everything's looking peach now [samira]

[Deleted]

april 19, 2025

Rose considered skipping out on the Flower Festival, if only because she didn't want to hear a hundred iterations on the same joke. She knew her name was a flower, and she didn't really care; it wasn't like she had picked it. Still, she was interested in some of the vendors and the you-pick garden. The rose hedge maze had only caught her attention when she was looking for something else, but it wasn't like she could ignore it. Rose had decided on a whim to wander through the maze. Her sense of direction wasn't the best, but she knew the Point Me spell, and if worse came to worse, she could just blast a hole through the shrubbery. Not that she was planning on getting lost - she had just walked into the maze, and it would just be a matter of remembering the turns she took.

Right, left, right, right... Rose wandered further and further into the heart of the maze, hardly stopping to look at the flowers. She only stopped when she was fairly certain she wouldn't be found by a casual wanderer. Rose sat herself on the ground, peering up at the cornflower-blue sky between the gaps in the hedges. It was hard to believe anything bad could happen in a world where the sky could be so blue, but she knew better than to believe that. For now, she could just focus on the good.

[samira ali warsame]

April 19, 2025

As much as Samira had always disliked Herbology class, the Flower Festival was nice, and it was even nicer still that nothing had happened to dull the mood there. Money was being raised for Hogsmeade, for which she had donated a few Sickles, and there was even a booth offering henna art, which she had practically jumped on. She wasn't too bad at the henna designs, herself—one of the few things that had probably kept her in her paternal side of her family's good graces—and was shocked to see it there in the greenhouse, of all places. With a fresh floral design running from her fingertips and down to her arm, she had wandered around to see what else there was to do.

The hedge maze, constructed out of however many rose bushes, didn't strike Sami as very exciting at first, but she decided to give it a try and see how long it would take to get herself back out. Besides, it couldn't have been that bad. She guessed that it would probably be about thirty or forty-five minutes before she got out of it again, but she also couldn't be bothered to come up with any sort of a strategy for how to navigate her way around it. Really, she was winging it. Eventually, she would have to find her way to the exit.

Although she wasn't sure how far she had actually gotten—only that she had been walking for a while with nothing but roses on either side of her—Sami was soon forced to come to a stop. There, seated on the ground in front of her, just looking up at the sky, was Rose Weasley. It was sort of fitting, she supposed, to find Rose in a hedge maze of… roses. It wasn't as though she had really spoken with Rose much in the past, given their differences in year and House and the fact that Rose was now out of Hogwarts, but there wasn't any bad blood between them or anything like that.

"Hi," Sami nodded, not wanting to just step around her.

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Apparently, Rose’s confidence she wouldn’t be found this deep into the maze was ill-founded. She had been sitting on the ground for about five minutes when a shadow crossed over her, alerting her to another person’s presence just moments before she was spoken to. Rose stifled a sigh and tamped down her irritation at being interrupted. She had gotten some alone time, if not as much as she wanted, and she needed to be thankful for that before snapping at strangers for something they couldn’t help.

Except this girl wasn’t a stranger. Rose recognized her the same way she recognized most people she had gone to Hogwarts with. Being Head Girl had allowed her to learn a lot of names, especially those of people who were either prefects or troublemakers. Samira was neither of those, but since she was in Hugo’s year and in his house, Rose had learned the girl’s name anyways. “Hello,” Rose said, standing up and dusting herself off. “I’m afraid this isn’t the exit to the maze.” Not that anyone would think it was, but Rose needed to say something to distract from why she had been sitting on the ground and staring at the sky.

samira ali warsame

[samira ali warsame]

April 19, 2025

"Hello," Rose spoke, greeting her in turn. She stood up and began to dust herself off from sitting on the ground. "I’m afraid this isn’t the exit to the maze."

Sami laughed, shaking her head. Something had told her that it probably wasn't, and a former Ravenclaw seated in the maze was probably a good indicator that they weren't near to wherever their way out happened to be. "Yeah," she replied to the older girl somewhat awkwardly, "I didn't think so." If she had to guess, it seemed as though they were closer to the center of the maze rather than to the outside of it, where an exit would most likely be found.

