1. The Emergence of Gossip Ghoul

The door to the train carriage slid open with a loud 'bang' and in stalked Rose Weasley, with a venomous gleam in her eyes, tossing her long, copper hair over her shoulder. 'Hugo, this is getting frustrating.' She produced a huff of annoyance as she chucked aside Hogwarts Weekly, the school's official newsletter. That particular copy, having been the very last issue from the previous academic year, contained tediously lengthy articles on the Gryffindors' sweeping of the House Cup.

The lanky, red-haired boy – a splitting image of his father in his younger days – sitting across from her in the train carriage seemed not to have heard her, focusing all of his attention, instead, on the Remembrall in his hand – which had turned an unfortunate shade of red.

'Hugo,' Rose snapped.

'Oh, I'm sorry, what was it? What's getting frustrating?' he asked, distractedly, as he trained his chocolate orbs on her.

She regarded him with a dry look. 'You haven't forgotten to bring your quills and parchment again, have you?'

'Merlin,' he sighed and warily swept a hand over his face. 'Four years in a row. And this is my fourth year. I suppose I'll have to ask Mum to send it to me again. She's not going to be pleased.'

'Anyway,' Rose replied after a moment's pause, drawing his attention back to the issue at hand. 'I'm really upset about this.' She stalled, waiting for him to ask what she was upset about.

Hugo stared at her in confusion. 'Huh?'

She rolled her eyes. 'This!' She lifted the article she'd been reading and threw it at him.

He picked it off his lap and examined it closely. 'Why do you still have a newsletter from last year?'

'Hugo,' Rose all but growled. 'I got it off Nadine, all right? Now read it, please.'

'Gryffindor steals the Hogwarts House Cup for the third year running. This magnificent winning streak has been celebrated by many as a worthy interruption to that of the Slytherin House...' Hugo monotonously read aloud the contents of the article on the first page. He then paused to stare up at Rose in confusion. 'How is this upsetting? Would you rather have Slytherin winning the House Cup?'

Rose sighed melodramatically and snatched back the newsletter. 'Exactly! Why is it that the House Cup is forever trapped in a tug-of-war between Slytherin and Gryffindor? Don't you find it heinously unfair that this leaves no room at all for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff to come in first?'

A funny look came over Hugo's face. 'Rose,' he said, slowly, as if she were inept at understanding even the simplest of facts – she fumed at this, but allowed him to continue. 'You know it isn't unfair. Whichever house it is that wins, wins fair and square. It isn't like the results are rigged.'

Rose snorted and turned to stare out the window, at the sky that was quickly swirling into a pool of dark blue. 'Rigged,' she groused. 'How do you know it hasn't been rigged?'

Hugo shifted his gaze to follow hers. 'I suppose we can't be too sure,' he replied after a moment's pause. 'I'm assuming our professors are smart enough to know when someone's tampering with the system. At any rate, I don't mind as long as Slytherin doesn't win. It would wipe that smug look right off Zabini's face.' He grinned at her.

Rose didn't share his smile. 'Rigged,' she murmured once more. 'Now there's a thought.'

Hugo sighed. 'Rosie,' he said reasonably. 'Don't be getting any strange ideas now.'

She laughed airily and transferred her attention to the book she'd just pulled out of her bag. 'Don't insult me, Hugo. I don't get strange ideas.'

Hugo glanced at her in amusement. Her emphasis on the word 'strange' hadn't evaded his notice. 'What kinds of ideas do you get then?'

'Why, good ones, of course,' Rose replied in a matter-of-fact manner, without looking up from her book.

'Of course,' said Hugo in resignation.

His sister was a force of nature and nothing he said could sway her once she'd made up her mind to do something, anyway.

'Say, Rose, do you think Mum's going to send me a Howler for forgetting my quills?' Hugo asked.

'And parchment,' Rose added, not quite answering his question.

Beep, beep, beep. The noise sounded from the pockets of both siblings.

They reached their hands into their robes and each withdrew a curious-looking sheet of black glass. It was shaped like a rectangular disc, approximately the size of a slim cellphone. And, oddly enough, it functioned somewhat similarly to one, allowing for a system of notifications, messaging and calls. It was technology that ran entirely on magic, a concept envisioned and produced by Arthur Weasley down in Muggle Artefacts at the ministry. He'd named it 'Magitech'. Magitech was currently in its second year of being trialled at both Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic.

The opaque surface of the black glass disc gleamed before lighting up with a notification.

Hey there, witches and wizards. Gossip Ghoul here. Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Hogwarts' elite. And guess what, witchies? It's that time of year again – September 1st. In case you needed an update, last year ended with a Gryffindor house victory... Poor Slytherin. It must smart to come in second to Gryffindor for three consecutive years. But with Scorpius Malfoy leading the Slytherin qudditch team this school year – will the lions continue to reign or have the snakes finally come out to play? Only time will tell… If I don't, that is. See you around. XOXO, Gossip Ghoul.

