Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter characters or universe.
Beneath the Venom
~*Chapter 1*~
The seventh and final year at Hogwarts was always the most momentous and stressful of all the school years. There was no exception to this rule for any student. Even those who did not care if they graduated or pursued a career felt the burn of their final year. This was the year of finality. Students were preparing for their N.E.W.T.S. and deciding just who and what they wanted to be outside of the familiar stone walls they had grown up safely within. Beyond the security of the school was the real world with real consequences. It was not wise to proceed unprepared. For Rose Weasley, this year was not too different from any other year.
Rose had always been the studious type. Every year she would excel above and beyond what was ever required of a student her age or even of herself. She took every year very seriously as though it were her final year. Since she had entered the school when she was eleven years old she had a plan. Both of her parents were very encouraging but her mother seemed to understand her ambition more so than her father. He still found it disturbing that someone could enjoy school as much as she and her mother did. Rose found intense joy at pushing her brain to the limits and then some. There was great intellectual satisfaction to be held when she found herself buried in school work for hours on end. This was her final year, but she was not concerned.
It came as no surprise to her at all when she received a letter, before the year had started, that she was made Head Girl. Since her fifth year she had been a prefect so it only seemed natural that she would be considered for Head Girl. Her parents were absolutely ecstatic for her but it appeared that they had been expecting it all along.
For as long as she could remember, she had always done her best to make her parents proud. It was part of what drove her to do so well but there was the added perk that she loved everything about school. She was easily the top in every one of her classes and she was involved in several extra-curricular activities that came with being a prefect and now Head Girl. Upon her father's insistence, she had even tried out for the Quidditch team her second year. She had been accepted and played the Chaser position even still today.
Rose's feelings were bittersweet as she thought about the fact that this was her last year at Hogwarts. This was the last time that she was boarding the Hogwarts Express. Her chest felt tight as she stood before doorway of the prefect car located at the front of the train. As Head Girl, it was her duty to instruct the prefects along with the Head Boy.
Trying her best to rid the feeling of melancholy, she stepped out of view of the other students and composed herself. Her red, bushy hair was actually manageable today. There was very little frizz and it fell just below her shoulders. She was dressed in her proper Ravenclaw uniform. Her white button up shirt was bright and neat with her collar pressed sharply. The striped tie in her house's colors was tied perfectly and symmetrically nestled in the valley of her throat. Over her shirt and tie was her grey sweater that held a blue stripe at the bottom and along the v-shaped collar to indicate her house. Her grey pleated skirt was ironed perfectly and fell just above her knees, showing just a bit of skin before meeting her knee high grey socks. She had even taken the time to polish her black Mary Janes. Of course her uniform would not be complete without her black Hogwarts robe which now was adorned with her Head Girl badge. Everything about her outfit was pristine and neat, which was just how she liked it. Her father said she inherited that trait from her mother.
Taking a deep breath and placing a sweet, bright smile on her face, she strode into the car with overwhelming confidence. This was her last year to make an impression and she would take her job as Head Girl very seriously. It was going to be a bit more taxing seeing as how she was now in charge of all of the prefects from all of the houses instead of only dealing with her house. There were twenty-four prefects in all. Six from each house and two from each year starting from fifth on.
However, what she did not see was the Head Boy. The Hogwarts express was scheduled to leave in approximately five minutes and the boy was nowhere to be seen. She did not know who it was so she could not even begin to hunt him down. Even though it was recommended for the prefects to sit with one another, it was not absolutely mandatory. However, it was mandatory that the Head Boy and Girl at least make an appearance to the other prefects. Frowning, she was about to continue without the boy when she heard the car door open.
Albus Potter strode in the prefect's car, looking a bit haphazard and slightly out of breath. His mussy black hair was sticking out at odd angles, causing him to shake his head so that he could see beyond his bangs. Rose arched a delicate brow at his entrance. She was confused as to why he was there and she wondered if he had been looking for her specifically. Her desire to be neat wanted her to straighten his gold and crimson tie, finish buttoning up his shirt, and straighten his robes which were half falling off of him.
