Amelia arrived to class late the next day which wasn’t great as Professor Binns stopped his reading when she walked in and he looked surprise which was a rarity. Binns never has any emotion on his face... ever. He narrowed his eyes at Amelia coming into the room and the sleeping students woke up when Binns’ voice stopped its monotonous reading. They all turned to look at Amelia as though this was probably the highlight of there day. Amelia pushed her bag onto her shoulder and sighed and then sniffed.

‘Sorry I’m late, Professor,’ Amelia said in a hoarse voice.

‘Miss Weasley, why-’ Professor Binns started but was soon interrupted. Amelia was strangely happy to hear his dead tone. She didn't think she could bear it if he actually had a caring tone since he was... well, he was a ghost. He didn't feel any emotions.

‘You’ve been crying,’ stated James suddenly, interrupting Professor Binns with a jolt, ‘why? What happened?’

Amelia rubbed her eyes tiredly and she knew perfectly well that her eyes were red as though she had been crying all night. That was true; she had been crying but not all night, she fell asleep around about three in the early morning. Amelia felt tears threaten to leak when she turned to face her cousin who was sitting next to a pretty blonde.

‘No, I haven’t...’ Amelia lied. Although she was a good liar in any other situation, she couldn't lie when she was upset... especially to James who was just like her other half. Amelia and James got on like a house on fire but they fought a lot too. They had been together since James had been born. Her voice broke half way between saying the word “haven’t” and James sighed as she rubbed under her eyes as though forcing the tears to stay in.

‘Amelia-’ James started but there was a ruffle as Professor Binns opened the book again. He seemed to not want any part of this cousin drama and he showed it. The students were looking from Amelia’s red eyes and messy hair to James who looked as though he would murder anyone for Amelia.

‘Miss Weasley, if you are feeling unwell I suggest you could pay Madam Pomfrey a visit. Otherwise, take your seat and confer with your cousin all you want after my class,’ Binns spoke in a dead voice and stared at her in a dead and fixed way. A few people sighed and turned to the front since they knew the show was over. The others waited for Amelia to say something cheeky or funny since she usually did.

‘Yes, sir,’ Amelia said and James narrowed his eyes at her. If she hadn’t been so upset she might have spoken back to the teacher since Amelia didn’t like to be ordered around.

But she didn't speak back. She listened to him and took a seat at the back of the class, next to James table. Then James realised who she was sitting next to and he nearly jumped up out of his seat and extracted his wand... but he didn't. Amelia smiled at Scorpius as she sat next to him and turned her back on James who was sitting at the table next to her.

‘Everything alright?’ asked Scorpius, watching Amelia take her quill and parchments out of her bag. Amelia sniffed once again and glanced at him, unable to stop her eyes from travelling down his body to see his stretched out legs. He was tall and that was one of his great attraction... and those eyes...

‘Fine,’ Amelia answered simply but she felt anything but fine at that particular moment. She sorted her hair so that it sat over her shoulder and realised that Scorpius was watching he.

‘Want to talk about it?’ Scorpius whispered, helpfully.

‘Why would she talk to you? You little git,’ James sneered and grabbed Amelia’s arm, turning her around only to see the glare on her face. They all looked to the front but Binns seemed to be going on and on about some war that no one cared about. James was unaffected by Amelia’s glare so he continued in a low voice, ‘tell me who hurt you so I can end their life. You would never cry in front of anyone, Amelia. This is obviously serious.’

‘James, please, just leave it,’ Amelia whispered and dipped the quill into the ink. She wrote her name at the top and then started to write down what Professor Binns was reading out but Scorpius had other ideas.

‘Looks like she doesn’t want to talk to you either,’ Scorpius said, leaning over Amelia to address James. Amelia tried to stop him by glowering at Scorpius too but he took no notice. He glared at James as though he was jealous.

‘Are you really starting this fight with me?’ James asked, narrowing his eyes.

‘What are you going to do? You probably punch like a girl,’ Scorpius retorted in a louder voice, ‘she doesn’t need you, you should realise that by now!’

‘Guys, please, just-’ Amelia said, holding up a hand between them both since it looked like James would pounce off of his seat and straight for Scorpius to punch him.

‘Books out. Copy from pages 25 onwards until the end of the lesson,’ Binns said suddenly, closing his book and glaring at the three bickering at the back, ‘all credit goes to Miss Weasley, Mr Potter, and Mr Malfoy.’

There was a simultaneous groan from everyone and Amelia, Scorpius, and James were shot a glare. Amelia apologised to the people around her and sighed at both of the boys either side of her. They just glared at each other as though they were in war. Amelia looked at James fiercely and he rolled his eyes before turning around and talking to the pretty blonde next to him.

