A/N: I'm really sorry about all the real life issues getting in the way of updating. I appreciate all those who have taken the time to read and review. Hope you enjoy it.

Scor sat on his bed thinking about the last two months with Lily. It was as though he had been living in a dream. The smile that had adorned his features when Lily said yes had decided to take up permanent residence. Each night he went to bed counting himself the luckiest bloke in England.

"Hey Malfoy," Nott stood at the door looking sour, "Letter for you." He tossed the missive onto the end of Scor's bed and left quickly. Scor had been so elated to finally have Lily as his girlfriend he had written his father a long letter telling him the happy news. He wasn't surprised then to see Draco's even scrawl on the envelope. He tore it open eagerly.

Scorpius,

I understand this weekend is a Hogsmede weekend. Meet me in the Hogs Head at noon. Come alone.

Father

Scor tried to stifle a sense of disappointment. He had hoped to have received a little more support, but perhaps that was why Draco had wanted to see him at Hogsmede. Scor had been happy to see Draco's treatment of Lily this summer. It felt good to know his father supported him in his decision, but there was no reason for his father to want to meet him to tell him anything of that sort. This letter seemed to exude a sense of urgency. Father must know something. He might want to warn me about what's going on.

Scor folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket as he made his way to the common room. The younger Slytherins were trickling in from their last classes of the day. Lily walked over and dropped her bag onto the floor and wrapped her arms around him.

"Hi love," She smiled up at him, "what's wrong?"

"I got a letter from Dad."

"Oh?"

"He wants to meet me at Hogsmede this weekend."

"Why?"

"Well, I think he might have something to tell me about what's going on or maybe he just wants to warn me about it."

"That's good isn't it? We might find out why everyone's acting so odd."

"I hope so."

The sound of raised voices outside the entrance caught their attention. Lily pulled away and they both turned just as Prissy came thundering through the stone entrance with Matilda on her heels.

"No! I won't do it!"

"Prissy, if you don't he'll…"

"I DON'T CARE! I'm not a pawn in a chess game, I…" Prissy finally noticed she had an audience. She glared at Scor and marched off to the girls dorms. Scor and Lily gave each other identical looks of "what was that all about?"

"Let's go to the library," Lily said after a moment or two. "I need to look up a spell for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

As they walked down the corridor Scor noticed how quiet the castle seemed. Everyone spoke in hushed tones as though someone had just died. There was a foreboding sense of anticipation in the air. Al and Hugo were sitting at a table near the back of the nearly deserted library. Scor dropped into a chair across form Al who smiled and then leaned over conspiratorially.

"I overheard Avery and Nott talking in the corridor on the way to Charms," he said without preamble. "They were talking about some sort of initiation."

"For what?"

"Dunno, but it sounded pretty serious. Nott was shaking like mad and saying he didn't know if he could do it."

"That's strange. Nott's never backed down from a dare."

"Yeah. Avery looked like he was going to wet himself."

"Maybe I should ask them what's going on."

"I don't know, Scor," Lily said in a low voice from beside him. "The Slytherins seem rather down on you of late."

"That's true. I can't even get Sharpe to talk to me. He comes in late, leaves early, and he's started sitting by Paul Pucey in classes."

"Well, one of us needs to find out what's going on," Hugo whispered. "Even the teachers are acting strange. Freddie got told off for walking too close to the forest on his way back from Care of Magical Creatures yesterday."

"I can try to talk to Prissy," Lily said. "She seemed willing to talk to me."

"Okay, and I'll try to pin Sharpe down. He's bound to know something. Course my Dad might be able to tell me everything this weekend." Al looked surprised at this.

"Is he coming to Hogsmede?"

"Yeah. He wants to talk to me alone."

"But you're going to tell us what he says right?"

"Of course." Scor grinned at his friend.

"Let's meet in the Three Broomsticks then after you talk to him."

"Alright," Scor said hoping that whatever his father had to tell him would clear up all the nonsense going on.

The next day Scor woke up early anxious to find out what his father would say. As he pulled on his robes, he noticed a piece of parchment on his bedside table. He picked it up and read:

You'd better start acting like a Malfoy if you know what's good for you.

We're watching.

He looked around the room half expecting someone to step out with a wand drawn. Who could've left this? He started making a mental list before deciding that it could have been any of the Slytherins. They were all treating him strangely. Hoping that his meeting with his father would shed some light on the matter, he made his way to the common room to meet Lily for breakfast.

"Scor!" She rushed to him holding a piece of parchment similar to the one he had left on his bedside table. He took the paper and read:

If you want to stay healthy, stick with your own kind. Malfoy's don't love blood traitors.

We're watching.

"I got one too," he muttered.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It said something about behaving like a Malfoy."

"Who do you think…"

"Dunno. Could have been anyone."

"Should we tell the headmistress?"

"I want to see what Father has to say first." Her distraught expression pained him. "It's alright, love. Just empty threats. Let's go to breakfast."

