Snakes and Sanguine

Year 4: Bruises and Scars

All anyone could talk about was their excitement for the Triwizard Tournament. Whether it was excitement for the event itself or the Durmstrang girls and Beauxbaton boys.

The train rocked beneath us as we snacked on sweets and played a Muggle game Lucien had brought. We passed through the Scottish mountains and I swear to Merlin I saw a herd of mountain goats.

When the train came to a halt, the four of us hastily walked out of the compartment, eager to get back to the castle after a long hiatus.

Rose's unmistakably red hair flashed in front of us, pushing and shoving her way through the sea of students. Then came Cupid who had by now earned a reputation throughout the school and could part the sea of students with ease when she walked through. I felt my lips curl in a subconscious scowl. There were some things about Hogwarts that I definitely hadn't missed.

"Cedar come!" James called out as he boarded one of the self pulling carriages.

I turned to the three boys. Al gestured forward, telling me to go.

When I walked over to the carriage he put out his hand, helping me up. He flung his arm around me once I was seated and buried his face in the spot between my neck and shoulder.

"I missed you," he said softly, his voice muffled.

"I saw you last week." I giggled.

"Yes but it's been torture without you. The moment you left that morning my parents have been up my arse. They're absolutely furious that I even thought of entering." he replied, now lifting his head.

James never let anyone tell him what to do. Not even his own parents. I had a suspicious feeling that that was not going to change now.

"You're not still thinking of entering, are you?" I asked as the carriage began to move, the wheels rocking beneath us.

He looked at me for a moment and pursed his lips in thought. "I think I'm still going to, yes."

I let out a sigh. "Al's worried about the tournament. Should I be too? Should I be supporting you in this whole defying your parents thing?"

"Al reads too much that's why. He reads too many books with too many tragic endings and thinks that it'll be all the same. This is real life, and the tournament is so much safer than it was like twenty years ago or however long ago it was." James replied, cracking his knuckles. "So to answer your question, no you shouldn't be worried. Supporting me on the other hand is entirely up to you. But I would like you to."

"You'd do it whether you had my support or not." I started saltily and then sighed. "So I support you then. No point in not."

His face grew bright, eyes twinkling with joy. "Thanks, Cedar."

My eyes caught Silas as we entered the Great Hall. He was facing forward, walking alone. His hands were reaching deep in the pockets of his robe and his back was arched. No new scars on his face, I noticed. Good.

Lucien went to sit with the rest of the Hufflepuffs for the first time since last October as was required for the start of term feast. I watched him from my seat at the fourth year Slytherin table and had to fight every urge to not hex the Hufflepuff boys from across the hall. Although I couldn't hear what they were saying to him, I could tell that it was far from kind.

"Poor Lucien." I sighed. "I can't believe he has to sleep in the same room as those pricks."

Al and Scorpius turned their heads around to see the sight.

"It would've been better if that stupid hat just put him in Slytherin with the rest of us." Scorpius huffed.

Al clenched his fists aggressively but his face remained neutral. "I wish I could hear what they were saying," he said monotonously, the only hint of rage being in his hands.