The Diagon Alley Challenge
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour: Ice creams come in different flavours. Maybe people, places and situations can too? Write something non-canon.
He could sympathise with her. It was all too easy for him.
And he hated it so very much.
But how could he not, seeing as the only reason he felt this way was because, regretfully, he'd suffered the same not a year before.
His only relief was that the tormentor was truly dead.
But he looked in the mirror, and he only saw Greyback. He couldn't see himself anymore. He wasn't Bill Weasley, he was just another victim.
It pained him to look at her, at Lavender, because she wasn't Lavender Brown anymore. To herself, she was also another tally mark on a long list of innocent lives scarred by that damned werewolf.
He'd never been so proud of his younger brother, Percy, who, having reconciled with his family in the midst of the battle that May, had managed to rid the world of that infernal character permanently.
But it came with a price, as it was Lavender herself who'd distracted Greyback long enough for Percy to finish him off. Her face would now be forever scarred by the man, and, he suspected, she would feel nothing but resentment, however irrational, for everyone who hadn't been there to help her.
Somewhere, he knew, she understood why she'd done it: she'd saved other people, however few they would be, from suffering the curse. His only regret was that he hadn't done the same to stop him previously.
But, regardless, they lived on. Fleur had long since run off with Charlie, with them visiting infrequently, but he was too busy to actually mourn her loss. He knew that he wouldn't really miss her anyways.
But the years after the battle were better than the ones before. They had all suffered losses – it pained him so much to see how empty George was ever since Fred died – but they remembered everyone who died and new traditions were made.
He still visited the Burrow, but he found himself living with Lavender, off all people, but he knew they would get along. And they did. On full moons, Hermione sometimes visited, just to make sure they were alright – the fact that they lived in an apartment on the outskirts of Essex was also helpful.
He had long since given up his share of Shell Cottage, and, with no lingering hard feelings at all, had handed it to Charlie. Maybe they would get a happy ending together.
Life went on, however, and every year it seemed to get a bit better. Never did they get truly over the loss of fellow friends and family and classmates and teachers, but they handled the losses much better; and, when May came around every year since, every one of them went to Hogwarts, to pay commiserations to the brave souls who'd died in battle.
It wasn't easy, but he began to accept how he was. It was difficult, after more than two decades of looking normal, he now looked as if he were mauled by a wolf. It was ironic, he thought, when people commented on that tactlessly. He had long since refused to feel offended by those people.
But, even so, Lavender wasn't even close to acceptance. She was stuck on anger and denial, and she was constantly destroying all the mirrors in the apartment, then buying new ones. It was a vicious cycle, and he felt he had to do something.
He didn't understand how much she prided herself on her appearance, and how much she valued it, but he could understand the rage, and he worked on that first. He calmed her down as much as he could, until she could be considered ready to finally deal with the harsh reality.
He didn't want to do it, but he knew it was for the best.
And, secretly, a part of him just wanted to kiss her
But she wasn't yet ready.
Not yet.
I'm happier with this entry, actually.
Much, much happier than with the previous one...
Review and favourite, if you please.
Words: 648
Posted: 10th March 2013
Characters: Bill Weasley, Lavender Brown