Remembering Colin
Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments) Care of Magical Creatures Assignment #5.
Task: Write about something/someone pure. Alternatively, write about the murder of someone/something innocent.
Entry for Word Prompt Express.
Prompt: (999) – Young.
Extra Prompt: (Character) Colin Creevey.
Hermione Granger couldn't stop the tears from falling as she sat next to Ron and Harry. They'd attended funeral after funeral, but the pain never got any easier; it just got worse. This time, it was the funeral of someone a year younger than them, who shouldn't have even been at the battle. Colin Creevey. The brave young Gryffindor who stayed devoted to Harry right to the bitter end.
Memories of her second year of Hogwarts rushed back to her, and she couldn't shake them away. An eleven-year-old boy holding a camera was placed in Gryffindor, and she cheered with the others. It soon became clear that he was a fan of Harry Potter, almost to the point of obsession. Being Muggle-born, they both had to deal with nastiness from Slytherin Pure-bloods. Colin had been sympathetic to her when Malfoy had called her a Mudblood.
"Are you okay, Hermione? I've only just found out what that means from Fred Weasley. It's a pity that spell didn't work on him, as I would've loved to see Malfoy burping up slugs."
"Thank you, Colin, I'm fine. Just took me by surprise, and I agree it would've been great to see him belching slugs, but don't tell anyone I said that."
They'd both been petrified by the Basilisk when the Chamber of Secrets had been reopened. She remembered the conversation they'd had when woken.
"Hello, Hermione, I'm glad you're alright." Colin had said to her in the hospital wing.
She beamed at him happily. "Hi, Colin, I'm glad that you're okay too."
They were both too eager to return to their friends, and that was one of the longest conversations they'd ever had. Looking back, she regretted that now.
He remained loyal to Harry throughout the next few years at Hogwarts; even when many other students turned on him during her fifth year. Colin and his younger brother Dennis were never afraid to show their belief in him, and even became members of Dumbledore's Army. Hermione glanced at the front and saw Dennis trying to fight back tears as he comforted his sobbing mother, while his father stared ahead resolutely, as if in a trance. Ron's arm wrapped around her shoulder, breaking her out of her memories; she gave him a weak smile, which he returned. He then reached out and wiped the tear that remained on her cheek.
At this point, the funeral started, and Colin Creevey's coffin was carried forward. As Hermione watched the coffin arrive at the front of the room, she thought to herself, "Goodbye, Colin, you were taken from us cruelly, and far too soon, but you will never be forgotten."