The second of May
It plays in her head
Like a broken Muggle record
(She learned about those in Muggle studies)
Before
Before it made her sick to her stomach
To enter the class
Before there was a price above her head
Before
The second of May
It burns in her skin
A curse that won't go away
A metaphorical curse
Not like the one that adorns Parvati's face
(They don't match much any more)
They stare at her sister
Like a freak
But all those scars show is that she was brave
The second of May
It scars her heart with
Ugly black marks that
No matter how hard she scrubs
Until the skin is red-raw and shining
Will never go away
The second of May
It's dawn was deceptive
Red-gold of victory, some said
Fools
Red of blood
She'd been right
The second of May
Glistens in her eyes
Like the tears she'd shed
And if you look close enough
You'd see hope
Hope because she won't be a
War trophy, broken in pieces on the ground
Torn apart by what she's seen and done
No
She will stand with her back
Straight as a king
For if she could face death with a
HA!
And a smirk than surely
She can face
The outside once more
This was written for the fifteenth anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, from Padma Patil's perspective.