Written for the Fan Fiction Quidditch Competition
Topic: Character: Snape, Action: Brooding
Prompts: (quote) "Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." - Albert Camus
(word) breezy
(dialogue) "I prefer my eggs sunny side up."
Also the main girl's name is Maille, pronounced MAY-lee. I have to stop reading baby name books to get character names. :-)
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It was breezy sitting amongst the headstones in the cemetery but at least Maille was alone. She had come here to hide from the school. She was considered odd and for that the school had decided to target her. Their most recent stunt was for a girl to befriend her and then tell the school her secrets, not that she had many. The school was talking about her and she hated it. She preferred it when they all ignored her.
Outside of class she had taken to hiding in the areas of the school that people avoided because they were haunted. She had run into a few ghosts but they didn't bully her like the students. She preferred their company. She didn't know any of the ghosts beyond what she had learnt in her history class. She started Hogwarts after the battle and she came from a muggle family. Still, Maille spent her lunch reading the engravings on the tombs. Most said that they were beloved and missed, or mentioned their bravery except one.
No one knew who he was. All his headstone said was " "Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." - Albert Camus" It was designed to be a monument or reminder but it still was a grave. Maille felt a connection to the unknown wizard. Every one must have ignored them, for no one to recognize them, or to realize they were missing. She made it her mission to look after that grave. She brought flowers and would sit there chatting away to them. She often brought picnics and ate with them.
One Saturday morning she was eating her egg and sausage breakfast there when she saw a ghost she didn't recognize. He was tall and dressed in a Hogwarts uniform. He was just strolling up and down the rows of graves, pausing every so often to say something to them and then continue on. Her usual rule with ghosts was to not bother them. If they wanted to talk to her they would, so she just ignored him and continued eating and chatting away to the unknown wizard.
"I prefer my eggs sunny side up." A voice said from behind her, causing her to start. He had paused waiting for her reaction and continued.
"Well, I did." She turned to look at him and noticed him frowning. She just smiled and tried to place him from the history text book. She couldn't remember all the faces and names and made a note to look him up when she went inside again.
"Well then I won't offer them to you. These are a bit cold and rubbery." Picking up her toast, "I don't mind semi-cold toast though." She started to eat then realized that it could be seen as rude to eat in front of ghosts and stopped.
"It's not like eating in front of people about to have surgery. You can eat in front of ghosts, or at least this ghost." Maille continued eating her toast as he spoke. "That's something I miss that I never thought I would, eating. I sometimes hated having to take the time out to eat when I was alive because I had homework or something else I wanted to do. Never thought I would miss eating, I did think that it would be that feeling of a cold crisp morning when there is still dew on the grass." Maille laughed. Ghost boy looked taken aback. Maille still laughing shook her head.
"Sorry, I know that feeling you mean because it's my favorite kind of morning."
That broke the ice and they spent the day talking. Maille only realized the time when she noticed the sky began to darken.
"I'd better go. It's getting dark." Just then her stomach rumbled. "Also I missed lunch and now I'm starving."
"What's your name?" They had spent the whole day talking and she forgot her most basic manners.
"I'm Maille, I have Irish grandparents," She rolled her eyes. "What's yours?"
"Don't you pay attention in class? I died in the battle of Hogwarts, you should know of me."
"Maybe I do know your name and I am just trying to be polite, did you think of that?"
"Fine, I'll play along. I'm Thom."
"Did you want to come to dinner?" She asked shyly.
"Why not, I've never had a girl invite me to dinner before." They were walking out of the cemetery when Maille noticed that Thom wasn't beside her any more. She looked behind her and saw he was stuck inside the cemetery grounds and couldn't cross.
"I'll take a raincheck on that dinner!" Thom awkwardly said, forcing a laugh. Maille nodded and waved goodbye and kept on going to the castle.
The next morning Maille ran down to the kitchens with her school bag. She was going to get herself a picnic and she was going to do some homework. Then she had no excuse to leave until dark.
She thought she might ask Thom where he was buried so she could pick flowers to lay on it and look after that grave too. After she got the food, she rushed over to the cemetery, she could see Thom waiting by the gates. It made her run faster.
"Hey! I have a blanket, a picnic lunch, and my homework so I have no need to leave you until it gets dark."
"You brought homework? I didn't realize I am that boring that you felt you needed to bring homework."
"If I only work on it tonight, I won't finish it, and if I don't finish it then I would be in trouble with Flitwick."
"Ooooh he is a scary teacher." Thom said loaded with sarcasm. "Well you can do it but I'm not helping. The only thing I will be doing is to distract you."
The weeks went by and the days were getting colder and shorter. It hadn't started snowing yet but, Christmas holidays weren't far away. Maille was finding it hard to stay outside for long and often could only spend an hour or two with Thom. Maille had taken up using her frees to go visit him and missed classes because she lost track of the time. If she wasn't with him she was researching spells to keep her warm and dry.
