What lies within?

Chapter 6: Why?

Gellert POV:

I still felt awful upon wakening, guilt aching my body as I changed into my day clothes. Setting myself on my bed, I began reading, trying to focus on the words but I just couldn't. My brain was looping again, worrying and dreading. I needed to know if he was ok.

Slamming my book shut, I practically threw it on the desk and ran to the third floor. I knocked, hoping for a reply but I didn't get one. Frustrated, I knocked harder, getting impatient and scared now. There was no response.

I was now knocking so hard it would be considered as banging as I called, 'Albus?'

There was nothing.

'Albus! Open the door!-'

Just as I had said it, the door actually opened this time. He actually opened the door and showed himself when it wasn't dinner, that was a first, an exciting first. Usually he ignores me in person but right now, he's looking me dead in the eye. That brilliant blue. His long red hair beautifully curling down his pale, snowy skin.

All the fear faded from my head as relief washed over me with a new kind of guilt. I look like a mad man, 'Sorry...you just veren't at dinner,'

I soon realised that although I see him at dinner, it's not enough to fully observe his behaviour because right now I can see that something is very wrong with him. His eyes, though gorgeous, were flicking around nervously from me to somewhere else so fast it was concerning. He gripped the door so tightly his knuckles turned white and Mary was right. He was dangerously thin.

'D-Did you want to come in?' He stammered.

I took the invitation as I felt as though I may never get it again. For the first time, I stepped into his room and took a look around. It was much bigger than my own (it used to be the attic) with the same turquoise walls and wooden floor. There was a massive double bed in the middle with a window above as well as a desk on the left with drawers and a mirror above that.

On the desk, I could see several ribbons of different colours as well as what looked like a blade which I assumed he used to cut his hair.
I was quite impressed by the huge bookshelf to my right filled to the brim with all sorts of genres.

Albus sat on the bench seat that was a part of the wall as I walked around. 'You have quite the collection,' I admired.

He then took something that was on the bench and came over to hand it to me, 'I f-finished it last night...that's w-why I wasn't at d-dinner,'

I took the book "What Maisie Knew" and smiled at him to make him more at ease, 'I see...I assume you enjoyed it then?'

Albus nodded, brushing his hair from his eyes, 'It w-was compelling,' there was a pause as he looked at the bookshelf with me, 'You'd p-probably l-like this one,' he extended his hand to get a book on the top shelf. He was a little shorter than me so had to stand on the tip of his toes to get it which meant his sleeve fell a fraction shorter. When it did, I noticed there was a thick, red line on the inside of his wrist.

He got the book and handed it to me, 'It's written s-similarly to that one but it's completely d-different I promise,'

I kept thinking about the line on his wrist when he sat back down on the bench but was snapped out of it when he spoke again, 'D-did you say anything to M-Mary?'

I shook my head, 'No, I've been trying to avoid her but next time I see her, I plan to explain, yes,'

A silence cast over us, it was a little awkward but I supposed it was because we had nothing else to talk about so I tried to find out some more information. 'How old are you?'