It is Saturday and Cassi has joined me for a trip to the local Muggle market for some food. She skips along beside me and seems as carefree as she was at age four. "Cass?"

"Yeah, Mum?" she asks, slowing to my pace.

"What has you so excited?"

"Nothing." She's twirling her hair. It's around her left index finger so tight she's probably cutting off its circulation, and it's a sure sign she's lying. I wonder if she realises that yet.

"Which means?"

"Absolutely nothing!" There is nearly as much hair wrapped around her finger as attached to her head.

"Does it have to do with Jake?"

She looks up at me, wide-eyed. "How did you know?"

I chuckle. "Just a guess. I remember being in love like that. I used to go anywhere if I knew Scorpius would be around." I pause, remembering Cassi's sudden excitement for the market. "Is that why you were so interested in joining me? Is he supposed to be here?"

"That's not important. What is important is that you were dating that other boy. Bryan? And you were looking around for Scorpius?"

I shrug. "I wasn't perfect, Cassi. I told you - this part of the story is the worst part."

"Will you tell me what happened?"

"Right now? Without Antares?"

Cassi smiles mischievously. "He won't mind..."

"If you say so. I will tell you." I keep walking in silence. We're nearly to the market and it's getting crowded. We may know enough about Muggles to blend in with them, but if I start up my story about Hogwarts, it won't go over well.

"Mum?" she says as I steer her towards a stall for cabbage.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"When will you tell me?"

"When we get home and your brother can listen and it's just the three of us." I look at her in a way that I hope reminds her about the Statute of Secrecy.

"Oh, yeah. Okay." I busy about choosing the best cabbage to take home, but I feel Cassi getting anxious beside me. "Do you mind if I look around?"

"Not at all. Go have fun with Jake."

"Mum!"

"What?" I say innocently, but she's already gone.

Dating Bryan Macmillan was much more exhausting than I planned on. All I wanted was someone to wrap their arms around me and kiss me. Someone to go to Hogsmeade with. Someone for Scorpius to see me with and maybe realise he was jealous of.

Bryan was not that simple. He insisted on walking me to every class, arm in mine, even when he had somewhere different to be. The first week, I thought he was chivalrous, but then I started analysing the sorts of things we talked about. The loving words and sweet things he said to me the night he asked me out were gone the next morning.

On our four-week anniversary of dating, he walked me to Herbology even though he had a free period. "What did you do this morning, Rosie?"

"Well, I woke up late, wolfed down my breakfast, finished the last of my Herbology homework, and met you here."

"Who did you eat breakfast with? I ate much earlier than you, so I didn't see." That was intentional. I was tired of his eyes on me from the Hufflepuff table, scrutinising my every move. After breakfast, he would find me and ask me what I was whispering about with Kayva or Daisy, or what I said that made Emily laugh so hard. I felt like I had to keep notes of every conversation I had when he could see but not hear them.

The Headmistress had no issue with us sitting at a different House table, and more than once I had told him to just sit with me already, but he refused. He insisted that as the female in the relationship, I should join his table, not he mine. I pointed out that all the interesting things happened at the Ravenclaw table. He scoffed and walked away.

That day, however, I had no issues with making up everything we talked about. "Kavya and I got into a heated discussion about what Professor Binns was telling us about the Battle of Hogwarts. Daisy and Emily had already eaten; it was just the two of us."

"I didn't see Daisy and Emily earlier."

"Oh, um, it must have been right between when you ate and when I ate, then. They got up right after Kav and I sat down."

His brows furrowed as though he was about to say something, but changed his mind. A moment later, when he spoke, I knew it wasn't the first thing he had thought of. "Are you ready for the Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Of course! I love getting out of Hogwarts every now and then."

Bryan smiled self-satisfactorily. "Oh, good. I have our whole day planned. We'll start at Madam Puddifoot's for some tea, and then go into the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes outpost in town, and a walk to the Shrieking Shack after that and-"

"And what if I promised Kavya I would spend some time with her?"

"You won't have any time for that."

I pulled my arm out of his and stopped practically mid-stride, turning to face him. I could feel my face heating up, matching my hair, and though I knew how close we were to the greenhouses, I began to shout. "You can't control my life like that! You barely know me! We haven't been dating a month yet!"

