Two days later, Harry sat across from Zacharias Smith for their final meeting at Hollowpoint. Harry had been compiling his latest sketches and ideas, which now filled his scrollbook with the designs of the cruelest chambers he had ever devised. It was time to share them with Zacharias, who listened intently as Harry laid out his vision for Hollowpoint's future.
"The Shale Crypt," Harry began, "is inspired by the Welsh underworld, Annwn. Prisoners will feel the earth pressing down on them in claustrophobic chambers, the walls slowly closing in, leaving them to gasp for air, haunted by ghostly whispers."
Zacharias nodded, his face expressionless, but the subtle shift in his eyes revealed his approval. "Good. Hollowpoint thrives on fear."
Harry continued, explaining The Fox's Den, a shifting maze that disoriented prisoners as they were hunted by illusions of an ethereal fox. "They'll never know where the walls are leading them. And the fear of being stalked by something they can't see? It'll break them."
"Psychological torture at its finest," Zacharias said, a trace of admiration slipping into his voice.
Harry's descriptions grew darker as he detailed The Gemstone Furnace, where prisoners were mesmerized by glowing, enchanted gemstones that radiated intense heat. The allure of the gems would draw them closer, only for them to burn themselves, caught in a hypnotic trance. Then came The Hollow Well, a pit where prisoners were left in freezing water with no way to escape, their own screams echoing endlessly around them.
"They'll lose hope quickly in there," Zacharias said, his smile returning. "Perfect."
Harry moved on, sketching out The Foxfire Labyrinth, a twisting maze illuminated by eerie blue lights. "The foxfire will cause hallucinations, making them believe they're being hunted, driving them mad as they lose their sense of direction."
As Harry detailed Pandora's Vault, a chamber filled with unpredictable bursts of chaotic magic, Zacharias leaned forward, intrigued. "They won't know when the next pain is coming, or what form it'll take," Harry explained. "It's chaos incarnate."
Zacharias chuckled, "Exactly what Hollowpoint needs."
Harry then outlined The Obsidian Mine, where prisoners would work surrounded by sharp shards of enchanted obsidian, each cut healing painfully slow, trapping them in a cycle of physical agony. Finally, The Soulforge—an Annwn-inspired forge—where prisoners would experience soul-burning pain, leaving them hollow and broken inside.
"These chambers will turn Hollowpoint into the most feared labor camp in Voldemort's empire," Harry finished.
Zacharias leaned back, deeply satisfied. "You've outdone yourself, Harry. These designs... they capture the essence of Hollowpoint."
But Harry wasn't finished yet. "There's more," he said, revealing two additional chambers.
"The Quarry of Shame will be an open-air pit where prisoners are forced to perform degrading tasks, covered in mud while being humiliated in front of others. It's designed to strip away any last sense of pride or dignity they have left."
Zacharias grinned, "Public shame. I like it."
"And finally, The Void's Embrace," Harry said. "Complete sensory deprivation. No light, no sound, no feeling. They'll be left alone with nothing but their own fears and hallucinations. Time will cease to exist, and they'll lose their grip on reality."
Zacharias stared at Harry, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Brilliant. Hollowpoint will be unmatched."
Harry closed his scrollbook, satisfied that his work here was complete. As they stood to shake hands, Zacharias gave Harry a rare nod of respect. "Tomorrow, you'll leave back home to Raven's Hold. Camp: Hollowpoint will never be the same."
Harry allowed himself a small smile. "No, it won't. My work here is done."
As Harry left the room, he knew the new chambers would leave a lasting mark on Hollowpoint—solidifying its reputation as a stronghold of fear, where prisoners' bodies, minds, and souls were broken beyond repair.
