The Darkness Within

Chapter Fourteen - Breaking the News

Chapter Fourteen

Jackson opened the door to the cell, the same one that Harry had spent his first night in. He waited for Harry to walk in before he entered the cell as well, leaving the door open for the time being. Harry didn't notice the strange behaviour, his mind was still on the conversation he had with James Potter. He turned to see the guard when he noticed he hadn't heard the cell door slam shut.

Jackson paused, looking a little uncomfortable before he pulled out a thin blanket, folded into a small square, from his robes. He offered it to Harry.

"It's got a 'stay-warm' charm on it." he said quietly. The cell was warm enough but Harry still had mild hypothermia and Jackson didn't want to make any more mistakes.

Harry didn't take the offered blanket. Instead he kept his eyes fixed on the guilty looking guard. Jackson was uneasy under Harry's stare. He shifted from one foot to the other.

"Look...Harry, I really wasn't going to leave you on lower ground. I was just...trying to scare you."

Harry nodded once.

"Is that why you flooded the entire section?" he asked. "To scare me?"

Jackson snapped his head up to look at him.

"What? You think...?" he shook his head. "I didn't do anything!" he protested. "The flood was because of the storm!" he explained.

Harry already knew that, he had figured it out from the guards reactions, but he enjoyed making Jackson feel guilty any way.

"Sure it was." he said sarcastically, turning his back on the guard.

"I..." the guard hesitated. Without another word, he dropped the blanket onto the floor of the cell and turned to leave. He closed the door, the sound making Harry turn to glance at him. Jackson held his gaze for a moment before taking out his wand suddenly, aiming at Harry. "Chain evanesco." he muttered.

Startled, Harry looked down at his hands. The Kelso cuffs were still encircled around both wrists, blocking his wandless magic, but the short chain between them had vanished, freeing his hands. Harry looked up at the guard with surprise.

Jackson didn't say anything. He tucked his wand back inside his robes before turning and walking away.

Harry moved his arms around, rolling his shoulders to relieve some of the ache in them. He'd had his hands cuffed almost the entire day. He walked over to the thin blanket and picked it up. He kept it folded and used it like a pillow, protecting his head from the hard floor.

Harry lay down, sighing deeply. He couldn't believe how close he came to drowning today. He would only admit it to himself but he was utterly terrified when the cell filled with water and he couldn't get out. It must have only been four minutes at the very most that he spent underwater but those four minutes were longest of his life.

Harry felt his heart flutter uncomfortably at the memory of seeing James Potter suddenly appear before him. What was he even doing here? As far as Harry knew, Nurmengard was very rarely visited by Aurors. Harry closed his eyes, trying with all his might to think about something else but all he could focus on was James Potter and the surprise on his face when he saw him on the other side of the bars. The Auror's expression had made it very clear he didn't know who was trapped in the flooded cell. Once he saw who it was, he had hesitated and in that moment, Harry had been certain Potter was going to turn away and leave him to drown. That was why Harry had pulled at the bars so violently, his terror filled panic made him act out. He was still somewhat shocked that Potter had opened the door and let him out. But Harry knew better than to delude himself in foolish fantasies. He knew why Potter had helped him. He hadn't understood it then, but after speaking with him, Harry knew what Potter was trying to do.