The Red Rose That Has Green Thorns

The cut in my arm stung a bit as the scab fell away while it healed, seemingly of its own accord. Satisfied, I pointed my wand at the cut in my shoulder. I muttered the healing charm, and hissed in pain as I tried to ignore the searing sensation I felt as the gash sealed back into the slightly tanned and freckled skin of my shoulder. I flexed my arm, testing my muscles, and then used another quick spell to alleviate a bit of the ache that was still there after healing the wound.

Surprisingly enough, the Exhibition entering my thoughts didn’t surprise me much. The match was in two and a half hours, and my shoulder still hurt some.

“I’ll just hope it goes away,” I said softly, stepping into the soothing comfort of the shower.

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I found Scorpius waiting for me still. I’d taken a longer shower than normal, finding the hot water perfect for my shoulder muscle, and hoping slightly that he’d leave. Even though he had said he was staying. And also, although I might never admit it out loud, I took a few minutes extra on my hair, even though I’d just throw it in a ponytail for the Quidditch match later and ruin the nearly perfect curls. Nearly perfect - I didn’t want it to seem as though I actually tried. If it did, people might think I was softening up, which I most certainly wasn’t doing.

Okay. So Rose Weasley really does care about her appearance - to a certain extent. It’s not as if I took three hours perfecting it! Lily had tried to give me a makeover several times, but the most recent time, I had run away the moment Lily turned her back…about five minutes in. Aunt Ginny had laughed as I ran into the kitchen and begged her to stop Lilyzilla. I was thirteen at the time, and prone to calling my fashion-obsessed eleven year old cousin Lilyzilla. Especially since she had tried to give me various makeovers ever since I had started to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

When I stepped out of the bathroom tentatively after my initial shock, as I thought Scorpius might be angry with me, he looked up. I couldn’t tell what it was, but something different from normal flashed across his eyes. Our gazes met, then, and held for what seemed like several long minutes.

Giving my head a little shake to break eye contact, I wondered briefly if it was because I’d actually taken my time. I shot Scorpius a small smile as I put the thought from my mind and said apologetically, “Sorry. The warm water felt really good on my shoulder.”

As if to emphasize, I rolled my shoulder with a minimal ache plaguing it.

“It’s okay,” he said, shrugging as he got to his feet. “I needed most of that time to get the couch clean.”

I felt a pang of guilt and started, “You didn’t have to, you know. I was joking when I told you to. You know I would have done it, since it was my faul--”

“It was not your fault!” Scorpius said so sharply I couldn’t stop myself from taking a small step back. I was slightly glad his back was turned. “You got hurt because someone interfered with Spunky’s plans, not because you messed up.”

I relaxed slightly at the softer tone of voice that Scorpius had adopted. I relaxed even more when he turned to flash a comforting grin at me.

“And I don’t know about you, Rose,” he turned back toward the door, “but I’m famished.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the moment of tension already behind us as we headed for the door together.

There weren’t very many people at all when we arrived at the Great Hall. Many of them were, as I’d glimpsed from several of Hogwarts’ many windows, enjoying the light dusting of snow on the ground. The very light dusting of snow, since you could still see the grass poking up.

A few of the people who were still in the Great Hall included the group of five all sitting together halfway up the Prefects’ table.

“There they are!” Lily said, grinning and waving us over. I internally groaned because she had already seen the difference in my appearance, however slight it was. The twinkle in her eyes as we got nearer only proved my theory.

“Here we are,” I agreed with Lily, plopping into a seat that was directly across from that particular cousin. As per usual, Scorpius claimed a seat next to me. “The question is…are we all ready?”

There were a couple of particularly loud shouts, bearing the semblance of ‘huzzah!’ or something close to. The noise that my group made attracted the attention of the fifteen or so students who still sat inside, finishing their meals or talking to friends. It also attracted the gaze of the teachers at the top table. A few of my team, including Lily, Martha (who, I suddenly realized, had the same name as the handmaiden from my dream but, thankfully, looked nothing like her), Hugo, and I, waved up at the teachers. The teachers, being quite used to this sort of action from any of the Potter/Weasleys or those they were with, shook their heads and grinned. They then proceeded to continue with whatever it was they had been doing before we had interrupted.

The team and I continued with our virtually pointless conversations until the clock chimed.

“Eleven?!” Lily cried, unnecessarily loud.

“Already?” Martha’s voice was soft.

“We’ve only got an hour…” Zack muttered, but loud enough for us to all catch it.

