The surging light and shadow just now were completely those of an adult long-horned water snake. Compared with the young snakes raised by the young professor, it was larger in size, had longer horns, and was more terrifying.

The Patronus Charm is a famous defensive spell. Legend has it that it was passed down from ancient magic. It is a profound magic and a symbol that reveals the heart and soul. Most wizards can only summon a ball of silver light, and dark wizards are unable to cast spells.

A few wizards can summon physical Patronuses, which are usually ordinary animals.

The Dementors in the room fled in panic, leaving only one or two in the skylight.

If the previous Dementors were somewhere between illusion and reality, but closer to real monsters, the current Dementors were closer to ghosts without substance, with a translucent appearance and a faded, gray cloak.

He felt weak and his movements were slow, even the chill that surrounded him had faded a lot.

Melvin waved his wand and noticed that the Dementors had been dispelled, so he stopped casting the spell. The surging silver light stagnated for a moment, then turned into tiny bits of light and dissipated.

The criminals in the cell were still lying on the ground. Some weak-willed wizards had fallen into a coma, and some were still twitching. Their tattered clothes were covered with dirt, and on the dirt hung a layer of ice condensed from cold sweat.

Melvin wanted to say something, but didn't know where to start.

These prisoners are criminals and should be punished.

But it doesn't seem appropriate to use them as food for Dementors.

Melvin wasn't a sympathetic wizard like Hermione. He just felt a little disappointed when he saw humans become food for monsters. He sighed imperceptibly and turned to walk outside.

"Come on, let's go visit the next place."

"Yes, Professor Lewynter," Tonks hurried to follow.

Walking out of the cell, Tonks rubbed her arms. The Dementors had stayed in there for too long, the room temperature was too low, and she felt a little uncomfortable walking out of the room suddenly.

"Professor, is your Patronus a magical creature?"

"The horned water snake, a magical animal from North America."

Melvin noticed the witch's curiosity and shook his head. "I only summoned the Patronus a while ago. Before, it only produced a ball of silver light. As for why it was a horned water snake, I still haven't figured out the reason."

"Is that so..." Tonks didn't pursue the question further.

Every wizard's patronus is unique, usually related to the wizard's personality and inner reflection. Different patronuses reflect different emotions, usually ordinary animals, cats, dogs, etc., but there have been many unique patronuses in history.

In the Middle Ages, the patronus of a Greek wizard was a fire dragon. Britain once had a patronus of the Thestrals, and even an extinct mammoth. The most recent example in reality is Dumbledore, whose patronus is a phoenix.

Now with the addition of a horned water serpent Patronus, Tonks felt like she was witnessing a miracle.

"What is your patronus?" Melvin suddenly asked.

"A hare."

Tonks waved her wand and chanted a spell, summoning a nimble rabbit that ran with wisps of silver light and moved very quickly.

Melvin watched the hare hop away and disappear from his sight, his eyes flickering as he quietly sorted out some very distant memories.

I wonder if this hare will turn into a coyote this time.

"Tonks, did you know that Patronuses can actually change? Some scholars believe that Patronuses are a reflection of the soul and heart. When a wizard encounters a major change, or their personality changes..."

The two chatted as they walked, sometimes Melvin was talking like a Charms professor, and sometimes Tonks was talking, introducing Azkaban as a guide.

They continued walking along the rough stone road and passed a cemetery. After Tonks' introduction, Melvin realized that this was where prisoners were buried. He glanced at the names carved on several of the tombstones and didn't recognize any of them.

"Some died of illness, some couldn't stand the torture of Dementors and committed suicide. It's rare for relatives to come and claim the bodies." Tonks paused, as if remembering something. "A few years ago, there was one case. I heard from other Aurors that it was Mr. Crouch from the Department of International Affairs who personally claimed his son's body."

"Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr."

"Yes, he was very tough in the Inquisition, but he was imprisoned in Azkaban and died of illness not long after."

"..."

Melvin was silent.

If I remember correctly, not long after being imprisoned, Mrs. Crouch used Polyjuice Potion to switch identities with Barty Jr. during a visit. It was actually the seriously ill Mrs. Crouch who died in prison.

Azkaban is leaky as a sieve.

Melvin had a strange expression on his face. He paused for a moment and then continued, "It seems the protective measures in Azkaban are a bit lax."

"Like I said, Azkaban doesn't need high walls and waves. For criminals without wands, Dementors are the best jailers." Tonks waved her hand. "You'll know soon enough."

As he spoke, he had already returned to the fortress in the center of the island.

Entering from another door, the furnishings of the corridor were slightly different. The aisle was quite spacious, like the underground corridor of Hogwarts. Two people could walk side by side without feeling crowded. There were kerosene lamps embedded in the walls, and the light could barely illuminate the ground.

At the end of the corridor was a pair of black iron double doors with the word Azkaban painted on them. They looked heavy and cold, just like the jailer stationed there.

"Inside is where the Death Eaters are imprisoned." Tonks' voice echoed in the corridor.

Pushing open the door, there was a fork in the road in front of him. The corridors led to different directions, and on both sides were prison cells. The layout was very similar to the dungeon classroom at Hogwarts, with two doors at the front and back, square observation windows carved out on top, and brass nameplates hanging on the doors.

Antonius Dolokhov

August Rookwood

"Trevor, Mosaic..."

Melvin scanned the names above, searching for his target, passing through cell after cell, his footsteps echoing in the corridor.

Rodolphus Lestrange

Rabastan Lestrange

Bellatrix Lestrange

Melvin stopped and leaned closer to the observation window of the door, and saw a bed, a table and chairs inside.

A witch was lying on the ground, her long black hair was disheveled, her eyelids were swollen, her cheeks were sunken, and her badly worn robes were hanging on her body, looking a little too loose. Her thin and withered body could not support the robes that originally fit her well.

She looked like a crazy woman, picking at the moss on the floor, gathering a handful, and putting it into her mouth, chewing it slowly, as if she were savoring some delicacy.