A Reflection on the Violence of the Current Times Essay Example for Free

A Reflection on the Violence of the Current Times Essay Wars and revolutions have been considered over the years as the most destructive choice that many nations have pushed through for the sake of fighting for their ideologies and interests. Just like the most aggressive natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, wars can end the lives of millions of innocent people in just a snap. All those ruthless bombing, deafening shootouts, and inhumane treatments among fighting nations are killing the world in such worse ways than natural disasters. This makes war as one of the most hated, resented, and feared concepts. However, it has also become one of the most tackled topics and themes in literature, allowing those who never experienced it to see a glimpse of its nature and reality. In James William Gibson’s article, Warrior Dreams, he talks about the feeling of being â€Å"unnamed† by a war that never became victorious. In the face of challenges and obstacles, this man who has been weakened by the fight seems to have formed illusions of invincible warrior heroes like Rambo, Dirty Harry and Jack Ryan (Gibson 625). An average and normal man would understand completely that the reality of being unmanned can be compared to a distressing situation in a man’s life where his greatest natural ability and strength are taken away: â€Å"Feeling unmanned by a war lost and by the rewriting of gender codes in the wake of the sexual revolution, millions of American men [†¦] began to dream, to fantasize about the powers and features of another kind of man who could retake and reorder the world† (Gibson 625). This would most certainly leave that person weak in his own awareness and belief; therefore, he will need something or someone—even an imaginary hero—from whom he can gain strength and an inspiration of invincibility. This, Gibson notes, can be one of the most potent roots of ruthless violence and inhumanity. Like many literary artists and sociologists who explored wars and revolutions in their works, Gibson admits that wars are practically naturally occurring events. He even claims that wars have divine histories as well — that during the ancient societies, even gods used wars as a way to set up the deified order of things: â€Å"These cosmogonic, or creation, myths posit a violent conflict between the good forces of order and the evil forces dedicated to the perpetuation of the primordial chaos. After the war in which the gods defeat the evil ones, they establish the sacred order† (Gibson 633). This claim, together with most of the academic claims about wars, implies that generally, wars are something which is innate in the tendencies of human beings and that war and violence appears to be never-ending exhibition of power by the humans—a power that they think they own. There are a lot of current issues and happenings that can be related to Gibson’s perspective on war and violence. Aside from the seemingly unending wars and violent acts rooted in religious conflicts and ideological clashes, Gibson’s discussion on the nature and reality of war and violence can also be exemplified in the case of a ruthless shooting in school done by mere adolescent boys rattled the entire nation — a nightmare that they never imagined to ever occur. It was a perfect spring morning in the fields of the Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado. As the investigation revealed, the deaths of 13 innocent people were indeed done by two boys by the name of Eric Harris, 18 years of age and Dylan Klebold, 17 (Bradley). The two started packing their rigging weapons and bombs in their duffel bags on the morn of April 20, 1999. After preparing their weapons and god-knows-what, they headed to Columbine High School. It was past 11 in the morning when the first set of gunshots were heard by the students from the cafeteria and they immediately scooted under the table to protect themselves from what they cannot deny as danger. What followed next was a series of pointless, cold-blooded shooting and bombing by the two young gunmen. The police were immediately present in the area; however, they were not able to protect the lives of 13 innocent people who fell dead. After the shootings and bombing, when the police and the SWAT were finally ready to enter the campus, the gunmen, Harris and Klebold, ended their own lives. This was just one of the most gruesome and distressing violent acts the whole of America has witnessed over the years. However, what disturbed most Americans about this incident was the involvement of two young people as the gunmen themselves. After the incident, a lot of harsh critics passed the blame onto the media industry for their irresponsible broadcasting and insufficient monitoring and control with the messages and content they convey. A lot of parents not just grieved but also blamed every possible medium which they think has contributed to the growth of violent materials in the mass media industry and consequently affected the behavior of children. However, even to this date, no one can be really certain about what went on in Harris and Klebolds minds to do such a thing. But considering Gibson’s discussion on the nature and reality of wars and violence, one could infer that these two boys just had an urge of power exhibition in false knowing and understanding that they can control and change the order of the world. Works Cited Bradley, Ed. â€Å"What Really Happened At Columbine? † CBS News. 17 April 2001. 9 July 2009. http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2001/04/17/60II/main286144. shtml. Gibson, James Wilson. â€Å"Warrior Dreams. † Title of the Book. Ed. First Name Last Name. Location: Publisher, Year. 625–633.

