Lockwood Part 4

I didn’t have time to go back home, but I needed to warn someone of what I was about to do. I moved as quietly and as subtly I could towards the department of muggle artefacts, it was safe enough in an empty office. I conjured a small patronus, small enough to make its way unnoticed to Benji’s desk.

Quite by chance I saw another recovery potion, doubling checking that’s what it was, I downed it and headed for the ministry reception, keeping my head down so that I could apparate.

Azkaban was located on an unknown island in the North Sea, no one knew exactly where it was, but with the shear amount of dark magic that surrounded the prison, I shouldn’t have had any difficulty in finding it. I could use my animagus to remain undetected, but the problem with that was my animagus was potentially larger than the corridors would accommodate for. I would have to improvise when I could.

The big problem was how I was going to make it to the island, I couldn’t swim the whole way, I was far too weak for that, even with my animagus. I could just about see a small house close to the cliff edge, hopefully it was a wizarding house and one of them had a broom I could use. I walked across the open field, focussing on what I needed to do, it was the only thing that was keeping my legs going.

It was a muggle house, not much chance of finding a broom then.

‘Excuse me?’ I called, seeing a middle aged man in the garden. ‘I’m sorry, I’m a bit lost, got turned around in the woods on the hill.’

‘Oh right, yes, easily done.’ He said cheerfully in a thick Scottish accent and wandered over to me. ‘We get a lot of campers coming through here, you’ll be looking for St Cyrus?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’ I panted.

‘Well, if you follow the road at the front of the house, you’ll end up just outside of town, but it’s a clear route to get there.’ He nodded.

‘Thank you very much, sorry to bother you.’ I smiled and prayed he would invite me into his house. I went to walk towards the front of the house, pulling my collar up and my coat tighter to my body.

‘You’ve had a long walk?’ He suddenly asked.

‘Sorry? Oh yeah, I came from Kinnaber, took the trail into the woodland and somehow ended up this side.’ I chuckled, hoping my exhaustion showed.

‘That is a long walk,’ I could see him musing, thinking about what to say next. ‘Why don’t you come in for a cup of tea? Rest your legs for a bit?’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude.’

‘Nonsense, my wife will be cleaning up from lunch, I’ll see if there’s anything left for you.’ The man approached me and began ushering me into his house. ‘No reason you should walk a mile on an empty stomach.’

‘Well thank you, that’s very kind. I am pretty tired.’ I chuckled, feeling the pull of my animagus again.

‘Frances?’ The man called as we entered into his kitchen, I wiped my shoes on the mat and looked around for anything I could use to get to Azkaban.

It was a modest home, a farmer’s home. Everything was dark wood, plants covered the entire kitchen as well as what looked to be the ingredients for someone about to start making some kind of pie or cake. It was clear that they had children, but they had since moved out, so it was just the two of them living in the house. It looked to be around two bedrooms, possibly one spare, the living room looked cosy and accommodating for a small family for Christmas and other holidays.

I spotted a tatty broom in the corner of the kitchen, it would have to do. Improvise.

‘Sorry I didn’t catch your name?’ The man came back, his wife following, she had a wonderfully kind face.

‘Angie.’ I smiled.

‘Thomas says you were camping?’ Frances wandered straight over to the fridge and the man known as Thomas gestured for me to sit at the small round kitchen table.

‘Yes, just over night, but somehow managed to get a bit turned around and ended up here.’ I half laughed. ‘I hope I’m not being an inconvenience for you.’

‘No, no, of course not,’ Frances batted away my comment and began making what smelled like some form of soup. ‘We get a lot of campers coming here, asking for directions into town, it’s no trouble at all. Would you like a roll as well? I’ve just made some fresh.’

‘That sounds wonderful. Thank you.’

Thomas eventually went back out into the garden to continue working, while Frances and I stayed in the kitchen. She was very chatty and very kind, telling me stories of her family and her two sons who had left to work as a lawyer and an engineer in the city, she was very proud. I managed to eat most of the lunch she had made for me and did my best to engage her in her conversation about her sons, but I was very aware that my time was running out. I needed to leave before it was too late.

‘Well, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time, I best be on my way.’ I said, standing and feeling my legs coming back to me. ‘Thank you for your hospitality, Frances.’

‘It’s no problem, I’ll just go and get Thomas.’ She said and shouted on her husband. This was the only chance I was going to get, the second Thomas was in view I brought my wand out and removed myself from their memories. It was a few precious seconds I had to summon the broom to my hand and dart out the back door and in the opposite direction to the house. They would soon refocus, and I needed to be gone by then.

I walked for while towards the sound of the sea, trying to make the broom fit for flying, it took a while and I knew it was because I was tiring again. I finished off the broom on the beach, it wouldn’t be perfect and it would be slow, but it would get me where I was going.

