Previously…

"Ah, that one" Scorpius said, "Yeah, I guess I could do that."

And for the first time since Rose had gone, he smiled.

Scorpius spent the next week trying to focus on school work. He knew that when Rose got back she'd be eager to catch up on the missed work, considering the NEWTs were fast approaching them, and that she'd reply on him for notes.

The trouble was, as much as he tried, he couldn't focus. The parchment was covered in small, mindless doodles, and some of the sentences either didn't make sense or just stopped half-way through. He knew that it was due to worry about Rose, which in turn had led to lack of sleep, but he couldn't quite overcome his concerns.

"Mr Malfoy, please could you pay attention" Professor Parkinson said loudly from the front of the dungeon.

"Sorry Professor" he mumbled automatically, without looking up from his doodle of a hippogriff.

"Mr Malfoy, that means stop drawing creatures and get off your chair to collect ingredients" Parkinson barked at him from her desk. At this he looked up to see the rest of the class gathering ingredients and lighting fires for their cauldrons.

"Sorry professor" he mumbled again as he shuffled over to the ingredients cupboard. As he started searching for the ingredients he thought he needed, Lorcan slyly handed him a pile of ingredients and two slips of parchment. "Thanks" he smiled quietly.

"No problem, mate, just keep your eyes open in Potions a bit more" he grinned before wandering over to his desk.

Scorpius returned to his desk a few rows in front of his friend, lay the ingredients out and opened the first piece of folded parchment. Lorcan really was saving his bacon today, Scorpius thought, as he read a list of ingredients and method instructions for felix felicis, today's potion. He put the other piece of parchment in his pocket and started work on the potion.

When the potion was left to simmer for 10 minutes, Scorpius slyly pulled the slip of parchment out of his pocket and read it. He saw with surprise that it was a newspaper clipping from the day's Daily Prophet. Lorcan had scribbled a few words above the title; You should start to read the paper more. Sorry to break the bad news. Scorpius smirked at this – Lorcan loyally read the Prophet every morning, whilst Scorpius preferred to read muggle novels than listen to Vicky Skeeter exaggerate the current stories. The smirk dropped when he read Lorcan's next sentence. Sorry to break the bad news.

ROSE WEASLEY COMATOSE IN MEDICAL DISASTER.

An article by Kate Arnold

Daughter of War Heroes Ron and Hermione Weasley, Rose Weasley, was yesterday discovered comatose by department Healers in what has been called the medical disaster of the year.

Rose Wealsey, 17, was discovered unconscious in her ward yesterday morning after undergoing vigorous medical testing and experimental treatment, although for what for we are unsure.

From what we could gather from St Mungo's staff and Miss Weasley's parents, Rose was transferred to the test ward from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry nearly a week ago. Ron Weasley, father of Rose, was unavailable for comment on St Mungo's worst incident in years. Hermione Weasley, mother, refused to tell us information on Rose's reasons to being hospitalised, but did comment "I have always been very impressed by the Healers at St Mungo's. What has happened with my daughter is obviously unplanned, but I believe that the Staff will do everything in their power to return Rose to normal as soon as possible. Now if you'd excuse me, stop butting into my family's private lives and go and annoy a Quidditch player."

We shall try to keep the general public informed of Rose Wealsey's status, but cannot make promises due to patient confidentiality laws at St Mungos.

Scorpius opened his eyes, which he didn't remember being closed, to see the ceiling of the dungeons. He felt a hand push him gently down as he tried to sit up.

"Mr Malfoy, please stay lying down. You hit your head quite badly when you fainted and I believe you need to be taken to the hospital wing." Professor Parkinson said gently. Scorpius watched her stand up and walk towards the door.

The next face was Lorcan's, hovering just above his. "I'm sorry mate, I didn't know you'd collapse" he frowned. "Parkinson's gone to fetch Madam Patil. She's dismissed the rest of the class so that you could have as much oxygen in the room"

"Thanks for staying, and thanks for giving it to me. I'm pissed that the papers found out before me though" he muttered, wincing. "Why am I going to the Hospital Wing again? I've just hit my head, I've done a lot worse"

"That cut from the beginning of the year's opened up" Lorcan muttered almost inaudibly, ashamed that he's been one of the boys to put it there in the first place.

"What?!"

"You haven't got blood gushing out of your head again as such, but there's an opening and it still needs to be cleaned up and stitched up again – who knows what toxic potions the 1st years have spilled on the floor. You could have warts growing on your head if Patil doesn't check it" Lorcan joked. "So basically you're fine, but Patil needs to sew up your head again"

"Oh ok" Scorpius sighed. "I guess I'm going to be in there for a day or two then. If anything else comes through in the paper, let me know yeah?"

"You can count on it" Lorcan said.

"Right, Mr Scamander, if you could move out the way please" Madam Patil instructed as she beant down next to Scorpius. "Mr Malfoy, do you feel faint at all?"

"No Ma'am"

"Do you think you will be able to stand up and walk to the Hospital Wing?"

"Yes, I think so Ma'am"

"Right, up you jump then please. But go slowly in case you do go down"

With the support of Lorcan and Madam Patil, Scorpius sat upright and stood up. He then leant on Lorcan's shoulder as they walked up the stairs to the Hospital Wing. A few stitches and grunts of pain later, Scorpius sat on a bed in the Hospital Wing drinking a glass of Toxistop, a foul solution to prevent the effects of any potions taken or administered in the last 5 hours.

After a while of absent-minded chatting with Lorcan, Professor McGonagall appeared.

"Scorpius, what have you done now?" she asked.

"Fainted in Potions, Professor. I read a rather shocking article from today's Prophet and I guess my brain didn't take it too well" Scorpius shrugged.

"I think I can guess which article you have read. I'm truly sorry, Scorpius. I was not informed until I myself read this morning's paper, otherwise I would have told you myself. Is your head alright?"

"All sewn up again Professor, but a bit sore" he tried to grin. "Professor, I know that I'm meant to be in school, but could I make a trip to Mungo's tomorrow? Madam Patil says I'm fine to carry on as normal as long as I don't hit my head. It's just that I'd really like to speak to the Healers and Rose's parents who will no doubt be there"

"Yes, providing you don't mind me escorting you there. I myself have a few questions for Rose's healer and parents"

"Of course professor. Shall I come up to your office at 9am?"

"Yes please. I must go and return to my 4th years, but please beware Scorpius that the healers may not be able to disclose information about Rose's condition with you for protection purposes"

"I understand Professor"

"9am. Please don't be late" she said before leaving.

"Awwwh Malfoy, Rosie's going to be jealous to find out you've got a date with McGonagall" Lorcan sniggered. Scorpius slapped him around the head before joining in the sniggering.

"Mr Malfoy, I see from your schoolgirl giggle that you are fine. Please return to your common room so my other patients can recover" Madam Patil scolded lightly. Scorpius and Lorcan quickly left for the Head Commonroom, sniggering the whole way there.

AN: Two updates in two days, aren't you lucky. Plus, this one's a long one! I know that this is another filler chapter, I'm sorry, but it's more to read so who's complaining? Keep up the reviews! -Rxx