Chapter fifteen
After an semi-enjoyable lunch meal, which was dented by Draco Malfoy, who seem to have gotten the nerve to insult Harry and his friends. Harry smirked to himself after he left, he's going to have some fun at dinner time. He filled in his friends and other fellow Gryffindor. He felt oddly loss about something, he was missing some sort of thing. He couldn't put a finger on it, and looked around at the lunch table and saw Ginny. He felt something hit with a pang. Neville wasn't here, and he wasn't able to enjoy getting back the Slytherins, and frowned.
He wasn't even sastified by cursing the Lestrange for one full minute watching her in pain. Hearing her screaming in agony. Then he smiled at her pain, well at least it wasn't all lost when he set the curse upon her. In some ways, he got his vengeance for Neville Longbottom. He felt a pair of eyes was watching him and looked up from his plate and saw Hermione staring at him, frowning.
"Are you okay Harry?" she asked.
"Yeah, fine, just realized something was missing, and figured that i-it was Neville..." The table fell silent after mentioning his name. "It didn't feel right talking about the gits in Slytherin without Neville enjoying it..." Few people fidgeted a little in their seat but said nothing. Harry took another bite into his sandwich and drank pumpkin juice.
"I'm going outside, anyone coming?" Harry asked, standing up. "Who's up for some flying?" Harry grinned at the memory yesterday, and the others looked at each other and stared back at Harry, a little horrofied but smiled back. Some of them got up including Ron and Hermione.
"Potty has his fan club following him now?" Draco called out, causing snickers out of some Slytherins, but Harry ignored and the others, luckily, followed his example. Once out of Great Hall and into the Entrance Hall, Harry made an small announcements.
"Malfoy's getting something at dinner, he won't know what's coming," this caused a roar of laughter.
"Oh I can't wait to see what will happen to that git!" Ron exclaimed and stopped walking. "Wait, we forgot our brooms!"
"Don't worry, remember my summoning in my first task in my fourth year?" This caused a murmurings out of some fourth and fifth years. "I'm not trying to show off, so you know, it's too far away from here and it's good to practice especially against Voldemort..." Again, there were some gasps and little shrieks. "Guys, we're Gryffindors, we're supposed to be brave. If I don't have fear saying his name, Hermione doesn't anymore, if you don't say the name, it increases the fear itself."
Harry had caused everyone to fall silent as they made way to the pitch, Harry took out his wand and flicked. "Accio Firebolt and Cleansweep!" Several moments later, the two brooms, recongizably as Harry's and Ron's. "Here Ron," he handed the broom to Ron as he mounted his own. "Oh, don't go have an heart attack when I pull another one of those moves," he said to the group and with that, he kicked off the ground, grinning.
Several hours of fun in the air, and few dangerous moves, Ron and Harry called it night and the group made way back to the Great Hall for dinner. But before Harry even left the pitch, he took his wand out again, the group of Gryffindors stopped, wondering what's he going to do.
"Accio invisblity cloak!"
"No Harry! What if Malfoy sees the cloak coming!?" Hermione scolded, worried.
"Don't worry, I had left the window open next to my bed and well, practically everything's lying under my bed. So, dont't worry," then he caught his cloak. "Alright, be at the dinner table if none of you want to be caught," This caused everyone to pick up their pace as Harry swung over the cloak himself. He made way to the Great Hall, and found Malfoy at the table again. But before he proceeded, he looked to Dumbledore, making sure that he actually doesn't see through him. When he didn't, Harry made way to Draco Malfoy and using his infamous voice and spoke.
"So, making trouble are you?" Draco Malfoy let out a whimper. "Meet me at the pitch after dinner... or suffer the consquences."
"Y-yes, I-I'll be there!"
"You better come alone, or horrible things will happen to your little friends, or should I say, gaurds?"
"I'll come alone sir!" Malfoy squeaked, causing others to stare at him worriedly.
"Is it him again Draco?" Pansy asked, worry evident in her face, Dracoe nodded fearfully. Harry saw thin sheet of shine on his face, and glad that he was sweating badly about this situation and chuckled in his ears and walked away. He better get to the pitch now so he'll have to miss dinner, hopefully they'll bring some food. Now that he remembered, and walked towards the Gryffindor table and spoke to Ron and Hermione.
"Bring some food and drink for me, and get all of the Gryffindors, hidden of course, to the pitch, and the D.A. as well if you can. Something's going to happen, and we can't let anyone be seen by Malfoy," Ron and Hermione nodded and Harry left, to prepare.
