Beneath the Surface PV Henry Knight Closed

Henry made his way out to the grounds and to the black lake as he just finished his final exams and was more than happy to spend some time in the sun along with the other students who finished their exams to it seemed. As Henry made his way past others who were meeting up with friends and laughing among themselves, Henry decided to head over to the black lake as he found it more quiet in the mass of chaos and noise. He kept a eye peeled for any of his friends but found none as he continued his walk to the great lake, Henry sort of wished Cricket or Charles or any of his friends were there since he found it less lonely and a lot more fun when he was surrounded by his friends. It's funny how many friends he have made that year and how much he found that he have change that year to, "Henry! Over here!"A shouted to him which snapped him out of his thoughts he saw it was Altair, she was a first year and a werewolf like him, he remember they met in the shrieking shack one night and stay friends ever since, they even got to meet each other's families well most them. Henry considered her a good friend and definitely liked hanging out with her as he made his way toward her.

Henry stopped at the black lake's edge where she was sitting with her feet dipped in the coolness and dark depth of the lake. Henry smiled as he spoke " Hey Altair, did you finish your exams to?" Henry thought some of his end if year exams were quite easier while one or two were sort of difficult, as he took his messager type bag off his shoulder and placed it on the ground before also taking off his slytherin robe and placing it, folded up on the ground as well as putting his messager type bag on top of it. He then took a seat next to Altair and untied and took of his shoes plus socks and put them next to his robe on the grass. As he slipped on feet into the black lake before turning to Altair and speaking again " this is nice, thanks for the suggestion," Henry paused as he looked out over the black lake and member everything that happen to him during his first year before continuing " how was your exams, mine weren't too bad. Although I still have astronomy tonight, I'm pretty sure gryffindor's have it with slytherin since Cricket still has astronomy tonight to."

Henry listened to his friend then watched at she laid upon the grass and Henry did the same as he laid back on his back and put on arm behind his head while leaving the other on his chest, as the tree above them shaded the pair from the afternoon sun and as the breeze blew through the leaf's it seem to create a cooling atmosphere. As Henry thought about his first year, as he started it as a shy and awkward person with way to much anxiety who couldn't speak to anyone, to how he actually met friends and had others to laugh and chat with along with cry and confide it. He smiled as he look over at Altair who seemed to be a bit uncomfortable as he thought about when they first met and how close they have become since, Henry was glad he met her and everyone else as well. He was more than happy that he had friends and was no longer an outsider as he smiled, Henry finally spoke " astronomy will be a bit annoying especially being as late as it is but at least exams are over after that," Henry paused knowing that he will probably earn a outstanding on his astronomy exam but he didn't say anything to Altair as he wanted to comfort her and make her feel better about it as he continued " charms was definitely easy, I'm sure we both pass that with a outstanding."

As Henry laid there he thought about something that has been haunting his mind, something that he couldn't tell anyone but now with so many friends who he could confide in maybe he could as he look over at Altair he saw that she also seemed uncomfortable so he spoke " this is peaceful, right?" Henry then took a deep breath and thought maybe he should tell her as he spoke while watching the leaf's dance in the wind " are you ok, Altair? You seen uncomfortable."

Henry heard Altair's voice which sounded a bit uncomfortable as she told him that she needs to tell him a secret and saw her turned to her side to face Henry. Henry mimic her and rolled to his side to face her as well, using his hand to prop up his head as he looking into her eyes and smiled "you can trust me, and I promise with whatever it is I won't see you any differently and I won't tell a soul." Henry meant what he said because above all else even through he is slow to trust, once he does he is very trustworthy and had almost a headstrong loyalty to his friends especially close friends like Altair. As Henry awaited for her answer, something popped into his own head that he haven't really thought about in a while but also never left him. With the summer holiday coming so close and with the camp coming as a distraction so he won't need to go home, Henry try not to think if it but how could he not when he held both a reminder on his chest and also around his neck. Henry looked at Altair as he thought, if she could tell him a secret that has been haunting her then why can't he? Something as been on his mind for years and he hadn't told anyone, not his siblings, father, or even Cricket.
He had kept it to himself for years but now, with Altair maybe it was time that someone else knew his secret so he took a deep breath as he spoke "I actually have something to tell you to, more like a secret actually," yes a secret that he never told anyone before and Altair would be the first.

Hearing Altair's secret is also painful didn't help Henry, in fact he was more unsure then ever as he started at Altair and thought about if he should tell her or not. Henry placed his free hand on his chest when he found the neck lace beneath his shirt and took a deep breath as he pushed himself up off the grass and into a sitting potion, but instead if letting his feet hang in the lake he turned to face Altair as he nodded " alright it's a bit painful too, through," as soon as he said it, Henry took his necklace out from underneath his shirt and slipped it off his neck and head. As he held it in his hand and showed Altair the symbol of a sun pendant that use to be gold but now is a bit rusty.

Henry took another breath then spoke slowly and softly " my mum gave me this for my 6th birthday, it was the last gift she ever gave me," Henry stopped as his voice became shaky and unsure as he slowly continued with a few tears forming in his eyes, " My twin and I w.. were 6 and m.. my brother was 13, when my f.. family was stargazing. It was a f.. full moon and for a f.. few minutes everything was p.. perfect," Henry took another breath as he felt tears fall down his cheeks as he continued with his voice becoming more tremblely and shaky " b.. but then these t.. two w.. were.. werewolves attack us a.. and... and," Henry wiped away tears that were flowing down his cheeks now as his voice was very shaky and mix with tears as he continued " and f.. for a..a.. awhile our father fought off one and our m..m.. mum fought off the other and me and m.. my siblings were suppose to r.. run but we... f.. froze and when our m..m.. mum turned to tell us a.. another time to r... run that's when.. that's when,"Henry felt his insides burning as he clutched the pendant tighter in his hand as his tears flowed down more occasionally now as he continued " that's where.. that's when it k.. killed her and my siblings r.. ran but not me... I f.. froze and resisted w.. when m.. my brother tried to f.. force me to r.. run. I only saw one thing, m..my mum before t.. that werewolf pounced on me," Henry wiped away his tears with his other hand as he continued in a less shaky voice " it's my fault that she's dead, I should have ran. I should have pulled my siblings away but I didn't I froze and because of that she's dead and I got a reminder of that night that I failed on my chest forever, to always remind me that I froze, that I couldn't save her. That I'm not brave or a hero, that I couldn't do the right thing,"Henry slipped the necklace back over his neck and hid back under this shirt before continuing " that's why I always wear the necklace because it reminds me on something she said to me when I was younger, it was; no matter how hard a challenge is just take a breath and think it over and then everything will be fine."

Hearing Altair speak made Henry smile as he looked at her and held her hand tight. He could feel eyes becoming glossy with tears as he was happy to he friends with someone like Altair as he spoke " thank you, Altair. You really are an amazing friend and I'm so glad that we met," Henry paused as he looked for the right words before saying again " I know it wasn't my fault but sometimes that's now how I see it. It's probably just guilt mixed with my anxiety, anyway I guess you right about how saying it takes some bravery." Henry wrapped his arm around Altair as he leaned his head on hers and continued to look out at the great lake, for a minute everything was peaceful and perfect before he spoke " I use that night not on purpose, but I use it as a reminder. So if I'm ever in another situation like that, I won't freeze but instead I'll help and do something," Henry paused before looking at Altair and smiling as he spoke " it also helps to have great friends like you, Altair." Henry smiled at her before taking his arm off if Altair and retaking her hand in his as he held it tight, he spoke " Alright Altair what's your secret and don't worry nothing that you can say will ever change how I see you."