The UK Brewing Industry: PESTLE Analysis

The UK Brewing Industry: PESTLE Analysis The macro-environment of the UK brewing industry are the major external and uncontrollable factors that influence its operating organizations decision making, as well as its performance and strategies. To identify and assess its key factors, using the PESTLE framework will provide a comprehensive list of influences and key drivers in six main categories, which are: political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental. This method allows businesses to consider and explore how their external environment might change so that they are prepared if things should change. PESTLE analysis of the UK Brewing Industry Political Changes and reforms of Licensing Laws in line with Government policy Relaxation of opening hours and late night opening National minimum wage increase affecting salaries and wages EU influence and legislation regarding measures of drinks EU and National Government guidelines regarding health Local and National Government concerns regarding negative aspects of binge drinking Budget increases in duty on alcohol Government plan to increase taxes equating to around  £8million Increased duty on beer to 9% and inflation by 2% Economical National and international economic downturn means people generally have less disposable income for socialising Rise in staff wages due to National Insurance and Minimum Wage increases Cut price offers for alcohol in supermarket promotions Increases in transport costs in line with Fuel pricing Steadily falling employment Pubs create 18 jobs per pint than the supermarkets who only create 3 Rising costs of energy, food tax and employment Social Culturally pubs are the centre of social life, place to meet friends and for locals to socialise Easily accessible as pubs are generally situated close to Town Centres or on main routes Localised venue known for gigs, live music, themed nights for younger consumers Demographically increased local student population Media concern with negative aspects of binge drinking   Increased awareness of health concerns   Increased advertising on mainstream media of consuming alcohol responsibly   Wider choice and taste of alcoholic drinks in supermarkets for consumers Technological Developments in delivery of cold beers and chilled ale Development of wide range of flavoured alcoholic drinks Local interest in nightlife promoted via multi-media, websites, blogs and social networking Advertisements for alcohol awareness and responsible drinking on mainstream media Increased advertisement for alcohol brands via multi media Legal Smoking Ban Stronger enforcement of underage drinking regulations on local and national level Changes in Drink Driving Laws EU legislation on measures of drinks served Environmental Recycling Waste, litter, refuse produced in local area Transportation and delivery costs of goods The Macroeconomic Environment Key Drivers The Changing Nature of the Competitive Environment Present a Five Forces analysis of the competitive environment of the UK beer industry and discuss the changing nature and effect of these forces (30 marks) The brewery industry is highly competitive and highly saturated business. There are a number of forces at work here all of which can provide an insight into how appealing the brewery industry is, in terms of whether it is the type of industry to enter or leave; if there is room to exert any type of influence and how the competitors within this industry affect its performance (Johnson,2009). To help provide an analysis of the brewery industry and develop a business strategy, using Michael E. Porters Five Forces Model will determine its competitive intensity or attractiveness of a market. Porters Five Forces Analysis for the UK Brewery Industry ***NOTES FROM WORKSHOP: The industry is unattractive and unprofitable, the forces reduce the profits the firm can make†¦its getting worse The Strategic Directions of Adnams Against the background of a declining industry, the brewer and pub operator Adnams seem to be bucking the trends. Assess the strategic directions chosen by Adnams that have aided their progress. (40 marks) Adnams is a British brewery founded in 1890 in Southwold, Suffolk. In 2008 in spite of the economic downturn, Adnams began to make changes in how the brewery process operates to reduce its impact on the environment. In doing so Adnams decided to work more closely with local farmers and producers who supply their breweries and hotels; in addition to this through a partnership with a local business Adnams installed an anaerobic digestion plant to turn brewery and food waste into biogas, which has been a huge success. CONCLUSION Table of Appendices Meeting Logs Meeting Title: Strategic Management Assignment Date: 22ndFebruary 2011 Time: 12:00 Location: Kingston Hill Campus (Library Resource Centre) Meeting No. 1 Attendees: Alfred Okanlawon, Andrina Beau-Pierre, Damian Brooks, Rosetta Azah-Thomas, Jermaine Randolph Topics: Familiarize ourselves with one another and exchange contact details Ensure everyone has a copy of the case study Skim over the case study and brainstorm possible routes for questions 1, 2 and 3 Next meeting date: 1stMarch 2011 By the next meeting everyone should have read and understood the case study fully, and made bullet points for each question. Meeting Title: Strategic Management Assignment Date: 1stMarch 2011 Time: 12:00 Location: Kingston Hill Campus (Library Resource Centre) Meeting No. 2 Attendees: Alfred Okanlawon, Andrina Beau-Pierre, Damian Brooks, Rosetta Azah-Thomas, Jermaine Randolph Topics: Gather all the notes made for each question Decide who will do which question Next meeting date: 8thMarch 2011 By the next meeting everyone should have made a start on their assigned question so that everyone can read over it and offer suggestions Meeting Title: Strategic Management Assignment Date: 17thMarch 2011 Time: 14:00 Location: Kingston Hill Campus (Mid Level) Meeting No. 3 Attendees: Alfred Okanlawon, Andrina Beau-Pierre, Damian Brooks, Rosetta Azah-Thomas, Jermaine Randolph Topics: Combined the work that everyone has done so far individually for each question Whatever is left to do everyone should do, and we will bring it together for the next meeting Next meeting