Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride

If I have things you need to borrow

For no one can fill those of your needs

That you don't let show

-Lean on Me by Bill Withers

"Izzy, Trent, if you all need anything, just tell your professors. They'll let you floo us," my mother reminded us as we stood by the fireplace, about to go back to school. "And remember, you've got each other."

I gave my brother's hand a kind squeeze. "We know." I offered Trent a small smile. Why had it taken all of this to bring us together? I wished so badly to go back in time, if only to fix our relationship when we were younger.

But…if I was going to go back in time, I'd rather get Marie out of St. Mungo's before it happened.

"We should go, dear," my father said gently.

"Right, of course, off you go. I love you two so much." Tears swam in my mother's eyes; I knew this was all so hard for her, having just lost her eldest daughter then having to send her other children off for the rest of the year. She thought, just like I did, that she had to stay strong for everyone else.

We each gave Mum a tight hug and a peck on the cheek, then followed Dad into the fireplace.

After a few seconds, we were back in the Headmistress's office again. One week later, and everything was still the same. Why did everything look normal? Didn't everyone know that everything was ruined now? How could everyone just continue on like normal, like nothing had happened?

"Miss McCallum, Mr. McCallum," Professor McGonagall's tight voice came from the corner. Even below the hard surface, I could hear the sympathetic tone. I missed Marie dearly and I wanted everyone to mourn, but I hated that everybody had to treat me like some injured animal. "Your dorms are prepared," she flicked her wand towards our luggage, which disappeared, "and your trunks are by your beds." The professor walked over and smiled ever so slightly at us. "Please, do not hesitate one second if you need anything, whether you only wish to be alone or if you want to talk."

I nodded curtly, keeping my eyes glued to the floorboards, my arm wrapped protectively around Trent. My brother mumbled something under his breath, and my father said, "Thank you so much, Professor. We truly appreciate this."

He then turned to Trent and I. "Trent, Isabelle," he started, "your mother and I love you so much." I could see tears threatening in his eyes. "We all love and miss Marie," he choked up a little bit, "but there's nothing we can truly do anymore. She would really hate it if we went on wallowing in self-pity, and we need to continue life. I am by no means saying we need to forget her. No, not at all. We need to remember her now more than ever, but, well, there's no way to bring her back."

"We know, Dad," Trent assured him. "We'll be all right. We're big kids." He offered Dad a wry smile.

"Oh, I wish so badly that you all didn't have to go through this." He was clearly trying not to cry now.

"We love you, Dad," I mumbled.

"I love you both, too." My dad pulled us both towards him. I hugged back, burrowing my head deep into my daddy's safe, strong embrace. "But please, if there's anything you need to talk about, tell me and your mum, or tell each other. Please, just…try to keep this in the family." Dad looked at us sadly. "Oh, I don't mean to make you two sad," he muttered.

"Bye, Dad. Love you," I whispered as he stepped into the fireplace, disappearing with a flash of green flames.

"I believe Mr. Potter is waiting to accompany you in the hall as soon as you're prepared." I looked over to where McGonagall sitting.

"Thanks, Professor. We appreciate this," Trent spoke up. She offered a gentle smile in return, and we turned to leave the office.

We emerged in the hall, Trent still under my arm. I looked up to see Al waiting for us, a loving smile spread on his face.

I let go of my brother to fling myself at Albus. He held me tightly to him as I cried softly into him. He stroked my hair as I sobbed. Collecting myself again, I pulled away.

"Sorry," I murmured.

Al smiled at me. "It's okay."

Al's POV:

I paced the hall, waiting for my best friend to emerge from the office. Longbottom had taken me aside at breakfast and told me Izzy was coming back today. I was elated, but nervous. Would she be different? What if I said something wrong, something to remind her? Would she even talk to me, or would she be too distracted with all that had happened?

Suddenly, I heard the eagle statue scraping behind me. Izzy and Trent climbed off of the lift, and I smiled kindly at them, my eyes on Izzy. She ran to me, releasing her brother. I felt my shirt getting wet as she cried on me. I looked up to see Trent staring at us, and I gave him a small, encouraging smile. He raised his eyebrow at us, then turned away. I put my attention back to the petite figure who I was holding in my arms.

