The Ghost of Laughter (I Can Remember)

He glides. He touches everything in his reach and sucks the happiness and joy out. Nothing will be excluded. Walls, floors, ceilings and people – all drained of positive emotion. Because that's how he feels. Empty.

I can remember visiting Hogwarts and seeing him sulk around the dungeons. He never really left the dark, gloomy passageways. Sometimes I feel like he will be there forever. Stuck at the school that once brought him so much joy.

He was once a charming fellow. He always made the children smile and played tricks on the teachers. He'd abandon school work and whatever else he was told to do, just so he could brighten somebody's day. Ironic how he thrives on destroying them now.

I can remember being upset over a fight with a friend. He came over to where I was sitting and cheered me right up. I with those times were back. I think each and every word he ever spoke to me added a day to my life. He was that wonderful.

He was teased a bit at school. The bigger kids always made fun of the way he talked. He used 'proper' words, or so they said. I could never distinguish between 'proper' and non. I didn't mind the way he talked. It was bright and cheery. Unlike the boring drawl of adults.

I can remember his death. Upsetting – there is no other word for it. He was strangled. No doubt by one of those bullies. It wasn't fair. He was still young. He deserved to live more than anyone I knew. He was special, unique, somebody who should live forever.

But he didn't. Not in the way I hoped.

He was the one who taught me about ghosts. He said that you could only be a ghost if you were afraid of death of if you had 'unfinished business'. He was never, ever afraid of death.

I wish he'll change. I wish he will go back to what he was like before. I wish more than anything that he'll make somebody laugh. Because that's his 'unfinished business'. To make everybody in Hogwarts happy again. Forever.

That's how long I'll remember him. Forever.

Henry Peeves. The Ghost of Laughter.

I thought of this on the way home from some deserted beach. It was freezing there. Never going back there. It's not the best one-shot, I'll admit. But I thought it was worth posting.

Anyways, please leave a review and tell me what you think.

Rabbi

xxx