Disclaimer: I do not own anything!
A/N: Surprise! Another fanfic from yours truly. This fic had been sitting on my laptop for months; I've formulated it even before I thought of "The Babysitter" but I've only recently found the drive to pick this up again. With only a short few weeks before I start my rotation in the hospital, I thought I'd finally finish it. This isn't beta-ed, though, so please forgive me for any grammatical errors.
I hope you will like this fic! I honestly cannot accept "The Cursed Child" as part of the HP canon, but I instantly fell in love with Scorpius' character and I vowed to myself I'd write a fic with him as the main hero someday. So here it is, and I hope you enjoy!
Title: Rewritten
Author: WickedlyAwesomeMe
Language: English
Form: Multi-Chaptered
Genre: Family/Romance
Rating: T
Warning: Abundant cussing, innuendos, hints of violence, geekiness overload of one Scorpius Malfoy
Pairing: slow burn Scorpius Malfoy x Hermione Granger; background Draco Malfoy x Astoria Greengrass
Summary: Or "How Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy Used a Time-Turner and Royally Forked Up". All Scorpius wanted was to warn his father about the future consequences of his past decisions, but this was seriously more than he bargained for. Time-Travel AU. Slow burn Scorpius/Hermione.
Scorpius' Awesome Plan
"Oi, Scorp, you all right?"
Sixteen-year-old Scorpius Malfoy sighed and warily gazed at his approaching best friend. Albus Severus Potter tentatively sat on the dewy grass near the Black Lake and lightly scowled at the Daily Prophet displayed beside the blond Slytherin. Mindlessly, Al drew out his wand and Incendio-d the bugger away, much to Scorpius' amusement.
"That must be the tenth you've burned today," the Malfoy heir pointed out.
"Eleventh, actually."
Scorpius snorted and plopped supine on the grass. His eyes gazed heavenward, trying to make up funny shapes of the drifting clouds. "Hey look, that looks exactly like Rose!" he pointed out. Albus shifted and also splayed down beside him, peering at the cloud he was pointing at.
"Nah, the hair isn't bushy enough," Al replied. "And I know what the bloody hell you're doing, mate. Refusing to talk about it isn't going to work."
He sighed and glared at the worried Potter beside him. "We don't have to talk about anything, Al," he interjected. "You've seen what the news already bore, anyway. What's left to talk about?"
"I talked to Dad. He said they're working on it, Scorpius. You shouldn't worry anymore."
"Ugh, Al, seriously." Scorpius rolled until he was facing away from Al's stupidly worried green eyes. It was the same shade of famous Auror Harry Potter's eyes and Scorpius was reminded once more of the inevitable. "The whole Wizarding World fucking hates my family. Your dad should champion other people worth saving because nothing is going to happen. I talked to Mum. She said everything's bleak. At least she has the decency not to sugarcoat her words."
He heard Albus sigh before tentatively placing a hand on his shoulder. "They're still speculations, you know," he continued. "Nothing's been proven yet."
"The Daily Prophet is having a bloody field day, Potter," he snarled. "I won't be surprised if they'd twist the story until my father is finally thrown to Azkaban and be given the blasted Dementor's Kiss the whole world's been crying about ever since the conclusion of the War."
Scorpius felt his blood boil with rage, his breathing growing rapid and shallow as the possibility of his father being thrown to Azkaban finally sank in.
Earlier this morning, while he was eating breakfast, the Daily Prophet came. Scorpius normally skipped immediately towards the Quidditch section for the latest sports news, but when his father's face greeted him on the front page, his heart dropped to his feet. Suddenly, everybody seemed to stop talking and were looking at him. Albus had worriedly gripped his arm but Scorpius already tore away from the Great Hall and back into the comforts of his four poster bed.
The news spoke of an unexpected ministry raid into the Malfoy Manor and the officials were able to seize illegal dark artifacts. Scorpius wanted to scream at someone, to blast them away, because he had spent most of his childhood summers painstakingly helping his father and mother and their bloody house-elves to clear these dark artifacts. It had taken them years before Malfoy Manor seemed liveable once again, the remnants of dark, residual magic long dispelled from the place he now felt comfortable to call home.
Therefore, he was undoubtedly sure these dark artifacts were planted in their home. His father, Draco Malfoy, was now rising as a respectable Curse Breaker. He was bloody brilliant in what he was doing and Scorpius had respected, loved, and admired his father. But despite all these achievements, the Wizarding World seemed to always see him as one thing alone – a Death Eater.
He had quite forgotten that the Wizarding World was cruel and unforgiving. Scorpius learned at a very young age that bearing the Malfoy surname was a curse. Five-year-old him always felt confused and heartbroken why his father refused to bring him to Florean's in Diagon Alley or buy him a new toy broom so that he could play Quidditch with his father in their vast lawn. His mother always soothed him with bedtime stories, peppering kisses on his forehead to abate his tears with promises of toffee candies and ice creams and all the desserts his little heart loved.
