Status: In very, very, very slow progress
Slythendor
The Funeral
During the Christmas holidays, a very sad event marred the festivities; David Herbaceum’s funeral. David had been Vanessa’s father, if you recall, and as October half term was not practical for Vanessa, Jenifer had changed the funeral date.
As soon as the holidays had started, Vanessa, along with Harry, departed for the Burrow with the Weasleys. What had been sorted was that Vanessa would stay with the Weasleys and then be present at the funeral; spend the rest of the holidays with her family and come back to Hogwarts with the Weasleys, having arrived at the Burrow on the last day of the holidays.
On the day of the funeral (10th December) Vanessa glided down the stairs into the kitchen looking very pale and rather ill. Only looking straight ahead, she slumped into a chair in between Fred and Ginny Weasley.
“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Weasley sighed sympathetically. “Would you like some breakfast, Vanessa dear?” Vanessa tried to talk, but couldn’t. Instead she shook her head.
“Give her some coffee, Mum.” Ginny answered for her. Mrs. Weasley carefully put a mug of hot, strong, black espresso next to Vanessa who smiled appreciatively at her.
After draining the mug in five sips, Vanessa began staring into space. Subsequently a single tear made its way down her cheek. Almost immediately many more followed; until Vanessa had her head on the table with her arms wrapped round it and was sobbing. Mrs. Weasley shooed Bill, Charlie, Fred, Percy and George out of the kitchen, leaving Harry with her after Ron, Ginny and Hermione left, feeling that the less people surrounded her, the better off Vanessa would be, and deciding that Harry was the best person to help her, being a fellow orphan.
Deciding that the best way to conquer this sadness would be to leave her in private with her iPod, Harry hesitantly wiped some of the tears from her cheeks, gave her the iPod and left her. Vanessa made her way in to the garden and sat on a rickety wooden bench. Halfway through ‘Long Way To Happy’ by Pink, it began to rain. Singing along all the way, Vanessa sobbed her way through ‘Long Way To Happy’, ‘The Ghost Of You’ by MCR, ‘Cemetery Drive’ (MCR), ‘Cancer’ and ‘Desert Song’, both by MCR. After becoming able to manage her emotions, she smoothed her outfit of a plain, simple black dress and black knitted cardigan, pulled up her black tights, re-tied the laces of her black boots and walked back into the house, after magically drying herself.
Returning from the funeral to the Burrow, Vanessa was glad that her sister, Joe and Mrs. Weasley had agreed that it would be best to stay away from her house for a while. After receiving hugs from Harry, Hermione and all the Weasleys bar Mr. Weasley, Percy, Bill and Charlie, Vanessa sat at the small coffee table in the living room and began writing a song.
“You’re no longer here, my dear.
And I’m all alone
Feeling as if I’m without a home
Waiting for someone to
(Ch.) Save me!
Don’t wanna be all alone, so
Save me!
Will you stop haunting my home?
Save me!
Give me room to breathe,
Save me!
Let me get used to the fact that you are gone. (End ch.)”
As soon as the holidays had started, Vanessa, along with Harry, departed for the Burrow with the Weasleys. What had been sorted was that Vanessa would stay with the Weasleys and then be present at the funeral; spend the rest of the holidays with her family and come back to Hogwarts with the Weasleys, having arrived at the Burrow on the last day of the holidays.
On the day of the funeral (10th December) Vanessa glided down the stairs into the kitchen looking very pale and rather ill. Only looking straight ahead, she slumped into a chair in between Fred and Ginny Weasley.
“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Weasley sighed sympathetically. “Would you like some breakfast, Vanessa dear?” Vanessa tried to talk, but couldn’t. Instead she shook her head.
“Give her some coffee, Mum.” Ginny answered for her. Mrs. Weasley carefully put a mug of hot, strong, black espresso next to Vanessa who smiled appreciatively at her.
After draining the mug in five sips, Vanessa began staring into space. Subsequently a single tear made its way down her cheek. Almost immediately many more followed; until Vanessa had her head on the table with her arms wrapped round it and was sobbing. Mrs. Weasley shooed Bill, Charlie, Fred, Percy and George out of the kitchen, leaving Harry with her after Ron, Ginny and Hermione left, feeling that the less people surrounded her, the better off Vanessa would be, and deciding that Harry was the best person to help her, being a fellow orphan.
Deciding that the best way to conquer this sadness would be to leave her in private with her iPod, Harry hesitantly wiped some of the tears from her cheeks, gave her the iPod and left her. Vanessa made her way in to the garden and sat on a rickety wooden bench. Halfway through ‘Long Way To Happy’ by Pink, it began to rain. Singing along all the way, Vanessa sobbed her way through ‘Long Way To Happy’, ‘The Ghost Of You’ by MCR, ‘Cemetery Drive’ (MCR), ‘Cancer’ and ‘Desert Song’, both by MCR. After becoming able to manage her emotions, she smoothed her outfit of a plain, simple black dress and black knitted cardigan, pulled up her black tights, re-tied the laces of her black boots and walked back into the house, after magically drying herself.
Returning from the funeral to the Burrow, Vanessa was glad that her sister, Joe and Mrs. Weasley had agreed that it would be best to stay away from her house for a while. After receiving hugs from Harry, Hermione and all the Weasleys bar Mr. Weasley, Percy, Bill and Charlie, Vanessa sat at the small coffee table in the living room and began writing a song.
“You’re no longer here, my dear.
And I’m all alone
Feeling as if I’m without a home
Waiting for someone to
(Ch.) Save me!
Don’t wanna be all alone, so
Save me!
Will you stop haunting my home?
Save me!
Give me room to breathe,
Save me!
Let me get used to the fact that you are gone. (End ch.)”