Leave Out All The Rest

Rhetorical Things

[[TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of abuse]]

Leave Out All the Rest

Chapter 34: Rhetorical Things

POV: Lily and Scorpius

"Lily."

"Mum."

"Lily."

"Mum."

"Lily, listen—"

"It's fine, Mrs. Potter," from her side of the cold, white, dreadful room, Emily turned tired, puffy green eyes at my mother and me, cutting both of us off before we could break out into an argument. "Lily can stay."

"See?" I said condescendingly, something I knew Mum would not appreciate. 

On cue, Mum frowned at me. "This isn't an easy matter, Lily. You understand that, don't you? This isn't a means to pass time just because you had nothing to do today."

"Don't imply I'm here out of boredom," I said angrily. "I'm not here because I am a child who threw a tantrum. I am here because Em is my friend and—"

"I'm sorry," Emily breathed, cutting across us once more. "I didn't mean to upset you by asking Lily to come, Mrs. Potter. It's just...she's the only one that doesn't ask questions or look at me like..."

Mum's frown was gone as she reached over to Emily, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently. Mum wasn't someone who was delicate, not since she grew up with brothers and her love was fierce, but with Emily, she was. She was afraid she was going to break Emily, even if she knew (even if we all knew) she was already broken. 

That is why we were here.

To help put her back together again.

"The other kids, they care, Emily," Mum said to her with an attentive look in her eyes, "they care and they worry. Maybe they are not the best at showing or controlling that care and worry, but it's there. And it's all right if it is too much for you right now."

Emily tried to smile back at Mum, like she did understand, but she could not form the gesture. She just looked back at us with that cold, dead gaze I hated to start associating her with. 

I wanted to reach out for her, too, but the office door opened. A tall, blonde man in bright, yellow robes marched in with a beaming smile on his face.

What a twat.

"Good afternoon, Miss Taylor, I'm Fabian Valentino," the Healer said in a thick, Italian accent that reminded me of the movie The Godfather (Uncle Ron's favorite film, much to Aunt Hermione's frustration, especially because he watches it with Mister Zabini while sharing a bottle of Firewhiskey). 

A look of panic crossed Emily's face. "Where's Healer Boot?"

"Healer Boot had a medical emergency, I'm afraid," Healer Valentino said, "so I will be filling for her today. Is this your mother?" he then asked as he flipped open a file on the desk, eyeing Mum and me. The resemblance was uncanny between only two of us in that office. 

"I'm as good as," Mum almost hissed at the Healer. I grinned. "Healer Boot has the legal documents allowing me to accompany this minor to these evaluations. You would have seen so in her file if you would have prepared before seeing Emily."