dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || goodbye.

Kendra knew she had to say goodbye. It didn't matter that she couldn't tell anyone that it would all happen soon, or what exactly would be happening, but she didn't know that she would ever see any of them again. They were going to war, and Kendra would have to be on the other side, at least for a while. 

So that night, at dinner, Kendra sat at the Gryffindor table, making her list of people she would go to and starting with Hermione and her cousin. She sat next to Hermione, smiling slightly sadly at her girlfriend, and taking the Gryffindor witch's hand in her own. 

"Hey," Harry said, grinning as Kendra sat down. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to come to say hi to my favorite Gryffindors before you're all so caught up in studying for exams that you never come and say hello," Kendra said, her throat tightening slightly. 

"You can always come to say hi, even if we're all caught up in studying," Hermione said, squeezing Kendra's hand and smiling back. 

"Yeah, and since when have I ever studied unless Hermione makes me?" Harry said grinning. It was almost unbearable for Kendra to look at him. For almost her entire life, Kendra had always had Harry. They had grown up together, learned to talk together, learned to run and play together, learned what the world was really like together. They had come to Hogwarts together, they had learned what their lives really meant together. They leaned on each other equally, constantly balancing each other out. Whenever one needed help, they went to the other. Even when they had found other friends, they had still turned to each other in their darkest moments, when they really needed someone. Even after Harry had cursed her, they were still just as tightly bound as ever. 

And now she had to leave, be taken away, leaving him to worry all over again while she sat in some dank dungeon in the company of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange while she tried to save Draco and Theo and break the bond she had with Bellatrix all in one fell swoop. 

"You know I love you, right?" she turned, asking Harry, who looked bewildered at the question. She barely kept her voice from breaking. 

"Erm... yeah, of course I do," he said. "So long as you know I love you too."

"Good," Kendra smiled half-heartedly. "Tell me how things have been going with that lover  of yours then."

The conversation changed with ease and soon enough, dinner was over. And Kendra said her goodbyes to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, knowing that it could be the last time she ever spoke to them, though she hoped otherwise. 

Next on her list was Draco Malfoy. She didn't have to say goodbye to him, but she had to give him the instant darkness powder she had bought in Hogsmede that morning. She caught his attention and led him into an empty corridor as the Great Hall emptied of people. 

"What's wrong, Kendra?" he asked, staring at her confused. She shook her head.

"Just wanted to give you this," she said, handing him the clump of powder. "It's Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, it'll make a room dark if you throw it down. Figured it might come in handy with... y'know."

"Thanks," he said. "For everything."

"You deserve happiness, Draco," Kendra said. "Never forget that."

He smiled weakly at her, pocketing the clump of powder before turning on his heel and returning to his common room. Kendra sighed, before making her way to her own. The climb up the stairs felt like a hike up the mountain, up into the dark night above. When she finally made it, she took a deep breath before entering her room.

"Hey, Kendra," Lisa said. She was folding her robes for Monday morning on top of her trunk. As she finished, she leaned over to Euphenia, who greeted Kendra with a lazy meow, to scratch behind the cat's ears. "How was dinner with Granger and your cousin."

"Fine," Kendra said, still staring at Euphenia. "Lisa.. what would you do if you knew your life was going to change drastically the next day?"

"Is that cryptic?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"No," Kendra lied with a sigh. "Just... having shower thoughts."

"I dunno," Lisa answered. "I guess I would just savor the moment and make sure I didn't let it happen passively. Like, you know that old poem- Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. That's what I would do."

"I didn't know you were into poetry," Kendra noted. Lisa shrugged.

"I had a phase when I was twelve and I thought I would be cool if I knew a bunch of depressing edgy poems," she explained. "And I haven't forgotten that one yet."

"Well, thanks for your answer anyway," Kendra said, smiling up at her friend. "You're a good friend, you know."

"So are you," Lisa replied. "You're the closest thing to a sister I've ever had, you know?"

"So are you," Kendra echoed. 

"Alright, that's enough sappy stuff for one night," Lisa sighed, standing up and stretching. "I'm gonna go shower, I think Euphenia pissed on me a little bit earlier." And with that, Lisa disappeared into the bathroom. 

Kendra stared after her for a moment, her heart squeezing with emotion as her first friend who was not related to her left her line of sight. She had never been separated from Lisa without the prospect of seeing her again. Sure, they never saw each other very much over the summer, but they always knew they would see each other again at school. There were always long and dramatic letters exchanged every few days, if not faster when they could. Lisa was always on her side, no matter what exactly it was that had gone wrong, she was always there for Kendra. Despite her teasing nature, she was still always a shoulder to cry on when Kendra needed it. And the thought of having to leave her with no note, no explanation of what was happening was a dagger to her heart and made her want to leave even less. 

But it was for people like Lisa that she needed to do this. And so, Kendra steeled herself with Lisa's words. She would not go gentle into that good night. She would do everything in her power to rage, rage against the dying of the light. 

a/n: shorter chapter since we're about to get into it and i just wanted for Kendra to have at least a little bit of closure with some of the people she cares about most in her life <3 now i will either go write the next chapter or the essay i have due in two days and you'll find out which i did if i update in like an hour or not. 

a meme which is funny but unrelated

the end, literally every problem is solved.