Prologue

“Malfoy, Scorpius!� Professor Neville Longbottom’s voice rang through the silence of the Great Hall.

A blonde-haired boy, one of those in front, walked towards the Sorting Hat with his shoulders back, head held high.

“Look,� Albus nudged me rather forcefully. “That’s Malfoy.�

I massaged my ribs in pain. “Yes, I know that, Al. I’m not blind or deaf.� I looked as Malfoy put the Hat on his head with confidence. “He looks like he knows exactly which house he’ll be in,� I said thoughtfully.

“Unlike me,� Albus said with a sigh. His face was pale, a sharp contrast with his messy black hair, and he looked like he was going to vomit at any moment.

“Hey, are you all right?� I asked nervously, rubbing his back. “Don’t listen to anything James said, he was just trying to scare you.�

“But seriously, what if I end up in—�

“SLYTHERIN!� yelled the Hat.

“There’s foreshadowing for you,� Albus said miserably.

I watched as Malfoy took off his head and walked coolly towards the Slytherin table, from which loud cheers and catcalls were coming. “You won’t end up in Slytherin, Al. You’re not cunning or anything…�

“I am!� Albus said in a plaintive sort of voice.

“What?� I turned to look at him.

“Remember when my mum was baking a batch of cookies about a week ago? Peanut butter cookies?�

“Uh huh,� I nodded, remembering that day.

“Well, I stole two cookies and it was blamed on Stormfur,� Albus said shamefacedly. Stormfur was the cat that the Potters kept for a pet.

I tried not to laugh at my cousin’s guilty expression. “Well, that’s not cunning. You just couldn’t resist the temptation. All you have to do is write a letter to Aunt Ginny and I’m sure you’ll be forgiven.�

“Really?� Albus asked hopefully.

“Mm-hmm,� I said, lowering my tone as a couple of other First Years shushed us with hisses of ‘qui-et!’ “Now just be calm, okay? You look like you’re going to puke.�

“That’s because I am going to puke.�

“Newt, Christopher!�

A sandy-haired boy hurried up the steps and pulled on the hat. “Ravenclaw!� the Sorting Hat decided.

“Potter, Albus!�

Albus grabbed my hand. I squeezed it as reassuringly as I could, and then watched as he made his way shakily past the line of First Years, sat on the stool, and pulled on the Hat, which dropped down to his nose. He sat there like that for about five seconds, and then the Hat yelled, “Gryffindor!�

I applauded with the rest of the Gryffindors as Albus took the Hat off, revealing flushed cheeks and a relieved smile so wide it looked almost painful. “Good luck,� he mouthed at me as he walked towards the Gryffindor table, where he was greeted warmly by James, Victoire, Fred, and Antoinette. James slapped him on the back. I winced for him. That slap, knowing James, was probably not very gentle.

“Randall, Phillip!�

I focused once again on the sorting, and nervousness consumed me. I chewed on my already ragged fingernails.

“If you’re not in Gryffindor, we’ll disinherit you, but no pressure.�*

Right, Dad, I thought wryly. Thanks for the confidence booster.

And then this led me to think what Dad and Mum and Hugo would do if I ended up in Slytherin after all. Dad was probably joking about the disinheriting thing, but they’ll probably not be too happy about it. For starters, a Howler would definitely be unavoidable.

“Ting, Christabelle!�

An Asian girl hurried forward and was sorted into Gryffindor. Mentally I estimated when my turn would be, and realised with horror that it was going to be very, very soon.

“Urqhart, Natalie!�

“Hufflepuff!�

“Weasley, Rose!� Professor Longbottom called. I took a shaky breath of air, and walked towards the stool, trembling head to toe. Professor Longbottom gave me an encouraging smile.

After what seemed like eternity, I took the Hat into my hands and sat down on the stool. Before I put it onto my head, I looked at the Gryffindor table. I saw Albus, who showed me his crossed fingers, and I saw James, Victoire, Dominique, Louis and Fred giving me warm smiles. And then I looked at the Slytherin table. Everyone there looked unfriendly. They probably were unfriendly, anyway. I caught sight of Scorpius Malfoy. He was looking at me, with a cool, bored expression on his face.

