❝𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲?❞
❝𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦.❞
𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 had a few, perhaps a little or more than a palm of qualms in his life. First up was the whole "The Boy-Who-Lived" shenanigans, then there was an ungodly am...
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LXII. REGRETS OF A TEACHER
━━━━━━
"But strong man don't exist
No undying man exists"
PATCHES OF BRIGHT BLUE SKY were beginning to appear over the castle turrets, but these signs of approaching summer did not lift Harry's mood. He had been thwarted, both in his attempts to find out what Malfoy was doing, and in his efforts to start a conversation with Slughorn that might lead, somehow, to Slughorn handing over the memory he had apparently suppressed for decades.
"For the last time, just forget about Malfoy," Hermione told Harry firmly.
They were sitting with Ron and Marjorie in a sunny corner of the courtyard after lunch. Marjorie, Hermione, and Ron were all clutching a Ministry of Magic leaflet — Common Apparition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them — for they were taking their tests that very afternoon, but by and large the leaflets had not proved soothing to the nerves.
Ron gave a start and tried to hide behind Hermione as a girl came around the corner.
"It isn't Lavender," said Hermione wearily.
"Oh, good," said Ron, relaxing.
Marjorie glared at him; she was getting tired of his cowardice already, and certainly had enough of having to comfort Lavender about this. But her mind was disturbed by the girl, who seemed to be just standing in front of them and not really going pass them.
"Harry Potter?" said the girl. "I was asked to give you this."
"Thanks..."
Harry's heart sank as he took the small scroll of parchment. Once the girl was out of earshot he said, "Dumbledore said we wouldn't be having any more lessons until I got the memory!"
"Maybe he wants to check on how you're doing?" suggested Hermione.
"Doubt that," said Marjorie, peering over Harry's shoulder as he unrolled the parchment. Rather than finding Dumbledore's long, narrow, slanted writing he saw an untidy sprawl, very difficult to read due to the presence of large blotches on the parchment where the ink had run.
Dear Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Margie,
Aragog died last night. Harry and Ron, you met him, and you know how special he was. Marjorie and Hermione, I know you'd have liked him. It would mean a lot to me if you'd nip down for the burial later this evening. I'm planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favorite time of day. I know you're not supposed to be out that late, but you can use the cloak. Wouldn't ask, but I can't face it alone.
