(Author's note: The underlined parts of letters are crossed out but still legible... Kay?)
'Dear Mum,
I've fallen out with Albus. I know we argue sometimes but we've never fallen out properly. It feels really weird. We just sit at the table glaring at each other. He got mad at me for being friends with Scorpius. He's trying to control my life, Mum! I don't like it!
Lots of love,
Rose'
Rose sighed as she sent the owl to her mother, who always seemed to know what to do. Hopefully, she would be able to help Rose to get her best friend back. Well, Erin was her best friend, and perhaps Scorpius may be, but Albus and her had always seemed proper best friends. She wasn't sure how to explain it, but they had always been so close.
'Are we... Drifting apart?'
No. They'd make up eventually. Albus would say sorry for being so terrible to her friends and it would all be back to normal.
'I think.'
Hermione's reply was somewhat vague.
'Dear Rose
Oh dear. It sounds like this term hasn't been so fun! I'm not really sure how I can help you, honey, it sounds like something you and Albus need to sort out. Just apologise, it can't be that hard.' Rose suddenly recognised her father's handwriting.
'Yeah... Right. Rosie, we all know how hard it is to say sorry, even though I think Albus is right especially when you're so sure that you're right. So just... Tap dance around it. Don't say sorry, but sort of ask why you aren't talking... Get it?
Lots of love, Mum and Dad'
Rose sighed. She did get it, a bit. Her Dad wasn't really the best at explaining. But she sort of understood.
She decided she'd talk to Albus as soon as possible.
"Albus?"
There was no-one else in the common room, as it was late, and the Headmaster liked everyone out of the common room by 1am. Apparently, this hadn't been a rule in the 90s.
Albus glanced up from his book. It was only a small book, about 100 pages, but it was better than his brother James, who wouldn't read a book without pictures. Rose, however, had read books with hundreds and hundreds of pages, and read all of the books for her classes, cover to cover, and once read the dictionary. That one was a dare.
"Al?" Rose said again, louder this time, and giving his shoulder a shove. "Albus, don't be like that! Talk to me!"
Albus shut his book. "About what?" he snapped.
"About why you won't talk to me!" She turned him around to face her.
He was silent for a bit. "I'm not trying to control you... I'm just trying to look out for you."
Rose sighed. "Albus," she looked at him in the eyes. "You don't have to look out for me all that much. It's a nice thought, but I think I can tell who are the good people and who are the bad."
"But Scorpius' Dad-"
"Albus!" Rose said quickly, putting her hand over his mouth. "Don't bother. His Dad's different now... And I'm sorry I shouted at you."
Albus smiled. "I'm sorry too." He pushed his cousin onto the sofa and showed her three sickles. "By the way, Marley paid me to talk to you. And I did really."
Rose gasped. "Albus!"
"Don't be such a goody two shoes!"
Rose hit him with a cushion. "Shut up! I'm going to bed."
She got up to leave and was nearly out the common room when Albus threw a cushion and it hit her right in the back of the head. He laughed. "I win!"
