The young couple woke early as normal, but spent an extra ten minutes hugging prior to Y/N starting his workout. Whenever they engaged in what they had the previous evening, Hermione was always extra clingy the next morning, much to Y/N's delight.

Once Y/N had finished his workout and showered the lovers headed down for breakfast. They sat there happily talking, flirting and basically gushing over each other before they were eventually joined by Harry and Lavender.

The four talked, being joined by a tired looking Ron, before hundreds of owls flooded into the Great Hall. This usually happened when there was a big news day in the Daily Prophet.

Na-Hath also flew in the hall and like the owls dropped a Daily Prophet into Y/N's hands before he perched on Y/N's shoulder. Y/N wandlessly and non verbally levitated a small bowl of mixed herbs out of his moke pouch and levitated it at a comfortable height for the Phoenix. He unfurled the paper with one hand and reached up to lovingly scratch the Phoenixes neck with his other. Hermione paid it no mind, finishing her oatmeal as the two boys across from on him stared in astonishment.

"How are you doing that without using your wand or even concentrating on it?" Ron asked in shock.

Y/N looked up to see Ron's face full of shock and Harry's full of admiration.

"You'd be surprised what I can do Weasley" Y/N chuckled before returning to his paper.

It was the headline he had been waiting for.

AZKABAN SHOCK. SECOND BREAK OUT IN TWO MONTHS.

Y/N began reading the story but was interrupted by Ron reading it out loud from his own copy of the paper that had been dropped by Errol who then preceded to fly into the side of Percy's head. Ron's voice shook as he read:

Convicted murderer Jackson Selwyn is the second inmate to escape Azkaban in only two months, following the escape of Sirius Black in early July.

It's not known how Selwyn was able to escape, but it's believed over a dozen guards were killed during the act.

Selwyn, 43, was convicted in 1980 for murdering Marvolo Malfoy, the elder brother of well known Ministry employee Lucius Malfoy, as well as his own wife.

Selwyn had admitted to killing Malfoy, but claimed it was only after the deceased had broken into his home and assaulted and murdered Selwyn's wife, Alicia.

He was convicted after damning testimony from Lucius Malfoy to the Wizengamot committee claimed Selwyn had been blackmailing his elder brother, and had been attacked when he attempted to pay off Selwyn in his home. Younger Malfoy's testimony resulted in Selwyn being given a life sentence to Azkaban.

The Ministry of Magic has made no official statement at this time, other to acknowledge Selwyn's escape. Nor has it addressed rumours spreading that a surviving guard stated that an unknown party had actually broken into the island fortress to help Selwyn escape, or that Jackson had ridden out on a dragon.

As Ron read the last sentence Hermione's hand, which had been sat on Y/N's thigh, suddenly squeezed. Y/N knew he was in trouble.

"Did you know Selwyn, Y/N?" Harry asked.

Hermione turn to look at her boyfriend, still squeezing, and spoke through slightly gritted teeth:

"Yes love, did you know him?"

Harry looked confused at Y/N. If he didn't know better he could have sworn he saw a look of fear flash across Y/N's face, only momentarily, before it was replaced with his usual confidence.

"I do. He's a good man. An innocent one as well. Lucius bribed the Wizengamot to convict him. I hope Jack's ok, wherever he is" Y/N replied.

"How could he have escaped though? And who could have got a dragon in there?" Ron asked excitedly.

"No idea Ron, probably just a rumour, or something that useless Skeeter skank made up" Y/N chuckled, feeling Hermione glare into the side of his head as he spoke.

The group headed off to their first lesson of the morning, Herbology, and Hermione didn't let go of Y/N's hand the whole time, neither did she mention the incident though.

—~—

Classes for the day were straight forward enough, and it wasn't until after dinner when Hermione finally got Y/N alone.

She sat down at the study desk next to him as they pulled out their work for the evening. Hermione was starting her Dittany scroll, while Y/N was working on his Patronus scroll for Ghoul Studies. She inhaled deeply before reaching under the desk, squeezing gently on Y/N's upper thigh before speaking quietly:

"Ok baby, I promise I won't get mad, any more mad, and I'm almost afraid to ask, but please tell me you had nothing to do with this break out?"

Y/N looked around to make sure they were alone. He looked his girlfriend in the eyes. He couldn't lie to her. He just couldn't do it.