“Let’s make the best of the hour, then!” I said, trying to cheer them up.

The bell had acted as a reminder. Now, bubbling in their guts just as it was in mine, I expected there to be a nervous, trembling feeling. I was, needless to say, more nervous than I ever remember being before a Quidditch match. Even if we had three house captains on our team…the other team had the best seeker - Albus - and more than competent players. After all, we were the best fourteen players they’d picked from Hogwarts. And, although I had told Scorpius that Molly might be a setback because she’d rather keep both feet firmly planted on the ground, I also knew that she was good. Aunt Ginny good, probably - which was what Lily was, too.

“Let’s go to the changing rooms,” Olivia suggested, smiling and trying not to betray her own nervousness, “that way we can plan without worrying about being overheard. Right?”

We all agreed with her suggestion, and a few moments later found us sitting together in the changing rooms, with Scorpius, Olivia, and I discussing a few techniques at the chalkboard.

“It’s probably a stupid question,” I said as I drew a small diagram, “but you know the Wronski Feint, right, Zack?”

“I’ve never actually done it, but yeah, I know it.”

“Good. You’re going to try it if we get behind. Not that I particularly want to hurt my cousin, but we want to win. If you get uncomfortable diving like that, Zack, go ahead and pull up early. Do you understand? We can’t afford to lose our seeker.”

I examined him thoroughly when he nodded, just to make sure he’d follow the instructions. I trusted him more than I’d like to admit nowadays.

“And chasers,” Olivia said, promptly picking up the thread, “let’s not forget that the sloth grip roll can come in handy. Especially when bludgers are coming our way!”

“Hugh,” Scorpius addressed my brother, “let’s just keep in mind that we’re to try to stop the bludgers from heading their way, all right?”

The team laughed, perhaps a little bit from their nerves making them more on edge.

“And don’t be afraid to hit my brother,” Lily chirped, smiling. “We all know he could use a friendly knocking on his noggin.”

“Hogwarts teams, if you would begin changing into your uniforms now,” a voice boomed out across the pitch, and reached us where we’d been laughing at something Hugo had said. “There should be a different uniform than usual in your lockers. Team One will be the White team, and team Two is the Black team.”

“It’s…time?” Zack seemed dazed. “Already?”

“Looks like it,” Scorpius, who’d been slowly growing quieter, swallowed slightly.

“All right, team,” I said, uncomfortable at being the one who seemed the least affected by the tension flying in the air. “We’ve got this. Well, maybe we don’t. But we’ve got a fighting chance, and that’s what they picked us for. Right?” I didn’t get an answer, so I said, again, “Right?”

“Right,” Lily, Olivia, and Scorpius managed. Zack just fidgeted, and Martha and Hugh looked like they might be sick.

“What’s wrong with all of you?” I demanded, although they knew and I knew that I knew what it was. “You’ve played in tons of games before now - well, most of you have. Martha, you haven’t played in quite as many, but you’ve played just as well as any one of us, or you wouldn’t be here. Scorpius, you’ve played in what, one less game than I have? Here at Hogwarts, at least. You should be perfectly fine! Quidditch should be a welcome distraction from day-to-day school. Same with you, Olivia. Having Uncle Oliver as a dad probably gave you your love for Quidditch, so act on it! Hugh, what would Dad say if he saw you right now? Shaking in your socks! And Lily, you’re the daughter of two of the best Quidditch players that Gryffindor House has ever had - excluding Oliver Wood, because we’re not literally related to him - so buck up and at least act like you know what you’re doing! And Zack, you and Louis are the best seekers that Hogwarts has got. Why else would you be here? Now all you need to do is prove that you deserve to be here! Right?”

I hate giving speeches. I hate giving speeches. I hate giving speeches.

Why does it seem like I’m always the one to give a speech, even when I hate them so? That’s the one thing I didn’t like about being made Quidditch captain, or a Prefect - I felt the need to make the speeches I hated more and more often. And now, add a touch of Head Girl syndrome, and I make speeches left and right!

And now my team is just staring at me like I’m…like…like I’m Fluffy!

“And Rose,” Scorpius finally said, “if you weren’t a damn good keeper, where the hell would this team be?”

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I repeated over and over again in my mind as Scorpius’ simple sentence roused our team to cheers.

“You’d probably be quite a bit better off,” I grinned, “but I suppose you have to deal with what you’ve got. Now, let’s get suited up!”