A friend is one before whom I may think aloud. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Meeting in the Dark

A lonely boy sat in the window looking out at the sky with all its twinkling stars and a full moon that shined down on the earth. He had been sitting here for hours now, just staring out in to the world, alone with nothing but his thoughts. Some would say it was a depressing sight others would think it was beautiful. How the raven-haired boy sat there in the moonlight, his emerald eyes shining as they stared out in the distant.

It was not unusual for him to be here either. Since school had started a month ago he could be found here almost every night, always alone and always quiet.

But this night the scene was broken as a new sandy-haired boy slowly and quietly entered the room. His eyes focused on the boy in the window as he stood there watching him and taking in his whole appearance. The silence lasted for several long minutes before it was broken.

“Do you believe we choose our own destiny, Neville?� the raven-haired boy whispered without turning around, startling the boy at the door.

He was quiet for a long time, thinking over the question in his mind, but he didn’t quite know how to respond. “What do you mean?� he said instead.

The boy in the window continued to stare out at the open sky as if he hadn’t heard the question. When the boy at the door opened his mouth to ask again the reply finally came.

“Do you believe that you can do what ever you want? That you choose exactly how to live your life and how it will end?� the raven-haired whispered.

The other boy looked at him curiously, not understanding where this was heading. “Of course you can live your life the way you want, but death might be out of your hands.�

“Why is that?� the boy by the window asked.

The sandy-haired boy frowned. “Why is what?�

“Why can’t you choose how to die?�

The boy by the window suddenly sat up straighter and reached out to open the window he was sitting by. A light breeze entered the room, blowing the hair out of the boy’s face before moving on.

The sandy-haired visibly tensed as he saw the other boy sitting in the open window but he didn’t make a move towards him.

“I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to fly, to be completely free and just soar across the sky,� the boy by the window whispered as he closed his eyes and let the wind wash over him.

“What do you mean? You have your broom…� the sandy-haired asked with a confused look on his face.

“But that’s not the same,� the other boy answered. “I want to fly on my own, not being hindered by the movements of a broom. I want to fly through the sky on my own.� A smile made its way over his lips as another breeze blow across his face. “To be completely free.�

The boy at the door moved nervously in his spot. He didn’t like the way this conversation was going, especially not when the other boy was sitting by an open window.

The raven-haired suddenly spun around and let his legs dangle on the outside, over the edge. “If I just moved a little bit further I would get to try it. I would get to fly without a broom, soar through the air, completely free,� he continued. “It might only last a few seconds but it would be worth it.� Silence once again took over the room as the boy in the window lost himself in his thoughts and dreams.

The boy at the door definitely didn’t like this conversation anymore. He was contemplating if he would be able to run to the window and grab the other boy before he had time to do something stupid, or if the slightest movement on his part would lead to the other boy jumping at once.

“I want to be free, Neville,� came a soft whisper from the window.

The sandy-haired boy looked at his friend and silently wondered what had happened to that happy boy he meet in first year. The years hadn’t been gentle on him and the few times you ever met his gaze you would soon look away because of the pure wisdom and pain they radiated.

“We should get back to the dormitory, Harry,� he whispered after a few silent minutes. “The others might wake up and wonder where we are.�

The other boy continued to look out the window, seemingly not even hearing his friend’s words. A few clouds had started to slowly drift over the sky, hiding the stars from view. As a cloud made its way, blocking the moon, the boy sighed.

“I guess you’re right,� he said, turned around and jumped down from the window. For the first time he looked at his friend, a look so full of pain that the other soon turned away from him and walked for the door.

“We don’t want people to worry,� Harry whispered and with one last look out at the sky he followed his friend out the door.