Please note that I've changed last chapter slightly, when Matilda and James were plotting the Duel in a Transfiguration Lesson, Rose and Scorpius were then in fifth year.

Chapter XII

Fifth Year

Gryffindor House,

It's time you stopped trying to reach out to the Slytherins- we don't want to know.

Do you want to see how serious we are?

Trophy Room, Midnight, Tonight.

Better bring as many people as you can- you may be what some people call courageous, or as we say reckless, but you'll need as many numbers as you can gather.

Slytherin House.

There was an immediate uproar.

"Reach out, reach out to them?" Maddie Bell shrieked, outraged, "I wouldn't go near them with a ten foot broomstick!"

"They mean that Weasley, Rose Weasley," Another infuriated Gryffindor called and James thanked God that she had snuck out to see Scorpius (Even though she hadn't told him, where else would she be?), "She's the one that's going out with one of them- and now they think we want to be pals?"

"So who's going?"

"I am!"

"Me too!"

"We all should!"

"Wait, not the first years," James contradicted, still standing above them all on the chair, holding the challenge in his sweaty palm, "Maybe not even the seconds-"

"What are you talking about?" A second year piped up, her fists clenched in indignation, "You heard, we need as much people as we can get!"

"Yeah, I'm sure the Slytherins have no problem pushing out their lickle firsties into the fray!"

"So you want to lower yourselves to their standards?" James asked angrily, "There's no way- if I see any first years out there, I'm reporting you to the Head herself."

In unison, they glared mutinously up at him.

"Well, I'm not going." Diaz called out, "There is something about this I do not like…it's like they are trying to make us mad on purpose…and I have nothing to hurt them for."

Some people turned away from him in disgust, but James felt a rush of respect.

As people began to mill, grumbling and shouting, James flipped over to the back of the letter once more. In Matilda's elegant handwriting…

Like old times.

"Lumos." He muttered, holding his wand light to the parchment. Illuminated in a delicate silver, so very close to the shade of her hair, James realized, was a hidden message.

Thought we'd hold it in the Trophy Room; they'll make some noise, which will ensure that they get caught. We look forward to your message.

He swallowed, all too aware of the fact that it said 'they' instead of 'we'. As if she'd risk her own behind. Should he?

No, he wasn't like her, he never would be.

He would go into the fray with the rest of his brothers.

--

"Isn't it nice to hold hands in public?" Rose sighed, nestling into him, clutching his fingers tight.

Scorpius took a look around the school grounds. It was near dark, way past nine o'clock, the set curfew for all students, and there was not another person in sight. They'd spent almost three hours by the Lake, and it was nearing midnight.

"I wouldn't call it public." He chuckled, unlinking their fingers so he could wrap his arms around her.

"Well we're in the open." She corrected herself, "I know it's been a few months, but I'm still getting my head around it," A snide grin stole across her elfin features, "I can do this…"

She leaned up and pressed her lips to the side of Scorpius' neck. Each hair on it stood up. She suppressed a giggle, "Maybe even this…" With her free hand, she turned his face to meet hers and planted a kiss on his divine lips. He felt himself shiver- she could still unravel him with just the brush of her lips. She sat back, enjoying the feeling of euphoria bubble up inside her.

She turned her head to look at him, level with his defined jaw line, still a creamy colour, even after the long summer holiday that they had spent apart. Rose had enjoyed a summer of fun with her family, despite the silence between her sibling and cousins, which baffled their parents, leading them to assume that they had just spent too much time together at school. Scorpius endured a long summer holiday of confinement to his bedroom by his father, who refused to speak to him, and his mother, who felt no obligation to even look at him. He'd felt the smirk of his sister on the back of his neck for the whole six weeks. In fact, when he wasn't with Rose, he could feel it even then.

"I'm really happy." She told him, a light smile playing across her lips and a song in her heart, "I don't think I've ever been so happy. Even with James and everything. I just know I belong with you."

Scorpius turned to look at her, melting into her sky blue eyes like butter on toast.

