Who? Luna Longbottom (with mentions of Neville Longbottom, Amycus Carrow, and Severus Snape)
What? Luna dealing with things the way she always does...Alone
Why? Because holding it in can eventually catch up with you, and sometimes you don't need to hear the story to put the pieces together
When? Several hours after Neville has returned to Hogwarts on the night of the Azkaban battle
Title: Silent Objects
Rating: hmm let's go with PG-14ish? For language and possibly a little disturbing imagery?
Author's Notes: Songs featured are "Full of Grace" and "Witness" by Sarah McLachlan
Luna kissed his forehead, she had been doing that alot over the hours that passed. Small touches to remind him she was there, and simply watching him to remind herself that he was there, that he was safe, and that he was alive. She wasn't sure how much time had passed since he had drifted off into what she hoped and prayed was a nightmare free slumber. But she was sure of one thing, she needed some air...some time to deal with things the way she had always dealt with things...alone.
Looking once more at her husband who still looked so small, she took in a deep breath and brought his hand up to kiss his palm softly. "I love you." She whispered before letting his hand go.
Standing she ran her fingers through her hair, something catching her eye. Just the slightest glint caused by the pale light of the moon shining in from the window. It was something she should have noticed before, after all hadn't she been there for hours? Something that she had seen so many times before, something that haunted her every time she drifted to sleep. Gulping hard she closed the space between her and the table, her fingers brushing over it shakily, almost if she expected its owner to reach out from it and grab her. Finally picking it up she turned it over in her hand. She couldn't have held it for more than a few seconds before her stomach churned. It's funny how a simple object can have so much control over a person. Dropping the knife quickly, she rushed out of the curtains that encircled her.
Make me a witness
Take me out
out of darkness
out of doubt
And one day when we're done
with good intentions
We'll make fire out of clay,
Brother invention
Will we burn in heaven
Like we do down here?
Will the change come
while we're waiting?
Everyone is waiting
And when we're done
Soul Searching....
She put her hands on her knees and took in several deep breaths to keep herself from being sick, her mind going a million miles a minute. Of course, why hadn't I thought of it before...his injuries, the pain, only one psychotic wizard would have put forth the effort... She had been so focused on him being here and alive that she hadn't given a single thought to who or what had been responsible. Luna had never wished anyone dead before, never once thought that anyone deserved it....until now. So help me God you fuckin' bastard I hope you are dragged down into the hell in which you belong ...and I hope you rot!
Once she could breathe normal again and her stomach had settled, her mind finally wrapped around the situation. How awful had it been for him? How close had she come to losing him? How had he returned to the castle? These were all questions only he could answer for her, questions she wouldn't ask until he was ready to tell. After all only he would...
That's when she saw it, sprawled across an empty bed. Blue eyes widening she moved almost ghost like to gather the material into her hands. How many times had she'd taken comfort in its black folds, had wrapped herself in it so tight and let the solace wash over her. Suddenly it became gut wrenchingly clear. The vow, a promise between a teacher and student had been fulfilled. She felt them coming, the tears she wouldn't shed in front of her husband, and holding the cloak that was doused in blood and memories of impending death close, she rushed out of the infirmary.
Running through the halls, she didn't stop for the worried voices that called for her, hell God himself could have stepped in front of her and she still would have kept running. Once she was safe and alone inside she leaned back against the door for a moment the cloak still clutched so tightly in her hands that her knuckles where turning white and beginning to hurt. She didn't bother to turn on the light, letting her eyes adjust to the dark and focus on the home she shared with her husband. The memories poured around her like rain, and with another deep breath she was in the washroom.
...And we carry the weight
and die for a cause
It's misery
made beautiful
right before our eyes
Mystery will be revealed
Or blind us where we stand...
The water poured from the sink scalding hot as she scrubbed away at the cloak. More blood to wash from her hands, more things to be haunted by. Steam mixed with the copper scent of his blood flooded her senses and it wasn't long before they came. What she had been holding back from stung her eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks in torrents. Her body shook hard as she continued to violently scrub away any evidence of the evenings battle. Her breaths began to come faster and the tears fell harder but she was almost too far gone in her bemused state to notice. She knew, knew deep down that falling apart couldn't be an option, it wasn't just for her sake...it was for Selene's as well. But she couldn't stop it, couldn't shake the overwhelming emotions that were clinging to her. Relief, gratitude, anger...the list of things she was feeling was far and wide, mixed together in a dangerous combination that had built up over the past few hours and caused her outburst of cries and tears.
After what seemed like an eternity of scrubbing, the cloak was more than cleaned of the residue and her hands were raw from the hot water that had long since gone cold. Stepping back into the bedroom she held the dripping wet material in front of her and drew her wand from behind her ear muttering a simple spell that dried it almost immediately.
Fresh out of tears and emotionally exhausted she walked over to the window and cast her Patronus, which had transformed into a silvery toad. She sent it to the man that she had trusted with his life, and when it reached him it spoke in her voice.
"I have something of yours, it will be kept close should you ever want it returned. And don't worry Professor you will be getting no words from me, for I have no words left in me to say..."
She knew he wouldn't want her pleasantries, it wasn't something he ever wanted.
Sighing heavily and suddenly feeling like she was 16 again, she wrapped herself tightly into his cloak seeking the comfort it always provided and collapsed onto the bed. Before she closed her eyes, she promised herself that she would be forever grateful to the father she would never understand, for by saving the life of her husband....he had saved hers as well.....
...Will we burn in heaven
Like we do down here?
Will the change come
while we're waiting?
Everyone is waiting
And when we're done
Soul Searching