Several minutes later, he saw Malfoy coming towards the pitch, alone. Harry smirked at this, and seeing he was still under the cloak, and made it to trip Malfoy into the mud headfirst. He got up, sputtering.
"I know th-that move! P-POTTER!?" Malfoy snarled. Harry shrugged off the claok while cluching to the wand. "No-- That's not right..."
"'Course it is, so, afriad are you Malfoy?" Harry grinned at him. iMaybe this is how dad felt towards Snape.... well in that case, I understand./i He watched him continuing to sputter out words. "Can't you speak English?"
"Yes!" with that, he took out his wand, pointing at Harry, but Harry was faster, who had already had his wand pointing at Draco Malfoy. The two of them glared at each other. "I'll kill you if I have to! You got some guts to fight me here alone!"
"Not exactly alone, but yeah, alone fighting. Come out you Lions!" Harry called his housemates out of their hiding place. "We have witnesses, so you can't exactly kill me. Plus, humiliating you just like you always did to us. So, we're rightfully humilating you back!"
Draco Malfoy let out a snarl, looking at the rest of the people and at Harry. "Coward, that's what it is!"
"Really? I'm not under the impression of that ferret..." The people around them laughed lightly at this.
"Stupefy!"
"Protego!" Harry called forth his sheild, deflecting the Stunning curse into the air. "Not so fast Malfoy."
"Impedimenta!" blonde haired boy yelled, and Harry dodge and threw the Jelly-leg curse at him who also dodged.
"Taratangella!" shooting the dancing hex at Harry who narrowly dodged and firing another hex at Malfoy.
"Flouebul Liofon!" Which poured soapy water ontop of Draco's head, causing to mess up his gell-y hair to splatter all over. This caused an great uproar of laughter. But also cause Malfoy to grow even more angrier and glared at the Gryffindors.
"Never mind them! Concisus tergumvelius!" This time, however, Harry got hit in the left arm, and had gone through his cloths and cut at his skin, causing gaping wound.
"Augh!" Harry lurched and recovered and pointed the wand at Malfoy again, seething.
"Xenolotifus Curicitus!" Harry bellowed the curse at Draco Malfoy and got hit and fell to the knees screaming.
"Ahhh! It burns!" Malfoy scratched at his skin, but before he scratched 'til he bled. Harry took the curse off of him. He watched Malfoy panting, gasping fo breath.
"That one, was a light spell, similar to Cruciatus Curse, but only for the light, and since you are a dark person, it's effective. Now will someone take him to the Wing? I have an appointment with someone."
Harry turned back to the Entrance Hall, somewhat please with himself. But not very pleased, after all, he did provoke Malfoy to dueling. 'Well, he deserved it anyways,' Harry thought darkly. 'But I'm surprised.... I seem so cold to him, I think I'm scaring myself...' Then he heard footfalls behind him and shouting for his name.
"Harry! Where the bloody hell did you learn that curse!?" Ron asked increduously.
"Yeah, I would like to know for myself," Hermione stared at him sternly. "Is it really for the light?"
"Yeah, I've... been getting lessons from Remus and Sirius, well, actually not really..." Harry trailed off.
"What do you mean, not really?" Hermione asked sharply.
"It's not my fault if they leave their books lying around in the place I was hiding at. I was bored sometimes you know."
"Oh Harry, you shouldn't have!" Hermione said, shaking her head. "What kind of books were they?"
"They're not Dark Arts if that's what you were wondering, after last Friday, I swore to myself I'll never use a Dark Arts curses or hexes or any sort of things with the Dark Arts again."
"Well, that's good to hear... but will that be enough to stay away from Azkaban?" Hermione wondered.
"I hope so..."
They stopped at the statue and said their password, (Snickers) and went up the spirling staircase. He knoecked on the door and hear a 'come in'. The three stared at each other nervously as Harry pushed the door open and saw that he wasn't alone. Of course he knew that Dumbledore wasn't going to be alone, but far more people than he had thought.
The room was filled with several Ministry representatives including the Minister of Magic, along with ProfessorsMcGonagall and Dumbledore. 'What now?' Harry thought, wondering what's going on. He hope he didn't need to be interrogated by them about the night of Voldemort's announced return.
"Hello Harry," he heard Dumbledore welcoming them.
"Mr. Potter," said Minister Fudge, smiling at him but with a frown in his eyes.
"Uh, what's going on?" Harry asked blankly. Then he heard the door opening and closing behind him and saw that Severus Snape had arrived in the Office as well.
