In response to your Author's Note, I didn't find it too slow. Maybe Rose did ponder Lily and Scorpius a bit too long before Ming spoke up about the tea and her future, but besides that everything seemed to keep moving.

I do like where this is going, I like the idea of everyone against Lily, who I always imagined as the Perfect Potter child. I didn't think she could do any wrong, so it is nice to see here that she can.

I have a problem with Rose still wanting to return home after receiving Albus' letter. I just don't understand to be honest, I guess she may want Scorpius back, but it doesn't seem like any of the family agrees with the wedding, which makes me doubt the reality of it happening. Then again, I may not fully understand Rose's character yet. I really am enjoying reading this!
:)BaletGir

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That was a wonderfully crafted and written first chapter. It had a great chance of overloading the reader (at least in my opinion) with all the flashbacks, but everything flowed so well that there was never a moment I felt that there was just too much going on. The information you gave, especially in the flashbacks, didn't seem forced or unnecessary, just bits of information, all of which I enjoyed reading immensely.

I am really excited to see where it is you are taking this piece. Honestly, this first chapter felt as if it could have stood on its own and have been a story just as is, so I am very excited to see what is going to happen next.

I love Rose, I found her thoughts on perfection intriguing and definitely something different and an interesting character trait. I cannot wait to see how she develops further. I liked her ability to see through the surface to reality. A really great start, I cannot wait to read more!
:)BaletGir

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You know, I was curious to know how you would write this chapter. I don't really know what I was expecting to come next, but I know I didn't expect it to be this good.

I loved the line, "If any Violets or Irises come along, I'll be sure to warn them." I didn't make the connection with the names until I read that.

Great chapter!

P.S. I'm sorry for the useless review. I just can't think of anything else to say other than how much I liked this.

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I haven't read many Rose/Scorpius stories lately (so what I'm about to say may be irrelevant), but this seems different. Just judging by this first chapter, it doesn't feel like it's been done a million times already.

I loved the flashbacks to their years at Hogwarts. It was an interesting way to put their backstory in there.

I really liked this, and I can't wait to read the next chapter!

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i love the way you write it always has such a deep note to it :) more soon please!!!

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You have no idea how long I've been meaning to read this, and now I'm finally here to both read and review. :) Finally.

I love how different this is from most Rose/Scorpius tales. From most love stories in general, actually. Scorpius isn't willing to do whatever it takes to be with Rose; he won't go after her, or even wait for her. And Rose isn't willing to do anything so that she can marry him, not if it means giving up her dreams of adventure.

Of course, it's you, so the writing is beautiful by default. :P Some of my favorite lines (though it's hard to choose!) were 'The spoiled little boy still lurked within him, ready to burst out in tears and pleas when his desires were unfulfilled.' and 'Together, they would have been the most perfect match to come out of Hogwarts since the original Lily and James Potter.'

These might seem like strange favorites, so I'll explain. I loved the first one because it recognizes that Scorpius is not the polar opposite of his father as seen in some fics. Obviously he's different, but he's not absolutely everything that Draco wasn't, or absolutely nothing that Draco was.

And the second line I loved because it infers that while they could have been perfect together, Rose wasn't willing to make them perfect. At least, that's what I got out of it.

I'll be coming back to this soon (I hope)!

Sami

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I have a feeling that this will be Teddy/Rose ending.
Personally, I prefer Scorpius/Rose but he's too much of an ass anyway. It would be lovely to see his true feelings though.

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I like your characterization of Rose and once again your writing is fantastic.

Also, I love the fact that you used Joseph Gordon Levitt in the Chapter Image. He's awesome and so are you and Sarah_Bee for making the banner (:

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One thing I have to say...
Your writing is beautiful.
And now I'm going to listen to the song 'The Winner Takes it All'.

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gah!
why why why has it taken me so long to read this?? what have i been doing? (having a kid, thats what :P but still, no excuse!).

susan this was a beautiful beginning. filled with all that lovely foreshadowing that i am such a fan of. this could go so many ways and i am imagining them all right now, but knowing you, with your clever avoidance of the old cliches, i am probably way off the mark already.

i love your narrative voice - it really does remind me of our dear jane austen (i believe i have said that to you before ^_^). you never overload, you describe what needs to told and as always, your ability to show and not tell is marvellous. i love the little bits and pieces you throw in, like the bee. nice metaphor. and i loved the little snippets of the past - how brief they were, again, showing, not telling.

you characterise them both wonderfully. i have many different visions of scorpius in my head and this way of yours is one of the front runners - the petulant slightly whiny child. i mean, he's draco's kid - there is bound to be a hint, a tiny whiff, of that spoilt brat in there somewhere, lol

anyway i wish i had time to read the rest tonight but i have to sleep (it is a rare thing around here these days :P )

be back to continue as soon as I can!!
kate xxx

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excellent writing and suspense though i am more of a dialogue person. i really want to see if Scorpius has true emotions and i am loving Teddy, excellent character

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Susan! This chapter was great! I absolutely loved it!