It was when Al finally stood up straight and pulled his robes together that she finally saw it. Gleaming in the light was his Head Boy badge. Rose's eyes widened in surprise before her brows furrowed. Here she had thought they were best friends, let along cousins, and the little prat had decided to keep this information from her. She wasn't sure if she was offended, irritated, or happy. If she had to choose anyone to work closely with for the year it would definitely be Al, but she was bothered by the fact that she had not been told.
"Sorry I'm late. Had a bit of a mishap," Al said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly.
"At least he has the decency to look abashed," Rose thought as she shook her head. She would scold his appearance and forgetfulness after they were done speaking to the prefects. Clearing her throat, she turned to speak to the students but was cut off before she could utter a word.
"You have got to be kidding me. Whose bright idea was it to make these loons Head Boy and Girl?" a sneer came from the back of the car. Rose growled softly to herself, recognizing who it was without even looking.
Sitting in the back was a seventh year that she knew far too well. It was Scorpius Malfoy, sitting smug with his feet propped up as he expelled an aloof, refined air about him. The git thought that he was god's gift to women and he wasn't afraid to show it. His platinum blonde hair was slicked back, keeping his angled, pale face from being obstructed.
The boy, despite coming from a prestigious family, barely dressed like it. His Slytherin tie hung loosely around his neck and his white uniform shirt was unbuttoned halfway to reveal a small amount of a toned chest. His attire was supposed to tease and entice women. Clearly it was working for several girls could not seem to tear their eyes away from him. There was disdain burning in his grey eyes and it was directed at Rose and Albus.
Albus sighed heavily, even rolling his eyes a bit. He was not even sure when Malfoy had even managed to become a prefect. Their fifth and sixth year he was not one but he clearly was one now. Great, that meant more contact with him than he would have liked to endure. It was bad enough that they went to the same school and were in the same year as one another but now they would have to actually associate with one another.
This was supposed to be Albus' year to relax and take it easy. Malfoy made his life more difficult than it had to be since day one. The blonde prat had it out against the Weaslys and the Potters since his and Rose's parents went to school with Scorpius' father. Groaning, he shot a look to Rose, who looked no happier than he did.
"Shut it Malfoy. Nobody cares what your pretty boy mouth has to say," she growled, her eyes narrowing into a glare. There was no way she was going to let him ruin her last year. Thankfully for her, he had to listen to her because she was Head Girl. Well, that was the theory anyways. Malfoy didn't listen to anyone really.
Before Malfoy had a chance to fire a quip, Rose began speaking to the rest of the prefects. She provided them information for the year as well as what their duties were going to be. Things hardly changed from year to year but it was always good to have a reminder. Not to mention, it was her chance to introduce herself as Head Girl and for Albus to introduce himself as Head Boy.
Once Rose and Albus were finished with their speeches, they broke away immediately, finding the car that her brother, Hugo, and his sister, Lily, were sitting in. Hugo and Lily were just as inseparable as she and Albus were. Which brought her back to her original irritation.
"So this is how you decided to tell me that you were made Head Boy or did you just forget that I was going to find out," she said with a frown, trying to hide just how hurt she really was.
Albus sat down heavily next to his sister as he looked over at Rose, a wide smile plastered on his face. It really was not his intention to hurt her, though he knew there might have been a chance that she received the information wrong. It had meant to be an awesome surprise.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings but don't you remember a few weeks ago that I told you I had a surprise that I wanted to share with you once we got to school?" he inquired. Rose held a blank look for a moment as she attempted to recall what he was talking about. Frowning further, she ran her index finger down the bridge of her nose a few times as she thought.
"I vaguely recall this, but I thought you were going to tell me that you finally got a girlfriend," she said honestly. The exasperated look Albus gave her forced her to laugh out loud a bit.
"You act like I don't have a love life of any sort," he said, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Well, you kinda don't," Lily quipped up, poking fun at her brother.
Lily Potter was two years younger than her brother which meant that she was entering her fifth year at Hogwarts. Hugo Weasley was doing the same. This was the year they would be preparing for and taking their O.W.L.S. Rose had already offered to tutor them to which Lily eagerly agreed to. Hugo, however, agreed begrudgingly but only because Lily was making him.
"This is not a topic for discussion. I have had plenty of girlfriends. It is not a crime to not have one now," he grumbled. Rose shook he her head, amused at how defensive he had become.
