(Prologue: Twenty Months After)
It was, if you permit, a dark and stormy night.
While the winds howled outside the walls of Hogwarts, something much more sinister lurked inside. What could that thing be? Love.
When you're in love, you're different. You're diseased. And when you love, everything turns into a tragedy, whether you like it or not.
During this dark and stormy night, each separate love story collided, and at once, they all were the same.
(The One With the Weasleys – and the Potters, too)
(Maybe Even a Malfoy, a Finnegan, a Thomas, a Clearwater, and two Scamanders)
There were three moments in Rose Nymphadora Weasley's life, she wish had never happened, and always contemplated erasing them from her mind with magic.
The first was when she was caught trying to pee like Albus and James in the Potters' garden (she was approximately four and a half).
The second was when she tripped up the stairs during her Sorting Ceremony.
And the third used to be when her disapproving mother first caught her with a bottle of Firewhiskey, though this moment was to be replaced. It was being replaced on the train ride to Hogwarts during Rose's sixth year.
This moment, incidentally, was Rose faceplanting into Scorpius Malfoy's lap.
"Watch it, Weasley," the blonde boy threatened.
Rose gave him the finger. She probably shouldn't have, as it was her fault, or sort of. It was Al's, really. The dark haired boy was sitting across from Scorpius (and at the moment, Rose) and was grinning. It was definitely his Tripping Jinx that had sent Rose and her face flying into the arms (and groin) of Scorpius.
"Fuck you very much, Albus Severus Potter." Rose spat, but she took a seat next to him, anyway. He grinned at her, and after a few reluctant seconds, she grinned back.
Scorpius wasn't about to let go of the rude hand gesture, however.
"That wasn't very nice, Ginger." He frowned at her. "First you invade my personal bubble, and then you proceed to flip me off?"
Yes, the first day of school was starting off quite well.
"I think Al should apologize, not me." And with that, Rose turned away, conversation closed.
Scorpius kept on it, though.
"Really? Because I thought, with brains like yours, you'd be able to tell when a Jinx was floating around." Scorpius cracked one knuckle, then two. "Simple Defence, really. Oh – wait. What did you get on your O.W.L., again?"
Rose scowled at him. Scorpius had been at the Potter's home the day the results were delivered. He also had been there to witness Rose receive her results at the Weasleys, and promptly break down and cry.
"I got an Exceeds Expectations." She admitted.
"Not an Outstanding. Pity." Scorpius shook his head. "Want to know what I got? An O."
"For overbearing git?"
Al snickered, but when Scorpius shot him a look, he quickly quieted down. "For Outstanding, Rose." He clarified.
Albus was such a dunce sometimes.
The three of them sat in an uncomfortable silence as the train lurched on, only to be broken by the arrival of James.
"Alright there, everyone?" James leaned into the compartment, his hands resting on either side of the door.
"Rose had an altercation with Scorpius," Al said. James raised an eyebrow. And Rose, she was out of there.
"I sat with you for a required four and a half minutes, Albus. Have a wonderful school year. See you at Christmas." With that, she departed, James taking her seat. Just as Rose left, Mason and Eric Phillips slid in, completing the group of friends.
It was a wonder that those five boys were the most coveted in Hogwarts. Scorpius Hyperion, with his charm and handsome looks. Albus Severus, with his dark green eyes and reputation as quite the bad boy. Mason Albert, his unruly copper hair and cheerful attitude. Eric Johnson, with his equally unruly hair but sullen demeanor. And James Sirius, with his devilish grin and infamous pranks. The five of them were almost as inseparable as Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter, plus two others (though really, do brothers count as two?).
Rose was just a Ginny Weasley – a family member, a good friend, but not a lover. That was for sure. The train swayed again and Rose threw open another compartment door, pleased to see her four dorm members chatting with one another.
"There you are," Dominique said, pulling in her cousin. Rose sat gratefully beside the open window, grinning at her mates. "Seems like I haven't seen you in forever."
"Three days is forever with us," Rose said, and the two witches hugged.
