Rose cast a lazy glance around her and then extended her long, numb feet from under the table. She was sitting in the front row, trying to feign interest, or, at least keep a decent poker face expression. The hall was teeming with young people, but most of them seemed quiet enough during the speech of Oxford Magical University's new Headmaster.
Honestly, did she have to spend a third year in that dreadful place?
It was terribly hot for the September day and the cooling charms were wavering, as flies seemed to buzz in with determination. Slanted sun beams pierced through the arched, long, stained glass windows. The entire hall seemed rather drowsy and the air smelled like old furniture and some little bimbo's too strong perfume.
She grew restless by the minute.
Rose tried to identify the owner of that dreadful cologne and cast a withering glance around her, but all the young witches were staring at the middle aged, dashing dean, who went on about the wonders of education and future prospects. Or something like that, for Rose stopped listening a long time ago, not really caring about the same bullshit of the esteemed professor. She was smarter than the lot of them anyway and oh, what good did the speeches do anyway?
Checking once more to see that everyone was focused on the speaking man, she smiled to herself and hastily scribbled on a piece of parchment. Then she knocked on it three times with the knuckle of her index finger, making it disappear.
Scorpius didn't see the piece of paper in front of him, as he was too busy to throw half-annoyed, half-bored glances at the speaking man. Slumped in his seat, with his right hand leaning casually over the back of his chair, he felt an uneasy burden in the pit of his stomach. The more he listened, the more his distaste for this character grew, until he found himself scowling at the man, who was all but beaming at the crowd. In his mind, the sturdy, revered character in front of him reminded him more of the stories about Gilderoy Lockhart, than the American wizard prodigy that he was supposed to be. And then, something prickled the skin of his fingers and he winced, finally noticing the writing in front of him. Averting his gaze around the hall, his eyes finally rested on Rose, who gave him a short, shameless smile, then turned back to pretending she absorbed every word. He read:
"Merlin, Malfoy, must you look like you're murdering the new Headmaster? Isn't it enough that you have to carry that nefarious last name with you as an omen, you want murder added to the list? Why, not even your sweet daddy – have I told you how sexy I find your dad? – was able to commit murder, but who knows, perhaps at least one member of that family has some guts. Come on, loser, do tell, what's your next move?
Scorpius eyes shot up just in time to glower at the winning smirk that Rose was giving him, while she was softly tapping her fingers on her desk. She arched an eyebrow, as if daring him to do something and he leaned in, scribbling a reply.
Rose felt the tapping fingers prickling, an intense electric feeling that didn't usually go with the charm she invented, and she looked down to see his reply.
"Devil. Can't you mind your own damn business for once, dear Rosie!? Isn't it your turn to go up that stage like the little hypocrite that you are and talk about integrity and all the things that your dear mommy – who, I think, got fat – didn't manage to instill on you? Why, it must be the foul Weasley genes speaking, from that rabid, stupid red hair to your inability to say something smart that your swotty self didn't read in a book or another. Or are you mad at me because I know you shag the Prof in order to become valedictorian? There isn't anything you wouldn't do for that title, is it now? Just to show everybody that they can never measure to the great, despicable Rose."
He noticed the sting has reached its target because she had scrunched her nose into a disgusted scowl, but in the next second, she turned to him with a winning smile and bent to write a reply.
But another note appeared on her desk.
"Would you stop harassing Scorpius just for once, Rose? Honestly, don't you have better things to do? Have some decency, for Merlin's sake."
She knew instantly who the note was from. Rose snapped her fingers and a small fire erupted on Lily Potter's desk. The girl rushed to her wand and a few people shuffled about her, causing a small commotion in the row where the first year students stood. As it was over, the petite girl glowered at her cousin, encountering what she called the demented smirk that she grew up with. Years and years of jabbing and taunting have made Lily used to her older cousin, but still, her Hufflepuff nature couldn't let her rest when she saw her mess with others. Or so she surmised, because what Rose and Scorpius had was more of an ongoing battle then a true, honest friendship. Frenemies, Lily mused, that's what they were called.
"And now, I invite in front for the Students Speech, Miss Rose Granger – Weasley."
Rose stood up, to her full five foot eight height, and walked gracefully towards the speaking point. She was aware that hundreds of eyes were upon her and somehow, the thought gave her power and she lifted up her chin, offering a dazzling smile to the headmaster and the professors behind him. They all mirrored her smile and seemed to move out of the way to make room for the girl.
