Deathly Drabbles
Nov. 15th, 2010 04:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
author_by_nightDouble double, toil and trouble
Dark Marks burn and tempers bubble
Dark Marks burn and tempers bubble
Bubble!
Something drabbley this way comes!
What with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows coming out this week, I have decided to do daily drabbles and short fics. I may post a few times a day, I may only post once.
Dark Marks burn and tempers bubble
Dark Marks burn and tempers bubble
Bubble!
Something drabbley this way comes!
What with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows coming out this week, I have decided to do daily drabbles and short fics. I may post a few times a day, I may only post once.
If you have anything you'd like me to write, comment here with a prompt and I'll post if my muse allows. Just one condition - they must be DH centric. Also feel free to do this on your own LJ - I'll round them up at the end of the week and link them, so I can include yours if you write one.
Basic idea of what I'll write for this:
- Missing moments
- Alternative directions/what if
- Before and/or after
- A situation in another character's POV
Request away! I'll be making request posts like this throughout the week. (And please don't be hurt if I don't reply to yours, but don't let that comment scare you off from replying - I just can't guarantee that everything will give me ideas.)
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no subject
Date: 2010-11-15 09:24 pm (UTC)Something Borrowed, Something New
Date: 2010-11-15 10:14 pm (UTC)Broken glass. Shredded confetti. And echoes, though Fleur didn't think the echoes were real.
It had been a long night. Everyone was questioned by the Ministry, and not kind, polite questioning. They'd hassled Gabrielle, and when Fleur had told them to leave her alone, they had threatened to use an unforgivable. On both girls.
How did the Death Eaters sleep at night, threatening little Gabrielle? And Great Aunt Muriel - she was not the most pleasant person, but Fleur had still cringed when the poor woman broke into tears.
This had all happened on her wedding day.
"You should not be helping," Fleur told Tonks as the women cleaned up, little by little.
The reception had actually ended - been disrupted - two days prior. However, between the interrogation, trying to find out who'd disapparated, who'd been arrested, and worse, and the little sleep they'd managed to sneak in here and there, there had been no time or willpower to clean. But it had to be done.
"It's the least I can do," Tonks replied. "You know... I realize it's been a trying forty eight hours, what with the interrogation and everything-"
Fleur took a deep breath.
She did not want to cry, not in front of Tonks. It would look so petty - not that Fleur was any stranger to petty, she knew she was, but now was not the time. The sociopaths who had killed Cedric had now taken over wizarding England, Harry, Ron and Hermione were taking matters into their own hands like the stupid kids they were (even if Harry was the Chosen One), and Gabrielle would probably be scarred for life.
"My wedding wasn't what I wanted it to be either," Tonks said quietly, putting a hand on Fleur's shoulder. "It didn't end how yours did, but... Remus and I wanted to invite so many people, and we couldn't because it would be putting them in danger or because, well..."
"I'm sorry," Fleur said.
Tonks smiled. "Well, that's why we're going to have a special day today."
"I-I'm sorry?"
"You, Bill, Viktor, Remus, Ginny, and Charlie," Tonks said. "Technically we don't have the Ministry after our heads so we're safe... really, we should do this while we're still safe."
"But if we talk about the Order..."
"We can talk about normal things," Tonks told her. "Do normal things. I have a feeling we're going to need as many happy, normal moments as we can get."
Fleur broke into a smile as she thought of having one peaceful, happy day.
She wouldn't get the last few hours of her wedding back, but she'd at least get the closure she needed.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-15 09:31 pm (UTC)-Dean and Luna at Shell Cottage
-When Neville first escapes to the Room of Requirement
-A Slytherin looking out for a younger student, giving advice or protecting him/her
-Andromeda and Narcissa after the last battle
The Spy's Assistant
Date: 2010-11-15 10:53 pm (UTC)Daphne's heart sank as she saw a younger student staring at Draco Malfoy in the face.
He had to be eleven, maybe twelve; he was a Gryffindor, which wouldn't help his already naive idealism.
Daphne Greengrass was a Slytherin, had been for seven years. Daphne was proud of her House; despite a few bad apples, it really had turned out some great witches and wizards.
Trouble was, it also turned out ones who made Daphne ashamed.
