Curiosity Is Not a Sin

One Step Forward

The next day dawned drizzly and damp, but despite Rose's worst predictions, the weather did not get worse as the day went on. By the time they were heading back out onto the pitch after a quick lunch, the sun was peeking through the clouds, and the rain had stopped.

Perhaps because of this, the team was feeling downright cheerful as they headed back up to the castle late that afternoon, despite aches from being on a broom for most of the day and a few new bruises from bludger hits.

Roxanne had been right; Rose was not in any mood to do work. She knew that the next day was bound to be terrible if she didn't, but couldn't find it in her to care. Instead, she enjoyed a nice long soak in the bath before heading downstairs for dinner.

"How was practice?" Albus asked when she took a seat next to him.

"Good," she replied. "Long, though. I'm glad we have tomorrow off. I don't know how much longer I could sit on a broom without wanting to die."

After they'd eaten, Rose headed back upstairs with her yearmates and settled in next to the fire with Albus, Colleen, and Damien. Colleen made a half-hearted attempt to bring up Scorpius again, but without Holly there to back her up, she was dissuaded relatively easily. They were discussing the results of the day's Quidditch matches when James climbed through the portrait hole and slumped in one of the armchairs. Rose nudged Albus and jerked her head toward James.

He frowned and stood up. "Be back in a few minutes," he told the others. Rose followed him over to his brother.

James looked up as they approached. "I didn't do it," he said immediately.

"Didn't do what?" Albus asked suspiciously as they settled into the chairs on either side of James.

"Whatever you think I did," his brother said promptly. They both stared at him, until eventually he shifted and said, a little irritably, "Oh, fine. Roxanne's just annoyed with me again."

"Why?" Albus asked, clearly completely caught off-guard.

"She thinks that if I just ask Marion out, it will solve all the problems we've been having." James rubbed his forehead. "Like, officially. I told her to leave me alone."

"Well, why don't you?" Albus asked.

"Out to where, exactly?"

"Just, you know... out..." Albus trailed off, and his brother rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, exactly. This Hogsmeade weekend is for family, and our next one isn't until November. That's a month away, and I'm not asking anyone out a month before the actual date."

"But what if she gets sick of waiting for you and finds someone else?" Albus asked.

"She won't."

Albus looked from James to Rose. "I don't understand how you both can be so damned confident," he said.

Rose shrugged, and James said, "Acting confident is a huge step in that direction, little brother."

Rose was suddenly reminded of something James had once told her. "It's like with wild animals," she put in. "You just can't show them that you're scared."

Albus seemed to consider saying something, but after a moment, he decided not to comment. "I don't understand why I'm the one without a girlfriend," he said instead. "You're both terrible."

"Don't tempt fate," Rose warned him. "Now you'll have some troll asking you out."

He laughed. After a few more minutes, James got up and headed over to the staircase that led to the boys' dormitories, and Rose and Albus rejoined their friends.