 The guest of honor is here! (feel free to join in at any time) Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll
Gaston had never been much for birthdays, having spent so many of them sad and alone. That had changed for a time when Rose and later Desiree came into his life, and he finally had someone to share them with. But now... all the professors who knew about his birthday were gone, and he didn't dare risk Scrimgeour's wrath by going home to his family for the day. He was right back where he started...
The dark-haired Frenchman was lost in thought as he stood outside the kitchen. He'd been dreading this day for months! With all that had happened... first the Inferi attack, then months of subjugation under Scrimgeour... he felt as if he'd aged at least ten years in the past one! His hair was more gray than black now; he was dangerously underweight and the dark shadows under his eyes more pronounced than ever, making him look like a dead man walking. If he was this tired and damaged now, what would he be like in ten years? Five? Even one? Would he still be able to be a father to Desiree?He scoffed to himself. He was starting to think his milestone birthdays were cursed! He spent his 30th birthday recovering from the dragon incident at Beauxbatons, and now with his 40th falling on the heels of the devastating news he received around Easter...
Never mind, he had other things to worry about, like the note he found telling him to come to the kitchen. Did he even want to know what this was about? He swore to Merlin, if one of Scrimgeour's goons had called him away from his office expecting him to help punish one of his Lions for violating some rule that never should've existed in the first place, he was going to lose it! Then an even worse thought occurred to him. What if the note meant a student was in danger? He sighed, crumpling the note in his hand. There was no telling what he would find on the other side of that door! He turned the knob, prepared for the worst, and...
Gaston gasped as he saw the kids, the cake, the decorations... He couldn't believe it! Even after all that happened this term, they still cared about him. For several moments, he remained frozen in place, paralyzed by the sudden onslaught of emotion that overwhelmed him. He thought his heart would burst with love for his students! Tears glistened in his eyes, but he was smiling wider than he had in many months as he wandered farther into the room. "You... did all this... for me?" he said once he found his voice.
__________________ 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... |