With The First Ray Of Light

The fog made it almost impossible to see the shore, but the cold seeping into her body and the sense of dismay worming into her chest made it clear they were getting close. She pulled her robes tighter around her, in hopes of a warmth she knew wouldn’t come until they were on their way back home.

The waves rocked the small boat, and she took a deep breath, hoping the movement wouldn’t make her sick. Her gaze moved along the surface of the water, and her stomach tightened with a sense of unease at the thought of what could lie hidden deep under the surface. How many witches and wizards had drowned in that same water, lost while trying to escape the madness that clouded their minds within those stone walls she would be seeing again soon? How many had died during the war, if the rumours were true, in situations that had nothing to do with attempted escapes, and hadn’t been quite so accidental?

A strange thought crossed her mind, almost an image, of a dead, rotten hand reaching out for her from the dark water and pulling her down and under, sentencing her to that same fate, and she couldn’t help the shiver that ran down her spine. For a second she wondered just how many of the bodies deep under the water were there because of her, how many of the witches and wizards she had captured herself had ended up there. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to push the thought away. It wouldn’t do her any good to linger on those thoughts, and she knew every single person she had captured deserved whatever they got. They didn’t deserve her pity, or even a spare thought.

Warm fingers touched her hand, threaded between hers, and she felt her body relax just slightly. “We’re almost there,” Caleb said, feeling her unease, and she almost managed to smile as she slid further away from the edge of the boat and closer to him. She slid her arm around him, rested her head on his shoulder and let his closeness calm her. She felt his fingers pushing a few locks of hair back as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, his strong arms holding her to him. He was the only person who knew what Dementors made her feel, what images clouded her mind when they were close. He was the only one who understood how badly they hurt her, how terribly they scared her.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw a large, dark shape through the thick fog, and she knew it would only be a few more minutes until they reached the island. She wished she had more time.

“Perhaps we should’ve contacted the Order before coming here, after all,” she said, more in an attempt to distract herself and keep the memories at bay than because she believed it.

“There’s nothing they can do for us now that we can’t do ourselves. There’s no point in getting them involved until we have more information. Not to mention the fact that arranging an Order meeting would take at least a day, even in the case of an emergency.”

“I know, it’s just that…” she shook her head and sighed.

“We can contact them when we get back, if you want,” Caleb said. She was about to answer when their boat hit something solid, and almost turned over.

With a barely contained curse, she tightened her arms around him, trying her best to keep her balance.

“We’re here,” he said, reaching for his wand and moving the boat closer to the small pier, securing it there before helping her to the platform.

The fog seemed thicker there than it had on the water, and the sense of unease had almost turned into despair now, but she had been expecting it. She had been in that place enough times to know the effect it had on her.

“I wished you’d listened to me and stayed in London,” Caleb said, his eyes full of concern as he looked at her.

“I couldn’t stay behind. Those messages were sent to me for a reason and I’ll-”

“I’m sure that whatever it is they want, they can say it to me.”

“I’m not going back, Caleb,” she said, knowing where he was heading.

“I know the effect this place has on you, I know what those creatures do to you. There’s no need for you to-”

“I’m not a child any more,” she snapped, yanking her hand away from his. “They won’t affect me the way they once did. I don’t need you to protect me.” Without another word, she started walking down the platform, hurrying her step as she reached the stone path that led to the only entrance to the building.

He didn’t say anything else, he didn’t even get angry at her attitude. He simply started walking after her, hurrying his step enough so he could reach her and walk beside her. He was worried about her, she knew that; he was just trying to protect her from the pain they both knew would soon come, no matter how ready to face it she thought she was. But she couldn’t let him do that, she couldn’t let him shield her from this, hide her from it. She had to be strong. She was not that heartbroken child that had walked into that place for the first time almost four years ago. She was strong now, and she wouldn’t break down, not again.

After a few moments he reached for her hand again, and she let him, tightening her fingers around his as she walked in silence, readying herself for whatever would happen there. At least now she was not alone. Caleb was with her. He understood.

A man was waiting for them at the end of the path, his wand casting just enough light to let them see him in the middle of the night. Only when they reached him did she let go of Caleb’s hand, instantly missing the confidence, the sense of safety such small contact made her feel.

“Minister, Miss Granger,” the man greeted when they reached him. “My name is Samuel Redstone, I’m in charge of the prison.”

“Thank you for meeting us here, Mr Redstone,” Caleb said, shaking the man’s hand. “I’m very sorry you had to come at this hour.”

“I’m sure it’s something important that brought you here, Minister. I wanted to be here to assist you in any way that I can.”

“I appreciate it. Is the prisoner ready to meet us?”

“We had him transferred to the Visitors Area as soon as you contacted us, Minister,” Redstone said as he started walking the few steps that separated them from the large iron gates.

They followed the man into a large room, and then down a cold stone hallway. There were cells on both sides of the hall, and the echoes their footsteps caused were enough to wake the prisoners behind the doors. Soon the silence was replaced with screams, cries for help, curses and threats. Redstone apologized for it as he hurried his step, but the sounds barely registered in Hermione’s mind. She was working too hard on blocking every thought, getting ready for what she knew she would find just a few rooms ahead.