I made sure that no muggles were around, throwing the broom down in front of me, it wasn’t especially steady, but that was okay, it held my weight fine and began moving as quickly as it would go towards the middle of the North Sea.

It was colder the further I went, but suddenly something caught my attention, it was like ice, but pulling me in one very clear direction; darkness. Turning wasn’t the broom’s strong point and it took me a while to find the dark trail again, but the second I found it, I pushed a little harder towards wherever it was coming from and soon it began to get stronger. I tired hard to stay steady on the broom, but it was starting to reach its limits.

I wasn’t sure how long to follow the dark trail, but it felt like a good few hours, the sun was starting to go down, I needed to find Azkaban quickly, otherwise I would be a dead giveaway with my wand lighting the way.

‘Angie?’ It was the brother, it had been almost entire year since I last heard from him and it sounded like the year had been especially unkind. ‘Where are we going?’

I debated telling him the truth, but in all honesty, I could use all the help I could get.

‘Azkaban.’ I said, the wind was freezing my face and speaking hurt as much as moving any other part of my body.

‘We can’t go there, it’s too dangerous.’ If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve said the brother was struggling to stay conscious.

‘Darren is there, I won’t abandon him,’ I said in defiance. ‘And you will help me if I need it.’

The brother didn’t respond, but I could feel him listening. I kept flying towards the darkness, feeling it getting thicker and thicker in my chest. That was until I could see something in the distance.

‘Azkaban.’ The brother whispered. I was so close, the sun was descending quickly and I would only have a few precious minutes before the light disappeared entirely.

Something began creaking, I looked down to see the tip of the broom icing over, dementors were closing in. When I looked to the sky I could see them, black cloaks floating around against the darkness of the sky, the noise was unbearable, the screeching they made sent shivers down my spine, I was already tired and the cold was making it difficult for me to take deep breaths.

I was trying so hard, too hard. I took a slow steady breath, feeling the broom beginning to crumble beneath my feet, it was breaking and soon I would have to change into my animagus and swim the rest of the way.

The screeching was suddenly piercing my ear and the next thing I knew was the freezing cold of the sea. I felt my body spasming into the wolf that had been fighting to get out since the ministry. Something about being a wolf made me feel better, like this was my natural state, like this was the only way my body knew how to behave anymore. The dementor that had glided close to me was gone as was the broom. The only thing to do was to swim towards the thickening darkness of Azkaban.

The water was icy and every breath I took was painful, heavy and filled me with a desire to give up. I couldn’t give up so easily, I couldn’t just let my brother rot away in this place. We would live long, happy lives. It was like a mantra now, not something to aim for, but simply words enough to keep me moving forward. I hadn’t anticipated the climb, but my newfound experience of climbing mountains came in useful.

I used my sharpened claws to grab onto the side of the steep tower block and used any strength I might have had left to climb. I don’t know how long I scaled the towering prison, but the fact that I was starting to feel the heat of the sunrise on my back told me all I needed to know.

The entrance was so close, I could see the ledge over the top of the prison, just a few more steps and I would make it to the door. Why was the sun so hot on my back? It was such a sharp contrast to the icy winds that surrounded Azkaban and the dementors that guarded it.

My muscles hurt more than I could ever remember them hurting, maybe it was my imagination, but I was sure that I’d never been through such a physical toll like that one before. My body was failing me and I could easily have just fallen asleep where I was, but Darren needed me. I crawled in my animagus, which was smaller than it had been in Tibet, and found the entrance to Azkaban.

Something made me turn to a small dark corner, some tiny piece of magic that didn’t quite fit like the darkness. I saw what appeared to be a small statue of a wolf, barely big enough to fit the palm of my hand, but I knew Benji was looking out for me. It sat on top of a small wooden box which I recognised from Benji’s dormitory in Hogwarts.

I changed back into my human form and risked a glance towards where the dementors were circling, they were far enough away from the entrance not to notice my presence and I quickly opened the box, carefully moving the statue without touching it; if I was right about what I felt, it was a portkey.

Angie,

Burn this after reading it. The portkey has been activated. You will have one hour after opening the box to find Darren and get out. I couldn’t find out his cell number, but he’ll be in one of two places most likely. Either the top three floors where our most dangerous criminals are kept or between floor 53 and 68, reserved for lower level criminals or those of public interest.

Do not try and contact me after your return, no one can know that I’ve helped you, the consequences would be severe and I can’t put my family at risk like that. Kingsley will suspect something, he always does.

Find Darren and do not get yourself killed. Remus won’t forgive this.

