Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. It belongs to J.K. Rowling. I also do not own Scorpius or Rose. However, I own this story idea and the characters of Josephine and Esmeralda. However, when I decide to give them surnames, I may or may not own those. However, I will mention that part of the disclaimer then. Oh, and the title of the story is credited to my friend Kaley and me. Also, the character of Josephine is slightly based on a character she role-plays as. Oh, and if there is a character with a last name or full name that looks familiar to the books, it's not mine.
Answers to Reviews: (since there were not many, I'm answering all of them :)
Anonymous – Thank you, dear. I do know who you are. As I keep writing this, I'm counting on you to give me ideas and stuff when you can. You encouraged me a lot and I give you virtual hugs for that.
Crossy – Thank you so much for the review and of course I plan on writing more. However, I still don't know when I am going to end this. I fear it may be very long. I don't want to speed up things between Scorpius and Rose just yet. :
Littlegreenweirdo123 – Well, he was messing with her. His comment did not mean that she was going to be placed in Gryffindor. I never saw Rose getting in Gryffindor even when I saw that comment Ron made. Yeah, Hermione almost got in Ravenclaw and well, Ravenclaw is one of my two house options and I wanted Rose to be in it. Thanks for the review.
haylared – Thank you so much! I'm glad you find it interesting.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews you guys! I have decided to continue this because not only have I gotten good notes on this story here, but some of my friends love it as well. Also, the character of Esmeralda is not in this chapter. However, she will appear in chapter number three. That is the chapter when bits about Rose's two friends will be explained. Now, onto the story! ;
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"How many letters are in 'the alphabet'?"
"Eleven," Rose said, quite pleased with herself.
The riddle had been changed right after Christmas holidays. This was a common occurrence at Hogwarts. No house kept the same password for too long. Anyway, Rose saw the little eagle knocker squawk once and then open so that she could get it. She had gone to the common room to get her books and supplies for her morning classes. The first just happened to be Potions. Of course, Rose excelled in Potions and Professor Slughorn was quite pleased with her work as well. Her mum and dad were surprised when Rose told them that Professor Slughorn was still teaching at Hogwarts, even in his old age. However, Rose actually liked her Potions professor despite what some of her friends thought of him.
Rose continued into the common room and towards her dormitory in order to get her things for class. She picked up her Advanced Potions textbook off the small, opening bookcase that her mother gave her last Christmas so that she could store her textbooks and other reading materials in an orderly fashion. It was exactly the kind of present that her mum would have given her. However, Rose absolutely adored it and it's delicate, but lovely finishing. Anyway, she put the book under her arm and then she put the book on her bed and leaned down to look under her bed. She pulled out one, few-feet scroll of parchment for today's notes. Then reaching under again, she grabbed her small, size two pewter cauldron.
Rose quickly got up and then grabbed her things and made her way out of her dormitory. She entered the main common room and saw a girl who was in the year above her named Hyacinth Graves. She was sitting on the couch with some good-looking boy who Rose knew to be her boyfriend. Hyacinth Barbary, as everyone knew, was the daughter of Merton Graves, the cellist for the Weird Sisters. Everyone knew who she was and everyone knew who her boyfriend was because of her. Anyway, Rose continued on her way because she hoped that she would not have catch part of their little soon-to-be make out session. That was something that she was not hoping to see before she made her way down to the dungeons for Potions. She quickly excited the Ravenclaw and made her way down the corridor.
On her way out, she readjusted her holding on her cauldron, book, and rolls of parchment. She knew that she would loose grip of them and drop them if she didn't do just that. Rose kelp on walking and she would come across one of her friends from another house. She even saw Albus, but he was rounding the corner and she couldn't catch up to him. He was several feet in front of her and well, it was obvious that he was engrossed in some conversation with someone. Anyway, she finally reached the staircase that led down to the dungeon after weaving her way down corridors, stairs, and students. At these steps, Rose became wary. She knew that they steps were slippery and damp, so she help onto the railing and stepped, one step at a time.
Rose entered the Potions classroom that was located in dungeon number…five, as she saw on the side of the entrance. She sauntered over to her usually table that she usually shared with Josephine, unless one of them was sick. She set up her cauldron and organized her area as she waited for class to come together. About five minutes after she started to wait, she heard a shuffling and turned her head around lightly to see who it was. Oh, it was Precious Pucey. Wait, what? She was coming over to her table, but why? Rose was curious now.
"Rose, right?" she asked, a little too haughty if you asked Rose.
"Yes," Rose replied plainly.
"Okay. I was wondering if I could sit next to you. I just broke up with my boyfriend and usually he is usually my partner. However, it would be rather awkward to be partners, right?" she asked, a little nicer than before but still a little haughtier.
