Amortentia (a Scorose Fanfiction)

Chapter Fourteen

Everyone was staring when Rose walked into the Great Hall the next morning, alone. Her stomach was in knots as she held her head high, attempting to ignore the glaring gazes of her classmates.

Albus was, thankfully, eating by himself at the Gryffindor table by the time Rose slid onto the bench across from him.

He glanced up from his bowl of porridge. His eyes widened. "Merlin's beard, Rose! Have you heard what everyone's been talking about?"

Rose closed her eyes and nodded reluctantly. "Of course I have."

How could she not have heard? Lily's meltdown last night had spread through the school like fiendfyre. Funnily enough, Rose hadn't heard a single word about her own involvement in the incident. As for Lily's... it was all anyone seemed to be talking about.

Thinking back to how angry Lysander was — and how distraught Katie had been — Rose knew one, or both, of them had spread the story in spite of her cousin. Although, in their defence, Rose wasn't sure there was any way to tell the story without casting Lily in a negative light.

"What was she thinking, Rose?" Albus hissed, leaning closer to her over the table.

"I tried to stop her, Al. It wasn't even supposed to happen like that—"

"You knew about it?"

Rose nodded, somewhat miserably. "I was there."

"So it's all true, then?" Her cousin asked. He looked crestfallen at the news about his little sister — the news that she'd gone crazy on her classmates the night before.

"The gist of it, yes." Rose scowled as she thought of some of the rumours that were floating about. "Although some of the stories are slightly far-fetched — she did not punch Katie, that's for sure."

"But she did throw rocks at her?"

Rose winced, but had to nod.

"And she shot water at her?"

"With those water guns that Uncle George got her."

Albus looked so disappointed. "Why did she do it? Katie is traumatised. Lysander is furious!"

"You have to know the whole story. It's complicated..."

Her looked at warily. "Do I even want to know?"

"I honestly don't think so, Al." Rose sighed. "Have you seen Lorcan?"

Albus shook his head. "Not yet. Lysander has been storming about cursing Lily all morning, though."

"Have you said anything to him?"

He snorted. "Like what? 'Hey Lys, sorry my little sister sabotaged your date and attacked your girlfriend'? Come on, Rose."

"I suppose you're right," she muttered. "Still. I feel bad letting him badmouth her. She's our family."

"Doesn't she deserve it?"

Rose shot him an alarmed look. "Al..."

He scowled. "Okay, maybe that was harsh. But you're not seriously saying what she did was justified? You can't just do that to someone — no matter the circumstances! People are calling it bullying! And you, the anti-bullying activist of all people, are saying that, just because she's family, that means that it's okay?"