Gaston was conflicted about attending the gala. He never felt he fit in at the Ministry, and large gatherings made him nervous. But he had to be here. Attendance was expected, and he couldn't afford to risk being out of a job again, especially not with a wife and two children to provide for! Job requirements aside, he still would've come to show support for the students he left behind. In the nearly three years since he left Hogwarts, he never stopped thinking about them. He never stopped loving them, and not a day went by that he didn't wish he was back with them.

He should've been there! If he had, three people, two of them children, would probably still be alive. He wouldn't have allowed those pink mutant creatures from last year close enough to eat him. He wouldn't have waited so long to search for the missing children. He would've single handedly turned the Hogwarts grounds upside down searching until he either found them or gave his life trying! If only I'd been stronger, he thought wistfully.

Gaston shook his head to distract himself from the guilt and anger that had been his constant companions since he left Hogwarts. The feelings never went away; he just got better at hiding them with time. He'd been standing by the wall the whole time, his hands resting atop his cane as he watched the party unfold around him, when the Minister's announcement jerked him out of his thoughts. Oh, crud! He suddenly remembered he hadn't placed a bid for anything yet and made a beeline for the table.

He perused the options. There wasn't much that interested him, to be honest. He hated fireworks and wasn't much for flying or stamp collecting either. He didn't need any stationery or robes, and he was happily married to the love of his life so a date with a department head was out of the question! The one listing that caught his eye was for the paintings. He admired the hard work and raw emotion that must've gone into them, but the bid was bound to skyrocket beyond his budget. Instead he set his sights on something more attainable: the toppings basket. Desiree and Adam would love it, and besides, the best thing he could do for the students he left behind was to donate to their school. He filled out a form from the appropriate stack and left a note at the bottom: Please donate my maximum bid to Hogwarts even if it is not the winner.


With that, he placed his form in the box and waited.