Fictional Character One-Shots And Shorts

"End of a Life"

"A Hufflepuff girl jumped from the astronomy tower. She hanged herself." I spoke in a flat, monotonous voice, eyes glazed over and lifeless as if I was a robot repeating what I had been programmed to say.

My father's eyes widened in horror, the man sucking in a breath before jumping to his feet. He wasted no time in hurrying from his dungeon classroom to the courtyard, more or less forgetting about me trailing along at his heels.

Once there he stopped beneath the tower, peering up at the girl still gently swaying in the night breeze. Professor Snape pulled his wand from his robes, muttering the incantation for the patronus charm and summoning his colleagues.

He finally turned to me, as if just now remembering I was there at all, and strode towards me with a purposeful step. My father didn't hesitate to take me into a warm embrace, pushing my head into his chest as if he could somehow shield me from the monstrosity I had witnessed only minuets ago.

I could feel the man's short, anxious breaths against my cheek, feel the scratchy material of his clothing rubbing against the skin. I was tucked inside his outer robes as he hugged me and shielded me from the wind, the warmth of another person comforting and able to take my mind off my own fear if only for a brief moment.

In only a few short minuets the glow of a multitude of wand tips could be seen shining in the corridors, hurrying towards us. Professor Mcgonagall, Madam Pomfrey, and professor Dumbledore, all clad in very uncharacteristic pajamas, raced into the courtyard and surrounded the Astronomy tower, gazing up at the lifeless body of their student.

The headmaster had a look of regret and sadness etched on his wrinkled old face while Mcgonagall let out an audible gasp, hand flying up to cover her agape mouth. The mediwitch, while obviously just as upset about the situation as the other two was straight down to business, magically severing the rope and gently laying the girl down on the ground.

"Severus what happened?" Professor Mcgonagall inquired, one hand now clasped over her heart as the other held a shawl around her shoulders for warmth.

"Y/n came to me. She said a girl had jumped. She saw it happen." He spoke dryly, running one hand up and down my back as he did so.

"Good Heavens." Professor Mcgonagall mumbled, more to herself than us. "We must inform Pomona. The girl was one of her 3d years. So young."

I heard the hitch in the matriarch's voice, the sound of a muttered incantation leaving her lips. A ghostly shadow of 3 cats bounded across the courtyard in search of professor Sprout, a wispy, glowing trail lighting up each one as her patronus left to deliver the awful news.

"Severus you should take her inside. We will tell the other students in the morning. For now, Poppy and Minerva will take the girl to the hospital wing and wait for Pomono while I inform her parents." The headmaster spoke softly, sadly. My father nodded in agreement, urging me back towards the castle and down to his personal chambers to wait.

"Should I even bother asking why you were out so late y/n?" My father asked, handing me a steaming mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream on top, the heat warming my palms as I stared down into the melting cream. I shrugged my shoulders, not having a real answer to his question.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The man's voice was softer, more understanding as he took a seat in the armchair next to me with his own mug of hot chocolate, undoubtedly spiked with a bit of whiskey to help him through the night. I immediately shook my head no, not even bothering to think about what I actually wanted.

"Alright child. I am here if you wish to do so."

I remained on that sofa until the early morning light began to filter in through charmed windows, my eyesight sore and hazy from staring into the flames of the fireplace all night, my limbs cramping from the awkward position they were curled into. My father had remained as well, just as awake, just as deep in thought as his own dark eyes glazed over and his fingers tapped the arm of his chair in a rhythmic drumbeat.