Her Single Rose (Remus Lupin)

Twelve

Aries had a problem.

She hadn't fully mastered Occlumency yet and it was started to bug her.

Dumbledore had pulled her out of Herbology class so he could tell her how they'd be practicing. Because of the whole legilimency breakdown, James had yet to tell Sirius, but instead went to Dumbledore.

Which made things even worse.

The man had asked Aries into his office and told her she needed to start working on her mental strength again. Though she didn't understand exactly why he would want to pull her out of a class she wasn't doing well in, in the first place.

He wouldn't stop looking into her head at the most devious moments, especially when she was most vulnerable.

Word got out that Voldemort was coming, said he was starting to create and army. They called themselves Death Eaters.

Now Dumbledore wants her to learn Occlumency to protect herself and others around her.

He also brought up that it might be helpful sometime in the future, whatever that meant. Dumbledore's a walking riddle, no pun intended.

"Are you even listening?" Marlene pouted as she waved her hand in Aries face. Mindy only giggled, the sound of it almost fake, as Aries swatted her friends hand away.

"Of course I was listening, you were talking about, er, that Ravenclaw, though he is two years older than us. He'll be graduating this year." Aries saved herself as she used her legilimency.

"It's not fair! All of the hot ones are graduating!" Marlene huffed.

"Hey, look at me, I'm a single woman and loving every bit of it. Maybe just take some time away from guys." Mindy shrugged.

"That makes two of us." Aries added in as the three headed out of the Great Hall.

"Don't you dare, insult them!" A group of students were gathered around four boys.

Each had their wands out, two were Gryffindors and two were Slytherins.

Of course they were...

You can only imagine who was who.

"What? Gonna defend the mudblood, bloodtraitor!" Mulciber and Avery stood on one side while James and Sirius stood on the other.

Remus, Peter, Lily and Alice were standing on the Gryffindor side with Severus, Lucius, and Regulus were on the Slytherin.

"Go get Professor McGonagall, she's closer than Slughorn." Aries told Marlene, who groaned and rolled her eyes, speaking about missing such a great fight.

Mindy furrowed her brows, "Are you sure? Wouldn't Slughorn be closer since his office is closer to the dungeons?" Aries rolled her eyes at the young girl.

Aries began to step closer to the front of the crowd.

"No one cares about stupid blood purity." Sirius shook his head.

"Doesn't matter, though we are your superiors, having pureblood." Avery spat with a smirk.

"The only dirty blood I see, are the two Slytherins in front of me." James smirked.

"That's it!" Mulciber growled as he began sending spells at James. Avery following suit in an angry manner as he began jinxing Sirius.

"ENOUGH!" McGonagall roared as she broke the crowd apart along with the four in the center.

"Everyone to class! NOW!" She yelled. James and Sirius began to take steps back to flee with the rest of the student but were soon caught.

"Black, Potter, stay. Mulciber, Avery, go straight to Professor Slughorns office. Miss McKinnon and Farfield will escort you." McGonagall announced.