*A/N: Well I am finally updating with two new chapters! I sincerely apologize, I suffered from the worst writer's block ever with this story. Luckily I manage to crave out two more chapters!Thanks for hanging in there and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling. This is purely fan-made fun.

"Name all the ingredients that are used in Polyjuice Potion."

Rose took less than a second of contemplation before rattling off, "Lacewing Flies- which need to be stewed for 21 days prior- leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, fluxweed- picked at full moon- shredded boomslang skin, and, of course, a bit of the individual you desire to turn in to."

"Correct," Albus replied in the most lackluster voice possible. "Can we please stop studying now? I think you could probably pass your OWLS already after all the studying you've done in the last three hours."

"Albus that's ridiculous- our books don't even mention 90% of the information we would be tested on in our OWLS." Rose corrected with a shake of her head. "But yes, I suppose we can take a break."

"Leave it to you, Rose Weasley, to rationalize even my sarcastic comments," Albus mumbled under his breath.

As Rose organized her books and notes sprawled across the library table, she kept sneaking glances towards Albus who was pulling out his copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. Taking a deep breath, she finally ask the question she had been trying to bring up for the past few days-

"Albus, what do you know about the Malfoy family?"

Albus looked up from his books with a raised eyebrow. "Does this have to do with what happened with Scorpius after first classes last week?" he questioned after a few minutes.

Rose was not surprised that Albus knew about that particular incident- it had been one of the main topics of gossip for the whole first week of term. "Well, yes. Sort of. You see, he said something to me in private- after the whole scene with that Corner prat- about our families having a history together."

"Well I know his father and our parents didn't get on particularly well in their years here at Hogwarts. And I know that the Malfoy family strongly supported Voldemort during the war. But then, everyone knows that."

"What about Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry- have they ever mentioned a specific incidence involving one of the Malfoys-something that happened during war maybe?"

"What's this? My baby cousin curious about a Malfoy?"

Both Rose and Albus jumped and turned towards the source of this sudden interruption.

"James, bugger off!" Albus yelled at his older brother.

"Is that the way you greet family? Tsk, tsk. Our parents would definitely be appalled by your behavior right now- and language I think." James mockingly chided, then turned to wink at Madam Pince, the elderly school librarian, who was currently sending them a warning glare.

As annoyed as Albus might be by his older brother's interruption, Rose couldn't pass up this opportunity to possibly learn more about Scorpius.

"What do you know about the Malfoys, James?"

"You mean besides them all being Voldemort-supporting prats?"

"Oh, and Mum and Dad would be so pleased with your language right now?" Albus sarcastically muttered with a roll of his eyes. "And I think Rose meant something about them that the entire wizarding world was not aware of."

"And maybe something that actually has some truth to it and not simply another piece of gossip." Rose exasperatedly added.

"What- you think that they weren't Voldemort supporters?" James asked, unconvinced. "Because, sorry cousin, but simply open any of the millions of books you own and you'll find all the evidence you need to believe that."

"No, of course I know about all of that, but that was the last generation of Malfoys. It's no longer true for all of them. At least not Scorpius." Rose responded firmly.

"Right, well I'm still not convinced. He looks like a prat in training to me."

"James! That is exactly the type of attitude that-"

But before Rose could finish reprimanding James, their cousin Fred came running up to their table.

"James! Albus! A sign-up sheet for Quidditch trials was just posted in the common room!"

James straightened from his lounging pose at this news. "Brilliant! 'Bout time too! So, what position are thinking of trying out for, baby brother?"

"Hmm, I'm thinking none of your business, James. You'll find out on the Quidditch pitch!"

Rose ended the sibling banter with her own excited comment, "Oh, I wonder if the Ravenclaw try out sheet has been posted as well?"

Immediately all three of the boys paused and shared an apprehensive glare. James was the first to break the silence with a loud laugh.

"Uh oh! You're not thinking what I think you're thinking- are you Rosie?"

"Oh bugger off, James!"

But even Albus felt-for the sake of all those who could possibly be fatally injured in the near future- he had to add, "Are you sure that's such a good idea, Rose?"

"Why do you all act like this whenever I talk about playing Quidditch? I'm not that bad!"

"Sure, try to convince my still-healing ribs of that!" James said with an even louder laugh- only to stop with a wince and rub his left side.

"Ha! No more than you deserve James Sirius Potter! And I'd be careful if I was you- I've just mastered a tickling charm that could put you and your 'still-healing ribs' in even more pain." Rose warned with a glare in her eye which James was unfortunately most familiar with.