Suddenly realising that I must be delaying the remaining two first years from being sorted, I blushed furiously and set the Sorting Hat on my red curls.

“Well, well, a Weasley, are you?� said the Hat. It seemed like it was in my head. “Plenty of brains, I see. You’d do very well in Ravenclaw…�

Ravenclaw! It hadn’t occurred to me that I might be Sorted into this house. I thought it’d be either Gryffindor or Slytherin. My eyes traveled to the Ravenclaw table, where no one I knew was in sight.

Merlin forbid, I thought, panicking. Don’t put me there.

“Are you sure?� the hat asked. “Well, if that’s what you want…GRYFFINDOR!�

The Gryffindor table burst into applause and cheers.

I smiled. I smiled so hard my face felt like it was splitting. Wrenching the hat off my head, I raced down to where my cousins were. Albus, Dominique, Victoire, Roxanne, Molly and Lucy hugged me, James ruffled my hair, and Fred slapped me on the back. Squeezing in between Dominique and Albus, I sat to watch the Sorting of the last two first-years.

Then as Professor Longbottom carried the stool and the Hat away, Professor Mortimer Candlelaine, the Headmaster, stood up, smiling at us all. The babble faded into silence. “Welcome to, for most of you, another year back at Hogwarts. I will give several announcements later on, but for now, it is time for the feast.�

The chatter in the Great Hall grew louder, and my cousins piled food on their plates. I did so too, but before I took a bite, for some inexplicable reason, I looked over to where Malfoy was sitting. He was smiling lazily at something the person beside him had said. Sensing my gaze, he looked right at me. For about a second, we stared at each other.

And then he nodded. Taken aback, I nodded, too, and hastily cast my stare somewhere else.

“I saw that,� Albus whispered at my side. I started, and turned to look at him. “So,� he continued conversationally, “do you think we’ll be friends with Scorpius Malfoy?�

“Maybe, maybe not.� I shrugged, then grinned. “But I know I’m going to beat him in every test.�

“Yeah, of course you are,� Fred said, overhearing me.

“With that huge brain of yours, it’s hard not to,� Dominique said. I laughed, slightly embarrassed, and we dug in.

We didn’t become friends with Malfoy. Over the years, all the Potters and the Weasleys hardly spoke a word to Scorpius Malfoy unless it was entirely necessary, and he applied the same rule to us. When Albus and Malfoy joined their respective Quidditch teams later, he and the other Gryffindor Quidditch players (which included my brother, and Albus’ brother and sister) were at times mocked by the Slytherin Quidditch team. Malfoy never joined his teammates’ jeers at them, but neither did he stop his friends. In our fifth year, Albus, Malfoy and I became prefects, but it didn’t bring him closer to the both of us in any way. Malfoy was, in short, just always present, but he never left a distinguishing mark.

And then, when we began our seventh year, Malfoy became more than just a presence. He quite suddenly entered my world, and it was unknown whether he was to stay…

It was also the year my world was turned upside down.

A/N:*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling, Epilogue, page 603, UK edition. (I took Ron’s line from the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That line isn’t my own. Same goes for the “beat him in every test� part. But then again, I bet you guys already knew that.) Also, if I recall correctly, Professor McGonagall isn’t the next Headmistress, according to JK Rowling. So it’s Professor Candlelaine now. Well, thoughts and comments, anyone? (:

Bad History

Letter from Draco Malfoy to Scorpius Malfoy, sent 6th August 2023

Dear Scorpius,

Your mother has written to tell me that you have been made Head Boy. Well done, my son, we are both immensely proud of you.

However, your mother has also told me that Rose Weasley has been made Head Girl alongside you. The history between the Weasleys and Potters and us had been rather bad. The war has been long over, and things between our family and theirs are relatively all right, but I find that it is in your best interests not to get too close to them. You never know what they’re capable of.