She took her place on the podium as if it was something she did for hundreds of times before. She started to speak in a melodious, self-assured tone. From time to time, she raised her golden eyes to offer the audience a smile or a grin and her long, wavy hair seemed to move gracefully with her. She was gesticulating, long fingers building invisible paths in the air with the sole purpose of delivering a warmth to the audience, assuring them of some comfort. She addressed the first years with hope and joy, she thanked her teachers and she spoke about the importance of the university. But there was a cackle in the speech, a flaw in the meticulously drafted words, if one looked close enough, or perhaps if one closed his eyes so they could not see the splendid figure of the young girl. If one listened carefully, perhaps the notes of arrogance and self-sufficiency would have been more evident, but alas, they were all too busy to admire her - or envy her – to pay real attention to the facts.
Lily watched around her, her spirits dropping when she took in all the pairs of seemingly mesmerized eyes, the awe or the green envy of the witches and the raptured looks of some of the wizards. Her eyes landed on Scorpius and she noticed his stiff back and clenched jaw with a heavy heart. Somehow, even though he had proven time and time again that he was able to stand on his own, Lily felt an inexplicable need to protect him.
Her musings were interrupted by the boom of excited applauses as Rose took a small bow, produced a little blush and retreated to her seat as gracefully as she had left it. The hall was wished a good year and they were about to be dismissed.
Rose had been victorious once again.
She had prepared to saunter off when a warm voice called her urgently, the owner almost swallowed by the crowd of exciting students who were rushing to the cocktail that had been organized for them.
"Miss Granger – Weasley, Miss Weasley, Miss Weasley!" the old professor called, running to her on his chubby, tired feet, looking helpless among the crowd of young, vigorous students. "Oh, Miss Weasley, stop, please, I'd like to have a word, please!" he said with all the strength he had left, and so red in the face that when Rose noticed him he looked about to faint.
She cursed inwardly but stopped and smiled respectfully.
"Of course, Professor Seymour, what can I do for you?"
Scorpius didn't hear the answer, as the other students swept him towards the exit.
Outside it was even more crowded than indoors, so hundreds of students swarmed the garden and attacked the promised refreshments. And although the majority of them were non-alcoholic, some of the students had already been tipsy by the time Rose arrived, laughing slyly with Albus, who was excitingly recounting his trip to Eastern Europe. Lily only noticed because, as if he actually sensed her cousin's presence, Scorpius's eye shot up and he abandoned the conversation they were having altogether. He kept his gaze controlled, focused and Lily saw her cousin's eyes looking back, boring into his. Rose was talking to Albus, but it was as if her whole spirit was focused on looking back to Scorpius, on matching his stare; the intensity of their gazes was so strong that Lily shuddered. She put a gentle hand on his arm:
"Come on, Scorpius, we should really get some drinks."
He replied without even looking back, without abandoning the sight of the tall girl for a single second.
"Just a minute, Lils, I have something to settle with your dearest cousin."
Lily sighed, but Rose's smile only widened when she saw him advance towards her.
He extended his arm towards Albus and then the two boys embraced heartily.
Scorpius grabbed two glasses of champagne with one hand, using the other to grab Rose's arm painfully, satisfied when he heard her give a small yelp. Carefully analyzing the crowd around them, he ushered her into a small, deserted alcove and then thrust one of the glasses in her hand.
"Here," he said sullenly. "I'm helping you to achieve that stupor that you need so that you're able to live with yourself after reciting that little charade for a speech. Bottoms up, Reddie!"
"If you want to get me drunk to have your wicked way with me, dear Scorpius," she drawled lazily "all you have to do is ask," she ended with a wink and then broke up in laughter at his crestfallen expression. "Oh come on, must you always look so unhappy when someone is joking? You keep on spoiling everybody's fun with your perpetual gloom!"
Scorpius's eyes narrowed to slits.
"Bite that venomous tongue and listen to me. You're playing a dangerous game here, Rose," he said, shaking her and staring her at her.
The real concern in his eyes was the only reason that stopped her from retaliating. He was so close that Rose could feel his breath on her cheeks. His soft, blonde hair was tousled as a result of his sudden moves and one strand lay on his left eye, just out of her reach. His eyes were grey, dead seat in his serious, worried expression, as if he had practiced the present mien to perfection and it was now permanently attached to his figure. His lips, full and dark pink were open and he was breathing hard, tingling her face. Rose wrenched herself free.
"Do preach, Blondie," she retorted mockingly, "what is this danger that threatens this maiden, my knight in shining armor?"
"Oh, hush now," he said, grabbing her arm once more. "I'm done saving you. No friendship endures as much as I had to endure from you. "You're on your own now. I just thought you should know I consider your involvement with professor Rickard a nasty affair. Come on, you could have any other guy here and you chose to jump in bed with that snarky, middle aged impostor?"
