CHAPTER 2

"... how is she?"

"Her vitals are fine, Al."

"Do you know why-"

"Move away so she can breathe and let me see her. I'm her mother for Merlin's sake!"

My eyes fluttered open at the sound of Mum's voice. The room was mostly vacated; my only remaining family members were Mum, Dad, Hugo, and Al.

Oh, that's bloody wonderful. I had fainted.

"You're up, Rose. I'm glad," someone said, engulfing me in a bone-crushing hug and pushing Mum away. It took me a second to recognize the voice. It was my best female friend, Magnolia Williams. I hadn't seen anyone from England in nearly a year- I was in Egypt, after all. She had cut her light brown hair and her blue eyes were coated in makeup. She hasn't changed at all, I thought. I told her that she never fully reverted back from that muggle-goth phase... "Are you okay to sit up, Rose?"

I nodded, knowing full well that my voice didn't seem to work. I was laying on my favourite couch in the entire Burrow- a squishy seat right next to the fireplace. It was a bit far from where I'd collapsed, I realized, and I looked back in confusion. I pushed myself up to a sitting position, ignoring the ancient magic coursing through my arm. Based on everyone's blank and confused looks, they hadn't realized the source of my plight. Of course I was the only person who realized what it was.

"Do you have any idea what it would be?" Al asked. Next to me (and Scorpius who had chosen that bloody wonderful moment to vanish), he was the best with countercurses in our... group.

I rolled my eyes, and extended my arm to show him the tattoo.

"Why are you showing me your arm, Rosie?"

I gave him an exasperated look. Why can't he see it? I pointed to the snake that had appeared on my arm.

Everyone just stared at me blankly. I glanced around, looking for Scorpius- he would have understood what I meant… probably. I sighed, and grabbed for my wand.

Specialis revelio.

I tapped my wand arm in an awkward attempt to let them see what happened. But of course, my arm- or rather the Egyptian spell- repelled the use of the spell.

AND IT BURNED LIKE FIENDFYRE!

And of course, it probably looked like I was mad; I was casting spells on myself and then screaming silently. I glanced back to everyone, raising my eyebrows questioningly.

"Why did you cast specialis revelio?"

I recognized that voice. It was my best friend- don't tell Maggie I... said ( thought?) that.

Scorpius Malfoy.

Yes, gasp as much as you want- although I thought that The Daily Prophet had obsessed over the fact that we were friends ages ago. I'd know his voice anywhere.

I shifted in my seat to face him. He hadn't changed one bit. His eyes were still a striking blue-grey that seemed to bore into my soul. His hair was intentionally ruffled slightly- although that may have been a result of me fainting… Scorpius was fit- I supposed that it was due to his auror training. But he had alw- I stopped myself before I started going down that path again. That only resulted in my ears turning a flaming red.

I rolled my eyes before looking down at the snake on my right arm. It had 'slithered' up my forearm about two more centimetres, although the tail-end was still at the knuckle of my middle finger. I looked at him, motioning for a quill and parchment. He always had writing equipment in his pockets, and thankfully the habit hadn't faded after Hogwarts.

He grabbed my arm away as I cast another revealing spell. It burned more intensely, but I was able to keep the pain under control. I guess he saw me wince again because he retracted his hand as if he were burnt too.

Scorpius snatched away my wand before handing me a small piece of parchment and a quill. "No more magic for you until we know what's going on," he said in that bloody annoying imperative tone of voice. "Go on," he continued, tapping the paper.

I raised an eyebrow at him, looking at the thick parchment dubiously.

"No, it's not important," he responded to my unasked question.

I always loved the way that he could understand what I was trying to ask even before my family.

Hm, I thought, Maybe he can be my personal translator until I figure out what happened.

I tapped my lip with the quill, contemplating what words to choose.

The quill made a scratching sound as I wrote down my unspoken words. "Hi Mum, Dad, Hugo, Al, Maggie, Scorpius. Thanks for the party! Even if I'm not doing so great. And can any of you see a tattoo of a snake on my arm?"

Al laughed. It was a laugh of pity, and I would have hexed him if Scorpius hadn't confiscated my wand. Maybe that's why he mocked my situation... "Rose, there isn't a snake on your arm."

I looked around; none of my family members knew what I was talking about. Maggie shook her head as well. I looked at Scorpius.

"Well, this is just brilliant."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I can see it, Rose... maybe because of the second spell? And I've never seen a curse or spell like it before."

"What does it look like?" Mum asked. She worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, so I didn't understand why she was asking about it. It took me a few seconds to remember that she was 'the brightest witch of her age'.

Continuing his musings Scorpius muttered, "I've seen it... I caught her arm... So maybe a tactile curse?" he shook his head before responding to my mum. "The tattoo's just a snake. Pure black in colour, and there are no markings on it. It reaches from her middle finger to nearly her elbow..." He turned to me sharply. "Rose, did it move further up your arm?"

I nodded and mimicked waving my wand.

