#redthorns

- Bloom, she shouted and hugged me

- Hey Re! How are you?

- Aaaaaah There you are, exclaimed my other best friend Saoirse as she let her bags drop at her feet.

Saoirse is a Ravenclaw, she has brown eyes and gorgeous long chocolate hair. She is a pureblood from Dublin, that means both her parents are wizards. She is an only child and she is a fighter, black belt in judo and karate and she is a pro horse rider.

She sat down next to Re:

- What happened love? I asked

- What do you think? she snarled, My parents! They want me to be nicer to the Slytherin Purebloods this year!

- What? Why… I don’t understand…., whispered Eireann

- DAMN RIGHT IT’S WRONG! shouted my bestie Shannon Murphy

She was wearing her signature leather jacket and combat boots. She was holding her bike helmet while letting her beautiful black hair down.

- Shan don’t shout, I exclaimed

- Her parents are going to marry her off to some rich pureblood who can’t even fight for his own life, she snapped in her Belfast accent, Oh and by the way, I just ran into you know who!

- Oh no, said Re scared

- She doesn’t mean Voldemort, I reassured

- Don’t say his name, snapped Saoirse

- Sisi! Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself, I said eyeing them, she meant the idiots, I added

Shan sat next to me. What you need to know about Shannon is that she is from Belfast like my own father. Her dad is a muggle while her mother is a witch. When her dad found out about this, he threw her mom out the door. Shan still sees her mom of course; she lives outside of town and is a herbologist. Shannon has two older siblings, Marl and Niamh who are non-wizards. Shannon is my best friend in the world. She rides a motorbike and is an amazing photographer. She looks tough on the outside but I know better. She is passionate about English Lit. She was wearing an oversized sweater today!

- Shan… what are you hiding, I whispered urgently

- Can we not? Please…

- But … fine! But you will tell me when we reach Hogwarts, I sternly said

Shan looked away to talk with Sisi. I looked at my friends, our group of 4, The three musketeers! We were known as the Red Thorns. Why? Because we always wore a rose pin on our clothes. We started to talk about the year, our 5th, that was about to start, that’s when Snow mentioned her costume designs:

- So, Snow! Got our Halloween costume done, questioned Saoirse excited

- Of course! I have the sketches here!

Re took out her sketchbook out and showed us drawings of our new costumes. They were amazing! This year we were sure to win, the group costume contest. Every year our rival gang, the Marauders, would beat us. We needed to beat them! It was a matter of Pride as the Red Thorns. Oh! You must have heard how Sisi called Re, Snow? Well before the end of our 4thyear, the girls and I became what is called Animagus. That means that we can transform into our spiritual animal. It is a very difficult process and very dangerous. But we managed. Re is a snowy owl, that is very rare! Sisi is a mare but her Patronus (spiritual animal if you wish) is a Abraxan Winged Horse, we call her Spirit. Shan is a phoenix but her Patronus is a Thestral, I still don’t know how that happened… She goes by the name of Flame. And what about me? Well, I’m a cute bunny. The name is Midnight, but beware….

What is it? what are our costumes? Hahaha a player never reveals his cards my friends. You will have to wait and see. Anyway, we have arrived. We have arrived to our home for another year, Hogwarts…

‘’no’’, I thought, ‘’ you can’t tell them, they would never look at you the same way…’’

The next morning was the first day of school. I got up early and helped Alice wake up our sleepy heads. We got ready in our uniforms. Shannon was taking ages in the shower as usual, and Marlene was insisting that I put on some makeup. Of Course, she won, I put the makeup and the hairband and let her finish. We arrived in time for breakfast. I saw my sister fraternizing with the enemy…

We had our many classes from Charms to Potions ending with Transfiguration. I had been planning our next prank during that class. Well pranks… See if you want to out prank a prankster or in this case 4 pranksters you have to plan in advance. So, I was usually the one giving about 20 ideas and the girls choose which they thought we could do with ease. I had found about 10 ideas so far… dung bombing their dorm… a classic but always fun… pouring a rambling potion in their pumpkin juice… a favorite… changing their uniforms to be green like the Slytherins… oh boy that’s a good one! I had so many different ideas… I can’t wait to show them to Snow, Flame and Spirit.

- Miss Farrel!

- Yes professor?

- What is the correct answer?

I looked at the blackboard and saw a question written:

“Q: Which sub-branch of Transfiguration is considered to be the most difficult?”

