Eli was already a ten minute walk from the castle when he realized he’d forgotten his gloves. Winter was just beginning to settle in and the chill in the air nipped at his cheeks and exposed hands even though the sun was still brightly shining up ahead. He pushed his hands deep into the warm pockets of his wool coat as he quickened his pace a bit, knowing he had just a few hours before the sun set.
At the familiar old twisted tree, he turned from the path, following the edge of the great lake with confidence. Aside from the library, this little section of secluded trail was probably his second favorite place to escape to and he knew the route by heart. As he squeezed through the brush, he thought about using his wand to clear the path but decided against it. Rarely were there other students willing to walk this far, leaving the landscape peaceful and pristine- the very qualities he had no intention of ruining.
As the brush cleared, he caught a glimpse of the small clearing he so loved. It looked exactly the same as the last time he’s visited and for that, he was happy. Taking a seat on the large, flat rock that over looked the water he let his mind wander freely. Light danced across the black waters in a myriad of colors and just a bit further into the horizon stood the strong clearly defined outline of Hogwarts.
He suddenly found himself missing her. Shivering, he wrapped his coat tighter and pulled his knees to his chest. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it HaYoung?” he said to the air. “You’ll have to forgive me for not coming sooner.”
He got no reply, except for the empty sound of wind whistling through the trees. There was never an answer but he knew that. Outside of ghosts, the dead didn’t talk.
“You would have loved the castle,” he continued anyways. “This was going to be your first year… It’s amazing how quickly time moves, isn’t it?”
A bird flew across the lake as he spoke with wings gracefully spread. He quietly watched it soar through the sky, envious of the creature’s ability to simply escape and be free.
Looking down, he let out a low sigh. “I wonder if you would have been a Ravenclaw like me. Do you remember how Mom was so happy I was in Ravenclaw? It was her house when she was here and she always said she hoped one of us would be sorted into the house as well.”
His words were met by a gust of air frigid air that burned his eyes and he found himself laughing at the irony of the timing.
“Of course not, you always wanted to be a Griffindor. You would have made a damn good one too- always so bold and brave. You-“ He stopped short, his throat suddenly tight.
“You were always so brave,” he murmured, burying his chin into his scarf and fighting the well of emotions that had suddenly sprung up inside him. “Even at the end you were so brave.”
His tears were hot on his face as they slipped down his cheeks, unrestrained. It did him no good to keep all of these feelings bottled up inside and if there was anywhere he’d allow himself to cry it was here in his special spot. Sniffling, he wiped them away and watched the steam of breath curl and then dissipate into the cold.
“I really miss you, you know… your big brother really misses you.”
