I was sinking.
My eyes were streaming with water and through salt streaming eyes I could feel myself slowly sinking towards the murky bottom of the ocean into oblivion. My lungs were filling up with water, and while it should have stung and hurt, I felt the lightest I'd ever been.
Maybe I should just let myself sink, give in for once. All my plans had failed anyway, so what was the point in trying to find the light?
Shutting my eyes, I resigned myself to this fate until I felt a hand wrap around mine.
And then there was the light, blinding me, water hissing and screaming dizziness and disorientation taking over; lungs filling up with more and more water, choking, suffocating until---
We broke the surface, and I felt somebody push me onto land, where on all fours I began coughing up water, salt burning my throat. Collapsing into a heap on the unknown land, it took me a few moments to remember what happened.
"Draco?" I choked out, my voice hoarse.
"I'm here," he whispered, and weakly pulling myself around I saw him kneeling a few feet away from me, drenched and shivering. "We got away, Rory, we got away."
A delirious happiness came over me, and crawling to him, I fell into his arms, resting my head against his chest, feeling his warmth as he held me. We'd actually survived.
"Where are we?" I said, the hopelessness taking over me again like the flick of a light switch.
"Look," he whispered, pointing into the distance, and I nearly swore.
We were on a landing dock, and about a mile away from us was Azkaban prison. We were shielded by many wooden crates, but I was well aware of a small boat only fifteen feet away with two people on board, armed with wands.
"Why did you bring us here?" I whispered, well aware that the dementors were close.
"I panicked when we were falling, and I just thought of how you wanted to get Gennie out. We might as well do that now we're here."
I stared at him in disbelief, waiting for the punchline that never came. Looking wearily over at the fortress, I looked back at him. "You've finally lost it, Draco."
"Not really," he said. "Look, I know it's the craziest thing we've ever done-"
"Well yes, I was aware of that!" I hissed.
"But the only people allowed in Azkaban now are the guards, Ministry officials or death eaters. Having a dark mark gets you automatically in."
"You're a genius," I breathed out, kissing him on the cheek. "Right, how are we going to do this?"
For the next ten minutes we dried out our clothes and plotted in whispers on how to get Gennie out. In the end it was decided that I would wear one of my cloaks and pretend to be a mute death eater, while Draco just pretended Voldemort wanted Gennie out immediately.
"Love you," I whispered to Draco once we were almost ready to go onto the boat. "You know, for not killing us when you threw us out of a window."
Draco gave me a smirk. "But it worked, didn't it?"
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
"Shut up," I said, trying not to giggle. Giving each other one last kiss, an exchanges of 'I love you'' and squeeze of a hand for reassurance, we stood up and tried to look casual.
"Where did you come from?" the boat captain sneered as the two of us approached, clutching the hood close to my face. I really wished Cameron hadn't destroyed the necklace.
"We apparated, how else do you get to the dock?" Draco sneered.
"Yeah well there's no visitors scheduled to the island today," the guard next to the captain. "Make an appointment."
"My boss isn't about appointments," Draco said stiffly, rolling up his sleeve to show his dark mark. The captain and his friend exchanged a look, and nodded for us both to get on.
Climbing onto the boat we stayed a safe distance away from the two possible death eaters. Standing shoulder to shoulder we looked out into the murky ocean, the grey seeming endless and entrapping, like there was no end to the horror from Azkaban.
No wonder only a handful of people had ever escaped alive.
As the waves whipped around the boat, Azakaban could clearly be seen ahead. It was an infinitely tall triangular building stretching far into the grey haze of clouds, bars covering almost every inch of the brick work-hands of prisoners could be glimpsed at grabbing at the bars, screaming and pleading for escape.
As the boat moored at the dock at Azkaban, the screams could be heard in higher pitches, the hopeless feeling growing inside me like a poisonous flower as dementors were sighted at the looming double doors to enter the fortress.
"I'd use a patronus up until you're in there, mate," the captain said, his own patronus-a dog-floating behind him. "And your little mute friend as well-not a happy place, Azkaban."
