Chapter 4
Dear Raven,
Sophia tells me that you haven't been answering her letters. Why is that? We all know that you've been receiving them, and yet, you haven't written back. Look, Rae, we have been patient with you. Hell, I've been patient with you. But we can't keep doing this back and forth forever. You have to give us something, or tell us that we're bugging you or that you're grounded. Don't give us the cold shoulder.
Anyways, that's not why I'm writing.
Okay so.. don't go getting a big head or anything but, I tell my family about you guys often. And of course that means that you're also mentioned. I told them about how we all first met, and about what you said to Melanie—
Raven winced at the words she read. She didn't want to think about what she had said to her mudblood roommate, who had only grazed her back when she went to grab her rob from behind her.
"Hola, soy Melanie!" The Hispanic girl exclaimed as soon as the rest of the girls walked in. Raven was at the back, trying to keep her head high as she walked. She could feel the unwanted eyes of older Hufflepuffs looking at her back, especially after her talk with Cedric Diggory.
The boy had managed to take her under his wing. Or in his words, "make a friend." She had no idea why he bothered with her. It's not like her uncle won't try and get her out of this house and into Slytherin in a few hours, days at most.
"She knows this is a British school, right?" A girl with amber skin whispered to the girl with fair skin.
"Do you?" The girl with fair skin whispered right backs. A playful smile on her lips. Raven felt her eyes widen at her words, not expecting them.
"That's racist!" The girl with amber skin exclaimed, stomping her foot. Though, everyone could see the hint of a smile on her lips.
Someone cleared their throat from behind Raven. She stiffened, not expecting them before she turned, locking eyes with a blonde haired girl around her age.
"So, are we just going to stand here like idiots?" The blonde said. "Or are we going inside?"
Everyone flushed, embarrassed by being called out before they all went inside. Raven being second to last since the blonde was the last one. Raven locked eyes with the middle bed, rushing over to it as she dumped her luggage on-top of the bed.
"I'll take this one!" Raven exclaimed, a smile on her lips. Though, it was small. Perfect like her Aunt taught her.
"Lucky!" The amber skinned girl whined, catching Raven's attention. "You got the bed closet to the window!"
Raven hesitated for a moment, glancing at the window beside her bed. She looked down at her luggage on her bed before she sighed. She wasn't going to be in this dorm for much longer. Though, the rob on the bed wasn't hers. She had hers on.
"Here." She smiled at the girl. "You can have it."
"Really?!" She exclaimed happily. Raven nodded, genuine. "THANK YOU!"
The dark skinned ran over to ran, outstretching her arms to hug her. Raven stiffened upon seeing them, quickly she put her hands up, stopping the girl in her tracks.
"No hugging necessary." She said. "I won't be here for long anyway."
"Wait, really?" The fair skinned girl questioned. Her dark red hair caught Raven's eye almost instantly. "How come?"
"Well.."
"Wait!" The blonde exclaimed halting the conversation as everyone looked at her. "What are your names?"
"Oh, umm.." The Hispanic girl spoke up. "My name is Melanie. And yes, I speak English. I was just nervous before. I'm nervous now actually.. is it hot in here or is it just me? I think it's just me because I'm sweating up a storm, hehe."
Everyone remained quiet for a moment.
"YOU ARE SO CUTE!!!" The fair skinned girl exclaimed. She ran over to Melanie, wrapping her arms around her for a hug, squeezing her tightly.
"AHHH!" The dark skinned girl shrieked before she ran over to Melanie as well and began to squeeze her cheeks. Melanie accepted the action, blushing as if it had been a long time since someone cared for her. "SO CUTE!"
"Okay, okay, okay." The blonde spoke up, grabbing both girls off of Melanie. "Enough you two. Now, names."
"Name's Sophia Sherman." The fair skinned girl exclaimed, smiling a teeth wide smile. "Nice to meet you."
"I'm Veronica Montgomery!" The dark skinned girl said, trying to match the girls energy. "What your name, Miss Bossy?"