"Okay then, back to the topic at hand. I'm glad that you were made Head Boy, I just wish that you would have told me sooner so that we could have prepared together," Rose interjected as she leaned back a bit, feeling more satisfied than she had before. At least Albus had not withheld his new status to be malicious. He just lacked any great foresight.
"Yes, together we shall rule the school," Albus said with a laugh, thankful that the subject had deterred from his apparently interesting love life. He wasn't single from lack of trying that was for sure. He just wasn't too lucky. Most of his relationships only lasted a few months and his last girlfriend had broken up with him right before the summer started.
"Ah yes, that sounds like a great plan," Rose said with a laugh as she shook her head a bit. " 'cause we're going to have so much extra time between taking our N.E.W.T. courses, preparing for our careers, babysitting prefects and first years, and whatever else we're going to have to be in charge of."
Albus shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as though the idea didn't bother him in the least bit. He was almost as good of a student as Rose was but he just stressed out a lot less. Rose was an absolute perfectionist and he wondered how she did not end up absolutely mad and locked up in St. Mungo's. He was sure there was a ward specifically set up for students who broke from studying for their O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S. There just had to be.
"We'll manage," he said simply as he began rifling through his robes, looking for money for the trolley. He definitely had a craving for sweets.
"That's if Malfoy doesn't try to overthrow you," Hugo, who had been quiet, stated.
"Malfoy can't do anything," Al declared with a frown.
"Malfoy is a royal pain in the arse but I agree with Al, there really isn't anything he can do. He can't get Al's job unless he was put out of commission permanently," Rose said matter-of-factly.
"That's my point. You know how the Malfoys are. You've heard the stories from both of our parents. They are a very dark and sinister family. They have always been in Slytherin for a reason. Not to mention, they were all too happy to be on Voldemort's side in the Wizarding Wars. I don't think Scorpius would be above murdering Al for the sake of his title," Hugo explained seriously.
"Give it a rest Hugo," Lily finally said. "Al's not going to give up his title just because he's worried Scorpius is going to murder him."
"Besides, I could best him in a fight any day," Al muttered with a dismissive wave of his hand.
There was a pause in their conversation as the woman with the trolley made her presence known down the hallway. Each one of them bought something before returning to their seats. Albus was eating a chocolate frog and sighed when he looked at the card.
"Do you know how strange it is to see your father on one of these?" he said as he flashed the card that had "Harry Potter" labeled across it. One moment his father's face was grinning at him and then the next he was gone. Shaking his head, he pocketed the card.
When he was younger it was great that his parents were so famous. He enjoyed the fame but now as an almost adult, it was more bothersome than anything. Half the time anyone wanted to talk to him, be friends with, or date him it was because of his name. Honestly, he could understand what his father went through when he was his age.
"I do but I am going to assume that was rhetorical," Rose said with a laugh as she nibbled on her cauldron cake, being careful not to get crumbs on her uniform.
The rest of the train ride to Hogwarts had been fairly uneventful. The lot of them had stayed in the same car with one another until Rose and Albus had to depart to lead the other prefects. As usual, Scorpius had his own quips and snarky remarks to make but they fell upon deaf ears.
Rose glanced over to where she saw the first years boarding the boats that would take them up to Hogwarts. Each one of them looked nervous but in absolute aw as they saw the massive tower looming in the distance. It made her feel nostalgic for her first day to Hogwarts. Even with all the stories she had heard from her parents she was still amazed by how glorious and magical the school was. It was absolutely wonderful and some of her greatest moments had happened at the school.
Her chest tightened once more as she recalled that this was her last year. It had become a home away from home and she was saddened that she would not be seeing it again after this year. For one year she even considered becoming a teacher but the following year her real passion took over. She had decided that once she graduated she would become a Potions Master and work for the Ministry of Magic. There was a possibility that they would send her to foreign places as needed and she loved the idea of traveling.
When she had told her parents about her decided career, her father had been more surprised than anyone. He had imagined her becoming an auror like himself. Her mother was the least surprised because of the technical skill required to become a Potions Master. Either way she had their support and because both of her parents worked in the Ministry, it would be easy for her to at least get her foot in the door.
