May 29th, 1889; Dinner — Hogwarts Great Hall

Black had escaped this particular grim duty, dealing instead with the child's parents. While such a discussion was not one Hamish ever wished to had, the Deputy wondered if the Headmaster hadn't gotten the better end of the bargain. Two grieving parents over a hundred confused children—the maths on that one didn't seem too bad.

Clearing his throat quietly, uncomfortably, the professor rose to his feet, the pre-dinner chatter dwindling to a small buzz as he did so. Had they been talking, just an instant before, about this very topic? Or had the faculty's efforts to keep it under wraps pay off? He doubted it was the latter—the Prophet had somehow gotten a hold of the story; even if the grapevine was not working at full capacity, surely at least one of the castle's pupils subscribed to the newspaper.

"As you may have heard," Hamish began, his deep voice echoing in the crevices of the Great Hall's walls, it's ceiling, "we as a school had the misfortune to lose one of our own last evening."

He halted a beat too long as he tried to piece together the right words. Students had, of course, died at Hogwarts over his decades of employment, but it never became any easier. In fact, with his advancing years, Hamish quite thought it had grown harder each time.

"Miss Celeste Benet—" his Scottish accent ignored entirely the French inflections "—of Gryffindor died swiftly in a small potions explosion, and two of her classmates remain in the hospital wing. I think I speak for us all when I say that our thoughts are with her family, and in particular with Miss Claire Benet, her twin sister."

"To call this a tragedy, I think, would not be an exaggeration. It is always tragic when one is lost so young, when one loses a friend, a pupil. What would be even more tragic, however would be to fail to learn from these events. We must never forget that magic is a being as much as it is a tool, and that we as individuals have our limitations. To challenge oneself is admirable, but to overreach, as we have borne witness, can be deadly. As you enter the summer months—and for our graduates, the world of adulthood—please, think on Miss Benet and the consequences of fool-heartiness—and of pride."

A small, sad smile graced the Deputy Headmaster's lips before he concluded, "Please, enjoy your supper."

Hamish returned heavily to his seat, his own appetite having gone on holiday two days early. Tomorrow's Coming Out Ball and Friday's End of Year Feast would, as always, continue as planned, but after the toll this had taken, the wizard was no longer certain he had either in him.

Perhaps it was finally time to retire.

Best suited to ~reactions more so than anything else! Feel free to explore your character's feelings and then take any action you like in a separate thread!

  

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— set by the long-lost bex —

Of all the things Flora expected to experience at Hogwarts, the death of one of her peers was not among them. Flora had never liked Céleste Benet. She was — or rather, had been — loud, mischievous, and altogether embodied what Flora feared to become. Céleste Benet had not cared about the consequences of her actions, social or otherwise. She didn't care who she befriended, where she wandered, or what shame she brought upon her family. She apparently did not care if she endangered others, too, as evidenced by her ill-conceived attempt at advanced potions. Although the news of the girl's passing made Flora's chest grow tight, there was a small voice in the back of her head that said that Miss Benet probably wanted to go out with bang, albeit far later in life than she did.

Flora wondered how her friends were feeling; Mr. Fudge and Mr. Bulstrode shared both a house and a year with Miss Benet’s twin. They undoubtedly knew her, and she knew that Mr. Fudge had been friendly with her in the past. She eyed the Gryffindor table from her end on the Slytherin table, wondering where they might be.

She remained silent, though, as her eyes moved only to cast a sad gaze at the Slytherin next to her.

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It still shook Jeremy. What if it had been his little girl? Though he suspected that neither of his children would be so foolish as to act as the Bénet sisters did. Would the other young Gryffindor learn her lesson before someone else got hurt?

He looked around the crowd of faces. It had sounded like Miss Claire Bénet would likely not arrive for breakfast. He did spot one of his children in the distance. Words repeated in his mind, 'Stay safe. Oh for the love of Merlin, please stay safe.' This thought spread to the other students as well. Who knew what went through the minds of young people.

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Pretties by Bee

There was a tightening n the pit of his stomach. It had begun earlier that day when—given his status as Head Boy—Professor Tatting had told him the news. This sensation only intensified, though, as the seventh year listened to Professor Darrow. Seeing such sadness on the jovial old man's face... Ben didn't think he'd ever heard the Deputy Head so pensive, so subdued. It was a jarring comparison, one he knew he would carry with him as he moved out into adulthood in just a day's time.