"Sure," Rose said shrugging.
"Thanks," Precious replied in a rather annoyingly sweet voice. Rose hoped she wouldn't use that voice again.
Rose sat quietly with her face in her palm and her elbow on the table. She lightly drummed her fingers against the wood table and waited as the room suddenly started to fill with the other sixth year Potions students. There were a total of twelve students in the class. Usually, there was less but it seemed as if this year was smarter than the others. There was Rose of and Josephine, of course. There was also a two boys from Ravenclaw, Geoffrey Harlow and Joshua Goldstein. There was one girl from Hufflepuff named Jacinthe Haproot. There were three students from Gryffindor. A dark boy Ethan Thomas, who was the son of one of her father's schoolmates, had just come in. There was a girl who was Ethan's good friend already sitting in her seat in the back. She gave him a glare because he was almost late. Her name was Phillipa Entwhistle and she had this stern but nice look to her.
On the other side of Jacinthe Haproot sat the other Gryffindor. His name was Albus Potter and he was Rose's cousin. He had come in with Jacinthe and Rose was going to say hello, but it seemed as if he was busy talking to Jacinthe. Of course Rose had found it incredibly obvious that Albus had liked Jacinthe. However, it seemed as Jacinthe was concentrating on her textbook, not returning eye contact with Albus. She was sure that Jacinthe liked him. What girl would not? However, Rose only new this because Esmeralda and quite a few other girls in Ravenclaw and even one or two from Slytherin asked about him frequently. Anyway, she couldn't be sure. Jacinthe was the weirdest Hufflepuff she had ever met. That was not really true because she knew one that was the 'Queen of the Strange and Unique.'
That person just happened to be Avalon Scamander. She was actually a close friend of Rose because they practically grown up together because her mother, Luna, was friends with her parents. However, she was in the year below Rose. Anyway, Rose couldn't exactly 'pin' Jacinthe. She was perhaps the most distant Hufflepuff Rose had ever met. However, if Albus liked her, she would like her. Albus was her closest friend in the world, even more so than Josephine or Esmeralda. Not only was he a friend, he was family. Family was important to Rose. As Rose was dwelling on this, her friend Josephine had entered the classroom. Rose found her crouched now next to her desk with an agitated look upon her face.
"Why is that sitting in my seat?" Josephine asked in a bit of a snotty whisper.
"Sorry, Joey, but well, her partner was Scorpius. Don't you think it would be awkward for her to sit with him after this morning?" she asked her friend.
"No, I don't! Well, fine. I'll go sit with Geoffrey," she said, in that pouty voice of hers. She could be worse than Precious at times.
Rose watched Josephine as she turned around and made her way over to Geoffrey but she got there just as Joshua sat down next to him. She could hear Josephine grunt and then walk back over to Rose and crouch down again.
"Rosie! Now I have sit next to one of the Slytherins over there," she gestured over to the corner.
A group of them were standing in the corner, including Scorpius. Rose was tempted to look over at him, looking for his eye, but she didn't. He was standing there with a group of Slytherins. Among them was Scorpius of course, and two other Slytherins. There was a girl, quite tall, and her name was Jade Runcorn. She had a sour look on her face and she had her arms class. The other boy was Cassius Selwyn and he was okay looking but he wasn't very nice. He was taller than Scorpius and slightly bulkier than him as well.
"It's just one class, Joey. You'll live," Rose said quickly, a little annoyed with Josephine at the moment.
"God," she muffled and went over to sit down next to Jade. However, once again Cassius sat down next to her and then it hit Josephine. The only spot available was next to Scorpius Malfoy.
"You've got to be shitting me. Malfoy?" Rose could hear Josephine mumble to herself. Rose rolled her eyes with a smile. She watched Josephine as she slowly made her way over to the desk where Scorpius sat. Rose was certain that Josephine had a scowl on her face about the situation. Rose was beginning to think that it might be entertaining. Josephine had to once again to force herself into the seat next to him when elderly Professor Slughorn entered the classroom. She stole another glance at Josephine. She had the most ugly look of disdain on her face. At that moment, Rose wondered what Josephine's face would look like if she knew that Scorpius and her secretly got along. She really didn't want to picture it so she turned her head quickly and turned her attention to the professor at the front of the classroom.
"Class!" he said loudly, in his elderly voice to get the attention of people who were chattering. Soon, everyone became quiet and listened to him.
"Today, you are going to learn how to brew a potion called the Isfynore Drought. Its main purpose is to give the skin color if a person's skin is unable to produce an obvious pigment in the facial region. It's not a beauty potion. It gives the person the ability to have color in their face when need be. Now, the person next to you is to be your partner for today. Follow the directions and try not to blow anything up."