The blonde scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"You guys remind me of my siblings." She mumbled under her breathe, though everyone heard her loud and clear. She sighed before speaking, "I'm Natasha Marshall. And you?"
Everyone turned to Raven, expectingly. The red haired girl stiffened, not used to all the eyes on her. She instinctively fixed her posture, making sure her hands remained at her side like her Aunt taught her. She unscrunched her face, making sure it was relaxed, emotionless.
"I'm Raven Rosier."
The room tensed at her words.
"As in.. Phillip Rosier?" Veronica questioned. Raven held her head high as she nodded. Her father wasn't a kind man during the war. He had chosen the Dark Lord, and took many lives in the process. "The death eater?"
"What's a death eater?" Melanie asked.
"Girl, you don't know what a death eater is?!" Sophia exclaimed. "Have you been living under a rock?!"
"Kinda?" Melanie tilted her head. "I just found out I was a witch 2 weeks ago."
"So, you're a muggle born?" Sophia's eyes lit up, glistening with curiosity as she looked at Melanie. Raven tensed up at the realization. She was rooming with a muggle born.
"Yes!" Melanie said proudly. She probably hasn't experienced the hardships with being a muggle born. Draco and his goons haven't tried to seek her out yet.
"That's so cool!" Sophia exclaimed. "What's it like over there—"
"Hold that thought." Melanie said, interrupting the girl. "I'm freezing—"
"I thought you said you were hot?" Veronica questioned, though her comment fell deaf upon their ears.
"And my rob is still on the middle bed." Melanie explained before she made her way passed all of them and towards Raven, not knowing who she was in the wizarding world. Her family died on the same day as Harry Potter, many assume that they were the cause of his parents death. That they attempted to kill him, but were stopped by the order, thus stealing their fighters and redirecting them at the Rosier Manor. "So if you wouldn't mind if I just try and grab—"
She grazed her hand on Raven's back, touching the tender scars that her Uncle left behind in his rage. Raven reacted before she even realized what she had done.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" She screamed, smacking Melanie's hand away from her. The girl, thankfully, had her rob clutched in her hand. "YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD!"
She could remember Melanie's face so clearly after what she had said. The way her eyes glistened with tears, opening as wide as her heart had upon seeing them. She felt a part of her ache at the pain she had caused the girl, never wanting to hurt another person.
She had just reacted.
But of course, she couldn't explain why she said what she said. She hadn't meant it. Especially considering that she does not believe in that blood purity stuff all that much. Only to keep appearances is all.
Natasha had got into her face and screamed at her for her words, "forcing" her to apologize. (She was going to already, but Natasha beat her to it). And even got Melanie a few nice flowers that she saw around the school after she realized that she was going to be stuck as their roommate.
Thankfully, her roommates were patient and helped her adjust to being a Hufflepuff. They all forgave her for her words, and helped see the badness behind them. Each of them were crazy in their own ways.
Especially with how they helped her understand why blood purity did not matter.
"You ready?" Veronica asked Melanie as she held a knife to her hand. They were in their dorm room. It was a little more than late at night when they were doing this. Thankfully, it was the weekend, so they did not have class the next day. And Raven could not afford to fail.
Melanie nodded at Veronica's words, shutting her eyes.
"You can still back out of this, Lee." Raven placed her hand over the knife, not allowing for Veronica to attempt to do this. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"Our Sunshine strikes again." Sophia gasps, placing her hand over her heart, balling up the fabric of her shirt in her hands. "My heart can't take this."
Raven rolls her eyes at her antics, sharing a look with Natasha. The blonde smiled, a genuine smile.
"Man, Rosier." She shook her head with a grin. "You really are nothing like your family."
"Is that a good thing?"
"It's a great thing." Natasha nodded, almost as if she approved. Raven felt her chest warm up, feeling pride fill in her heart. "You've come so far, Rosie."
