After Harry left with Draco and Scorpius, Albus finished his sandwich and went upstairs to his bedroom. He changed into his pyjamas and fell asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.
When Albus woke up the next morning, he was fully rested. Despite traumatic events of the previous day, he hadn't had any nightmares, in fact he hadn't dreamt at all. Yawning, he reached for the watch on the bedside table and tapped its face twice. The clock quietly announced that it was nine o'clock.
Stretching and still yawning, Albus dressed in the most comfortable clothes and went to the bathroom to get ready for the new day. He returned to his room and went to the desk, reaching for his wand. Then he remembered that Mortimer had taken his wand, as well as his white cane. At least his parents had bought two or three canes in case he lost the first one but lost wand meant another trip to the Diagon Alley. Albus sighed. Another lost wand and this one hardly lasted a year. He liked it a lot, it was better matched than the previous one. He would miss it.
Fortunately, he didn't need the cane to navigate the house. Using banister and walls for directions, Albus went downstairs and safely reached the kitchen.
"Albus!" Ginny said when he entered the room. "Good morning. Are you hungry? I've made scrambled eggs. Would you like some?"
"Yes, please. I'm starving," Albus said, sitting at the table.
Ginny prepared the breakfast and sat down beside Albus. They were quiet for a while, Albus eating the scrambled eggs and toasts, Ginny sipping her coffee.
"How are you feeling?" Ginny finally asked, when Albus was finishing his meal. "Did you sleep well?"
"I'm fine. I was just tired and scared, nothing a good and long sleep can't cure."
"Mortimer- he didn't hurt you?" Scorpius and Albus had told their parents everything that had happened yesterday but Albus suspected his mum thought he was hiding some things.
"Mum, I told you already. He only cast one spell on us, most probably Stupefy. He scared us and exhausted us mentally but he didn't hurt us."
"Still, I think you should go to St Mungo's for a check-up."
Albus rolled his eyes. "Mum, please, I don't want to go to the hospital. All I need is a few days of rest and peace and I'll be ready to go back to school. I can go back to school, right?" Albus asked, uncertain.
"If you want to, yes, of course. Hogwarts is safe but I'm afraid you shouldn't visit Hogsmeade until Mortimer is in custody."
Albus nodded. He didn't really have a desire to visit Hogsmeade any time soon.
"At least allow me to call Healer Austin. She'll come to our house and examine you. Is that okay?"
Albus sighed. "Okay, fine. Where's Lily and James?"
"They're back at Hogwarts. They know you're safe so there was no reason for them to miss classes."
They heard an Apparition crack coming from the front door. Ginny stood up so quickly that her chair fell down and ran out of the kitchen.
"Harry! Where have you been?! Did you catch Mortimer?"
"Hi, Ginny," Harry said and Albus heard his parents kissing. "Did Albus wake up?"
"Yes, he's in the kitchen."
Albus heard his parents entering the kitchen and sitting at the table.
"How are you feeling, Albus?" Harry asked.
"I'm fine, really. Mum's already asked me," Albus said impatiently. "Dad, did you find him?"
"No, I didn't. I'm sorry. He was already gone when we arrived at the house."
Albus hung his head in disappointment. He hadn't really expected that Mortimer would stay in the house after their escape but still he had hoped.
A clink of porcelain and a smell suggested that Ginny put a cup of coffee in front of Harry.
"Thanks," he said. He drank in silence for a while. "When we entered the house," he started, "it was empty. I hoped we would find some trace, a clue, anything that could help us follow and catch him, but he's clever. He left no traces. He must have left the house on foot because there was no Apparition mark in the house or nearby. He probably Disapparated in the city centre where his mark would be indistinguishable from other wizards'. He left nothing that may suggest where he lives or where he may go to. The neighbours saw nothing, they said that the family that lives in the house went for a holiday and were due to return in a week."
"You found absolutely nothing?" Ginny asked.
"Well, we found three things. On the kitchen table lay two wands. Your wand, Albus, and Scorpius's." Harry put Albus's wand on the table.
Albus took the wand and hid it in his pocket. ? "I'm glad I don't have to make another trip to Ollivanders."
"And the third thing?" Ginny asked.
"It's a note from Mortimer," Harry said. "It lay on the desk in the room in which you were held. Mortimer must have left it there before your escape and in your haste, Scorpius didn't notice it. Here, it's a note for you, Albus. It's in Braille," Harry said and Albus felt something touching his hand.
