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Chapter 9
Rose hadn't spoken to Chi again, Chi had been sending her looks throughout the lesson and smiling every time she saw that Rose had gone a deep shade of red.
Chi Wong had always been able to figure Rose out, the other girls would always suggest it was her 'incredible skill' at Divination, though she would usually just make something up to humour them. Except with Rose. Chi really had looked for fire-omens, Tessomancy and done crystal-gazing. It was tarot reading that she was left with, a skill her grandmother had taught her and she had never liked. It just always revealed too much if the question was too specific. Chi never told Rose what her other question was, nor the answers to it.
Once the school day had ended, Rose was still confused. Lorcan would ask her questions and she would only mumble a response, completely enraptured by what Chi had said.
"Rose! What is going on with you?" Lorcan whispered frustrated as they exited Potions. Rose didn't answer she was looking at the palm of her hand, tracing the lines there.
Lorcan nudged her with his shoulder and she shook her head, coming back to reality.
"Huh?" she asked, tucking some out of control curls out of her face.
"Why are you so distracted suddenly?" he said, looking into her face as they walked to the common room.
"It's something that Chi said," she replied quietly, finally looking up at Lorcan who was frowning.
"What did she say? Did she find a bad omen," he said smiling, and putting an arm over her shoulder, "I doubt it was that bad, you're acting like a zombie."
"No, it –" Rose wasn't able to finish her sentence as Scorpius appeared behind them, Albus trailing him with a frown fixed on his face.
"Prefect's meeting, 20 minutes, Classroom 1B." He said quickly, almost breathlessly, something Scorpius never was.
"McGonagall's classroom?" Lorcan asked, a questioning expression on his face.
He nodded, "see you guys there," he smiled, mostly directed at Rose, and himself and Albus continued ahead of them, talking lowly to each other.
XxX Albus & Scorpius XxX
"You can tell me you know," Albus said slightly annoyed.
"About what?" Scorpius replied casually, looking at the palms of his hands, noticing they were slightly blue, "what did you put in that potion?"
Albus shrugged and shook his head, "don't distract me, you can tell me that you fancy Rose." He said frowning deeply, gripping the strap of his bag.
"What?" Scorpius said, feeling the back of his neck heat up, he rubbed at it and laughed lightly. "Come on Al."
"I'm not stupid Scorpius, you can tell me, if you want." Albus added the last bit as a test, his own test to see whether Scorpius was actually going to own up to it. If he actually cared that Albus really wanted to know whether Rose was even closer to getting Scorpius too, and she'd done it so quickly, Albus thought.
"I'm serious Albus, we're just friends and fellow prefects, trust me." Scorpius said smiling, his eyes blinking a fraction faster than they had been before. However Albus didn't notice this.
Albus looked him in the eye, and after a few moments, he nodded. "I'm taking your word for that," he said seriously, still staring Scorpius down.
Scorpius rolled his eyes, and put his hands in his pockets, "great."
He smiled weakly, Scorpius hated lying, and he had to admit it to himself. He actually liked Rose, and like liked her. And there was no chance he was going to make Albus or anyone else angry by actually admitting it to them. He'd just get over it, the feelings would probably disappear soon enough – well that's what he thought.
XxX Rose & Lorcan XxX
"I caught you," Lorcan said, throwing his bag down onto his bed and exiting the room again, Rose standing on the outside.
"Caught me doing what?" she asked haughtily, gripping the notebook and Muggle pen she had traded for her bag, in her hands.
"Giving Scorpius twinkly eyes," he said laughing, and attempting to mimic Rose's wide eyed look, "I would say you were fluttering your eyelashes, but we both know you're incapable of that."
Rose glared at Lorcan and punched him in the arm, "I wasn't doing anything of the sort."
He laughed, "look, this is you," he said, resting his chin on the palms of his hands, pouting and fluttering his eyelashes, and winking his green eyes.
"Uh," Rose screamed, almost pushing Lorcan down the stairs from the boys' dormitory.
"Hey, Miss Denial," he laughed, "I bet if I talked to your roommates, they'd tell me in a flash."
"Doubtful Lorcan, truly doubtful," she replied, though suddenly feeling over exposed. She looked towards the common room, seeing Zelda and Marianne talking in a corner, she bit her lip.
"Caught you again!" Lorcan said laughing, and making his way down to the bottom of the stairs. "You're looking all nervous and suspicious," he continued grinning at her.
"Come off it Lorcan," she said offhandedly, walking down after him, and crossing her arms against her chest.
"Don't worry, I won't make you admit it, but Chi on the other hand." Lorcan said, spotting Chi enter the room and he jogged over to her.
Rose quickly ran after him and pulled at his arm, "no, no, leave it," she said pleadingly, he grinned.
"Hey Chi, what did the tea leaves say?" he asked.