He opened his mouth but before he could answer they heard a throat clear and looked up to see the Headmaster standing in front of them.

"Sorry to disturb you two love birds on this fine September evening. I'd say go enjoy the wonderful weather while it lasts, but I know how diligent you two are."

He spoke with a warm smile before sitting across from the young couple and threw a silencing charm around their desk.

"Forgive the theatrics, but I came to ask Mr. L/N the same question. Y/N, could you please answer respond to your lovely girlfriend's question?"

He spoke with a wry smile, Y/N looking between the two before he sighed again and answered:

"Yes. It was me."

Hermione instantly put the non-thigh holding hand across her eyes in frustration.

"Sorry baby, I just can't lie to you" Y/N said with a sad smile, not that he regretted his actions, but that his actions brought Hermione distress.

"Why, Y/N? For the love of god why?" Hermione asked, beyond frustrated with her boyfriend. Every time she accepted something dangerous from him he just kept upping the ante.

"I had to, love. I just had to. It killed me leaving him in there, so once Cass gave me what he gave me, I knew what I had to do."

Hermione squeezed the bridge of her nose, whispering: "Merlin give me strength" to herself. Y/N rubbed her shoulder but continued:

"He's my friend, baby. He looked after me in there, warned me when Avery's men were coming for me in the bathroom. And he's innocent. I saw his memories. Marvolo broke in his house and attacked and killed Jack's wife. He was a psychopath, and a death eater, but that piece of shit Lucius bribed the Wizengamot members overseeing his trial to convict him."

"Corbin Yaxley" Albus said angrily in response to Y/N. Y/N nodded.

"I don't even know what to say about this" Hermione said in complete exasperation.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you love, but I'm not sorry for what I did. I couldn't let an innocent man, a good man, rot in that hellhole. I just couldn't. Not after being there and seeing it first hand."

"But if someone recognised you?" Hermione snapped.

"I went in transfigured as someone else, no one except us and Jack will ever know I was there" Y/N explained, trying to reassure his lover. Albus dryly chuckled from across the table:

"It was extremely reckless of you to do this Y/N, not to mention rash, foolish and-" the headmaster paused and smiled... "brave!"

This stunned both Hermione and Y/N. Albus continued:

"There are two wizards I admire more than any other, Y/N. Newt Scamander and yourself. Do you know why?"

Y/N's mouth had dropped at the Headmaster's statement. All he could do was shake his head.

"The two of you share a rare and most admirable trait. Neither of you question whether a course of action is dangerous, but simply whether it is right, and you then act accordingly. That is incredibly rare in my experience."

Y/N looked down in pride. He was quickly drawn to Hermione speaking to him. Her words were drawn out, but didn't seem forced:

"I understand why you did what you did, Y/N"

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" Y/N asked hopeful. Hermione chuckled and replied:

"Oh you are a long way from forgiven. But I understand."

The headmaster chuckled before speaking again.

"Finally I must ask Y/N. Did you have anything to do with the Dementors last week?"

Y/N looked at him before sighing. "Fuck it in for a Knut in for a Galleon. Yeah, I killed them headmaster."

If Dumbledore was shocked he didn't show it, he simply muttered a single word.

"How?"

"I assume you know Castiel?" Y/N asked.

"I do" Albus replied.

"He attached an Angel Blade to my left forearm. I can descend and ascend it on command. He said it could kill anything, so I took it for a test run."

The Headmaster now looked shock, asking with genuine concern:

"Why would you do something so reckless?"

Y/N's eyes narrowed as his voice hardened:

"They tortured me sir. Extensively. You saw the condition I was in when I arrived back at the Ministry. I wanted some payback."

Albus sighed and raised his hands pleading for calm:

"I understand, Y/N. But I must ask you not to do something so foolish again."

It was Y/N's turn to chuckle:

"I can't promise Headmaster, but I will try."

Albus smiled and lowered the silencing charm before standing and turning back to Y/N.

"That's all I ask. Thank you for your honesty."

With that and a smile he bid them good night and left. Y/N turned to look at his girlfriend apprehensively.

"So... are we good, baby?"

Hermione sighed.

"Do you promise to tell me ahead of time next time you're planning something stupid?"

"Yes love" Y/N nodded.

"Then we're good" Hermione smiled as she kissed him, adding:

"But please try not to do anything that dumb again!"