CHAPTER 20

THE ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL

On Thursday of the next week, Rose walked into the Great Hall for the Modernist meeting to find Lucy, Stephanie, Ava and Aidan crowded around a newspaper on the table. "Hey, guys, what's going on?" she asked, peering over Aidan's shoulder.

"Nott's been seen in Manchester," Aidan said grimly. "He and one of the followers, they think it was Macnair, attacked a Muggleborn woman. She escaped unharmed, but it's still unsettling."

"He's in Manchester now?" Rose asked, feeling a sinking feeling in her stomach. So he was still going north. For a second, she let herself think Al was right… what would they do if he appeared? They couldn't hide the Stone, where would they even do that? He would look for them until he found them. She shuddered and tried not to think about it.

"Apparently. This isn't good," Stephanie said, shaking her head. "We'd better talk about this during the current events part of the meeting."

"Definitely," Lucy said, nodding. "All right, we're starting at five past eight." By that time, about twenty-five people had sat at their table, which was more than Rose could remember coming in quite a while.

Before the beginning of the meeting, Rose asked Aidan, "Is Lucy planning something or is she just that happy today?" Aidan glanced at Lucy, who definitely looked suspiciously happy, and turned back to Rose.

"Er, she has been that happy all day, I believe, but it could mean that she's been planning something all day. It's difficult to tell with Lucy." Rose nodded, laughing a little, and Aidan asked, "I've been meaning to ask you, Rose, would you help me suggest a Battle of Hogwarts memorial for the grounds? Just a plaque or something of the sort. I happened to notice that there isn't currently anything commemorating it or honoring any of the people who died and since Saturday's the anniversary…"

"Sure, Aidan, we can talk about it at the end when Lucy opens the discussion."

Lucy looked thrilled with the turnout when she started the meeting, and Rose listened quietly to the current events review. When she mentioned the attack in Manchester, Al glanced at Rose with a concerned expression. After talking about that and a ten minute discussion about how wonderful the new Muggle Studies unit was, Lucy and Stephanie called for everyone's attention. "All right, so we've been thinking about trying to do something for a while now, and we think that the end of this year or the beginning of the next one could be the right time. We want to organize a debate, against anyone who wants to go against us, about different social issues, but mostly about the repealing of the Statute of Secrecy." As always when the subject was brought up, any side conversations happening at the table went silent and all eyes were trained on Lucy. Rose noticed with a small degree of discomfort that this included people in the rest of the Hall that were there for study hall. Lucy continued, seeming to barely notice the change. "We think that a debate could really publicize our ideas, and educate a lot of people about each of the issues, especially maybe taking some of the taboo away from talking about the Statute. The thing is, we don't want to misrepresent anyone, so we're putting it up to a vote. Anyone who thinks we should do it, raise your hand." To Rose's shock, about 80% of the group raised their hands. Lucy grinned. "Okay," she said. "Brilliant. We'll take it to McGonagall. Does anyone else have any points they'd like to discuss?" Rose got up with Aidan and presented his memorial idea. She wasn't sure why he needed help, and got the feeling he was just too nervous to stand up in front of that many people by himself. That would explain why he only asked Rose to help him when he saw how many people had come to the meeting. The group approved it, and Lucy said that all they'd need was permission from McGonagall. After a few more proposals, Lucy stood up again. "So a lot of you have been asking about holding more of the defence classes we had started at the beginning of the year, and we want to help everyone know how to defend themselves, so we'll definitely be having a class for everyone who wants one after the meeting next week. And if that's all then the meeting's over, we'll see you next week!" The group started to disperse and Rose was stopped by Aidan to plan the memorial for a few minutes. After he left, she found Al and Scorpius in the entrance hall.

"Did you know she was going to say that? About the debate?" Scorpius asked her.

"No," Rose said. "I kind of thought she was up to something, but no.""I think it's a good idea," Al said, shrugging. "She's right, it'll reach a lot more people if we do this in front of everyone."

"I suppose," Rose said. "I'm a little worried I can't go to Hogsmeade this time—if I'm working on Aidan's memorial idea, that'll be the day."

"Saturday's the anniversary?" Al asked. Rose nodded and he groaned. "I need to write to Teddy, then, if it's going to get to him in time."

"What?" Rose asked.

"James and I write letters to Teddy to cheer him up every year. He gets really weird on the anniversary."

"Well, it's Victoire's birthday, so maybe it'll be different this year," Rose said.

"Yeah, maybe. I should still send him a letter," Al said. "I'll be in the Owlery, okay?" He ran off and Scorpius turned to Rose.

"Do you really have to skip Hogsmeade?" he asked.

"If McGonagall approves it, and I'm sure she will," she said.

"Well, it's Tanner's idea, can't he do it himself?" he asked.