These lines made me laugh, I adored that scene. "
Yes, definitely time to go, Rose.

Never had she thought that they... Merlin, that her friends would. She turned to look at the bed. That they would. here. Ugh. "

towards the end, I was like, "yay they're actually in the same room together! (scorp and Rose)"

this just sent chills down my spine. "Their faces were too close, closer than either had expected. Rose still felt dazed, her head spinning more as her breath quickened, her heart beating too quickly, faster than she could remember it ever going before. "

you write so beautifully Susan. I am on the edge of my seat awaiting another chapter. The end of this one left me breathless.
I wonder if she'll go to the wedding? Or if Lily will call it off? or if the wedding will go on as planned and Scorpius will regret it later?
I keep thinking back to that one shot with Lily/Scorpius... it gives me a whole new perspective on this story.. Great job Susan! I'm excited for another chapter!

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Yay, an update!

Lovely chapter, as always. I loved the length of it, in particular--lots for me to read. :D

Poor Rose. I hope she straightens out her thoughts and her life soon.

Oh, and I am now a Rose/Teddy shipper for this story. Who needs Scorpius when you've got Teddy?! :P

How much more is left? It seems like the wedding will be here any second now. So update soon, please! :)

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WOW. Just... wow. I am liking this Rose/Teddy development!

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I adored the conversation between Ron and Rose, I really think that you had Ron nailed, which isn't an easy thing to do. I also love how much you put into Rose, there are little things that keep popping up that make her seem like a real person, and a very well developed character. I was shocked that Scorpius was in the shop though! I'm pretty surprised that Rose didn't try to run either!

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I thought it was great how Mr. Weasley was still himself, asking about what it was like to fly in an airplane rather than the other million things there were to ask about. The wedding being moved up complicates things a bit! I cannot believe that their getting married in a week, and with Rose wanting to stop the wedding I'm sure it'll be an eventful week. But I really want to know if Scorpius actually likes Lily or not!

Author's Response: I know! He could have asked how she was and why she'd come back, but of course the others would ask it first. I just had to include that bit of humour because it's so much in character. It's great that you liked it! :D

A very eventful week, indeed. It's making the story interesting to write for me because it has such a constrained timeline, and that's something I've never done before.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing! :D

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Yay an update! I was so excited to see this! I enjoyed the chapter and meeting Vinny. Ironically enough I was going to have a character named Lavinia who goes by Vinny in one of my stories! lol So now I'm debating it! haha.

It's funny because after reading The Name of the Game, I sort of understand what's going on better now. I can see this turning into a Rose/Teddy, but I'm still rooting for Scorpius. I think after reading your one shot with Lily, I can see that he really does care. In this I wasn't so sure but he let his guard down around Lily and she picked up on it =).

I'm a fan of the whole 'first love' thing haha and relationships that don't come easy but are earned and worked for so I'm hoping the wedding doesn't work out. Though if Lily is pregnant, well that sort of complicates things.

And what was Scorpius going to tell her?! That part is really killing me.

As always, wonderfully written and entertaining chapter. Look forward to your update! =)

Author's Response: Go for it with the Vinny! It's a fun name to use, and so wonderfully confusing, but it works better with Lavinia than Virginia, as the sound of it is already in your choice of a name. ;)

It was equally necessary for me to write the Scorpius/Lily story in order to better understand both of them. I wasn't sure when writing WTA whether Scorpius cared or not - he was more of a villain, a cold, calculating young man. In NotG, he's calculating, but not cold. More reserved with his feelings. :P

And now I'm very confusing as to how to end this story. Thanks for that. Maybe I should leave Scorpius silent for the rest of the story. Married bitterly to Lily, but slogging through it in order to live off his parents' money for the rest of his life. That would work, right? *evil grin*

I'm actually very tempted, but we'll see as the story unfolds. That aspect of it is still pretty hazy for me.

Thank you for coming back to read and review the new chapter! It's great to find another of your reviews. ^_^

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I love your stories, and the way you write is amazing. I wish I could write half as well as you! Great chapter like always, I missed the Scorpius action in this chapter but I want Rose to get him back :) Love this story update soon!

P.S- (I also love your Minerva/OC story) Update that soon too! :))

Author's Response: Oh, thank you! ^_^ It's wonderful of you to say that!

Haha, you're one of the Scorpius/Rose fans that I'm worried about. :P I'm very divided on how to end the story because of the warring ships within this story. I might have to resort to a double-epilogue, one for each ship. XD

Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing this story too! :D I want to update the Minerva/OC story, but this one keeps stealing my muse!

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That's pretty much the worse news there is, you ask the guy you love to wait for you and then they go and make plans to marry your cousin. I felt horrible for the fact that Rose had to learn all of this through a letter, and the way Lily went about sharing the news made me want to slap her. The tea leaf reading was pretty interesting, even though Rose didn't get much out of it. But I'm sure that when she gets home she'll have a lot to sort out.

Author's Response: It could have been anyone that he married - relative, friend, neighbour, even someone that Rose never met, but with Rose, it's the particular cousin that he chooses that sends her off the deep end. And you can see why she dislikes Lily so much.

The tea leaf reading was a failure in foreshadowing, and I should do more with Rose in China in order to better build up that aspect of her life. She's willing to leave it for an emergency, but when things come down to it, she wouldn't abandon the life she's created there.

Thank you again for the review! It's great that you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope that you enjoy the rest as well. :)

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This is a pretty unique piece of writing, and it was an extremely strong opening chapter. There aren't many stories that start with a proposal rejection, and I loved the way that you weaved in all of the memories of their past together. It flowed flawlessly, and I really like how you've portrayed the characters so far. Amazing chapter!

Author's Response: Wow, that's incredible to hear! Thank you very much! :D

The opening is almost a standalone story, but for the novel, it was necessary to lay the foundations for why Rose has conflicted feelings about Scorpius and why Scorpius himself is a very conflicted (and complex) character.

This chapter also helped me get revenge against the many Rose/Scorpius stories because it ends with that rejection. There's romance, yes, but what happens after that? And that's what this story hopes to explore. :)

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aw, another great chapter!
please update soon!
becky ;p

Author's Response: Thanks very much! :D I'll try to update as soon as I can.

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Woo :O
Does Teddy like Rose, as in the way Rose seems to like him? O-o

Or is it just...spur of the moment?
Fantastic chapter, as always. (:

Can't wait to read about the wedding!

Author's Response: Does he? I don't even know yet. It's possible, but maybe he's better at hiding it, though he was heavily wounded by Victoire, so maybe love isn't on his mind.

Spur of the moment is definitely probable. ;) But how knows where that might lead?

Thanks very much for reading and reviewing! The wedding should be very fun to write. *rubs hands together* :D

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Hi. I just found this story and I really really like it. Its really interesting and it makes me happy :)

Author's Response: Thanks very much! :D It's great to hear that!

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And the plot thickens. One week?? Heavens, I would throw a fit if I'd been in Rose's position. I am very grateful that Albus is there for and with her. It does seem strange, though, that based on how Lily is described in this, that she would suddenly marry Scorpius without even anyone knowing that they were together. Then again, the fact that he was Rose's ex-boyfriend would definitely be a reason for her not to broadcast it. And why is Scorpius in such a hurry? Questions, questions.

Lovely chapter, as usual. Definitely more fast-paced than the previous one. Poor Rose. I hope things will work out for her - whether it be revenge through stopping the wedding or getting Scorpius back. At this point, though, I don't know what would make her take him back with open arms after everything that happened. But as usual, I'll have to find out in the coming chapters.

Oh, and I am officially in love with your Albus. Notorious for snoring, eh? *giggles*

Author's Response: Maybe it's a credit to Rose that she doesn't entirely explode - she just goes off to plot against the wedding. XD Albus is definitely there for her, perhaps more than anyone else. The two of them are, in my eyes, a condensed trio, more like their parents than their siblings, and it brings them together. And his weakness is the snoring. It had to be something! :P

As for Lily not talking, it's more Scorpius's idea than her own. She probably has an idea of how everyone would react against her, but at the same time, she'd love that attention. Scorpius, on the other hand, is more of a sneaky one. ;)

Thanks again for reading and reviewing! It's great to think back to the beginning chapters of this story and be reminded of so many little details. :D

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Oooh, what a twist! When I was reading the part when Lily was trying to tell Rose about this someone, I kept on thinking 'please don't let it be Scorpius, please don't', but alas, it was him. XD But still, I'm not complaining that it turned out to be him because it has made this story infinitely more intriguing and exciting.

I am also in love with the setting of this chapter, and the nature of her apprenticeship (?). I really, really loved the idea of her stint in the Himalayas. It is also for this reason why I believe that she wouldn't have been contented with the life that Scorpius had to offer. While it may sound enticing to the average witch, you have clearly established that Rose is anything but. Though we'll never know for sure what will happen next, won't we? XD

And poor, poor Lily. I do fear for her safety. XD

Also, I adore your characterization of Albus so far. I know that I've only met him through a letter, but by golly does he sound so adorable.

I'm very excited to find out what awaits Rose at home. Off to the next chapter I go.

P.S.
I adore Karen Gillan and I squee ever time I see her in a chapter image. :)

Author's Response: It could have been a lot of men, I think that Rose was hoping along with you that it wouldn't be Scorpius, but I also think that a part of her knew it was inevitable. Maybe not that he would pair up with Lily, but that he wouldn't wait for her.

I'm so glad that you liked the setting and Rose's apprenticeship! It was the furthest I could get from any cliche of what Rose did as an adult, and also as far away from her family and Scorpius. It would be interesting to write about her time in China before this story began - all of the adventures she would have had up in the mountains, seeking and discovering.

Also glad that you like Albus so far. He was my favourite next-gen character coming out of the prologue, so he's fun to write. :D

Thanks very much for reading and reviewing! It's fantastic to hear your opinions on this story! ^_^

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