lupercus in nocturne_alley: Use Well the Days

Use Well the Days
There is something fantastically obscene walking through Hogsmeade putting up flyers advertising a special event, when all the shop windows have two candles lit in them. I was half-tempted to chuck the lot, go home and sell the bookshop to the madman that stands at the corner of the High Street and raves about how a kneazle stole his money.

I've been having nightmares. Nasty ones, the sort you wake up from wondering where you are and how fast you could get away from there. The worst bit is that they're not just fabrications of my mind, but actual memories, of the first time around. People gone missing and never seen again, stories of tortures in every single issue of the Prophet, and deaths. So much death.

Sirius and I may be the last Gryffindor of our year left standing, at this point.

I remember, when I was small and the first whispers of trouble began to be heard in England, my grandmother wanted to ship me off out of the country. She thought I might fare better in a place like Australia or Canada. Unfortunately it's very difficult for me to get into those countries, my status being what it is (going to Italy required a lot of gold changing hands and some crafty Muggle traveling tricks), so I wound up staying here.

And of course, I was right in the thick of it, going to Hogwarts and my friends being who they were. And I don't regret it. I don't regret having to stay, and I certainly don't regret fighting. Despite the nightmares, I'm glad that I stayed to fight. It means I survived, though I wish that there were more to stand beside me and say the same. I wish to God for that, though I know it doesn't help.

What I regret is that we have to do this again, that another generation of children has to grow up before the should, to defend their right not to be murdered in their own homes and watch their friends and family be taken away. We thought we were schooling witches and wizards here, not soldiers. But now there's extra Defence lessons being given, from what Sirius tells me. There's new security being laid down upon the caste, new restrictions and instructions and everything's changing, turning into what it was, history repeating itself. We are in the centre of something that no one really wants, even the ones perpetuating it, though they may not realise it yet.

There's going to be more of this. More of the same, more death and sadness and fear. But there's got to be bravery that comes out of it, determination and an absolute refusal to let this continue. We're angry, we're hurt and torn apart, we're uncertain and frightened and there doesn't seem to be anything we can do, does it?

Except, we can go on. Go on, as we all have done, and let them that might try to destroy us know that this is now how it is going to be. It's not. It may all be happening again, and it's hard and it hurts like hell, but it will come to an end. We will end it. Everything ends.

Everything ends.

Goodnight, Hogwarts. Until tomorrow.

turpinol @ 2004-04-24 03:58 am UTC

I hope that you manage to enjoy your bookshop regardless, Professor. My parents are going to be there, although I am not certain that I understand the Diana craze.

lupercus @ 2004-04-24 01:36 pm UTC

I just saw your parents, Lisa. They're rather delightful.

It's very mad in here at the moment and I ought not be on this thing, but your mother asked me to tell you to stay warm and wear your jumper.

What a lovely woman.

Cheers!

(parent)

turpinol @ 2004-04-25 05:16 pm UTC

She's a Muggle, you know. I'm sure you couldn't tell from the way she was probably saying, 'I'm a Muggle!' in delight.

(parent)

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