This chapter has more substance to it.

CHAPTER TEN

CONNECTIONS

After that dream – but could it really be classified as a dream? – Rosie was doing so much better. It started slowly, with her actually smiling when she saw Harry, Ron or Scarlet. She smiled rather large when she learned that Harry and Scarlet were a couple now. Next Friday would make it about two months.

It was a bitter cold winter. But that didn't deter Rosie's progress. She started studying more and caring more so she was doing better in her classes. All her teachers were relieved.

Rosie started writing to her parents, urging them not to worry any longer. She didn't tell anyone about her dream. She just wanted to keep that part of Cedric to herself. Maybe someday she could go visit Amos Diggory and spend an evening with him just talking about Cedric. That sounded like something she could do in time.

Harry was ecstatic to see Rosie doing so well. They spent late nights talking about the fire. Rosie could finally talk to him about Cedric – sharing random memories that made her smile. But she never asked Harry to tell her how he died. She didn't want to mar his memory with that nightmarish vision. And he never offered.

"Walker!"

Rosie twisted to see Draco Malfoy walking up to her in the library. It was late and no one else was around. Rosie raised one eyebrow at him, "Back to surnames, are you?"

"You didn't seem to appreciate my calling you Rosalind last time. Make up your mind," Malfoy drawled.

"I guess Rosalind will do just fine... Draco," she told him as she removed a tome and started walking down the aisle.

"You seem better," Malfoy mused.

Rosie nodded as he followed behind her, "I am."

"Why?" he asked out of the blue.

Rosie furrowed her eyebrow at him, "Why? Its not like it isn't a good thing..." She still couldn't figure out why she was even talking to him of all people.

"I'm not saying that, it's just that – well it was kind of like a switch was turned or something," Malfoy lagged behind her, "I guess I'm only curious as to why the switch was turned."

Rosie paused, "I just thought I might put an effort into moving on. Cedric would want me to be happy and I have to honor that. It isn't easy but I am trying."

"I think it's more than that," Malfoy argued, "This isn't something you came up with on your own."

"Maybe my friends got to me, did you ever think of that?" Rosie snapped.

Malfoy put his hands up, "Whoa, keep your knickers on. I was only making an observation."

"Why are you even bothering making any observations about me? You hate me," Rosie told him. She was utterly confused as to why Malfoy had talked to her on more than one occasion and why she kept talking to him.

"What made you think that?" Malfoy scoffed.

"Really?" Rosie asked incredulously.

Malfoy grew serious and shrugged, "I never hated you. That was the jealous spiteful little twelve year old who grew up being told that everyone was below him."

Rosie inwardly rolled her eyes but kept a straight face. What was his deal? "And you've had a sudden change of heart, I suppose?"

Malfoy shrugged again, "I guess you could say that."

"And why should I believe you? Considering all the bad blood," Rosie asked with an eyebrow raised.

"That's stupid feuds a bunch of ancient wizards passed onto us; not really us," Malfoy said.

Rosie crossed her arms, "It was really me that called you pathetic, and everything else I've called you over the years. You're trying to tell me that it wasn't really you who called me all those names—as well as my best friends."

"That's exactly what I'm saying!" Malfoy almost shouted. "Yes it was me physically and at the time I meant it all because I was spoon fed all those lies and they made me believe it all. I was just a stupid snot nose kid who didn't know any better."

Rosie didn't say anything yet. She didn't know how to respond to this. "What is the point of telling me all this?"

"I guess..." Malfoy sighed, "I wanted a second chance. Mending bridges if you will."

Rosie's eyebrow furrowed, "How do you know that saying? It's Muggle."

Malfoy averted his eyes, "Just around."

Rosie nodded, still suspicious, "Sure."

"So, will you?" Malfoy asked, "Give me a second chance, I mean?"

Rosie considered this. What if he wasn't sincere? He sure seemed sincere. But you never really knew, did you? She inwardly sighed, what would it hurt? "Fine."

Mafloy smiled – a real smile – "Thank you."

"Malfoy?" Ron shouted, "You made friends with Malfoy?"

Rosie shrugged and curled up on the couch in the common room, into Harry's side. "Yes."

"Are you mad?" Ron shouted again.

Rosie gestured for his to be quiet, "Shhh. You'll wake up the whole Tower."

"Maybe I'll wake you up too! What are you thinking, being friends with Malfoy?" Ron shot back at her.

"Not really friends. More so, not enemies," Rosie elaborated.

Harry looked down at her, "Ron's right, though. Malfoy could be dangerous."

Rosie rolled her eyes, "Malfoy has always been big talk with no action. He's harmless."

"But his family isn't," Harry said.

"Yeah," Ron joined in, "They're all a bunch of pureblood gits set out to massacre us."

"Not all of them. Andromeda is alright. So is Uncle Sirius. And my father." Rosie pointed out.

Ron waved his hand dismissively, "They hardly count. They're so distant that you could barely notice any relation at all."

Rosie shrugged, "It's not like I'm going for strolls in the Forbidden Forest with him. I'm just... not going to constantly fight with him. I figured it'll be a good thing for as long as it lasts. The never halting rivalry is taxing."

