Ante-Chamber

[Scorpius Malfoy]

Off to one side of the Entrance Hall is an antechamber. This is where First Years are taken on the first night of term, before going into the Great Hall to be sorted.

[Scorpius Malfoy]

Scorpius drew Rose across the entrance hall to the little antechamber where First Years waited at the beginning the year before they went into the hall to be sorted. Closing the door, he wrapped his arms around Rose, just holding her close, feeling the tension in her body.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

[Rose Malfoy]

Rose followed Scorpius out of the Great Hall, and into the small chamber off the side of the Entrance Hall. When he wrapped his arms around her, she buried herself in his chest. She shrugged
"I don't know," she admitted. "I really don't know. Albus is a little odd. He always has been. But he just exploded. He asked me why I wasn't in my dorm last night, then he exploded." She didn't know what was going on. She was so confused. Albus was scaring her.

[Scorpius Malfoy]

"Was he yelling at you for not being in your dorm? What business is it of his?" Scorpius had expected Rose's family to object to her dating him, but to yell at her like that in the middle of the Great Hall... He loosened his embrace slightly, so that he could stroke her cheek.

[Rose Malfoy]

Rose nodded, but also shrugged her shoulders. As he stroked her face, she sighed softly. She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath, looking up at him. "That's what started it. He was told I wasn't in my dorm, and you weren't in yours, and he put two and two together. Then he started going on about that something was starting that me and you would be on either sides of. Then he was going on about how he didn't want me to die. How he wouldn't let me die. Then he started yelling random stuff in a wierd voice. Then he got all panicky. I really don't know what's going on. He's scaring me," she explained. She sighed again. Tilting her head, she buried her face in his chest. She really wanted to know what was going on with Albus. But, at the same time, she didn't. It was like a nightmare... come true.

[Rose Malfoy]

Jan 24, 2009 2:08:33 GMT -5 Scorpius Malfoy said:

Scorpius thought quickly. "The ante-room. You know, the one off the Entrance Hall." He looked at the letter in his hand. "It's - well, it concerns you." He met her gaze, wondering how she was going to take it. He took her hand, and they walked into the Entrance hall together.

Rose nodded and stood. "Concerns me?" she said as she stood with him and took his hand, walking out of the hall. Once in the Entrance Hall, she opened the door to the ante room and led Scorpius inside. She closed the door, and looked up at him.
"What is it?" she asked.

[Scorpius Malfoy]

Scorpius glanced back at the door, and quickly put a Muffliato spell on the room. This was between him and Rose.

"Rose - it's - my grandfather, he..." He couldn't explain it, he'd have to just read it out.

"Dear Scorpius

I have received most distasteful news from your father. You understand, I take it, the seriousness of your error. To father a child with another student, well, such things happen. But for the mother to be a half-blood, daughter of a mudblood, and a Weasley of all things, makes me believe that your father did not educate you sufficiently as to the importance of blood purity.

That said, your father was extremely rash in disowning you. The continuation of the Malfoy name should be placed ahead of other petty considerations. Therefore, I will undertake to pay the girl whatever amount she wishes, to either get rid of the child, or to have it and raise it with no further association with our family. For a Weasley, I imagine that money will be a powerful inducement to relieve you of any further responsibility.

I will then arrange for a suitable pureblood wife for you, as soon as possible. We cannot risk you making another error of this sort, and must ensure that a pureblooded heir is produced as soon as possible.

I will expect your immediate reply."

Scorpius looked up at Rose, his face tight with fury. "He signs himself 'Your loving grandfather'!" The venom in his voice was unmistakeable.

[Rose Malfoy]

Rose sighed, and listened as he read the letter out. As he did so, her eyes and mouth widened, and her face flushed. By the time he'd finished, her face was red with anger and annoyance.
"How dare he!" she exclaimed. "I - uh - hope you're not thinking about this. Because - no amount of money would be able to buy me off," she told him firmly. But, as soon as she said it, she realised she'd probably said the wrong thing. "Well, I know you're not considering it. It's preposterous. Right?"

[Scorpius Malfoy]

"It's... it's... just so..." Scorpius was so angry he could barely speak at first, but after a moment, he burst out, "It's typical of him! He'll do anything to save the precious family name, and he thinks money can buy anything or anyone. That evil, poisonous, warped..."

Suddenly he put his arms around Rose. "Of course I'm not considering it!" He pulled back just a little so he could look at her. "You know what, I'm glad now that my father disowned me. I don't want to be a part of that family any more. I hate that I'm even related to... to that man!"

[Rose Malfoy]

Rose watched as Scorpius's rage boiled. As his arms went around her, she gasped, but cuddled into him. When he pulled back, she looked up at him, and reached up to put her arms around his neck. "Well, at least I know there's no chance of you backing out now," she said. Then, she jumped, wrapping her legs around his hips. "You're a Weasley now," she murmured, before she kissed him. She'd needed that, after being yelled at by James and now this letter. She needed an outlet.

[Scorpius Malfoy]

Startled by Rose's sudden leap into his arms, Scorpius staggered a little, but once he'd regained his balance, he responded fiercely to her kiss. This was the whole point behind all the stress and confrontation lately. He and Rose were together, and nothing could stop that.

When they broke the kiss, he smiled at Rose, holding her tightly. "We're going to be just fine," he said. "My family just doesn't get it. They've had arranged marriages for generations, the idea of marrying someone because you love them is totally alien to them." He set Rose on her feet, and suddenly his eyes sparkled.

"Know what I'm going to do? I'll reply to my grandfather immediately, just like he wants - with a howler!"

[Rose Malfoy]

Scorpius held her tightly and Rose smiled at him. This was totally worth it. Though, it wasn't really her that was going through the most. He'd been disowned from his family. That's gotta hurt. But, he had her now. She'd help him through. She had a feeling her relationship with her brother was going to be strained for a while, and her one with James was over. But, it was all worth it.

He put her down, and she smiled up at him as she watched the sparkle in his eyes in he spoke. She laughed. "That's perfect!" she chuckled.

[Scorpius Malfoy]

Scorpius took her hand. "Come and help me write it. I want to make it really good. It's just a shame I won't get to see him open it!" He opened the door. "How about the Study Tables? I don't think it actually yells while you're writing it - just when it's opened."

[Rose Malfoy]

Rose laughed, and nodded as he told ehr to help. "Okay. Umm, yeah, I'm pretty sure they only yell when they're opened. Pretty sure," she chuckled. "Come on," she said, pulling him out the door.