"Oh wonderful," Scorpius said sarcastically as Albus sat down beside him at the breakfast table. "Company. Why can't you sit somewhere else?"

"Good morning to you, too," Albus replied cheerfully. "Pass the toast."

Scorpius made no move toward the plate of toast. "Potter, why are you here? And why don't you go away?"

"I'll answer your question if you answer mine," Albus replied. His voice hardened a little. "Why did you say that to Rose yesterday in Potions?"

"What?" Scorpius's face went white. "How do you know about that?"

"Oh, you know, a little bird told me," Albus said grimly. "A little bird by the name of Lily Potter, who told me that Rose was really upset last night but wouldn't tell her why."

Scorpius looked uncomfortable. "I- I didn't mean-"

"Hang on." Albus narrowed his eyes. "You like her, don't you?"

"Get out of it, Potter," Scorpius managed, once he'd stopped sputtering. "Why would you think I'm interested in your blood-traitor of a cousin?"

"Perhaps because there is a sketch of her on your napkin?" Aramis Scamander suggested, walking up with his twin sister Amoria, both of who had their mother's pale blond hair and protuberant eyes. "It's a remarkable likeness. I didn't know you could draw so well."

Scorpius flushed and shoved his napkin underneath his plate, but not before Albus saw the drawing on it. Aramis was right- it was a remarkable likeness, picturing Rose sitting in class, nibbling contemplatively at the end of her quill.

"If you tell anyone," Scorpius hissed at Albus as soon as the twins had left, "I will hunt you down like a dog and jinx you into a spot on the floor!"

Albus grinned widely, and seized the napkin from under the plate. "Oh really? Maybe you'd do better not to."

Face now the color of a ripe tomato, Scorpius snatched at the napkin. Albus deftly twitched out just out of his reach. "Uh-uh-uh, Scorpius. I don't think so. I'd like to hang onto this for a while. Maybe I'll go show Rose, what d'you think-"

"What are you doing, you imbecile?" Scorpius leapt off the bench and tackled Albus onto the floor. Thankfully, the mail owls chose that moment to make their rustling, swooping, clattering entrance, and no one noticed the two boys rolling around on the floor, one apparently attempting to bludgeon the other senseless with two fists.

"Hey, Albus," came a voice. "My mum sent me some chocolates, do you-"

Rose peered over the scuffle. "Al- Al, what's going on?"

"Nothing!" both boys chorused at once, leaping apart, faces flushed. Rose noticed a crumpled napkin in Albus's fist. She gave him a puzzled look.

"Why were you fighting over a napkin?"

"No reason," Scorpius muttered. "Go away."

Rose glared at him. "You don't have to be so unpleasant all the time. I'm only here to ask my cousin something; is that perfectly all right with you?"

Scorpius muttered something and sat down, back to her. Rose looked at Albus.

"Al, what's going on?" she whispered. "Why were you fighting?"

In reply, Albus pressed the creased and crumpled napkin into her hand.