Sweets

CHAPTER 15

Days came and passed, soon turning into months. The usual craziness at Hogwarts carried on like always, but the news I was waiting for never reached my ears. During this time, I had tried to reach the center of the Forbidden Forest twice again, but failing again and again. After some time, the darkness just got to me.

In May, all fifth-years were called in separately for career advice and Professor Flitwick told me that I would make an exceptional Healer. But my future was still a mystery to me, and I wanted to stay away from it for as long as possible.

May soon turned into June, and we all sat our O.W.L.-Exams, some doing better than others. Some of us had a little advantage in Defense Against the Dark Arts, since we were a part of Dumbledore's Army, and blocked the spells and curses thrown at us with ease. Other than that, it was just a bothersome event that was taking up too much time and energy in my eyes. I had always hated the End-of-Term Exams, but these were an even bigger pain.

Malfoy had tried to interrogate me a few times, too. But alas, I never had any idea about what he was talking about. Sometimes he spoke of an arrangement, another time he would go on about something big stirring up. But I never paid much mind to it, to me it was all irrelevant at the moment.

What bothered me the most was that B had now gone under the radar for more than ten months and I began to wonder what he was waiting for. He had a plan no doubt, so what was taking him so long to execute it? Numbers and names...

"What are you waiting for?" Unknowingly, I had voiced my thoughts and pulled my best friend's attention to me.

"What are you on about? You've been staring into nothingness for quite some time now." Kristie questioned. She had a look of concern on her face that seemed sincere.

I shook off those crazy thoughts. Of course she is sincere. I can trust her, not with everything, perhaps, but with many things. "It's nothing. Still thinking about last week I guess." I shrugged, I knew Kristie would buy my lie, since the exams had rattled her to the bone.

"Oh, yeah. I understand. It was awful right?" She immediately started complaining again and told me all about how she had failed History of Magic for sure once again. I just nodded, having heard the story at least thrice before, and lost myself in my pondering again.

My eyes wandered down the table, to where a ravenhead sat in a strange position, staring down at his food. Ryuzaki and I had met up a few times again, and discussed possible outcomes of our particular situation. We were both uneasy about the stillness from B, but it was not like we could do anything against it. After all, the longer he stayed still, the less people would be harmed. In theory at least.

Kristie poked my side, pulling me out of my thoughts yet again. "I'm tellin' ya. You've got a thing for him. Why won't you admit it?" My hyperactive friend had supported the idea of me having a crush on Ryuzaki for quite some time now, with all the times we had been meeting up and such, but I had always shot her theories down.

"Kristie, we've talked about this. I was just tutoring him for the exams. He was new to Hogwarts after all." It wasn't entirely a lie. He had asked me about some things relevant in our O.W.L.s but it had just been a few trivial things. He was well prepared for the Wizarding World.

"But you stare at him sometimes!" Kristie continued pestering me about my love life, occasionally poking me in the ribs.

"It's almost curfew. Let's go back to the Common Room." I stood and my friend stumbled to keep up with me. I felt kinda bad for her. I had been slowly shutting her out of my life due to the brewing storm somewhere. I might not come back to Hogwarts next year and it would be best if she didn't get caught up in my messed up life.

"Hey! Wait up!" Kristie called after me and I turned back to wait.

"I wouldn't have to if you weren't such a sloth." I said, a teasing smile on my lips. My mind pushed all the unpleasant thoughts into the bottom drawer for now, choosing to enjoy the present.

"Yeah,  whatever." Kristie waved me off and entered the Common Room after successfully answering the riddle from the eagle-shaped doorknocker. I chuckled and followed in behind her into a world of a soft midnight blue. The color always stirred up a homey feeling in the pit of my stomach and this time was no different.

#

The night was as dark as always. I couldn't keep my eyes shut. Sighing, I shuffled out of bed and shrugged on a coat. It was against the rules to venture out at night, but I couldn't sit still. I padded softly down the stairs and went through the door. As soon as I stepped outside, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and started walking in the direction of the cherry tree.

The old tree stood proud and strong, the soft petals flowing in the air almost glowing against the night sky. It was most peaceful. I breathed the sweet scent of the Sakura Blossoms.

Sakura.

The name that was found along with me - the name they decided to give me. A name that I came to despise yet love at the same time. A name bound by many memories, both beautiful and terrible.

A name that I had pushed away, out of my life.

Pushing all of those thoughts away, I raised my head and observed the stars. What would happen I wonder? In three days the term would end and everyone will go home respectively, returning to their lives outside of Hogwarts. I was to stay a little with Kristie at the Malfoy's once again, then return to my home later on.

Was I happy? Was I afraid? This time, Kristie's parents will be there with us. Was that good?

"Couldn't sleep?"

Startled, I turned around and found myself face to face with a boy holding a lollipop in his right hand. I relaxed and gave Ryu a curt nod, before turning back to the cherry blossoms.

"What's going to happen, Sweets?" I asked, uncertain about the future. "Why hasn't anything happened?"

"We will have to wait and see." His reply was monotone as always, but I could sense a tiny bit of uneasiness, too. "He's waiting, I'm sure."

"Sweets?" I had made my final decision.

"What is it?"

"I'm going to help. Whatever happened, I want the old days back and they cannot return if one of us is missing..." I tried to smile, but the corners of my lips just wouldn't curl up.

"Yes, I believe you're right. Let's hope that he is not too far gone." Ryuzaki came and stood next to me.

Another thought came to my mind. "You have to promise me one thing, though."

He nodded for me to continue. I took a deep breath. "You have to make sure that I don't have to go back to Wammy's. I don't know if I'd survive that."

"All right. I believe that will not be a problem at all." Ryuzaki replied softly.

"Well then. We'll try to get him back."

"So we can live like we once have."

Continued in "Red"