The Time Rose Dumped Scorpius

Scorpius apparated to the edge of the wards of the Potter Family home on instinct. When the wards acknowledged his presence and let him in, he walked up the driveway only to find an empty house.

"Merlin fuck it," he muttered. He wasn't sure what he wanted, but an empty Potter home was not it. He was about to head back and go to who-knows-where to find Albus and cool off, when he heard a voice coming from outside.

"...can you dance like a hippogriff, nah nah nah, nah nah nah, nah nah nah..."

What the in the name of Hades hat? Scorpius thought in surprise. He didn't know any of the Potters had the capability of singing. Not from what he had witnessed at their Christmas parties, anyway.

Curiosity overrode the mess of other uncomfortable emotions rushing around inside him, and he headed out the back door to the shed at the end of the garden.

"...ah boogie down like a unicorn, and don't stop 'til the break of dawn. Spin around like a crazy elf..."

As he got closer to the shed he realised it was Lily. She's not too bad at singing to be honest. But, Merlin, The Weird Sisters? Really? Not much taste in music, thought Scorpius, now thoroughly amused.

He poked his head inside the shed and saw Lily with her back to him, covered in grease and working on Sirius Black's old motorbike, which Harry had gifted her years before. He had heard from Albus that she was making some adjustments now that she had gotten home from her travelling in Europe.

"...get it on like an angry spectre, who's definitely out to get ya..." Now she was swinging her hips from side to side with the beat as well.

Scorpius felt like it was time to make his presence known.

"Er, Lily?"

Faster than lightning, Lily spun around, wand in hand, red hair flying. There was a BANG and he felt himself flying backwards out the shed door as his wand left his pocket, spinning through the air to land in Lily's right hand.

"Scorpius?!" she cried in surprise as he landed with a THUMP on his back. Then she started cackling.

"Jeez Lily," he wheezed, the wind knocked out of him, "You have one hell of a Disarming Charm." He accepted the hand she gave him to help hoist himself off the ground.

Still cackling she dusted him off and waved her wand. He felt the tightness in his chest loosen and he drew in a full breath in relief.

"Thanks," he said.

"No worries," Lily chortled, "To what to I owe the pleasure of your acquaintance Mr Malfoy?"

Scorpius fell silent, the smile sliding off his face.

Lily stopped chuckling and frowned.

"Well, its Rose," Scorpius started, not really sure why he was spilling his guts to his best mate's little sister, "She...well, she just dumped me, Lil."

He saw her eyes widen in shock, then the calm mask slid over her face. She led him over to an old trunk in the shed and sat him down amongst the dust.

"Tell me what happened," she said.

So he ended up telling her everything. How she met Olly Jordan in Diagon Ally again a few weeks ago and they started talking. How she said that she just wasn't happy anymore, they never did anything fun or laughed or went out. How Olly reminded her of the fun she used to have. How she thought he was getting boring and putting his career before her and shutting her out. Then how she said that she didn't think she could do this anymore and wanted a "break".

Lily listened to it all; nodded in the right places, didn't interrupt or threaten to hex Rose. Sometimes, Scorpius thought in the midst of his rant, Slytherin's were very relaxing people to be around. They listened neutrally without their emotions getting in the way of their judgement. Maybe that's why he'd been put in Ravenclaw instead.

After he had let it all out, ending with, "And now I'm just lost. I mean, what am going to do? With the flat and our stuff and finding somewhere to live and...what do I do now?"

Lily did something he had only seen her do a handful of times to people she truly cared about. She gave him a hug.

Then she patted him on the back and said, "You take it one step at a time, Scorpius. One step at a time. Focus on the little things and the big stuff works out."

She stood up and dusted herself off. "Well, you have a place to stay, obviously, so you can cross the off the list." She turned back to him and saw the confused look on his face.

"Here, you daft git! Mum and Dad would be happy to have you. And mine and Al's place in town, we've got a spare room. Merlin, even Molly would take you in. You are family now you realise?"