"Alright?" Sami asked Rose, wondering how she had been in the months that had passed since her year had left Hogwarts. It must have been annoying to be the daughter of the Minister for Magic, she thought, especially with so much happening. If they were going to be in each other's company while they tried to figure out how to get out of the maze, it wouldn't hurt for them to make conversation, would it?

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Samira said she didn’t think this was the exit to the maze, and Rose winced. She should’ve guessed people would know that. “If you’re looking to get out, I can give you directions.” She had remembered every turn, just as she'd endeavored to. The Ravenclaw didn’t know if the other girl was lost, or if she was just intentionally wandering, like Rose herself was. She probably should’ve asked that question first, but it was too late now.

When she was asked if she was alright, Rose’s eyes narrowed slightly. She could see it now – the Daily Prophet reporting on how the Minister’s daughter was unhinged. No, she couldn’t tell other people how she was feeling about anything. To say she wasn’t doing well would be admitting weakness, and if there was one thing the Ministry couldn’t be perceived as right now (or at any time, really), it was weak. “It’s a nice day,” Rose said, half-answering the question. “Have you been enjoying the festival?” She asked politely, hoping to turn the conversation away from herself.

samira ali warsame

[samira ali warsame]

April 19, 2025

"If you’re looking to get out, I can give you directions," Rose offered her.

Although she appreciated the gesture, Sami didn't really mind figuring it out for herself. She couldn't get stuck in there forever, or at least she didn't think that she could. "No, it's alright," she assured Rose. "I like the challenge." (Until she got bored of it, anyway.)

Rose seemed to gloss over her question about how she was, turning the subject of their conversation to the weather. "It’s a nice day," she commented. It was, indeed, a nice day, and Sami didn't know Rose well enough to feel comfortable asking her again. "Have you been enjoying the festival?"

Sami nodded. It definitely beat being at Hogwarts. "Yeah, it's been great," she answered, then holding up her right hand, with its henna design on it. "I got this done earlier."

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

She liked the challenge. That was a very typical Gryffindor thing to say – though anyone who claimed Ravenclaws didn’t like to prove people wrong hadn’t met Rose Weasley. Then again, growing up in a family of Gryffindors had given her a few of their traits, including her temper.

Thankfully, Samira took the bait in switching the subject, saying the festival had been great for her. Sami held up her hand to show off a henna design on it. Rose raised her eyebrows; she hadn’t known there was a henna stand. “Did you do it yourself, or did someone else do it for you?” Rose asked. “It’s beautiful.” Rose wasn’t an artist, but she could appreciate the complexity of the design, and wondered if that ought to be her next stop whenever she decided to leave the maze. “I was thinking about going to the you-pick area,” she said, somehow afraid of stopping talking and letting there be any more dead air.

samira ali warsame

[samira ali warsame]

April 19, 2025

Upon seeing the henna design that now adorned her hand, Rose raised her eyebrows at her. "Did you do it yourself, or did someone else do it for you? It’s beautiful," she complimented her.

"I was thinking about going to the you-pick area," Rose added.

"Thanks," Sami smiled at Rose's compliment to her, looking at the design again. "Yeah, someone else did it. There's a booth here for it, actually. They've got some good artists over there. I was shocked. I mean, I've done henna for myself for years, because it's a Somali thing, too, but this one wasn't my design." As for the you-pick area, she went on, "The 'you-pick' stuff sounds fun," she said, though she wasn't sure what she would do with any of it afterwards, especially not once she got back to Hogwarts.

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Samira said that someone else had done her henna, and Rose nodded along. If she went to the henna area, someone else would have to do hers, too; she wasn’t an artist by any stretch of the imagination. She could appreciate art, but doing it was better left to people with more passion for it. “Wonder if you can be a henna artist full-time,” Rose mused, the Ravenclaw curiosity peeking its head out. It seemed possible – you could make a living doing just about anything with enough gumption, and henna artist was a more popular thing than some people expected.

“And of course, this maze is excellent,” Rose added. “I wonder why they chose roses, though. I would’ve picked something without thorns.” It wasn’t like it was difficult to heal a pinprick from a thorn, but there were plenty of other bushes that were a bit more hospitable in the first place.

samira ali warsame

[samira ali warsame]

April 19, 2025

"Wonder if you can be a henna artist full-time," Rose considered.