This year, she was taking N.E.W.T. level Potions class several times a day so that she could hone her current skill and expand her knowledge of potion-making. There was just something about how technical the skill was that made her fall in love with it. Not to mention the absolute satisfaction that she felt when the potion came out right. It was like an advanced form of cooking but with greater benefits. There was also a certain thrill and allure to the danger that came with it. One wrong move and the potion could become deadly. Yes, it was definitely what she wanted to do. Granted, she didn't want to have to create poisons but she needed to know how in order to make the antidote. Working for the Ministry, she hoped, would allow for her to use her skills more for good than evil.
Rose was pulled from her thoughts when Albus placed his hand on her shoulder. She had a bit of a dazed look as her eyes focused on him.
"Hm? Were you calling me?" she asked. Albus arched a brow questioningly at how out of it she seemed.
"Yeah, you okay?"
"Ah, yeah I'm fine. Just thinking back to our first year," she said with a smile. "we should get going." With a nod, Albus followed her to the carriages that would take the rest of them up to the school.
Before long, everyone had arrived at the school and was filtering into the Great Hall. This would be the last time they were all together in one place. Even Al's brother, James, had gone on to bigger and better things. He graduated the year before and was somewhere in Romania with his uncle Charlie becoming a dragon tamer. It seemed to suit him. Both Rose and Albus would be graduating this year and their younger siblings would be alone for the next two years. At least they had each other.
Rose had no idea what Albus had planned on doing when he graduated. Quite frankly, he had no idea either. It was a good thing that at some point this year he would be sitting down with someone for career counseling. Maybe then he would find a calling.
After they entered the Great Hall, Rose was forced to part with Albus. She was in Ravenclaw with his sister and he was in Gryffindor with her brother. It seemed to work out. Lily's family was surprised to find that she was sorted into Ravenclaw but she was unbelievably intelligent and witty. It was more than likely due to the fact that she grew up around Rose and her aunt Hermione.
Just as Rose was about to sit down, someone pushed passed her forcefully, knocking her down onto the floor where she collapsed embarrassedly. Her skirt had slid up her thighs revealing. She was absolutely mortified. Her face flushed a deep read from her throat all the way up to the tips of her ears, almost matching her hair color. Quickly, she pulled her skirt down and did her best to compose herself as quickly as possible. Looking around for the culprit, she found Scorpius snickering with a bunch of his friends at the next table over. She wanted to cry, scream, and hex the git all at once but she would not give him the satisfaction.
Lifting her head high, she straightened out her uniform as though she was not fazed. Albus rushed over to her, wanting to make sure she was okay. His table was located next to hers so the two of them would often sit on the outside bench of their tables, divided only by a walk way. Had he not been catching up with a few friends, he would have been there to knock Malfoy out.
"The bloody arse! I'll destroy him," he growled as his eyes met Scorpius' with a deadly glare. He was more than pissed. It was one thing to mess with him but an entirely other thing to mess with his cousin and best friend. He was reaching into his robe for his wand when Rose stopped him.
"It's not worth it. He's not worth it. You're Head Boy and you have to lead by example," she said quickly as she grabbed his wrist firmly. The last thing she wanted was for Al to get into trouble and have to serve out detention for most of the year. She was like her mother in the sense that she liked to adhere to the rules as much as possible.
Albus continued glaring at Scorpius for another second before tearing his gaze away and looking Rose over to make sure she was okay. It didn't seem like too many people had seen what had happened. Those who were mocking Rose were part of the Slytherin house but everyone else who was not a part of the green and silver were just as angry as Albus. Rose was rather popular amongst all the houses except for Slytherin but they were only friendly with their own as it was.
Everyone was ushered to their seat as the headmaster stood up in front of all the students. He explained the Sorting Ceremony and what it represented to the first years. After he finished, one by one, students were called and sorted into their appropriate houses. With each sorting came a round of applause from that table. Before long, all of the first years were sorted and looking excited and maybe even a bit nervous.
Rose greeted the new first years at her table with a very warm smile and a congratulations. She even spread some of the joy with nearby Gryffindors seeing as they were the table right behind her. It seemed like everything was going well despite her mishap with Malfoy. That boy was going to pay one of these days for his treatment of people.
