Chapter Twelve: CHRISTMAS AT THE BURROW

Lily Potter was shocked to see her cousin Rose in the arms of Scorpius Malfoy before her. She knew that he had never be kind to Rose or her brother Albus and would have never believed it if it wasn't right in front of her.

"I thought you were coming up to the Tower for more than relaxing, but I never imagined that it was Scorpius Malfoy you were sneaking up hear every night to see!"

Rose blushed as she backed away from Scorpius.

"Lil. I can explain."

"No need to explain. You're in love with Scorpius Malfoy. I heard it plain as day."

With that very blunt comment Rose turned red and didn't much else to say. Lily was never one to sugar coat anything and always called it like she saw it. Scorpius saw how uncomfortable Rose was becoming and stepped up.

"Look Li..."

Lily put up her hand to Scorpius to stop him.

"I'm not sure what your intentions are with my cousin and frankly I don't trust you, but all I know is that for about a month now Rose has been more open and happy than I have seen her in years. I am assuming that you have something to do with it and if you make her happy. Who am I to say anything?"

Rose looked up at Lily and saw a comforting happy smile directed toward her. Lily then gave her a big hug.

"Lily I am so happy that you are not going crazy about this!"

"Rosie, you are the smartest person I know and if you feel so strongly about Scorpius then he mustn't be as bad as we think."

Rose was beaming from ear to ear. Lily had always been to the first one in the family to make friend and hardly judge them. It was great to know she could be this way with Scorpius.

"Though Rose, you and Scorpius may have more trouble with everyone less understanding your forbidden love."

With that comment Rose and Scorpius gave each other, a very worrying look.

Lily, Rose, and Scorpius spent the next few hours talking to one another about their lives, families, and friends. The three of them were happy to start knowing each other on a different level. It was like the past of their famous parents finally didn't affect their lives. They all parted to their dorms not enemies, but true friends.

Lily and Rose entered the Gryffindor common room to see many Gryffindor students asleep on the couches from too much partying at the ball. Over on one couch were Albus and Alice asleep in front of the fireplace. Rose was always jealous in the past of how much they loved each another, but now that she admitted that she love Scorpius she could see how perfect that Alice and Albus was for each other. Lily and Rose tried sneaking upstairs to not wake anyone, but they heard a stirring and Albus woke up.

"Hey. Where did you guys disappear tonight? Rose, are you doing okay?"

"I'm really okay Al. Lily caught up with me and we ended up talking and lost track of time."

Rose blushed a little; at least to her, it wasn't a lie. She was just with holding the truth. Lily gave Rose a look like she should tell Albus what's been going on, but Rose shrugged it off.

"Well you two better get some sleep. We're all heading to The Burrow tomorrow for Christmas and you know how Grandma Molly will get if she found out we'd be out all night."

Albus then turned back around to Alice embraced her and went back to sleep.

Lily and Rose went to their dorms to go to sleep. As Rose lay in her bed the day's events kept going through her mind. It had been one of the longest days from helping Alice and Shelley with the problems, getting ready for the dance, stunning Corey McLaggen, and falling in love with Scorpius. She was wondering what was in store for her and Scorpius now that Lily knew about them. Lily promised to keep their relationship a secret until they figured out an easy way to tell their families. Lily was persistent that Rose tells the family during their break. Rose thought of bringing it up during Christmas vacation, but when the thought of that comes in her mind all she hears in her head is Lily saying "…forbidden love.." Was it really a forbidden love? Would it start a war between the families? All these thought kept throughout the night in Rose's mind and she didn't get much sleep.

Morning came and went, and all the Hogwarts students were at the train platform waiting for the Hogwarts Express to arrive to take them home for Christmas vacation. Rose with her brother Hugo and cousins Albus, Lily, Fred, and even Alice were all waiting with each other. This Christmas it was decided that all the Weasley would be going to The Burrow for a family reunion. Rose kept wondering how and if she would bring up her new relationship with Scorpius. I might have been easier if everybody wasn't there.

Rose got onto the train when it arrived and went into the Gryffindor train car. She couldn't wait for the train to start moving. As she and Scorpius left last night they whispered to one another to meet in the caboose of the train. No one ever went to that part of the train as it was always bumpy and would be colder since the windows always seemed to be open.

Rose let the train get going for about twenty minutes pretending to read from one of her school books for deciding to get up.

