EVANESCENT

13.

❝ LIKE THE COLOURS
IN AUTUMN, SO BRIGHT
JUST BEFORE THEY
L O S E  IT ALL ❞

〽〽〽

C H A P T E R   T H I R T E E N

IT WAS OBVIOUS Roxanne and James became inexplicably close a week after the ball. Everyone was buzzing with the newfound gossip, most of them swooned at the couple. Though, there were some who were skeptical with the girl. Mostly because they have no idea where she came from. Heck, even the teachers have no idea. All that knew of her origin were the Marauders and Dumbledore.

James and Roxanne were sitting by the Black Lake with the other Marauders. While most of the students indulged in the village of Hogsmeade, the quintet decided to revel with each other's company.

"So the other day. . ." Sirius trailed off, beginning yet another tale of his marvelous adventures. The others didn't really complain, since they don't really have any stories to replace Sirius'.

Roxanne leaned against one of the trees with James' head lying on her lap. Sirius, being the annoying bastard that he is, decided to imitate them and rested his head on Remus'. Which the lad actually disagreed at the beginning though gave up halfway through after Sirius began telling his stories, deliberately ignoring Remus' complaints. Meanwhile Peter was on one side of the tree, just beside James' leg, stuck in his own little world all the while listening to Sirius rant about his day.

In the midst of Sirius' story, James let out a contented sigh as he gazed at the clouds, then turning to the girl in front of him. Her gaze were fixed with Sirius', laughing at one of his implausible stories.

Roxanne looked down at James with a smile. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're in love with me," she smirked.

"Believe me, I do," he thought to himself. Instead, he grinned at her before shaking his head.

Roxanne only nodded her head before turning back to Sirius, adamantly ignoring the glances James gave her.

A loud thud made James turn his head to Sirius, who was now face flat on the ground due to Remus pushing him. The four laughed as the lad scowled at them, pushing himself off the ground and crossing his arms across his chest.

Though the mood was cut short when McGonagall approached them.

"Minnie!" Sirius exclaimed, walking towards the Transfiguration teacher, "how's my favorite teacher doing? Good, I suppose?"

"Now, now Mr. Black," McGonagall said in a strict tone, "I am here for Miss Andrews, it seems the Headmaster needs to have a word with you."

Roxanne nodded before abruptly standing up, knocking James off of her as she did so.

James groaned in pain as he rolled off the ground, causing McGonagall to chuckle lightly at the scene.

"Sorry, Jameson," Roxanne muttered under her breath.

"It's alright," James grunted.

"I'll steal some lemon drops for you," she called off her shoulder as she walked beside McGonagall.

"MISS ANDREWS," Dumbledore said.

"Professor Dumbledore," Roxanne nodded whilst settling herself to one of the chairs, "what was it you needed?"

"As you know, you came to this world through one of the portals of the blue moon," Dumbledore said. Meanwhile, Roxanne subtly scooted closer to the bowl of lemon drops on her right.

"I assigned Professor Nordick, our Ancient Runes teacher, to study the cycle of the blue moon. . ." He trailed off. Though, Roxanne still continued chucking down lemon drops in the pockets of her robes.

"We managed to identify when the next blue moon is and you're in luck," Roxanne abruptly stopped picking lemons drops as she freezed in the spot.

"I'm in luck?" She muttered slowly.

"Yes for the second occurrence of the blue moon is nearly approaching."

"When is it exactly?" Roxanne asked, tensed.

She didn't want to go back, not yet  at least. She wanted to have more time, with James, Sirius, Remus, Peter and everyone. Yes, she wants to see Nicole again and some of schoolmates but not this soon.

Her whole life she's been finding a form of escape, a place where she can finally feel safe. Ever since her parents died, it was just her and Nicole. For years, she tried so hard to make her sister safe that she didn't even find the sense of safety with anyone. Everyday she'd sleep with one eye open. Tackling two jobs during the summer just to support the both of them. And now that she's in a world where she finally found that comfort, it's hard to leave him behind.

That's why when the words left the Headmaster's mouth, she knew she had to make every day count.

"Three months,"