Classes were in full swing by this point, teachers keen to get through the content speedily so plenty of revision time was available towards the end of the year. Now people had settled into the school year, Quidditch trials had begun. All the teams had at least lost one of their players and regardless of that, they were required to hold trials for all the positions in case new talent came through. It was rare a player had been replaced whilst still in the school but it had happened. Quidditch trials brought out the Sonali I loved but simultaneously hated: a Sonali full of fire, passion and stress.

"Rose, I can't believe I'm doing this. Boot should be captain. I can't captain a team! I can barely captain myself," panicked Sonali. She had been rattling off reasons behind her incompetence for the last hour or so and I had tried and failed to pacify her. We were waiting for last year's team and hopefuls to arrive at the Quidditch pitch for Ravenclaw's trials. She was hovering beside me on her broom whilst I sat in the stands. I didn't play Quidditch- that's a story for another time- but Sonali asked me to visit the Ravenclaw practices this year to provide an extra eye, particularly times when Sonali would be occupied and less able to judge her players. It was an offer I could not refuse, particularly since it meant putting all the Quidditch knowledge Sonali had bestowed me with to use.

"You'll be fine, I promise. Though, next time you say something as silly as you not deserving the captaincy, let alone Boot having it, we're no longer friends," I added and she rolled her eyes at my threat. "See, McLaggen's on his way and I'm pretty sure I can see Barnes behind him!" Davey Barnes played alongside Gale as chaser and at the age of fourteen was one of Ravenclaw's younger talents.

"Speak of the devil," began Gale, as he flew up to us. "Dave and I were just discussing how brilliant a Captain you're going to be." Sonali blushed on cue and now it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Thanks," she replied, seeming a little more motivated.

"I try convincing her for an hour to no success, but as soon as you say a sentence, she suddenly has all the confidence in the world," I mock-complained, but the smile on my face was visible so McLaggen just laughed.

"Hey-up, team," greeted Cecilia, joining the group with her twin sister Petunia. Most would agree there were some pretty horrendous names in our school. There were the Scamander twins, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, Albus Severus Potter and the list goes on. Yet the ones who were unanimously considered to have been most unlucky were in the year below us, the two Hackett twins- Cecilia Adrianus and Petunia Methalus. Non-identical in looks but inseparable, they were two of the most popular in their year, despite their nomenclature. They also played as beaters for the team and were incredible together. Individually, they were talented players but when they played with each other their synchronisation was unbelievable and fascinating to watch. It was vital for a beater to be in touch with their partner and those two were a pair like no other. Cecilia tended to speak for the pair but Petunia was hardly overshadowed.

"Where's Boot?" queried Petunia. Other Ravenclaws had began trailing in with their brooms, hopeful to make the team. I assumed most of them would be trying out for Chaser, in an attempt to fill the empty spot, but there could always be the odd candidate trying for a different position. The only position that could not be replaced was that of Keeper as it was held by the Captain.

"Who knows, probably fixing her hair," grumbled Sonali. "Oh well, I'll start talking, not as if we need the seeker for this part." She then gave me a quick nod before flying off towards the ground along with her teammates. She muttered a quick Sonorous charm at her throat before bellowing across the pitch. "Alright newbies, listen up, we're here mainly to look for a new Chaser to replace Harley who left last year, but you're free to try out for any position, just be aware that it's unlikely you'll replace a current member of the team unless you're exceptional. We need good flyers, good catchers and all the usual but we also need street-smart players. Ravenclaw thrives off excellent strategy, smart playing and a brilliant team spirit. You are not playing alone- you are part of a group, and I will want to see you demonstrating this today. We're going to start by assessing your flying and taking forward individuals to the next stages if they meet the criteria. Good luck, any questions?" I beamed proudly at my best friend as she finished her speech. She seemed so casual but I knew she had been worrying about addressing the fair number of Ravenclaws. A tiny girl, who I assume could only be a second year, raised her hand to Sonali's distaste. "Yes?"

"What's she doing here? She's not part of the time or trying out," asked the girl, pointing towards me. Suddenly the whole pitch turned to face me and I turned red, wanting very much to curl up into a ball under the stands.

"She has a name and Rose is here to watch from afar so that she can judge your playing from an angle I cannot whilst all our team is occupied. Understood?" growled Sonali. That girl was far too protective of me for her own good. The girl nodded meekly, before Sonali jerked her head and they all began to fly around the pitch. I was engrossed in watching the fliers and scribbled down the numbers who I thought should progress forward. Last years team also had to fly and they naturally outshone the others, but there were some very good fliers in the mix. After a few laps, Sonali brought them down and joined me near the stands. She flashed me the numbers she had written down and we agreed almost entirely apart from I had also written down number 17, a dark-haired girl who wasn't necessarily the fastest on her broom but was sharp around corners and could easily fly one handed. "I see where you're coming from, actually, definitely should add her," agreed Sonali. "You can just watch casually if you want now- I'll be able to manage the chasers," she suggested, before flying back towards the candidates. As keeper she was in prime position to judge a chaser attack so I wasn't particularly needed. "Alright, is anyone here going up for something other than chaser?"

