Unrepentant

Sebastian Sallow awoke to same nightmare he always did. The cold, cracking stones scratching his already scared knees, as he's dragged by his limp arms across the stone cell by the same stone faced men who always did. He fought back, as he had done day upon day, though the act held no weight anymore, becoming merely a performance to appear more alive then the endless nights had left him. His muscles tensed as he was dragged along the endless corridor, under the whispered moans of hungering dementors. He often found himself wondering how he was not used to it all by now, the bitter cold and damp stone. He wondered how the specific shade of grey he found himself incapuslated in had yet to become any less unnerving. Month by month as he was dragged, the same sneering comments flung at him by the stoney men, the same manic laughter echoing off the tall ceilings, and yet year by year his hair stood on end and nose scrunched in displeasure.
"Where's your fighting spirit this morning Sallow" the first of the men geered. He had a long narrow face, Sebastian noted, his eyes a little to close together to be considered attractive, and the boy took comfort in his silent bullying, as an exasperated chuckled escaped his chapped lips. Though his amusement lasted no long then a breath as the second man's hand collided with his head with such pressure it made his head spin.
"Best behave loony, wise you won't be recieving the special surprise that's waiting". The words tickled at the back of Sebastian's brain, an internal jury debating between hope and reality. His brain screaming for him to dismiss the comment, the men reveled in there superiority over him, they had since he had first laid his glossy eyes upon them years ago, when his face was still fresh and his feelings still fully intact and able to be chipped away at. But somewhere inside him shouted that this was real, an escape, a change, anything that distracts from the stone wall that trapped him.
The wall infront of him was just as stoney and grey as every wall they had passed on the way here. Identical brick work, identical chips in the stone, identical black mold and mildew. And starring at the wall, he meditated the idea that perhaps the guards had simply gotten bored of there posts at the opposite end of the hall and had taken the excuse to walk as far away as they could before reaching a dead end, only to turn around and walk him back to the room he normally ended up as soon as he was awoken. To be pilfered for memories by the thieving monsters that punished him. But no u-turn was made. The guards stood next to him holding his arms taunt so he couldn't run, not that he had anywhere to run too in the labyrinthian prison, their eyes trained on the wall ahead. Quite unintentionally, Sebastian found himself acutely aware of how the men's posture had changed between his small cell, barely a 5 minute walk away, and this blank wall. The long faced man, whom always seemed slightly bent over, although he had a hunchback, stood with posture even proffesor Weaslys routine etiquette classes couldn't achieve. The other more plump man had his free, unnaturally reddened hand neatly across his waist, as if about to bow to a lady to ask them to dance. It took everything within him not to scoff at the sight. Though before a comment could fall from his lips, a loud and rather spontaneous noise sounded around him, changing his demeanour entirely. A large gaping crack squirreld its way to the bottom of the wall, spreading its tiny tributaries in a rather unnatural arch before falling into a pile of rubble at their feet. As the dust settled and his vision returned, the wall he had been kneeling infront of for the better part of 10 minutes, had been entirely replace with a beautiful, intricate metal door. Beautiful, shining, glittering silver metal that danced in the dim corners of his dulling mind. The corners he so scarcely touched in fear of reminding himself of the beautiful world he is missing. Of colours beyond gray, and weather beyond bitter cold and rooms of more then the same identical stones ceiling to floor. And as the locks clicked in a gentle melody that spread across the hall, urging a melancholy cry from a few of the more broken inmates surrounding him, Sebastians imagination exploded with ideas of freedom. Of the soft green fields surrounding Feldcroft, of the bussing streets of hogsmead and the sweet scent of butterbeer. For a fleeting moment the boy was 16 again, hand in hand with his sister, and ominis. His eyes darted around the room opening infront of him. Glossy emerald tiles linded the walls and a single chair sat in the centre of the room. He continued to study the new environment even as the men dragged him towards it. A ripple in the corner of his eye caught his attention, it had been a very long time but he was not quick to forget the distinctive shimmer of a disillusionment charm, especially so in a room so void of distraction. His hands were fastened as he was harshly shoved into the chair, though his eyes never left the spot, and once the men had finished the task they left without a word, and the crumbling wall was rebuilt behind them.
A moment of silence past, though Sebastian kept his anticipation controlled in his chest. No matter who was stood infront if him under the thin veil of magic, he could not appear phased by any of it. The mantra he had sung for so long played softly in his head. Don't give them the satisfaction of seeing you, any of you.
The distinct whooshing sound of the charm rang in the room. Scarlet, was all the boy could focus on, the scarlet coat of an auror, shining in all of its leathery appeal under the harsh light above them. Scarlet, all the way from her mid thigh to her neck. Until he met her eyes. Blue as the ocean, with fiery flecks of gold, the colour of ancient magic, the colour of her.