date: 22ndMarch 2011 By the next meeting all the questions will be answered by everyone and put together collectively and everyone will read the assignment and take notes on which sections they feel are irrelevant so that it will be cut down to make relevant together so that everyone is happy with its content Meeting Title: Strategic Management Assignment Date: 22ndMarch 2011 Time: 11:00 Location: Kingston Hill Campus () Meeting No. Attendees: Alfred Okanlawon, Andrina Beau-Pierre, Damian Brooks, Rosetta Azah-Thomas, Jermaine Randolph Topics: To discuss why sections of the assignment are irrelevant To take out sections that everyone agrees are irrelevant Next meeting date: Meeting Title: Strategic Management Assignment Date: 24ndMarch 2011 Time: 13:00 Location: Kingston Hill Campus () Meeting No. Attendees: Alfred Okanlawon, Andrina Beau-Pierre, Damian Brooks, Rosetta Azah-Thomas, Jermaine Randolph Topics: To write up the introduction (preface) and conclusion as a group Hand in the assignment Next meeting date:

Arguments Against Censorship in Music

Arguments Against Censorship in Music Have you ever wondered why radios have to bleep everything? Or why some CDs can’t be sold in stores? Or why there’s a little â€Å"Parental Advisory† sticker on some albums? If you answered â€Å"yes† to any or all of these questions, then stick around, because for the next 5 minutes, I am going to explain to you why the censorship on our music is way too harsh. Censorship in music should be reconsidered because of many points such as political views, the fact that musicians are willing to fight for their own music, and most of all, freedom of speech! There’s a song that comes to mind when I think about political censorship. A song called â€Å"Not Ready To Make Nice† by The Dixie Chicks. The song won three Grammies in the categories of Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals. The song is about how they, the band, felt about the invasion of Iraq, and the responses to their position on this situation. Natalie Maines, the main vocalist of the group, was quoted as saying that â€Å"[they] don’t want this war, this violence, and [they’re] ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.† Some of the lines in the song are about the death threats that the band had received in 2003. â€Å"How in the world can the words that I said send somebody so over the edge that they’d write me a letter saying that I better shut up and sing or my life will be over.† Another line in the song â€Å"it’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her daughter that she ought’a hate a perfect stranger,† refers to an incident where a mother is actually egging on her young child to say to the band â€Å"screw ‘em!† Think about that. The next song that I think of is American Idiot by Green Day. From the beginning, this song was opposed by most people in the US because of the open lyrics that express the author’s feelings towards President George W. Bush, and certain political issues. Some believe that the song is â€Å"anti-American† because of the title. However, if you actually listen to the lyrics, you might see how patriotic the song really is. The title refers to the authors’ opinion of how politicians these days are telling people what to do, buy, and believe, and how they’re constantly dooped by all these commercials and campaigns that eventually turn is into, for lack of a better term, â€Å"American Idiot†[s]. In the song, the singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, says that he doesn’t want his nation to become idiots, and doesn’t want to be â€Å"part of a redneck agenda†, and doesn’t want this country to be hated because of decisions made by the gov ernment. â€Å"Welcome to a new kind of tension, all across the alienation.† For this next topic, let me give you some background information. The committee that labels CDs as â€Å"inappropriate† and put the Parental Advisory stickers on CDs is called the Parents Music Resource Center, PMRC. It was founded in 1985 by Tipper Gore. It was created with a goal of â€Å"increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed [by an unknown source] to be violent, have drug use or be sexual.† The people to whom I will be referring to are John Denver, a famous musician during the 70s, and Dee Snider, the lead singer for the band Twisted Sister. These people were called to a senate hearing about the PMRC, and stated their opinions on the topic. John Denver had prepared an official statement for the hearing. After he had given his statement, he spoke off the record, saying â€Å"in my experience, sir, all over the world, one of the most interesting things about music that young people are listening to, is it gives us as adults a very clear insight as to what is going on in their minds. We can know what they’re thinking by listening to the music they surround themselves with.† To me, this totally makes sense. It’s an easy way for parents to communicate, and understand what their children are feeling, and thinking. He goes on to talk about â€Å"the troubled children† he’s talked to, and the troubles they have about â€Å"an inability to communicate with their parents.† This would all be fixed if parents could just understand what their kids are feeling and thinking by just listening every once and a while. This next man, Mr. Dee Snider, is quite an amazing and humble man. He starts out his official statement by saying, â€Å"I am 30 years old, I am married, I have a 3 year old son. I was born and raised a Christian and I still adhere to those principles. Believe it or not, I do not smoke, I do not drink, and I do not do drugs.† Does this sound like a man who needs to be censored? I didn’t think so. In his statement, Mr. Snider talks about how he was attacked three different times because of his music. The first one, Tipper Gore had written an article in a Long Island newspaper where she â€Å"claimed one of [his] songs, ‘Under the Blade,’ had lyrics encouraging sadomasochism, bondage, and rape.† He actually talks about those lyrics and says that the lyrics are about the fear that people get before they go into surgery. Attack number two, Twisted Sister’s song â€Å"We’re Not Gonna Take It† was labeled as rated V because of â€Å"v iolent lyrical content,† when Snider assures everyone that â€Å"there is absolutely no violence of any type either sung about or implied anywhere in the song.