Chapter 10: A Trip to Azkaban
Cassie awoke the next morning nervous and terrified. She had heard horror stories about the dementors from James. She dressed quickly, throwing on jeans, an old tee and her work robes. She then grabbed her wand and apparated to the edge of the island.
Cassie climbed up the hill and took a deep breath. She slowly walked into the main entrance and looked around. The walls were damp, cold and slimy green. The air hung with a feeling of death and madness. She carefully walked up to the thin, pale witch at the main desk.
"How can I help you," the witch droned in a monotonous voice.
"Umm, yes. I'm here to see Sirius Black." Cassie stuttered. "I...is that okay?"
"Give me your wand." Cassie placed her wand on the desk. "I keep this," the witch took her wand; "and you get this," she handed Cassie a receipt. "You can get your wand back once you leave. Bryce. Take this woman to the dangerous prisoner ward. She's visiting Black."
The heavy-set man grunted and motioned for Cassie to follow. The two entered the ward and walked past the dementors. Cassie felt herself gasping for air. Her skin felt clammy and the air turned frigid. Memories surfaced when she walked past, memories that she wished she could forget. She remembered being told her parents had died; being in Dumbledore's office when he told her about Lily and James; she remembered being at the funeral; being alone at Graduation.
Cassie hurried to keep up with the man, Bryce, so she wouldn't be alone. They quickly walked past the dementors and walk down a long corridor. They walked for what felt like twenty minutes.
"VISITOR! COMING THROUGH!" The man yelled and the prisoners quickly moved to the bars of their cells.
"Ooo aren't you a pretty girl" several called. "Watch it you. Once you come in, you never leave!" a young, heavy lidded woman called. Cassie glanced at her, noticing that the woman looked vaguely familiar.
They soon stopped in front of a dark, damp cell. "Here you go. I'll be back in sixty minutes. If you need help…yell, someone may come." The burly man laughed and unlocked the door for her to step in. "Be careful."
Cassie stepped in and the man shut and locked the cell door. He walked swiftly down the hall and Cassis was suddenly alone and very terrified. She heard a noise in the cell with her and spun around; nervous without her wand; terrified he would attack her.
"Sirius?" she whispered softly. "Are you awake?"
Not receiving a response, Cassie walked slowly, further into the cell. There he was, curled up on the makeshift bed. She gasped when she saw him, not recognizing him. He had lost a lot of weight and his skin seemed to stretch over his bones.
Has it really only been two and a half years? Cassie stared at the man in front of her. Surely this isn't him! His hair had grown so, it was past his shoulders and he had a beard growing.
Cassie moved towards the bed. She lifted his head up slightly and sat down on the hard bed, resting his head on her lap. It's only Sirius. He won't hurt you, he loves you. Cassie ran her fingers through his hair, thankful it was long; it gave her something to do with her hands. She felt her eyes well up as she struggled to say what she wanted to.
"I'm sorry!" she whispered. "I wrote letters, I tried to free you but they wouldn't listen! I know you're innocent!" She cried. She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, but the tears fell anyways. They landed with a soft plop on his cheek and Sirius Black's eyes flew open wide; he sat up straight.
"What are you doing here?" he whispered angrily. "You shouldn't be here. They shouldn't have let you in. You of all people… Don't you know what I did?" He asked sarcastically, then threw his head back and laughed.
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Sirius stared at the woman in front of him. His heart jumped when he saw her and for a moment he felt normal. He felt like he wasn't in prison, doomed to spend the rest of his life here. The woman he loved was here, she risked her life to see him. But why? Why was she here?
Why is she here? Why did she come here? Here of all places?! Couldn't she just leave me to rot? Forget me?
He wanted to hug her, to hold her in his arms again. He wanted to know that she loved him, that she wasn't afraid…that she believed him.
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Sirius stood up and began to pace the cell while Cassie curled up in the corner of the bed, afraid to speak. She was terrified to provoke him, lest he felt the need to hurt her. He must have gone crazy, or he's going that way.
"That's why you're here, isn't it? To make me confess? Did you plan on laughing at me? Terrorizing me? Giving me more painful memories to relive when the dementors pass? Why Cassie? Why did you come here?" He turned to face her. Cassie looked up at the sound of her name and met his eyes; his beautiful grey eyes that had once been so full of life, new jokes, pranks and love. They were so full of sadness now that Cassie wouldn't have recognized them.
"I… I believe you," she whispered, barely audible. "I don't believe you did it." She felt her courage rise and she moved to stand. Moving towards him, she reached out her hand. "I wanted to see you. I wanted to let you know that…that I believe you and I tried to get you out."
"How do you know I didn't do it? Or are you just toying with me?" His voice dripping with scorn. He glared at her, his miserable grey eyes seething with anger.
Cassie tried to touch his arm but he jerked it away. "I…I just know. I know you couldn't do those things. Not to James and Lily…" she lowered her head. "Not to me. Everyone said that I was just grieving and I'd be over it soon. But that's not what it was. I'm sorry." She sat back on the bed, tears flowing freely from her sad, blue eyes. She heard him sigh softly then felt the bed bending, like someone had sat down.
"Don't apologize Cass. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I… this place does things Cass. It does things to a person…I'm not the person I was. I don't think I ever will be the same again. I'm sorry. We both lost everything in one day, one quick day. I never meant to hurt you." Sirius turned his head and rested it in his hands. "I never wanted to hurt you Cassie. You're my best friend and damnit the only person who's visited me in here!"
He looked down at her hand, the left to be exact. "You're wearing the ring," he stated. "Why?"
"Because I accept," she said quietly, the ring being twirled around her finger with her right hand.
"Oh Merlin, don't tell me that. Just don't. I can't know. It'll kill me, I can't know." Sirius turned away from her, looking out through the bars of the cell. He felt his eyes tear, knowing the dementors would be feasting on his thoughts later.
"Oh Sirius!" Cassie wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close for a hug. She held him close to her chest, feeling him relax. Sirius took a deep breath, inhaling Cassie's signature scent: lilacs and roses. He breathed deeply and calmly for what was the first time since he was sentenced to his hell hole.
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Sirius felt himself relax. His mind calmed, no thoughts emerged. He felt alive, loved. It was an amazing feeling and he didn't realize how much he missed it until this very moment. Sirius longed to make this moment last forever, to hold her, have her hold him.
His hand rubbed her back, following her hair down her back. His fingers tangled in it, twirling it around. He moved his hand up and down as she shivered involuntarily.
Why'd she come? Why is she doing this to me? Doesn't she know it's going to kill me, with her here?
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Cassie rubbed his hair, the mass of tangled curls. She kissed the top of his head, sighing as he sighed.
"TIME'S UP!" The guard yelled as he walked up to the cell and the two jumped. Cassie glanced at him and squeezed Sirius tightly.
"I'll be back, I promise" she whispered in his ear. "I love you." She released him, kissed his cheek and stood up, fixing her robes. When she reached the door she looked back. He watched her leave, the sadness returning to his face. "I promise."
The guard locked the door and began walking down the hallway. Cassie looked back once more at Sirius Black and whispered "I love you" softly, so no one would hear. She followed the guard out to the main lobby and retrieved her wand.
AN: YAY! An update! hahaha. Please review! It'll make me happy!