eesabove.hehearstherustleofleavesmorethanheseesthem,andhehearstheinessantbuzzingofis.somethinghowlsaheadanddraowondersifthisisrealorifit’sjustinhisheadagain.

heneedstoleave.heknowshedoes.healwaysknows.butwithpottergone,it’sbeengettingharderandhardertogetoutofhishead.hethoughthewasgettingbetter.

butno,he’sjustgettingworse,andpotter’sangry,andhemissesthemanor,andthegarden,andbreakfast,andpotter.

there’sanotherhowlthatsoundsandehoesaroundhim,andhedoesn’tknowwherehe’sgoing.hethinkshe’swalking,he’snotsure,butit’sdarkhere,andpotter’snotaround.

draowakesuptothesentofsweat,trealetart,andfreshsoap.he’sbeingarriedonsomeone’sbak,andheknowsimmediatelywhoitis.hisnoseisburiedinpotter’shairandhe’snotsureifthisisreal,buthefeelslikerying.

hethinkshealreadyis.

potterstops,pauses,anddraorealizesthatthey’restilloutsidetheastle.it’sstilldark,withonlythemoonandthelightfromthetowersilluminatingtheirsteps.thewindisstillold,andtheirrobesbillowinthewind.potter’sarryinghim,andhe’sprobablyheavy,butpotter’sgripunderhisthighsarefirm.

pottersays,“i’msorry.ididn’tmeanwhatisaid.”

drao’shavingahardtimeorating.hedoesn’tuandwhatpotter’ssaying.

“i’mnotgoingtostoppesteringyou,malfoy.stoptryingtogetridofme.”

thehukleisoutofhislipsbeforeheanstopit.stupidpotter.stupid,annoyingpotterwhodoesn’tknowwhentogiveup.thelittlebuggerjusthastosaveeveryone,eventhosethatdon’tdeserveit.“i’mmad,potter.”