Fifth Year: Semester One
The train raced along through the weirdly misty September weather. Another year at Hogwarts was approaching with each clack of the speeding wheels; the all-important fifth year. The year we will be tested for our O.W.L's. I managed to snag an empty compartment; I need some thinking time before I finally set foot into the school for this momentous year. Planning is key. I need to decide how to organize my life for maximum achievement. To reach a balance between Quidditch, school work, and friends.
No boys allowed. As if last year wasn't enough to make that clear.
No fighting with Malfoy. He can be decent at times and detention isn't worth it.
I was certain to have forced contact with Albus, Malfoy, and Lucy often enough due to classes, but finding time for Nina and Riley would be imperative. However, the need for family time was easily remedied due to the fact that most of the Gryffindor Quidditch team was made up of Weasley's.
I was roused from my thoughts when Scorpius came slinking in.
"Oh yes, please sit down, make yourself comfortable. It's not like I was trying to get some peace of mind or anything." Not the best start for my required ceasefire I'll admit, but he was rudely impinging on my alone time.
"Give it a break, Weasley," he replies in monotone as he primly seats himself across from me. I pursed my lips to keep another string of insults from spewing forth. If I managed it at the end of last year, I can manage now.
"Why are you here anyways?" I ask in annoyance.
"Trust me, you aren't my first choice. Albus is out doing prefect duties, Alex is with some other Slytherins I'm not found of, and I am avoiding your mental cousin Lucy who is trying to give me detention for absolutely no reason."
"Whatever," I muttered dejectedly.
We lapsed into silence, ignoring each other for the most part.
He'd grown over the summer. He's still shorter then me, but I stand at a massive five foot nine inches of gigantic teenage girl, so that's not saying much. His hair is no longer in the slicked back style of his first few years, it evolved to the point of being that annoying bed-head style that he could only have pulled off with copious amounts of product and magic. His hair must feel crunchy from all the gel. I may sound like Nina here, but must praise is where praise is due, and Scorpius is fit. Muscles are filling in, and his shoulders are crazy broad for someone who used to be such a skinny git. Change his attitude, his personality, his hair, and his angry mouth and I'd date that. I guess most Quidditch guys get the muscle and tone, but Chasers bodies are by far my favorite. Not overly muscle-y, but not skinny, just toned. God, my hormones need to go die. No boys. Boys are bad. They will take your heart and smash it like a drunken giant.
"Bee in your bonnet Weasley?" Malfoy asks in a bored tone while raising a delicate eyebrow. I wonder if he plucks them or they're just naturally perfect. Well, perfect except for the small scar on the left one.
"How'd you get that scar through your eyebrow?" I ask. It had been bothering me for a while, and what better chance to interrogate him then when my neurotic cousin is off performing prefect duties.
He simply stares at me for a few more second as his eyebrow jumps even higher.
"It's always been there."
"Liar," I retort. "It wasn't there until our third year."
"Keeping a close watch now are we?" he says mocking me, most likely trying to deflect the question.
"Maybe, what's it to you?" I snipe back, arms crossing over my chest. He just stares blankly at me
"A piece of glass from a broken mirror cut me during winter break of our second year. I had some other cuts from it, but they all healed" he finally informs me while brushing his fingers almost self-consciously over the scar. I was either being lied to, or only getting part of the story.
"How'd you break the mirror?" I pryed even deeper, knowing I'm about to reach a limit, but not knowing exactly where that might be.
"Ran into it" he replies with a shrug
"Really? I though it was just shattered because your reflection is so ugly" I tease wickedly in an attempt to lighten the mood. He snorts at my comment.
"This coming from the girl with a mane of red hair."
"Heyyy!" I whine petting my frizzy short locks "Only Nina's allowed to call me a lion. And that's a cheap shot cause it's actually true."
"And your comment about me being ugly isn't?" he states. I'm not sure how to respond to that one. Yes, I don't think he's ugly, he's rather pretty actually, but that sounds too much like a compliment and therefore a defeat of my wit.
