Sweets

CHAPTER 14

Evading Malfoy was easy, evading punishment altogether turned out to be impossible, since Umbridge somehow got hold of the list we all signed. Every member of the DA was pulled into detention after classes and we wrote lines until our hands were out of blood to bleed. The pink toad was making us all write with so-called Blood Quills that used one's own blood to write the individual letters. Many had a hard time with the pain, but I barely felt the Quill's cutting into my skin at all. Umbridge noticed of course, and my lack of emotion greatly dissatisfied her. She told me to write more, but it didn't have the effect she desired. The phrase was etched into my skin but it didn't hurt. To me it was just another scar...

The only one who didn't have to sit through the detentions was Marietta Edgecombe, but she had problems of her own to deal with. A series of close-set purple pustules had spread across her nose and cheeks, forming the word 'SNEAK' on her face. Courtesy of Hermione as a side effect of telling on us. She had bewitched the list we all signed so we would all know who snitched on us.

Cho was devastated. She would have never dreamed that her best friend would rat her out like that. But nevertheless, she stood by her, remaining her friend. Because of that, the slowly established relationship between her and Harry fell apart, and the two couldn't even stand to look at each other for more than a few minutes.

"Keep writing dearies!" The sickly sweet voice of the pink devil pulled me out of my thoughts and I turned my attention back to the sheet of paper in front of me. One could only distinguish the lines we were supposed to write, if one looked closely enough. Trails of blood were spread over the whole sheet, coating the paper in a beautiful, crimson colour. My left hand was numb from all the blood loss, yet I didn't feel any pain. Next to me, Ginny Weasley was whimpering in pain, blood was leaking from her left hand as well. In fact, the whole room was filled with quiet groans and pained whimpers of the other DA-members. Everyday, we would go through this torture and try our best to not let it get to us. Not one of us wanted to give that smiling toad the satisfaction of knowing that she broke us.

Half an hour later, we were all dismissed and started trailing out. Cho lingered behind, hoping to talk to Harry again but he ignored her and went away with his two friends. Kristie pulled me out of the room and started speed-walking towards the Ravenclaw Tower, a place were Umbridge shouldn't be able to get to us. She had to endure the punishment as well, since her name was written on the member's list and she was furious about it. Everyday, we would talk about how much we despised her and how she couldn't get away with this. Everyday, the scars would be etched a little deeper, they would vanish more and more slowly.

"I can't believe her! I mean come on! That's outright torture!" Kristie immediately started complaining as soon as we were in the safe confines of our dorm room.

"Yeah, she shouldn't be allowed to do something like that. Didn't you tell me those Quills are illegal?" I agreed.

"Yeah, they sure are! But she clearly doesn't care!" Kristie's heated rambling went on like that for quite some time, while I turned to my unfinished homework. There were still a few essays to be written and I wasn't waiting 'till the night before to finish them.

#

"Come on. You've been studying long enough. Besides, it's dinner time. Let's go!" Kristie pulled me away from my desk and dragged me into the Great Hall. We sat down at our usual spots and waited for the food to appear.

Dinner went by without many complications and I decided to go on a little walk afterwards, since it was still too early to turn in for the night. I wandered about and explored parts of the Hogwarts Grounds, where I had never gone before. Turns out, there was a cherry tree planted in a hidden corner. The season was just right, and soft petals swirled through the air, a sweet fragrance twisting and dancing in it, making the scenery absolutely perfect. I closed my eyes, letting everything envelop me.

"Ah. Here to enjoy the cherry blossoms, too?" A monotone voice sounded behind me. "The time is just right to watch hem, too." The familiarity of the whole scene frightened me, as if I had seen it all before.

I opened my eyes and turned around. There stood my childhood friend, watching me with soft eyes. A person, that despite the circumstances, I still cared about. A part of a trio that would never exist again... I smiled slightly. It had been so long since I actually saw him as something else, other than a threat. He was my friend, a person I could trust. And nothing should ever change that.

"Yeah... I didn't know there even was a cherry tree on the grounds." I replied. Ryuzaki nodded at me and walked closer. Then, we stood. Next to each other, enjoying the view of the fluttering petals.

"It's been long, hasn't it... Cherry?" I jumped slightly at the old nickname, but quickly recovered and nodded.

"Yeah it has... Sweets." It was weird using the old nicknames again, especially since one-third of our trio was missing. Ryu merely smiled at the name and raised his head towards the sky.

"I wish things could be different..." He sighed quietly and flashed me a small smile. I looked down at my feet and suddenly felt guilty. I never gave him a reason as to why I started avoiding and hating him, when it wasn't even his fault. And he never complained, he just accepted it.

"Sweets... I think I owe you an explanation..." I began uneasily. I wasn't ready to relive my past yet, but I thought it best to at least give him a valid reason as to why I didn't want to work with him on this case.

"I know what you are thinking about." He replied. My eyes widened a bit, but then he continued. "And you don't have to say a thing if you're not ready. I understand. Whatever happened to you two after I left, it must have been terrible for you to turn out like this. Both of you. Believe it or not, but you're not the same girl I knew either."

I stared at him. I hadn't even realised how much I'd changed, but he was right. The girl he knew, the girl that existed back then... She was now gone forever. My lips curled up in a small smile and I nodded at him.

"Yeah. We've both changed a lot since back then. But I think Red changed the most." The words flowed out of my mouth, without me thinking them through and my breath hitched at the sound of B's old nickname falling from my lips.

Ryu merely smiled. "I believe so. And now it is our job to stop him from taking drastic measures. Do you see it now?"

I did. But the thought of reliving my past still scared me. What would I do if everything repeated itself, I wonder? "Yes I do. But I'm still not sure about taking part in this."

"So you are starting to have second thoughts? That is an improvement at least." Ryu didn't seem bothered at all, but quite satisfied with my response. "Curfew will be starting soon. Are you coming?" And with that, he turned and started walking.

I still remained under the tree for quite some time, thinking about his words and the recent development of things. My life was getting so complicated once again...