And The Second War
Azkaban Prison
�Come on, you can do better than that!� he yelled, his voice echoing in the cavernous room.
The second jet of light hit him squarely in the chest. The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.
Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais.
It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall; his body curved in a high graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.
Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his god-father�s wasted, once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as in a high wind, then fell back into place.
Harry head Bellatrix Lestrange�s triumphant scream, but knew it meant nothing � Sirius had only just fallen through the archway, he would reappear from the other side any second�
But Sirius did not reappear.
�SIRIUS!� Harry yelled. �SIRIUS!�
He had reached the floor, his breath coming in searing gasps. Sirius must be just behind the curtain, he, Harry, would pull him back out�
But as he reached the ground and sprinted towards the dais, Lupin grabbed Harry around the chest, holding him back.
�There�s nothing you can do Harry-�
�Get him, save him, he�s only just gone through!�
�- It�s too late Harry.�
�We can still reach him-� Harry struggled hard and viciously, but Lupin would not let go�
�There�s nothing you can do, Harry� nothing� he�s gone.�
Harry woke up lying on a grungy stone floor, it felt like earth, but if Harry pushed his hand down hard enough he could feel stone. Harry�s mind nowadays wasn�t very clear for it was always interrupted by the past� the past broke into his mind, and all Harry could think about was getting free. Breaking out into the world like a splinter of the past that never went away for good.
Harry passed out of consciousness as another piece of the past broke into his mind and the cold growing, not just around him but also in his heart�
�Lily, take Harry and go! It�s him! Go! Run! I�ll hold him off-�
The sounds of someone stumbling from a room � a door bursting open � a cackle of high-pitched laughter. He had them cornered the boy was his.
�Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!�
�Stand aside, you silly girl� stand aside, now��
�Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-�
�Not Harry! Please� have mercy� HAVE MERCY��
A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and all faded in a great flash of green light.
***
It was craziness and insanity bundled in one, but when insanity and craziness are bundled there is no coherence. Nothing made sense any more it was all just a jumble of memories, thoughts and dreams. Every so often something different would happen and Harry would get a grip on himself, such as the visits to the library, though they were few and far between.
Harry now weighed less than eighty pounds and suffered from malnutrition, sure he was alive but not for long. At the rate Harry was going it would only be a matter of months before it all went black. But there was no way to keep track of the months so Harry always thought that he might not wake up the next morning. Harry had lost a complete track of time for all he knew he could have only been in Azkaban for a few days, or several years.
It was pure psychosis of the mind, his mind was under such pressure and strain that it physically drained him. Pain of memories plagued his nights. Mystification of dreams made his days perplexing. And at the rise and set of the sun when his dreams and memories clashed he often felt disoriented and panicky, for he knew not when the pain would end.
***
Harry was only allowed to visit the library twice a week. By this Harry had kept track of his time in Azkaban, to a point. Then he simply couldn�t remember how long he had been away.
In the library there were no dementors, they even had dementor proof walls. There was much to do in the library. Before Harry had lost a track of time Harry had finished all of his NEWT courses, although he wasn�t allowed to see the scores. When in prison there was never much to do so days in the library were a great relief.
Harry had studied many things such as wand making, Apparation, Occlumency, Legilimens, Port-key creation and many other things all in theory of course. The library was Harry�s only sanctuary, it was a place of peace for the mind. Harry had been through almost every book in there. He judged that before he got out he would have read every book in the library several times over.
But Harry didn�t mind maybe when he got out he would be ready for the outside world, but maybe not.
That was Harry�s greatest fear, going out into the world and not fitting in and having no place to go to, no one to be with. Harry was almost positive that all of his friends had already forgotten him. For he was sure that after a while they would give up hope for Harry. Harry now knew how Sirius felt being locked up in Azkaban.
But when Sirius was in prison he had something unhappy to think about, and that is what kept him sane. Harry had nothing to hinge his mind to. Every day Harry�s sanity slipped farther and farther from his mind.
***
One particular night no different than any other night in Azkaban spent in fantasy, something strange happened. There were people outside of the cells running about. Harry raised his head slowly from the cold floor, trying not to draw attention to himself. Harry felt the coldness of the dementors greatly lessened, then in a rush Harry understood.
Voldemort had come for the dementors and a few remaining prisoners. Harry quickly felt a sharp pain in his scar. He was here, walking the broad walls of the prison, he was sure of it. Harry could hear screams and shouts in the distance, the few human prison guards were likely having trouble with several death eaters.
A death eater came up to the cell directly across from Harry�s cell unlocking the door. Harry quickly scuttled to the back of his cell hoping that he wouldn�t be seen hidden in the shadow. The death eater pulled the prisoner from the cell and headed down the hallway, out of view. Harry listened intently as the footsteps and screams faded, then he relaxed.
�Ah, Mr. Potter, I wondered if I would see you here.� Said a cold voice coming into full view in front of Harry�s cell. Harry stood up and came out of the shadows facing his likely death.
�Not afraid to die are you Harry� good you�re learning.� Voldemort paused looking deeply into Harry�s eyes. �You seem a little bit drained Harry, have you been getting much sleep?�
�Not much.� Replied Harry trying too pass off as if it was no big deal.
�Well then maybe I should put you to sleep� how would you like that?� asked Voldemort.
�Well what kind of sleep?� asked Harry. But before Voldemort could respond shouting came from near by in the prison.
�THE AURORS ARE HERE! RUN!�
�Well Harry I really must be going. Ta.� Said Voldemort raising his wand to Harry�s face. Harry saw a brightly lit spell flying at his face, but Harry was looking forward to it, finally the pain would end.
Harry was looking forward to the end�
End.