I looked at the question and smiled to Minnie:

- Human transfiguration Professor!

- Such as?

- Animagi

- Good! And please pay attention to my class Miss Farrel!

- Yes Professor

I saw James and the Marauders looking at me weirdly. What the frack?

- Bloom! Come on! We need to get to the Great Hall! I’m starving and I have a quidditch practice tonight, reminded Shannon.

- Oh, come on Flame!

We made our way to the Great Hall, the Marauders in front of us, running off to the hall.

We arrived and started to look for our friends when I felt something on my skin. I looked around and saw Shan covered in blue paint, her hair was blue like the night sky…. My hands were red … I started to breath heavily… We turned our heads towards our table and found the Mischief makers laughing their heads off. Oh, that’s it! They are paying for that! I used a quick cleaning spell on both of us and we walked to the table like nothing happened. My once light brown hair was now as red as blood and Shannon had blue electric hair.

- Thanks for the new makeover, started Shan

- Yeah! Thank you so much! I’ve been wanting to change a bit my hairstyle!

To say that the boys weren’t expecting that… well that would be the understatement of the century… they looked like fish with their mouths opened in shock.

Lily and the others started to laugh at them, they quickly got to their senses and got back to chatting amongst themselves.

I walked into Potions class feeling confident and ready to face whatever was coming my way. I sat down next to Shan as I usually did. I could hear the Marauders sniggering…Children…

I got to my usual seat, second row, near the supply cabinet. Professor Slughorn arrived soon after. Today we were going to review an old potion. I sighed content; Shan was always good in potions we were going to ace this. I started going through my notes, Shan was tying her hair up, we were ready. As soon as Slughorn was done explaining we were off. I went to retrieve the necessary ingredients as I was going out, Peter tried to knock me off balance. This lesson was going to be horrible.

Narrator POV:

Bloom was angry. The Marauders had been on her nerves. They had ruined their potion; they had thrown food at them during lunch. Their final class for the day was Charms. It was her favorite class. She got to the first row and was joined by Shan and Sisi. Professor Flitwick had started his lesson on a spell that would help them if they were to duel: the Incarcerous Spell. Bloom wasn’t really listening; she was practicing her wandless capabilities. Shan was observing her best friend lift the piece of paper while Flitwick was writing on the black board. Bloom hated the noise the boys were making in the back of the classroom. Her new red hair was starting to match the color of her face. The teacher wasn’t saying anything. Shannon sighed and tried to calm her down. Bloom could feel her emotions taking over. Her head started to hurt. She hissed in pain. The lesson ended. Saoirse walked in front of Shannon and Blathnaid. Snow was waiting for them outside. They smiled and Eireann was explaining her new idea for a dress. Suddenly Bloom felt someone push her out of the way.

- Watch it! shouted Saoirse

- Out of the way Farrel, snarled James

- Piss off Potter, retorted Shannon

- What was that Murphy?

The Marauders and Red Thorns were arguing and shouting insults in the middle of the corridor. Bloom’s head was ponding. She wanted to scream.

“Let it out Bloom… let it out…” said the voice in her head.

“Let me take over sweetie”encouraged the voice in a sweet sickening tone. Bloom couldn’t breathe… her mind went blank. She opened her eyes and turned around to see her friends taking out their wands. She felt her body move on its own accord. Shannon looked at her in fear so did the rest of her group of friends.

- Well boys I believe the party is over, her voice was colder and had dropped a few octaves

- What the… started Sirius

- Merlin! cursed James

Peter hid behind Remus. Blathnaid walked over to them with her wand out. Bloom was trying to stop the voice in her head.

“Please! Please don’t! I beg of you!”

“Oh, you beg? Let me have my fun! They deserve it!”

“We will get into trouble “

“When have you been worried about that?”

Blathnaid had stopped moving, she was holding her head between her hands, she looked as if she was being tortured.

- Who are you? Questioned Remus

This question snapped Bloom out of her internal quarrel. She looked at him and smiled… but her smile was not sweet or kind… it wasn’t the Farrel Remus knew. Her eyes were darker and her red hair was gone.

- Who am I, she asked, Oh Honey! I’m your worst nightmare! I’m Midnight! And before you go… let me leave you a little souvenir… something to remind me by chéri!

Bloom’s eyes shown bright blue and her wand let out a spell, ropes where all around Remus and Sirius holding them down… they were hurting.

