The Slytherin Thorn

Chapter 33 - Letters

Rose couldn't believe it. She just couldn't. She stared down at it, her fingers trembling. She'd had more Howlers since she'd been put in Slytherin than she had in her whole life. She should be used to receiving them by now but she wasn't.

Rose looked up from the red letter, wondering whether it was considered more rude to open post at the table or leave the table halfway through dinner. Her eyes locked on Alex and silently she questioned him as to what to do. He shrugged his shoulders. She glared at him. "Mrs Gardner!" She said loudly across the length of the table. The old lady stopped. "Would it be okay if I left the room to open my letter?" Rose asked waving the envelope, her fingers rather hot. The lady scrutinised her as though she couldn't make up her mind. Etta nodded before she could answer.

"Thank you." Rose said and removing her napkin from her lap she hurried from the room. She heard Etta scolding her mother as she left but Rose was to preoccupied with her own business to listen.

Rose barely made it out the door before she ripped the Howler open. She struggled to open it her hands were practically on fire, her fingers felt much larger than normal as large sore blisters began to form. Finally she freed the letter of the envelope.

"ROSE WEASLEY!" She jumped away from it as if scolded, the letter fell to the floor where it began to shout at HER. The voice inside surprised her he'd expected it to be her farther or maybe her mother but it was her Aunt Ginny. "WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING? RUNNING AWAY! WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU? YOU'VE WORRIED EVERYONE SICK! CO-" Her voice was drowned out as another voice began to shout. Unlike his sister shouting, which was a worried angry, Ron's voice was a different tone of angry. It didn't make Rose feel disappointed like Ginny's had but hot and bothered with a desire to rebel him. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING? I DEMAND YOU COME HOME AT ONCE. YOU'D BEST BE CAREFUL YOUNG LADY, JUST BECAUSE YOUR IN THE SNAKES HOUSE DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN ACT LIKE ONE! IF YOU DON'T BUCK YOUR IDEAS UP AND START BEHAVING YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF AT ANOTHER SCHOOL WITHOUT MALFOY TO LEAD YOU A STRAY! YOU WEREN'T BROUGHT UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS."

The Howler shredded it's self into a million pieces and floated to the floor. Rose stared at the pile of red paper. She leant against the pristine wall, her head knocking against an ancient painting, before slowly sliding down it until she was sitting. Rose berried her face in her hands, bringing her knees to her chest she began to rock back and forth. The sound that escaped her mouth echoed around the empty hallway.

Rose didn't hear a door open or notice someone approach her. She felt them sit down besides her. "Rose?" A warm hand landed gently on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" Rose lifted her head from her hands. Grinning she looked up at Scorpius. He stared at her startled. "Y-your not crying?" He asked after a moment, confused.

"No." Rose stated bluntly. "I've given up caring about them. It's time to really rebel now. Drive my father insane. He thinks he can try and boss me around but he can't. He's not in charge of me. I'm gonna show him that. I'm going to show him that I'm a snake and I'm proud of it. I'm not going to hide behind my house anymore, I'm going to shoe them who I really am. No ones ever going to boss me around again."

At the end of her speech she turned to look at Scorpius who was staring at her admiration. He could see a plan forming in her mind. Scorpius could practically hear her brain whirring. He didn't know what she was thinking but he knew that her plan would be thorough and well thought out. Her eyes were glazed over in thought. She turned towards him, her face shinning, her eyes sparkling, the freckles on her cheeks prominent. She grinned evilly.

Then all of a sudden he grinned at her. "Well come on then." He stated, standing up and holding out her hand to him. She looked at it before grabbing hold of it and pulling herself up. "We need to go back to dinner first and then we can work on a reply to that letter."