"So it's affected by magic. And I definitely couldn't see it before I caught her earlier."

Bloody git.

I know, I know, totally uncalled for. But I couldn't stand not being able to do anything. I stared at the tattoo that was on my arm. Why was Scorpius the only one able to see it? And why did it react so terribly against magic? Was he caught in the spell too?

I wrote on the paper again. "Uncle Bill. He probably has dealt with something similar before."

Dad frowned. "Rosie, he's already gone back to Egypt... you've been unconscious for the whole day- it's almost dinnertime." There was something else hidden in his voice, but I didn't pry. Of course Uncle Bill had gone back to Egypt- he still had to instruct the rest of the team on what to do next... and there was no way he knew that I was cursed... right?

"Well then, who's going with me to get him?" I wrote. Forget the bloody apparition. I wanted this to be over.

Hugo grabbed me by the shoulders. "Rose. What would be the point? We can send him an owl and he'll be here in a matter of hours."

I scowled; stupid Ravenclaws and their stupid logic.

Magnolia handed me a potion in a goblet. "Drink it, Rose. You'll feel better. And less..." She looked at me, scanning up and down, "depressing. It's not the end of the world, Rose. We've still got your birthday to celebrate."

I could see everyone else who was in the room wince along with me.

I quickly downed the contents of the goblet- a pepper-up potion, based on the taste- to hide my reaction.

"I said the wrong thing, didn't I?" Magnolia said in a sad voice.

I stood up so I could hug her, but Al was already patting her on the shoulder, "Yup. But we love you anyway."

I nodded. Seriously, her lack of tact was the first thing that made us friends- she had openly insulted everyone in the room other than me in the same sentence. Ah, how I missed Herbology with Uncle Neville. Those were the good old days. Man, I sound old! I'm only 23- oh, I suppose 24 now.

Hugo's voice broke me out of my reminiscent thoughts. "Can you not start snogging in front of us? For Melin's sake!"

I started laughing, even though no sound escaped my lips. My laughter- or soundless laughter- was contagious; Scorpius and Hugo started laughing at the pair of lovebirds. Al's ears were a bright red, and Magnolia blushed, hiding her face in Al's shirt.

Some things never change, I realized. I tilted my head towards the door out of curiosity as to who was still at the Burrow. I would have given anything for a pair of extendable ears- even though mum had practically banned them from all family gatherings- in order to hear the hushed whispers that were coming through the door.

"Nobody left, Rosie," Dad responded to my nonexistent question. "Well, I mean, Bill did, but you know that. Are you feeling well enough to go out there?"

I never liked parties. I was always the one in the back, either watching the goings on or just sitting quietly with Al, Maggie, and Scorpius. But I was always happy when that one day of the year came around when the whole family paid attention to me. (Even though family get-togethers still rarely end without a fight of some sort- mostly food fights.)

I nodded, my face morphing into a grin. "Come on," I wrote, "there's a party going on."

It really was the same as any other family gathering. Fred and James were pranking everyone. James' muggle wife was staring at everything in awe (she had never really gotten over the surprise that magic is real). Hugo was off somewhere- probably owling his squib best friend (almost girlfriend). Dominique and Louis were sitting off to the side, appraising everyone's clothing choices. Victoire, Teddy, and their children- Nymphadora and Remus- were sitting in the room where I had been resting earlier.

Years ago, even before Al and I were carted off to Hogwarts, Grandma Molly had gotten permission to get use an undetectable extension charm on the inside of the Burrow. After all, there were way too many of us to fit inside a regular house...

Anyway. I was practically swimming in presents. Not that I minded- it was one of the benefits to having such a large family. But honestly, all I wanted was to go and sleep. Unfortunately, the half-dozen chocolate frogs and four sugar quills that I had consumed wouldn't let me.

Grandma Molly waltzed out of the kitchen, levitating a large cake. It was a round cake with white icing and a "Happy Birthday, Rose" written on it in blue.

I grinned. Honestly, the best part of birthdays was the cake. I'd normally argue that spending time with family is the best part, but it wasn't this time around. I kept getting looks of pity from everyone, and I was bristling. Sure, I could have just drunk butterbeer mixed with firewhisky, but I'd never liked the thought of losing inhibitions as a result of a single beverage.

So, um, what was I saying?

Oh yeah, after the first cake was brought out, a few more were brought out. Everyone gathered around the table- my close to three-dozen family members, family friends, and a few friends from Hogwarts who managed to show up for the cake.

They seemed to be oblivious to the fact that I was physically unable to speak. I suppose that was a good thing... If even one more person looked at me with pity... well, let's just say my Slytherin pride wouldn't be able to tolerate it.

"Make a wish, Rosie!"

Seriously, I swear I outgrew that nickname ages ago, I thought as I closed my eyes. It was the first time I'd ever genuinely contemplated a birthday wish. Most of the time it was for superficial things or good luck in the coming year. But not this time. I was stuck between wishing that I'd get this blasted tattoo off my arm and wishing that I'd get to spend more time with my quartet of friends.

