Why did it have to be so dang cold!

I pulled my chin into my scarf a little bit more so that it would cover at least an inch more of my face, and wondered if I looked like a turtle.

I was in a bad mood that had been set in motion that morning when I had woken up really early in the middle of a good dream and could've get back to sleep. It had stayed in motion when I flunked a test and then someone spilled an acid-y potion in my hair that made me cut it to mid-neck length. Why is that so bad? The long hair had helped keep most of my scars hidden and now they were on display. And now I was waiting outside of the forbidden forest to go in and probably get jump scared by a few first years who thought they were funny.

So, my neck was cold without my hair and I was trying to hide my scars in the scarf.

"Hey! Look at you!" Matt said as he, Quinn, and some other Gryffindors I didn't know walked up to me. He ruffled my hair playfully and I shot him a look that held sharp daggers.

"That is Zander, right?" Matt asked, peering at my eyes that were partially hidden behind my long (but not as long as I wanted them) bangs.

I pulled my mouth above the scarf and said "Yeah, haha, funny."

"I think it looks good." Millie walked up to us with a few of her Hufflepuff friends in tow.

My Slytherin friends would have been with me but they could tell I was in a bad mood so they left me alone.

Millie, I could tell, was still a little stiff. I guessed she was still a little hurt.

Despite myself, blush rose up in my cheeks from the compliment and everyone around me saw it.

"Whitehurst can blush?" Matt teased as the kids around us giggled and made "awww" sounds. "Didn't know you had any other emotions besides board or annoyed."

"Buzz off," I told him, though I wasn't mad. "You're such a bully."

"C'mon, lover boy!" Matt said, hooking an arm around my neck and lead me over to the group that was gathering around bouncy Professor Corry.

I wondered what would happen if she got a caffeine high? Or was she on one already?

"Is everyone here?" Gushed Professor Corry, surveying the thirty-five of us that showed up. "Yes? Let's gooooooo!!!"

She bounced into the wood and we followed her.

Kat, Ariel, and Sydney wandered over to me, Matt, and his group and joked around with us. It got quieter as we got further into the forest. Luke, Tru, and Lucy whispered to each other, probably planning a prank.

Millie was walking quietly, staring at the magical creatures that darted here and there in the branches.

"Hey, Mil," I said quietly.

"Mm," she acknowledged.

"I'm really sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it to be rude."

"That's nice."

She didn't even look at me.

I was about to retort in frustration when a branch suddenly broke and nailed a Ravenclaw on the shoulder.

"Oi!" She cried out in pain.

Professor Corry rushed over and examined the girl. It appeared that The Ravenclaw's shoulder was really hurt and everyone wondered if it might be broken.

Professor Corry's big eyes looked at everyone's fallen faces, obviously depressed we'd have to cut this adventure short.

"Students," She said slowly. "I'm going to run her back to the school and catch up with you later. Can you be responsible?"

All the answers were affirmative.

We watched Professor Corry and the Ravenclaw go and then set off again.

"Hey, wait a sec, guys!" I suddenly said. "I know this place!" I pointed to my right. "There's a clearing over there!"

I was surprised people actually heard me but most of them said they wanted to go check it out and so we walked in that direction.

And that's where my memory cuts out.

Millie

Yeah, no. Zander can't just apologize like that. He obviously meant what he had said and he was gonna have to prove me wrong for me to believe him.

I recognized the place a few seconds after he said he did so I knew that the clearing he was talking about was the one where we practiced our patronus.

I glanced over at Zander and he seemed to be deep in thought. His eyebrows were scrunched together and he was frowning. It was easier to read his facial expressions now that his hair wasn't always covering it. I wondered what he was thinking about.

We got to the clearing and the students looked up and smiled and at the grey sky above us. In the forest we were shielded from the wind but it was still a bit chilly.

We all broke up a little and started to explore the large clearing. I was standing next to Tru when he looked up.

"What's Whitehurst looking at?" He wondered aloud.

I looked over at Z and saw him leaning over something and studying it intently.

Tru walked over and I followed.

"Whatcha looking at?" Tru asked Zander.

Zander didn't answer.

"Uh, Whitehurst?" Tru asked again.

Zander straightened up and mumbled something. A few of the students were noticing him acting queerly and began to watch.

"What?" Tru asked.

Suddenly, with no warning at all, Zander whirled around and fired a spell at Tru.

Time slowed as I recognized the spell that took my family.

I could feel my feet leave the ground before I even decided what I was going to do.

The purple spell hit me in the chest and the light faded to black.

Zander

And that's when my memories kicked back in.

Millie flopped in front of me like a lifeless rag doll. Her eyes wide with shock but her jaw set with determination.

I was confused until I saw Tru's face. Then I knew.

I felt the wand in my hand.

Oh, love for every good thing in this world, did I...?

My legs moved without my command and I dashed into the forest.

Matt

There was silence and then chaos reigned. Screams and shouts rang out as Zander disappeared into the forest. People began to cry and half ran after Zander while some ran over to Tru and Millie.

My stupid leg brace squeaked as I moved as fast as I could to Millie. People were checking her pulse and screamed at her to wake up. Luke and Lucy yelled at Tru and shook him, trying to bring him out of shock.

"Tru!" Luke bellowed into his friend's face. "Tru! This is not your fault! Tru?! Tru, buddy! Answer me!"

But all the boy could do was stare at Millie's shell.

I looked up and knew what I had to do.

Quick as I could, I ran in the direction Zander had run.

Zander

Nothing made sense. My world was doing 180s and wouldn't stop.

I was hiding in a cluster of rocks. Why was I hiding.?

Because of her, her, her.

Who's her?

Millie, Millie, Millie.

What's wrong with Millie?

Dead, dead, dead.

Dead? Who killed her?

You, you, you.

Why?

Nothing made sense.

I peeked out and saw that they had all run past me. I leaned against a boulder to steady myself. My wand was still clutched in my sweaty hand.

I had to do it. I put the tip of my wand under my chin and closed my eyes. And...

...Someone grabbed the wand as the spell went off. It blew past my nose and ruffled my hair.

I opened my eyes as Matt tried to wrestle the wand from my grasp.

"Zander, you idiot, stop!"

"Matt, what are you doing?!" I yelled at him as I tried to aim the wand back at myself. "I killed her!"

"No, you didn't!" Matt yelled.

"What are you talking about?!"

"It was the rose! You're eyes aren't purple!"

"What?!" I was shocked. How did he...?

And my wand went off again, hitting Matt in the face. His hands were still wrapped around my wand hand as he looked me in the eyes. He stood there for a second, his dead corpse just staring at me. And then he fell over.

The rose... I didn't do this, I realized. I dropped my wand and ran my fingers through my short hair.

"Why?" I screamed. "Why did you make me do that?"

I felt the girl in my head. I could feel her but my brain was so clogged up with my emotions that I couldn't feel hers.

I bent crouched by Matt's body, my eyes squeezed shut.

"What did I do!?" I half screamed, half sobbed. "I don't understand! WHAT DID THEY DO?! WHO ARE YOU?! WHY DID YOU MAKE ME DO THAT!?"

It didn't take long for people to find me.

Last thing I remembered before going unconscious (I'm not sure if I passed out or was knocked out) was that Luke had won the bet that everyone would leave the forest in a panic.

A/n: To add some salt to the wound I wrote a small song for you. *clears throat*

*To the tune of Jingle Bells*

Jingle Bells, Corry smells
Zander killed his friends
Tru got shocked
And Millie flopped
And that's another death to add to the list
Hey!