He took it and discovered that it was a small piece of parchment. He ran his fingers slowly over the dots. The parchment held only a few sentences which left him in pure bewilderment. He read it carefully again to make sure he understood everything.
"Did you read it?" he asked his dad in a small voice.
"Yes, it has words written over the dots."
"May I read it?" Ginny asked and Albus passed her the note. "Albus," she read aloud. "I've learned everything I wanted. You and Scorpius are free to go. I will never bother you again, you are safe. Tell your father that he should stop searching for me as he will never find me. Edward Mortimer."
Everyone was silent for a long while.
"That- that doesn't make any sense," Ginny finally said. "Why did he kidnap you if he let you go after a few hours? What was his reason? We thought he wanted a ransom or that he meant to harm you further and he- he just held you for a while, told you his story, asked you a few questions and then just set you free?"
Albus sat in silence, remembering his talk with Mortimer from the day before.
"That's the reason he kidnapped me," he said. "To ask me a few questions. He told me this when I asked him why he had kidnapped me. He said he needed to ask me a few things and that it was important for his research. He couldn't do it back in August because he had to run away when Mr Parker came with his dog."
"What were those questions?" asked Harry.
"They all came basically to one question: the choice between pain and death. That seemed the most crucial to him."
"Did he tell you about the results of his so-called research?" asked Harry, saying the word 'research' with disgust.
"No, he said that he was almost sure his theory was right but that he needed few more cases to prove it."
"So it means he'll hurt people again. Did he make any mention, any suggestion where he may go next?"
"No, he was very careful. He only said that he had tortured people all around the world and that you would never find him."
"We'll see. I wouldn't be so sure if I were him," Harry said grimly. "I'll rest for a bit and then I'm back at the Ministry. I will do everything in my power to find him."
Harry hugged Albus and kissed Ginny, then left the kitchen. Albus finished his tea and went back to his bedroom. There he wrote a short letter to Scorpius, informing him of everything Harry had found in the house.
x x x
Four days later Albus returned to Hogwarts. While he was at home, Healer Austen visited him and evaluated his mental and physical state. She confirmed that Albus hadn't been hit with the Cruciatus Curse. She also gave him a stronger analgesic potion for a couple of weeks, afraid that stress and traumatic events may induce pain attacks. Scorpius visited Albus two days after their escape. He was delighted to get his wand back and discussed with Albus at length the message left by Mortimer.
Harry Apparated to the gates outside Hogwarts with Albus. It was early evening. The withered grass was covered with frost, the November chill was felt in the air. With Albus holding his forearm, they walked slowly towards the castle, glowing with the light of many windows in the darkness.
The Entrance Hall was brightly lit. From the Great Hall came cheerful sounds and clattering of cutlery. Albus had already eaten at home so they turned towards the entrance to the dungeons. A flight of stairs and a few winding corridors later, they reached the bare stone wall which was the doorway to the Slytherin Common Room.
"What's the password?" Harry asked his son.
"Dum spiro, spero," Albus said and the solid wall disappeared, revealing a short passage.
There were just a few students in the common room; most were still in the Great Hall. Harry smiled and greeted them, then led Albus to his dormitory. Albus gave another password and they entered the room.
As was expected, only one person was in the bedroom. Upon seeing his friend, Scorpius leaped up from behind his desk. In the process he knocked down a heavy book he had been reading. A loud thud made Albus flinched slightly in fear.
"I'm sorry," said Scorpius, smiling apologetically. "It's just a book." He picked it up and laid back on the desk. He walked to Albus and took his hand. Albus embraced him tightly and whispered something in his ear.
Scorpius laughed. "It's been only two days! But I missed you too." He kissed Albus's cheek.
Harry smiled and went to Albus's bed. He put his bag on it and started to pull out a few clothes Albus had brought from home.
"Your pyjamas are on the pillow," Harry said.
Albus nodded.
"Which one is your wardrobe?" Harry asked.
"The one nearest the bed, the left side of it," Albus said.
Harry opened the old wooden wardrobe, which was decorated with elaborate serpent patterns, and started to put Albus's clothes in proper places, all organised according to colour.
"How are you feeling, Scorpius?" he asked.