He grabbed my wrists and pulled me close, leaning in and whispering. It was worse than if he yelled. "Shut up, Rose, now, or I'll give you a reason to scream."

It took all my strength to keep from crying during Herbology. At the end of class, I took as long as I could packing my things; I knew Bryan would be waiting for me outside. Kavya turned to me and stayed as well. "Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not."

"What happened?"

I looked up at her, but couldn't think of anything to say. I wasn't sure whether I was more upset at his attempts to control my life or the fact that he threatened me. It was probably both. "Bryan... he is trying to tell me what I can and can't do. And threatened me when I told him off for it."

"Rose, look at me. That's not okay. You need to get out of that relationship."

I knew she was right, of course. But it was difficult to admit. I packed my things and left the greenhouse at Kavya's side and, sure enough, Bryan was at the door. "Scorpius isn't in that class, is he?"

"No, he hates plants. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Just trying to figure out what took you so long to leave. You shouldn't make me wait like that, Rosie."

He took my hand and not my bookbag, and Kavya gave me a stern glance. I could practically hear her insisting that I end things now. "Bryan, maybe we should..." I started, but I realised I couldn't end it. Not yet. I was certain he only asked me so much about my life all the time because he honestly cared, and, well, Scorpius and I still hadn't made up from our fight.

"Maybe we should what?" he asked.

Kavya elbowed me in the ribs, but I ignored her, chickening out at the last moment. "Do you think maybe we could decide on a plan for Hogsmeade together? I'd rather have Butterbeer than tea at Madam Puddifoot's," I said honestly.

Bryan let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around me, squeezing me close to him without any sort of finesse. "Rosie, don't you think I'm just trying to take care of you? Don't you trust my plans?"

"It's not that, it's just not my preference, really, to-"

"Rose. I promise you. It will be the best date of your life." Truthfully, I didn't doubt him. But only because it would be my first official date ever.

Everything started out surprisingly well. Bryan picked me up looking dapper, and even next to him, I felt mediocre in comparison. "You look beautiful, Rose," he said, planting a chivalrous kiss on my cheek, but still my doubts didn't dissipate.

"Thanks. Shall we go?" I looked back at Kavya, who was waiting to leave with Emily and Daisy. She nodded at me, looking apprehensive, but I shrugged off her concerns.

Somehow, Madam Puddifoot's wasn't nearly as terrible as I expect it to be. It was decorated for Christmas, which was decidedly less romantic than it would be in a month or two, and the other couples within weren't as annoying as the rumours I'd heard. Bryan held my hand and looked into my eyes and generally acted like a sweet boyfriend, except that he only talked about himself.

"Did you know my father's running for Minister?" Bryan asked me, and I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes.

"I did. It was in the papers." My eyes, instead of rolling, wandered out the window to the alley of Hogsmeade, where everyone I saw seemed to be having more fun than I was. Well, nearly everyone. I saw a head of blond hair pacing about in circles, head down, shrugging off the attention of anyone who tried to give him any. "Um, Bryan? I'm having an amazing time, truly, but I just saw Emily outside and I remembered that I needed to tell her something important. I'll be right back."

"Okay, I'll come with you."

"I don't think so," I said, and realised I was talking too quickly, too certainly. "I mean, it's about something private. I don't think she would want to risk the chance of you overhearing."

At that, his eyes darted toward the window so quickly I was afraid he Charmed them out of his head. I knew he wasn't looking for Emily, but for Scorpius. I braced myself as inconspicuously as I could, waiting for the moment when he saw him. But instead, he said, "I see her. She does look like she's waiting for something. Be quick, Rose. Do you want a refill on your tea while you're gone?"

I looked down at my teacup, still nearly full. He had chosen chamomile. I hated chamomile. "That's all right. Thanks a lot, Bryan. I'll miss you," I said, kissing him more passionately than I wanted to.

It was all I could do to keep myself from running out of the door and into the alleyway and I nearly knocked Emily over on my way out. "Hey! I was looking for you," I said, giving her a hug. "There was that thing I needed to talk to you about."

She grabbed my arm, loosely, and pulled me away from the alley where Madam Puddifoot's was located and onto the high street. "That thing you needed to talk to me about is over there. Hurry back, okay?"

"How did you know?"