"I love you." He sighed, pulling her closer, "And I wouldn't want it any other way…"

There's a crash, a scream, and a rumble of yells to follow it. Both their heads snapped towards the East Wings of the castle. There were clatters, the sound of heavy metal crashing to stone paving.

"It's coming from the Trophy Room…" Rose breathed, "What the hell is going on?" From the volume of the yelling, they could tell that there was a lot of people in there. A lot of people.

"You don't think it's…?" Scorpius began. Rose looked to him fearfully.

"Not Slytherin and Gryffindor." She hissed, "Hugo could be in there!" Jumping up, she took off at a run towards the castle. Without a second thought Scorpius followed her.

"Why…what are they fighting for?" Rose gasped as her steps became heavier. She was losing her breath. Scorpius took her hand and together they flew through the deserted corridor, the screams becoming louder with each fleeting step.

But before they could reach the large wooden doors that would lead into the wide, handsome and very carefully organized Trophy Room, they heard the choked yells of the Caretaker, Mr Mace.

"What the…what the bleedin' hell…?" He wheezed, plodding along as fast as he could, brandishing a lantern with a look of complete disbelief on his face. Seizing her arm, Scorpius drew them behind a conveniently placed suit of armour. The Caretaker had just reached the door when three teachers came flying round the corner.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on here!" Professor Artins, the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher demanded, holding out his wand.

"Evidently a ruckus, Elijah." Professor Mayfield answered dully, dressed only in a frumpy nightie and already looking bored, "Couldn't they do it quietly?"

"I suggest you take a look at where your loyalties lie, Maris," Elijah retorted angrily, "A hot firewhisky in bed or perhaps the welfare of the students-"

"Are we going to open this door?!" Professor Ingus cut in exasperatedly. The two others remembered themselves and all of them burst in. A number of flashes illuminated the opposite walls, a few sparks escaping through the door, and the shouting was instantly magnified without the huge doors in the way. Scorpius held Rose closer than he thought safe.

"STOP IT, IMMEDIATELY!" Came a roar from Professor Artins, his voice obviously amplified through a charm, because it rang through the castle and shook the walls. The screams had stopped. The lights went out.

--

The only lessons Scorpius and Rose didn't have together were Herbology and Charms. The day after the duel between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Rose couldn't concentrate on pickling some exotic plant. She could only concentrate on Hugo, still unconscious in the hospital wing, not reacting when she clutched his hand tight.

Tears fell into her tray, causing the plant to smoke slightly and give off a series of squeaks. Within seconds, it had shrivelled away to a pip.

A hand fell on her shoulder. It was Professor Longbottom.

"Rose, would you like to go to the Hospital Wing? Honestly I won't be offended if you do." He gave her a small smile. Rose sniffed and nodded silently.

Her brisk footsteps bounced off the high arches of the Hospital Wing, and it wasn't until she looked up and saw that Hugo had another visitor that she stopped in her tracks.

"Hello Rose."

Rose dropped her bag, and various quills, books and ink bottles rolled out. She left them unattended as she took a brave step forward.

"What do you want?" She whispered.

--

Scorpius couldn't face Charms today, he had other things on his mind. Last night he and Rose had snuck away unnoticed as the Professors gathered all the many students from Gryffindor and Slytherin to take them to the Headmistress, taking down their names. It had taken a while, since Rose was reluctant to leave until she had heard her brother's name called. She hadn't. She had however seen him being taken away on a conjured stretcher down the opposite corridor. It had taken a lot of strength to prevent her from breaking free. The students were in serious trouble for their little escapade and he didn't want Rose being blamed for something she wasn't even capable of.

She'd sobbed into his arms until he'd let her go back to her common room, which was no doubt deserted except maybe for the youngest children. He knew she'd make a run for the Hospital Wing the moment he was out of sight.
So he'd found himself sitting under a staircase, alone, in the dark, silently. Just to mull things over. Just to get things straight.

"Hello Scorpius." The sudden greeting startled him, but not as much as when he looked up and realized just who he was talking to. Slowly he stood up, and faced this person full in the face, unafraid.

