Leave Out All The Rest

Welcome Back

Chapter Eleven: Welcome Back

POV: Scorpius and Al

It was the first day back to Hogwarts—the first day as a Fifth Year. It was hard to believe I'd gotten here, but it has been a fun broomstick ride. I could hardly pin-point certain things if I was asked, but if I summarized the past few years I'd say it was a blur of laughter, petty arguments, pranks, a few broken bones courtesy of House rivalry, detention, and unauthorized expeditions into the Forbidden Forest. 

"Hey, Scor." Tearing me away from my thoughts, Liam walked into the lonely classroom I'd been holed up in for more than an hour. "Shouldn't you be unpacking?"

"Yeah, I should," I said, "but my belongings are currently being aired out seeing as someone managed to get into the Slytherin Common Room and plant automatic stink-bombs in every dorm. McGonagall ordered us out until Filch can get rid of the foul stench and she finds the culprits."

Liam knitted his brows together, clear confusion on his pale face, but before he could express it, Nia Harper was not too far behind him. She glided into the classroom, her long, blonde hair pinned to the sides to expose the sharp (beautiful, if I had to admit) angles of her face. Her pink lips were currently pulled into a smirk. 

"I thought I smelled something," she said, sniffing the air. "What's the scent called? Shamed Slytherin?"

Liam grimaced at her words before letting out a giant sigh.

"It was you!" I accused. "How the hell did you get into our headquarters, Harper?"

That smirk turned into an innocent smile. Any other person might be fooled by it, but I could see the devil in her. "I don't know what you're talking about. I just woke up from my nap. Ask half of Gryffindor. I threatened them about being too loud while I was sleeping."

"It's true," Liam mediated. "She punched Saar Finnegan when he was telling Lysander Scamander about his trip to Egypt."

I rolled my eyes at my cousin. "Whatever," I scoffed. "This still has Gryffindor written all over it. Your lot better sleep with your eyes open."

Harper took a predatory step toward me, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously. I could have been intimidated, but when I was often at the other end of it, it was something I got used to. 

"Be careful who you threatened," she said to me. "Liam and me are off limits to you squirmy Slytherins, got it?"

"That's enough," Liam sighed again, stepping in between his best friend and me. He took the precaution of pushing Harper a few inches back from the good swinging zone. "It took ages for the pair of you to be friends. Let's not ruin that now."

Harper and I scoffed at the same time.

"We are not friends," she hissed at my cousin. "I've just gotten nicer."

"Nope. You're friends," Liam insisted. "Especially since he saved you."

I cringed at the memory. As much as everyone seems to think I was a bloody hero for that, it was not something I had ever wanted to experience—let alone have someone I tolerate (fine, care for) go through. Harper had been cornered by a creepy older student in our Third Year who tried to snog her after an illicit Christmas party in the old Divination classroom. I hadn't my wand so I had used fists to save her from that unwanted situation (of course, once I had managed to pull the twat off, she got a few good punches at him, too—really, it had been her to put the bloke in the hospital wing  ). 

Huffing at that misfortune, Harper's piercing gaze found mine. "Fine," she said with clear hesitation. "It was the Tres Amigos, all right? James and Freddie brought them and Louis planted them. For fuck sakes, have your house-mates seek revenge on them, but the rest of us are innocent."