Chapter 7 – Someone had to add colour to the occasion
Wednesday 18th December, 8:30am, breakfast
Holy Crap! Holly’s been murdered!
Jesus. This has never happened before at Hogwarts. Like ever.
Oh, great, now I’m hyperventilating. Breathe, Rosy, breathe.
Will someone please hand me a paper bag.
Ok, right. So I came down to breakfast this morning, tripping over my shoelaces as I walked into the great hall – but that’s beside the point. The room was filled with the usual friendly chatter, so I just sauntered over to my place as close to The Marauders as possible. The usual spread was laid out over the table, so I grabbed a few handfuls of bacon, eggs, and doughnuts. I’m a girl with an appetite, don’t judge me.
I was scoffing away at my doughnuts and eaves dropping on the Marauders conversation.
“I can’t believe it. I … I’ve never been dumped before.” James was wallowing in his own self pity. He seemed to be more upset about being chucked than he was missing his ex-girlfriend.
“Listen, mate, it’s hardly your fault. The girl’s a lunatic, albeit she has a nice chest area.” Sirius offered, patting his friend on the back, while giving me a strange look as I had sprayed essence of jam as I choked back laughter.
“Padfoot, you’re not helping.” Peter scolded as James slumped further towards the table, picking at his sausages. “Prongs, don’t listen to him. Ok, so she had rather large, firm, white as snow and so delicate … I mean. Prongs, don’t listen to him. It’s not you, it’s her. She doesn’t feel ready to be in a relationship. She was just getting out of a long term thing and, as sweet as you are, she doesn’t think she should string you along when she is still in love with … um … whoever.”
“What? Shut up! That wasn’t the reason.” James looked at Peter as if he was crazy.
“Oh, well, it’s the one I hear a lot.” Peter muttered, Sirius ruffled his hair patronisingly.
“So, why were you chucked, then? Not like you is it, James? I think you’re getting a bit soft. You’ve got to treat them mean to keep them keen, old boy.” Sirius chuckled at himself as he stretched his shoulders.
“I am not getting soft, thanks. She just … seems to think that that I’m still hung up on Lily.”
“Oh, wherever did she get that idea?” Remus mocked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
“Shut up.” James sulked and went back to his breakfast. I giggled to myself as he ran his hands through his hair self-consciously, Remus heard and winked at me and I swooned into his arms… I’m kidding.
At that moment Dumbledore rose in his chair, The Great Hall was instantly silenced. The grave look on his face announced bad news before he could open his mouth. The chirpy mood was instantly snuffed out. He cleared his throat, unnecessarily, and began.
“Ladies and Gentleman,” Dumbledore announced with a more solemn than usual greeting. “I’m afraid I have some very grave news to bear upon your young souls and minds.” Looks were exchanged between friends and acquaintances, sharing their confusion and wonderment as Dumbledore paused, as if bracing himself for what he was about to share. “I regret to inform you, that there has been a murder within our halls…” The great hall was instantly filled with the load mutterings of every student in the vicinity. People were swivelling in their chairs to make sure that friends and siblings were safely seated at their designated tables, searching for any missing faces. Dumbledore soon put to rest any curiosity that hung in the air has he continued his announcement. “The murder of Holly Davidson was unexpected and has greatly shocked the very foundations upon which we stand. Her attacker is currently unknown, and it seems will remain so until more evidence has been uncovered. My condolences lie with her family, friends and enemies. She will be a loss to all who knew her, and the school has lost a great asset. A wake will be held in two days, this morning’s classes have been dismissed as I must hold a meeting with my colleagues.”
Dumbledore bowed his head for a moment or two as everyone digested the information. My own attention seemed to be focused on my plate; I had seen her just last night. I felt somewhat guilty at having been so harsh to her.
Sirius caught my attention, not being able to take the awkward silence that had settled over the great hall, he muttered, just audibly: “Prongs, she only dumped you. There was no need to kill her.”
James’ head snapped up in shock and Remus spoke calmly “Mate, I don’t think now’s the time.”
Even I didn’t find that crack funny.
Thursday 19th December, 2:15pm – Potions
Even the Slytherins are solemn. That really is rare to see. I mean, they’re always a bit glum looking (I guess lack of sense of humour and personality has that effect on you) but today their shoulders look slightly more hunched. Bless their cotton socks.
I miss Holly. I never thought I would hear myself say that.
But I do, I miss her enormous bosoms; her slightly off pitch voice and her migraine ensuing cackle.
The effect it has had on the school is crazy, though. Everyone talks in hushed whispers. Just walking down the corridor you catch sentences from conversations:
“…Yeah, probably You-Know-Who’s followers or whatever. She was Muggleborn you know? ...”