A boy with murky-brown hair raised his hand. Short and thin, he seemed the perfect build for a… "Seeker," he stated. His words were followed by a few gasps. Sonali's eyes widened, as did the rest of the team's, but you could tell it was with excitement as opposed to horror. Patricia was shooting a death glare towards the boy, but Sonali ignored this and grinned at him.

"Tried out before?"

"No, Cap'n. I'm a third year- Ben Humphrey- and thought I'd wait till the position was vacant, but decided the experience was still worth it, especially since this would be the last year to get advice from yourself."

"No need to suck up," responded Sonali, but I could tell she appreciated it. "Fairest way to do it is a Snitch catch. I'll release it- whoever catches it first gets the spot. Till then I will continue conducting trials for chaser." I couldn't tell whether Patricia was more annoyed at the boy or Sonali, but she hopped on her broom regardless and hovered near the ground. The boy followed suit and Sonali opened the chest of balls. She let the snitch fly and began counting them down. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Go!" Both players shot into the air and were scavenging the pitch for a hint of gold. For the first minute, the ground was absorbed in watching them but then when people realised it wasn't going to be a quick catch, their attention returned to Sonali. She set them up into teams of 3 of varying age and ability, and got Davey to be a keeper on the other end. Gale was assigned with assessing the chasing from an outside perspective, whilst also keeping an eye on the snitch catch, and the Hackett twins were to do their job and try and put off as many players as possible using the bludgers.

There was so much occurring on the pitch, I didn't know where to look. The chaser trios kept switching so Sonali could gain a good idea of the ability of all the different players, and she started to call back some teams more and more and others less. It was fascinating seeing the gifted play aside the hopeless and which roles the players took on in their trio. Sonali was looking for those who could not only shoot, but assist if required and knew when it was their turn to step back. There was the odd show off who Sonali easily dismissed; the last thing the team needed was another Patricia. The snitch catch was running for a lengthy period. There had been a few sightings of the snitch, but it had been just out of grasp for both players. I saw Patricia try to fake a sighting but Ben was wise to it and did not take the bait. The quality of Quidditch was rising as lower standard trios were excluded and I was watching avidly to guess who would replace the infamous Harley Vane in the official team. Sonali's plan was to rule it out to three players, who would each have to play alongside Gale and Davey to see who functioned best as part of the unit.

"Who's gonna fill the gap do you think?" asked a voice in my ear, startling me. I nearly catastrophically fell off the stands, but the person next to me grabbed my hand just in time. I shuffled myself so I was firm footed before letting go and turning to scowl at the perpetrator. "Sorry, did I surprise you?" smirked Scorpius, clearly not apologetic in the slightest. I narrowed my eyes at him. He was hovering on his broom, one hand holding on and the other ruffling his hair.

"What are you even doing here?" I queried.

"Spying," deadpanned Scorpius, and I cocked an eyebrow at him. If Albus had indeed sent Scorpius to spy then I would have to let Sonali know and she would be far from impressed. "Nah, I actually came to find you."

"Why?"

"Potion problems," explained Scorpius.

"That's unlikely, I'm sure a favourite of Professor Limpet has no issues," I grumbled, still slightly bitter about her liking of him.

"Aw, is someone a little jealous?" cooed Scorpius, causing me to roll my eyes despite knowing it was partially true. "Seriously, though, I want some advice."

"Regarding?"

"Potions."

"I guessed as much."

"I've kind of forgotten the question I was going to ask," admitted Scorpius and I shook my head at his daftness.

"Well, your trip was thoroughly useless then," I sighed.

"I wouldn't say it was entirely useless," muttered Scorpius and I could feel myself blush slightly. What did that mean? Was he implying seeing me was worth it? "I managed to spite you and see what the 'Claws were up to." Nope, he was just a moronic twat.

"Just sod off, Malfoy," I stated, resuming my watching of the match. The snitch was still uncaught but Sonali had narrowed it down to three players, one of whom was the dark-haired girl I had suggested earlier.

"Fine, I shall be off," he replied, turning his broom towards the castle and flying off. "Oi, Weasley," he bellowed down the stands, flying backwards (a stupidly dangerous thing to do). "I remembered my question. What species is the egg you add to an Amortentia potion?"

"Ashwinder," I answered immediately. Amortentia was a sixth year potion though, what on earth did he need to know that for? Professor Limpet hadn't mentioned it in class either. "Scorpius? Scorpius! What do you need to know that for? Are you brewing Amortentia?! You know that's not allowed!"