Harry shook his head, "I guess. Just.. be careful."

Rosie smiled at her adoptive brother, "Don't worry so much."

"You heard her, Harry," Scarlet told her boyfriend, "Don't worry so much. Rosie is a big girl, she can take care of herself."

"But it's Malfoy!" Harry argued as he saw his best friend and arch nemesis casually conversing on the other side of the library.

Scarlet rolled her eyes, "He'll never prove himself if you are always judging him by your naive, juvenile assumptions of him when he was younger. If you keep treating him like a dirty Slytherin then that's all he'll ever be. Just give him a chance."

Harry sighed, "I'm not going to suddenly become his best friend."

Scarlet pecked his cheek, "And I'm not asking you to. I'm only asking you to trust Rosie."

"Something is happening," Regulus said bluntly to his wife after they put Cedrella to bed.

Angie looked at her husband and asked, "What?"

"Something is happening in the Dark Magical World," Regulus elaborated, "Wizards are whispering of something coming and we're not sure what – or who – that is."

"You don't think..." Angie trailed off, her mind going to the obvious places.

Regulus shrugged, "Sirius thought the same. He went straight home to make up with Hermione."

"That'll be good, she's been a mess. But who could bring him back? Who would want to? Most of his followers have made families and careers for themselves, forgetting about him. And the people who haven't are in Azkaban. We caught Pettigrew!" Angie started to pace.

"Maybe it isn't Pettigrew this time," Regulus suggested.

"I don't know who else it could be!" Angie threw her hands up.

Regulus took a seat and tried to get Angie to sit down too, "You said He had summoned his Death Eaters at the graveyard. So just because in your time Pettigrew was the one to bring Him back, doesn't mean that no one else would this time."

"Voldemort could only summon them and force them to come after he was brought back to full power by Pettigrew," Angie dismissed her husband's theory and threw herself onto the couch next to him. Regulus took her in his arms and rubbed circles on the back of her hand soothingly. Angie sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder, "I wish we could figure this one out."

Regulus nodded, "I know you do. But we can't know everything. For now we just have to pay attention and wait for new information."

Rosie ignored whoever she had bumped into as she ran towards the Gryffindor Common Room entrance. She shouted the passwords, startling the Fat Lady and rushed in, looking around like a crazy person.

"Where's Harry?" She asked Hermione.

The witch pointed and Rosie ran to where Scarlet and Harry were snuggled on the couch. She jumped in front of them and shouted, "Harry!"

The couple jumped and Harry looked up at his best friend wide eyed, "What is it?"

Rosie took a deep breath, "I got a letter from mum with information about You-Know-Who!"

Scarlet gasped and Harry's mouth dropped open, "And what did it say?"

Rosie gathered the paper out of her cloak pocket and read, "Your father says that dark wizards alike are whispering of something coming. Naturally, we assume that this something could be You-Know-Who. We are looking into it but for now we ask you, Harry and Ron to please be aware and stay out of trouble."

Scarlet looked scared, "So... You-Know-Who is back."

Rosie shook her head, "No that's not what she's saying. She's saying that he may be brought back in the future. When he disappeared... he's something less than human now. And there's a dark ritual that needs to performed to bring him back to full power. Certain people have been working to prevent this but it seems that other wizards are finding ways around their efforts."

Rosie paused, not knowing if she was revealing too much to Scarlet. But then it occurred to her that her parents never mentions Harry being with any girl named Scarlet. They mentioned that he dated a Cho Chang, and even Ginny when they were young but Harry didn't date any girl named Cho and now he was dating Scarlet.

"Scarlet?" Rosie started abruptly. The girl in question smiled at her and said, "Yes?"

"Where are you from?" Rosie started curiously.

Scarlet looked surprised at the question but answered, "Thames. Why?"

Rosie wracked her head for the series of places attacked by Death Eaters back when Voldemort was alive. She stood and said, "I'm going to go write mum back. Just thought Harry should know what's going on. Be safe."

Rosie wrote in the owlry to her mother...

Scarlet is my friend and I don't think there is anything wrong with her. But you never mentioned anyone by her name. I know that this is a different time line but I must wonder...

"...where she came from," Angie read out loud. "I haven't met Cho. Scarlet makes Harry happy and that makes me happy. But I'm just being cautious."

"Try paranoid," Sirius muttered.

Hermione lightly smacked her husband on the arm and gestured for Angie to keep reading.

"I asked her where she was from and she told she was born in Thames. I know that she is muggleborn but people have lied before. I just wanted to check with you if she was for real before things get too serious with her and Harry. I'm probably being too overprotective and ridiculous but it doesn't hurt to check, right?" Angie sighed, "My daughter is a lunatic."

Regulus shrugged, "It's alright for her to be concerned. And she's right, it doesn't hurt to check."

"Wasn't Thames one of the places the Death Eaters ransacked during their raids?" Ginny asked out loud.