"If you're so ugly then why is a good portion of the girls on our year drooling after you?" I retort adding, "not that I would understand why, but it seems some people find you attractive enough." Pat on the back for a perfect deflection.
"Well then Highness, you're mane is reminiscent of your Gryffindors mascot, I'm sure there are some sort of guys in your house that could go for that."
"Doesn't matter," I say flinging my legs across the gap and resting my feet in the vacant seat next to Scorpius. "Boys are stupid." He just does his stupid eyebrow thing again and appears to observe me for a moment.
"If boys are stupid, then why are you getting beaten by one in potions and tying with one in the Dark Arts?" I roll my eyes.
"You know what I mean." I say in exasperation letting my arms drop back down to my sides and I returned to staring out the window.
The silence between us stretches out for feels like an hour before I speak again.
"How was your summer?" I query.
"Aren't we a bit behind on manners?" he mocked. He leans back as he sticks his hands nonchalantly into the pockets of his slacks.
"You still expect those of me after all these time?" I retort. "I thought you'd have learned by now."
"Touché" concedes with a nod.
"Well?" I ask in the paused that follows.
"Boring," he replies with a half shrug. "Flew, worked at my aunts shop."
"Did you watch the world cup?" I ask, "pretty big deal this year."
"We used to go every year, my father and I, but he's busy now, so I just follow along with the Prophet. I remember your aunt used to write for them."
"Yeah, she got a promotion. Now she's the head of the Games and Sports. She set up the whole Cup this year. It's kind of funny because the Holliehead Harpies won, and that's her old team."
"Is there not a single Weasley who isn't supremely successful?" he asks dryly as his eyebrow jumps into action.
"My uncle Percy is only the under-secretary to the minister. Does that count as unsuccessful?" I say with a bit of bitterness.
"Do I detect some anger there?" Scorpius questions sarcastically.
"None at all," I retort in equal measure. "How about you? Any qualms with family living?"
"I don't think I signed up for a heart to heart Weasley," the blonde counters easily.
"Why ever not?" I say with false surprise while dramatically holding my hand to my chest in pretend hurt. "Am I not good enough for you?"
"It may have to do with the fact that we hated each others guts for four years straight."
"Hate is such a strong word," I say flippantly flapping my hand as if to excuse the issue.
"You used to not only hex me, but physically attack me at times." He reminds me while inspecting his nails.
"Well you weren't much better," I retort. "I remember some a particularly nasty boils jinx you hit me with during our third year. Or that time you pushed me down a flight of stairs."
"I don't really think you want to get started stacking up delinquent acts that the other perpetrated."
"Fine, I think a truce is in order here, don't you?" I inquire sticking my hand out. "Detentions are such a waste of time after all," I add to bait my offer.
"Fine, truce" he replies clasping my hand. We shake on it.
"As fun as this encounter has been," Scorpius says while he proceeds to stand up. "I believe I have managed to doge your cousin and will be off to find Zabini and Nott. Good day your Highness." He sweeps me a bow and struts out.
I shake my head at him. How can you be so thoroughly exasperated and amused with someone at the same time?
….
After the sorting there was a great deal of hustle and bustle. Our old headmaster had retired, and Professor Longbottom was now Headmaster Longbottom. Which mean we now have a new Herebology teacher. In addition to that, Professor Slughorn passed away this summer. It had been a while coming, but still.
"Please welcome our new Potions teacher, Mrs. Daphne Gamp."
There was a small smattering of claps for her as she rose and nodded coolly. It is commonly known that the Gamp family had been one of the proud pure-bloods, and that Daphne was Draco Malfoy's sister-in-law.
I chose to clap, because if Neville trusted her, I do too. The fact that she is and married a pure-blood saying nothing about her if you really think logically. My family remained pure-blood for the longest time and look at us. We're the least blood caring people in the world. It's funny how people used to look down on Muggle Borns, but now we shun Pure-Bloods. Seems kind of ridiculous to me.
