Twists of Fate

Chapter 22: Alternative Universe

Rose left the Room of Requirements in a dead sprint. The emptiness of the never silent castle crashed into her, driving her panic to an all-time high. She skidded down the seven floors, ignoring the lingering whispers of the paintings all wondering why the Charms professor looked unwell. Silently cursing the lack of air to her lungs, she burst out into the castle grounds. Rose stopped to gulp down big breaths of fresh air to soothe the aching pain coming from her chest.

Placing a hand on her beating heart, Rose began a slow descent down to the gates. The black lake glistened palely. If Rose hadn't been so distracted she would have seen the bulging eye of the squid peering curiously at her. Smoke puffed out of Hagrid's chimney, a dim light flickering from the windows. The quidditch pitch down the hill was uncanny with no students flying around the raised hoops or lurking on the benches.

Rose stumbled staring at the bleachers where she and Scorp shared their first kissed and confessed their feelings to one another. Her feet acted on their own accord, carrying her down the hill and up the creaky steps. She sat down in the very same spot she had over eight years ago. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her back on the bleachers, closing her eyes, and letting the memories wash over her.

"We really shouldn't be doing this." Rose giggled, glancing back toward the lightless castle which glowed in the illuminating light of the moon. It was a brilliant night. Not a cloud in the sky, only the constellations, and sparkling stars.

The stars were their only source of light, as she let Scorp pull her further and further away from the castle and towards the abandoned quidditch pitch.

At supper, Rose had shoveled her food down without so much as a word to anyone, before locking herself up in the library. Exams were only a few weeks away and there was still so much to learn. She had to review her potion notes. She was still messing up the ingredients for Draught of Living Death. Astronomy was just a disaster. She had missed the last class because of a nasty cold. The only subject she felt strongly about was Charms and that was only because of all of the studying she and Scorp had been doing lately.

For the next few hours following dinner, Rose flipped through pages, revised notes, and jotted down new information that might be on the exams. She refused to put down the books until Scorp had swaggered into the library, ripped the book out of her hand, and demand that she quit studying to do something adventurous.

Rose tried to say no. She really did. It was past curfew after all and there was still so much to do. Scorp pretended not to hear a word and sent her a dashing smile that made her disregard the rules and take his outstretched hand, heading into the night. His smiles always had that effect on her.

"That's why it is fun," Scorp argued with a laugh. "Besides you need a break from studying for the exams. They are not for a while yet and I haven't seen you without your nose in a book for two weeks."

"That's not true!" Rose objected sternly. "You saw my face at dinner tonight."

Scorp snorted unattractively. "That's only because Martha Checkswire spilled pumpkin juice on your book and ruined it. You had to put it away."

"Even so," Rose laughed good-naturedly, recalling how a clumsy second year had ruined her book in her haste to reach the pudding. "You can't blame a girl for trying to be prepared."

Scorp smiled and Rose's knees shook. Why in Merlin's name was that boy given such an attractive smile? It was not fair. He could conquer nations just by flashing them a smile.

"I can't, but I can blame a girl if she doesn't have fun every once in a while."

"Who says studying isn't fun?"