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Trophy Rooms & First Impressions
Chapter One
~o~
"Oh, just go and say something to her."
"Say what? We've never spoken!"
"Yeah, but you stare at her all the bloody time."
Scorpius looked down at the ground, and blushed when he realized that he still wanted to look at her.
"Just go say hi!" his best friend pushed him, and he glared back at her.
"Fine," he said, "I'll go say 'Hi.' She'll think I'm a freak."
"You are a freak, mate," his friend laughed, "You like a bloody Gryffindor."
"I do not! We've never spoken!" Scorpius insisted, but as he did so he knew his cheeks were burning brighter.
"Right, well, fix that then." Again, he was shoved forward. Right into her cousin.
~x~
James was just trying to enjoy his breakfast; read the mail, eat his pancakes, the usual. But no, that would just be too perfect for a Slytherin to handle. A ratty little second year crashed right into him.
James turned around and glared at the pale little runt. Yeah, you better apologize fast, kid. You just pushed the wrong Gryffindor.
"Got an issue?" he asked, sneering at the boy.
"N-n-no!" the boy spluttered out, then added, wide-eyed, "S-sir!"
"Thought it'd be funny to swat the lion's tail?"
"N-no, h-honest! It was an-an accident! He p-pushed me, and--"
"Well, let's fight then. Tonight after dinner. Lion versus snake."
The little boy looked like he was about to faint, and rightfully so, when Albus butted in.
"James, it's no fair fighting a second year. You're older."
"Well, you can't fight him, can you? It's gotta be a Gryffindor." Stupid bloody Ravenclaws, ask all the questions, have none of the answers. Wit indeed.
"Fine. Rose can."
~x~
"I can what?" Rose turned around and looked at her cousin, Albus. That was so like him, volunteering her for things. She noticed James next to him and groaned inwardly. It was easy to get out of something—unless James was involved. And, somehow, he managed to always be involved.
"Fight Snakey here. He wants to face a Gryffindor."
"R-really--I just—I mean--"
"Why?" She looked at the Slytherin when she asked, and he seemed unable to manage more than a squeak after that. Looking back at James, she said, "Look, I don't really--"
"If you won't, I will," he interrupted with a shrug.
"Fine. When?"
"After supper."
"Where?"
"Mm... Trophy room."
~x~
Scorpius hadn't wanted to come, but everyone had been talking about it all day, and he'd probably get more bloodied up if he didn't go than if he did. So, there he was.
Poppy was behind him, to go in his place if he died. If he did die, it would probably be of embarrassment. Either way, he imagined that Poppy would be a little to upset for her to continue fighting in his place.
The real question wasn't whether or not he would die. It was if he should even try to win. If he won, he'd look good, but not to Rose. If he lost, he'd look bad, especially to Rose. Pretty much either way he lost Rose, and that's why he'd even been near the Gryffindor table anyway.
Maybe the irony would kill him.
~x~
"Expelliarm--"
"Petrificus totalus!"
Rose had thought it would be longer. What was he even doing casting a friggin' petrificus totalus? Didn't you learn that in third year? That totally wasn't a defensive spell. If her body hadn't been frozen, she would've punched him in the face. And everyone on his side of the room who was laughing. And James.
"Finite incantatum." OK, maybe not James, but only because he'd known that counter-jinx, or whatever.
This is why mum said no dueling.
~O~