"Probably." Sami didn't doubt it. There were plenty of people who did henna in the Muggle world, at least, though the festival had been the first time that she had seen it on offer to the public at anything magical. She probably should have gotten contact information for the artists, she thought in hindsight. Now that she was in the middle of a maze, she couldn't do that as easily, but working with henna all day sounded sort of fun.

"And of course, this maze is excellent," Rose continued. For a moment, Sami wondered if that was also because of the fact that the maze had been constructed out of rose bushes, given Rose's name. Surprisingly, though, it was the decision to go with roses that Rose brought into question. "I wonder why they chose roses, though. I would’ve picked something without thorns."

As long as people weren't running their fingers through the bushes while they navigated through the maze, Sami thought, they were probably alright. "It's better than some of the magical plants they could have used," Sami shrugged. Compared to some of the plants that she had dealt with in Herbology—even when she was younger and still taking Herbology—roses weren't exactly worrisome. "They could have used Venomous Tentacula or something."

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Rose shuddered at the thought of a maze made of Venomous Tentacula. “There are children here,” she said, more to herself than to Sami. Venomous plants and small children didn’t mix well. At least roses would only hurt for a little bit, and maybe bleed a drop or two. Magical plants could be much more lethal. “I don’t think the objective is to hurt – it just so happens that roses are thorny as well as beautiful.” And if that didn’t describe Rose’s life, she didn’t know what did. Then again, she wasn’t sure she would consider herself beautiful. Thorny, though? Definitely.

Rose searched for something more to say, but found herself at a loss. “I should probably get going…” Rose said awkwardly. She hadn’t gone to the festival with anyone, so she didn’t have that as an excuse, but she didn’t want to keep making small talk with a stranger when she was still in a bit of a funk.

samira ali warsame

[samira ali warsame]

April 19, 2025

Sami heard Rose mention something about there being children at the festival, which she supposed was a fair point. They didn't need anyone bitten and killed by a Venomous Tentacula on what was meant to be a positive occasion for everyone. "I don’t think the objective is to hurt – it just so happens that roses are thorny as well as beautiful," Rose observed. Sami nodded. That was also true; compared with some other flowers, roses had an edge to them.

"I should probably get going…" Rose added.

"We could, erm, always hang out?" Sami offered her, trying to be friendly. "It's not like we aren't somewhere in the midst of a maze," she observed. It would probably be a little while until they actually emerged from it. "If you'd like, I mean?"

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade

[Deleted]

Sami suggested they hang out, and for a long moment Rose was too stunned to say anything. When was the last time she had actively tried to hang out with someone who wasn’t related to her? It must have been at least since she graduated school, maybe even longer. Then she nodded slowly, accepting the offer to spend more time together. Even if it wasn’t entirely necessary, since she knew the way out like the back of her hand. It was probably for the better that Rose learn how to socialize again. “Yeah, sure. Have to warn you, though, I haven’t been good company lately.” Her uncle was missing and probably dead, her parents were getting divorced, and everything just seemed to be falling apart – none of which Rose particularly wanted to burden people with, but it still was making her not the best conversationalist.

samira ali warsame

[samira ali warsame]

April 19, 2025

At her suggestion to Rose that they just… hang out for a while, it seemed as though it took a moment for Rose to trust her. "Yeah, sure," Rose accepted after a painfully slow nod, coming around to the idea. "Have to warn you, though, I haven’t been good company lately."

Sami nodded, too—much more quickly than Rose had. "It's still company, yeah?" she observed with a shrug. She really didn't mind that Rose probably wasn't going to be the most energetic person she had ever met. Everyone had bad days or days when they just didn't feel like themselves. Sami wasn't usually one to admit when she was having one of those days, but they still happened to her. Having broken up with Nefe had done that to her if nothing else had, and that was without remembering that many of the people who had been locked in Azkaban were no longer in the custody of the Ministry.

"I get it," she added. "Things are…" How had they managed to end up somewhere where the flood of bad news came through without ceasing? "We don't know what's going to happen next." For Sami, anyway, it was easier to find things to do to keep herself busy, most of the time.

"So," she continued, a smile forming on her face, "what do you do for fun these days?"

Rozalina Antonina Nightshade