17 November 1975
Roseberry sat at the Gryffindor table eating breakfast with fifth-year Gryffindors Lily Evans and Mary MacDonald and her Gryffindor classmate, Alice Prewett. The girls pushed a package toward her.
"Happy fifteenth birthday!" they squealed in unison. "Open it!"
Roseberry smiled and untied a sparkly gold ribbon. She lifted a red and gold Gryffindor scarf out of a red box. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I finally feel like a Gryffindor," she grinned, hugging the girls in turn.
"What's that?" asked Mary, looking toward the hall entrance.
James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were struggling with a rather awkwardly wrapped and alarmingly animated package. Sirius and Remus sat down on either side of her, balancing the quivering gift between them.
"You'd best open it now," suggested James.
Roseberry tore off the wrapping with gusto and began to laugh hysterically. "I love it! I love it!" she exclaimed, as James and Sirius stood to turn the present around for her friends to see. The boys had custom-charmed a Wizarding chess board and had replaced the traditional pieces with likenesses of dancing garden gnomes.
A snowy white owl made its way across the Great Hall to the Gryffindor table, carrying a small package. Roseberry excitedly untied the letter and gift while James fed the Potters' owl a piece of toast.
Happy birthday, Roseberry!
I'm sure James and the boys have plenty planned to help you celebrate. Just don't let them get too unruly. The gift enclosed belonged to your grandmother and then your mother. Generations of Gryffindor women have worn it, and now it belongs to you. We hope you like it.
Love,
Uncle Charlus and Aunt Dorea
P.S. Tell James that if we hear of any more detentions, his own birthday presents will be in jeopardy.
The toast fell out of James's hand, "Hey! They don't know that I'm in danger of getting detentions."
Roseberry raised an eyebrow as she peered at him over the letter, "Yes, they do." She unwrapped the small package to reveal a delicate jewelry box. She lifted the lid and bit her lip. Inside was a small pendant consisting of delicate gold scrollwork surrounding a shield-shaped ruby into which a gold leaf Gryffindor lion was emblazoned. She fingered the pendant and lifted it by the golden chain out of the box. She was quick to brush a rogue tear off her cheek.
Remus leaned over her shoulder to get a better look. Sirius felt a surge of jealousy watching Remus's cheek brushing Roseberry's. He forced his most charming smile onto his lips, "Do you need help putting it on?"
"Yes, please. Thank you, Sirius."
As Sirius fastened the necklace around her neck, he thought he saw the girl shiver at his touch and her cheeks seemed to have taken on a rosier color. By the time he sat back down, however, she was responding to the admiring oohs and ahhs of the Gryffindor girls. He was oblivious to the shy glances Roseberry kept shooting in his direction.
The Great Hall was clearing after breakfast when a single bald eagle soared into the castle and dropped a letter at Roseberry's feet before taking off again, without stopping to rest. Remus handed Roseberry the fallen letter and she unfolded it, reading,
Dear Roseberry,
We took the first opportunity possible to sneak you this note. We heard tell that you made it to Hogwarts safely. We were thrilled to see that the Death Eaters patrolling Magnolia Hall were in terrible spirits. We have some unfortunate news, however. Hopefully this letter will be delivered well before or well after your birthday, but you should know, Vivianne Fairchild and Beauregard Lee were murdered last week. Don't worry about us, though. They are not harming pure- or half-bloods and muggle-borns have gone into hiding, along with muggles whom we'd befriended. We just wanted to keep you updated and to let you know that you are constantly in our thoughts. We hope that you are well.
With Love from Gardenia Gardens,
Your girls
.~*~.~*~.~*~.~*~.~*~.
Roseberry stood solemnly on the grounds overlooking the Forbidden Forest, watching the sun set. She fingered the golden chain around her neck absently. Beau and Viv murdered. Impossible. She sighed, pulling a picture out from under her cloak. She stared at it for a moment, then closed her eyes and lifted her head. As the cold November wind tousled her long dark hair and ravaged her cheeks, she opened her mouth and began to sing.
Remus double-checked the locks on the Shrieking Shack, preparing for the next night's full moon. He slipped silently out of the hollow of the Whomping Willow and was making his way back up to the castle when he heard a haunting melody carried on the wind to him. He followed the sound to a small outcropping overlooking the woods. He saw a majestic figure with long black hair whipping in the wind. He stopped, trying to decide whether or not to approach. He had just turned to leave when the song stopped. He glanced back and saw that Roseberry was looking down at a picture in her hands. Remus stepped forward. "That song was really pretty. What was it?"
Roseberry turned, eyes wide, "Remus! You startled me! The song? A vocalise. By Rachmaninov."
Remus pointed to the picture in her hands, "Is that a picture of your friends?"
