"Scorpius!"
There was a sudden movement from the back of the greenhouse and a crash. Scorpius Malfoy had just jumped a foot in the air at the sound of his name being called by Professor Longbottom, an obvious attempt to obtain his attention which was not on the Professor, and accidently knocked over a pot of Fanged Geranium. The plant thrashed its stem and roots and a group of Gryffindors nearby scattered as it made to bite their ankles.
"Nobody touch it!" cried Professor Longbottom. He raced to the back of the greenhouse and placed a little brown sack over its chomping teeth and it silenced itself immediately. He then placed it in a nearby pot that had not been broken by Scorpius.
"You've got be more careful," said Professor Longbottom as he turned on the student. Scorpius stared blankly at him. He didn't care for the Herbology teacher. "This plant," continued Professor Longbottom "is highly dangerous when not watched properly. You don't have to worry about it now," he said after glancing at the shuddering Gryffindors. "You won't be studying this until fifth year. Now class, please return to harvesting your Puffapods. And Scorpius, I would like to see you after class."
After another half hour of placing numerous large, pink seedpods in a tray, class was finally over. After everyone had exited the greenhouse and lumbered towards the castle, Scorpius turned towards the small crystal office in between greenhouses four and five. Professor Longbottom was already at his desk when Scorpius walked in.
"Sit down," said the Professor and he gestured to the seat across from his desk without looking up from it. Scorpius took the seat and sat silently. He had no idea what he would want with him. He hadn't done anything wrong…that Professor Longbottom knew about. He had put an Engorging Charm on a few of the Mimbulus Mimbletonia, the Professors favorite plant, with his friend Patrick Parkinson so the greenhouse was filled with the plant and class was cancelled. Surely he hadn't discovered who was behind it?
"I'm worried, Scorpius" Professor Longbottom suddenly looked up from his papers, pulling Scorpius out of his thoughts. "I'm worried that your grades are not what they can be."
"And why is that?" snapped Scorpius.
"You are barely passing, Scorpius."
"And?"
"And you can't flunk out of Herbology."
"Sure I can," replied Scorpius.
His Professor was quiet for a moment before saying, "And why do you assume that?"
"I'm not going to need stupid Herbology," continued Scorpius. "I'll need things like Potions, Charms, and… Defense against the Dark Arts," he finished with a smirk.
The way he had emphasized on the word 'Defense' seemed to shock Professor Longbottom but he continued as if it had not happened.
"I'm sorry to inform you, Mr. Malfoy, but you must pass Herbology to move onto your forth year. If you don't want to be left behind I suggest you come in for extra help."
"I don't need extra help from you."
Professor Longbottom stared at Scorpius with surprise and rising disgust.
"Excuse me?"
"My dad has told me all about you," replied Scorpius. "He's told me how you were a wimpy little kid who couldn't do anything but lose his bloody toad every other day, and couldn't even stop two pixies from hanging you on a chandelier. Real impressive, Professor. So if you don't mind, I'm going to leave now because I've decided I don't need Herbology."
"I will not be talked to like that, Mr. Malfoy!"
"You just were," said Scorpius as he made his way for the door. He was halfway out when he heard: "Twenty points from Slytherin and detention!"
Scorpius turned around to flash Professor Longbottom a face full of disgust before slamming the door behind him.
Two days passed when Scorpius was halfway to the dungeons, exhausted from a Quidditch match (he played beater) and wanted nothing more than to lie alone on the one of the comfy sofas. On his way down a flight of stairs, he was knocked to the ground and got a mouthful of bushy hair. There was something lying across his chest and he was quite uncomfortable when he realized it was a person.
"Sorry, sorry!" said a girl's voice and he was able to come to his feet. The girl had bushy, flaming red hair that fell past her shoulders. Scorpius also noticed there were numerous freckles across her nose and she had large brown eyes… which were staring right at him.
"Oh," she said quietly. "It's you." Disgust lingered in her voice.
She fumbled with the books she had just had in her arms but now were scattered on the corridor floor. To his own surprise, Scorpius kneeled down to help her. She stared at him.
"Scorpius Malfoy, helping someone?" she said. Looking into her face, Scorpius realized she was not joking with him, she was sincerely surprised.
"It happens," he muttered as he handed her Standard Book of Spells (Grade 3).
She gathered the last few books and strutted off silently. Scorpius knew who she was. Rose Weasley, daughter of the famous Auror, Ron Weasley. He tried to fill his head with the thought dirty half-blood, dirty half-blood but her smiling still appeared in his head. He was almost to the Common Room when someone called his name.
"Scorpius! There you are! It's time for your detention."
He turned around to see a very ancient Professor, and Headmistress, McGonagall walking toward him with surprising speed for her age. He groaned internally.
"But Professor, it's just after the Quidditch match. Can't it wait until later? I'm exhausted," he stated.
"Actually, it will," she replied as she stopped in front of him.
"I don't follow you."
"You will be serving detention with Mr. filch at eight o'clock but you will be waiting for him in my office," she said shortly.
