The young Muggleborn waiting to be sorted froze as the translucent things glided through the wall, talking among themselves as if unaware of the horror of their existence.
"Oh, Firsties!" The thing said as if delighted to get to consume their souls, and that was too much for him, he was running out the door long before they could reach him and didn't look back.
Hagrid found the First Year's remains in the forbidden forest.
Some of the parents pushed for teachers to warn Muggleborn students of the existence of ghosts. The Pureblooded School Governors didn't care as long as it didn't cost them money and quite honestly weren't even told, though when tried acceptance attending Hogwarts plummeted and you could be sure they cared then- well most of them, some saw the rise of tuition an acceptable cost.
Ron didn't tell Harry why he had found Lockhart so creepy after his memory spell backfired. He thought it was obvious- but if he didn't see it, he didn't want to let on.
He'd been happy, smiling his thousand-Lumos smile, only it was different. It was in the eyes- a sparkle of genuine delight and more, his face was more relaxed, honest.
But the concerning thing was, the genuine happiness hadn't started after the Obliviate spell hit Lockhart.
It had started the moment the spell started backfiring and just stayed that way.
Ron started considering joining Lockhart in the long-term care ward.
If even adult wizards are so terrified of the world- what chance did he have? Sure, Lockhart had seen more horror than most, if not first hand- hearing about deadly monsters that existed and being such an incapable Wizard... it must have been terrifying to be that close to the source of such past horrors- in a place they were known to come for victims.
Ron... Ron wasn't much better he knew.
Ignorance is bliss, he thought. He wouldn't remember the giant killer spiders, then. Wouldn't know that they're near enough to the school and outnumber them dozens to one.
He wouldn't have had to relive that terror every time a Dementor got close enough. Wouldn't have to know about the soul sucking monsters that devour not your liquefied innards but your very soul...
He somehow managed to stay his hand- at first mostly because he didn't have a wand, later because his friends needed him, and even in forth year when Ron had been so jealous, well, he'd been more angry at Harry than scared- okay, so he had been scared witless at what Harry was going through, scared at the good chance of losing his friend, but he'd transformed that into anger. Not at Harry, but at the world that allows underage Wizards to compete in deadly tournaments.
It helped that he very purposely didn't learn how to cast the Charm, didn't practice on Flitch or Ms Norris despite the temptation.
He knew he was out of his mind, but he was happy, and.. he felt brave, braver than he had in a long time. He grinned, genuinely happy, "Accio brain!"
Flitch snarled, not really meaning it. He never meant it really- well, except that one time he thought that brat had killed Mr Norris.
The first year scrambled away and Flitch allowed himself to relax away from the brat that could with a single spell bind his body until he dies of thirst or until discovered. With another spell or just dragging him to an unused classroom to die. Flitch shuddered.
Better than what the older students would have done to him if he hadn't ingrained fear in the beasts before they were old enough to realize he held very little power over them.
Still, he was getting older, getting uncaring of death, it'd be a mercy he thought, so he threw in his lot with Umbridge- getting to torture the whelps was a joy, sure she was unhinged but somehow he felt within her a kindred spirit, a weak Witch scared of anyone becoming stronger, healthy fear, that.
"Maybe this time it will kill him?" Severus Snape muttered, as he stirred in a minuscule amount of black widow venom in the potion, though he didn't hold out much hope.
His life had been a nightmare from as long as he could remember. An abusive Father he had been sure would kill him one day- that had killed his Mother... The Marauders pranks had come close a time or two to killing him and he had the scars to prove it. Then the Dark Lord through a cats-paw made overtures- he feared rejecting it just as much as he craved the protection it would offer... He snorted ruefully, some protection, when the only person he cared about was threatened.
That vow had been the singularly most idiotic thing he'd done, causing him to become trapped between two masters, a single misstep meaning being tortured and killed or tortured endlessly depending on who discovered he was playing both sides to protect himself... Not a pleasant thought, though it made him laugh that the so called 'light side' would be crueler than the 'dark'- Death is a mercy, he knew.
It was only fear of what Lily would do to him in the unlikely event they didn't end up in two very different afterlives that stayed his hand from AKing himself. He'd always been curious if that would work- he was sure he hated himself enough but could one's own magic kill themselves in such a direct manner?
He shook his head- as he grew older he came to care less, fear her reaction less, feared the lights retribution of Azkaban or even the relatively merciful death at the hands of the Dark Lord less and less.
So what did it matter if he was discovered? Torn to shreds by an enraged Werewolf would be a quicker death than he feared and felt he deserved.
"Your potion, beast." Lupin, the infuriating mutt smiled "Thank you Severus."
A short nod and he was gone long before the moon rose. 'Maybe if he resists this poison I should go for broke, perhaps forget to give him the potion and get him executed for biting a student- perhaps heroically rescuing them? That way I'll be able to sleep at night- that way I won't fear that a wild beast will kill the only damned person I care about in this castle- though knowing Potter, the brat will wander in and get bitten and Lily will carve out my liver and feed it to the dogs.' Severus shuddered at the thought.
Harry Potter smiled, the turbulent boat-ride hadn't affected it, nor had even the appearance of ghosts make him lose his good cheer.
Out from the house where one extra beer and one forgotten chore could mean his death through a beating or just getting locked in a cupboard to die of thirst or hunger Hogwarts was paradise.
The troll had been scary, but it'd been invigorating as well- Hogwarts for a magical school was kind of boring honestly- just classes and he didn't get hurt once during them- it was nice at first but it could get a little boring if in a good sort of way.
His near miss while flying hadn't been that bad, and Fluffy was pretty cool really, from a distance.
Even Quirrelmort hadn't been that bad- though certainly the worst of the lot coming after a harrowing quest to reach the stone.
One near death experience every few months was nothing, but sadly Professor Dumbledore said he couldn't stay the Summer.