"Briar Lupin had dreamt, predicted, foreseen death more times than she cared to admit. If she actually remembered all of the times it had occurred, at least."
Sequel to Blue.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
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LIVVY'S EXCITEMENT TOWARDS their new brother was only present to Briar for about twelve hours. The next morning, after the task, Livvy was absent for a couple hours and returned to the rest of the school looking like he was ready to fight someone. Briar, for a week, tried to speak to him, but whenever they were somewhat close, her brother stalked off.
She didn't know what was going on. The more people began talking about the Yule Ball, since that was announced quickly after the first task, the more Briar wanted to discuss Christmas with her brother, to decide if they were going to get gifts for their parents together, so that it would be easier and cheaper, or if they were going to try and have Christmas morning together.
The absence of her brother made Briar feel awful at just the possibility of her doing something to piss him off. Although she felt bad thinking it, Briar wished that Sirius was still hiding in the school, because at least then, she always had someone that knew everything about her life, and she could talk freely.
If the air wasn't so filled with excitement towards the Yule Ball, Briar probably would've been struggling with Livvy ignoring her more than she already was. At least, because everyone was discussing it, she had an excuse to worry about material things, more than what was properly bothering her. And, the fact that she was going with Cedric, because she'd prefer herself to feel somewhat resentful she couldn't go with the person she really wanted to, than see one of her best friends deal with multiple girls asking him to the dance every day, when he wasn't interested in any of them.
But, Briar didn't like talking about feelings. She liked to keep them hidden and ignored until they had bottled up so much that she had one minor breakdown, and she could return to normal. It wasn't healthy. But, Hogwarts lacked a counsellor and Briar didn't feel comfortable talking about her feelings to Aster or the twins or Lee or Fleur or Livvy or Harry because she struggled at making sense of them. Or, at least, describing them in a light that other people could understand and wouldn't just brush it off as normal teenager feelings.
"This bloody ball is going to be the death of me," said George. Briar rolled her eyes, and he let out a sigh. "Why isn't anyone asking us out? I feel offended! Am I not attractive enough?"
"We're great to look at," said Fred. "Are we old news?"
Briar said, "No, it's more like there are more boys and girls with cute faces. It'll be all normal next year." She grinned at them. "And, just so you all know, I don't have a dress, I have a goddamn gown. 1949, Christian Dior, Junon gown, been in the attic since my grandmother gave it to my mum, lots and lots of sparkles. If you don't believe in a higher power, you most certainly will after seeing me in the beauty of a gown that I have."
