A/N: I definitely didn't leave it as long to update this time! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I would really like to know your thoughts - it's been quite a while since I've got into the swing of this story properly and would love as much feedback as possible on the writing, the story, anything at all :) Thank you x
Chapter Twenty-One
"Green!" exclaimed Rose, pointing up towards the enchanted ceiling. Scorpius's eyes followed her finger to see the oncoming parliament of owls soaring towards them. He tried to focus and find the green in-between the speck of colours of the owls. He clocked onto four tawny owls holding lime green scrolls spreading out throughout the hall. He knew one of them was heading for him, and he was proven right when one dropped the scroll in front of him into a silver tureen of crispy bacon.
"That's from St. Mungo's, right?" asked Cara, dark blonde curls falling into her face as she leaned in to get a closer look. Scorpius mutely nodded, staring at the bright scroll whilst the rotund tawny owl seemed to glare back with piercing amber eyes.
Al frowned and untied the scroll from the impatient owl and put it in front of Scorpius. The owl hooted haughtily, snatched a small piece of Cumberland sausage from Rose's plate, and then flew off.
"You need to open it if you want to know what it says, Malfoy," advised Rose, jabbing in the side with her fingers pulling him out of his reverie.
"I'm not too sure I want to know what it says," admitted Scorpius sheepishly.
Rose craned her neck and got up, so she was on her knees on the bench beside him, so she had a better view of the hall. Her scrutinising eyes scanned the room before she sat back down more comfortably. "I'd say there are two relieved faces and one gutted one."
"Probably not helping there, Rose," remarked Al, gesturing at Scorpius's strained face. "Do you want me to open it for you?"
Scorpius took a deep breath. "No, I'll do it. The worst that will happen is that they've rejected me and crushed my hopes and dreams and I'll live a life of destitution because I did not apply anywhere else."
"Love your positivity," quipped Rose.
Scorpius broke the black wax seal which had been stamped with the hospital's emblem; a wand crossed with a bone. As he scanned down the piece of parchment he gradually remembered how to breathe.
"So?" asked Rose, expectantly.
"If I get the right N.E.W.T.s then in September I'm officially going to be a Healer-in-Training," announced Scorpius.
As Al and Cara offered their congratulations, Rose snatched the parchment out of his hands so she could read it for herself.
"That's outrageous," she exclaimed, furiously throwing it on the table.
"What?" questioned Al confused, reaching for the letter himself. "He got in, didn't he?"
"He has to get 'Outstanding' across the board; in Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts," explained Rose, her cheeks painted with red blotches. "Victoire didn't need all 'O's', I know for a fact she got an 'Exceeds Expectations' in Herbology and Defence."
"They could have rejected me now, Rose, I'm just happy I've secured myself a chance," said Scorpius calmly. "I'm on track to get these grades in most subjects, and the intense studying starts now anyway."
"It is hard to get in," reasoned Cara. "Last year, only one person was offered a place, and, in the end, they were rejected based on their exam results."
Rose was still scowling. "I don't buy it. I just think they don't want a Malfoy working there, even though I know they're plenty willing to accept your family's money. I think they are hoping you don't achieve their high demands. They wouldn't have had a reason to reject you at this stage, think about it, you're Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, and I know the teachers would have written you excellent recommendation letters."
"I'm moved you're so concerned," smiled Scorpius, placing a hand on his shoulder and feeling her relax under his touch. "The thought crossed my mind too when I first read it but even if that's true, all I can do is prove them wrong and get the results I need. Besides, for all we know, the other students applying have got the exact same offer and you're just reading into it too much."
"If it were me, I just wouldn't want to work with people who have judged me so much though. How can you still want it?"
"Because I'm used to it," replied Scorpius, with a half-smile. "And when they meet me, they'll know their preconceived notions were wrong, just like everybody else's."
"Hear, hear," cheered Al, raising a goblet of pumpkin juice in jest. "It's almost like you want Scorp to do well, Rosie."
Rose flushed once again. "Obviously not, it's still my intention to beat him in every exam. One last time to lord it over him that I am superior."
"Do you think Rose is right?" asked Al, as they both dropped lionfish spines into their yellow bubbling Wiggenweld Potion. "By the way, add six not five."
"It definitely says five," stated Scorpius.
"Trust me," said Al, with a wink. "It works better with six. I made this a couple of weeks ago and played around with it."
"I forget that you don't have Quidditch in your life so you have to fill it with weird hobbies," joked Scorpius, dutifully adding the extra ingredient, his eyebrow raised when it pleasingly turned a vivid shade of lavender. He glanced around to make sure everyone was concentrating on what they were doing and not listening in. There was a gentle hum in the room as each person chattered quietly with who they were sat with. "I think I was always going to need high grades, but I imagine she's not fully wrong."
"I can get my dad to speak to them," said Al. "He won't put up with this, it's not fair."
Scorpius smiled gratefully. "Thank you but I don't need Harry Potter to come to save the day. If Rose was wrong and they do just want higher grades than before then I will look like I'm a spoilt child spitting out their dummy."