The next announcement had the whole hall a in a dither. Apparently Hogwarts would be hosting its first ever annual Winter Ball.
"Oh my God!" Nina exclaims, grabbing onto Quillins arm for dear life. "Oh my God!"
"Merlin, you think they'd just told her food makes you lose weight." I say as my golden blonde friend continues to squeal exclamations. Roxanne laughs at both my comment and the spazzing girl who then shouts,
"This means shopping for a new dress! And shoes! Rose, you're going to have to help me find new make-up spells, and I'll have to help you all pick out dresses as well and-"
"Whoa, there." I cut in, "who says I'm going? I don't have time or the ability for dancing."
"Don't be a negative Nancy Rose." Nina says brushing me off, "who doesn't want a chance to look like a princess and dance the night away with the boy of their dreams." She whimsically stared off towards the ceiling, as if imagining it.
"I think I'm going to puke." Roxanne quips dryly, staring at the girl. "But if I get asked, I'll probably go."
"Me too," Lucia chips in. "It is my last year after all. Best not to miss out on the fun"
"I wish I could goooo." Lily whines, "why can't I be a year older? Or why can't they have one in spring after I turn fourteen? S'not fair."
"You can go next year little Lily," James says. "This is for big boys and girls after all." Lily scowls at her brothers belittlement.
"I am very mature for my age," she replies with a scowl.
"I don't think having a boyfriend makes you mature Lil," Hugo states while munching on a turkey leg.
"You. Have. A. Boyfriend?" James deadpans, his tone holding a threat for an explosion of older brother protective speech.
"Thank you Hugo, for ruining my life." Lily moans before James starts a tirade about how she should not be dating yet, how she's too young, and all boys her age aren't trust worthy.
"I mean, look at Rose. She dated some douche bag and got cheated on," he points out. Insensitive to my feeling on the matter, as always.
"Thank you James for reminding me of how I got my heart stomped on, what ever would I do without you?" I reply with pursed lips.
"So'kay, we've ruined him for life" Hugo tells me with a pat on the back "He can't even talk to girls anymore; the farting charm hasn't worn off. It's quite strong Uncle Gorge has assured me and could last may even a year."
"Well, unless you have a cure for bastared-ness or cheating I don't particularly care. I'm over it, life moves on; let's not bring it up anymore. Kay? Good."
"Anyways!" Nina interjects, apparently back from her daydream. "Back to dress shopping."
….
"Today, we're going to work on patronusus." Our Charms professor, Miss Chang informs us. We all jolt at the name of the spell. It's not normally taught in school, simply because it's such a high level spell. Even some adult wizards are incapable of casting it. "I know it's a high level spell that we usually don't teach, but I got the okay to teach it from Headmaster Longbottom.
"Who can tell me- besides Weasley or Malfoy- what a patronus is?"
"A Patronus is a kind of positive force, and for the wizard who can conjure one, it works something like a shield against a Dementor. You have to think of the happiest memory you can remember, then lose yourself in the memory as you cast the incantation." A Ravenclaw explained.
"Excellent! What is the theory behind its practice?"
"That the Dementor will feed on the shield instead of the wizard's soul." The same Ravenclaw adds.
"Correct again! 10 points to Ravenclaw, Mister Summers. Now today we're going to attempt to cast patronus'. It is one of the hardest charms to cast, very high level, it won't be on your O.W.L's, not even on your N.E.W.T's. I don't even expect some of you to be able to cast a non- corporeal patronus, which is just the simple shield part. I will be extremely impressed if any of you can cast a corporeal patronus. That is when the spells takes on the form of an animal, often called ones spirit animal. The form, however, is subject to the casters changes in emotions. It is not uncommon for ones patronus to change shape after the death of a loved one. Now, who is the youngest wizard to cast a corporeal patronus?"
"Harry Potter of course," Scorpius answers without being called on.
"Thank you, Mister Malfoy, but next time, please raises your hand."
