Chapter 6: A Night Time Visit To Azkaban
Darkness.
Silence.
At first.
Then,
all of a sudden, noise like he had never heard before.
Not
very loud - rather low in fact. But of a most fearsome and cruel kind.
After
a few seconds his ears were ringing with countless moans and sobs
being
reflected from the walls.
He
wanted to shut his ears to keep the dreadful voices out, but soon found he
couldn't.
It
was a dream. One of those he hated most.
A
dream and yet true.
As
his eyes became accustomed to the absence of light Harry found himself inside a
small room.
The
walls were made of stone, as were ceiling and floor. It was cold and the air
was anything but fresh.
He
was about to turn around to get a better look at the place, when he heard a
faint sound right outside the room,
coming
nearer. Then a clicking as the lock of the door in front of him was opened.
Finally
it dawned on him. He was in a cell. 'This must be Azkaban,' he thought.
Harry
had to shield his eyes from the sudden light coming from the entrance. It
prevented him from having
a
closer look at the entering figure.
Maybe
it was Professor Lupin? But Dumbledore had promised to tell him when they would
be ready to carry out their plan...
Perhaps
the Headmaster had had to improvise and thus had simply not found time to
inform Harry.
„Lumos
totalis," the stranger whispered and soon the room was lit by enough candles to
see properly.
Only
now Harry dared to look at the newcomer. It was not Remus Lupin - at least the
man did not look like Lupin.
With
Polyjuice Potion involved you could never tell.
The
man had nothing remarkable about him, being neither tall nor short. His
watery-blue eyes were looking straight at
Harry
and his lips were curling into a tiny but nasty grin. Lupin wouldn't grin that
way, would he?
Unsure
of what to do, Harry swallowed as the man stepped forward.
The
stranger couldn't possibly see him, could he? It WAS a dream after all, that
much he knew.
But
before Harry had a chance to decide what to do, the man had walked right
through him.
Harry
thought is was a rather strange sensation.
'Now
I know what it feels like to be a ghost.'
„Well,"
he heard the man say from behind him. „How are we this lovely morning?"
Confused,
Harry turned to where the stranger was standing. Since the man hadn't addressed
him, there had to be
someone
else inside, probably the prisoner - Snape perhaps?
And
there was. On what seemed to be a very uncomfortable plank-bed, lay a man Harry
didn't recognise.
He
was obviously fast asleep. Maybe that wasn't Snape's cell at all.
The
stranger was now bending over the prisoner and had grabbed him hard by the
shoulders.
The
sleeping man woke with a start.
„You!"
he said with a hoarse voice, recognising the other man at once.
„Haven't
you had enough fun with me already?"
His
voice was low but Harry could hear it was full of exhaustion. Harry eyed the
man on the bed more closely.
The
voice - though somewhat cracked and weak - sounded familiar. Too familiar.
Then
it hit him.
The
prisoner WAS Snape. It had to be. But what had happened to him?
His
hair had been cut short sloppily and his eyes had lost their malicious glint.
There seemed to be a misty shadow
laying
over them, instead. His robes were torn and it was obvious someone had slapped
him in the face several times not too long ago.
So
perhaps the stranger was indeed Lupin?
As
Snape tried to get away from his visitor Harry could see that his hands and
feet were bound with heavy chains.
The
stranger smiled faintly and let go of Snape.
„Well,
you know, all I want is an answer. You still owe me. Tell me what I want to
know and I will leave you alone at once.
Who
knows, if you promise not to be defiant again I may even remove your binders."
Snape
sneered. 'Well, he can't be that exhausted', Harry thought.
"First,"
Snape said with a surprisingly controlled voice. "I don't owe you anything. And
second: You're not at all interested in the truth.
All
you want to hear is my confession. Which you will never get from me," he added
bitterly.
The
stranger backed away from Snape and raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise.
"As
you wish. I'm amazed you have not grown tired of this game by now, Snape. But,
alas, I am not that convinced
about
your confession. On the contrary, I dare say you will want to tell me anything
once we're done with you."
Snape
snorted. "That remains to be seen, Bransom."
Harry
thought hard, but was sure he had never heard that name before. And he got more
and more convinced this man
was
not someone send by Professor Dumbledore.
It
was obvious the Headmaster hadn't been able to send Lupin in, yet.
Bransom
laughed coldly. "My, we are stubborn today. If you could only hear yourself.
