His Moonlit Escape

by MiaGhost

At the beginning of term Harry realises he is suffocating, and to compensate he starts sneaking out of the dorms at night. He watches the moon rise, and he flies, escaping his worries and the world's expectations. When he first sees the snow-white wolf streaking through the grounds, Harry finds himself intrigued, and determined to see him again. (Rated T for Language.)

1. A Taster

Chapter One

With a sigh, Harry settled back against the stone of the battlement, the tips of his trainers pressing against the next rise. His broom lay across his waist; a safety net of sorts should he topple from his perch atop the Astronomy tower. He ran his fingers absently along the smooth of the warm wood as he watched the sky.

Since the start of the new term a mere fortnight ago, Harry had been subject to the pity and support of his Housemates. He knew he sounded ungrateful, but he wished they'd all just leave him alone to get on with it. They all worried and cared so much that he felt he was suffocating under all their concern. With Sirius gone, his life outside of the school felt empty, his world bleak and he himself bereft. Sirius had been all he'd had, his one true family member. He had listened to Harry, and better still he had been the one to understand what Harry was feeling, what he needed. He'd been the only one Harry could truly talk to, the only one…

With Remus it was so different, the man had Harry's best interests at heart but he was so straight-laced that Harry couldn't fully relax. He couldn't express what was truly haunting him, the darkest thoughts that were caged within his head, because Remus would worry, and he'd tell Dumbledore and the others, and they would all worry. He'd want Harry to tell, to explain.

Harry didn't want the world to know. He didn't want to explain and work through it.

Sirius had understood that.

Sirius had let him talk, and he had listened.

And now he was gone, and Harry was alone.

The distant speckles of stars blurred as Harry's tears escaped, and he let them fall there in the darkness, alone in the peace of the night with the remnants of a summer breeze brushing though his hair and drawing delicate fingers through his clothing as though to ease him from the parapet.

Harry closed his eyes.

He listened to the whisper of the breeze in his ears, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat in his chest. He only realised he was leaning out over the drop when he felt his broomstick over-balancing. His eyes shot open and he clutched for the handle.

Harry tipped over the edge of the roof and let the breeze drag him down.