WITHDRAWAL. draco malfoy

xvi. lost control

« LOST CONTROL »

Silence was heavy within the walls of Hogwarts, especially inside the hospital wing. Every thought had drifted to the Henderson's family, yet unable to fully realise an event like this had just taken place in front of them.

Henry Henderson was a respected man, back in the days, the Ravenclaw was considered a "tough head" because he spent all of his time with the very famous Marauders, being one of them as well. And all of this never interfered with his grades, making him one of the brightest student of the entire school.

Ellen was his sunshine from the moment he met her, walking with her arm linked around Lily's inside the library in second year. For the woman though, it took a bit more time. She never really approved her friends' pranks and tricks to almost never get caught. Inevitably, she softened around him and they fell deeply in love.

Love that created Lillian years later.

Her parents noticed quickly that their daughter was the perfect mix between Henry's implacable intelligence as well as his very sociable and funny side and Ellen's devotion to her friends and courage to stand up for what she felt was right.

In a heartbeat, every single question Lillian wished to have asked her mother about her life —and about life, had vanished with what would only ever be just a memory. Her mother was now a memory, leaving personal belongings to fuel the pain and postpone the grief.

In a heartbeat, the darkest wizard of all times had taken a mother and a wife, again.

+ + +

Ron had his head on Lillian's stomach, both of them asleep. Ron because of exhaustion, Lillian after being injected a serum to stop all the effects from the Cruciatus curse.

On the other side of the bed, Henry and Remus were sitting uncomfortably on chairs, Remus holding his friend tightly against him.

"It will get better," Remus kept repeating slowly. "I promise, it will. It has to."

Henry pulled away, his hands and whole body trembling, keeping his eyes locked on the figure of his daughter, remembering one more time how Lillian looked so much like her mother, the same soft hair, similar pale skin, a small and thin body that could seem fragile if she wasn't so stubborn and fearless.

"He was in her head.. All this time, he spied on her, u—us..." Henry choked, breathing heavily. "Because she..."

Remus firmly gripped Henry's shoulder, knowing exactly what he was about to say. It shattered him to witness his last best friend crumble beside him, once again caused by the Dark Lord.

"Because she killed Mulciber.." Henry finished, dropping his head in his hands.

Dumbledore, accompanied by McGonagall —who still had puffy eyes, appeared in the Hospital Wing, no words being needed for the two adults to stand up, Henry giving a long kiss on his daughter's forehead.

Dumbledore had his eyes glued on the two teenagers dozing off in what was probably the most painful sleep of their entire lives, wondering when and how this torture would end.

"Sir, do you want me to send Mister Weasley back to his common room? T—To let Miss Henderson rest?" Madam Pomfrey offered shyly.

"No, don't. They need each other." Dumbledore confessed. "Whoever wants to come see her, at any time of the day or night, let them. She will need it."