#echoes update

And she can’t help herself here, can’t stop the words from spilling out of her mouth. Granger and Weasley had been suffering a great deal without their best friend, even more so since Dumbledore swiftly silenced them from any contact with him at all.

“You’re not the only one struggling. You’re not the only one who’s been through horrible things - believe it or not, the world doesn’t revolve around you.”

He turns to her.

There’s red behind his eyes. She stares at it, at the remnants of Diggory hiding within him, and feels - not for the first time - disgust. How far could he fall, if not for the careful eyes of those around him? If not for the Weasleys and Granger; if not for Dumbledore. 

Dumbledore stares down at her for a long, silent moment before he sighs deeply. His brow is creased and he crosses his hands over his knees, peering over his glasses and down his crooked nose. His gaze was near piercing and she doesn’t flinch, but it’s a near thing.

“Miss Dodger,” he asks her, tone neutral in a way that has her wandering eyes darting to him immediately, “do you know why I insisted you be sent to 12 Grimmauld Place instead of simply letting the ministry take care of the matter, as would be standard protocol?”

She shakes her head, frowning, and feels a prickle of unease begin to tickle its way up her spine and settle deep in her chest.