'What on earth….' Hugo began to say.

'Brilliant,' Rose hissed, stuffing her Magitech back into her robes. 'Now we've got ourselves a gossip columnist who perpetuates the same stupid ideologies present in Hogwarts Weekly.'

'She got the idea from that muggle TV show, didn't she?' Hugo asked. 'Or was it a book?'

'That is beside the point, Hugo,' Rose snapped. 'I'm leaving for my prefects' meeting,' she grumbled, rising from her seat and storming out of the carriage.

'I really hope Mum doesn't send me a Howler,' Hugo said to himself, absent-mindedly.

Rose ran into her cousin Lily almost as soon as she'd stepped out of the carriage. 'Lily, please watch where you're going. You're going to fall over and hurt yourself, one of these days.'

Lily looked up from her Magitech, glancing at Rose from behind thick, brown-framed spectacles. 'Oh, sorry, Rosie.' She brushed her ginger fringe out of her eyes. 'Have you seen this?' She showed Rose the notification from Gossip Ghoul.

'Yes.' Rose fumed.

'I wish Ravenclaw would win the House Cup just once, Rosie. Don't you?' Lily frowned sadly, wrinkling the smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

'That is quite unlikely, Lily-flower,' resounded an obnoxious male voice from behind Rose.

Rose turned around and offered her other cousin, and Lily's brother, Albus Potter, a withering look.

'What's got our Rosie Posie in such a radiant mood this fine day?' Albus grinned handsomely. 'Could it be the mention of her arch nemesis Scorpius Malfoy in the Gossip Ghoul post?'

'Arch nemesis or one true love?' James appeared out in the corridor, next to Albus.

'Ohhhh!' The boys punched each other's arms excitedly.

'Shut up,' Rose snapped. 'You two dimwits wouldn't happen to have anything to do with this stupid Magitech post, would you?'

'Not a clue,' said James too innocently. 'Maybe you should ask Freddie.'

'Oh, I will,' said Rose with menace.

She turned and swept past Lily, down the corridor, towards the prefects' carriage.

'Wait for me, Rosie!' Albus called out behind her.

Fifteen minutes they had been waiting in the prefects' carriage and, still, the Head Boy was missing.

Rose glanced around at a few of her fellow prefects.

The Head Girl, Molly Weasley, was tapping her foot on the floor where she stood, arms crossed, with an angry look on her face.

Albus was fiddling around with his wand.

Lorcan Scamander was fiddling around with his Magitech.

Scorpius Malfoy sat between Lorcan Scamander and Eoin Nott, looking very serene as he calmly flipped the page of the textbook he was immersed in.

Eoin was, in turn, deep in hushed conversation with Henry Longbottom, a fellow seventh year prefect. Rose allowed herself a moment to admire Eoin. The boy was, oddly enough, one of Scorpius Malfoy's closest friends, despite being in a different year level as well as a different house. Her eyes traced the short thicket of black curls atop his head, and the length of his thick, dark lashes. His warm, cinnamon eyes. His straight, perfect nose. His big hands-

'Dreaming of snogging Scorpius Malfoy?' Albus whispered in Rose's ear.

She started. 'Albus!' She hissed, shoving him away from her.

Albus frowned, glancing back to where Scorpius and Eoin were seated. A look of understanding dawned on him. 'Nott? Seriously?'

Rose ignored him.

'Honestly,' Albus groused. 'I don't see what birds see in him. Sure, he's a little pretty. And he's a prefect. And Hufflepuff quidditch captain this year… But there's not much going on inside his head, is there?' On and on and on, he went.

Rose's eyebrow began to twitch in annoyance. She pressed a hand to it.

The door to the carriage slid open, then, and Louis Weasley pranced in, smiling charmingly.

'You're late!' Molly said to the Head Boy.

'Sorry,' Louis said apologetically. 'A teensie-weensie brawl broke out down the other end of the train. I had to threaten to dock points from both houses. Imagine starting the year with a negative number of house points.'

'Which houses?' Rose asked.

'Do you need to ask?' Louis grinned down at her.

'Slytherin and Gryffindor,' said Albus.

'That is correct.'

The rest of the meeting went by without incident. Louis and Molly handed out schedules and reiterated several important school rules. Magitech devices were not allowed to be used inside classrooms, or Professor McGonagall would confiscate and suspend use of them for some time.

The prefects' carriage emptied slowly once the meeting ended.

Albus slapped Scorpius on the shoulder as he walked by. 'Hey, Scorp. Got anything good planned for quidditch season?'

'Couldn't tell you even if I wanted to, Potter,' Scorpius replied with a good-natured smile. He nodded at Rose as he exited the carriage.

