Once Upon A Time (singwithin) (december 7)
Title: Once Upon A Time
Author: singwithin
House: Ravenclaw
Date/Challenge: 7 december/'time does not change us'
Character/Pairing: the four ghosts of Hogwarts.
Rating: G
Gryffindor
Sir Nicolas was once a knight of the kingdom, who walked the thin line between worlds. He served the Muggle king - and the funny thing was, he could never remember his name, but simply called him 'sire' and 'his highness' and hoped no one would notice - and quietly used his magic to help him with small things, like moving parchments, watering his flowers and juggling food. One day someone noticed him putting his wand away, and he was convicted of witchcraft, and sentenced to be executed.
The day of his execution, they blindfolded him before leading him to the gallows. His last breath was a quiet sob at the thought of never being able to see sunlight again. Sometimes he thinks that that is why he stayed, and still clings to that desperate thought that some day he might see sunlight again.
Ghosts can't bear bright light. It burns them, you know.
-
Ravenclaw
The Grey Lady once had a name, but she put it to the side in favor of learning the names of the ancient Egyptian wizards who once ruled over that distant country. She once was a brilliant witch, picking apart old spells and putting them together to form better ones; but abandoned that work so that she could study Ancient Greek as it was used in Atlantis. Once she almost fell in love, but found that her love could barely write his name, and so she picked up the broken pieces of her heart and put them into her research, trying to decipher fables and see if there really were Snorkacks in the distant Mountains.
The Grey Lady lived by herself, and worked by herself, and died by herself, and only after her death did she look and think to explore the world outside her small town.
Ghosts always travel alone.
-
Slytherin
The Bloody Baron does not remember his life, but remembers his death. He remembers dueling someone, his mind drawing a blank on any spells, and remembers drawing his sword but does not know why he did. When he came to, a dagger was lodged firmly in his gut, and the other's blood was covering him. His face, his hands, everything was all-over bloody, and he knew it was murder though it wasn't his fault, but he died before he could say anything.
And so he remains quiet, and bloody, and speaks to none. When he does his somber voice is gravelly from disuse. But he believes that perhaps he still has a chance to redeem himself, perhaps that is why he is still here.
Ghosts usually weren't murderers in their past life, after all.
-
Hufflepuff
The Fat Friar once lived outside of the castle, but that was so long ago that he can scarcely remember when. He has a vague recollection of an Abbey, and being small enough to swing on the robe when he had to ring the chapel bells, but his life truly began at Hogwarts. He remembers when Dame Helga came by as he copied out another book for the school library, and told him 'I hope you always stay with us, Friar', and how she looked so very pretty as she smiled at him. He remembers dozing off in the Astronomy tower as he observed the stars, inking one last dot in on parchment before he slept, and waking up to find that he could no longer hold the parchment.
He remembers when the other ghosts came, looking for a place that they weren't even sure was still there, looking for the school they called home for so many years. He welcomed them all, and brought each to the Headmaster so that he could find a place for them. He told them all of his promise to Dame Helga, that he would stay, and guide, and encourage for as long as there were Hufflepuffs.
Ghosts can never break their promises, even if they want to.
Author: singwithin
House: Ravenclaw
Date/Challenge: 7 december/'time does not change us'
Character/Pairing: the four ghosts of Hogwarts.
Rating: G
Gryffindor
Sir Nicolas was once a knight of the kingdom, who walked the thin line between worlds. He served the Muggle king - and the funny thing was, he could never remember his name, but simply called him 'sire' and 'his highness' and hoped no one would notice - and quietly used his magic to help him with small things, like moving parchments, watering his flowers and juggling food. One day someone noticed him putting his wand away, and he was convicted of witchcraft, and sentenced to be executed.
The day of his execution, they blindfolded him before leading him to the gallows. His last breath was a quiet sob at the thought of never being able to see sunlight again. Sometimes he thinks that that is why he stayed, and still clings to that desperate thought that some day he might see sunlight again.
Ghosts can't bear bright light. It burns them, you know.
-
Ravenclaw
The Grey Lady once had a name, but she put it to the side in favor of learning the names of the ancient Egyptian wizards who once ruled over that distant country. She once was a brilliant witch, picking apart old spells and putting them together to form better ones; but abandoned that work so that she could study Ancient Greek as it was used in Atlantis. Once she almost fell in love, but found that her love could barely write his name, and so she picked up the broken pieces of her heart and put them into her research, trying to decipher fables and see if there really were Snorkacks in the distant Mountains.
The Grey Lady lived by herself, and worked by herself, and died by herself, and only after her death did she look and think to explore the world outside her small town.
Ghosts always travel alone.
-
Slytherin
The Bloody Baron does not remember his life, but remembers his death. He remembers dueling someone, his mind drawing a blank on any spells, and remembers drawing his sword but does not know why he did. When he came to, a dagger was lodged firmly in his gut, and the other's blood was covering him. His face, his hands, everything was all-over bloody, and he knew it was murder though it wasn't his fault, but he died before he could say anything.
And so he remains quiet, and bloody, and speaks to none. When he does his somber voice is gravelly from disuse. But he believes that perhaps he still has a chance to redeem himself, perhaps that is why he is still here.
Ghosts usually weren't murderers in their past life, after all.
-
Hufflepuff
The Fat Friar once lived outside of the castle, but that was so long ago that he can scarcely remember when. He has a vague recollection of an Abbey, and being small enough to swing on the robe when he had to ring the chapel bells, but his life truly began at Hogwarts. He remembers when Dame Helga came by as he copied out another book for the school library, and told him 'I hope you always stay with us, Friar', and how she looked so very pretty as she smiled at him. He remembers dozing off in the Astronomy tower as he observed the stars, inking one last dot in on parchment before he slept, and waking up to find that he could no longer hold the parchment.
He remembers when the other ghosts came, looking for a place that they weren't even sure was still there, looking for the school they called home for so many years. He welcomed them all, and brought each to the Headmaster so that he could find a place for them. He told them all of his promise to Dame Helga, that he would stay, and guide, and encourage for as long as there were Hufflepuffs.
Ghosts can never break their promises, even if they want to.