Winter's Rose ▫️T. Lupin

▫️ Twenty-One

The thrill from winning the Quidditch Cup lasted for days, and when it was time for the students to return home for the Easter holidays, Rose still was in a good mood, despite the storm that was raging outside. Beatrice woke her up and she got dressed in her usual clothes, the black leggings and a jumper that this time was maroon, and then, she stood in front of the mirror to fix her hair she had decided to let loose for once. The curls weren't easy to tame, but in the end, she managed.

"What about you, Rose?"

She met Brenda's gaze through the mirror and then looked from her to Angela and finally to Beatrice. "I wasn't listening."

She let out a huff as she repeated her question. "Where are you going to go for the holidays?"

"I don't have family left to go there," she mumbled, her eyes cold as she waited for Brenda's reaction. She masked it well though. "Thankfully, Teddy invited me to stay at his place with the boys."

Instantly, Beatrice gasped as she turned around. "You're going to stay with Teddy Lupin?!"

She barely spared her a look as she replied, "Yes."

"When were you going to tell us?"

"I wasn't planning to."

Normally, Rose wouldn't have been that cold when it came to her friends, but then again, she didn't consider them her friends after everything. During the year, at the times she had needed their support their most, they hadn't stayed by her side. Brenda and Angela had simply ignored her both times while Beatrice had tried to be there for her but she too had kept her distance somewhat, especially after her mother's loss. They had been her friends for years and the moment something had happened to her, they had kept her distance, while Teddy, a person she had known for just a few months, and his friends, had tried to be by her side to support her and make her feel better.

At this point, she was better off without them.

"Rose?" She looked up, an eyebrow raising as she noticed Beatrice's frown. "What is it?"

"Nothing, everything is fine," she shrugged as she reached down to grab her suitcase. "Just so you know, I'll sit with the boys during the ride."

With a brief smile at them she turned around and left. The door had hardly closed behind her though when it opened again, and in seconds, Beatrice was standing beside her, her frown deeper as she looked up at her.

"Did I do something wrong to make you angry with me? Is that why you don't want to sit with us in the train ride?"

"You aren't my problem, Bea," she mumbled as she stopped and turned to face her, automatically lowering the tone of her voice. "You really aren't. But I can't stay in a compartment with Brenda and Angela while you patrol. It's going to be dreadfully quiet and the last thing I need at this point is silence. They ignore me, there's nothing to discuss with them and I get it that Brenda is your girlfriend but I'm sorry, I'm done being a friend to both her and Angela because when I needed them the most, they simply weren't there."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as she looked away. "If I could, I would have suggested you stayed with me-"

"You live with people that still believe black people are supposed to be slaves," she let out an incredulous laugh that instantly brought Beatrice to look up. "I don't blame you for not suggesting I stayed with you. Because I would have honestly preferred to stay at Hogwarts over facing your family."

"I still am sorry-"

"Quit apologising," she smiled slightly as she gestured back to the dormitory. "You can go back now. I'll be fine with the boys. Honestly."