Chapter 4
As much as my mother and I disagree we do agree on one simple thing, beauty. There is beauty all around us, but to see this beauty you have to have a calling. Only these callers can see all beauty in all shapes and forms. Beauty is only seen in they eye of it's beholder. This is one thing I do share with my mother, the eye to see beauty in and when others only see total hysteria and chaos.
There are other things my father swears that I share with her. My eyes, my smile, my laugh, and many other things I don't wish to talk about upon this moment.
Beauty is all around us, but with everyone changing and moving I believe they take life for granted. They unfortunately do not see the beauty that surrounds them. The beauty you may only have once in a lifetime to catch and see.
So many evils have tortured us all and because of these evils people do turn cold. People turn their backs on the beauty that is staring them in the face. People change all the time, but not beauty.
Never beauty.
Let go of all your current inner and outer demons and let the beauty in.
Become the beauty in the eye of the beholder.
"Miss Potter? Miss Potter? MISS POTTER!"
Bridget Lynn Potter blinked out of her daydream and began to blink oddly at her Professor.
It was kind of odd how Professor McGonagall was Headmistress and yet she still fought tooth and nail with the governors of the school for her to teach advanced Transfiguration for the Seventh years.
"Miss Potter?" Professor Minerva McGonagall asked looking at Bridget sternly.
"Yes Professor?" Bridget asked finally coming to.
"I asked you what was the difference between an actual animal and an animagus. How do real animals tell the difference between other real animals like themselves and a true animagus?"
"May I be excused?" Bridget asked as tears began to fill up in her beautiful eyes.
"Excuse me?"
"I am not feeling to well today," Bridget spoke up a bit chocked up. The class turned around to look at her because it was not very often that Bridget Potter did not answer a question that was asked to her in this class. Nor did Bridget Potter rarely ever show tears or fear. "I was asking if I could be excused."
"Bridget?" Ginny Potter hissed to the left side of Bridget, "What are you…"
"Of course," McGonagall nodded which surprised everyone in the advanced Transfiguration class.
Today was too much of a dramatic day for Bridget. A year ago to the date she had lost her Uncle Sirius. Then today in the Daily Prophet there was an article saying that the ministry had gotten word from one of their spies that Oliver Wood was indeed dead. The search for Oliver had turned from a rescue operation to a recovery mission.
Bridget had gotten word from the Order that they weren't giving up on finding Oliver's body.
Body.
Not just Oliver, but his body. So in other words, they didn't think they would find Oliver alive neither.
Ginny had started coming back to school a few days ago as her maternity leave was up.
Arabella was watching James for Ginny during the day when Ginny was at school.
Bridget gathered her things and ran out of her advanced Transfiguration class.
"Mrs. Potter?"
"Yes Professor?" Ginny asked turning her attention from the classroom door from where Bridget had just left to her Professor.
"Will you bring Miss Potter the homework I am assigning before you go home?"
"Of course."
The Daily Prophet read that Oliver Wood was indeed dead. A courageous death. Dying for the people of his country, trying to stop the people that was turning their great country to evil. Being an Auror and being part of the legendary Order of the Phoenix.
"Damn it!"
"Character aren't you?"
"Shut it you slut!" He yelled.
"Don't you talk to me like that you imbecile!" She yelled as she threw him across the room.
"She thinks I am dead, hell everyone does!"
"Good," she purred.
"What is wrong with you?" Oliver Wood asked looking at Autumn in disbelief.
"What?"
"Why are you such a tyrant…"
"The Potter family is the reason I am an orphan."
"No your father is the reason you are an orphan and your father is the reason Draco and all of the Potter kids are orphans too."
"Do not speak of my father so poorly! He did great things!"
"Great things my ass," Oliver chuckled but was soon thrown across the room again and knocked unconscious.
Sadie Malfoy was cooking dinner while baby Lily was napping and Breeanna was flying around on her play broom no higher than two feet. It was safe because if Bree began to topple over there was a safety net that shot out as soon as it didn't feel anymore weight upon it.
