A Half Blood Against Time | A Percy Jackson AU

31: "I'm Marlington, the warden of Azkaban. I hope you'll enjoy your visit"

Wind was blowing rapidly over the north sea. Fog seemed to glide over the ocean water as dark clouds loomed in the dark sky, rain imminent. Under the order of Albus Dumbledore, Perseus Jackson had been tasked with checking up on the prisoners in the fortress prison of Azkaban. The recent dementor, the prison guards, attack on Harry Potter was another reason that had forced the Hogwarts headmaster to get the safety of the prison checked.

Dumbledore had to go through more than a few ministry officials to get permission for one of his delegates to visit the prison. As the newest and one of the most trusted members of Dumbledore's Order Of Phoenix, Percy had been chosen to take up the task which made it his first mission for the order. Percy was pleasantly surprised with this mission, with only days before the start of the Hogwarts year, it was unexpected of Dumbledore to send one of his professors on a mission.

The monolithic towering fortress stood on a small island of jagged black rocks. Percy saw mists hide outlines of the tall prison which seemed to radiate gloom and depression. Strangely though Percy felt comfortable in the unsafe environment. It reminded him of one of the few quests he had been on with his friends. And, after walking through the underworld itself few things seemed dark and gloomy.

Percy who had swam straight through the ocean to get to the island waited by the sea shore on a big, black rock as he waited for the prison warden to come and take him inside. Percy would have had no idea on what to do at the prison but he had been given strict instructions from Dumbledore to wait for the warden to take him inside and then follow him at all times.

Percy continued to gaze upon the only small opening at the foot of the large prison. The mist continued to creep around him and spread its tendrils around the prison. Through the expanding mist, a figure finally appeared through the slit. The thin outline of the man slowly made his way towards Percy, two dark dementors floating behind him. As he walked closer, the mist dissipated from around his dementors, as if even the air was scared to go near them.

"You're Dumbledore's man, I presume?" the thin, almost underfed, warden asked. The pale man had cheekbones as high as mountains and eyes that seemed almost pitch black. If Percy had to guess, he would've said that this was one of the furies itself.

"Yes, I'm Percy Jackson." he said but did not offer the warden his hand. The warden grunted in response.

"You're to walk beside me at all times. You will not touch anything without asking me. Do you understand?"

"Uh, sure? Yeah."

"Good. I'm Marlington, the warden of Azkaban. I hope you'll enjoy your visit." Marlington said with a ghost of a smile creeping onto his face.

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Marlington led Percy through the opening of the giant slab of rock. He did not make a single sound the entire time and seemed to be a dementor himself as he glided upon the rocky surface. Not ice did Percy see his feet. The warden seemed more Snape than Snape himself. The ghouls at his side were silent too. All the demigod could hear was the roaring sound of the hurricane clouds and water striking the rocky shore, the sounds of his father's domain calmed him.

The dementors disappeared as soon as the duo walked through the opening, it was like a gateway into a foreign land. Everything disappeared except Marlington and Percy's vision was clouded by darkness.

"Do not use the light charm." Marlington voiced out as if sensing Percy take out his wand, "Your eyes will adjust on their own."

Percy stood still as he waited for his eyes to adjust like the warden had said they would. The silence was deafening, Percy had expected the prison to be echoing the screams of its tortured prisoners but it was strikingly silent. Light suddenly flashed his eyes and they adjusted like a lightning strike. The demigod had to blink away the sudden insurge of light into his pupils. It was as if he had just walked out of the movie theater into the bright day.