"Hogwarts, then. Fine. I'll discuss it with the Ministry of Magic and do my best to get rid of this hot potato."
After a long silence, Ludmis finally made his decision.
Truthfully, he considered Liam Hale a dangerously unsettling child. Keeping him in Azkaban felt like inviting future disaster. If Liam ended up at Hogwarts instead, then responsibility would fall squarely onto Dumbledore's shoulders.
Ludmis had always lived by a simple philosophy.
Never seek credit.
Just avoid blame.
A few days later, he convened a meeting at the Ministry of Magic.
During the session, he passionately described Liam's situation. He spoke at length about how the Dementors had failed to affect the boy and emphasized how inhumane it was to imprison such a young child in Azkaban. With remarkable sincerity, he argued that sending Liam to Hogwarts for a proper magical education would be far more beneficial.
Some of the more hardline Aurors objected immediately.
A child who had used the Killing Curse and killed two Muggles was hardly innocent.
However, most of the assembled witches and wizards were ultimately persuaded. Between Liam's age and Ludmis's dramatic speech, the majority voted in favor of transferring him to Hogwarts.
The moment approval was granted, Ludmis returned to Azkaban in an unusually cheerful mood.
Accompanied by two Aurors, he made his way directly to Liam's cell.
The heavy iron door creaked open.
Liam sat calmly on his stone bed, silver eyes fixed on the visitors.
"My child," Ludmis began with a warm smile, "I'm deeply sorry for the hardships you've suffered here. However, after considerable effort on my part, arrangements have been made. You will be released from Azkaban and admitted to Hogwarts, where you'll enjoy a wonderful student life filled with friendship, learning, and sunshine."
"Oh?"
Liam stared at him expressionlessly.
"Should I thank you?"
The silver-eyed gaze was cold enough to pierce through flesh and bone.
For a brief moment, Ludmis felt as though every falsehood behind his smile had been exposed.
His expression stiffened.
"No, no. There's no need for thanks. This is simply the right thing to do. A child like you should never have been sent to Azkaban in the first place."
"I'll be back."
A faint sneer appeared on Liam's face.
Unlike Ludmis, he wasn't happy at all.
He had been only a short time away from perfecting his modified Imperius Curse and establishing true control over the Dementors. Just when success was within reach, Ludmis had decided to remove him from Azkaban.
Watching the Dementors torment Death Eaters had demonstrated just how useful those creatures could be.
Now his test subjects were being taken away.
Naturally, he was annoyed.
"No, no. Please don't come back."
Cold sweat appeared on Ludmis's forehead.
"This is Azkaban Prison. Being imprisoned here is a stain on any wizard's life. It would negatively affect your future."
"My future belongs to me."
"Yes. Of course. Absolutely."
Under Liam's calm stare, Ludmis found himself nodding reflexively.
It was difficult to remember that the person before him was only ten years old.
Many Death Eaters and Dark Wizards had already died at Liam's hands.
His record was more frightening than that of many adult Aurors.
"You locked me up for two months," Liam said calmly. "Now you're throwing me out without compensation. Doesn't that seem inappropriate?"
His silver eyes sharpened.
At the same time, he subtly activated another spell of his own design.
A fear-inducing enchantment.
The spell was nearly invisible, influencing emotions rather than the mind directly.
Unfortunately for Liam, Ludmis possessed far stronger willpower than ordinary Dark Wizards.
The effect was limited.
Still, it worked enough.
"Wait."
Ludmis blinked.
"Are you blackmailing me?"
For the first time in his career, he found himself completely baffled.
He had overseen countless dangerous prisoners.
None of them had ever attempted to extort the Warden of Azkaban.
"I was subjected to Dementors for two months without compensation," Liam said matter-of-factly. "That seems unreasonable."
Ludmis nearly choked.
If any other prisoner had said that, perhaps there would have been some logic to it.
But Liam?
The Dementors hadn't even been able to affect him.
The entire reason Ludmis wanted him gone was because of that fact.
Yet somehow Liam was using it as leverage.
The sheer shamelessness was astonishing.
Still...
If Liam decided he didn't want to leave for Hogwarts, things could become very troublesome.
Getting him out of Azkaban was currently the highest priority.
"What do you want?" Ludmis asked through clenched teeth.
"Bring me a Dementor."
"Absolutely not!"
The response came instantly.
Ludmis nearly shouted.
"Dementors are highly dangerous magical creatures under strict Ministry control. They cannot be given to private individuals under any circumstances."
"Shame."
Liam clicked his tongue.
"Why do you even want a Dementor?" Ludmis asked suspiciously.
Liam considered the question seriously before answering.
"It would make a cute pet."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The two Aurors standing nearby looked as though they had forgotten how to breathe.
The statement might have sounded like childish nonsense coming from another ten-year-old.
Coming from Liam Hale, it was deeply disturbing.
Ludmis felt a chill run down his spine.
The fact that the boy genuinely seemed to believe it made things even worse.
"You..."
He pointed a trembling finger at Liam.
"You little lunatic."
Ludmis wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"No Dementors. Ask for something else."
Liam sighed.
It had been worth trying.
Controlling a Dementor through his modified Imperius Curse would have been a valuable experiment.
Unfortunately, that opportunity appeared lost.
"In that case," Liam said, "give me some money."
"What?"
"My belongings were confiscated by the Ministry."
"Of course they were confiscated!"
Ludmis almost exploded.
"You killed two Muggles. The Ministry spent a great deal of money handling the aftermath."
"Then give me some money."
Liam spread his hands.
"You don't expect me to leave Azkaban completely broke, do you?"
Ludmis narrowed his eyes.
"You're threatening to rob people?"
"If I have no money, I'll have to get some somehow."
The answer was delivered with perfect sincerity.
Ludmis suddenly developed a headache.
If Liam left Azkaban, robbed someone, and got arrested again, it would become a permanent stain on Azkaban's reputation.
The whole reason he had convinced the Ministry to release the boy was because the case could be argued as excessive self-defense.
If Liam immediately committed another crime and returned, the entire effort would become a joke.
After a long pause, Ludmis sighed heavily.
"How much do you want?"
Liam pointed directly at the leather pouch hanging from Ludmis's belt.
"As an adult, don't be stingy."
"Give me the purse."
"You!"
Ludmis nearly burst a blood vessel.
"When I take money from Dark Wizards and Death Eaters," Liam explained, "I always take the entire purse."
The warden fell silent.
A dark expression settled over his face.
Then, with obvious reluctance, he unhooked the pouch and tossed it toward Liam.
Liam caught it neatly.
That statement had carried a rather disturbing implication.
The reason Dark Wizards never objected when Liam took their purses was simple.
Dead people rarely complained.