"Yes," she handed him the muggle photograph. A group of smiling teens sat around a table in a muggle bar. She pointed to the faces in turn. "Mary Beth Peters," a pretty blonde with soft brown eyes; "Joe Tully," a goofy-looking brown-haired boy with a warm smile; "Rebecca James," a sweet-faced girl with chestnut hair and blue eyes; "Nancy Johnson," a strawberry blonde with baby blue eyes; "Carole Smith," a platinum blonde; "Jackie Hinson," a small girl with short boy-cut black hair; "Vivianne Fairchild," a tall striking blonde with blue eyes and a haughty countenance mirrored by Roseberry's own haughty face. They were obviously best friends, and very much alike, as much as Remus could tell from a photograph. One was light, the other dark, but both were tall, strikingly beautiful, and elegant. On the other side of Roseberry was a handsome boy, "Beau Lee," with sun-streaked dirty blonde hair, sage green eyes, tanned skin, and a blindingly white smile. His arm was draped around Roseberry's shoulders in clear affection. Roseberry smiled tenderly, "Viv was my best friend. She was muggle-born…an obvious target for Voldemort and his band of followers. Beau and Joe were muggles. They didn't know anything about the magical world. Just…sweet, sweet muggle boys who took us out for ice cream and dancing." She looked up, eyes welling with tears.
Remus stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. Roseberry clutched at his cloak, sobbing inconsolably into his shoulder. Remus kissed the top of her head, "Come, let's get you inside. It's freezing out here."
Roseberry and Remus walked arm-in-arm up to the Hogwarts Castle and stepped into Gryffindor Tower. They sat by the fire, sipping smuggled bourbon, Roseberry recounting tales of her days at Magnolia Hall. "There was a dance hall in town that played big band music every weekend. We'd go and dance all night long." She smiled wistfully.
Remus rose, "Excuse me for just a moment." He came bounding back a few minutes later, holding a vinyl in his hand. "Benny Goodman. Care to dance?"
Roseberry grinned as the opening notes of "Sing, Sing, Sing" poured out of a record player. She jumped up and grabbed his hands. For a rather shy, quiet, studious boy, Remus was an excellent dancer, Roseberry was pleased to discover.
James, Sirius, and Peter entered Gryffindor Tower laden with cakes, sandwiches, and tea. Sirius felt a pang of jealousy as they entered the common room. Roseberry, who had spent the whole day rather mournful and on the verge of tears, was laughing as Remus twirled her about the room to the tune of "In the Mood". How was it that Remus was always able to cheer her up when even James couldn't?
"Oh, hello boys," Roseberry greeted them breathlessly. "Goodness, Remus, I'm going to have to take a break. I had no idea you were such a good dancer." She sat down on the sofa, swirling her bourbon.
Sirius rushed to join her. "We went down to the kitchens. We figured we could have a little party here in the common room for you."
"That is so sweet!" Roseberry said. "Thank you so much. All of you. You've made me feel so welcome here. I really can't describe how grateful I am."
Remus sat on the arm of the sofa by her and squeezed her shoulder before taking a sip of his bourbon.
"Remus, what are you—are you drinking muggle spirits?" asked James, looking surprised. "You're a prefect!"
Remus shrugged rather nonchalantly, although there was a sudden blush of red creeping into his cheeks.
"Where are my manners?" cried Roseberry, clearly a bit heady from the drink and dancing. She passed Sirius the bottle of smuggled bourbon and conjured three glasses. Sirius smiled and poured, passing glasses to James and Peter before picking up his own. The group sat around the fire, sipping bourbon and eating the treats taken from the Hogwarts kitchens.
It was getting late. Remus bounded to his feet with a start. He had forgotten that he had an early morning prefects' meeting. James and Peter rose as well, and the three of them bid good night to Roseberry and Sirius.
"I will certainly sleep well tonight," mused Roseberry sleepily.
Sirius smiled. He pointed his wand at the record player. "We never got the chance to dance. One last song?" he suggested, as the sweet strains of "Symphony" filled the room. Rose accepted, letting him pull her into his arms. Sleepy and heady as she was, she laid her head on his shoulder. Sirius gracefully took the lead. He looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms. She peered up at him through veiled lashes, directing a drowsy smile up at him. As the record crackled, signaling the end of the song, Sirius dipped his head and placed a kiss on her cheek. "You'd best be off to bed," he whispered as he walked her to the entrance to the girls' dormitories. Roseberry kissed his cheek and whispered, "Thank you for the dance, Sirius Black." As she pulled away, she allowed her upper lip to lightly graze his lower lip. She was gone before he fully recovered from the thrill of the unexpected contact. Once again, Sirius was left with his imagination inspired by her graceful movements and the soft touch of her body on his as he drifted off to sleep that night.