Witch Hunt (Re-written)

chapter 3, Regret

   In the pit of your stomach you felt something off about how things ended, especially after Fig and Ranrock's death.
Anne and Ominis believed they did the right thing even with having doubts and missing Sebastian, but not enough to correct it.
So, you started looking into Azkaban and the more you found out, the more you knew it wasn't the place to put Sebastian.
He was a manipulative jerk, but getting the life sucked out of you until he went crazy and finally died? No, that fate shouldn't have been his.
After tracking Ominis to the undercroft, which he seemed to expect you were coming, he looked over at your steps.
"I've been thinking," you started, trying to watch his expression. "I think turning Sebastian in was wrong."
He sighed as he closed the book he was reading, surprising you to see the cover, it was also about Azkaban. "I do too, but there's nothing we can do about it now. Professor Black already sent him there."
"Says the guy reading about the prison," you replied while tapping the cover. "Now, I know there are dementors and the occasional auror, and we'll need to know how and where to apperate and how to cast Expecto Patronum."
"It will be the beginning of next term before we're even proficient enough to attempt breaking him out."
Smiling, you pulled out the books with the information. "Then we better start now."
"What about Anne? Should we tell her?"
"When she's ready. She's still angry at Sebastian and it will only cause more problems later."
He went quiet for a moment before nodding. "Alright, but how are we going to do this? I need to go home for the summer now that Solomon is gone."
Well, it's not the best place, but it'll work. You'd expect it's probably cozier than Solomon's.
"Just come stay with me. I have a house in Upper Hogsfield."
"What about your parents?"
You gave a bitter smile. "They died a long time ago."

     Learning to apperate was difficult, though using ancient magic to tether your basement to the undercroft was helpful.
There were restrictions for using magic outside school, so, you and Ominis would practice there.
Though, you did keep essence of dittany on hand when you splinched yourselves one too many times.
It was in moments like this, you wished you could consult with Professor Fig.
You kept Sebastian's wand safe with professor Fig's and Miriam's in a display case in your room as a reminder of those who died for what they believed in and those who were punished for merely trying to help.
The day you planned to break in was getting closer and you noticed Ominis was getting cold feet because he was scared.
You couldn't really blame him, a boy from a family of dark wizards, wouldn't want to step into the prison willingly.
So, using your usual routine, you told him you were going to meet Natty and Poppy at Hogsmeade, but instead, you stashed Sebastian's wand in your pocket and grabbed your bag with the undetectable extension charm, before leaving.
You knew he'd listen to you leaving and waited until you were in the middle of the woods to apparate to the cliff near the prison.
Close enough to see, but not to get spotted by dementors.
A caw from a nearby crow was the only sign of life. Carefully, you moved closer, not seeing any doors, but all you needed was a window.
You needed to get where you're going before trying to apperate.
Once you managed it, the air got cold, way too cold as guilt over what happened to both Sebastian and Fig weighed heavily.
"Expecto Patronum," you whispered, and a wispy cat appeared at the end of your wand, trying to play with it before landing at your feet, the pressure instantly fading.
Various prisoners sneered, laughed or made threats as you passed, but you continued.
Your cat moved up in your defense whenever a dark cloaked figure appeared out of nowhere.
"Sebastian?" You whispered, hoping he was still there enough to be saved.
You climbed up flights of stairs, searched countless cells, but it wasn't until you reached the tenth floor, that you found one with strange runes carved into the stone around it.
"They're anti-dementor runes," the man inside said from his spot by a window. "I was always particularly good at ancient runes. Now, what brings a student all the way here?"
"Sebastian Sallow," you answered after a moment.
The prisoner in the next cell began to laugh historically.
The man pointed across the cell, so you looked over seeing a familiar silhouette laying on a makeshift bed on the floor.
"Is he okay?"
"The runes keep the dementors at bay, but it doesn't stop the nightmares. Or the unforgiving feeling of despair," he admitted, his eyes shooting behind you, getting you to glance quickly, seeing a hoard of dementors heading your way.
"Quickly, think of the best memory you can and command your patronus to attack them."
Taking his advice, you sent them back enough, your cat in guard.
"There's more where that came from," the man said moving to Sebastian and shaking him. "Kid, you have a visitor."
"What? No one visits here-" Sebastian looked at you, shock and fear creasing his dirty sunken features. "What are you doing here? You're going to get hurt!"
He half skidded and fell as he moved over to the door.
"Them sending you here was a mistake Sebastian. You didn't deserve this."
"It's okay, I know you didn't have a hand in it. Ominis told me you refused to say either way-"
"That was my mistake. All you did was defend yourself, defend me."
He grabbed the bars, his eyes on the dementors over your shoulder. "Hey, it's alright, okay? You should go now."
Shaking your head you pointed your wand at the lock. "Alohomora."
You opened it enough to slip into the cell and slammed the door before the dementors broke through your patronus.
"What the hell?" Sebastian snapped, catching you as you tripped from how fast you moved.
"Ooh, I felt my charm weakening," you admitted with a laugh.
"Do you realize what you just did?" Sebastian asked, motioning around the room.
Nodding, you pulled your bag off your hip and stretched it.
"This isn't the time for that." He grabbed your hands with a look of desperation in his eyes. "You don't belong here-"
"If you do, then I do and so does Ominis."
He stepped back at your strong tone.
"He cast crucio on muggles to avoid getting the treatment himself. He never turned himself or his family in. I-" Swallowing hard, the words jumbled in your throat. "I was forced to kill my father."
"What?"
You gave a bitter smile, which came off as a grimace. "My mother forced me to kill my father after casting Imperio on me."
His face turned into horror. "Why would she-"
"To impress her lover at the time. He killed her a few minutes later, but my point here is that you, out of all of us, did it to protect someone else. You shouldn't be here and as much as you were a jerk for being manipulative, this punishment doesn't fit that crime."
"I don't know the proper spells to fight our way out and besides that they probably broke my wand."
You pulled it from your pocket and held it out for him. "You dropped it in the catacombs. I picked it up."
The man beside us chuckled. "Brave friend of yours to come all this way. I'm almost jealous."
He was leaning against the wall, making no attempts to grab either wand.
"You're oddly calm for someone who's been locked up in here."
He shrugged. "It comes with being wrongfully accused and sent here to rot."
"He's the one who talked my escort into letting me stay in his cell."
Confused, you looked back at the man. "Who are you?"
When he frowned, you couldn't help but follow suit. "Felix Williams."
"Wrongfully accused?"
He nodded lazily. "Of your parent's deaths."
Sebastian's mouth dropped as you sighed, giving yourself a moment to get your emotions in check, before nodding. "Alright, there's an undetectable extension charm on this bag, the band can stretch, so you two should be able to climb inside."
"Hold up. You want us to get in that and you go out there to fight those dementors alone?" Sebastian asked sharply. "No-"
"I can apperate and I'm not magically banned from it while here, for now. So hurry before that changes."
"Best do what she says kid. She's a stubborn one, just like her father."
Ignoring the jab, you moved to spread the opening up for them and once they were safely inside, you apparated home.