Walking beside Tomlinson, she ducked her chin further into her coat and tried not to shiver. It wasn't raining but it was cold and windy. Wherever this cursed rock was in the North Sea, the weather showed no signs of warming. Azkaban loomed before her and she felt to many things to separate them into identifiable feelings. She hadn't seen her brothers face since she had walked out of the office that summer day last year. Some time during that time she had begun thinking of him that way though and it was one of the swirling emotions that were taking up all of her brain space.
Tomlinson rapped his wand on the metal circle that was separated in half by the seam of the stone doors and after a moment, they creaked open slowly. Or they looked stone anyways. It was damp and looked as if it had never been dry. The wet sheen covered everything she could see. It was desolate and she thought back over what she could expect. Kingsley and Stolford, the lawyer, had both briefed her. They would know they had a visitor and nothing more. Her brother would be first and Rowle second. That had been relieving as she didn't know if the man even knew that he had a betrothed. Hopefully Josh could give her some advice.
There were no dementors but the cells had been spelled to prevent communication so theoretically there was no exchange of information. Hermione wasn't sure about that and Kingsley had given her a look. One that said this was the rules and he made sure that they were followed to the regulations, not that no one spoke at all or there wasn't some back alley information vine.
The corridors were the same grey stone and it was only after they had gone up one floor that there were doors. These were the visiting rooms and she knew there would be a table with a chair on each side.
"Do you want a guard with you?" Tomlinson asked her and she shook her head. It was also protocol for her to be asked before entering the visitation room each time. He would be in there, both of them had said the prisoner would be waiting and she didn't know how she felt as she pulled the door open and took the two steps before halting.
His head was bowed and most of the sheen was missing from his brown waves. For a minute she stood there and then walked to the chair on her side of the desk and sat down. He was shackled to the chair and wearing the dull silver dampeners that were being used now that the dementors weren't there to drain magic and hope. A step up but she felt uncomfortable at his depleted state.
Then his head snapped up and he was looking at her with something she couldn't read. He was a bit scruffier and the polish was gone. He had always been a bit suave and it was all missing now. Her eyes noticed the red rimmed ones facing her and she wondered if he was sleeping. His seemed to be scanning her and she tried to be still and allow the assessment. Andromeda had mentioned that she should be patient with him. Reminded her that she didn't know how he had been feeling this last year or what had happened. It had been good advice and she tried to project calm to him.
"You came." The words were rough and she just nodded her acceptance of his apparent disbelief.
"I signed the contract." She pointed out. Not enjoying this dynamic.
"You didn't have to come here." He pointed out and she thought that over.
"I'm taking all the public heat for being your sister, I want some of the benefits." A slight quirk of his lips and she felt relief. He was still there and she was surprised by how much she wanted him to be okay. Mostly okay anyways.
"Stolford sent me with a paper for you to read, explaining what he knows so far and I've got a few questions." She decided that just staring at each other wasn't helping either of them feel normal and his nod and sharpened gaze told her that she was right. She handed over the paper and watched him scan it and then look up at her.
"You issued the summons." She nodded after he didn't continue.
"He said that was what had to be done in order for him to be able to represent you. I've read a few law books but it's all very complicated and if you think I should be doing it another way then tell me. Please." His eyes came back up again and he looked pensively at her.
"It's what I would have wanted you to do. You didn't need to though. Could have fulfilled the contract stipulations without this." He pointed out and then sat back slightly in the chair. As far as his bonds would allow.
"I went there or it came to mind because of Sabrina." She decided to be honest. His eyes pinned her then and if she could be x-rayed then she would have assumed he was attempting something similar.
Speaking about the present and not the past was a decision she had talked out with Andromeda. The witch seemed to have set herself firmly beside Hermione as she started navigating many new things. There were countless intricacies and things she needed to know. Understand. In order to use them properly. So she was amassing guides and help. Kingsley had volunteered to be a sounding board and give advice. Stolford had been surprised and recommended books to begin to understand the Wizengamot protocols. Precedent wasn't enough though he was familiar with the concept.
Everything would depend on what they could prove and what could be used as mitigation. Individual occurrences were easier to deal with than a blanket statement of involved. It was interesting and made her wonder how much each of these people knew. Regular witches and wizards. The Weasleys for instance. They had never referenced anything like this in her time there and she wondered if it were because she had been muggleborn. Unconscious bias was everywhere she turned. Small things she could do because of who she was.
