Dear Mum,

I don't know where to start… if I'm being honest. This is my normal. Scorpius is my best friend, to put it lightly and not-so-mushily. (On a different level to Abby of course.) When he looks at me and speaks to me it's like he knows my soul.

I didn't want to tell you or Dad because I love him too much. Having him pulled away from me would rip my heart in two. Not that I would ever admit defeat now.

He's not Draco Malfoy.

It wouldn't be so bad if he happened to be like Mr Malfoy in the first place because whether you choose to believe it or not Mr Malfoy is a decent wizard. He discusses potions with me and my studies whenever I see him. And Ms Malfoy, who Scorpius the most resembles on the inside, is a kind witch. She writes to me at least once a week asking how I am.

I leaned back into Scorpius' arm just as Abby scored a goal. Her cheers filled the stadium along with me and Scorpius'.

"Kenny!" I clicked my fingers at his lowered head.

"Abby only needs two parents." Kenny laughed at his own joke.

I felt the tips of my ears flush red. Scorpius didn't know about the 'betting'about how many kids we would- could, COULD- have. It felt like less of a joke when he was right beside me winding my hair around his fingers.

I cleared my throat. Deliberately.

"Okay, Rosie?" Scorpius asked on cue, less enthusiastic sounding than four sheets of parchment ago.

"Read this please." I gnawed on my lip as his eyes darted across my delicate dotted 'i's and crossed ts. "I think it's too much. Showing her my heart now might just mean digging my grave deeper."
Scorpius hummed thoughtfully. "You can't be too honest." He picked up my quill and scrawled quickly,

'That's more than you do.'

"Scorpius!"

"What? It's true!"
"But it's mean!" I slumped forward over my parchment again. My ruined parchment. I crumpled it into a ball.

"You try too hard to be perfect." He sighed. "Can't you just enjoy the quidditch?" he waved at Abby who was now hovering above us on her broom, sweating buckets and heavily panting.

"I am." I protested. "As much as I physically can. Abby's going to get it anyway." As if to demonstrate this Abby did a figure eight around the pitch. "Tell me more about the duelling club." I put my hand on his knee and leaned forward.

Scorpius grinned, happy to be the centre of my attention again. "I told you everything. And it might be too good to be true. I don't need extra creepy Crepsley time in my life."
"Stop calling him that." I frowned. "Merlin, If he heard you... you wouldn't have a shot at becoming a prefect!"

Scorpius snorted. "You're going to be the prefect, Rosie, and I'm going to abuse your privileges."

I didn't get to scold him because someone tapped my shoulder. I turned expecting to see Potter or even Abby playing a game on her broom but instead, there was the third year who rarely approached me during the school year. Hugo. My stomach twisted.

"Hey, Rose," his eyes were darting from Scorpius' arm around me to his iconic blonde hair.

I sat up straighter. "Hey, Hugo, come to join us? This is Scorpius by the way."
"I know." He said simply. "Look, Rose, Lily's being weird. I didn't know who else to go to-"

"A professor." I raised my eyebrows.

Hugo looked at me like I was crazy. "Last night- morning, at like three am I was sitting down in the common room because I couldn't sleep. I was playing wizard's chess by myself and she came in. In her uniform, muddy uniform... she was so pale her freckles looked like dirt."
"Did she tell you where she was?"

"Out for a walk." Hugo shrugged. "I thought she couldn't sleep like me but then I was talking to James. He apparently had seen her coming in twice before after curfew."

"Maybe she's seeing someone," Scorpius suggested. Both me and Hugo's heads jerked in Scorpius' direction. I had almost forgotten he was there.

"That's not Lily." I pressed my lips together. "She would never lose out on beauty sleep over a boy."
"Should I leave it alone?" Hugo ran a hand through his ginger mop. "I think I should. It's probably something to do with uncle Harry."

I pulled at my ponytail, running through all the possible answers.

Scorpius held his hands up. "I think you both need to leave it alone."

"And enlighten me with a why, boyfriend?"
Scorpius raised his eyebrows like the answer was obvious. "If you keep probing at a problem and into other people's business it isn't going to all fall conveniently into place. You're not Ron or Hermione."

