Topic 1 ~ War, what is it good for?

[WhittyLeah]

Welcome to the first drabble thread in Remus's Reflections. This is the place you post drabbles about the topic posted. The topic is something both important and significant to the world around us and to the Harry Potter-verse.

Please keep drabbles under a PG-13 rating and remember that everyone doesn't have the same views, so be respectful.

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This thread's topic is: War.

Happy drabbling!

[Laurskii]

Name: Laurskii
House: Slytherin
Title: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Warnings: Angstiness, mention of Character Death
Word count: 500 exactly-- I had to cut some.

F.Y.I. "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" is a song from the musical Les Miserables, and is the song from which the quotes in italics come from. I do not pretend to have made this song up/own it in any way.

There's a grief that can't be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on.
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone.

The doors creak open, and he enters the room. The long Hall expands before him, drabbed in black and littered with a sprinkling of people, all silent. They watch as he moves slowly up the center aisle, looking straight ahead, ignoring those around him. He is a marked man, and those standing move swiftly out of his way.

Here they talked of revolution.
Here it was they lit the flame.
Here they sang about `tomorrow'
And tomorrow never came.

As he makes his way to where the High Tables once stood, he studies the coffins that now lie there. His friends’ faces gleam fresh in his mind, their voices echoing in his memories, and Harry Potter feels tears stinging his eyes. 'They’d planned so much, and for what purpose, so he could spend the remainder of his days mourning the cold irony of the world?'

From the table in the corner
They could see a world reborn
And they rose with voices ringing
I can hear them now!
The very words that they had sung
Became their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn.

As he approaches, his pace slows, and he finds himself staring at the Gryffindor table. He can still see them.

“Harry, come over here! I think we’ve got it!” Hermione waves him over, her bright eyes glistened in his mind.

“Yeah mate, get your arse over here. You won’t believe this!” Ron shouts, grinning widely.

Oh my friends, my friends forgive me
That I live and you are gone.
There's a grief that can't be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on.

Harry stops walking as Ginny enters his mind. Her smile falters a moment, concern in her hazel eyes, and she, too, waves him over. Her red hair falls to her face, and Harry feels the urge to touch her, to kiss her, to hold her. He begins to walk towards their table.

Phantom faces at the window.
Phantom shadows on the floor.
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet no more.

He comes closer, and he can see his friends are not alone. Neville holds Trevor from beside Ron, and Fred Weasley winks at Harry from behind Ginny. Sirius, Dumbledore, Arthur Weasley, his parents… they all wave at him, beckoning him closer. He smiles. Ginny begins running towards him, shouting. “Harry, we won! We won, Harry!” But as he opens his arms to hug her, she disappears, and Harry’s arms drop painfully to his sides. The chairs at the table are empty now, and he crumbles to the ground. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Harry whispers to them, aching inside. “I’m sorry,” he says, but they’ve already gone.

Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me
What your sacrifice was for
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will sing no more.

Mithril Says: 5 points to Slytherin. I was just talking to some of the mods about how songfics are usually badly written, but you've done this beautifully!

[Sly Severus]

Name: Sly Severus
House: Slytherin
Title: What For?
Warnings: Character Death
Word count: 241

Sitting alone in the dark, she contemplated all that she had lost. Her family was gone—lost to hatred and violence. The war against Voldemort had been fought and won, but there were no real winners. There were never any real winners in a war. There was only loss.

This was something Andromeda had always understood. She understood it as a child, when her sisters had fought with every non-pure blooded student in Hogwarts. She couldn’t understand why they would bother. There was nothing to be gained. In the end, the student’s feelings were hurt and her sisters looked cruel. Nothing could be gained from that.

She understood that war was wrong when she picked up a paper and learned that her sister was in prison. Bellatrix had turned Death Eater, after all. She was sentenced to spend the remainder of her life in Azkaban, and what for?

She had understood that war was wrong when her own daughter went off to fight. She remembered begging Nymphadora to avoid the war. Her daughter hadn’t listened. Like Bella, she was warrior. She wanted to fight. Still Andromeda could not understand why.

As the war progressed and each of her family members died at the end of a wand, Andromeda continued to struggle. She mourned her family, even those who had refused to speak to her in years. But deep down, she always wondered what they died for—why they chose to die.

5 points to Slytherin, interesting that you compare Tonks and Bella!

