Her Single Rose (Remus Lupin)

Eighty-five

Aries stared at the red rose on her nightstand, wondering how long it had been since she truly looked at it. The red petals looked like they were thriving, each as red as crimson lipstick.

It seemed to glow slightly as she tilted her head. The deep mossy green stem floating, hovering above the dark wood nightstand encapsuled by a glass cover.

Small little Muggle lights were strung around the inside glass, only adding to the natural glow it had already produced.

Though Aries thoughts were put on pause as Marlene started snapping her finger in her face.

"Are you even listening to me?! Meredith! OWLs are coming up soon and I'm actually putting in time to study here. At least try to fake paying attention." The blonde shook her head in annoyance as she began rereading the potions ingredients for Slughorn.

He seemed to be the only Professor willing to give out a study guide for the biggest test of the year.

"Now, what are the main ingredients to brewing Strengthening Solution?" Marlene asked Aries as the raven haired girl looked back from the rose.

"Salamander blood and powdered griffin claw." Aries said with a shrug. She knew these potions in and out. It was one of the key standards necessary to help work in the medical wing.

Plus, Dumbledore had asked her to read more to be prepared. So she did.

"What potions can I find Salamander blood in?" Aries quizzed.

"Er...the Strengthening Solution and Fire Protection Potion." She answered.

"You're missing one." Aries pointed out flatly.

"No I'm not." Marlene spoke defiantly.

"You're missing the Wiggenwald Potion." Marlene huffed in frustration. How was it that Aries merely glanced over the books and already knew everything necessary.

Aries sent her friend a sympathetic smile, the two continuing to quiz each other for the next hour. They even took to making up their own long answer questions and writing out scrolls just for example.

Marlene grinned when she had finished hers, smirking when Aries had only after her dotted her last sentence with a period, "looks like I finished first, which means I get to chose what we do next." Her brows wiggled making Aries groan.

"Please tell me we're not going back to charms lessons again. I already helped you master the fire charm, you'll be ready for the test." Aries stood to her feet.

Marlene let out a noise of annoyance, "c'mon, Meredith! I'm terrible at charms. You're a bloody prodigy. It's fate that we're rooming together and best friends. Please."

Aries rolled her eyes, "fine, but we're going to go on a walk first. My eyes need a break." She pulled off her glasses and tossed them on the bed.

The blonde agreed, following Aries toward the door. Aries opened the door, only to be surprised by a rather tall and lanky boy in Gryffindor robes.

"Remus" Aries asked as she stood up a little taller at the sight of her ex-boyfriend. It hadn't been long since their conversation in the hospital wing. Of course, she had wanted to get back together with the boy, but she also knew that once she did, she'd have to tell him about her new relation discovery towards Ben Crawford and everything in between.

Remus smiled at the raven haired girl, "Hi-", his words caught when he found the rose he had given her thriving under the glass lid. His heart thumping madly as a grin grazed his lips. "Im here for Aries. I promised a bit of fun before everyone panicked over the OWLs tests" Remus said looking to Aries as she smiled.