But that's when Fred, James' partner in crime despite their two year age difference, spoke up. "Why mess with a curse? Just fly your broom into him and make him fall fifteen feet into Grandpa Weasley's barn again. Oh! But this time, let me be there to witness it!"

"It was not even eight feet- let alone fifteen! Stop exaggerating!" Rose yelled as her face bloomed with color. "And for all you know, I ran into him on purpose! It was actually all part of my strategy."

"Right, and was it also part of that strategy of yours to be backwards on your broom at the time. Because that looked entirely on purpose." James added with a wide-eyed nod.

Rose was just about reply with a witty retort when she spotted Scorpius entering the library. Immediately she waved her arms, motioning for him to come over despite her cousin's less than enthusiastic expressions.

Scorpius had no trouble seeing Rose Weasley amid the stacks of books, as he entered the library- her auburn hair was kind of difficult to miss. He planned on pretending he hadn't seen her and just continue to the other side of the library, but then Rose spotted him and starting waving her arms around as if they were on fire. Scorpius momentarily considered still ignoring her, but then remembered the way she had defended him after transfigurations and grudgingly started toward her table.

"Hi Scorpius! Want to sit with us? We were just talking about Quidditch trials while taking a study break." Rose greeted as she started to make room for him at their table.

Unfortunately, all her cousins did not seem to be quite as inclined to make small talk with Scorpius Malfoy. James and Albus were instead taking great interest in the books in front of them, while Fred, who had no books in front of him, chose to make a profound study of the light fixture on the ceiling. When Scorpius also failed to make any attempt at conversation after sitting in the vacant chair, Rose resorted to desperate measures and elbowed Albus in the stomach.

"OW! Uh, right." Albus grunted. "Thinking about trying out, Scorpius?"

"Of course he is." James answered for Scorpius. "He is a Malfoy. So, let me guess- Seeker, right Malfoy? Just like your dear old dad." he said without even looking up from the book in front of him which Rose highly doubted he even knew the title of, let alone was actually reading.

Rose saw Scorpius stare at James before answering. "No, actually I don't play Quidditch. Never really took a fancy to it."

That brought everyone at the table to attention. The Weasleys and Potters, who all had learned to ride a broom practically before learning to walk, just sat their staring opened mouthed.

"Don't get me wrong, I find the game entertaining enough to watch, on occasion." Scorpius added with a shrug.

Rose thought she saw Fred mouthing "on occasion?" in both shock and confusion.

"It's just never been my cup of tea," Scorpius explained unapologetically.

"Wow, maybe you do belong in Ravenclaw," Fred concluded in an awe-filled tone.

"Or Hufflepuff," James snorted. "Either way, take this piece of advice, Malfoy. Avoid the pitch at all costs if Rose is ever even thinking about getting out there with a broom! Even in the stands you might not be safe."

"I'm not that bad!" Rose frustratingly yelled.

That was when Madam Pince finally reached her boiling point and kicked all five of them out of the library.

"Madame Pince, you break my heart!" James dramatically called out as they all exited the library. Rose just shook her head at her cousin's outrageousness and turned to explain to Scorpius that, sadly, getting kick out of the library was turning into a weekly activity for them, when she discovered that Scorpius had started walking away from their group without even a word.

"Hey! Where are you headed, Scorpius?" Rose called out as she ran to catch up with him, leaving her bewildered cousins in front the library entrance.

"Oh, uh, I was going to head up to the Owlery. I'm expecting a letter from my father." Scorpius sheepishly replied.

"Oh. I actually wanted to post a letter to my parents as well." Thinking about the letter she had written earlier in the library.

In it she explained to her parents all about how disappointed she was not to be in Gryffindor, but reassuring them that she was adjusting fairly well. Rose was sure they had heard through the Weasley grapevine that she had been sorted into Ravenclaw, but Rose felt it was time though that she admit to them how crushed she had been about it.

Now, though, she was coming clean. She realized now that she was just being petty that first day- alright, the whole first week- of school. But Rose was now proud to say that she had already matured loads just within her first few weeks here at Hogwarts. The first major step of this maturity was telling all this to her parents in an eloquently written letter. Rose thought about this as she and Scorpius made their way to the Owlery. Before she knew it, for some reason Rose began confide in Scorpius all about her parents and her initial disappointment in being sorted into Ravenclaw.

The whole time Scorpius walked silently next to her, uncomfortably thinking, Why is she telling me all this? He had his own parent problems to stress over. That was actually the reason for his trip to the Owlery; the other day he had finally sent the letter to his parents explaining his sorting into Ravenclaw. And now, he was anxiously waiting for his father's reply.