"Thank you," Draco said stiffly, and grabbing my hand, the two of us exited the boat, pulling my hood further over my face as the wind roared.
"Expecto Patronum," Draco whispered to himself as the boat turned around, heading back to the darkened waters, leaving us alone on the path to Azkaban.
In the darkness, a shape began forming out of Draco's wand, white and glowing like a talisman to guide us through. A smile played on my face when I saw what the animal was-a stag.
He noticed me staring. "What can I say; you clearly have an effect on me."
Feeling a bit more comfortable, I set up my own patronus, and the two of them walked in front of us, and maybe it was Draco's hand in mine or the lights of the patronuses, but I felt like we could actually do this, get Gennie out.
The doors were open when we got there, and all feelings of hope seemed to slide off me as we entered the dingy entrance hall, a wizard guard reading a newspaper at his desk. Behind him were several blown up photos of Harry and me, calling us dangerous lunatics. Pulling my cloak firmly over my head, I let Draco step forward to talk to him.
"Good afternoon," Draco said calmly. The wizard looked up from his crossword. "I have a warrant to collect Genesis Lupin from maximum security."
He sounded so genuine I almost believed him myself, but the guard raised an eyebrow. "And on what authority is that?"
Once again, Draco rolled up his sleeve, exposing the dark mark. "And we wouldn't want to disappoint my master, would we? He doesn't like not getting what he wants."
The guard paled dramatically, and leapt to his feet. "Right away sir, yes, um, who is your friend?"
"Associate from Bulgaria, she doesn't speak." Draco lied. "But my master trusts her to help me."
The guard nodded, and seizing his wand and a long rung of keys tripped over his own feet to lead us to the cells. Following the guard, Draco gave me a little smile which said hey this is actually working.
We travelled through several cell blocks, which was honestly the most terrifying thing I've ever done in my life. The corridors were narrow and claustrophobic, no lights guiding the way leaving a constant grey darkness over the place. And then there were the prisoners in the closely packed cells.
Some would wail as we passed, clutching the bars and scream of their innocence, at one point trying to grab my robes to plead for my help. But even worse were the ones who just sat in their cells with blank expressions, all hope and light lost from their eyes.
But the one constant were the screams in every cell block from at least half the prisoners, turning the place into a constant screeching nightmare. How could Gennie and Sirius both survive in this place?
A thought danced into my head: imagine if Hollie ended up here. Feeling sick tried to scrub the thought from my mind. Hollie might have now killed three people, but she didn't deserve to be here. Maybe the death eaters would protect her from here, as sick as it sounded.
"Right, maximum security is right through here, she's the twelfth cell on the left," the guard said impatiently, fiddling with the keys on the multi-locked door. Hope surged through me-we were almost there.
A beam of light came from the corner of my eye, and I almost jumped as a patronus soared over to the guard in the shape of a snake. The guard fell silent, and over the silence, a single scream was heard.
"-break out, there's a break out in progress," the patronus spoke, and the screams behind the maximum security door grew louder. "One of the rebels-put the prison in lockdown, now!"
"But-Draco Malfoy is here to collect a prisoner." The guard spoke back to the patronus and Draco and I exchanged a worried glance. We couldn't be turned away now.
"Draco Malfoy?" the patronus responded. "What are you on about, Max? That kid is wanted-he escaped Hogwarts today with the Potter girl."
The patronus died away, and the three of us exchanged a glance, to see who would make the first move. In slow motion, the guard reached for his wand, but I got to mine first.
"Stupefy!" the guard went down like a fly, crumpling against the brick wall. As sirens wailed around us, hysteria took over and I knelt by the guard, grappling for keys that I couldn't find. What would we do now? "I can't find them, Draco, I can't find them!"
"DUCK, RORY!" Draco shouted, and I barely had enough time to grab my head and roll away before he pointed his wand at the door and it exploded on impact, metal flying and screeching in every direction as it smashed against cell blocks.
Scrambling to my feet, Draco grabbed my hand and we began sprinting through the maximum security block, which was almost empty as any death eaters on this block were broken out by now.
I counted the cells as we sprinted past, looking for Gennie.