‘Why do you have to argue with him?’ Amelia asked in a whisper, letting her hair fall over her shoulder so that it blocked James face from her. She turned to Scorpius who was glaring at his parchment.

‘He just annoys me. Is he always that protective?’ asked Scorpius, sighing impatiently as he flipped open his textbook that looked as though it had never been opened before.

‘Pretty much. I come from a big family since I have lots of uncles and cousins. James is the protective one,’ Amelia shrugged and then lowered her voice so that James couldn’t hear them at all but it didn't seem like he was particularly interested anymore, ‘he wants me to stay away from you.’

‘Do you want to stay away from me?’ Scorpius asked, glancing at her with eyes that looked hopeful.

‘Um...’ Amelia shrugged and then started to blush, ‘not really...’

‘Me either,’ Scorpius said and his lips tugged upwards in a half smile.

Amelia smiled at him and they stared at each other for a while. She felt her heart tug and knew that she wanted Scorpius. Her parents wouldn’t be too happy about her being with him but... after all the owl messages they sent each other and talking to him in school, there was a part of her that wanted to rebel against her parents. Plus, she liked the way Scorpius looked at her. Amelia grinned and bent her head to start copying out notes when Binns shot a glance at her.

---

The Gryffindor common room was filled with students who had just come up after having a glorious dinner. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the food and now they were casually chatting. Amelia flopped down onto the sofa next to James who was talking to Albus about something. They ceased talking immediately when Amelia took a seat and Albus blushed crimson when she narrowed her eyes at them.

‘What... were you talking about just now?’ she asked, crossing her legs and turning so that she faced James. The two brothers shared a secretive glance and Albus shrugged, getting to his feet.

‘I have homework to do,’ Albus said and then turned to James, ‘the conversation we just had... it is between us, okay?’

Amelia raised her eyebrows as Albus smirked at her. Although he was still red around his ears, he walked away to sit with a couple of his friends. Amelia turned to James who leaned back on the sofa and put his hands under his head, he turned to face his cousin and smirked since he knew Amelia was dying of curiosity.

‘What was that about?’ she asked casually, hoping he would tell her. James only shrugged and smiled when Amelia narrowed her eyes at him, ‘we never keep secrets from each other. Tell me, James?’

‘True, we are basically twins. Okay, I’ll tell you but... Albus is a little embarrassed so don’t tell anyone else, okay?’ James asked and Amelia nodded and rolled her eyes, ‘Albus... he has a crush on a girl that we don’t know about.’

‘And he told you?’ Amelia asked incredulously, ‘I mean... you’re more likely to annoy him about his crush than I am! He never tells you anything! I’ve never seen you have a heart to heart chat with him.’

‘A heart to heart chat? We’re not girls, Amelia,’ James narrowed his eyes at her as though she was stupid and then he grinned, ‘although I’ll help him get the girl. He needs to get laid, the little dork, or else he’ll never grow out of cuddling his teddy bear at night.’

‘He doesn’t have a teddy bear anymore and don’t you call him a dork. I think it’s cute that he has a crush,’ Amelia shrugged but she felt angry inside. James was willing to help his brother get a girl but when it was Amelia who liked someone, he would chase them away with a bat. She voiced her thoughts to James and he rolled his eyes.

‘Because you always pick the ones that will hurt you,’ James said as though it was obvious and then he glanced at the times, ‘we have detention, lets go.’

They walked out of the common room together in silence. There were only a few people in the corridors who were going to their own common room. As they walked Amelia wondered why James hadn’t asked her about why she was crying this morning. As though he had read her mind, James asked her.

‘Why were you crying when you came to class?’ James asked and Amelia sighed at how it seemed like their minds were connected.

‘Just... I don’t know,’ Amelia shrugged, she didn't want to think about it anymore.

James stared at her as they walked and his eyes pierced into Amelia’s. She tried to ignore his stare but he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Amelia growled something under her breath and James only raised his eyebrows as she glanced at him.

‘Fine!’ Amelia said in exasperation. She took a deep breath and tried to control herself, ‘you know how I share a dormitory with my so called “friends”? Well last night when I got to the dorm, I heard them talking and it was really late and...’

‘What did they say?’ James asked as they stopped around the corner from where McGonagall’s office was. James turned to her and Amelia sighed helplessly.

‘They were just talking about me and saying stuff that they didn't know. It hurt when all them started calling me names... but it’s not just that, James. They said that... that I was an illegitimate child and that their parents know my Mum and Dad and then they started saying stuff about my parents that can’t be true!’ Amelia said and a tear ran down her face. James wiped it away and took a step closer to her as she spoke, ‘my parents are happy together but apparently they weren’t always like that. Apparently my mum and dad cheated on each other with people that we know.’