She shrugged. "Everyone knows you're in love with him. Even Bryan, so I suggest you be careful."

The thought unnerved me a little, even though it didn't surprise me. "Thanks, Em. I owe you a million."

"Which you will give to me in the form of a trip to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes before the end of the day. Your treat."

I frowned, but nodded. "Fine. I'll meet you there soon."

Scorpius was sitting on a bench outside the nearly deserted Zonko's joke shop, elbows on his knees, face in his hands. I approached him cautiously; we still hadn't spoken in a month. "Scorpius? Can I sit down?"

"Where's your boyfriend?" His tone was hostile, but I was prepared for that.

"At Madam Puddifoot's," I said, and didn't try to hide my contempt.

"Why? You hate that place!"

"I realise this, thank you. Maybe that's why I ditched."

"You seriously ditched him, Rose? Maybe you should've been put in Gryffindor."

"I told him I had something important to tell Emily, and I would be back. So, well, I can't stay long."

He almost smiled. "That's the Rose I know and-" He cut himself off. "How've you been?"

"Downright miserable, yourself?"

"About the same. Listen, Rose, about what happened in Charms... I'm sorry. I was in a bad mood and took it out on you."

"What made you so sour?"

"Emma Davies. She... she asked me out again."

"How terribly upsetting it must be to realise how attractive you are."

"Well, that didn't upset me. But I turned her down and she set about threatening to hex me to next week."

I was honestly confused. "Why did you turn her down, then? I thought you liked her."

"Well, I did like her. At least, I didn't hate her, but, well, there was someone else I was hoping to ask out instead."

"Of course there was," I said, suddenly angry, and I stood up more forcefully than I probably needed to. "I've got to get back, Scorpius."

"Rose! Wait! You're misunderstanding me."

I turned halfway around, though I had already stomped several paces away. "Did you ask her out?"

"No. I never got the chance." He looked genuinely hurt, and I thought about asking him who she was so I could beat her up for him, or knock some sense into her, but I thought better of it. After all, there was a part of me that was glad he never got the chance. Ignoring the fact that I had a boyfriend of my own, I thought about Scorpius, and only Scorpius, as I rounded into the alley to go back to Bryan.

"There you are!" Bryan's arms were around me before I could orient myself to where he came from. "Where did you go?"

"Sorry, Emily and I got distracted. There was something in Weasley's that she wanted to show me, and we started looking around and I lost track of time. Do you mind if we meet her there later?"

His face was a mixture of relief and disappointment. "That should be fine. Do you want to finish your tea?"

"No, thanks," I said, and, thanks to his constant narcissistic monologue, didn't have speak to him again for the rest of our date.

"That's all for tonight?" Antares asks.

"That's all."

"But Mum! You and Dad were both being so stupid. Obviously he liked you, and you liked him, too, but you just couldn't see it. He did mean he was going to ask you out, right?"

I grin. "You'll just have to wait and see. Bedtime, Antares."

"But what about Cassi?"

"I still have a few things I want to talk about with her."

"Fine, Mum."

"When you're fourteen, I'll let you stay up twenty minutes later sometimes as well. Deal?"

"A bit of a raw deal," he says, "but I'll take it."

When we hear his footsteps stop and his door slam, I turn to Cassi, but before my question makes it to my lips, she has one for me. "Mum? Bryan didn't treat you very well."

"No, sweetheart, he didn't."

"Why did you stay with him?"

"Because, like your brother said, I was stupid. I didn't know any better. I thought I needed a relationship, any relationship, if I couldn't have Scorpius. And Cassi?"

"Yeah?"

"If I hear about any boy treating you that way - Jake or anyone else - you better run as fast as you can, hear?"

"I will."

"So... speaking of Jake, what happened on your date today?"

"Mum! It wasn't a date!"

I smirk. "Did you hold hands?"

She lowers her gaze. "Um, well..."

"And did he buy you anything?"

She blushes. "Ice-cream."

I wrap my arms around her and pull her close. "Must be love."

"Mum!"

"Sorry, sweetheart. You really like him?"

She nods earnestly. "I really do."

"Well then, go to bed and dream, love."

She stops halfway up the stairs and turns to me. "You aren't done, right? Telling us about you and Dad?"

"There's still much more to tell," I promise and settle in on the sofa.