Having Both is a Blessing - A Harry Potter Story - HP/AU 7th year

Chapter 7: Funerals, flowers, friends and family

Chapter7 : Funerals, flowers and friends

Draco discovers he has friends, as messages of support and sympathy arrive.  Owls fly, bearing flowers, greetings, instructions and love.

 Chapter 7: Funerals, flowers, friends and family

Draco followed the dark brown coffins containing the bodies of Pansy’s parents, walking beside the white coffin that he had insisted on for Pansy.  The procession moved slowly down the path toward the lake and then turned to the right, through the wrought iron gates, into the small cemetery overlooking the school grounds and the glass smooth black water.

 It was a cloudless summer day.  Draco had a small smile on his face as his mind recorded the fact that Pansy was missing a great opportunity for working on her tan.  He rested his hand on the edge of the lid.

 “It’s a beautiful day, Pansy.  Hope you can see how nice the weather is,” he whispered.

 Flitwick positioned the three coffins over the gaping holes into which they were to be lowered.  Madame Pomfrey and Professors Trelawney and Sprout joined Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Draco, Hagrid, Filius Flitwick and Minerva McGonagall.  Mr. Filch stood behind the teachers.  Also present were a few of the Parkinsons’ distant relatives and family friends; brave souls to venture to Hogwarts when they knew they risked the Dark Lord’s displeasure.

The vicar, Henry Grant, who had married Severus and Anna only a week earlier, led the short interment service.  The coffins were lowered into the earth and Draco stepped forward and threw a white rose onto the lid of each, where they landed with soft thumps. Various members of the surrounding crowd walked over, took handfuls of dirt and threw them down onto the coffins, and then watched as Flitwick filled the open holes with the remaining earth, which had been sitting, piled at the end of each grave.  The grass folded back over the mounds and Draco placed a second rose on Pansy’s resting place.

Suddenly, Hedwig swooped down from the sky and dropped a white rose on Pansy’s grave, then Pig dropped a pink rose bud, then Errol, with a little assist from Dumbledore, dropped two more white roses.  More owls flew past, dropping rose after rose after rose after rose.  The owls then wheeled around and headed to the owlery.

Draco watched them and then looked down at the profusion of flowers.  He glanced up at Dumbledore. 

“It would seem your friends in the DA have all heard the sad news, Draco.”

“Apparently,” whispered Draco, heaving a sigh. Tears were forming in his eyes, but he brushed them away and smiled sadly at the Headmaster. 

 Dumbledore waved his wand and all of the little white tags on the stems of the flowers flew into his hand.  He gave the small pile to Draco.

 “So you’ll know whom to thank.”

 Draco nodded again and then he turned and walked swiftly away, breaking into a run after he was through the cemetery gate.  The rest followed, slowly and silently, back to the castle.

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“I’ve never understood wakes,” Flitwick observed, looking around the Great Hall at the small groups of people, talking quietly to each other. “Either everyone has a grand time, without the guest of honor, or no one speaks above a whisper, fills their stomachs and leaves.  It’s quite the most bizarre type of gathering.”

 “I agree,” nodded Professor McGonagall.  “It almost seems inappropriate under the circumstances of the Parkinsons’ deaths.  I wish this was over.”