Amortentia

05| Moxie

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M o x i e 

(n.) courage; nerve; determination.

☆☆☆

Learn me slowly.

Please,

be patient,

with my pages.

  – Pavana

 ☆☆☆

Rose wasn't getting any sleep.

This whole ordeal was ridiculous; fretting quietly to Albus in the corner of the Great Hall over what Scorpius was going to dress up as, furiously scribbling down any deductions she has come up with in order to predict the percentage of losing she was going to face – it was absolute insanity.

It was a silly competition really – all of them knew that – but this year, there were eighty-two Galleons worth of books in question, and there was just no way Rose was going to half-ass this costume knowing there were about twenty-eight hardcover books in store for her if she wins this.

"Honestly, this is the first time I've seen you get this worked up over a Halloween costume, chérie." Victoire said, grinning at Rose as she sipped on her morning tea. Victoire was the definition of elegance and poise, drinking her tea in graceful sips, with her pinky raised ever so slightly.

Sometimes Rose couldn't believe she was Victoire's first cousin.

"I know," Roxanne replied, her eyes glimmering in amusement as she chuckled. "In all honesty, I'm pretty sure the last time Victoire and I saw you this excited over Halloween was when you were in second year."

Rose pursed her lips, rolling her eyes. "Have you both not been listening? There are eighty-two Galleons worth of books on the table – of course I am going to be worked up about it."

The three of them were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room – although it did take a special slip from Professor Slughorn to allow Roxanne in, considering she was a Slytherin – with mugs of tea and hot chocolates by their sides.

Victoire laughed, and Rose swore that if angels were to ever laugh, it would sound a lot like Victoire's. Her blonde hair was curled in waves today, and there was just something about the loose braids in her hair that made it look like Victoire had a halo around her head – granted she probably did, because from all of Rose's cousins, Victoire was the only one who did not inherit the Weasley temper.

"I think it's because Scorpius is going to look ravishing with his costume," Victoire said, winking at Rose. "I know I get excited when I know Teddy is planning an extravagant outfit."

Rose smiled at the mention of Teddy's name. She told herself she would stop and say hi to the blue-haired boy the next time she saw him in the Great Hall. "Yeah, but Scorpius isn't like that," Rose argued, crossing her arms. "He would never plan an extravagant outfit – Scorpius just naturally is."

Roxanne and Victoire rose their eyebrows at Rose's words, and Rose instantly coloured. "I don't mean it like that – I'm just stating facts, and the fact is that Scorpius wouldn't waste time planning on looking extravagant when he knows his costume is going to win. He made the stakes this high because he knows Albus and I don't stand a chance against him, and Merlin's Beard, Halloween is coming soon and I don't even have my own costume planned –"