I am very sorry that I won’t be able to see you before school starts, as we are reaching the finalising stages of the agreement, and work is very intense. The next time I shall see you will probably be during the Christmas holidays. Until then,

Your Father

________________________________________________________

Rose Weasley was very in touch with words. A thriller novel would often send chills down her spine, an emotional scene in a book would probably bring tears to her eyes, and an occasional indulgence in fluff would leave her giggly. But no words had a greater impact on her than those in the letter that the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts had just sent her, which informed her that Scorpius Malfoy was Head Boy to her Head Girl.

At first she thought that it was a hoax; that her mischievous cousin James Potter had imitated Uncle Neville’s handwriting and laboriously written a long letter informing her of her appointment, enclosing in the envelope cousin-in-law Teddy Lupin’s old Head Boy badge, transfigured to read Head Girl. But after picking up the envelope to check for the inimitable Hogwarts seal and finding it there, she stared at the letter in growing horror until her fifteen-year-old brother, Hugo, came into the room and found her with her mouth hanging open.

“What’s that, sis?� Hugo asked, neatly snatching the letter out of her hands. She grabbed at the parchment, tugging it out of his hands.

“None of your business,� she said shortly. “Go practise your Keeping or something, I’m busy here.�

“Dad’s over at the joke shop, and Mum’s out grocery shopping,� Hugo said pitifully. “Can you be Chaser, please?�

Rose sighed in annoyance. “Hugo, go away. You don’t want me to be holding a Quaffle in my hand right now.�

“Ah, must be that letter, right?� Hugo looked at the parchment keenly. “What’s that, then, letter from your boyfriend wanting to break up? Is it that Ravenclaw Keeper you like? What’s his name – Daniel Corner?�

Rose snapped. “Hugo! Out.� She pointed towards the doorway until her brother walked sulkily through it, and then banged the door shut and locked it. How on earth did her brother know about her crush on Daniel Corner? She hadn’t told anyone with the exception of her best girlfriend, Christabelle Ting. Even her other best friend, Albus Potter, didn’t know; she hadn’t told him because he was a boy, and telling him would be very awkward.

But then the more pressing matter surfaced again – Professor Candlelaine’s choice of Head Boy. Rose knew Scorpius Malfoy – or at least, by sight. He never spoke to her, her brother and cousins, unless it was absolutely necessary. In turn, they never spoke to him, either. The two parties – though calling Malfoy a party was a bit of a misnomer, really, him being just one person – didn’t exchange cold glares or made shows of snubbing each other. Sometimes curious glances were thrown (on the Potters and Weasleys’ part), but otherwise they just passed each other in the corridors like strangers did.

One thing Rose knew was that Malfoy was always surrounded by his Slytherin friends. At any one point of time she passed him, he would have his posse trailing after him, usually hanging on to whatever he was saying. Oh, yes, Malfoy was a rather popular student; he didn’t talk much in public, but when he did, everyone quieted down to listen. Pure charisma. Rose supposed that was why Professor Candlelaine, the Headmaster, had chosen him as Head Boy. If given the four boy prefects in her year, she supposed that she would have chosen him, too.

Albus, her fellow Gryffindor prefect, was usually capable, but was sometimes a little too inclined towards the mischief that his brother James would sometimes rope him into making. Besides, he would have been a better Quidditch captain – a post that Professor Candlelaine had appointed him, and Albus was very happy with it. Kelvin Anderson, the Hufflepuff prefect, was nice, but sometimes he was a little too soft. Daniel Corner, the Ravenclaw prefect and Keeper and her crush, possessed some leadership qualities, but he was sometimes a bit of a wild card, the kind of personality that Rose didn’t have and therefore was curious about, attracted to. So yes. Scorpius Malfoy was the best Head Boy of all, and it would be an uncomplicated task working alongside him for the next school year. It wouldn’t do her any harm to get to know him, either. She had always felt a little curious about him since their first year, when her father had pointed him out to her at King’s Cross Station.

So why was it that she felt uneasy when thinking about the year ahead?