I wasn't convinced. But Hugo, on the other hand, extended a grin I hadn't seen in ages to Scorpius.

"Yeah," he said. "That's what I thought."

"We need to help Lily." I pulled at my ponytail even harder. Had everyone's brains apparated?

"Can't help her if she doesn't tell us what's up," Scorpius said sharply. His practical Slytherin side was on display again. A stark contrast to the kindness and patience I knew he could show if he chose to.

I flinched. Not only at Scorpius' tone but how watery Hugo's brown eyes looked when they were staring right at me again.

"I'll ask Lily when I see her." I placed a firm hand on Scorpius' knee. Shut up. "Why don't you watch the tryouts with us? Abby is on fire… I think." My eyes darted back to the pitch to see a glitter speckled purple blob zooming through players.

Hugo shook his head and left.

"Goodbye?" I raised my eyebrows at the back of his red cloak. At least he seemed happier than he was five minutes ago.

"You are so much like your brother-"

I stuck out my tongue at Scorpius. "Don't even get me started on who he's actually like…"


"Monday!" Abby fumed. "Monday! We have to wait until Monday to find out my fate." Abby stomped towards me, Scorpius and Kenny. We were standing at the edge of the pitch. Me and Scorpius holding hands, Kenny holding Abby's broom cleaning kit.

"Hopefully you got in." Kenny squinted as the sun broke through the clouds. "You're always so tired and cranky after Transfiguration on a Monday."

"She did get in." I protested.

Abby shook her head at me. "The wind was being awkward. I am not trained for that. I'll admit that I'm not perfect yet."

We all nodded like this made sense.

We were pulled out of our trance by the presence of Longford, our ex-group member Jane and a scattering of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. They stopped suddenly and laughed at us. Massive raspy laughs that started and ended as one. I wondered if they practised that in their spare time.

"Problem?" I scowled. Scorpius' squeezed my hand more to keep me tied to him than anything cuddly. We didn't need another almost-detention again.

"The new issue of the Quibbler is out on Monday," Longford said shortly. Just like that, the group walked off again like nothing had happened. That somehow made the whole thing worse.

Abby raised her middle finger.

Scorpius sighed. "They want Harry Potter dead too, don't they?"

I let go of his hand, swatting it and him out of my personal space. "Don't say the 'd' word!"

"Dentist," Abby muttered under her breath.

"Due… library books." Kenny added with a shudder.

"Sorry, Rosie," Scorpius said though he didn't sound particularly sorry.

"Looks like a lot of things are happening on Monday," I said. "It may be time to purchase a calendar."

Scorpius and Abby exchanged a look. "Christmas present!" they both exclaimed.

"I am her best friend!" Abby challenged. "I'm taking this idea it's only right and just!"

"I bet you don't know what type of calendar she would like."

"One with penguins. Clearly. Puppies are a clichéd calendar option."

"Cats," Scorpius smirked. "Big fluffy cats."

I rolled my eyes to the sky. "Come on, Kenny, let's go back up to the castle to where the civilised people are." I turned back sharply. "You're both wrong. I want a self-inking calendar."


Dear Rose,

I hope you are having a wonderful time at Hogwarts. I also hope you're not eating too many sweets or practising too many potions (Draco's hands are a prime example of why you shouldn't). I am delighted you've written to me asking for advice. It has always been a secret ambition of mine to work for the Witch Weekly advice column.

Write what comes to your mind. Don't lie. Mothers hate lies.

And let what happens, happen. Remember, dear, everything ends. Nothing is forever even the bad things in life.

And proofread! Nothing disturbs the reader more than a misplaced comma.

I'll send a follow-up letter if I think of anything else. Don't worry, Rose, you're not annoying me. I have far too much time on my hands as it is.

Wishing you the best always,

Astoria (Scorpius' mother)

P.S

Do tell me more tales about Scorp at Hogwarts. He does keep his letters too short.

P.P.S

I have attached another skirt, shirt (the embroidery on the collar!) and a cloak. It is getting rather chilly.


Hi Mum,

Scorpius has my heart.

Wishing you the best always,

Rose (Rosie) (Your daughter) Weasley.


Author's note: Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting as always! You guys make my day! :) I promise the next chapter will be more interesting.