A Snake in the Gryphon's Den: A Riddle in Gryffindor {Completed}

Dementors

".. Don't.. Die.."

I awoke from a distant dream.. Vision engulfed in blackness. For a moment I had forgotten where I was.. But the sound of the crashing sea rattled my bones.. And then.. I remembered.

Azkaban.. Dementors..

I am only a kid.. What harm could I have done..? Oh.. Wait.. I killed a man of the Ministry of Magic with the Unforgivable Killing Curse.. Heh heh heh.. Was that really my fault? I don't know.. I actually have begun to wonder and doubt myself..

The sound of squeaking rats gave me goosebumps.. I wonder what they were eating.. The putrid scent that floated into my senses.. Made my stomach twist and turn.. I tried to keep the juices in the bowels of my stomach.. I couldn't afford to throw up again- this place stank enough already without me adding to it.

It had been only a couple days.. But my body felt like it had lived an eon. The only comfort I had.. Was the little box that was hidden underneath my clothes. Inside it.. Were the letters written, sent, and never received.. Draco had indeed written.. But I guess after seeing the rest of my letters he decided to take his written words away. I really wished he didn't.. But in a way I am thankful. It made me realize how much he meant to me.. It's kind of a real pity though.. I'll never be able to tell him so.. I can't forget the look of rejection in his eyes.. His heart broken words and desperate plea. He really did love me it seemed..

But.. That wasn't what irked me.

Headmaster Dumbeldore had assured me, mother would have broken me out on the second day.. But nothing happened.. At first I thought, maybe he had set me up just so she would make an appearance.. Then again.. Maybe that's exactly why she didn't show up to rescue me..

My fists curled angrily until my knuckles were bleached from strain.

The heavy door knob turned.. And a creepy figure entered.. It was that time of day again.. The man.. With a scarred face entered.. A wicked grin upon his brow. A few other jailers entered the cell.

"Did you kill Barty Crouch." The man would systematically ask.

"Yes." My voice was hollow.

"Did you kill Barty Crouch?" The man asked again.

"YES!" I raised my voice.

"Me or the dementors?" The sick man asked again.

"NONE!" I prompted in a firm militant type way.

"None..?" The man snickered as he closed in and reached for my face,

" It is thanks to me you are still alive!" He bragged.

It was true.. I guess.. In many ways.. He did save my life.. If.. Lying about dementor visits so I would be spared torture counted. He always made it sound like I owed him a big favor.. And as always we would enter this strange topic until it was time to change shifts and he would just go away and leave me alone. Something was different this time round however.. I couldn't quite place it.. But I was scared- more than usual this time.

Once evening came.. I often relaxed.. For that malicious pest would be gone for the night.

And as I lay just holding onto the box Draco had given, I allowed my eyes to wonder past the tiny square window and sighed.

At around midnight I awoke to the sound of the heavy door as it creaked open, and within moments I was struck with a stunning spell. I couldn't scream.. Nor could I move.

The strange scent of stale bread, sweat and metal wafted up my nose.. And then.. My blood ran cold. I recognized the heavy breathing the moment it echoed in the cell.. My heart jumped to my throat the moment I heard the door lock.