Compassion

Lily answered the ringing phone just as Severus was coming up from the cellar lab. "Hello...? Oh hi, love... Marley...? Marley, what's the matter...?! What...?!" Lily's eyes widened as she covered her mouth. "Oh... Sweetheart, please slow down! We're coming over right now!" Lily hung up the phone as tears started spilling down her face.

"Lily, what happened?" Rarely did Severus ever witness Lily reduced to tears over a phone call.

"... Cokey's dead," Lily said brokenly.

"What?!"

"His foot slipped on the curb, and he hit his head on a fire hydrant, and..." Lily's face twisted to the point she couldn't continue the sentence. "Sev, I'm going over to Marley; I need you to find Milo."

"Isn't he there?"

"He disappeared after they left the hospital, just go!"

Severus hurried out the door with Lily, the latter turning and making her way to Number 3 where a pregnant Marley was just coming from. Severus didn't stop to comfort his daughter just yet; Lily had given him a task, and finding Miles was his priority. It took little time for him to reach the crack willows, the first place he'd considered looking, and he was thankful that his instincts were still sharp.

Miles was sitting on his tree root, his shoulders completely stiff. He was slowly swaying forward and backward, and his fingers were combing through his hair in a sort of rhythm. Severus couldn't see his face on account of him being hunched over, but stepping closer, he could hear the sound of breathing. Stepping closer, he saw that Miles's brow was knotted, his eyes staring off into nothing as tears poured down. His mouth moved as though trying to form words, but all that came out was a strangled sound.

What stopped Severus from going to Miles was the tension throughout the latter's entire body; it was a sign that he was trying to hold everything in, trying to regain his strength. It was far too similar to how Severus had handled Albus's death, the only difference being that he hadn't been given the chance to disappear and grieve by himself (for which he would remain grateful). But Miles had chosen to isolate himself, for not only his own sake, but for Marley's and Sharon's sakes as well; if Severus were to guess (he refused to use Legilimency on him), Miles had it in mind to be strong for them.

From one man to another, the best comfort Severus could provide was to let Miles maintain his dignity.

Severus turned and left as quietly as he came and made his way back to Spinner's End, where he could see Lily and Marley approaching.

"Did you find him?" Lily asked, having dried her eyes a bit.

"He needs to be alone," Severus answered.

Marley looked at both Severus and Lily before pulling away from the latter and trying to rush to the riverbank.

Severus gently caught her. "Marlene-"

"I need to see him-"

"He needs to be alone," Severus repeated.

"Can't you see he's hurt?" Marley's voice cracked.

"... in my youth," Severus answered softly, "I knew a man named Albus Dumbledore. When my parents passed away, he adopted and provided for me."

Marley blinked silently, and Lily's eyes began to well up once more.

"Our relationship wasn't always the best," Severus continued, "but losing him was among the worst moments I have ever experienced. If not for Headmistress McGonagall and your mother, I would have done exactly what Miles is doing right now. And Miles loved Cokey."

Marley looked past Severus, but her face was gently taken into his hands.

"Give him time," Severus said quietly. "You can comfort him when he goes home. But let him be strong enough for that."

Marley nodded into Severus's hands as she rested her forehead in the crook of his neck and started crying again.

Severus pulled her into a hug, gently rubbing her back as he said, "Let's check on Sharon and Snarky, yes?"

Marley nodded again and allowed Severus and Lily to guide her back to the house, leaving her husband to grieve alone.