Mamihlapinatapai

Toilet Water⋆｡°✩

Atlas just finished Transfiguration, his last class for the day. Draco and him still weren't on speaking terms. Atlas has just been giving him the silent treatment. He was about to go back to his common room when he remembered he agreed to study with Harry in the library. He went up the many staircases and reached the corridor that led to the Library. As he was about to turn the corner, he overheard voices.

"Are you sure about this? It doesn't seem like a good idea," A female's voice said.

"Of course, it's not a good idea! Hanging out with Lestrange!? Are you mad!?" A male's voice exclaimed.

"Shhh!" The third person hissed.

Atlas recognized the voices. Hermione, Ron, and Harry. He stayed behind the wall and continued to listen.

"Look, it's not like he's going to kill me-"

"You don't know that! If he's anything like his parents, he might just try to!"

Atlas' breath hitched and his body tensed. "Is that what everyone thinks of me?" He wondered. His stomach dropped and he felt his heart rate quicken. His throat felt tight and his eyes started pathetically tearing up. He didn't bother listening to the rest of the conversation and turned to leave. But he heard a noise and looked down. His wand was on the floor. He realized it must've slid out of his grip. The voices around the corridor stopped and he stayed still, not daring to breathe. Atlas quickly bent down and picked up his wand. He then ran away, back down the corridor he came from. Run. Run. Run. Run. That's the only thought racing through his mind. He kept running until he made it to the second-floor girls' lavatory. He knew no one tended to use it, for reasons unknown to him. He locked himself into a stall and started crying on the floor, embarrassed. The toilet water splashed up, soaking Atlas. He looked up startled to see a ghost.

"Who're you?" He asked in a shaky voice.

"I'm Moaning Myrtle. I wouldn't expect you to know me. Who would ever talk about fat, ugly, miserable, moping, moaning Myrtle?" She wailed. She looked at the sniffling boy on the floor with curiosity. "What happened to you?"

Atlas rubbed his eyes and lifted his head back up. "I-"

There was a bang as the door to the lavatory swung open. Myrtle flew out of the cubical to meet the person. "Are you that boy's friend?" She asked the stranger. There was a moment of silence. "He's miserable. He's crying in my cubicle." She sounded slightly upset at that.

Footsteps grew closer to the cubicle that Atlas was in. They stopped right outside the door. "Hey, Atlas, you okay?"

Atlas recognized the voice. He stiffened, holding his breath. Maybe he would leave. He was hoping he would. The person's feet shuffled awkwardly from the other side of the door.

"I'm not sure how much you overheard, but they were just worried, considering..." He trailed off.

"Considering my parents are murderers?" Atlas mumbled, almost inaudible.

"I know how it feels...everyone talking about your parents and how you have to live up to their image."

Atlas laughed and shook his head. "No, Harry, you don't. That's different. Your parents are known for doing something good. No one expects you to grow up to be a killer."

Harry stared at the stall door, not knowing what to say. He wasn't the best at comforting people. He didn't want to leave Atlas here like this either. "I don't think it matters what anyone thinks of you," He started slowly, treading carefully. "People who could care less, those are your friends. No one else's opinion should matter."

Atlas looked at the stall door. "And do you care?"

"Not at all."

Atlas reached up and unlocked the door hesitantly. It slowly crept open and Harry looked at his tear stained face. Harry reached his hand out to help Atlas off the floor. He accepted his hand and got pulled up. The next thing he knew, he was engulfed in a hug. It surprised him at first, but then he wrapped his arms around Harry.