In the Previous Chapter…
"Ummmm….. you look like that scary man called Draco Malfoy, but you look too young" said the 5-year-old Rose thoughtfully, "and I don't recognise where I am, but I know I'm not at home" she added.
"Well, Rose, my name is Scorpius, and yeah I look like Draco Malfoy because he's my dad" Scorpius explained awkwardly. "And at the moment we're both at Hogwarts" he said.
"I'M AT HOGWARTS?" Rose squealed. "AM I REALLY?" she squealed again.
"Yes Rose. If you want, I can show you around tomorrow, but first I want you to come and sit with me down in the common room by the fire." Scorpius watched as the slightly sleepy Rose slumbled out of bed. She walked a few steps but then stopped to yawn. Scorpius knew that if they continued this way, it would take them half an hour to get down the flight of stairs to the common room, so he walked over and scooped up Rose into his arms. He felt a little odd carrying the Head Girl down to the common room, but hoped that Professor McGonagall would come and explain what had happened.
When Professor McGonagall arrived, she was very confused at the sight she saw. Scorpius' patronous had simply said that something had happened to Rose and she needed to get to their common room as soon as she could. She definatly didn't expect to arrive to see a flock of origami birds fluttering around the common room, and was absolutely stunned to see that Scorpius Malfoy was asleep on the sofa with a little red-haired girl sat asleep on his lap.
"Mr Malfoy?" called Professor McGonagall, standing in front of the sleeping boy. Scorpius groggily opened his eyes and shifted Rose's weight on his lap slightly so that she was still comfortable against his chest, but he could sit up to face McGonagall.
"Sorry Professor, I guess I fell back asleep" he murmured.
"Would you like to explain this child to me, Mr Malfoy?" McGonagall asked sternly.
"Well, Professor, this is Rose Weasley" he said cryptically. "I think that her brother may have slipped her something from her Uncle George's collection and it's turned her into a five-year-old" he explained.
"More than likely George Wealsey used a de-aging potion and I wouldn't be surprised if Hugo Weasley did slip it into Rose's drink" McGonagall tutted. "Can you gently wake the child, please?" she asked. She watched with surprised awe as Scorpius gently shook the child awake and helped sit her up in his lap. The child then seemed to remember where she was and politely said to McGonagall "You're Professor McGonagall. My dad said you teach tran….transfig…..trans something at Hogwarts" she stumbled.
A bit surprised, McGonagall replied "Yes child, my name is Professor McGonagall, but I am far more interested in knowing who you are, my dear" she said gently.
"I'm Rose Weasey" the child said simply, "and I'm 5." She turned to face Scorpius and said to McGonagall "Scorp'us has been looking after me" she smiled. "He's 17 and he's Draco Malfoy's son" she said intelligently. McGonagall could easily see why the girl belonged in Ravenclaw.
"Well, Rose, I'm afraid we need to ask you a few questions. What do you last remember?"
"Well, my mummy tucked me into my bed at home before I went to sleep, but I woke up in here, which Scorp'us said is Hogwarts" Rose said.
"Scorpius, I am afraid that Rose has indeed been slipped a de-aging potion… would you…"
"What's a de-aging potion?" asked Rose curiously.
"A de-aging potion makes you younger, and I am afraid that someone gave you some by accident" explained McGonagall.
"So I should really be older, but someone gave me a potion to make me five?" asked Rose.
"You're quite a clever little girl, aren't you?" asked Scorpius, amazed that a five year old could understand all of this complicated magic.
"Yes Rose, you should be 17, like Scorpius. He is Head Boy here at Hogwarts, and when you were 17 you were the Head Girl" said McGonagall.
"What do we do, Professor?" asked Scorpius.
"We must take Rose to Madam Patil up in the hospital wing. We should also find Professor Parkinson and see if she can determine what potion was used on Rose" said McGonagall.
With this, Scorpius stood, and then lifted Rose up onto his shoulders. "It's too much for a five-year-old to walk all the way to the hospital wing at this time of night" he explained I response to McGonagall's questioning look.
So, at 3am, McGonagall, Scorpius and an excited Rose made their way up to the Hospital wing. McGonagall sent her cat patronus off first to Madam Patil and asked her to prepare one of the examination rooms, and then sent it off to wake Professor Parkinson, asking her to come to the Hospital wing at once.