"Hey guys. I think I'm going to go get some air for a while. I'll be back in a bit."

As Rose got up she got a glance of Lily who gave her a wink.

It was taking longer for Rose to get to the end of the train than she expected, she kept getting stopped by other students about the night at the Ball. Many of them said how they wish they could have been the one to shut Corey McLaggen up or to ask if she could teach them how to stun someone like that. At one point Rose caught the eyes of Coretta McLaggen, Corey's twin sister. Coretta was gave Rose an angry look and it was safe to say that they wouldn't be talking anytime soon.

It was so strange to be noticed for something she had done rather than her parents. Now that it was happening it was exciting, but she knew now that she never really should have cared or worried about being lonely and a shadow of her family. She could be great all on her own.

Rose arrived at the end of the train to see that Scorpius was already there. As Rose looked at him she noticed that he was holding something.

"I got you something."

Rose blushed. She hadn't really ever received a gift before from any one other than family. She opened the small box that she could fit in her hand to find a sliver necklace with a book with the letter R on it as the charm.

"Scorpius, this is so sweet of you. Why did you do this?"

"Well I know that we aren't going to see one another for a couple of weeks and I wanted to give you your Christmas present now."

Scorpius was so happy to see how delighted Rose was with her gift. He helps her put on the necklace on and gave her a kiss.

"While we're gone Rose, I'm going to send you an Owl everyday."

Rose was just about to lean in for another kiss when Brody Douglas flew into the caboose of the car. Brody was a seventh year Slytherin and was Scorpius' closest friend. Both Rose and Scorpius moved away from each other as fast as she could.

"Yo, Scorpius! A bunch of second years just placed Stickfast Hex on the candy lady. Her candy cart flew forward and there is candy everywhere! Come on lets grab some!"

Brody turn into see Rose in the caboose with Scorpius and had the most perplexing look on his face.

"What the hell are you doing here Weasley?"

"Nothing, I was just leaving."

Rose tried her best to sound as nasty as possible, but as she walked away to leave she could here a slight chuckle out of Scorpius and she knew that she didn't do a very good job at it. As she continued toward the front of the train Rose tucked in the necklace Scorpius gave her.

"What the hell was she doing down here anyway Scorp?"

"No clue. I came out to get some air and she was just here."

As the two walked back toward the train Scorpius was saddened that their time had been cut short, but he couldn't wait to write to Rose soon.

As Rose and her cousins walked into their Grandparents home it smelled of various types of food. The aroma of turkey, ham, and various kinds of pies were overflowing the room. They were the first ones to arrive at the Burrow and could see their Grandma Molly running around the kitchen. Clearly she had a huge dinner planned for everyone tonight. Molly came up to them and gave them all big hugs.

"Children! Take your things upstairs the boys are staying on the top floor and the girls just below them."

Rose gathered her things and she placed them in the room. As she came down the stairs she heard other voices and knew that the rest of the family was arriving. When she made it to the main floor she saw that her Uncle Bill, Aunt Fleur, and their children had arrived. Rose was most excited to see them. Her cousins Dominique and Louis both went to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic so she never got to spend much time with them and the eldest Victorie was a seventh year at Hogwarts by the time and was infatuated with her now husband Teddy Lupin that they never really spent much time together. Rose came up to her aunt, uncle, and cousins and gave them a big hug. "Rosie! I hear that you have been causing some trouble lately at Hogwarts! About time you joined this family in the trouble making business." Rose turned red as she turned around to see her father behind her. He had a big smile on his face and gave Rose a big hug.

"It's about time that Malfoy boy gets what he deserves!"

Rose looked at the ground feeling so ashamed. Her father always liked to provoke her brother and cousins when it came to their rivalry with Scorpius. She then remembered on her first day at Hogwarts how he told her once to beat him at every test and to not to get to friendly with him. She always thought that he was half joking, but now she wasn't so sure. As Rose looked up she caught her cousin Lily's eyes who was standing on the stairs who gave her a sympathetic look. They both knew telling them about Scorpius might be harder than they thought.

"Ron Weasley, don't you encourage our daughter to do such things. We're lucky all she got was detention."