The absolute bellend he is, he simply responded with a wink and flew down to the castle. One day, I was going to seal his eyes shut and watch him try to wink then.

My attention was diverted from Scorpius' antics when I spotted both Patricia and Ben diving for a golden glint near the ground. It was stationary and both were speeding along, practically vertical for maximum speed. Ben was just pulling forward when Patricia cut across him in a sudden boost of speed and snatched the snitch before Ben could grasp it. Patricia hopped off her broom with a smug smirk and chucked the snitch back in the box. Sonali paused the chaser trials to fly down and greet Ben. I could tell she was slightly disappointed Patricia won, but it was to be expected and Ben seemed to be aware of that.

"It's alright, I predicted I wouldn't get on this year. It was still fun to be part of a proper Snitch catch though," he grinned and Sonali smiled at his enthusiasm.

"If you ever want any advice or just want to come play a practice match with us you're welcome to. You're a damn good player," encouraged Sonali and Ben was positively beaming at the offer.

"That sounds amazing, thank you so much! I hope you find a great chaser and dominate the matches this year," replied Ben, before shaking Sonali's hand and flying back to the castle. Sonali quickly resumed trials and they were on the third and final candidate for the position. It was number 17, who I was now rooting for. She had sharp defined features and a thin but toned build. With a hint of darkness and mystery, she seemed like an interesting character and someone who would be a useful asset for the team. It all depended on how she played with Gale and Davey.

The three of them were huddled to strategise, as had been done with the previous two, and from that alone I could sense Gale and Davey were pleased with her. The three rose into the sky, the girl with the Quaffle and Sonali blew the whistle, beginning the game. Number 17 immediately passed the Quaffle to Davey, which was a good start. A common error for newbies was to try and shoot yourself if you started with the ball, but that would mean holding possession for far too long. Quick passing meant the opposing team found it difficult to follow the ball and therefore it was harder for them to predict what your moves were. They moved seamlessly and as a perfect unit. Gale was already an excellent shooter near the hoops, so the fact she was better at defence worked in her favour. Her swift turns meant she easily avoided bludgers and her perception was of the highest standard, meaning she rarely missed a ball coming her way. She even got in a goal herself against Sonali towards the end- not an easy feat.

Time was up and the three candidates lined up in front of the current team. "You all played great and even though two of you won't be joining us, it shouldn't put you down. There'll be loads of opportunities to play Quidditch casually and I hope you guys will cheer the 'Claws on from the stands. Having checked with the team, we all agreed that one person fit best in the chaser unit and deserved the spot. Sally Davies, welcome to the Ravenclaw Quidditch team," announced Sonali, and none other than number 17 walked up to collect her jersey.

"Yes!" I yelled from the stands, earning curious looks from those on the pitch. My reaction was quickly dismissed as Sonali went to thank the other two hopefuls for coming. The Hackett twins gave a nod to Sally, who responded likewise, gaining their approval. She seemed quiet but was welcomed by Gale and Davey, eager to get to know their third piece. Sonali gave a quick glance up to me and I showed a thumbs up to which she grinned, knowing she had my backing too.

"Right, so let's talk schedules…" began Sonali, which was my cue to leave. The matches this year were going to be the best yet- I was certain of it. Ravenclaw was going to win the Quidditch trophy, hold the House cup and have the hall adorned in blue and gold for the end of the year. There was nothing like House pride in regards to lifting your spirits.

That night, Lysander and I conducted our first prefect round together, a week and a half into the year. The rounds began with 5th year pairings and rose up to 7th year in a spiral of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and repeat. It was fairly uninteresting. According to Lysander, kicking snogging couples out of broom cupboards was a usual occurrence and other than that, there was just a few people roaming the corridor who should have been in bed. Lysander let out a large yawn, rubbing his tired eyes as it hit 10:00.

"Why don't you head off to sleep? Patrols only last for another half an hour and I don't mind walking alone," I suggested. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy his company, but we were hardly talking because of his exhaustion and it gave me free will to explore the corridors how I pleased.

"You'd do that? Thanks Rose, I owe you," replied Lysander, gratefully. I tended to find people were always surprised when I did nice things because they expected me to be some sort of cruel know-it-all. I wasn't entirely selfless though- I'd probably take him up on that IOU at some point. I smiled at him and waved goodbye as he walked off into the distance, curious as to why he was so tired this early on in the year. I decided it was none of my business and continued down the corridors.