"I'm afraid that something had come to light," Fudge began, Harry's skin grew cold.
'N-no they couldn't--'
"Headmaster here, told me what happened on Friday night, and one of the details happen to include the Cruciatus Curse," several people in the room gasped. Apparently they weren't informed of what had happened. "So we have to act accordingly." The murmurings broke out amongst themselves, shocked to hear that The-Boy-Who-Lived had used a Cruciatus Curse. "Quiet everyone!"
"But surely, can't you pardon Harry Potter?"
"If he did on a Death Eater, shouldn't that be justified?"
"I believe I ordered for silence!" said Fudge flustered. The murmurings died, but staring at Harry, who felt at once uncomfortable. "Now, who did you perform on? I need to hear from you."
"Le-Lestrange, Bellatrix Lestrange . . . she was mocking me that I couldn't get her! I mean, after that, I swore to myelf I'll never use Dark Arts again, it was... horrorfying..." Harry retorted, trying to defend himself. Fudge looked at him frowning and turned to Headmaster who nodded without a twinkle in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Potter, but you will have to go to Azkaban . . ." Harry stared at him in horror.
"Wh-what! A-are Dementors still there..?" He couldn't believe it, he, Harry, was going to Azkaban.
"Yes, some of them have already left yesterday to You-Know-Who, but largely, most of them are still on our side."
'Our side my arse! I'm not going to Azkaban!' Harry stared at them all, defiantly. "I'm not going."
"I'm sorry, but you have no choice," Fudge said. "Kingsley, Dawlish, a-a-ar-arrest him," he stammered and looked away from Harry. He felt alone, even in company of Ron and Hermione. He didn't know what to do, he'd die in that place within weeks!
"But sir, I won't last long in that place!"
"Dementors or not, you're going," Fudge replied as the two aurors approached him. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, who both looked upset.
"C-can I at least say good bye first? And a request?" Harry asked, trying to buy more time, delaying as much he can away from the dementors. Fudge sighed, and nodded.
"Well, I guess you could, and what's the request?" The aurors stopped walking, only two meters from Harry. Harry looked over to Dumbledore hesitantly and looked back at Fudge.
"This might sound crazy, but do you remember at the end of my third year? About Sirius Black?" Fudge immediatuly flustered, but nodded. "Well, he is innocent, I'm sure you saw one of the Death Eaters unmasked last Friday. That man is Pettigrew."
Following after that, came silence and stared at him in shock and looked at the Minister of Magic.
"Y-you're right, now that you've mentioned it, it did look like him... galloping gargoyles! Are you saying Pettigrew framed Sirius Black?" Harry nodded numbly. "But what about the betraying your parents?"
"They switched the secret Keeper at the last minute, they thought that Pettigrew wouldn't be caught and that Sirius would throw Voldemort (nearly everyone gasped and shrieked at the name) off," again he was greeted with shocked silence and he sneaked a peek at Dumbledore. He saw that his eyes were twinkling ever so softly.
"How do we know this is true?" Fudge recovered.
"Well, tell me how you want me to prove you? Under Veritaserum for Sirius?" Harry asked.
"W-well that would be enough," Fudge nearly stammered. "If this is true, we'll have a heck lot of compensation to do for him..."
"Yes you do," said Harry coolly. "Now may I say my goodbyes now?"
"Wait, do you know where Sirius Black is?"
"Ask Dumbledore, he knows," Harry turned to his friends, with Hermione silently crying in tears and Ron staring at him with anguish. "Well," he patted on Ron's shoulder who snapped out of it.
"Mate! Harry, mate," Ron hugged him who didn't really hugged back as he pulled into apathy mood.
"I'm going to miss you Ron, mate," Harry swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He let go of Ron and turned to Hermione who leaped forward and hugged him tightly again. But this time he didn't protest for air, he hugged Hermione back lightly.
"Oh Harry!" she sobbed into Harry's robes. "We'll visit you, can't we Minister Fudge?" she asked, looking at Fudge. Who sagged, and contemplating for a minute and shook his head no. Hermione broke into more tears. Harry couldn't believe it, he wasn't going to have any visitors at Azkaban.
"Only until you graduate from Hogwarts," he said.
i'Oh, that helps so much, that's little of a year!'/i Harry thought sarcastically. He heard Hermione another sob.
"I suppose it's better than not visiting at all isn't it?" her voice strained.
"Sir," Harry remembered his question, which had never been answered. "How long am I staying?" Fudge looked over to Dumbledore and then at the Ministry representatives and several Aurors. "Sir?"
