The Letter
I don’t like bright things. Never did to be quite honest. They were obnoxious, resembling something far too happy. Almost ironic considering the times we were living in. How could anyone be happy right now?
Not that any of that is important.
Except it is.
Because I didn’t like bright things, and the people on the front of The Daily Prophet are bright people.
They weren’t smiling, or looking at the camera for that matter. The picture was moving like any magic picture did but the people stood still, staring off in the distance. But I knew those people. I also knew they would be happy again in weeks, or pretend to be anyhow.
The three on the front of the Prophet were covered in blood, clothes tattered and torn. The title above the picture read, “VOLDEMORT DEFEATED, HOGWARTS SAVED”. The next page was a list of all the people who died fighting as well as first hand accounts of what happened.
I set the paper down, not wanting to read their names. I knew those people, grew up and went to school with them.
I had only graduated a year ago. Got out of Hogwarts and went straight to work at the Ministry. I dealt with hearings and other court matters and I liked her job, it was difficult and I like the challenge. Although work was about to get ten times more difficult now that the war ended; all of the criminals being brought in and such.
A noise came from outside the small kitchen where I was reading the paper. A moment later, a black-banded owl came flying through the half open window. The owl dropped a single letter in my lap and waited for it’s reward.
“Thanks, Hera.”
The owl enjoyed the positive attention for a moment before flying back out the window, presumably to find breakfast.
The letter lay in my lap. It was regular parchment with a red seal, which isn’t anything to be concerned about, yet my breathing hitched because I knew what was inside. Tears began to well up in my eyes but I didn’t dare blink. I had told herself a million times that this day would come. That didn’t make it any easier.
Haley had always been a fighter. Even over petty school matters back at Hogwarts. Haley was the only friend I had during school, probably because we were sisters. We spent our days sneaking out to the Black Lake at night and pitching apples off the astronomy tower. Haley was smart, always knew the material without having to study as hard despite being a year behind me. She would stick up for people, fight for them like a true Griffyndor. I guess that’s why I knew this letter would come.
I told Haley not to go, that it wasn’t her fight. To let the Aurors deal with it but she didn’t listen. She came to see me the day before the battle, she asked me to come fight by her side. Haley left without me, and now..
I picked up my wand from the table and silently motioned to open the letter, letting it float in front of me as I scanned down the parchment. Isaw her name, right under ‘the Minister sends his deepest regards’. I unintentionally lit the letter on fire, disintegrating it within seconds.
My eyes were burning as I grabbed my bag and left out the door. I was already late for work.
