2nd chances (Scorose)

Chapter 27

An hour in my room alone didn't give me an epiphany or any other bright ideas on how to tell Dad that I'd done exactly what he'd told me not to on the day of my first journey on the Hogwart's Express.

"So that's little Scorpius," Dad said. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake, don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!" Mum admonished sternly.

"You're right, sorry. Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood."

I could remember it clearly even now. So I hadn't quite married Scorpius, but the message was the same really, wasn't it? I really hoped Grandpa wouldn't mind me being with Scorpius. I had hope. Even Grandpa had been able to admit that Scorpius seemed to have broken with the Malfoy tradition when he was housed in Ravenclaw, suggesting that perhaps he wasn't as bad as we all thought.

"Rosie! Can you come downstairs?" Mum asked, shouting up the stairs and breaking my train of thought.

Sighing, I shrugged out of my denim jacket and left it on my bed. I could already hear the shushed whispers of my family trying to plot how exactly to surprise Hugo as I made my way downstairs.

"I told you," Dad hissed. "We should just all hide."

"And as I said before, Ronald, there's no point in hiding. Hugo already knows that everyone's here," Mum answered, seeming slightly terse. "Oh, good, there you are, Rose. Could you please convince your father that I'm right?"

"Mum's right," I told Dad, glancing over at Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny who were struggling to keep a straight face. I was told that my parents had always disagreed, and it as easy to see how. While Uncle Harry used to find it tiring, it appeared to be a source of humor in his middle-age years.

"What do you suggest then?"

"I'll sort it," I volunteered, already wanting to escape the Addams family reunion.

"Thanks, Rosie darling," Mum murmured. "Places everyone."

Turning on my heel, I headed back up the stairs and stopped outside Hugo's room. The door itself was once more plastered with Chudley Cannon's posters and stickers, and a sign that made it clear - if it wasn't already - that I was standing outside of Hugo's room.

Knocking, I announced my presence.

Muffled from within came, "Yeah?"

"It's me...can I come in?"

"I suppose," Hugo answered. He was just setting down his latest Cannon's magazine as I shut the door behind me. "What do you want?"

"Feel up to facing everyone?"

"Why?" he asked, seeming to get suspicious.

"I know you hate surprises, so don't freak out, but Mum and Dad have organized something for you. And," I said, interrupting him as he began to protest. "You can't complain, because it's not a surprise since I told you."

"Fine," he replied, already seeming to dread making the short journey downstairs.

"Cheer up. You might get the new Cannon's comic," I reminded him.

"You know more than you're letting on...don't you?"

Grinning, I mimed zipping and locking my lips shut and left his room, leaving him to follow me. As we made our way downstairs it was silent.

None of our family were in the house, but as soon as we opened the back door, we heard them all shout, "Happy birthday, Hugo!"

"Thanks but I think you've got your dates confused..." Hugo mumbled, looking slightly annoyed.