A/N: Ugh, sorry for the late posting (at least it's late where I'm at). Didn't get much time to write until tonight.
So, this is a bit of a long one. Just a warning, it gets a bit dark towards the end. I will be having many more chapters like that, a lot of them ever darker. I may bump up the rating if I have to (and let me know at any time if you think I should). Anywho, here's the latest! Enjoy!
Scorpius flicked his eyes across the room towards Rose. She was playing Wizard's chess with Albus Potter, her back to him. Scorpius swallowed, feeling the ever-present sorrow in his chest at their abrupt separation.
"Alright Gryffindors!" Scorpius flinched as the stiff voice of Headmistress McGonagall carried through the room. "Make your way to the Hogwarts Express in a calm and orderly fashion."
Chaos and pandemonium ensued, and Scorpius was one of the last of the students to climb through the portrait hole. He followed the Scamander twins all the way through the halls and corridors and moving staircases that made up the innards of Hogwarts until they had left the building through the front door.
They were soon aboard the Hogwarts Express, with Scorpius and the twins sitting in one of the back compartments.
"I can't wait to get home." Lysander said breathily, leaning back on the bench inside their compartment.
"I can't wait to see Mum and Dad." Lorcan agreed. Scorpius bit his lip. The truth was, he was dreading going home. He was definitely excited to see his parents, yet the prospect of seeing his grandfather terrified him.
"Scorpius?" Lysander queried, noticing the conflicted look on his face.
"I can't wait." Scorpius replied simply, offering the identical blonde boys a small smile.
"You've been awfully quiet lately." Lorcan remarked, narrowing his eyes. Scorpius gulped nervously. He had been quiet of late, but only out of concern. His father, who had promised to write, hadn't written a single letter to him. As Christmas neared along with their inevitable meeting, Scorpius had felt the fear and terror growing inside of him.
"Just busy." Scorpius answered, trying to brighten his smile. He didn't think the teacher bought it, but they didn't inquire any further. "How's the map coming?" he asked, trying to changed the subject. The faces of both the twins glowed at the mention of their current project: creating a replica of the Marauder's Map.
"It's coming along nicely." Lysander answered, resting the back of his head on his hands.
"Still need to figure out a few things, of course." Lorcan added.
"We've gotten most of Hogwarts mapped out, but we can't seem to find out how to track people on it." Lysander explained, a thoughtful look residing on his face.
"How have you gotten most of Hogwarts mapped?" Scorpius asked, his brow furrowing. The twins exchanged a mischievous glance.
"Well…" Lorcan began.
"You really don't want to know." Lysander interrupted. His twin nodded in agreement.
"Probably for the best." He replied. Scorpius smiled to himself, shaking his head ruefully at his friend's antics.
"Anyone up for a game of Exploding Snap?" He implored, raising his eyebrows up and down challengingly.
"Merlin, yes." Lysander answered. "We could use some excitement."
The three boys scooted down to the floor, then pulled out Scorpius' set and began a rousing game of the common wizardly card game. It was going rather well until Lorcan gave Lysander and Scorpius a sound beating, which resulted in the latter two ganging up on him. That, in turn, ended with a three-way brawl on the floor of the compartment that quickly came to an end when the food-trolley witch yelled at them to stop, claiming students on the opposite side of the train could hear them.
When the train finally pulled to a stop at Nine and Three-Quarters Platform, Scorpius was laughing so hard at the twins he almost didn't notice the screeching of the brakes, or the mass of waiting parents outside on the platform. He and the two blonde boys each grabbed their things, then made their way off the train.
Scorpius sucked in a deep breath as his feet touched the brick. Looking around, he quickly spotted the silver head of his father about ten yards away.
"Have a merry Christmas, Scorpius!" Lorcan said as he shouldered his bag.
"Merry Christmas, both of you!" Scorpius replied, waving in farewell at them as they wandered off to find their own parents.
Scorpius wove his way through the crowd towards his father, trying to block out the overwhelming noises of parents and children alike greeting each other with joy. He found his father and mother standing off to the edge of the crowd, looking slightly uncomfortable for some reason.
"Scorpius!" her mother exclaimed when she saw him, throwing her arms open wide to welcome him.
"Mum!" Scorpius replied, running into her arms and wrapping his own around her waist.
"I've missed you, dear." Astoria Malfoy murmured, pulling back to look him over. Scorpius managed to hold in his gasp at the pale complexion of her strangely thin face. Her dark brown hair still felt in soft waves that delicately framed her face, though it did nothing to hide the worry hiding behind her hazel eyes.
"Scorpius." He glanced to the side to see his father towering over him. Scorpius bit his lip, then felt a small sense of relief as Draco smiled down at him.
"Father." He replied, then stepped forward and gave him a short embrace.