Seven-shouts were coming from behind us.
Eight-we picked up speed.
Nine-what was on the floor ahead of us?
Ten-spells were being shot at us from behind, killing curses barely missing our heads.
Eleven-a bloody knife was on the floor, oddly familiar.
Twelve-the body of a guard was slumped in front of Gennie's cell, clutching his bleeding slashed throat.
"But-where is she?!" I shrieked, looking in the empty cell, the walls covered in tally marks and drawings, but no sight of my best friend. "She-she couldn't have done this, could she?"
"THERE THEY ARE!" the guards were catching up. If we didn't leave now-
"There she is!" Draco shouted, and without giving me a chance to react, he pulled me through the entrance way at the end of the block.
We were outside now on the battlements, cruelly pointed railings stabbing upwards into the air. Dementors were beginning to circle, the waves slapping against the bricks, sea spray whistling through the screaming wind. There was nobody in sight.
"GENNIE!" Draco screamed, and I darted to where he was looking, just in time to see a blonde girl leap from the railings. He turned to me, his eyes wild. "We need to jump!"
Without hesitation, I scrambled onto the railings, the glimpse of Gennie burning through me like an addictive drug. We could get her, we just needed to jump. Stood on the end of the railings, the sea seemed a million miles below us and fear began to swallow me up.
"Together!" Draco shouted, and before I could scream he'd grabbed my hand and the two of us were hurtling over the edge, water rushing up to meet us, green light chasing us like bloodhounds, dementors howling in the wind.
Slamming into the water, vision impaired, limbs heavy and a faint outline of blonde and grey in front of me, one thought came to mind--
Please, take us somewhere safe.
****
"Rory, you're okay," choking on fresh winter sunlight as I breathed out, I was well aware of Draco's hands on my face. "We're all okay."
"Gennie-"I choked out, rolling onto my side, vision blurry. I was on grass.
"She's here, we're all safe."
Scrambling into an upright position, I saw my best friend sat only a few feet away from me, shaking with her head in-between her legs.
"Gennie," I croaked out, and she looked up at me with the most broken look.
The Gennie I'd seen at Fleur's wedding was almost non-existent in the girl sat in front of me. She was malnourished, eyes gaunt in her thin face, clumps of hair missing and greasy. Gennie was wearing a striped prison dress, her visible skin covered in scrapes and bruises.
"No," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "No,"
Pulling her into my arms, her body was soon racked with sobs, her hands over her ears. "N-No," she choked out. "Please-not again, no-"
"It's Rory, it's me," I said, my vision blurred with tears. "You're safe."
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Gennie screeched, her expression broken and terrified. "Leave me alone, I'm out you can't get in my head anymore, I'm free, I'm free, I'm free-"
"It's us," Draco said, putting a hand on Gennie's shoulder, and she flinched at the touch. "We got you out. You would have drowned if we weren't there."
"But-"Gennie cried. "How are you-"
Clutching the side of her face, I looked straight into her terrified eyes, telling her, "It's real. I promise you on my life, this is all real, Gen. You have us."
Realisation dawned on Gennie's face and she began sobbing, collapsing onto me and holding me so tight I couldn't breathe but I didn't care.
"I missed you so much, Gen," I choked out, kissing the top of her head, beginning to shake from emotion. "You wouldn't believe it."
"I thought you died, I thought everyone was dead," Gennie whimpered, screwing her eyes shut. "I thought I was dead."
"Rory," Draco said, and his voice sounded odd. "I thought your house burned down?"
"It did--" I broke off, when I turned to see where I'd apparated us."Fuck."
There in front of us was 7 Pond Close, my old home. And there wasn't a single scratch on it.
----------------
A/N Don't panic, the next chapter is planned out, I thought it'd be good to cut it off there. ((Chapter 22 will be up like Thursday))
Thoughts on Gennie coming back? (I was almost crying writing this ngl)
Thoughts on how the Oswin house has suddenly resurrected itself?
Also today my teachers told me that I'm going to be a school Prefect next term!! I'm excited but I wasn't expecting it at all tbh