It was when he finally stepped foot in Hogwarts when he understood what it meant to be a Malfoy. Already, there were rumors that he was the Dark Lord's illegitimate son with his mother, Astoria. Which was a load of complete, fucking bullshit because he looked exactly like his father. Why can't people see that?
He had tearfully penned a letter home, telling his parents how the children had called him as such. It was still fresh in his mind how soaked their reply was with tears; until this day, Scorpius wasn't sure if it was his mother's or father's. Or maybe both.
He resolutely ignored their jibes, focusing on his studies and Quidditch to make his parents proud. Over the years, his father finally told him everything he had done in his youth. Scorpius had loved him all the more despite Draco's apprehensions that his son would hate him. Somehow, Scorpius was unable to bridge a connection between scornful, lonely, and arrogant sixteen-year-old Draco Malfoy with his respectable, loving, and admirable father.
But now… now this rubbish! The Wizarding World would be relentless now, Scorpius was sure. False news would resurface, claiming more ridiculous things to prove that Draco Malfoy was, and would always be, Voldemort's supporter through and through. His mother had already sent him a letter to brace himself because things didn't seem too okay.
Above all, he worried for his father. Scorpius had been a witness to Draco Malfoy's every day struggle for redemption. Astoria seemed to be the clutch his father desperately needed to get through each day and he'd been forever grateful his mother was wonderful and good for his father. It still pained his heart how everybody was close-minded with the fact that Draco Malfoy could in fact change for the better.
"Everything's going to be all right, Scorpius," Al whispered from behind him, snapping Scorpius off his angry musings. "Your father is… he's strong."
Wrong.
He had seen his father's breakdowns in the Malfoy Manor, away from prying eyes. He had seen his father drown himself in alcohol sometimes, reducing himself into an incomprehensible mess, blubbering about his regrets for doing what he had done in his life. He had seen his father close himself off during bad days – worst days – and his mother had no choice but to hold Draco tight until he came back to them.
Draco Malfoy wasn't strong. He was… he was barely holding on, and the only reason why he was still alive was because of his wife and son. He had said exactly the same thing to Scorpius during one of his drunken tirades.
Draco Malfoy wasn't strong. He was broken, mayhap broken beyond recognition, and Scorpius was afraid what this news would do to his father.
Scorpius then shot up from the grass and determinedly looked at the Black Lake. "I've got to do something," he declared.
Albus warily sat up and eyed him with a frown. "What are you planning to do?" he slowly asked.
"James once said Headmistress McGonagall hides Time Turners in her office, right?" Already, a plan was formulating and bloody fucking hell, it was brilliant. Perhaps a little too Gryffindor for a Slytherin like him, but it didn't matter for Scorpius right now. All he could think about was saving his father from his past misgivings and finally bringing happiness that was cruelly yanked from him at such a very young age.
"Scorpius, what are you planning to do?" his best friend repeated.
In spite of himself, Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I'm going to steal a Time Turner, Al," he said, the corner of his lips quirking up in amusement. "What do you think I'll do? Turn back into time and kill Voldemort myself?"
Maybe that was a brilliant plan, too, he thought. But then of course, Scorpius knew he was no match to the vilest and most powerful wizard who had ever lived in this world. Ever. What could an awkward Slytherin like him do against Voldemort? "I'm going to go back in time and warn my father about the possible consequences of the wrong choices he will make."
"Sweet Salazar, Scorpius, this is insane!" Albus barked as he jumped onto his feet.
"It isn't," Scorpius insisted. "Okay, so maybe it is ¼ insane, but I have to do this. It is the only way."
"It isn't the only way," his best friend interjected. "My father can always vouch for your father's innocence. Damn it all, maybe the Golden Trio can all testify for your father's behalf in his trial. Aunt Astoria will kill me if she found out I allowed you to do whatever the hell you are planning!"
Scorpius sighed and lazily stood up, all the anger in him draining away as his mind latched onto his plan. "No offense, Al, but the Golden Trio are shit people to my father," he said, grimacing. Albus scowled but hadn't retorted anything back. "They're not exactly friends, and I think you are quite forgetting that Ronald Weasley hated our very guts. He's the reason why Rose still doesn't like me!"
"Ugh, Scorpius!" Albus cried in exasperation. "I'm sure Aunt Hermione just won't stand aside and watch as your father was unfairly tried."
"Minster Granger-Weasley," he corrected, because honestly, the Golden Girl had never been Aunt Hermione to him, "has other matters to attend to. I'm sure the Wizarding World won't like it if she championed an Ex-Death Eater. It won't look good on her squeaky clean record."