"Aww, is this you saying that you're proud of me, Tasha?" Raven teased, still haven't let go of the knife. She didn't want Melanie to do this if she did not want to. Maybe she didn't want her to do it at all. "How sweet. Like I need your approval."
"Why you little—"
Raven giggled, a giggle unlike her usual. Usually she giggles a soft, quiet one. Almost fake, too perfect. But this, wasn't like that. This sounded true. She didn't giggle loudly, nor was it long. She giggled, while turning to Natasha and her teeth showed for the first time.
And a soft toothlike smile was on her face.
And for once, Natasha was at a lost for words at the sight before her.
"I'm kidding." Raven said, her smile slowly faded back to the small perfect one. And Natasha found herself missing the genuine grin. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."
Raven turned back to Melanie, seeing the girl lock eyes with her as well.
"Is that a little blush I see?" Sophia teased Natasha, whispering. Natasha turned her head, looking away, a light red on her cheeks.
"Shut up." Natasha mumbled. "Your
colorblind."
"Now, you see why me and Veronica call her Sunshine." Sophia whispered to Natasha, before nodding her head towards Raven. "Melanie's like a puppy, but Raven.. she is really bright sometimes."
"Yeah, she is." Natasha watches at the two of them, Raven and Melanie, converse. "Only sometimes though."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Raven asked Melanie. She was speaking to her soft, almost as if she were talking to a child. And in a way, she was. Melanie had no knowledge of the wizarding world until she arrived in Hogwarts. So, it was their jobs, Raven, Veronica, Sophia, and Natasha, to watch over her. "We could always just go and prank Cedric. Get a good laugh, ya know?"
"No." Melanie shook her head, before exhaling. Her face looked serious all of a sudden. "You've helped me so much since we got here."
"Not including the time she called you—"
"We know!" Raven exclaimed, interrupting Natasha. She deflated, sighing. "I'm sorry again about saying that, Melanie."
"It's okay." Melanie smiled. And to Raven, it looked as bright as the sun. "You've made it up to me 100 times already. Now, it's my turn. Do it, Ronnie."
Veronica moved the knife to cut through her hand but paused, glancing at Raven for confirmation. Raven turned to Natasha, sharing a look with the blonde. Even if it seemed as if the two of them hate each other, Natasha and Raven were the most mature of the group which meant that they looked out for them all. Natasha more than Raven, but that doesn't mean they don't look out for each other as well. Raven waited for Natasha to protest, but she nodded back to Veronica to proceed. Raven nodded at the black skinned girl.
And Veronica cut through Melanie's palm. Raven clutched onto the girls other hand, squeezing it.
"There! It's done." Veronica exclaimed before grabbing Raven's left hand, pulling it towards her. "Your turn, Rae—"
She paused as soon as she saw her palm. Raven held her breath, she had forgotten it was there. Her scar.
A scar that started halfway up her ring finger, trailing down roughly before expanding at the end of her pinky finger. Then, it extend in three ways creating an M like shape. Two lines go down towards the bottom of her palm, while the last line goes to the side above her thumb.
It was a vicious scar. A scar that she had gotten sometime before her mother and father passed. Her Aunt had often commented that it made her look bad, ugly upon seeing it.
She wasn't wrong of course. It was ugly.
At least, Raven thought so.
"Raven?" Veronica's voice went quiet, bring the attention to the two girls. "What happened?"
"I don't know." Raven admits. "It happened when my parents were alive. Ask them."
Everyone stayed silent.
"You can't cause they're dead." Raven continued.
No one said a word.
"Get it?" Raven tried again. "It's funny, right?"
"Sometimes, I can't with your dark humor." Natasha shook her head. "Especially your dead parents jokes."
"Me either." Sophia agreed.
"Preach." Veronica said.
"Me too." Melanie nodded. Raven opened her mouth, shocked by the betrayal.
"You too, Melanie?" Raven faked a look of sadness.
"Yeah. Sorry." Melanie apologized, before she continued to grip her hand. "Can we hurry? My hand really hurts."
"Yeah." Veronica shook her head, gripping Raven's left hand tighter. "You ready?"
