Harry swallowed hard.
"Arthur… that's not funny."
The idea of every Azkaban prisoner escaping at once—
It was unthinkable.
The wizarding world would descend into chaos.
Arthur raised a brow.
"I'm not joking. I can't tell you the source, but the information is accurate."
Harry still struggled to process it.
"If Azkaban's empty, why hasn't anyone noticed? Shouldn't the whole wizarding world be in uproar?"
Arthur shrugged.
"Perhaps because the Ministry is busy electing a new Minister."
To be honest, even he had not expected the Ministry to remain oblivious for this long.
They trusted the Dementors too much.
They believed no one could possibly break out under the watch of thousands of them.
They had never considered—
That the Dementors themselves could switch sides.
After so many prison breaks over the years, the Ministry still hadn't learned its lesson.
And now Voldemort had walked in and emptied the entire facility.
Without resistance.
Harry looked pale.
"So… what do we do?"
Arthur answered calmly.
"You inform Dumbledore. And the Ministry. This is their responsibility."
He paused.
"And you mentioned Bellatrix dropped her wand at Grimmauld Place."
Harry nodded.
"Bring it to me. I can use it to trace her."
Harry's eyes sharpened.
"Alright. I'll write to Dumbledore first. I'll send the wand with Hedwig."
"If you find Bellatrix—or the Lestrange brothers—tell me."
Arthur made an OK gesture.
Harry turned to leave—
"Wait," Arthur called.
"Don't forget to take your godfather's body. You might want to arrange a funeral."
The tone was perfectly reasonable.
Yet it sounded strangely inappropriate.
After all—
Sirius's ghost was literally hovering beside them.
Harry briefly imagined himself standing solemnly at a grave while Sirius's spirit floated nearby offering emotional support.
The image was deeply unsettling.
He shook the thought away.
Then left with Sirius's body.
The Ministry Reacts
Harry's letter reached Dumbledore—who happened to be at the Ministry during the election proceedings.
The news changed everything.
The political squabbling ceased instantly.
Dumbledore effectively assumed leadership in crisis response and began investigating Azkaban's disappearance.
The wizarding world, barely stabilized after Voldemort's return and Fudge's fall, was once again thrown into turmoil.
But that—
Had little to do with Arthur.
Farum Azula
Meanwhile, in the Lands Between—
Arthur had already cleared half of the Crumbling Farum Azula.
Melina had handled the other half.
They regrouped.
She removed her Sumeru Ring and handed it over.
Arthur transferred dozens of dragon corpses into his ingredient vault—his system storage—before returning the ring.
Melina slipped it back on.
"What next?" she asked.
"Shall we release Destined Death?"
Thanks to the trait inherited from the Gloam-Eyed Queen, she could sense its location.
It rested at the highest altar in the city.
Arthur shook his head.
"Not yet."
"First, we pay a visit to the city's master."
"Dragonlord Placidusax."
Melina nodded.
"Do you need my help?"
Arthur declined.
"This battle isn't for you. Return for now."
Placidusax was the first Elden Lord in recorded history.
Though abandoned by his god…
Though reduced to two heads…
Though diminished to perhaps a tenth of his former power…
He was still a being capable of anchoring himself within the storm-wracked seam of time.
He commanded not only draconic might—
But time itself.
Melina, in her current childlike divine state, could not contend with such a foe.
She understood.
"I'll wait for you. Be careful."
Arthur smiled and ruffled her hair.
"I won't be long."
If Placidusax were at full strength, Arthur might hesitate.
But now?
A fallen king.
A decaying dragonlord.
Arthur possessed temporal authority as well.
And countless other powers besides.
He was confident.
Defeating a withered dragon king—
Would not be a problem.
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