The Contract

Chapter 40

The moment Harry and Corvus used their Portkey to get to Azkaban, they were once again, visibly reminded of differences that were slowly but carefully undergoing. Quite frankly, Corvus had been under the impression the walls and floors were black, trying to give it a foreboding a look as possible. He was very wrong in that regard. The floor was actually grey, and the walls? White.

"...Three floors down," came one of the voices of the guards, "Heir Darwin will accompany you," the conversation continued, both Harry and Corvus would have been waiting uncomfortably...if not for their eyes roaming around what they could see with a critical yet surprised look.

It did not look like the same building at all, and they couldn't help but wonder if the individual cells were being done also.

It did not take long for one of the guards to come into the room, looking more than just a little frazzled. Probably unused to so many people coming and going from the prison. They could only imagine what he'd be like when they actually changed the laws so that family could actually visit the inmates every week. Harry, thus Corvus were not going to stop until the prison was a better version of itself, so nobody had to go through what Corvus had. Regardless of guilt, nobody should be tortured or worse...be forbidden from seeing their family...their children...their wives and husbands. Although, the majority of the inmates were actually wizards and that wasn't under contestation.

"My apologies, Lord Lestrange, Heir Potter, we've got our hands full of emptying the lower cells so that they can be cleaned and showers and toilets installed..." he replied, giving a bow acknowledging his place in the hierarchy. The Dark side hierarchy that was.

"Intriguing, how long will it take to get the higher up ones done?" Corvus questioned, in other words, when would they reach his sons cells and how long before they could enjoy a shower with warm water. He disliked the fact his sons were still rather dirty when he visited and he knew it was intolerable to them. They were the one day Lord and heir of the Lestrange estate, it was beneath them to be so damn dirty.

"It's difficult to say, they're just starting to get the plumbing done," he confessed, as he waved his hand over Heir Potter's box, and found to nobody's surprise nothing of worry or note. "I'll have an answer for you within the next few days, your boys are already waiting...follow me,"

Harry cocked his head to the side, the way the guard was talking he knew Corvus...speaking to him with familiarity...but he'd never met him before. He was having to look at pictures of anyone of note within the wizarding society, Lord's, Ladies and Heirs then being surprised and asked who it was. It was a hit and miss whether he did or not. He didn't look like anyone he'd seen a picture of, maybe his father knew Corvus and had adopted the familiar way of talking to him. It wasn't often you saw that, everyone interacted with Corvus so carefully, and Harry personally loved it. Well, except for Voldemort, of course, he didn't tip toe around Corvus.

"Harry? Are you coming?" Corvus asked, giving Harry a deep penetrating worried look.

"Sorry," Harry said, shaking off his ill-timed stray thoughts, as he walked a little quicker to catch up with Corvus. It took no time at all before they were reunited with Rabastan and Rodolphus, and the door was closed behind the guard giving them privacy.

"Well, how did it go, then?" Rodolphus asked, watching Harry begin to bring out food and drink and place it right next to them. If he'd been a lesser man he would have been drooling. Hell, he may have been drooling the first few times, but he didn't like to think on those times thank you.

Corvus hugged each of his sons in turn, before he took a seat, gracefully accepting the hot coffee Harry had made for him. Sitting back, just grateful as always to see his sons.