"Keep an eye on that Head Girl, Scorpius..." A raspy voice spoke from under his black cloak and into the darkness of the Malfoy Manor. Scorpius stood by the fireplace, the fire, only dimly lit after being lit several hours before. It was nearly two in the morning on that Sunday in England, and it was only the two of them awake as far as Scorpius knew. 'Oh why did I choose this weekend to come home?' Scorpius thought to himself. He'd have to spend more time next to the know-it-all red haired brat. Considering they were both Head's he was about to just put a silencing spell on her and get some real work done.
"Of course, sir." Scorpius replied dutifully, his voice almost mechanic and devoid of emotion. It must be a Malfoy family trait, Scorpius thought dryly, every Malfoy seemed to be able to do it. Scorpius kept his stance next to the fire, hands clasped behind his back staring at the dying embers. How he'd gotten himself stuck in this situation, he wasn't sure. He didn't care about the man or his beliefs, but it seemed he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Neither him or his father wanted to dirty their hands, but with his mother 'on a vacation to the Florida Keys' they had to do what was needed.
"That is all." The raspy voice said in an ending to their conversation. There was the thud of the walking stick several times hitting the tiles on the floor as the man left, and only then did Scorpius relax from his position. He closed his eyes and let his shoulder's slump. Bloody insane man, coming and waking him up at midnight just to discuss what he was to be doing at Hogwarts. Of course, any other reasonable time had to be out of the question. He'd never seen the man's face before and only knew that the man was an older man, who walked with a solid wooden cane.
What interest he might have in Rosetta Weasley stumped him. He didn't think it really mattered to him, he had to keep his mom safe and if that weasel had to go down it was a win/win situation for him. Scorpius yawned and turned on his heel to head to his bedchambers. He idly wondered, as he put the fire out with a quick twist of his wand, if his father knew of the conversation that took place. Most likely not, Scorpius thought, else he would have been there with them. With another deep yawn, he left the library door open and quickly walked up the stairs and down a short corridor to his room.
Rose sat at the Gryffindor table that morning and talked animatedly with Albus, Lysander, and his twin who was over from the Ravenclaw table, Lorcan, about the costume contest that would happen on Halloween. It wasn't without people popping into what they would be doing and maybe even a little hint on how they were going to do their costume.
"I'm going to be a Wraith." Albus informed them, fixing his glasses since someone had rudely just bumped him forward into the table. "It'll be fun, I think. It's almost like a Grim Reaper, only the Wraith's aren't controlled by anyone and can do as they please." Albus said, trying to show that he had done some sort of research on his choice. "I'll have to find someone who can help me with the clothes though..." Albus murmured, and Rose wondered what sort of Wraith he would be trying to imitate.
"Lorcan is going to be the good one and I will be his doppelganger. He'll be in white and act nice, while I go around behind him and be his evil twin causing mischief." Lysander said, clearly excited. Rose had the itching feeling that he thought he would try and get away with pranks or just breaking things because he was 'in character'. A half amused smile fluttered onto her face.
"Rose, what you going to be?" Albus asked, looking at Rose. Rose felt herself blush just a bit as everyone else in the conversation and a few out of it looked at her as well. Rose forgot about the other people and smirked at Albus.
"That, my dear cousin, will be a surprise that you'll figure out at the contest." Rose told him, unsure if she was really going to go through with it. It was going to be a risk, and it was going to be difficult. She was going to have some help from another one of her cousins. As if on queue, Dominique waltzed over and sat by Lysander.
"Hello everyone." Her soprano voice rang like bells and Rose still couldn't help the pang of jealousy at such a beautiful voice. Hers wasn't beautiful, in fact it wasn't even near her cousins. Her voice was much lower than Dominique's, and wasn't too good at singing either while Dominique had been taught to sing as soon as she was able to talk.
"Hey Dominique." Rose greeted first, followed by a chorus of hello's from the others. Dominique smiled and flipped her hair back, clearly flattered by the sudden attention on her. "We are talking about the costumes that we're going to wear on Halloween." Dominique lit up instantly, a look of anticipation and excitement clear on her face. With Dominique, it was easy to tell what she was up to.
"I'm going as a D jinn." She told everyone, and there were a few looks of confusion on the fellow classmates face.
"It's a genie." Rose said, and a lot of them nodded and their look of confusion faded away. "It's a mythological creature that grants wishes." The rest of them looked impressed a bit, and even a bit wistful.