She could feel them in her chest, in the pit of her stomach, could feel their presence inside her head, trying to slip past her defences to take what they needed from her, and leave the pain behind.

Caleb slowed down his step, keeping his voice low enough so that Redstone wouldn’t hear when he asked if she was all right. She took a deep breath and nodded, not even looking at him as she continued walking.

“This way, please,” Redstone said when they reached the end of the hallway, holding a heavy-looking iron door open for them. “The prisoner is in that room,” he said, and she didn’t even bother turning around to see where he was pointing. She had to focus, had to clear her mind. “We brought him here after you…”

Redstone’s voice faded away, although she was almost sure he was still talking. The room around her seemed to go even darker, the air so cold it made her chest ache with every breath she took. She blinked a few times, keeping her gaze on the empty wall, refusing to look at the figures slowly sliding closer to them. Then the screaming started.

She saw 'him' again. She saw the fear on his face when they realised what was happening, soon replaced with determination as he ran to help his friends. It all seemed so different when she knew what the outcome would be. She knew that his eyes on her, his voice yelling at his friend to keep her safe was the last thing she would ever see and hear of him.

Bright rays of light filled the room around her as the figures floated closer, and although she had tried to ready herself for it, although she knew it was all in her mind, she couldn’t stop the flashes of memories the Dementors forced out. The rays of light were curses hitting her friends, hurting them, killing them as they tried to defend themselves, waiting for a rescue that wouldn’t come in time. The voices were deafening pleas for help, cries of pain, the names of their loved ones being shouted in fear some times, in despair others.

Then a hand took hers, and the world focused around her. That warm hand pulled her out of those memories, its firm touch reminded her she was safe, that all she had seen was past, that it was only the Dementors playing with her mind.

“Mr Redstone,” Caleb said, his voice helping to silence the screams in her head, “It probably sounds silly, but would you mind sending the Dementors somewhere else? I’m sure there will be no danger, and I have to admit I don’t much enjoy their presence,” he lied, using that charming tone, probably with a charming smile to match, that always got people to agree with him.

“Of course,” the wizard was quick to reply, motioning for the Dementors to leave the room. She noticed their hesitation, knew they wanted to stay there, to continue to drain her energy, but after a few seconds they started to glide into another room. As the door closed behind them the memories vanished, although the pain they left did not. But she could breathe now, and her hands had almost stopped shaking. One quick look around told her that the three of them were alone in the room, and that Redstone hadn’t noticed anything strange in her. She had to be thankful for the little things, at least.

Squeezing her hand slightly, Caleb muttered a “Thank you,” as he smiled at the wizard.

“Not at all. To be quite honest, I do not enjoy being near them, either. I have worked here for many years now, but I can never quite get used to what they make me feel,” Redstone said, and she noticed a small shiver shake his shoulders. “Well, I’m sure you would like to talk to the prisoner now,” he said quickly, and it was obvious he was eager to change the subject. “We have two guards with him now; I assume you will not want the Dementors back in the room while you speak to him?”

“No. In fact, we need to speak to him in private. Just the three of us, if that is possible.”

“Well, Minister, I’m afraid it would go against the rules to leave you with such a dangerous wizard unguarded,” Redstone said, sounding nervous. “The procedure is quite clear on the subject. In fact, Statute Fifteen B states that no visitors shall be left alone with a prisoner. If you had accepted to hold the meeting tomorrow morning, there would be more guards here, but I’m afraid at this hour we have less personnel on the island.”

“I understand,” Caleb said, letting go of her hand to turn fully to the wizard, “but this is a matter of the utmost importance, as you can imagine by our being here so late, and it is imperative that Miss Granger and I talk to the prisoner in private.”

“Well, you see, Minister,” Redstone said, clearly trying not to squirm nervously. “I cannot ignore-”

“I would greatly appreciate it, Mr Redstone, if you would forgo those rules for tonight and let us talk to the prisoner,” Caleb insisted, his smile tensing a little as he began to lose his patience.

“I…Of course, Minister, of course,” Redstone finally gave in, and although still looking nervous and slightly pale, he walked to a door to their right, opened it, and asked the guards inside to leave. “We will be waiting right here, Minister, if there is any kind of trouble.”

“There won’t be,” Caleb assured him, as they both walked through the door and into a much smaller room. “Thank you for your understanding.”

“How thoughtful of you to come see me,” a cold voice drawled from behind her as soon as the door was closed. “I’m afraid I do not get many visits here.”

It was too dark to see who had spoken, but she didn’t need to see him to recognize the man. In fact, even if she hadn’t already known who they would be meeting, his voice alone would have given him away.

“This is hardly a social visit, Malfoy,” Caleb said, lighting the room with a quick flick of his wand.

“Oh, but it is a visit, nonetheless, Minister. I must admit, Miss Granger, I did not expect you to come so well accompanied.”