She pursed her lips in response. Scorpius Malfoy remained a puzzle to her. His father was a former deatheater. His mother appeared cold and distant. And he'd been sorted into Slytherin house – a house which didn't have the best track record. He was a Malfoy. And yet he seemed… perfect. He was handsome and charming in a quiet way that got attention from girls without him really meaning to. He was a prefect and this year's Slytherin quidditch captain. He was intelligent, consistently beating Rose to first place in every subject they shared. (This bothered her greatly; she despised constantly coming in second to him.) But most of all, Scorpius seemed like a genuinely decent human being. And as much as she couldn't bring herself to hate him for it, it just irked her that everything seemed to come so effortlessly to him, in spite of his less than ideal upbringing.

She watched somewhat sourly as Scorpius left, then turned to Louis, who had taken the seat next to her. 'Was there really a brawl?'

'Of course,' said Louis defensively. 'Why would I lie?'

'Dunno.' Rose shrugged. 'I just figured you were off snogging someone.'

'Ever the untrusting one, cousin Rosie,' Louis replied with a chuckle. 'Now that you've mentioned it, though, I do have some birds to… catch up with.' He winked at her.

Rose wrinkled her nose in disgust. 'You're foul.'

'I'm suave,' Louis declared, sweeping his majestically silvery-blonde hair back in a single princely motion.

Rose offered him a prolonged snort in reply. 'Suave?' she echoed incredulously. 'You are not suave. You are a self-important vainpot.'

'It's pronounced 'natural beauty', Rosie,' Louis patiently corrected her.

'The only thing natural about you is your heinous grades.'

Louis stood up, sniffing delicately. 'You're mean and I'm leaving.' He slouched off moodily.

Albus snickered. 'You know,' he said to Rose, after Louis had left, when they were alone in the prefects' compartment. 'I don't think he's lying about that brawl. He's actually quite square.'

Rose couldn't help it. She laughed.

Spotted: Head Boy Louis Weasley breaking up a cat fight between Slytherin seeker Nina Zabini and Gryffindor beater Ella Zabini. My, my… sisters feuding? Everyone's certainly wound up about quidditch season this year. We'll see how this plays out, won't we, witchies? Till then. You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Ghoul.

Tut. Tut. Tut.

The compartment door slid open just a little, and Lucy Weasley squeezed in, quickly shutting the door behind her. She placed her hands on her hips and said, loudly, 'I'd just like to give a shout-out to my boyfriend, who's in St. Mungo's, suffering from a severe case of non-existence!'

Tut. Tut. Tut.

Hugo chuckled from where he sat across from Rose in their shared carriage. He stopped as soon as he saw the look on her face.

Rose glowered at Hugo and then at Lucy, arms crossed tight across her chest. 'Sod off, Lucy,' she said darkly.

Tut. Tut. Tut.

Lucy grinned. 'You're especially bright and chirpy today,' she declared, sitting next to Rose. 'Which shouldn't be the case because-'

'Come out, my love. My lovely, lovely Rose. So precious, so delicate, my flower-beauty, Rose, Rose, Rose, come out, my love! Your prince has arrived; the chariot awaits!' A pompous male voice drifted in from outside the compartment door.

Lucy's grin doubled in size and in evil demeanor. 'Because while the rest of us are alone and unloved, your Prince Charming is actually chucking pebbles at the door from outside to get your attention!' She looked rather gleeful.

Tut. Tut. Tut.

Rose shoved her. 'Shut up, will you? You know Freddie slipped him one of Uncle George's infatuation potions from the shop. And FREDDIE IS A DEAD MAN!' She added, sticking her head out of the compartment and yelling down the corridor for good measure. 'Oof!'

'My apologies, my love! If only you would allow me to kiss it better-'

Rose drew her head back in, rubbing the red mark on her forehead wearily. 'Lucy, be a doll and get rid of the twat for me. I'll owe you one,' she begged in desperation.

'Who is that?' Hugo questioned, making an attempt to smother another laugh.

'It's Lachlan," replied Lucy.

'Come on out, darling Rosie.'

'Lachie Mclaggen?" asked Hugo. 'Are you sure Freddie gave him something? It isn't a far cry from his usual behaviour.'

Lucy laughed. 'Oh, don't look so down, Rosie. The prefect on patrol should be by soon to drag him away.'

'He is the prefect on patrol,' snapped Rose. 'And so am I. And I'll bet Freddie knew that.'

'How did he become a prefect, anyway?' Hugo pondered.

'Merlin knows,' Rose groused. 'He did well on his OWLs. And his behaviour is almost exemplary towards everyone except girls his age. It's hard enough having to be in the same house as him. But the same year level? And he's a prefect too?'

'My sweet Rose petal, you could not possibly do any better than I. I, your humble servant forever more. Utter but one command from those sweet, sweet lips, and how could any man say no?'