† Lastly, Mr. Snider was accused of sexism because of a T-shirt Tipper Gore thought she saw. In response to this, Snider says â€Å"we have always taken great pains to steer clear of sexism in our merchandise, records, stage show, and personal lives.† Clearly, the PMRC is trying to make up stories to get their way. â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.† These are the exact words of the first amendment of the Bill of Rights. Basically, congress can’t make any laws saying that people can’t speak their minds. If you ask me, congress has done just that by censoring our music. I think that music is the most important and powerful form of expression that both entertains and informs. So, why hide it? Moral values? Racial implications? Fear? The actual censoring of music began in the 1950s when traditional conservative values were part of the peoples’ mindset. People during that time believed in those morals, and strived to determine what is â€Å"acceptable† for people to listen to. By the end of the 1950s, members of the society witnessed many young adults and teens expressing new attitudes about topics like sex and drugs. This movement started breaking down the â€Å"traditional moral order† in many ways, but especially in music. It may seem off that race would be a factor in music censorship, but it actually is a huge problem, especially in the 50s and 60s when rhythm and blues was first introduced to the world. Some older white people believed that RB was a threat that corrupted the young people who listened to it, and that it promoted â€Å"immoral behavior.† This prompted authorities to take action. An example of these actions; after receiving a myriad of angry letter from listeners, a Chicago radio station promised to censor â€Å"any controversial music, especially RB†. A more recent example of racial censorship in music would be MTV refusing to play music videos from black artists. During a live interview in 1983, famous musician David Bowie asked, â€Å"Why are there practically no black artists on the network?† Good question, Mr. Bowie. I’m sure everyone else was thinking the same thing. â€Å"Censorship is based on fear.† A fear that music will affect us negatively. A fear that music will prevent us from achieving a morally acceptable life. A fear that society will change significantly. Not for the better. The people who decided to censor OUR music are afraid of the unknown, and our music seems to hold that unknown and uncertainty. There’s a song from 1975 called â€Å"The Pill† by Loretta Lynn that was censored on many radio stations for more than 10 years after birth control pills became popular. People did this because they were afraid of the unknown, and thought that all their kids would start acting out, and going out of control. So, all these people who are afraid of our music just try to cover up the problem instead of facing it like adults. To end this speech, censorship in music should be reconsidered because of many points such as political views, the fact that musicians are willing to fight for their own music, and most of all, the freedom of speech. Now, instead of leaving it like this, I’m going to leave you all with a quote from R. Andre Hall. â€Å"From the Vietnam War to today’s Iraq War, and from the advent of the sexual revolution to today’s â€Å"culture wars,† music is recognized as a potential source of power to change values, ideas, and beliefs- as well as to influence actions. Those who fear this change try to stop it by censorship, even when, as history has shown us, censorship is futile when change is inevitable.†

Nicole Jumper Essay -- Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Papers

Nicole Jumper The desire to change one’s body image is very prevalent in today’s society; and in most cases what people want to change is their weight. Companies who market diet programs and miracle diet drugs are very much aware of this commonality among consumers and take advantage of the susceptible nature of those who want to lose the weight and lose it fast. Among the multitude of pills, programs and promises that are offered as cures to the unhappiness of being fat, one new concept has emerged that stretches the boundaries of logic: the catabolic diet. WHAT IS THE CATABOLIC DIET? The catabolic diet is based on the concept that a person can eat â€Å"catabolic† foods that actually have a negative calorie effect. These are foods that supposedly take a person more calories to digest them than the food itself actually contains. Simply put, they are foods that burn fat instead of creating it. (http://www.rarebooks.net/beck/cataboli.htm) INFORMATION FOUND ON THE NET The creators of the catabolic diet have used the Internet as their primary marketing tool; therefore, there are many sites about the diet. Some are blatant advertisements and others pose as being informative and factual. The bottom line: all the sites found on the catabolic diet are looking to make a profit and want the browser to buy into a program. One site, http://www.blackbeard.com/newlook/, claims that the catabolic diet is so effective that, â€Å"[It] works three times faster than starvation.† Yet, after making this statement the site also says that the â€Å"Catabolic Diet is a medically created diet. . .† Needless to say there is no medical doctor’s endorsement found a... ... REFERENCES Astrup, Arne. â€Å"Dietary Approaches to Reducing Body Weight.† Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Ed. Jeff P. Holly. New York: AMA 1999. 109-120. Berstein RS; Thornton JC; Yang MU; Wang J; Redmond AM; Pierson RN Jr; Pi-Sunyer FX; Van Itallie TB. (1983a). Prediction of the Resting Metabolic Rate in obese patients. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1983 Apr, 37(4): 595-602. Brannon, Linda and Jess Feist. Health Psychology: An Introduction to Behavior and Health. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2000. Westerterp-Plantega MS; Rolland V; Wilson SA; Westerterp KR. (1999a). Satiety related to 24 h diet-induced thermogenesis during high protein/carbohydrate vs high fat diets measured in a respiration chamber. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1999 June; 53(6): 495-503.

