(A/N: Hello again. What we have here is the first chapter of the story, which I admit is basically another prologue. Don't worry, the fun stuff will be taking place very soon. I hope you enjoy my adaptation of the future of the Harry Potter world. Reviews are also graciously appreciated. Thank you so much, and enjoy)

The Funeral Bells

Chapter 1

Two Years

The fields are near

And I won't trust the air with secrets

I can't stop holding this treasure in my arms

For all the water in the ocean

Could never turn this swan's legs from black to white

Most people don't realize how quickly things can change in just two years.

Rose Weasley was no exception. If you were to catch in her 4th year of Hogwarts, you might find her in the Gryffindor Common Room doing some extra credit work for Transfiguration, or in the Great Hall discussing Quidditch strategy with some of her teammates. Back then, if you were to mention her cousin Al to her, she would put on a sad frown. Back then, if you were to mention Scorpius Malfoy to her, she would put on a furious glare.

However, if you were to ask her in her 6th year about her fallout with her cousin or her hostility towards his best friend, she would tell you it was a lifetime ago. In fact, you may instead find her walking out of potions class with her two best friends.

"I just don't get it," said Scorpius in frustration just after leaving the classroom.

"She explained it to you like a 100 times!" Al declared in a fit of annoyance.

"I can make it a 101..." Rose offered ever-so humbly.

"Who cares about this stuff anyway?" insisted the blonde. "Half of the stuff we learn in our 6th and 7h years we don't even use in our future…unless you plan on being the next Dumbledore or something…"

"Oh, come now, Scor. It's easy!," insisted Rose, but she was cut off before she could explain it further.

"For you, maybe," Scorpius continued. "You can do all of this rubbish bound and gagged!"

Rose rolled her eyes at the blonde's comment, though he had not been lying. Out of this little trio, the red-head had been known as the brains. However, that never meant that she spent all her time studying or her face buried in books of any sort; she somewhat gave up that hobby years ago. She was more of a Quidditch-gal now; school just naturally came incredibly easy to her.

"I think you're giving her too much credit, mate," commented Al with a hint of arrogance in his voice. "You should have seen the way Auntie Mione went off on her for slipping even just a little bit over the summer."

"Now, you know that was totally uncalled for," Rose was quick to bring up the defenses.

"You got all O's on the OWLs, didn't you?" asked Scorpius slightly dumbfounded. "What would your mum have to complain about?"

"Word got out about her skipping a class last year," Al spoke up before his cousin had a chance to explain. "You know? The fifth-year ditch-day?"

"It was only a class," Scorpius remembered. Being an avid Slytherin, Scorpius wasn't exactly familiar with Gryffindor Quidditch traditions; yet he did remember Rose mentioning something of that nature last year. "How did she find out about one measly class?"

"Herbology was the class she skipped," Al once again spoke for her cousin.

"Oh."

Scorpius never actually met the adults of the Potter-Weasley family formally, but he was more than well-aware of their relationship with the Herbology teacher, Professor Longbottom. Scorpius never had an eye for Herbology per se, yet he never seemed to have any problems with the teacher, even though he came from a very questionable bloodline.

"You know what's funny?" asked Al with a little smirk planted on his face. "Uncle Ron actually thought that you had something to do with her little skip-day."

Scorpius rolled his eyes while Rose shot her cousin a look. All three of them - as well as the rest of the bloody school - knew well how the father of Rose Weasley felt about Scorpius.

"Al, why do you have to bring this up?" Rose asked in an annoyed tone.

"Why?" Al asked back. "Does no one else find it funny?"

"My dad having certain feelings about his family is bad enough," Rose explained. "The last thing I wanted was him thinking he coxed me into taking off a class."

"Rather entertaining, if you ask me."

"Al, I swear," Rose said with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. "You belong in Slytherin."

Al gave an annoyed smirk. All three of the students could remember a time when Rose's previous comment was used as a hostile insult; being sorted into Slytherin wasn't exactly what anyone in the Potter-Weasley clan had in mind. Now, Rose just used it either as a defense mechanism, or just if she feet a burning urge to annoy her cousin.

"That insult lost its validity years ago," insisted the now-proud Slytherin.

"You mean after your little mix-up with those you-know-who worshippers?"

It was apparent that Rose was just aching to start a row, a quality that was quite exuberant in her father.

"Oh lord, Rose, don't bring this up again," Al said as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and middle finger.

"Come on, lady," Scorpius finally addressed the red-head. "Leave him alone."

"He was asked to kill you, Scor!" She reminded him, confirming that this fiery girl is insisting on starting a bit of a row, which is one of the many qualities she's inherited from her father.

