Time to Catch Up PV AF Closed

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March 2024

There was no denying that third year was turning out to be a year of heartache and loss, on more than one front. Extraordinary moments of joy, laughter, love, and accomplishment all factored into the year as well, so AngelFyre could not say it had been a complete bust, but the losses seemed to be tipping the scales. First and foremost was the death of Grandma Ruth. It was just a couple of weeks shy of 9 months at this point, and the sting of it still pierced as deeply, at times, as the moment when realization came that she had finally slipped away. AngelFyre had been there, right beside her own mother, and heartbreaking as it was, there was a peace in knowing exactly where Grandma Ruth had slipped away to... and with whom she would now be spending her time. It was not frightening to bear witness to it, and AngelFyre was honored that her mother wished her to be by her side, comforting both of them during the transition. Grandma Ruth, even with her last breath, still had a lesson to teach, and it was that none of them need be afraid.

Knowing all of that, in her stronger moments, made everything easier to bear. She knew it was true even in her weaker moments, but the flesh is selfish, and she just honestly wanted her loved one back. The guilt of that floored her sometimes, but grief is a journey and the going was frankly easier on some days than others. But this year had been colored by it so often. For the first time since attending Hogwarts, AngelFyre had been able to see the Thestrals drawing the carriages up to the castle.

As she and Simon disembarked from the Hogwarts Express, the vision of them, pawing the ground and subtly spreading their wings with great restraint in the confined space given them, stopped her progress off the train. She stood perfectly still on the steps, looking in awe at them. She was about to point them out to Simon, who was standing on the platform at the Hogsmeade Depot, but she knew he would not yet be able to see them. He was smiling up at her with a slightly questioning look on his face and his hand outstretched. A loud, and growing, chorus of grumbles and excitement from the passengers behind her wanted to know why they were no longer moving, but she heard none of it. She was transfixed.

A gentle tug of her hand from Simon drew her back to a totality of awareness of her surroundings. As she stepped down, no longer holding up the line, she just barely breathed out the word "Thestrals." He quickly turned his head to look over his shoulder, seeing none of them, of course. When he turned back to her though, his hand squeezed hers three times and he gently tapped his forehead against hers in silent acknowledgement of what it meant.

That was all sad enough, but AngelFyre discovered, too late, that she had also been a bad friend for most of the year. Colin had undergone some changes that were keeping him away, and she was not entirely sure what he was going through, only that he was going through something... maybe a lot of somethings. She definitely had him on her radar, but worried it was too little too late. Was she... or worse yet.. was he... behind the eight ball? Was it game over before she even got into the game? She prayed not. Chasing after him had been proving to be a futile exercise, but one thing she was not... even now... was a quitter. When she loved someone, AngelFyre loved them hard, and Colin was one she loved hard.

It was while she had been thinking on Colin, and her lapses concerning him, that Shiawase sprang to mind and pressed on her heart. Shiawase had not been on her radar, and the guilt and shame of that brought heat to her cheeks as she reflected on the fact that she had pretty much blown Shiawase off the whole year. She had no excuse. She had simply retreated inwardly and away from almost everyone but Simon. It was all she had been able to manage, and it had been exhausting to get through her days and new responsibilities as a Prefect, but it just was what it was. AngelFyre had not even spared a thought to their annual Ghostbuster's meetup on the first morning back from summer... until that very moment, months after the fact. She worried how deflating it must have been for her friend... if AngelFyre was even still allowed to call her that... to have shown up and sat there alone and forgotten, without even a word of explanation as to why let alone an apology. How sad and angry and hurt she must have been.

And may still be.

Operating under the theory of better late than never, AngelFyre had sent Archimedes off with a request for Shiawase to meet her on the Grounds, near the fork in the path. One path led to Hogsmeade and the other path meandered around the lake. She did not explain anything, thinking it would be better to do so in person at this point. If Shiawase did not show up, AngelFyre could not, and would not, blame her.

As she approached the designated spot, she was delighted to see Shiawase already there. "You came? You actually came! Yay!" she called out to her in her excitement and waved her hand exuberantly as she ran the rest of the way. Not even a little out of breath, AngelFyre started right in before Shiawase had a chance to utter a syllable. "I am so glad to see you. And I am so sorry for being a cruddy friend this year. Even if you came today to do nothing more than to tell me off, I at least wanted you to know... that I know... how badly I dropped the ball. I am sorry, Shiawase. Truly sorry."



@Shiawase Mamori @Simon Kincaid @Colin McCoire

It was quite ominous, really. To receive a letter saying where and when to meet her friend but be left with no clue as to why. It's why she was sure this wouldn't be a normal Ghost Busters reunion. Why she was sure the conversation wouldn't be a lighthearted one. She had waited for AF for their yearly reunion in the hallway, cookies in hand, ready to laugh. But she never showed up. Shiawase went from thinking it wasn't a big deal that AF was late, to thinking that maybe she forgot, to worrying something bad had happened. To ease her nerves, Shiawase had sent the cookies to AF, but she wasn't sure if she got them . . . and with all of her own homework piling up, she hadn't had much chance to think about it again. Until this moment.

When she saw AF, she smiled and waved. At first politely, but then more excitedly as AF waved back. But before she could call out to AF, she started speaking, and Shiawase had no space to interject until she was done. But once AF was done, Shiawase wheeled right over to her and tried to hug her.

"Are you kidding me?" She let go and wheeled a couple steps away, shaking her head. "I would never have come here to tell you off. I'm always happy to see you. And hey, I . . . haven't been the best friend this year either. And not just to you. I've kind of . . . fallen off. On everything." She averted her gaze as she scratched her head. "Your apology is . . . I mean, I accept it but like, it's not necessary. I've been very busy myself and, well . . . I don't really need an explanation, either. I mean. It'd be nice to have one but like. I get it. I've been super busy myself. And I'm . . . I'm sorry, too. I thought something might have happened, and I never asked or followed up and . . . I was too absorbed in what I had going on to be there for you."

It wasn't until she started apologizing that her breath started to hitch. She took a moment to collect herself before continuing.

"I . . . I came out here because I thought it was important. And to make it up to you. And, well . . . I thought I could start by introducing you." She picked up her pygmy puff and held him out for AF. "This is Huffle. The puff. Er . . . because . . . you know, on our first meeting, you asked what a Hufflepuff was, and well. Here's your answer. It's him."[/color]

She cracked a shy smile. Shiawase had known she missed AF, but it wasn't until her friend started talking that she realized just how much she missed her.

@Angelfyre McCubbin