(Not) Forever & Always
Once upon a time,
I believe it was a Tuesday when I caught your eye
And we caught onto something.
I hold onto the night,
You looked me in the eye
And told me you loved me.
Two small children sat underneath a bush, hiding from their cruel Aunt Marge and her evil dog.
“Harry?” the little red-haired asked as she looked up into the emerald eyes of her big brother. “Why doesn’t anyone love us?”
Harry took her into his arms to comfort her, and looking into her matching eyes he promised, “I love you, and you love me. We don’t need anyone else because we have each other.”
Were you just kidding?
'Cause it seems to me, this thing is breaking down.
We almost never speak.
I don't feel welcome anymore.
Rose walked into Harry’s room with a cheerful look on her face. “Hey, Harry! I just finished all my chores. Do you want to take a walk outside together before we have to prepare dinner?”
Harry was lying on his bed, reading one of his textbooks. He distractedly replied, “What? Actually I really want to finish reading this book, so maybe some other time.”
Rose’s smile fell slightly. “Okay. Do you mind if I read one of your books since they are so interesting?”
“Sure,” Harry answered without looking up from his book, “but you have to stay in here with it. I don’t want the Dursleys to get their hands on any of them.”
“I wouldn’t let them,” Rose said quietly, dejected that her brother would think that she would be so careless with his obviously treasured possessions.
Harry didn’t hear her declaration, as he was too absorbed in his book.
Harry, what happened? Please tell me
'Cause one second it was perfect, now you're half way out the door.
Rose sat cross-legged on her brother’s bed politely listening to Harry as he packed up everything for school. “I can’t wait to leave here!” Harry rambled excitedly, “I’m kind-of worried about school, but it has to be better than here with the Dursleys, doesn’t it?”
Harry was so focused on putting his things into his trunk that he never noticed the pained look on his sister’s face.
And I stare at the window.
He still hasn't owled.
And then you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all.
It had been several weeks since Rose received her last letter from Harry. His letters had become less and less frequent. She knew that he was probably busy in the majestic castle that Harry had described in his letters to her, busy with schoolwork and with his new friends. Still, she couldn’t help but feel hurt that he couldn’t even find enough time once a week to send a letter like he had promised before he left.
And you flashback to when he said forever and always.
“I won’t ever leave you,” Harry comforted his little sister under that bush all those years ago. “We’ll be together forever.”
“Forever and always?” Rose asked with her big, pleading, emerald eyes staring into Harry’s.
“Forever and always,” Harry promised.
Oh, and it rains in your bedroom.
Everything is wrong.
It rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone.
'Cause I was there when you said forever and always.
Rose burst into Harry’s room. “It’s a beautiful summer day outside, and we’re done with all our chores. Can we please go for a walk together like we used to?”
Harry grumbled from on his bed, “I don’t feel like it today.”
Rose sat next to him and inquired concerned, “What’s wrong, Harry?”
“My friends still haven’t written to me! It’s been over three weeks of summer break, and they haven’t yet written a single letter to me. I mean, we were best friends for almost an entire year, spending most of our time together, and they can’t find the time to send a letter to their friend.” When Harry finished his rant, he rolled over facing the wall.
During his rant, Rose wanted to inject how she felt when he didn’t send her a letter for over a month before coming back home, and he was her brother who spent most of his life with her. However, Rose knew that wouldn’t make him feel better, so she left him alone to sulk.
Was I out of line?
Because I am a Slytherin
Made you run and hide
Like a scared little boy?
I looked into your eyes.
Thought I knew you for a minute, now I'm not so sure.
Harry had been avoiding Rose ever since she was sorted into Slytherin. Finally, she saw him leaving the Great Hall after dinner; so she grabbed her bag, leaving her uneaten dinner, and ran to catch him before he left. When she was close, she called, “Harry! Wait up for a minute.”
Harry, with Ron, paused by the door. Before she could speak, Harry said clearly, “You’re a Slytherin now, and Slytherins are evil. That must mean that you’re going to be evil, if you’re not already. I can’t trust you anymore.”
Rose stayed frozen in shock as Harry and Ron left. Then, she sprinted out of the Great Hall, her eyes burning with tears. Rose had never felt so hurt in her life.
So here's to everything
Coming down to nothing.
Here's to silence
That cuts me to the core.
Where is this going?
Thought I knew for a minute, but I don't anymore.
As a Slytherin, Rose was ostracized by everyone in the other Houses. As the sister to the Boy-Who-Lived, Rose was bullied by her housemates. It was almost like being back at the Dursleys’, but there she had Harry; at least, she used to.
And I stare across the hall.
