A musical escape

Luna walks to the Black Lake for the billionth time that week, with a black guitar in her hand. She looks at the tree Adonis pointed out to her and she sighs, starting to climb it carefully. She curls up at the top and looks at the view feeling the slightly breeze brush against her blushing cheeks. She places the guitar on a lap and plays a tune that gave her sense of familiarity. The song pops into her head and she grins. ''You got a fast car. I want a ticket to anywhere. Maybe we make a deal. Maybe together we can get somewhere. Anyplace is better. Starting from zero got nothing to lose. Maybe we'll make something. Me, myself I got nothing to prove'' She sings out loud and plays the guitar along with the song. She just sings the song with a smile on her face. She sang this song for her older sisters so it meant a lot to her. She lets her hair frame her bright blue eyes and just sings.

Scarlett walked quietly along the lake as she trying to skip rocks like how Angel taught her on the trip. Suddenly, she heard a familiar angelic voice echo throughout the lake's currents, causing her eyes to roam her surroundings for the creator. Making her way mindlessly down the path, Scarlett found the creator in the trees, smiling she sat below and watched her friend sing.

Luna looks down for second, seeing Scarlett sitting down watching her sing. She blushes and plays a different song but louder. ''Stay with me, baby stay with me, Tonight don't leave me alone. Walk with me, come and walk with me, To the edge of all we've ever known. I can see you there with the city lights,Fourteenth floor, pale blue eyes. I can breathe you in.Two shadows standing by the bedroom door, No, I could not want you more than I did right then, As our heads leaned in.'' She sings louder, her heart pouring into the song. ''The moon above you and the streets below. Hold my breath as you're moving in, Taste your lips and feel your skin. When the time comes, baby don't run, just kiss me slowly.'' She sings and looks at the sky, a lone tear falling down her pale cheek. She smiles and plays a small melody on the guitar to signify the end of the song.

OOC: The song is called Kiss me slowly by Parachute.

Scarlett cheered,"Yay!" she shouted after the song ended, "That was great, Luna! You'll a great singer!" she commented, standing up to climb a branch opposite to Luna. "So, how have you been? Are you happen to have your sisters on the grounds?" she asked, positioning herself in the tree. "I feel sorry for the new Grounds Keeper having to roam and watch the castle and its ground more often," she added quietly.

Luna blushes and laughs at Scarlett cheers. ''Thanks Little Red! I've been...good you?'' She smiles. ''Of course i'm happy they are here but they've...gone their separate ways again.'' She rolls her eyes laughing. ''So do i...He spoke to one of my sister's Astra. Apparently he's really nice.'' She says quietly as well.

Scarlett smiled, "Yeah, he is! He shared his lemonade with me in his tiny hut and I got to met his pet wolf, Dmirti. He was so adorable and fluffy," she replied, her hair streaking to a shade of blonde. Luna made a remark about her sisters going their own ways, "Well your sister in Emperor, hmm.. what's her name?" she started, "Skyla" she answered suddenly, "Yes, her. Well, she'll be staying in the Hufflepuff dorm room, hopefully rooming with us," she finished with a giggle. "But did you hear about the Grimm that apparently Headmistress of Wolfclaw killed?" she gasped, her eyes shading to a cloudy grey, causing her to look like Morgan.

Luna smiles. ''A pet wolf? Awesome...I'd love to see it.'' She heard the question and smiles. ''Skyla may be rooming with us? Should be fun.'' She hears the last bit and tenses. ''Yes i did here. Astra fell for the boy so that's why the groundskeeper spoke to her 'cause she was sad. She is a vampire so yeah...It happened at the opening feast in Wolfclaw so everyone saw it, mostly Astra..'' She looks at the water with a sad glaze in her eyes. ''Horrid event. One that no one should think about, Red...'' She looks at her with sad eyes. ''He was Achilles' brother so i'd rather not talk about it please, Red..'' She gives her a smile, seeing her eyes change into a cloudy grey like Morgan's.

Scarlett sighed, "I understand, I mean you and me both," she paused, remembering what Luna told her last term. "Have experienced lost in our families and know what it feels like," she finished, fiddling with silver rose ring that intimated her eyes. "But to... it's just horrible thought that came to reality," she tried to explain, "Send your sister my best wishes, would you?"

Luna nods understanding. ''Never anger a Vampire i guess. I will do that when i next see her.'' She smiles slightly. She catches the shine of a silver ring and looks on Scarlett's hand to see the rose ring she gave her. She grins. ''Still wearing it then?'' She looks into her eyes to catch the emotions she was feeling causing her to grin even more.

Scarlett nodded in approval, then smiled, "How could I ever take it off," she replied, looking over the rings detail. "It's like a constant reminder to show that I always will have a home and family at Hogwarts," she added, letting her eyes spark to the color of purple.

