A/n: This was written for Round 3 of QLFC, the Months of the Year Competition, and the Grimm Tales Competition. Prompts are at the bottom.

This story is dedicated to the beautiful, breath-taking kindred spirit who is my beloved in the virtual realm, Malhearst, whose support and constant kindness has taught me and given me more than I could imagine.

The Falcon's Song

The stormy sky rumbled overhead, threatening to rain down its fury at a moment's notice. A cold mist crept across the grass, circling his ankles like phantom manacles. He watched the dim glimmers of light through the haze, awaiting the inevitable, the clandestine city beneath him pulsing with life even as his own seemed to slip away.

Then fell a single raindrop atop his shoulder, followed by another, and another, and soon, he was standing in the middle of a downpour. The mist rose from the ground, enclosing him within its icy embrace, and he let himself melt into it. Through the deafening sound of the storm, he could hear a shrill cry of a bird, its silhouette flashing into sight as lightning streaked across the night sky. And just as its woeful song dissolved into the rain, so did he.

-oOo-

Rose peeked out from over her book, heart racing as she eyed the blond seated across the courtyard, his nose buried in his own book. Scorpius looked up just then, and she quickly ducked behind the thick text. Several moments passed, and once she thought it was safe to look, she peered over her book again. But, to her dismay, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Having fun spying on other people, are we?"

With a shriek, Rose jumped off the bench she was seated on, and would've fallen over if Scorpius hadn't caught her by the elbow. She chanced a tentative glance at him, and he returned her look with an amused one of his own.

"I was not…spying," Rose managed as she pulled her arm out of his grasp and turned away.

"Is that right?" She knew that awful smirk was adorning his handsome face without even having to look, and she ducked her head, embarrassed. There was a rustle and an 'oof,' and she turned to see Scorpius sitting beside her, a shit-eating grin on his face. "You don't mind, do you? It was lonely all by myself."

'I do mind!' Rose wanted to say but shook her head instead. With a satisfied hum, Scorpius settled back and opened his book.

She took a moment to shamelessly stare at him, drinking in his gentle features, his perfectly styled platinum-blond hair, the way his blue and bronze scarf was thrown over his shoulders without a care, the way his silver eyes shimmered as they met hers—

"It's rather rude to stare, you know," he said, the laughter clear in his voice.

Flushing, Rose dropped her gaze, focusing on the minuscule lines running along the spine of the worn book in her lap. Their fingers brushed against each other as Scorpius placed his hand beside hers, and just as she wondered if he would take her hand in his, he did, making her stomach flutter. After a time, he began to hum a tune that was somehow familiar, and she found herself relaxing as she listened to his soft voice, a small smile playing on her lips.

(Far above them, a falcon circled, its sharp eyes marking its prey before it swooped down for the kill.)

-oOo-

She was seated at the far end of the stands surrounding the Quidditch Pitch, watching as the Ravenclaw team practiced for their upcoming game. Her mind drifted off as she turned to eye the overcast skies, the grey clouds mirroring the gloom that had settled within her.

They had fought again, and although it had been their biggest fight yet, her initial anger had receded to nothing more than a dull throb in her chest. Ever since Scorpius had received that letter from home a few months ago, he had become irritable and secretive about anything that had to do with his family. Rose understood his need for privacy, but it was starting to get to her that he let his familial problems transcend into their relationship. They would argue about arbitrary things like who took whose quill or who submitted their assignment first, and it was getting to be extremely tedious.

She had thus decided that they were going to sort things out once and for all and was waiting for him to be done so they could talk. As she sighed, closing her eyes and revelling at the feel of the gentle breeze that caressed her skin, she heard someone clamber up onto the stands.

"Hi," Scorpius said, a small, nervous smile on his face. Rose stood up, expecting him to at least hug her, but he had his broom in one hand and his other one was hidden behind his back. With a frown, she peered around him, but he moved away so she couldn't see.

"What've you got there?" Rose asked, her curiosity taking precedence over the original purpose.

After a moment's hesitation, Scorpius pulled out a bouquet of flowers and held it out. She eyed the many-hued roses and then looked up at him. "I'm sorry?" he tried, the anxiety clear in his eyes.

Rose deliberated for a moment and finally conceded as she took the roses from him with a small smile. "Don't think this is always gonna work," she whispered. Scorpius laughed lightly as he pulled her close and kissed her.

They were both too engrossed in each other to notice the large bird of prey swooping down towards them. As they pulled apart, the falcon snatched the bouquet out of Rose's hands and soared away. With a shout, Scorpius pulled out his wand and aimed it at the bird, but she stopped him.

