Round 10 - Of Ghosts & Portraits
Puddlemere United.
Chaser 1: Dilys Derwent
5. (word) history
14. (dialogue) "Can't say I'm too fond of house elves."
10. (word) tickle
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Dilys ran a brush through her long silver hair and pinned it up. She slid into her robes and sighed.
She was supposed to be having dinner with her parents and she knew her mother was going to bring up the topic of marriage and children.
It wasn't that the idea did appeal to her, it did, however, she had much more important things to worry about.
Taking care of her patients for example, or lending a hand to her fellow Healers.
She was still young, she had time to get marry and have children. She could settle meanwhile for tickling the feet of the newborns in the infant department.
She fastened the necklace her father gave her upon her acceptance as a Healer. She stared at herself in the mirror and then walked out to the floo.
She stepped into the flames and then found herself in her parent's manor.
"Mother. Father?"
There was a handsome man in the parlor.
He was tall with dark eyes and blonde hair.
"This is your fiancee."
Dilys didn't catch his name or anything else. She was too busy being upset over the arranged marriage.
Her father swore to never arrange one for her. She wanted to fall in love and choose, not have the choice made for her.
She sat through dinner silently as her parents talked to her fiance.
She decided to sit quietly and then when he left beg her parents to break the arrangement.
That plan went to hell when he made a passing remark.
"What do you think about the new bill about magical creatures?"
"I think it prosperous. They are creatures, of wizards.
"What about the house elves?"
"Can't say I'm too fond of house elves."
"Why not?"
"They are useless, only good for work around the house but they must be told to do. They have no brains or redeeming qualities other than loyalty."
She stood up and curtseyed.
"If I may be excused."
She stepped into the floo and went to her home. She turned off her floo and set up wards, she would have no disturbances.
How dare he!
He had no right say to say that. While she wouldn't go as far as to say she liked house elves, the ones she had were sweet and always got the job done. They were quite smart too, getting stuff done quickly and efficiently.
She went to work the next day to find flowers at her desk.
She simply donated them to one of her patients.
She did the same with the flowers he sent her for the rest of the week.
She managed to put the wedding off for three years. Eventually, however, he married another girl on the account of the child she was expecting.
Her parents were disappointed with her but she had bigger things to worry about.
She had been offered a position at Hogwarts, headmistress. It was a big deal and something all witches dreamed about. However she loved being a Healer, it was something she loved to do, something she wanted to do as a little girl.
However, being a part of Hogwarts was everyone's dream.
She loved the idea of giving back to the school that was her home for such a long time.
She was a Hufflepuff after all.
She neatly stacked the papers on her desk and made sure she had all her things. Today was her last day as a Healer, tomorrow she was going to be Headmistress.
She had a lot of history as a Healer but she was excited to go back to Hogwarts where her history all began.
She closed her eyes exhausted, tuning the portraits behind her out. She had been headmaster for some time now and the fire in her was slowing dying.
She was constantly reading papers and files on the students. She had to deal with complaints and punishments. Her recent problem was that the Slytherin Quidditch Team's captain was female. The boys on the team were disrespectful to Jess Linington and the poor girl was at her wits' end. She had gone to the practice and seen how amazing the girl was on a broom, There was no doubt she earned the title, she just hoped the boys would shape up otherwise they would lose all the games badly.
She couldn't order the boys to listen to Jess for it would simply backfire but she could watch the situation and step in if needed.
This was the part of the job she hated. She missed being hands on with people. She hated not being able to spend a lot of time with the students.
She was even considering teaching a class next year, just to see the missed being a Healer, and actually having physical contact with people.
It was times like these that made her wish she married.
She was really lonely.
She had decided to retire as Headmistress, the job was killing her.
She had gone to visit her old Healer friend when she fell ill and they treated was when she found out, she was dying, slowly but steadily.
She had no choice but to live at home by herself and die peacefully.
The first time she met Dumbledore, she was appalled.
He was the last person she expected to become headmaster and she told laughed and told her he didn't expect one of the former female headmistresses to have so much 'spunk'.
She had no idea what he meant but she yelled at him from her frame as the other portraits joined in.
As time passed, she and Dumbledore became good friends. He always asked the portraits for advice on certain subjects and made sure their frames were cleaned often.
Having a portrait in the Headmaster's office was fun because Dumbledore had a way of meddling in his students' lives. He seemed to love stirring up harmless mischief.
She would never forget the look in his eyes as he made James Potter and Lily Evans heads. She thought he was slowing going mad but she had to admit the job had a way of doing that to people. She would know, she was mad and she was forced to spend eternity surrounded by idiots who were just as mad as she was.
Harry Potter wasn't like other boys. He was a tall boy with bright green eyes that had a way of piercing you down to your soul or in her case to through her portrait.
She wanted to leave her portrait and stroke his hair as he told Dumbledore about his horrible vision regarding his friend's father. She rushed to her other portrait and saw the man he described.
When she brought back the news, the poor boy almost fainted.
When he left with his friends, she couldn't get his eyes out of her head. They were like baby eyes, full of life that made you want to hold him close, but they were so full of pain.
The war was over and Hogwarts was being rebuilt. Dumbledore and Snape had joined the ranks of Headmasters and Headmistresses in the office.
She enjoyed this because it now meant eternity with Dumbledore and his annoying jokes but she thought she could handle it since it was a relief to be free and laugh after Lord Voldemort was killed.
So done. Not my best work or my favorite but I haven't been feeling well lately.
I'll see you around Wallflowers,
Love You!
Queen