October 4, 2026

The next few days Rose was at the library, more specifically the Webstrian Wizarding Library known internationally (to the wizarding population) for the two large stone carved owls that stood on either side of the door. These owls were animated and gave knowledge to those who managed to throw a copper penny in their open beaks. The Webstrian Library was a beautiful building that was made out of polished grey marble with large stained glass windows on the main floor. The library was seven stories high and even went a few stories underground. It contained thousands of books, millions of maps, and hundreds of manuscripts. It was the second largest magic library in the world and Rose's first resource for researching head maladies to figure out why she and Danny were hearing voices.

Her first day there she spent a few hours just wandering around the library before she even started researching. It was unreal how much stuff was contained in the library. The tall bookshelves were packed full of literature with every subject imaginable – fluffy maneating caterpillars to the effects of vanishing an eyeball to muggle relationships with dogs in Greenland. Each floor was styled differently to reflect the year it was added. For example the second floor was Romanesque style, the third Gothic, and the fifth Baroque. On each floor, there were famous and original paintings hanging on the wall – even some of the woven tapestries made from hundreds of years ago. After a few hours of wandering, Rose found the medical section on the third floor and four full bookcases of head and brain related research.

Even though Rose was a former Ravenclaw, libraries weren't her favourite places. She had always been a more hands on learner and usually struggled with book learning and memorisation, which her marks reflected. Her best friend at Hogwarts, Whitney, had been the opposite and Rose wished she had Whitney to help filter out which books to pick. She didn't know how to approach the librarians and describe what she needed to find. They would think her crazy.

Luckily, there weren't many people in the library. Rose almost didn't enter the library the first day because she was scared that there would be someone that knew her there, but enter she did and found that the library was rather empty, even after exploring all the floors. During the day she was the only one in her section, and even on the whole 3rd floor most days. It was only after three in the afternoon that the odd students who were done their classes for the day started showing up.

She had a large wooden table to herself with piles of books stacked on it. None of the books were easy to read; all of them contained complex medical terms, theories, and lots of philosophy. She had not heard of half of the things nor studied brains before so it took her quite some time to simplify terms down and search for the definitions. With some of the older material, it was written in Latin and Rose looked for words she recognised but usually had to pass those books over. She didn't know a translating spell and didn't think to ask the librarian at the time. She had Molly's clipboard still and was making odd notes here and there about magical maladies of the head.

She found nothing helpful for her and Danny's situation so far. In some of the older texts it talked about the seers who went crazy with mention of voices in their heads because of the strain on them and also because most of them had been widely persecuted. One of the books talked about the muggle mental institutions in days of old that mistakenly took in young muggle wizards or witches who hadn't had control of their power yet – they were thought to be crazy and eventually did become crazy with the 'care' they received in those institutions. Even better, she found a small journal written by a healer on one of his patients who suffered from violent voices in their head so bad that the patient committed suicide only a few weeks into therapy.

On Sunday late in the morning she had no less than 13 books stacked around her, a few of them opened as she flipped through them, vainly searching for something. Marta and Greg were surprisingly silent in the library, not giving helpful or snarky comments, or aiding in her quest to discover where they were from or how they got there.

At noon she snapped two books shut and sat dejected in her chair. There were just so many books with so much information in them and so much she didn't understand. She piled up three of the books in the 'no' pile and went in search of more. Only one million more books to look through.

It had been raining hard when she left the flat this morning. Luckily because of acquiring all her things from her ex's house she had her long black raincoat, wellingtons, and some of her water resistant clothes now available. She thought it was excessive that she was wearing such weather specific clothes when she was going to be inside the whole day, but it was such a nice thing to have a closet again. To be able to wear something different instead of those worn out jeans and the same long sleeve t-shirt (she still was going to wear long sleeves every day to cover the bracelet) was such a relief. With fall and winter coming up, she now was equipped to be outside more – and she didn't have to buy anything. A few of her favourite things had been cut up so Rose was in the process of trying to sew and patch them. She was sure there was some domestic sewing spell, but if she could do it perfectly fine by hand she didn't see why she would search for the spell.

Rose picked up six of the more promising looking books on the top shelf, reaching to her full length on her tiptoes. She stacked them in her arms and headed back to her table. It was a drawback that most of the medical books had to be the size of dictionaries. They were heavy and when the books were piled in her arms they rested just under her chin. Since her thoughts were on the book closest to her chin, a book called An Attempt to Determine with Precision such Injuries of the Head that Change the Metaphysical Structure of Being, she was wholly unprepared to see anyone when she turned the corner. She had been alone previously – on the whole floor she thought – and was expecting to not have any company. Yet there was somebody sitting at the table. Rose gave a small scream in surprise and the books tumbled from her arms. She leaned briefly against the bookcase as she caught her breath, her hand on her heart.

