Azkaban


Morning dawned bright and heavy the morning before the train for Hogwarts was set to take off. Unwelcome beams of sunlight peeked through the thin blinds hanging from the window, lighting the dark guest room of the Leaky Cauldron. Silver stirred awake in a cold sweat. It was another nightmare she had. Ever since her stay at the Leaky Cauldron, she had been having repeated nightmares but not once had she woken up to any memory of them. All she knew was that they were awful, she'd even found herself crying one morning.

They were dark, cold, and empty. She knew this because it's how she felt whenever she had just dreamt of one. And when she would finally come back to reality, she felt trapped – like there was a box around her and there was no way out. But once she had lit the candle on the nightstand beside her, she knew it wasn't real.

But today was different, this morning she had a bit more reconnaissance on what had happened.

It was so clear, the surroundings, the smell – the horror. She was in a dark, cold room. There wasn't a peek of light anywhere, it was just black. But amongst the darkness she saw it, she saw the same hooded ghostly figure of a flying black cloak and then everything went cold. The same way she had felt the night she was attacked at Hogwarts.

Her research led her to discover these awful creatures were known as dementors and their sole purpose was as guards in Azkaban. But why they kept haunting her was tormenting.

Her mind would drift off to Professor McGonagall's words when Draco and her had been eavesdropping on the professors' conversation outside, she asked whether the dementor had been confused. But the question was, confused with whom?

Then another portion she remembered from the dream was a voice, a familiar voice. It might've been her fathers, she was almost sure – but it was urgent, pleading her to visit.

She rummaged through the drawers in her bedside table and pulled out a tattered piece of parchment, it was the letter she had refused to read in front of Draco a few days ago. Good thing she chose not to, it was from Barty and it was a physical representation of her dreams. In this letter he too asked for her to come see him.

There was a small tap on the door and it creaked open, causing Silver to jerk her head up and pull the comforter over her night gown.

"You alright Silver?" he let himself in, walking over to her to take a seat on the edge of the four poster bed.

Silver nodded, "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

He looked at her with concern, "You were screaming just a minute ago."

"What?" She didn't quite understand him, she wasn't screaming – was she?

He tightened his lips into a thin line, "You don't remember?"

Silver shook her head slowly, almost like if she was trying to force herself to remember.

"Not a thing."

She of course hadn't told him about the dreams, she didn't want to worry him. There really as no need after all. They might just be a result of stress or something of the sort.

He stared at her blankly, he still wasn't used to this whole caring business. It was quite hard for him to show.

She smiled warmly to ease his affliction, "I'm fine, really. But I could be better with some breakfast."

He heaved a sigh of relief, finally something he was good at it. "Well c'mon then you good for nothing! Still in bed acting like you're the Queen of somewhere that matters."

She grabbed the pillow behind her and tossed it right at him.

"Why are you always lunging things at me?"

She smirked, "You cant act like you don't deserve it."

Witches, Wizards, and dwarves alike, guests of the Leaky Cauldron, had occupied nearly every table of the dining area when Draco and Silver came down to eat. Draco led the way as they walked down in between tables when a man who recognized him stood up and offered him his seat. Draco nodded his head in thanks and gestured Silver to sit down.

"Who was that?" Silver asked, curious.

"Oh no one really, just a friend of father's."

Well that wasn't good. But she was too hungry to linger upon it any longer, as soon as breakfast was served, she scarfed it down as fast she could. She had a tiresome urge in the pit of her stomach, it was a strange request to ask herself. She couldn't get rid of the idea of going to Azkaban to visit Barty. It was partly because of her concern for him, he must be going through a terrible time, and partly because of the adventure and curiosity of Azkaban; Although a visit there shouldn't be considered an adventure at all.

As she waited patiently for Draco to finish, she found it impossible to get rid of the protruding thought. It had her stomach in knots, so she decided she had to go today. She wouldn't procrastinate it any longer.

She told Draco she would be right back, and rushed up to her room. She longed for Lucy to accompany her more than anything else, but she knew it would be nearly impossible for her to make it to London in such short notice. Floo powder didn't work properly overseas, so she would have to take a boat or a flying carriage that she probably wouldn't have at hand right away. The same principle applied for Rupert. Luna was in Scotland, and she would hate to interrupt the last day of her holiday for something such as this - But if she recalled correctly, Dominic wasn't doing anything particularly interesting.

So she wrote to them both, rather urgently pleading for their immediate response. Now she would have to get rid of Draco, she hadn't even considered him an option fearing that it would be too dangerous for him. There are more than enough deatheater's incarcerated in Azkaban that would be more than pleased at the sight of a Malfoy there.

He was still sitting, waiting for her to return and caught her eye as she approached him.

"Draco, Luna Lovegood has just written to me – she wants to meet at Diagon alley to spend the day there."