'That
remains to be seen' " he spat in a mocking imitation of Snape.
He
bend down close to the prisoner until their faces were only centimetres apart.
"You
are pathetic, Snape. The Minister was very lenient and still you do not thank
him for it in the least. Instead,
you
show resistance at every opportunity. But it doesn't do you any good. Unless
you consider these shackles you wear an
advantage
in comparison to your previous situation – which they are not."
Snape
narrowed his eyes and some of his old venom seemed to come back.
"This
so-called lenience of your beloved Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge is nothing
more than another sign for his
incompetence.
If he really had all that 'evidence' against me he would have been wiser to
finish me off at once.
You
don't think a high ranking Death Eater like me - or rather like he portraits me
- would give anything away during
interrogations,
Bransom, do you? After all our little meetings here you should know I'll never
tell you anything - no matter how hard
you
try or how many atrocities you throw at me."
His
voice had become very low, almost a whisper. But every word seemed to cut into
Bransom,
for he was not able to retort.
Snape
cocked an eyebrow and allowed himself a small sarcastic smile.
"This
whole episode only shows that Fudge is jumping at shadows, desperately hoping
to find a way to counter Voldemort.
Think
of me as pathetic as you like, Bransom, but you and I both know that neither
Fudge nor you will gain anything from it."
Somehow,
Bransom had regained his thoughts, because he now grinned at Snape in a most
evil way.
"You
are very wrong, Snape. So very, very wrong. I'm more than ready to contradict
you. This 'episode', as you called it,
does
serve a purpose. We don't think you will be able to stay as stubborn and unwilling forever. There are always ways to
break
people, it's only a question of time. Trust me, yours will come very soon."
He
backed away from Snape, still grinning knowingly at him.
Harry
had to admit Bransom had a point. Snape was completely at the ministry's mercy.
He remembered his conversation
with
Dumbledore after his nightmare a few days ago.
"What if he makes Snape switch sides? Do you think he
will stay loyal to you?"
"I've known Severus for a long time,
Harry, and I wish I could say he will. But I can't."
Even
to Harry, who had seen Snape in this state only for minutes, could tell his
professor was nearer to break-down than he
wanted
to admit. But Harry had to admire Snape for his willpower. He hadn't given in,
yet.
Snape
himself remained silent, only staring darkly at his visitor.
"As
for the 'atrocities'," Bransom continued, "I am sure you want to hint at the
fact I am using rather illegal measures, don't you?
Well,
let me inform you I never crossed the line. In fact, I am only doing what my
instructions say."
Snape
looked as if he seriously doubted that. Still, Bransom smiled.
"I
want to be honest with you. Oh, don't look at me like that, will you? This will
be quite a shock, I guess, but your friend
Albus
Dumbledore didn't object to our treating you like the scum you are. Yes, he
knows about it - all of it. He was very
disappointed
in you when we had to inform him how defiantly you behaved, obviously not
willing to assist. Your lack of
co-operation
was proof enough to him. Only someone who had something to hide would act as
reluctant as you did.
It
didn't take Dumbledore long to guess just what you don't want to be discovered,
Snape. The Headmaster even thanked
Minister
Fudge for showing him were your true loyalties lie. I could tell the great man
once had quite a lot confidence in you
and
it crushed him to learn you had betrayed him like that."
At
that Snape lost control. He jumped to his feet, almost tripping over the
chains, and launched himself at Bransom.
"Liar!"
he spat. „Dumbledore would never do such a thing. How does some slime like
you even dare say his name? He is more
honourable
than neither you nor Fudge or his henchmen ever will be!"
He
pinned Bransom's throat to the floor with the chains between his wrists. The
ministry man coughed for breath. His hands were
desperately
trying to grab his wand but he couldn't reach his pocket.
Harry
watched the scene in horror. If Snape really wanted to kill Bransom it didn't
matter that he wasn't a Death Eater.
Attempted
murder was a major felony. But to Harry's relief Snape eased his grip on Bransom
a bit so that the other wizard could get a
little
more air. He seemed to enjoy having Bransom at his mercy for a change.
It
didn't last long, though. Two guards ran into the cell, wands already in their
hands. Snape let go of Bransom immediately.
But
the guards obviously didn't want to take any chances because one of them raised
his wand.
"Stupefy!"
he yelled and Snape fell to the floor. That done, the two men bent over Bransom
and helped him up.
