· 。ﾟ☆: *.☽
▎ COUNTING STARS  ▎
»»————-　act one. young, wild & free
SIXTEEN ━━ rose's don't cry

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♯ ❝HE WISHES HE COULD BE
HALF THE PERSON YOU ARE LILY! ❞
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WHEN FIFTEEN YEAR OLD ANNABELLE HAD BEEN SIX YEAR OLD ANNABELLE, SHE HAD LOST HER GRANDFATHER. AT THE TIME THE CIRCUMSTANCES PERTRAINING his dead remained unsolved to her, but that did not mean she could not see the heartbreak painted on her mother's face.

Her father had been there to console her mother, with his arms wrapped around her shoulders and her head tucked away in the crook of his neck. Annabelle remembered vividly when the news had arrived. The muggle phone had rung, and the second Lillith had picked up it up it was clear that whatever words were exchanged were less than joyful.

Dinner that same night was silent, even as her grandmother arrived to join them. The moment her nana didn't muster a smile in her direction, she knew.

That same melancholy expression that had been etched on her mother's face that night was now displayed on Lily Evans face. But instead of mourning the loss of a person to the world, the redhead was grieving the loss of a person still alive.

And while Annabelle would be first to admit Severus Snape was a horrid little boy, he had been the first boy Lily had trusted to lead her into this new world, this magical world before she even knew she had been a part of it. He had shown her she was not weird or strange, but perfectly herself, a witch.

If anything, Annabelle had to give the boy credit for that. For making Lily confident enough to embrace her magical blood before anyone else could bring her down for it.

And now, Severus Snape was the very same boy bringing the girl down for her own blood.

Mudblood.

The word left a bitter taste in her mouth as she regarded Lily's crestfallen, tearstained face. Her eyes were red rimmed and her cheeks looked blotchy as she leaned her head on her drawn knees. On one side of the redhead, Marlene was sitting, whispering comforting words while Julia on the other side was rubbing gentle circles on her back in a form of solace.

Mudblood.

The word remained ringing in her ears even if the boy muttering it was long gone from their sight.

She was stilling steaming in her own anger, resisting the urge to stop her pacing and instead of finding a way in the Slytherin Common Room to completely obliterate the greasy git.

Mudblood.

Annabelle knew, deep in her bones, that one day, this day would haunt the Snape boy. And she hoped its ghost would never stop tormenting him.

"Lily...?" Annabelle breathed out as the redhead's sniffles stopped.

The Muggleborn witch slowly lifted her head up from her knees, gaze focused on their dormitory door. They all watched as her expression slowly morphed from defeated to fury. Like she had only now processed what had taken place.

"What is wrong with them." She seethed.  "It's like they think they can do as they please. " it was silent after Lily's outburst before she glanced at her friends again.  "Like...like they are untouchable."

The reminder of the actions of the Marauders made Annabelle flinch, her own brown eyes darted away from the redhead to look outside the window of their dorm—which ironically faced the Black Lake.

Julia watched Annabelle stare blankly at a wall, her pacing halted and it was an unsettling sight to see the girl so quiet in such circumstances. Normally she would go on a furious rampage but that wasn't the case this time. Even Annabelle looked lost in the situation.

Julia shifted uncomfortable as she focused her gaze back to the a fuming Lily.

"They're just idiots, nothing more." Marlene tried to reason, golden blonde curls dancing around her heart shaped face.

"They're more than idiots.... they're awful. The way they treat other people." Lily emphasized waving her arms around.

"Don't waste your breath on them Lily. Getting upset isn't going to make things better and you know that." Julia expresses her opinion, uncurling her legs from underneath her to stand back up again.

Lily smiled slightly before looking at Annabelle, the girl hadn't utter more than a couple words since they had arrived in their dormitory. "Are you alright?" Lily asked.

Annabelle blinked a few times before focusing on Lily. "Sorry did you say something?" she asked.

"I asked if you were alright, but clearly you're not."

Annabelle sighed cracking a small smile. "It's nothing" She waved it off. "I should ask if you are okay."

Lily shrugged. "I can't believe he called me such a name." Her eyes glazed over as she ducked her head to stare at her folded hands

Annabelle pulled the girl in a side hug. "I thought we were friends but apparently he thought differently."

Mudblood.

She gritted her teeth as the word bounced around in her head again. "He wishes he could be half the person you are Lily."

Marlene nodded feverishly in agreement. "There isn't a thing he can do that you can't do better!"

"Yeah! He doesn't deserve you as a friend Lily!" Julia pitched in.

Lily smiled reservedly, but her mood remained solemn as she rubbed her hands together. "It's all the fault of that bunch of friends of his, planting all those horrible ideas in his head." Lily, ever the kind girl, tried to defend him still.

"Lily, you know, as much as it pains me to acknowledge out loud. He is a smart enough boy. He is fully capable to see right from wrong. He can make his own decisions. He might have been your friend at one point but you know it changed the moment he made friends with Avery and Mulciber. A real friend wouldn't dare to call you such a name." Annabelle spoke softly but firmly.

"I guess that's true. I don't know why I kept defending him."

Annabelle shared knowing glances with the other girls. "That because you care about people too much some times." Annabelle smiled. "And Lily don't every change, your love for people is stronger than anything I know."

"Thank you." Lily grinned.

"Group hug." Marlene yelled jumping on the bed tackling the girls.

Annabelle knew, for certain that whatever would happen, Lily Evans would prove to everyone just how amazing she was.

