... A Requiem for Sadness ...

- I -

I Remember You

It started like any other year at Hogwarts, but that's where all similarities ended – it actually started.

In all likelihood, the school had changed more in the past year than it had in its entire history. The area had seen such destructive forces in the last year that classes had to be suspended for that whole year, essentially leaving a large gap in all of the academic studies held at the school. Those who helped rebuild took great care to preserve the school's history, while gently erasing away the signs of the battle.

The returning students solemnly filled the new Great Hall after the long respite from the castle. Most of the youths were silent. They compared what they saw now to what they remembered. Some only remembered the school's buildings and grounds as they should have been seen – unmolested from the tumultuous final moments of the Wizard's War. Some actually saw the resultant aftermath of Death Eaters attack and Voldemort's last stand, whether it was from the massive report put out by the wizarding press, or by actually taking part in the clean up and rebuilding of Hogwarts.

The strongest reactions came from a very small group. The few surviving students that remained as a testament of the larger group of dedicated students that took an active role in the school's defense along side their elders, and paid severely for it.

And then there were the teachers.

The current staff was consisted of all new members, save four individuals who now shouldered the respect and authority of the whole school, and perhaps even the whole wizarding world.

Professor Trelawney shocked everyone when she prophesied the Dark Lord's last attack – a mere three hours before it happened. She was so utterly shaken by the revelation that she was taken to St Mungo's under guard. By the time of her arrival, her mind had retreated deep into a coma, for which no remedy proved to be of use. She is in fact the only Hogwarts teacher to survive the war virtually unscathed aside from the ethereal Professor Binns. She remembers nothing of her vision or of her five month stay in Mungo's afterwards.

Madame Hooch was present. The flying instructor had assisted immensely by overseeing the battle and reporting its status to the Ministry of Magic. It was her swift eye and quick action that put her in that position. It also allowed her to evade a group of Death Eaters sent to kill her. She escaped alive – barely.

Severus Snape surprised everyone, and contributed monumentally to the defeat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Unbeknownst to all, he readily played the decoy that lured Lucius Malfoy, his wife, and a dozen other Death Eaters into a fatal trap moments before the Dark Lord made his final move. Once the evil leader was crippled, a window of opportunity appeared to finally strike him down.

No one truly remembers all the details of that terrible event. It's doubtful that anyone would want to. Dumbledore executed the final blow along side Harry. The method of attack used was an ancient spell that required an extreme cost, a cost that Dumbledore hadn't informed Harry until it was too late. That cost was the cherished wizened old man himself.

Minerva McGonagall had realized Dumbledore's strategy the instant the spell had been cast, and in the few moments from the spell's open to its close, she made a dramatic strike against Voldemort, keeping him unawares until the last second. Her life had paid the devastating price for victory in tandem with Dumbledore's.

Flitwick, Sprout, and Hagrid, also paid the ultimate consequence in the battle. Each of them played their part well, ensuring the survival of the others – their casualties unfortunate necessities of a war forced upon the wizarding world.

Harry ignored the looks from those of his fellow students that seemed aware enough of their surroundings to notice him. He quickly sat down among his fellow Gryffindors, and waited. He did not want to deal talking with people. Talking with people would mean talking about the war, or talking about something else while trying to forget the war. Talking about the war would bring the painful memories back to the forefront of his mind, and that hurt too much. Forgetting what happened in the war, no matter how tempting that was, would also mean forgetting what happened to his best friends – and that would eat away at his insides until there was nothing left. Ron and Hermione had done a lot for him and their allies during the war. He could never forgive himself for disrespecting them like that. He'd rather die. In most cases, when he thought about it, he honestly wanted to die.

Though, if anyone had a reason to die, it would be his two best friends. Ron had made several attempts after the decimation of his family. Only Ginny, and Percy survived, and barely at that! Percy lost both legs in the battle. Poor Ginny, had lost even more. She had survived miraculously when Death Eaters descended upon The Burrow. Witnessing the rape and massacre of her family had shocked most all of her sanity away. No one knows why she had remained untouched where she lay hidden. And yes, much to the overwhelming shock of anyone who heard of their fate, the men of her family had been raped alongside her mother.

When Ron had discovered his family's fate, he had lost all reason. He went missing for a day, and returned on death's door. At the last moment in his first suicide attempt he had changed his mind, but not soon enough to avoid irrevocable damage to himself. He tried twice more since then – unsuccessfully.

Hermione, hadn't faired much better. She had been kidnapped weeks prior to the final attack. No one knew her whereabouts, or her condition until after the war was won. Harry's best and most trusted friend had been subjected to starvation, shock treatment, invasive magic tampering with memory and mind. On top of that she had been broken by the dark lord himself, mentally, and physically – including rape.

All this to get to Harry.

In the face of adversity, the girl held strong. She managed to with hold as much information as she could, until the very end. Everyone congratulated her on her outstanding bravery and resolve. Harry was proud that she came through the ordeal the way she did, and how she carried herself in spite of what she experienced. It amazed him. He was convinced that Hermione had the strongest will one could have.

Both his best friends were doing much better now, though not well enough to make it today.

Harry's eyes briefly scanned the Great Hall. Within a heartbeat, his eyes locked with another's. Those grey eyes were filled with so much bittersweet sorrow; he almost forgot his own pain. Somewhere deep within Harry's being, looking into those eyes reminded him what a human soul was capable of. The details surrounding the other boy's defection were inconclusive at best. All that was known was from Snape who simply confirmed that it was the boy, and not himself, that triggered the trap that he'd set killing his parents and his two best friends in the process.

Harry Potter smiled a small knowing smile at the one boy who, in his opinion, had changed more than anyone else during the war – Draco Malfoy.

The blonde Slytherine stared blankly at the Gryffindor for a moment, then looking away suddenly as Hogwart's new Headmaster spoke to the hushed group of students for the first time.

September-15-2005: first posted

September-21-2005: minor additions/changes, chapter name!