"W-well, I suppose you could serve in Azkaban for twenty years . . ." Hermione looked up from his robes at the Minister. "Your case is, well, under the circumstances, special."
'20 years, twenty years of reign by Voldemort! How was I supposed to slay him? Surely I could and try to break out sooner than that. My friends are in danger!'
"Why twenty years sir? I thought if you did an Unforgivable curse warranted a cell in Azkaban?" Hermione asked. Fudge, again looked flustered and opened his mouth like a fish.
"I-well, I suppose it's because he freed us of You-Know-Who for the peace in this world," he replied. This statement didn't seem to sastify everyone but no one dared to question further, thus extending his servitude in Azkaban. Hermione finally let go of Harry, and turned to Kingsley and Dawlish.
"So, how are we getting out of here?" Harry asked, with a voice of casual manner. Everyone looked at him as if he were insane. Kingsley took the portkey out of his pocket.
"I don't suppose we'll need to handcuff you will we?" he asked, Harry shook his head. He handed his wand to Dumbledore.
"Please take care of my wand," and Dumbledore accepted, nodding. "Well, bye everyone, I hope I'll see some of you soon." He looked over to Snape, and gave a little half-hearted wave. Severus Snape didn't respond or acknowledge him.
"We will Potter," Professor McGonagall said, with a small smile. "You take care of yourself at that place," Harry nodded. With that, and the last thing he saw at Hogwarts was Fawkes who was cooing sadly at Harry and felt the portkey whisking away from that place and felt a large lump forming in his throat again.
He couldn't believe it, he really was going to Azkaban, with the things he feared the most. iDementors. They're going to be everyewhere. /i Harry thought, panicking. And the three landed with a thud and his knees buckled and fell over. "Augh," he cried out as he fell, and felt strong pair of arms pullinig him to his feet.
"Not so good with portkeys are you?" Kingsley asked.
Harry shook his head, "No sir, I don't have any knack for floo or portkeys. I prefer brooms and cars," Kingsley chuckled, shaking his head.
"This way Potter," the two Aurors led him towards the building which he noticed for first time. By the standings of Hogwarts, Azkaban is much bigger than he had imagined. He wouldn't be surprised if it was bigger than Hogwarts itself. The building was tinged with yellow and some grime covering the walls. There were a few windows, giving him a forboding feeling that the place is dark. And some of the windows were barred like the time in his summer before second year at the Dursleys.
"Sir, I have a question," he began, remembering when the Dursleys bearly fed him. "How often will they feed me?"
"Oh once every six hours, most of the prisoners don't have much appietite because of Dementors here," Harry's stomach clenched. Six hours, he was going to starve just like at the Dursleys. "I'm afraid to say that the food here isn't that good either." They came to a halt in front of iron door. He saw the Dementors standing on either side of the door, gaurding. Harry's inside fell cold, and heard a faint screaming in his head.
"Oh no.." Harry felt light head and nearly collasped but Dawlish caught him before he was on the ground. The screaming of his mother, the face of Cedric's lifeless eyes, the way Neville fell to his death by the killing curse. The bad memories of his young life at the Dursleys emerged. He was surrounded by darkness, his skin cold.
"Freak! You should have never lived, the way you are ungrateful!" a woman's voice screeched, he knew that it belonged to Aunt Petunia. He saw that Dudley pounded Harry, and being chased by his friends, punching him until he got a bloody nose.
He remembered when Ron was jealous at Harry when he entered by accident in Triwizard tournament and felt sad. Harry also remembered Sirius, how mad he was at him in the Shrieking Shack. When he thought he had betrayed his parents. That he had lost his only chance at normal life. But wait, it wasn't Sirius, he was framed, it had been Wormtail, that Pettigrew.
His eyes snapped open, gasping, but saw that it was dark in the cell. He still heard screaming voices in his head but at the cell's door, he saw a plate full of food. A chicken leg, some beans and water. 'Well, this is much better than the Dursley's at least,' he thought depressed-ly. 'How am I supposed to survive this place? I wonder how long I have been out...?' he wondered.
End of Fifth book
I already have the begining and the end of the sixth book fleshed out really well. Don't worry, Harry's getting out much sooner than that. That's all the hint I'm giving you all. Now don't worry, you won't have to wait too long. I hope you enjoyed the story. I'm still unsure of the title for the sixth book. But you'll know what it will be if you're watching me on Author's watch, or as fav story. Or simply type in my login. Thanks for the support from all of you guys!
