Aunt Rose

15.

Rose was exhausted the next morning. For the first day almost all year, she didn't wake up for her early classes. The others in the room tried, Marlene even threatened to drop a brick on her head but she was passed out.

In the middle of what should have been her first class, Rose's tired eyes finally opened and she realized she was still fully clothed from the night before.

She stumbled to the bathroom, pain radiating from her chest and ribs. The girl looked in the mirror and raised her sweater to reveal a nasty purple, blue, and black bruise. It went from the middle of her stomach and wrapped around to her back.

Rose winced and lightly traced her fingers along the painful wound. But she pushed it out of her mind as she prepared for the rest of the days classes, determined not to miss another one.

After pulling herself together, she snuck down to the kitchens and had the house elevens make her some toast so she wouldn't be starving the rest of the day.

Finally, Rose met her friends in the hallway to their next class, casually joining them on the walk. All three of them looked at Rose.

"What?" She asked innocently, books cradled in her arms on the way to transfiguration.

"What do you mean? Rose, you were practically passed out. We tried for an hour to wake you. Are you okay?" Lily asked her sister worriedly. She had never seen Rose like that before.

"Yeah. I just had a late night," Rose said dismissively as they walked into McGonagall's classroom. She took her seat beside Marlene and sat back, twirling her quill.

"Are you actually okay? You had me worried," Marlene whispered to Rose. It was rare for her to show this much emotion, which meant that Rose had truly scared her.

"Yes! I'm fine, Mar. I promise," Rose responded sincerely. She sneakily snuck her hand down the side of the desk and held Marlene's hand. They shared a look before the professor began the lesson.

***

At the end of the school day, the group of four girls ate dinner together. The Marauders sat close by but Rose noticed they were missing a member.

Remus wasn't at the table. Or anywhere in the Great Hall.

When dinner ended, Rose watched the other girls walk off to the library. As they walked out, she scooted over and joined the three boys.

"Where's Moony?" Rose asked nonchalantly, acting natural. She picked at the food on the table as she waited for an answer.

"Stuck up in the dorm since last night. We tried to get him to come down but he refused. I think he remembers hitting you into the wall. He feels really guilty," James said in a quiet whisper.

Rose's heart dropped. She knew how much the boy was afraid to hurt someone. He must have been feeling guilty about the events that unfolded.

"Stubborn boy. Leave it to me," Rose said as she stood. On the way out of the hall, she bumped into Sirius and winced but shook her head and kept walking.

Behind her, Sirius had a guilty look on his face. He was stating to regret his decision.

***