"Mudblood," Draco repeated. "And I'll say it whenever I want. You're not a Mudblood lover, are you?"
"Just use crucio," Vincent Crabbe advised Draco. "That should teach him."
"What's going on?" Daphne asked as she walked over casually.
"This little blood traitor here-"
"OBLIVIATE!"
The two boys blinked, and Daphne quickly took the boy by the arm, hurrying down the hall before Draco and Vincent figured out where they were heading and followed.
"Are - you - mad?" Daphne hissed at the boy as she led him into an empty classroom, slamming the door.
The boy's eyes were wide now, and he was shaking head to toe.
"I wasn't - thinking," he finished. "I'm sorry, I'll never be a traitor again."
Daphne sighed.
"Listen," she said, "you're not wrong. Those two boys were wrong."
"I thought you..."
Daphne put her finger to her lips. "Hush. Do you not understand what's going on?"
"I got so upset, and I thought maybe I could change their minds. They're kids too."
Daphne lowered herself to the boy's level.
"No," she said, "they're not just kids. They're kids who believe everything Mummy and Daddy fed to them, and if Mummy and Daddy told them to kill a bunch of muggles and their protectors, that is exactly what they will do. They'll hurt your family too, while they're at it."
"But then what can I do?"
"Stay discreet," Daphne told him. "That's what I've done since my first day."
This was not strictly true - she'd been friends with Draco and his lot for years until realizing her parents were right about him following in his parents' footsteps. But not everyone needed to know that.
"I want to stop the war. Saying things about muggles is bad, and I want it to stop."
"How about this," Daphne said. "Stay quiet, but tell me if you hear anyone in my House say something bad, and I'll see if I can't take care of it."
The boy's eyes widened. "You're a Slytherin like them? You'd do that?"
Daphne had to laugh. "Which one do you want me to answer first?"
"You'd really let me be your spy?"
"Assistant Spy," Daphne told him. "And yes."
The boy grinned from ear to hear.
"By the way," he said, "my name's Henry."
"I'm Daphne," Daphne returned, shaking his hand.
Eight Months Later
The breeze was cold as Daphne made her way through the rubble.
She hadn't seen Henry anywhere; nobody had, from the sounds of it. Neville Longbottom had tried to get him to leave with the other younger students, but he admitted that the boy had looked less than likely to listen.
It would be so typical of him to have rushed into battle, despite knowing so little magic.
"He might have listened," Neville said helpfully.
"Too late, Longbottom, you've already freaked me out," Daphne said.
"I'm sorry."
Daphne looked around bleakly. "God. If he's dead, I don't know what I'll-"
"Daphne -"
"-do, and don't say it's not my fault-"
"Daphne-"
"-because I don't go around blaming myself, I just wish I'd made him leave instead of encouraging him to report to me, what a stupid-"
"DAPHNE!"
Two voices had said that - Neville's and one behind her.
Daphne turned around, not wanting to believe it.
Henry was standing before her, two people she assumed were his parents beside him.
"Mum, Dad, this is Daphne," Henry announced. "I was her Assistant Spy."
Daphne shook their hands, trying not to cry, and Henry's father pulled her close to him.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Re: The Spy's Assistant
Date: 2010-11-16 11:31 am (UTC)Re: The Spy's Assistant
Date: 2010-11-17 12:42 pm (UTC)Start
Date: 2010-11-17 01:46 pm (UTC)She didn't know what else to do. On one hand, she was so angry. Angry with her sister for siding with Bellatrix. Angry with Bellatrix for killing two of the people who mattered the most, depriving her of almost everything. She would've killed Teddy too; Andromeda knew it. Thankfully, Teddy had been safe in her arms.
But she'd promised Dora that when all was said and done, they'd try and make amends.
Harry had told her what Narcissa did that night - she'd done something brave, so brave, for the sake of her son. It was in many ways thanks to Narcissa that they'd won the war.
And where was she now? At home, alone, with her husband gone and son gone. Draco had lived, but he'd left the country, or so Andromeda heard. She couldn't say she blamed him - as much as Andromeda hated the Death Eaters, at the end of the day, he was her nephew, and even though she'd never met him, she still saw him as a scared little boy who'd just been trying to make Mummy and Daddy proud.