She gave a brief nod and took his hand a defiant look in her eyes. On impulse he pulled her to him and kissed her gently. He pulled away and whispered, "You know I love you, Lily?"

"I know. I love you, Scor." Scor felt the familiar tingles that always accompanied those words.

"Come on. Let's get some breakfast."

The line of students heading to Hogsmede stretched through the entrance hall. Everyone seemed anxious to escape the gloomy atmosphere of the castle. Scor walked with Lily, Al, Rose, and Hugo. The crisp air filled his lungs and Lily's hand in his warmed his heart.

"Wish Uncle George hadn't discontinued the extendable ears. I'd sure like to hear what your father says," Al muttered.

"I told you I'll tell you what he says."

"Yeah, but you might forget something or he might swear you to secrecy."

"I just won't swear." Scor said evasively.

"Okay, we'll meet you here at 2 o'clock," Al said coming to a stop in front of the Three Broomsticks. Scor nodded and walked off in the direction of the Hog's Head. The students he passed seemed a bit more cheerful than they had been, but the townspeople seemed uneasy. Several old wizards followed him with their eyes as he pulled open the door to the tavern. Scor blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

He looked over at the dark young wizard tending the bar and saw him point to a narrow door. Scor entered the small room and felt his stomach drop to the floor. Two men sat at the table. Draco sat staring off into space beside a smirking Lucius Malfoy.

"Sit down, Scorpius," Lucius barked and Scor dropped into a chair trying to regain his composure. "Your father tells me you have recently acquired a girlfriend." The sneer on the cold face turned Scor's stomach.

"Yes," he said defiantly.

"Such disrespect," Lucius tutted.

"Yes, sir," Scor said just as defiantly.

"I would like to suggest," Lucius said smoothly, "that you find someone moreworthy of a Malfoy."

Scor turned to his father hoping for some help.

"Father, I thought you liked Lily." Draco turned empty eyes on his son and adopted a sneer identical to his father's.

"I have tolerated your obsession these years hoping you would eventually come to your senses. She is attractive, but her status is unsuitable. Besides, how could I possibly approve of an alliance with my worst enemy?"

Scor's senses were reeling. For a brief moment he wondered if he was asleep having a terrible nightmare brought on by stress. He pinched himself on the leg and the pain wiped away his last hope. He looked back and forth between the two men steeling himself knowing what his decision would mean.

"I love Lily Potter. I'm going to marry her. If you don't like it, I guess you can just disown me." He stared into two pairs of cold grey eyes, but instead of the shouts he had expected, Lucius's lip merely curled into a sinister smile.

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear, Scorpius. You will discontinue all contact with the Potter brat or your inheritance will not be the only thing you lose." Scor felt a chill flood his veins. "Do you imagine you can protect her? She will be found. One day she will be alone, unprotected, vulnerable, exposed and…"

"STOP IT! YOU MONSTER!" Scor lunged across the table at the man in front of him. He felt Draco's strong arms holding him back. "GET OFF ME! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

"Your own grandfather, Scorpius?" Lucius's voice retained the smooth calm but his expression turned cold. "Heed my warning. If you have not ceased this disgraceful behavior and ended your shameful relationship with that girl in one week, I shall use your little love to practice the Unforgivables on."

Scor continued to struggle against Draco. Pain coursed through him mixed with the fire of anger. Lucius stood, the sinister smile still etched on his granite features.

"One week. Come Draco."

Lucius walked out the door and Draco finally released Scor. He sank into the chair emotionally and physically drained. His father followed Lucius, leaving Scor alone with his pain. The thought of Lily being hurt nauseated him. He began to shake violently. He couldn't allow Lucius to harm her, but he couldn't protect her. He had no choice but to let her go, and Lucius knew it.

He sat shaking in the chair for what seemed like hours trying to think of any way he could protect Lily and still be with her. Finally, he looked at his watch and remembered his promise to meet his friends. What can I tell them? He drug himself out of the chair and outside into the street.

Happy voices mocked his pain as he trudged to the Three Broomsticks and pushed the door open. He mentally shook himself and tried to feign an air of excitement which contradicted his very soul.

"Hey," he said dropping into a seat beside Lily in what he hoped was a nonchalant way.

"So what did he say?" Al said eagerly.

"There's some evil git threatening students." Which is not far from the truth,Scor thought.

"Are they trying to catch him?" Rose said looking worried.

I wish. Scor remembered the Potters having to go in to the ministry that day on the platform.

"I guess so."

"We should help," Lily said.

"NO!"

"But, we could lay a trap for him…maybe lure him to reveal himself."

"No! You can't! Lily, it's too dangerous. Please…just promise me you won't go looking for trouble."

Lily looked at him with her eyebrow raised.

"Well, we can keep our eyes open anyway," Hugo said breaking the silence stretching between Scor and Lily. The others agreed and began discussing who they thought it might be leaving Scor alone with his thoughts.

He watched the redhead next to him committing every expression to memory. One week, but how do you tell the one you love goodbye?