Title: Bringer of Doom
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Scorpius Malfoy, Albus Severus Potter, Rose Weasley
Warnings: Off-page Character Death
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 910
Summary: Astoria taught him a very important lesson.
Notes:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Rescue the Story
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Gringotts - Prompts Used - Quote: "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson / Title: Bringer of Doom / Genre: Friendship / Better word for 'said': Suggested / Adjective: Reject
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Chocolate Frog: Scorpius Malfoy - Write about Scorpius Malfoy.
365 Days of Drabbles Challenge: Prompt Used - Bathe
Scorpius was tired and hungry. He'd been working on his Transfiguration homework for hours and hours, and he was sick of it.
As he leant back in his chair, he looked around the dark library and spotted other fifth years bent over books and parchment. At least he wasn't the only one.
He was completely fed up with his work. Therefore, he decided it was time to go to bed. Class was tomorrow and he hadn't finished, but it wasn't until after lunch. He knew he would have time to work on the assignment tomorrow.
Why did anyone care about how the Transfiguration Formula applied to writing desks and ravens anyway? He turned to his friends, Albus and Rose, with a deep sigh. "I'm going to bed," he told them.
"No, you're not," Rose replied sternly, fixing him with a dark stare.
"I damn well am," He replied, "I'm exhausted, and I can't stop myself from falling asleep anymore. You're the Ravenclaw, not me."
He began to leave, and he caught Rose's eye roll out of the corner of his gaze, but he ignored it. He had too much on his plate to start a fight over stupid homework, especially with 'the thing.' No, he told himself. He wouldn't think about that. Not today.
Of course, he couldn't ever really stop thinking about it. He got to the dormitory and decided to not bathe himself. Every body part ached, and his bed had never looked more welcoming.
As his head hit the pillow, Scorpius couldn't fall asleep. His whole body yearned for the blissfulness of sleep, but his mind wouldn't stop going over everything. He didn't want to think about it, but his mind was determined to go there.
The last time he saw his mum had been over Christmas break. She had been so frail, unable to even get out of bed. It wasn't fair that she was dying, that there wasn't any cure – not even magical – for her illness. Astoria Malfoy had once been a beautiful, vivacious woman. She was the perfect pure-blood, but she was also kind and gentle. He knew how lucky he had been to have her as a mother, especially compared to some other pure-blood mothers who didn't know how to show their affection. Astoria had never had that issue, and Scorpius had always known how loved he was.
He hadn't wanted to come back to school. His dad didn't need to say it; Scorpius knew she was quickly fading, and he hadn't wanted to be away when that happened.
Astoria had begged Scorpius to leave, though. She didn't want him to watch her get weaker.
Her last words to him were, "Be strong, my love."
Scorpius had held back the tears, knowing she might be gone before the end of the school year. He did his best to focus on his studies, knowing that's what his mother wanted, but most of the time, it was of no use.
All he could think about was his mother's limp hair, too pale complexion, painful grimaces every time she moved even an inch, and hazy eyes. She no longer looked like she had life within her but was only waiting until her body gave up the painful fight.
The next day, he knew he had smudges underneath his eyes, but he didn't bother using magic to hide his exhaustion. He sat at the Slytherin table, trying to stomach some of the food, but his attention was quickly drawn to the flutter of owls.
His breath caught at the look of the family's owl and the fact that it was carrying a letter in a black envelope.
Everyone in the Great Hall fell silent, knowing what a blank envelope meant.
Scorpius swallowed harshly, wanting to grab the letter and flee to safety. But where was safety? At one time, it was in his mother's arms, but as he unblinkingly gazed at the letter the owl held out to him, he knew that option was no longer available to him.
Albus and Rose quickly came over to him, but he rejected their consoling touches. They both still had a mum and dad; there was no way they could understand what he was feeling.
"Let's get out of here," Rose quietly suggested.
Scorpius numbly stood up, staring as Albus grabbed the letter, and then dutifully allowed himself to be led out of the Great Hall.
It felt like everything was crashing down around him as he was led to the Ravenclaw dormitory. He allowed himself to be pushed on the blue couch. Before either of his friends could say anything to try to make him feel better, he curled into a ball and hugged his knees. The tears fell, and he was done trying to keep them away.
He allowed himself to grieve, knowing he'd have to pull himself together in order to help his dad. His mum had been his dad's one true love, and the two Malfoys would need to lean on each other during this hard time.
Despite the tragedy, he knew he'd pick himself up and continue on with his life. Hopefully, he'd meet his own true love, and if they had a daughter, he would beg his wife to accept the name of Astoria for their baby girl, after the strong, brave woman who raised him, who taught him to rise up every time he fell. Just like he was going to do now.