Ah, yes. Family history, that was why. Rose knew that her parents and her family, in general, didn’t like Scorpius Malfoy’s father, and that this rivalry dated back to the days when her paternal grandfather, Arthur Weasley, and Malfoy’s grandfather, Lucius Malfoy, were in their prime. Uncle George had often, sniggering, recounted the time when both Grandfather Arthur and Lucius Malfoy had been fighting in Flourish and Blotts. Rose gloomily sat down in the armchair by the windows. With a family history such as that, she highly doubted that if her father would be jumping for joy when he heard that she was to work in close contact with a Malfoy. Jumping in anger, more like.

Sighing, she reached over to her overstuffed bookshelf and pulled out one of her favourite Muggle novels. Nothing like a good book to keep out the worry of what she’d tell her parents when they returned.

*

“Rosie! Hugo! Dinner’s ready!�

At the distant sound of her mother’s call, Rose awoke with a start. The book had fallen onto the floor while she’d slept, and her joints ached from lack of movement. There was a nasty taste in her mouth, and, grabbing her wand from her bedside, she refilled the empty mug at her desk with a mental Aguamenti! After gulping down a few mouthfuls, her mouth decidedly tasted better, and her head had cleared enough for the awful thought of breaking the news to her parents (her father, in particular) to occur to her again.

Steeling herself, she wrenched open the door and attempted to put on a cheerful front, with positive waves radiating off her. She pursed up her lips to whistle, and upon finding out that only a pitifully thin sound came out, quickly stopped. She went down the stairs to join her family, and sat down at her place. Her father was just telling her mother and brother about a funny incident that happened at the joke shop that day, and Rose was glad to see him in a fine humor. That should make telling him the news a whole lot easier.

… Or so she hoped.

When her father’s tale ended to uproarious laughter from her brother and mother (she’d chuckled feebly), there was a silence, filled only by the chinks of forks and spoons hitting the plates. She shut her eyes and counted to ten, then cleared her throat just as her father started to say something. He looked inquiringly at her. Rose chickened out.

“Nothing,� she said. “Continue whatever you were going to say.�

“I just wanted to ask if you two’ve gotten your Hogwarts letters yet, it’s nearly August,� her father said.

Here we go, she thought wearily, as her brother gave an affirmative grunt.

“As it is, it’s been sent to me,� she squeaked, then cleared her throat and gulped down some water, succeeding in choking on the mouthful that she gulped. Her mother whacked her on the back till she calmed down.

“What is it you were saying?� her mother asked Rose, eyeing her with the warm brown eyes that were so like her own.

“I – I’ve been made Head Girl,� she said, mustering a smile for the sake of her family.

Her father looked stunned for a moment, then reached over and ruffled her red hair, saying delightedly, “Atta girl, Rosie! I knew you’d get the post!�

Hugo raised his eyebrows, saying, “Well done!�

Her mother grinned widely at first, but upon seeing Rose’s faltering smile, her grin faded too. “There’s something else, isn’t there, Rosie?� she asked Rose.

For some odd reason, the concern in her voice made Rose feel like crying. She took a deep breath and mumbled to the tablecloth, “Malfoy’s Head Boy.�

“Come again?� her father asked.

“Scorpius Malfoy’s been made Head Boy,� she said more loudly, then anxiously looked at her father. There was a strange expression on his face, a cross between disbelief and outrage. Before he could say anything, however, her mother intervened.

“Oh, love,� she said, passing her hand over Rose’s hair. “How does that make you feel?�

Rose knew that her mother was highly intelligent, but hated when she played ‘psychologist.’ What was she supposed to feel? Judging by the expression of her father’s face, she knew that saying, “offended that he’d be paired alongside with me� would keep her in his good books, but in all honesty, if she disregarded the whole family history, then she felt quite all right.

“Er, I feel –�

“Furious, I should think! Why on earth would that barmy Headmaster of yours make Malfoy Head Boy?� her father blustered, pounding on the table for effect. The plates and cutlery rattled, and Hugo removed his set from the table, continuing to eat off his lap while watching them with the air of someone watching a highly exciting soap opera, the kind her mother said she used to watch when she was younger and didn’t yet know that magic existed.