They were dimly lit and it grew increasingly dark as I moved towards the dungeons. Fumes wafted in the air, which I didn't ponder on as it was not uncommon for remnants from earlier classes to be drifting about, even this many hours on. I didn't often see the dungeons at this time of night as it was past curfew but they were just as captivating as in the day. I felt a warmth inside me, which I put to sentimentality about the location, but then smelt asphodels. I proceeded to smell the leather that bound new textbooks and… vanilla. I couldn't think of a potion that constituted of those ingredients and wasn't aware of a new shipment of books. Unless… thinking back to the beginning of sixth year, I had smelt these three things before. It was in our first potions lesson when we were learning about Amortentia. Malfoy.

The door to the classroom was slightly ajar, so I pushed it slightly in order to peek through without alerting him of my presence. As I predicted, he was standing there, stirring his cauldron, with various potions books in front of him. What on earth was he trying to achieve? You only needed one sixth year textbook for standard Amortentia, which meant he was experimenting. But what for? It was the strongest love-potion in the world so the idea of strengthening it was inconceivable.

I watched him take a deep breath in to inhale the fumes and he closed his eyes. He immediately looked peaceful, the wrinkles in his forehead smoothing out and the corners of his mouth turning up to form a smile. I wondered what the fumes smelt like to him.

"Lemon, broomstick polish and vanilla, Weasley," he stated, and I jumped in shock. What a bastard. He knew I was here and let me stand outside the door like a fool.

"You shouldn't be in here, it's past curfew," I blurted, trying but failing to shift the awkwardness from me to him.

"I never would have guessed," he gasped in mock-horror, his eyes opening sharply.

"What are you brewing, Malfoy?"

"If you aren't already aware of that, you aren't as talented a potioneer as I thought you were."

"I know it's Amortentia. But you're experimenting- trying to adapt it, otherwise you wouldn't have so many books out."

"Astute observation."

"Is one of those a dictionary? I didn't know you knew what astute even meant."

"Just because I'm a Gryffindor, doesn't mean I'm thick."

"True, which is why I'm worried. What in the world are you trying to concoct?" I was truly concerned. The boy had skills but there was no telling what his motives were and whether they would land him or the entire female population of Hogwarts in trouble.

"It's none of your business. But don't fret- I don't plan on using it on anyone in Hogwarts."

"Why brew it then?"

"Again, it's none of your business," muttered Scorpius, a little more impatiently this time. I understood his desire for privacy, but I was curious and my inner Ravenclaw was screaming at me to join the experiment.

"Fine, don't tell me why. At least tell me what you're trying to do? Maybe I could be of assistance," I suggested, to the surprise of Scorpius. He cocked an eyebrow at me but seemed to be considering it.

"Alright then, Weasley. Aim is to adapt the Amortentia potion. Currently it's about generating an infatuation, but I want to try and concoct a potion to enhance feelings already present. So let's say someone does love someone, but they don't have that person on the front of their mind therefore don't express it. I want to adapt the potion so the drinker is more expressive about their feelings." That was quite insane. To try and adapt a potion that much, especially in regards to something as complicated as love…

"Count me in," I confirmed. Nothing like a challenge to entice me into helping someone with a potion. "Ideas?" And with that, we began. This was different to the times we had previously worked together, primarily due to the lack of a class or Professor, but that only improved the atmosphere. We worked as a team, something I wasn't used to but enjoyed. We exchanged ideas, complimented and criticised when appropriate. We tried, failed and tried again, utilising many of the chemicals surrounding the room. We were progressing slowly, leafing through books to see what ingredients could have the desired effects. An hour passed, before Scorpius extinguished the fire of the cauldron.

"We know that we need to add ladybird wings now, but that's about it," sighed Scorpius.

"Perhaps it requires more time in the library? It would be much more efficient to research other potions with a similar effect and study the interactions of those components. That's how I did it with the Draught of Peace adaptation," I suggested. Scorpius nodded in agreement.

"That's fair," he muttered, closing up his books and vanishing the slightly redder potion.

"Can I help?" I exclaimed suddenly, causing Scorpius to snap his head up and me to go bright red. "I just… I thought we made a good team. For research purposes that is." Scorpius was silent and I was unsure of what he was going to reply with. Was he worried about spending time with me in public? He was incredibly well-liked and hanging out with me wasn't exactly going to improve his reputation in a best-case scenario. I can imagine Albus wouldn't be happy either. But surely if it was just for potions experiments? I wasn't exactly asking him to Hogsmeade.

"Why don't we arrange when to meet next lesson? Let me know if you have any ongoing projects to so I can repay the favour."

"You know, I am a pure Ravenclaw. You're doing me a favour by giving me more potions to work on," I laughed and Scorpius let out a light chuckle.

"My pleasure, Rose," he replied casually, not really paying attention to me as he finished tidying up. I knew this because if he was paying attention to me, he would have seen my cheeks fill with colour upon him saying my name. My pleasure, Rose.