Open Scene! Who: Megan and... YOU CHOOSE! (seriously, it's open, jump in) When: Thursday, May 8 Where: Arcadia Park What: Diagon Alley is off limits, so Megan - needing to think - takes a walk with her camera in the park.
Focusing her camera and pushing herself up onto her tiptoes, Megan watched the squirrel through the lens, waiting for the perfect moment. At last the small animal's head lifted from the nut in his hands, and Megan took the shot. At the sound of the faint click of the shutter, the squirrel was gone, darting down the bark and into the evening.
Settling back onto the soles of her feet, Megan let the camera hang around her neck as she pulled her thin jacket tighter around her body. The chill of the fading day was the worst. All the light seemed to disappear and leave with nothing but that strangely unsettling absence of warmth. Acting on instinct, she looked around for Dementors.
She'd gone to the protest at the Ministry the previous day, heard Frank Abbott speak, and ended up listening to the stories of some of the people there - taking pictures when they'd allowed her to. And she was struck by how willing the people there would listen to her. To her fears about the Obliviation, to her concerns. They'd been patient and understanding. Even when still faced with their own horrific nightmares.
A man had watched Death Eaters kill and torture his entire family before he was thrown into the prison. He couldn't eat, or sleep or work without extensive Dreamless Sleep potions and Anti-Depresent potions. But their effects were beginning to wane now and the memories were creeping back. He was one of the leaders of the Free Obliviation movement and he'd taken Megan's hand and sat down with her for hours, explaining the pros and acknowledging the cons. Never once dismissing her thoughts or feelings or lashing out at her for not understanding. When they'd parted he'd given her a hug and told her he'd keep her in his thoughts and would owl her about the next gathering.
A complete stranger. A man who hadn't known she existed. And he'd cared more about her own feelings on the entire issue than Hannah or Leanne had. Hannah who was her best friend and basically just told her it was a silly idea and to forget it without ever asking how she felt about it. Leanne who had group therapy with her and knew that Megan was just as sensitive to the issue as she but still lashed out at her. Not that she could blame her, and she had apologized, but... no one at that protest had done anything but smile and tell her that they would keep her in their thoughts. And they'd been through just as hard - if not worse - of a time.
It was all so confusing! Both sides seemed to have really good points, but only one side seemed to even want to know her side. But did that make them the better side? What kind of world is it when Daphne Greengrass fights for you and your best friend won't even listen to you?
Lost in thought, she curled up on one of Arcadia Park's benches, watching the road without seeing it.