Rose's mother then walked in and was followed by the rest of her family. All her aunts, uncle, cousins, and grandparents then joined into the conversation of how brilliant Rose was during the duel against Scorpius and the night she taught that McLaggen boy a lesson. Rose hoped the conversation would soon turn away from her, and luckily it did. They soon all started talking about how Cormac McLaggen liked Rose's mom from there her parents, aunts, and uncle started reminiscing about their days at Hogwarts.

It was late in the evening and after a larger dinner with her family Rose decided to go to bed. She excused herself and went to bed. Rose knew most of her relatives would be up late catching up and many of the boys went out to play moonlight Quidditch in the snow. Rose hadn't realized just how tried she was from the past few nights and was ready to get some sleep. As she ascended the stairs to the top of the Burrow Rose kept on thinking about Scorpius and what was he doing. She wondered what the holidays were like at Malfoy Manor.

As Rose entered her room she noticed a pair of glowing eyes at her window. As she got closer Rose noticed that the pair of eyes belong to a Great Horned Owl and in his mouth was a letter with her name written on it. Rose opened the window at took the letter from the Owl and started to read it.

Told you that I would write to you everyday.

Rose laughed. She knew that Scorpius would be true to his word, though she wasn't expecting a letter tonight.

The owl that sent this letter is Alden and I got him to send us our letters back and forth so no need to worry about using our parents.

I hope that you made it to your Grandparents okay. Malfoy Manor is quiet. My father and his new wife haven't shown up yet. I think that they went to pick up her three kids at Salem Witches' Institute, the school in America. I don't think that they will be here for a few days. So it will just be me and the house elves in the house. I kind of like the silence, though I wish we were together. I hope that you have a great time with your family.

Love,

S.

Rose was so happy to hear from Scorpius and since his owl Alden seemed to be hanging around she decided to write Scorpius right away. She told him about her family and what they had been doing the past year, about the colossal size dinner her grandmother had made, and lastly her family's reaction to their duel that happened. Rose closed up the letter and handed it to Alden and, before she knew it he was gone. Rose couldn't wait for the following day to hear from Scorpius.

Almost a week had past since Rose's Christmas vacation had started and it was now Christmas Eve. Her grandmother again was running about preparing food. Some of her Aunts, Uncles, and cousins were out playing another tournament of Quidditch and others went to Diagon Alley to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Rose was sitting in front of the fireplace writing another letter to Scorpius. They had been writing to each other everyday just as he promised. Each of their letters were filled with love. They would talk about their families and things that they wanted to do when they got back to Hogwarts. Neither of them knew how to bring up to their parents about their relationship, but came to the decision that they wait so they can tell them together.

Suddenly the front door flew open and her father, Uncle Harry, and her cousin's husband Teddy came running through the door.

"My goodness boys! You are letting in the cold and the snow into the house."

Rose always thought it was funny that her Grandmother still called them boys. She got up and closed the front door for them, but noticed how frantic they were.

"Sorry Molly, we have an emergency. I just got a message from the Ministry."

Rose's Uncle Harry was the Head of the Auror's Office for the Ministry of Magic and Rose's father and Teddy were also Aurors for the ministry. If they got a message something bad must have happened.

"An emergency boys? Its Christmas Eve!"

"Sorry, Mum, but we have to go. We were told there reports coming in of an uprising of Death Eaters cursing wizards and muggles throughout Great Britain. We have to go."

"Grandma, will you let Victorie and the other girls know. Tell them to come home."

And with that said they each grabbed a handful of Flu-Powder and in a fiery green flash they left.

Rose had known for years there have been reports of Death Eaters, former followers of Lord Voldemort trying to start a new revolution against the wizarding world, but they were always unsuccessful. Though with all these reports coming in Rose had never seen her family leave so quickly.

"Those Death Eaters, its been almost twenty-five years. Don't they know when enough is enough."

Rose heard her Grandmother murmur and then she heard a loud bang against the window.

"What was that?"

"Don't know grandma, I'll go look. Maybe one of the Bludgers hit the house again."

As Rose went outside to see what damage happened, but Rose noticed that it wasn't a Bludger that hit the house, but an owl. When she got closer Rose noticed that the owl as Alden. He looked like he'd been in a flight and his left wing looked broken.

"Alden! Are you okay!?"

Rose picked him up and was about to take him inside but he wouldn't stop squawking at tried flying back to where she picked him up. It was then Rose noticed that there was a letter left behind. She picked it up and quickly read the three line letter.

My grandfather's not dead. We're in danger. I love you.