Scarlet Bird

2nd Year-Fear-13

Following the attack on Mrs. Norris, a string of petrified students were showing up out of the blue. The entire student body was terrified now more than ever and some parents even sent for their kids to come home. Quidditch games had been cancelled out of safety and most after school clubs were shutdown. After school wandering was highly encouraged and at some point curfew was installed. Malfoy had been ranting everybody's ear of especially mine these days because of the cancelled games. Eventually he was just blaming everything on Potter. 

Alex had remained awfully quiet since the day she took the sleeping potion. A simple hello is all she would give and she would leave once again to Merlin knows who. This time however, I was determined to make her speak. Sure it was a bad move since everyone should open up in their own pace but something about this told me that I should really help. 

My plan was simple. Lock her in the room and force her to rant. Too harsh? I guess I could coax her into ranting or at least opening up. 

There was no time to think of another plan because soon enough, I heard the door handle click and open letting Alex inside into the room. It seems like she didn't notice me at all at first because she tossed her her books and bags to the floor and threw herself on the bed.

"Bad day huh?" I spoke up making her flinch slightly.

She sat up and ruffled her hair, "Merlin you scared me."

I smiled slightly before patting the space beside me on my bed. After staring at me reluctantly, she stood up and made her way over to my bed gently sitting down next to me allowing enough space for another person.

"I really shouldn't pry you know," I joked after a couple of minutes

She looked up at me and from the look in her eyes I could see something was terribly wrong.

"No it's okay," she muttered. Moments of silence passed before she took a shallow breath in and spoke again, "Do your parents get along well?..."

"Well I suppose so, I've never seen them fight," I answered. Honestly within the time they've been married, I had never seen them once fight or scream at the top of their lungs. They were just like two dancers in sync with each other. Never out of balance.

"Why do you ask," I turned to her as she rolled her sleeves up and that's when I first noticed it. A single dark bruise was spread out on her arm dabbed with specks of dried blood turned into scabs. I couldn't help but let out a gasp in horror. I faced up to her and asked, "What happened."

Sighing she rolled her sleeve back down, "That night that I came home late , My parents were present at the quidditch game for some friends and well I decided to say hi. Everything was fine until my mother made a comment in private that angered my father and I can't even remember why but my father.." she stopped for a moment before taking in a jagged breath and continuing, "raised his staff at her but before he could hit her I stepped in and well.."

She grazed her fingers over to where the bruise was and looked up to the window. A string of tears was travelling down her cheek but I could only hear the faint sound of her breathing.

"Has this happened before," I asked. A gut feeling in my stomach told me it had.

"Yes but not like this," she stopped and smiled, "but it's fine right, it's just discipline, it's completely normal," she let out in chocked breaths.

This was wrong and it hurt me to see her justify such actions. No matter how much my parents got mad at me, they never once laid a hand on me. 

I took her in my arms as she sobbed quietly and assuring her everything was going to be alright and that I would do everything in my power to help. I asked however if she wanted me to do something about this but she simply insisted that she'd take care of it her own. I reluctantly agreed to this but I informed her that I would be checking up on her to see if she's alright. After agreeing, she fell asleep on my bed so I decided to leave the room to give her some peace.