Rose had always thought that the force of a punch depended not on the strength of the person, but how strong their emotions were. If someone didn't care, then it probably would hardly hurt. If they were in a rage, then it was sure to leave a bruise.
So when she punched Scorpius Malfoy, it left her feeling pretty good, and him on the floor.
"Still sure that your family is so much better then mine, Malfoy?" She asked smugly, turning on her heels and flouncing away.
Albus, her cousin, ran after her. He was panting trying to catch up, and looked a bit worried, but more amused.
"Rose," he scolded, "If Malfoy spills about why half of his face is black and blue tomorrow, you will be in so much trouble,"
The girl's red hair whipped around her head like it was caught up in the wind as she turned to face her cousin.
"He deserved it," Rose stated scornfully, "And don't you pretend for a second like he didn't, Al!"
Albus put his hands up in defeat. "I know that, Rosie, but you really think that will be enough for McGonagall?"
In silence, the pair headed back up to the castle.
Rose's competition, or perhaps the word rivalry would suit the situation better, with Scorpius had started before they even reached Hogwarts. She remembered what her dad had said. Beat him in every test. Although her mother had assured her that he was only joking, she had tried none the less. Usually, she succeeded too.
They often insulted each other, and neither really cared about a word the other said. Gryffindors and Slytherins never got along anyway. However, if there was one thing Rose was overly protective of, it was her family. So when he insulted her "mudblood mother", and "blood traitor father", she took every word to heart. And made him pay for them, too.
They were in their fourth year now, and nothing had much changed from that first screaming match on the school train, nothing except that their insults had become much better.
********
Later that evening, when she entered the Great Hall for dinner, Rose spotted Scorpius over at the Slytherin table. He was in the middle of an animated conversation with his friends. How, Rose privately wondered, does he have any in the first place?
"See that, Al?" She said to her cousin, as she watched Malfoy miming out what looked like a great action sequence from a muggle movie. "Probably telling his mates that he wrestled with the giant squid, or something. Getting me in trouble wouldn't be worth it- then he'd have to own up to being hit by a girl!"
"Sure, Rose, if you say so," Albus chuckled.
"Hey, Al, Rose," Lily had joined them in her usual subtle fashion.
"One of these days, I swear you'll give me a heart attack, sneaking up on us like that," Said Rose, eyes still trained on the Slytherin boy.
"What's so interesting over there?" Lily asked, following her cousins gaze.
"Oh," Rose's attention finally came back to her family. "Nothing,"
Rose stuffed in a mouthful of potatoes to avoid further questioning.
"So, are you guys planning on trying out for Quidditch? I am, even James can't keep me off the team if I do as well as he knows I can. Boy, though, being captain sure has gone to his head, I've heard at least 15 times, just today, that he is the youngest captain at Hogwarts, being just a fifth year, since Wood, and that was over twenty years ago, as I have been informed. Merlin, he can be annoying." Lily said, all in one breath. She wanted to be a world famous seeker, as they had often heard. She was perfect for it too, though- very light, which made her more agile on a broom, and also quick and clever. It was their first week of school, so everyone was just getting used to their schedules again. Lily, to her ultimate dismay, had not been allowed to try out for the team last year, when she was a first year.
"Yeah, I'm thinking of trying out as well," Said Albus, giving his little sister a light smile.
Rose shuddered. "Not me- you wouldn't find me up on a broomstick for all the galleons you could offer."
Lily and Albus laughed, knowing her fear of heights.
"Oh, enough of this, I'm going to bed," Rose said, blushing. The common room was empty, except for a few children, first years by the look of them, doing homework. Rose remembered how overwhelming her own first year at Hogwarts was. Of course, the addition of one unwelcome acquaintance had made her life a lot more stressful. For a while, she had been on the brink of obsession with trying to get the best of Malfoy. She had, however, long since realized that he wasn't worth all the strain, although, she admitted to herself, she did tend to spend spare time thinking up a good insult or two for him.
Soon, her fellow Gryffindor fourth year girls were also up in her room, and Rose was quickly fast asleep. The last thing she consciously remembered was pulling the blankets up around her body snugly, trying to keep out the cold of Scotland.
********
"Rosie-posie! Oh look, she's finally waking up!" Rose's eyes opened slowly, and she saw the figure of her cousin Roxanne standing over her. "Taken you long enough, what with the sleep talking,"
"Who was sleep talking?" Rose asked groggily. She had never understood how her cousin managed to get up so early every morning, when her own mind never functioned properly until at least 8 O'clock.
"You were, silly girl, saying all sorts of things." Roxanne answered with a maniacal laugh. That was Roxanne for you- she was just insane, there was nothing to do about it. But she was also fun to be around, and had a knack for cheering people up. Besides, she and Rose were family, there was really no getting rid of her. She was Uncle George and Aunt Angelina's daughter- her brother, Fred, was in James' year.
"I don't want to know what I said, Roxy, I don't!" Said Rose, suddenly wide awake.
"Oh come on now Rosie…" She started, but Rose cut her off.
"No, I'm not listening, I don't care if I informed you that the world would come to an end next Saturday, I'm not listening!" Rose said firmly. Rose tended to say embarrassing things in her sleep, and Roxanne was usually only to eager to share them with her.
