Dead. And at that angle? Alive.

To the depth.

Harry woke up with a gasp, his scare pulsating like a live thing and Voldemort voice lingering in his ear.

The weak light of the rising winter sun rising managed to crawl through the small aperture in the wall of the fortress.

'What is it, Harry?' Bellatrix asked in a sleepy voice, trying to cocoon Harry back in the protection of her arms.

'Wait for me. As the sun sets today, I will come for you.'

Harry swallowed, rattled and unsure, before letting himself be drawn back into the thin warmth of Bella's bony frame. His head was spinning, with hope, disgust and self-loath.

He'd be sent to Azkaban because of Voldemort.

But he'd not remained in Azkaban because of him.

His stomach clenched painfully, as a vice screwed his heart.

Dumbledore had wanted him to stay locked in Azkaban. Because he was dangerous. Because he was a freak that needed to be locked up.

He knew it was the right thing. He could do the right thing. Call, scream, warn them.

They could catch Voldemort. Prepare a trap and get the monster for good.

The monster...

Around him, the fortress sounded as still and void as always, crushing him with the weights of its stones and magic. All he could hear was the shallow breath of the death eaters, and the sea assaulting the rocks.

He could try again, try again to reach out, be heard. Have hope.

Slowly he lowered his head, his eyes falling over the sharp, ink black skull tattooed onto Bellatrix wrist. The snake seemed to coil and shift toward him.

Have faith.

'It's nothing, Aunt Bella. Just a bad dream.' He murmured back, slowly closing his eyes.

***

Tonks spotted Harry and had to swallow to keep the bile that was rising at the back of her throat? The teen was seemingly asleep, nested against Bellatrix Lestrange. When she'd come across Harry's empty cell, she had expected some dreadful plot. But this... The too thin woman was draped over the teenager in a parody of maternal comfort and it twisted Tonks' heart to see how Harry seemed to be desperately clutching to her in his sleep.

He looked a little better than the last time she had gotten a glimpse, but still.

She had risked sneaking down before her evening round. Since she was expected to patrol the upper levels of the fortress in a few minutes her absence would not seem suspicious.

'Harry...' She tried to attract the teenager's attention without making too much of a fuss, but he seemed asleep. Bellatrix though, had turned two lamp-like eyes toward her and a wicked smile was starting to spread her lips. 'Harry!' Tonks hissed more urgently.

'Bellatrix,' a low voice called from the next cell, 'wake Potter up, he has got a visitor.'

Tonks threw a weary glance toward the nearby cell whom she thought was Dolohov. He was watching her with sunken eyes, fidgeting absentmindedly with his sleeve. He looked... Awake. On edge.

Tonks shivered.

There was a tension running through the fortress tonight thick enough to be sliced with a knife. As weird as it sounded the dementors had been acting ... off. A storm was brewing and would be hitting the island soon enough. The pressure, cold and humidity were thick in the air.

'You shouldn't be here.' A young, sunken voice stated, making her jump.

Harry had silently dragged himself from across the cell to stand in front of her, a little away from the bars. Out of reach.