#409 - Betrayal? (Seeking monthly ticket recommendation ticket)

【Silently recite the website three times. Did you remember it? If not, I'll ask again in the next chapter. It would be best if you could share it on Facebook.】

At this moment, Anduin carried the iron plate to the front of the cage, using magic to guide the aroma of the lamb chops towards Sirius.

Sirius, inside the cell, reacted when he smelled this familiar yet foreign aroma. He couldn't help but slowly raise his head, his nose twitching, and his eyes involuntarily darting towards the outside of the cell.

Sirius had suffered greatly in Azkaban over the past few years, never having enough to eat or wear. Suddenly, a hot, fragrant meal appeared before him, one that he used to love. For a moment, he couldn't resist the instinctive temptation.

"Sirius, this is your favorite lamb chop, and it's still warm. Don't you want to try it?" Hearing Anduin's words, Sirius reflexively tried to shrink back into the shadows.

Seeing this, Anduin pushed the lamb chops closer. "I'm just here to catch up with you. You don't need to be so nervous. I'll send the lamb chops in, and you can eat them or not."

With that, Anduin controlled the lamb chops, tilting the plate upright and squeezing it through the iron bars. Under his 'controlled' magic, not a single drop of juice was spilled. He delivered it completely intact and placed it in the center of the cell.

Initially, when Sirius saw Anduin's actions, he shrank back in aversion, but he couldn't resist the temptation of the aroma, and he frequently glanced at the iron plate not far away.

During this time, Anduin outside the cell was very patient, not saying a word, just squatting there and watching Black. Finally, Sirius couldn't resist, crawling to the center of the cell and grabbing a lamb chop, tearing off a piece and stuffing it into his mouth.

After taking the first bite, it seemed to activate a switch in his memory, and he immediately began to devour it ravenously. However, even so, he didn't make any eye contact or have any conversation with Anduin outside the door.

"Cough, cough!" Sirius had clearly not had a good meal in a long time, or perhaps these lamb chops were too fragrant, and he swallowed too quickly, soon choking.

"Have something to drink." Seeing this, Anduin immediately poured a large glass of butterbeer and handed it into the cell. However, this time he didn't use magic to control the cup, but simply held it out with his hand.

Sirius, who was choking and unable to bear it, didn't suspect anything. After all, Anduin hadn't said anything provocative. So, he crawled towards the cell door and reached out to take the drink.

However, just as Sirius grasped the glass, Anduin quickly reached out with his other hand and grabbed his arm!

Sirius was suddenly seized and panicked. He didn't care about the glass in his hand, letting it fall to the ground. He used both hands to desperately try to break free.→

"Black!"

Anduin looked at Sirius, who was gaunt but still struggling, and shouted sternly.

Sirius, hearing his name shouted so close, was immediately taken aback and involuntarily raised his head.

This was the first time he had made eye contact with Anduin. Looking at his former friend's solemn expression, Black's expression was full of sorrow, and his eyes couldn't help but dart away.

"Why do you choose to escape?" Anduin used more force in his arm, pulling Sirius further out, pulling one of his hands out of the cell and pressing his face against the bars.

"Don't force me, Anduin. I'm guilty. I harmed Potter and Lily. I know what you want to do, but staying in Azkaban is my destiny. Only in this way can I atone for my sins." Sirius found that he couldn't break free, so he could only desperately brace himself against the cell door, then looked at Anduin and pleaded bitterly.

"You're finally willing to talk to me." Anduin sneered. "I thought you'd been driven mad in prison."

"So, are you admitting your guilt?"

After Anduin's taunt, his tone changed, and his eyes gradually sharpened. "Since you say you killed the Potters, then that proves you betrayed them. You revealed their location to the Dark Lord, and you used Potter, Lily, me, and the Phoenix Order's trust. From the beginning, you were loyal to the Death Eaters?"

"No!" Hearing Anduin's words, Sirius's eyes turned bloodshot, his expression became ferocious, and he roared hysterically at Anduin, "Even if you kill me, I will never betray Potter and Lily, and I will never collude with those parasites."

After shouting these words at Anduin, his struggles became more intense. Anduin could even feel a tremendous force suddenly burst out of his body, and he was almost broken free by Black. Fortunately, Anduin suddenly exerted force and regained control.

"You didn't betray Potter and Lily?" Anduin frowned. He could sense from Sirius's expression and body language that he wasn't lying. He couldn't help but become even more curious about what had happened back then.

"If you didn't reveal their location, then why were they found by the Dark Lord? What else are you hiding from me? Why won't you tell me the truth?" Anduin continued to assault Sirius's nerves with words, and he also mixed some 'mind-based' magic into his voice, allowing it to directly enter Black's heart.

"Don't torture me anymore. I never thought of revealing their location, and I couldn't. But I'm guilty, I know I'm guilty. I'm sorry to them, Waaah…" Sirius's mind was constantly filled with Anduin's questions, and he broke down and cried.

"You didn't? Couldn't? What does that mean?" Anduin was a little confused by Sirius's incoherent words. "You clearly knew they were protected by the 'Fidelius Charm,' and as the Secret-Keeper, if you didn't sincerely reveal it, no one could force you to reveal the secret!"

Anduin said to himself, while his mind was constantly analyzing the meaning of Sirius's words. Even Bardnor, who was supervising from the side, couldn't help but frown after hearing Black's words.

Sirius, however, seemed not to have heard Anduin's words and continued to wail. He still hadn't been able to escape the shadows in his heart.

"If what you say is true…" Anduin's low voice echoed in front of the cage, "You didn't reveal Potter and Lily's address, and you couldn't reveal their address, then there's only one possibility."

Anduin said, staring at Sirius with wide eyes, "That is, the Potters' Secret-Keeper isn't you, but someone else!"

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