Author's note: This is a slightly smaller chapter. But that's because I'll be putting another one out soon.
Thanks to all the wonderful reviewers of the last chapter. My fingers type so frivolously because of your kind words. Hope you like this chapter too.
CHAPTER TEN
Both Scorpius's and Rose's eyes were streaming with tears. Rose was getting emotional about being alive while Scorpius's eyes were reacting to the soot that was traveling into their eyes. It seemed the freezing charm was weakening.
"Who is this guy? Doesn't he know how to perform a good quality freezing charm!" shouted Scorpius as the smoke blinded his eyes.
"You're complaining about the quality of the freezing charm?" screamed Rose, incredulously.
"I'm just saying, since they're trying to protect us from the fire, they might as well do the job properly," replied Scorpius while coughing.
Scorpius, who was expecting Rose to retort fiercely, instead felt his eardrum break down as she laid out a high pitch shriek.
"Weasley! What happened? Are you okay?" he asked panicking, since whatever it was that made her scream would soon find a way towards him.
"Malfoy remember what I said? We're supposed to scream and make crying noises. Otherwise they'll suspect something," she replied.
"Oh alright. But could you please tone down the volume. There's no point in making out of here alive if I lose the ability to hear!" he shouted.
"Fine," she grumbled and continued with her slightly more restrained screams, Scorpius joining her a few moments later. They could still hear the cheers from the crowds outside. After a few moments when they heard the noises from the crowd abate, they stopped screaming themselves.
A few minutes later, when the noises outside had completely subsided, the freezing charm began to lift off them and they started feeling the heat from the burnt pieces of wood lying on the floor. The green envelope had vanished entirely and they could see their surrounding a bit more clearly. Not a single person stood around the place.
Both Rose and Scorpius after getting off the platform, looked longingly around the ground, yearning for the face of the person that had saved their lives.
Rose felt a pair of eyes on her neck and turned around swiftly to see who it was.
"What?" asked Scorpius as he saw Rose searching for someone amidst the trees behind them.
"I saw someone there. Someone was watching us from behind that tree," she said scanning the forest behind them.
"Lets get out of here before those crack pots return," said Scorpius, looking scared.
"Yeah lets get out of here," she replied agreeing.
"I suggest you accompany me," said a voice from behind them.
Both Rose and Scorpius wheeled around to see who spoke. While Rose was relieved to finally see who it was that saved their lives, Scorpius was simply lost for words.
His heart fluttered and his breathing became shallow as he laid eyes on the person in front of him.
It was her.
Just like in the dreams, the first thing that struck his eyes was the illuminating richness of her chocolate brown hair. Her eyes were a crystallized green that pierced his heart incisively. Her face looked so delicate and supple that he felt he was corrupting its purity by looking at it. He had always believed that he would recognize her when he met her. And he finally had. It was her.
Rose delightedly walked over to the young witch who looked the same age and was of the same height as her and burst out in joy.
"Are you the one who performed the freezing charm?" she asked animatedly.
"Well yes. My father had asked me to follow the two of you. He was worried you might seem conspicuous," she spoke in a sweet voice, the sound of which chilled Scorpius's senses.
"Your father?" asked Rose curiously.
"Yes. He met you earlier on. It was him that provided you with the clothes and the food,"
"He was wizard? I knew there was something fishy about that man," said Rose before letting the young girl continue.
"Father recognized you immediately for he said, forgive me, that the two of you were putting up an appalling disguise. He seemed sure the townsfolk would soon grow suspicious and asked me to keep an eye on you," she finished.
"Thank you so much for saving our lives. See, we ended up here…"
The young witch held her hand up to interrupt her and said
"We will have to delay the discussion of how you reached your present state until we get home to our abode safely. You will have to use a disillusionment charm on yourselves, so that the townsfolk won't see you,"
"Yeah that's a good idea. Except that we don't have our wands. We left it behind," she said.
"In that case I will perform the charm on you," said the young witch and proceeded to take out her wand after carefully observing the surroundings in order to make sure they were alone.
"Is your friend all right?" asked the girl pointing to Scorpius who hadn't moved from his spot and was staring at her transfixed with his mouth wide open.
Rose looked at Scorpius and wondered what the hell was wrong with him.
