I was walking down the sweeping front lawn thinking of how soon I would be going home when I heard my name shouted from a distance. I looked up to see Ernie Macmillan running toward me. When he was directly in front of me, he was gasping and managed to say, “Hi, Hannah!”
I looked at him and quietly said, “Hello, Ernie. What is it you want?”
“I just wanted to talk. I know you’ve been going through some rough times lately and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
I smiled at his kindness, but on the inside my heart was being ripped to pieces, again. He was talking about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's attack on my family a few months ago, in which his followers killed my parents and my older brother, Henry. I was heartbroken. They were the last of my family, and now I'm an orphan about to graduate Hogwarts, and be pushed in to a mean and uncaring world. But, I must put on a face that will not let others threw to see how torn I really am.
“Thank you, but I’m just fine. I was just thinking about my future,” I said in a flat voice, and then a question popped in to my head. “Hey, Ernie, what are going to do once you’re out of Hogwarts?”
“I am going to be an Auror. All I have to do is get high enough scores on my N.E.W.T.s. What about you?” he asked kindly.
“I want to be a Healer, so I can help all of those who need it.” Because I wasn’t able to help my parents. “I’ll see you later, Ernie,” I said and left him standing there.
As I continued to walk across the grounds, I reminisced of good times with my family.
*****************
“My dear, your mother and I can’t possibly see you as an Auror. Why don’t you do something calmer? Like becoming a Herbologist or something else like that?” Dad said, as we sat in the park nearest our home.
I calmly answered, “Because there are people out there who would kill you in an instant if they got a chance and they need to be brought in by justice.”
*****************
The water in the pool went flying as Henry jumped in. It soaked me from head to toe. “Henry,” I screamed. “Why must you always do that?”
He just smiled at me and said, “Simply because it gets you so mad, and it’s so fun to watch.”
“Oh, you really are the meanest big brother, but… I still love you,” was all I would say to him.
***************
Now that I think back to those happy times I just wish they could have lasted forever. But no, You-Know-Who had to come in and ruin everything.
I truly am glad Harry Potter is the one who must defeat him. In first year, he saved the Sorcerers Stone from You-Know-Who. In second year, he saved Ginny Weasley and the rest of the school from an evil diary. In third year, he helped that Sirius Black escape to freedom. In fourth year, he witnessed the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. In fifth year, while we had that awful toad as a teacher in Defense Against the Dark Arts, he taught the D.A. all the spells that he thought were important, and helped those who joined him pass their O.W.L.s. And in sixth year, he tried to tell everyone that Malfoy was going to lead an attack on the school. Now this year, he's gone out looking for the rest of You-Know-Who's Horcruxes, so he can defeat him once and for all. Once he's done this, he has to kill You-Know-Who for good.
But until then, I must always keep on this mask and try to not let the world in. As I look up, I realize that I am at the wall that separates these grounds and the ever lurking threat of the real world. As I approached it, I see someone has planted snowdrops, lilies, irises, roses and other flowers. Only when I was close enough to smell their fumes, I realized that all the flowers were white. No matter how old I get, I shall never forget that white flowers represent peace and joy.
There and then, I dropped to my knees and sobbed. I cried for all that is to come and all that has already come to pass, good or bad. Deep inside myself I know deep, deep down it’s going to be all right.
Someone came over and hugged me. They pulled me close, for me to sob on their shoulder. They did not say a word; they just held me and let me cry.
After what seemed like hours, I finally pulled back to see who it was that held me. Even though the light on the grounds was growing dim, there was no mistaking Ernie.
“Thank you, Ernie. Thank you a lot,” I said to him, feeling embarrassed.
“It’s fine. Are you sure you don’t need to talk about anything?” he asked with true concern. That was it, my walls came crashing down and I told him how I felt about how my life was and he just listened.
When I was done he said, “We need to go in. Its getting dark out and we don’t want a teacher to get mad.”
With that he stood up and bent down to help me up. Then he said, “You go on and head up. I’ll be right there; I just want to get something.”
He was by my side in less than a minute. He handed me a flower. I looked down and saw it was one of the snowdrops. “I hope who ever planted those won't mind me taking one, and if they do, I left a Knut for them,” he said.
I laughed at this, and for the first time in months since my family’s death, I felt truly happy, and I knew everything was going to be all right in the end.