After an semi-enjoyable lunch meal, which was dented by Draco Malfoy, who seem to have gotten the nerve to insult Harry and his friends. Harry smirked to himself after he left, he's going to have some fun at dinner time. He filled in his friends and other fellow Gryffindor. He felt oddly loss about something, he was missing some sort of thing. He couldn't put a finger on it, and looked around at the lunch table and saw Ginny. He felt something hit with a pang. Neville wasn't here, and he wasn't able to enjoy getting back the Slytherins, and frowned.
He wasn't even sastified by cursing the Lestrange for one full minute watching her in pain. Hearing her screaming in agony. Then he smiled at her pain, well at least it wasn't all lost when he set the curse upon her. In some ways, he got his vengeance for Neville Longbottom. He felt a pair of eyes was watching him and looked up from his plate and saw Hermione staring at him, frowning.
"Are you okay Harry?" she asked.
"Yeah, fine, just realized something was missing, and figured that i-it was Neville..." The table fell silent after mentioning his name. "It didn't feel right talking about the gits in Slytherin without Neville enjoying it..." Few people fidgeted a little in their seat but said nothing. Harry took another bite into his sandwich and drank pumpkin juice.
"I'm going outside, anyone coming?" Harry asked, standing up. "Who's up for some flying?" Harry grinned at the memory yesterday, and the others looked at each other and stared back at Harry, a little horrofied but smiled back. Some of them got up including Ron and Hermione.
"Potty has his fan club following him now?" Draco called out, causing snickers out of some Slytherins, but Harry ignored and the others, luckily, followed his example. Once out of Great Hall and into the Entrance Hall, Harry made an small announcements.
"Malfoy's getting something at dinner, he won't know what's coming," this caused a roar of laughter.
"Oh I can't wait to see what will happen to that git!" Ron exclaimed and stopped walking. "Wait, we forgot our brooms!"
"Don't worry, remember my summoning in my first task in my fourth year?" This caused a murmurings out of some fourth and fifth years. "I'm not trying to show off, so you know, it's too far away from here and it's good to practice especially against Voldemort..." Again, there were some gasps and little shrieks. "Guys, we're Gryffindors, we're supposed to be brave. If I don't have fear saying his name, Hermione doesn't anymore, if you don't say the name, it increases the fear itself."
Harry had caused everyone to fall silent as they made way to the pitch, Harry took out his wand and flicked. "Accio Firebolt and Cleansweep!" Several moments later, the two brooms, recongizably as Harry's and Ron's. "Here Ron," he handed the broom to Ron as he mounted his own. "Oh, don't go have an heart attack when I pull another one of those moves," he said to the group and with that, he kicked off the ground, grinning.
Several hours of fun in the air, and few dangerous moves, Ron and Harry called it night and the group made way back to the Great Hall for dinner. But before Harry even left the pitch, he took his wand out again, the group of Gryffindors stopped, wondering what's he going to do.
"Accio invisblity cloak!"
"No Harry! What if Malfoy sees the cloak coming!?" Hermione scolded, worried.
"Don't worry, I had left the window open next to my bed and well, practically everything's lying under my bed. So, dont't worry," then he caught his cloak. "Alright, be at the dinner table if none of you want to be caught," This caused everyone to pick up their pace as Harry swung over the cloak himself. He made way to the Great Hall, and found Malfoy at the table again. But before he proceeded, he looked to Dumbledore, making sure that he actually doesn't see through him. When he didn't, Harry made way to Draco Malfoy and using his infamous voice and spoke.
"So, making trouble are you?" Draco Malfoy let out a whimper. "Meet me at the pitch after dinner... or suffer the consquences."
"Y-yes, I-I'll be there!"
"You better come alone, or horrible things will happen to your little friends, or should I say, gaurds?"
"I'll come alone sir!" Malfoy squeaked, causing others to stare at him worriedly.
"Is it him again Draco?" Pansy asked, worry evident in her face, Dracoe nodded fearfully. Harry saw thin sheet of shine on his face, and glad that he was sweating badly about this situation and chuckled in his ears and walked away. He better get to the pitch now so he'll have to miss dinner, hopefully they'll bring some food. Now that he remembered, and walked towards the Gryffindor table and spoke to Ron and Hermione.
"Bring some food and drink for me, and get all of the Gryffindors, hidden of course, to the pitch, and the D.A. as well if you can. Something's going to happen, and we can't let anyone be seen by Malfoy," Ron and Hermione nodded and Harry left, to prepare.
