Through the Darkness | Draco Malfoy

Two

Azkaban is a wretched place, a prison where the air is thick with despair and the walls echo with the anguished cries of those who have committed unforgivable crimes. Happiness is a foreign concept here, stripped away by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the island fortress. Escape is a nearly impossible dream for the prisoners, condemned to a life of torment.

Yet, in this pit of misery, one spark of joy endures—a small beacon of light known as Aries. A positive bundle of energy, Aries brings an unusual sense of liveliness to the cold, damp corridors of Azkaban. She has been chasing a rat in her dog form for over ten minutes, her playful antics driving the inmate in the neighboring cell to the brink of madness.

"Will you stop doing that? You're making me want to kill myself," the man groaned, banging his head against the bars in frustration.

Aries ignored him, her determination unwavering. She leaped at the rat, catching it in her small hands as she transformed back into a human. "I caught it!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with delight.

"I hope you choke on it," the man retorted sarcastically, his irritation earning a glare from Aries.

She gripped the cell bars and stared him down. "You're just jealous because I can turn into a dog and you can't, aren't you?" she asked, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

"Absolutely not. Why would I want to transform into a dog? They're filthy creatures who drink their own piss and crap everywhere."

"I don't do that!" she yelled, incensed by his remarks. "You're a pathetic excuse for a human being! You're probably a cow in disguise."

"You little—!"

"I see your attitude still hasn't changed, Aries," came a voice from the corridor. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, approached their cell, a look of mild amusement on his face.

Aries stepped back, bumping into her father's chest as Sirius placed his hands on her shoulders. "Fudge, what brings you here?" Sirius asked, his voice calm but wary.

Fudge lowered his head, extracting a newspaper from under his arm—the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. "I thought it would be kind of me to give you some news about your friends."

Sirius accepted the newspaper cautiously, opening it slowly.

"It's the Weasleys. You were good friends with them," Fudge explained, casting a quick, uncomfortable glance at Aries, who was glaring at him.

"Fudge," Aries stepped closer, her eyes filled with hope. "Did you find a way to let us out?"

"Us? You mean yourself. And no, unfortunately, we don't have any way to let you out, Aries. I'm terribly sorry."

Her expression darkened, disappointment evident. "Well, that's fine. If you do find a way to let me out, just know that I'm not interested," she replied curtly, her mood shifting quickly upon realizing her father wouldn't be released with her.

Fudge's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I... I should get going now. I'll be visiting you soon, Black." He turned and left without waiting for a response.

"Dad, we finally have a new newspaper to read. I've been practicing a lot these weeks, you'll see how my reading has improved," Aries said excitedly, trying to lift the mood.

Sirius closed the newspaper and held it tight. He looked at his daughter, a determined look in his eyes. "I'm afraid reading time is over, Aries. We're escaping."

Aries stared at him in disbelief. "You're joking, right? There's no way we could escape. This place is crawling with Dementors. We'd die before we even reached the water."