Once the headmaster stood before the students. The Start of Term Feast had not started yet and would not until he was finished with his announcements. The current headmaster had been in charge of the school for the last six years or so. He was one of the younger headmasters that the school had been endowed with. Appearing to be in his late forties or early fifties, he wore his hair combed back, the length brushing his shoulders. His hair was streaked with thick rows of silver and black, making it seem like there was a skunk resting on his head. The lines and features of his face were very sharp and narrow, creating an elf like appearance. His grey eyes sparkled mischievously which made him appear much younger than he was. Instead of traditional robes, he wore a pinstripe suit in dark grey and black. The man truly was an enigma. It was a wonder as to how he had become the headmaster of a wizarding school when he acted more like a muggle than anything.
Clearing his throat, the headmaster began speaking. His voice carried all the way to the back of the Great Hall, making it impossible for him to not be heard. Everyone turned their attention to him. The sooner he finished his announcements the sooner they would be able to eat.
"Welcome, new and returning students to another year at Hogwarts. I trust that your journey here was satisfactory," he said with a wry smile. "I have a lot of exciting news, especially for some of the seventh years." He paused briefly as excited whispers spread across the tables from the seventh years. It was safe to say that the headmaster had their interests peaked.
"For those of you who are unaware, I would like to introduce you to your Head Boy and Head Girl this year. If you are ever in need of something and cannot or do not wish to approach a professor, they are your go to people. Albus Potter in Gryffindor and Rose Weasley in Ravenclaw," he announced. Both Rose and Ablus stood in turn as they were announced so that a face could be placed with the name. Several snickers arose from the Slytherin table, elicited by something that Scorpius had said.
The headmaster shot the serpent table a glare, silencing them immediately. Despite the headmaster's good nature, there was an air about him that indicated that he was not to be trifled with. With a nod of his head, Rose and Albus sat down so that he could continue his speech. He spoke of normal announcements such as what teachers taught what subject, who had retired and who had joined the school, and items of that nature. It appeared to be the same as it was every year.
"And now I come to my final announcement, one that is a great honor. This year, at this school, we shall be hosting a very special event. Some of you may have heard of it before from your parents. Some of you may know of it better than others," he gave a pointed stare at Albus and Lily. "This is the first year that the Triwizard Tournament is being reinstated. The last time it was held was almost two decades ago. Due to the tragic events of the last time it was held, there has been controversy as to whether or not it was going to be held again. The rules, however, are much different this time."
The headmaster wasn't able to finish his speech for the moment as the hall came to life with excited talk. Most of the older students knew about the tournament and were beyond excited about it. Some of the older students were filling in the lower years who were confused.
Rose was just as surprised at this news as everyone else. Her parents were involved in the tournament the last time it was held and her uncle, Albus' father, was one of the champions. Her parent's didn't speak about it much but she knew that each one played a significant role. She was more than intrigued about the tournament being reinstated and honestly, she liked the idea of possibly entering in. There was a certain side of her that was almost as bad as an adrenaline junkie. She liked the thrill.
Albus grew very quiet for a moment. His father very rarely talked about the tournament. There were very traumatic events that he didn't like talking about. In fact, Albus only ever heard the complete story maybe twice just because his father and mother wanted him to understand his father's life and the things he endured. How much could they have really changed the tournament to make it safer? Even before the terrible events two decades ago the tournament was known to kill people. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.
The headmaster cleared his throat once more and silenced the room so that he could continue his explanation of the events. Once all eyes were on him, he waved his hand and revealed the Goblet of Fire.
"Hogwarts will once more be the school hosting the event. The competing schools of Beauxbaton and Durmstrang shall be joining us in one month's time with their headmasters and potential champions. You will show them respect while they are here. Anything less than this will result in instant expulsion," he said in great seriousness. The Great Hall became very still and deafeningly quiet as each student let it sink in just how serious the Head Master was. After a few seconds had passed, the headmaster spoke once more.
"The rules have been altered a bit. As before, only students who meet the legal wizarding age of seventeen will be allowed to enter their name into the Goblet of Fire in hopes of being chosen as a champion. If you are chosen, there is no going back. It is a legal and binding contract so think carefully before entering your name. In an effort to reduce death and utter chaos, there shall be two champions chosen from each school who must work together in the tournament." Once more the headmaster was interrupted as more excitement rumbled through the Great Hall.
