"Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?" ~Stan Shunpike, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 8

"Right. We're breaking into Azkaban. Right."

Hermione paced in circles, the wheels in her head spinning like mad. It was one thing talking about something as monumental as breaking into the supposedly unassailable Wizarding prison, and an entirely different thing to actually accomplish it.

"Relax, Hermione," Ron said, although he looked plenty on edge, himself. "If Sirius could do it, we can, too."

Hermione shook her head, agitated. "That was a different. He's an Animagus, Ron. We don't have the time to learn that sort of magic."

Ron looked hopefully at Ginny. "You haven't added turning into an animal to your list of skills, have you?"

Ginny only rolled her eyes.

Hermione raked her fingers through her bushy hair, trying to force her mind to come up with the perfect solution. They had the Polyjuice potion. All they had to do was turn into someone that had access to the prison, find Neville, and then…what? Walk out with one of the prisoners? Someone was bound to notice something suspicious going on.

"You know what I think?" Ginny spoke up from where she was leaning against a withered, blackened tree, most likely affected by the presence of many, many dementors. They had Apparated to the skirts of the prison just after they had agreed to let Ginny accompany them. Hermione was beginning to wish they had stayed back in Diagon Alley, if only so that she could think away from the joy-sucking dementors.

"No one wants to know what you think." Ron's voice was gruff. Hermione suspected he still wasn't happy about Ginny coming with, not at all, and she was no longer sure if it was entirely due to the fact that he was worried about her. It seemed like his sister was beginning to get on his nerves.

Ginny ignored Ron. "I think we should just go," she declared.

Hermione stopped dead in her pacing and stared at her. "S-sorry?"

"You heard me." Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "We're wasting time, trying to come up with a plan. And we all know that no plan will be good enough for you, Hermione. You'll agonize over it until it's been another five years and Neville's pushing up daisies." Hermione flinched. She hated thinking about losing any more friends than she already had.

"So your plan," began Ron slowly, "is to charge in there without thinking? Right now?"

"No," said Ginny scornfully. "But we should get on with it. Nick some hairs from a few sorry blokes, knock them out, throw them aside, and get it over with."

Hermione took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm herself. "That would be suicide," she said carefully, trying to contain her composure.

"The way I see it, a million things can go wrong no matter what kind of plan we imagine," Ginny said indifferently. Hermione couldn't believe how calm she was being. "What makes this plan any different?"

"She has a point," said Ron, shocking Hermione.

"Ron!" Hermione said, a little hurt by his betrayal. "You can't actually think that's a good idea! Rushing in without a plan?"

"Come on, Hermione," said Ron, taking a step toward her. "What happened to the fearless Hermione I knew? You would have done anything to help your friends…and Neville needs us now."

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I just don't know…"

"Then Ron and I will go."

Hermione's head jerked up at that. She stared at Ginny. "What?"

"You don't have to come." Ginny's eyes glittered as she stared off at the tiny shape of Azkaban in the distance, surrounded by crashing waves. "You know, if you're too scared."

Hermione instantly swelled with indignation. If it weren't for her, the three of them wouldn't be there at all! (Although she had initially been against coming to Azkaban.) And Ginny expected her to cower behind like a frightened mouse? Not a chance.

"Fine," Hermione said grimly. "Let's go."

Ron suddenly was the one who looked nervous. "Wait, so we're just going to waltz over there, pounce on the first three people we see, knock them out, and grab their hairs for the potion? Is there enough potion for all of us? What if the dementors get us first?"

"We don't have to worry about dementors," insisted Ginny, exasperated. "We all have a Patronus, don't we? So what's to worry about? And of course there'll be enough potion, if we use it sparingly."

"Ginny's right," Hermione said determinedly. "And we'll…we'll just have to take the risk." She could hardly believe how reckless they were being, but Ginny was right. The more time they wasted here, the more Neville had to suffer.

"And how are we going to get all the way to that tiny island?" continued Ron doubtfully, squinting at the dot that was Azkaban.

"I've already thought of that," said Hermione, relieved to regain a little control. She raised her wand and said clearly, "Accio broomsticks!"

They had to wait a minute or two for the nearest broomsticks to reach them-Hermione guessed they were from the mansion in the distance, which was just an isolated smudge to her eyes-and when they did, the three of them hopped onto their respective brooms at once. Hermione did feel a bit guilty about stealing someone else's brooms, and could only hope to find a way to return them to their owners after this whole ordeal was over and done with.

They sailed over the gray water, keeping low to the waves so they weren't as easily spotted. The closer they got, the more Hermione's anxiety grew. Adrenaline was pumping through her, and she urged her broom to go faster. Suddenly, she wanted nothing more than to get this done.

In less time than she would have expected, they reached the island where Azkaban stood. Hermione's heart lurched as she instantly felt the chill in the air and the plummeting despair that signaled that dementors were nearby, and lots of them. She glanced at her friends and could immediately tell they had felt the effects of dementors as well.

They dismounted their brooms and crept toward the huge prison. Hermione's heart was in her throat. She was tense with nervousness and fear, yet her mind felt clear. They could do this. All they had to do was find a few human guards, maybe some visitors…

Dementors prowled in the shadows, but they didn't seem to be on the lookout for intruders. Hermione suspected that people rarely tried to break in to Azkaban. They were there to make sure no one got out.

"How do we get inside?" whispered Ron. Ginny shushed him.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the prison, searching for a good way in. There didn't appear to be any windows at all, and the front door was most likely round the other side. It would be difficult to maneuver around the island unseen.

Ginny pointed silently at something slightly to the left. Hermione followed her gesture and felt a little flutter of excitement. A side door, most likely used for the guards.

Hermione felt Ron's hand on the small of her back. At first she thought he was just offering his support and comfort, but then he started pressing her forward. He had Ginny by the arm and he was hurrying them toward the door. Hermione was so stunned she could do nothing but stumble along next to him.

Ron whipped out his wand as they neared the door without breaking stride and was about to whisper a spell when a sudden sweep of iciness passed over Hermione, making her shiver. She heard the sound of rattling breath behind her and turned slowly.

Her heart nearly stopped.

They were completely surrounded by towering, shadowy dementors, and every one of them had already begun to lower their hoods to deliver the deadly Dementor's Kiss.