Folie à Deux

Chapter 22: You Could've Knocked Me Out With A Feather

Chapter 22: You Could've Knocked Me Out With A Feather or, Some Nights I Call It A Draw

Rating: M mainly for language, and I can't discount any funny business later on

Disclaimer: I work with only what J.K. Rowling has given me.

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4th June 2023

Miss Rose Christine Weasley

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Scotland

Dear Miss Weasley,

I am delighted to inform you of your admission to the London Institute of Health for this coming academic year.

You were selected from a pool of exceptional candidates, of which each application was scrutinised with the utmost care. We have admitted you because we believe your personal, academic and professional values align with our own school's value system: collaboration, perseverance and dedication, above all. Your academic performance is also a promising indicator of your ability to flourish in the challenging environment that a career in the medical field will doubtless require. In turn, we hope that you will find a home with us, and together, make your stay here very rewarding.

Congratulations again on your admission! We look forward to hearing from you, and hope to see you in the fall.

Yours truly,

Jennifer Marlowe

LIH Admissions

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Scorpius read his acceptance letter twice.

Once his eyes had followed the words through for the second time, he'd wandered towards his bed and slowly sat down. His eyes found his name again at the top left corner and they held there, tethering the carefully printed script to his mind. Dimly, slowly, he let himself feel it: the unmistakeable thrill that was glowing in his chest, burning brighter and brighter the more his eyes traced the words.

Scorpius didn't often hesitate on his successes, mainly because he was never surprised by them. But as he stared at this piece of paper, he was filled with such a feeling of achievement, of fulfilment, that it took him a moment to understand. He'd wanted this so badly; maybe he'd never let himself realise just how much.

Delighted, it said, in its perfect script. He couldn't stop looking at it, and as his eyes flickered back up to take in his name again, his brain suddenly flashed to her and wondered if she was sitting in her room, reading the same thing, wondering, wondering, just the same as he was.

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"I believe congratulations are in order. The London Institute of Health has just acquired two outstanding students."

Before he could think about it, Scorpius' head had snapped to her, at the exact moment she had done the same. When their eyes met, he was suddenly overcome by a blinding flash of euphoria, the moment of pure relief he'd been forcing himself to hold in since he'd held his own letter in his hand three days ago.