Of Monsters and Men- Tom Riddle x OC

43

"The great Tom Riddle never thought about storming the wizarding world's most dangerous prison?" Animo raised a surprised brow. "How disappointing."

Tom didn't seem to find the humor in her barb and instead stared at the walls of Azkaban, his gaze flickering over the clouds. "I'm not immune to fear."

"Are you afraid of the dementors?" Animo edged nearer to the Slytherin, keeping one eye on the menacing guards.

A muscle throbbed in Tom's jaw. "I fear how similar we are." Without another word, he strode towards the edge of the rock.

Deeply unnerved, Animo returned her attention towards the fortress. She had known Sirius Black used an Animagus form to escape. But she had never taken the time to find hers. Albus had always insisted that transformation could be achieved in much more delicate ways.

A fragment of Tom's words stuck with her. That it was nearly impossible to enter Azkaban undetected. But the whole point was to get the attention of the dementors.

Animo sank down on the rock, thinking carefully. She couldn't appear as an intruder or alert too many dementors at once for fear of causing a feeding frenzy. But perhaps if she gave up a bit of happiness..

Before she could second guess her plan, Animo lunged from the rock, diving headfirst into the waves.

The cold water bit at her limbs, numbing her movements as she extended her arms in an attempt to cut through the sea. Already beginning to regret her decision, Animo silently cast a strengthening charm, bolstering her movements so that she shot through the dark space. Several slimy strands brushed past her ankle and she could only pray that the ocean was not infested with grindylows or other dark creatures.

Just when her haphazard charm began to wear, weakening her legs, Animo brushed against rock. The uneven surface tore at the delicate skin on her spine and Animo swore she felt blood begin to trickle down her back. However, it was difficult to discern blood from the swirling water around her. Her vision had begun to blur from lack of oxygen and Animo silently cursed herself for not casting a bubble-head charm. Yet her lack of wand would have made such an incantation difficult.

To her horror, her body began to sink, swollen with water and her lungs empty of air. Animo threw out a hand, shouting "ASCENDIO!"

The spell came out in a rush of bubbles as water seeped into her open mouth. Just as her eyes began to close, Animo felt her body hurtle through the watery depths, shooting into the air. For a brief moment, she seemed weightless in the salty atmosphere. Then, her body crashed down onto rock.

Animo could barely move, coughing up the contents of her stomach as she lay with her face pressed into the ground. Her hands weakly splayed out at each side of her head in the attempt to push herself upright. Then Animo remembered her plan and went entirely limp.

After a long moment, she dared to crack open her eyes. The seawater stung her vision, but she could barely make out the shadow of a great wall a few meters away. She had made it onto the banks of Azkaban.

Further out in the midst of the sea, a series of bright flashes pulsed through the stormy mass. Tom was succeeding in drawing the dementors attention. Many of the creatures were already swooping in the direction of the light, their scabbed hands outstretched and eager for souls. Animo's heart pounded as she felt a pair soar over her head. She had to wait until most were distracted. It wouldn't be long before they sensed her presence. For now, she was but a washed-up corpse. She assumed that such an occurrence was common in a place so full of despair.

Finally, the icy darkness that trailed after the dementors lifted slightly and Animo dared to raise her head, still trying to hold her breath. To her left one of the hooded creatures remained, hovering outside of a barred window. Strange mutterings echoed from inside the chamber in a voice that no longer sounded human.