Draco was hopefully to be home soon. She knew he was going to have to work later than usual tonight because of the death of Oliver Wood, but it was starting to get ridiculous by the time. Susan had waited plenty of time now to start dinner, but she had to do it now because Bree was starting to complain about being hungry. If Draco wasn't home by the end of dinner, then she would just have to warm his food up when he got home.
There was a knock at the door that really surprised Susan.
"Mummy the door!" Breeanna yelled from atop her play broomstick.
"I know love," Susan said leaving the kitchen and walking towards the front door to her home. "I heard, but I wonder who it could be."
Susan opened the front door to see her sister-in-law standing there with her nephew, "Ginny what a surprise."
"Let me in and close the door behind me."
Susan's eyes bugged out and she let Ginny inside, "What's wrong?"
"Do you have any tea made?"
"No, but follow me into the kitchen and I can fix some. Do you want to put James in the playpen with Lily? I have a monitor set up so when she cries I'll know, it will work on James too."
"No," Ginny said shaking her head harshly. "I really don't want to put my baby down at this moment or ever again."
"Come into the kitchen and tell me there, I don't want to scare Bree."
"Of course," Ginny nodded.
Susan got Ginny to sit down and Ginny had James in a sling around her, to where he was laying beside her chest and she had her arms wrapped tightly around him. "Now tell me what happened?"
"Where to start?"
"The beginning."
"It is going to be a long story."
Susan chuckled, "None of our stories are ever short."
"Well this morning I woke up already dreading the day…"
"Why?"
"It has been a year since Sirius has been dead."
"Yes," Susan nodded. "Two since Catarina died, but today is also Breeanna's second birthday."
"So that is where she got the broomstick from."
"Yes, that would be Draco."
"Well I knew Harry would be a bit testy today, but when I woke up he actually looked devastated."
"Oh?"
"He had read the Daily Prophet before me."
"Oh," Susan said nodding her head.
"When I read it, well my heart went out to Bridget immediately."
"Of course, so did mine."
"In our first class, Bridget was a bit quiet and asked to be excused from class. Then she showed up for our advanced Transfiguration class."
"Bridget knows better than to miss McGonagall's class."
"True," Ginny agreed. "She was daydreaming the whole time and then Professor McGonagall caught her."
"Uh oh."
"That's what I thought, but then Bridget asked to be excused and McGonagall got soft hearted and excused her from all of our classes all day."
"Understandable."
"Yes I know, and then I brought Bridget her homework. Left it at her bedroom door because she would not open her door. I then left Hogwarts and went to pick James up from Arabella's…"
"That wasn't too strange of a day. I mean, yes it is horrible that Oliver is dead but we all figured that he would be."
"No that's not the end of it."
"Well what else could there be?"
"Mummy?"
"Yes love?"
"Today is Bree birthday."
"Yes love," Arabella nodded as she watched her little girl eating her snack of milk and cookies.
"Bree party?"
"Not today love, this weekend though."
"Oh," Roselyn said looking sad.
"Sorry love, but not today."
"Jam?"
"James isn't here honey, remember Auntie Ginny picked him up earlier."
"Oh," Roselyn's beautiful eyes dropped again. "No friends. Mummy, can I have baby sister like Bree too?"
"Not now honey."
"When?"
"Not now. Now finish eating because we are going by Bree's house later on."
"Okay."
Another baby, that would have been wonderful to have another baby. Roselyn would have had an older brother if Arabella hadn't have had that miscarriage years ago. David would have been like a brother to Roselyn, but he too was snatched out of Bella's arms. Roselyn had been Sirius and Bella's miracle child and Bella knew she would never be able to have another child ever again. Of course she would love to have another baby, but it just was not possible.
"Bridget?" There was a knock at her bedroom door, "Bridget are you there?"
