𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐬 | DISCONTINUED

41

A/N: So if you read the note at the bottom of the last one, you'll know this is a written chapter. If you don't want to read, I will have a brief summary up in the next part to explain it.

// Delphi // ~ Texting

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There was a warm glow of an evening, when the stars burned in the darkness and the lights were on in the house, it was comforting, this glow emitted from the garden, when he sat in the chill of the wind, brushing goosebumps up his arms.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he slid it free with a great reluctance, cold and hard in his grip, the light of the screen seemed to burn against his eyes in the darkness.

Delphi: Look at them all having fun
Delphi: They don't want you

He scowled deeply, and shoved it back inside his pocket, trying to ignore the lump in his throat that caught cold in the air and that frustrating sting at the back of his eyes. Because she was telling the truth.

A burst of anger rushed through him, and Albus pushed away from the grass, allowing a short moment for the spinning world to halt, before stalking back towards the house.

The girls were in the back the garden, their huge tent emitting it's own light, and giggles and playful screams. He paused for a second, rounding the corner from the side of the house to watch, just watch the shadows of his family. A small smile crept up on his face.

It was gone, almost as instantly as it had come, their sighting did little to quell the deep rooted hurt in the pit of his stomach, and he entered the house, the door falling shut.

There was a light on in the kitchen, a small lamp for whenever the girls wanted something, but the hallway was dark, the door beneath the stairs cracked open, leading to the basement below, and a jumble of voices floated from its depths. He glanced upwards, in time to catch his fathers shoe disappearing round the corner, a clattering from the master bedroom soon followed.

Albus sighed, standing there blankly, empty.

And then his legs took him elsewhere, into the warmth of the living room a little further down, lit in a orange glow of the fire that crackled in the hearth, the silk curtains drawn blocking away the outside world, the world threatened to rock the comfort they found, a flimsy shield and yet he felt safer.

Ginny was curled up on the sofa in front of the fire, partially leaning on the armrest and holding a book in one hand, the other cupping a mug of tea that rested in her lap, with a blanket draped over her legs to keep the heat from burning through. There was not crease of stress on her face, no tinge or sadness or anger, just content as a strand of red hair slid to the side of her face and she turned the page.

He swallowed hard, and closed his eyes, unnoticed.

"Al honey?"

Emerald eyes flew open and a faint blush grazed upon his cheeks, brown eyes staring imploringly and he moved, stepping backwards with all the intention in the world to leave her to the peace the evening offered. But as he turned, something seemed to change inside his head, of what he wasn't sure yet, but his hand shut the door whilst his brain screamed to leave and he paused, head bowed slightly, taking a deep long breath.

And then he wished to face his mother once more, who slid her book onto the coffee table, and looked ready to stand up, when he finally found his voice.

"Can I talk to you?"

It grated even to his own ears, and the hand handing limply at his slid twitched, tapping his fingers against his thigh nervously. Something seemed to soften, and a sad smile pulled at her lips, as though she knew it was coming, patting the couch beside her lightly, inviting him forwards.

As he moved, Ginny did too, placing her mug on the side and shifting so she faced her son, as Albus sunk down next to her. The tension in his muscles melted as his back touched the leather, and yet his leg bounced anxiously against the floor.

"I..I'm," He licked his lips, mouth dry, clearing his throat, not quite able to meet her eyes, and she waited silently for whatever it was.

"I'm sorry Mum," his leg stopped bouncing for a moment as the words filtered from his lips, staring straight into the flames, his heart hammering in his chest. "I'm sorry I was such an asshole, I'm sorry I ruined it for everyone, an-and I'm sorry I keep hurting people. I don't want too, I don't mean too, but it just keeps happening."

The words strung together in shaking lines, pouring from his mouth, like a confession to a priest. The one person who never judged him was his Mum.

"It's not that I wanted to make them mad, to make anyone mad, but I have secrets that they wouldn't understand, wouldn't make sense, I mean fuck they don't even make sense to me..and I-"

A sob cut him off, distant to his ears but from his own mouth, and Ginny shifted on the couch, as if to move forwards but waiting, letting him continue. Albus paused, inclining his head to the right, away from her slightly, as he shuddered and breathed, his eyes stinging with tears.

"I don't want to go."

They slid down his cheeks, his chest heaving with each sob and he gave up, his body tipping sideways as her arms found him, wrapping tightly, holding him, his face buried in her chest. His hands curled into her jumper, and a small part of him felt like a child again, as he sobbed, and her hands rubbed against his back, never breaking their hold.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Repeated muffled between sobs, and Ginny pressed a kiss to his head, rocking gently.

"Oh it's okay baby," she whispered, stroking his hair, her own heart aching for her child.
"You're not going anywhere."

"I'm sorry." He moaned again, and Ginny just continued to hold him, to comfort him in anyway she knew how, but just being there was enough. "Shhhh sweetie, I've got you." They rocked back and forth, her hand rubbing up and down his back, cocooned in a bubble where nothing mattered but that moment, nothing but holding each other close.

Neither was sure how long they'd been laying there, when Albus finally moved, his hand drifting up to rest upon her shoulder, and Ginny shifted only to offer him more comfort.

For a little while longer they were just a mother and her child, a blanket draped over them, settled in the warmth of safety they offered each other unconsciously.

You're not going anywhere, that wasn't quite true. And Albus wondered if that made it worse, wondered if that only made his heart ache more, as a singular tear slid down his cheek, eyes gazing back into the flames, holding on to the moment for a bit more. If his Mum felt the vibration from his phone in his pocket, then she ignored it, because neither said anything as they lay, and Albus ignored it because he didn't want this to end. He didn't want to read the messages.

Delphi: we were made for each other

Delphi: and u wanted to leave, remember?

Delphi: i am doing this for u

Delphi: don't let me down now, haven't u let enough people down?

Delphi: we will be free baby.

A/N: What did you think? Tell me if there's any mistakes. And as I said above there will be quick summary in the next chapter, if you didn't read this or you just didn't understand.