Scorpius bloody Malfoy was seated right there flipping through one of her books. He looked up at her.

"We're in a library Weasley, show a little decorum and be quieter."

"What the hell are you doing here! How - ! Why - ?" He gave her a sly smile instead of responding. Oooh, he was pushing it. She wanted to wipe off that arrogant smile from his face. He had no right to be at the library. How on Earth did he find her?

The sound of heavy footsteps came running and the handsome librarian who called himself Jacques came running into view with his wand drawn. "What's going on? Are you all right?" He looked between Rose and Scorpius multiple times, huffing and trying to catch his breath.

No she wasn't all right. She tried to catch her breath to reply; however, Scorpius beat her to it.

"She was just surprised to see me, that's all," he said cheerfully. "I'm an old school friend. We're alright."

She wouldn't describe them as old school friends. Ha.

Jacques put a hand on his chest. "Oh thank goodness. I thought somebody had been attacked and I couldn't even recall a simple defending spell. Carry on, sorry to disturb you." He swiftly turned around and walked back still huffing and puffing in the direction he came from.

Rose was still standing with her books splayed on the ground. Half stunned, she leaned down and started re-piling her books in a stack. Surprisingly Scorpius joined her and helped carry them to the table. She took her spot that Scorpius had momentarily occupied as he sat across from her, leaning back on the chair with crossed arms on his chest.

"So. . ." Scorpius said. "I mean, it's nice to know that you've finally realised the seriousness of your condition, but I would recommend Mungo's instead."

Rose flushed red. This was embarrassing and it wasn't like she could defend herself. She had no comebacks here and couldn't give anything away. "Oh shut up. I'm just doing some research."

"What for? Aren't you supposed to be searching for Canwood?"

Rose narrowed her eyes. "Stop being so snoopy. Yes I bloody well am, but apparently he's not even here right now so I'm just pausing in that area and pursuing a different. . . interest. It's none of your business."

"Brain-related injuries. Okay." Scorpius looked dubious. He was garbed in similar attire to her, a black raincoat and a pair of ankle high wellies under dark jeans. He somehow looked a whole lot more composed than her and way more stylish even though Rose was wearing her nicer clothes. Scorpius continued, "how long are you planning on keeping this up?"

He pried too much. Really. Rose rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. Her gaze shifted from him to one of the new books she grabbed. She wasn't going to answer him because he only had more questions. Maybe if she just completely ignored him he would go away. She didn't want to get kicked out of the library so she had to keep her temper down and not let him crawl under her skin.

"Weasley."

Rose continued to read onwards whilst ignoring Scorpius, flipping here and there and scanning the pages.

Though there are many different reports on the total percentage of the brain we use, there is no denying. . .

Nope. She flipped again.

The frontal lobe has the ability to retain longer term memories which are not task-based. These are often memories associated with emotions derived from input from . . . It modifies those emotions to generally fit socially acceptable. . .

The frontal lobe has the ability to retain longer term memories which are not task-based. . .

"Weasleey. . ."

The frontal lobe has the ability to retain longer. . . Shit, she'd read that line a few times already. She flipped to halfway through the textbook.

Heavy knocks to the head can disrupt the brain processes, even jarred only a few millimetres, can cause the patient to sustain some loss of memory and in more serious cases, loss of consciousness. . .

Rose definitely hadn't hit her head beforehand. She might have burst a few blood vessels in her head when she had been angry, but her head was perfectly fine, she thought.

She was trying to ignore Scorpius while reading but she just couldn't absorb anything in the text. He then started tapping his foot on the floor. Loudly. It was incredibly hard to think with him sitting right across from her; he was a large distraction. She just knew he was looking at her too.

Rose didn't turn her gaze upwards towards him, instead preferring to put her hands on her ears in an attempt to block out the noise. She continued to stare down at the table, her red hair forming a curtain around her face. She kept reading the same page over and over without really realising it in her attempt to ignore him. He would go away. He would.

Even though her ears were covered, she could still hear his incessant tapping.

"You haven't flipped the page in about seven minutes," Scorpius said, amused. Rose glared at the page and removed one of her hands from her ear to flip it.

She put her hands back over her ears and pressed harder. She didn't want to hear him, she had important stuff to do and didn't want to be around him.

This is the part where you hex him, Greg said.

I don't want to get kicked out of the library. I need to do research! Rose replied.

His tapping didn't stop. If anything Scorpius increased his speed. It was bloody annoying! She was contemplating squishing his foot with one of the heavier books when he abruptly stood up and walked away, turning between two shelves and out of sight.

Rose dropped her hands from her ears and half stood up in the chair looking in the direction he went.

"It was that easy?" she muttered to herself. "Ha!"

