Monster

Parchment 45: Catching Up

As Harry and I walk down the busy street one question lingers in both our minds.

How am I going to explain the past?

I personally have so much to tell him but, I don't know where to start. All the time I was forced to spend with Voldemort, the torture, the pain and agony, everything that happened in that very small and uncomfortable house.

I shuffle my hand around in my pocket while taking a few glances down at Harry's hand. There's a faints phrase in his skin, I focus in on it.

With that I snap and lift his hand up, getting a close up on this pain he went through. Memories rush back to when we both were together going through that..

"Remember that it got so bad that I had to wrap it and try to keep Ron and Hermione unsuspicious. But of course, they found out.." I give a small smile and hold his hand delicately.

"They always do, don't they?" he gives a short laugh and agrees with my statement.

"They always do, doesn't matter what situation it is, they will figure it out."

"Well women do always find the truth out first.." I point out as we both continue to walk, but his hand never left mine.

"Wait, your comparing Ron to a girl?"

"Yes, what else could I mean.. Hermione is a girl by birth due to, you know. And I'm not comparing I'm giving straight facts." Harry covers his laugh with his free hand. "He eats like a hog when he is upset or sad. His mood swings constantly, especially over girls. And let's not forget about his obsession over chocolate frogs. It's a miracle he doesn't break out after his twentieth pack.."

Harry nods his head, a constant smile on his face. I continue on with my list.

"And jokes that just don't make sense at all. Did he tell you about the one, it was based off one he heard from Charlie or Fred? It deals with a witch and an empty cauldron?"

"No, I don't believe he did.." I let out a sigh of relief. Ron's untamed and random humor didn't sink into Harry's.

"Be considered lucky, that was one of thee most disgustingly terrible joke of my life." He laughs very hard and people turn and stare. The muggles don't know who we are and that's totally okay with me.

There comes a silence between us, but it's not awkward as I thought it would be. But the question is still in my mind, Harry talked about what happened to him but I haven't brought up what I experienced and witnessed.

A small pit of guilt builds in me. I have to tell someone that I trust immensely. And there is no better time than the present.

"I've been means to ask..but you don't have to talk about it. I will und-"

"Harry." I abruptly say to him, making him go quiet. "It's okay, I can talk about it.." He lets out a held back heavy sigh, this has been on his mind a lot. Yet, I don't blame him, I was gone for an extended amount time..

"Tell me everything."

"That's going to take a very long time.. Since I missed, how many months..?"

"Let's just say over half the year, or under. Just, somewhere around there.."

"Alrighty then," I'm taken by how long I was gone for. It only felt like a week or two, or a year. "It all started with the ringing in my ear, that escalated to getting horrible nausea and almost throwing up, thus why I went to Mrs. Pomfrey and not to the common room. Then the ringing got louder and louder, it almost felt like my skull was being shattered. It was unbearable. Then a window broke, glass was spread everywhere. On the floor, beds, even in the medical utensils and bandages. I don't remember the trip or what occurred during my first time meeting Vol-him. But I could hear them, he was talking to someone, I couldn't recognize him or at least I think it was a him.."

My memory tries to wrack up the information it still contains. The one part I can see vividly would be when I defeated him in a battle of wits.

"Oh, the best part, had to be me dueling him-" Harry's eyes bulged at that phrase. His hands go straight to my shoulders and hold on with a tight grip.

"You did what?!"

"Not that type of duel, I didn't have my wand on me the whole time, besides when I escaped. Villains aren't the smartest when it comes to guarding the place or bugging it. Or at least he wasn't, I think their are smarter ones than him." His grip loosens and he wipes his forehead getting ride of invisible and not present sweat.

"Now, back to what I was originally saying. I was dueling him, and our weapon was wit. He obviously doesn't know all the facts about snakes." Harry's eyebrow goes up and stays there for a good solid minute.

"A battle of wits? And you won?"

"Yes."

"The same Voldemort that tried to kill me multiple times?"

"Yes."

"How did you pull that off? I know you're sarcastic, but he's the leader and you're just, a wizard.." I simply lift my hands up in the air and move my head to the side.

"I don't know but it was such a good feeling. Just that domination over someone who has hurt and killed some many people I've cared for, just being on top gave me a power I've never felt before. It was those good goosebumps, the kind you get when you hear fantastic music.." I let out a dreamy sigh and close my eyes. "You should have seen his face Harry, it was priceless."

"I would have loved too." he stops their and looks down at the ground. "I just wish you didn't have to go through all that pain, without someone else being there for you.." I give a small chuckle and gently hold his hand.

"I wasn't the only one in pain, you, Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Flint, and Mavis, all of you were in the same boat as me. In two different seas of course, but the waves still had the same effect. Do you understand my madness?"

"I always understand your madness. It was very poetic too, and visual."

"Now, don't load up on the compliments sir.." I roll my eyes and shake my head side to side.

"But, I've barely seen you in the last year, how could I not..?" He gives me those small puppy eyes behind those rounded pieces of glass. I can't help but give a small snort, but Harry was being serious. He stays silent and just encloses me with his arms, a safe spot that I gladly enter into.

"I'm just so glad you're back.. I was so scared.." He mumbles in my white hair. I can't help but let a few tears fall.

"I was scared too.."