CHAPTER 7
"Expecto Patronum." I mutter, creating nothing but a pathetic silvery smoke. It hovers there for about five seconds, and then disappears. I sigh and try again, raising my wand and waving it around my head.
"Expecto PATRONUM!" I practically yell, yet still nothing. I throw down my wand in exasperation and flop down on a stool in the Astronomy Tower. I have by now figured out that no-one comes up here during the day, so I can pretty much do what I like. A large portrait of Albus Dumbledore in his study silently watches me.
"What memory were you thinking of?" He asks suddenly, pushing his spectacles up.
Taking me by surprise, I reply, "Well, I was thinking of the first time I ever rode on the Hogwarts Express."
He nods. "And is that a happy memory for you?"
I sigh. "Yes it was. It was when everything was so much simpler. I could be friends with who I like, and no-one was bothered by it."
He looks at me for a moment, then says, "Perhaps you didn't imagine it clearly enough. Try it again."
I bend down to pick up my wand and picture it in my mind…
"Hi, can I sit here?" He asked timidly, glancing around. He had short white-blond hair and sharp grey eyes that seemed to look everywhere at one.
"Sure, go ahead" I said, pointing at the seat opposite me.
"I'm Scorpius Malfoy." He said, extending a hand towards me.
"Rose Weasley." I say, taking it and shaking.
The hours that followed were full of laughter, smiles and sweets. Never had I met anyone who had quite understood me the way he did, who I could talk to the way I could with him…
My eyes shut, I clenched my wand. "Expecto Patronum!" I cried, throwing my arm forward. My eyes opened in time to see a brilliant white otter fly out of the tip of my wand. It swam around the room, lighting it up somehow before disappearing into a book-filled corner.
I watched the wall for a while, unable to grasp what had just happened. I had conjured a Patronus. I was a Fifth Year and could conjure up a Patronus. I felt elated, a feeling that I couldn't describe. My whole body seemed to be tingling, I felt like I was flying so high above the stars. I turned excitedly to the portrait of Dumbledore, who had been watching me with a smile that filled his wrinkles eyes with a glint.
"Ah, an otter." He said slowly. "The same as your mother, you might know."
"It was the same as my mother's?" I gasp, my smile fading.
He nods, "Ah, yes. Miss Granger was a very fine witch. You obviously seem to take in her footsteps. After all, who could expect a Fifth Year to be able to produce a Patronus?"
I smile at this. "Thank you, sir."
"Anytime, anytime." He grins. "Remember, Miss Weasley, you can always come to talk to me, It gets lonely during the day." He says, slowly walking out of the frame. I watch him leave and jump up again.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Fred Weasley was a twin to George Weasley and helped in the creation of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He died in 1998 at the Battle of Hogwarts.
George Weasley was Fred Weasley's identical twin and was co owner of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Married to Angelina Johnson. Their children's names are Fred Weasley and Roxanne Weasley.
Ron Weasley was a very close friend to Harry Potter all throughout school and aided him in the fight against Lord Voldemort. He later became an auror and married Hermione Granger. Their children's names are Hugo and Rose Weasley.
Ginny Weasley was the only daughter to Arthur and Molly Weasley. Later in life she played Quidditch for the Holy Harpies and then worked for the Daily Prophet. She married Harry Potter. Their children are James, Albus and Lily Potter.
I read the passage of my History of Magic book without taking anything in. Seeing my name, much less Mum and Dad's names in a textbook come as no surprise to me. Being the daughter of Ron and Hermione Weasley and the niece of 'The Boy Who Lived' make you famous be default. My eyes mildly brush over Al's name and I get a tight feeling in my stomach.
We haven't spoken for a month now. Not since our little spat in the common room. After that, Scorpius had taken me down to McGonagall's office at explain why I wasn't in Potions. We made up something about me being ill and too tired to walk down to the Hospital Wing, which wasn't far from the truth. Scorpius had been great, yet somewhat disturbed. He had been acting funny all month.
Perhaps that was why I had been so determined to learn the Patronus Charm. To bring more happiness into my life. And the feeling that I got when I did it was just what I had been craving. Pure joy.
The door of the dormitory burst open and Roxanne runs in, a bewildered expression on her face.
"Rose! Al… Scorp… Hall…" she manages between breaths.
I stand up "Rox, what is it?"
She looks up at me with scared eyes. "Al and Scorpius have gotten into a fight in the Great Hall. You're the only one who can calm Scorpius down-" I cut across her, running until I get to the Entrance Hall.
People are gathered round everywhere, watching the doors to the Hall, where flashes of light are being thrown around. I run in, yet stopped by the crowd, unable to do anything but watch.
Scorpius is standing with his back to the door and his wand pointed at Al, who is facing him, his wand at the ready too.
"Incendio!" Al shouts, and a breath of fire shoots out his wand, which Scorpius narrowly avoids.
"Do you know how unhappy you've made her?" Scorpius shouts at him. "Why can't you just let her be?"
"Because I love my cousin too much to let her throw away her life and love on… you!" Al retorts, shooting red sparks out of his wand, singeing Scorpius's robes.
"Al, just stop. Please, you're going to get hurt!" I hear Christine cry from somewhere, but they are too far gone to realize anything.
"What if she wants to?" Scorpius continues randomly shooting spells at each other. "What if she doesn't care what you think of her?"
"She could never want you." Al says clearly. Scorpius stops dueling for a moment at stares at Al, an unreadable expression on his face. He suddenly begins throwing spells at him so forcefully, so angrily, that I'm surprised Al wasn't knocked off his feet.
"You're a monster, Albus Severus Potter, and that's all you ever will be." Scorpius says in a choked up, yet still strong voice. "Sectumsempra!"
And then it happens. So slowly.
A bright light flashes and Al falls to the ground, landing with a thud. A deafening silence fills the Great Hall. Scorpius has a mixed look of horror and satisfaction on his face. Suddenly, a scream.
"AL!" Christine throws herself forward and runs towards his still figure, covered in blood and kneels down beside him, apparently unaware of the hundreds of eyes staring at her.
"WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON IN HERE?" A loud voice fills the Hall. We look ever and see McGonagall at the entrance, swiftly making her way towards the scene. She watches for a moment and turns to face the rest of the students. "UNLESS YOUR NAME ENDS WITH POTTER, WEASLEY OR MALFOY, YOU MUST LEAVE. NOW."
A gaggle of disappointed students leave the Hall. McGonagall turns to the small crowd of teachers at the right of the entrance. "Poppy, could you please arrange a place for Mr Potter in the Hospital Wing?" She directed this to Madam Pomfrey, who nodded, hovered him up onto a stretcher provided by Flitwick and moved him out of the hall.
McGonagall now turned to Scorpius. "Mr Malfoy. I expected much better from you. Everyone but you and Rose may leave."
I didn't look at Scorpius. I couldn't.