That's what she was doing when McGonagall tapped her on the shoulder.
"Miss Broomhall, I would like a word. Follow me to my office." Before Maille could answer her, McGonagall had turned on her heel and was walking. Maille had no option but to follow her. When they got to the stairs Maille went to go down but McGonagall was heading upstairs.
"Professor, isn't your office down two floors?"
"My regular office is but the headmaster's office isn't." Maille knew she was in trouble. McGonagall was only acting headmistress until a suitable replacement could be found. That was the story, since she had been acting headmistress for about three years now, since the battle of Hogwarts. McGonagall preferred her normal office for everyday things. When she had headmistress business, then she used the office.
In the office hung the portraits of the previous headmasters and mistresses. Maille could recognize the portrait of Dumbledore from his chocolate frog card.
"Sit down." McGonagall said before taking the seat on the other side of the desk. Maille sat. "Now I will be as quick as possible. I don't want to be the cause for you to miss more classes." Maille sunk lower in her seat. She didn't realize it had been so many classes.
"Earlier this month I had noticed you were missing a lot of my classes. After I conferred with my colleagues I was appalled to discover you missed their classes as well. Now I did give you a little bit of leniency because I do know of the rumors and how some of the students act towards you." Maille guessed that other students must tell the teachers about what happened because she hadn't.
"But, I cannot tolerate it any longer as I know that the rumor mill has been focused on a couple's recent public break up. So I now see no reason for you to be missing classes. So this week I want you to attend every class you have, and I want you to report to Madam Pince in the library when you have frees. If you do go to every class then I won't have to give you detentions for all the classes you have missed. BUT if you miss a class or forget to report to Madam Pince, then I will. At the moment the number of classes missed this month is 43, so that's 43 detentions plus the number of classes you miss this week. Understand?" Maille nodded. "Yes," she said after McGonagall glared at her. She realized that McGonagall was giving her a free pass if she didn't go down to visit Thom during school hours.
"Also one more thing, the bell will go for the next class soon so I will have to make it quick. I have been watching you and I have noticed that you have been spending a lot of time down at the cemetery and – OH WILL YOU STOP THAT SEVERUS! It's Distracting." The portrait of headmaster Snape had reacted to McGonagall talking about the cemetery. He looked like he was about to say something but caught Maille's eye, glared, and seemed to rethink it.
"Anyway," McGonagall stated, "I have noticed that you spend time talking to someone. Who is it?" Maille wasn't sure if she should tell McGonagall about Thom, but she had tried finding out more about Thom without success. McGonagall was at Hogwarts at the time so she could know more about Thom.
"I talk to Thom, he was a student here and claims that he died in the battle. I have researched him but I can't find him mentioned in any book. I ask him where his grave is and he keeps pointing to different ones, and I have walked up and down the student graves to find it but I can't." She hesitated, it was the first time that she had asked it out loud. "Is he the unknown wizard?"
McGonagall stood and walked around the desk to the same side as Maille and perched on it.
"The unknown wizard isn't unknown to those who know." McGonagall said cryptically. "The unknown wizard's grave is the grave of a boy who died a few days before the battle happened. Thomas Doherty, 'Thom' to his friends, was killed after a punishment went wrong by the Carrows. His body was hidden, as the Carrows and professor Snape were under strict instructions not to kill the students. The Carrows discussed it with Snape in this room and the portraits heard. In the confusion of the aftermath of the battle, he was just buried as the unknown wizard. It wasn't until the school was fixed that we could get into this room to find out about what happened. By then everyone was using his grave as a monument to peace."
"Did you even tell his parents what had happened?"
"We did. Since the teachers didn't know. The Carrows and Snape didn't want He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to know. They didn't find out until much later what had happened to their son."
There was a pause while Maille absorbed all the information.
"May I leave now?"
"Yes, just remember to go to class. Oh and Miss Broomhall," McGonagall said as Maille got up. "Don't tell Mr. Doherty about what we discussed. Let him believe that you still know him from what he told you and not what I have."
As Maille left, she saw the portrait of Snape brooding about past events. Once she had gotten to the other side of the door, she took a moment. She could hear McGonagall talk to the portrait. She was telling him that he needed to move on and not react about what cannot be changed. Maille agreed, that she could not remain feeling sorry for Thom. What was done was done. She needed to see what she could do for him.
Sitting in class she decided that she wouldn't visit Thom today, she would go to the library. She was going to learn all that she could about ghosts. She figured that there had to be a reason that Thom couldn't leave the cemetery. She had seen other ghosts come and go so she figured that there had to a specific reason.
Class finished and she raced off. She had hoped this would take her the one night to read all there was about ghosts. Upon reaching her destination in the library she saw that she was mistaken. Sighing to herself she picked up the first book.
