Working Through the Rest

Like It's Simple, Because It's Right

When the talking finally stops echoing up the stairs, and once my clock has clicked past two, I pick up my trunk. I take one last look at the note on my pillow, and then I walk to the door, shutting it behind me as silently as possible.

The house is eerily quiet, and I have to force myself not to stop and take it in. I haven't got time. I need to leave now, or I'm not going to get out without someone realising. I attempt to tiptoe into the kitchen, going to the fireplace and reaching for the Floo Powder.

And then I hear the door close behind me and I all but jump out of my skin.

"Shit," I mutter, turning around to see, to some degree of relief, my brother. "What the hell are you doing in here?"
"Working out what you're doing. You're running away."
I pause before nodding. "Yeah. I can't – I can't keep lying and pretending and shit."
"Did something happen? Mum and dad are barely speaking properly."
"Yeah, it did," I nod bitterly. "Dad caught Lily doing makeup on me and got very pissed off."
"You're leaving because of that?"
"He got angry with Lily," I mutter. "After I left the room, he had a go at her. She pointed out that if I leave, he might calm down a bit."
"He got angry with Lily?"
"Yeah."
"If you think it's a good idea," James says after a pause, "then go. But Al, please tell me you left a note."
"I did," I nod. "It's on my pillow."
"Do they know where you're going?"
"I've put 'somewhere safe'," I say. "I'm not telling him, but I don't want mum to worry."

I swallow, trying to breathe. I don't want to hurt mum. This isn't her fault. I really don't want to put her through hell again.
"Listen, James."
"Yeah?"
"Tell mum – tell mum I'm sorry. I mean, I wrote it a lot in the letter, but please tell her. I don't want to hurt her."
"Of course."

James smiles softly at me, and then he wraps me in a huge hug. I hug him back, while attempting not to let my eyes fill with tears. I can't really remember the last time we hugged, but I need it. I really need it.

The knowledge that he cares this much is a wonderful feeling that I want to learn to appreciate. Truly, fully appreciate. The feeling of familial love. The feeling that I keep thinking is missing, or long gone. Because, in some ways, it is. And in others, there's still scraps of this left.
"Stay safe," James murmurs.
"I will, don't worry," I smile. "I'll be completely fine. I'm sorry to – abandon you – like this."
"You're not abandoning us," James insists. "You are doing what you believe to be best in the situation. Good luck."
"Thank you."

I pick up the trunk and take a handful of Floo Powder, stepping into the fireplace. One more look at James, and then I throw the stuff down, closing my eyes tightly. Within seconds, the appalling spinning sensation has taken over and all I can do is wait for it to stop.

When it does, I have been spat out onto a cold, stone floor, and I take a moment to lie there and allow the nausea to wear off. When it does, I sit up, glancing around to make sure I'm in the right place.

The first thing I see is a photo of Scorpius with a woman that I can only assume is Astoria. They're both laughing and Scorpius' hair is tinged slightly brown. I have to stifle a laugh at that. I cannot believe that it's his actual hair, but it's not something to consider now. Now, I need to sleep.

I can't go anywhere, because it is two in the morning, so I pull a jumper from my trunk and lie down, staring up at the ceiling. It's cold and I struggle not to shiver, but I smile at the same time.

In a few hours' time, I'll see Scorpius. In a few hours' time, I get to leave everything behind me, completely and utterly. At least for a few weeks.

And summer? I can deal with summer after OWLs. Whatever planning needs to happen, it also needs to wait for now. Now, I need to sleep.