Rose shrugged. "He said he needed help, since he wants little magical flames and he thinks I'm the best at them."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "He could do it, he just wants to spend time with you."

"No he doesn't!" Rose exclaimed. "Where on Earth did you get that idea?"

"It's obvious, Weasley, he fancies you," Scorpius said. "Why are you so defensive? Do you fancy him?"

"No! Not at all!" Rose said, feeling herself start to blush. "And he doesn't fancy me. Why do you always think that?"

"Just forget it, sorry," Scorpius said, and Rose was almost taken aback by how quickly he backed off. "The memorial's a good idea. Never mind."

"Okay," Rose said slowly. "Right. Let's just go back to the common room." She was glad he'd gotten off the subject as she wanted nothing more than to never talk about fancying Aidan with Scorpius of all people ever again.

On Saturday morning, Aidan found her at breakfast and when most of the others had left for Hogsmeade, they walked out to the side of the lake until they were standing under a large tree. Aidan said, "This is where McGonagall said we could put it."

"Great," Rose said. "Where do you want the fires? Maybe we could still get to Hogsmeade in the afternoon if we hurry."

"Maybe, yeah," Aidan said. "Er, well, I have this plaque but it's not engraved or anything, I can use an Etching Spell, I just thought I should ask you what it should say."

"Um, okay," Rose said, "how about… 'We dedicate this memorial to the fifty-five people who gave their lives to defend this school during the Battle of Hogwarts, 2 May 1998'? Or something, you can deviate off of that if you like."

"Is fifty-five right?" Aidan asked. "That's… a lot."

"They weren't all students," Rose said, "there were people from the Order of the Phoenix and Aurors and such too. A lot of them were students, though."

"Right. Should we add something like 'Memorial established 2 May 2020 by the Modernists'?"

"I suppose, sure."

Aidan took out his wand and began to engrave the message into the plaque. After a few minutes passed in silence he asked hesitantly, "Is it… strange having family who died in the war? It seems like a very long time ago to me, but your uncle was killed, wasn't he?"

Rose shrugged. "I don't think it's strange since I grew up with it, but… yeah, I guess it must be to you. I mean, it is strange thinking about the fact that your parents have Chocolate Frog cards. I try not to think about it too much. I think if I dwelled on it, I'd either end up brooding a lot or… like James, thinking I'm also some war hero or something." Aidan laughed a little and looked back down at the plaque.

"I think it would be better than being from a family that doesn't know or care about your whole world at all," he said quietly. "I mean, you've probably noticed, but I try not to go home much. I've been staying with the Macmillans over the summer for two years now."

"I… noticed. I'm really sorry about that, Aidan."

"I mean, that's why I support Lucy's ideas. Maybe if they'd already known about all this, they wouldn't be so… hostile towards it."

"Maybe. I know that's one of Lucy's main reasons."

Aidan looked down at the ground again and suddenly reached into his bag. "Er, I have this little jar, you can light the fire in there," he said, pulling out the jar, and Rose nodded. It took her a few minutes to get the flames the right size in the jar, and burning in a way that would continue for a reasonable amount of time, but eventually the memorial was complete.

"We should tell Lucy and Stephanie, I suppose," Aidan said. "I believe they went to Hogsmeade, so we could try to find them there."

"Sure," Rose said. She stood up and walked with Aidan towards the path leading to the village. When they were almost there, they heard footsteps and laughing behind them and Aidan looked back quickly before starting to walk significantly faster. "What's wrong?" Rose asked, and looked back herself to find Rosier, followed by Ben Burke and Anna MacDougal, walking down the path more quickly than Rose would have liked. "Brilliant," she muttered, and there was another outburst of laughter from behind.

"Weasley!" Rosier called out. "Got yourself a Mudblood boyfriend, did you?"

"Rosier," Rose said. "I don't think I've seen you since your head was about two feet tall."

The three Slytherins had reached them at this point and Rosier looked less than pleased at what she'd said. "Don't think I've forgotten about that, Weasley," he spat. He looked at Aidan for the first time and snickered. "Nice robes, Tanner. I suppose new clothing's a luxury the homeless lack."

"Shut up, Rosier," Rose said, and he laughed.

"How's your little club going?" he asked them. "Because I heard you're ready to force us all to be best friends with the Muggles."

"How did you know about that?" Aidan asked before Rose could reply.

Rosier rolled his eyes. "You conduct meetings in a public study hall, Tanner, how do you think?" He turned to Rose specifically. "You should be more careful, Weasley. You never know what the consequences could be if you send out a message to the… wrong people." He smiled and walked further up the path, hurrying to be rid of them, with Burke and MacDougal on his heels.

"What did that mean?" Aidan asked nervously.

Rose shook her head. "I don't know, but it can't be good."