Mykhailo Hrushevsky :: Hrushevsky Ukranian Author Biography Essays

Mykhailo Hrushevsky When one thinks of great Ukrainians a few names come to mind and right at the top of that list is Mykhailo Hrushevsky. This man was a renassaince man on his worst day. He was an author, publicist, political and civic leader, and the most prominent Ukrainian historian. The kind of man that Hrushevsky was, is a the kind of man that makes nations great. â€Å"Mykhailo Hrushevsky was born in the town of Kholm (now it is situated in the territory of Poland) in 1866.†[2] He lived in this are until he was only 3 when his family moved to Caucasia. â€Å"He graduated from the classical gymnasium, which is a type of academic school, in Tiflis (now Tbilisi) (1886)†[3]. It was during this time that Hrushevsky started to write letters and such that were good enough to be published. After his time at the gymnasium, Hrushevsky went on to the Kyiv University where he studied under the famed historian V. Antonovych[4]. He graduated in high regards in 1890 and published his first scholarly work, South Ruthenian Feudal Castles in the Mid-16th Century, in the same year.[5] He continued to write and study and earned a masters degree in 1894. After his degree had been earned Hrushevsky was appointed professor of the newly created chair of Ukrainian history at Lviv University, by the recommendation of V. Antonovych.[6] Hrushevsky’s time at Lviv was one of extraordinary production. He became very active in the Ntsh, also known as the Shevchenko Scientific Society. He ran fundraisers and earned much needed funds for the association. He founded a library and a museum for the association. He brought many scholars into the association and also made outside contacts. He transformed the group’s journal from a yearly to a monthly publication[7]. Also, he established an archeological part of the association in 1895. Mykhailo Hrushevsky :: Hrushevsky Ukranian Author Biography Essays Mykhailo Hrushevsky When one thinks of great Ukrainians a few names come to mind and right at the top of that list is Mykhailo Hrushevsky. This man was a renassaince man on his worst day. He was an author, publicist, political and civic leader, and the most prominent Ukrainian historian. The kind of man that Hrushevsky was, is a the kind of man that makes nations great. â€Å"Mykhailo Hrushevsky was born in the town of Kholm (now it is situated in the territory of Poland) in 1866.†[2] He lived in this are until he was only 3 when his family moved to Caucasia. â€Å"He graduated from the classical gymnasium, which is a type of academic school, in Tiflis (now Tbilisi) (1886)†[3]. It was during this time that Hrushevsky started to write letters and such that were good enough to be published. After his time at the gymnasium, Hrushevsky went on to the Kyiv University where he studied under the famed historian V. Antonovych[4]. He graduated in high regards in 1890 and published his first scholarly work, South Ruthenian Feudal Castles in the Mid-16th Century, in the same year.[5] He continued to write and study and earned a masters degree in 1894. After his degree had been earned Hrushevsky was appointed professor of the newly created chair of Ukrainian history at Lviv University, by the recommendation of V. Antonovych.[6] Hrushevsky’s time at Lviv was one of extraordinary production. He became very active in the Ntsh, also known as the Shevchenko Scientific Society. He ran fundraisers and earned much needed funds for the association. He founded a library and a museum for the association. He brought many scholars into the association and also made outside contacts. He transformed the group’s journal from a yearly to a monthly publication[7]. Also, he established an archeological part of the association in 1895.

Chapter 22 Owl Post Again

â€Å"Harry!† Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. â€Å"We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door –â€Å" â€Å"Okay,† said Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, â€Å"let's go†¦.† They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase. â€Å"†¦ only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties,† Snape was saying. â€Å"The Kiss will be performed immediately?† â€Å"As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last†¦. I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape†¦ and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him†¦.† Harry clenched his teeth. He caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as he and Fudge passed Harry and Hermione's hiding place. Their footsteps died away. Harry and Hermione waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then they heard a cackling ahead. â€Å"Peeves!† Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist. â€Å"In here!† They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off. â€Å"Oh, he's horrible,† whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. â€Å"I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius†¦.† She checked her watch. â€Å"Three minutes, Harry!† They waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again. â€Å"Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?† Harry panted. â€Å"I don't want to think about it!† Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. â€Å"One minute!† They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. â€Å"Okay — I can hear Dumbledore,† said Hermione tensely. â€Å"Come on, Harry!† They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared. â€Å"I am going to lock you in,† they heard him saying. â€Å"it is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck.† Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. â€Å"Well?† he said quietly. â€Å"We did it!† said Harry breathlessly. â€Å"Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak†¦.† Dumbledore beamed at them. â€Å"Well done. I think –† He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. â€Å"Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in –â€Å" Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office. â€Å"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?† She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Harry could hardly swallow. He and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling†¦. And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them†¦. â€Å"What was that?† said Madam Pomfrey in alarm. Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door. â€Å"Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?† Harry was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer — â€Å"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out –â€Å" â€Å"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!† Snape roared, now very close at hand. â€Å"YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER!† â€Å"Severus — be reasonable — Harry has been locked up –â€Å" BAM. The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself. â€Å"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!† he bellowed. â€Å"WHAT DID YOU DO?† â€Å"Professor Snape!† shrieked Madam Pomfrey. â€Å"Control yourself!† â€Å"See here, Snape, be reasonable,† said Fudge. â€Å"This door's been locked, we just saw –â€Å" â€Å"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!† Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth. â€Å"Calm down, man!† Fudge barked. â€Å"You're talking nonsense!† â€Å"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!† shrieked Snape. â€Å"HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT –â€Å" â€Å"That will do, Severus,† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?† â€Å"Of course not!† said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. â€Å"I would have heard them!† â€Å"Well, there you have it, Severus,† said Dumbledore calmly. â€Å"Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further.† Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward. â€Å"Fellow seems quite unbalanced,† said Fudge, staring after him. â€Å"I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore.† â€Å"Oh, he's not unbalanced,† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"He's just suffered a severe disappointment.† â€Å"He's not the only one!† puffed Fudge. â€Å"The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that Hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well†¦ I'd better go and notify the Ministry†¦..