Chapter 9: Lines in the Sand
The days leading up to the inevitable confrontation felt like walking through a storm that hadn't yet broken. Every hallway seemed tense, every glance a silent challenge. rose did her best to focus on her studies, but the whispers, the rumors, and the mounting pressure were impossible to ignore.
scorpius had been quieter lately, his usual humor dampened by the weight of what was coming. Though he tried to reassure her that they would face it together, rose could sense the burden he was carrying. She saw it in the way he clenched his jaw when passing Theo in the halls, or the way he hesitated before speaking when they were alone.
One evening, as they sat in their usual spot by the lake, scorpius finally broke the silence. The sky above was dark, the stars hidden behind thick clouds. The wind whipped through the trees, and the water lapped softly at the shore.
"They've made their intentions clear," scorpius said, staring out at the lake. His voice was steady, but there was an edge of bitterness in it. "Theo and the others. They want a showdown. Public, of course. So everyone can watch."
rose 's heart sank. "Why does it have to be like this? Why can't they just leave us alone?"
"Because we're breaking their rules," scorpius replied, turning to look at her, his silver eyes dark with frustration. "Slytherins don't date Gryffindors. That's the way it's always been. And they can't stand that I'm not playing by their expectations."
"We're not just breaking their rules," rose said softly. "We're breaking our families' legacies too."
scorpius frowned. "What do you mean?"
She hesitated, but the weight of it had been pressing down on her for weeks now. "My mum and your dad—they were enemies. Their whole lives. And even though they've both moved on, there's still this… this lingering expectation. People want us to carry that on. Like they want us to hate each other, just because of our last names."
scorpius was quiet for a long moment. "I've thought about that, too. But I don't care, rose . I refuse to let our families' pasts define us."
"I don't either," she said, but her voice trembled with uncertainty. "It's just… what if this all gets too big? What if they—" She paused, struggling to find the words. "What if they turn the entire school against us?"
"They won't," scorpius said firmly, reaching for her hand. "We're not alone in this. We have friends, people who care about us. And even if it feels like everyone's watching, they don't control us."
rose squeezed his hand, grateful for his strength, but fear still gnawed at her. "When's it supposed to happen?"
"Tomorrow," he said quietly.