"It is not mythological." Dominique stated, her slight french accent coming out with her words. "There are some witnesses in France and India that state that a D jinn was seen and they had their wishes granted." Dominique sure was unique, but Rose didn't think it would be wise to try and argue with the person who was helping you with your own costume.
"Rose here won't tell us what she's going as." Albus stated, almost a pout in his words that made Rose smile. Dominique just looked over and shared a look with Rose before they both looked at Albus as he continued. "I'll be a wraith, and Lorcan and Lysander will be a human and it's doppelganger.
"I'm going to be a Naiad." A small voice said, coming from the direction of the Hufflepuff table. Sure enough, Molly Weasley was sitting there, turning around in her seat and watching them with a smile on her face. Rose smiled back and Dominique seemed to do her best not to scoff. "Typical choice for a female..." Rose heard Dominique say. Rose was surprised, Molly was her cousin too!
"Are you going to charm dry water to fall from your body?" Rose asked politely, seeing plenty of opportunities for a witch if she wanted to be a naiad. Molly nodded her head, her ringlets bouncing up and down at the motion.
"I was going to do that and I found a material, silk I believe, that flows like water and I'm going to use that as well. Mom has been teaching me how to sew for the past five years. I'm not fantastic but I think I can get what I want done." Molly confessed, a slight far away look in her eyes from where she was, no doubt, thinking of her idea for her dress. Rose smiled, Molly had dreams as wide as the oceans but she knew her limits and stuck to them. It was something she admired about her cousin.
It was then, over half done with their breakfast, that Scorpius Malfoy walked in. She guessed that he had just come from his house, because she hadn't seen him all weekend. She sometimes wondered where he went off too, and had heard he went off to his parent's house because he thought that Hogwarts wasn't good enough for him. She wasn't sure what to believe, since you never could know with rumors... Rose turned back to her cousins and added a few comments on what else they should add. She was glad that she had finally got Scorpius to agree to it.
Scorpius did a quick scan of the Ravenclaw table and frowned, after that he began a full search of the room. Where was that Weasley? Finally, he found her at the Gryffindor table. He felt a smirk pull at his lips. Rosetta Weasley wasn't brave, he knew that much from his brief acquaintance, if you could even call it that, with her.
He watched her for a moment before moving to his own house table. Sitting down, he quickly filled his plate and began to eat. "Fancying someone in particular?" Clarice Zabini whispered, moving closer to her ex boyfriend. She had been a year younger than him when they dated the past year and she had been a fake to the end. It had been her trying to get in his bed, rather than the other way around.
"No, not that it's really any of your concern." Clarice rolled her eyes at his comment. She had been popular before they dated, and really their dating was just for appearances. Clarice loved herself, and he was sure that she'd kissed a few mirrors after she did a thorough cleaning spell on it.
"I was trying to be helpful." Clarice stated and Scorpius' raised an eyebrow. "Oh don't look at me like that!" She exclaimed as he cut into his eggs. "I believe that everyone is entitled to help a friend every once in a while, just don't get used to it." Scorpius really was rather surprised, but didn't say anything. He hadn't even known they were considered 'friends'.
"I'm not fancying anyone, I've been recruited." Scorpius whispered softly, knowing that one of Clarice redeeming qualities was her ability to keep a secret. She smirked wickedly, and he was sure she had already guessed as much or at least wanted in on anything that she could use to her advantage.
"I won't tell a soul." Clarice promised, moving closer to Scorpius. He simply stared at her for a moment blandly before he continued to eat his food. "What have you been told to do!" Clarice whispered, then looked around to make sure that no one was really watching them.
Scorpius swallowed his food before smirking. "No outsiders knowing, it's his rule." Scorpius savored her look of disdain as she huffed and moved away to her group of friends. He ate the rest of his meal alone, much like he always did. He finished and left to get his books from his dorm then he was off to double potions. Oh the joy... He got to sit in a dark room with everyone sweating over cauldrons in cramped quarters. He would take his sweet time. As of now, there was only one good thing about it.
