THE LAST TWO weeks of classes before the winter holiday were hectic. The castle was silent during the lessons, each student was listening intently to each word their Professors had to say so they could do good on their tests before being allowed to relax for the break. Though, when lessons were done and study groups had finished, the castle was filled with voices of chatter from excitement with the upcoming break.

Hagrid tried to hold on to outside lessons for as long as possible, but one morning a mini blizzard was occurring outside and he gave in and allowed class in an empty classroom within the castle. The students were thankful, but they hated indoor classes as much as Hagrid did. It just wasn't the same.

Professor Longbottom refused to have any additional heat within the Greenhouse. Fire was not allowed at all in the greenhouse. Professor Longbottom made this very clear when Nolan Wood had asked for a small fire in the middle of the table to warm up. "You've been spending too much time with the Finnegan-Thomas kids to suggest a fire in the Greenhouse."

Despite the cold, Professor Longbottom made it up by indulging in a themed lesson for the holidays on mistletoe. Scorpius took notes on how Professor Longbottom summoned one out of the ceiling.

Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn were the only classes that did not seem to pile on lessons and assignments for the end of the year tests, and although everyone loved this, the Professors were careful to remind them that there would be a lot more work to be done after they come back. This however didn't put a damper on the students. They were just glad they didn't have a full load of work.

Professor Attie, the Transfiguration Professor, was no different than her predecessor, Headmistress McGonagall when it came to teaching. She made no acknowledgment of the upcoming holidays, but she instead focused on the O.W.Ls that would be taken at the end fo the school year.

"Just because you will be out of the castle does not mean you cannot study," Professor Attie scanned the room with her owl-like eyes. Big and round enough that no one could get away with anything. No matter how sneaky Albus thought he was, Attie could see everything.

The castle was just the same as always. The doors were decorated with golden bells. The Great Hall held giant fur trees with giant holiday ornaments. The common rooms were filled with holly and poinsettias. The grounds were covered in inches of snow. Sometimes, you could hear in the background as the ghosts of the castle sang songs of the holidays.

It was the same as always. Except there was a chill in everything that was cheery.

News of Professor Dierdre's death was announced in the morning. That day there was no cheer, despite the decorations throughout the castle. The Defense Against the Dark Arts was taught by Headmistress McGonagall for the time being. 

The truth of Professor Dierdre's death was altered. Instead of dying on school grounds, Headmistress McGonagall informed that Professor Dierdre had visited home for the weekend with an illness and died peacefully in her bed.

The lie had made Rose uncomfortable. She was forced to tell the truth to her family so that they could protect her, protect themselves, and even be on the lookout for danger. Why not give others the same ability? Why not share the news of the danger at hand so those could protect themselves? She knew the obvious answer. If the truth was out then there would be panic. Pure and chaotic panic. Everyone seemed to have no problem upholding this lie, this reason to lie. Rose, though, felt like a liar and a phony anytime talking to Alice or Nolan or any of her classmates that were not family or, for Eloise and Scorpius's sake, was a part of the situation.

Rose mourned the death of Professor Dierdre, but she did so with her stomach in tight twists.

Even when the restrictions and curfews were put in place, the students accepted the lie the Professors told them. That the journey to Hogsmeade during this terrible winter would be too dangerous. That the curfew was simply a new standard and no arguments of the curfew were allowed. They lied that the courtyard, the fields, the lake, and the outskirts of the forest were out of bounds for the rest of the year due to the vast amount of students sneaking around and causing mischief. No one asked who these students were. They all would be gone soon, it didn't matter for the last two weeks where they couldn't go or what they couldn't. They would all be home soon.

Rose heard all these new rules during dinner and all these lies and hated it all.

They deserve to know, she thought. They should all know the danger they're in.

At least Rose had a protective gem from the souls, but the gem she wore around her neck gave her a bad feeling. Did it work the way it worked with Uncle Harry? Would she not be able to hear them? See them? Would they still be able to use magic on her as the three figures did? Would she be able to touch them? There were so many uncertainties. Yes, it gave Rose comfort, but it worried Rose all the same.

The only reaction the students had to the new rules was the one's place on Quidditch practices. That for the rest of the year Quidditch practices would not be permitted. There was a slight uproar, but seeing James quiet, calm, and accepting of this rule, made the others fall in line.

The students of Hogwarts went day by day, studying and waiting to go home, without fearing the outside. Rose envied them.