"What I don't get," Delaney Finnegan muttered, "is how Rose gets along with only one person in her family, and that's the most intolerable person, other than Rose herself."
"We find solace in each other's cruel humor," Dom replied, deadpan. She tossed back her shiny, blonde hair, almost blinding with the sunlight streaming through the window. "And how would you know if we were the only intolerable ones?"
Delaney smirked. "I've seen enough of James Potter to know he's quite tolerable."
Both Weasleys pulled a face.
In the corner, quiet as always, Aria Thomas smiled. With dark hair and equally dark eyes, the girl was definitely the black sheep of the dorm, though proved time and time again to be quite the faithful ally. She'd contribute to the conversation; if she thought her words were worthy. They weren't.
In the other corner (as if we were likening this situation to a boxing match) sat Emma Clearwater, who enjoyed hearing herself talk as much as Delaney did. One of the three blondes in the compartment (the other two being Delaney and Dominique), she was quite popular with the boys, if only because she was widely known for doing great things with her mouth.
The other four loved her, regardless.
"Albus is quite tolerable, also."
"Shut up." Dom put her hands over her ears. "We don't want to hear this."
"I wonder about Hugo…?"
"And Louis," added Delaney. Those who weren't Weasleys cracked up.
Rose and Dom weren't as amused.
Eight compartments down, Lily Luna sat with aforementioned Hugo and Louis Weasley, plus Jamie Price, their compartment as silent as everyone else's was loud
The three never spoke much. Scratch that. Lily, she spoke quite a bit. Hugo and Louis though, reserved their words for more pressing matters. Hugo and Lily were both in their fifth year. Louis, though, was currently in his sixth.
The fact of the matter was he was too shy to hang out with Albus, too contemplative for anyone else.
Hugo and Lily accepted him. That's what counted. Jamie was merely Lily's friend, and although she also had much to say, she knew Louis and Hugo didn't.
Back in the compartment with the genetically gifted, Scorpius was thinking.
About Rose.
Oh, sure, he was rude to her about her face in his lap. But he realized he ought not to have been. That was a dirty trick Albus had played. As the two brothers regaled Mason and Eric with Quidditch tales from the summer, his mind was further away than London was already.
He should apologize.
The Scamander twins needed a place to sit.
They had been roaming the train for a fair bit of time now, but it was a futile exercise. Most compartments were taken, if not with people, with egos.
At last, Lorcan opened a door, and realized he believed in Destiny.
That's why he and Lysander took their seats in Lily's compartment, both pairs of eyes on the feisty red head.
In the compartment across, Bethany Silver and Jessica Recille napped.
The thing about Scorpius was, he was charming.
She was cruel.
He was handsome, and she, at best, was pretty. He was snarky, and she was funny. She had a secret. And he was one of them.
The thing about Rose was, she was charming.
And he was cruel.
She was beautiful, and he, at best, was good-looking. She was snarky, and he was funny. He had a secret. And she was one of them.
Lorcan and Lysander Scamander once played a silly Muggle game to stake their claim on Lily Luna Potter.
"Rock-Paper-Scissors" they both said in unison.
Call it what you want, but for eighteen games in a row, they both rolled the same object.
Therefore, they decided it was the first to the prize.
Delaney Finnegan had, indeed, seen a lot of James Potter.
Not in the lewd way she was describing to Rose and Dominique, though.
More of an emotional way.
That's a whole other story though.
Unlike Delaney, Emma Clearwater had seen a lot of Albus, physically.
That's not too great of a story.
Last summer, Mason Phillips had kissed Aria Thomas.
That hadn't gone over well with the girl.
Jamie Price wished Hugo would kiss her.
Poor Hugh, though. He didn't even noticed she existed. That, in Jamie's mind, was a true pity.
Louis had no one.
Or maybe, he had someone.
No one really knew, with Louis.
Bethany and Jessica were still asleep. More on them, later.
It's coincidence. It's cheesy, almost.
Here are eighteen people, and eventually, nine love stories.