Battle Scars

O N E -Two Weeks Later-

Students turned to look as one of the Carrow Twins, Alecto, chased a blonde haired first year. Or, more commonly known as Aphrodite Zaine. 

"You better hope I never catch you!" Alecto roared. Aphrodite paused for a second, took a quick glance behind her and took off again.

Her two bestfriends, Apollo and Ares looked at each other, and took off after them. Aphrodite was always getting in trouble because she refused to torture the other first years or anyone else. She always mouthed back, and she never cried when she got her punishments, which made the Carrows angry with her. Ares was taken by surprise when someone grabbed him from behind. Amycus Carrow had taken a liking to torturing the boy for absolutely no reason. Ares felt his hands start shaking as Amycus cursed him. "Crucio!" 

Ares screamed, and cried out and thrashed, but nobody would help, until Aphrodite came running back through. "Hey!" She cried. "You leave him alone!" She threw a book at him, which made him start running after her. Ares curled up on the ground. One of the older years, a Gryffindor named Seamus Finnegan, picked him up and carried him to the Hospital Wing, with Apollo following behind.

Aphrodite thought she had lost Amycus, and she stopped to catch her breath. She heard footsteps and shrunk behind a statue. "Did you see the way that first year did that? She has guts, Neville." It was a female voice, and Aphrodite peeked out. There was what looked like a Sixth year girl with red hair talking to another person, with blonde kind of hair. "Yeah, she reminds me of Harry, Ginny." Aphrodite fully removed herself from behind the statue. Her shoes made little 'pit patter' on the floor.

"The names Aphrodite Zaine." She said. Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom whirled around, and Aphrodite grinned at them. "Ginny Weasley," said Ginny, and Neville looked at her wondering how such a small little girl could get into as much trouble as she did.

"We should get going, " Ginny told Aphrodite and Aphrodite nodded, and turned around. She was almost to her Common Room when she heard a curse. "Crucio!" It didn't take a Ravenclaw to figure out one of the Carrow Twins had found her. She was on the floor, refusing to let even one tear slip. "Just let them fall! You know you want to!" Alecto cackled evilly.

Aphrodite shook her head, and tried to stand, but it failed. "This is no fun!" Alecto pouted, and She grinned maliciously. She took out a dagger, and she traced Aphrodite's lips, before making a small cut.
Aphrodite refused to cry, but she did scream when Alecto started carving things in her arms. She remained silent during the whole thing, and she didn't cry, which made Alecto go into a frenzy. She held the dagger up to the little girls throat. "You WILL follow the Dark Lord! You will serve him!" Aphrodite shook her head, and felt the dagger cut some of the skin. "No I won't! I refuse to follow some one with such horrid visions of the future! I'm going to fight for what I believe in! And this isn't it!" Alecto trailed the dagger down her brow line, before making little cuts here and there.

The other years heard the terrified screaming, and though it pained them, they did nothing. Apollo was in the Hospital Wing with Ares, who was waiting for Madame Pomfrey.

Alecto grinned down at the mess she had created. Aphrodite still refused to cry, and Alecto made one last word in Aphrodite's forearm: Mine. Marking Aphrodite as Alectos. She aimed a kick, but Aphrodite moved weakly. There was a great puddle of blood surrounding them, and Alecto walked away, leaving Aphrodite to bleed to death.

Aphrodite pulled herself up weakly, and leaned against the wall, leaving a bloody hand print.

Ginny Weasley was making her way down a corridor, when she spotted a huge puddle of blood. She stuck her forefinger in it, and cringed when she felt it was warm.

She spotted a figure that was moving slowly against a wall, and she ran over to them. She realised it was the little first year that had thrown the book at Amycus, and she picked her up. Aphrodite groaned into Ginny's shoulder, and Ginny felt her jumper become wet with blood. She picked up her pace and ran to the Hospital Wing.

"Madame Pomfrey!" Ginny called, as she burst into the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey rushed over from where she was, and took Aphrodite from Ginny's arms, and looked at Ginny's jumper, which was covered in blood.

Madame Pomfrey set Aphrodite on a cot, and began her work, healing what could be healed and cringing when she realised the little girl would have many scars. Aphrodite woke up sometime later, Ginny never left her side. "Madame Pomfrey said you're going to have a lot of scars." Ginny told Aphrodite. Aphrodite shrugged, and shot Ginny a small smile.

"That's quite alright," she said. "It'll show Voldemort that they can't break me. They'll be my Battle Scars." Ginny admired the younger girl for her courage and kindness.

"You'd make a great Gryffindor," Aphrodite smiled at Ginny's words.

"The Sorting Hat considered placing me in Gryffindor, but it said that my true place was Ravenclaw." Ginny smiled at her, as she was looking at Ares. "I'm glad he's okay," she sighed.

"Well, Im glad you're okay, " Ginny ran a hand through her red hair. "You know what everyone's been calling you three?" Aphrodite shrugged and shook her head, and waited for Ginny to continue. "They call you the 'Troublesome Trio'." Aphrodite managed a weak smile, as Madame Pomfrey forced her to drink an awful potion. It made her fall asleep almost immediately. Before she drifted off, Ginny asked a question she'd been dying to ask. "Why do you do it? Why do you stand up to them?" Aphrodite took a moment to think about it. "Well," she began. "Someone has to rebel, and make them realize that not everyone will obey them. And that someone is me. I'll fight until I can't anymore. Even if it kills me." Ginny didn't think she could admire the little girl anymore than she already did, until she said why she fought them.

Ginny placed a kiss in her forehead and Aphrodite was asleep.

"You're not going to die," said Ginny to herself. "I'll make sure of it." Ginny stayed there that whole night, and drifted off with her head resting on Aphrodite's bed side.