This chapter deals with sensitive subjects, (e.g. suicide, self-harm, depression, child abuse.) Please do not read this chapter if you are triggered by such things.
Song is "Human" by Christina Perri
It was September first, 2018, thier second year, and Rose was anything but better. But she refused to let it show. She was going to fake it until she couldn't.
She ran up to Rose when she saw her, and hugged her tightly. Rose seemed shocked, but she wrapped her arms around the girl, grinning and hugging her back enthusiastically.
They didn't speak of last Easter, although all of the parents who were there looked at her worriedly.
They spoke about their exams, and how they did. Rose, of course got top marks in all, and so did Athena, save for a few points in Magical Theory.
They all rode to school together again, all laughs and jokes. Athena couldn't help but wish this could end another way. But it was the only answer she had.
They got to ride the carriages this time. Athena stared in awe at the skeletal horses that pulled them. She didn't notice them before. She pointed them out to the others, but they looked at her like she was crazy.
When they got to school, and the feast was in full swing, Athena walked to the room that held their trunks. She grabbed Delilah and hugged her tightly, while the rabbit struggled to lick and nudge at her. She kissed the rabbit on the head, and placed her back, along with a letter she slipped inside the rabbit's harness. She put the rabbit back, and closed the cage, not realizing she didn't do it successfully.
Athena walked up, up, up, to an abandoned tower she and Jethro had found on one of their midnight walks.
She removed her robes, and stood in a pair of shorts and a cropped tank top. She looked at the fresh scars that marred her body. She smiled sadly and ran her hands over them.
She was free. Or, she was about to be.
Meanwhile, in the Great Hall...
Delilah slammed against the door of her cage. She slammed and slammed until it opened. She ran through the door of the room, that had been left ajar, and the small rabbit sprinted through the halls, sliding on the marble floors. She slipped into the Great Hall right after a student, and all went silent as the rabbit ran down the middle isle, between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. The rabbit was making a terrified, screaming noise, and it jumped almost impossibly high, landing infront of Headmistress McGonagall.
"Isn't that Delilah?" Were whispers across every table. Everyone knew that sweet little rabbit, and they were all wondering what in the world could have gotten into her.
The letter fell out of Delilah's vest, and Headmistress McGonagall grabbed it with shaking hands.
"To Whom it may concern,
If you are reading this, that means you have found my letter, which has been left with my companion, Delilah. If you are reading this, I am already dead. I have thrown myself off of the top of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. I am sorry for any trouble this has caused, and I am sorry for this in many ways. I am sorry I was no good at letting my feelings out. I am sorry I pushed you all away. I am sorry I never told anyone. But I'm only human, and there's only so much I can take. I can no longer fake smiles, or laughs, and for that I am truly, deeply sorry. Please, oh god please tell Rose, and Albus, and James that I love them and this is not their faults. Tell Jethro I believe in him, and he'll be the best beater that Quidditch has ever seen. Tell Yolandi and Jennifer and Sierra that they were the best friends I could ever hope for. This is no one's fault but mine. If I wasn't born with magic, this would have never happened. If I was a better daughter, if I had been better, maybe this wouldn't have happened. I love you all, and I hope you can forgive me one day.
Athena Faebar Glas
"No."McGonagall whispered.
"No!" McGonagall screamed.
The Headmistress was up and sprinting out of the Great Hall, and within seconds, the entirety of the school was following her in hot pursuit.
They were too late.
From above they could hear haunting music, the words echoing the ones in Athena's letter.
They watched the girl step up onto the ledge of the tower, spread her arms, and her laugh tinkling like broken glass around them
But I'm only human
She fell back, her descent seeming to be in slow motion, but the song continued.
And I bleed when I fall down
I'm only human
And I crash and I break down
There were screams of terror, but McGonagall could see the small, serene smile upon Athena's face.
Your words in my head, knives in my heart
You build me up and then I fall apart
'Cause I'm only human
I can turn it on
Be a good machine
I can hold the weight of worlds
If that's what you need
Be your everything
McGonagall lifted her wand, finally getting hold of herself.
"Arresto, momentum!" She screamed, but she feared she was too late. There was a sickening crunch as Athena hit the cobblestoned ground, her head turned at an odd angle.
I can do it
I can do it
I'll get through it
I'm only human
I'm only human
Just a little human
There were screams of terror, and most people turned away, sobbing violently.
I can take so much
'Til I've had enough
McGonagall stumbled towards Athena, falling to her knees and check
'Cause I'm only human
And I bleed when I fall down
I'm only human
And I crash and I break down
"Somebody get St. Mungos!" Screamed Sierra, running towards Athena's body, before her knees collapsed and she crawled towards her friends broken body.
Your words in my head, knives in my heart
You build me up and then I fall apart
'Cause I'm only human
The haunting music came to a close, as did Athena's eyes, which had been open the entire time. For the first time, the students watched tears slip down their Headmistresses cheeks.
St. Mungos showed up within a few moments, and everyone was ordered to their common-rooms, apart from Sierra, Yolandi, Jennifer, Rose, Albus, and Scorpius. They were allowed to travel to St Mungos.
Athena didn't wake up for three months.
Athena didn't return to Hogwarts for four years.