Draco was reproachful, but was careful with his words, "And you want to spend the day with Looney?"

"She's not Looney Draco, she can be at times a bit….different, but that's all." Silver said in a reprimanding tone.

"Right, well then I think I'll go off to meet Blaise. What time should you be back?"

She shrugged, "Depends on when you'll be back."

"I'd say about seven, we haven't packed yet." He looked slightly distressed.

"'Alright." She smiled and gave his hand a tight squeeze before she exited.

The journey was long to say the least. At the end it was Luna who had answered her call, and she provided transportation. It was invisible to Silver, she couldn't see the creature at all – but Luna assured her that it was right before her very eyes.

"You see," Luna began, placing her hand mid air looking as if she were petting something, "they're called thestrals. I suppose you can't see them because, you haven't seen a person die. I saw my mum die you see, that's why they're as visible to me as you are." She didn't seem at all bothered by the memory and continued, "I've found two, they can fly us over to Azkaban."

Silver had no choice really but to tell Luna why it was so important for her to go. Although she didn't partake in reality as much as a normal person would, she was a very good friend. Silver knew that Luna wouldn't tell a single soul about it.

"Alright, just show me how to get on." Silver was anxious to get out of the forbidden forest, it wasn't one of the safest places to be at without the supervision of a professor.

Luna showed her where to sit, and sure enough she felt as if there was actually something underneath her when she did. Once the blonde had done the same, they were off. The journey was long to say the least, they passed busy city streets, towering buildings that were nearly tall enough to reach the clouds, they even had an incident with an airplane once. Soon they travelled far off of the city and into the countryside, then the land became more barren and vacant – until it became a large body of water. Nothing was seen for miles, it was just the ocean spreading thousands of miles all around them. She'd never felt more alive, away from the world. Silver felt as if she was flying (since the creature beneath her was invisible in her eyes).

Snow was still falling, but it only grew into a gentle drizzle of snowflakes which gently touched her cheeks as she flew through the sky. But the calm water soon grew rougher, violent even. And up ahead, on an island far away stood a fortress, a large squared box like building. Silver looked over at Luna to notice she was also staring at the massive building with wide eyes.

"Azkaban." Luna said in her lazy tone, but her eyes told otherswise.

The ancient stone building was held up strong by security standing two feet apart from the other, an indestructible barrier. Waves were crashing violently on the rocks surrounding the fortress – sounding more like a hissed warning than a pleasant sound of nature. For a second, Silver thought of the reason why she had even bothered to comply with the owl Barty had sent to her. She wanted to step back, go back to the safety of Hogwarts or the Leaky Cauldron– tell Draco what the letter she had hidden away contained. But it was too late; there was no turning back now. She felt a slight nudge of her wrist and turned her fearful eyes to the girl standing beside her.

"I'll wait for you right here, promise." Luna said, her voice squeaking before she composed herself. "You know, you don't have to do this if you don't want to Silver." For a second, her words seemed so convincing – she could just leave. But curiosity overwhelmed the fear that was carousing through her body. Silver hugged Luna tightly. "I have to go – even it's just for a second, I'll be fine." She said into her friend's wild blond hair desperately making herself believe her words.

Silver pulled away and Luna nodded, adding a few more encouraging words before Silver pressed on to the intimidating building. As she reached the iron gates a centaur placed the horse-half of his body in her path.

"What is your business here?" he said calmly, after all this was just daily routine for him.

"I've received an owl from my father, Barty Crouch Jr.; he said he had arranged with the ministry a visit from me, Silver Crouch." She said choking on the words. Maybe Barty was wrong. Hopefully the centaur didn't let her in.

"This way." He said, causing her stomach to sink and her throat to twist in knots.

She followed the guard as he passed through halls full of more and more guards. Dwarfs, Wizards, other centaurs – they came in all shapes and sizes but one thing in common, they all stared at her as she walked by. Every one of them. A cloaked man looked at her in astonishment – as if he had been waiting his whole life to see her; another looked at her in dread, sadness etching the hollows of his eyes. She was feeling frantic - the caves she was being lead through began to grow darker and darker until there was no sign of illumination, except for the wooden stake the centaur held tightly, lit at the tip by a flame of light. She rubbed her bare arms roughly, trying to calm the surfacing goose bumps, as she felt her grey converse tugging onto the ripped edges of her faded jeans – which were now completely covered in a muddy substance. The silent darkness surrounded her as she moved forward until she was walking just behind the mane of her guide. He looked at her closely and noticed her uneasiness.

"Just a few more steps miss." He added in an effort to calm her. She couldn't find the words for a response in her state of alarm. The terror of the dungeons was all she could think of, and she knew this wasn't even the worse part. A sort of shallow relief consumed her when they approached a large bronze door that seemed to have come out of nowhere. The centaur took out a long, slender wand and tapped on the door three times when a small slot opened directly facing his eye level. A set of peering eyes scanned the two of them and the slot closed shut harshly. The polished doors swung open into a large waiting room with marble flooring and a series of granite desks, each one occupied with a set of eyes that landed on her in an instant. She followed the centaur to a desk towards the back of the vast room and he murmured something to the tall man in the desk.

