January 6th - Azkaban
The wizarding prison lived up to its' reputation, thought Nephera. On top a deserted island, tall and daunting, built from cement, there truly was no way to escape. Nephera knew, however, that there was no need for walls when you had Dementors floating around everywhere. A cell could be broken out of easily, but if someone became trapped in their own mind, that was harder to escape from.
Fabian Prewett was leading the group of three, and Nephera could tell that he was tense, honestly, so was she. Dementors were soaring all around them, trying to see if they were guilty enough to suck their souls, but left after a few seconds.
It was cold, colder even than a regular January morning, and the girl found herself unconsciously shifting closer to Sirius for both warmth and safety.
She wondered in what state her father would be in. As they were passing the cells, she saw many types of prisoners. Some, those that hadn't been there that long, were rocking back and forth in their cells, muttering different things under their breath. The ones that had been there longest appeared completely impassive, curled up in a ball on one of the corners of their cell and staring with wide and unfocused eyes.
Sirius and Fabian were worried as well. Nephera appeared as impassive as ever, but by that point, that was to be expected. Her father was two floors up from the one they were currently at, but more so than that, he was in a cell right next to her mother, and Avery Sr, neither of which would be very happy to see her.
They couldn't do anything, of course, since they had no wands, but the girl had inherited her talent for wandless magic from her father, so it was still possible that he could harm her.
"Are you alright?" whispered Sirius in her ear, rubbing a hand up and down her back
Nephera nodded, "Let's just get this over with as quickly as possible,"
"We will, don't worry," replied Fabian, holding a door open for the younger pair, "They're just through there, we have a separate ward for Death Eaters,"
This part of the prison was even more dark than the rest, if that was even possible. Probably because the people there carried the more guilt, and so dementors were swooping around constantly outside, trying to find their next meal.
Passing by the cell of Avery Sr., the man saw Nephera and catapulted himself to the bars, his hands reaching out from between them, trying to grab ahold of her, "Come here you blood traitor!" he yelled, Sirius and Fabian immediately pushing her behind them, "I'm in here because of you!"
They walked past him, but the shouting had alerted her mother and father about who was coming, and they too had stood up and walked to stand behind the bars.
The Slytherin drew in a breath at the sight of her mother. Long gone were the expensive dresses jewelry and styled-to-prefection hair, now, she looked more like a ghost than anything else. Pale skin, dirty and matted hair and a torn prisoners uniform.
One thing, noticed Nephera, that remained, was her stance. Emmeline Winchester was still standing tall, with her shoulders back and her chin raised, even after being there from a little less than six months.
Nephera shuddered slightly at the image. It reminded her too much of herself, when she was taken honstage by Riddle. Just like her mother she too may have lost her physical appearance, but she never cowered, she never slouched. The girl supposed that years of training couldn't be forgotten easily.
"Mother," greeted the girl, eyeing the older woman up and down
"Nephera," said her mother
Sirius was tenser than he'd ever been before in his life. He was constantly on edge, his flight or fight reflex taking over as he gripped don't his wand tightly while also preparing himself to throw his witch over his shoulder and run out of there.
The girl lingered for a few seconds longer in front of her mother's cell. She didn't quite know why, perhaps she was waiting for her to say something else. Or maybe, perhaps she was waiting for an apology, for everything her mother had put her through, but it never came.
The next cell was the one they were all nervous for. Castiel Winchester was waiting behind the bars, his hands folded over his chest. The girl wasn't surprised to see him the least affected out of them all, he could do wandless magic, and so he could cast a patronus to keep the dementors at bay.
She wondered what memory he used whenever he cast one. It couldn't have been his wedding, for it was an arranged marriage neither her father nor her mother wanted. Nor could it be any memory with Nephera herself, unless of course, the basterd used one of the memories where he abused her, that certainly seemed to be up his alley.
"Stand in the farthest corner of the cell," ordered Fabian, his usual light and teasing tone vacant from his voice, "Now,"
But her father paid him no mind, "Aren't you going to greet your father, Nephera?"
Brown eyes met identical brown eyes, and Nephera found herself once again back in her room in the Winchester manor, looking at those same eyes and crying out in pain.
Srius must've felt her grip tighten in his hand, because he moved to stand slightly in front of her, "Do as he sais," he ordered
Castiel let out a small laugh, but moved to the corner of his cell anyways. One flick from Fabian's wand, and long chains srpouted from the wall and attached themselves to his arms and legs.
Only then did the door open, and Sirius and Nephera moved to go inside, "Only her," spoke her father, "I know why you're here, I know what you're hoping to figure out today. I'll only speak with my daughter,"
It wasn't the first time the brunette girl had found herself in such a predicament. She had faced Voldemort, she'd faced Dumbledore, she'd even faced her father and won. Still, Castiel Winchester never failed to bring a shiver down her spine. He was the first, and only one, to ever break her. To take away her control, to force her to rebuilt herself from nothing but broken puzzle pieces that didn't fit together.
"How would you know what we want?" asked the raven-haired boy defiantly
Castiel laughed, "Forgive me but I doubt this is a social visit," he drawled, "Besides, why do you think Nephera's so good at reading people? She had to inherit it from somewhere, right?"
This got the girl's attention. She wouldn't let him diminish her, tell her that everything she is is because she inherited it from him. He wanted to play the game, she'd let him play the game, and she'd watch him lose.
