Never Say Goodbye

Malissa Park has been best friends with Joy Hart and Henry Hill since their baby years. Lucky for them, they were invited in the same year as Harry Potter. The three of them had grown up together. They had their childhood filled with fantasies of Harry Potter, and couldn't wait to receive their letter when they're 11.

The years had flown by, and they finally got to travel to Hogwarts. Malissa was sorted into Gryffindor. Joy and Henry were sorted into Hufflepuff. Even though they were different houses, they promised to always be there for each other.

It was their 7th year at Hogwarts, and things had begun to change rapidly. Harry Potter hadn't come to school, along with his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. It worried some of the students, since Harry is the one they all depended on. Malissa's friends were the only students who seemed to be prepared for the war, if necessary. She couldn't understand that because she was supposed to be the ready one. She's a Gryffindor, for pete's sake.

The rumors about You-know-who attacking the school were starting to get to everyone. The teachers were frantically reviewing useful spells and curses. Even the students were finishing up their business in case the battle went terribly wrong. Malissa wasn't worried about anything, except the fact that she may lose someone during the battle. She wouldn't be able to stay with anyone, not unless she wanted to survive.

Every night, she would review the spells and tricks she could use, just in case she got held up. During the day, Malissa would put on a friendly and happy face. She wasn't going to let the upper years see how much the situation was getting to her. She also wanted to set an example to the younger students, so that they get reassurance that everything will turn out okay.

A couple of weeks later, Joy overheard the teachers discussing the best course of action, since the deatheaters were planning to attack later that afternoon. In Transfiguration, Henry got to pass on what Joy heard to Malissa. Somehow, students in that class got ahold of the information and spread it around the school.

"How did they find out? You were whispering!" Malissa asked irritatingly.

"You know how nothing ever stays a secret at Hogwarts. It's just natural for everyone to know," Henry answered calmly.

Joy ran up behind them, catching up. "Hey guys. I guess there was no point in keeping the info on the low. The whole world knows," she laughed. Henry chuckled.

"Guys! This isn't the time to be laughing! You do understand that You-Know-Who might actually attack? This is not a bloody game!" Malissa argued. "People could die! This isn't a joke! I thought you guys, of all people, would understand, but apparently I'm wrong."

Henry and Joy's faces darkened. Joy tried to ease the tension. "Sorry. It's just that everyone is so serious now. Nothing is fun anymore. The people here rarely laugh," Joy said.

Malissa couldn't believe them. This was a serious situation for her. Especially since anything could happen. She stormed off to her next class, leaving her friends to call after her.

"Malissa! Hold on!" Henry yelled after her. He trailed after her. Joy stood in the hall, thinking of what Malissa had said.

"I'm fully aware, Malissa. We're not going to make it," she said, barely audible.

At dinner, Malissa sat with them. She was still fuming about her argument, so she didn't say much to them. They kept shooting sideway glances at her every once in awhile. She wasn't going to make a big deal out of it, so she kept her mouth shut.

When dinner was about to end, Professor McGonagall stepped up to the place where Dumbledore used to make announcements. "Today, we have received word that the deatheaters will strike at midnight if we do not give up Harry Potter. I'm sure you all heard it, as the warning was in your head," he told us. "The professors and I have made a plan to distract the enemies for as long as possible. We need the younger years to stay out of this, but we'll need the older students to assist us too."

Malissa looked at her friends and exchanged worried glances. After that announcement, the students were sent to their common rooms to prepare.

"Guys, what are we going to do?" Joy asked.

"The only thing we can do. Fight. If we fall, we get up again and repeat. There's no excuse to stop fighting because when you stop, someone might get hurt because of that," Malissa said honestly.

"We'll be okay. We know what to do," Henry encouraged.

"I sure hope so," Joy said unsurely.

"Oh, Malissa, I don't know if I'll get another chance to tell you this, but…. I really like you," Henry confessed.

"What?"

"I've liked you since the first year of Hogwarts. That's when I realized that I've always liked you. I know it seems a bit late and all, but given the circumstances, I think this is the right time to tell you."

Malissa didn't think twice before hugging him. They shared one last group hug before they had to leave to their assigned battle positions.

"This feels like goodbye," Malissa said, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's not, Malissa, this is just the beginning, you'll see," Joy said, tears already falling from her cheeks.

Henry hugged Malissa for one last time. He held her. "Just think, once this is all over, we'll be together again. Just the two of us. And Joy." He laughed lightly. "After the battle, we'll get to start over again. It'll be a new era, with new opportunities. It's something to look forward too. I'll have you in mind to keep me going."

"This isn't goodbye. Not ever. We're gonna be here afterwards, cleaning up the mess, but we will be together like always. We promise," Joy reassured.

"Always," promised Henry.

Giving one last look at each other, they tore away and went to their positions. The battle had begun. Witches and Wizards fell and got up, others however, did not. Throughout the battle, Malissa had been searching through the crowds of fighting wizards for Henry or Joy. There was no sign of either.

The battle had finished. People were gathering up the wounded and the dead. Madame Pomfrey had been covering up the dead with sheets, and was going around to students making sure they were okay. Malissa had barely escaped. She was almost done when a deatheater was going to curse her, but Neville Longbottom had stepped had a broken wrist, a sprained ankle, and a couple of scratches all over her body.

She ran along the rows of students, frantically searching for two familiar faces. She had ran 3 rounds around, checking everywhere. She stopped and looked around desperately. Frustration bubbled inside her, along with worry.

Suddenly, a light hand rested on her shoulder. She was expecting Joy or Henry, but it was neither. Instead, it was Madame Pomfrey. "Malissa, come with me," she said gravely. Malissa followed. They stopped in front of two bodies that were covered with white sheets. She didn't know what she was seeing. She bent down and lifted a sheet up. She saw Henry's scarred face. Pale as a ghost.

Malissa gasped. She didn't even dare to look in the other sheet. She knew what was waiting. Malissa covered her mouth to keep from making a sobbing noise. Madam Pomfrey gave her a sympathetic look and continued to the next student. "I thought you were going to come back to me," she sobbed. Tears streamed down her face in powerful waves. She couldn't stop.

After the cleanup, a few days later, she headed home. She didn't speak to anyone about what happened.

In the afternoon, Malissa received a package in the mail. She opened it, not knowing what to expect. Probably letters saying apologies for her loss and that sort of thing. However, that was not what the package contained. She picked up the items. They were photos of everything that they did together. Henry,Joy, and her at The Shrieking Shack. Drinking butterbeer. The last photo she picked up had the three of them when they were first years. It was during Christmas. At the bottom of it, it said "Always".