Be Not Proud by Adrienne Title: Be Not Proud Author: Adrienne Rating: PG Summary: Everyone celebrates Halloween differently. Word count: 361
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so...
-John Donne
He had not intended to stumble upon the boy, he later reflected. Missing from the Halloween feast, Potter was conspicuous only in his absence. Making his rounds later that night, ready for the teenage insurgents who were no doubt by this time hard-wired to do unspeakable acts of mayhem under the influence of sugary carbohydrates, he was honestly surprised to find Potter where he did. The lonely window showed a bleak outlook of the storm raging outside, Potter's pale face a stark silhouette against the night.
“Potter, what-” he started. As soon as the words left his mouth, however, Potter startled, quickly jumping up and knocking down whatever it was he had had in the window.
He sneered, a ready insult on his lips, when something rolled into his shoe. Looking down, he saw a thin candle, the tall, pale taper ending in a still-smoking wick. He glanced up quickly to confirm the suspicion that suddenly leaped to mind, the defensive and slightly crushed look on Potter's face settling the matter.
Potter, ignoring the necessary proximity to his professor, shot out a hand and grabbed the candle from the floor, revealing the other candle that still remained lit on the windowsill. Snape watched in silence as Potter lit the candle once more and set it down, a guardian against the dark.
Without any prompting, Potter said quietly, “People forget them. I did. And-” He stopped, frustrated, when no more words were forthcoming. Snape flattered himself to think he understood, however.
“It is the least we can do, to stand watch in honor of their sacrifices.”
Potter nodded. “Maybe in the hope that someone will stand for us someday.”
He knew what Potter was not saying. He knew that he and Potter would stand for many more fallen in the weeks, months, maybe years to come, and in the end, it was highly likely they would be able to stand for none more. They would fall, and it was only in the memories of others that they would remain