Several minutes later, he saw Malfoy coming towards the pitch, alone. Harry smirked at this, and seeing he was still under the cloak, and made it to trip Malfoy into the mud headfirst. He got up, sputtering.
"I know th-that move! P-POTTER!?" Malfoy snarled. Harry shrugged off the claok while cluching to the wand. "No-- That's not right..."
"'Course it is, so, afriad are you Malfoy?" Harry grinned at him. iMaybe this is how dad felt towards Snape.... well in that case, I understand./i He watched him continuing to sputter out words. "Can't you speak English?"
"Yes!" with that, he took out his wand, pointing at Harry, but Harry was faster, who had already had his wand pointing at Draco Malfoy. The two of them glared at each other. "I'll kill you if I have to! You got some guts to fight me here alone!"
"Not exactly alone, but yeah, alone fighting. Come out you Lions!" Harry called his housemates out of their hiding place. "We have witnesses, so you can't exactly kill me. Plus, humiliating you just like you always did to us. So, we're rightfully humilating you back!"
Draco Malfoy let out a snarl, looking at the rest of the people and at Harry. "Coward, that's what it is!"
"Really? I'm not under the impression of that ferret..." The people around them laughed lightly at this.
"Stupefy!"
"Protego!" Harry called forth his sheild, deflecting the Stunning curse into the air. "Not so fast Malfoy."
"Impedimenta!" blonde haired boy yelled, and Harry dodge and threw the Jelly-leg curse at him who also dodged.
"Taratangella!" shooting the dancing hex at Harry who narrowly dodged and firing another hex at Malfoy.
"Flouebul Liofon!" Which poured soapy water ontop of Draco's head, causing to mess up his gell-y hair to splatter all over. This caused an great uproar of laughter. But also cause Malfoy to grow even more angrier and glared at the Gryffindors.
"Never mind them! Concisus tergumvelius!" This time, however, Harry got hit in the left arm, and had gone through his cloths and cut at his skin, causing gaping wound.
"Augh!" Harry lurched and recovered and pointed the wand at Malfoy again, seething.
"Xenolotifus Curicitus!" Harry bellowed the curse at Draco Malfoy and got hit and fell to the knees screaming.
"Ahhh! It burns!" Malfoy scratched at his skin, but before he scratched 'til he bled. Harry took the curse off of him. He watched Malfoy panting, gasping fo breath.
"That one, was a light spell, similar to Cruciatus Curse, but only for the light, and since you are a dark person, it's effective. Now will someone take him to the Wing? I have an appointment with someone."
Harry turned back to the Entrance Hall, somewhat please with himself. But not very pleased, after all, he did provoke Malfoy to dueling. 'Well, he deserved it anyways,' Harry thought darkly. 'But I'm surprised.... I seem so cold to him, I think I'm scaring myself...' Then he heard footfalls behind him and shouting for his name.
"Harry! Where the bloody hell did you learn that curse!?" Ron asked increduously.
"Yeah, I would like to know for myself," Hermione stared at him sternly. "Is it really for the light?"
"Yeah, I've... been getting lessons from Remus and Sirius, well, actually not really..." Harry trailed off.
"What do you mean, not really?" Hermione asked sharply.
"It's not my fault if they leave their books lying around in the place I was hiding at. I was bored sometimes you know."
"Oh Harry, you shouldn't have!" Hermione said, shaking her head. "What kind of books were they?"
"They're not Dark Arts if that's what you were wondering, after last Friday, I swore to myself I'll never use a Dark Arts curses or hexes or any sort of things with the Dark Arts again."
"Well, that's good to hear... but will that be enough to stay away from Azkaban?" Hermione wondered.
"I hope so..."
They stopped at the statue and said their password, (Snickers) and went up the spirling staircase. He knoecked on the door and hear a 'come in'. The three stared at each other nervously as Harry pushed the door open and saw that he wasn't alone. Of course he knew that Dumbledore wasn't going to be alone, but far more people than he had thought.
The room was filled with several Ministry representatives including the Minister of Magic, along with ProfessorsMcGonagall and Dumbledore. 'What now?' Harry thought, wondering what's going on. He hope he didn't need to be interrogated by them about the night of Voldemort's announced return.
"Hello Harry," he heard Dumbledore welcoming them.
"Mr. Potter," said Minister Fudge, smiling at him but with a frown in his eyes.
"Uh, what's going on?" Harry asked blankly. Then he heard the door opening and closing behind him and saw that Severus Snape had arrived in the Office as well.
