A short piece about Hannah Abbott and her father after her mother was killed by Death Eaters. Told from Mr. Abbott's POV.
As I neared the bottom of the staircase I saw the shadow of her slender figure dancing across the walls. Of course, it was merely a trick the flickering tongues of fire played on the unrested mind. In reality Hannah had barely moved at all since she got home from Hogwarts.
I sort of wished that I could stop moving... that I could just stop being. A part of me just wanted to slip away into non-existence where I could be reunited with my recently departed wife.
But this is something I know I can't let happen. I have to keep going, and continue to be strong, or at least try to maintain some semblance of strength. I do this only for Hannah. She's all I've got left, and I'm all she's got.
It's hard though, to keep going once you've lost someone. Life keeps moving on when all you want is for everything to slow down and come to a stop. Once frozen, nothing can change. No one is lost.
I sat down next to my daughter in the living room, putting my arm around her and holding her close. She didn't resist but put her head on my shoulder. I didn't need to look to know that she had begun to cry.
We sat together in silence for hours. Neither of us moved, except to wipe a stray tear. I couldn't take my eyes off the photos on the mantel. Our family had been such a happy one. My wife, such a happy person. But now I couldn't seem to get rid of the image of her lifeless body lying cold on the floor.
Outside everything was changing. A war was being waged, sides being chosen, and lives taken.
We, however, will remain here, Hannah in my arms, safe from the rest of the world. I won't let go... she's all I've got left.
