Twists of Fate

Chapter 2: Forty-Eight Hours

"You're late." Rose scolded, not bothering to glance up from the essay she was reading. She finished teaching her lesson before lunch and was trying to complete the last of the accio essays before the next class.

Normally she'd be enjoying her lunch, but if she wanted to go to the quidditch match, they needed to be corrected now.

"Sorry." Al apologized distractedly, pulling out the chair across from Rose. He set down a brown paper bag, which contained his usual lunch of an apple and peanut butter sandwich. He really was a creature of habit, tending not to stray too far from the beaten path.

"Are you going to your brother's match tonight?"

"Can't. I've got ministry things."

Rose glanced up from her papers, raising a perturbed brow. Albus didn't seem to notice and opened his bag.

Rose studied him, noting his ever-present smirk was vacant and replaced with a small frown. Al's usually neat hair looked much like his father's. In other words, it was a mess.

His bright green eyes, however, twinkled with an unexplained excitement that he was trying desperately to contain. After knowing him for all these years, Rose could read his expression as easily as a book.

He was worried. It was clearly written out on his face. Albus had always been a worrier. He worried constantly and would overreact about the smallest things.

When Al put on a worried expression, most times it didn't bother Rose. She knew how he operated. He would freak out and she would reassure him that everything was going to be okay.

She had an inckling that this was not one of those times. Something was telling her that the reason he was overreacting had to do with her. Maybe it was the way he kept glancing at her as he ate or the fact that he didn't disclose his concerns as soon as the door opened.

"Al?" Rose asked, setting down the parchment in her hands, an unsettling feeling beginning to sprinkle in her stomach. "Are you alright?"

Albus sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "I don't know how to tell you this Rose." He stopped and glanced at his favorite cousin.

Since they graduated Hogwarts, Rose went through a lot. She'd experienced heartbreak and a loss that hurt her to the bone when Scorpius left. Sure Al hurt and missed his best mate terribly, but it was a whole different kind of missing for Rose. Her other half was ripped from her life, leaving her with no idea when he would return.

She spent the entire month after he left in a cloud of depression. She hung around in bed, cried most nights, and found it difficult to laugh. Albus was with her every day. It killed him to see her so broken.

After a month, however, Rose seemed to pull herself together. She spent her summer reading and practicing advanced Charms. Come Fall, she even got herself a job working with Professor Flitwick. She seemed to be better. She put on a brave smile and acted like she was fine, but Albus knew his cousin. He knew it was all a show.

He could tell by her eyes. Rose always conveyed every thought and feeling through her eyes. With one look, he knew she was far from okay. She was coping and that was the best they were going to get.

For the next few years, she kept up the act. Always smiling too brightly and laughing too loudly. Her smiles never made her eyes twinkle and her laughter never sounded genuine no matter how hard she tried.
She was a shell of the girl he knew.

Rose wouldn't admit it out loud, but Al knew she was waiting until the day Scorp returned. As much as Al wanted her to be happy, she couldn't do that to herself. Scorp wouldn't have wanted her to. Neither of them knew when he was coming back.