By the time they arrived at the Owlery Rose had finally finished her long-winded admission, much to Scorpius' relief. Scorpius looked around for his family's owl, hoping it had arrived already. Just then, Athene flew through a window, into the circular, stone room. Scorpius recognized his father's handwriting on the parchment Athene carried, and knew this was the letter he was waiting for.

"Is that your bird? She's lovely." Rose admired, but Scorpius was too distracted by his father's letter to reply.

His held the sealed letter in his hands debating whether or not he should wait to read it in private. While he did not fancy the idea of reading such a personal letter in front of someone like Rose Weasley, Scorpius was also too impatient to wait.

Only once he saw out of the corner of his eye Rose turn away and start tying her own letter to one of the school owls, did Scorpius finally break the seal and open his father's letter. Taking a deep breath, he read:

Dear Scorpius,

This is a difficult letter for me to write. I regret that we cannot speak about this in person, but know that I mean every word that is written here.

Let me start off by saying how proud I am of you and how happy I am that you have been sorted into Ravenclaw.

I know that may be difficult to believe. I realize I did not hide the fact that I was hoping you would follow my footsteps to Slytherin, but I feel I should explain why.

I spent most of my time at Hogwarts and beginning of my adult life striving to meet my own father's expectations. From the moment I was born he had a great plan of who I would be and the life I would live. It was naturally expected for me to be raised to the highest "pure-blood" standards: I would go to Hogwarts, be sorted into Slytherin, play on the Quidditch team, graduate Head Boy, obtain a lofty position at the Ministry, marry a pure-blood woman, continue the Malfoy line by having my own son, and then one day sit my son down and explain that he too would be held to these same expectations.

I lived half my life believing without a doubt that this was the right path for me. I never questioned my parents' expectations, at least not until repercussions of the war enlightened me to the true meaning of life. I spent the years directly following the war in a constant state of confusion, always questioning who I was and the kind of person I wanted to be. It wasn't until I met your mother that I knew the answer. Together your mother and I made a new life for ourselves away from the past. The day your mother told me she was having you was the day I promised myself I would never hold my son to the same expectations that my father did to me.

Unfortunately, even today years after your grandfather passed away, I still find myself falling into the pattern and path he expected of me- namely, you continuing the tradition of Malfoys being in Slytherin. It was unfair of me to put that pressure on you and I apologize if you thought for even a moment I was disappointed in you. I am not, not at all. I couldn't be more proud.

The only thing I expect of you Scorpius is to be the best person you can be- study hard, make lots of friends, and dream your own dreams. I now know my path in life is to help you turn those dreams into reality. This is why the promise you made at the train station is so important-while we might be ready to forget the past, I know that others like the Weasleys and Potters aren't. I don't want your dreams impeded by my past mistake. Unfortunately it is likely that somewhere down the road that may happen, so we must work together to make a new name for the Malfoy family.

I realize that this letter is very confusing and although you might not understand this letter now, please hold onto it, because one day I think it will make much more sense.

Until then just know that I love you.

Your father

"What did your father say?"

Scorpius jerked his head up with a start, having forgotten that Rose was still in the Owlery with him.

Instead of replying, he just went back to reread his father's letter. His father was wrong about one thing- Scorpius understood this letter probably more than his father expected him to. And he also understood how difficult it must have been for his father to explain it all.

Scorpius' father rarely talked about his past. Everything Scorpius knew about his father's childhood and time at Hogwarts was only small snapshots of what Scorpius suspected to be a much bigger picture. Scorpius would heed his father's advice and hold on to this letter. This was probably the most insight he would ever get into his father's past and it meant so much to Scorpius that his father trusted him enough with this enormous confession.

Rereading the letter for a third time, Scorpius' eyes lingered on one line in particular:

"The promise you made at the train station is so important."

"Scorpius?"

Scorpius finally lifted his head and look into Rose's blue, bewildered eyes.

"Are you alright? Is it bad news?" Rose asked taking a concerned step forward.

Automatically Scorpius stepped backwards, "I have to go." He turned and quickly made his way to the stairs descending from the Owlery.

"Scorpius, wait! Are you sure you're alright!"

It was Scorpius' conscious and the genuine distress in Rose's voice that made Scorpius pause in his retreat and turned back towards the auburn-haired girl who could never be his friend.

"I'm sorry."

And with that he fled, leaving Rose confused and alone, except for the school owls.