Roar | George Weasley

027

I plastered a fake smile on my face as I travelled down the corridors to the Gryffindor Common Room. The black sleeve of my robe was pulled down on my left hand, masking the raw and red wound. The black material scratched the words inscribed into my hand, and I had to hold myself from ripping the material away.

Don't give her the pleasure of knowing she has gotten to me. Don't give her the leverage...

"I should've listened to George," I spoke absentmindedly.

He had warned me with his hand. Yet, I couldn't help myself. I wiped my face quickly with my right sleeve, before muttering the password in. The Fat Lady's eyes were calculative for a moment, but she ultimately shrugged me off. She began to sing again, the painting swinging open as she did so.

I entered through, focused onto getting into my dormitory and then solving the problem ingrained into my hand. I couldn't though, there was a circle of seven people... waiting for me.

George came up to me quickly, face slightly red and eyebrows furrowed. "Show me."

"H-how..." I stuttered the word out in surprise.

How did he know?

"Hermione asked where you were this afternoon. I told her that you were at Umbridge's office... Harry was there yesterday," he informed me. His eyes faltered from my eyes to my left hand.

"So, he got the black quill as well?" I asked him.

He gave me a nod, his hand grabbing onto my left forearm. He rose my black sleeve up, revealing the inscribed words into my skin.

"That Umbridge is bloody morbid," George furiously stated.

"I... I shouldn't have provoked her," I sighed.

"She's barbaric... let's just get this cleaned up."

George went over to the group, getting passed a potion of some sort from Hermione. She sent me a small smile, meanwhile Ron and Harry gave me a grim nod. Fred, Angelina and Lee stayed back as George lead me to a little crook of the Common Room.

Not many people were in, considering it was the afternoon. Most of the students were either dabbling into the fruit snacks in the Great Hall or gallivanting around Hogwarts halls.

I sat onto the cushion next to the window, eyes set on my scarred skin. George had disappeared briefly before reappearing again with a bowl of water. He set the yellow glass to the side, before situating himself across from me.

His legs were crossed, the bowl in his lap as he added the yellow concoction. The vibrant colour swirled briefly, before blending into the water.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Murtlap Essence. Soak your hand in it and it should soothe the cuts. It'll help heal it too," he told me.

He placed the bowl in my lap, looking at me expectantly. I gave him a thankful smile, before sliding my sleeve up and plunging my hand into the liquid quickly. I hissed initially, the concoction seeping into my painful wound. After a few seconds, the stinging ebbed away and I let out a relieved breath of air.

"Is that an indication that it worked?" George questioned me in curiosity.

I nodded. "Hey..."

"Yeah?"

"...Do you think this would work on those Fever Fudge products you have? This would be a useful remedy for the boils."

George ruffled my hair, "I was thinking the exact same thing."