Theodore cleaned the vomit with a wave of his wand, unfazed by it. Much worse had gotten on him and his surroundings in his time as a healer, and he understood that whatever was happening to Zach right now was incredibly traumatic. He held him tight, not caring about the tears, about whether he was sick. It was probably better for him that he get it all out, that he experience some sort of catharsis, if it could be called that. Crying was good for one’s health, at any rate, especially if emotions had been held in for an extended period of time.
His mind wandered, wondering how long Zach had been under the potion, if this was the potion, if everyone coming off the potion would react the same way. Theodore’s head hurt a little bit, but he couldn’t tell if that was from thinking too much, from worrying about his cousin, or if he simply had a headache coming on. At any rate, it wasn’t anywhere close to the pain Zach was experiencing.
His sobs grew pathetic. Cedric, Cedric dying. He was just...it was as clear as day...or whatever. It was a lot clearer than Theo at the moment. His body was so...still and stiff. How did a body get so stiff so quickly? He hadn’t been gone...gone, that was it. It had been years, and Zach had never seen him again, never held his hand, never felt his lips, had never gotten to be completely with him because he’d been nervous and scared about what it meant, hadn’t ever told Cedric he loved him while the other boy had been awake. That he could remember. There was so much pain, but he was seeing so many details that didn’t make sense, not with what he remembered. Had they stolen Cedric from him twice?
Zach was angry. His head hurt...and it shook his body. But Zach...it was worse than anything, but he’d expected it, not this, not like this, not from them, but his father. Zach had known for years what would happen if his father found out, and what he’d do, and Zach hadn’t been able to care enough to stop. He had lost Cedric, and that was so horrible he wasn’t going to not have someone before he lost them. Not going to let his father stop him. And he...he hated pain, well it wasn’t the sexy kind, but he’d expected it.
Dignity was nothing. Zach didn’t care. His head hurt, but it wasn’t the kind of pain from before. It was Cedric. Cedric was gone. And it hit him like a load of bricks. Zach let out a scream that became a whimper.