Snapping, snarling jaws ensnared the woman's arm. With a brutal tug the offending arm was torn from the socket, stringy flesh and muscle slapping against the woman's ashen face as she silently screamed. The beast above her stood proud, muscles rippling as it stood on its haunches to toss the limb into a sea of smoke. The fog swirled around its legs. Its elegonated skull was peppered with wild tufts of black fur, its skin shifting around its slit mouth. The eyes swivelled lazily to stare before it. Its jaw cracked like a whip as it opened, tongue unfurling to lick its sticky cheeks. With each lick the skin corroded to drip fleshy lumps that bubbled and spat. Leaping to all fours it suddenly released an almighty yip, a guttural cry of excitement as it tossed its face to the sky and sniffed. Its head lolled backwards onto its spine, tongue flopping backwards to dab its spine. The holes in its cheeks webbed and tore until the face was sliding with a wet slap.

Scorpius jolted awake heaving. He clawed at his rising chest as his wide eyes sought the canopy above him. He couldn't breathe. He was trapped. Kicking at his duvet as the panic sunk into his chest, Scorpius cried as his breath came in short ragged gasps. The bed swam before him in a blur, his mouth opening and closing.

'Scorp!'

The canopy hangings were yanked open as Albus scrambled onto the bed almost immediately, his eyes equally as wide, his face etched with worry. The boy bounced onto his friend and pulled his clammy hands into a clasped grip.

'Scorp! It's okay, please, you're with me', Albus promised, his whispered voice soft. 'Bad dream, it was a bad dream! Okay? I knew I shouldn't have let you sleep in-but you're okay! Yeah?'

Scorpius blinked hard, feeling the weight of Albus upon his legs. He stared gratefully at his friend, his anchor to reality and his breathing began to settle into an easier rhythm. He ignored his soaked cheeks and instead offered a shaky smile to his best friend. It was more a flick of the corners and embarrassed wobble but his raven haired friend beamed back, his mop of hair pushed back by an equally shaken hand before wrapping around Scorpius's hands again.

'Oh Scorp-'

'I'm okay,' Scorpius breathed, 'I am'. He settled back into his nest of pillows and pulled his arms free as Albus had all but forgotten to unclasp them. 'It's like a story playing out you know? It-it-it just keeps getting worse-maybe I should tell Dad?'

Albus began to fidget and clambered from the bed with a shrug once he was assured Scorpius had stopped crying, 'well you could. Can't say I would, I mean, well. Look. Why don't you get ready and we can go walk around the lake?' He remained standing, having shoved his hands into his pockets he swayed on the spot. The pair always went to the lake to scheme or talk openly, it was like a private adventure for the duo, each time promising a new chapter in their friendship.
Scorpius nodded quickly, swatted at his cheeks with a palm and nodded again.

'Al I'd really like that- but if you push me in again, I swear on Merlin I will turn all your clothes purple!'

Albus snorted, 'Yeah, Scorp! You still need to work on your threats. Like purple, seriously' he snorted again.

'And if you keep snorting like that you might end up being served in the Great Hall tonight!'