𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Forty-One: To Honor him

Chapter Forty-One

It was the evening after that fateful night when Professor Fig had lost his life. Matty had spent the day after mourning and speaking to Professors. She attended no classes and stayed in Professor Weasley's office for the most part.

She spoke to no one but everyone was speaking of her as she was ushered through the halls by Professors, taking her from one place to another so that they could speak about what happened in private. Each of the Professors who had shown up wanted a witness so that they could write to the Ministry about this but they wanted no distractions or misinformation floating around the school.

The students would all soon know what happened, but that would come in due time. Right now they were focused on dealing with the loss of Professor Fig's death and making sure Matty had what she needed.

But that evening, Matty walked into the Great Hall for a ceremony dedicated to Professor Fig. She sat in the back, alone, not wanting to speak with anybody. No one here had known Professor Fig as dearly as she had, even if she had known him for a shorter time than any of them.

It was a solemn night, filled with quiet whispers and hurt hearts. Headmaster Black stood at the podium while every professor and every student was seated in the room.

"Professor Eleazar Fig. I daresay he was a beloved professor to many of you. Certainly a long-standing colleague to his peers." The headmaster started. "A famed adventurer and renowned seeker of knowledge, he built a reputation—charging into the unknown, brazenly disregarding both discretion and safety. Providing, perhaps, a rather unfortunate lesson for us all."

"His devotion to adventure was rivaled only by his dedication to Hogwarts—and, of course, to his wife, Mari—Miriam, whom we lost much too soon as well." He continued.

Matty could tell completely that Headmaster Black really knew nothing about Professor Fig, or that he just truly didn't care too much to write some simple words about him before this ceremony honoring him.

Professor Weasley got up from her seat and walked over to the Headmaster. It was clear that she wanted to take over and speak since clearly he was not doing well with giving honor to Professor Fig's name.

The Headmaster just moved away awkwardly, clearly embarrassed as Professor Weasley stood up to the podium.

"Professor Fig represented the best of all of us. He could be deviously clever. Possessed a brilliant inquisitive mind, and—was the most loyal of friends." Professor Weasley said, making Matty tear up again. "But perhaps it was his remarkable courage for which we will be forever indebted to him. If not for Professor Fig—Well, I can say with confidence that if not for him, many of us—let alone Hogwarts—would not be here today."

Professor Weasley's eyes set on Matty as she sat in the very back. "Those who knew him best will agree that we must now honor him as only Hogwarts can—by wisely, resourcefully, justly, and bravely facing all that lies ahead." She said.

Headmaster Black came forward again, raising his chalice up. "Ahem. To Professor Fig!"

At that moment, everyone stood and raised their chalice to honor Professor Fig. Matty held back tears as she watched everyone do this.

Her heart hurt more than ever before. She had lost family members before, close ones too. But she was only young when she lost her Grandfather Matthew, or when she lost dear friends. Now she was older and understood more about death, pain, grief, and mourning those you lost. Professor Fig had been her guide through the entire year, helping her and being beside her till the very end.

And he never gave up on her, never took her for granted, never chastised her for being just a young girl trying to navigate a new world at such a tense time. He was proud of her, encouraged her to keep up with her studies regardless of how busy she was, encouraged her in practically everything she did, and most of all, he cherished the friendship which they had built with one another.