† â€Å"And the Dementors?† said Dumbledore. â€Å"They'll be removed from the school, I trust?† â€Å"Oh yes, they'll have to go,† said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. â€Å"Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy†¦ Completely out of control†¦ no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight †¦ Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance†¦.† â€Å"Hagrid would like that,† said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry and Hermione. As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office. There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around. â€Å"What — what happened?† he groaned. â€Å"Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?† Harry and Hermione looked at each other. â€Å"You explain,† said Harry, helping himself to some more chocolate. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering, heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Harry lost the thread of the conversation as he looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped toward him from there just last night†¦. A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them. â€Å"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night,† he said. â€Å"I mean, Black escapin' again, an, everythin' — but guess what?† â€Å"What?† they said, pretending to look curious. â€Å"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!† â€Å"That's wonderful!† said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing. â€Å"Yeah†¦ can't've tied him up properly,† said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. â€Å"I was worried this mornin', mind†¦ thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night†¦.† â€Å"What?† said Harry quickly. â€Å"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?† said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. â€Å"Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'†¦. Thought everyone'd know by now†¦ Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' night†¦. He's packin' now, o' course.† â€Å"He's packing?† said Harry, alarmed. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Leavin', isn' he?† said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. â€Å"Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin again.† Harry scrambled to his feet. â€Å"I'm going to see him,† he said to Ron and Hermione. â€Å"But if he's resigned –â€Å" â€Å"?C doesn't sound like there's anything we can do –â€Å" â€Å"I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here.† Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The Grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door. â€Å"I saw you coming,† said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map. â€Å"I just saw Hagrid,† said Harry. â€Å"And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?† â€Å"I'm afraid it is,† said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents. â€Å"Why?† said Harry. â€Å"The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?† Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry. â€Å"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives.† He sighed. â€Å"That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast.† â€Å"You're not leaving just because of that!† said Harry. Lupin smiled wryly. â€Å"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents†¦. They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you†¦. That must never happen again.† â€Å"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!† said Harry. â€Å"Don't go!† Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, â€Å"From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned†¦. Tell me about your Patronus.† â€Å"How d'you know about that?† said Harry, distracted. â€Å"What else could have driven the Dementors back?† Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was smiling again. â€Å"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed,† he said. â€Å"You guessed right†¦ that's why we called him Prongs.† Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry. â€Å"Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night,† he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. â€Å"And†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. â€Å"I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it.† Harry took the map and grinned. â€Å"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school†¦ you said they'd have thought it was funny.† â€Å"And so we would have,† said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. â€Å"I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle.† There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket. It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry there. â€Å"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus,† he said. â€Å"Thank You, Headmaster.† Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank. â€Å"Well — good-bye, Harry,† he said, smiling. â€Å"It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage†¦.† Harry had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible. â€Å"Good-bye, then, Remus,† said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office. Harry sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. He heard the door close and looked up. Dumbledore was still there. â€Å"Why so miserable, Harry?† he said quietly. â€Å"You should be very proud of yourself after last night.† â€Å"It didn't make any difference,† said Harry bitterly. â€Å"Pettigrew got away.† â€Å"Didn't make any difference?† said Dumbledore quietly, â€Å"It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate.† Terrible. Something stirred in Harry's memory. Greater and more terrible than ever before†¦ Professor Trelawney's prediction! â€Å"Professor Dumbledore — yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very — very strange.† â€Å"Indeed?† said Dumbledore. â€Å"Er — stranger than usual, you mean?† â€Å"Yes†¦ her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said †¦ she said Voldemort's servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight†¦. She said the servant would help him come back to power.† Harry stared up at Dumbledore. â€Å"And then she sort of became normal again, and she couldn't remember anything she'd said. Was it — was she making a real prediction?† Dumbledore looked mildly impressed. â€Å"Do you know, Harry, I think she might have been.† he said thoughtfully. â€Å"Who'd have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise†¦.† â€Å"But –† Harry looked at him, aghast. How could Dumbledore take this so calmly? â€Å"But — I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew! That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!† â€Å"It does not,† said Dumbledore quietly. â€Å"Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Harry? The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed†¦. Professor Trelawney, bless her, is living proof of that†¦. You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew's life.† â€Å"But if he helps Voldemort back to power†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt†¦. When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them†¦ and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter.† â€Å"I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!† said Harry. â€Å"He betrayed my parents!† â€Å"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me†¦ the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life.† Harry couldn't imagine when that would be. Dumbledore looked as though he knew what Harry was thinking. â€Å"I knew your father very well, both at Hogwarts and later, Harry,† he said gently. â€Å"He would have saved Pettigrew too, I am sure of it.† Harry looked up at him. Dumbledore wouldn't laugh — he could tell Dumbledore†¦ â€Å"I thought it was my dad who'd conjured my Patronus. I mean, when I saw myself across the lake †¦ I thought I was seeing him.† â€Å"An easy mistake to make,† said Dumbledore softly. â€Å"I expect you'll tire of hearing it, but you do look extraordinarily like James. Except for the eyes†¦ you have your mother's eyes.† Harry shook his head. â€Å"It was stupid, thinking it was him,† he muttered. â€Å"I mean, I knew he was dead.† â€Å"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night.