Red

Chapter 9

Violets are violet and Roses are red. But today, Red found herself feeling a little blue. She dearly missed her home, after three weeks. The quietness was deafening but I found myself looking forward to the Christmas holidays where Grandma visited. The trees would be covered in snow as the fire blazed strong, wreaths of holy covering the fireplace. The time that brought my family together! The Autumn breeze blowed through the trees as the warm air brushed my face as I headed to Herbology in the greenhouses after lunch. Lily lagged behind me with Severus as I walked with Marlene and Mary who excitedly talked about the sunflowers that were growing.

The pollen the sunflowers made made me sneeze ever-so-often as I passed them in the entry to the greenhouse. There were hundreds of pots everywhere which reminded me of home, again. I looked at the roses that grew as I brushed my fingers along the smooth, red petals.

"A rose with thorns" a Slytherin with platinum white hair spoke as I cut my finger on the thorn, instantly placing it in my mouth to stop the blood from flowing. I walked over to the only vacant seat which was incidentally between Remus and Sirius. I smiled at them as I looked over at Professor Sprout.

"Your bleeding" Remus spoke into my ear, pointing at the prick mark on my index finger from the thorn. I looked up at him as he ripped off a small piece of his robe and wrapped it around my finger, tying it up.

"Thank you, I pricked myself on a thorn" I spoke as he smiled, leaning close.
"It's not good for everyone to see that you are leaking golden blood with a hint of red in it" he whispered.
I nodded as I leant close to him and whispered back. "It's not gold blood, it's ichor"I spoke as his eyes looked at me, confused as he shrugged it away, looking back at the teacher.

"Mr Lupin and Miss Valori, please listen" Professor Sprout spoke as I hid a blush, because everyone was looking at me. I eyed the plant and saw that it was a humongous moon mushroom.
"Woah! That's a massive moon mushroom" I blurted out as everyone looked over at me.
"What?" I asked. "I know my fungi" I spoke, looking at Professor Sprout as she beamed.
"How wonderful to have a student with an aptitude for Herbology. Correct Miss Valori, 10 points for Gryffindor" she spoke, shedding a warm smile as I did the same back to her.

"Don't forget to write a foot essay on the properties of this mushroom and what the name represents" she spoke as I wrote it down as a reminder in my diary as I walked to my next class.

"Oy, Valori" Sirius yelled as I turned around and rolled my eyes as he signalled for me to come over. I growled and pulled Marlene with me as she pushed me away, wishing me luck with my 'boyfriend'. I walked over to them as I saw there were four of them there, not just Sirius.
"This better be important, I don't want to miss History of Magic" I spoke as James smirked.
"Do you really want to hear Professor Binns droning on about goblin wars and Emeric the Evil nonsense. Don't worry daarlingg he won't realise you're gone" James slurred as I rolled my eyes in disbelief.
"Anything else?" I asked as I watched Sirius leaning against a tree, eating an apple.

"I just really wanted to know more about you y'now. You aren't like other girls. You are peculiar of some sort. It's funny, just like your friend here" Sirius spoke, pointing at Remus. I gasped.
"You do not talk about your friends like that" I spoke, slapping him across his face as he retorted, clasping his hands protectively in his cheek.
"That better scar" I spoke, eyeing Remus who hid a smirk.
"Watch who you want your enemies to be" he spoke as I laughed. I literally cracked up laughing.
"Seriously? Sirius you are quite the marauder" I spoke, smiling. "Who said I was your enemy? Besides..." I spoke leaning close to him and whispering in his ear "some people have secrets you'd rather not know" I spoke as he glanced at me, shocked.

"What's a marauder?" Peter asked as I smiled.
"Knocked some sense into you. A raider. A person who attacks an enemy in a enemy's territory. Someone who marauds which is like they roam in search if things to steal or people to attack. Seriously, that knocks on your door clearly of you're thinking of a group name. The marauder's." I spoke as Sirius's eyes beamed.
"So be it them" he spoke as I smiled. "We're the marauder's" he finished as I glanced at Remus.

"What is it with you two, you are like unpredictable." James spoke as I smiled.
"It's just something that I feel, some type of electricity" I spoke as I held out my hand as Remus did the same, as a wave of electricity flowed through us, creating a spark as we got blown apart.
"Wicked" James spoke picking Remus up as Sirius offered my hand out as I took it, helming me up.
"You see?" I spoke as they nodded.

"What's a moon mushroom?" Peter spoke as I smiled.
"It's a mushroom that only comes out when the full moon near, in this instance tonight. It can grow up to massive lengths." I spoke as Remus's eyes widened.
"It's a full moon tonight?" He spoke as I nodded, thinking with shock as well.
"Holy Merlin! It's a full moon!" I gasped, running away and leaving them speechless.

—
"We should totally hit you two up. You are perfect for each other" Lily spoke, doodling a heart with R + R inside it. I blushed as I covered it up, folding the page down so Remus won't see it.
"Lily" I growled as she hid her smile by reading though a textbook she would never be interested in. I rolled my eyes and scribbled down some notes about a foot-long essay due next week. I grabbed a quill and doodled around the heart with stars and crescent moons as I found myself distracted as I found myself entirely alone in the classroom. Someone tapped me on the shoulder as I flinched, turning around. My eyes widened as I covered my book, but he got to me first and chucked to himself.
"I like your laugh. It's cute" I spoke as a blush emerged in my cheeks. Must be the chemistry. I thought as I closed my book and ran out the door, letting out a huge breath when I reached the bathroom in the second floor.

I splashed water in my face as I took off my school cloak, loosening up my red cloak as I shivered. The winter air was getting colder and colder as I sat down against the wall, taking a shallow breath as I held my school cloak in my hands, closing my eyes. A flicker of thought ran through me as I looked up at the moon rising, thinking about all the innocent people who have been turned into monsters under the full moon. A slip of sadness wharves through me as I breathed heavily, putting my cloak back under my arm off the ground as I stood up and walked up the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room. The stairs were rather quiet as I looked to see the portrait of the Grey Lady.
"Hello" I spoke, shedding a smile as she looked at me blankly.
"Password?" She demanded with a fixed expression. I frowned at her disposition.
"Woophdoople" I spoke as she nodded, opening a passageway to the common room.

It was rather cosy in the room as I spotted a few kids playing chess and cards as well as a few sitting next to the fire in deep conversation. I sighed as I walked up the stairs to my dormitory, spotting Marlene on the way, tears in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked as she shook her head, giving me a wet, teary hug.
"It was Severus" she sobbed. "He called me a stuck-up snob because I stood up for a Ravenclaw girl"
I frowned. "You are neither stuck-up or a snob Marlene. You are brave and have no fear to stand up for what's right" I spoke as she nodded. I held both her hands and smiled as she locked eyes with me.
"You are brave, you are strong. Nobody can ever challenge a girl as powerful as you" I spoke as she nodded again. "Wipe your eyes and put on a strong face. They'll never know what hit them" I spoke as she sniffled, running towards the bathroom with a small grin.

I smiled as I placed my school cloak/robe back on, grabbing a few pieces of parchment and a quill as I breathed a sigh, heading back into the common room, but finding no success for a free chair as I ducked to the library.

The hallway was quiet as a chilly breeze blew through the trees as I opened the door into the library, seating at the Gryffindor desk as I dipped my ink into a pot, as I started my essay.

Author's Note:
What do you think?
Simone