"I'm afraid that something had come to light," Fudge began, Harry's skin grew cold.
'N-no they couldn't--'
"Headmaster here, told me what happened on Friday night, and one of the details happen to include the Cruciatus Curse," several people in the room gasped. Apparently they weren't informed of what had happened. "So we have to act accordingly." The murmurings broke out amongst themselves, shocked to hear that The-Boy-Who-Lived had used a Cruciatus Curse. "Quiet everyone!"
"But surely, can't you pardon Harry Potter?"
"If he did on a Death Eater, shouldn't that be justified?"
"I believe I ordered for silence!" said Fudge flustered. The murmurings died, but staring at Harry, who felt at once uncomfortable. "Now, who did you perform on? I need to hear from you."
"Le-Lestrange, Bellatrix Lestrange . . . she was mocking me that I couldn't get her! I mean, after that, I swore to myelf I'll never use Dark Arts again, it was... horrorfying..." Harry retorted, trying to defend himself. Fudge looked at him frowning and turned to Headmaster who nodded without a twinkle in his eyes.
"I'm sorry Potter, but you will have to go to Azkaban . . ." Harry stared at him in horror.
"Wh-what! A-are Dementors still there..?" He couldn't believe it, he, Harry, was going to Azkaban.
"Yes, some of them have already left yesterday to You-Know-Who, but largely, most of them are still on our side."
'Our side my arse! I'm not going to Azkaban!' Harry stared at them all, defiantly. "I'm not going."
"I'm sorry, but you have no choice," Fudge said. "Kingsley, Dawlish, a-a-ar-arrest him," he stammered and looked away from Harry. He felt alone, even in company of Ron and Hermione. He didn't know what to do, he'd die in that place within weeks!
"But sir, I won't last long in that place!"
"Dementors or not, you're going," Fudge replied as the two aurors approached him. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, who both looked upset.
"C-can I at least say good bye first? And a request?" Harry asked, trying to buy more time, delaying as much he can away from the dementors. Fudge sighed, and nodded.
"Well, I guess you could, and what's the request?" The aurors stopped walking, only two meters from Harry. Harry looked over to Dumbledore hesitantly and looked back at Fudge.
"This might sound crazy, but do you remember at the end of my third year? About Sirius Black?" Fudge immediatuly flustered, but nodded. "Well, he is innocent, I'm sure you saw one of the Death Eaters unmasked last Friday. That man is Pettigrew."
Following after that, came silence and stared at him in shock and looked at the Minister of Magic.
"Y-you're right, now that you've mentioned it, it did look like him... galloping gargoyles! Are you saying Pettigrew framed Sirius Black?" Harry nodded numbly. "But what about the betraying your parents?"
"They switched the secret Keeper at the last minute, they thought that Pettigrew wouldn't be caught and that Sirius would throw Voldemort (nearly everyone gasped and shrieked at the name) off," again he was greeted with shocked silence and he sneaked a peek at Dumbledore. He saw that his eyes were twinkling ever so softly.
"How do we know this is true?" Fudge recovered.
"Well, tell me how you want me to prove you? Under Veritaserum for Sirius?" Harry asked.
"W-well that would be enough," Fudge nearly stammered. "If this is true, we'll have a heck lot of compensation to do for him..."
"Yes you do," said Harry coolly. "Now may I say my goodbyes now?"
"Wait, do you know where Sirius Black is?"
"Ask Dumbledore, he knows," Harry turned to his friends, with Hermione silently crying in tears and Ron staring at him with anguish. "Well," he patted on Ron's shoulder who snapped out of it.
"Mate! Harry, mate," Ron hugged him who didn't really hugged back as he pulled into apathy mood.
"I'm going to miss you Ron, mate," Harry swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He let go of Ron and turned to Hermione who leaped forward and hugged him tightly again. But this time he didn't protest for air, he hugged Hermione back lightly.
"Oh Harry!" she sobbed into Harry's robes. "We'll visit you, can't we Minister Fudge?" she asked, looking at Fudge. Who sagged, and contemplating for a minute and shook his head no. Hermione broke into more tears. Harry couldn't believe it, he wasn't going to have any visitors at Azkaban.
"Only until you graduate from Hogwarts," he said.
i'Oh, that helps so much, that's little of a year!'/i Harry thought sarcastically. He heard Hermione another sob.
"I suppose it's better than not visiting at all isn't it?" her voice strained.
"Sir," Harry remembered his question, which had never been answered. "How long am I staying?" Fudge looked over to Dumbledore and then at the Ministry representatives and several Aurors. "Sir?"