We're subjected to one of Professor Chang's infamous Harry-Potter-is-Awesome rants and all I can do is wonder why Uncle Harry had any romantic interest in her back in the day. She just seemed obsessive and emotionally unstable at times, but maybe she changed after the war. A lot of people did after all, war does that to people.
Finally we are waved away to attempt casting. I'll admit, I've done my fair share of research on the matter. I've hear Uncle Harry sing praise to the wonders of patronus and it's usefulness. I even had him explain the theory behind it numerous times over this summer, and even got Aunt Ginny to let me secretly practice. So it happened I'm not totally surprised when from my wand bursts a silvery lioness as I have managed a non-corporeal form before.
"Well done Ms. Weasley," Professor Chang congratulates me. "If anyone could have preformed this spell, I knew it'd be you."
"Thanks, professor," I say blandly. It's not that I don't appreciate the praise, but I hate that sounds like it's expected of me. That it's not something spectacular, because I am my mothers daughter, I am a Weasley, my family is full of war heroes after all. That it couldn't be me being exceptional of my own accord.
"Of course it's a lion," Scorpius taunts as his own translucent dragon steps up and stalks along side my lion. "Always a true Gryffindor aren't you."
"I'm surprised yours isn't a snake," I tease right back.
"Dragons are just as scaly and more dangerous," he replies simply.
"Just keep telling yourself that sweetheart" I mock as our patronus' respectively glide and pad across the room.
...
It's a Thursday night in November and Albus, Scorpius, and I have been packed into the library study since three o'clock. We've all skived off dinner in order to finish a very lengthy DADA essay. Around nine Nina and Alex come in loaded down with food for us. Nina exclaims that we're crazy and that if we weren't taking so many classes doing this essay wouldn't require so much work. Alex snorts at her comment
"Let the insane be" He instructs before ushering her out of our hideout.
Around ten we finish, having all checked each others and revised. Albus leaves to get ready for Prefect rounds and Scorpius and I pull out potions work to do until we get kicked out of the Library.
Amongst the scribbling of quills I take notice of another scar visible due to Scorpius' rolled up sleeves.
"I remember when you got that" I interrupt our work to point to the burn scar on his left forearm "Third year. I had to extract you from this exact room. Never actually was privy to how exactly you got it. Care to share?"
"I got burned, obviously Weasley" he says not even looking up from his work,
"Uh, duh, but most burns are easily healed without scaring. Didn't you get it looked at or anything?"
"No" he replies shortly
"Well why not?" I ask, now not only simply curious, but awfully intrigued. I assume he got it from who ever his abuser is, is that why he didn't get it checked?
"Because I didn't"
"Being vague is almost as much fun as other thing"
"Since when did you start caring about my well being anyways" he scowls in exasperation as he drops his quill and finally focuses his attention on me.
"Well, you are my eternal rival, so always I guess" I reply thoughtfully
"How cryptic of you" he retorts dryly, his lips forming a hard line of annoyance. You learn to read the few non-verbal cues one can glean from his stony features.
"I guess the main turning point would be that night you tumbled out of a fire place semi-conscious and bleeding and I had to get Albus, though that time with the burn on your arm did change it a little" I say. I know I'm crossing a very dangerous line here. My gut is saying go for it, like this needs to happen. When his face goes blank, or blanker then usual if that's possible, I know this is going to get ugly
"He told you" he says quietly
"No one told me, it's not hard to figure out. You underestimate my intelligence. However, I am not a huge snoop and have let it go, for you sanity as well as my own."
"The why the bloody hell do you bring it out now" he grinds out, eyebrows knitting in anger.
"I have kept it hidden, even from you. I know we're not exactly friend, but I do care enough about you that I think I may merit the truth about what's happening with you. I can tell from the look you're giving me now that pig may fly before I get this out of you. However, I've always forcibly inserted myself into your life. How is this any different? But if there's one thing you should know by now is that I'm stubborn as hell. Something you may not know is that I am extremely protective, and as my eternal rival, only I may give you your ration of crap." Scorpius gives a laugh devoid of any humor, one that rattles hollowly in his lungs.