"Hey," Scorpius began. "You were in on that little plan, if I recall."

Rose put on a slightly guilty face.

"Besides, I'm still here aren't I?" Scorpius continued with his nonchalant attitude.

"And thank Merlin for that…" Rose stated as she pressed her head into Scorpious' chest.

"Merlin had nothing to do with it, love," the blonde responded after running his hand through Rose's beautiful red hair. "You know I'm a survivor…"

"Ah hell, must I really listen to this again?" Al asked with a mixture of annoyance and sarcasm.

The two laughed in his fake pain. The only person the two liked annoying more - besides each other - was Al. The son of Potter was the last to expect his cousin and best friend to be a couple and they never let them forget it, even though it wasn't too long ago when the last person the two wanted to be with was each other.

"You'd think he'd be used to it by now," Scorpious said to his red-headed girlfriend.

"Al always was a little slow," she responded to him with a grin.

"Alright, I'm leaving," announced Al as he quickly changed his course.

"Oh come on Al," Rose insisted as the couple stopped walking. "We were only kidding."

"Don't flatter yourselves into thinking that your gross displays slay me," Al turned around, yet continued to walk backwards. "I promised Professor Longbottom I'd help him clean the green house tonight."

"And why would you do a thing like that?" Rose inquired with a raised eyebrow, knowing full well that herbology wasn't exactly his specialty.

"He's still under punishment from that same stunt he pulled," explained Scorpious with a bit of a laugh.

"What?" Rose asked in disbelief. "That was two years ago, and your still under punishment?"

"Nope…just with Longbottom." Scorpious confirmed.

"Have I not told you how hard he pushes me in D.A. club?" Al asked as he stopped walking.

"Have you not listened when I told you that you're imagining things?" Rose asked back.

"Okay, okay, okay, enough," Scorpious interrupted. He had a knack of stopping the two cousins from fighting, which was ironic considering a few years back, it had been Al stopping the bickering between Scorpius and Rose. "If Al skips out on Longbottom again, he's parents are going to get an owl." The blonde explained. "And you," he turned the red-head. "Have Quidditch practice, do you not?"

"Walk me there?" she asked in a soft tone.

"Of course," he responded.

"Don't forget to clean your teeth after you two have your snog," Al joked as he turned around to walk away again.

"You'd be surprised how well he cleans up," Rose called to his cousin from down the hall.

"I was actually talking to Scor," Al called back to her.

"Oh get out of here!" Rose called, fighting the urge to take out her wand.

Al, with his back stilled turned, waved at the couple - with a smirk on his face, no doubt.

"Sometimes, I swear-"

"Oh, you love him, lady," Scorpious interrupted Rose before she could finish her thought. "You know you love the sod more than you love me."

Rose suddenly stopped right in front of the blonde, causing him to stop in his tracks as well.

"You think so, Malfoy?" she asks with a smirk on her face.

"Hey, you're family," he said with a smirk as well. "I get it."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, still smiling as she got on her tip-toes to come face to face with the tall blonde. "Well get this…"

Her lips quickly met his, and he did not hesitate to retaliate. She placed a delicate hand on his left cheek and he put his hand around her waist. The Slytherin and Gryffindor weren't always the softest couple to say the least; they'd been known to have a row or two every once and a while. But, they both discreetly decided it was all worth it for moments like this.

So what if their respective houses didn't agree with their relationship? So what if their parents protested at first? So what if they receive constant teasing from Rose's other cousin, James? None of that mattered to them anymore. Only moments like these.

When Scorpius felt that Rose wanted to deepen the kiss, he (very reluctantly) pulled away.

"Erm," he sighed very softly, his warm breath finding its place on Rose's cheek. "Don't you have Quidditch practice now?"

"Oh, they can wait," she responded as she kissed her boyfriend again. However, he once again pulled back.

"For their star chaser?" he said with a small smile. "I think not."

She laughed a small bit, knowing full well that he was right.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really a man," she said with a seductive eyebrow raised.

"Says the same girl who says 'most men are pigs'?" Scorpius asked raising an eyebrow of his own. The redhead chuckled a bit. "Besides, you're going to be tired after your practice. Don't you want your favorite Slytherin giving you a massage afterward? Or would you rather use all of your 'Scorpius Time' now?"

"Scorpius time?" asked Rose fighting back a laugh.

"You know I have things to do," he says jokingly.

"Oh is that right?" she asks, going along with the joke.

"I always keep 'em wanting, lady," he continues. "You know that."

(A/N: Short, I know. But as i said, this chapter is mostly supposed to set the mood of the story to come, and the fun stuff is on the way. Once again, reviews are much much appriciated. Thanks again!!)