'Poor Rosie.' Lucy patted Rose's knee sympathetically. 'Does he often chat you up?'

'He'd chat up anything in a skirt,' griped Rose.

'So if Hugo wore a skirt-'

'Hey!' Hugo protested.

'Allow me just one kiss, my darling Rosie Weasley, and I might be content for just five minutes.'

'Good grief,' hissed Rose. 'Will someone do something? Get Louis before I kill Mclaggen and the two of you become collateral damage,' she growled at Hugo and Lucy.

'Let me in, my lovely Rose petal. Open up the door to this carriage. Open up the door to your heart.'

'Why doesn't he just come in? The door isn't locked,' said Hugo.

'He fancies himself a gentleman.' Lucy giggled.

'Rose! Oh, Roooooooose!'

Rose stood up abruptly and slammed open the door, wand in hand, mind made up to hex Lachlan…

…Only to find him knocked out cold, slumped over and being held up by Scorpius Malfoy under his arms.

'I thought you might need some help,' said Scorpius. His breath quickened briefly as he shifted Lachie's weight around so that he could pocket his wand.

Rose looked surprised. 'What did you do to him?' She asked Scorpius, appalled.

'Somnum Incantatem,' replied Scorpius. A spell that puts someone to sleep for under an hour.

Rose wanted to be grateful. And she was. But a small part of her also felt defeated, like she should've thought of it herself. It had been such a simple fix. 'Thanks,' she murmured.

Scorpius nodded at her, flaxen hair falling charmingly across his forehead, steel grey eyes boring into her. 'Sorry about knocking him out. I'll help you patrol while he sleeps.' Then he turned around and hauled Lachie down the corridor before she could protest.

'Awww,' said a voice beside Rose.

Rose jumped a foot in the air before turning to Fred Weasley with an icy glare powerful enough to freeze over the sun.

'Blimey,' said Fred. He backed away from her slowly, tugging nervously at the roots of his spiky black hair with one hand. 'Lovely chat. Sad that it's ended. I'd best be heading off, then. See you around, Rose!' With that, he took off racing down the corridor opposite to the direction in which Scorpius had dragged Lachie.

Rose stomped her foot petulantly. 'Just you wait, Fred Weasley!' She screeched after him.

Spotted: His Royal Smarminess, Lachlan Mclaggen, serenading fellow sixth year Ravenclaw prefect Rose Weasley – only to be intercepted by the one and only Scorpius Malfoy. With two suitors to her name before the school year has even begun, could love be on the horizon for our Rosie? XOXO, Gossip Ghoul.

'I appreciate your concerns, Miss Weasley, but there is hardly anything we can do for you at this point,' said Professor McGonagall as she sat upright behind the large claw-footed desk in the headmaster's office, face as pointed and pinched as ever.

Rose fought to ignore the snickering and snorts coming from some of the previous headmasters' portraits. She glanced briefly at Professor Dumbledore's portrait for a moment, in which the twinkle of his eyes had disappeared behind closed lids as he snoozed gently. Then she turned back to McGonagall. 'But why, Professor?' She asked. 'Surely something can be done to remove the allowance of anonymity in posts?'

Rose had gone straight to Professor McGonagall's office after the sorting ceremony and dinner to report the slanderous nature of Gossip Ghoul's posts and to see if anything could be done about it.

'I'm afraid not,' Professor Mcgonagall replied. 'Magitech was created for use largely by students, for their own convenience. Its messaging and notification features are meant to increase ease of communication amongst students. Students are allowed to post anything they want on it, to anyone they'd like, as long as it is not obscene, does not threaten the reputation of the school, and does not pose a direct threat to anyone.'

Rose's shoulders slumped in disappointment. 'But it's obscene and threatening to me,' she protested rather weakly.

McGonagall leaned forward, elbows resting on her desk, chin sitting upon her steepled fingers. 'Miss Weasley,' she said with a tiny smile. 'So far, I do not foresee any problems with this 'Gossip Ghoul'. These are merely childish antics, and they will pass, as everything passes. You mustn't let a few silly rumours get to you.'

Rose nodded, resigned. 'Yes, Professor. You are right, of course.'

McGonagall sat back in her chair, satisfied. 'It is settled then. I do thank you for bringing your concerns to me rather than dealing with them yourself. It shows maturity. You are dismissed, Miss Weasley.'

'Dealing with them myself,' Rose muttered to herself later, as she descended the spiral staircase coming down from the headmaster's office.

From: 'Rose Weasley' [rosew1_magitech]

To: 'Gossip Ghoul' [gossipghoul_magitech]

Subject: blank

Message: Who are you?

From: 'Gossip Ghoul' [gossipghoul_magitech]

To: 'Rose Weasley' [rosew1_magitech]

Subject: Re:

Message: It's a secret.