 Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll
The Inferi attack had left a lasting mark on Gaston, both emotionally and physically. He refused treatment for his own injuries until everyone else, student and professor alike, had been either patched up and sent to bed or transferred to St. Mungo's, but the delay caused lasting damage. Jagged scars marred his arms, hands, and half his face, and he'd lost most of the vision in his right eye. His leg had been broken in several places from his efforts not to fall on top of a student when the Inferi pushed him and was still healing. It was better now, but he still needed the support of a cane. The healers said the cane would probably not be permanent, but the scars and blindness might be. Funny, he would've rather had the cane for the rest of his life than the scars...
He kept his head down, hoping not to shock anyone with his scars as he entered the Great Hall. He didn't want to be here tonight; he hadn't wanted to come back to Hogwarts at all after be was discharged from St. Mungo's! Every moment he was in this castle, he feared for his life. In the past six years since he started working at Hogwarts, he'd seen poltergeists, portal monsters, cult possessions, and now Inferi... each term more dangerous than the last. Did he even want to know what the next school year had in store for him? As much as he loved his students, he loved his daughter too, and Desiree needed him alive!
But Gaston was here, and this time it wasn't just out of fear of Hawthorne's wrath. After facing a horde of Inferi, she seemed like a cuddly kitty-cat by comparison! If this turned out to be his last feast at Hogwarts (which he hadn't decided at this point), he owed it to the other staff and students to see them one last time... especially the graduating seventh years. He glanced around at the house tables, feeling the familiar sadness that came with the round of goodbyes at the end of every term, but this time there was a tinge of relief. These kids may be walking out of his life forever, but at least they were all walking out alive!
As he hobbled to his seat at the dais, he noticed that most everybody was here already. Hopefully he wasn't too late - or if he was, hopefully they would forgive him. It took him longer to get down the stairs than usual. He managed a small wistful smile for his colleagues. "Good evening, everyone," he greeted. He wasn't in a particularly talkative mood at the moment; he was too distracted by his conflicting thoughts. He had a lot of soul searching to do over the summer!
__________________ Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led
If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true... |