“Ron!� her mother scolded. “I was asking Rosie, not you.�

Her father seethed and stared at Rose, making it impossible for her to tell her mother how she really felt.

“I, er, I feel quite annoyed,� she managed, nodding at her father, who looked appeased.

“And damn right she should,� he growled. “Our Rosie isn’t fit to be partnered with the likes of Scorpius. It’s fine if they’re working together for a short period of time, but one year…�

“Ronald, I think it’s highly unfair for you to judge Scorpius when you know next to nothing about him,� her mother said, but even as she spoke, her penetrating eyes were turned onto Rose, seemingly saying, I know that you’re not telling the absolute truth, Rose Mary-Ann Weasley, and I’ll want to know why.

Rose ducked her head and kept her eyes on her plate. Out of the corner of her eyes, as she spooned food into her mouth mechanically, she saw her parents mouthing furiously at each other. When half her dinner was eaten, she mumbled, “May I be excused now?�

“Sure, darling,� her mother replied distractedly, and Rose pushed back her chair before escaping to her room, which was flooded with the light of the evening sunset though it was already eight o’ clock. Despite the fact that she’d done nothing all day but laze around reading books, Rose suddenly felt extremely tired. She lay down on her bed and gazed at the sky, pinkish from the sinking sun. Her parents’ furious murmurings travelled easily up to her room. She didn’t want to hear them. She didn’t want to think about the issue at hand, either, until she had to. She was about to drag herself off her bed to shut her door when someone knocked on it.

“Rose? Can I come it?� her mother called softly.

Rose gave a non-committal shrug, and seconds later, felt a weight settling at the foot of her bed.

“Honey, how do you really feel about having to work with Scorpius Malfoy?�

Rose said nothing, just pursed up her lips.

“Rose, there are better ways of solving the problem besides keeping mum, you know.�

“Oh, all right, if it really bothers you,� she told her mother, struggling to sit up. “I feel all right with the idea, actually. I mean, I don’t like Malfoy, but I don’t particularly loathe him, either. Working with him is just something new, I guess, though I’m not particularly looking forward to it like I would if the Head Boy had been –� She stopped herself just before the words “Daniel Corner� slipped out of her mouth. Her mother seemed to know the gist of it, though, if her grin was any indication. To Rose’s relief, she chose to say nothing more on that matter.

“You probably know that your father isn’t very happy with this arrangement.�

Rose snorted. “Really? I hadn’t realised,� she said. Her mother ignored her.

“But I’ve talked to him, and he’s decided to give Scorpius a chance. And as for you,� her mother said, reaching over to tap Rose’s nose like she used to when Rose was just a child, “you have been raised with the prejudice that Malfoys are sly, unreliable creatures. And I want you to get rid of that prejudice –�

“Honestly, Mum,� Rose interrupted. “I don’t have prejudices of that sort. I’m not such a blind jumper-of-the-bandwagon.� Her mother stared at her, and then smiled

“I see that Professor Candlelaine’s made an excellent choice for Head Girl,� she said. Rose felt a burst of affection for her mother, who assured her when things were going wrong, who told her she was pretty when she wasn’t, who did so many things for her that, sometimes, she just forgot them. “All right, then, you just retire for the night. Must’ve sapped all your energy, telling your father the news.� Her mother winked at her and got off the bed, then walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Rose blinked. It never failed to amaze her whenever her mother read her like the books the two of them so loved.

*

Relax, Rose told herself, her hand positioned on the sliding door of the prefects’ compartment. You’ll do just fine. Just be yourself, like Mum said.

I’d only be too happy to be myself, she heard another voice retort, but I can’t seem to find it, thank you.