Chi gave him a questioning glance, looked at Rose's pained face and turned back to Lorcan. "I see dark and dank conditions in your future Lorcan, I'd advise carrying a chocolate bar with you at all times, and of course your wand."
Lorcan frowned, "what do you mean by that?" he asked.
"Don't question the tea leaves Lorcan, they might help you one day." She grinned and flicking out her long straight hair, she skipped over to Zelda and Marianne.
Lorcan turned to Rose, and saw that she was smirking at him, her arms folded.
"You deserve it Lorcan," she said, he rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, just open the door," he replied. Rose turned and opened the door out of the common room. Turning and noticing the two 5th year prefects; Anisha Bashkar and Ed Samuels.
Lorcan held the door for the two younger students, as both himself and Rose exited the common room, Rose sighing and grabbing onto Lorcan's arm, leaning her head against his arm, her notebook tucked into her robes.
"I've missed this Lorie, Emma seems to have taken you away from me," she said smiling.
"No one can replace my sister, Rose." He said smiling.
"Good, I therefore now officially give you my blessing."
"Oh thanks Rose, I really felt like I needed that from you, you realise you're not my real sister, you're just as close as I can get."
"Well since I hardly ever see my dear brother Hugo, you have to be my substitute for all of my sisterly duties." She said smiling.
XxX
They reached the ground floor and Rose let go of Lorcan, and they followed the two other prefects into Classroom 1B.
On entrance to the headmistress's classroom, the majority of the schools' prefects were sitting on the chairs which had been moved into a circle. McGonagall was standing behind her desk, talking to Violet who was quickly writing things down.
Lorcan noticed Scorpius speaking to his fellow prefect Lyra Finnegan. He went over and sat on the seats next to him, Rose following suit.
Lysander and Jessica Smith entered the room, making their way over to sit next to Rose.
"Hello brother," Lysander said to Lorcan, leaning over Rose. The wand tucked behind his ear nearly poking Rose in the eye.
"Hey, you nearly took my eye out," she muttered, Jessica laughed at her, leading Rose to glare at her.
To put it finely, they weren't friends.
"Oh sorry Rose," he said smiling warmly, a light edge to his voice.
She shook it off and smiled, "how is Molly?" she asked, folding her hands in her lap.
"Fine I suppose, she did show me this really good spell though, it animates toys for a couple hours. We scared Lucy with them," he replied whimsically, smiling to himself. However Lucy entered the room looking very red in the face, and pushing her glasses further up her nose. Avoiding looking at Lysander directly.
Rose smiled, and looked at Lorcan who was rolling his eyes at his brother.
Jessica (who had her lips pursed at Rose) looked past Rose and Lorcan, and towards Scorpius who had turned toward Lorcan when he entered.
"Hi Scorp," she said winking at him, and fluffing up her brown curls.
"Hey Jessica," he replied, exactly the way he had replied to Moaning Myrtle two weeks before. Polite indifference.
There was no other way to put it other than Jessica was the school bitch. Not only the school bitch, but the school slut too, having led many a male astray. However, no matter how hard she tried, she had never managed to trap Scorpius Malfoy. Something she always tried to fix.
Scorpius ran a hand through his hair and leaned back into his chair, no longer looking at Jessica, but at his feet.
The rest of the prefects began to trail into the classroom, and they all sat on the circle of chairs, waiting for McGonagall to speak.
She stepped forward, straightening her square glasses and clearing her throat.
"I've gathered you all here to officially announce the Winter Ball which will be held on Saturday the 12th of December. All prefects will be expected to attend, alternately patrolling the ground floor in pairs. Miss Zabini and Mr Nott will be in charge of organising pairs and the schedule. The teachers will be chaperoning the actual Ball, and it is not permitted that any student be anywhere other than the Great Hall and ground floor. As this was Miss Zabini's idea, she has told me she is prepared to organise the whole thing. I trust that you can all follow her instruction responsibly, and I will personally announce this to the rest of the school during Dinner." McGonagall nodded towards the prefects, then at Violet before exiting her classroom.
Violet stepped forward, leaning against the desk at the front of the room, a notebook in hand.
"Right, there will be 4 groups, comprende. No complaining who I put you with," Violet sent a glare towards Jessica. "Everything goes through me or Alastair, step out of line and just like if you miss a patrol, you will have to deal with my fury. This is my baby, and you will not ruin it" she said sternly.
The fifth year prefects who were not aware of Violet's anger and forceful ways were squirming in their seats, trying to not keep eye contact with her dark and brooding eyes. She could be nice, when she felt like it.
"The 4 groups are for the following; group 1 will be for food and drinks-," Violet stopped seeing that Jessica had opened her mouth to say something. She gave her a look and Jessica closed her mouth again, Rose laughed silently to herself.
