Not for the first time since her meeting with Scorpius, Rose found herself wondering just what she had been thinking. Breaking into the Slytherin Common Room was an absolutely ridiculous notion, and she couldn't believe she would have ever agreed to it. And every time she tried convincing herself that technically she wasn't "breaking into" the Slytherin Common Room, she had to remind herself that, yes, that was exactly what she was doing.
She thought of going to Scorpius a number of times and calling the whole thing off. But that would mean having to look at his smug, pointed face as he proclaimed that he had beaten her at something - even at something as ridiculous at getting into a different house than her.
No. She couldn't that. She couldn't back down. But then she started to wonder exactly why she couldn't. Her grades were at stake. As was her standing with her professors; what would they think of her after she broken into the Slytherin Common Room? And what about Gryffindor house points? Or her enrollment in the school? Could she be expelled for such a thing?
She tried to tell herself that she had been "invited" into the Slytherin Common Room. But that wasn't exactly the case. If she got in trouble, if she was accused of breaking in, would Scorpius stand up for her? She didn't exactly know him. They weren't really even friends. Could this be just some Slytherin trick?
But Scorpius knew she was a Prefect. He knew she could traverse the halls at night without fear of getting in trouble for it. And if he had wanted her to risk it, then why would he have challenged her to meet him before curfew?
No, Scorpius wasn't out to get her in trouble, she was sure of it . . . at least, she thought so.
She agonized over the situation for three whole days before realizing she had wasted a significant portion of her two week deadline and still had no idea as to where the Slytherin Common Room was or how to get into it.
Luckily, her position as a Prefect allowed her to follow students and explore areas of the castle without arousing much suspicion. Three days before the deadline she had discovered the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room, knew the password, had crafted an alibi, and had gathered robes from the laundry.
Her biggest fear was that the password might have changed. She had made sure the night before that the password was still correct, but if it had been changed since then she had no way of knowing. If she was wrong, she wasn't sure she could craft another alibi in time. And even if she could, she didn't want to go through the hassle of all of this again.
"Mandy?" she asked her dorm mate and fellow Prefect, "would you mind escorting the Gryffindors up to the tower?"
"No problem. Is everything all right?"
"I just don't feel very good," she made a mad dash out the door toward the first floor bathrooms.
Amanda was a good friend. Rose knew if she didn't show up in time for curfew that Mandy would cover her shift. Rose hated lying to her, but maybe this would be a story they would laugh about later.
Rose reached for the bag she had concealed behind one of the toilets and pulled out the robes she had borrowed from the laundry. They were a couple sizes larger than her own, which would help hide her figure, thereby creating less of a chance for her to be recognized. She had also found a large sized wizard's hat that she used to tuck her hair up into.
The only thing left that could give her away were her freckles. She wished she knew a charm that could lighten their color, but there were other ways. Amanda, being muggle born, had all sorts of odd things. Rose had borrowed her facial powder for this exact purpose.
After making sure her freckles were concealed as best they could be and that her hair wasn't sticking out of the hat, Rose stuffed her own properly sized robes into the bag and stashed it back behind the toilet. Then she left the bathroom and headed for the dungeons. Her costuming process had passed enough time to clear the hallway of students.
She hurried down the passageways, wanting to get things over and done with as quickly as possible. Besides, the faster she moved, the less time anyone had to get a good look at her. She passed a few students along the way, but they didn't seem to pay her much attention, except perhaps to wonder why she was in such a big hurry. She held onto her hat, just in case.
She nearly missed the stone wall in her haste to get there, but she'd spent enough time following students to know it was the right section. She just hoped the password hadn't changed.
"Phineas Nigellus!" she said.
Scorpius sat in one of the high-backed chairs in front of the fireplace. His friend Thomas dropped in the seat next to him with a sigh.
"You patrolling tonight?" Thomas asked.
"Yeah, I am. Why?"
Thomas sighed again and stretched out the scroll in his hand. "I was hoping you could help me with my Transfiguration essay. I need six more stupid inches."
"I can help when I get back," Scorpius offered.
"I'll be here," Thomas groaned.
"You can ask Trisha," Scorpius suggested. "She's pretty good at Transfiguration."
"Not as good as you."
Scorpius smiled. "No one's as good as me." Except perhaps Rose Weasley. Thank goodness they had miraculously never managed to have that class together.
Scorpius gazed at the fireplace. He was beginning to think Rose wasn't going take him up on his challenge, which disappointed him. Somehow, he felt that if he beat her, he also lost. Would they continue to meet at the end of class after an assignment if he proved he could win? If not, would he ever get the chance to talk to her at all?
Thomas groaned again, pulling Scorpius from his thoughts. "I just don't get this class."
"Last year you have to take it," Scorpius tried to encourage him.
"No." Thomas put his head in his hands. "I need it for my career field." He rubbed his eyes, sighing. He paused as he gazed through his fingers. Then he lowered his hands. "Who the hell is that?"
Scorpius turned in his chair. Standing near the entrance way was a student Scorpius had never seen before. Whoever it was, they definitely weren't a first-year, but they looked nearly as awkward and unsure as one. Their robes were one or two sizes too big for them, and their hair was covered by a hat that was also too large. It was almost like they were trying to hide something.
Scorpius rose from his chair. "Who on Earth . . ?" And then it hit him. A grin broke across his face. He couldn't believe it.
Scorpius rushed to Rose's side as other Slytherins began to take an interested in the strange student. Scorpius grabbed her arm and hurried her through the wall. "This way," he said as he pulled her down a passageway.
He unlocked a storage cupboard and pulled her inside where he finally let lose a roaring laugh. "Oh, that was bloody brilliant, Rose!" He would have punched the air had he not been afraid of accidently hitting her from the lack of room. "I didn't even recognize you!"
He couldn't see her in the dark of the room; his eyes hadn't adjusted. But he could hear her soft laughter. "That was the scariest thing I've ever had to do," she said.
He was grinning broadly at her, and he realized she couldn't see it. "I'm seriously impressed," he admitted.
"Well," she said, "It's your turn next."
"Oh, right." He had forgotten. If he was honest with himself, he wasn't looking forward to it. "What do I have to do?"
"I did the sly and cunning. Now you have to do the brave and daring. Get into Gryffindor Tower as yourself. No disguises."
He nearly protested but stopped the words just in time. "All right," he said.
"Then I'll see you sometime in the next two weeks." A crack of light appeared and he realized she had opened the door a little. The smallest bit of light touched her mouth, nose, and eyes. "I don't think anyone followed us."
"Are you sure? I'd hate for you to get in trouble."
A smile spread across her face. "I'll be fine." She opened the door wide. Her hat had fallen from her head, freeing her hair and allowing it to fall haphazardly across her shoulders. He didn't think she'd ever looked more beautiful. "See you on patrol?"
It was a ridiculous question. The House Prefects all kept to their own areas. They didn't mingle with each other. Even so, implying that she wanted to see him again was a nice gesture.
"Sure," he said. He was still smiling but for reasons that had nothing to do with the events of the night and everything to do with the fact that she was standing across from him.
And then she was gone, running back up the passageway. Scorpius closed the door to the closet, shutting himself inside. He sat down on the floor and brought a hand to his face.
What was he going to do? He understood the emotions he was feeling, and he knew better than to pretend to himself that he didn't. How could he possibly have developed feelings for a Gryffindor? And not just any Gryffindor, but a Weasley? Worse still, this girl was a particularly charming and beautiful Rose Weasley who might not even like him back.