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Chapter 38

Laying the Ghost

"Lord Fallington's son died from an accidental dark spell while inattentively waiting for the end of a defence lesson. His ghost remained there for some months before it was decided he was disrupting classes too much and he was driven out." quoted Hermione, reading from 'Hogwarts, A History'. "It doesn't say to where. Do you suppose he is still around?"

"He sounds more like one of those ghosts who doesn't realize they are dead - like Binns. I would think if they drove him out then he'd understand." said Harry.

"Perhaps he's just waiting for you David?" asked Ron.

"Possibly, but I was given the sense that the waiting itself is the reason the ghost is stuck here. Is there a ghost still waiting at the station for the train to come in?" David suggested.

They were in the Gryffindor reading room. It was a cold, clear winter's evening and a fire was burning warmly in the large, stone fireplace. They had collected various books and documents from the library to make a thorough search for the name of the ghost they wanted to help but after an hour they had had no success.

"I wish it were Peeves - I wish that nuisance would go on." grumbled Ron.

"There doesn't seem to be any that are suitable in here. I've been through every reference about four times." complained Hermione. "Could he be an invisible ghost?"

"If someone important were writing a history of Hogwarts they'd probably only list the famous ghosts, Lords and knights and so on, don't you think?" cut in Luna. "Perhaps the ghost we seek is just a humble carpenter. It might not even be a man."

Harry looked up. "It's the Seamstress! Got to be. She'd not likely get listed. And she's always on the lookout for something or someone."

Ron was staring at Harry and nodding. "Have we got any..."

He didn't finish because Hermione was shuffling some ancient parchments about and was saying, "I did see something but it was... Ah, this must be her! These are just handwritten notes not even collected into a book."

Hermione began to quote from from one of the parchments.

"Mrs. Esmeralda Tillington was a squib employed at Hogwarts in the 19th century, stitching and decorating blankets. Shortly after marrying, her husband, John Tillington, was called to war and never returned. She waited and waited broken-hearted for years never accepting that he was dead. So deep was her love that she lost the will to live but she could not bring herself to give up hoping that her loved one would eventually return to her.

"She resolved to do some good with the rest of her life but she had no skills other than simple embroidery. Esmeralda immersed herself in this, determined to improve the quality of her creations and eventually produced very beautiful tapestries and quilts some of which still hang in Hogwarts today.

"The tapestry stitchwork tells stories. Her final one recounts her own grief with such poignancy that her heart failed as her last teardrop fell upon the very last stitch."

Hermione's voice faltered towards the end then there was silence for a while as the group absorbed this information.

"That is the saddest thing I ever heard." said Luna eventually.

"She is the one I must help." said David simply.

"I'd very much like to come with you." said Harry.

David looked at all the expectant faces. "I think you should all come."

"I somehow don't think seven of us will go unnoticed..." began Ron.

"It's on the same floor as the spare classroom. We've got permission to go there so we can say we are on the way." interrupted Hermione.

David put his head on one side as if listening. Presently he said, "If we go now we shall not be interrupted."

As they approached the tapestry corridor they could see the ghost of the seamstress as usual staring into space along the corridor. They paused.

"Perhaps you..." began David, turning to Harry.

Harry walked forward and stopped in front of the spectre, wondering what to say. "Hello. You're Esmeralda aren't you? We've come to help you."

"Have you seen him? Have you seen any sign?" her soft, weak voice seemed to float in the air.

"You're waiting for John aren't you?" asked Harry, gently.

The ghost looked startled at the name. "You've seen him? Have you seen him? Do you know where he is?"

"There is someone here who knows. Someone who will help you."

David walked forward. "I know where John Tillington is. He is waiting for you. I am here to lead you to him."

The Seamstress stared at David, hardly comprehending. "You can take me to him?"

"Yes."

David moved his wand slightly but if a spell was cast then it was unspoken. He began to fade. His shadow, cast by moonlight from the nearby window, completely disappeared but David remained as a faint trace in the air.

David reached out. His sapphire ring caught a hint of moonlight and flashed blue. He held Esmeralda's ghostly hand. "You must come with me to see John again." he said.

Esmeralda's face had begun to shine with hope for the first time that anyone had ever seen. The two ghostly figures didn't seem to go anywhere. For a moment the group saw the Seamstress's eyes widen with recognition and a joy filled her face that seemed to add light to the entire corridor. Then they realized they couldn't see her anymore; only David's faint image was visible there now. The light remained but gradually faded until there was just moonlight. Eventually David's shadow reappeared and he was solid again.

"She is happy now. Just for a moment I could see..." David's beaming smile turned unusually wistful for a moment then he said. "We'd better get back."

Harry was looking at one of the tapestries. It depicted a young woman sitting at a window looking out. On her lap a half-completed fabric flowed down to the floor. A blue thread hung from the needle in the woman's hand. In a side panel was a young man, armoured, sword held high. Above, another panel showed a dark corridor and a faint shadowy figure. The face was not visible but there appeared to be a ring on one finger. Harry couldn't be certain because it was discoloured by a tear stain, but it might have been blue.