† It took a moment for Harry to realize what Dumblefore had said. â€Å"Last night Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi,† said Dumbledore, smiling. â€Å"An extraordinary achievement — not least, keeping it quiet from me. And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr. Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. You know, Harry, in a way, you did see your father last night†¦. You found him inside yourself.† And Dumbledore left the office, leaving Harry to his very confused thoughts. Nobody at Hogwarts now knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, Harry heard many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth. Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the Hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius's escape. â€Å"If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!† he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope. Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though he knew they had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, Harry had never approached the end of a school year in worse spirits. He certainly wasn't the only one who was sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts class was miserable about his resignation. â€Å"Wonder what they'll give us next year?† said Seamus Finnigan gloomily. â€Å"Maybe a vampire,† suggested Dean Thomas hopefully. It wasn't only Professor Lupin's departure that was weighing on Harry's mind. He couldn't help thinking a lot about Professor Trelawney's prediction. He kept wondering where Pettigrew was now, whether he had sought sanctuary with Voldemort yet. But the thing that was lowering Harry's spirits most of all was the prospect of returning to the Dursleys. For maybe half an hour, a glorious half hour, he had believed he would be living with Sirius from now on†¦his parents' best friend†¦It would have been the next best thing to having his own father back. And while no news of Sirius was definitely good news, because it meant he had successfully gone into hiding, Harry couldn't help feeling miserable when he thought of the home he might have had, and the fact that it was now impossible. The exam results came out on the last day of term. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had passed every subject. Harry was amazed that he had got through Potions. He had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore might have stepped in to stop Snape failing him on purpose. Snape's behavior toward Harry over the past week had been quite alarming. Harry wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for him could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Harry, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around Harry's throat. Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each. Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running. This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated. Even Harry managed to forget about the journey back to the Dursleys the next day as he ate, drank, talked, and laughed with the rest. As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news. â€Å"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies.† â€Å"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!† said Ron. â€Å"I know,† sighed Hermione, â€Å"but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again.† â€Å"I still can't believe you didn't tell us about it,† said Ron grumpily. â€Å"We're supposed to be your friends.† â€Å"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone,† said Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he'd see it again†¦. â€Å"Oh, cheer up, Harry!† said Hermione sadly. â€Å"I'm okay,† said Harry quickly. â€Å"Just thinking about the holidays.† â€Å"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too,† said Ron. â€Å"Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now –â€Å" â€Å"A telephone, Ron,† said Hermione. â€Å"Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year†¦.† Ron ignored her. â€Å"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work.† This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal. â€Å"Yeah†¦ I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come†¦ especially after what I did to Aunt Marge†¦.† Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry joined Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, he bought himself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it. But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up†¦. â€Å"Harry,† said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. â€Å"What's that thing outside your window?† Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. He stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside. The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way. Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, â€Å"It's from Sirius!† â€Å"What?† said Ron and Hermione excitedly. â€Å"Read it aloud!† Dear Harry, I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job. I believe the Dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted. There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt — â€Å"Ha!† said Hermione triumphantly. â€Å"See! I told you it was from him!† â€Å"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?† said Ron. â€Å"Ouch!† The tiny owl now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way. ?C Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather. I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you. I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable. If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me. I'll write again soon. Sirius Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. He read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though he'd swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp. I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends. â€Å"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!† said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. â€Å"Hang on, there's a PS†¦.† I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat. Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. â€Å"Keep him?† he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Harry's and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff. â€Å"What do you reckon?† Ron asked the cat. â€Å"Definitely an owl?† Crookshanks purred. â€Å"That's good enough for me,† said Ron happily. â€Å"He's mine.† Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Harry spotted Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry in greeting, his worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed. â€Å"I'll call about the World Cup!† Ron yelled after Harry as Harry bid him and Hermione good-bye, then wheeled the trolley bearing his trunk and Hedwig's cage toward Uncle Vernon, who greeted him in his usual fashion. â€Å"What's that?† he snarled, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. â€Å"If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another –â€Å" â€Å"It's not,† said Harry cheerfully. â€Å"It's a letter from my godfather.† â€Å"Godfather?† sputtered Uncle Vernon. â€Å"You haven't got a godfather!† â€Å"Yes, I have,† said Harry brightly. â€Å"He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though †¦ keep up with my news †¦ check if I'm happy †¦Ã¢â‚¬  And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.

The Death of a Best Friend