I wished for both.

What, I figured I deserved two wishes- bad birthday and all...

The rest of the party was as typical as anyone would anticipate from a... Wotter party. Yeah, I've heard that term used before. The food fight may have started with a surreptitious flick of my wand... Or not.

A quick note to whoever wants to start a food fight when at the Burrow: always aim for Teddy first. Even though he's got kids, he's still a child at heart. He threw a cookie at Uncle George- who never backs down from a food fight, who decided that it was a perfect time to cause one of the many cakes to explode. Mum managed to rush out of the room quickly before it became a war zone.

I smirked. Everything was going well. I was successfully sneaking out of the room. Up until I got hit in the back of the head with a pumpkin pasty. See, Dad has nearly miraculous aim with those things. In the spirit of all food fights, I picked the squashed dessert off of my neck and threw it back at him. (Good thing he forced me to play chaser with the rest of the family rather than reading books, right?) Perfect aim, of course- I hit him square in the face. I failed at suppressing a laugh, but it didn't matter anyway.

How had I forgotten I couldn't speak?

The thought crushed me. Merlin, I felt like an emotional teenager again.

An arm snaked around my shoulder, and I jumped in surprise. "Dear Merlin, Maggie," I said. Well, attempted to say.

She just smiled. "Let's get out of here, 'kay?"

I let my best friend lead me away, her grasp like a... what's the muggle term..? Vice grip, that's it. The kitchen was filled with countless plates that were magically cleaning themselves. Ah, the advantages of magic. I still don't get how James' wife ever managed life without magic. Um, anyway, she dragged me out through the kitchen and into the yard. I ended up stumbling over a formerly sleeping gnome and falling into the dewy grass, pulling Magnolia along with me. I smiled sheepishly.

"It's okay, Rose. And you know where we're headed, right?"

I nodded. It was where we all promised to be friends forever. Cliché to the nth degree, but true. Maggie and I had insisted during the summer before third year. I remember like it was yesterday. Mostly because of how much persuading we had to do to convince Dad that Scorpius was not a complete and utter arse. It was the garage where Grandad Weasley used to keep all of his muggle knickknacks. Of course, the best was the flying car... more like the story that went along with it.

Dear Merlin, I'm reminiscing too much.

I walked into the garage slowly, careful not to step on any spark plugs or rubber ducks. This feels so nostalgic, I thought as I glanced around. Al was sitting on the hood of the car- an action that I had frequently berated him for as a child, and Scorpius was sitting on the ground lazily conjuring bubbles in the air. Definitely nostalgia.

"Rose!" Al exclaimed, hopping off the car and pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. I still never understood where he got that much strength. "Looks like you survived," he commented as he released me from the hug, "Although..." he picked a piece of pasty out of my hair.

I shook my head, auburn curls flying everywhere. The last bits of food fell out of my hair. Maybe the food fight wasn't such a brilliant idea...

Shrugging, I flicked a crumb at Scorpius. No hello? ...Seriously?

"Hey, Rosie." I frowned. Git. He knew full well I hated that nickname, no matter how endearing it sounded from- ugh, stop it Rose! He smirked. "And there's the frown."

Albus handed him a galleon. Definitely a git.

Maggie started giggling. "Merlin, it's as if nothing's changed..."

I smiled faintly. If only...


Stars scintillated above the Valley of the Kings. A cold wind whistled through the sandy valley, kicking up swirls of sand. A crack echoed through the surrounding area, travelling through the uninhabited area. As the sound faded, a person slipped off an invisibility cloak.

"She should be here," the figure commented in a deep voice.

There was the bluish light of a portkey in the distance, and the man moved closer to where his associate would be arriving.

It was light enough to see the outline of the long-haired woman, but not her face. She always insisted that they never truly meet each other.

The woman ran towards the man, leaving a trail of scattered sand in her wake. "We're doomed," she stated as-a-matter-of-factly. "They broke through our defence and now the plan needs to be altered. Again."

The man cursed. "I have to report this, don't I?"

A slight inclination was all the response he needed. "We're doomed, indeed."

"I have five minutes left."

"What in the world happened?"

"Simple, really. The girl broke the curse, but it rebounded."

"Rebounded... How?"

"I'm guessing it'll be amplified. I-I've never seen this happen before." The woman's stammer was unprecedented, and the man stared wide-eyed.

The man cursed, his voice whipped away with the swirl of desert sand. "I'll send a message as soon as I get back."

The woman inclined her head, wisps of brown hair falling in front of her face. "And I will report what I have learned as well... We shall meet in two days' time." The woman took a trinket from her clothes. "Portus." The object glowed blue, and twenty seconds later she vanished.


A/N: Thank you so much for reading. It means the world to me! Thank you to scribbleeexx, angelica8051, and Emily for reviewing. I plan to start updating more frequently *crosses fingers* because I've got major plans. A million thank-you's to quillstrike, my amazingly wonderful Beta.
Thanks for reading, and
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-Cler