"Go away Ginny!"
"It's not Mrs. Potter, it is Professor McGonagall."
"Oh!" Bridget's eyes popped out and she jumped off of her bed and wiped her eyes while opening the door, "What are you doing here Professor?"
"Do you mind if I come in?"
"No, not at all."
Professor McGonagall walked into the room and flicked her wand and a chair popped out of no where, "I would like to speak to you. Please shut the door."
Bridget nodded, shut the door and walked back across the room to sit upon her bed. "What's going on Professor?"
"That is actually what I wanted to ask you Miss Potter. I mean obviously you are grieving over Oliver's death."
"No I'm not," Bridget lied.
Surprisingly McGonagall laughed, "You lie as horribly as your mother did. All of the professor knew there was something going on between Oliver and yourself."
"You did!"
"Yes, it was very obvious Miss Potter."
"Why didn't he get in trouble, we were told he would get in all kinds of trouble."
"We figured it was only puppy love and would pass, but obviously it didn't. We found some of his bags at the last place we knew he was at. These are for you," Professor McGonagall said handing Bridget a handful of letters. "He wrote you as much as he could while he was gone, and kept all of these letters with him as he obviously couldn't send them out as I am sure you know by now."
"Yes ma'am."
"I am sure you would like to read these alone, but if you need anything please stop by my office. If you would like a few days off to grieve I would not object to this."
"Maybe just tomorrow as the weekend starts tomorrow afternoon."
"I will give you tomorrow and Monday off, and no objections."
"Thank you Professor."
McGonagall nodded to the young girl and left Bridget alone to read the beautiful letter Oliver had written her only months ago.
My dearest Bridget,
I hate being away from you like this and I am missing you deeply. I only wish I could see that beautiful vision you are and that I could send this letter out to you. I hope you don't hate me as I can not contact you for a good few months. Hopefully you will understand after I come back to you and deliver you these letters.
I loved spending the summer with you and going to Vegas together. I wish that wedding chapel would have been for real, because I would be in Heaven if you were my wife. That is what I look forward to is you graduating, me leaving this place I am at, our relationship building, and maybe one day we could get married and start a family together.
I have to leave now, they are calling us out to the field.
I love you,
Oliver
My dearest Bridget,
It is total hell out here and every now and then I wonder, 'What the hell have I gotten myself into?' Then I think about you and I know I am doing the right thing. You are the only thing and thought that keeps me going. That beautiful face of yours and your loving ways. You are the most precious thing to me and I can not wait to hold you in my arms again.
I had the most beautiful dream last night. We were older and we had a family together, we were husband and wife. We had the most beautiful children and a little girl that had your beautiful eyes and smile.
I need to get a bit of shut eye, but I hope I meet you in my dreams again tonight like I have been for the last few nights. I miss you terribly.
I love you,
Oliver
My dearest Bridget,
I can not wait to make you my wife. I had another beautiful dream of the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen. It was the most beautiful because the woman that was walking towards me was you, the most beautiful woman.
When I get back to you I will be proposing to you, I want you to be my wife and hopefully you want me too. Hopefully if you are satisfied with me, you will be my wife. I miss you terribly.
I love you,
Oliver
It was all too much for Bridget, the letters were too much like him. Now she would never start a life with him and never be his wife. There was just no point to life anymore.
With that, Bridget Potter cried herself to sleep…
February twenty-eighth nineteen hundred and ninety-nine had to be the hardest day of Bridget Potter's life. Even harder then the day she lost her loving grandfather, the only guardian and parent like figure she had known most of her life.
Today was the memorial for Oliver Wood.
Ginny had stopped by Bridget's room early today to make sure Bridget actually got out of bed and on the move. Of course Ginny knew that Bridget wanted to be present, but Ginny also knew how devastated Bridget would be today.
Harry and the other members of the Potter family would be showing up at the memorial later on.
"Bridget?" Ginny asked knocking on the bathroom door.
