The only scene visible as they walked into the next room was what seemed to be a river of light, almost sparkling, with particles of sand speeding through it like a sandstorm. It was impossible to see its origin or destination, but the sand stream blocked the two travelers from seeing anything else.
“These are the Department of Mysteries’ Sands of Time, Potter. They used to be contained into time turners, used for precise time travel. But when your father broke in here as a young wizard, his little band thought it would be amusing to smash the entire cupboard of them. So now this is the destination for those who commit acts of violence against others.” Snape walked forward a few paces, then seemed to be mounting something. Squinting, Albus made out a giant Manticore. Snape looked over at Albus expectantly. Nervously, the boy followed his lead.
Inside the stream, people would stand in the sandstorm momentarily, screaming, and then disappear. Occasionally, someone would attempt to run to escape the storm, but those who tried were immediately stung or blasted by Blast-Ended Skrewts who seemed to run rampant through the stream of sand. Out of the corner of his eye, Albus noticed a striking woman with dark hair and heavy eyelids. She screamed in agony, her throat hoarse and her mouth filling with sand. And then she was gone. Albus turned to Snape.
“Where did she go?”
“Bellatrix? No one can know exactly. But she, like the others here, travels back in time to all the times she has tortured or killed someone, and must now experience it from their point of view.”
“Why are we not swept away that way?”
“You are not swept away because this Ministry building is no longer a place for the living; therefore, these punishments have no effect on you. I am not swept away because I have been appointed as your guide.”
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