"Scorpius, let me go. I'm going to kill the little—"

Scorpius' hand covered Rose's mouth as her arms went wild, sending feathers flying in the Owlery and the birds hooting their disapproval, in her attempts to reach her younger brother.

"Rose, calm down. That's not going to solve anything. The letters have been sent. Our parents are going to know. We can't bring the birds back."

"That may be so, but I'll feel better after I pitch the bloody brat from the window."

A well-timed Accio charm brought Hugo's broom to the window just in time to make his escape. "It's your own fault Rosie. I warned you what would happen if you told Mary Ellen Longbottom about me snogging that prefect in the Forbidden Forest."

Finally breaking Scorpius' grip on her shoulder, Rose lunged for the window. Her bratty little brother made his escape by the skin of his teeth, and Rose slouched against the cold stone of the Owlery wall. The source of her anger gone, she turned on Scorpius. "Why are you so calm about this? Your parents are going to be just as horrible about it as mine."

He shrugged nonchalantly and his mouth twitched up into a ghost of a smile. "Well, I figure they were going to find out anyway. At least now, we don't have to tell them."

"Still," she said, eyeing him warily, "it's not like you to be so calm about it."

He smiled at her. "I bet I can make you feel better."

"How?"

"I charmed your brother's clothes to fall apart as soon as he walks into the Great Hall tonight for dinner. Make sure you get there early enough, so as not to miss all the fun."

He winked at her and turned on his heel, taking the steps down from the Owlery two at a time and confirming what she had come to suspect long ago. Scorpius Malfoy just may well be worth all the trouble that was bound to follow from their parents.