Chapter 2

I made my way back to the car where the rest of my family was waiting.

"Did you find anything good on the trolley?" Lily spoke up from her spot between her brothers.

I was still in a slight daze from the recent contact with Scorpius, and I hadn't even bothered to get anything from the trolley after the encounter.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I shook my head slightly so that I could listen to my younger cousin.

"I said, did you find anything good on the trolley?" Lily repeated.

Now the rest of my family had noticed that something was slightly off about me. Albus looked at me with a raised eyebrow but I just smiled and sat down next to him.

"Actually there wasn't anything all that great on the trolley today." I told them. They seemed to believe my answer and went back to their own conversations. Except for Albus.

"Rose, did something happen?" He asked me quietly.

My heart gave a tiny squeeze as I thought about falling into Scorpius.

"No, nothing happened. I just didn't want anything this time." I answered him just as quiet. I didn't want to share my run in with Scorpius just yet. I was closest to Albus, but that also meant that he was the most protective of me.

Albus didn't ask me anymore questions about the trolley. Instead he turned the conversation to the upcomming year.

"Rose has been waiting for this year all summer." Albus said aloud to everyone.

"Why is that?" James asked.

"Because it was the year that Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry got together. She wants to find her own love this year." Hugo piped up from his spot across from me.

I glared at both Albus and Hugo as the rest of my family fell into a fit of giggles.

"That is the whole reason you have been excited for this year? Not the fact that you are one year closer to finishing?" Lily asked.

"Hogwarts is amazing! Why would you want to leave Hogwarts?" Hugo countered. He probably loved Hogwarts more than I did.

"I can't wait to leave. I'm going to go work in Hogsmead as soon as I am finished." Lily announced. This was news to both of her brothers who both perked up at the statement.

"You want to do what?" James asked. "Do mum and dad know about this?"

"Why should they? It is my life." Lily snapped.

"Lily, you are only in your fifth year. You have plenty of time to make up your mind." Albus stated calmly.

Out of all the Potter children, Albus was the most level-headed and most reasonable.

"But I don't want to be "only in my fifth year" I want to be gone." Lily pouted from her spot.

I tuned my family out as they continued to bicker. I began to zone out and look out the window beside me. The hills rolled outside as the train sped through the countryside.

A little while later we had made it to Hogwarts. Everyone spilled off of the train and ran to friends that they had not seen on the train. It was a mad house of a mess.

All of the first years went to the boats while we climbed into the carriages to be pulled up the hill to the castle that awaited us. Not surprisingly the Potter and Weasley clan took up one carriage on their own with just one seat to spare. I settled down at the back where the single spot was left beside me.

The carriage made to lurch forward to start its trek when a voice called out.

"Hold on!" The voice called out. The carriage stopped and dipped as the person that called out vaulted into the seat beside me. "Thanks." They called out and the carriage lurched forward again

I looked up when I recognized the voice and saw Scorpius sitting there beside me. My heart gave a squeeze when I saw him, his profile outlined by the faint moonlight.

"Hey Scorpius, how are you doing?" Albus called out and waved to the male beside me.

"Hey Albus, I'm doing pretty good. And yourself?" He responded politely. I hadn't known that my cousin knew Scorpius or that Scorpius knew Albus.

"Doing well. Hung out with the family just as usual. Ready for the season?" Albus was of course asking about Quidditch. I had forgotten that they each played for their respective teams. That explained how they knew each other.

"I am, although we are going to need a new captain this year since Nathan finished last year." Scorpius relaxed back against the carriage, brushing against my arm in the process.

"I know that feeling."

The rest of my family were not paying attention to the conversation the boys were having. I guess they knew more about Scorpius than I did so it didn't surprise them to see Albus talking to him.

I was looking at anything but Scorpius.

"Rose, are you alright? You haven't spoken a word." Albus asked with concern in his voice,

I nodded. "I'm fine. Just thinking I guess." I answered quietly. I peeked over at the male beside me and found him giving me a smile. I blushed and looked away quickly.

"Did Rose tell you that we ran into each other on the train?" Scorpius said casually.

"No, Rose why didn't you say anything. He could have come to sit with us." Albus stated.

"Oh it was perfectly fine. I was just glad that I was able to keep Rose from falling on the train." Scorpius smiled at me gently.

"Rose, you didn't tell us anything about this." Hugo had now caught on to what was being said.

"It was nothing to be concerned about. I just lost my balance." My face was burning with embarrassment and I was hyper-aware of Scorpius watching me.

"Well thank you for helping her." Albus said with a smile and reached out to shake hands with Scorpius.

"It was my pleasure." He responded.