She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the second voice. She was a wreck. A ruin. Her hair, which she’d taken a few precious seconds to tie up in an untidy ponytail, was probably in a mess, and her robes probably looked as though she had slept in it the night before. Thank god they were black; wrinkles didn’t show up that clearly on black. Why, oh why did they have to wake up late on the most important day of her life? Her family had slept in till ten, and then there was the horrible rush of last-minute packing. Her mother had insisted on them driving to King’s Cross, as Hugo hadn’t learned to Apparate yet. They’d reached Platform Nine and Three-Quarters just before the guards blew the whistle and the doors were shut. And so here she was, looking entirely disheveled, with her trunk chucked somewhere in a random compartment full of bewildered first-years.

“Er, excuse me…� came a familiar male voice from behind her. Rose whipped around, and found herself staring into Daniel Corner’s warm hazel eyes.

“Ohh!� she gasped, silently cursing the fact that he was seeing her at her worst in close quarters. “I’m sorry –�

“No, you’ve no reason to be sorry,� he objected, a charming half-grin lighting up his face as he slid the door open from behind her. “Ladies first,� he added, bowing with a flourish.

And so the fifth-year prefects’ very first impression of their Head Girl was a foolishly smiling girl who was blushing so furiously that her face was almost the same shade as her hair. It was only when the compartment door thudded shut behind Daniel that Rose regained her senses. By then, everyone was staring at both she and Daniel. Rose was about to apologise for her lateness when Daniel took over. “Apologies for our tardiness,� he said smoothly.

Scorpius Malfoy, who was sitting at the head of the compartment, nodded. Rose walked towards the empty chair designated for the Head Girl, not daring to look directly at him. She could feel the eyes of all the prefects on her, and the thought was unnerving. The heat rose to her cheeks again.

“This is Rose Weasley, the Head Girl,� said Malfoy, after she sat down beside him as quickly and quietly as she could. She mustered a sweeping, brisk smile at all of them. Albus raised his eyebrows, probably telepathically asking her why she was late. She shook her head at him slightly. Daniel Corner caught her eye, smiling at her almost imperceptibly. She lowered her head, trying to conceal the foolish grin that was about to take over her face. “Before you came in,� Malfoy said to Rose, not troubling to keep his voice down, “we were just about to welcoming the fifth-year prefects.�

“Oh,� she said, and quickly looked at the faces she didn’t recognise from last year. “Welcome to the prefectorial board, fifth-years. You’re here because you were chosen by your respective Heads of House. You were all thought to possess main qualities of a leader – charisma, integrity, conscientiousness, and many others. Don’t let us down.�

She shot a sidelong glance at Malfoy, who was lazily riffling through some of the parchment rolls. He was clearly not paying attention, so she was surprised when he said, without looking up at the rest of the prefects, “And to the rest of you, welcome back. Now, we will have at least two meetings every term to discuss administrative matters, such as schedules for patrolling Hogwarts at night…�

And to Rose’s eventual annoyance, he talked and talked as though he was the only Head Prefect in the compartment. During the times when he drew breath, she hurriedly jumped and added some noteworthy things, lest the prefects thought she was being henpecked. When the meeting was finally over, and all of the prefects had filed out of the compartment, Rose turned to face Malfoy.

“I’d like an explanation from you,� she said, trying not to let her voice waver, like it always did when she was angry. Because of that, she usually sounded more like she was about to cry than lecture.

“What about?� Malfoy asked tonelessly, shuffling some parchment.

“You practically helmed the whole meeting!� Rose spat. “I barely had the chance to speak.�

He raised a finger. “But you did speak,� he said, without looking up.

Rose squinted at the blonde hair partially covering Malfoy’s face. “Only a few sentences. The prefects won’t take me seriously.� Her argument was beginning to sound like the whine of a teething two-year-old who had a dirty slipper taken out of her mouth by her horrified mother.

Malfoy stood up so abruptly that she was taken aback. “Next time you want to be taken seriously, Weasley,� he said in a low voice, “I suggest that you arrive for meetings punctually.�

And with that, he swept out of the compartment, leaving Rose alone with her mouth hanging open.

A/N: I'm terribly sorry about the long over-due update. I did try writing out the first chapter, but each time it came out all wrong. To date I have three different versions of the first chapter, and various versions of a section which I decided to omit in the end. So, what do you think? Feel free to give me criticism, every author needs it. (: