Chapter 4
That night, when they got back to the castle, when Araminta and Scorpius were alone in their corner of the common room, the former expressed to her brother how very much she admired Hugo, Lily, Albus, Alice, Rose, and the twins - the whole group of friends they had gone out with.
She particularly expressed her admiration for Lily and Rose. “They’re just what witches ought to be,” she said, sighing dreamily. “Sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such a happy, big family! So much at ease with each other, and so interesting as people! And Hugo’s just soooo adorable. I don’t know that many second years who read Quidditch Through The Ages for fun! And he’s so sweet.”
“They are also popular,” replied Scorpius, “which friends ought likewise to be if they possibly can. Their character is now complete.”
“Don’t tease me, Scorpius! I don’t need your sarcasm right now, I’m just soo happy to have finally found ourselves some friends! I did not expect such a compliment as Lily asking us all to hang out again some time.”
“Didn’t you? I did. But that’s one difference we have. Whenever someone likes you or has something good to say about you, it always takes you by surprise, but never takes me by surprise. Why wouldn’t she ask you to hang out again? She couldn’t help but notice that you were about five times as bubbly and kind as most people she meets,” he beamed at her over his glasses, and she smiled bashfully. “Well, Lily is certainly very kind, I’ll give you that. You’ve liked many a person who deserved it less.”
“Scor!”
“Oh, you are a great deal too inclined to like people in general. You look for the best in everyone. I’ve never heard you say something bad about somebody in our lives!” he said fondly. “I, on the other hand, don’t want to judge anyone too soon, but I will always speak my mind about people.
“I know you do, and that is what’s great about you, Scor. You have a good head on your shoulders and good sense.”
“But sis, you like Rose too? Her manners are not as good as Lily’s.”
“At first, she does seem standoffish, but I think she’s just shy. She’ll warm up to us with time, once we get to know her better. She has, after all, been with just her support bubble and family just like us for the last couple years, and you know as well as anyone that it takes an adjustment to get out of that mindset.”
Scorpius listened, but was not convinced; he, too, had been shy about getting together, but he was always kind to others, and couldn’t tolerate others not doing the same. Besides, there was something in Rose’s eyes that ran deeper than mere pandemic-induced shyness.
The whole family, in fact, was very spirited, but had reason to be proud. They were attractive people, had been highly educated by their families, especially by Hermione Granger-Weasley, even before coming to Hogwarts, were doing well for themselves financially, either via joke shop business, via family money, or just by the fact that their family was so loved in the Wizarding World that even if they had struggled, no one would have allowed them to be penniless. The family was in the habit of being in the good graces of society, and so were not likely to on the whole understand what Araminta and Malfoy had felt upon coming to Hogwarts, their own arrivals being greeted with nothing short of adulation. They were from a family of war heroes, The Golden Trio, in fact, and they were not in touch with what it might have felt like to be anonymous or scorned. Even Albus bore some of this privilege, despite being sorted into Slytherin. Although perhaps the black sheep of his family, he still belonged to a revered and highly respected family, a family that was rich in both money and friendships. He always had the Burrow to go home to, to be surrounded by friends and loved ones, and Grandma Weasley’s much-adored cooking. He had an ease in the Wizarding World that Scorpius hadn’t ever had, so he could be more forgiving of other people’s character flaws than Scorpius, being less affected by them due to this protection. Sometimes, even Albus didn’t seem to understand Scorpius’s loneliness, brothers though they were.
Between Albus and Rose was a very steady friendship, in spite what Scorpius now saw to be completely opposite characters and personalities. Rose loved Albus for the mere fact of him being her cousin, with family of the highest importance to her, but also because Al was so easy-going, open, and kind. Al looked up to Rose, seeing her as clever and fully accepted by the whole family for her choices. Albus cared very much what his family thought, also valuing them highly, and after being sorted into Slytherin, had only ever gone against Rose to befriend Scorpius. Rose, Scorpius saw now, was haughty, reserved, and fastidious; she was cordial but not warm. Albus was so much warmer and kinder than she was, and was sure of being liked when people got past their stupid prejudices against his House. Albus had gotten his hopes up when even Rose begrudgingly referred to Araminta as “seemingly sweet” at the end of their outing.
Scorpius, more than his sister, wanted to be realistic about the possibility of continued friendship with Rose and the other family members who Albus had introduced them to that day, and as the older brother, he didn’t want to see his little sister’s hopes dashed.