"Sir,
are you all right?" one of them asked as Bransom shakily got to his feet.
The
ministry man fingered his throat carefully.
"Barely.
You were right on time, Peer," he answered the guard's question.
"The
madman almost got me." Harry scowled at Bransom's gross exaggeration.
The
guards, however, didn't know Snape had never really aimed at Bransom's life.
Peer
eyed the prisoner with disgust. "What shall we do with him? I'd suggest a
strong sedative to calm him down."
Bransom
shook his head. "No, no. I want him at full consciousness. Just confine him to
bed. That'll keep him from any further rebellious acts."
Peer
and his colleague lifted Snape onto the bed and removed his binders. After that
Peer cast a spell which created heavy,
silvery
chains that made it unable for Snape to move. Only then did they free him of
the stunning-spell.
With
a last frowning glance at Bransom the guards left.
Bransom
slowly approached his prisoner.
"Now
that was most unwise. And I always thought you were a far more subtle person.
Well, we all seem to have our weak points.
Which
is, as I want to remind you, exactly what I told you some minutes ago.
Obviously, the fear Dumbledore might see through your
disguise
as loyal professor is yours. You proved that rather convincingly, Snape."
Harry
frowned. Did Bransom really think Snape was a Death Eater or was this - again -
a lie? If he was indeed one of Voldemort's
secret
agents among Fudge's advisors as Harry suspected...
This
particular question could be crucial to their cause. If Bransom thought Snape
to be loyal to Voldemort he would only want to play
with
him until Azkaban fell.
If
not... he would kill him.
Harry
desperately hoped the former was the case.
"However,"
Bransom continued in a matter-of-factly tone, "I can only repeat: Your cover is
blown. Dumbledore has finally seen through your fake facade."
He
grinned nastily as Snape tried desperately not to show his worries.
Again,
Bransom went on. "Now that your self-assurance has gained a serious crack I
think we will have much better chances of getting
information
out of you. Most unfortunately, I cannot stay any longer. But do not fear. I
have two very capable assistants who will do my work
more
than appropriately for me."
He
clapped his hands twice and two figures appeared at the door.
Even
in his dream, Harry felt a wave of nausea. He didn't need to take a closer look
at the newcomers to know who - or rather what - they were.
Dementors.
At
their sight, Snape's face went chalk-white. Harry had never thought he would
see his professor that scared. But there Snape was,
fighting
his chains as if trying to get away.
It
was, of course, in vain.
As
the Dementors approached him, Bransom once again spoke to Snape.
"I
will be honest, Snape. All evidence is against you, as you must know. Even
without your confession, we have every right to execute
you
right now. However, your knowledge can be very useful. To both of us. Tell us
about your friends, about the plans you must have made
and
we will consider a pardon. Stay that stubborn and get yourself killed - it is
your choice entirely."
He
eyed his prisoner carefully, the two Dementors standing next to him like envoys
of hell.
"Then
do what you must, Bransom," Snape spat, although the terrified look never left
his face.
"I
told you before, I will rather die than tell you anything."
Bransom
only shrugged and smiled nastily.
"Well,
what was it you said earlier this morning? Ah, yes: That remains to be seen.
See
the following as a preview of what awaits you if you keep your attitude."
He
gave the Dementors a nod and the creatures glided towards Snape.
Bransom
laughed coldly as the prisoner watched the nearing Dementors in horror.
He
turned on his heel and left the cell, closing the door behind him.
As
if petrified, Harry couldn't help but stare at the creatures as they bent over
Snape, pinning him even more onto the bed.
To
his relief, the whole room began to glide away and he didn't see much. Soon
there was nothing but darkness all around him.
But
the lack of view didn't stop him from hearing Snape's painful screams...
Bathed
in sweat, Harry sat bolt upright.
He
closed his eyes and slowly breathed in and out a few times before opening them
again.
'It
has only been a dream. No need to worry,' he tried to calm himself down.
His
stomach seemed to think otherwise because his dinner was trying hard to get up again.
As silently as possible,
Harry
went out of his dormitory towards a bathroom.
Only
when he was back in his dormitory he began to understand the meaning of what he
had just witnessed.
He climbed
out of his bed, not caring that he was still wearing his pyjama, and went once
more straight to Dumbledore's office.
TBC...
Now
please, remember people: R E V I E W ! ! !
CJ