"You are the most spoiled brat I have ever had the misfortune to meet highness. You can't always get what you want, and you're not going to get this for me. Ever." He starts stuffing his papers and quills violently into his bag.
I whisper a locking charm on the door hoping to stall him. I'm going to need all the time I can extract to manage getting my point into his exceptionally closed mind.
"I don't think you understand the position you're in." I tell him standing up and looking down at him "It's natural to want to cover up whatever's been happening, but if I've learned anything in the five years I've known you, and known you in a truly intimate and unique way, it's that you are slowly killing yourself."
"We're all dying anyways" he states as he stands up and brushes past me for the door. He tries the knob but nothing happens "Did you lock the fucking door Weasley?"
"Maybe. But listen to me, the timer on the door won't go off until eleven so you might as well" He snarls and paces back to his seat where he drops he bag and throws himself into his seat.
"This is the last time you will ever talk to me Weasley, so make it good"
"Who's to know if your soul will heal at all, the one you sold to fool the world. You've lost any meaning along the way, and you should know that the lies won't hide your hurt. No sense in hiding all the pain, because it will build up until you either explode or implode. Neither of which is a pleasant option. I don't care who you tell, it doesn't have to be me. Tell Al, tell Alex, tell some stranger. But just tell someone, if not for yourself, then for everyone who cares about you." I pause and look at him, trying to gauge his reaction. His face is masked once again, any of the rage before hidden by his icy façade.
"It's what you can't say that hurts the most. Sure you may fall to pieces if you finally spill, but you'll fall into place as well. Things have this odd way of working out in the end."
I hear the door click, signaling its unlocked state. Scorpius stands silently, walks past me without a whisper of a noise, and disappears into the night.
I plunk down in my seat and give a heavy sigh. I'm going to be caught out after curfew most likely, but I am in serious need of a moment.
I really should have thought that one ahead. Planned it out or something. Not just jumped on him. Curse my impulsive nature.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid" I berate myself banging my potions textbook against my head "Figures he'd be all glacier-like. Why do I even try? He'd never believe I'd actually care, he probably assumes I'm trying to find his weakness or something. Stupid Malfoy's" I sit and sulk with my forehead against the desk. I'm not usually one for self-loathing and moping, unless it's grade related, but there's something, I don't know what exactly, that makes me emotionally receptive to Scorpius. I guess I never noticed before when all the feeling were anger and agitation. I don't do compassion well, I normally tell people to buck-up and help them laugh it off. Scorpius is beyond anything I've had to deal with. Yet, there's something, something I don't understand about him, us, and whatever war dance we do around each other.
It drives me mental.
Cleverness is something I usually would associate myself with. However, no matter how hard I contemplate, and I've been doing so more often then I'd like to admit, this thing escapes me.
I finally give up and shove off to bed, knowing I'll be up till all hours anyways trying to figure out what it is that keeps me attached to someone I hate. Hated I suppose I have to say now.
Merlin help me, this is going to be complicated.
Wooooooow, super late update. Haha. I was going to post the enitre eff'n semester, but it's 7 thousand plus words and I only had the first half edited but the lovely Miss Dazey, who will hopefully keep doing so for me. So for now, you get this. Yes, I suck and I'm keeping you waiting, even after these three weeks. But trust me here, the wait will be worth it. The next chapter will contain some yummy drama (yes, I just said yummy drama, you may laugh), but for now enjoy some filler moments with nothing but plot and relationship biulting... plus that last bit. Yes, it was not edited in case you couldn't tell, but I thought it would make it a least a simi-interesting read.
But you better love me for this, cause I re-wrote this chapter 3 times from scratch. It was a bitch, but worth it (at least to me, cause it really did suck)
I'm off to go finish the other half of this and then write the final semester of thier 5th year.
Hope to hear from ya'll!
