Control
Starry Eyed Dreamer
Eyes wide open, catching the light, Ginny ghosted sullen through the halls. Her pale complexion grew steadily whiter daily, and her once-glossy flaming hair lost its luxurious shimmer. Whereas before, Ginny looked at a normal weight, now her ribs poked through her robes, turning her from slender to gaunt. Only one of her friends had noticed the change, but she could do nothing for her friend. Ginny's friend told no one because, what would she say?
"Ginny needs help."
"How?"
"I don't know. She looks bad..."
The conversation would end up dismissed as pure worry. But something was definitely wrong. Her grades were dropping significantly, she barely picked at the meals, blanched at desserts; she spent hours poring over books in the library for various self-induced "projects." Ginny was turning herself into a solitary hermit, only gradually so one felt the difference until it was too late and had already been accomplished.
She walked into the girls' dormitory one evening, while the other students were sampling the wonderful confections in the Great Hall to find Ginny.
Ginny was crying, and being a good friend, she automatically went to comfort her.
That was when she saw it.
Ginny had several slices running lengthwise along her arm. She remembered Ginny being one of the best in her healing class... and now she was chopping herself up with the same wand.
Ginny glanced up, tears streaming down her cheeks and only pleaded, "Please don't tell anyone."
She only shook her head, asking, "Why?"
Sobbing all the harder, Ginny nearly spat out her response. "You'd never understand! I'm not living my own life. I could never control anything even as a child. It was always, 'Bill! Charlie, take care of Ginny!' 'Mind she doesn't step in that pooka dung!' Younger, it wasn't much of a problem, they were supposed to look out for me. But even now it's 'Don't select those classes, Ginny. It's a waste of your time and talent.' It's to the point where I can't even choose my own robes anymore without Lavender or Parvati or someone commenting, 'Oh, Ginny dear, that really isn't your color.' or 'That robe is getting a bit tight for you...' Even Hermione claims I don't make my bed right. Everyone's constantly criticizing and I have no other option but to obey. I'm tired of this blind obedience. I needed control of my life. So this is how I got it." Ginny went quiet, and then repeated her plea, "Are you going to tell anyone?"
She sensed a warning note in Ginny's voice, but had to tell the truth. Ginny always was and will be her friend, and therefore deserved the truth. She stated, "Ginny, I have to. This – this – you need help. I'll try. I'll do something. But you have to accept it."
Ginny's eyes darkened and misted around the edges. "If' I can't take control of my own life, then I'll have to take my own life to control it."
With that, Ginny took her wand, the one she had healed numerous creatures and people with, but more recently used to create a dangerous hurt, and pointed it towards herself.
She reached out, tried to stop her friend, but it was too late. Ginny used the spell that started beating hearts to stop her own. Her body, so different it could have belonged to a stranger, now lay still. Outside the door of the Gryffindor common room burst, cracking the silence. The students, now coming back, went to investigate. There, before them, was a picture that broke hearts and caused several students to faint.
Eyes wide open, catching the light, Ginny ghosted through the halls.
Starry Eyed Dreamer
Eyes wide open, catching the light, Ginny ghosted sullen through the halls. Her pale complexion grew steadily whiter daily, and her once-glossy flaming hair lost its luxurious shimmer. Whereas before, Ginny looked at a normal weight, now her ribs poked through her robes, turning her from slender to gaunt. Only one of her friends had noticed the change, but she could do nothing for her friend. Ginny's friend told no one because, what would she say?
"Ginny needs help."
"How?"
"I don't know. She looks bad..."
The conversation would end up dismissed as pure worry. But something was definitely wrong. Her grades were dropping significantly, she barely picked at the meals, blanched at desserts; she spent hours poring over books in the library for various self-induced "projects." Ginny was turning herself into a solitary hermit, only gradually so one felt the difference until it was too late and had already been accomplished.
She walked into the girls' dormitory one evening, while the other students were sampling the wonderful confections in the Great Hall to find Ginny.
Ginny was crying, and being a good friend, she automatically went to comfort her.
That was when she saw it.
Ginny had several slices running lengthwise along her arm. She remembered Ginny being one of the best in her healing class... and now she was chopping herself up with the same wand.
Ginny glanced up, tears streaming down her cheeks and only pleaded, "Please don't tell anyone."
She only shook her head, asking, "Why?"
Sobbing all the harder, Ginny nearly spat out her response. "You'd never understand! I'm not living my own life. I could never control anything even as a child. It was always, 'Bill! Charlie, take care of Ginny!' 'Mind she doesn't step in that pooka dung!' Younger, it wasn't much of a problem, they were supposed to look out for me. But even now it's 'Don't select those classes, Ginny. It's a waste of your time and talent.' It's to the point where I can't even choose my own robes anymore without Lavender or Parvati or someone commenting, 'Oh, Ginny dear, that really isn't your color.' or 'That robe is getting a bit tight for you...' Even Hermione claims I don't make my bed right. Everyone's constantly criticizing and I have no other option but to obey. I'm tired of this blind obedience. I needed control of my life. So this is how I got it." Ginny went quiet, and then repeated her plea, "Are you going to tell anyone?"
She sensed a warning note in Ginny's voice, but had to tell the truth. Ginny always was and will be her friend, and therefore deserved the truth. She stated, "Ginny, I have to. This – this – you need help. I'll try. I'll do something. But you have to accept it."
Ginny's eyes darkened and misted around the edges. "If' I can't take control of my own life, then I'll have to take my own life to control it."
With that, Ginny took her wand, the one she had healed numerous creatures and people with, but more recently used to create a dangerous hurt, and pointed it towards herself.
She reached out, tried to stop her friend, but it was too late. Ginny used the spell that started beating hearts to stop her own. Her body, so different it could have belonged to a stranger, now lay still. Outside the door of the Gryffindor common room burst, cracking the silence. The students, now coming back, went to investigate. There, before them, was a picture that broke hearts and caused several students to faint.
Eyes wide open, catching the light, Ginny ghosted through the halls.