"What?" Scorpius nearly shouted at her. "But that's nearly an hour from now! Professor, it was a very long match, and I-"
"Will do your best not to contradict me," Professor McGonagall finished for him.
Scorpius did as he was told but still surged with irritation.
"Can I at least ask why?" he persuaded.
Professor McGonagall sighed. "The last time you served detention with Mr. Filch you were out the door of his office the moment he turned his back. I do not want to search the castle for you again and give you double detention. Heaven knows no one wants that." She paused. "You will wait for him with me."
She turned her back to him and gestured over her shoulder for Scorpius to follow her. They made it to a large Gargoyle that stood in front a vacant wall.
"Lemon drop," said Professor McGonagall. Scorpius wondered why she had chosen such a bizarre password.
Once inside her office, she walked past her desk and tapped a quill with her wand. It shuddered and sprung to life, writing frantically on a blank piece of paper. Scorpius, who had sat himself in the seat across from it, craned his neck so he could possibly see what it was writing. Professor McGonagall, now stationed at the window looking out upon the grounds, flicked her wand over her shoulder without looking his way, and he was flung back onto the chair.
"Curiosity is a dangerous thing, Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall muttered.
He sat there for about half an hour, twiddling his thumps and levitating random objects on the Headmasters desk, when the sound of the gargoyle moving filled the room along with a ravage panting. Filch had entered the room and took air in his lungs faster than was possible.
"Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "Why, you're early. I-"
"Not – here – for – the – boy," wheezed Filch.
"Then what is it? You look like you've just run halfway around the castle."
"Peeves!" shouted Filch. "He dropped dozens of dung bombs around the castle and Flitwick is still charming the bludgers to get back in the box!"
Professor McGonagall heaved a heavy sigh. "Oh, alright I'll help you." She walked over to the entrance to the office by Filch. "Stay right there, Mr. Malfoy. I'll be back in a moment." The gargoyle moved in front of the door once again, and Scorpius could hear it mutter make a choice, in or out!
Boredom developed again for Scorpius as he wondered why Filch couldn't just wave his own wand to get rid of the mess. In a few minutes he was out of his chair and roaming around the room. The portraits of the many headmasters and headmistress' scowled down at him except for a few clad in emerald green and one just behind the desk. He was not a Slytherin Headmaster, Scorpius could tell just by the look of him, but the man looked at him with nothing more than gentle curiosity. He was dressed in gentle velvet robes and his eyes were a magnificent blue which twinkled behind spectacles. His long silver hair and beard along with the many lines on his face told Scorpius that he was even more ancient than Professor McGonagall. Scorpius knew who this man was.
"Albus Dumbledore," he said out loud.
"Yes," answered the portrait. The man continued to stare at Scorpius when he realized that a scowl sat on his own face. This could have been the meaning of the man's stares but even as he rearranged his expression, the portrait's eyes did not move.
"What?" demanded Scorpius, his face once again in a scowl.
"You are a Malfoy, am I wrong?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yeah, I am. Why do you want to know?"
To his surprise, the old man chuckled. "I do merely not want to have an incorrect assumption. You are so very much like your father. Just like another boy I had once known."
And to Scorpius's utter astonishment, the man lolled his head onto his shoulder and fell asleep in his chair with a smile on his wrinkled face.
"Crazy old bloke," whispered Scorpius. He walked over to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore and looked up at him. It was the biggest one in the room so it towered over him on the wall. As he stared his hand gripped the frame unconsciously. The frame was made of an ornate gold metal and Scorpius gripped it until he took his gaze from Dumbledore.
Scorpius began to walk away from the painting when he heard an odd squeaking sound, like a door on old hinges. His hand was still placed on the painting's frame when he had begun to walk away and the force had swung the picture forward on invisible hinges.
A secret compartment lay behind the portrait. At first, it appeared to be empty but when he stepped forward to get a closer look, he realized it was not empty at all.
Lying inside was a wand. It didn't look very special, so Scorpius couldn't think of a reason why someone would feel the need to hide it. He reached into the hidden cavity in the wall and took the wand in his hand.
It was very special indeed. The moment it had touched his skin his fingers exploded with warmth as if fireworks were running along the inside of his arm and hand. Red sparks hand erupted from the tip. It felt so much better than his own hawthorn and dragon heartstring wand did when he held it for the first time three years ago. He felt like he could shout to the world how amazing the wand made him feel and…
No. No, no one would know of this. This wand was too special. He had it all to himself. What would happen if he boasted? Would someone want it? No, this wand was all his. No one needed to know…
You might have noticed that I changed a few things in this. Instead of the wand being put back in Dumbledore's grave, I had it behind his portrait instead. Don't ask me why it was just easier. And you might have noticed that the elder wand works like it is supposed to even though Scorpius never defeated its old master. In this, is it ok if we pretend that doesn't have to happen? It is? Ok, cool. =D
PLEASE review! I also really appreciate constructive criticism and if you told me if I should continue this story. If not I think it could easily stay as a one-shot. But I wouldn't mind continuing if a few people want me to. =D