Castiel expected her to be strong and impassive, well, she'd give him the exact opposite. Allowing a single tear to escape her eye, she had mastered the art of fake-crying many years ago, it always seemed to help her out of detention with Filch, she turned to the other two men in the room, "It's fine," she sniffled, "Leave us, I'll be fine,"
Fabian and Sirius exchanged a shocked look, but did as they were told. Neither of them expected herr to cry, in fact, they figured that her father was the last person she'd want to cry in front of.
"I'm sorry," she breathed, letting more tears fall, "About that day, I don't- I don't know what I was doing,"
All lies, of course, but her father had a knack for underestimating people, especially her.
"I know you were ordered to come here, Nephera," he drawled, "As I said, this is hardly a social visit"
She began crying harder, "I know, I know! I don't know what I'm doing, father, I really don't! I thought I was being strong, fighting against you, but I was just being a stupid teenager! I'm so lost without you and mother, and I just want to make it right again!"
"You expect me to believe that?" snarked Castiel, rolling his eyes
The girl shook her head, now fully crying in front of her father, "I am nothing without you two! I miss the galas, and the balls, and everything! I'm dating that blood traitor Black now and- and-" she collapsed into sobs this time, falling on her knees and crying, "I just want you back, father, to tell me what's right! That's why I'm here! I managed to strike a deal, if you tell me the truth about what Voldemort is hiding, I can get you and mother out of here!"
She played at his one weakness, and she knew it. Normally, her father wouldn't be so stupid so as to believe what she was saying, but half a year in Azkaban made people desperate, so desperate in fact, that the mere mention of freedom was enough to convince them of anything.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" he asked
Castiel Winchester was lost. The fact that his daughter was crying in front of him at the moment was something he wasn't expecting, Nephera had always been strong and completely emotionless, even when he hurt her, so this was new.
She knew what she was about to say would break through to him. Castiel had always prided himself in being the person people went to for help, typically in the form of money, and he relished in striking deals with them and asserting his dominance over them, "I need you, father," she spoke between sobs
That single phrase, which unbeknownst to him was chosen carefully by the girl, was enough to break his resolve.
I need you.
Of course she did, she was nothing without him.
"And once I answer, will you let me go?" he asked, "Do I have your word that I will be walking out of here a free man, alongisde your mother?"
"Yes," answered the girl, sniffling slightly to add to her facade
Her father took a deep breath, looking into his daughter's eyes for some sort of lie, but he found none, "He's looking for a way to cheat death," he spoke, "To become immortal. Now let me go,"
Pushing the shock of what she had just heard away from her focus, she sat up, wiped her eyes and dusted herself off, "I don't think so" she drawled
Her father looked at her affronted, "We had a deal!" he yelled
"Did we?" she hummed, "Looks like I lied... Thank you for the information, though,"
Ignoring his yells and curses, she walked out to find Fabian and Sirius looking at her with wide eyes and slight smirks on their faces, "That was brilliant," said the raven-haired boy, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pressing a kiss to her temple
"Really was," spoke Fabian, ruffling her hair and earning a glare from her hair, "Now let's get out of here,"
"Agreed," spoke up Sirius, "I don't want to spend another second in this place,"
The walk outside was much more relaxed than when they'd entered, despite the fact that they were talking about what Nephera had just learned from her father. Voldemort being immortal was a terrifying thought, the fact if he did acheive it, he wouldn't be able to be stopped was enough to make them all shudder.
But, Nephera wasn't thinking about how terrifying it was, she was thinking about everything she'd found out over the months.
Rowena's Diadem, Hufflepuff's cup.
Nott's mission to hide something at Hogwarts, something that Voldemort wanted to keep a secret at all costs.
Voldemort trying to cheat death.
She had an incling in her mind that they were all interconnected, but she didn't know how.
The dementors must've sensed her inner turmoil, because soon they were swarming over them.
"Shit," muttered Fabian, reaching in his back pocket for his wand, "Why are they here?"
"Probably because of me," answered Nephera quickly, "I don't exactly have a clear consience,"
The dementors were coming closer, and although the trio knew they wouldn't attack without being ordered to do so, it was still a stressful situation.
The temperature dropped suddenly, making their breaths come out in short puffs of smoke in front of them as they all fumbled with their wands.
The dementors were close, close enough for Nephera to be able to feel herself grow faint.
"Sirius," she mumbled, leaning into him
The two boys exchanged a look, pointing their wands to the swarm of dementors nearing them and casting the patronus charm.
A panther and a sparrow soared through the air, getting rid of the shadows that had begun to surround them, and the three of them breathed an eir of relief.
Well, relief and confusion, for Nephera was looking up at her wizard with a questioning expression, "Panther?" she asked, shaking her head to get rid of the drowsiness that had overcome her
"Uh, yeah," muttered the boy, realizing what he had done
That was not how he wanted her to find out, in the slightest. However, if this hadn't happened, would he ever be able to tell her? Probably not, if he was being honest with himself.
The girl leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips, forgetting everything about Voldemort and his plans for a second, "I love you, Snuffles,"
The boy grinned, "I love you too, Lilith," he used her middle name, the one only he knew
A/N
2.3k words
honestly, not a fan of this chapter, it feels really rushed to me but oh well
i'm also changing my update schedule from one chapter a day to one chapter every other day because my current schedule is really stressful and i can feel myself getting burned out
don't forget to comment and vote!
xx