Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two
I Miss the Pink Hair
I'm going away for a while
But I'll be back
Don't try to follow me
'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
See, I'm trying to find my place
But it might not be here where I feel safe
(Misguided Ghosts - Paramore)October 1st, 1996
Dear Remus,
I hope this letter finds you well. I sent a few over the summer, but
the owl returned them, so I can only assume that means you were on a mission
somewhere. I hope you're safe. Harry's not handling Sirius's death well. I
don't think anyone is, really.
I've been having nightmares. I wake up feeling cold, like there's this
empty pit in my chest that'll never be warm again. At first I was worried
about dementors, but this is different. Maybe it has something to do with
whatever curse I was hit with. I wish I had more information.
I'm sorry to burden you with my problems, but sometimes I feel like
we're sitting here behind Hogwarts walls hiding from whatever is happening
out there—where you are. Harry made Quidditch Captain and Ron made
the team—Keeper. Harry's doing quite well in Advanced Potions, and I am
trying to temper my jealousy. Professor Snape took over Defence Against the
Dark Arts.
You are very missed.
Professor Slughorn has come out of retirement to teach Potions, and
he's a very interesting character. Harry and I have been invited to his "Slug
Club." Apparently, this is supposed to be quite the honour. I'm a little
appalled by the elitist attitude he has, and he's not quite taken with Muggle-
borns unless we show how amazing we are despite the "unfortunate
circumstances of our birth." Still, it's something to do. And Slughorn keeps
photographs of his favourite students from the past.
He has a picture of Harry's mum. She was beautiful.
Harry thinks that Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater. I think he's
putting all of his grief into something to do—someone to blame, maybe, since
he can't get to Bellatrix or Voldemort. I talked to Malfoy on the train after
a prefects' meeting. He seemed... less hostile than normal. Didn't even call
me a Mudblood; can you believe that? He looked sad... scared. He even
said, 'Excuse me, Granger,' when I got in his way as he left the
compartment. Pretty sure that was an accident. Polite Draco Malfoy is weird,