- You really are a monster, shouted James

- You created me, love, as much as you try and deny it, you made me! And you must suffer the consequences. Serpensortia!

A snake came out of her wand and started to crawl towards James. Peter was trying to help Remus and Sirius… It was utter chaos.

Bloom POV:

If I could scream I would…, how could I let Midnight take control… she was hurting people… I was hurting people…

- Miss Farrel! Mister Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew! In my office now!

“Just great! Are you happy now?”

- What in Merlin’s name is Ciara doing here? questioned my best friend

- I have no idea…

I looked at the end of the table where she was talking with everyone, getting to know her fellow 3rd years. She caught me staring and smirked in my direction. She knew I hadn’t told my friends about her. She was like a secret in the family. Well, not really… she is my mother’s favorite daughter. She is exactly like her: proud, ruthless, ambitious, beautiful, and daring. I wonder how she got into our house. She had lived in France for the past 3 years. Our mother’s parents had been taking care of her. I only saw Ciara when she would come back for the holidays. She had only met Shan. She was never there when Sisi or Eire had been there.

How could I have been this naïve to think I would be safe from my mother’s claws. For 5 years I had been safe in these walls. Well safe is a big word. I was safe from monsters and creatures, but of course there was still the Marauders and Slytherin blood fanatics, amongst them a girl named Melody Jones. She was a snake. She was determined to make my years at Hogwarts a living hell. Well, she could try, because she couldn’t worsen my night. My sister was here now. She will do a daily report on me and what I have done… or not… she is so self-centered that she might just talk about how good of a daughter she is. I couldn’t eat or drink anything. Potter being a prick, started to make loud comments on my behavior, saying I had been weird and a total crazy girl for going up to someone I didn’t know…. He wanted a reaction… he knew who she was of course… being my mother’s favorite… oh right… James is my mother’s godson. So, he has always been around me and my family. Sean, my 8-year-old brother, loves him. I just couldn’t concentrate on Marlene’s story. I heard Dumbledore wishing us a good year and good luck for our OWLs. I got up and started to walk with my fellow Gryffindors to the Gryffindor tower. Shannon followed me quickly behind. We said the password given to us by Lily, who was prefect with Lupin. She was showing my sister around. Lily turned to me shocked. That’s it my sister just told her who she was. They came up to me and Shan. The Marauders were on the couch next to us.

- Blathnaid! You never told us you had a younger sister! Exclaimed Lily

- Oh, she never mentioned me? Smirked Ciara

- Of course, I did! I told you guys I had 5 siblings! You just never asked, I defended myself

- Hahaha! No need to be so defensive sister! I was making new friends! Is there a problem with that, she said

I was mad. Ciara knew how to mess with me! Godrick, she knew how to make me cry and angry. She was like my mother.

- Hello Ciara! Smiled James

- Jamie! Big brother! She exclaimed

She went to hug James and he smiled wickedly at me. He was going to use her against me. I knew it.

- Who is this beauty, asked Sirius Black kissing her hand

- Ciara Farrel, she answered

- Farrel eh?

Sirius looked at me. I was angry. She was now talking with them. I went to Potter and pointed my finger at him aggressively.

- If you use her against me Potter! You will regret it!

- Oh, really Bloom? What are your group of half trained pranksters going to do? He mused

- Just you wait Potter! You and your over gelled hair are going down!

- We wouldn’t want that now, would we? What if mommy found out?

He looked at me amused. I was ready to curse him. He was not a lion but a reckless boy. He was spoiled and thought he could say anything and would be safe from me. I hated him. I could never say anything at home. Mother always defended him; no matter what he did. Shannon took me by the arm and pulled me to our dorm where Marlene and Alice where already unpacking.

I tried to stay quiet that whole evening. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think. My sanctuary had just been compromised. My mother had found my weak spot and was using it against me, like she always did. She always wins, no matter what…

- Blathnaid…, started Lily

- WHAT! I snaped

I looked at my friends, I never snaped. I never shouted. This was so unlike me. Lily was socked and the girls had stopped what they were doing. I sighed and apologized.

- Why are you and James always arguing, questioned Alice

- It’s none of your business! He is an arrogant toe rag and he needs to be put back in his place! He thinks he can just talk to me in that obnoxious tone of his. I hate him! And I wish he hadn’t taken another thing of mine!

