(All is J.K except Lemercier.)
16. The Last Traitor
The months after Voldemort's fall was filled with bitter happiness and mourning, it was a time where everyone could properly mourn for those that died during the five year war. It was dictated by Harry Potter that the south side of Hogwarts across from the grave of the Late Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, a memorial be resurrected. The plan passed through the ministry without a hitch and the 10 foot long white marble wall was placed on the remains of the Late Gamekeeper Hagrid's hut, near the forest but still acessible to those who wish to pay a vigil from the wall to Dumbledore's grave or vise versa. The wall was curved like a cresent moon, and names in Alpabitcal order were engraved in small print upon the surface, due to space dates of birth and death were not given, but everyone knew the time period that most of them died in. A flame was also resurrected placed in the middle of the limestone wallway, an enteral flame burning forever in memory for those alive, dead, and a reminder for those who will grow and listen to the stories of their heroism.
Hogwarts also opened the following year, throwing it's doors open to the children, a new array of professors, and also a new headmaster. It was september and everyone had arrived by boat, all of them ready to be placed in a house, and all of them ready to be taught and learn. Hogsmeade to had underwent a reconstruction, more inns were errected, the dirt road from Hogsmeade and Hogwarts worned, and business booming. The loud chatter of children and laughter filled the great hall, and most of the teachers grinning away, that the thought of Hogwarts ever opening was never going to happen. Headmistress Minerva Magongall stood up from her seat and clapped her hands for silence, the hall quieted, only the sounds of goblets and utinsels were heard.
"Newly made students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I welcome you... I welcome you with open arms and with love, especially to those who had lost someone dear to them whether from the light side or the dark side, you are welcomed." As she spoke, the Slytherin students looked rather speechless and only stared at their food before them. " Hogwarts was built between a set of four friends, and it will grow and the walls will still stand when the friendship of those around blossom, and that unhealthy house rivialy will not get the better of us. I am aware that we are just coming out from what was like enternal darkness, and that emotions are still raw, but as students of Hogwarts you are the next generation. You are our hopes and our dreams, you are what will be and you must take that and cherish it. The names upon that wall which stands but a little ways from here, is a sign of what people uknown to you, have died trying to do one thing. That is to give you life, that you were their hopes and dreams of better days, of better years, of better people."
The late setting sun aimmed it's last rays of light upon the wall, highlighting certain names: Rebeus Hagrid, Emneline Vance, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Sirius Black, Seamus and Lavender Brown Finnigan, Lee Jordan, Terry Boot, Filius Flitwick, Cedric Diggory and Amos Diggory. A long shadow slowly crossed over them, another smaller one followed.
"We will teach you the values of life and of accomplishments that come with your understandment of your studies. We will show you that life is not only this and that, but an array of this and an array of that. Without furthur ado I would like to say one last time: Welcome to your second home, from all your professors to you." The applaueed from both the professors and the children were loud and thunderous, the noise for the speech and for those names upon the wall, it made no difference, it was the same in all. Headmistress Monagoll sat back down at her seat, clapping her hands again and dessert appeared.
Harry, a pregnant Ginny, and Gregory stood in front of Dumbledore's tomb, flowers piled high going around tomb. Visiting the wall and the tomb would be a tradition for the Potter's. It didn't bother Gregory he loved going to Hogwarts, and couldn't wait to become of age and go to school, he glanced up at the castle blaring with light as if to battle the coming night sky. Ginny placed the single white tulip on the face of the tomb and stepped back, feeling her husband's presense by her side. They stood there a little longer till Ginny sighed and glanced up at her husband, who still was staring at the tomb.
"I'll take Gregory with me-"
"No. You go on ahead, I want Gregory to see this." Ginny didn't say another word, but let out another sigh, she knew that Harry had wanted to do this for a long time. Gregory should know, but he was only four years old he had his whole life to know it. Shaking her head she gave her husband a quick kiss and her little boy telling him to stay behind with his father, then proceed to walk back to the Hogwarts Enterance, holding her stomach as she walked back. Gregory watched his mother a little confused, he always left with her while Daddy stayed behind. Walking a little ways to his father he snaked his little hand into his and looked up expectantly at him. Harry stared harder at the tomb, then down at his son.
"Gregory I want to show you something, you don't mind staying out at night a little longer?" Gregory shook his head, his black hair waving in the air. "Good." They both made their way to the enterance too, Ginny long gone and the lights at the enterance alight with magic. Reaching an area where they could apparate, Harry disappered with his son, then reappearing at a very fimiliar place. Gregory's blue eyes were wide with wonder and excitment, he rarely got to go anywhere, and if he did it was usually to Diagon Alley with Mummy. They were on what looked like an island filled with lush greens, white sandy beaches, and rocky edges, like the pictures of the get away prizes in the Daily Prophet. Win a trip to the Midditerrian! It would blink vivid colors, the pictures were always something that Gregory liked to stare at.
"Where are we papa?" He asked innocently, running his hands through the sand, then glancing up at his father to find only space. Panic filled his little head and heart as he turned around to see if his papa was only standing behind him, he wasn't. The island was really dark, and he was frighten at what laid behind the trees, as they swayed back and forth. "papa where are you?" He called out, his little voice couldn't match against the waves. "PAPA?" He was close to tears now.
"Greg." Gregory turned around again to find his father further down the beach on what looked like a patch to a cliff. Moving as quickly as his little legs could muster, he wiped his tears so that his daddy couldn't see that he was crying. Harry stood there for sometime then made his way up the slightly worn path, the night had fully claimed the sky. Gregory had finally caught up with his father, he watched as Harry lifted his wand and whispered the spell lumos, a blue light appeared from the end of his wand. It wasn't long till the path ended and they were standing in a small enclosed area, and what looked like another tomb, similiar to Dumbledore's, except it was black, sat in the middle of it.
Gregory filled with curiousity walked closer to it, the tomb wasn't as large nor was it as beautifully made as Dumbledore's, but Gregory knew how a tomb looked like, this one was just simple. He kneeled down before it, a pile of dead flowers laid before it, covering the name, reaching out he pushed it aside.
Cassandra Lemercier
1978-2003
May you find peace
He ran his small index finger through every word, he couldn't read just yet but he knew it was someone's name. Just finished going around the tomb he lit the poles with his wand, so that there was some light for them as they stayed on the darken island. Taking his place beside his son, he conjured a bouqet of white tulips and laid them by the name. "Who is this person papa?"
"A friend of mine, she was the one that helped you into this world."
"Why is she buried here?"
"This was her island Gregory, it was her home, just like how we have a home in Godric's hollow." Gregory finished tracing the letters, noticed a small etching on the bottom close to the ground so that the grass could cover it from view. He parted the grass and narrowed his eyes. It was the side of a death eater, if a death eater was buried, they were to have a sign of a death eater sketched into their tombstone, Gregory always noticed that they never got any flowers, their graves left unattended so that moss cover their names and they lay forgotten to the world.
"How could she be your friend? She was a death eater."
"Yes she was, she was even part of the inner circle. But it doesn't mean that I stopped believing that there was some good in her. She died betraying everything that she believed in, betraying her ansectors, and her master." Harry reached over and touched the cold stone, his fingers spread across it, as he stared into space. Gregory too slowly reached over and laid his hand on top of his father's.
"Papa..." sighing he took his hand away with his son's, getting up he pulled his son with him so that he was carrying him. The flames that gave them light swayed dangerously from the wind. He felt Gregory's arms snake around his neck, and his face buried into his shoulder.
"She died for those that hated her, she died for something that she barely had faith in, she died for countless lives... She was a traitor Gregory... She was the last traitor..."
Fin