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THAT EVENING FELT FAR MORE DREARY THAN HOW THE DAY HAD STARTED TO ANNABELLE AS SHE ROAMED DOWN THE HALLWAY TASKED WITH GETTING THE GIRLS SOME hot chocolate from the kitchens. A treat well deserved after the events of today. Her heart still aches painfully in her chest as she can't shake the memories away.

Her footsteps echo quietly, and despite it being a Saturday evening, the corridors remained deserted. Even the portraits perched on the walls are quiet as if they feel her solemness invade their canvases and no ghosts dwindles around to string up a conversation.

"Annabelle?"

Her eyes dart up, and another bout of pain shoots up her hart. She wants to crack, and cry—but Rose's don't cry. Rose's face their fears and remain strong. At least her father tells her so. And she knows him to be right.

"I don't want to talk to you Remus." She voices evenly, posture tense and she can easily read his nervous expression.

"Please, will you listen, I know you're mad at James and Sirius but—"

She puts her hand up in the air, eyes averting to look passed his head, where she can see the other Marauder's hide in the shadows. "I'm not mad, Remus." Her eyes blaze as she looks back at him again. "I'm absolutely furious. The things they do to other people, for what? A bit of fun? It is sickening! And...and I can't be friends with people like that. I refuse to be friends with the likes of them."

"Annabelle, if you would please lis—"

"No Remus." She poked his chest with her index finger. "I will not please listen. You were there, just standing. Doing absolutely nothing. The first time I could understand. They are your friends and you were conflicted. But you know what I realised huh? A good friend would not condone this. A good friend would not laugh as his friends harassed someone—however bad said someone might be!"

"I'm sorry. But they are my friends." He tried again, face contorted painfully as her words echoed in his own mind. "And he called Lily a you-know-what!"

"Sorry isn't going to make things magically better Remus." She spat out, "and yes he called her that horrendous name. And I am not making any excuses. I dislike him as much as the next person. But this—this got way out of hand. And it was the fault of both of you all."

Her hands were bawled by her side as she breathed heavily, barely able to contain her emotions. 

"I don't want anything to do anymore with them or you for that matter." Annabelle stated—even though saying the words pained her.

"Please. Annabelle you have to understand--"Annabelle interrupted him.

"No, you have to understand. I spent my day comforting Lily after she was called a Mudblood—" The boy flinched  "—by her so called friend because those two just needed to have a good time. While you as prefect—as their friend should have stopped them. but you didn't and I can't see past that anymore." Annabelle seethed.

"Please, Annabelle" his voice cracked, but the girl just walked passed him only halting once to look over her shoulder at the boy.

"You're just as bad as they are by just standing there. You know what, it isn't the moon that makes you a monster Remus, you're actions do all the work by themselves!"

With that Annabelle stalked off, walking right passed where the other three Marauder's stood. Her eyes caught the grey ones of Sirius, and with one icy glare, she left them alone in the hallway with their thoughts.

Remus could only watch as Annabelle disappeared behind the corner, storming off to Merlin's knows where.

"What did she say?" James walked towards the tallest of the quartet.

"She hates us." The scarred boy announced with a crestfallen expression. "Like really—really hates us."

Sirius glanced at Remus curiously. "Wait did you say us, like us and you too?"

Remus nodded solemnly.

"I don't understand why would she hate you too?" Peter wondered out loud, eyes darting away from the hallway Annabelle disappeared off to, to look at the boy.

"Because I did nothing." He acknowledged, "She said that by doing nothing I was just as bad as you two." He paused, before looking up to face his friends fully, "She right I am a monster."

"Wait she called you that?" James asked surprised, eyes comically wide as he whipped his head in the direction where they last saw the mentioned girl.

Remus nodded avoiding eye contact with the group.

"No way. I'm going to talk to her right now. She doesn't even like Snivellus." Sirius hissed, pushing the sleeves of his school uniform up passed his elbows.

Remus grabbed the back of his robes before he could dash away. "Please don't make this any worse Sirius."

"I don't care. She has no right to call you that, no matter the situations." Sirius barked.

"You can't let her do that mate. "James said siding with Sirius.

"Remus is right. She is already angry enough going there is only going to make it worse." Peter spoke up timidly.

Remus nodded. "it's not the point she said that. The fact that Lily had her feelings hurt is. They're best friends of course she is angry and taking Lily's side." He explained.

"But it was Snivellus who hurt her feelings not us." James huffed.

"That's not the way they see it."

"Still, it doesn't make it our fault. How can we be responsible for what that greasy twat said?" Sirius spoke with James nodded along.

"Well she thinks it is so leave it alone okay."

"For now. But I can't promise anything." Sirius said before storming down the corridor.

Meanwhile, Annabelle was moping after returning to the dorm with cups of hot chocolate. Mind racing and replaying her exchange with Remus in her head. Her eyes flutter up to look at Lily and Marlene curled up together on the former's bed. The redhead finally smiling again as she sips her drink.

Mulling over her words—the brunette feels regret bubble in her stomach.

Her harsh words, calling Remus a monster when she knows how hard he is on himself. But even if she thinks the words unkind, she knows a part of her still stands behind them.

Sighing she turns away from the sight of her friends to grab a piece of parchment and her quill from her nightstand     

Dear mom and dad.

It has been a hectic year so far. A lot is happening this last week and because of this it's rather hard to focus on school. At the moment there is a big strain in my friendship with Remus, of the lack there of no really.. You remember him right? Well it's hard to explain but something caused Lily to have her feeling hurt and Remus was involved. And just when my friends and I and the Marauders were finally getting along. I don't know what to do. Of course I'm taking Lily's side she is my best friend. I also said some things to Remus that may have been more hurtful than I intended. I could really use one of your hugs right now.

Lots of love Annabelle

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