"I'm perfect," said Scorpius, sitting on his bed. "Dad dragged me to St Mungo's the next day. They examined me thoroughly and said that everything was fine. Of course I was fine, but dad didn't want to listen to me. He let me stay at home one day more but I had to return to Hogwarts on Monday's evening. Did you find anything new about Mortimer?"
"Not yet," said Harry, closing the wardrobe. "I have a team dedicated solely to his case and they work on it twenty-four hours a day. I also contacted the governments of other countries and asked if they had similar incidents. I also warned them that Mortimer may attack soon, if what he told you is true and he's still looking for victims to conduct his so-called research."
"Do you believe his note that Albus is safe?" Scorpius asked, looking in Albus's direction.
Harry sighed. "I want to believe it. But I think it's very probable that he's done with Albus. He got what he wanted and then he let you go. But who knows what he'll do in the future? He's insane."
Scorpius nodded. "I hope you'll catch him soon. He's hurt too many people already."
Harry went to Albus who was rummaging in his desk's drawer. "I'll be going. I want to say hi to James and Lily before I go back home."
"Sure," Albus said and embraced his dad. Harry smiled and held him tightly.
"If anything is wrong, if you need anything, don't hesitate to inform us," Harry whispered in Albus's ear. "Write to us or go straight to Professor McGonagall, alright? Don't hide anything."
Albus nodded. "I'll be fine, dad. Don't worry."
Harry kissed his forehead. "I know you will. Good luck with your classes. Bye, Scorpius."
"Goodbye, Mr. Potter."
Harry opened the door but before he went out, he looked at Scorpius. Silently he indicated him to follow.
Scorpius sprang from the bed. "I'll be right back, Albus. I left my book in the common room."
Harry went to the common room, followed closely by Scorpius. They stood in the dark corner, far from the few students in the room.
"Scorpius, I have a small request," Harry whispered. Scorpius listened intently. "Could you keep a close eye on Albus? I know you always do, but could you be extra careful? I asked Albus to tell me when anything is wrong but I'm worried he might not do it. So, if you see anything strange or odd in his behaviour, if anything worries you, please, inform me immediately. Or insist Albus on doing that himself."
"Of course, Mr Potter," Scorpius said. "Is there anything I should especially pay attention to?"
"No, not at the moment. Albus had a meeting with Healer Austen and she said that he was fine. I haven't noticed anything alarming in his behaviour either. But that kidnapping was a highly traumatic event and Ginny and I are worried that some symptoms of mental struggle may appear later. And we can't keep Albus with ourselves to keep a watch on him. I already asked Headmistress and Madame Pomfrey to look after him but no one is closer to Albus than you."
"I'll do my best, Mr Potter."
"Thank you, Scorpius. It eases my mind." Harry put a hand on Scorpius's shoulder. "Good luck in your classes."
Scorpius smiled and bid him farewell. When Harry turned to leave the room, he saw a small boy, probably a first year, standing in front of him with a paper and a quill in his hand.
"Mr Potter?" he asked shyly. "Can I ask for an autograph?"
Harry smiled and took the quill from the boy's hand.
x x x
November and December passed in a haze of classes, homework, tests and learning for upcoming O.W.L.s. Adding to that Braille lessons twice a week and prefect's duties, Albus and Scorpius hardly had time for anything else. On a good note, Albus's pain attacks became milder and less frequent and Healer Austin allowed him to slightly reduce the dose of the painkilling potion.
Harry worked hard on finding Edward Mortimer but didn't make any progress. New cases emerged and he couldn't spend as much time and resources on the Mortimer's search as he would like, but still he spent every free minute on trying to catch his son's torturer.
After two weeks of blessed peace and laziness of Christmas time, Albus and Scorpius reluctantly returned to Hogwarts. The first thing Scorpius noticed after entering the common room was a group of their classmates gathered in front of the notice board. He dragged Albus in their direction.
"What's going on?" Scorpius asked Hayden.
"Hi Scorpius, Albus." He nodded in greetings. "There's a schedule of meetings with Professor Warmund regarding our career plans."
"Great!" Scorpius said. He let go of Albus's hand and pushed his way through the crowd of students to the board. He found their names and, smiling, returned to Albus.
"We have meetings on Wednesday next week. Nine and nine-thirty. You're right after me, even though the rest of students are listed alphabetically."
"That's nice of Warmund to list us together."
"There's a bunch of leaflets on the table with information about any career you like," Hayden said, pointing towards the big table near the window.