It could have been him, the Ravenclaw realized with startling clarity. How many times, in his seven years at Hogwarts, had he toyed with potions he had no business toying with? Had he experimented in his efforts to perfect this or that? He had never considered himself lucky, merely smart.

But now?

Ben didn't know.

  

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— graphics by mj ❤ —

To start the evening off with the grim news was not what she expected for the night. Honey only knew the girl from their reputation as troublemaker. She especially felt for the twin who lived as she knew how it felt to lose a family member. But no matter how they looked at it, if Miss Bennet hadn’t been so foolish to make potions that were clearly out of her league then she wouldn’t have died. The same goes for her conspirators.

Honestly, who was she to scold them when she had been practicing spells beyond her level secretly. Her continued failure in her matches and dissatisfaction at the phase spells were taught made take up the challenge on learning on her own. It was frustrating. It was exciting. Now, she did not know exactly how to feel the next time she practiced.  The only thing in her mind right now was she could be following her grandmother to the grave if she was not careful.

  

The rumors had been flying through the Gryffindor tower all day, Sisse could hardly fail to notice them. They were awful, just awful. Sisse hadn't wanted to believe them. Some ranged from a potion explosion, others claimed it was a duel gone wrong. There were others who felt that it was one of the half breeds allowed back in school. Everyone had their own opinion and their own reason for why three firsts years were not to be seen in the tower.

Rumors were one thing, they could be dismissed as hearsay, but hearing from one of their professors the truth, that was so much worse. One could no longer ignore it as only a rumor. Instead one had to face the facts. And the facts were that one of Sisse's friends was dead. She had gotten along with the first year twins, having taken the time to talk to them during classes, at meals, and in the common room. The thought that one of them was dead? It was unfathomable. Sisse had never known anyone who had died. But, looking around at the rest of the house gathered at their table, it was clear this was no joke.

Sisse stared in stunned silence as Professor Darrow sat back down, suddenly not even hungry. It was awful, just awful. If it had happened to Celeste, what might have happened to Sisse during all her potions practices on her own? A small voice whispered in her mind. She trembled and then the tears started. The quiet flow that she was sure Matthew would call her a baby for. But Sisse didn't care - one of her friends was dead and that was reason enough.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

Somersby's seventh year had been about to conclude with very little drama. After the events of last summer Somersby was grateful for that fact. Until he heard the news. Mr. Darrow's words shook him. How could three little girls get into such trouble? The thought was ridiculous, after all they had been Paxton's age and Paxton was quite capable of making his own trouble.

What if it had been one of his sisters though? Glancing around Somersby saw this reaction on many faces. It could have been any of them. It could have been any brothers or sisters, or any student sitting there listening to the speech. They'd all practiced potions on their own. They'd all done something that they weren't quite good at in their studies. Any of a million things could have gone wrong. It hammered home the fact that you didn't have to go looking for trouble for it to find you. It could find you anywhere, not just on a venture into magicless fog. Not just hunting for new animals for a zoo. It could even be here at Hogwarts.

Somersby looked around the room finding each of his siblings, glancing at them, glad they were safe. Would they be okay with out him next year? He could only hope so, but a glance at Paxton had him worried. If anyone were to find trouble it would be that boy. Holliday would watch after him, Somersby reassured himself. Because there was nothing left he could do. This was his last day at Hogwarts, he could only hope something like this wouldn't happen again. But it would, his mind whispered. Because he knew just how death could touch in the least likely places.

  

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Made by magic (MJ) <3

When Sybille had sat down for supper she had felt bubbly in anticipation of the end of the year. The last tests were done and soon she would be returning home where Ace and Avril and her mother (her mother!) were. She'd spend the summer with Fleur in the kitchens baking and all would be right with the world for the first time in a long time.

She hadn't anticipated the news having spent most of the day in the dorms packing and as such when Professor Darrow delivered the news Sybille was shocked. She hadn't been close with the Benet twins, instead having kept to her housemates when it came to socializing, but she would never have wished it on anyone. Death was horrible. Immediately she thought of Claire, all alone with out her twin. Sybille knew that dying meant that part of yourself felt like it had died too, the dead always took a piece of the living with them. In this matter she felt rather like she knew something.

"We should make her some cookies." Sybille whispered to Fleur. It wouldn't help much, but at least it was something. A gesture that Claire's classmates were there for her in some shape, even if they couldn't help ease the pain.

