Season 2 Chapter 2

I know Azkaban in the fan fic isn't how it is in Harry Potter, sorry in advance

Had to resubmit because the chapter was cut short due to laziness

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Morning time came around, the first rays of dawn peeking through the barred window. The boys were in a triple bunk bed with Merwin at the top, Gino in the middle and Cobalt at the bottom. Cobalt stirred, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. He then sat up and felt Gino's foot touch his face. "Ugh, you oaf! You're too big to be smelling this bad!"

Gino smirked and continued purposefully putting his foot in Cobalt's face. Cobalt groaned and then pulled Gino's leg. "Oh, you little bitch!" Gino yelled as he fell to the ground and the sheets fell with him. Cobalt cackled and pointed at Gino. Gino's golden eyes glistened from the sun and he looked out the window. "Wow, for prison it's real pretty outside." He said and kipped up and levitated up to Merwin's bed.

"Merwin, come on. I don't know how prison works but I'm pretty sure we're supposed to go to the cafeteria for breakfast." Gino shook Merwin, who had tear-stained cheeks and was biting on his thumbnail.

Cobalt struggled to climb up the beds and clung onto Merwin's. "Curse you, Gino! I want my powers back!" Cobalt cried but then saw Merwin's expression and sat on the end of the bed. Gino did the same thing but sat behind Merwin's body. Merwin's voice cracked before he spoke. "I-I'm not hungry."

The two brothers paused, the weight of Merwin's words sinking in. Gino's usual bravado faltered as he realized the true gravity of their situation. Cobalt, for once, remained silent, his gaze shifting between Merwin and the barred window.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the sound of keys in the lock echoed through the cell once more. The heavy door creaked open, and a pair of guards stood at the entrance, their faces set in grim expressions.

"You three, on your feet. Time for breakfast." one of the guards barked, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Gino gave Merwin a gentle nudge. "Hey, you gotta eat, man. You can't just sit up here all day." His tone, while gruff, held a hint of concern.

Merwin hesitated, his eyes downcast. "I... I don't think I can." he whispered, the fear and resignation evident in his voice.

Cobalt, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, reached out and placed a hand on Merwin's shoulder.

The guards, seemingly impatient, cleared their throats, drawing the trio's attention back to the present. "Times up, let's go. You can chat on the way to the mess hall."

With a shared glance, the three brothers slowly made their way off the bunk bed and followed the guards out of the cell, their steps heavy with the weight of their newfound reality. As they walked through the dimly lit corridors of Azkaban, the hope of a future beyond these walls seemed to dwindle with each passing moment.

As they entered the cafeteria, the cacophony of noise and commotion hit them like a physical blow. The air was thick with the pungent aroma of stale food and unwashed bodies, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. Clanging metal trays, raucous laughter, and the occasional shout echoed off the damp, stone walls, creating a disorienting din.

The brothers found an empty table and sat down, their eyes scanning the room warily, searching for familiar faces amidst the sea of hardened criminals. Gino leaned in closer to Merwin, his voice barely above a whisper. "Listen, you're in a pretty big depressive state right now, so just lay low and let your older brothers take care of you!"

Merwin chuckled a bit and picked at his food, the smell of the unappetizing gruel turning his stomach. "We're twins," he softly reminded Gino, though the slight upturn of his lips suggested he appreciated the sentiment. Merwin's thoughts were a tangled mess - the weight of their sentence, the fear of the unknown, and the dread of what the future held. He didn't know if he had the strength to endure this torment, but the presence of his brothers, even in this hellish place, provided a glimmer of comfort.

Cobalt, who had been uncharacteristically silent, suddenly slammed his fist on the table, causing the other prisoners to turn their attention towards their table. "Curse you, Gino! I want my powers back!" he bellowed, earning him a few curious stares and a few chuckles from the surrounding inmates.

**at the table behind him**

A trio of inmates had singled out a smaller, meeker-looking prisoner and were tormenting him. The largest of the three, a burly man with a shaved head and numerous scars, towered over the cowering inmate, his meaty fist clenched around the front of the man's shirt.

"Well, well, look what we have here," the brute sneered, his breath hot and rank. "Seems like someone forgot to pay their fee this week." He punctuated his words with a sharp jerk, causing the smaller man to whimper in fear.

One of his companions, a lanky individual with a twisted scar across his face, let out a cruel laugh. "Yeah, and you know what happens to those who don't pay up, don't you?" He leaned in, his yellow teeth bared in a menacing grin.

The third man, a thinner, wiry individual with a menacing glint in his eyes, reached out and shoved the cowering inmate's tray, sending the contents spilling onto the floor some of it landing in Merwin's hair. "Oops, looks like someone's lost their appetite," he taunted, his voice dripping with false concern.

The trio erupted into laughter, clearly taking pleasure in the smaller man's distress.

As the burly man laughed, he was about to continue talking but out of nowhere he was hit on the side by a metal tray full of food by Gino. He clutched his cheek in agony and when he tried to turn around to see who did it, he was instantly grabbed by his hair by Cobalt and slammed into the table, breaking it.

"Watch where you're spilling your shit!" Gino and Cobalt said in unison.

The man ripped off his shirt revealing his buff hairy chest. "What the hell?! Who do you think you are-?!" Before he finished his sentence, he saw Cobalt and instantly his heart sank. And When he saw Gino, he was frozen in fear. "T-the man who tortured thousands of wizards and stripped them of their powers, some he killed! And Merlin's perfect child?! The one who destroyed half of Hogwarts?!" The man bowed down before the two.

Cobalt put his foot on the man's head and pushed it down. "Yeah, that's us, and that boy back there, he's our leader, so show some respect." He pressed on the man's head, making him bleed and crushing out most of his teeth.

The other two thugs stared in disbelief, their mouths agape. They had heard the rumors, of course, but seeing the infamous brothers in person was an entirely different experience. Trembling, they quickly backed away, their earlier bravado replaced by abject terror.

Merwin, who had been watching the exchange with a mixture of shock and amusement, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. His brothers, despite their flaws, were powerful and feared, and that knowledge provided him with a small measure of comfort in this desolate place.

The commotion had drawn the attention of the other inmates, who now eyed the brothers with a mix of reverence and trepidation. The guards, alerted by the ruckus, began to converge on the cafeteria, their shouts and the clanging of their wands echoing through the hall.

**Moments later**

Cobalt, Gino and Merwin sat on their bed. "Dammit, I can't believe the guards caught us in the middle of that scuffle," Cobalt grumbled, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Now we're going to have to deal with some bullshit punishment."

Gino let out a heavy sigh, his golden eyes narrowed in frustration. "I know, I know. But we had to step in and defend Merwin's honor. Those lowlife thugs had it coming." He reached over and gave Merwin's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We can't let anyone mess with our little brother, no matter what."

Merwin, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up. "I appreciate you standing up for me, but I don't want you two to get in trouble on my account. We need to be smart and play by their rules if we're going to survive in this place." His brow furrowed with concern, the weight of their situation weighing heavily on him.

Cobalt scoffed, a sardonic grin spreading across his face. "Since when have we ever played by anyone's rules? We're the goddamn Shadowbane brothers, and we'll do whatever it takes to protect our own." He clenched his fist, the veins in his arm standing out. "I'll die before I let some lowly guards push us around."

Gino shook his head in laughter, he looked out the window. "The guards aren't the only ones you gotta worry about," Cobalt and Merwin turn to him, confused. "Dementors."