I zoned out then, as Scorpius moved to peer at the crossword over my father's shoulder. Although, I still felt like Dad was testing Scor, it looked like they would get on better in the future. Dinner was the same; Dad was full of questions for Scorpius, though he and Mum both seemed genuinely interested to hear the answers.
After Dinner, Scorpius headed home, leaving me to play chess with my father. Every once in a while he would insist on having a game, and though I had more logical skill than Hugo, I was never quite as keen as Dad to play.
"I've got to pass my skills on to someone, Rosie, or the chess-playing gene will die out," Dad told me as he began setting up the board.
Rolling my eyes, I sat down and, playing as white, moved my first pawn.
As usual, Dad beat me severely. By the end of the game, all of my pieces were lying at the side of the board in various states of damage. My queen, for instance, was headless.
The rest of the holidays passed in the same way. Tori and Teddy visited a few times, and I met up with the girls in London, using the London Underground to get to Oxford Street for a spot of shopping. Lily appeared to have grown and needed some new Muggle clothes, so we all took it as an opportunity to get some things for ourselves.
By the end of the two week holiday, I'd been shopping in London twice, to a local Zoo with Scorpius once, started studying for the series of mock exams we would have once we returned to school and played a number of quidditch matches. Lucy and I had finally watched The Notebook and we'd been grandma and grandpa Weasleys' house to see Uncle Charlie while he was temporarily back from Romania. Going back to Hogwarts felt like sweet relief after being so busy.
When I sat down with Scorpius on the train, up in the Prefect's compartment, I knew that telling Dad had been a good thing. He had even waved to both of us as we stood at one of the doors. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest, and I was able to fully enjoy the journey, despite the fact that we had to spend most of the time on our feet patrolling the train. We were only able to re-join my family for about an hour before the train stopped at Hogsmeade and we piled into the carriages to be taken up to the school. With the rest of my family not knowing Hugo's secret, it was impossible for me to ask him about how it had gone with Jasper.
As always Professor McGonagall welcomed us back with a speech and a feast though at the end, she asked Professor Longbottom and Professor Richards to ask Scorpius and me to remain behind to see her.
Pleased with our behavior, and feeling charitable after no doubt enjoying the odd Easter egg, she told us that the restrictions on us were lifted. Scorpius hi-fived me as we left the hall.
"Studying outdoors tomorrow?" I asked, referring to our double free period in the morning.
"Sure," Scorpius replied before kissing me on the cheek to say goodnight.
"See you tomorrow!" I called to him cheerily, jogging up a few stairs. When I arrived at the Common Room, I was surprised to find Fred and Sienna actually studying for the NEWTs. Since they started dating they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Even then they were still awful close while studying, Fred kept rubbing her knee and Sienna would look up into his eyes and they would exchange little pecks, but there was no sign of Hugo. "Hugo in his dorm?" I asked Louis.
"Yeah, he said he had a little bit of homework left," my cousin replied, jumping slightly at my proximity and the fact that I'd spoken straight into his ear.
"Thanks," I told him, dashing up the boys dormitory stairs to find him.
Once more he was alone in his dorm, leaning back against his pillows with a piece of parchment resting on a book on his knees.
"Hey, Hugh."
"Oh, good, Rose properties of unicorn horn?"
Shaking my head, I reeled off the list that he ought to have known.
"Thanks!"
"No problem," I replied, leaving a pause before I said, "So...how was it at Jasper's."
"Good," Hugo said simply.
"Did you tell him?"
Hugo shook his head. "I don't even know if he's gay, Rosie," he answered, whispering the word 'gay'.
"He has to be. Who else would take such good care of his hair?"
Hugo shrugged. "And what if I tell him only to find out that he's either not gay and gets repulsed by me admitting that I fancy him? Or worse, that he is gay but doesn't like me?"
"It's better than not taking the risk surely?" I said pointedly.