She managed to free herself once more and took a few steps back. As soon as she was out of his reach, the lazy smile reigned on her face again.
"My, my, Blondie, if I didn't know you better I'd say you were jealous."
He threw one hand in the air and then turned his back, preparing to exit in a rush. She called after him.
"Oh, come on, Malfoy, you used to be so much fun. Now it's my time to have some fun too," she added, pouting. "If that fun happens to involve a certain Professor or not it's not any of your business," she said, calmer now, taking a seat on an old bench. "Besides, you know quite well that all the guys here bore me to death and I've felt quite lonely since you took on with that Goldstein girl and forgot all about your oldest friend and confidante," she said, raising her hands in peace.
"Not with that scum, Rose. I know he's considered some sort of prodigious savior, but so are you and we both know how wrong that assumption is. Besides, weren't you entangled with Wood in slimy cupboards just a short while ago?"
"Do you keep notice of all my lovers?"
"Pff, lovers! You haven't loved anyone in your whole life. You use them and throw them like cigarette butts. But this is different. This guy gives me the creeps."
"Oh, come on now, don't be sullen. You know me, I can take care of myself."
"Not this time, Rose, not this time. I have this urge to throttle the damn fool whenever I see him and you goggle at him like a thirteen years old. Promise me you'll get rid of him. Promise me."
She laughed out loud and reached for the champagne glass, downing it in one go.
"I will do no such thing!" she exclaimed, quite pleased with herself, extending her long legs and watching his eyes following the move. He noticed she had caught him and threw her a swift, dirty look.
"Fine, suit yourself," he said finally. "But don't come asking for help when it all goes downhill. You know you can be expelled if this gets out, don't you?"
"Why, me?! But I am just a foolish young girl, caught in an affair with a teacher. I did not know what I was doing and he was the figure in charge. Who would blame the sweet, little Rose Granger Weasley, the respectable daughter of two war heroes?"
Scorpius' jaw tightened because he was reminded once again of the different roles they occupied in the world. There she was, the cruel, cold, Rose who would lie and destroy a man's career with a smile on her face, while he was having to bear the burden of his father's sins every single day of his life. There she stood, beautiful and radiant and mocking, while people were still regarding him as a venomous snake, ready to bite at any chance he gets. He felt he could strangle her. In those moments – and they were often enough - he forgot how they had become friends in the first place and what hold did the shameless creature have on him. And once more, he felt the urge to run away from her, run as fast and as far as he could to a place where she could never find him and where he could forget he ever knew her.
He turned on his heel and prepared to leave again.
"Wait!" she shouted after him, stopping him once more and he felt a sense of dread wash over him. "Let's go out tonight. The whole bunch," she said quickly, pointing the crowd in the garden. "You and I and Albus and even the impressionable first years that Hugo and Lily are. We could organize a great evening, you know, just to show these fools what they have gotten themselves into. Let's leave right now!"
There was a fire burning in those golden brown eyes and it scorched his reason. When she was like this, alive with the impulse of an idea, or a prank or whatever vile thought passed through that vicious head, he had to take a few moments to just stare at her. That was a rare display of an energy she so seldom employed those days, too caught up in a perpetual ennui to bother about anything.
"Don't, just don't. Don't ruin any chances that Lily and Hugo might have at thinking this place holds any good things for them! Plus, didn't Professor Seymour want to see you after class, to discuss with you and other "select students" the plans for this year?"
"Oh, that," she said, waving a dismissive hand. Then grinning unabashedly: "I spiked the old twat's drinks, he'll be obnoxiously drunk and wobbly within the hour. We can take Oxford by storm in about fifteen minutes. Mingle with the muggles and then cause some troubles."
He had to stay rooted to the ground, not to flinch at her idea. She had actually intoxicated a teacher to get herself out of a boring appointment. Merlin's beard, why was she making him part of all that…
A desperate, mad scream pierced the air, turning both their bloods cold. They stared at each other for a second only and then they broke into a desperate run: they had both recognized Lily's voice.
In the courtyard, they had to fight their way in through the crowd to get to the middle of the commotion. In the center, they stopped, gasping for breath at the horrifying displayed before them: Lily, caught up in the strong arms of her older brother, Albus, was screaming and thrashing madly, while in front of her lay the old, wrinkled body of Professor Seymour, a blood stained knife trapped in his chest.
A/N: How's that for a first chapter? J Thank you for reading this, from the bottom of my heart. Let me know what you thought of it by means of reviewing or PM-ing. Updates will come once or twice a week! ;)