"Just a moment."
"Did you get a letter from Mrs. Wood today?"
"Yeah, just a second."
When Bridget emerged from the bathroom, Ginny engulfed Bridget in the biggest hug ever. "Yes," Bridget nodded. "Lynette asked me to stop by the house an hour before the ceremony started, would you mind coming with me?"
"Of course not, that is as long as it is okay with Lynette."
"She won't mind," Bridget said wiping some of her tears away. "I promise."
"Okay then I will come with you."
"I am going to be saying a few words today."
"You sure you are going to be up to it?"
"I need to say a few things," Bridget nodded her head.
"Do you want to go to breakfast?"
"No, besides Professor McGonagall said she would get the house elves to send me some food. I am not ready to be in the public eye."
"Of course, love of course."
"Bridget, love, it is so wonderful to see you." Lynette Wood said gathering Bridget into her arms and whispered into Bridget's ear, "Of course I hate that we are seeing each other on such a horrible event."
Bridget pulled back from the hug and looked up to Lynette in which her son had looked so much like her. "It is wonderful to see you again, but yes it is horrible circumstances that we are meeting on. I am so sorry for your loss."
Lynette nodded, "As I am sorry for your loss. I lost a son, but you lost your first love. Hell, I might have lost a daughter-in-law because of this."
"I will always think of you as a mother figure."
"I will always think of you as the daughter I never had."
The two hugged again and Lynette pulled back when she saw Ginny, "Who is this beautiful young lady with you?"
"Ginerva Potter, but you can call me Ginny." Ginny said putting her hand out for Lynette Wood to shake.
"Oh yes, you are the new Mummy and Mrs. Potter."
Ginny blushed and nodded, "You read the Daily Prophet?"
"Now that they don't print trash anymore," Lynette began to look around. "Where is Mr. Potter and new baby?"
"Harry has James, and they will be here shortly."
"You named the baby after his father?"
Ginny nodded, "After both of our fathers, James Arthur Potter."
"Touching," Lynette smiled. "Oliver was named after my father."
"If I have a son then I will name him Oliver."
"Bridget dear, really you don't have to."
"No," Bridget said shaking her head. "I do."
"Would you sit with me in the front? Ginny, Harry, and James can join you if you like."
"I would like that," Bridget nodded with tears filling in her eyes.
Bridget had heard lots of people talk about her now deceased lover, and now it was her turn. Lynette too had stood up and talked about what a loving baby, child, and man Oliver had been. He had been all of those as the man Bridget knew and she did cry a lot during Lynette's speech.
Bridget stood up at the front of the church and saw many friends that had graduated before her, members of the Ministry, members of the Order, her family and friends, and family and friends of Oliver.
"I have no doubt in my mind that Oliver was the love of my life," Bridget felt a single tear fall down her face but she made no attempt to wipe it away. "I hate how I treated Oliver last year, but I am glad that he never gave up on me. That he was there for me through all of the horrible things that had happened to me. Oliver had been my rock, and my love. I wish I could have held him one last time. I wish I could have told him how much I loved him one more time," by this time Bridget had tears streaming down her face and she was dabbing them with a handkerchief Oliver had once given her. "I wish I could have kissed him one more time. I have all these what ifs in my head and I know I shouldn't. Remember the man we all knew and loved, and keep his memory alive in you all."
Bridget unfolded a piece of parchment she had folded in her hands the whole time. "Love is always patient and kind, it is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes."
Bridget nodded and went to sit down between sobbing Lynette Wood and a very worried looking Ginny Potter.
They didn't have a body and so they threw flowers into the lake behind Oliver's childhood home.
Bridget gave herself a sad smile, she could still feel his love all around her. It made her so happy to feel his love around her, but then again it was like a stab to the heart to know she would never see that love being played out in front of him.
The wind blew around her and she realized something. Oliver's love for her was like the wind, she couldn't see it but she would always feel it.