A/N... sorry for the late update, I've been so sick 😭😭
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Rigel Gaunt's Perspective.
Isla hasn't visited in just under two weeks, which, despite all thats happened since I met her – her fighting and defeating Ranrok, sending Harlow here, killing Rookwood – she's never taken more than 9 days to see me.
Maybe I was just being selfish – wanting so much of her time.
Or maybe she's hurt.
What if she is hurt?
I... can't do anything – I wouldn't even know.
Ominis would tell me.
Or Sebastian, or Anne, someone.
But what if they're all hurt?
"Stop, stop, stop," I whispered desperately, pulling my knees to my chest and burying my head between them – tugging at my hair.
Trying to tug the thoughts out of my head.
It's... almost been a year since she started to visit me.
And every time she comes with a bright smile, ready to tell me everything that's been happening and hold my stupid hand.
Making me smile stupidly.
Making me feel stupid, stupid hope.
I knew better than to hope – after all that's happened.
But I couldn't help it around her, she made me feel safe.
Maybe even normal, even for just a few minutes.
What if she doesn't want to see me anymore?
What happened the last time she visited? Did I do anything that'd scare her away?
I let out an annoyed groan as I tried to dig through my memory, it just... blanking.
It was summer.
School was about to start.
That could be why she's taking so long.
Or maybe I've slipped her mind.
"No," I whispered firmly to myself, lifting my head up to stare at the stone wall in front of me. "No," I repeated, trying to get the message in my head.
She cared.
Cares.
If she didn't she wouldn't have visited me for a year.
She would not just abandon me – that's not who she is.
So then why is she taking so long?
"Ry,"
My head shot up, my vision blurry – and dizzy, per usual.
A figure was in front of my cell bars – and then it clicked.
"Isla," I whispered, pulling myself out of the poor excuse of a bed and towards the bars – Isla coming into focus. "Why are you here so late?" I asked her hoarsely.
Isla gave me a reassuring smile and pulled out a key, holding it in my view for a moment and then slotting it into the keyhole on her side of the cell.
"What?" I breathed out in disbelief, hearing the lock click – and the cell door swing open towards her.
"I'm getting you out of here," She whispered softly, stepping back a bit to give me some room.
I looked at her in utter shock.
"No," I whispered. "No, I'm not – I'll ruin everything you have going," I whispered, stepping away from the cell and towards my bed, shaking my head.
"I can't," I told her softly – my voice breaking. "You can't possibly hide me, not forever. I'm..." I hesitated, trying to figure out if my next word would be fully honest. "happy just having you visit me."
"No, your not," Isla told me gently, stepping into the cell slowly. "You'll be in the Undercroft," She told me, a reassuring smile on her face. "I can see you between classes, study beside you, read all the books we want," She laughed softly. "I'll protect you, Ry, always."
Still, I shook my head. "They'll know you broke me out," My voice shook as I spoke, my head spinning with all the ways it could go wrong. All the ways she'd end up hurt.
"They would have no proof—"
"Stop," My voice raised, finally looking her in the eye as I gave her a desperate, firm look. "You can't get me out of here, not without ruining things for yourself. You're happy with Ominis, you have such an amazing future with him," I told her shakily. "Forget about getting me out of here. Visiting me is good enough, or..." My voice trembled. "or just forget about me if that's not good enough for you."
She watched me as I spoke, her face just... blank.
And then she walked up to me – and I backed away.
I didn't mean to – I just... did.
And fuck she looked like she just got slapped across the face.
"I'm so sorry—" I whispered hoarsely, taking a step back from her.
"Red." A voice called out, and my eyes shot up – my eyes settling on my little brother.
He was in the cell with me, and it wasn't until now that I processed how tall he was.
When I was first sent here, he fit under my chin. Now?
Well, I couldn't tell until he hugged me.
A hugged me close, but gently. His wand clattered to the floor, just holding me – his chin resting on my shoulder, and Ominis just... hugged me like the world was going to end.
"I missed you so much," He whispered softly, pulling away and placing his hands on my shoulders – keeping me close.
"I missed you too," I muttered back, looking over him.
He had a cut on his cheek – I lifted my hand to trace just under it, Ominis letting me.
"It's just a cut," Ominis assured, gently grabbing hold of my hand. "You can take care of it when we get the hell out of here, hm?"
I nodded slightly, looking over at Isla. "Yeah," I spoke softly, after a moment or two. "Okay," I agreed.
Isla tried to hide her grin, but she failed honestly – but it still calmed me ever so slightly.
To see how me going with her is making her happy – I made her happy.
The two held onto me close as they pulled me down the stairs of Azkaban, it was hard to keep up with them – it was stupid but I hadn't walked this much in years.
They just kept us in the cell – at least from what I know, muggle jails give you the ability to work out and things like that, give you a distraction.
Here? I just got to wallow in pain.
I could barely feel my limbs as we walked – or, well, jogged.
They screamed and ached, sore from the constant use after barely using them for ages.
It didn't help that my ankle was likely dislocated and healed back in the wrong way – my limp was slowing us down.
But as I focused on that pain, we actually made it down the stairs quicker than I thought we would – then a loud ring started to blare out.
"Fuck," Isla cursed, holding onto me tighter as she dragged us outside. "When's the apparating border done?"
Azkaban had almost a circular barrier around it, where you couldn't apparate within the borders.
"Just a little bit further," Ominis breathed out, hearing chaos unfold behind them as they noticed a cell was empty.
I got nervous. "Are you sure this is a good idea—"
"We've already done it," Isla told me firmly. "No point in going back now, yeah?"
I gave out a sigh. "Isla—"
"Now!" Ominis yelled out, grabbing hold of Isla and I both as we heard footsteps run towards us.
In a split second, we disapparated.
***
A/N... it feels so... bleh??? idk??? what do y'all think?? also, made up for the shortness of this chappy with the next one dhsjsj