Scopophobia | H. POTTER [4]

15 | returned at last

"Get up," Sirius demanded as he switched the lights in the room on. Abigail grabbed her pillow and pressed to her ears with a groan.

"Go away!"

"You're going to miss the Portkey," he informed her and she perked up at this.

"Portkey?" Abigail asked, peering her head out from behind the pillow. "To where?"

"To Hogwarts you idiot."

She beamed at this, sitting up, "I'm going to Hogwarts."

"Not if you take much longer."

Abigail sprung into action, immediately getting up and getting ready quickly. She was ready a few minutes later, she didn't look fully put together but she didn't care.

"He'll be waiting for you, you know," Sirius told her, as the pair made their way to the Portkey drop off.

"Who?" Abigail asked, worry washing over her. In her excitement to get back to the school to see her friends, she forgot about Dumbledore.

"Harry," he replied and she relaxed, "He'll be right on the other side. Now hurry, grab the kettle, you don't want to miss."

Abigail held onto the kettle sending Sirius a quick smile that she hoped conveyed everything she was feeling. The world around her began to spin and suddenly, she was outside of Hogwarts.

Abigail sprinted through the halls, not caring that she looked like a lunatic. She arrived in front of the portrait, screaming the password to get inside. Much to her surprise, Harry was standing on the other side, looking a bit surprised at her arrival. She hadn't expected for what Sirius had said to be so literal, she hadn't thought he'd be at the first spot she checked.

"Harry, I-" she began but she was cut off when he flung his arms over her shoulders and pulled her toward him. She immediately wrapped her arms around his waist and just for the faintest moment, everything felt like it might just be okay.

"I love you," Harry announced abruptly and Abigail's eyes widened. He seemed surprised at what he had said as well but he didn't waver.

She shook her head, "You - what?"

"I haven't got much time," he spoke quickly, "I have to head down to Hagrid's. It just seems like the place to be tonight, you know what I mean?"

She stared at him in confusion, "No."

"I'll be back," he explained before he walked out of the common room.

Abigail turned around to face an amused but also surprised Hermione and Ron, "Did he just say what I think he just said?"

They both nodded and she looked back at Harry's now retreating figure, "Bloody hell."

The three spent the next few hours catching up, they filled her in on everything they could. "You were poisoned?" Abigail asked Ron in bewilderment. "And Slughorn just completely forgot what his job was?"

"It's not all that surprising, when you think about it," Hermione pointed out. "He's mediocre, at best."

The other two rolled their eyes, and Abigail grew uncomfortable after a moment. She squinted, looking through the curtains to see outside. "He's been gone for quite a while, hasn't he?" Abigail asked, standing up, the pair following in suit. "It's dark out."

"I'm sure he's fine," Ron began but when Hermione shot him a look, he swallowed heavily. The three immediately made their way outside, following Abigail as she led the way. They stopped upon seeing a crowd outside the tower. "What happened?"

Abigail pushed her way through, her heart dropping in her chest when she saw Dumbledore laying on the floor. He was dead. She had known this was coming, of course. But Harry hadn't. She looked around, "Harry!" She called for him and nothing. Abigail turned to Ron and Hermione, "Call for the Order. Call for my dad and Sirius."

"Abby!" Hermione called after her but the girl had already taken off towards the gates.

Abigail ran as fast as she could, wand held in hand, just in case. She saw them, up ahead, and picked up the pace just a bit, "Harry!" But he was more focused on the man in front of him.

"Snape, he trusted you!" Harry shouted and Abigail tried calling out for him but he was too lost in the moment. She ran as fast as she could, hoping to stop him before it was too late.

"Go on!" Snape suggested, it was almost a dare.

"Incarcerous!" Harry exclaimed. "Fight back, you coward! Fight back!"

Another man tried to step forward but Snape waved him off, "No, he belongs to the Dark Lord."

"Sectumsempra!" Harry shouted and Snape deflected it with ease.

"You dare use my own spells against me, Potter?" Snape spat, his control with the situation gone, "Yes, I'm the Half-Blood Prince."

"Don't you get it, Harry?" Abigail exclaimed, "Nothing is ever as simple as it seems." She glanced back at Snape who still stood there with his wand at the ready and looked back at Harry, "This isn't what Dumbeldore would have wanted."

"Well that doesn't matter anymore, does it?" he inquired as he tried to move after Snape but Abigail stopped him, "Because he killed him."

"If it wasn't Snape, it would have been somebody else."

Harry faltered at this, "What?"

"We need to go," she informed him with a frown. "Make sure everyone else is okay."

The two made their way to the infirmary, quickly, wanting to make sure everyone was okay. As soon as she entered, people were already yelling.

"See, she still wants to marry him!" Tonks exploded and Abigail turned to see what was happening. "Even though he's been bitten. She doesn't care!"

"It's different," Lupin replied in a hushed tone. "Bill won't be a full wolf-"

"I don't care!" she exclaimed. She grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him towards her, "I've told you a million times..."

"And I've told you a million times," he countered, refusing to meet her eyes. "I'm too old, too poor and too dangerous for you..."

"I've been saying all along that your points are ridiculous, Remus," Mrs. Weasley announced from where she sat next to her son.

"I am not being ridiculous," he countered. "Tonks deserves someone young and whole."

"But she wants you," Mr. Weasley countered before gesturing toward Bill, "After all, Remus, young and whole men don't necessarily remain so."

"This is not the time to be discussing this," Lupin pointed out, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "Dumbledore is dead."

"Dumbledore would have been happy knowing there was a little more love in the world," McGonagall informed them.

"I, for one-" Abigail spoke up and her father looked up for it- "think that it has been a long time coming." She smiled slightly, "Even a, what were the words you used? An old, poor, and dangerous man like yourself deserves to be happy." He narrowed his eyes at the girl, "You have nothing to worry about, dad."