"No, leave it be. Don't hurt it."

"But—"

"Just leave it!"

He dropped his arm, but turned to glare at her. She swallowed, sensing the beginning of another pointless row, and tried to placate him before he could snap. "It's OK. I forgive you. It's the thought that counts anyway, so it doesn't matter anymore."

Something changed in Scorpius's demeanor—so suddenly that she didn't even have a chance to react appropriately—and he snapped, "It doesn't matter? Oh, alright. That's just great, isn't it?"

He stormed away, leaving Rose to her confused misery. She knew he would come to his senses soon and return with a sheepish apology, but just then, she was too upset to care. A sob escaped her lips, and she flopped down on the bench, feeling like her long-awaited moment of happiness had been stolen from right under her nose.

(The falcon came to settle on a broken log and eyed the flowers. One in particular looked appealing. It shone a bright silver.)

-oOo-

Something was wrong.

She could feel it in her bones.

Ever since the beginning of their final year, Scorpius had been restless. Rose could see the indecision in his eyes and feel it every time he hesitated to embrace her. Something was bothering him, and he refused to tell her what it was.

At first, she had just shaken it off as her being paranoid, but as of late, other people had started to notice the change in him, too. He no longer smiled or laughed as he used to, he constantly seemed to be brooding over something, and he was distracted all the time.

One fine day, as they sat under the large apple tree halfway across the lake, she ventured a question. "Are you alright?"

Scorpius turned to her, his pale skin and light eyes standing in stark contrast against the green of the grass and the blue of the sky, a small smile on his face. "Of course."

She eyed him for a long moment, feeling the shift in his aura even as she asked, "Are you sure? If there's anything at all bothering you—"

"Rose," he interrupted. "The sun's shining; the birds are singing. What's not to love?"

"But—"

"I'm fine."

"Scorpius—"

"I'm fine."

And that was that. He closed himself off, pulled all his walls up, cast her away, and shut the gates to his heart once and for all. All Rose had done was push a little harder. Just out of concern—out of love. But that had come to boomerang around and slap her in the face. For someone who wore his heart on his sleeve, the cold façade Scorpius had adopted broke her heart more than anything he could have said or done ever would.

Rose swallowed down a sob as she turned to eye the sky, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay. It was a warm, clear day, perfect to spend outside on the grass, yet all she wanted was to lock herself in her room and remain there for eternity.

(Across the lake, on a broken log, sat a falcon, its beak clacking in satisfaction at the meal it had just enjoyed.)

-oOo-

The roar of the wind rivalled the crash of the waves against the rocks, the undulations cascading over each other as they spat sea foam at her. The seas were tempestuous, the winds were wrathful, the skies were tumultuous—there could have been no more obvious signs than these of a disaster to come.

Yet, as she stood on the beach, her toes curling into the cool sand, desperately seeking what warmth she could find, the realisation had still not dawned on her. She clung onto her thin shawl as it whipped her skin raw, revelling in the momentary warmth that the pain offered.

Her eyes trained on the overcast sky, she remained standing in the cold, waiting—for what, she knew not. There was a dull shriek, and her eyes followed the tiny silhouette that soared beneath the rumbling thunderclouds, its wings spread out, fearless, as it battled the raging storm.

Just as it reached the bank, a streak of lightning shot it down, the unforgiving skies unwilling to allow the brave bird to remain airborne. It spiralled to the ground, its body crashing against the rocks and disappearing under the black waves. She hesitated for only a moment before rushing to where the bird had fallen, her feet sinking deeper into the wet sand with each step, as though the world was bent upon stopping her from rescuing it.

She reached it just before it was swallowed up by the merciless ocean, and as she gingerly caressed its shivering body to her chest, she heard muffled yells calling out to her. Looking over her shoulder, she watched her cousin run to her. As she waded out of the water and towards him, the dying bird in her arms, Albus came to stop before her, a heartbroken expression on his face.

"He's gone."

She had known it even before he had said it, but the verbal confirmation only served to severe what feeble hope she had left. Scorpius was gone, and there was nothing she, or anybody, could do about it.

The bird stirred in her arms, and as she glanced down at it, it opened an eye to look up at her. In the flash of lightning, she could have sworn its iris had shimmered silver, but before she could be sure, it closed its eyes, leaving her feeling more alone and helpless than she had ever been.

