Summary:

The basic premise of this story would be a prison breakout of Azkaban.

In fanon, Azkaban has always been presented in pretty much the same way - solitary confinement cells that prisoners are never let out of and Dementors patrolling the corridors.

But what I thought would be interesting is to see is Azkaban done differently - make it more like a Muggle prison, with prisoners allowed to socialise more, and let out for exercise ect.

In this way you could have a good setting for a prison breakout Shawshank Redemption style - either just one person breaking out, or a group of people planning it.

There could even be a secret society that has existed within Azkaban (made up of people who are less affected by Dementors perhaps) since it first started, whos sole aim is escape, even though they've never done it.

The main antagonist would be the prison Warden (who is very self interested and is set to be promoted the next year, as long as there are no breakouts), and his guards, the Dementors.

For this idea to work the Dementors would have to be less visible i.e. they can't be continuously patrolling the halls of the prison as no prisoners would be able to think in that way.

Instead, they would have to be more like a force that patrols the edge of the prison and so are not seen to much, except the occasional Dementor or two to enforce what the Warden wants.

The fic could follow either a post-war Harry Potter, or it could embellish Sirius Black's escape, or could even follow an OC, though this is not recommended.

Rules:

- Try not to make it anything like the current lot of Azkaban!Harry stories out there i.e. avoid excessive ranting at the failures of the wizarding world ect, and don't have whoever your escapee gain a load of super magical powers.

- The escapee can be as skilled at magic as you want, but she/he cannot blast their way out of the prison - it has to be done with cunning. (If you want your post-war Harry to be powerful thats fine, just give him an anti-magic collar or something).

- Don't just copy the format of an existing prison escape film or book - this isn't a HP/Shawshank Redemption crossover.

Well, I hope someone takes this up, it's been stewing in my mind for a while now.

 

It's a good idea, which I might have to do once i've finished my current Azkaban fic. I don't know why, but when you mentioned the group of people who try to escape, I immediatly thought of Colditz and the Escape Comitee.

I think the reason so many authors think thats it solitary confinement because you'll grow insane quicker and the fact that they expect Harry to train and become LordOfMagic!Harry

 

Quite a good idea. It could be quite funny and humerous as well as a serious fic.