Somewhere, Once
Too soon
it is still too soon
when they come but at least it is done at least it is hidden at least
he is already dying
And somewhere once
he watches them,
identical in their stubborn pride, watches as his brother's face
grows stony and sullen, their mother's beautiful features twist
into ugliness, invective spilling from her mouth in a hiss that
grates along his spine like Parseltongue, and somewhere he shivers
and his scarf falls out of place and he flips it back, a flash of
silver and green that catches her eyes, stops her mid-tirade, she
turns to him and smiles, ties his scarf, smoothes his hair, calls him
good son true son mine, and somewhere else her finger points and her
eyes pass over, the air rings with filthy blood traitor disgrace to
this house to this family to this name and she does not remember her
good son at all
Somewhere once
a few years later he
hears them shouting, hears the pounding of feet on the stairs the
door slamming the sudden silence, creeps down the hall to find his
brother throwing clothes and books into a suitcase by hand, shaking
with rage so great his wand lies forgotten by the bed, and somewhere
he says don't go don't leave me here behind with her please don't
and his brother stares at him and takes his wand and everything goes
back to its place, and somewhere else his brother says you're her
son now you're the Black heir isn't that what you always wanted
you little sneak I wish you joy of her, and then he is gone
Somewhere once
later yet he learns the
truth the reality the secret and somewhere he dies a hero and
somewhere else he simply dies
Too soon
it is still too soon
when they come but at least it is done at least it is hidden at least
he is already dying
And somewhere once
or perhaps nowhere
after all
he is happy
