a flick of his finger, Moriarty removed the illusion spell from Neville, and Neville instantly appeared opposite Bellatrix.

"ah!"

Bellatrix let out a strange cry, and her two arms, which were made of only skin and flesh covering bones, suddenly grabbed Neville's shoulders!

"Waaaaah..." Neville trembled with fear, whimpering softly.

He was at a loss, and Moriarty said in a deep voice, "Calm down, she's nothing to be afraid of. Don't you have questions for her?"

"And who are you?!"

Bellatrix turned her head sharply to look at Moriarty, with such force that it seemed she was about to twist his neck off.

Neville answered her, forcefully breaking free from Bellatrix, "You can't torture me anymore!"

Neville jumped and knocked Bellatrix over, trembling, whether from anger or excitement, it was hard to tell.

Bellatrix pounced on Neville like a ravenous leopard, but Moriarty used a freezing spell to immobilize her.

"Ask away, Neville."

Neville nervously asked Bellatrix, "Neville—does that name sound familiar?"

Bellatrix's eyes blazed with fury, her face icy cold as she said chillingly, "You and that invisible wizard, just you wait, I'll torture you to the point of wishing you were dead!"

"Torture?" Neville exploded, leaping up and yelling at Bellatrix, "Tell me! Do you remember Neville! Do you remember Alice! Do you remember Frank!"

Moriarty knew that Alice Longbottom was Neville's mother and Frank Longbottom was Neville's father.

Neville still harbored a sliver of hope for the beauty and goodness of humanity, and he awaited Bellatrix's reply.

But Bellatrix laughed loudly, stuck out her tongue, raised her arms, and her long black fingernails danced wildly with her arms.

She didn't laugh for long before her energy was almost completely depleted.

"Who are they? Mudbloods from somewhere! Who would remember them?" Bellatrix gasped.

"Hmph, I don't know which family's crybaby you are."

"But you must be a poor little thing!"

"Your parents, right? I tormented them to death—that must be it! Hahahaha!"

Bellatrix let out a shrill laugh. "Why didn't you die by my wand? Oh, what a pity."

Neville stood there, stunned.

He was covered in sweat, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

Bellatrix's answer overturned his worldview.

Why does Bellatrix, the murderer, speak with such self-righteousness?

Why can she speak of painful truths without feeling any pain?

Why did she show no remorse towards me, but instead become even more ruthless and even tried to kill me?

Neville's body trembled, and large tears welled up in his eyes. "I thought you repented... I thought she repented..."

The next sentence was addressed to Moriarty, who patted Neville's head, released his own spell, and appeared behind Neville.

He stared coldly at Bellatrix and said solemnly and in a low voice, "I have come for a punishment that is ten years overdue."

"Do you see this child?"

"His name is Neville Longbottom."

"He was tortured by you with the Cruciatus Curse when he was a baby."

"His parents were also driven insane by the Crucifixion you used on them."

"Ah! I remember now," Bellatrix tilted her head, smiling slyly, "So it was those two foolish Aurors from the Longbottom family?"

"I did it, so what!"

"They're blocking Lord Voldemort's path! They deserve to die!!!"

"Aaaaah!" Neville roared with all his might, running and crashing into Bellatrix. "I won't let you talk about my parents!"

"Bang!"

Bellatrix was knocked down, and Neville punched and kicked her like a fighter.

Moriarty pulled Neville away and said, "Do you still think she'll repent?"

"No, no, no..." Neville shook his head repeatedly.

"Then, Mr. Neville Longbottom, this belated punishment is yours."

Moriarty's solemn tone and the wand he handed over instilled in Neville a sense of solemnity and honor in enforcing the law.

Neville took the wand; it was a holly wand, smooth and powerful.

Neville slowly raised his wand, aiming it at Bellatrix, the whole process resembling a knight about to behead a demon.

With unwavering resolve in his eyes, Neville repeatedly told himself, "She's a villain, a murderer, and the enemy of myself and my parents."

But he couldn't come up with a magic spell after a long time.

Moriarty added, "Relax, Neville, don't tense up—using magic is an easy and simple thing, just like when you were a child, it's your instinct."

Neville took a few deep breaths.

"You can imagine the scene of her being tormented by the Cruciatus Curse," Moriarty said calmly. "A flash of red light, and she clutched her heart, slowly collapsing, her body convulsing uncontrollably, like a dead rat that had taken the drug..."

Neville stared wide-eyed.

"Then, repeat after me: 'It will pierce your heart and tear your bones apart!'"

"Heart-crushing!" Neville murmured.

"No~" Moriarty's voice also lowered, "A murderous intent, infused with your hatred for her."

"Heart-crushing pain!!!" Neville said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, very good." Moriarty clapped his hands, pulled out his cedarwood wand, and said, "Finally, wave your wands with me!"

Neville mimicked Moriarty's gesture, swinging his cane and muttering incantations.

Bellatrix was stunned, trapped on the ground.

Is that teenage boy teaching Neville of the Longbottom family to use dark magic?

Or is it the Cruciatus Curse, one of the three unforgivable curses?

Who is he?

Bellatrix grew increasingly terrified as she thought about it; Neville would learn the spell and use it on her.

Now she only prays that Neville won't learn the Cruciatus Curse.

But she was wrong; her only prayer came to the wrong person.

Neville's talent is no less than that of any other young wizard in his class.

Moreover, he now has two teachers.

A Moriarty who teaches by example.

another--

Hatred is the best teacher.

Neville kept waving his wand, his eyes bloodshot.

More and more people became increasingly agitated and angry.

"It's you who drove my parents crazy!"

"It's all your fault that I'm being laughed at!"

"It's you who broke up countless families!"

"You deserve to die!!!"

Filled with overwhelming hatred, Neville roared and stabbed Bellatrix with his wand, chanting the chilling incantation: "Crucible!"

A beam of red magic struck Bellatrix. Her mouth gaped open, her eyes widened, she froze for a second, and then let out a scream!

"Extremely painful!"

"Extremely painful!"

"Extremely painful!"

"Extremely painful!"

"..."

Neville was like a broken record, frantically using the Cruciatus Curse.

The power of the spell also increases from weak to strong, and then gradually decreases.

Listen to Bellatrix's screams, which went from loud to hoarse and finally to silent sobs.

Watching Bellatrix go from curling up to rolling around and finally collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.

Neville felt extremely pleased.

"Bang."

A wave of dizziness washed over him, and Neville collapsed to the ground.

His spiritual and magical powers were also exhausted.

"Here's your wand back, thank you."

Neville wiped the sweat from his brow with his elbow, exuding a touch of maturity.

(End of this chapter)