She took a deep breath and leaned back against the cold wall, wanting to be as far away from Lucius Malfoy as the room would allow. He didn’t look like the man she had once known, his clothes were ragged, his hair unclean and tangled, his face paler than a ghost and dirty, but the coldness in his eyes as he looked at her was the same. The arrogance in his expression hadn’t changed one bit, not even after years in Azkaban. Imprisoned, chained to a chair, and unarmed, he still looked at her as if he was better than her, still managed to put a threat in his gaze that made her hesitate, if only for a second. But he didn’t scare her, he never had.

“You know why we’re here, don’t you, Malfoy?” she asked, keeping her voice as cold as she could.

He smirked at her before speaking. “Those are hardly manners befitting a lady, Miss Granger. I am aware of the fact that you were raised by Muggles, there’s only so much one can expect, but such behaviour is simply appalling.”

“What makes you think I care what your opinion of me is?” she asked, and was surprised to hear the calmness in her voice. He seemed to be surprised, as well, his lips twitching into a small smile before the arrogant smirk was back.

“Straight to business it shall be, then,” he said, leaning back in his chair as best he could. “Please, do take a seat. I realise this is not as accommodating as my former residence, but it will have to do for the time being.”

“Would you mind telling us why we are here?”

“I’m not sure I understand your question, Minister. It is you that came here, how am I to know the reason why?”

“No games, Malfoy.”

“You take away the only entertainment I have left,” the wizard said with a sigh. “If we are to talk about what brought Miss Granger here, then I believe that is a conversation the two of us should maintain in private.”

“No,” Caleb said, as calm as ever, but there was a firmness in his voice that made it clear he was serious.

“Why, Miss Granger, I had heard rumours about your tendency to get close to wizards with power, and understand Potter wasn’t quite enough,” Lucius drawled, a smirk twitching his lips as he looked from her to Caleb, “but to have the Minister for Magic at your beck and call? That is quite impressive.”

He was expecting her to snap at him, she could see that in his eyes. He wanted a reason to belittle her, to control her, and she wouldn’t give one to him.

“I assume you know about the memories I have been sent,” she said instead, and he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table as he looked at her.

“Oh, yes, some quite impressive images, I believe.”

“Who sent them?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, child. You have both seen those memories?” he asked, and she nodded. He didn’t even glance at Caleb to see his response. “So you know by now that we have prisoners. Order members, friends of yours, I’m sure.”

“Who is we?”

“Tut tut, Miss Granger, you cannot honestly expect me to answer that question. Let us focus on what is important here.”

“And what is that?”

“We have something you want. You have something we want. I think our intentions are fairly obvious, child.”

“All we know is that you have taken prisoners over the years. That doesn’t mean they are still alive.”

“Do not think just because I’m trapped in this place you can fool me. I know exactly what you saw.”

The images in the memories hadn’t been as brutal as the ones in the first phial, but that hadn’t changed the effect they’d had on her. The prisoners, the Order members, were not being tortured in the new ones, although she could see they were in bad shape, and the people those memories belonged to had left copies of the Daily Prophet lying close by in every one of them, wanting to make sure she would see the date. All the memories had been from within the last two weeks.

“Whoever sent me those phials could have easily contacted me, instead of sending me here find to you. You said it yourself, you are trapped in Azkaban, what use could you be to anyone outside? Just tell whoever sent those memories to me that if they want to negotiate, they can come by themselves. Better yet, give me their names, I’ll make sure to find them.”

His laughter surprised her. It wasn’t cold or deprecating, it was surprised, honest. “I have heard much about you over the years, Miss Granger, so many praises to your intelligence. Do you honestly not know why I’m the one you were told to contact?” he asked, and she merely raised an eyebrow in question, not even bothering to reply. “Why, I was the only one that could make contact with you without risk, child. I am…safe from the Order of the Phoenix while within these walls. Isn’t that ironic? The place designed to imprison me is actually keeping me safe.”

“What makes you think you are safe here?” Caleb asked, the first words he had spoken since the conversation had started.

“Now, Minister, let us leave empty threats for another time,” Malfoy replied, ever so pleasantly.

“You said we have something you want. What is it?”

“Prisoners, of course.”

“You cannot be serious.”

“On the contrary, Minister, I’m very serious. We have war prisoners, and so do the Ministry and the Order. We are merely offering to exchange them.”

Before Caleb could say anything, she asked the one question that had been on her mind since the moment she had seen the first memory at St Mungo’s “Who do you have?”

Lucius Malfoy’s lips twitched into an unpleasant smirk, the one she was more used to seeing on his face, as he leaned back on the chair. “I’m sure you recognized some of the faces in the last set of memories, but I assure you, we have more prisoners than the ones you saw. I’m afraid there is only one way for you to find out exactly who we have, Miss Granger, and that is by agreeing to this exchange.”

“And what would be the terms of that exchange?”

“They are quite simple,” Malfoy replied. “We give you our prisoners, and you give us all the Death Eaters currently in Azkaban…and Potter.”