Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
❉━━━━━━❈✾❈━━━━━━❉
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 still mirrored the clear sky above the castle even though some actual sunlight fell through the gaping cracks; the illusion around the ruptures flickered in an attempt to keep hold but it was in vain as the sunshine effortlessly broke through it.
Debris of the collapsed ceiling lay scattered over the wooden floor and the walls were etched with dark, burned shadows where deadly curses had collided with the stones.
Only a few nights ago, the floor had not only been full with rubble but with the bodies of those killed during the Battle of Hogwarts as well. The Daily Prophet referred to them as the Fallen Fifty, but Elodie Belmont had called some of them her friends.
Her electric blue eyes immediately flew in the direction where Susan Bones had lain with open and glazed over eyes as they stared into nothingness.
Elodie's heart still ached by the realization she'd never see her fellow Hufflepuff again, and she had to force herself to look away before she slipped into another cycle of grief. Today should be filled with hopeful thoughts, so, instead, Elodie looked to her side, crossing eyes with Elizabeth Rosberg.
The two of them ─ and dozens of other students and alumni ─ had volunteered to help rebuild Hogwarts. The castle suffered from some serious damage after the final conflict of the Second Wizarding War, but if everyone helped, they could bring back Hogwarts to its former state in just a matter of days; well in time before the first semester would start again in September.
The new Headmaster, professor McGonagall, stood on the elevated platform at the end of the hall, her green robes shimmering like emeralds as she waited patiently for the volunteers to arrive.
Elizabeth ─ more commonly known as Ella ─ tugged at Elodie's denim jacket and then pointed at Daisy Wayland, not standing too far away from them. They quickly closed the distance between them and Daisy's face lit up when she spotted them as well, pulling her friends in a group hug.
'Ready to cast some mending charms all over the place?' Elodie asked them, her French accent still audible even though she had been surrounded by Brits for almost three years. Elodie had transferred from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts in her fourth year, but returned to France every summer.
'Definitely,' Daisy answered with a dreamy expression. 'Maybe we can even add some flowers and plants throughout the corridors in the process. To brighten it up.'
'Flowers and plants?' a male voice repeated behind them, the words thick with a Scottish accent and Oliver Wood squeezed in between Ella and Elodie. The two year older Gryffindor alumnus put an arm around Ella's shoulders, pulling her gently closer for a quick kiss.
