Amortentia (a Scorose Fanfiction)

Chapter Fifteen

       Professor McGonagall ended up suspending Lily's trips to Hogsmeade for the rest of the year.  She was to attend detention for a month, as well as writing an extensive and detailed apology to both Lysander and Katie.

       After Lily explained her involvement in the incident, Rose was only given detention for a week — for breaking curfew, McGonagall said.

       By the time they left the office it was half past eleven on Saturday morning.  Most of the students in third year and above had already left for Hogsmeade, so the castle was much quieter than usual.  Lily and Rose walked in silence, only meeting a few rowdy first year boys and a gossiping group of second year girls on their way back to the common room.

       Despite her punishment being issued, Lily was still brooding.  Rose didn't know whether she should try and make conversation to get her mind off things... Lily wasn't usually one for forced small talk, and Rose couldn't think of any other major gossip to bring up other than Lily's incident.  And she knew that would not go down well.

       Instead of saying anything, Rose stayed quiet.  Better safe than sorry, she thought, knowing how Lily could be when she was in one of her moods.

       The two girls stopped short when they reached the common room.  Rose's heart jumped at the sight of a blonde head of hair, a boy leaning against the wall next to the Fat Lady's portrait.  Lily's eyes were wide and round in shock, her lips parted slightly. 

       "Finally!" The Fat Lady exclaimed when she saw the girls standing stock still on the staircase.  "He has been hanging around here like a bad smell for the past half hour! There she is! Get on with it, boy!"

       Rose's mind was working at top speed as he leaned off the wall and stepped closer.  Lily was as still as a statue, her mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out. 

       Lorcan sent her a wary look.  "We need to talk, Lily."

       Mutely, Lily nodded.  She didn't move another muscle, however.

       Lorcan seemed to notice this.  He glanced at Rose.  "Would you mind giving us a minute, Rose?"

       Rose began to nod.  Lily's eyes snapped to meet her gaze.  She could see the panic in them.  Lily narrowed her eyes at Rose, as if to say don't you dare leave me alone.

       Rose swallowed and pursed her lips.  "Of course," she said and sped past Lorcan.  She muttered the password to the Fat Lady, who swung open to let her through. 

       She would face Lily's wrath later.  Besides, in Rose's opinion, that was her payback for pulling her into the prank. 

       Rose bounded up the stairs to her dorm, deciding to take a trip to the Owlery to send off the letter she had written to her parents.  She wrapped up in a warm, knitted jumper and grey bobble hat, then snatched the letter up from the lid of her trunk. 

       She had spent most of her evening the previous night writing down the events of the past few weeks to tell her parents.  She conveniently forgot to mention Lily's incident.  Rose knew that her cousin would be getting enough punishment from Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, nevermind Rose's parents getting involved. 

       One other person Rose had "forgotten" to mention was Scorpius Malfoy.  She doubted she ever would mention his name in a letter to her parents. 

       However, as she was writing the letter, she realised how much she had to miss out because she couldn't mention Scorpius.  In such a short space of time he had become such a large part of Rose's life.  He was always around — even if it wasn't planned, like last night.  She had had fun with him the previous night, on the Astronomy tower, telling each other funny stories of their childhood and discussing more Muggle-related things that Scorpius wanted to know more about.