The students were absolutely thrilled that their chances of becoming a champion increased. While the lower years were booing and disappointed with the fact that they could not compete, the seventh years' excitement drowned them out. Rose looked to Albus, wondering what he was thinking. She was surprised to find that he looked pale and almost sickly instead of excited. When they were alone, she would have to ask him if everything was alright.
"Silence!" the headmaster bellowed, becoming quiet agitated with continuously being interrupted. "if you wish to eat, you will be quiet." Once more the hall fell silent.
"As I was saying. There will be two champions and they must work with one another. There shall be three events but they are not to be taken lightly. For those who are chosen as champions, there will be extensions on classwork in efforts to help with preparation for each of the events. Starting tomorrow morning, you may write your name on a piece of parchment and place it in the goblet if you wish to be considered for a champion. When the competing schools arrive next month, the champions shall be decided. Now, enjoy the feast," he said with a slight smile as he waved his hand and each table was filled with a glorious amount of food. Once more the hall was alive with excitement.
Rose began filling her plate with food. Lily was sitting next to her and Hugo and Albus were sitting at the table behind her. Lily seemed to be excited at the idea of the tournament, despite her not being able to enter in. Hugo shared her sentiments but it was Albus that she was most worried about. After she finished her dinner, she turned around to face Albus. Frowning, she noticed that he had hardly touched his food.
"Hey, Al, are you okay?" she asked, having to poke him in the shoulder to get his attention. It was his turn to be pulled out of a daze. Looking down at his untouched plate, he sighed before looking at Rose.
"I will be. I just… can't shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen. Terrible things happened the last time this event was held. I can't help but wonder if maybe, because we're related to my father, that there's a curse upon this tournament and if we enter, we're going to befall a horrible fate," he explained, his voice low and his eyes a bit glassy, almost like he was in trance. Noticing Rose's worried face, he promptly pulled himself out of it. "I guess I'm just tired."
"Yeah, maybe," Rose said unconvincingly.
Before long, dinner was finished and the prefects were leading the students to their common rooms. It had been a very long day but her and Albus had to check in with the headmaster before they were able to turn in. The meeting with the headmaster was very brief. However, just as they were about to leave, the headmaster had a separate errand for Rose to run.
"Miss Weasley, the potions professor wishes to speak with you privately and immediately regarding your classes for the year. Apparently it could not wait until tomorrow," he said with a shake of his head. The potions master was a bit eccentric but brilliant. It was why he humored the man. "Mr. Potter, you are free to leave."
Rose and Albus left the headmaster's office. Albus had wanted to escort Rose but she had insisted that she was fine. Honestly, she liked wandering the school when the halls were empty. There was a certain quietness that was almost serene. While some may have found it creepy to be in the ancient halls, she found it fascinating and even a bit comforting as she imagined all the history that the stones bore witness to.
Albus begrudgingly let Rose leave but he made her promise to let him know that she had returned to her common room safely. One year for Christmas, he had purchased a pair of two-way mirrors for himself and Rose so they could keep in contact. Hers had been fitted into what looked like a makeup compact case. There was a rose inlaid on the back of the mirror. His had been fitted into the inside of the cover of a pocket watch that he kept with him. It was a gift Rose had given him in hopes that he would procrastinate less.
Once she swore to keep him updated, Rose was finally released from Albus. She laughed softly to herself at the fact that he was worried about her now when it was she who had been worried about him. He really was her best friend and she was not sure what she would have done without him over the years.
As soon as she felt the air change around her, she knew that she was in the dungeons. The air was damp and cool, making her feel clammy almost instantly. The sound of water dripping could be heard reverberating off of the stone walls. There was nothing cheerful or comforting about this place. The corridor was dimly lit with torch sconces that were bolted to the walls. The soft glow of the torches created long dark shadows that danced along the reflective walls and floor.
All of a sudden she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. It felt like there was a dark presence somewhere, threatening to oppress her. A shiver coursed down her spine as her heart sped up. The hall was growing darker in the distance, racing towards her as the torches began going out one by one as the darkness approached her. Soon she was left standing alone in the darkness, the scent of extinguished flames permeating the air. A blood curdling scream pierced the air suddenly, causing Rose to quickly cover her ears and fall to her knees as she quickly became disoriented. What was going on?