Benji

My heart was pounding with a heavy weight of guilt. How could I have been so rash and just left Remus like that? He trusted me to keep my promise, my one promise to do nothing until I was strong enough, but my impulse led me to ignore him and put my life at risk for my brother. The weight lifted again as my focus narrowed in on my brother, I only had an hour and Benji had place two bottles of some potion in the box as well as a small amount of chocolate, just enough to get myself and Darren out of Azkaban.

I tried the lower levels first, scanning every second level in my animagus and doing everything I could to go undetected. It was like I could feel their crimes, the guilt, the pride, the pain and the sadness, it was like an infection over the whole building. Darren had to have been on the upper levels, the top three floors.

I still had time, but something was telling me I would need all of it to find Darren and get out.

The top three floors felt heavier, thicker and more tortuous on my mind. I could feel my joints weighing my whole body down and I wondered if anyone would care if I just lay in the middle of the corridor and let the dementors take me. I felt my body change back into human form and collapse against the dark stone, I was exhausted and running out of will to keep going.

‘Hey.’ It was a harsh whisper that came floating to me and I wondered if the brother was trying to help, finally. ‘Hey, wake up.’ It didn’t sound much like the brother, the voice was much more hoarse and ragged. ‘The dementors are coming, change back, quickly.’ Change back?

They must have been talking about my animagus, I pushed my body back into the wolf shape that now felt more familiar than my own body and stayed close to the door to the cell. I turned to see what appeared to be a big black dog staring back at me, was it a mirror? Was this what I looked like now? No longer the wolf that could stop a werewolf in its tracks, but now a mangey mutt, it must’ve been this place.

I felt the icy cold of the dementors gliding through the corridor and I stayed close to the cell as the dog came to lie next to me. I thought on Remus and how disappointed he would have been knowing what I was doing and how scared I was of going back home to him. Why did I do this? Why did I let impulse and obsession take over? Would this ever be over?

‘You can change back now.’ The dog was no longer a dog, it was a man, one I half recognised. His face was gaunt, pale and hollow cheeks, his beard was thin and his dark hair looked as though it needed a good wash. ‘Change back.’

I took a breath and suddenly felt the hot tears that had been apparently streaming down my cheeks.

‘What’s your name?’ The man asked, he was exhausted, but in a more permanent state than me. Something about him felt out of place, something warmer than any other criminal in this place.

‘Angie.’ My voice was low and barely above a whisper. ‘Angie Lockwood.’

‘I take it you’re an Auror?’ I shook my head, pulling my legs to curl underneath my body, anything to stay a little warmer. ‘Ministry official?’ I shook my head again. ‘Then who are you? And what are you doing here?’

His eyes were dark and beady, but there was something so warm behind them. He was innocent. I couldn’t find the energy to talk too much, I would need all the energy I could muster to get Darren back home.

‘You’re innocent.’ I said, trying to see past all the exhaustion and the pain. He was clearly surprised at my statement, his eyes widening and his thin body shifting back a little. ‘You’ve been put in here for a crime you didn’t commit, but you know who did, don’t you?’

‘Occlumens?’

I shrugged. ‘Of sorts.’ I remembered the chocolate in the box that Benji gave me and slowly took it out, breaking the small piece in half and handing it to the man. He was unsure whether to take it at first, but eventually gave a half smile and ate it silently.

‘So, Angie, why are you here? If you’re not an Auror or from the ministry, you must be here for something specific?’ I could see a happy memory playing out in his mind, something to do with an old friend. There was a deep sadness followed by hatred that followed and I wondered what it meant.

‘I’m here for my brother.’ I said and suddenly felt the crinkle of the paper I’d been reading the day before in bed. I carefully took it out of my coat pocket and pointed to a picture of him.

‘Darren Lockwood?’ The man smiled a little wider and nodded. ‘You’re his sister?’ I nodded and pulled my coat around my body a little tighter. ‘I think I’ve heard things about you, Fudge sometimes drops off a paper if I’ve been well behaved, helps me keep up with the outside world. I’ve seen some of your articles and I have to say, your work has been fascinating… I had a friend once, he was… you know,’ that brought my focus completely onto the prisoner. ‘Ever since he was a boy, he struggled when we were in school, but he has always been a good man. A kind man.’

Something was looking me straight in the face, something important. ‘Remus Lupin.’ I whispered and the man’s eyes snapped up to mine. ‘Who are you?’

It was a moment before he answered. ‘Sirius Black.’

I swallowed the lump in my throat, I’d heard Remus mention this man before, he was an old friend of Remus’s from school. ‘He mentioned you once,’ I racked my brain for the memory of Remus saying his name. ‘You and James taught him to be charming and… romantic.’ The first sign of any kind of warmth and it was my cheeks flooding red.

Sirius frowned and a small smile played on his lips. ‘And how is it you know Moony?’

I felt a small smile appear on my face and Sirius nodded knowingly.