Hermione stood and went into her library – they were at Sirius and Hermione's home – and came back with a large file. She set it on their table and spread the pages across the dark wood, "These are the recordings of all the places that the Death Eaters raided and the census of injuries and deaths from our original time line. I've high lighted all the places that were still raided in this time line and people still injured or killed. Start looking for Thames."

Rosie sighed as she spotted Harry and Scarlet holding hands by the lake. It was very cute. She smiled when she saw Scarlet laugh at something Harry said. "Rosie?"

She turned and saw Draco walking up, alone. He seemed to be coming from the library for he had three large tomes in his arms. Rosie awkwardly waved, determined to give this friendship a real try. "Hello. Studying?"

Draco looked down at his books and then back at her, "I guess so. Why are you watching Potter and Cadwell?"

Rosie crossed her arms, "His name is Harry."

Draco shrugged, "I am aware. But baby steps."

Rosie relented, "Alright. And I'm not really watching them. I just noticed them."

"Right," Draco drawled, "That's why you're sighing..."

Rosie rolled her eyes, "I know what you're thinking. I'm jealous because I want Harry all to myself."

Draco set his books down on the bench she was standing near, "Maybe I was. But can you really blame me?"

Rosie took a seat by his books, "Everyone seems to think so. My mum once told me that our dads thought we would end up together too. His dad was excited. Mine... not so much."

They shared a smile at that.

Rosie sighed, "But they were wrong. I've known of Harry since I was old enough to remember. And I've been his friend since we were eleven. And throughout those years he's become like a brother to me. And I love him. But that's it. I know people don't believe that but it's true. Besides, I'm happy for him and Scarlet. I'm the one who told him that he should ask her out."

Draco took a seat on the other side of his books, "And he listened?"

Rosie laughed lightly to herself, "Merlin no. He vehemently refused. She went to him while I was still... mourning."

It got quiet at the mention of that. Draco didn't know whether to stay on that topic or change the subject. "And are you still...?"

"Mourning?" Rosie finished. The platinum blond nodded. Rosie sighed, "I'm better than I was before but I've also been better before. Everything takes time."

Draco looked down, "I'm aware." He looked up when he heard gasps from afar. He noticed a Gryffindor couple gaping at them. He scowled back and they skitted away.

Rosie caught the exchange and rolled her eyes, "Aren't we supposed to be mature by now?"

"And how did Potter and Weasley react?" Draco shot back.

Rosie rolled her eyes again and crossed her arms, "Naturally, they thought I was mad. Mental, actually. Especially Ron. But I told them to trust me. And they do. They're not exactly rushing to invite you over for a slumber party but they're not as angry anymore."

"What of your friends?" She asked him.

He hesitated, "I don't really have any – besides you now."

She looked at him with a shocked look, "Are you serious? What about Crabb and Goyle?"

Draco shrugged, "Just thugs. I guess I do have Blaise. But even then, it's not the kind of friendship that you have."

"And what of Pansy? She's always fawning over you," Rosie rose an eyebrow.

Draco groaned at the mere thought of that pug face, "Parkinson is just some girl my parents picked out. And now she's in love with me. Always following me around. Touching me." Draco shivered at the memories.

Rosie laughed, "That's kind of hilarious."

He half-heartedly scowled at her, "Maybe to you."

Rosie laughed again and nodded, "Yes it is. Very."

He didn't say anything right away. He kind of looked at her for a moment before standing up and gathering his books, "I better go study now."

Rosie sat back and nodded, "I guess I'll see you around."

"Oh my..." Hermione trailed off.

"What?" Sirius asked his wife.

She mumbled to herself in wonder before smacking her hand on the page with a loud thwap! "I've found the census from Thames! Look at this..." Ginny and Angie peered over her shoulder at where she was pointing. The looked at the names scrawled in neat, thick black ink writing.

Lory Bubax (Deceased: 34)

Gregory Bubax (Head Laceration)

David Bubax (Deceased: 3)

Nathaniel Cab (Deceased: 19)

Daniella Caddy (Deceased: 25)

Felicity Cadwell (Deceased: 37)

Robert Cadwell (Deceased: 39)

Unborn Offspring Cadwell (Deceased while in the whomb)

"Wait, Cadwell. That's Scarlet's surname," Ginny pointed out.

"But why aren't their names highlighted, again?" Angie asked.

Hermione peered up at her, "I highlighted the names of people who were still hurt or killed in this time line. So Felicity and Robert Cadwell died in our original time line, but not in this one. And if you look in the margins, my notes say that Felicity was pregnant at the time. That must be Scarlet."

"If Felicity died in the original time line then that means Scarlet died before she was even born," Sirius commented.

"Scarlet didn't exist in our time so none of us or the others ever met her," Hermione explained, "But somehow with Angie, Ginny and I having gone back and changed things, made it so Scarlet would be born in this time line."

"So by extension – we saved her life..." Angie leaned away, towards her husband.

"And she's really who she says she is," Ginny pointed out.

Sirius grinned, "So it's alright for Harry to be with her."

Angie sighed in relief.

Suddenly, Sirius chuckled. Regulus looked at his brother and asked, "What is it?"

Sirius chucked again and shook his head, "What is it with the Potter men and red heads?"

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