He still hasn't talked.
And then you feel so low, you can't feel nothing at all.
And you flashback to when he said forever and always.
Oh, and it rains in your bedroom.
Everything is wrong.
It rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone.
'Cause I was there when you said forever and always.
Rose sat at the end of the Slytherin table and tried to focus on her food instead of her housemates. Slytherins always tried to project a unified image to the school so no one could find a chink in the armor and exploit it. Thus, the Slytherins usually didn’t bully her when people from other Houses were nearby. However, that didn’t stop the snide comments and insults too low for anyone but the intended to hear. Rose miserably looked over at the Gryffindor table where her brother was laughing with his friends. Rose missed how things used to be.
You didn't mean it, Harry.
I don't think so.
Back up, Harry, back up.
Did you forget everything?
Back up, Harry, back up.
Did you forget everything?
Everyone thought Rose was the Heir of Slytherin. The entire school found out that Harry could speak to snakes since the incident at the Dueling Club; thus, everyone in the school now assumed that since Harry is a Parselmouth, Rose must be one too. And because Rose is a Slytherin, they assume that she must be the Heir of Slytherin. Well, you know what people say about assuming.
'Cause it rains in your bedroom.
Everything is wrong.
It rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone.
'Cause I was there when you said forever and always.
It was Christmas, and Rose had searched all over the castle trying to find Harry to give him his Christmas gift to no avail. Rose miserably made her way back to her commonroom with the gift. Walking in, she spotted Malfoy and his goons, so she tried to quickly make her way to the stairs without him noticing. Like everything else she attempted to do that day, she failed.
“Little Potter! Guess you didn’t find Potter. Or did he not want anything from you since you’re the supposed Heir of Slytherin?”
Rose glared at him and spat, “Shut up, Malfoy.” She continued towards the stairs.
“I’m telling you Little Potter, Potter doesn’t want anything to do with you. He hates you. You just have to accept it and stop avoiding the unavoidable. You’re a Slytherin for a reason. Act like one. The sooner you act like a Slytherin, the sooner we will accept you as one. We don’t betray our own.”
Later, as Rose searched the castle again for Harry, she reflected on Malfoy’s words: “We don’t betray our own.” Was Harry really betraying her?
Oh, I stare across the hall.
He still hasn't talked.
And then you feel so low
You can't feel nothing at all.
And you flashback to when we said forever and always.
Rose was sneaking around the corridors, trying not to run into anyone for fear of them hurting her because they think that she’s the Heir of Slytherin. Suddenly, she heard voices, so she ducked behind a suit of armor and waited for the people to pass. As they got closer, she could make out what they were saying.
“…telling you that it makes sense. Who else could it be?”
Rose recognized the person speaking as Harry. She was suddenly elated by the thought that he was close enough for her and him to finally talk. This was her chance to explain to him that she wasn’t evil and that he could trust her, then he could comfort her, and things could go back to the way they were. Just as she was about to step out from behind the armor, she heard Ron’s reply.
“Yeah, a Slytherin and a Parselmouth. Come on, Hermione. Look at the facts: Rose is the Heir of Slytherin. Even Harry thinks so.”
Rose stayed frozen behind the suit of armor as they passed, listening to her brother trying to convince his friend that his own sister was a murderer.
And it rains in your bedroom.
Everything is wrong.
It rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone.
'Cause I was there when you said forever and always.
“I love you, and you love me.”
“…we have each other.”
“I won’t ever leave you.”
“Forever and always.”
You didn't mean it, Harry.
… dejected that her brother would think that.
“I can’t wait to leave here!”
“…but it has to be better than here with the Dursleys.”
…never noticed the pained look on his sister’s face.
…couldn’t even find enough time once a week to send a letter like he had promised.
…how she felt when he didn’t send her a letter.
“You’re a Slytherin now, and Slytherins are evil. That must mean that you’re going to be evil, if you’re not already. I can’t trust you anymore.”
…her eyes burning with tears.
…never felt so hurt in her life.
…at least, she used to.
Rose missed how things used to be.
…she must be the Heir of Slytherin.
…you know what people say about assuming.
“…Potter doesn’t want anything to do with you. He hates you. You just have to accept it and stop avoiding the unavoidable. You’re a Slytherin for a reason. Act like one. The sooner you act like a Slytherin, the sooner we will accept you as one. We don’t betray our own.”
Was Harry really betraying her?
“…a Slytherin and a Parselmouth.”
“…Rose is the Heir of Slytherin.”
“…Even Harry thinks so.”
…listening to her brother trying to convince his friend that his own sister was a murderer.
You said forever and always... yeah.