Scorpius led Albus to the table. As Albus sat down, Scorpius noticed a stack of leaflets laying neatly apart from the scattered mess of the others.
"Look, these are in Braille," Scorpius said with a smile, handing the leaflets to Albus.
"Brilliant!" Albus started to run his fingers over the dots. Scorpius sat down opposite him and looked at his boyfriend with pride. He couldn't believe what a great progress Albus had done in reading Braille in just a few months.
"Are you still thinking about becoming a historian?" Albus asked, putting away the brochure about an Auror career.
"Yes, and every day I'm more and more sure that that's what I'd really like to do. I was considering other options, a Healer for example, but history is my true passion and I'm the happiest reading about and researching the past. There are so many neglected parts of our history that I want to research further. I also want to popularise learning about history among people, especially young people, show them that it's both interesting and important."
"You have very ambitious plans," Albus said. "And I know you're going to fulfil them all. You're right that too many people ignore history and you're the best person to convince them that it's not boring. You convinced me." Albus grinned.
"It wasn't very hard," Scorpius said. "And what about you? Have you talked with Mr Parry about your professional future?"
"Not yet. I forgot to ask him about it. But I'll talk with him tomorrow." Albus sighed. "I really don't know what I can do. I wanted to work with animals but now it's rather impossible. Every job seems impossible now."
"Hey, hey." Scorpius stood up and sat next to Albus, taking his hand in his. "Don't say that. I'm sure there's plenty jobs you can still do. Mr Parry will help you find something. And you still have time to decide. Just continue subjects you like and are good at. You can choose a job later. You don't even have to start working straight after Hogwarts."
"I know. It's just- I want to be like everyone else and it's sometimes hard to accept that I can't do a lot of things anymore."
Scorpius stroked Albus's hand in comfort. He didn't know what to say. Any words would be pointless.
Albus sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to feel sorry for myself."
"You have every right to feel that way," Scorpius said vehemently. "You work so hard that I sometimes worry that you push yourself too hard. No one will hold it against you or think less of you if you can't do something or need more time to do it. It's marvellous how much you've already accomplished."
Albus smiled shyly. "Thank you. But I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't helped me. Without you I'd be lost. Literally."
"Remember that I'm always by your side. You can count on me."
"I know." Albus groped with his hand until he found Scorpius's face and kissed him fiercely.
x x x
The next day Albus and Scorpius were sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, eating breakfast. The day was sunny and shafts of sunlight were streaming through the tall windows. Their first lesson was Care of Magical Creatures and folded coats, caps and scarfs were lying beside them on the bench.
"Scorpius, could you pass me some toast?" Albus asked and moment later stifled a huge yawn.
"Sure." Scorpius put a toast on his plate. "But what you truly need is a coffee."
"You're right. You can pour me some," Albus said and held his cup in Scorpius's direction.
He felt Scorpius pour the aromatic liquid into his mug. He raised it to his nose and inhaled heavy aroma before drinking. As he was putting the cup back on the table, he heard an unmistakeable rustle of owls' wings. Moments later an owl landed on the table between him and Scorpius.
"Alsvin!" Scorpius exclaimed. "What have you got for me?"
Albus heard a sound of a ripping paper as Scorpius unpacked the parcel brought by his dad's owl. Scorpius sighed.
"What is it?" Albus asked, stroking Alsvin's soft feathers.
"A book," Scorpius said in a resigned tone. "Transfiguration textbook. I haven't even noticed yet that I forgot to take it."
"You always forget something," Albus laughed. "I wonder why I haven't given you a Remembrall yet."
Before Scorpius could retort, a second owl came to their table. It sat next to Albus and started to nibble his hand delicately.
"Something for me?" Albus asked and groped around until he found the owl and the letter tied around its leg. The moment he untied the letter, the owl spread its wings and flew away.
"It wasn't Kirjava?" Their family owl always stayed with him for a while, letting him pet her feathers and feed her some treats.
"No, it was an unfamiliar owl," Scorpius said.
Albus run his fingers over the envelope and found a line of dots in the middle. He read his name and his current location. There was no return address on the back of the envelope. With increased curiosity he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He run his fingers over dots on the first page and read:
Dear Albus,
Once again, I want to assure you that you're safe and I promise I won't harm you ever again. Before you throw away this letter in anger, allow me to inform you that I have finished my research and I want to share my conclusions with you. After everything I think this is the least you deserve.