"What do you want?" He whispered.

--

"Oh, just a little talk is all I ask of you, Rose, sweetie." Matilda crooned softly, sitting quite properly in the small seat, feet together, legs positioned in an unquestionable right-angle, dainty hands in her spotless lap, "And I thought one in such a delicate predicament as yourself would find herself here. So I'm paying young Hugo here a little visit." As she patted Hugo's bedspread idly Rose realized just how much she despised how close she was to a member of her family.

"Talk." She prompted shortly, "And then leave. I don't want you near my family."

"Ah, now what a coincidence." Matilda chimed, almost triumphantly, "It seems your stepping on my toes, Rosie-"

"Rose." She corrected sharply.

"Now, now, let's keep a civil tongue." Matilda told her, although her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Rose felt a shock of fear. How could this be Scorpius' sister? "I believe you are aware of that display of savagery last night, something I am not proud of my house for, I can assure you."

Rose rolled her eyes, already tired of her, "Oh stop making a song and dance out of this and get to the point."

"So like James..." She simpered, almost affectionately, and it chilled her to the bone, "Now listen, Rose, I need you to keep up. The duel last night, it was a repercussion of your relationship with my brother."

Rose almost dropped to the floor. Steadying herself, she gaped at Matilda in horror. She seemed satisfied with her reaction, and continued.

"And you can see just how many people got hurt, from both sides, Slytherin or Gryffindor, I'm aware that you think that we are all people. We're very flattered, Rose." Matilda gestured to the other beds with a sweep of her hand, and Rose realized that it wasn't just her brother's bed that had been filled. Almost half the beds were occupied, by people she recognized from her house, her year, her dormitory.

Because of her.

"It seems that your relationship with my brother is like a black hole, Rose." Matilda continued, "It's pulling our houses together, and you know very well that we are like chalk and cheese. It's tradition. Only chaos can ensue. We've already been banned from Quidditch for the next year, which won't make you very popular at all, the star beater. What could possibly happen next?" She stared at her long and hard, her voice dropping to a harsher level, "I shudder to think."

--

"It's important that you listen to me, Scorpius." James told him, staring at him too intensely. It almost burnt to hold his gaze, "I have to ask you to break it off with Rose."

"Go to hell." Scorpius spat instantly, "I can't believe you'd have a duel just because of my relationship with Rose! It just proves how self-centred you all are, even you, the Godly Gryffindors!"

James looked at the floor, clearly exasperated, before looking up, ready to go again.

"My cousin was hurt, Hugo, Rose's brother. She's lucky he's not in St Mungo's, that they haven't contacted their parents! She's lucky that she's got this warning."

"And just what'll happen if we stay together?" Scorpius challenged, shooting him a mutinous glare. James looked truly upset.

"You don't know what your sister is capable of." He said in a hushed voice. Scorpius snorted.

"Believe me, I do." He told him bitterly, "She's what my whole family wanted her to be, wanted me to be."

"Look, I know you don't trust me, you can hate me if you want," James said desperately, "But you don't know the whole story-"

"I don't?" Scorpius demanded, outraged, "Well, here's the story- a boy and a girl met, fell in love-" James' face twisted in dismay-"And their families just couldn't stand to see them happy, not if there was another option, a better choice. They try their best to tear them apart, doing anything in their power, dangling threat after threat under their noses until their eaten away till there's nothing left!"

He pushed past him to leave.

"Scorpius, I need to tell you something-"

"What?" Scorpius raged, spinning on his heel and facing James, utter fury on his face, "What more do you have to say? I've heard all the insults, that I'm not good enough for her, that I couldn't ever dream of being so, I've heard it all. What more do you have to lay on my shoulders until I'm faced down in the dirt?"

James opened his mouth, his face red, a vein in his temple. For a second he'd convinced himself he'd had the courage to do it, to tell him. But he didn't.

"Never mind…but just remember- you really don't know what your sister is capable of…"

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