Curiosity Is Not a Sin

Surviving to the Weekend

To Rose's relief, the rest of the week was fairly uneventful. Overhearing the conversation between Albus and Scorpius Malfoy - a conversation which she continued to find disconcerting, though by Thursday she had to admit that she'd become as intrigued as she was perplexed - had set the tone for a rather frenzied few days. While Rose enjoyed pranks and general mayhem as much as the next Weasley, the fact remained there were Quidditch practices to make up and assignments that were still only half-done, and that didn't leave a lot of time for anything else.

James, Roxanne, Lily, and Hugo all ended up with copious amounts of detention, which made Rose and Albus very glad that they hadn't actually participated in any of it. The only bright side for the three Gryffindors was that they would still probably be able to find time for Quidditch practice, though they might have to sacrifice sleep to do it.

All four maintained that it had been completely worth it.

The Gryffindors only shared with a couple periods with the Slytherins on Thursdays and Fridays, and other than a few sidelong glances on Thursday morning in Transfiguration, Scorpius seemed to be content to ignore her. She didn't doubt that he had something else up his sleeve, but it seemed to be taking some time to come together, which was really just as well - after the weekend, she'd be caught up on her schoolwork and more able to absorb the time commitment that a prank war with Scorpius Malfoy would undoubtedly require, especially with her partners in crime languishing in detention.

The rain that poured down steadily throughout the afternoon and evening on Friday made their Quidditch practice quite uncomfortable. By the time James finally called it quits, Rose's clothing was not only plastered to her skin but actively weighing her down; the strong wind had also made her hair a tangled mess. Only her private vow not to complain to James that month in light of his jinx on Scorpius Malfoy - which still showed no signs of fading - kept her from joining Marion and Tyler in their irritation as they trooped back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Rose liked Quidditch very much, but this was just ridiculous.

A long and very warm bath later, she trooped back down to the Common Room, feeling significantly more human than she had when they'd left the pitch.

James and Albus were lounging by the fire. Rose joined them.

"What's up with them?" she asked James, jerking her head toward Roxanne and Marion. Both girls had already finished washing up and were sitting at the corner table. They appeared to be in deep conversation.

He shrugged. "Who knows?"

The way he avoided her eyes made her suspect that he did know - or, at least, had a decent guess. If he wasn't going to volunteer it, though, she wasn't going to push him.

Rose stretched. A sharp ache arched along her back as she did, and she straightened up again, wincing. "My body is so sore, and I'm exhausted. Thank god it's the weekend."

The Potter boys nodded their agreement. "Exciting week, though," James said. "I think I might beat Fred for most detentions by the time I leave. He'll be so disappointed."

"You've got a ways to go," Albus pointed out. Unlike the two of them, he did not seem to be favoring any part of his body; Rose supposed that that was what happened when you sat warm and comfortable in Gryffindor tower for three hours rather than on a broom in the pouring rain. "And it's not a competition."

James grinned at his brother. "It is if I say it is."

Albus ignored him. "So," he said to Rose, with a casual air she immediately could tell he was putting on, "Scorpius barely complained about you yesterday and didn't even mention you today. When he used the map to find you on Wednesday, he didn't use it to get you back, right? Because I told him that if he did, I'd find whatever spell James used on his hair and use it again right before Christmas vacation."