[Cheshlin]

Name: Cheshlin
House:Slytherin
Title: Worth Dieing For
Warnings: mention of characters death
Word count: 380

Remus looked at the gloomy, miserable young adults sitting on the couch. The war was really starting to pick up, and losses were taking their toll. Sighing, he walked in and took a seat in a chair across from them.

“Anyone need a listening ear? I know that Charlie will be missed, but unfortunately death is part of war.” Remus softly said.

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all looked up with listless eyes. Harry was the first to respond. “It just seems that we are fighting a loosing battle. If we just stood back and let Voldemort have his way, fewer lives would be taken.”

Remus studied them for a moment before replying. “Would there? Voldemort’s goal is to rule with absolute power. He wants to enslave the Muggles and pull all rights from Muggleborn witches and wizards. With no one to stop him, he would go on a killing spree worse then anything you could imagine. Sometimes a fight is needed to protect the rights and freedom we have always taken for granted.”

Four faces stared at him in shock.

Hermione’s listless eyes turned inward, and Remus knew she was going through what she had read. “Remus is correct. I was reading a book about the Salem Witch Trials. Most of the people that were actually killed during that time were just eccentric Muggles that didn’t conform to the religious views that most of the populace held at that time. If the real wizards and witches hadn’t fought against the injustice by going undercover then many more would have been killed.”

“It is just hard to keep your spirits up when those you care about keep dieing in the fight.” Ginny added, but with a new light in her eyes.

“That is when we have to fight even harder. We can’t let our loss be our defeat!” Harry said with passion. “If we do, then those that have died did so in vain. Mom, Dad, Sirius, Dumbledore, Cedric, and now Charlie are just a few of those we have loss. We have to carry on their battle to protect those that can’t protect themselves.”

Remus smiled at the younger people with pride. “I knew you just needed reminded about what was important. Some things are just worth dieing for.”

Three points to Slytherin, just because I don't think I've ever awarded them in less than fives! lol!

[Cwiddy]

Name: Cwiddy
House: Hufflepuff
Title: Finding Courage
Warnings: Character Death Mentioned
Word count: 291

Ginny sat there, quietly sobbing, trying not to allow her fear to totally destroy her. People were dying around her. She was hidden under a desk in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom. Ginny had thought that maybe this would get easier after the losses she’d already suffered, Sirius, Dumbledore, and more recently her brothers, Charlie and Percy. Now she was at Hogwarts watching the Death Eaters kill her fellow students, at least those that were brave enough to try to defend themselves.

Just then Ginny felt a hand on her shoulder, and jumped to her feet, her wand ready to send a jinx at the person behind her.

“Shhh, it’s me, put your wand down” whispered Nymphadora Tonks who was kneeling there at Ginny’s side. “Lets get you out of here to safety; your mother is worried sick about you, as is everyone else in your family!”

Just then, outside the classroom door that Ginny was now facing she saw Luna Lovegood run past, a Death Eater right behind her.

Ginny raised her wand, running past Tonks to aim a Bat Bogey Hex at the Death Eater’s back.

“I’m sorry Tonks, but I need to stay here and defend my school. This is NOT a battle to loose! Voldemort will NOT take Hogwarts! There are too many innocents here that need to be protected.” Ginny exclaimed before racing off to help her friend, Tonks at her back.

“Let’s see how many of the students we can round up and find a place to set up a defense. This is going to be a long night!” Tonks quietly said, sending off her Patronus to let the Weasleys know that Ginny was currently alright, but that the battle had just begun.

Three points to Hufflepuff, and I love that banner btw!

[Cwiddy]

Name: Cwiddy
House: Hufflepuff
Title: But Mom
Drabble you’re responding to: What for? Sly Severus
Why? The hopelessness of Andromeda made me think about that Nymphadora's response might be to these thoughts and ideas, to answer the question, What for?
Warnings: topic of death is discussed, and of course war!
Words: 337

“Mom, when will you understand that we do not fight because we want to die?” Nymphadora Tonks exclaimed to the older woman that was standing in front of her.

“Dora, Death is the only definite outcome of war!” Andromeda pleaded with her daughter. “Don’t you see that you will die just like Sirius.”

