A/N: Quirrel, The Grey Lady and all Ravenclaws mentioned belong to JKR. Raymond belongs to me. This is the third chapter....I'm trying to figure out where I can go with the story, as there's going to be some appearences by Harry and company and I'm not too sure what's happening with their fifth year cause the book hasn't come out yet (duh!). Please, please give me some advice here! Also, I need some info on the ghosts. I know they can't eat, but do they sleep or other stuff like that? If anybody knows, please review or send me an e-mail. It's important to the story that I don't screw it up! And keep reviewing!
Chapter 3- Living Under A Raincloud
We entered out into the rain and though I was expecting something, I felt nothing of the raindrops that fell around me and through me. The Grey Lady noticed my disillusionment.
"You get used to it after a while." she stated, and looked at me expectantly when we landed on the soft, green, damp lawn.
"Well?" she asked me, one eyebrow raised.
Unsure of what to do, I held out my arm. She nodded, smiled and took it. We began to walk around the school.
"I can't believe it's been five years....."
"The years do pass quickly in time. Do you know how long I've been dead?" she asked. I shrugged.
"I've been dead more than 200 years. Time flies when you're dead....the years seem to just come and go."
"Who are you?" I asked. It had been nagging in the back of my mind for a while now, about just who she was. She stopped walking and paused at me. Her face was wistful. She opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted.
"I-I-I'm sorry.....it was not my business to ask you." I muttered, embarassed at my forwardness.
"Do you want to hear this or not?" she said, a smile now playing on her lips. I nodded mutely and we continued walking.
"I should start at the beginning. You and many other Ravenclaws went through Hogwarts knowing me as The Grey Lady. My real name is Persephone. Persephone Barat. I was born in France in 1770, but my parents moved to England, rightly fearing a revolt. We lived in London, and despite my parents' wealth, we were looked down upon by other aristocratic Wizarding families because we were French. When I went to Hogwarts, I was sorted into Ravenclaw, of course, and I found friendship and happiness there. Back then, neither Beauxbatons or Durmstrang existed, so students from all over Europe came to study at Hogwarts. A number of them came from France. One was Raymond Garnier, who was sorted into Gryffindor. He was a young lord, and a most handsome one!" she smiled slightly. "He fell in love with me at once! Oh, the number of proposals I recieved from him! At least once for every year I was in Hogwarts. But I fell under his charm and sincerity, and we were married as soon as we left Hogwarts. He wanted to take me back to France with him, but my parents had their doubts. So they insisted I spend at least three months visiting them each year. So Raymond took me with him, back France. There was trouble brewing though. Of course our King and Queen were executed, and traitors to the republic were packed off to the guillotine in the thousands. Raymond supported the monarchy, and as a result we went into deep hiding, fearing for our lives. Unfortunately for us, one of Raymond's friends betrayed us. Raymond was sent off to the guillotine as a traitor to the republic. I was forced to watch." she said bitterly, and I feared she might cry. She seemed to regain her composure and continue.
"Three days later, I died. Not by beheading though. By hanging. After my death, I did not linger in France....I came back here, to Hogwarts. This is, after all, where I met Raymond." she said, smiling sadly at me.
Compared with my story, it seemed the more worse. My heart broke for the poor woman.
"I'm so sorry....." I didn't know what to call her. Somehow, the Grey Lady seemed inappropriate now.
"You can call me Persephone, if you like." she replied, observing the squid in the lake lolling its tentacles about in the water.
"Persephone.....do you ever get lonely?"
"I miss Raymond terribly sometimes....so terribly that it's almost as worse as being under an unforgiveable curse. You can't do anything, you just..can't." She sighed. "But after the hurt, there's relief. You really need support....and the other ghosts...they hurt as much as you and I. And they can't do anything either. If I were you, Wilton, I'd turn to them as well as I. They'll hear you out."
She sighed again as we neared the stone stairs to the castle and began to climb them.
"I noticed, this past night, at the feast.....some of the students talked about you. I even noticed that Miss Quirke and Miss Brocklehurst took interest in talking to you."
"Mandy Brocklehurst is a little gossip who happens to be smart." I snapped back. I mentally chided myself, but Mandy Brocklehurst was largely responsible for spreading rumours that I put a security charm on myself whenever I went anywhere near Snape.
"But Mandy is also wise, Wilton. She's trying to get to you....you must remember to be honest with her, and not deny who you are. She doesn't know what has happened anyway, does she?"
"I suppose not."
"Of course not! So, re-introduce yourself to the students you knew and taught."
"But what's the point if I'm not teaching them?"
"I don't teach them either! You're there for their company, really and occasionally, for help."
We glided into the castle.
"Will you continue residing in the Astronomy tower, Wilton?"