"Malfoy? You okay?" she asked, getting no response in return.
"Is the gentleman unable to speak?" asked the young witch.
"Only on my most luckiest day," replied Rose irately. "You don't have to pay attention to him," she said and asked the young witch to carry on with the charm.
"Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Roslyn," she remarked.
"And I'm Rose," said Rose excitedly, while Roslyn looked over at Scorpius.
"Oh. That is Scorpius," she said lazily.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir" she said while nodding towards him. Scorpius could only manage to open his mouth a little further and stare even more widely.
Roslyn unable to understand why the young gentleman was acting so strange took out her wand and placed it on top of Rose. Rose felt a cold trickling sensation throughout her body. She looked down at herself and saw that she looked almost transparent.
Roslyn then walked towards Scorpius and did the same to him. Scorpius inhaled his breath as she approached, smelling the fragrance emanating from her. He tried to say something coherent, but his brain had shut down temporarily and he could only manage to say "I…You" over and over again.
Roslyn looked at him questioningly and said "Is there anything you wish to say to me, Sir?" she asked. Scorpius opened his mouth and tried to tie together everything he wanted to say when Rose interrupted.
"We better move from here. I think someone's coming," she said panicking.
"You are quite right. The two of you ought to stay behind me. Please do try not to make much noise. I will be taking you to my home. We shall discuss everything else when we reach there," she said and took off in front of them.
Rose and Scorpius stuck together and followed Roslyn who seemed to be taking a shortcut through the woods.
"Malfoy," whispered Rose. "What the hell happened to you? Lost your brains when you got your life back?" she asked.
Scorpius wasn't listening to the red head anymore. All he could see and think of was the brown haired girl walking in front of them.
Rose once again felt like someone was following them. She turned around once again but found no one. Scorpius meanwhile was walking absentmindedly following the scents left behind by the young witch in front of them.
When Rose felt they had reached a rather isolated region where they could not be overheard she asked,
"Hope you don't mind me asking. But how did your father recognize us as being wizards?"
"My father is a very intelligent wizard. He has always been able to tell the difference between a wizard and a Muggle. As to how he does it, is beyond anyone's comprehension. He is quite adept at potions and used to teach it as a subject until a few year back,"
Rose cheered up on hearing this, hoping he might be able to take them back to where they came from.
"Do you go to Hogwarts?" asked Rose in return.
"Unfortunately my ill-fated fortune didn't permit me to. I had to attend to my sick mother, who passed away quite recently. Upon her death, my father resigned his position and opened up an apothecary in town," she said dolefully.
"I'm really sorry," said Rose, while Scorpius felt upset at hearing the young witch's tragedy.
"It all right. Thank you," she said and they kept walking.
They swayed through several trees before finally reaching a pathway. After a few minutes of walking they reached Roslyn's house. It resembled the house that Rose had seen in their Muggle studies text book, and looked out into the river on the banks of which the house was situated.
"Your house is beautiful," remarked Rose as she saw the well maintained gardens spread proportionately around the house.
"Why thank you Rose," she replied warmly as they stepped inside the house.
"Father," she called out as they got in.
She took her wand and removed the charm off them both, Scorpius managing to say an inaudible 'Thanks'.
Rose felt warmth spread over her and looked around the house they had entered. It looked like a typical 17th century house, well furnished and sophisticated.
"There you are. I would like to welcome you to my humble abode," said the man that Rose had met earlier. He had a wide smile on his face and came over to meet them both.
Some how Scorpius managed to regain his voice back and said
"Sir. Thank you so much for sending your lovely daughter to save our lives. We cannot thank you enough," said Scorpius trying to sound as gentlemanly as possible in hopes of impressing Roslyn
"Nay. That was my duty. We have to look out for our kind. Don't we?" he said cheerfully.
"I am Scorpius Malfoy Sir and this is Rose Weasley," he said as they moved into the study.
Rose once again had the uneasy feeling that a pair of eyes were spying on her and she turned around to face the window just as the man introduced himself.
"I am Irwin. Irwin Lancelot," he stated causing Rose to twirl around in shock.
Author's note: Liked it? Hated it? Confused by it? Leave me a comment and let me know.