When you lose someone you love, people start staring at you with pity in their gazes. They start shooting you sympathetic smiles. They all offer you their condolences, but that doesn’t make much difference to you now. Nothing will.

Your brother is dead.

And that is exactly what is happening to you now because of that. They all tell you your brother was a hero, because he died like one, but you knew he was that and so much more. Every person you know tries so hard to comfort you, to tell you that you are going to be okay, but you know you won’t. They tell you it will all be better, but you know it won’t be. No one can bring your brother back, can they?

Your eyes scan the school grounds slowly. You can still see the bright jets of lights flying around the air, some colliding in midair, others hitting people; people you know… You can still hear the shouts of spells, the distressed screams and cries of sorrow and pain ringing loudly inside your ears. You shake your head. It is all too painful for you.

You begin to walk by yourself through the deserted Hogwarts grounds. The wind that bites your cheeks is chilly as it blows in steady breezes. The sun is just setting on the horizon, giving the Black Lake a merry golden glow. You might have found that beautiful or captivating some other day, but right now it irritates you. You cannot understand how everybody is so happy when your own world crumbled to pieces before them.

People inside the castle are still celebrating the fall of You-Know-Who. The birds chirp goodnight joyfully and hell, even the damn Whomping Willow is letting a few birds stand and sing on its branches. You scoff.

You cannot take this. It is too much for you.

You shove your hands into your pockets and close your eyes slowly, trying to calm yourself down. But every time you close your eyes, you see your brother staring back at you with those wide, blank, lifeless eyes. You shake your head again. You try to push that image away from your mind with all of your might. You do not want to remember your brother that way.

Whenever you close your eyes you want to see your brother’s big, toothy grin. You want to see his eyes shining with laughter as he stares back at you. You want to hear his cheerful voice telling you one of his lame jokes again. You know that you never will again.

You stop in front of the Black Lake before walking down one of the old, wooden docks.

You sigh. Without your brother, life will never be the same again. It will not make any more sense at all. So why not jump?

You watch as the sun sinks gracefully into the lake’s waters, thinking that it is going to be the last time you do so. You step closer to the edge of the dock you are standing on. The small waves crash on the wood, splashing you and your robes. You stare at the dark water. You take a deep breath and step further. Your feet are halfway off the dock.

The waters call for you, welcomes you. You wish for a quick death, leaving yourself at the mercy of the grindylows and the merpeople. You throw your wand and watch it float, of course. Wood does not sink… but you know you will with the heavy robes you are wearing and your own weight combined.

You take another deep breath, flex your knees and you are about to jump—

“Don’t!� a voice whispers right next to you. You feel a hand on your shoulder and a deep, quavering breath. “Don’t jump…�

You turn around and see her staring at you. You cannot believe how gorgeous she looks in the twilight. It makes her look even stronger than usual. It makes her look princess-like, even. You notice that her eyes are red and blotchy. She has been crying.

You can’t help but answer rudely. She has just stopped you from what is the only way to see your brother again. “Why shouldn’t I?� you snarl.

“Your brother wouldn’t want you to,� she murmurs, looking at her shoes.

You stare at her, trying to contain the anger that is pulsing in your veins. “My brother wouldn’t want me to? If he really did not want me to jump, he would have come and told me himself. If my brother really did not want me to jump, why did he fucking leave me in the first place?� you exclaim angrily, throwing your hands up in the air.

She kept staring at the ground. “Everything happens for a reason, you know?� she said to you, still quietly.

“That’s a cliché,� you mumble. “I don’t need clichés.�

“It is not,� she tells you, grabbing your hand. “He knew what he was doing. You know, I think that your brother would have preferred to die the way he did. He knew that fighting had a cost, he knew he was fighting for the right cause, on the right side… he was a hero. You are a hero.�

“Everybody tells me that,� you grumble, snatching your hand away from hers.

“Because it is true!� she says rather loudly. She takes a deep breath and runs her fingers through her hair. “Your brother, he would not have let you die in his place. He gave his life for you; for all of us.. He would want you to live your life to the fullest and be the happiest you can be. Is this the way that you are going to live your life? Is this the way you want to end your life? Committing suicide? Your life is a miracle. Don’t waste it.�

You blink and gape at her, speechless. You wonder if you should say something, but nothing comes to mind. You turn away, rather ashamed, and look at the lake. She places her hand on your shoulder again and squeezes it reassuringly.

“I know you miss him,� she tells you. “I know that you will miss him forever and that you will never be the same as you were before. But…� she pauses and sighs. “This is just not the solution.�

You turn and stare into her eyes. The brightness you see makes you smile.

“You always know the right thing to say, don’t you?� you whisper softly.

She giggles. “I guess it’s a gift,� she replies.

You chuckle quietly and then sigh.

“Let’s go back to the castle, shall we?� she tells you. “Accio wand!� she exclaims, and your wand speeds towards her and she catches it with her free hand. “What do you say?�

You grin sadly at her and take your wand from her hand. You wrap your arm around her waist and walk all the way to the Hogwarts castle to celebrate.

And from that day on, you’ll never think of jumping ever again.