Albus looked scandalized with his offhanded accusation and Scorpius actually felt a little remorseful. Minister Hermione Granger-Weasley had been nothing but wise, good and fair and wasn't tolerant of corruption and discrimination. Scorpius admittedly admired her for that and had hoped Rose had taken more from her pretty mother than her idiot father.
"Aunt Hermione," Al hissed in reply, "isn't like that, and you know it."
Scorpius sighed and tiredly ran a hand through his face. "Are you helping me or what?" he demanded.
Albus scowled and crossed his arms against his chest. "Damn you, Scorpius, you owe me," he finally replied.
The Malfoy heir released a monumental sigh and grinned. "Good, because everything will be botched up if you didn't agree," he easily replied. "I need James' Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map for this to come into fruition."
Albus fisted his hair in frustration and groaned. "I should have listened to my father when he said you were bad news," he retorted, clearly put out.
Scorpius laughed and swung an arm around his best friend's shoulders. "But who would patiently listen to your woes of being the son of the freaking Boy-Who-Lived?" he pointed out matter-of-factly.
"I hate you," Al said, roughly pushing him away and stomping back to the castle.
Scorpius cupped his hands against his mouth and shouted in reply, "I love you, too, mate!"
"This is going to seriously blow up, Scorpius."
"Thank you, Albus the Cynic, for choosing this day, of all days, to suddenly make an appearance," Scorpius sarcastically snapped underneath the Invisibility Cloak. He scowled when Albus none-too-gently elbowed him on his ribs. "Just shut up, Al. You can run the hell back to the dungeons if we caught the first sign of an authority."
As if on cue, the unmistakable shadow of Argus Filch grew larger and nearer. Albus cursed under his breath and was about to make a beeline back to the Slytherin dormitories, but Scorpius tightly latched onto his arm. "I was fucking kidding, you git!" he hissed under his breath.
"Damn you, Scorpius," Albus growled in reply.
"Who's there?" Filch cried, frantically waving his torch around.
Both Albus and Scorpius held their breaths and hastily ran towards an alcove to hide. Mrs. Norris suddenly appeared and started meowing in their direction. Scorpius tried to desperately shoo her away, but Albus held a hand against his mouth when Filch materialized behind his cat.
"What is it, my sweet?" the squib gruffly asked. "Can you smell rule-breaking students now?"
The Hogwarts caretaker suspiciously looked at their general direction. Scorpius even felt like their eyes had met despite the protection the Invisibility Cloak provided. His eyes widened when Filch raised his hand and tried to grab the cloak away. Scorpius and Albus pressed themselves further back and was only able to breathe in relief when Mrs. Norris bounded away, no doubt sensing another rule-breaking student.
They waited until Filch's steps faded. Scorpius immediately scrambled out of the alcove, consequently knocking his best friend to the ground. Albus weakly kicked Scorpius' shin in retaliation while Scorpius tried to give him the darkest glare he could muster.
"Let's just get this over and done with," Al muttered, urging him forward.
Within minutes, they finally reached the stone gargoyle that guarded Headmistress' McGonagall's room. "Catnap," Scorpius whispered. The gargoyle sprang to life and stepped aside, revealing a moving, circular staircase. Albus and Scorpius hopped on and only removed the Invisibility Cloak when they reached the top.
"Okay, you still have at least fifteen minutes to do your bloody thing," Al said, lighting his wand to glance over the Maruader's Map. Scorpius peered and saw the Headmistress' name somewhere in the Astronomy Tower. "I'll stand guard here and warn you if there's trouble."
"Thank you for doing this, mate, I mean it," Scorpius said, grasping onto Albus' arm to give him a grateful smile.
Although the Potter boy always told him he was a pain in the arse to be best friends with, Scorpius was thankful Albus had always stuck by him through and through.
"Wish me luck," was his parting words when he pulled the double, wooden doors open and stepped inside.
McGonagall's office was magnificent and impeccable – a place where he had been accustomed of due to years of serving detention under the Headmistress. McGonagall once told him he was the most troublesome Slytherin she ever had the pleasure of handling. Scorpius once joked if his father, an Ex-Death Eater, didn't count, earning him another week of detention and a sad, fond smile from the old professor. Scorpius once told Albus he thinks he was McGonagall's favorite, which Albus loudly disagreed because it was clear he was McGonagall's favorite.
Brandishing out his wand, he murmured a soft, "Accio Time-Turner." A drawer underneath McGonagall's desk rattled and Scorpius jogged closer to free the contraption. He caught the Time-Turner in his hands with ease and admired it under his wand's light.
"Tampering with time is a very foolish thing to do, young man."
Scorpius jolted in surprise and waved his wand around. He was unable to see any wizards or witches inside, which somehow calmed his loudly beating heart.
"Unless, of course, you plan on taking a lot of classes this year to further your education. I think that is quite admirable."
