Sight Seeing [Dulf]

[cayden albright]

Cayden had been in the UK a while now and only since the attack on the hospital had he ever really considered the prospect of travelling around the United Kingdom to see the sights. He just simply didn't have the time. Just as his patients spent their lives in the Janus Thickey ward, he, as the closest thing to family many of them had had to be there with them as often as he could. But something about the brutality of being caught up in the attack, of seeing Gilderoy Lockhart die, had rattled the healer, and so, on the advice of a colleague he had began to travel.  to go places and see things across the UK and Ireland. It was interesting if nothing else,  and Cayden felt he was beginning to understand these nations a little better.  They had rich history that could be seen at stone henge, In the Quinditch marsh, Even in Little Hangleton where He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been conceived, but after that trip, after seeing the manor on the hill that muggles still today called "The Riddle House" Cayden needed something more promising.

His walk had begun in the Godric's Hollow cemetary where he had found the graves belonging to the Potters. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."  he had read and wondered. He knew the mark of the Deathly Hallows, His own grandfather had been a seeker of these powerful artefacts in his youth and had told stories, not just the tale of the three brothers but the histories of the Elder Wand, and the stories of the adventures that he, and other seekers had been on. Cayden had found the tales of the Elder Wand thrilling, but ghastly. How many murderers and villains it had been held by, how much horror had been inflicted. This had damned his mood for a while, until he found himself approaching the ruins of the Potter house, the place where Lord Voldemort had first been broken. Where his powers had failed and he had sealed his fate. There was an odd sense of hope that came from that place.

Cayden found himself realising two equally hopeful things as he contemplated the place. Lord Voldemort's power was broken and yet he rose again. He had done horrible things ,but it made Cayden think of his own patients, some of them so broken and traumatised by magic they seldom had any quality of life. Was it possible they could rise again too some day? That they could have a second chance. None of them. Not even Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were so villainous as Lord Voldemort himself. It was strange to find hope in the Dark Lord's tale, but Cayden had done just that. Where Voldemort had his servants, the patients at St. Mungo's had healers working tirelessly to help them, and improve their quality of life.  Perhaps one day there could be some breakthrough that might allow these people a phoenix-like second chance.

The second lesson, was that no evil went unopposed, and that so often it chose its own fate. Voldemort had come here to kill Potter, while he had left the other candidate Neville Longbottom live. Voldemort had chosen Harry to destroy him, and Cayden had no doubt that the werewolf army, and Fenrir Greyback, who had done the same thing had made their bed too... Even if Cayden wouldn't be the one to fight, couldn't be,  it was still good to know that such things would never go unaddressed. He smiled as he approached the  house marking a small "Thank you." with his wand upon the structure, amid the declarations of support.  The Metamorphmagus' hair going from pale blonde to almost spun gold in colour as he did.

It was only as Cayden turned to walk away, back through the muggle village that he felt eyes on him.