‘Well, that makes me very happy. How long have you been together? If you don’t mind my asking?’ He suddenly seemed very reluctant to ask anything that may have seemed forward, but I could see the hundreds of questions floating through his mind.

‘Must be nearly five years now,’ I frowned, trying to think. ‘We, erm… it’s hard to explain. It’s actually hard to say whether we’re even together at the moment.’

‘Yeah, he was always a bit distant with women, but there’s an obvious reason for that.’ Sirius looked pained again.

‘It’s not him.’ I shook my head. ‘I’ve broken too many promises to him.’ I thought about all the times I’d let Remus down and how much of a failure I felt. ‘I was in the Triwizard tournament, I told him I wouldn’t show off for the audience, but I did; I promised him I’d wait until someone could go with me to go to the Alban Hills, but I didn’t, I promised him I would be back by Christmas, but I wasn’t and I promised him that I wouldn’t make a move against the minster until I was strong enough… but here I am… he doesn’t deserve me.’ I felt the tears streaming hot and fast down my face, I couldn’t look at Sirius while I sobbed like a child.

His hand came to rest on my shoulder and for a moment I felt his pain, I felt his guilt and his regret. Sirius Black was an innocent man.

‘He will understand, if he’s still the same person that I went to school with, his patience is second to none and his compassion rivals the best of us.’ Sirius did his best to comfort me. I appreciated it. ‘You should go and find your brother. This is no place for someone like you.’

I wiped my tears and looked up at his now much kinder face. ‘It’s no place for you either, if I could help, I would. I can see you’re innocent.’

‘How?’

‘I can’t explain it. I went away to learn some things and now I can see things that I never used to. I can see people’s feelings, sometimes their thoughts and memories. It’s not so clear when I’m tired and I can’t quite grasp a hold of why, but what is clear to me, whatever you’re in here for, you didn’t do it.’

His sunken eyes began to water. ‘Thank you.’ He said and smiled. ‘You have no idea what it means to hear someone say it. Would it be too much to ask that you tell Remus? I feel he’s more likely to believe you than anyone.’

I frowned, thinking on how best to approach the subject. ‘I don’t think Remus will listen to me, like I said, I’ve broken too many promises… but I will try and do what I can, once I’ve made up for my mistakes.’ I promised, knowing it wouldn’t mean much, but it seemed to mean more to Sirius than I anticipated.

‘Thank you, Angie Lockwood.’ Sirius smiled. ‘I will remember this.’

‘Me too.’

I handed him the newspaper, most of which was covered in Darren’s trial, but there may have been something of interest to him in the pages. He took it and nodded his thanks.

‘If it helps, I saw them taking a man who looks similar to your brother to the floor above this one. I can’t be sure that it was him, but you should check just in case.’

‘Thank you, Sirius.’ I said and struggled to my feet. Something suddenly occurred to me. ‘You’re an animagus.’

‘Yes.’

‘A dog.’ I nodded, Sirius wasn’t sure what I was getting at. ‘Dog’s are known for being especially loyal creatures.’

‘I suppose they are.’ Sirius smiled again and opened up the paper to begin reading.

I began heading towards the floor above the one I was on, I only had fifteen minutes to find Darren and get back to the entrance of Azkaban to get the Portkey away from this place. It was thick and dark and I needed to change back into my animagus just to find Darren’s cell.

He was gaunt, thin and nothing like the man I’d come to call brother, but then again, I couldn’t imagine I looked much better. I changed back into human form and brought out my wand.

‘Darren.’ I whispered, he was curled against the back of the cell, his eyes wide with fear and pain. ‘Darren, it’s me, it’s Angie.’

‘Angie.’ He breathed. ‘She will come, she will come, she will come.’ It was a mantra, one he clearly repeated to keep himself connected to reality.

‘Darren.’ I said, much more firmly. ‘I’m here.’ I began assessing the charms on the cell and dismantling what I could. Darren began crawling towards me slowly. ‘Darren, I’m going to get you out of here.’

‘Help me, please.’ He begged. His bright blue eyes, bloodshot and sunken were pleading with me to do something.

‘I am helping, Darren, you have to believe me, I am helping.’ I got down onto my knees and brought out the small bottle and the chocolate. ‘Here, drink this and try to rest while I get you out.’

His hands were shaking, but he did as he was told and drank the potion, curling against the door to the cell and watching me carefully remove the last few charms. The door swung open and by the time it had, Darren was on the verge of passing out.

‘Darren, come on.’ I used any strength I may have had to lift his arm over my shoulder and took any weight I could, dragging him back past Black’s cell. Sirius was looking intently at the paper, he was entirely absorbed in what he was reading and I was glad to have at least given him a change to the usual atmosphere of Azkaban.

We made it just in time to the portkey, the rain was lashing down at the prison and made both of us slip just before grabbing a hold of the small wolf statue.