Albus gasped. "It's from Mortimer," he whispered.
"What!?" Scorpius said and moved closer to Albus, presumably to look at the letter. "It's written only in Braille. What does he say?"
"I only read the beginning. He says that he finished his research and want to share his conclusions with me."
"Then read on. At last we'll know why you survived the curse for so long."
Albus nodded and started reading again.
As I explained on our last meeting, for many years I conducted research aim to discover why some people survive the Cruciatus Curse and don't go insane even after very long exposure to the pain. You're one of the specials, as am I. During my research I found out that more people than I expected are in this group.
At first I thought it was Occlumency. I knew that it was the only known method that protects the mind. But I wasn't an Occlumens. And many people that I tortured during my research weren't Occlumens either. There were children, Muggles, who couldn't know of Occlumency. So I ruled the Occlumency theory out and searched for something else.
I thought maybe it was love. Loving someone, being loved by someone, knowing that there are people waiting for you; maybe love is what keeps people sane. I started questioning those who survived the curse about their lives. I knew their answers were truthful, the need to avoid pain makes you honest. I found out that not everyone knew love. There were some people who were lonely, miserable, even evil, who didn't have a family, friends, who didn't love anyone. And still they survived. (By surviving I mean they didn't go insane. Some of them went blind or deaf or paralysed, but they didn't lose their minds.)
I got frustrated and angry that I couldn't find any answer. At one point, I found a wretched beggar who had the most miserable life. He was completely alone, he lived on streets, ate from trash bins, didn't have a leg and was sick. A death would be a mercy for him. And yet he survived the curse for seventeen minutes. After everything I said I would kill him. I don't know why I wanted to kill him. I'd never killed anyone before. Maybe I thought it would be an act of mercy, maybe I was so frustrated and I wanted to vent it all out. And then he said something that changed my whole perspective.
He begged me not to kill him. When I asked him why, he simply said he wanted to live. Upon my questions of why he wanted to live if he had so little to live for, he said again that he just wanted to live, that he couldn't explain why. Even when I presented him with the choice between quick death and pain, he chose pain. And life.
I left him and continued my research. But now, when I found someone who'd survived the curse, I gave them the choice. I also asked them about life, death, their reasons to live. With each person I began to understand the thing that protects the mind. It wasn't Occlumency or magical power or love.
It was the will to live. You'll say that most people have the will to live. It appears in most of them it is too weak, too feeble and breaks under the enormous pain. Yet some of us have strong wills, resistant to almost anything. And I think it has to be a conscious choice. That during the torture comes the moment when you have to decide if you want to live, even if that means more pain, or if you're just letting go. That's the moment when most people choose the second option and lose their mind. From those that survived, not even one person chose death when I gave them the choice.
My theory proved right again and again and I believe I have a large enough number of cases to present my conclusions publicly. I intend to write a book about my research and publish it. I hope to initiate the worldwide debate.
When I started my research, I thought I would find a new way to survive the curse, other than the Occlumency. But I'm not sure if the will to live is something you can learn. It certainly changes during one's lifetime, it depends on our experiences, views, faith, people we meet and many other things. But it's something you have or don't have and before you're put in a strenuous situation, you can't be sure if your will to live is enough.
You're strong, Albus; be proud of it. You proved it not only by surviving the curse for much longer than most people but also by bravely living after you lost your sight. I wish you long and fulfilling life.
Edward Mortimer
Albus put down the letter. He didn't know what to say or what to think. His thoughts were running madly in his head.
"Albus?" Scorpius whispered and put a hand on his forearm. "Are you okay? What does the letter say?"
"Not here," Albus said at last and stood up, clutching the letter. He took his white cane and bag and left the Great Hall. Scorpius followed closely behind him.
"Where are we going?" he asked when they left the Great Hall.
"I need an empty classroom," Albus said. "I'll read the letter to you there."
"Alright." Scorpius took Albus's hand and led him to the nearest classroom. He locked it with a spell so no one would disturb them.
Albus sat down at the nearest desk and put the letter in front of him. Scorpius joined him but waited patiently until Albus spoke:
"I'll read the letter to you. Could you write it down in the meantime? I want to send it to my parents. There's probably a spell that can change Braille to a normal alphabet but I don't know it."
"Of course," Scorpius said and rummaged in his bag to retrieve paper and quill.
