Title: Crumbling Grief
The sudden clanging of the door chimes made Ed pause. He blinked, mismatched hands just short of touching the wood of the infuriating door he couldn't open. He pulled them back, and shook them out to disperse the circulating energy.
'Ok, Al..just a bit longer.' Ed thought, and crossed his arms on his chest.'You might hate me, but I'll set things right...'
He moved aside when he heard the footsteps echoing down the hall behind him. He didn't look to see who it was; He looked to the hated door. He heard breathless panting..it sounded like more that one person behind him. He frowned slightly, wondering if any of them would delay him more than absolutely necessary.
"Ed..stop..listen.." Harry's voice, panting heavily. "None of it..none.."
Uneven footsteps echoed down the hall. Ed gritted his teeth and blinked a slow blink. 'More delay. Al can't wait that long.'
He looked to the side, watching them. Standing deceptively relaxed. Harry was nearly collapsed on the ground, trying to catch his breath a few feet from him. Remus just a step behind Harry. Sirius, supporting a teary faced Mrs. Weasley, and Moody right behind Remus.
Ed narrowed his eyes, watching for a wand. He was sure there would be a wand any moment. Who would it be that would answer the door?
Remus raised both hands and patted the air. Ed blinked a slow blink and looked away, impatient to get on with what must be done. Already planning, calculating that he might have just enough strength to launch the equation....
"Ed.." Remus said, voice soft and maddingly calm, speaking as if the sound of his voice could break him. "None of what you just saw was real."
"Bullshit" Ed said. "I tell you dhis now: Open dhis door, or dhere vwill BE no door."
"It's true." Harry panted. "listen..."
He heard someone approaching, and looked to the side, watching without moving his head. He glimpsed pale hands still held in the air, but a few feet from him.
"Listen. What you saw..It was called a boggart." Remus said, voice still maddingly calm.
Ed blinked. That sounded both suspicious and familiar. He turned his head to Remus.
"You remember? Right? That book Hermione lent you?" Harry said quickly. "It's in there."
Ed shook his head. And looked to the door. "I do remember vreading about dhem..But dhat.."
"It was a boggart. Just a boggart." Remus said, voice calm and steady.
"That...THING!...that PLACE!!..CAN'T BE FAKED!" Ed yelled, and looked to Remus with a glare.
"I'm telling you it can, if you believe it enough." Remus said calmly. "Boggarts feed off fear. The bigger..the deeper the fear, the more the boggarts can change to access it...to feed."
Ed looked to the door and chewed on his lower lip.
"Can't..leave him dhere while I'm..." Ed said softly. "... I have to finish dhis.. last I saw..he was put back but...not enough.."
"Ed. Please..." Remus said.
"It was a boggart. They pull your worst fear from your own mind." Mrs. Weasley said, tearful voice full of worry. "Y-you saw mine.." She added.
He quickly glanced back at Mrs. Weasley's tear streaked face.
"T-that... v-vwasn't...?"
She laughed a tear filled laugh, and wiped at her eyes. She sniffed.
"Thank goodness, no...just a stupid boggart that I couldn't get rid of."
"Ron's still in the basement..ALIVE!! Really! I JUST left him." Harry said, and carefully picked himself off the wooden floor.
Ed turned around and faced Mrs. Weasley, watching her face carefully. Looking for shame. Guilt. Even a mask of some sort to show with his next question.
"You are certain you vwere not to commit dhe taboo when I found you in dhat room?"
"Taboo?" Mrs. Weasley's face scrunched in confusion. It was completely the one expression he had not been expecting to see. Ed tilted his head slightly, and looked at the others as they too looked at him with confused gazes. "You vreally don't...? No vone..does..?"
The door chimes rang again. Remus turned his head to glance at the door a moment.
"Edward. You are not a prisoner here by any means. If you really feel you need to go.."
Ed nodded, and looked down, chewing on his bottom lip. Studying the lines on the floor like they were the most important thing in the world. Thoughts of Al whirling in his mind..but the idea that it was all just an illusion.a trick to spend his life carelessly...he had to use it precisely right...there was no room for mistakes of any kind in an equation of this nature...
"I... I vwill be staying..for a little vwhile...I dhink."
Remus nodded and dared to pat his left shoulder with his hand. Ed looked away, and closed his eyes for a few moments, reining in what almost spilled out.
Lupin then waved his wand and opened the door to their visitor. Ed had a clear view of Harry's face as it contorted into something like thin-veiled hate. Curious now, Ed looked over his shoulder at the doorway, and raised an eyebrow.
:::
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