Nothing, though, distracted the students enough to not talk about Rose's fall at the Quidditch match. Her friends and falling spread the false story about the splinter in her broomstick. But everyone saw the fall. They saw how intentional it was. Rose desperately wanted to tell everyone about the three figures she was running away from. They would fall too...

Scorpius could see the toll this all was taking on her but never had the opportunity to talk to her... at least not alone. Yet, everything he wanted to say to her, he needed to say to just Rose and not a judgemental Eloise or a disapproving Albus.

Scorpius would think about the night they shared, for brief moments at least. The nightmare, the song, the two sitting so close together on Scorpius's bed... the look Rose gave Scorpius. Yet, every time Scorpius would allow himself to think about it, Albus's voice popped into his mind.

"... maybe I'm just spiraling and acting too overprotective but, I don't think you and Rose would be a good fit together."

He had told Scorpius this the day after Rose had given him a kiss on his cheek and he reciprocated the action. He didn't dare think about how Albus would react if Scorpius had gotten up the courage and kissed her that night she came into his room scared about a nightmare. How he would react if Albus had come back from detention to see Rose and Scorpius kissing on his bed, late at night, with the curtains drawn on the bedposts for privacy... he didn't think about it.

Instead, Scorpius thought about his exams. The written exams for Herbology and DADA. The performative ones for Transfiguration and Charms. The projects for Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. During his time studying, he barely saw Rose. A good and bad thing.

"Can't believe Lysander couldn't get his owl to turn into opera glasses," Albus scoffed as he folded his clothes into his suitcase.

"Don't even talk, Potter," Ryan Shein, one of the boys they shared a dorm with, laughed. "Your opera glasses were still hooting when Attie got to yours."

"Malfoy didn't have a problem," scoffed Angelo Leopold, slamming his trunk shut and locking it. "Prefect Malfoy, perfect at everything..."

Ryan and Albus laughed at the sulking Angelo. "Jealous Leopold? Took you about three times for the spell to take."

"Oh shut it," Angelo dragged his trunk off the bed and walked out the room.

Ryan chuckled and followed Angelo out, "See ya lads."

Scorpius continued packing, placing the Christmas gifts he had bought and wrapped carefully over his clothes. Next to the presents, he placed the books and homework he was assigned to in a pile. He doubted he'd get to any of his assignments this holiday. He was spending it with the Potters this year. His parents were visiting his grandmother, Narcissa, up north to celebrate. When Albus invited him to stay with him and his family for Christmas Scorpius quickly accepted. Though, now he was regretting accepting Albus's invitation. There, he would see Rose, and he wasn't sure how he should act around her. The mistletoe spell ran through his mind.

Albus finished his packing and watched his friend shut his own trunk.

"You bringing your guitar?" Albus asked, noticing the guitar placed on top of Scorpius's bed.

Scorpius stared at the guitar as well. He hadn't played it since that night with Rose. Was too afraid to play that song again. "You think I should?"

"Got to work on new material for Three Broomsticks. Madame Rosemertta wants us there when we come back from break. Think we'll have a continuous gig there." Albus said cheerfully, but his smile faltered seeing how Scorpius looked at the guitar. There was no excitement. "You alright, mate?"

"Just, stressed," Scorpius sighed lifting the trunk off his bed and packing the guitar into its case. "You know... Prefect stuff, O.W.Ls coming up, Quidditch practice. Now music. Just a lot on my plate."

"Don't forget helping Rose with her little Veil problem," Albus lightly chuckled as he lifted his trunk off his bed as well, but Scorpius didn't respond the same way. The blonde-haired Slytherin strapped his guitar case around his back and positioned his trunk on its wheels to roll away.

Lies, lies, lies... the word reverberated in his brain. The truth was he could handle all the responsibility that came with his school work and extracurriculars. It was time-consuming, demanding, and difficult at times but he could handle it. What he couldn't handle was thinking about Rose. About the kiss on the cheek, the song he played for her, the way she looked at him, the way he wanted her...

"Scorpius everything is going to be fine..." Albus's voice cut through.

I could just tell him, Scorpius thought. I could just tell him that I have feelings for Rose. I can't articulate these feelings... All I know is I want to hold her... to kiss her... to sing to her always... I could just tell Albus and he would just have to accept it.

But then Scorpius thought about how Albus would yell at him. Force him to never say anything to Rose about his feelings. That things were good and simple and this would just complicate Rose's life more. He thought about how Albus would uninvite him over for Christmas and Scorpius would have to stay at Hogwarts alone or try to find a way to his grandmother's house. 

"Let's get to the train."