She sat back down and turned to her books, finally without distractions. But she found she couldn't concentrate right away. Her mind kept wandering back to Scorpius sitting across from her. Why did he just leave? The last few times they were together he wouldn't shut up and leave her alone. And now he did!? It just seemed so unlike him. She debated getting up and walking through the library to see if he really left, but then convinced herself out of it. She had to focus back on her research.

Half a page of notes and two books later she was back in the mode and had her concentration back. However, her peace didn't last long.

A newspaper slid into her view and broke her concentration. Scorpius sat down across from her again.

"What the hell!" Rose gasped. "Why are you here again!"

"I didn't leave," Scorpius simply said. "Read." He gestured to the paper he set in front of her.

"I'm busy. As you can see I already have quite a bit of reading material." She pointed to the couple dozen books already on the table.

"Don't be stubborn."

"Leave me alone then."

Scorpius sighed loudly. "Obviously its relevant or I wouldn't be pointing it out. Don't be so obtuse."

Unwillingly (and because she was curious no matter how hard she denied it), Rose looked at what he brought. The newspaper was open to the fifth page of some Polish paper she didn't recognise.

"Vladimo Szalek, missing since Monday," Rose read out. She was expecting something different. "Well, I mean it sucks that this guy is missing. But I don't see how this is relevant and important. I don't even know who he is."

"Ask Dominique next time you see her. She would be able to tell you more about him, but essentially he is a potioneer. Quite famous too."

"Okaaay." She scanned the first few lines of the paragraph. It basically said Szalek disappeared from him house in Olszytn with potions that were still brewing, leading investigators to believe he had been abducted.

"Who's in Poland right now," prompted Scorpius.

"What are – do you mean Canwood?"

"No," he replied sarcastically. "Just the other person we both know over there."

"Oh shut up." Rose repeated for the second time to him. "What does Canwood have to do with this potions fella?"

Scorpius then raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, shouldn't you know?"

Damn him. He knew she didn't know the answer to that. Dangling information in front of her was a cruel thing to do. Rose knew Scorpius wouldn't give up the answers easily.

Scorpius slid another newspaper towards her. "This paper is from last week. Potion ingredients were stolen from an apothecary in London." He set another one in front of her. "This paper is from last June. In Bristol there was a murder of one Gerty Pots, a part-time potioneer. Her place was ransacked afterwards. There are a few more similar articles around Europe, but I think this is enough evidence."

Rose was silent as she flipped through the papers, briefly looking at the articles.

Instead of waiting for her response, he stood up, pressing his hands on the table and leaning slightly towards her, attempting to press his point further. His blonde hair fell into his eyes and he was an impressive figure dressed in black. "There is a connection in all these papers and with the gang Snake Bitten. What does Canwood even do in Snake Bitten? What rank is he in the gang? Hell, what IS Snake Bitten? Canwood isn't the only person you need to focus on. How are they getting power and what is their territory? How are they governed? Where are the weaknesses? And even simpler, where does Canwood live? I assure you Weasley that just because Canwood is not in London doesn't mean there is nothing to do. You can't just go in and nab him without information. I'll see you around."

He straightened out and started walking away – was it her imagination or was he walking rather slow?

You better run after him honey, he's obviously got important information, Marta said.

Rose turned around in her chair and yelled at him, "can you just tell me this for once! Instead of dropping hints here and there, insinuating how. . . how dumb I am for not figuring these things out myself? Obviously this area is something I suck at, so just help me!."

Rose thought she heard the sound of paper crinkling and the sound of a pen writing and looked behind her quickly. Nobody was there.

Scorpius turned around and faced her. "Life isn't that simple. And I don't know all the answers myself."

Rose put her hands to her face and pulled her skin in frustration. "Can you just tell me what you know, and then I'll proceed from there. And afterwards can you just step out of my life. You're the one making things complicated." Lie. Her situation was complicated. Rose took a breath. "I just – it's been four years since Hogwarts and all that. . . Stop tracking me down and – I just don't want to be around you. And obviously you reciprocate that. You've made that very clear in the past. So leave me alone."

She didn't understand the look on his face as he stared, unresponsive, back at her. It was part – but he dropped the look and took a few steps towards her before she could begin to describe what she saw.

"I'll cut you a deal Weasley."

Rose fluttered her hands in the air. "Well, I'm listening. Not much else I can do."

"If you can made a patronus right now – a corporeal patronus – I'll leave you alone. For good. If you can't, then we're together in this."

"You're not serious!" Rose exclaimed. Of all the things to suggest! This would be so easy. She pulled out her wand from her raincoat pocket. She extended her arm, holding her wand loosely in her wrist. She'd been able to do a patronus since fifth year, one of the spells she was insanely proud of accomplishing. However she hadn't done it in years. . .

