Of Fickle Fortune (A Scorpius and Rose Fanfiction)

Year:5 Part 2.

Scorpius shouldered his father's old Nimbus 2001 as he walked up to the Great Hall with Albus one windy October morning.

The last month or so had proved, by far, to be quite different from any other month that he had spent at Hogwarts. People stared at both him and Albus like they usually did but this time their gazes tended to lean more towards inquisitive than malicious. He could hear whispering but did not once catch "Mouldy Voldy Junior", "Reject Potter" or "Slytherin Losers" – phrases which were commonly used to taunt the pair over the last 4 years. In fact, people smiled more at them when they would usually sneer and greeted them more often than not.

it didn't take a Ravenclaw to deduce the reason behind this sudden change in treatment; Albus and Scorpius had in fact been the talk of the wizarding society after the Daily Prophet had reported their involvement in the prevention of the rise of Lord Voldemort. In the spirit of full disclosure, perhaps it would be prudent to mention that the Prophet skipped over the parts where they had used underage magic to flee from a moving magical train, unlawfully impersonated the Minister of Magic, her husband and her best friend – which incidentally happened to be the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement – by means of Polyjuice potion, illegally gained entry to the Minister's office and stole a time-turner which they used to go back in time to aid the spawn of Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange, altering time as they went. But you know, minor details. Suffice to say, everyone had begun to look at them both in a newer, shinier, more positive light and not as Harry Potter's Slytherin Son or the Son of Voldemort. The article cleared Scorpius, and by extension Draco, of any further attachment to the Dark Arts. Scorpius had never seen his father smile wider than when he had read the article. His grandparents were torn between relief and displeasure.

Albus pushed a stack of toast towards Scorpius, his friend looking a little green.

"You've got to eat, mate, we don't want you falling off your broom."

"Thanks," Scorpius said dryly. "Now that's another thing I got to worry about, plummeting to my humiliation because I had one toast too few." He said a few more things but this was all muffled by the slice of toast he shoved whole into his mouth. "Maybe I shouldn't do this," he complained after swallowing. "I mean sure, books and natural amazingness, I'm your guy. Stopping the return of Voldemort, I'm your guy too. Quidditch? Not so much anyone's guy." His voice had taken on a tone of pure panic, with a groan he banged his head repeatedly on the table.

"You're so dramatic, you know that?"

"It's part of my charm."

"Oh come on, your dad has been giving you tips and he was a seeker for us way back, it won't be that bad. The worst that could happen is that you won't make the team."

Scorpius looked up at his friend. "I can always count on your profound logic to make things better," he said, pretty deadpanned. But even so, Scorpius had to admit that Albus had a point. With renewed determination and the willingness to accept the worst case scenario, he picked up his broom and left for try-outs.

His father had insisted on getting him the latest broom but he thought there was some luck in trying out with the broom his dad played his first game with and blindly believing that gave him the courage he needed to fly in front of half the school.

Rose sat on the grandstands with the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team as they waited for the Slytherin try-outs to begin. James felt that it was necessary to scope out the new competition and since this was predominantly a building season for Slytherin, with most of their team having graduated the previous year, it was paramount to sus them out really quickly. As she looked around the pitch, she saw more people mulling out of the Great Hall and making their way to the stands, all inquisitive as to know what team Slytherin would churn out this year. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Albus hug Scorpius before he made his way onto the pitch, her cousin sitting right upfront, totally oblivious to the group of girls nudging each other and giggling behind him. Rose couldn't help but grin, if all the talk she heard in the girl's bathroom was anything to go by, Albus was going to get a little more attention than he bargained for this year.

As try-outs progressed Slytherin, to her dismay, were able to fill their available chaser positions with two amazing fliers; a fourth year named Maisie Whitehall who outflew all the competition and flashed the crowd a dazzling smile each time she scored, you could hear a few of the boys in the stands wolf-whistling; and Elliot Montreux who seemed pretty consistent. Zachary Larson was favoured for the beater position before the captain called for the seekers to take to the pitch. Roses stomach churned as she watched Scorpius fly up into the air, although his broom was older than the other hopeful's models, he soared higher and faster than the rest. The Snitch was let loose, followed by both bludgers and Rose watched on the edge of her seat as Scorpius swerved to miss the bludgers and pulled out a few memorable moves to outdo the other competition. What his broom lacked in ability, he more than made up for it and within a few minutes, he was the first to catch the snitch. Rose looked around to see booming applause not only from the Slytherins but from a number of girls belonging to the other three houses as well. She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Typical, she thought.

When the stands emptied, Rose made her way to Albus.

"He flies pretty well," she said when she reached him - he was grinning at Scorpius who looked utterly delighted while being thumped on the back by passing Slytherins.

"I had no idea he was this good," Albus admitted, still grinning.

"Yes," Rose agreed. "And to fly with such an outdated broom at that."

Albus turned to Rose and smiled. "It was his dads back when he was on the team, he thought it would be symbolic. You know Scorpius – " he looked fondly at his friend, "- he's completely mental sometimes."

Albus then walked off leaving Rose with a confused expression on her face and the sinking reality that she had no idea what Scorpius Malfoy was really like.

Later that night, Rose waited back after she had eaten her chicken and mushroom pie, for reasons she didn't quite understand yet, until she saw Scorpius leave the Slytherin table. She hurried her steps to reach him just enough that someone might think their meeting accidental.

"Oh hello, S-Scorpius."

"Rose," Scorpius greeted back with an expectant look on his face.

Rose stared blankly for a while before she realised that he probably expected her to say something else.

"Err – congratulations on making the team," she said.

"Thanks!" he exclaimed, his face taking on the same elated expression it did back on the pitch and her stomach gave a funny twist. Must be the pie, she thought.

"Y-you fly really well," she said this quickly, looking at his shoulder now instead of his eyes, she hadn't noticed just how intensely grey they were before.

Her statement was followed by silence. Rose was certain that that was not how a conversation went. He looked at her with his brows furrowed close together, his head cocked to the side and a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Are you okay, Rose?" he asked, confused.

"Yes, of course!" she exclaimed, "Why wouldn't I be?" she could hear the false incredulity in her voice.

"Well," Scorpius seemed to be thinking about what to say, "This isn't how our conversations usually go. Also, since when are you so nervous and how come you haven't called me Bread Head since the year started?"

Rose wished more than ever that the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She didn't know what to say to him. Sorry for being a dreaded person? Sorry for misjudging you? Sorry for treating you like doxy droppings? None of these seemed good enough, so instead she tried to search for something more appropriate, but she needn't have to. Scorpius walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder, "Thanks again, Rose. See you around" She looked around at him walking away, making a mental note to get her shit together and ignoring the lingering buzz she felt on her shoulder.