Second Chances
Chapter Six: Dealing with Death
Disclaimer: It isn't mine.
"We are now beginning a unit on muggle holiday traditions. Though they are in some ways similar to our own in others they differ." Professor Skively, the muggle studies teacher was lecturing at the front of the class. They had been in school for several months and it was already the start of November.
"The first holiday we will look at is Halloween. Muggle children often go out in costume to trick-or-treat. This involves asking for candy. The children dress up and- Yes, Professor?"
Skively paused in his speech and turned towards the door where the headmaster was currently standing. "I would like to borrow Mr. Potter and Miss Evans if it alright with you Professor? I believe that we discussed the possibility of this being necessary at the start of the year?"
Skively turned white, remembering well that staff meeting, and knowing well the implications of the headmaster's words.
It had been a few days before the start of school and the staff had just finished discussing security. Dumbledore had stood to his feet and raised a hand for silence. "Teachers. I would like to say that I am greatly impressed with you level of preparedness. You will be able to defend the school most admirably I am sure."
"However, we must all remember that there is a world outside of the front doors. We must recall that that world is suffering. And, perhaps most importantly, we must remember that we and our students are connected to that world."
"I am sad to say that I think it likely that with the current state of affairs there are likely to be deaths in the outside world even if we are able to successfully avoid any within these walls. It is likely that some of these deaths will be those of the families of our students. In such a situation it is, as many of you may already be aware left to us, the school, to inform the students. This job is difficult and those of you who have already had to perform this duty have had limited success in doing it in ways that were effective in terms of comfort."
" I wish to make it clear that I do not blame you for this. Not at all! It is, as I said, a difficult job. However I feel, based on your reports that there may be a more effective way of tackling this issue. I have come to the conclusion that it might be best to ask our seventh year prefects to take over this duty."
There had been an instant uproar as teacher cried out objections. "They are far too young!" "How can you be so sure that they won't make it worse?" "You can't make them face this!" "Have you really thought this through?"
Once again Dumbledore lifted his hand and spoke. "Teachers, I understand your viewpoint, however I would like to assure that I have not lost my mind. I have thought about this long and hard. It is easy to say that we should not expose our prefects to the pain brought on by these losses, at least until such a time as they themselves experience them. However, the reality is that these students will soon enter that world of which I spoke earlier. They will be forced to face reality. We cannot protect them from that, nor should we try, for it would interfere with their maturing."
"To those of you who worry that they are not yet mature enough to handle this well I must remind you that these students are the most mature and responsible that their year had to offer. Not only that, but they are now adults." He paused, allowing that fact to sink in, guessing correctly, that the teachers who had protested were still seeing flashes of terrified first years in their mind, and could do with a reminder that at seventeen these young men and women were now of age.
"Now for this plan it will occasionally be necessary for the students to leave their classrooms during instructional time to fill out these duties. I ask that you allow this and make it as simple as possible for them to catch up on what they miss. And of course that you do the same for any student who experiences a loss. And that, my good friends is all. You may leave." As he exited the room it once more broke into excited discussion of the new policy.
"Professor? May James and I be excused?"
Lily's question jolted Skively back into the present, and he nodded vigorously, saying, "Yes, yes, of course. As the head master said it was discussed at the beginning of the year. Come to see me when you are finished so that I can fill you in on what you miss."
The two teens nodded and followed Dumbledore out into the hallway. As they walked they exchanged a glance, both fairly certain that they knew what this was about.
Once they were outside the classroom Dumbledore spoke, "As you may have guessed, I did not call you out of class to inform you that you had won the school's sock competition, though I must say Mr. Potter that yours are lovely." James looked down at his feet only to realize that one of his socks was red, and the other striped yellow and green.
"Right," agreed James, "Someone died didn't they? Who?"
"You are correct Mr. Potter. It was a double attack. You will have to inform Melissa Brown that her mother and younger brother are dead and her father is in Saint Mungo's. You will also need to tell Mark Ryans that his father is dead. Melissa is a second year currently in potions and Mark is in fifth year currently in class with Professor McGonagall. You may each take one student. I'm very sorry to ask this of you. Also, feel free to spend as much time with them as you need, you may each have the rest of the day off if it should seem necessary. Good luck." He handed Lily two folders containing details and left.
After he had left James and Lily looked at each other. Lily swallowed, then nodded briskly. "Right then. Okay. This is okay. We can deal with this. Right?'
"Yes Lily," James nodded, sensing that she was terrified at the prospect of having to do this. "Its okay. Look, which one do you want?"
"Um, I'll take Melissa. You'd probably intimidate her a bit, no offense, and that's the last thing that we want right now. So, um, yeah. Let's go. Oh, and James?"
"Yeah? Make sure that Mark knows he can talk to you if he wants to. You know him, right?"
James nodded stiffly. "Yeah, he's one of my beaters actually."
