Appleby arrows, Chaser 1: an accessory item of clothing: hat, scarves, glasses etc.

(word) victory

(word count) 1001

(quote) "The First wealth is health." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Story word count:1001

Enjoy!

The first thing she remembered was Molly, with kind eyes and rounded face, who looked at her as if she was proud, a bight ray of sunshine behind her. Back then, she was new; she had bright colours and soft yarn, and Molly just stood there, stroking her for a while. It was nice, she remembered, but she could also see concern on the woman's face as she glanced towards the door. Then, she finally gave up, folded the scarf, and but it up on a cold, wooden drawer.

What followed seemed to be the longest night she had ever experienced, but that was to be expected. It took a while to get used to the idea that the Wizards won't use her everyday, won't stroke her soft wool non-stop. It got better the day she was given to Ginny. The girl was so small, you could barely see her behind the scarf, but she burrowed her head into the soft wool, and sighed contently as she thanked Molly, whom she called mother.

Being Ginny's was as exciting as it could've been. When she first got the scarf, Ginny would sit there before sleep, just stroking her wool and talking out her frustrations. Her brothers never seemed to giver her a break, there were so many of them!

She got to stay on Ginny's neck as she went outside, playing with her friends, and, once it got cold enough, having snowball fights against hem. Those, she had to admit we're not very fun. The cold, watery solid stuck to her and refused to leave until it melted in a big, wide splosh of water. Food was also not something she enjoyed at all. Ginny never seemed to get enough of it, as she at every time she put the scarf on, but she always, always ended up dropping something in the scarf: scratchy breadcrumbs, smelly souces, powdered sugar, a little bit of everything.

Gradually Ginny would use her less regularly, the weather outside being too warm for her to still be useful. Until, she never needed to want to wear the scarf at all. Then, she swore to make the weather her arch enemy. They were no longer friends, as weather seemed to have caused her to lose her purpose. Sometimes she'd rethink her grudge, on particularly cold days when Molly would dig her out of the closet and wrap her around Ginny's neck:"Now, Ginny, health is the first wealth, don't ever forget that ", but at the end of each day, she'd end up alone in the closet , not knowing when the next time she'll get to be useful will be.

Oh, she was so young and silly back then. It took a while to understand the seasons, and how she seemed to be needed in what they called autumn, but mostly in winter, when the dreaded snow seemed to also keep her company. She watched as Ginny grew up, and went to school. She was one of the few items Ginny took from home, and felt very proud every time someone would point her out. She felt completely terrified as Riddle manipulated her young Ginny through the diary, how he controlled her, and felt unimaginable relief as she made it back into her room after that day.

Year by year, Ginny grew older, and more beautiful, whilst the scarf would fade out slowly. She no longer covered most of Ginny's face, but slung proudly around her neck, her width slightly too small to cover the whole thing. There were no more late night talks or confessions. And yet, Ginny never threw her away, like she did with other things. She wasn't stupid, she knew one day, she would not be able to serve a purpose and be thrown away, or her yarn will be reused to make a new scarf, perhaps part of the sweaters Molly always knitted during winter time. It saddened her, and she did not want it to be soon, but it did not frighten her.

That day never seemed to come, though, as Ginny continued to wrap her round her neck whilst she took part in the wizarding war, practicing, and working as hard as possible, helping people. She fell in love with one of her brothers' friend, Harry. They were cute, together, they really were. But honestly, she wasn't enjoying him burying his face in her neck, kissing her, as she got all squashed, and was in the way, only to be yanked off by Ginny in a short while. However, she knew he made her happy, and was good for her. Plus, he always took her out, giving her a chance to see how the world changed regularly.

There was talk of a wedding, rushing about from shop to shop to buy more clothes, more food, more decorations. Then, they suddenly stopped, and was settled down for a while, until Ginny began Quidditch practice once again, and as she wasn't required to wear school colours anymore, well, the scarf got to go along too. The feeling of flying was incredible, nothing like what she experienced when she'd be flung across a room, aiming for the washing basket, but never quite getting it right. This flying was safe and fun. She could feel the wind inbetween her wool, the feeling leaving her cool, and refreshed. Ginny's victory was imminent with her there.

When she heard words of a baby, she was ecstatic! What she would give to feel the soft skin of a baby against her wool! She didn't not, however, expect the child to mean pulling and slobbering over her wool, or the many tears the boy caused to her once beautiful threads. By then she knew her time was coming, the day she would have served her purpose fully, and would no longer be needed. As expected, once a larger tear was formed, Ginny slowly took her apart, pulled her wool up in a yarn, a small goodbye on her lips.