He shuffled out of his seat and handed Silver an envelope while an elf trailed behind her, cleaning the mud tracks she left behind.

"Ms. Crouch, Please take this with you at all times. If you need anything open it and you'll be apparated back over here within seconds." His words shot at her like daggers; that certainly didn't sound the least bit reassuring.

She was once again at a loss for words. Nodding her head, he swiftly flicked his wand and a cloud of black overwhelmed her. Drops of water dripped down from a leaky faucet, the sound brought her back to the present as she felt her body re-composing. She landed on the hard stone floor and a guard hit the floor with a large wooden stick.

"Make haste miss. You're lookin' for cell 0989. Walk straight ahead and Crouch is gonna be on your left five doors down." He stared down at her and became annoyed with her responsiveness. "Be on your wit, dementors are floatin' around by the holding cells."

Her legs carried her up and she patted down her white v-neck which was now fully rimmed with the same gunk on her shoe. She stammered her thanks to the guard, wanting to ask him what dementors were – but decided against it. Her arms crossed in front of her after she pushed her muddy bangs aside. 0984…0985…0986…0987…her head darted around as she read the small signs next to the metal doors, 0988……0989. Her stomach dropped so heavily, she wasn't sure it would find its way back. A dirty pale hand reached out of a small hole in the middle of the barrier. She gripped herself tighter, walking over to the opening which upon close inspection was covered in small steel bars.

Her knees went weak as she peered through the small opening to lay her eyes on him. He hissed in glory at the sight of her. "Silver, you came – as I told you."

She simply nodded, not quite sure what to say. He snickered cynically and lay both of his hands on the bars, but quickly repelled them in pain.

"Do you see?" he said to himself. "Do you see where they've put me?" a little louder this time. "You'd think they'd have better accommodations to those who are waiting to die." His voice continued to grow hoarser and increase in volume, as if he wanted the whole jail to hear. "Its dark – always dark. Dementors have sucked the life out of any bit of happiness I had left." Hatred engulfing his words. A dementor nearby flew above them sending Barty into a fit of maniacal giggles. "There he is. My dear, dear friend." He spat venomously.

She was set still in her spot – she couldn't move. The atmosphere, Barty's words – It was all too much. Her left leg shifted, sending her weight onto her right. He stared at her, penetrating her mind – sending chills up and down the hairs on the back of her neck.

"I'm s-s-orry." She shivered.

His eyes filled in rage. "You're sorry?!" he moved away from the opening and hit a wall inside his cell before his face filled the small space once again. What did he expect her to say? Don't worry I'll team up with Lucius Malfoy and a few other Deatheater's and have you out of this place in a jiffy.

His eyes settled as he took long, easy breaths. "Come closer."

She hesitated, the envelope wrinkling under her grip and took a step forward. His filthy hands motioned for her to come closer, and closer – until she was directly facing him.

"I need a favor from you my dear." He hissed, so the dementors couldn't hear. "I need you to get me out of here." He grabbed onto the collar of her shirt before she had a chance to escape. "You OWE me."

She shook her head in terror. "I don't owe you anything!" she cried in desperation.

His eyes cocked wildly. "I took you in for ten years! I fed you and gave you a home. You owe me!" he yelled into her terrorized evergreen eyes, his breath nipping at her face.

"I did you a favor," she hissed.

"RUBBISH!" he clung onto her collar tighter, almost choking her.

"You were going to be sent to Azkaban. If I hadn't come along you would have died years ago." She was shaking, but kept her face under control. If it was one thing she had learned from the man trying to strangle her now was how to keep a cold demeanor.

Anger and Rage boiled in his veins. "You ungrateful –" his face becoming beet red, his teeth glowering as if he were a mad dog with rabies. "Get me out of here, or I'll kill you!"

A dementor flew into his cell pushing him backwards into the darkness dragging Silver along with him. Her face crashed violently into the bolted door sending a trickle of blood down her cheek. The envelope flew out of her hands as she grabbed Barty's wrists, trying to release their grip on her neck. Her hands thrashed around his clenched wrists as her face scratched against the door.

"LET ME GO, STOP IT!" she began to yell in despair, tears streaming freely out of her clouding vision. "I can't breathe!" her voice began to die out alongside her determination to escape. Her pained sobs echoed off the walls disturbing the silence around her. "Father…" she choked out as her heart rate decreased slowly. He released his grip as his screams began to drown out her choked panting. Her head fell hard against the stone floor rendering her unconscious after she felt around the rocky ground for the envelope and slid it open.