The school hall was quiet. Everyone was silent with their heads bowed down. No one spoke,laughed, giggled or chatted. There was Just sorrow in the atmosphere. Few students could be heard sobbing while the rest Just sat stone dead in their seats. What had happened? What was the cause of this sad and eerie situation? Why did she do it? She had always been that cheerful bubbly girl that everyone loved. Her wide flashing smile could brighten up anyone's day. My thoughts were disrupted when the principal stood up at the podium to give a short speech. â€Å"Today , we all sit here in deep grief and sorrow.Our school has lost one of its brightest student. Her death was indeed shocking and unexpected. And it would be only respectful if we attended her funeral in SST Pewter's church this coming Sunday. The service starts at 9 in the morning and ends at 10. 30. We hope to see each and every one of you there. As for the school , we have made a small altar with candles and pictures of her by th e gym. Students can place flowers and cards of sympathy there. Deepest condolences from East High goes to the family' with that she stepped off the stage. The head prefect's speech brought many students to tears. My eyes felt misty and wet.We were than dismissed. As I walked along the school corridor towards the gymnasium,my thoughts traveled afar. I remembered my first day in East High. I was a newbie with no friends. People whispered when I walked pass by. The mean lads threw spitballs in my direction. No one sat with me during lunch hours. I would lock myself in the washroom cubicle with my tray of food with tears seeping from my eyes. I didn't have any friends. I always wondered what my flaws were. Was I fat? Did I have greasy hair? Or was it because I wasn't a size zero? But then one girl changed everything. She was a newbie too.I was sitting alone at the back of my Biology class. Mr. Trend was having a difficult time putting up with the students. The boys were running about an d the girls were gossiping. And there was me. The loner. It is amazing how a noisy situation changes into a sudden quiet one isn't it? Well that was what happened. Someone walked into class. A new face. She was a brunette with sparkly brown eyes. She wore simple clothing and flashed a wide grin as she walked into class. All eyes were on her as she handed Mr.. Trend a letter. â€Å"Class , we have a new student. Her name is Amanda Grey and she come all the way from Dallas , Texas.Do make her feel at home†. Amanda was given the choice to choose her seat. I noticed her eyes scanning the room and it fell on the empty seat beside me. She walked with confidence towards me and sat. â€Å"Hello , I'm Amanda. Nice to meet you† she said as she shook my hand. My mum had always taught me to greet people with proper manners so I shook her hand back and introduced myself too. All through class, I noticed many students stealing glances in our way. Some even had the nerve to walk up t o our table and tell Amanda that she had made the wrong choice by hosing me as her first friend and sitting right next to me.I had expected Amanda to agree with them and change seats but to my astonishment she stood up for me saying that it was her choice on the friends she made and no one had the right to choose for her. I had an instant liking towards Amanda. She became my new best lunch hours in the cafeteria. Amanda made new friends really fast because of her socially active character. Through her, I got to know people too and began conversing openly without being the old shy anti-social me. Amanda was my other half. I shared everything with her. She was someone I felt that I could open up to and not be afraid of being Judged.Once , she even caught me self harming and throwing up after meals. She took away my razors and made sure I stayed put after meals without going to the washroom. She told me I was beautiful in her eyes and by god's eyes. And I didn't have to be a size zero to be beautiful. She made me appreciate life and realize that there were people who actually cared for me and I wasn't alone. Not only was she great in giving advice, Amanda was a very brilliant girl. She excelled in the studies and always did well in her examinations. She helped me a lot in my studies and my grades which were failing eventually began to improve.My feet made a silent thudding sound as I turned the corner towards the gymnasium. There was quite a crowd around the altar. I stopped midway and stared ahead. My body trembled. And I realized I was alone. There wasn't a happy and Jolly Amanda beside me. The girl who changed my whole life in an instant had disappeared for good. She was never coming back. I approached the altar slowly sinking everything in. There were brightly lit candles around Manta's pictures and flowers were all over the altar. I knelt down ND stared at the pictures. The candles illuminated them with a soft glow.I looked down and pulled out a picture of m e and Amanda from my purse and laid it on the table. It was a picture of the very first time Amanda had a sleepover at my house. We watched a movie while snacking on caramel popcorn, baked cupcakes, did makeovers on each other and took loads of picture. That was the day Amanda had given me a tight hug and promised that she'll always be there for me no matter what. I tear rolled down my cheek. I wobbled slightly as I stood up. I turned away and walked out the school doors towards my home. The sky was a gloomy cast. Look , even the sky was upset about the loss.On Sunday , I remembered my mum shaking me and waking me up reminding me that it was time for the funeral. I wore one of my favorite suit which Amanda had told I looked good in. I took deep calm breaths. I wasn't prepared to see her for the last time before she went six feet under. My dad drove us to the church. There were a couple of students outside dressed in black. We alighted from the car and my mother laid a reassuring arm around my shoulders. We walked in. The place was filled with people and a part of me was happy knowing that Amanda was loved by many. We took a seat at the back.I noticed Manta's mother sitting by the coffin. Her face was blank and expressionless. I felt her. It felt as If I had lost a part of me when I heard the depressing news of Manta's sudden departure. The pastor began the ceremony by singing a few hymn's and citing reading a bible phrase. He went on with the sermon saying how God took the best people at times because he loved them more than we did. â€Å"But she took her own life† a little part of me whispered. â€Å"Why did God let her die when she had so much to live for? † My questions were left unanswered. Finally we came to the end of the ceremony.We were requested to pay our last respects. My heartbeat was racing. This was it. My one and only chance to bid farewell. I walked towards the coffin. Amanda lay in there with a peaceful look on her face. It didn' t look like someone who had committed that she would wake up laughing telling how she had franked everyone. But she didn't. I gently touched her hands. They were ice cold. I than unclasped the necklace around my neck and gently laid it in her coffin. It was my favorite necklace which Amanda really adored. â€Å"It's now yours to keep Amanda† I whispered.Goodbye and I love you† I said as I walked out the church. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was blue. It wasn't a gloomy day at all. The birds were chirping a sweet melody. I looked towards the sky and blinked back tears knowing that Amanda was in a better place. To be honest , Vie never thought of Amanda as a girl who had problems in life. She seemed happy and cheerful at all times. I guess she felt better keeping them to herself rather than burdening others with her problems. She was someone who liked to help others in life. I wish she had opened up and talked about her problems to me.It makes me feel that I wa sn't there for her when she needed me the most or when she was going through rough times. She had told me many times that death wasn't the solution for problems. Now it made me wonder why was it her solution to something. And there goes another unanswered question. A year passed. Soon the date of Manta's first death anniversary arrived. I walked on the soft cemetery grounds. Everything was peaceful and quiet. The grounds were well kept. I made my way towards Manta's grave. There it was. I knelt down beside it and stared at the tombstone. â€Å"l miss you† I said softly as I laid a hand on the cold hard tombstone.I laid the bouquet of roses I had specially made for Amanda on her grave and sat down right beside it. The memories came back. All the fun times with her. Amanda was like an angel sent by God to help me and taken away when her Job was done. I leaned back against the tomb. Some people might have found doing that plain scary. Knowing that your sitting on someone's grave and leaning on a tombstone. But what I felt was a warm feeling. I felt Manta's presence with me. Right beside me. After spending a few quiet minutes there I got up to leave. And to this day , I still don't know why she did it.