The Truth About Wizards ;; ʷᵃᵗᶜʰⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐᵒᵛⁱᵉˢ

Tom Marvolo Riddle

Harry slowly stepped out the Great Hall in search of Abigail, worry knitted between his eyebrows. Despite never regretting her selfless decision for Ginny Weasley that night haunted Abigail continuously. Feeling such power slipping from her veins and pulling the energy out of her was an ongoing nightmare.

Slipping around the corner Harry spotted Luna and Ginny huddled in the twins arms, despite having calmed down and the years that had passed since the chamber Ginny's guilt ran deep. 

"She went that way," All four of them spoke simultaneously pointing left with soft smiles.
Harry chuckled softly looking down to his scuffed shoes, "Thank you. Ginny your memories of weakening have passed and I can't guarantee their won't be anymore flashbacks but I think the worst of it is gone."  Nodding Ginny stood up, Luna's hand laced into hers with Fred and George on both their arms. 

Dry tears were streaked down Ginny's cheeks but with these three by her side she was unstoppable.

Harry continued down the corridor hearing familiar hushed voices behind the corner.

A masculine voice echoed in from a simple whisper, "Hugging is weird." 
"That's the trauma response you know," He heard a familiar voice mumble back, grinning at the language he clearly recognised from therapy Harry waited behind the corner, they would come out when they were ready.

Regulu's arms wrapped around the girl as he previously hallowed breathing calmed from each passing second, her panic nestling down into her chest as his limbs captured her in a familial cage of love. A force to push her sadness outward into the world and away from her heart. Stop her crying.   

"I'm aware. Is this meant to help? Actually wait no wrong question, is this helping?" Harry was hyperawake of the fact that in that moment Abigail's heart would've lifted slightly in her chest remembering her many memories with the man.
Abigail whispered back, smile clear in her voice, "Yes. This is good."
"Good, okay yeah."

Regulus Black slinked out from behind the wall, Abigail behind him with a small smile on her face. Harry grinned at the girl, a small twinkle of golden swirling in his eyes mirrored by her own. Their hands connected in a moment, a known warmth spreading between them, comfort from a mere squeeze of each others hands.  

"All good," He whispered, the words hitting the shell of her ear with concern, Abigail nodded looking up to him.
"He hasn't said anything, but he knows, they all know, we just need to wait. That's how he recommended we do it." Harry nodded, kissing the back of the girls head as Regulus turned back to look at them. His protective instincts screamed across every squished, unnerved organ within him but the softened look on Abigail's face; relief and tranquility.

Despite the tear marks still prominently peeling her face into pieces, she was smiling. Regulus had stopped the crying, and Harry had made her smile.

They walked back to the Great Hall together. Regulus ensured to throw a glare at Harry yet as Abigail moved forwards to link arms with him, her other hand still captured within Harry's, he happily obliged, all to see her smile. 

Each of the people who'd calmly exited the hall returned in the exact same fashion, just with more emptied tears, and more realistic smiles. 

Harry: [coming to another passageway to the right, he beckons Ron and Lockhart to follow him] This way. [the three walk into a cavern-like room with a massive and lengthy snakeskin on the floor]

Ron: [as Harry walks along the snakeskin] What's this?

Lockhart: [feeling nervous] It looks like a... snake.

Aurora: [as she examines it] It's a snakeskin.

Ron: Bloody hell. Whatever shed this must be sixty feet long. Or more. [Lockhart faints, most likely from fear.] Heart of a lion, this one.