January 19, 2022.

I heard your voice in the wind today
and I turned to see your face;
the warmth of the wind caressed me
as I stood silently in place.

Simon stood overlooking the dark waters of the Great Lake; the surface as still as his emotions. He came here to escape the chaos of the castle, where something reminded him of his close friend Alexa Mackenzie at every turn. He came here looking for something although he wasn't quite sure what that was and instead was met with an emptiness that matched his heart and aching soul.

He stood still as a breeze blew softly against his face, as if something somewhere was telling him that things were going to be okay, a sort of gentle nudge to keep going. He thought to a moment in the Hufflepuff Common Room, where he had asked Alexa Mackenzie's pet rat Rascal for permission to dance, as if it was olden times and he had to gain the permission from the chaperone first. It began as casual and fun, and turned into one of the closest moments that the two would share. He held her close as the two turned a twirl causing a rush of air on their faces. Simon smiled thinking back to it.

I felt your touch in the sun today
as its warmth filled the sky;
I closed my eyes for your embrace
and my spirit soared high.

The clouds moved above, no longer blocking the sun, and a warmth fell over him, as the entire area around the lake was casted in brightness. He thought of her fiery red hair of curls that she so often pulled back over her shoulder, but he had preferred when it cascaded down and framed her face. He remembered the countless evenings they spent on the sofa in the Common Room and he'd glance up at her from his studies to ask a question, waiting for the right moment where it seemed she was at the end of a paragraph. He'd wait patiently, although a time or two he would take his hand to softly brush her hair back for her, knowing it bothered her when it got in her way.

I saw your eyes in the window pane
as I watched the falling rain;
It seemed as each raindrop fell
it quietly said your name.

A breeze blew again, ruffling the evergreen trees around him as all the leaves on the other trees had all fallen before Autumn's end. Being a dhampir, he didn't always take the chance to go outdoors and appreciate nature, so he took a moment to take it all in. The evergreens brightened up the landscape with their vibrant green needles. He thought of Alexa Mackenzie and her vivid green eyes. They always carried such kindness. He had loved the way they sparkled when she laughed, or how deep of an emerald they seemed to get when their gaze would connect.

I held you close to my heart today
it made me feel complete;
You may have died - but you are not gone
you will always be a part of me.

But he would never get to look into those eyes again; he would never hear her laughter. He would never softly brush back her hair; or experience her kindness. What was worse - the WORLD would never get to experience her kindness again. If only he had one more moment with his friend - one more study session, one more fun moment, one more dance - he could tell her how important she was to him; he could tell her how important she was to the world. The world needed kind people like Alexa Mackenzie and it was devastating that she would not be there to help it.

Another breeze blew, this one a little harsher as it traveled across the landscape around him. Some grass rustled and out came a small gray rat that squeaked, having most likely been startled from the cold air. Simon looked down, realizing it was one of those fancy rats that they sold at the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley - one just like Alexa's pet rat Rascal. Someone at Hogwarts was probably inside looking for it right now. "Come here, little guy. You've got to be pretty cold," Simon said as he leaned down and brought the rat into his hands.

The rat showed a slight bit of hesitation but came into his hands and he stood taller, giving it a closer look. It looked to him and sniffed the air before outstretching its little rat neck towards him, wanting to examine him closer and Simon smiled. He thought of Rascal and how he liked to touch his nose against things. "We'll get you where you belong, don't you worry," Simon laughed.

He brought the rat closer to his face and it moved closer to the edge of his hands, until it could bring its nose softly against Simon's face and then calmed back down. It was exactly as Rascal liked to touch his nose against things. Simon paused, looking down to it. Yes, it was just a little gray rat, but somehow he looked so sad - but then again maybe he was just reflecting his own emotions onto the small animal.

Still, Simon couldn't shake the feeling and he gently brought the rat into one hand and took the other to softly take one of the rat's paws into his hand and there near the inside the left back leg, he saw a small bit of a white stripe. One barely would notice it if they weren't looking for it. There was one particular rat who had the same identifying coloring and it was one particular rat who had, unfortunately, once belonged to one particular redhaired Hufflepuff. "Rascal," Simon said softly, not knowing how it could be him but certainly knew that it WAS him. The rat squeaked softly, almost as if understanding the predicament they were both in. They both had lost someone so beloved to them and now didn't quite know where to go from here.

As long as the sun shines...
the wind blows...
the rain falls...
You will live on inside of me forever
for that is all my heart knows.

"We'll get you where you belong, don't you worry," Simon whispered as his hand gently patted the little gray rat's head and headed back towards the castle. "We'll get you back where you belong."



Total Word Count of My Words (Not counting any OOC message or poem): 927

There we go, take good care of your new little friend!