Azkaban didn't have many prisoners. Honestly, the wizarding world didn't have that many wizards to begin with.
The inmates here occupied only a tiny fraction of the place. Most of Azkaban was empty, so finding Bellatrix wasn't hard for Cohn.
She was locked up at the end of a prison corridor, her wild hair a mess as she pressed herself against the bars. Her face mashed into the filthy iron, all to taunt her neighbor, Sirius Black.
Thick walls separated the cells, so Bellatrix could only mock Sirius with her voice. The grimaces she made went unseen by anyone.
"Heehee—my dear cousin, what sweet dreams did you have today?" Bellatrix cackled maniacally. "Was it Harry Potter being tortured to death? Or maybe the Dark Lord rewarding his most loyal servant—oh, wait, I forgot, you don't even qualify as his servant! How does someone end up locked away by their own side—hahahahaha—"
"Shut up."
Sirius slumped against the wall in his corner, his tangled hair hiding his face. He was skin and bones, practically a skeleton.
His cold "shut up" did nothing to stop her.
"Oh, no, don't—don't hurt James… or Harry… no…" Bellatrix mimicked his nightmare mutterings in a sickening tone. "Hahahahaha! What are you trying to stop in your dreams? James Potter's dead! And Harry Potter will be too! The Dark Lord will kill them all, and only the most loyal—like me—will be rewarded!"
Her fresh burst of glee drew a Dementor over—but Cohn muscled in, so it handed the meal to him, the skinny new guy.
**[Food, for you.]**
It nudged Cohn, passing him the keys like a seasoned vet showing a rookie the ropes.
**[Don't eat it all. More will come.]**
Bellatrix was a happiness factory—the only Death Eater crazy enough to laugh every day despite being stuck in this dump. Just thinking about the Dark Lord seemed to send her into ecstasy.
Cohn floated toward her cell in the Dementor's place.
She didn't flinch as he approached—she was used to these monsters. They were the Dark Lord's tests. Endure them, and she'd prove she was his most loyal follower.
When Cohn unlocked her cell door, she whipped her head around, pulling faces at him.
**[Soul Strength: 39]**
Unsure if she knew Occlumency, Cohn held off on Legilimency for now. No point in tipping her off.
"Come on! Ugly thing, filthy trash! Ha! Come kiss me! Let's have a smooch—"
Bellatrix waited for it to suck away her happiness—or her soul. It was all loyalty. Death would only prove her devotion more. She'd give her life for the Dark Lord, and he'd know it.
She closed her eyes, puckering up dramatically—she'd lost it completely.
But the icy soul-chill never came. Bellatrix snapped her eyes open.
"The Dark Lord has a plan…"
Cohn rasped in a hoarse whisper:
"The Dark Lord needs you to prove your loyalty…"
Bellatrix's eyes bulged, her face twisting into an even wilder, more deranged grin.
"I knew it!" she shrieked, laughing hysterically. "Hahahahaha! I *knew* it!"
"He needs to return—he needs a loyal servant, but you're not out there. He's angry…" Cohn eased into it.
"But I'm in Azkaban—no, I'm loyal! I'm loyal! I've been searching for him! I'm nothing like those spineless turncoats!" Fear and panic flashed across her face. The idea of the Dark Lord misunderstanding her stung worse than death. "I'll help him! I'll give him everything!"
"He left something with you for his return…" Cohn hissed, mimicking Voldemort's serpentine tone. "A golden cup… He wants it back, but you didn't show…"
"The cup's still there!" Bellatrix screeched. "It's safe! The Master can take it anytime!"
"Gringotts has tightened security. He's weak now… he needs to gather strength…" Cohn said. "He wants into the Lestrange vault…"
"Do this, and you'll be rewarded as a loyal servant."
"Of course! Of course!" Bellatrix was desperate to prove herself. "The proof is mine and Rodolphus's wands! In a compartment behind the fireplace at Lestrange Manor! Bring him back! Let him know *I'm* his most loyal servant!"
"What?!"
Sirius, who'd thought Bellatrix was just raving, caught the words "bring him back" and realized something was off.
"Who's over there? Who are you talking to?!"
"Hahahahaha! The Dark Lord's coming back!" Bellatrix crowed at Sirius. "A coward like you could never imagine it! He won't die! He'll *never* die! He'll be back soon, and then you idiots—and those filthy traitors—will all be dead!"
Cohn slipped out of the cell and locked the bars again.
**[More food now.]**
The Dementor who'd shared with him floated back over.
"Go eat. I'm full."
Cohn handed back the keys, and it glided toward Bellatrix's cell with glee.
"Stop! What *are* you?!" Sirius pressed himself against his bars, flattening his body to peek out, looking just as frantic as his cousin had moments ago. "What did you say to her?! Who sent you?!"
"You don't need to know…"
Cohn drifted to Sirius's cell, pulling his wand from the system inventory.
"Obliviate."
Cohn wiped that chunk of memory to keep Sirius from blabbing.
He knew the Ministry sent inspectors periodically. Sirius would absolutely spill about "Voldemort" returning and the Lestrange vault if he remembered.
It wouldn't be a huge issue, but it'd complicate things. Cohn wanted this plan clean, with minimal loose ends.
No other prisoners were in this corridor. Cohn had half a mind to snack on a few souls before leaving, but seeing the pitiful Dementors scraping tiny bits of happiness from these wrecks tugged at him.
His conscience hit an all-time high, so he skipped the few soul points. If he got desperate later, he could harden up and feast then.
**[Goodwill +10]**
*[Note: Please, don't waste your conscience on shady stuff…]*
Mission accomplished! Next stop: back to Malfoy Manor. Lucius would definitely know where Lestrange Manor was in Britain.
Voldemort's name and clout sure came in handy.
**(End of Chapter)**