After a bit, she gazed up at me with her big, pretty, blue eyes. They were still wet from tears, and I thought of the last time I had been in this situation. Then, Reeds had hurt her, and I could do something about it. I could make him hurt worse than she. Now, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't help her. The miserable look in her eyes hurt me terribly; I just wanted to fix everything, to put back that mischievous glimmer that was normally visible in her eyes.

But no, I couldn't fix anything this time, and that was tearing me apart.

Izzy's POV:

I walked down the hall, my hand in Al's, by arm around Trent.

"It wasn't an accident," I choked out without looking up.

"Huh?"

"It…it was set off. The explosion. By…Dúnmharú," I told him quietly.

Al's POV:

Here. Now there was something I could fix. Now there was someone to blame. I would find him, I would hurt him. Not kill him. No, that was too kind. No one hurt Isabelle McCallum like this, and Marie was an extraordinary person, too. No, he wouldn't be killed; I would torture him, make him feel Izzy's pain and more.

As I was contemplating this, I felt Izzy's gaze on me. When I looked down, I saw that she looked nervous.

"Erm…something wrong? Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked, confused.

Izzy's POV:

Albus stared straight ahead. He wore a stony expression, and I thought I saw a look of anger flash across his face. I didn't understand it; why was he angry…?

As soon as I saw it, the fury was gone. "Erm…something wrong?" he inquired eagerly. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"N-nothing. I'm all right," I replied quietly. I saw concern, legitimate concern, in his eyes. Not the mask of fake sorrow that everyone else plastered on, the pretend tears, the counterfeit sadness. No, this was my best friend, this was someone who cared, who understood. This was Albus, Albus Potter, who loved me, who was just as hurt as I was.

"You're amazing," I told him sincerely, fixing him with a serious stare.

"What?" Al looked at me, bewildered.

"No one else has been here for us," I hugged Trent to me when I said 'us'. "Nobody else has cared for us, has bothered to listen to us. Thank you." I pulled him and Trent into a tight embrace. "I couldn't have a better best friend."

"You? You have a great best friend?" he said incredulously. I looked up at him confusedly. "What about my best friend?"

I laughed a little at this. "Yeah, you are pretty lucky," I joked.

Then, I slipped into my thoughts about Marie, unconsciously grasping Trent a little tighter. I could feel the tears fighting to break through, but I couldn't let them escape. I had to be strong now; I didn't have a choice anymore.

Al's POV:

Everything was as normal again. We were joking, laughing, talking, even if it was a bit strained. I almost felt like this would be okay.

Unfortunately, as soon as I got comfortable again, I knew Izzy was upset. I could feel it. She tensed up a little, her hand squeezing mine for a split second. Her jaw trembled ever so slightly, she started blinking more.

I hardly had time to notice this, though, before she took a deep breath and calmed herself. Trent must have picked up on the signs, too, because he stopped and wrapped his arms around Izzy. I hadn't ever seen this closeness between them before. They weren't mean to each other normally, they just ignored one another.

But this, you could see it. You could practically visualize the love radiating in that simple gesture of kindness.

Trent's POV:

"Izzy, listen to me," I whispered into her hair, the same gesture my sister had so often done to myself. "Izzy, you don't need to do this." My sister's grief hurt me; it was almost a physical pain. I hated being so helpless here, but I couldn't really do anything about. "Please, don't try to be strong for me. I can handle this." Izzy sniffled at this. She seemed to have gotten it in her head that she couldn't be sad, at least not when I was around. I understood her trying to protect me, but I didn't need this. "I can handle this just as well as you can..."

Izzy's POV:

"It's okay. You can break down."

And that's what I did. Right there, in the hallway of Hogwarts, held in my tiny brother's arms, I lost it. I sobbed, clinging to Trent tightly. My shoulders shook violently, my breathing coming in sharp, raspy inhalations.