"I don't know. Anyway, I'd better finish this essay for Professor Slughorn," he replied, looking down at the ink bottle on the bed beside him as he dipped in his quill.
I left him and joined my family in the Common Room only to have to confiscate a Fanged Frisbee. How on earth they were still popular, let alone appearing in school despite having been on the list of banned goods for a good three decades, I didn't know.
The next morning, I awoke to sun and I grinned. It was always pleasant to sit in the grounds with the sun on your skin as you did your homework or studied.
"Scorpius and I are studying outside," I told Dom, Al and Lucy over the breakfast table. "Fancy it?"
Al shrugged and bit into his toast before mumbling, "Whatever."
Lucy and Dom agreed and the four of us left the table. Seeing no sign of Scorpius at the Ravenclaw table, we went to look for him outdoors and found him stood with a group of his Ravenclaw friends by the Whomping Willow.
"Go on, Scorpius," Tim and Jason chanted.
Confused, I slipped past Laura and Tim to find him stealthily trying to approach the violent tree.
"How far do I have to go?" Scorpius called back to them.
"You've got to touch the trunk," Tim answered, shaking his red hair out of his eyes and snickering with Jason.
Nobody ever managed to touch the tree's trunk, despite the fact that it was a game often played by First Years and Second Years. The rest of the student's however, usually had other priorities or knew it was pointless to try.
"He's going to get hit so badly," Jason laughed.
Scorpius carried on creeping forwards, unaware of the tree branches shifting slightly. There wasn't anything anyone could have done to stop one of the thicker branches coming down and bashing him on the head.
Laura gasped, Jason and Tim gaped.
"Scorpius!"
I was barely aware of moving. It was only when I pulled his head into my lap that I realized that I was now in danger of being hit too.
Albus groaned and ran a hand over his face. Pulling out his wand, he cast Wingardium Leviosa on a nearby stick, then used it to touch a little knob near the roots of the tree. Instantly the tree branches stopped waving and Tim and Lucy ran forwards.
"Don't come and help then, Jason," Tim called, trying to lift and drag Scorpius out from under the tree by himself. "It was your bloody idea anyway!"
Jason ran forwards and picked up Scorpius' feet. Between the two boys, they dragged Scorpius a few feet and then set him down again.
Leaning over Scor, I asked, "How many wands am I holding?"
"Five?" he asked, squinting to try to see clearly.
"I'm not holding a wand at all, Scorpius!"
"Well then that was a trick question," he mumbled. "Not to worry, I'll be fine-"
"-No, you clearly have concussion," Albus said. "You need to go to the Hospital Wing."
"Fine," Scorpius replied, giving in and letting Albus run in to the castle to retrieve Madam Pomfrey.
The school nurse arrived in a flurry, moving remarkably quickly for her age. In a few moments she had conjured up a stretcher and a neck brace and levitated Scorpius up to the castle. I followed behind, sure that he would be fine now that he was in her capable hands. Madam Pomfrey was able to, after a quick examination of his head and responses, whip up a potion to cure his concussion and let him leave the Hospital Wing.
The two of us returned outdoors and sat down by the lake to study. Dom and Lucy were busy talking to Jason and Tim, Dom more flirting than talking if I was being honest, while Al and Laura tested each other on the moon positions of Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callista. Scorpius and I sat with them, determined to study.
"Scor, you're back!" Jason called, running over. "You didn't tell me Rose's cousin was so hot," he mumbled, looking over at Dom for a moment.
"Because she doesn't need a womanizer like you hanging around," he replied a little testily.
Jason laughed and punched Scor on the arm before running back to Dominique, Tim and Lucy.
"If he tries anything, I'm so sorry."
"Oh, I think Dom can handle it," I told him, watching as she pointed as Jason in warning and slapped his knee. "I think she's more than enough of a maneater to match him. Now stop worrying and tell me the five exceptions to Gamps Laws of Elemental Transfiguration."
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