Scorpius shook his head, a little overwhelmed at her last comment, "Potter, I just broke up with a Weasley. I think you're the daft one. Besides, I don't want to be a burden."

Lily rolled her eyes and turned back to her bike, muttering something that sounded distinctly like "Sodding pompous purebloods."

He was about retort when Rose's voice ripped through the air,

"LILY!" Scorpius leapt up like a startled hippogriff and looked around wildly for an exit. Lily shook her head and beckoned him back to the large truck he had been sitting on, hoisting open the lid.

"Get in," she said calmly. He looked at like she'd gone mad.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Do you want to hide or not?"

He still thought she'd lost the plot, but, considering the alternative, he nodded and climbed into the musty old trunk. As she shut the lid he realised it was much bigger on the inside than it was on the outside and he was able to sit quite comfortably. Thank Merlin.

"Oi! Lily, are you here?!" She was closer now.

He heard Lily make her way back to Sirius' bike and start rattling some tools around. She started singing again, a song he didn't recognise, so he thought it must be a muggle one,

"The bitch and the bitch and the bitch is back..." he snorted. So she does have a sense of humour, he thought in amusement.

"Lily!" Rose sounded like she had finally reached the shed, "For Merlin's sake, why didn't you answer me?!"

"I just figured if you knew I was here you'd find me eventually."

"Whatever! Have you seen Scorp?" His heart jumped and his stomach turned at her using his nick-name.

"No, not since you two were at mine and Al's last week." It was amazing really, how well the lie rolled off her tongue, "Why? Lost your other half? He finally came to his senses and did a runner?"

Ouch, low blow. Scorpius could practically feel the glare that Rose would be directing at Lily at that moment and see in his mind's eye her face going red.

"Not that I would expect a child like you to understand, Petal, but Scorp and I just broke up. I haven't seen him since he left this morning. I'm worried." Now she sounded close to tears and all Scorpius wanted to do was jump out of the trunk and wrap his arms around her. Unfortunately, Lily seemed to have locked said trunk.

Slimy fucking Slytherin's! He thought violently, punching the lid of the chest. She must have Muffiliato'd it too, because neither Lily nor Rose reacted to the loud THUMP as his fist connected.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Rose", he heard Lily say, her voice a bit softer now having lost its normal ice-cold edge, "Have you checked with Al?"

"Of course I have! He hasn't seen him either! Where else would he even go? Not to the Manor, his parents are in France at the moment."

"How about you owl him?" Silence.

Three seconds later, "Why didn't I think of that?! Thanks Lil!"

He heard the patter of feet as Rose sprinted out of the shed to head home and send her letter.

He punched the lid of the trunk again and tried to get out. To his surprise it opened straight away. She must have lifted the charm already. He leapt up and out.

"What in Merlin's name are you playing at Potter?!"

"Calm down, Malfoy. Have a think about it. How would it have looked to Rose if you had leapt out of a trunk in the shed that only I was in? After she had just broken up with you?"

Scorpius thought for a moment then had to admit she had a point. Rose was the jealous type. Clever witch. He really owed her actually.

"Thanks, Lily," he said quietly. She shrugged,

"Anytime, Scorpius. Now, go find Al and borrow the cloak. Go back to your flat, clear out your things and drop them in our spare room. You can stay as long as you need to; tell Al the Boss given you permission."

He smiled slightly at her calling herself 'the Boss.' Well, let's face it, it was probably true.

"Lily, you're kind of crazy, you know?"

She barked out a laugh, "Yeah, I've been told. Now bugger off, I want to fix this today and drive it home."

He shook his head, said goodbye and headed out of the shed to the edge of the wards so he could apparate to Al and Lily's place. He heard the faint some of her singing again,

"...it's times like these we learn to love again, its times like these time and time again..."

She had a song for all occasions apparently. He was strangely glad it was her that was here to help him and not Al.