Scorpius and Rose

Chapter 9- Quidditch Is What Brings Us Together Today

The Hogwarts Express seems different this time. It's where Scorpius and I say hello on September 1st and goodbye at the end of the school year. I guess this time's just different because he lived with me for a month during the summer before his dad was deemed fit to live at home again. So there's that. But there's also the familiarity with going to Hogwarts on September 1st on the train that calms my nerves.

I haven't seen him in 3 weeks. Will he have dyed his hair like he did second year? Will he have cut his hair short?
I inhale and exhale.
Checking the time on my wristwatch I'm surprised when it clicks over to 10:57. Where's Scorpius? He's usually here by now. I look all around the platform, but I don't see any sign of his or his father's unique white-blond hair.
I start to panic when the clock ticks to 10:58. Everyone still on the platform is wishing their child goodbye as they usher them onto the train.

Where is he?

I sigh in relief when he comes barreling through the brick wall and onto the station, pushing a trolley with his luggage and Andromeda. He slips past people, rolling his cart faster and faster to get across the platform.

He makes it on with a minute to spare.

I pet Gingersnap in between her ears while waiting for Scorpius to get to the compartment. "You're so cute, aren't you?" I press the pad of my finger to Gi's nose.

The door opens, startling me.

"Hey," says Scorpius, waving at me awkwardly.

"Hey! How was the rest of your summer?"

He shrugs. "It was alright. We did pretty normal things, like going to the opera." He sets Andromeda's cage down on the seat and unlatches it, letting her fly free around the compartment. She hops out, surveys her surroundings, then flies up to the luggage racks above our heads. She preens her wings, then lets her head rest in between her shoulders. Her body rocks slightly with every movement of the train.

I scoff. "I can't believe she just settles right in like that."

"Yeah," he looks up at her. "It is pretty unbelievable." He looks back at me and takes a seat on the red cushioned booth. "Anyway, how was your summer? Did you play any more quidditch with your family?"

I smile. "Yes, actually. We went over to Gramma and Grandpa Weasley's house and we saw everyone right before school, so we had time to play a bunch of quidditch instead of doing any studying."

"Wow." He raises his eyebrow and teasingly says "You're getting to be so rebellious. How dare you not like studying all the time?"

I laugh. "You actually gonna try out this year? I know you have rebellious tendencies of your own."

Scorpius smirks. "Yep. Seeker. Will I see you there?"

I try to remain as nonchalant as possible. "Maybe," I shrug.

....

"Join the Quidditch team!" Riley Aberforth, the new Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, stands in the common room, a pile of flyers in zir hands. "Plenty of openings!" One of last years' beaters walks by, and ze throws a flyer at him and hexes it to stick to his clothes.

I feel a little bad- almost all of our old players graduated last year, and it's hard to find people willing to juggle Quidditch and studies. "C'mon, Riley, now I'll never get it off," The beater complains, trying and failing to pull it off of his robe sleeve.

"That's the idea," Ze replies savagely, and he sighs.

"Hey-" Scorpius walks up to zir, scratching the back of his neck. "I was wondering when seeker sign-ups were?"