RP: All things come to an end
Date: Tuesday, 13 December 1998
Characters: Pansy Parkinson, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom
Location: Ministry of Magic
Status: Semi-public
Summary: Pansy sits outside the courtroom after her parents' trial.
Completion: complete
Pansy stumbled out of the courtroom, too shocked to make sense of what just happened. The trial was quick; her parents had plead guilty in hopes for a lenient sentence. Pansy had hoped they might, but didn't honestly believe they would do something so selfless. The guilt from believing her parents would put the family through a drawn out trial to gamble for their freedom was startling. Seeing them walk into the courtroom, pale, thin, and mere shadows of their former selves, sent a jolt of pain through her like she'd never felt before. She was infinitely pleased that Oren and Violet hadn't attended- she didn't think she would ever forget the shadows under her parents eyes, the bones in their cheeks so prominent. Her mother was no longer the regal beauty she once was, her hair limp and stringy, her eyes dull and lifeless. Pansy made eye contact with her mother as they sat down, and felt her heart burst into millions of pieces as she saw guilt and pain. How could she have held so much hate inside towards her parents? Despite their crimes, despite the lies, despite the pain she felt would never go away, these were the people who had held her in sickness, loved her in health, and provided for her during all the times in between. They may have taught her to believe she was better than others due to blood, but did they know any better? Who had taught them to believe that nonsense? Had Voldemort never returned, would she still despise muggleborns for merely existing?
She was unable to talk to or hug her parents after the trial, which was far too quick for something that decided the fate of a family. Her parents would spend the next 20 years in Azkaban, with a chance of house arrest after the term was served. They would not be released back to their lives after the 20 years were served, but would be allowed to spend the reminder of their lives under near constant supervision. There were no assets left to freeze; the house was gone, the vault was empty. Just like that, their fate was decided, and Pansy could only watch, thankful they would have a chance to live out their lives naturally, if they survived the 20 year sentence.
She wished she could hug them, tell them she was sorry for her cruel words and thoughts, but soon after the sentence was given, they were escorted out of the courtroom and out of her life once again. The truth was hard to swallow- she was alone. Completely and totally alone for the rest of her life. Matilda was there, sitting next to Pansy, and squeezed her hand in comfort through the whole trial. She was never so grateful to have an Aunt. Neville was there, too, which still surprised her. She had assumed he would forget about the trial, or change his mind at the last minute. Yet, there he was, sitting towards the back, offering her smiles of comfort. Her heart both raced and broke at the sight of him- someone so good, so kind, so worthy, considered her a friend. After everything, did she even deserve that?
She sat on a bench several meters away from the courtroom. That was it. It was over.
Characters: Pansy Parkinson, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom
Location: Ministry of Magic
Status: Semi-public
Summary: Pansy sits outside the courtroom after her parents' trial.
Completion: complete
Pansy stumbled out of the courtroom, too shocked to make sense of what just happened. The trial was quick; her parents had plead guilty in hopes for a lenient sentence. Pansy had hoped they might, but didn't honestly believe they would do something so selfless. The guilt from believing her parents would put the family through a drawn out trial to gamble for their freedom was startling. Seeing them walk into the courtroom, pale, thin, and mere shadows of their former selves, sent a jolt of pain through her like she'd never felt before. She was infinitely pleased that Oren and Violet hadn't attended- she didn't think she would ever forget the shadows under her parents eyes, the bones in their cheeks so prominent. Her mother was no longer the regal beauty she once was, her hair limp and stringy, her eyes dull and lifeless. Pansy made eye contact with her mother as they sat down, and felt her heart burst into millions of pieces as she saw guilt and pain. How could she have held so much hate inside towards her parents? Despite their crimes, despite the lies, despite the pain she felt would never go away, these were the people who had held her in sickness, loved her in health, and provided for her during all the times in between. They may have taught her to believe she was better than others due to blood, but did they know any better? Who had taught them to believe that nonsense? Had Voldemort never returned, would she still despise muggleborns for merely existing?
She was unable to talk to or hug her parents after the trial, which was far too quick for something that decided the fate of a family. Her parents would spend the next 20 years in Azkaban, with a chance of house arrest after the term was served. They would not be released back to their lives after the 20 years were served, but would be allowed to spend the reminder of their lives under near constant supervision. There were no assets left to freeze; the house was gone, the vault was empty. Just like that, their fate was decided, and Pansy could only watch, thankful they would have a chance to live out their lives naturally, if they survived the 20 year sentence.
She wished she could hug them, tell them she was sorry for her cruel words and thoughts, but soon after the sentence was given, they were escorted out of the courtroom and out of her life once again. The truth was hard to swallow- she was alone. Completely and totally alone for the rest of her life. Matilda was there, sitting next to Pansy, and squeezed her hand in comfort through the whole trial. She was never so grateful to have an Aunt. Neville was there, too, which still surprised her. She had assumed he would forget about the trial, or change his mind at the last minute. Yet, there he was, sitting towards the back, offering her smiles of comfort. Her heart both raced and broke at the sight of him- someone so good, so kind, so worthy, considered her a friend. After everything, did she even deserve that?
She sat on a bench several meters away from the courtroom. That was it. It was over.