VIOLET (A Harry Potter Universe Fanfiction)

9.

"Marlowe," his mum said. "You will bring this little boy so much joy just by going and talking to him for half an hour. Pull yourself together."

It was only because his mum so rarely demanded things of him that he listened right away. When she talked like this, Marlowe knew he was being stupid and he'd better pay attention.

They took the floo network. His mum hated side-along apparation. Truth be told, she didn't much like the floo network either, but as they weren't about to drive from Ireland to London, straight across the water and all, she put up with it.

Marlowe kept his head down as they walked up to Jack's room. He hated how he still knew the way to the Creature Induced Injuries Ward.

He looked up to read the numbers on the doors, stopping in front of 216 where Jack was supposed to be.

The door was open partway but he couldn't see anyone inside yet.

His mum put a hand on his back. Marlowe knocked.

A woman Marlowe could only assume was Jack's mum answered the door and she started beaming when she saw who it was. She had a kind smile, but she looked so tired beneath it.

"Jack," she called, grinning from ear to ear. "We've got someone here to see you. I think you'll be very excited."

She led Marlowe into the room, his mum close behind.

Jack was sitting up in bed. There were puffy bags under his eyes and his skin looked a little sallow, but otherwise he just looked like a regular kid. A kid with sandy blonde hair and freckles. His eyes opened wide with recognition when he realized who it was.

Marlowe felt frozen.

"I can't believe you came," said Jack, like Marlowe was some great celebrity and not just a nineteen year old kid on a reserve quidditch contract.

He swallowed. He had to live up to this kid's expectations just a little bit.

"Of course," he said. "I uhm..." He glanced at Jack's mum and dad, now sitting at the round table. Marlowe remembered the table like that in his own hospital room. He remembered sitting there and signing some papers saying he was dangerous, promising to wear that stupid pin he was supposed to wear in public so people knew what he was. He almost never actually wore it. Only when he thought someone might be around that would notice if he didn't.

He also remembered his mum telling the ministry officials in no uncertain terms that he was not to be called a magical creature.

Marlowe pulled up a chair by Jack's bed.

"It wasn't so long ago I was in your position," he said. "I remember all of this."

Marlowe wanted to say more, but he felt everyone's eyes on him and it was hard to know what to say. He didn't want to scare his parents, but he wanted to be open with this kid. Just looking at him, he felt like he could take it, was maybe even craving it.

"Do you feel normal?" the boy asked. It was so out of the blue, such an honest question, it practically knocked the wind of him.

"No," Marlowe said. "I don't. I'm not. But it's... not being normal doesn't mean your life is over. It just means things look different than you thought they would. It took me a while to come to terms with everything. Actually, I'm still kind of working on that part. It was hard for a long time not to be angry. But my family, my friends... they all helped me realize I've still got a future. I can still do the things I always wanted to do. I might have to fight a little harder to get them. And sometimes they're harder to manage once I have them. But I can still do everything I thought I could before. I'm not normal but I'm not that different either. And neither are you."