"For now, yes, I think. My favourite memories are in the Astronomy tower."
"Well, you'll know where to find me, Wilton. Goodnight. And don't forget what I said!" she called, and glided off in the direction of Ravenclaw tower.
I glided up to the tower and settled myself there for the night.
Chapter 3- Living Under A Raincloud
We entered out into the rain and though I was expecting something, I felt nothing of the raindrops that fell around me and through me. The Grey Lady noticed my disillusionment.
"You get used to it after a while." she stated, and looked at me expectantly when we landed on the soft, green, damp lawn.
"Well?" she asked me, one eyebrow raised.
Unsure of what to do, I held out my arm. She nodded, smiled and took it. We began to walk around the school.
"I can't believe it's been five years....."
"The years do pass quickly in time. Do you know how long I've been dead?" she asked. I shrugged.
"I've been dead more than 200 years. Time flies when you're dead....the years seem to just come and go."
"Who are you?" I asked. It had been nagging in the back of my mind for a while now, about just who she was. She stopped walking and paused at me. Her face was wistful. She opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted.
"I-I-I'm sorry.....it was not my business to ask you." I muttered, embarassed at my forwardness.
"Do you want to hear this or not?" she said, a smile now playing on her lips. I nodded mutely and we continued walking.
"I should start at the beginning. You and many other Ravenclaws went through Hogwarts knowing me as The Grey Lady. My real name is Persephone. Persephone Barat. I was born in France in 1770, but my parents moved to England, rightly fearing a revolt. We lived in London, and despite my parents' wealth, we were looked down upon by other aristocratic Wizarding families because we were French. When I went to Hogwarts, I was sorted into Ravenclaw, of course, and I found friendship and happiness there. Back then, neither Beauxbatons or Durmstrang existed, so students from all over Europe came to study at Hogwarts. A number of them came from France. One was Raymond Garnier, who was sorted into Gryffindor. He was a young lord, and a most handsome one!" she smiled slightly. "He fell in love with me at once! Oh, the number of proposals I recieved from him! At least once for every year I was in Hogwarts. But I fell under his charm and sincerity, and we were married as soon as we left Hogwarts. He wanted to take me back to France with him, but my parents had their doubts. So they insisted I spend at least three months visiting them each year. So Raymond took me with him, back France. There was trouble brewing though. Of course our King and Queen were executed, and traitors to the republic were packed off to the guillotine in the thousands. Raymond supported the monarchy, and as a result we went into deep hiding, fearing for our lives. Unfortunately for us, one of Raymond's friends betrayed us. Raymond was sent off to the guillotine as a traitor to the republic. I was forced to watch." she said bitterly, and I feared she might cry. She seemed to regain her composure and continue.
"Three days later, I died. Not by beheading though. By hanging. After my death, I did not linger in France....I came back here, to Hogwarts. This is, after all, where I met Raymond." she said, smiling sadly at me.
Compared with my story, it seemed the more worse. My heart broke for the poor woman.
"I'm so sorry....." I didn't know what to call her. Somehow, the Grey Lady seemed inappropriate now.
"You can call me Persephone, if you like." she replied, observing the squid in the lake lolling its tentacles about in the water.
"Persephone.....do you ever get lonely?"
"I miss Raymond terribly sometimes....so terribly that it's almost as worse as being under an unforgiveable curse. You can't do anything, you just..can't." She sighed. "But after the hurt, there's relief. You really need support....and the other ghosts...they hurt as much as you and I. And they can't do anything either. If I were you, Wilton, I'd turn to them as well as I. They'll hear you out."
She sighed again as we neared the stone stairs to the castle and began to climb them.
"I noticed, this past night, at the feast.....some of the students talked about you. I even noticed that Miss Quirke and Miss Brocklehurst took interest in talking to you."
"Mandy Brocklehurst is a little gossip who happens to be smart." I snapped back. I mentally chided myself, but Mandy Brocklehurst was largely responsible for spreading rumours that I put a security charm on myself whenever I went anywhere near Snape.
"But Mandy is also wise, Wilton. She's trying to get to you....you must remember to be honest with her, and not deny who you are. She doesn't know what has happened anyway, does she?"
"I suppose not."
"Of course not! So, re-introduce yourself to the students you knew and taught."
"But what's the point if I'm not teaching them?"
"I don't teach them either! You're there for their company, really and occasionally, for help."
We glided into the castle.
"Will you continue residing in the Astronomy tower, Wilton?"
"For now, yes, I think. My favourite memories are in the Astronomy tower."
"Well, you'll know where to find me, Wilton. Goodnight. And don't forget what I said!" she called, and glided off in the direction of Ravenclaw tower.
I glided up to the tower and settled myself there for the night.