Chapter 1
As soon as I walk into the dorm room, burdened by my heavy books, I flop down on my four-poster and wait for Rose to get here. Rose Weasley, daughter of the famous Ron and Hermione Weasley, who helped Harry Potter destroy Lord Voldemort when they were only seventeen. All the teachers expect great things from her, especially Professor Longbottom, who seems to know her particularly well, and she does live up to those expectations.
I, however, am her best friend who's lazy, average, bored, and never able to stay on top of homework.
Oh, how I hate school. Yet I love it. All the mystery and excitement and the magic draws us students into the halls so we can discover so many new things. But we have homework. So much homework, and lots of teachers don't like me because I slack off so much. I mean, I'm smart, I just can't handle all this schoolwork.
I remember this morning at breakfast, there were these sixth year boys who always sat near my group of girls. Lily, who is usually the life of the party, wasn't feeling well and my waffles looked a little boring. So I listened to some of the boys and their conversations. Fred Weasley II was particularly loud, as well as James Potter. Everyone else, though, were just yawning. They were talking about some of the pranks they pulled and how fun they were. I think I should start pranking people. I've never considered it before, but now it seems fun.
Rose comes into the room with a bundle of parchment, quills, and spellbooks in her arms. "I thought you were going to meet me in the common room," she says.
"Oops," I say. "I'm so tired I forgot."
"School isn't that hard, you know."
"Easy for you to say, you're practically famous for being so smart. You must have inherited your mother's brains. I've only ever heard legends about her O.W.L. scores." Well, it is true.
"Oh come on, I am not famous in this school," she says quietly.
"Oh, yes you are! I've seen the way some of the boys look at you. Ooh, especially that Scorpius Malfoy. I don't know who he is, but he seems nice. You should talk to him."
Rose blushes. "What? Scorpius? I-I don't-what are you talking about?"
"Uh-oh. We need to talk. I'll call Lily in," I say, and before Rose can respond, I walk across the hall to the dorm room with the third-year girls.
I knock on the door. "It's me, Alyssa."
I hear a muffled, "Come on in," from Chloe.
"Actually, I'll need Lily. Is she in there?"
A second later, Lily is in my dorm. "What?"
"Boy problems," I tell her.
"Oh no," she says. "Rose, what is it?"
Rose won't answer, so I say, "You know Scorpius Malfoy? Well, I think Rosie here has a little cru-u-ush!"
Lily sighs. "Okay, first things first, did you ever talk to him?"
Quietly, Rose says, "Yes. Once. Twice. I really like him, okay? And my dad absolutely hates his family. What do I do?"
"Well, if he hasn't given you a reason to hate his family, then I think you should talk to him more and try to be around him. Then he'll notice you and get to know you."
Rose looks up. "That would be cool."
"Yes. It would." Lily stands up. "I'm gonna go. It's already six. I'm going to dinner, if you're coming...?"
"Of course," I say, and I drag Rose down the stairs.
Once we've gotten settled in the Great Hall, I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. Instead, I walk over to the Slytherin table, and despite the staring students, I tap Scorpius Malfoy on the shoulder.
He turns around and looks at me. "Um...hi? I don't exactly know who you are."
"Oh, I'm Alyssa Chang. I was just wondering something... You know how there's a Hogsmeade trip this Saturday? Do you have any plans there?"
He raises an eyebrow. "No... What are you saying?"
"I was just wondering if you'd go with my friend, Rose. She's been drooling over you and please say yes please say yes."
"Hmm, sure. Why not? See her then." Scorpius says, and he turns back around to resume his conversation.
I sit down back at the Gryffindor table rather happily. "Why are you so happy?" Rose asks. "How fun was that bathroom?"
"Oh, forget the bathroom. You've got a date this Saturday with Scorpius Malfoy."