Rose moved as close to the wall as possible, pressing her side against the cold stones as she pulled out her parchment of potion's notes and set it, along with her potion's book, on her lap. Most would wonder why she had left so much room at their table and bench she sat on. It was because of him. Him and his sneer when he came near her, the way his nose scrunched like he smelled something foul, then way he sat on the edge of the bench and left as soon as close was over. This time, she would give him as much space as he needed and she was sure she was clean as a whistle and had her favorite perfume on as well. There would be no need for his distaste.
As usual, Scorpius came in the last minute and sat beside her. She pretended she didn't notice him, but the fact that he neither sneered nor sat on the very edge of his seat had her suspicious. Had her efforts been successful? Did he no longer think that she was repulsive, or had he just decided to ignore her completely.
"Hello." Rose eyed the boy beside her questionably. Now he speaks, was this some sort of joke on her? If so, she didn't want to give him any leeway...but mum had always taught her manners. She supposed she must use them to even the most...distasteful of sorts.
"Hello." Rose replied, still suspicious of his intentions but she might as well try and figure out what those intentions were couldn't she? Yes, that is what she would do. She offered him a small, and she meant just the barest lift of the tips of her lips, smile before opening her book to the page she knew they would be learning from that day. At least, she thought so considering they had concluded the previous page the last time they had been in class.
"How was your weekend?" Again, Malfoy was talking to her! Rose felt like narrowing her eyes and watching him skeptically but decided to try and play it cool. Try was the key word in that sentence. She wasn't a actress in anyone's opinion, but she could certainly try...
"It was pleasant, overall. Everyone loved the costume contest for Hallows Eve, though I've had some comments that we should have a party as well. Get the Devilsh Darins to come and sing, a party committee, and just things like that. How was yours?" Yes, while he had gone away she had all the complaints, well intended advice, and questions that needed to be answered. Meanwhile, he went off and enjoyed a weekend of peace and tranquility. Where was the justice in the world? Certainly siding with the Malfoys.
"Overall a waste of my time." Scorpius said lowly, and when Rose looked over at him she noticed his gaze was pointed at the newly entered professor. Where was their Potion's Professor? Scorpius' eyes seemed to narrow, his gray eyes slits of suspicion at the blue haired professor. Rose let herself stare at the professor as well.
Either a metamorphmagus, or someone was a eccentric for being punk or just different. It was hard to tell if it wasn't just a charm, potion gone wrong, or his traits coming out since his eyebrows and goatee were also blue. He was dressed in mostly black but his robes were trimmed in just the faintest hint of green. He had a red hook in one ear and on his finger was a solid gold ring. A color for each of the houses, that was certainly nothing she had heard a professor doing.
"Hello class, I am here as your substitute Potion's Professor after Professor Youland had her unfortunate accident Saturday night. You wouldn't have heard about it unless you were up at three in the morning." The substitute scanned everyone and was satisfied with what ever he found in their expressions.
"I am Professor Riven, and you should call me such at any time you see me, if that be in class or in the halls." Professor Riven stared at Scorpius in particular when he said that, and Scorpius glared at the man. Riven just seemed to smirk and move on. There was some sort of history between the two, and it intrigued Rose greatly.
"I will not play favorites on any students in my class and do not expect to get through my class by relying on your partner's talents. You shall be graded on your performance and knowledge of potion's and how to correctly brew them." Riven leaned back on his temporary desk and sat on the edge. He watched them for a few moments before pulling his potion's book and beginning to go through it.
"This is just a bloody mess..." Scorpius murmured under his breath, and she doubted he even knew he had done it. Rose wasn't sure what to do, it certainly wasn't any of her concern if he didn't get along well with the substitute...
"Page78." Professor Riven finally said, and Rose just smiled as everyone began to turn to their pages. She was already at the page. "Miss...Weasley is it?" Rose nodded and Riven continued. "Are you going to turn to your page?" Rose looked down at her page, it said 78.
"I'm already at my page, Professor." Rose said, showing him her book. He made a note on his page and seemed to be humming a tune softly. Call her crazy, but it almost sounded like Ring around the Rosie.
"Good, good...someone who comes prepared. See me after class, Miss Weasley, you too Mr. Malfoy." Professor Riven said distractedly, scanning the pages her was supposed to teach. "Everyone there?" Riven whirled around and slammed his down in front of a nervous Ravenclaw. A bit of dust flew up around the edges of the book as the girl had nearly jumped out of her seat but held on tightly to the wooden bench and leaned as far away as possible from their new professor. She nodded franticly and the professor picked up his book and set it on his desk.