Chapter Four:
I got in trouble for turning Hippelby's hat into an owl. I lost another house point, and had to sit through an hour long detention transfiguring toothpicks into flobberworms for Hagrid's next class. I didn't mind though - Scorpius was waiting outside for me, and then he walked me back to the Gryffindor common room. We never ran out of things to say to each other - he was smart, funny, and actually interested in my life as well! I told him about my mum's promotion at the Ministry, my dad wanting me to get a big important job at the ministry - I even told him about Hugo having a huge fight with my mum about how he should be allowed to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas.
Scorpius told me things too. How his father and mother could barely look at each other these days, how he was worried about his NEWT Potions grade, how as Seeker and Captain for his house Quidditch team, he was certain that the Slytherins would lose their upcoming match...
My hand flew to my mouth, making my lips smart. "Quidditch! I completely forgot! I'm the Captain and I haven't done anything yet!" I shrieked, "Who's your next match against?" I asked, my words stumbling over each other.
"Ravenclaw," Scorpius said, almost robotically. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"If it had been Gryffindor I would have died," I exaggerated.
We had reached the Fat Lady by this point, and had just been standing outside, talking for about half an hour. I said a hurried good-bye to Scorpius, waiting an infuriatingly long time until I was sure he was out of earshot.
"Mimbleweed," I told the Fat Lady, who gradually and ungraciously swung open. I leaped though the portrait hole, grabbed a pen and paper and racked my head, trying to recall my timetable. I then hastily scribbled down a notice and pinned it to the noticeboard.
Gryffindor Quidditch Trials:
Wednesday 4th October, 5pm on the Quidditch Field.
Contact Rose Weasley if you are interested.
Very quickly, a cluster of aspiring Quidditch players formed a mob around the sign. I played as a Chaser - I hadn't really wanted to be Seeker, that was Albus' job. He was good at Quidditch, actually. I hope no-one will be better than him so I can have him on my team.
It suddenly struck me - how were Albus and Scorpius such good friends? I could see how they liked each other, obviously, but they were in different Houses, and were taking barely any of the same classes.
As I wondered about this, it occurred to me that a herd of my potential team-mates had realised that I was Captain of the Quidditch team this year, and had started pestering me about what to do for trials.
"Oh, um..." I began, not really knowing what to do. "Just come to the field at five if you're interested, like it says," I stammered, before rushing up to the girls dormitory to escape the flood of students that had threatened to engulf me.
Leanne and Mara were already up there, stretched out on the bright red four-poster beds.
"Rose, we heard that you turned Hippelby's hat into an owl today!" Leanne laughed, sitting upright when she saw me.
"We thought that it can't of been true, because you would never do something like that!" Mara giggled, mirroring her sister. I bit my lip, and tried to not look guilty. Their laughter was instantaneous.
"Oh, why, Rose? Why would you do that?" Mara choked out between giggles.
I shrugged. "I wanted to apologise to Scorpius about what I said in the Great Hall earlier," I muttered, shoving my books into my trunk, and sitting down on the edge of my bed.
I'd expected some taunts and giggles at what I'd just said, but I couldn't hear anything. Looking up, and trying to ignore the fact that I knew my face was bright red again, I saw Mara and Leanne wearing identical expressions, their mouths gaping.
It was Mara who spoke first, moving to sit next to me on my bed. "Rose, you have got to leave Scorpius alone! It's bad enough that he's a Slytherin, but...but he's a Malfoy!" she whispered gently, laying a hand gently on my arm.
"You, of all people, can't be seen with him! In any way." Leanne chimed in, shaking her head so that her fair hair rippled down her back.
I frowned. "Why not? I mean, why can't I, of all people, be friends with Scorp?"
Leanne and Mara exchanged a glance. "Well, because of your parents, of course. They were enemies - they fought for the extreme of opposite sides in the Second Great Wizarding War," Leanne explained, like that was all I needed to know.
"We did you a favour in the Great Hall earlier today - he needed to know to stay away from you..." Mara continued, but I interrupted her.
"Wait, you did me a favour? Are you telling me that you tricked me into screaming my head off about Scorp?" I asked, furious with them.
Mara shook her head. "No, we didn't plan that part. Sheila told us she saw you and Scorpius hanging around each other a lot, and we were worried. We didn't want him to hurt you! So...so we planned telling you at lunch about why you shouldn't be friends with him," she muttered, hanging her head.
I couldn't believe my ears. We sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes.
"It's not up to you who I spend time with. I don't mind the fact that Mara is dating James! Leanne, I didn't say a word when you went out with Andrew McLaggen or Liam Jackson! So why do you feel you have the right to tell me what to do?" I hissed, getting off my bed and storming out of the dormitory. I passed through the common room without bestowing a glance upon anyone who greeted me - even Willa, whom I liked best among our group besides Mara and Leanne.
As soon as the Fat Lady had swung shut with a snap, I was lost. Where should I go? I couldn't roam the corridors at night, not without permission from a teacher...
A teacher! I should go to see Hagrid. I hadn't visited him so far all year, and I really ought to. He was taking his break-up with Olympe much harder than he was letting on, and he didn't have many other friends.
I trod lightly, willing my footsteps not to be overheard by Filch or Mrs Norris. From what my mother told me, Mrs Norris had lived an extraordinary amount of years, and there was much speculation that someone had cast a spell on her that lengthened her lifespan. I sincerely hoped not - she was worse than Hippelby!
Dodging the places all students knew Peeves haunted on a regular basis, I made it outside the castle without so much as a dung-bomb on my head. It was a gusty night - my hair billowed and flapped about my face. I was just approaching Hagrid's when I noticed a figure running in front of me, next to the Forbidden Forest, their silhouette illuminated by moonlight. I would have walked past them, when the figure turned.
"Rose?" it said, ceasing to run. A tuft of blonde hair was lit by the moon, and I instantly recognised the person.
"Scorpius! What are you doing out here?" I said loudly, so that he could hear my voice over the howling wind.
Scorpius turned to face me. "Rose, get out of here!" he yelled, desperately.
"Why?" I replied, stepping towards him, nervous.
My answer came in the form of a scream from below. And then I couldn't leave. Not even if I wanted to. Because nothing, nothing in this world, could stop me from reaching my little brother.