Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.
Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. Feel free to back out if need be.
Author's Note: Fair warning, this is going to read a bit odd, because the narrator is sort of figuring some things out.
Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Ministry (Winter Year 1); RAVEN (2023); MC4A (Winter Year 5)
Individual Challenges: Old Shoes (Y); Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); In a Flash; Setting Sail; Lunar Era
Ministry Challenges: RRD [Day 16] (Kingsley/Helena)
RAVEN Challenges: Settings [67](Full Moon); Items [90](Painting); Colors [90](Mauve)
Other Challenges: Zee Monthly [Day 26](Water)
Other MC4A Challenges: Ship (n/a)[SuMed1 (Body Swap)]; Chim [Rick]("Louder than Words" – Tick, Tick, Boom; Life/Death);Fire [x3](Let); TWT (Trans Kingsley Shacklebolt; Marauders Era)[Task#4 (Full Moon)]; Hang [Phrase 4] (n/a); Soup [A](Apricot)
Representation(s): Trans Kingsley Shacklebolt/Helena Ravenclaw
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Suddenly Audrey
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: Share (Ameliorate); RoIL (Satisfaction; Volition); AC (Rampant); AD (n/a)
Word Count: 571 words
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Ghost of Self
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Regina was patrolling the dark halls near Ravenclaw Tower about two hours before curfew one late winter night. Even with every window closed and well-warded, there was still a chilly breeze to be felt. Regina could smell the bite of frost-cold water and an underlying scent of half-decayed autumn leaves. She paused beside a window overlooking the Forbidden Forest to watch as the sun set behind the ancient trees.
As the sky began to turn a million shades of mauve and apricot, a strange feeling washed over her, even stranger than the moments when she was forcefully reminded of how wrong being a girl felt. This was like something was calling out to her—something she couldn't quite explain, even knowing that magic sometimes did odd things that couldn't be explained by anything in her many books.
Regina shook herself out of her maudlin thoughts. She took a deep breath and continued her patrol route. After turning into a spot where the corridor widened into a multistoried room, she spotted a slightly glowing figure near one of the many alcoves lining the walls. It was the Gray Lady standing in a pool of moonlight and staring at an unanimated painting of Rowena Ravenclaw. Mesmerized, Regina walked towards her and noticed how ethereal she appeared in the faint light of the full moon.
"Hello," the Gray Lady said, turning to look at her. Regina the uncomfortable feeling that the ghost was looking through her as much as at her. She had never felt so seen before. "My name is Helena." She tilted her head slightly as she continued to stare at Regina. "I must admit, I've been watching you for some time."
Regina eyes widened in surprise. Why had she been watching her? How much had she seen? Had she seen Regina's research into how to permanently transform her body into something that felt less like a lie? Was she going to tell?
"I'm a ghost," Helena said, her voice soft like a whisper. "I know all about being trapped in a form that is less than ideal. You aren't even the first person I've seen looking for such things. I can help even. I've been collecting everyone's research. I will guide you to it, but for a cost."
Regina felt a spark of excitement quickly followed by icy dread at the idea of what the cost could be. Magic always demanded a price. But would this cost be too much?
"What is your name?" Helena asked. Regina hesitated briefly, because names were powerful things in their own right. Did she dare tell Helena what name she had claimed for her own?
"Kingsley," she whispered. She couldn't have been louder if she tried. Helena smiled.
"Will you come with me, Kinglsey?"
"Yes," she said, in a voice full of conviction.
It was the beginning of something beautiful. Kinglsey would see what research the others had already gathered and he would add his own to the mix. Helena would continue watching over it and all of the students like him who passed through the halls of Hogwarts. And Kingsley would love the beautiful ghost from afar, as that was the only way to love a ghost.
And even though they both knew it would come to an end one day, they vowed to make the most of their time together.
For love, even in death, is a wondrous thing that transformed a person.