Persuasion
by refractive
"It's easy for people to forget, don't you agree?"
Rosmerta sat in the Three Broomsticks after closing hours, cupping her mug of coffee with both hands and staring at the pattern on the table as she listened to her old friend talk. Over the past year, her hair has greyed, considerably, and she was forced to hire another employee to compensate for her slight limping.
"I can make them remember. I can make them remember all of it, all the suffering the Ministry's been trying to hide. Your story needs to be heard, and there are other people like you."
She sighed and took a sip of her coffee, looking out of the window. The sky was overcast, threatening to rain. Everything seemed a little duller, or maybe that was just her.
"Listen to me, Rosmerta. You need this. I need this. Everyone needs this. All they hear are the heroes' side of the story, but what about the victims? No one remembers, Rosmerta. But I can make them remember. I just need you to trust me."
She finally turned to look at her friend, resigned. It was true. No one remembered. No one remembered that she was put under an Unforgivable Curse for an entire year, that she was part of the Second Wizarding War. All everyone remembered was that she limped now; she wasn't as pretty anymore. People really were the absolute worst.
"What do you want from me, Rita?"
Her friend only smirked, her bright red nails like claws as she took a sip of her coffee.
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Prompt: Madam Rosmerta
For the After the War competition on the HPFC forum
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AN. Whoo! This took me way too long to plan out since I had a few ideas that sputtered and then died out. I had trouble working with Madam Rosmerta's character as well, but I had fun writing this! I figured Rita wants all the people who 'defected into the good side' after the war exposed and punished because she's like that. Thanks for reading! Reviews would be loved!