Greg felt the tears drying on his face but he didn't want to let go of Theo. Of course, he got no sane answers to his questions but for a moment, he had had the hope that he would. He was still wrapped about the other boy, and he felt the shaking start and at first he wanted to hang onto him harder, to help him ride it out.
But it didn't seem to work, and as Theo went on about doing something or getting Crucioed, Greg had a vivid immediate picture of what it could be. His mind took him to Theo's dad, and Greg felt this internal certainty that Theo's father had done more to him than punish him. He used the Unspeakables on his own son, that much was certain. But he wondered with a sick horror if the father had done more to the boy. The way Theo talked, reacted to being touch, penetrated...it made Greg wondering with more disgust if Theo's dad had done more to his son, more physically abusive things to his young son.
The idea made Greg get angry; here Theo was, a wreck of a man, all because of Theo's fucking lunatic of a father.
Greg almost growled aloud and in a hoarse whisper he said, "If he were alive, Theo.....I would kill him. I would rip his fucking head off for doing this to you," and even as he spoke, Greg moved to release Theo, finding it important to look the other boy in the eyes, "Your dad is gone, Theo, gone for fucking forever. That sick bastard will never touch you again, never hurt you. I wish you could understand...I want to help, Theo. I want you to stay in the now, and recognize me and get better so they'll let you out to come with me."
Greg was certain that his words would make no sense to the other boy, and he found himself putting his hand on Theo's chest after he had sat up, looking down at Theo's strained expression, "He's never gonna Crucio you again, never gonna torture you or...touch you...He is gone...."
Greg's voice had faded as he sat there, the bleak feeling stealing over him again, so close to the heels of the crying.