Rose and Precious decided to use Rose's cauldron so Precious put her cauldron far, underneath the desk. Rose told Precious to get the ingredients out and sorted and that she would start reading. Precious sighed but did what she said and Rose placed her finger underneath the first line of the instructions.
"Eye of Newt," she said to herself and to Precious. When the eye did not come, she turned and saw Precious holding the container of newt eyes out to her.
"I can't touch it," Precious said childishly as she jiggled the jar-like container to her.
"Fine. Give it to me," Rose said as she reached to take it. However, Precious let to go too quickly and with a smash, clatter, and tinkling noise, the container and contents when everywhere. Irritated, Rose fumbled for her wand and pointed it at the mess and sharply said, "Reparo."
The container reconstructed and landed in her hand. Rose then took one out, unfazed, and dropped into the steamy, deep cauldron basin. Then, she continued the potion with Precious, making sure to handle the most disgusting ingredients herself. She was working efficiently and within half an hour she was on a roll and she was almost done. However, about seven feet away, there were some problems. The problems were coming from Josephine and Scorpius's desk
Josephine was still being sour about having to work with Scorpius and in the process she almost cut her finger, singe her hair, and got ashroot dust in Scorpius's eyes. Scorpius volunteered to do it but Josephine was stubborn and wouldn't let him. She said they were going to do this together, but it seemed as if she wasn't letting him at all.
Rose finally finished and she finished pretty early. So, she ladled the potion into a nice, medium-sized bottle and corked it. She told Precious to take it to Professor Slughorn and she scampered off and did so. Both of them sat down and relaxed for the remainder of class. Rose then turned her head over to Josephine and Scorpius. It seemed as if they were having trouble. She was watching Josephine as she put in four drops of snake blood. Wait, what? She was supposed to put in three drops not four. Then suddenly, there was a huge explosion. Rose turned away quickly and closed her eyes, shielding herself from whatever might fly at her. All she heard was a shout from Josephine.
After everything settled down, Rose turned around to see her friend. She was shocked to see that her friend now has a snow-white face. It looked like the painted face of one of those geisha dolls that her mother gave her when she and her father went to Japan on vacation. Anyway, she heard a bunch of laughs erupt. Everyone but Rose, Scorpius and of course, Josephine, seemed to be roaring with laughter. Oh, and Professor Slughorn was not laughing either. He was scrambling slowly from his large armchair in the corner of the classroom. Josephine did not know that her face had turned white and was examining all over herself, trying to look for boils or horns. So far, she was unsuccessful.
"Miss Runcorn, please escort Josephine to the Hospital Wing," Professor Slughorn said, as he motioned to the door with his elderly, wrinkled finger, "And Mister Malfoy, you can come in tomorrow after class and complete the potion."
Scorpius nodded and the rest of the class consisted of the other students trying to finish their potions and still talk about what had just happened to Josephine. Rose and Precious sat quietly at their table and Rose was looking at the clock would turn on the hour. Then, Rose would be able to go and get on to her next class, Care of Magical Creatures. She had decided that she was not going to go back to the common room and her dormitory. Sixth year Care of Magical Creatures did not have a textbook so she was going to shrink her potions necessities and put them in one of the inside pockets of her robe.
As it was getting closer to the end of class, Rose saw the other students hand in their potions. Albus and Jacinthe's potion was perfect, must like Roses. Phillipa and Ethan's potion was adequate but a little off the perfect pale, rose pink it was supposed to be. Cassius turned his and Jade's in and it was an ugly green color. Joshua and Geoffrey's was a little off, but adequate as well. Anyway, Rose shrank her materials and then Professor Slughorn dismissed them. Rose, as well as the other students, got up and made their way out of the classroom. The only person in that class that had Care of Magical Creatures with Rose next was Scorpius. So they were walking in the same direction. The other Slytherins made their way in different directions. So, no one was really watching them or near them. Rose was about something but instead, Scorpius spoke first. Wait, he never said anything first.
"So, I guess your friend really doesn't like me," he said with a light laugh.
"No, but she's ignorant," Rose replied, stealing a short glance at her walking companion.
"So, was Precious giving you a hard time," Scorpius asked curiously.
"No, not really. But she wouldn't hand me a newt eye. She shattered the container and all of the gross ingredients, I handled from then on," she said chuckling a bit. Scorpius laughed a bit.
They continued in their secret acquaintanceship, chattering away, as they were on their way to class.
Author's Note: So, how was it? Did you like it? I hope you did. I'm quite proud of myself. Review away, lovelies. :)