“Mom, I cannot live in a world where people are murdered just because they are Muggles or Muggleborn. Don’t you see that if Voldemort wins this war, even I will die, just because I’m not pure blood?” Tonks tried to make her mother understand. “If I sit back and allow this war to occur around me, my friends will die for nothing. Sirius will have died for nothing. Innocents are dying every day. Voldemort does not care if the person is even aware of the war. The Muggles know nothing about it, and are dying by the thousands. I hope you see that sometimes battle cannot be avoided, that some things are worth dying for, one life willingly given by a trained fighter can save many innocent lives in the future.”

“I know you are right Dora, but I do not know how to fight. My battle was fought years ago against my own family. That took all the courage I had. I have no fight left in me for this war.” Andromeda’s body sunk into the chair behind her, her eyes hopeless. “I miss your father, I miss my sisters, and I miss peace,” Andromeda sighed.

“I cannot bring Daddy back, nor change the mind of my aunts, but peace does not just manifest, Mom, sometimes there is a cost before peace can materialize. There are too many people out there who like the chaos of war too much for peace to survive very long,” Tonks uttered as she wrapped her arms around her mother. “I need to join the battle. I hope you stay safe Mom, and know that I love you, always!” Tonks stood and Disapparated to join the coming battle.

Five points to Hufflepuff. Nice response.

[Charmed_S]

Name:Charmed_S
House: Gryffindor
Title: The Euphony of War
Warnings: Character Death and HBP spoilers (for those who understand the symbolism)
Word count: 217

Go Poetry!

This is an un-betad version -- I'll post a betad version as soon as Colores does another amazing job =) So please forgive my mistakes

The Euphony of War

Again and again,
Swords of melody sing, and chant
Such celestial noise bound in metal clash, bitter,
And in that steady moderato of the notes, painted in shades of red;

crimson, and gold, maybe,

With the pride of such gushing scarlet and
The shame of such superlative emerald,
I find you lone,
Because the spears and the swords paint my eyes –
Round and around you spin, endless but last, with such
Silvery flicker, that bounce off my sword,

breaking the light,

And I wonder: it’s
To love and to die, isn’t it –
And to rise; but not only rise, no, but to fall, and

Fade into the sunset.

How do you tear the sunlight so –
Or is that the solitude of the moon in your tears?
Touch my tears with your lips,
Touch my war with your fingertips,
And save,

save the glorious sunset

Save them, save them and I must be left,

behind,

In the solitude of the moon, that glistens
Under the glamour of your portrait;

serpentine green and wispy silver, that

Dance and sing, endless but final;
In such celestial hum
Of that incarnadine sketch you shed,
In faultless rhythm with your face, and the moon,
And the silver slithering Snake;

For the Phoenix shall fall,
But not only fall, no, he must also rise,

Rise into the sunset.

Wow. Ten points to Gryffindor

[Wand_Waver2006]

Name: Wand_Waver2006
House: Ravenclaw!
Title: War Victims
Warnings: Mentions of character death.
Word count: 367

A country cannot simultaneously prepare and prevent war. ~ Albert Einstein

St. Mungo's was full of survivors of those deadly three years; full of the dedicated Healers who attended them; and full of the devastated family members who would never be the same. Even after the war had been over for a year.

Three years, thought Hannah Abbot as she roamed the blank halls during her break. Three years worth of destruction and death.

Hannah had not been personally affected by the Second War. She had been a Healer-in-training when it had started, right out of Hogwarts when the first few were hospitalized; she could still remember her first war victim.

He was barely recognizable, a Stunning spell and a Disarming charm hitting him square in the face simutaneously. His hair had been charred away; his nose, right leg, and left arm were broken, and he had massive internal damage to his lungs. The bones were easy enough to fix; his nose would be forever crooked. It was his lungs that were hard to repare.

He had never given up hope, though. Hannah had taken care of him for his whole six month tenure at the hospital, where he was joined by several other witches and wizards that were just as badly scarred. She took care of them all, part of a special team for the heroes.

He was a fighter to the end. His lungs, in the end, were said to be unreparable; he would need help breathing for the rest of his life. He made Hannah cry more than once as he whispered his wishes to her. That whole ward was a black hole of sadness. In the end, three of the people died, one after the other. Hannah was forced to call the times:

Harry James Potter, 6:42 pm, July 16th, 2001

Hermione Jane Granger, 6:45 pm, July 16th, 2001

Ronald Weasley, 6:50 pm, July 16th, 2001

She had taken care of Harry. They had been friends in school; she had been part of his Dumbledore's Army. Now, six years later, he still made her cry as she walked down those bare halls. She couldn't help but notice that those three best friends had fought until that day, one year exactly after the defeat of Voldemort.

