A visit

With a gasp, James Roland awoke. Even in his sleep, he could not get away from the dementors. The nightmares followed him, stuck inside his head. It was a wonder that Roland had not yet lost grip on his sanity. The only thing that was really keeping him going was his pride. He had seen the other prisoners; mindless screaming wretches. Roland had no intention of ending up like them.

But as the days went by, it was becoming harder not to. His hope's of getting out had all but faded away. Now Roland could only dwell on the injustice that had befallen him. After all, he wasn't guilty. Not really. And to think, that Zada Forbes, a more active supporter of Grindelwald, was still running free while he rotted here… The world was really an unfair place. Sighing, Roland tried to go back to sleep.

It was a dark grey day, and storms threatened overhead when Khaat went into her office at the Ministry. There was a sharp bite to the north wind. It felt like autumn was coming early this year. She went upstairs and was handed her morning mail by her secretary. The secretary had placed a parchment from Azkaban on top. That usually meant something needed her attention rather quickly.

She took the parchment and read it. Roland. The warden said James Roland wasn't well. He was getting thinner and becoming emotionally unwell by the conditions. That didnt entirely surprise her. The conditions there were harsh and intended to be so. She had seen even the sturdiest souls seem to break under the prison's inhospitable environment, but she had ordered that the conditions not be so torturous for him. She didn't know why, but once again she had a soft spot for one of her family's enemies. And to be honest, so did her father. Roland's crime was more of a white collar nature. He didn't deserve to be fed to the dementors. The parchment was a request from the warden. A concern for the health and wellbeing of the prisoner she had ordered considerations for.

That really was all she needed to hear. And she strongly suspected that one more time her orders had not been complied with. She handed her mail back to her secretary.

"You're going, then? Alone?" her secretary asked.

"Tell my father our meeting can wait until I get back," Khaat said, turning and heading towards Azkaban prison as the thunder and lightning and rain started. Well, wasn't that just going to make the trip that much more pleasurable? She accio'd her umbrella on her way out the door.

Secretaries talked. In fact, everyone in the Ministry of Magic had something to say about something else and it didn’t matter if it was derogatory or not – they all had opinions. But they were all shameless gossips too so it was no wonder that in record time, it came to Elijah Krum’s attention that someone was doing something they ought not. Last week it had been interns riding the confiscated brooms that Department Officials had taken from the Tornadoes during their game with Puddlemere United.

This week, it had been all manner of things but today it was his not-really-but-sort-of-kind-of mother going for a wander. So naturally, he took it upon himself to join her.

Straightening his robes, Elijah thanked the informative Millie Finnigan and breezed past the young woman out into the corridor of the upper levels of the Ministry. He ignored the quizzical looks he was being shot and instead kept on walking, making his way towards the Wizengamot chambers and to the offices where he caught Khaat Lupin just in the nick of time, meeting her just as she’d breached the threshold of her office.

“I do hope you weren’t planning on going without me.” He told her with a smile.

She saw Eli coming towards her like a man on a mission. She stopped and waited. "You already know, huh? Well, come along, then," she laughed. "Its liable to be a rather dismal trip there in this weather anyway. You do know that you're not really dressed for a travel in the rain, but let's go. I'm not sure this can wait." She handed him the parchment that had raised her concern.

On the miserably wet boat trip to the unplottable prison, she explained to him her concern and that she had left specific orders that since he was stil awaiting trial, Roland was not the typical prisoner. He needed and deserved to be treated reasonably well. She wasn't sure why Roland wasn't well, but she wanted that to be remedied. Roland's reputation did preceed him in many ways, but she wanted him given every chance.

When the boat docked, she shouldered her tan leather messenger bag and picked up her umbrella. They made their way up the dismally gray rocky path up to the prism shaped prison that rose up out of the rock itself with its towering forboding presence. She ignored that it did rather creep her just a bit and bolstered her confidence and walked in as if she owned it.

There were, of course, no questions about her or Eli's presence. They took her to the one room that she had prepared years ago for visitations. It was drastically more comfortable than any other room on the island. Panelled walls, a fireplace, oak and leather furniture. She flicked her wand at the hearth and caused a fire in the fireplace and brewed tea. There was no need to be uncivilized about this. If he were illtreated, treating him better would be a start.

When she had the room prepared, she looked at Eli and nodded. It was time. She sent for Roland.