Narcissa had damaged her child, but had Andromeda done any better? She raised her daughter to hide her emotions, and the result had been one year with Dora as a clumsy, over-enthused mess, another year with Dora as a wet towel.
And now there was no way to fix it.
Andromeda tasted the soup and handed Teddy to Harry.
"Are you sure you're ready to go?"
Andromeda nodded.
"Alone?"
"Yes," Andromeda said. "Just... watch Teddy for me."
Andromeda disapparated and found herself facing a row of old buildings.
"Salazar," she muttered.
Before her eyes emerged a large manor, centuries old but as good as new.
Almost; there were a few dying flowers at the edge of the house.
Andromeda approached the door and knocked very gently.
After a moment, Narcissa appeared in the doorway.
"How did you know how to get here?" She snapped, not even bothering to say hello.
Andromeda shrugged. "You didn't hide it very well."
Narcissa looked at the bowl in Andromeda's hands. "What's that?"
"Soup. Can I come in?"
After a minute, Narcissa opened the door a little wider and nodded.
It was a start.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-15 11:53 pm (UTC)Vain
Date: 2010-11-16 11:37 pm (UTC)Hestia looked up from the muggle paper she was reading to Petunia Dursley, who was frowning most unsurprisingly.
"Not until the war is over," Hestia told her for the umpteenth time.
"Well, I don't want the people who killed my sister in my house!"
Hestia sighed, put the paper down flat, and pulled out a chair, motioning for Petunia to sit in it. The woman did not move, instead looking at the floor.
"First of all," Hestia began, "this is not your house. It is not my house. It is the home we have to share for now, because none of us are safe anywhere else. I told you what happened to your old home."
"The fire department said it was a gas explo-"
"The fire department has its connections."
Petunia started to leave.
"Petunia."
Petunia turned, looking annoyed.
"It was not the fault of the people who loved her, and believe me when I say this - she was loved."
"You knew her, then," Petunia said, her voice very flat as though to iron out any signs of emotion.
Hestia shook her head. "No, I was a few years younger than Dudley when James and Lily Potter were murdered. But I have since met people who knew her, and believe me, they still feel the loss all these years later."
"I see."
"What those wizards did to her, what they did to your home, what they are willing to do to muggles like you for no reason - they are horrific, worthless excuses for the human race. But Lily's death was not celebrated - it was lamented."
"I don't have time for this nonsense-"
"If nothing else, then," Hestia interrupted, "remember this: in the end, we're all just bumbling apes using a lot of big words and fancy tools to get by. Not one amongst us is superior or inferior."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that hate doesn't do any good," Hestia said softly. "Ever. It won't bring Lily back - and you do miss her, stop denying it, she was your flesh and blood - and continuing the trend will only mean she has died in vain."
Hestia left Petunia to ponder in the kitchen, hoping it would do some good. There wasn't much left to say anymore.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-16 02:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-16 11:11 pm (UTC)Forgiveness
Date: 2010-11-17 01:07 am (UTC)And this was definitely a trying situation.
Hermione would not speak to Ron, which scared him. He didn't know at what point he'd end up being trapped in a jar or with "SNEAK" all over his face or being chased by birds.
"You know you can't apologize," Hermione said after a deep breath.
"What can I do?"
Hermione lifted her head so her eyes met his.
"Don't bother trying to apologize," Hermione said. "That's what you can do."
"You want me to apologize," Ron said, suddenly understanding.
"I just told you I -"
"You're not ready to forgive me."
"Well, what do you expect? You left Harry."
"And I regret it more than you could ever imagine. And I'm here now, aren't I?"
"It was almost too late."
"You think I don't know that?" Ron exclaimed. "Do you honestly think I haven't been imagining all sorts of horrible scenarios, longing to find you too, terrified that something's happened? When I saw Harry drowning, every single moment I ever spent with him flashed before my eyes. He might as well be my brother, Hermione."
Ron was not used to sharing his feelings like that, but somehow instead of feeling embarrassed, he felt relieved.
Hermione suddenly held his hand, and offered him a gentle smile.
"Let's talk about happier things," she said quietly. "Tell me all about Bill and Fleur."
Ron smiled back and began to relay information that was not of vital importance but nonetheless much happier than war.
Hermione did not let go of his hand even after she fell asleep at the table; Ron did not pry it away when she did.