In Remembrance
By: Kristin Ohman
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If you think that I am JKR, then you need your head is examined.
A/N: Thanks goes to Dr. Demento. I mean Monaco. ;) Thanks for giving me a chance to work with you and for giving me my writing bug/inspiration/muse back after such a huge hiatus.
The old man walked up to the front of the chapel. He had been here many times and each time he felt such peace inside himself. Here, he was no one special, no one of responsibility or respectability. Here, he could show the emotions that he couldn't show elsewhere.
As he reached the altar, he grabbed the matches and moved over to the row of candles that rested over to the side. He lit the ten candles in the back of the altar, in remembrance of friends and peers and comrades lost in the first Great War. The second row of ten candles was lit for those lost in the first Voldemort war. The last five candles were light for specific people, whom the old man deeply mourned.
One for Liam Grindelwald, who had been an old friend. One for Tom Riddle, a student who slipped through the cracks. One candle for James Potter, and one for Lily, who bravely died for their son. And now a new one for Cedric Diggory, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
After lighting all 25 candles, the old man knelt before the altar. He gazed at the candles and reflected on everything it represented. So many years he had been coming here to this chapel; so many people he had mourned within these walls. Too many, it seemed at times.
The old man didn't know how long he had been kneeling there when he heard the chapel door open. A woman walked up to the altar and knelt beside the old man.
Taking his hand in hers, she whispered, "Are you all right?"
"So many people, Minerva. We have seen so many of our people die in wars against evil. I sometimes wonder.."
"Albus look at me. You are not to blame for this, for any of this. Liam and Tom made their choices in life. As did Lily and James."
"Cedric never did. He had his whole life ahead of him."
"Albus," Minerva said, looking into his eyes, "you and I both know that given the chance, Cedric would have chosen the light side. You are not at fault for something Voldemort did."
Albus Dumbledore looked at the face of his faithful friend. With silent tears in his eyes, he leaned over and hugged Minerva McGonagall tightly.
"Thank you, my friend."
The old man and the woman got up, blew out the candles, and then walked towards the door. As they were walking, the woman asked, "He is to be immortalized here, then?"
The old man replied, "Yes. All the people who die in this war against evil will be remembered here, both the good and the bad."
"And the innocent. Cedric could have no greater honor."
The two left the chapel, closing the door and sealing it, till the next time someone needed to be remembered.
By: Kristin Ohman
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If you think that I am JKR, then you need your head is examined.
A/N: Thanks goes to Dr. Demento. I mean Monaco. ;) Thanks for giving me a chance to work with you and for giving me my writing bug/inspiration/muse back after such a huge hiatus.
The old man walked up to the front of the chapel. He had been here many times and each time he felt such peace inside himself. Here, he was no one special, no one of responsibility or respectability. Here, he could show the emotions that he couldn't show elsewhere.
As he reached the altar, he grabbed the matches and moved over to the row of candles that rested over to the side. He lit the ten candles in the back of the altar, in remembrance of friends and peers and comrades lost in the first Great War. The second row of ten candles was lit for those lost in the first Voldemort war. The last five candles were light for specific people, whom the old man deeply mourned.
One for Liam Grindelwald, who had been an old friend. One for Tom Riddle, a student who slipped through the cracks. One candle for James Potter, and one for Lily, who bravely died for their son. And now a new one for Cedric Diggory, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
After lighting all 25 candles, the old man knelt before the altar. He gazed at the candles and reflected on everything it represented. So many years he had been coming here to this chapel; so many people he had mourned within these walls. Too many, it seemed at times.
The old man didn't know how long he had been kneeling there when he heard the chapel door open. A woman walked up to the altar and knelt beside the old man.
Taking his hand in hers, she whispered, "Are you all right?"
"So many people, Minerva. We have seen so many of our people die in wars against evil. I sometimes wonder.."
"Albus look at me. You are not to blame for this, for any of this. Liam and Tom made their choices in life. As did Lily and James."
"Cedric never did. He had his whole life ahead of him."
"Albus," Minerva said, looking into his eyes, "you and I both know that given the chance, Cedric would have chosen the light side. You are not at fault for something Voldemort did."
Albus Dumbledore looked at the face of his faithful friend. With silent tears in his eyes, he leaned over and hugged Minerva McGonagall tightly.
"Thank you, my friend."
The old man and the woman got up, blew out the candles, and then walked towards the door. As they were walking, the woman asked, "He is to be immortalized here, then?"
The old man replied, "Yes. All the people who die in this war against evil will be remembered here, both the good and the bad."
"And the innocent. Cedric could have no greater honor."
The two left the chapel, closing the door and sealing it, till the next time someone needed to be remembered.