RP: Reflections on a Rainy Day
Date: Saturday, May 18, 1999
Characters: Hermione Granger
Location: Hogwarts and vicinity
Status: Private
Summary: It was an odd day
Completion: Complete
It was an odd day. Hermione wasn't even sure if she could explain it, but she couldn't deny that everything felt just slightly off. She had spent the morning working at Hogwarts, like usual, only it wasn't a normal Saturday. Everyone could feel it, even those who hadn't been at Hogwarts that night a year ago. If it didn't sound silly even in her thoughts, she'd say that the castle had even seemed to feel it.
Her morning had been disturbed several times by guests, though she couldn't complain. It was nice seeing familiar faces, even if Nearly Headless Nick talked too much and Myrtle was chastising her for not visiting more often. The others were students who wouldn't be going home for the weekend, students who had known her as a prefect and had sought her out for whatever reason. She wasn't too worried that Professor McGonagall would be upset about the interruptions in her work day considering the date and how uneasy so many people were feeling.
She ended up working late so that she could finish everything. After she was done, she felt the urge to wander, a need to visit the places that felt so fresh in her memories of that night. It didn't hurt anything to look, and she thought that maybe it helped. She stared at walls that were rebuilt and no longer showed the signs of damage from her memories. She walked paths that were clear and saw nothing in the shadows that could harm her.
After she left the castle, her feet took her in a different direction even as she debated whether it was a wise choice or not. She walked across the grounds and focused on the calm silence, which was so very different from the voice of Voldemort calling them out or telling them that Harry was dead. When she reached her destination, she looked around carefully to make sure that no one was around before she continued.
It felt strange to be here again. She wasn't even really sure why she'd come. The Shrieking Shack was the scene of several bad moments in her history, but she had faced it months ago. As she looked around, she idly scratched the scar on her arm that marked her more recent negative time spent there. She remembered Professor Snape lying on the ground and Harry being so scared yet so brave. He had sacrificed himself not long after, dying to save them all before being given a second chance to live in some way that she still couldn't understand.
Losing Harry, even briefly, had been horrible. Worse had been learning about how he'd been manipulated, how Dumbledore had used them all, how so many had died or been terrorized before it finally ended because of Dumbledore's plans. Even though a part of her argued that Harry hadn't been ready until it finally happened, she couldn't stop herself from loathing the man that she had foolishly trusted and believed would keep Harry safe. It made her so angry even now.
With a shake of her head, she left the Shrieking Shack and walked away. It wasn't a time for anger and hatred. In a way, that's what had caused it all in the first place. Hatred of those who were different and anger over things that couldn't be controlled. So many people had lost their lives over the years, making a sacrifice that they shouldn't have had to make. They were missed, and she knew that it was pointless to think that it was unfair because nothing was really fair in a time of war. Most of them had made choices, whether it was to fight for good or to follow evil, and they obviously wouldn't have wanted to die but they'd known the risk. They'd been brave enough to make that choice anyway.
Voldemort was gone now, but how long would it be before someone else attempted to take his place by using hate and anger? This war was over, but one thing that she'd certainly learned over the years was that history had a way of repeating itself. If they weren't careful, their children or their children's children would end up having to experience what they had, would have to grow up too fast and face the horror of war. People couldn't take freedom for granted. After all, Voldemort was proof of that. They needed to make sure that they did what they could to make sure that their world was safe and that people were educated so hate and anger wouldn't succeed in the future. The last thing any of them wanted was to be 'celebrating' the end of a different war in another twenty years.
She sighed and looked at the sky, enjoying the feel of rain against her face. It was refreshing, especially after being in the Shrieking Shack. She stood there for several minutes and let her thoughts drift away from possible futures and back to the present. It was a tough time for Ron right now, as well as for Harry. She hadn’t lost what they had during the battle.
Ron had lost Fred while Harry had lost the last of his innocence, in a way, upon learning the truth about Dumbledore. She had lost her parents later, but she accepted responsibility for that even if it still hurt to know they were gone from her life, so it wasn’t the same. With that in mind, she focused so that she could Apparate home. Harry and Ron would need her this weekend, though maybe not as much as she needed them.