"Please, just write it down now. Don't comment on anything. We'll talk about it when I finish reading."
Albus started to slowly read the letter aloud. He heard Scorpius's quill scratching on the paper as he quickly wrote down every word. Occasionally he gave a small gasp but refrain from saying anything. When Albus finished reading, they both were silent for a long time.
"The will to live. That's the thing that saved you," Scorpius said at last. "That's why Mortimer made you choose: death or pain."
"Death or life. That was the ultimate choice. He needed to know how strong my will is and if it fits in his theory."
"Honestly, if this theory is right, and it seems it is, then it is somewhat beautiful yet simple. You don't need great magical power or Occlumency or some other technique to save your mind. It's just the will to live, which everyone has. It's similar to love, which saved your father from Voldemort."
"But it appears most people don't have strong enough will to survive the prolonged pain," Albus reminded. "And it makes me angry that Mortimer destroyed so many lives to discover this principle. No magical research is worth sacrificing even one human life."
"Of course it isn't," Scorpius agreed. "But Mortimer doesn't have any moral objections. He puts knowledge above human life."
"I wonder why so few people survive the curse. I thought most people have a strong will to live. It seems to me to be one of the most basic and primal features of human beings."
"I think it is enough in normal circumstances. But the Cruciatus Curse is extreme. I felt it for a couple of seconds and I can't imagine enduring it even for a few minutes, not to mention for fifteen minutes or more. I wonder if my will would be strong enough."
Albus grasped Scorpius's hand. "I'm sure it would."
"I'd like to think so. But I don't know. And I hope I'll never find out." Scorpius was silent for a while, then continued: "It makes me wonder- maybe everyone has a breaking point? Remember what Mortimer said? That he usually ended the curse when he saw that the victim survived more than fifteen minutes. Maybe if he continued long enough, everyone would eventually give in."
"You're probably right," Albus said. "But it still perplexes me that so few people survive more than a few minutes." Albus sighed.
"I'm so proud of you, Albus." Scorpius stroked his cheek. "I can't even put properly into words how much."
"Thank you," Albus said, feeling entirely inadequate of Scorpius's high regard. "But I don't think it is something I should be proud of. I agree with Mortimer that the strong will to live is something you either have or don't have. You can't learn it. Maybe it can be influenced and strengthen by certain things, like love, friendship, faith or hope. But remember that beggar? He had nothing and yet he wanted to live. He couldn't explain why. I think it's a congenital thing, like your height or skin colour. You can't change that and thus it can't be something to be overly proud of. You don't have it because of your merits. Also that's why people who didn't survive the curse shouldn't be considered weak or lesser. They're just unlucky that they encountered Mortimer or any other evil wizard."
"You made a very good point," Scorpius said. "Very clever. But still, I'm proud of you. The way you face the consequences of the curse is remarkable and completely on your own merit. Of this, you should be proud."
Albus smiled. Even if he wanted, he couldn't argue with Scorpius on this.
"Do you think your dad will find Mortimer?" Scorpius asked.
"Honestly, I don't think he will. Mortimer tortured people for several years and no one knew who did those crimes until recently. He's clever and cunning. Maybe he's not as powerful as Aurors and he'll probably lose in a duel, but he's shrewd enough to avoid getting into one. The world is huge, so he'll probably hide somewhere remote and write his damn book."
"Hopefully it means he won't torture any more people," Scorpius said. "And what about you? If he's not caught? You can't spend your whole life in Hogwarts or at home."
"I won't. I must admit that I believe him when he says that he won't harm me anymore. He doesn't have a reason. He got what he wanted; he doesn't need me anymore."
"I hope you're right."
Albus stood up. "Could you make a copy of the normal alphabet version of the letter? I must send it to my parents."
"Of course," Scorpius said and a moment later Albus felt a subtle rush of magic as Scorpius copied the letter.
"Let's go to the Owlery, then, "Albus said and took his bag and cane. "We're going to be late for class, but I'll tell Professor Collingwood that I had an attack and you had to help me."
As they were walking through the empty castle to the Owlery, Albus felt an overwhelming feeling of calmness and safety washing over him. Until today he hadn't known how much he needed the answer to the question of why he'd survived. Now, when he had the answer and almost total surety that Mortimer wouldn't attack him again, he was finally able to put those traumatic events behind him and start a new part of his life.