The third year at Hogwarts marked the entrance into adulthood. At least, this was according to James, as he explained on the train to school. He was now fourteen, superior in all aspects to his siblings and younger cousins, and told this to Al and Scorpius with a smug smile. Thirteen, James told them, marks independence. It means going to Hogsmeade, it means new classes, and it means girls. Albus had laughed at that last part and asked James how all of his girlfriends were doing. James became flustered (no doubt, offended by the implication that he did not have a girlfriend at all), and left the compartment for ten minutes.

The third date that the third years were allowed to enter Hogsmeade was Scorpius' birthday, October 25. He awoke that morning to a rather loud crashing noise emitting in his dorm, and found that Al had gotten him a fanged Frisbee for his birthday. The Frisbee had sped out from under Al's bed, ripped through the packaging, and torn around the room, ripping bedspreads, sheets, and curtains. Eventually, Al had to jump on the Frisbee and pin it to the ground and Scorpius cursed it to dust. Al, sheepishly, promised to buy him a gift in Hogsmeade.

Socrpius, Al, and Rose began the walk to the village just following noon. The day was brisk and chilly, but fiercely sunny. The trees were turning a magnificent red and gold, and all the students were red-cheeked and cherry.

"Where do you want to go first?" Rose asked, when they came upon the village. She gasped and held a hand to her chest when she saw the stationary store. "I've been dying to get a new quill and parchment. But…it's your birthday Scorpius. Oh, I'm terrible. Let's go wherever you want."

"Make you a deal," Scorpius said. "If we go get a butterbeer, we can go to the stationary store after. But I'm limiting you to five minutes, because if I don't then I know we'll spend at least an hour in there…"

"Make it three minutes," Al bartered.

"Fine," Rose trilled, flouncing ahead yanking open the door to The Three Broomsticks. She shook her head as they entered, trying to find a free table. "You know, I never understood why my mum told me to stay away from the Hogs Head."

"Dad says it's filthy."

"Mum said the same thing. She said there's a lot of trouble stirred up in that place, but it always looks empty to me."

Someone shouted from across the room. Among the folds of people, Avery, Travis and Nash sat at a table with two other girls from their year. One was Summer Gainsworth, a Ravenclaw with silvery hair that made her look half-veela. The other was Clementine Bonston, a quiet Gryffindor who sometimes sat with Rose in Potions. Nash beckoned them over and pointed to a few empty chairs clustered around the table.

"Sit with us," he demanded in his charismatic, irrefutable manner. Travis blushed and waved at Rose. Al collapsed into a chair and grabbed a handful of chips.

"I'll get us drinks, then," Scorpius said, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the chair beside Al. "Butterbeer, Al?"

"Fizzy Orange Juice. Thanks, mate."

"I'll come with you," Rose volunteered. She unknotted her Gryffindor scarf and delicately folded it over the back of the third chair. She smiled at Summer and Clementine, and then followed Scorpius to the bar. "Someone has to help you carry the drinks."

"What do you want?" Scorpius asked, digging a handful of sickles out of his pocket.

"It's your birthday, you can't possibly pay," Rose protested. She lightly pushed his hands into his chest, and removed a small money bag from around her neck. She plucked out some coins of her own. "My mum says that it's rude to let people pay on their birthday."

"I've never heard that custom. But then again, I've only celebrated my birthday with you and Al for two years."

"Three now," Rose corrected. "I think it's a muggle custom. Like balloons."

"What are balloons?" Scorpius began, but the barmaid interrupted him. Once they had gotten their drinks, (a butterbeer for Scorpius, Fizzy Orange for Al, and Lemon Squash for Rose), they returned to the table. Al was laughing uproariously at something Avery was gesturing wildly, and both Summer and Clementine looked mildly offended.

"Al says it's your birthday, Scorpius," Nash addressed him once Scorpius had taken a seat. Scorpius nodded and then blushed as the table let out a round of 'happy birthday' greetings, and Al slapped him on the back, none too gently. "How are you celebrating?"

"I am right now," Scorpius said, raising the butterbeer in the air.

"No, no. Come on, what are you really doing?" Al and Rose exchanged glances, clearly worried that they had failed in their duty as friends, to provide enough excitement for Scorpius' thirteenth.

"I might play Quidditch later," Scorpius said lamely. He hadn't planned on it, he hadn't planned on doing almost anything for his birthday. Nash groaned.

"How about a game of truth or dare?" He asked.

"What is that?" Al asked.

"It's a muggle game," Rose said excitedly. "Mum told me about it, though she seemed rather reluctant to explain the rules."

"I'm muggle born," Nash explained. "I've been playing this game since I was a kid."

"Me too," Clementine spoke up. "Well, I've been playing it since I went to muggle school, anyway. I was never much use at sports."

"How do you play?" Scorpius asked, taking a sip of his butterbeer.

"We go in a circle. We ask each person to choose between a truth or a dare. You choose one. If you choose a truth, you have to answer any question I ask, and you can't lie. It's cheating. If you choose a dare, you have to do any prank or dare that I come up with. How about we start with you, since it's your birthday?"

Scorpius squirmed as he felt the eyes of the table land on him. "Alright." He glanced at Rose, who raised her eyebrows and shrugged, as if to say: you're on your own, pal.

"Er…truth, I guess."

"Tell us who you like," Nash responded, a juvenile smile spreading across his face. "It has to be her full name, don't think you can get away with initials."

"I don't," Scorpius said immediately, shaking his head. "I don't like anyone right now."

"Liar!" Avery crowed.

"He doesn't," Al protested, sticking up for him. "He would have told me."

"And me," Rose added.

Scorpius tried not to think of Lily Potter and her beautiful eyes and hair. He took another sip of his butterbeer.

"Fine," Nash conceded. "You go, Scorpius."

"Er…Al. Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Al said lazily, polishing off his drink with a burp.

"I…I dare you to walk over to that table and ask them for a handful of their chips."

"Fine," Al said, biting down on his lip. The table began to giggle as he strode away. Al returned a few moments later, his cheeks bulging with the borrowed chips. The other table watched him with slight worry—the older students were clearly concerned about his mental wellbeing. Al bowed before taking his seat, and then swallowed his chips. In turn, he dared Avery to cast a hex of the bogies on himself. Once Avery had managed to reverse the spell, sniffling and rubbing his nose on the sleeve of his sweater, he turned to Travis.

"Truth or dare, Travis?"

"Dare, I suppose."

"I dare you to kiss a girl at this table." Immediately, all eyes flickered over to Rose, who blushed furiously. She opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it, looking up at Scorpius with wide, helpless eyes. Travis leaned across the table rather eagerly, and Scorpius felt something in the pit of his stomach twist. He didn't want to see Travis kiss Rose. He didn't dislike Travis, necessarily, but in that moment, he was furious with him. Rose kicked Scorpius in the ankle as she leaned back in her chair, gripping the arms with both hands. And then, in an instant, Scorpius heard a whisper before Rose jumped to her feet, looking green. She clasped her hands over her mouth and pushed her way towards the loo. She never quite made it—she vomited right outside the bathroom door. Travis sighed and sunk back in his chair.

"Happy Birthday," Al said sarcastically and slapped Scorpius on the arm as Rose threw up once more.