Nothing Without You (That Special Something sequel)

Chapter 1: The release

2nd February 1990. 13:01.

We just stared at eachother.

There was something about azkaban, that made us no longer talk to one another. All we did was stare at eachother. Blue upon grey. Grey upon blue. I hadn't talked since I had said his name, when I broe into azkaban to see him. Ever since then I had not made a single sound, apart from screaming in the dead of night, in my cell in azkaban.

Anyone who would look at me would think I was crazy, but I knew I wasn't. Living with dementors change you, of course. But I was sane in my mind. I knew I didn't deserve this, and that some happiness insidde of me was still alive, and Sirius did too. That was what the stare said to me, as I said to him. That we were still sane. We were still innocent.

I only broke his gaze when we were given food, which I stuffed down my throat, and then stared again. Even when we were on the verge of sleep, our eyes stayed locked until the nightmares lured us into sleep, in which we woke up to a sore throat, and more gazing.

I wasn't sure what day it was. I was never sure. Not of the time either. It was just day and night. Sometimes I could tell if it was winter sometimes, if snow fell in the corner of my eye, where I still held Sirius' gaze. I didn't really care about it anymore. Nothing. Just him and I. But one thing I was always afraid of, was the day I looked at him, and he didn't look back.

I was staring at him. And a black cloak cut the gaze. I blinked, confused and shook, and I looked up into a dementor's blank face. It's bony, coal-coloured hand reached out to my wrist and pulled me up, effortlessly. I hadn't stood up since I had gotten here, and I wasn't even standing. The dementor had to give me so much support that my bare feet barely scraped the ground. My legs felt stiff and weak, and I felt that if I put any weight on them, I would crumble into a million pieces. 

I looked at Sirius as the dementor dragged me away, and his gaze was still on me. But it no longer said "I am sane." It said "Don't leave me!"

"I love you!" My eyes told him, and then he was gone, as the dementor dragged me down a flight of stairs.

I felt cold air, that blew my straggly, greasy, blonde hair back. I saw the entrance of azkaban, and a man beside the door, his face pale and fear-filled.

"Good evening, Miss Groff." He said. He had a strange voice. It was clear, and, almost happy. "I am Cornelius Fudge, the new minister for magic. I have reviewed your case, and we are releasing you from your time at azkaban."

My heart suddenly sped up to a billion beats a second, and I gasped in the cold air to keep me from fainting.

"What?" I croaked. My voice sounded different then it did in my head. It was croaky, weak, and it wasn't me at all.

"We have reviewed your case, and you are innocent." he repeated. "We apologise for the mistake."

"Mistake?" I croaked angrily. "It is more than a mistake that I had been locked up in azkaban for-" but I couldn't finish. I didn't know how long I had been in azkaban. I made a strange, croaky noise, and glared at him.

"I am extremely sorry, Miss Groff." He repeated, touching my shoulder. I flinched. My first physical contact in years. I didn't want it to be him. "But, now, you get to be free. Now I must go, Dorothy. Somebody is waiting outside for you." He went to leave, but he turned. "Oh, and here is your wand." He passed me the long stick that I had used for spells. It felt friendly in my hand, like it had missed me. I watched him leave, and then, with reluctance, I walked outside, leaving Sirius behind, alone, with no-one to stare at.

"Remus." I croaked, running into his arms, and trying not to slip on the ice that covered the grass. The adrenaline must have kicked in, because my legs were so weak I could barely take a step further to him, and I almost collapsed when I embraced him. The one survivor of the first wizarding war I cared for. He was with me.