Voldemort's Burial
There were whoops, and cheers of delight as the word got around to every survivor of the Hogwarts Battle. Voldemort had officially been announced dead. Many people had died in this battle, but they could rest in peace knowing that they'd died fighting for a better world. That dream could finally be achieved.
Harry Potter was definitely one who was celebrating. He'd lost many good friends, but he knew that they would be all right, up there in Heaven or whatever came afterwards.
Hermione, one of his closest friends in the world, came running over. There was a disturbance out in the forest, so she had gone to check it out.
"What's up?" he asked once she had returned.
"You are not going to believe this, Harry."
"What's wrong?"
"Follow me."
He followed her to a spot in the forest that he wasn't likely to forget anytime soon. Voldemort's body was still on the ground, and there was a small crowd around it, which was to be expected, but the crowd was here for a very unusual reason.
Kneeling next to the Dark Lord's body was a girl from Ravenclaw. She had dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. She was in her fifth year. She was glaring at the crowd. Hagrid had come to get rid of the body, but this girl was clearly in the way.
"Miss Hawk," admonished Professor McGonagall in exasperation. "Stop this foolishness this instant!"
The girl would not move.
"Sarah," said a boy from the crowd, a fellow Ravenclaw. "Please, stop this. Please. Just get up and walk away. Let them dispose of his body however they want." The girl, Sarah, paid no attention as her friend pleaded with her.
"Sarah," said Hagrid in a somewhat threatening tone.
"No! I won't move!"
"Why are you doing this?" asked Hermione quietly.
"Maybe I think he deserves to be buried, instead of burning him and tossing his ashes in a pit, as I'm sure you were about to do!"
"Probably a Death Eater's child," came a murmur from the crowd.
"I am no such thing!" said the child in question indignantly. "Voldemort tortured then murdered my father and several other close family members!"
"Then why do you care what happens to his body?" asked Harry. "I'd think you'd want his body disposed of in the most disrespectful way possible."
"I was taught not to cheer at death, that's why. No matter whose it was."
"But, after what he's done..." said a girl in the crowd. "To so many innocent people..."
"My father never hated Voldemort. He pitied him. He taught me that everyone brings something to this world. Everyone."
"He brought something to this world all right," came a bitter voice. "Suffering. And death. Panic, worry, hatred."
"He brought me thankfulness," said Sarah. "I've been doing some research. On how Tom Riddle grew up. What made him what he was. It was horrible. And I thought, what if that had been me? What if I'd grown up like he had? I might've been the one bringing pain and hatred to this world. Knowing someone had it worse than me. That's a horrible thing to be remembered for. But it's brought me some peace of mind in these last few months."
Then she did something no one would have ever thought she would. She took one of the Dark Lord's hands in her own.
"I don't care what you think. I think he at least deserves to be buried."
No one spoke for a long time. In the crowd, only Harry could truly understand what she meant since he'd also studied Tom Riddle's past.
It was decided later that day. Voldemort was buried, many protested. But Professor McGonagall stood firm.
Sarah Hawk hadn't liked him, that's for sure. But she at least thought his body deserved some respect, even at the tiniest amount possible.
Her wish was granted, and Lord Voldemort got a burial. Though, only a certain Ravenclaw and a certain Gryffindor thought it was necessary.
My first Harry Potter fanfic, so be nice and review please! I plan on writing a long story, but this is a start. I'm not a big fan of Voldemort actually. I don't own Harry Potter! I do own Sarah Hawk though, which I am very proud of.