"You're smart, Scorp, and I don't doubt you'll get the grades but what if you mess up on one of the exams? You'll have missed out on an opportunity because they're prejudiced."
"No, I'll have missed an opportunity because I messed up an exam," corrected Scorpius, lowering down the flames on his cauldron.
Al did the say and then folded his arms. "You know that's not true."
"Do I wish life was fair? Yes, but it isn't. It isn't for anyone. I'm going to just have to try and do my best."
"Tomorrow night," exclaimed Al, his almond-shaped green eyes lit up. "After dinner, I'll come to your common room and I'll go through some potion stuff with you. In return, the next day you can go through some transfiguration stuff with me. Deal?"
Scorpius grinned. "Thanks, Al, I appreciate it. I'll take all the help I can get."
"I'm going to help you," announced Rose, dropping an arm full of heavy books on the low table in front of them with a thud. He looked up from the textbook he'd been referencing something from, whilst lying on their sofa.
"What makes you think I need your help?" asked Scorpius, amused. He swung himself into a sitting position to give Rose room to sit down, and she did so, sitting cross-legged next to him, tucking her unruly red hair behind her ear.
"Because you need to get 'O's' in every subject," scoffed Rose. "And I'll be damned if you don't."
Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "Do you actually want me to do better than you?"
"No, I want us both to do well," admitted Rose. "Think about it, we are always top two, and we've always done that separately, studying independently because we didn't like each other. Imagine if we combined forces instead and helped each other."
"Maybe it was the rivalry that motivated us to do well?" suggested Scorpius, with a grin.
"Oh, there's still a rivalry, Malfoy," smirked Rose. "I still want to beat you, but I also want you to get those grades because you deserve to be a Healer."
"Thank you."
"I've channelled my mother and I have devised an itinerary for us to follow for the next few weeks and I've accounted Quidditch practice for the last game so don't worry about that." She smoothed out a roll of parchment on the table in front of them which had a big grid inked out which was magically flashing different colours. He blinked to let his eyes adjust and he realised it was a timetable with each subject a different colour.
"We'll have to swap a few things about, Al is going to come round tomorrow to go over some potions stuff and in return, I'm going through transfiguration."
"That's fine," said Rose, grabbing her quill and making amendments. "I'll just swap these things around I'll also return the favour and go through some charms revision with you." She tapped the parchment with her wand and the colours danced about until they were in their correct slots. "We know that's my speciality."
"Yeah you're really good at the random spells that make things look pretty but are of no use to anyone," drawled Scorpius, with a grin.
"We'll see how useless they are when I'm making designing broomsticks with my useless little charms," retorted Rose.
"It's strange to think that in a couple of months we'll be out in the real world with real careers," mused Scorpius.
"Only if you follow my itinerary," remarked Rose.
The next week had been intense for Scorpius. Every night had ended with Al, Rose and himself locked away in the Head's Common room going through different subjects, alternating between study and essays to practising spells and throwing ingredients in cauldrons. The only breaks they'd had were the nights Rose and Scorpius had Quidditch practice which considering there was only one more game to go hadn't been any less zealous. Even on those nights they'd showered and rushed back to the castle to fit in an hour or two studies on top. He was even, unfortunately, spending part of his lunch hour in the Library, grabbing some textbooks for tonight's session.
"Hey," murmured a voice, startling him.
"Savannah, hey, how have you been?" exclaimed Scorpius, receiving a shush in the distance. He lowered his voice. "Are you okay?"
"I'm good, I just feel like outside of practice I've literally not seen your face," replied Savannah. She looked good, her dark hair in a long plait like always and the pallor of someone who wasn't going through official exams. He'd barely noticed anyone looking fresh-faced recently. "Have you been holed up in here?"
"Holed up in my Common Room with Rose and Al," answered Scorpius, with a frown. "N.E.W.T's prep is serious work. Leisure time and hanging out in the Gryffindor Common Room haven't been factored into the timetable and therefore I'm not allowed to do them."
"Sounds like a very no-nonsense timetable," teased Savannah.
"Well, Rose made it, so it's practically draconian," mocked Scorpius. "I'm grabbing some books for tonight. Honestly, you should probably start revising for your N.E.W.T's now and you'll probably be okay."
Savannah laughed. "No thank you! I heard on the grapevine that you've got a conditional acceptance for Healer Training. I'm happy for you, Scorp. Life's really starting to come together for you."
"I wouldn't quite say that," scoffed Scorpius, with a self-deprecating grin. "I have to smash every single exam for my career to start and I'm having my heart toyed by a girl who is probably going to toss it away as soon as we're on the Hogwart's Express. It's a peachy situation."
Savannah put her hand on his arm with a smile. "It's probably peachier than you think."
"I want it to be peachy, but we'll see." He glanced up and he was sure he saw a flash of red between the bookcases. He peered around Savannah but if someone had been there, they had left in a hurry. "Sorry, could have sworn I saw something. I will adjust the schedule, let's hang out after training this weekend.
A/N: Please leave a review, I want to know your thoughts on this story!