The following 1 user Likes Sybille Lukeson's post:1 user Likes Sybille Lukeson's post
   Acacia Darlington

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Ellsworth had worked at Hogwarts for a long time. Tragedies happened and when they did they spared no one, not the most innocent nor the least. They were never something to be taken lightly, staring out at the room as Darrow finished speaking Ellsworth noted the reactions of the students. Thank Merlin this time it had only been one child. Looking out at the other children in the room Ellsworth found he could name each of them, remember each of them in his classes. His own grandchildren were out there. It could have been any of them. But hopefully they would learn, they wold be more diligent in their studies and if they needed help, hopefully they would ask. Especially those curious to try new things on their own, those who wished to create new spells and potions. Despite his love of inventing spells this was why he had served on the Committee. Perhaps they needed a committee for potions too...

  

She ought not to be so affected by death, having spent most of her life studying what was left of the long-departed. But she was, just like the rest of them: her eyes kept getting misty, and it was troubling her to maintain any more composure than that, even with the hall of students looking on for a good example.

But better to cry, she supposed, cry and grieve and feel than string oneself up in looking dignified. Tragedies happened, just so, and accidents as well. It was a sobering end to the year that had been, on the whole, a blissful one. She hadn’t known Miss Bénet, of course, but felt almost as though she had - those twins had had a reputation, both during their time at school and out of it (hadn’t they stowed away on a boat, once? Carmelina could not blame the girls for that). A brave little soul, that one. Worth every tear.

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Other than the little diary drama, the year had been fairly quiet. Which made this tragedy hit Acacia like Hogwarts Express. How could this have happened? Weren't there chaperones everywhere? Keeping an eye on students for their own good?

Apparently it hadn't been enough. These students had snuck away and performed magic that was too advance for them to handle. Acacia had read the paper this morning.

From Professor Darrow's announcement, that meant that two of the students responsible were out of the hospital wing. Expelled? Likely. Fellow student endangerment was quite a big deal, even if the one to die was the one who supposedly had the idea.

Acacia hadn't known the Bénet twins, but she couldn't help but wonder if she knew the others who were involved. Did they feel guilty? Or simply lucky to be alive? She did hope they regretted their decision, for the sake of everyone's safety.

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Magic by Elaine!

Rupert hadn't really known the girl except for by reputation. He also did not have much sympathy for the tragedy. Hopefully it would serve as a lesson to any other young students that thought to overreach their level of education. He did wonder how the remaining twin felt about it all. Did she have survivors guilt or any of the sort? He couldn't imagine how he might feel were it his little sister to do something so foolish. Truth be told, he probably would want to deny any tie to her at all.

  

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fabulous set by MJ!

Sage could not foster up any sort of emotion to feel about a classmate having perished due to her own hubris. He supposed he was going to have to try and seem sympathetic to any grieving Slytherins there might be. His eyes glanced down the table though they seemed to all right despite a couple of the girls looking a bit misty eyed.

  

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— set by lady! —

Rex fiddled uncomfortably with his fork, wishing the food would appear so that he would have a proper sort of occupation.

Miss Benet had been his classmate. He had not known her well, but a part of the boy had admired her sheer energy—energy that had now been snuffed out. What if he had joined her little cabal? Would he have joined her in death, too?

The boy scanned the room for Flora, for Sirius, but couldn't get a good view of the Slytherin table.

He missed his mother.

  

Elaisa didn't know the Benet twins very well. She had heard about them. When she heard one of them was dead this made her feel bad for the remaining twin. She knew how it was to lose the sibling but not how to lose twin. She looked over the girl and wasn't sure what to do for her. She didn't have to. Elaisa hoped she will have some people near her cheer up or just someone who is there as moral support to get through this. It's never easy to lose someone close.

  

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Thanks MJ for the set!

To start the evening with such somber news was unnerving, especially when the usually high spirited Deputy Headmaster was announcing it with such a grim face. Her heart felt pity for the surviving twin. She knew how hard it was to lose a sibling especially one whom you were very close to. October hoped that the other Benet girl had not blamed herself for the accident. She hadn’t known the dead girl aside from their kidnapping. Miss Benet was foolish and reckless but she did not deserve to die at such a young age. With Professor Darrow's warning, she hoped that she didn't have to deal with a situation similar to this for her remaining year at Hogwarts.

  

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