Following the death of Sirius Black, Penny struggles to forgive her ex-boyfriend Harry Potter when maybe she's the one who needs to be forgiven. She is met by a strange boy who recruits her as a Death Eater to bring Harry to the Dark Lord.
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TW: SUICIDE
He was so happy. How could he be so happy after costing Gryffindor the game?! Gryffindor never loses. Not since Harry joined the team, that is. But that smile...Harry had been through so much and yet he was still able to smile after losing a game of Quidditch. Something clicked inside Penny then, and her decision was made. She took one last look at Harry before sprinting off the field. She thought she might have heard Cho or Chambers calling after her but she kept running. She dropped her broom and quickened her pace. Her lungs burned, but that wouldn't be the last time that they would. She let her robes slip off her shoulders, leaving them to the wind behind her, revealing her blue Quidditch sweater underneath.
Penny didn't stop until she made it to the edge of the Black Lake. All adrenaline she may have had faded and dread took its place. She peered down at the water, and saw her own reflection staring back at her. Her hair was falling out of its ponytail and she had developed bags under her eyes.
She stepped forward and waded into the water. It looked like black glass that rippled and swallowed her. Penny always thought the lake looked so peaceful at night. She drew her wand from her pocket and placed it on the ground. She strolled through the glass until she was knee-deep. The water was cold- not freezing- but cold. She took off her gloves to reveal calloused, dry hands. She discarded the gloves and let them float in the water beside her. Penny let down her ponytail and raked her fingers through her long, blonde hair. She thought back to what the boy, Draco, had said to her two days before.
"Join or die?" She had said. "Is that what this is?"
Then she remembered Harry's smile. She waded deeper into the lake.
"You shouldn't blame yourself," she remembered Harry's voice. But she should. It was her fault Sirius was dead.
Penny was now waist-deep. Penny remembered Harry's smile. His smile after losing; now Gryffindor may not win the House Cup. Why didn't he catch the Snitch?
Penny realized that she wouldn't need to forgive Harry, it wasn't his fault. She needed to forgive herself. But did she deserve that? Forgiveness? She waded until the water was up to her shoulders.
Draco wanted Harry. Or- Voldemort did. Either way, they couldn't have him if they didn't have Penny. With no Penny, Harry would be safe. With no Penny, Harry would have a chance. With no Penny, Harry could live. 'The Boy Who Lived' would get to live. How ironic.
Penny let her head dip below the surface of the water. She didn't try to swim up, she didn't even take a breath; she wouldn't need it. She just let herself sink.
Who knows? Maybe she'd see the squid down here.
She watched bubbles of air leave her mouth and float towards the moon. It was beautiful. Her lungs began to burn for the second time that day and the edges of her vision began to blur. Soon, she couldn't tell whether her eyes were open or closed.
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Penny sank, with no intention of ever coming back up. She had no control, it had to be this way.
And the last thing she remembered was that look of pure joy on Harry's face. Penny Montgomery, as far as she knew, was gone.
