𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, harry potter

fifty two

52 || talking

REGULUS HAD thought. He had seen his niece in a pain he never wanted her to experience. After all the trauma she'd endured, she was broken.

That's why he talked to one of his old friends. She had helped him after the war and nursed him back to happiness when all he wanted to do was drown in his feelings.

"Mils," Regulus called out, catching attention of the woman who entered the cafe, "Hey."

Millie Williams was a therapist that specialised in the Wizarding World. She had seen the horrors of the war first hand and wanted to help people who survived.

"Hey Regulus. How are you?" She asked, sitting opposite him. "I'm good. It's my niece I wanted to talk to you about."

"Adelaide Black. I saw the papers. What happened at the tournament was horrible, I'm so sorry she had to endure that."

"Thank you," Regulus said with a smile, "But she's having problems. With her dad being one of the ministries biggest problems and the whole triwizard situation. She's struggling. I don't want to see her like this, it hurts Millie."

"And you want her to come to me?" Millie asked, "Does she know?"

"Not yet, I wanted to talk to you first. There's things going on that would cause a commotion if it got out. I need you to swear you won't tell anyone anything."

Millie took his hand, "You know me Reg, what is talked about in my office will stay in my office."

"Thank you, you were just so much help to me that I want her to know that there's hope for her too," He said and grabbed his coat, "I'll write to you. It was great seeing you again Millie."

"You too Regulus," She said, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself about not noticing. I can tell you feel guilty."

Regulus said nothing but gave her a nod before returning to the manor. And that was how Adelaide had ended up in a therapist's office, picking at her nails to avoid eye contact.

"You experienced your first loss so young. When you found out your father was in prison. How did that make you feel?"

Adelaide looked up, "Like shit. Most children grow up having amazing dads who would give them the world, mine sold out his best friend and murdered his other. It's not the chat you want to have with your mum about why daddy isn't in your life."

"And how did you feel when Sirius Black broke out from Azkaban?"

"Scared? Everyone said he was after Harry and that I shouldn't worry but if he could kill his best friend that he'd know since he was eleven then why would he care about his daughter he'd barely known," Adelaide said, "I just- I wish I could've known him before the war. Everyone says he was so care free, so rebellious. They say he was just like me. And that was terrifying. How did I know I wouldn't end up just like him? Messed up. A traitor."

Millie nodded, "What about this summer? How have you been feeling?"

"Numb. Like everything is pointless. I can't sleep but I don't want to get out of bed. I can't eat but I'm craving something. I want to be alone but I want people to comfort me. To let me know that it'll be alright."

The woman sighed, "Adelaide. The world isn't easy. Especially not right now. What matter the most is that we have each other. You have so many people who love you. They really do. But those people won't always be there. At some point in life you need to get up and fight back. Metaphorically and literally."

"I've been on meds since I was young," Adelaide said, "I don't know anything about the incident just that it was bad. When I don't take the medication I see and hear things. There's this voice in my head trying to coerce me into doing things that I don't want to do. But when I'm on my meds, I don't have the energy to do anything. Everything is blocked, all my senses."