Characters: Hermione Granger
Location: Hogwarts and vicinity
Status: Private
Summary: It was an odd day
Completion: Complete
It was an odd day. Hermione wasn't even sure if she could explain it, but she couldn't deny that everything felt just slightly off. She had spent the morning working at Hogwarts, like usual, only it wasn't a normal Saturday. Everyone could feel it, even those who hadn't been at Hogwarts that night a year ago. If it didn't sound silly even in her thoughts, she'd say that the castle had even seemed to feel it.
Her morning had been disturbed several times by guests, though she couldn't complain. It was nice seeing familiar faces, even if Nearly Headless Nick talked too much and Myrtle was chastising her for not visiting more often. The others were students who wouldn't be going home for the weekend, students who had known her as a prefect and had sought her out for whatever reason. She wasn't too worried that Professor McGonagall would be upset about the interruptions in her work day considering the date and how uneasy so many people were feeling.
She ended up working late so that she could finish everything. After she was done, she felt the urge to wander, a need to visit the places that felt so fresh in her memories of that night. It didn't hurt anything to look, and she thought that maybe it helped. She stared at walls that were rebuilt and no longer showed the signs of damage from her memories. She walked paths that were clear and saw nothing in the shadows that could harm her.
After she left the castle, her feet took her in a different direction even as she debated whether it was a wise choice or not. She walked across the grounds and focused on the calm silence, which was so very different from the voice of Voldemort calling them out or telling them that Harry was dead. When she reached her destination, she looked around carefully to make sure that no one was around before she continued.
It felt strange to be here again. She wasn't even really sure why she'd come. The Shrieking Shack was the scene of several bad moments in her history, but she had faced it months ago. As she looked around, she idly scratched the scar on her arm that marked her more recent negative time spent there. She remembered Professor Snape lying on the ground and Harry being so scared yet so brave. He had sacrificed himself not long after, dying to save them all before being given a second chance to live in some way that she still couldn't understand.
Losing Harry, even briefly, had been horrible. Worse had been learning about how he'd been manipulated, how Dumbledore had used them all, how so many had died or been terrorized before it finally ended because of Dumbledore's plans. Even though a part of her argued that Harry hadn't been ready until it finally happened, she couldn't stop herself from loathing the man that she had foolishly trusted and believed would keep Harry safe. It made her so angry even now.
With a shake of her head, she left the Shrieking Shack and walked away. It wasn't a time for anger and hatred. In a way, that's what had caused it all in the first place. Hatred of those who were different and anger over things that couldn't be controlled. So many people had lost their lives over the years, making a sacrifice that they shouldn't have had to make. They were missed, and she knew that it was pointless to think that it was unfair because nothing was really fair in a time of war. Most of them had made choices, whether it was to fight for good or to follow evil, and they obviously wouldn't have wanted to die but they'd known the risk. They'd been brave enough to make that choice anyway.
Voldemort was gone now, but how long would it be before someone else attempted to take his place by using hate and anger? This war was over, but one thing that she'd certainly learned over the years was that history had a way of repeating itself. If they weren't careful, their children or their children's children would end up having to experience what they had, would have to grow up too fast and face the horror of war. People couldn't take freedom for granted. After all, Voldemort was proof of that. They needed to make sure that they did what they could to make sure that their world was safe and that people were educated so hate and anger wouldn't succeed in the future. The last thing any of them wanted was to be 'celebrating' the end of a different war in another twenty years.
She sighed and looked at the sky, enjoying the feel of rain against her face. It was refreshing, especially after being in the Shrieking Shack. She stood there for several minutes and let her thoughts drift away from possible futures and back to the present. It was a tough time for Ron right now, as well as for Harry. She hadn’t lost what they had during the battle.
Ron had lost Fred while Harry had lost the last of his innocence, in a way, upon learning the truth about Dumbledore. She had lost her parents later, but she accepted responsibility for that even if it still hurt to know they were gone from her life, so it wasn’t the same. With that in mind, she focused so that she could Apparate home. Harry and Ron would need her this weekend, though maybe not as much as she needed them.