"W-well, I suppose you could serve in Azkaban for twenty years . . ." Hermione looked up from his robes at the Minister. "Your case is, well, under the circumstances, special."
'20 years, twenty years of reign by Voldemort! How was I supposed to slay him? Surely I could and try to break out sooner than that. My friends are in danger!'
"Why twenty years sir? I thought if you did an Unforgivable curse warranted a cell in Azkaban?" Hermione asked. Fudge, again looked flustered and opened his mouth like a fish.
"I-well, I suppose it's because he freed us of You-Know-Who for the peace in this world," he replied. This statement didn't seem to sastify everyone but no one dared to question further, thus extending his servitude in Azkaban. Hermione finally let go of Harry, and turned to Kingsley and Dawlish.
"So, how are we getting out of here?" Harry asked, with a voice of casual manner. Everyone looked at him as if he were insane. Kingsley took the portkey out of his pocket.
"I don't suppose we'll need to handcuff you will we?" he asked, Harry shook his head. He handed his wand to Dumbledore.
"Please take care of my wand," and Dumbledore accepted, nodding. "Well, bye everyone, I hope I'll see some of you soon." He looked over to Snape, and gave a little half-hearted wave. Severus Snape didn't respond or acknowledge him.
"We will Potter," Professor McGonagall said, with a small smile. "You take care of yourself at that place," Harry nodded. With that, and the last thing he saw at Hogwarts was Fawkes who was cooing sadly at Harry and felt the portkey whisking away from that place and felt a large lump forming in his throat again.
He couldn't believe it, he really was going to Azkaban, with the things he feared the most. iDementors. They're going to be everyewhere. /i Harry thought, panicking. And the three landed with a thud and his knees buckled and fell over. "Augh," he cried out as he fell, and felt strong pair of arms pullinig him to his feet.
"Not so good with portkeys are you?" Kingsley asked.
Harry shook his head, "No sir, I don't have any knack for floo or portkeys. I prefer brooms and cars," Kingsley chuckled, shaking his head.
"This way Potter," the two Aurors led him towards the building which he noticed for first time. By the standings of Hogwarts, Azkaban is much bigger than he had imagined. He wouldn't be surprised if it was bigger than Hogwarts itself. The building was tinged with yellow and some grime covering the walls. There were a few windows, giving him a forboding feeling that the place is dark. And some of the windows were barred like the time in his summer before second year at the Dursleys.
"Sir, I have a question," he began, remembering when the Dursleys bearly fed him. "How often will they feed me?"
"Oh once every six hours, most of the prisoners don't have much appietite because of Dementors here," Harry's stomach clenched. Six hours, he was going to starve just like at the Dursleys. "I'm afraid to say that the food here isn't that good either." They came to a halt in front of iron door. He saw the Dementors standing on either side of the door, gaurding. Harry's inside fell cold, and heard a faint screaming in his head.
"Oh no.." Harry felt light head and nearly collasped but Dawlish caught him before he was on the ground. The screaming of his mother, the face of Cedric's lifeless eyes, the way Neville fell to his death by the killing curse. The bad memories of his young life at the Dursleys emerged. He was surrounded by darkness, his skin cold.
"Freak! You should have never lived, the way you are ungrateful!" a woman's voice screeched, he knew that it belonged to Aunt Petunia. He saw that Dudley pounded Harry, and being chased by his friends, punching him until he got a bloody nose.
He remembered when Ron was jealous at Harry when he entered by accident in Triwizard tournament and felt sad. Harry also remembered Sirius, how mad he was at him in the Shrieking Shack. When he thought he had betrayed his parents. That he had lost his only chance at normal life. But wait, it wasn't Sirius, he was framed, it had been Wormtail, that Pettigrew.
His eyes snapped open, gasping, but saw that it was dark in the cell. He still heard screaming voices in his head but at the cell's door, he saw a plate full of food. A chicken leg, some beans and water. 'Well, this is much better than the Dursley's at least,' he thought depressed-ly. 'How am I supposed to survive this place? I wonder how long I have been out...?' he wondered.
End of Fifth book
I already have the begining and the end of the sixth book fleshed out really well. Don't worry, Harry's getting out much sooner than that. That's all the hint I'm giving you all. Now don't worry, you won't have to wait too long. I hope you enjoyed the story. I'm still unsure of the title for the sixth book. But you'll know what it will be if you're watching me on Author's watch, or as fav story. Or simply type in my login. Thanks for the support from all of you guys!