Holiday Ghost Event: Road Less Traveled

[shnpc]

WHO: Everyone, affected and not
TONE: Not of this world
RATING: PG
WHEN: December 11th through 12th
WHERE: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
WHAT: Due to visiting holiday ghosts, some students and staff find themselves living as they would have if something in their lives did or didn't happen. An alternate version who could be better or worse off!
NOTE: This signals the event start. Use any posting format you want, and feel free to post about this as well on the journals!

Comments

[3potionproblem]

[Seeing him face to face made his stomach sink further.]

...why are you a ghost, John?

[3houseswatson]

[John rolls his eyes.]

Oh, I don't know! There could be all sorts of reasons! Like, maybe I won a lucky lottery! Or maybe being a ghost is really fashionable right now!

[He scoffs.]

It's because I'm dead. It's kind of the only prerequisite for being a ghost.

[3potionproblem]

[Sherlock looks him over for clues. What killed him?!]

How? When?

[3houseswatson]

[Why was he bothering to talk to this guy, again? He should just phase into a wall and leave. John looks like he's strongly considering it.]

Summer after 4th year. Don't know how long it's been since then. Time doesn't really mean a whole lot anymore.

[3potionproblem]

[... something weird is going on again. This isn't John. Not his John.

He wishes he felt more relieved.]

You were killed by the death eaters?

[3houseswatson]

[Now John's suspicious. Would the Ministry really tell the school that he'd died in a Death Eater attack? Or would they try to make his death look unrelated in order to keep other Muggleborn families from panicking further?]

Yes.

Didn't expect the Ministry to be honest about how I died.

[3potionproblem]

Just a guess... So you're.. we've never met.

[3houseswatson]

No. Not really.

I might have seen you get sorted, but that's it.

[3potionproblem]

Right. Of course. It was years ago. Ah... don't suppose you're interested in investigating what's going on at Hogwarts right now?

[3houseswatson]

[On one hand, John was feeling far from sociable. But on the other...]

Do you think whatever's going on is related to me appearing as a ghost here instead of where I actually died?

[3potionproblem]

I do, yes. It's been two years since that attack and my John Watson was alive and well last we spoke.

[3houseswatson]

[Well, that certainly gets John's attention.]

"Your" John Watson?

[3potionproblem]

From now--from my time in existence.

[3houseswatson]

Wait, so you seem to think there's another me - a not-dead me - running around whenever this is?

But I am... was the only me, aren't - damn it - wasn't I?

[Under his not-breath] Fucking tenses.

[3potionproblem]

You're not dead in the reality I know. Just stick to that for now.

[3houseswatson]

So you think if you uncover whatever's going on, your reality clicks back in place, the alive John shows back up, and I stop existing?

[3potionproblem]

In all probability, yes.

[3houseswatson]

[John doesn't even need to hesitate.]

Good.

If it's a choice between being a ghost and not existing at all, I'll take the nothing.

[3potionproblem]

[He nods. He expected as much.... he misses his John already, though.]

These things usually correct themselves. And sadly your predated self doesn't know the current issues we're investigating nor can you document what's different when everything is not as you remember.

[3houseswatson]

[John laughs bitterly. Ghostly laughter is pretty awful to hear as is, but it's especially rough with that tone.]

I have to wait it out. Of course, that'd be my luck.

[He's silent for a few seconds. There's a hint of wariness in his eye as he looks at Sherlock that he can't quite hide.]

So... this other me. The one who lived. He made friends with you?

[3potionproblem]

[Sherlock nods, feeling tight in his gut.]

So I have to wait as well it seems.

[3houseswatson]

I'd sympathize if I didn't objectively have it worse in this situation. Here's hoping things right themselves soon. You get the John you're used to back and I get to stop being trapped in this godawful half-existence.

How long has it been? Since I died and the other John didn't, I mean.

[3potionproblem]

Two years give or take a few months.

[3houseswatson]

[John nods.]

I've got a question. A lot of people might think it kind of flippant given what all's happening, but right now I'm finding it very hard to give a damn about any of that.

Did the me who didn't die ever get a growth spurt?

[3potionproblem]

[Sherlock pauses because.... oh good lord.... He smiles a little.]

Maybe an inch.