Eyes widening, he realized it was the very big portrait behind McGonagall's desk who was talking to him. He lifted his wand and illuminated the old, wizened face of the famous Albus Dumbledore. The said previous headmaster who shared his best friend's name looked down at him in amusement and curiosity.
"Err… I do plan on getting more classes this year," he slowly lied through his teeth. "I wanted to make my parents proud and all, Professor Dumbledore, sir."
The light might be deceiving him but Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I do not think you would risk breaking into the Headmistress' Office in the middle of the night to do such a noble thing, my dear boy," he lightly admonished.
Scorpius felt a little embarrassed as he sheepishly smiled. "Will you… will you report me to Headmistress McGonagall?" he inquired.
"My job dictates me to, I'm terribly sorry." Dumbledore shifted on his frame and intertwined his wrinkly fingers together. "Although, if I may ask, what are you planning to do with that Time-Turner?"
There was something in Dumbledore's eyes that compelled him to confess. By the time he was done talking, Dumbledore's eyes were impossibly twinkling more, if that was even probable.
"That is a courageous thing to do. Saving your father that is," he reverently said. "Absolutely foolish, of course. But very brave." His eyes warmed and softened as he regarded Scorpius. "A son's love for his father is a powerful little thing, young man. It may be terribly cliché, but love in all its forms is a formidable, magnificent thing."
Scorpius knew this, of course. The story about how Harry Potter vanquished the Dark Lord once and for all was basically about a mother's undying love for her son. Somehow, with this thought, Scorpius felt a new surge of determination to go back into time, warn his father or perhaps plead him to see reason, so that he would be spared from all this turmoil.
Scorpius loved his father very much. He knew he'd do whatever it takes just to make him happier.
He started to turn the knob of the Time-Turner, careful to count all the number of hours he'd go back. He planned on going back to his father's sixth year, knowing that it was when things started to become seriously fucked up for Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore still eyed him curiously, and maybe a tad worriedly, but hadn't said a peep now.
Scorpius fingers were starting to sting, but he continued to turn. Suddenly, however, the door banged open and in came an enraged McGonagall, holding a sheepish, pained Albus by the ear.
"Hello, mate, thought I might come in and say we're in trouble," Albus cajoled, but his green eyes were unmistakably peering worriedly at the still turning Time-Turner.
Despite the intrusion, Scorpius hadn't lost count and had been frantically turning more.
"Mister Malfoy!" McGonagall exclaimed, aghast. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Professor, please, he needed to do this," Albus pleaded. One scathing glare from the Headmistress clamped his mouth shut.
Scorpius grinned when he'd finally turned it completely. "I'm sorry, Headmistress," the Slytherin solemnly said. "I'll happily grace your presence during my break times for the rest of my stay in Hogwarts, but please, I have to do this." His eyes turned beseeching as McGonagall's grew horrified.
The Headmistress was fast enough and blasted the contraption away. Scorpius watched, seemingly in slow motion, as the Time-Turner flew away from his hands. Even his stellar Seeker skills were unable to save the Time-Turner as it shattered at his feet.
Dread bloomed in the pit of his stomach. Scorpius fell on his knees, aware that tears were slowly pooling in his grey eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mister Malfoy, but I cannot allow you to do this… this foolishness!" McGonagall exclaimed.
Saving his father now seemed a very impossibly thing. He could already picture his father, behind bars in Azkaban, begging for all the Wizarding World to hear his side. Even the Golden Trio would be helpless when the Wizengamot dictated him as guilty, already announcing his schedule for the Dementor's Kiss.
Scorpius could already see his mother, his poor mother, as she tried to keep herself calm. Her mother was strong, she had always been strong, and it was something he had admired in her. Without her, the whole Malfoy family would fall apart. Scorpius feared this was something his strong mother couldn't bear this time.
A lone tear slipped down from his eyes and splattered amongst the glittering sand of the broken Time-Turner. "I'm sorry, Dad," he mournfully whispered.
His brows furrowed when a flicker caught his eye. Confused, Scoripus looked down at the sand on his feet and gasped in surprise. The sand shimmered gold and slowly lifted from the ground. Scorpius watched open-mouthed as the sand swirled around him, at first slow before picking up a dizzying pace. The strange sands of time created a deafening whirlwind; he was unable to hear McGongall's and Albus' shouts of alarm for him to get away.
Scorpius was able to see their terrified faces, though, as they slowly faded before his eyes and everything turned black.
A/N: End of chapter! Please drop a review.
So... I'd like to fancy myself into thinking that this is not an ordinary "Time-Turner" story hahaha. Also, I really hoped I'll be able do justice to Scorpius' character. I really, really loved him in "The Cursed Child"; he was one of the saving graces of the book.
I'm still working out on a schedule for updates. Most likely, I'll update twice a week, so do expect another update this week.
With love,
WickedlyAwesomeMe