-oOo-

Rose sat on the porch, humming a reminiscent tune as she rocked back and forth, a small smile playing on her lips as a light breeze rustled through her hair. It had been a long time since she had come to her family's cabin in the Forest of Dean; she had been too immersed in work to even consider taking a short vacation. But now that she was here, she never wanted to return. As she sighed, revelling in the solitude, content with the world, someone poked her shoulder.

Cracking an eye open, she peered at the snow-white gyrfalcon perched on the armrest of the rocking chair and smiled. He tilted his head, blinking wide, silver eyes up at her. "Welcome home, my love," Rose whispered as he trilled and nipped playfully at her ear. "Where did you go?"

The falcon hopped from one foot to the other and inclined his head, staring into the forest that surrounded the little cabin. She reached out to stroke his feathery back, chuckling as he warbled with joy and arched into her touch. He then jumped down from the armrest and settled on the ground, peering up at her expectantly.

"What is it?"

He flapped his wings and hopped in half a circle until he was facing the forest. He then clacked his beak and turned to fix one glittering, grey eye on Rose before taking off towards the trees. She called out to him, but he wouldn't stop, forcing her to push herself to her feet and follow after him.

"What is it, boy?" Rose asked as she reached the rock he was perched on. Her falcon only squawked in reply before making his way down the forest path. She frowned, unsure of where he was going or what he wanted to show her, but followed him anyway.

It had been over a year since she'd rescued the gyrfalcon, and he had refused to leave her side ever since. He had become her companion when she needed one most, and now they were inseparable. There was just something about his soft, white feathers with dark grey specks and his silver eyes that made Rose feel so safe, so protected. She adored him and knew that as long as he was with her, she would be all right.

There was a squawk from up ahead, and she ducked under a low-hanging branch as she entered a small clearing. Looking around, Rose spotted her falcon perched atop what looked like a deformed root. It was protruding from the ground in a weird angle, with knots and twists etched into its surface as it rose out of the earth and dipped back in like a merperson leaping out of the water and back. It reminded her of a tombstone. Rose walked over to it and knelt down, laying her hand on the root. She could almost feel the life pulsing within it, and a sense of immense sadness filled her.

A chill ran down her spine as the leaves rustled overhead. She looked around the empty clearing, feeling as though there was someone else there. When Rose turned back to her falcon, he was watching her with intense, stormy eyes, as though trying to communicate something to her. She shuddered, a sense of trepidation filling her, and rose to her feet, holding her hand out to the snowy bird.

"Come here, Sco," Rose said, expecting him to listen to her as he always did, but he remained on the root, as though letting go of it meant letting go of some intrinsic part of him. "Come here," she urged, feeling the hairs on her neck stand on end.

The Forest of Dean was a place with a rich history, she knew. The farther one wandered into it, the more one could feel its energy thick in the air. There was something ancient and powerful within that made her feel like she was trespassing.

Turning to her falcon again, Rose beckoned urgently. "Come on, boy." But he refused to budge. A lump forming in her throat, she inhaled deeply. "Sco, please. Let's go. Come on."

The falcon spread his wings, and for a moment, it seemed as though he would take off into the skies and abandon her as his namesake had, but, instead, he came to perch on her shoulder and nuzzled her hair. Rose half-laughed, half-sighed in relief as she petted him and made her way out of the forest. She started at the smallest of sounds, but his warm presence beside her made her feel safe.

As she exited the forest and made her way back to the cabin, a gust of wind blew past her, and she glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see familiar platinum-blond hair and a superior smirk. There was no one there, though, and she turned back to look into wide, silver eyes and smiled.

"Let's go," Rose whispered, and her falcon leapt off her shoulder and soared towards the setting sun, his cries sounding like a soulful song of melancholy. A song she knew all too well.

A/n: Just FYI: a gyrfalcon is a type of falcon that has white feathers with dark specks on it.

This is written for Round 3 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. As Captain of the Falmouth Falcons, my prompt this time was to use our team's name in a story. My word count limit is 2551-2750. Words used: 2700.

This is also written for the Months of the Year Competition for the month of May. I had to write a story that is set entirely outdoors.

Additional prompts:

(plot point) a character is restless

(word) indecision/indecisive

(colour) green

(dialogue) "The sun's shining; the birds are singing. What's not to love?"

(item) bouquet of flowers

(phrase) heart on his/her sleeve

(location) The Forest of Dean

(emotion) content

This is also written for Round 1 of the Grimm Tales Competition: The Frog King. I've used the opposite of the frog turning into a prince when the princess rescues him and have it as the prince turning into a frog (metaphorically), after which the princess rescues him.