"She's probably with their Aunt Cypress." He offered after a minute and she nodded then looked her question. He didn't answer it and she huffed.
"I'll ask him about that then. Does he know?" The immediate shake of the wizards head made her exasperation rise and she asked this question. Incase he chose to ignore it like the last one if she didn't.
"What should I expect then? I opened the folder and the newspapers already know that I've signed a contract. Not with who though." His interest was piqued at that and she saw his curiosity. Deciding that she should answer his unasked question and hope that he would eventually start doing it too.
"Bellatrix." He looked stricken then and she knew that he had at least some idea of what had happened to her.
"I assume that would have worked, you made it sound unpleasant when you talked about breaking it before." Her dry tone got a barked laugh out of him and she smiled genuinely. Even if it was about her torture in a way. He seemed to have a dry sense of humour and appreciate irony.
"Yes. I don't know what to say." He had calmed down and was looking at her dead on now. She could only nod her acceptance of that.
"It's over now." Her tone was final and indicated her lack of willingness to speak about that at this time. He nodded after a minute and she ploughed forward with her mental list of things to ask him. "Should I go to your estate now? I don't know where it is and whether I should wait for you or well." Hermione's voice had started out matter of fact but faded and she looked down at the table. Neither of them knew when he would get out.
"You can go if you want. The elves will be happy to have you there I'm sure. None of that spit nonsense either. I've told them about you so it won't work. They might explain some things to you though, so listen. If your magics have. If they opened the folder then you should be able to floo there. Rosier Dale. It will be locked down for anyone not of our family magics." He sounded wistful and she shifted uncomfortably. Not knowing if she should speak to him, emotionally. She was sorry that his magics were bound like this. Unable to claim her as he would like to. Andromeda and Kingsley had been sure that even if he didn't mention it he was thinking it. Accepting their knowledge she waited out his stare.
"It won't be forever. I don't know much and can't say anything but most of the inner circle are dead and there is already talk of probation clauses for the last of their House. Can't have these noble names dying off because the carriers of the sperm and the names are rotting away in here." Hermione watched his face and was pleased by the twist he couldn't hide at her wording. Though he scowled after he got it under control.
"So crass Hermione. Can I call you by your given name? If not I'll try Rosier." He seemed reluctant and uncertain so she smiled her relief at the indication that he wanted to know her and spoke freely in the moment.
"I've been calling you Josh, though I've only ever heard Rowle actually use your name." He smiled a bit at her then and seemed unsure what to do so she pulled a couple of the articles out for them to deride and see if he had some good threat ideas. Harry had suggested that he was a Slytherin and had the same genes as her so might enjoy planning revenge even if they didn't put it into play. If he himself had a sister then her coming to him or even saying something about her problems would be what he wanted. It had made her hug him and assure him again that she loved him just as much as ever and thought of him as close to a brother as she could imagine. Never having had one.
Until now. Wanting to let him know things about her life right now. What was happening and how her change of family was affecting everything. This was because of him and apparently what he had wanted in a way. It was strange but if he wanted her and didn't end up in here for having brutally raped and murdered innocents then maybe they could build some kind of relationship.
"I want to know. Read your depositions. I'm going to and I want you to know." She had decided last minute to say something about this. By her reckoning they only had a couple minutes of their forty five allotted left.
She looked down at the table when he didn't react at all. It had been less than tactful but she couldn't figure out how to phrase it without him knowing she was pandering or prevaricating. In this short visit she could appreciate his quick mind and scepticism.
"Will you tell me about yours. If you visit again or after. Planning for that worked out well last time." They were phrased as questions but were demands. Or a challenge. Maybe he thought she hadn't imagined accurately what had been going on or still considered her naive. Kingsley had told her that what he knew before the war ended was that Rosier was running the Snatcher teams. That was relieving and upsetting. Having been captured by one of those teams. She didn't know what that entailed.
"We will see if you can handle it Josh. I'm a big girl you know and have seen some things." Accepting his challenge and lifting her chin imperiously for a moment. So he would know that she was playing a bit. Then she sobered and his small smile faded too. The knock had sounded and their time was up.
"Every three weeks unless I've got an emergency I simply can't deal with myself. Being a girl and dependent. So I'll be back with my whining and complaints. Unless you'd rather I cease feigning helplessness." She broke character and grinned truly at him. It must have surprised him because he stared for a moment and then gave her a nod and looked down. Her smile fell and she felt as conflicted when she left the room as when she had entered it.