Her Single Rose (Remus Lupin)

One

"Aries!" The young Slytherin girl walked out of her dark room and down the stairs, poise and grace leveled in each step.

The house of 12 Grimmauld Place was often gloomy and dark, even with most of the windows open.

"Yes, mother?" Aries asked, her voice confident though not too loud and not too quiet.

"We leave for Kings Cross in no more than five minutes" Walburga informed her daughter as the black haired girl nodded.

Aries was smart for her age, but it didn't take smarts to know when to speak in the Black family.

She knew when to nod or speak, she knew when to walk into the room without barging in on a conversation, Aries had learned the ways of what her parents called, 'The Pure-Blood way'.

She took no shame, nor interest in becoming a Slytherin. Not even the mere fact that she seemed like a bore to some.

Aries understood the necessity of how to act around others to pleasure her parents and their supposed, 'good name'.

She never quite understood why her parents had such anger over the other blood lines if they weren't pure like theirs. She never cared anyway.

"And do get Regulus while you're up there" Orion commanded as he took a cup of tea and brought it to the dinner table.

"KREACHER" Orion roared in anger as he looked at the table. Aries didn't flinch nor show any sign of disturbance though she felt it as she blinked.

The old house elf appeared with a pop before saying,

"Yes, Master?"

"This table, it's filthy. I will not have a finger laid on it until it's cleaned!" Orion spat as the house elf snapped his fingers in obedience and summoned a rag and water.

The cloth and small tub of water cleaned the table as Aries turned steadily on her heal, letting her hair flip gracefully over her shoulder, and headed back upstairs to finish her book with her head held high.

Her mother always told her to keep her back straight and never hang her head or else she would appear weak in the eyes of the world.

Aries always hated her parents and their stupid rules, but obliged to their commands none the less. Anything to go longer without punishment.

"Regulus" Aries said softly as she walked into his room. Her book held in her grasp as she sat beside him on his bed.

He wasn't in great shape after his punishment last night.

A black eye on his left and a split lip. A bruise trailed along his arm, probably from the curse used.

"I should have obeyed" he whispered in a breath almost as if talking to himself, the smallest proximity of Aries hand close to his was enough to make him flinch.

"Mother says we leave in three minutes, I have a healing potion when you're ready" Aries spoke softly whenever in her brothers presence.

There was no doubt Aries had a soft spot for her younger brother. It was only after Sirius had abandoned her that she noticed how alone Regulus seemed.

She waited a few moments in silence, waiting for his answer as she slowly put her hand in contact with his.

It was slow enough for him to realize what she was doing and to see the action but fast enough for him not to object.

His hand shook a bit in her hand, probably from the shock but slowed when she held his hand with both of hers.

"I'm ready now." He stated clearly before looking up to his older sister.