Unconsciously, Erien gazed over to the left-hand wall of the Room of Requirement. She was still amazed that a place like this has existed so long without her or Pieter knowing. Erien gazed at the framed picture of Cedric Diggory. It was put there by his girlfriend, Cho. She was the only one there when she hung it, but she didn't comfort her. It felt like an intrusion.
Soon, a friend of hers, Anna, put up a picture of her younger sisters, who had been twins. Their names were Amdis and Amrita, and they were 10. They disappeared one day, and their mangled bodies showed up a few days later. Their parents were never found
Another picture, a small one, featured a smiling blond-haired woman holding a baby girl. The woman was smiling brightly, and her eyes gleamed enthusiastically. She had strange earrings, and periwinkle blue robes that were doused with glitter. The baby girl, now 14, was the splitting image of her mother. Luna, now a good friend of hers, also inherited her mother's enthusiasm and eccentricity.
Erien gazed around the other pictures. Susan Bones' one, of her aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents. Fabian and Gideon Weasley, put up by Luna's friend, Ginny. A girl a year younger than her put up a picture of a smiling, brown-haired boy.
"My older brother, Emrys." She said proudly. "He stood up against the death-eaters to the very end."
Almost the whole wall was covered now. People who died of illness, accidents, murder, who died in combat. All their faces smiled, albeit a bit sadly, down at all of them, as if to be a comfort.
Erien's hands shook as she reached into her pocket, and extracted a photograph. She gazed down at the well-worn piece of paper. Her mother's face smiled up at her. She had very few memories of her mother now, and it seemed like the photograph was her only tie to her.
"Hi mum." Erien said sadly, and her mother smiled at her, her brown eyes gleaming. Her eyes were the same color as Erien, which was a bit of a comfort, but her mother's black hair was totally different than her blond.
Erien sighed. Taking out a roll of tape, she searched for the right place. She found an empty spot by Luna's mother. In a way, it seemed appropriate, another thing the two girls shared, and Erien was sure the two mothers would like each other. Content with her choice, Erien stepped back. She heard someone enter behind her. She turned slowly, it was Neville Longbottom. He walked over next to her
"There are too many." Neville whispered. Erien glanced at him. She saw familiar pain in his eyes.
"You lost someone." She whispered. Neville hesitated.
"My parents." He said finally. Erien could sympathize. She met his eyes, and something in them told her that wasn't all. His gaze faltered, and he mumbled, "Their still alive." Erien looked at him, confused. "But they're shells. EMPTY SHELLS!" He shouted. Erien winced inwardly, that hit to close to home. Neville was shaking now.
"When my mother died, my father did too." She started. "On the inside. He's not there anymore either. We get money from inheritance, he doesn't have a job. He doesn't talk much, only when he has to. He's just an empty shell too." Neville nodded. He opened his mouth, then closed it.
"It's time for dinner." He said finally. Erien nodded, and although she wasn't hungry, she went down with him anyways.
°O°
Since it was the holidays, they all sat at one table. The decorations were beautiful, as usual, but Erien and Neville were in no mood to celebrate. Erien wished Pieter were here, he would have cheered her up, but he was skiing, on vacation with his parents.
Neville handed her a glass of hot chocolate, which she accepted.
"Happy Christmas." He whispered, to softly for anyone but Erien to hear. He raised his glass "to Mum and Dad."
"To Mum and Dad." She repeated, To shells.