I felt Al rubbing my back softly, kindly, lovingly. I felt Trent fall apart in my grip, his tears dripping onto my shoulder. It was strange: I was glad he was crying. Not in the sense that I enjoyed seeing him sobbing. No, this hurt me more than anything ever could. But to know that he could let this out, that he didn't think he had to keep up this charade like I did, well...it was reassuring.

"Trent," I gasped through shallow breaths, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you have to understand all of this. That you can't have a normal life like your friends. I'm so sorry."

He looked up at me sadly. "That's just how our life has to go. No matter what, though, we can get through this."

"Trent. Just promise me one thing." I looked down at him, searching his face. "Promise that you'll never leave me."

"I promise."

When we got to the Gryffindor tower, I took in deep breaths. I clung to Trent and Al's hands tighter than ever.

"Right..." I stammered. "Well...I guess we need to go in."

"Er...gillyweed?" Al said unsurely. The portrait swung open, and the chatter of the Gryffindors came to an abrupt halt.

"Hey, Izzy," Rose chirped kindly, finally breaking the eerie silence.

"Hey."

She wandered over to me, Scorpius in tow. "You guys all right?" she inquired, and I could tell that she cared, but she didn't understand. She wouldn't ever understand.

"Yeah. Fine, thanks."

Rose smiled brightly, gave me a tight hug, then started away.

"Hey guys," Scorpius greeted us carefully.

Hey, Scorp," Trent and I responded in unison.

"Could I talk to you?"

"Erm..." I knew Scorp was one of the nicest guys in our year, which was strange, looking at his family background and whatnot. Still, I hadn't expected this. "Yeah, sure..."

Trent and I started to walk out of the common room with Scorpius, but when Al tried to come, I stopped him. "It's okay," I told him. "We'll be right back." When he still looked uneasy, I said, "I promise," then climbed out of the portrait hole.

"I'm really, really sorry about your sister, guys," the blonde-headed boy before us began. "I...I know how this feels. I lost my mother when I was 12." this was news to me, surprisingly enough. These things normally spread around Hogwarts like wildfire. "So," he continued kindly, "if you need to talk...I can listen," he concluded.

I grinned at Scorpius. "Thanks. That's...really sweet. And I'm so sorry about your mother."

"Yeah...thanks." He was looking at the floor now.

Looking at him, I realized that sometimes, people just needed a simple hug. Goodness know they'd gotten me through the last few days.

So, I hugged him. Though surprised at first, he squeezed back.

"You're a nice guy, you know that?" He blushed at this. "No, really. I mean it. No one, other than teachers, has made that offer to us, to just talk to us. We appreciate it." I smiled to him. "And...I would be glad to listen to you, too. About your mother."

"So would I," Trent piped from beside me, and I ruffled his hair. "Thanks, Scorpius," my brother said sincerely.

"Not a problem."

We went back into the common room, but no one turned around this time except for Albus. Scorp trotted over to Rose, and Al came over to us.

"What did he want?" Al inquired.

"Not much," I said. It didn't really matter. That was for me and Trent to know. I ignored the confusion that was evident on my friend's face and turned to Trent. "We'd better go get some lunch," I told him.

"Yes, mother," he said, rolling his eyes. I hit the back of his head lightly, and Trent rubbed where I had slapped him.

"Abusive, there, Izzy," Al teased, and I promptly slapped his arm.

"Yes. Yes I am." I hit Al again, and he chuckled.

Maybe...maybe Trent was right. Maybe we could get through this.

Man. These last few chapters have definitely not been easy to write. It's hard to fit all of these feelings down…Ah, well. I thought they turned out okay. Did you?

And that song at the beginning, I don't actually like it that much…but I started humming it when I was looking for a song to use, and I thought WOAH! That's PERFECT for this chapter!

Did you guys like it? Hate it? Do you have any suggestions? At all? I could always use some inspiration…

OH! One last thing. When I'm done with this story (which could be a while…), I might write a fanfic about James and Celeste…any thoughts on that? Ideas for a plot?

Thanks so much to all who have continued this far. I love you all!