Harry’s POV

The house feels different without Mary.

Not quieter. Just lighter. Like the walls can finally breathe again.

I notice it every morning now. The way Elena walks through the kitchen without shrinking. The way no one criticizes how she looks before she even opens her mouth. The way silence no longer feels sharp.

Still, today sits heavy on my chest.

I find Elena in the living room, sprawled on the couch with her math book open and her legs hanging over the armrest. She is chewing on ...