‘I’m sure that isn’t true, Amelia,’ James said soothingly and rubbed her cheek, ‘they’re just being-’

‘No, James! They also said that my mum had an affair with Ron! Our Uncle Ron! Maybe that’s why she acts so different with him?’ Amelia said and sighed angrily, ‘I can’t believe the things I heard about them!’

‘Your mum does act weird around Uncle Ron,’ James agreed with her and Amelia crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. James ran a hand through her brown curls, ‘they’re just being stupid, okay? Don’t listen to them.’

‘I’m fed up! Maybe my friends are right... what if my parents didn't want to have me? What if... what if my dad isn’t my actual father? James...’ Amelia trailed off, looking at her cousin for help.

‘Amelia,’ James sighed as she held her head in her hands. James was shocked since Amelia was usually calm and collected. He pulled her into a hug which Amelia accepted thankfully, ‘it’ll be fine, I promise you. They’re just trying to make you upset and you know your parents wouldn’t lie to you.’

Amelia wasn’t so sure. Yes, she loved her parents immensely and her father loved her too and would do anything for her. But she also heard them fight sometimes, it wasn’t anything serious but they would be in a bad mood the next day and pretend like everything was okay. Now that Amelia thought of it, her mother had acted quite differently around Ron and Fred didn't like it when they talked, she could tell.

‘Mr Potter and Miss Weasley,’ they turned to see McGonagall walking down the corridor towards them, ‘into my office, sit down, write your lines until I come back. No talking.’

Amelia and James exchanged a shrug and entered her classroom while McGonagall walked off down the corridor. There were three desks in front of McGonagall’s desk and Scorpius had taken the left one. Amelia kept her head down and took the one in the middle while James sat to her right. She didn't want Scorpius to see her crying so she wiped away her tears. James watched her and she knew he wanted to help her in any way he could. Amelia gave him a small smile to tell him that she would be fine.

‘Are you... crying?’ asked Scorpius as he tried to look at Amelia’s face. She shook her head and dipped her quill into the ink, ignoring him. Scorpius sighed, ‘you were crying this morning too.’

‘She doesn’t want to talk to you,’ James said and looked over Amelia so that he could glare at Scorpius, ‘can’t you take a hint?’

‘You’re her cousin, not her boyfriend. Quit acting like I’m about to eat her,’ Scorpius hissed angrily, ‘you’re all talk and no action, mate.’

‘I am her cousin and that is why I won’t let you touch her. Go on, try it and I’ll show you my action instead of just talking!’ yelled James and the two boys raised their eyebrows in surprise when Amelia slammed her quill down onto the desk.

‘James! Just stop it!’ Amelia yelled and turned to her cousin. James stood up at the same time as Amelia did. They stared at each other and Amelia ran a hand through her hair, ‘I’ve had enough of... of everything! I don’t want you standing up for me so just stop! I’ll talk to whomever I wish and you can’t stop me! He’s completely right! You are not my boyfriend, you are my cousin so... act like one!’

‘Amelia, you’re just upset and I know you don’t mean that,’ James said, ‘just calm down, okay?’

‘I do mean it, James. I can’t see any guy without you or my father looking over my shoulder!’ Amelia sighed and held her hands up in defeat, ‘just stop fighting, is all I ask of you.’

‘Tell him to stop...’ James waved his hand as though hoping a word might appear so he could catch it. Amelia raised her eyebrows and chuckled at his expression. James rolled his eyes but smiled at her, ‘fine, I won’t fight... not today anyway.’

The door opened and McGonagall came into the room, giving them a stern gaze. James and Amelia quickly took their seats as McGonagall sat in her chair, opposite him.

‘Mr Potter, I suggest you start writing lines before the night ends,’ McGonagall said sternly and she passed her gaze over Amelia, ignoring the fact that her eyes were red because she had been crying, and she looked to Scorpius, ‘and you Mr Malfoy or I might have to call your father down here and I’m sure he wouldn’t be too pleased.’

Scorpius scowled down at his parchment and started to write. They sat for a good two hours and wrote their lines. McGonagall watched them while she did her own work and she noticed when James glared at Scorpius and Scorpius glared back. McGonagall was reminded shockingly of Draco and Harry since they were enemies too. She also noticed when Scorpius occasionally glanced over at Amelia when she was writing. McGonagall lowered her gaze and sighed inwardly. She knew about Hermione and Fred and what Draco had done to them. McGonagall sensed something between Amelia and Scorpius and hoped that they didn't have any troubles in the future if they continued with their relationship.

She hoped that Hermione, Fred, and Draco weren’t blind enough not to notice the chemistry between them. Although McGonagall knew from past experiences that this wouldn’t end well.