Luna grins cheekily. ''Easily. Just slip it off your finger.'' She smirks at her. ''It shows a lot more than that. It shows you also have a family with me. You're like my little sister so i guess it also shows you have a home at my place.'' She says to her taking notice of the colour purple. She smiles at her and looks back at the water. She plays a tune on the guitar to make the place seem a lot calmer.

(*** When you spot this sign, listen to the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SesfydVLijU )

Scarlett tilted her head to the side to take a different angle of her ring, then shrugged, "I think it looks better on my finger, do you think?" she replied. She glanced down from the tree's branches as Luna explained the what the ring symbolized in her mind. "Oh, I wish I brought some type of gift from England for you," she stated, mentally beating herself up, "All I have it this!" she answered as she lifted a tiny lock with a key from her hand. As Luna begun to play a very calming tune on her guitar, Scarlett explain the meaning behind the lock and key.*** "Somewhere in Europe there is this tradition, that sweethearts from all over, would write messages around this padlock and affixed it along gateways and bridges to symbolize that undying love for each other," she explained gracefully, her eyes showing the emotion behind them. "Or in this case, an undying promise to always be friends," she added with a smile.

Luna smiles. ''That it does, Little Red. I don't need gifts...i have everything i already need. Friends, family. That's all i've ever needed and that's what i'll hopefully have in the future. A family that isn't so...fucked up i guess.'' She shrugs and listens to her explain about the lock and key. She took in the emotions in her eyes and grins. ''Undying love you say? So why not give it to this guy you like? I can see it in your eyes. You like someone.'' She smirks at the girl. She's always been able to tell when someone was in love, due to see her sister and her love, Alex. ''That, though, is probably the cutest thing i've ever heard of.'' She grins at her.

Scarlett blushed her cheeks taken in on the color of roses, then sighed as her gaze fell. "I'm not sure, what's really is going on between us..," she started as her language and body shifted to a more vulnerable position. "He kissed me in the Lake one of these days, but when he was about to ask me a question. He ran away before finishing..," she trailed, biting her bottom lip. Scarlett knew she never told Luna about the kiss her and Sammy shared, but it never came up so it never was discussed.

Luna grins at her blush. ''Instead of waiting, pluck up the courage little Red! You know he's interested in you if he kisses you! Just take the leap and dive in. It's obvious you like him! If he was going to ask you but walked away, it may have been 'cause he doesn't want to be rejected!'' She tells her with her eyes looking more like the moon. The grey flakes in her eyes stood out more showing that she cares. She after all is a protector and talking to a girl who she thought was like her younger sister, all she wanted to do was protect her.

Scarlett smiled a lop-sided smile before nodding her head, "He even said so himself he didn't know if I felt the same way, after it all happened. It just happened so quickly.. I just couldn't comprehend what just happened," she explained, taking a break to sigh. "I'm can't even believe it happened," she added with a sweet smile as she took some time to go back to the moment. "So..," she started, "What do you think about the whole, 'Hogwarts hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament'?" she asked as she took a Sharper out from her Hufflepuff jacket and started to write some words about their friendship. "Are you going to enter your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

Luna grinned. ''That's great! I know the feeling...I met Achilles and it was just...perfect. I liked him straight away.'' She looked at the girl with tears filling her eyes but it was obvious she is happy. ''Oh Little Red! I told him...I told him how i felt and what he is to me...He feels the same! I'm so happy! He kissed me too...Oh it was magical, Red..Pure magic in a single kiss.'' She rambles on about him and blushes. She looks at the floor, hearing her question. ''I think it's exciting!'' She pauses at the last question and tears form in her eyes. ''Oh sweetie...I already have.'' She says in a quiet voice. ''How do i tell Achilles or anyone for that matter? I mean...i've told you but what about Morgan or..just my friends? My sisters!? I haven't even told them...Everyone else isn't signing up!'' She says looking at Scarlett with eyes that look more like the moon than usual.

Scarlett smiled greatly, "That wonderful Luna, just indeed wonderful!" she cried out, happy to hear Achilles felt the exactly same way about her, noting the blush her cheeks took on. Chuckling slighly with joy, Luna answered her question by telling her she entered her name in the Goblet of Fire. Scarlett gasped, her heart feeling like it suddenly stop and returned to a fasten pace as her eyes lost color suddenly like she disconnect the line to her broken heart. She then peered down as she tried to come up with a reply. She wanted badly to tell Luna she's going to come out as champion or she was going to cream the others who were choosen, but she wasn't sure if that was going to be the case in this situation. All she could do was stare down at their promise locket and key. She wanted to scream at Luna, tell her how selfish she was being to the others that cared and loved for her. She wanted to tell her about how she didn't just put herself in danger but her family and friends as well. She wanted to do all this, but the only thing she could managed was to look up in her friend's fully moon-shaped eyes and smile a sad smile as her eyes welled up with tears.

