Fictober23

It's not your fault 30/10

Azkaban being creepy was an understatement. The first time you were there you hated it the second you stood in. The humidity, the lack of light, the entire place stank like desperation, not to mention the dementors were terrifying.

That time one almost coughed you still hunted your nightmares occasionally, you didn't want to know how it was to have them around daily, but you imagined it every day, the terror in Sebastian's eyes the first time you visited him was a constant reminder.

Of course, the visitor's facilities weren't as scary; they were still gloomy, but not like the cells hall. You went through the same dull protocol of every visit, a search for any unauthorized magical objects or potions, a quick check to make sure you weren't there under any curse, and at last the guards asked you to leave your wand behind with them or with a companion.

You rolled your eyes at the request, irritated by the protocol, as if breaking in was so difficult, but you didn't reply and obey. They let you into a private room, your designated visiting area. You sat on an uncomfortable wooden stool, you looked at the matching table in front of you and traced the marks along its surface with the tip of your fingers, made by you through the years.

You hated that room, it was dim but the best improvement you could get after countless times asking for a private room. You wished you never had to see the magical barrier that kept you away from Sebastian again, some times magical measures weren't the solution.

The usual visiting experience for most prisoners, if they were lucky enough to have visitors, was having to endure a wavy barrier that barely let you hear anything from your visitors, not to mention the noises from other conversations. Awful. So you were grateful for that stupid little room.

The bars door opened, and the sound reminded you of the dungeons back at Hogwarts but you were far away from home now.

Sebastian came into the room, dressed in those hideous striped robes, his hair done as best as he could without a mirror. You smiled at him and he grinned back, even though his eyes showed how numb he was.

You stood up, walked to him, and hugged him.

"No touching!" yelled the guard from the other side of the bars. Same old story, one you never paid attention to.

You walked Sebastian to his stool, he didn't need the help but the guard never complained about that, besides, there were those times were Sebastian did need the help and didn't admit it, so you always helped him just in case.

"How've you been?" you asked before taking your seat.

"Same as last time, love" he faked a smile while he looked at you. Lately, you never knew how much of him was actually in that room with you.

"Seb, please"

"You come at least twice a month, MC. I don't go through much in here. One would say after all this time you would know that, love" The guard outside had already lost interest in the two of you, so you took Sebastian's hands and held them.

"What goes on inside your mind it's what worries me. After all this time you should know that, Seb" He bit his lip before answering

"I've been worse. Anne came to see me last week" You froze. Anne started visiting Sebastian a few months ago, you had gone with her every time, but hearing she was there alone made you uneasy.

It took Anne years to finally make peace about seeing her brother in Azkaban, you talked to her after every visit, and every time she crumbled.

Her curse stopped progressing after Rookwood died, but the emotional wear of Sebastian's trial and the guilt she felt almost ended her.