"Yes, that means speaking with the house elves Jessica, group 2 will be in charge of music, group 3 decoration and group 4 will deal with numbers and our budget. I will decide where everyone fits into it, and that's because I know exactly what every single one of you can bring to the table."
Violet flicked open her note book, and walked towards the blackboard drawing a table and putting the titles; Music, Decoration, Numbers, Food & Drink. She left space under them to fill in the names of the 22 prefects, not including herself and Alastair.
"Now those of you who can count can tell that there are two of you who will be the extras in a group, therefore those two will be myself and Alastair's personal assistants, big jobs. I will not accept volunteers Jessica." She said glaring atJessica who was fluttering her eyelashes at Alastair who was standing at the side of desk, grimacing.
"Out of the 22 of you, Scorpius and Rose are the smartest, therefore they will do the job." She said smiling at them both, who had gasped, frowning deeply.
"Now, Jessica Smith since you are so willing to be up for anything, you will sort out food and drink," Violet winked at her evilly, "along with Lyra Finnegan, Summer Washington and the 5th year Hufflepuffs. Lorcan & Lysander Scamander, Roxanne Weasley, Michael Jones and Ed Samuels, you'll do music. Lucy, though you are a 5th year, you are very meticulous, I like that, you'll be in charge of numbers along with the rest of the 7th year prefects. That leaves decoration to the 5th year Slytherins, Anisha Bashkar and Alan Thomas, I trust my brother can control you, can't you Dino," she looked at her brother who nodded silently.
Nobody wanted to show their anger at Violet's choices, mixing Slytherins and Gryffindors together was never a good idea, but mixing years was probably worse.
Violet finished writing the groups on the chalk board and wrote Scorpius and Rose next to the groups, separately.
"Look guys, I want everyone to enjoy this," she began more softly this time, "organising it is just the hard bit. I know I can trust you all, because McGonagall trusts you all, I also think this will give you all the chance to know your fellow prefects. The next two weekends will be organising, the Ball is in 24 days and I want you to gather up your thoughts, meet your groups and chat it out, sorting it quickly and well. This is no easy task! Tell Alastair and myself your final ideas, and we shall finalise them."
Alastair stepped forward this time, and cleared his throat, and in his strong deep voice spoke up.
"There are of course guidelines, there will be no house discrimination, decorators. If you want to use red, you have to use blue, green and yellow as well. Choose a reasonable colour and theme, make it original, we want this to be remembered for years to come.
Food group, talk to the house elves and see what they have in their repertoire, drinks and snacks can be negotiated by mail with the various companies. No alcohol, obviously, and try to choose both traditional drinks as well as something new and special.
Music, you guys have knowledge of Muggle and Wizard music, we want a mix. Find a band that's good, even better.
Numbers, everyone in the school is invited to attend, obviously not everyone will be able to. Several students will not be permitted to go, for behaviour or their parents will not allow it. Therefore it is important you know exactly who is coming, and how much this will cost. You will need to meet with the other 3 groups before they speak to us." Alastair nodded and stepped back again.
"Patrols are as normal, however those who are usually paired with Rose and Scorpius will have to do their patrols alone until the end of term. Though you will both still do your Tuesday patrol together. And thanks to Muggle technology we have these," Violet went into her pocket and took out two small silver devices. "Pagers, they will blink when you are needed, I will give you all the number, I expect that at least one person in each group has a muggle phone, and will be able to page Rose or Scorpius, who will help you until they need to contact me. Now everyone can go, besides Rose and Scorpius."
Everyone began to traipse out slowly, trying to organise a meet up between themselves to discuss their chosen field.
Rose and Scorpius still sat, looking solemnly at each other. They knew being assistants to the two heads was probably going to be the worst experience of their lives.
When everyone was gone, Violet beckoned them both up to the desk and they nodded as they reached her.
Violet moved around them and attached the pagers to their robes, "As if it isn't obvious, you both are prime candidates for Head-ship. Therefore this will be a... learning experience for you both," she said, eyeing them both in a suspicious looking way, and stepping back after she had finished attaching the pagers.
Alastair stood by her side and smiled at them both, entwining his fingers with Violet's.
"Don't worry, I won't make you two wash my clothes, or clean our dorm or anything, you are just the middle men, okay. If we miss something, we hope you'll catch it. Do you both understand that?" Violet asked, smiling.
Rose and Scorpius both nodded and Violet ushered them to get out of the classroom and in to the great hall for dinner.
When Rose turned around, Violet was whispering something into Alastair's ear, and he laughed and nodded.
"What are you looking at?" Scorpius asked when they left the room and started to walk towards the great hall.
"Nothing," Rose replied, shaking her head and wondering whether she actually heard Violet say 'the plan's working'. Because what plan could that be?
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