Unfortunately, Rose's first subject was potions, her most hated class. It wasn't that she was bad at it- no, it was one of the only classes they had with the Slytherins.
Rose walked down to the dungeons with Roxanne and Albus, just like always. Roxanne and Albus sat down together, and Rose realized that she had no where to sit.
"I believe there is an empty seat over there, Miss Weasley," Said a voice, as Rose looked around. It was Professor Slughorn, one of the oldest, and also most biased, teachers at Hogwarts. Rose let out a slight groan as she realized that the only empty seat in the entire room was next to Malfoy. At a distance, he looked fine, but when she sat down next to him, she saw, with satisfaction, that stretched across his jaw bone was a purple bruise.
"Well, well, well," He said giving her a fake smile. "Look who we have here."
Rose ignored him, and listened with all the apparent concentration she could muster up, as Slughorn rattled off about the potion they would be making today, Essence of Euphoria.
"What, not even going to apologize for what you did to my poor face?" He asked in faux-shock.
"How about this Malfoy, I'll apologize just as soon as you tell your mates over there that I'm the one who gave you that bruise, and that whatever you told them about saving a village from werewolves isn't true." She sneered, giving him her most hostile glare. If looks could kill…
"That's a pretty face, Weasley, is that how you pick up all of those boyfriends? Oh, wait, I'm sorry, I forgot. You don't have a boyfriend." He laughed cruelly. It didn't bother her, she had learned to block out comments like this from him.
"I'd rather that than to go out with a prat like you- I pity your girl friend, although I assure you, I don't know what she ever saw in you in the first place." Rose retorted.
"Don't worry then, because I would never go out with anyone like you anyway." Said Scorpius coolly.
Rose seethed while making the rest of her potion. Why did this jerk get to her so much? She knew that she was smarter than him, more pleasant to be around than him, all around better, however cocky it sounded, but there was something about him that infuriated her more than anyone else could.
"By, then, Rosie," Said Scorpius in a nasty way, using her family nickname, as she stood up to leave after class.
"See you around, Scorp," She shot back, not even blushing.
Roxanne and Albus met her at the door.
"We're sorry, Rose, please, don't hate us!" Pleaded Roxanne, the moment they were away from the fumes of the dungeons.
"We didn't know that was the only place left to sit, we just kind of assumed that you could sit with… I dunno, Lysander, or someone," Apologized Albus.
"It's fine, really," Rose mumbled, a bit annoyed, as they walked off towards their next class, care of magical creatures.
Roxanne's emerald eyes sparkled at her cousins forgiveness- she probably couldn't afford to lose their friendship, and truth be told, neither could Rose. Roxanne might be a bit too much sometimes, but she was also one of Rose's best friends.
"Hey, Albus, Rose, and look, Roxanne too," chuckled Hagrid, who had spotted them coming. He was a very old family friend of the Weasley's and Potter's, and also their care of magical creatures teacher.
They headed off toward the section of the forbidden forest that they usually held lessons in, since it was, to quote the words of Hagrid, "Much more secure than tha' scrawny bit o' land they gave us on grounds". Professor McGonagall had given them special permission to use it when a Fire Crab had nearly been let loose on the castle. However, today, Hagrid stopped them.
"Oh, we're not going in there today," He said with a nervous laugh, and then stopped the conversation short. The three fourteen year olds exchanged a glance- that was his 'I'm not allowed to talk about it, so let's move on,' face, which, after three years of seeing, Rose knew only too well.
"This," Hagrid announced, as Rose, Roxanne, and Albus joined the rest of the class in front of his hut, "Is a Jobberknoll. We're collectin' the feathers that they molt for Proffesor Slughorn. Might get one er two if we're lucky. Now don't let em' fly off, and don' pull the feathers off o' them, it hurts em' something bad." He passed out tiny blue speckled birds to each group of four. Roxanne, Albus and Rose were with a small Ravenclaw girl named Meaghan Boot.
As it turned out, Jobberknolls were quite jumpy little birds, and took a good deal of attention to keep from just up and leaving. However, the four still managed to converse a bit.
"So why do you reckon we aren't allowed into the forest?" Wondered Roxanne, grabbing the little bird in her fist as its wings opened.
"I heard McGonagall and Hagrid talking this morning," Stated Meaghan, as she carefully picked a blue feather off the ground. "Saying something about dangers in the forest. I reckon there's something in there. Something really dangerous."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Well everyone knows that- what is in the forest that isn't dangerous? I mean, we have centaurs, unicorns, the occasional werewolf."
"Still, it's curious. Why is this time any different? I think that"- but Albus was interrupted by a wailing cry, which was so loud and horrible, that it was hard to believe it came from such a tiny bird. As they watched in horror, the little bird stiffened, and fell onto its side.
"Guess we fail, then," said Roxanne, picking up the little bird, and studying it, as if to make sure it was really dead.
So there you have chapter 1. If you didn't pick it up, I was thinking of when Hermione punched Draco in Prisoner of Azkaban. One of those 'history repeats itself', moments. Review, please, I'll listen to what you have to say, whether you think it was good, bad, or just okay.