“… I reckon she topped herself, she seemed a bit out of it in Defence, I wouldn’t put it past her…”
“…I heard James Potter killed her for breaking up with him…”
The rumours are spreading like wildfire, they’re probably all a load of rubbish. This week is turning out to be a bit of a bum, to be honest. Not to mention how bad my bloody headache is getting.
Stuff this; I’m going to Madame Pomfrey.
Friday 20th December, 5:00pm, Common room
What a beautifully morbid way to start the Christmas holidays. I suppose, in a way, it was celebrating someone’s life. However little of her life there was to celebrate.
The wake was this morning, the only funeral I’ve ever attended. Possibly the most depressing thing ever and I’ve seen all those World War II movies, by gum.
We all filed into the great hall at eleven o clock this morning. The house tables were piled up at the sides of the room, in their place sat hundreds of small rickety chairs, ten to a row with an isle down the middle. The room itself was hung with black material flowing down from the enchanted ceiling, which was mimicking the clear and snowflake spotted sky, a complete contrast to mood of the occasion. At the front of the room stood a great white marble table with a coffin on top decorated with flowers of every colour imaginable. One particular arrangement spelled out the name “Holly”.
Students quickly took seats amongst friends. Holly’s parents were huddled up the front a little way from Dumbledore who stood at the podium in front of the great marble coffin. Holly’s best friend – Laura, stood with them, clutching a small piece of paper which I assumed was her speech. And, to my surprise, James Potter stood with them – looking as if he would much rather be somewhere else.
I took a pew – get it? – halfway down the hall from the front. The entire student body was dressed in black, including myself.
Although, funny story about that. I rose to the occasion nicely with my smart black dress. I had my mum owl hers to me as I do not actually own one, so I lied when I said my smart black dress. There, however, was a slight glitch in this plan as my mother, being a natural airhead (people say it runs in the family, this is what I have to say to those people “Pfffft.”); she forgot to mail shoes with it. The only smart shoes I own are bright orange.
Well, someone had to add colour to the occasion, right?
Anyway, I seated myself a row in front of the Marauders and overheard their conversation.
“Why, in Merlin’s name, is Prongs up there?” Sirius whispered under his breath to his companions.
“Padfoot, if I am not mistaken, James was Holly’s boyfriend, correct?” Remus muttered.
“No.” He replied
“Yes, Sirius, for a short time he was. Dumbledore asked him to say something, and James’ couldn’t exactly say no. Besides, James’ is actually really upset about her death.” Remus exasperatedly explained.
“I thought Prongs killed her.”
“Wormtail, you dolt! Shut up, of course he didn’t.” Remus looked shocked at his mousey friend.
“That’s what Sirius told me.”
“I was kidding, fool.” Sirius laughed. “You actually believed James would get that sore over a break up?”
“Yes.”
“Fair enough.”
Their conversation was quickly silenced as Dumbledore raised his arms, silence fell.
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. And thank you all for attending on such a morbid day.” He began in a solemn and slow voice. “We are here, as you know, to say goodbye to the wonderful Miss Holly Davidson.
“Miss Davidson was an excellent student who did well in most of her subjects.” He coughed under his breath and a wave of gentle chuckling spread through the hall. “I have asked a few close relatives and friends to make a few speeches about Holly today. Mr and Mrs Davidson?”
Dumbledore stepped down from the podium and took a seat in the front row. The small, ageing couple stepped up together holding onto each other as they sniffled, their voices were magically magnified as they began a long rant about how Holly was born upside down. I really didn’t need to know this, and zoned out for twenty minutes.
I was awoken suddenly by the sound of James Potter clearing his throat. I sat bolt upright – Marauders deserve utmost attention from all they address.
He sheepishly looked over his glasses and smiled, a wave of flustered teenage girls sighing went through the halls. “Hi.” He began, I giggled girlishly, and a few heads turned and frowned at me. “A few of you may be aware that today would have been mine and Holly’s one month anniversary. And yes, before you ask, I have bought her a card.” He smiled again and pulled from the top pocket of his robe a crumpled pink envelope which he placed atop the coffin amongst the flowers. Holly’s mother sighed and burst into another rack of uncontrollable sobs as her husband put his arms round her protectively.
James turned back to the podium and continued. “Over the last few days since Holly’s death I’ve been riddling myself with how I should be dealing with our loss. Should I cry because it’s over, or smile because it happened? And then it hit me, I’m not sure who it was who once said: Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional, but they were a very wise person. So, in true Holly Davidson style, I invite you all to take a moment from your grieving and remember Holly for who she was.” And with that James took his wand, waved it, and as if there were invisible speakers floating around the hall, music blared out from all over as the voice of Holly Davidson filled the room with the first verse of Dancing Queen.