"Mhmm." Raven nodded. "Actually, can you just cut my thumb?"
"We had options?!" Melanie shrieked.
"Uhh yeah." Raven deadpanned. "You didn't know?"
"No!" Melanie exclaimed. "No one told me. Damn, now I look like an idiot."
Raven watched Melanie deflate upon learning this and felt her heart tug with sympathy. She looked down at her own scarred hand before looking back up at Veronica.
"What's one more scar?"
And so, Veronica cut her hand as well and that night.. Raven witness her own blood bleed the same color as Melanie. They were almost identical.
But of course, after they wrapped up the wound and went to bed in their own separate beds, Raven's in the back corner since she offered hers to Veronica, she snuck towards Melanie and healed her palm using her magic.
"WOW!" Melanie screamed as soon as she walked out of the bathroom. The rest of the girls were just waiting for Melanie to finish up, as they all go to class together. "GUYS, LOOK AT MY HAND!"
Everyone gasped, excluding Raven as she already knew what happened.
"Oh my god, dude!" Veronica shrieked. "How did you do that?"
"Did you learn advanced magic already?" Natasha questioned, a curious glint in her eyes. She almost looked like a child in that moment.
"Did you have a boy over after we slepted?!" Sophia asked.
"Ew, no!" Melanie cringed. "I'm not you."
Raven can remember that day as clear as yesterday. Remembered how they had forgotten about Raven's cut as they were too busy focusing on Melanie. Remembered the way they all laughed at Melanie's comeback, and for once, Raven did not care about how she looked. She felt safe amongst her friends, carefree inside of her dorm. It was as if nothing could get her when she was there.
And after a while, it felt like that around the entire school. No one could hurt her there. Not like at home.
She quickly shook her head, returning back to the letter.
And then I told them about how we were patient and about how we helped you understand the truth. But what shocked me the most was that.. they told me to be patient with you and to try and understand your perspective.
If anything, they wanted me to write this letter more than I did. My mom told me to tell you that you are always welcome to come here if the holidays get tough. Like Melanie says, "Mi casa, Tu casa." I think it means, my home, your home? I don't know, I got to ask her in my next letter.
Anyways, my dad wanted me to tell you that they have an extra room for you if you want it. But honestly, I think that's a bunch of crap. Just because we have a manor like other Purebloods, doesn't mean we're rich. Ya know? Well, you wouldn't know considering the amount of money you probably have. You're the last Rosier, aren't you?
I would say good for you, but considering the circumstance..
Rae, just write back. And I hope everything's going okay.
Your best friend,
Natasha.
Raven felt a tiny smile creep up onto her lips as she read the letter. Natasha is lucky to have such good parents. They probably never told her the real truth about being one of the 28 pureblood families. The dark truth amongst them.
The classes they have to take as soon as they can walk, especially girls. The constant weight check, height check, posture check. They have to be prim and proper all the time. It was exhausting. Raven has no idea how Katherine could do it.
She finds it difficult, hard.
It's as if she can't connect with the class. Her brains can barely handle the magic running inside of her veins. She has to be moving all the time to get a good handle on it. Has to shove her feelings down. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Mrs. Marshall's time. They must have had it worse.
Raven gets smacked with a Ruler for having her elbows on the table. Or not having correct posture. Sometimes (most times) she gets denied food for a while, being forced to exercised to earn it. And her aunt isn't the most nicest teacher. If anything, she is worse. Way worse.
Maybe it's because she is her aunt, someone who took her in when she had no where else to go. She had to be perfect, pure.
It was their fate, wasn't it?
Raven was about to move to hide the letter, but froze as soon as she saw something written on the back of the letter slowly appear to her. Almost as if it were hiding, waiting until she opened the letter to show itself.
P.S.
This is Mrs. Marshall, Natasha does not know I am writing this, but hang in there. I know how hard it is to be a pureblood. Our house is always open, don't forget that.
One day, things will get better.
Raven cried herself to sleep that night.