Luna spots her change and feels her heart clench. ''Tell me what you're thinking...you're hurt. I can tell. I see the tears in your eyes that seem so distant from your emotions. You have no colour in your eyes...I'm sorry for saying anything...I may not even get chosen, Little Red...'' She says in a now broken voice. She did the one thing that she promised herself not to do. Hurt the ones she loves and cares about. ''Don't smile if you are not happy. I'm sorry for saying.'' She gets up, holding her guitar close to her chest, trying to stop the tears. She bites her lip and jumps, landing on her feet. She begins to walk off before she crumbles.

Luna looks up to see Andromeda. ''Hey Andro...It's just that...I entered my name into the goblet of fire. I just told Scarlett and I'm usually able to read the emotions in her eyes but they just looked so distant..So sad... I think i made a mistake in doing so. You and her are the only people i've told about me entering...I haven't even told my boyfriend.'' She smiles sadly. ''I'll be fine...really. So how are you?'' She asks trying to distract herself.

Scarlett lowered her glance as Luna jumped down from the tree, she felt truly broken and she didn't know what to say. Jumping down from her branches, she decided to run after her friend, "Luna, wait!" she yelled while Luna crumbled to the ground. Scarlett knelled beside her, "Luna, I can't t-tell you how I feel," she started, a tear rolling down her cheek, "And the only reason, I'm smiling is because I'm so proud of you and I look up to you. Not many people are entering because of the fear of dying or being defeated by others," she added, "But you're different... you're unique, if you may be afraid, you don't show it. But the fear I feel, comes from the fear of losing someone else so close to me," she finished, looking down at her hands. "My mother died, my twin sister died, my grandfather was diagnosed with heart cancer last term, I've been hurt and broken so many times, I feel like I can't be hurt any more," she added, "I can't let you get hurt or see you get hurt by someone else," she started, interrupting Luna's thought of may not being picked. "Yes, you may not get pick, but what if you did. Put yourself in my position, what if I was to be picked to attend a life or death tournament against students of varies magical experiences, how would that make you feel?" she asked, her voice broken from the thought, "You always wanted to protect me Luna, but what if this was a situation you couldn't do so?" she wondered again, "That's what I'm feeling, that's what I'm thinking! I couldn't bear to watch you go through with this!"

Luna felt Scarlett kneel next to her and she just looked at her with grayish blue eyes, so much like the moon compared to the normal bright blue. She listens to her words and couldn't help herself smile when she said the word unique. Their word. The one that describes them two. She then cupped Scarlett's face and looks into her eyes. ''My dear Little Red, I will always protect you. No matter what happens to me, i will always protect you.'' She strokes the hair out of her face and looks into her tear filled eyes and felt pure sadness. ''Red...It would make me feel so proud and full of pride that my best friend who's like my sister is in a powerful competition. Yes i would worry my freaking mind off but knowing how strong willed you are, i'd worry more about the challenges that face you. I won't leave you...yes there may be a chance i get hurt but everyone gets hurt once in a while. I told you about what happened to me in the past...I think that's the most i'll ever get hurt. Don't you understand, little Red? The only reason i'm being 'strong' about this is because it's nothing compared to back then. I didn't have you, Morgan, Angel, Ginny, Andro, Aurora, Astra, Skyla...or Achilles and his sister, Jocelyn. You guys are what i'm really fighting for! I will forever fight and protect, love and cherish but mostly, care for you all.'' She smiles at her. ''Yes you've lost people, been hurt, been broken but i promised myself to never do that! I'm protecting you from the harm...You know that.'' She smiles again.

Scarlett listened and smiled as Luna explained her thoughts of the competition to her. Her scares. Her worries. Her pros. But along with it her cons. And all of this concluded to her, that nothing could hurt or break her more than her past. Scarlett sighed because she knew Luna was right, she then smiled as she brought Luna into a hug. "You can in no way change your past, but you sure can change your future," she whispered as tears of happiness fell from her green-cored eyes. She pulled away, to speak, "I love you, Lulu! And I will for sure be there for you, every step of the way. Even if you're not picked, I'll still be there to love and care for you,"

Luna's eyes widen at the hug and then relaxes into it. ''I wish i could change my past..but if i did, i wouldn't be the person i am now. I love you Little Red. Thank you..I just have to...tell everyone else...mostly Achilles. Should be fun?'' She grins and laughs trying to be confident but it comes out a little shaky. ''I'll always be there for ya little Red, don't ever forget that!'' She smiles.