**Steve Rogers × Harry Potter**
Some wars leave scars.
Others leave ghosts.
Years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Alice Queenie Scamander leaves the wizarding world behind in search of a new beginning, believing that nothing could ever hurt more than...
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Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do. The Ministry had made its decision, and McGonagall's refusal was powerless. The Ministry was somehow forcing her.
And unfortunately, in her office, too, this silence that burns inside prevailed. The silence that hurts people's hearts, the silence that is equivalent to absolute resignation. The silence that carries something heavier than shock;
It carried guilt. A guilt that lingered stubbornly in the corners of the circular room, clinging to every portrait, every ancient bookshelf and every silver instrument that continued whirring as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
They recognised Alice's pain not only as a student or teacher but also as a girl who lost her beloved, and for that they were even more sad. Because they deprived a person of such an important person.
Alice left with trembling legs from the office, carrying her pain and her hurted heart. So she went to the lake to whisper the burden she carried in her heart, and for the waves to take it away.
Professor McGonagall followed her to the lake after some hours of her not returning to her chambers. In front of her, it wasn't the strong and spirited professor she knew sitting on the sand, but the little girl who loved, the little girl who unfortunately suffered and experienced death from a very young age.
She remained motionless for several long moments, her gaze fixed upon the young witch standing before her. Age had granted her countless difficult conversations, countless farewells and countless burdens that came with leading Hogwarts, yet nothing had ever truly prepared her for watching one of her own professors crumble beneath the weight of a memory that had never stopped bleeding.
When she finally spoke, her voice had lost the authority that usually accompanied it. It carried only kindness.
"Alice..." She took a hesitant step forward. "I cannot pretend to understand your pain." The younger witch lowered her eyes, saying nothing. "But I remember him."
A painful smile flickered across McGonagall's face.
"I remember Mr Diggory as one of the finest students Hogwarts has ever had."
As if in a movie, vivid memories filled the witch's mind—memories of the young couple that showcased their deep bond. She remembered the end of their third year when the young girl fell seriously ill, her fever refusing to subside. During that time, young Cedric remained faithfully by her side, even asking the teacher multiple times to excuse him from class so he could be there for her, particularly since her friends were unable to help.
She also recalled moments when, after a disagreement, he sought guidance from his beloved teacher. Cedric would sit for hours in her office, articulating his profound love for Alice. This was not just a fleeting affection; she represented everything to him, highlighting the strength and depth of their relationship.