Lily smiled weakly, "That's perfect. He'll be comfortable with you, then. Good."
"Right then, I'm off. See you later."
Lily watched him leave, then turned to go to Slughorn's classroom.
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"Excuse me, Professor?"
Slughorn turned to see Lily, his face breaking into a large smile as he noticed her. "Why hello Miss Evans! To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?"
For once Lily couldn't bring herself to put a smile on her face even for her professor. " I need to borrow Melissa. And, um, she might not be back until next class, I'm not sure how long this will take."
Upon hearing her request Slughorn sobered, he nodded to her "Of course. I see. Well, Melissa, you may gather your things and follow Miss Evans."
A dark haired girl with pale skin stood and gathered her things together, carefully sealing up a sample of her potion to hand in. She looked at Slughorn with wide eyes as she passed him, having never seen her jolly old teacher so serious.
She looked up at Lily and asked in a small voice, "Why do you need me miss?"
Lily swallowed hard. "Melissa, we-we're going to have a, um, a conversation. How about we go to that spot on the third floor, you know the one with the bench? It's off of the transfiguration corridor, a bit secluded. Very comfortable."
"Okay. But, why?" Asked the girl, following her.
"I'll explain when we get there. While we walk why don't we introduce ourselves? I'm Lily, you've probably seen me in the common room."
"You're the head girl, Miss Lily Evans," stated Melissa, her voice tinged with slight awe.
"Um, yes, yes I am. And you can call me Lily. And here we are." The two girls sat down. Lily couldn't help but think to herself, 'Now comes the hard part.'
"Okay, Melissa. There is something that I have to tell you, something that you won't like. I'm going to try to do this a best I can, and I want you to understand that I am here. I will listen to you, and you can talk or cr- or do what ever. If you want to yell you can, whatever you want. Alright?"
The younger girl looked at her with wide, scared eyes. She nodded "Yes, but please, just tell me whatever it is. You're making me really nervous talking like that. I want to know."
"Well, you've heard of Lord Voldemort right?" The girl nodded nervously. "Well, as you know he and his followers are rather violent. I'm really sorry, but earlier today there was an attack." She paused for breath.
Melissa simply said one word. "Who?"
"Your mother and younger brother are dead and your father is in Saint Mungo's."
There was silence for a moment and Melissa nodded. "Right. What do I have to do? When is the funeral and how will I be getting there? Are there arrangements to be made? Is my dad going to be alright?"
Lily looked at the girl, impressed by how controlled she seemed. "Your father will be fine. He is making all the funeral arrangements. The funeral will be in a few days and you will get there by the express."
Melissa nodded. And nodded. And nodded. Then she began to cry. As Lily hugged the girl she couldn't help but notice just how young she was. They sat like that for a while and then they talked a bit. Melissa shared stories about playing pirates with her brother at the park and cooking with her mom. She also cried a fair bit. Lily took the girl down to the kitchens to eat dinner, coming to the conclusion that the younger girl wasn't really up to eating with other people or talking to friends just now. Finally they returned to the tower and Melissa went to bed after being told by Lily that if she needed anything she should come to her.
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When Lily went down to the common room on her way to Slughorn's office she ran into James. As they were both going the same direction they decided to walk together.
They walked in silence for a few moments before James asked "So how'd it go?'
"It went as well as it could have, I guess. But I dunno, it's just so sad. She cried for a while then she was telling me about her family." Lily's voice was hollow. "Her little brother wanted to play quidditch when he grew up. Now he's never even going to have the chance to try. How can anyone do that to a kid? How?"
James nodded grimly. "Yeah. I know what you mean. Mark was pretty upset too. When I first told him he just ran off. He got this look in his eye for a moment and then he ran. I let him. I guess that I sort of figured he needed to be alone for a bit, you know?"
"I found him on the pitch. He was flying like crazy, and by the time I got up there his face was sort of red, you know, like you can tell that someone has been crying? I was so scared that he was going to jump off or something. But he calmed down a bit. Didn't talk much. We just sort of flew around and passed the quaffle. But, heck, I could tell that he was real upset and I couldn't do anything. I hate feeling helpless."
Now it was Lily's turn to nod. "Yeah," her voice was almost a whisper, "I know exactly what you mean. And the worst part is thinking that it's going to happen again. We were lucky that it took this long before someone died. And I think that it was only today that I realized that this job is going to have to go beyond just telling the kids. We're going to have to make sure that we're there, even after."
They fell silent, and walked the rest of the way like that, side by side, companionably.
Author's Note: Um, hi. cowers in fear of angry readers Sorry that this took so long. I was kind of overwhelmed by freshman year. But I am now back on track, although I will be away for three weeks this summer. If any of you are still reading I am so grateful! Thanks! Also, please review if you have a moment. I promise that I will respond to all signed reviews.