Amortentia (a Scorose Fanfiction)

Chapter Six

      The Gryffindor common room was buzzing with noise and chatter when Rose returned after her last lesson of the Monday, Charms.  Witches and wizards were clustered in groups around the large room. 

      Rose spotted Albus, Lily, James and Hugo by the boys' dormitory staircase.  She wandered over.  "What's got everyone's wand in a knot?" She asked.

      Albus looked sullen.  "Dad's coming to Hogwarts at the end of term."

      Rose blinked.  "What?"

      James, also, looked less than pleased.  "He's been asked to come in to talk to the sixth and seventh years about being an Auror."

      Lily rolled her eyes.  "No doubt he'll be asked to give one of his famous This-Is-How-I-Defeated-Voldemort speeches."

      Al groaned.  "Which means an impromptu Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson."

      Rose and Hugo shared an amused look.  Rose understood now why the Gryffindors were so excited.  Needless to say, having the Potters and Weasley's in the same house as them was exciting enough.  But to have Harry Potter, world famous Auror and defeater of the Dark Lord, come to the castle was as close to fame as most of them would get. 

      Whereas, the five of them were immune to the Potter Charm, as it had been dubbed.  Spending their entire lives in the presence of Harry, who many called the Most Famous Wizard of All Time, had dulled out whatever background noise could convince them that he was any different from a normal man.  He was a father, an uncle, a husband, an Auror and a friend.  He was Rose's uncle — there was nothing special about him.

      Except there was.  And they were reminded of it every time they stepped inside the castle. 

      Harry had only ever made one other visit to the castle after his school years were over.  In James' first year, he payed a visit to his DADA lesson.  James hated it.  He used to say that he'd never been more humiliated in his life when everyone, students and teachers alike, looked straight to him to perform exact replicas of his father's demonstrations.  And, when he couldn't, he was met with disappointment. 

      Rose knew Uncle Harry never expected James to be able to pull off things he could in his first year of wizarding school.  But that wasn't to say for everyone else. 

      She also knew that the Potters didn't blame their father for the buzz that erupted within the castle at the gossip of Harry Potter coming here.  It wasn't his fault that he'd been destined to defeat the darkest wizard of all time, or that his success rose him to fame.  They just hated that it was then looked upon to them to be just as great. 

      Rose looked to her youngest cousin, who was twirling her hair around her finger and chewing on her bottom lip.  As much as Lily loved the Potter status and the attention, she could tell when it got too much.  And it was about to get too much.

      "I'm going to go and hide for a while before dinner," Albus groaned miserably.  He turned on his heel and marched up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. 

      James cast a glance after him.  "I better go keep him company," he said.  "Coming, Hugo?"  They all knew how closed off Albus could be.  It was better for someone to go to him. 

      When it was just Lily and Rose left, Rose wracked her brains for something to distract Lily with.

      "Want to come with me to the library?" She suggested.

      Lily snorted, letting go of her hair and folding her arms.  "As riveting as that sounds, I'm good."  She looked behind Rose, at the common room exit.  "I'm going to go and find Lorcan."