Spoilers: DAYD (original character Annabelle Bold, created by Thanfiction (/u/1550595/)
Other: Harry Potter belongs to JKR, DAYD to Thanfiction , plot is mine. Written for Friend's Day
Pain Shared
Training has been really grueling today. Usually, you'd be complaining; today, though, you welcome the distraction it provides. It's easier, when every muscle, every bone in your body is aching and sore, to forget what you've heard. Easier, when you're too tired to think about anything that isn't the next move, to keep going and not break down.
But it can't last forever. Rowan calls the training to an end, none too soon as far as the others are concerned, but much too soon for you. You take your time getting changed, because you fear you're going to break, and you don't want it to be in front of the others. At last, the room's empty.
You stoop to pick up a scrunchie you dropped. With gut-twisting, heart-wrenching suddenness, Carrow's voice rings in your ears, the memory rising from where you'd pushed it down and hidden it away.
"Making a nuisance of ourselves, are we? Misbehaving in class?" The Cruciatus you expected, but not the words that were spat out afterwards. "Be careful, or you'll end up just like your precious family." You didn't know what he meant by that, didn't dare ask, but you can guess only too well. You wish you couldn't, wish you'd never heard it, wish you didn't know, deep down, what those words meant, but you do. You know only too well.
And you're crying now, huddled in the corner you don't remember sitting down in, praying, pleading, begging that they're all right, that they're alive, that Carrow was just trying to hurt you, that it was all a lie, and you can't stop sobbing, gasping for air, because it's just too much, it's not fair, you can't bear it if they're gone.
Then… there's an arm around you, gently rubbing your back. You lean into it, not knowing – and not caring – who it is; it's another human being, and that's all you really need.
It seems like hours have passed, when you finally stop sobbing and look up. You're surprised at what you see; somehow, you hadn't expected it to be Luna Lovegood, of all people. She gives you one of her vague smiles.
"Thank you" you say hoarsely. "How… how did you know I was here?"
"I realized you hadn't come back with us, and knew you must still be here, so I thought it best to come and get you. Did you know there must be an Afegian here?"
You resist the impulse to snap at her; she did confort you, after all. But you can't quite keep the annoyance out of your voice as you ask "A what?"
"An Afegian. It blends in with its surroundings until it's invisible. Anyone who is alone near one becomes miserable and depressed, until everything seems too dreadful to cope with. But they run away if more than one person is near them."
You raise your eyebrows, automatically skeptical – it is Luna, after all, and these creatures sound ridiculous. She doesn't seem to notice, though, and goes on.
"That's why it's always best to be with friends if you feel sad. Misery draws them, and they make things worse, but only if you're alone."
Your skepticism fades. After all, that seems fine advice, and even if you're still not sure about the… Afigans? You do know that she's right. Just to have someone else here made things seem better. Luna stands and helps you up. In the same dreamy tone as always, she says "You know, we should get back."
You nod. "We'll miss curfew if we don't go soon, won't we?"
"I suppose… but I was thinking you'd want to be with your friends."
A faint smile tugs at your lips. You wouldn't have thought so before, really, but now you feel that you already are with a friend.
The End
Afegians are my own invention. Their name comes from Old English. Source: ./~modean52/
áhefegian [Old English] wv/t2 to make heavy, sad, oppress, weigh down, burden; become heavy