Title: Why Harry Potter Likes the Color Red
Honestly do I really have to disclaim and say spoiler alert. JK Rowling owns all rights… Spoiler alert for deaths, rebirths and hints of romance for all seven novels.
The challenge is a study of fives. Five sentences for five words: friends, Gryffindor, Quidditch, phoenix, and Voldemort, and all five paragraphs must contain the word red.
For Littlelaunch for coming up with the challenge, for Teenlaunch for helping me overcome my trauma after reading Harry Potter slash and Clancat for being you and laughing hysterically at 3 am with us over wand selection! Hello, my lovelies, I cannot promise that this HP piece will be the last from me but I definitely don't have plans on ever doing another if I can help it. So… here you go.
Friends
On Harry's first meeting with the Weasley family, nothing really registered beyond the shocking red hair they all sported. Many meetings later, he realized their faces could turn the same exact shade when Ginny raced upstairs in a snit after his first visit to their home. Later that year, in the Chamber of Secrets, Harry remembered the vivid color as he searched for any signs of life in Ginny's deathly pale face. And only when Harry saw Ron and Hermione's flushed, worried faces did the danger feel like it might be fading. But he truly couldn't relax in this knowledge, until, straining to peer over his friends' heads, his gaze was captured by a chagrined, blushing Ginny.
Gryffindor
Life never followed Harry's dictates. Every wish or hope backfired in his face, even when strange things happened that sort of hinted that fate just might wish to help him out sometimes. He bitterly wondered what curse had demanded of him to have such bad luck. But as he sat on the stool, Sorting Hat on his head and all eyes on him, he fervently wished against all hopes one last time, for one last chance. When "Gryffindor" rang through the Great Hall, Harry saw only red since his unfocused, teary eyes couldn't be torn from the House flag banner waving wildly in response to the new famous addition.
Quidditch
Harry's experience as a Seeker was nothing short of a spiritual awakening. Not one day went by that doning his scarlet Quidditch robes, desperately clinging to his mahogany-colored Nimbus Two Thousand, avoiding the black Bludgers while hoping the red Quaffle sailing through the hoop belonged to his team, and seeking the Golden Snitch didn't make him happier than he had ever been. He thought it may be the thrill, the adrenaline. A normal, physiological response in a male expected to succeed. However, if Harry was honest with himself, he would admit it's the only time he truly feels a personal connection to the father he has never known.
Phoenix
Harry knew hope couldn't be packaged; it wasn't a tangible entity that could be captured, bottled or summoned on the wind. What a shame it couldn't be when he lived in a world of magical possibilities. A saddening thought as he watched his red blood freely flow from his dying body. And yet, a keening cry and a cooling breeze floated over Harry as Fawkes landed next to him. Mythical tears healed the young, loyal wizard even as he thanked the scarlet phoenix for coming to his rescue.
Voldemort
Glittery serpent-shaped eyes intently razed the stunned wizard. Feeling a fool, Harry turned and stood before his now mortal enemy. Voldemort laughed at his feeble show of bravado. In his heart of hearts, Harry knew he faced the impossible, but refused to give into the despair because really were these odds so different than any of the other times. And frankly, he would rather confront the hateful reddish glint of the Dark Lord, when not to do so, meant acknowledging the greenish hue of Cedric's dead body.