Chapter three

A day like today

Albus sat in the Slytherin common room alone. The dim lights lay on him and he glared at the letter he was writing to his father. Yesterday James had lectured him about being in Slytherin. What would his father's reaction be? He dreaded it and knew that he'd regret sending this letter once he had.

"Um, Albus, we have class now." Kris Shacklebolt had just entered the room. "Today we have charms with the Ravenclaws."

Albus smiled. Finally! It was his first class that he'd have with Rose. Albus hated Scorpius but Kris was an okay person. Albus wouldn't dare yell at the son of Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic.

"I have to finish this letter to my father." Albus replied.

"Ahhh, a letter to the famous Harry Potter," Kris said. "Finish it later. Don't worry, I'll remind you."

Albus stuffed the piece of parchment into his bag and threw his quill into the fire. Kris gave him a funny look as if to say "what the hell was that for?"

"It's a superstition." Albus replied with a smile. "Every time I leave a room with a burning fire in it, I throw my quill into it in hopes that the next time I write I'll have an idea."

The two left the common room together and headed out of the dungeons.

Rose quickly took a seat in the Charms classroom. She wrote a letter to her mom this morning about how well she had slept and then she had gone down to breakfast. She hadn't seen Albus down there but instead noticed that Scorpius Malfoy had been staring at her from the Slytherin table. Louis had come over to the Ravenclaw table and sat with Rose for a few minutes. They had a nice conversation until a bunch of the Ravenclaw girls had begun to fuss over Louis.

"I have to go Rose." He had left the table so quickly and sat with the rest of the family over at the Gryffindor table.

Rose took out a spare piece of parchment and began to doodle on it. Scorpius Malfoy had just entered the room. He was looking a bit shy and when he saw Rose he came right over.

"Mind if I sit here?" He asked and sat down anyway. Rose gave a small smile and went back to her drawing. "That looks very nice. You have a real artistic talent."

"Thanks," Rose answered.

"So why don't you ever want to hang out?" Scorpius asked with a joking smile.

"My family doesn't really like you." Rose replied staring into Scorpius's eyes.

They were so beautiful. Rose wanted to look into them forever. If only she could.

"So, you don't want to be friends because my dad was enemies with yours when they went to school?" Rose nodded. "That sounds stupid. Our dad's dislike for each other has nothing to do with us."

Rose turned back to her drawing. Scorpius was right. They were not there when their dads had gone to school. If only Albus, James, Molly, Lucy, Fred, Victoire and Teddy saw it that way. At that moment Albus walked into the classroom with Kris Shacklebolt. He looked outraged. Albus walked straight up to their desks and began to cause a scene.

"What are you doing sitting with my cousin?" He shouted. "You have no right to be around us!"

"Al, calm down." Kris pleaded.

"Look, Potter, can't we just be friends." Scorpius asked. "You're starting to look like an ass."

"Me? The ass? You want to be friends, Malfoy? You're looking crazy!" Albus cried.

"Albus, you're being a prat" Rose said.

"Albus, let's sit down over there." Kris begged, pulling Albus by the arm and trying to guide him to the desk in the back of the room.

Albus wouldn't budge. He glared at Scorpius for a few minutes. Finally, Kris was able to lead Albus away from Scorpius and Rose. Scorpius looked back at Rose who was flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry," She grumbled.

"You don't have to apologize." Scorpius smiled. "I am use to people being mad at me for what my father used to be a part of."

"Well, I'm sorry that you had to go through that. My cousin is very protective." Rose said as the Professor walked into the classroom.

"Okay class," The professor called. "Take your seats."

Albus,

Stop trying to kill Scorpius. He's done nothing wrong. Please, as a friend and a cousin.

Love Rose

Albus looked at the note Rose gave to Kris after class. He frowned. Rose didn't even know Scorpius. She shouldn't be sticking up for him. Her father even told her not to hang out with him. Albus looked at Kris who shrugged and walked away. Albus crumpled up the note and tossed it into the waste bin upon exiting the classroom. He scowled as he made his way to the entrance hall and out the front door to the Green Houses. Rose and Scorpius had headed up there earlier. Professor Longbottom, once a friend of Albus's father and Rose's father, would see the two together and then write to Uncle Ron. Then Rose would be forbid to hang out with him.

But would that stop Rose?

Rose normally did what her father told her to do. That was enough for Albus he walked into Green house six with a smile and sat down next to Kris.

"You're almost late." Kris warned. "Next time leave when I do."

Albus shrugged.