She was halfway through skimming her 85th book when she was shooed from the library by Madam Pince. Maille hadn't realized the hour. The following day during her free time, Maille reported to Madam Pince like she was told and got straight back into her research.
For the rest of that week she spent every available opportunity in the library. So far she had found several reasons why Thom wasn't able to leave the cemetery when the others were. There were particular plants that if your grave was near could trap a ghost or the ghost doesn't accept that they are dead.
On Friday night just before curfew. Maille finally finished all the books on ghosts, and she had narrowed down the causes and solutions for Thom. She left the library, walking past a bewildered Madam Pince, who had for the past week had to kick her out. Maille now had to wait. The torturing, agonizing wait until morning when she could see Thom and get to test her theories.
It was dawn and Maille was up and getting dressed. She couldn't wait a moment longer. It had been agonizing waiting for the light to be bright enough for her to get dressed by, she didn't want to wake her dorm mates up with her wand. She ran down to the Great Hall to grab something to eat even though she felt like she was going to be sick. She knew that feeling would pass and then she would be hungry.
She ran all the way to the cemetery and went straight to his grave. Now that she knew who it belonged to she was going to call it his. She couldn't see Thom anywhere and she had told herself she wasn't allowed to just rush in and start doing this. She had to make sure it was something he wanted. It didn't stop her from looking for the particular plants and symbols that the books said could tie a ghost to the cemetery.
"THOM! WHERE ARE YOU?" She called, she got shushed by several other ghosts who were in the cemetery. "Thom, I am sorry I wasn't here all week but let me explain." She paused waiting for a reply, but also not really expecting one. She had ignored her friend all week and if it was her she would be annoyed.
"Well, then start talking." She heard the voice coming from her right. Looking in that direction she saw him, he was crouching beside a gravestone and peeking at her.
"On Monday McGonagall called me in to her office and told me if I had missed any more classes she would give me detentions until Christmas. So I had no choice but not come to visit you, then I had a brilliant plan. I would use the time I was trapped inside to find a solution so you could leave the cemetery."
"And did you?" Thom looked sceptic and hopeful.
"I did," she beamed at him, proud of herself, "But before I tell you them, I need you to tell me that you would like to leave the cemetery."
"I do want to leave this place. No one living comes beside you come here to do anything more than cry. They all think this place is creepy, actually I can't argue there. I just would like more company, not that I am saying you are bad company. A variety in conversation wouldn't kill me," He paused, realizing what he had said then laughed. "That was bad. Oh! I could go to classes and finish my education. Wonder if I would be the first ghost student." Maille couldn't help but laugh at him. He was so hopeful, she liked that.
"Slow down, first we need to work on getting you free before you can start thinking about joining classes again."
"SO what are we waiting for?! What do we need to do?"
"OK," she said as she set the pictures on the ground for Thom to see. "These are plants and symbols that can "trap" ghosts. I had a quick look while I was waiting for you to show but I didn't see any of them, but you know the area better than me." Thom shook his head.
"None of those are around here." Maille had been hoping that these were the cause.
"OK, then the only other reason is to do with you. That there is something about your grave that bothers you. It maybe that there is water too close for your liking, a rabbit always poos on your grave, you don't like the inscription." Maille could see that he was fighting with himself about telling her the truth because it would contradict what he had told her.
Putting him out of his misery, she said, "This is your grave we are at now, isn't it? To you the unknown wizard isn't unknown. I sort of worked it out. You kept sending me to different graves saying they were yours. So I looked up the plot allocations and 'The Fallen' which is a book dedicated to and about everyone who lost their lives. You were in neither."
"Can't keep anything from you. Yes, I am the unknown wizard, but I didn't die in the battle." She could see he was about to tell her a story that he didn't want to.
She saved him from telling her.
"I know what happened. McGonagall told me. She asked me also not to tell you that I knew."
"Then you can understand why I hate all the inscriptions written on the other stones." His voice then became twisted and mocking. "Beloved brother to his annoying and snotty siblings, will be missed." His voice became normal. "All mine can say is that ridiculous quote that people think is inspiring. My parents came down to pay their respects to my friends because they couldn't find me. They assumed I was dead but they didn't know what had happened to me. I don't even know if they know this is me."
"They know. McGonagall told me that they didn't know until the school was re-opened. The only people who knew you died and that this is you, died in the battle. McGonagall only found out thanks to the portraits in her office. That's when she told your parents, but they couldn't change it because everyone was using your grave as a symbol of peace."
"Ha, symbol of peace, hahahaha. That's great. I just want it to reflect me."
Maille waived her wand. The inscription changed. It now read "Thomas 'Thom' Doherty, The best friend to all who knew him." Maille couldn't add the dates as she didn't know them but could add them later if Thom wished. She smiled at him.
"Like it?" Thom just nodded. "Ready to see if that fixed the problem?" He nodded. He then started running towards the gate with Maille following.