-

The clock struck seven.

Draco kept a watchful eye on the thick silver watch on his wrist, only averting his gaze when he would hear the sound of footsteps outside of his hotel room. He'd had quite a bit of a stressful day with Blaise Zabini, he was hoping for a bit of relaxation before school started up again - but instead, he provided quite the opposite.

"I think we've gotten closer to finding out what Potter's up to, don't you mate?" Blaise probbed Draco, but easily continued without receiving an answer first, "Pansy and I have been thinking about it - we've got a plan. Wait til' we get on the train tomorrow and we'll both fill you in. It's bloody brilliant if you ask me."

Blaise looked off at his friend, whom seemed quite put out by something, "What's gotten into you? You've barely said a word all day."

Draco shook his head, almost as if he had just awoken from a trance and passed a cursory glance at his friend. In truth, he was quite worried about how impromptu he was kicked out of his own house by his mother urgently asking him to take Silver elsewhere. Something was going on that she wasn't telling him, and that something didn't seem very good.

"Tired, that's all. Can't wait to hear it - Potter has it coming he does." Draco said a bit maliciously, "Thinks he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants."

Blaise grinned, happy to hear the old Draco once again. "I reckon he's up to some valiant and heroic sort of deed. He can't pass a year without taking some sort of spotlight. Boy's got a bit of an unhealthy obsession with some need for attention."

"I couldn't agree more Blaise." Draco sneered, "But not this year, after all we've got Umbridge on our side - things are going to take a definite turn, i think."

"Right you are."

He'd moved past it, his spiteful hatred towards Harry Potter that is. But it seemed that whenever he was with Blaise, or any other of his friends - it would never fail to resurface. He was quite comftorable with Silver, being at peace away from the world with just her. But there was now a hole in that bubble he had formed, and it was steadily growing larger and larger until it pops completely tomorrow.

He looked down at his watch again, it read eight-thirty. She might be in her room, he thought to himself so he hoisted himself off his bed frame and headed across the hall for her room. A bitter looking woman stood outside the door with a trolley full of cleaning supplies - she was the maid. the woman turned the keyhold and locked the door shut.

"Is someone in there?" Draco asked quickly, forgetting his manners.

The woman craned her neck upwards to look at him, "No sir, no ones been there all day."

Draco looked after her as she walked away feeling a bit desperate. He stood there for a few minutes before he was struck with an idea. The front desk, he would try checking in with the man at the front desk. Running down the stairs with a fresh surge of optimism, he finally made it, but not without knocking a few people down first. The dining area of the Leaky cauldron was full, as it usually was. The damp air stuck to his skin unpleasntly and he rolled up the sleeves of his black turtleneck to cool himself off. He as just aboutt to reach the desk when he noticed a familiar face standing by a table. It was looney Lovegood and she seemed to be searching for something, or someone.

He continued walking, ignoring her.

"Draco Malfoy." a small feeble voice called out behind him.

He rolled his eyes, recognizing the airy voice as Luna's and didn't even bother turning around.

"Malfoy!" She called again, sounding closer this time. And then he felt a small tug on his elbow.

He jerked his arm away and turned around so suddenly, she almost fell backwards.

"And what do you want Looney? I hope it something life threatning because I wouldn't reckon any other reason why you'd be speaking to me." Draco scoffed, looking around the room to make sure no one was looking. This was embarassing.

Luna's large eyes landed on his, making him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Funny you should mention that." Luna began to speak. "You see, there's been a bit of a mishap you could say. Although, Silver's alright just a bit - "

"Where is she? Where's Silver?"

"Well, right now, she's at the infirmary at Hogwarts - but no need to worry she's better. Much better than she was, yes."

"Better from what? Why is she in the hospital?" his voice cracked.

"I'll explain on the way." Her dreamy expression curled into a reassuring smile.

He could kill her for smiling at a time like this, but he decided he needed her to get there and he would killl her afterwards. The room began to feel a lot more crowded than it was, and it seemed smaller too. It was hot, he knew this because he was sweating and he was struggling to breathe. But the thing was, how could it be so unusually warm admist a snowstorm?

His mind engaged in a series of flashbacks, memories of when they were younger, practicing minor spells on each other, to the first time they laid eyes at Hogwarts. Her smile, her hair, her smell, the way he would soothe him and allow him to forget all the troubles of the world. If anything happened to her....but he blocked out the thought. Nothings to happen because he simply isn't allowing it.


I just want to start off by saying, that you guys are incredible!
All the nice things you have to say about my story really do keep me going so I could update as quickly as possible for all of you.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
I think it came out pretty good, quite proud of it. :)

So i want to know -
who wants Silver and Draco to stay on good terms for a little longer and who wants them to feud again?

Please Review! Because I love them and because you will get a preview :)
Definitely a win-win situation.