Salty tears made their way down Hannah's face. She didn't bother stopping them.

Many thanks to Whittyleah for helping this sad little Ravenclaw.

♪Star♪


5 points to Ravenclaw.

[tc015]

Name: tc015
House: Gryffindor
Title: What’s a mother to do?
Warnings: Mentions of Character Death and Mental Disorder
Word count: 265

Molly just wanted to cry all day long. What was the point of waking up in the morning anymore? Her children, her little babies were in trouble. And she couldn’t do anything about it. Three of her sons – Bill, Fred, and Ronald – were all dead, her daughter – Ginny – was lying in Saint Mungo’s, the newest resident of permanent spell damage ward, and another one of her sons – Charlie – was a cripple.

Five young lives, five precious lives, were ruined. All because of a stupid war. Losing Arthur hurt worse than anything she had felt before then. But she seeing her children die was five times worse. She and Arthur were adults; they already had a life. But their children never had the chance.

How she wished she could say how beautiful her daughter’s hair was again. How she wished she could sit there and nag William about his long hair and fang earring. It would be worth all the money in Gringotts to have Fred trick her with another prank wand, even though she hated them.

A mother should never have to lose a child. They were supposed to outlive her. She should have had grandchildren, at least twenty of them. Now she would be lucky to have even one.

All these she could never do. Grow old with her husband, see her only daughter being married, watch her youngest son propose to his girlfriend – all of this would never happen to her. If she could give up her life for change all of this, she would. Sadly, she couldn’t change the horrors of war.


Three points to Gryffindor

[Laurskii]

Title: Prayers for the Outcast.
Warnings:
Word count: 509


*note* The song in italics is "God Help The Outcasts" from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. No copyright infringements are intended.

Shadows passed on the wall in the flickering candlelight. He walked through the chapel with his hands clasped gently and his head bowed; this was a place of prayer, and despite all his uncertainties about the power of any sort of god above, habit forced his reverence. He passed by droves of people, all looking for something, same as himself, and as he walked by them, he felt a surge of sadness.

Reaching his favorite bench, Remus Lupin knelt to pray.

I don't know if You can hear me
Or if You're even there
I don't know if You would listen
To a gypsy's prayer
Yes, I know I'm just an outcast
I shouldn't speak to you
Still I see Your face and wonder,
Were You once an outcast too?

'I don't know what you think you're playing at up there,' he thought sullenly as a deep resentment came over him, 'but I think it's quite wrong of you to mess with us like this.'

He raised his eyes to the crucifix that rose above the altar in the main church. 'Do you mean him to give his life for us too?' His heart was in his throat now, and he choked as he thought of his best mate's only son, Remus's constant torment and delight. 'How much do you mean to take away from me, from us?'

The war had escalated to an alarming rate, and as casualties mounted ever higher, Remus feared the outcome, and not just for himself. 'He's lost so much already...'

God help the outcasts
Hungry from birth
Show them the mercy
They don't find on earth

He stood and crossed himself. 'Nana would be proud.' He thought fondly of the days when he would accompany his zealous grandmother to Mass. She'd been convinced that, despite all the hardships his family had been thrown, prayer could help them overcome.

God help my people
We look to You still
God help the outcasts
Or nobody will

He somberly walked around the chapel, studying the ornate carvings that lined its walls. Around him, other lost souls did the same, some with hands clasped; others praying under their breath with a fevered plead. He tried to imagine what they were praying for, and then reminded himself that it didn't matter; in the end, all anyone wanted was peace, and if they were praying for that, they were same as him.

I ask for nothing
I can get by
But I know so many
Less lucky than I
Please help my people
The poor and downtrod
I thought we all were
The children of God
God help the outcasts
Children of God

He slowed before a picture of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, and reached out his hand to the family. Tears formed in his eyes, and he blinked them away, raising his head to the Heavens. "God help us. Help Him," he said aloud, dropping his hand from the portrait, crossing himself again, and walking out of the chapel.

God help the outcasts
Children of God

Three more points to the Slytherin house