Rose's wrist slowly dropped. What was her happy memory?

Her mind filtered through the past few years. She obviously couldn't use the last year. There were some fun times interspaced between the bad – but all the drama with Danny, living with him and being miserable. . . yeah that overpowered everything. Even the past few months - her and her cousins had some fun times, but those memories were tainted with The Reds Inconnu and her blood bracelet. Almost all of her happy memories were tainted with something.

"Oh my god. . . " she whispered, sudden realisation coming to her. She didn't think she'd be able to do one. The happy memory she used previously was a Hogwarts memory. But she was sure it wouldn't work any longer, she hadn't talked to her friends in the memory in so long and it was rather depressing thinking about it.

Eventually she picked the feeling of flying. Not with broomsticks, but with wings of a hang glider. Rose had been with two travelling companions and after ground training for three days they finally did a first flight. It was a happy memory, but Rose knew it wouldn't be strong enough. She tried to cast the spell anyways.

Not even a wisp came out of her wand. It was humiliating that Scorpius was there to witness it. She pretended to be indifferent.

"Whatever. I'll work on it." She put her wand away, her mood sour. She turned back around to sit normally in her chair with her hands limp on her lap. Rose just lost all motivation to continue working. Scorpius moved back into her vision by sitting down across from her.

"Alright," he gently said. "Here are the terms. Because I am working in the same area of London as you, and am collecting information about the people you need to know about, how about we work together for the next few weeks."

"No."

"Sorry, I'll rephrase. We're going to be working together the next few weeks. My regular partner just got transferred and you're replacing him, unofficially of course. It's safer, you'll learn more, and while you're dealing with Canwood, I've got his boss."

It's a proposition you can't refuse. . . he'll just find you again, stated Marta.

"How did you know I was here?" asked Rose. It was sad to say but she almost had no fight left in her. Not being able to do a patronus. . .

"That's a conversation for another time."

"I don't suppose I have a choice then, do I?"

Scorpius shrugged his shoulders. "There is always a choice, even if you don't realise it."

"So if I agree to this – you'll tell me everything you know about Canwood and help me find him?"

"Yes," he slowly said. "There is only so much I can tell for some of the information is confidential with the Ministry. I certainly don't have the clearance to release it. Your dad would, but for obvious reasons we won't ask him. I can show as much as I can though. Then you'll be able to see layouts of buildings, have faces of people in your mind, know some useful spells. . . all that."

She was certainly not asking her dad anything. There was absolutely no need to even hint at what she was doing.

Rose knew she really shouldn't team up with Scorpius. . . She would have to keep the contract and bracelet secret of course. In August she would have outright refused, screaming and yelling. It was now October and she had nothing to show for the past month and a half. It was becoming more tempting, certainly. Why was he offering her this? She thought he really disliked her; he certainly did at Hogwarts. How much had he changed in the past four years?

"If I accept, what does that mean?"

Scorpius grinned cheekily at her. "Well this means you get to see my charming face in the mornings."

Despite herself, Rose couldn't help but give a small smile. He had charisma – that was certain. She started closing her books at the table. When she piled up the newspapers, she realised one had been defaced with writing – writing that hadn't been there before when Rose read the article. Rose turned it around to read it. 'Say yes you stubborn bint!' it said, all in large black capital letters.

"Did – did you write this?" asked Rose. How could he have written it though? There had been no writing when she last looked at it after he walked away. Nobody else had been near her.

Scorpius turned the paper towards him and read with raised eyebrows. "No. . . And nobody has been around this section. . ."

Scorpius flipped through the newspaper, closely inspecting the pages. It had to be a human who wrote it and was eavesdropping. She even remembered hearing scribbling – and looked behind her, just not down at the table.

Say yes. . . It seemed like the whole world conspiring against her.

Rose started levitating her books to the return cart. She would have to solve the voices problem and the writing on the paper a different day. The books she was depositing on the cart were magically reshelving – one of the perks of magical libraries.

"I don't know," Scorpius told her honestly. "Someone is sneaking around. They're probably long gone by now." He took the written pages out of the paper and pocketed it. "So, back to our previous discussion – do you accept?"

"I think this is a horrible idea and that one of us is going to kill the other. But I – I guess it's the smart thing to do."

Molly would be happy, same with Marta, and the supposed mysterious writer.

"Well of course it is. You're with me, aren't you? You ready to go Weasley?"

Rose put her raincoat on, buttoning up the large buttons to her chin and slung her backpack over her shoulder. Just as Scorpius looked impressive in his clothes Rose looked equally the same in hers, she just didn't notice it herself. Scorpius raised an eyebrow at her in appreciation when she wasn't looking while she was adjusting one of the backpack straps.

"I'm ready."

X-X-X-X-X