too close to the stars - H.J.P

100k SPECIAL

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Elio Lucas Potter, had always been a very happy boy. He had two parents who loved him and a very crazy extended family. Although he was an only child, he was never lonely. He had his friends from school as well as all his Weasley cousins.

His parents, being who they were, tried to keep him safe from grubby strangers and promised to always make him a priority no matter what. And that was exactly what they did. They showed up to everything.

His birthdays were a blast and the holidays a great deal of fun. Elio was a very lucky little boy and although they had all the money in the world, Harry and Noel recognized the importance of growing up in a humble environment. Wanting nothing but the best for their son, Elio had nice things but he was taught not to flaunt them. He had them and that was that.

As he grew older, his magic was vibrant and loud. He had hiccups here and there. Small accidents that were normal but it was very clear to the adults in his life that he would grow up to be a powerful wizard.

Turning 11 was a milestone no one was prepared for. Elio who had inherited his mum's less favorable trait of anxiety, was a mess as the months lead up to the big date.

He knew he'd be okay and he knew that his mum and dad would be there whenever he needed them but this would be the first time that he would be alone. He would have to learn who he was as an individual without the influence of his parents but rather his teachers and classmates.

The first couple of weeks were a nightmare, he was scared and for the first time in his life he felt alone. His surname being one in history books didn't help when making friends because it planted a seed of 'whys' and 'what if's' that his little brain couldn't answer.

Years have gone by and Elio has grown to earn the respect of his classmates and professors. He was talented in all aspects. Invincible with a wand in hand and untouchable with his generous heart. He was every parent's pride and joy on paper.

Everything Elio had done was to show that he was worthy of his last name just as his parents were. Noel being the first to ever open a werewolf clinic and making Wolfsbane affordable and Harry defeating Voldemort in 1997. His parents made decisions and life choices that helped restore the wizarding world. It was a lot of pressure and even though his parents never asked him to do any of it, he did it anyway.

Now, entering his 7th year with not having any idea on what he wants to be or do, Elio starts to panic. A deep panic he hadn't felt in years. The sort of panic you feel when you can't breathe and think your lungs might collapse.

In his bedroom, he stood up and began to rub his chest, he tried to focus on his numbers but none of it was working. He squeezed his eyes in frustration, he needed to deal with it on his own, he had learned to calm himself down at school he can do it here too. Laying on the ground, knowing that the cold would regulate his heartbeat, Elio stayed there, until he was finally able to take a deep breath.

A knock on the door caught his attention, letting them in, his mum stood there, frowning.

"Why didn't you call me?" She asked, walking in. Noel gently placed herself on the ground beside him. Elio shrugged, "What do you mean?"

"I was waiting for you to call me. I wanted to help."

Elio bit the inside of his cheek. "I got it, mum. I'm okay."

"I know." she said quietly, staring intently at the ceiling. She frowned, noticing that the stars weren't there anymore.

"You know what I've been thinking about lately?"