This One's For Rosie

August 14, 2023

PROLOGUE
Sixth Year at Hogwarts

My Dearest Rosie,

I knew it the minute I saw you at King's Cross, our first year at Hogwarts. I remember your long, autumn-colored hair and the pink, knit-sweater that you wore as you pushed up on your tiptoes to embrace each of your parents and bent down to ruffle little Hugo's hair. He'd scrunched his nose at you, as if irritated, but flings his arms to wrap around your waist anyway.

Before you boarded the train, you catch my eyes from across the platform and gave me an acknowledging smile. You must have realized that I was watching, but I was too frozen in my state of shock and too flustered at being caught staring that I couldn't even manage a decent wave.

Although the moment had been fleeting, I want you to know that my heart has not beaten as hard as it did right then... and I just knew.

In the back of my mind, I knew. But the stubborn being that I am, and confused as I have been, I made sure to immediately banish the idea away from the forefront of my brain.

They were dangerous thoughts, after all. It kind of felt like I was about to dive head-on, into the waves of an unmerciful ocean and it scared the hell out of me.

Our families might have made peace with each other now that the war is over, but even you can't deny that a certain division still exists. People are not exactly the same before and after such a harrowing experience. War is very difficult, that much we know. Our parents are living proof. Just like time, war exempts nobody.

Years after and I can still see it maimed on my father's face, the despair and sorrow still haunts his eyes whenever a familiar name gets mentioned. The many atrocities that were brought on by his mistakes and inexcusable decisions were like the mark on his forearm: ugly and permanent.

It mocks him everyday and to say he regrets everything that he had done, and all that he had allowed to happen, would be an understatement.

To the wizarding world, we are always going to be outcasts. Just fortunate enough to have maintained our home and continued on with our lives with minimal repercussions because of what my grandmother did for Harry Potter, and in turn, he had shown us compassion.

Please, don't misinterpret that. I am very grateful for Harry and your parents not only for what they have done for us, but also for the entire wizarding world. They've ended the war, they will always be remembered as heroes.

But when I first walked into Hogwarts, even before getting sorted, I never did consider the possibility of talking to you, let alone becoming your friend.

Seems as though fate has other plans for us and I know better now than to question that.

You were the girl that made my heart skip rhythms at the train platform before you were even my best friend, before you were anything at all.

Before I knew Albus. Or your entire family.  And before I really knew who I was.

But Rosie, I want you to know that you will still be my best friend even after tonight. After you read this letter and know exactly how I feel about you.

Even if you want nothing to do with me anymore after reading this.

I love you.

I am in love with you.
I have been for quite a while now. I think I've known it since that fated day on platform 9 3/4. But I have just been too stubborn to actually acknowledge it. Until now.

So, please.

Don't choose him, Rose. Don't say yes to him. Because you deserve so much better. And it may be selfish to ask you this, but I don't care anymore.

I can't stand anyone else holding you when you're upset or laughing at your horrible jokes or watching you read your favorite books or listen to you complain about potions and gush about Ancient runes in the same breath.

I just want to be the only one to do all of those things with you, and for you.

If you'll let me, you can have all of me. And if that isn't enough,
then I will work my hardest to be what you deserve.

Yours forever,
Scorpius