- But why are you always fighting? Inquired Lily

- He… might as well tell you… As you know James and I know each other! We’ve known each other since childhood. Our Mothers are friends. So naturally James and I would have to play together to please our parents. James and I used to be friends…

- What happened? What changed? Asked Marls

The four of us made our way to the carriages, Shan was always different when we took the carriages. She would pet the Thestrals that were taking us to the castle. I have never been able to see them, neither have Eireann or Saoirse. I never know what to tell her every time. As we got into our carriage, we could hear the snickers coming from a nearby carriage belong to the one and only Marauders:

- So, Farrell… You came in the end? I thought your mother had other plans for you! Shouted James

- Apparently, you were still not taught to shut your mouth, I snarled back

- Come on Bloom! Leave him! Said Saoirse, trying to get me away from them

Potter and his gang just laughed as they went on ahead on their carriage. Shannon started to curse under her breath and our carriage started its journey to the castle. The trip was met with silence from everyone. I was still thinking of what potter had said. How could he have known. As you can have guessed, there is no love between my gang and the marauders. We basically hate each other. The war started in our first year when we were victims of one of their pranks. Shan and I might be in their house but we still cannot stand each other. We would sometimes end in detention together because the prank wars are so intense, to my mother’s disapproval. I would get letters from her, and then during the holidays she would lecture me on how a lady must behave. Yes, as you have understood, my mother and I don’t see eye to eye, but I have to act as the perfect daughter. Shan and the girls helped me break free from my cage and help me fly when I am at Hogwarts. Speaking of which we have arrived. Before us, appeared the magnificent castle known for its history and prestigious wizards that have graduated from it. Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry! That is our school, it is one of many wizarding schools in the world. But I think our school is the best. It has the best staff, the best teachers, the best headmaster, the best food… You get my point.

We stepped out of the carriage. We made our way to the Great Hall, where a banquet was waiting for us. But first we had to wait for the first years to arrive from the lake and be sorted into their houses before we could eat the delicious meal that had been prepared for us. Saoirse and Eireann had to go to their house table to join their house mates. Shan and I sat at the table with Lily Evans, Marlene McKinnon and Alice Fortescue. They were our roommates. Lily Evans is a muggle born like myself, she is a really sweet and intelligent girl. Alice is a pureblood; she is very kind and loyal. She is going out with Frank Longbottom, a fellow Gryffindor. Marlene is a pureblood as well. She is full of life. She is the life of the party. She is care free and just so much fun. We started to talk when Potter and his friends arrived and sat next to us.

- Hello my Lily Flower!

- Go away Potter!

- Oh, come on Evans! We all know you love it! joked Black

That was not the thing to say, Lily gave both boys a whack to the head. We all laughed at this. McGonagall, our head of house arrived and Hagrid the gamekeeper, with the newbies. One of them must have fallen in the lake because the kid was soaked. McGonagall started to read the list of students and let them sit on the stool where the Sorting Hat was, waiting to be put on a head of a young wizard. Maybe I should explain a bit. So, there are four houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Each student is sorted into a house according to their personality and nature. Hufflepuff values hard work, dedication, patience, loyalty, and fair play. The house of Ravenclaw is known for its intelligence, knowledge, curiosity, creativity and wit. Slytherin values are ambition, leadership, self-preservation, cunning and resourcefulness. And of course, last but not least, Gryffindors are brave, daring, have nerve, and chivalrous. As I waited for everyone to be sorted, I looked around at the other house tables. I could see some of my friends from the other houses talking to one another. I saw Snow and Hazel Adiv another Hufflepuff. She was part of our group of friends. She was from Cardiff and was a half-blood. She was a very good boxer and was such a good painter. I continued to look around, Saoirse was trying to talk to shy Rinn. We didn’t know much about her. She was very quiet; very discreet. She had white hair and gray eyes. Every boy was at her feet but she turned them down every time. I continued to look around when I heard a name that brought my mind back to reality. I looked up at the front of the room, at the teachers table to see someone I didn’t think I would see.

- And finally, we would like to welcome a transfer student from Beauxbatons. She will be joining us in her third year here, the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, invited her to sit down.

The young girl sat down on the stool and waited to the sorted. I had stopped breathing. It couldn’t be true. She was supposed to be in France. I got up. I couldn’t control my movements. I walked up to the teacher’s table.

- GRYFFINDOR! Shouted the sorting hat.

My hearing was buzzing. Everyone was whispering around me. I was in front of the young woman; she lifted the hat off her head and smiled at me. I looked at her in shock. She finally started to speak.