"You look well." Draco said quietly, appraising Scorpius with a flick of his grey eyes.
"I am, thank you." Scorpius answered in a tight voice. He had so many questions. Why hadn't he written? Was he alright? Did Mum know about everything that was going on?
"Well, we should go." Astoria jumped in, giving Draco a meaningful look.
"Yes, I suppose we should." He agreed, helping Scorpius with his bags.
They returned back to King's Cross Station, then left the bustling building through the front exit. Draco led them to an empty alleyway where he and Astoria side-apparated Scorpius to the entrance of Malfoy Manor. Scorpius had apparated with his parents before, but he had never been very fond of that particular form of transportation.
Malfoy Manor looked as pristine as ever, its pitch-black wrought-iron gates standing elegantly in front of them. The hedges that lined the gravel driveway was as lush and green as they normally were, and Scorpius even spotted some of the albino peacocks that frequented their residence. The house itself still bore its aura of regality, the mere sight of it a sign of the noble family that had lived inside its walls for decades.
Astoria was the first to move towards the gate. Scorpius made to follow her, but Draco placed his hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Astoria, go on. We'll be there in a moment." Draco called ahead to his wife. Astoria nodding, giving him a knowing look. Scorpius watched in confusion as she strode through the gate and down the driveway towards the entrance to the grandiose mansion. When his mother was out of earshot, Scorpius turned to his father.
"Why didn't you write?" he asked, his voice calm, though slightly tinged with irritation. Draco gave him a perplexed look.
"What are you talking about?" He replied. "I was going to ask you the same thing." Scorpius felt even more confusion wash over him.
"You never wrote to me!" he exclaimed.
"Yes I did!" Draco responded indignantly. "I wrote to you every single…" his voice trailed off and understanding dawned on his face. "Oh." He said simply.
"What?" Scorpius inquired.
"Lucius." His father murmured. "He's been intercepting my mail." A brief expression of fury crossed his face before being replaced by fear. "Be careful, Scorpius." Draco knelt down in front of him and looked into his eyes. "He's watching us here, too."
Scorpius nodded, swallowing upon noticing the terror lining his father's grey irises. He felt awash in fear, knowing how terrified his father was. It was even more harrowing to know that they couldn't do anything about it. Lucius was too powerful, and the possibilities of themselves getting hurt wasn't something Scorpius wanted to risk, nor, apparently, did Draco.
"Let's go in, son." Scorpius' father said quietly, resting his hand on his son's back as the two Malfoy's made their way to the front door.
As soon as Scorpius crossed the threshold into Malfoy Manor, he felt as if a million eyes had suddenly trained in on him, watching his every move. His muscles tensed, his shoulders stiffening. He sensed a similar reaction from his father as he walked in behind him and shut the door with a soft thud.
"Scorpius dear, we'll have dinner in about half an hour." Astoria called from the study next to the entrance. "You can go on to your room and wash up."
"Yes, Mum." Scorpius replied, then marched up the stairs.
His room was much the same as he had left it. The maids had clearly been in to tidy things up and wipe away the dust that had accumulated over the months of his absence, but the four-poster bed was still against the back wall with one window framed by forest green drapes on either side.
Flopping down on the mattress, Scorpius let the exhaustion fall over him. Most students were likely feeling thrilled to be home with their loved ones. Scorpius, on the other hand, was terrified. The thought of being watched every waking minute by his grandfather was beginning to drive him crazy.
Glancing around the room, he realized the various portraits of Malfoy's and other prestigious wizards were all watching him. Following him. Spying on him and reporting his every move to Lucius Malfoy.
Thankfully, Lucius didn't live with them. He and Narcissa had moved to a smaller house farther south. Sadly, Narcissa had passed away the previous year. Scorpius knew his grandmother hadn't approved of his mother very much, but she had always made an effort to be kind to him. He couldn't help but notice that his family's visits with Lucius had become much less frequent since her passing.
"Scorpius!" Came a shout from downstairs, shaking him from his thoughts. His mother.
Surprised that half an hour had already passed, Scorpius raced to the bathroom and washed his hands and face before bolting down the stairs and around the corner to the dining room.
His parents were seated at the far end of the long table comprised of dark mahogany. Scorpius slowed upon entering the room and walked calmly towards them. He watched as Draco and Astoria talked to one another, their heads bowed closely together. Despite Scorpius' unfortunate grandparent problem, his parents definitely loved each other. A smile crept up his face as he slid into one of the tall, regal looking chairs.
"Amanda?" Astoria called into the next room, beckoning for their maid to bring them their food. The older woman emerged bearing a tray of roasted duck. Scorpius' mouth watered at the sight, hungrily eyeing their food as Amanda set it down between the three of them.
"Thank you, Amanda." Draco said, nodding at the maid. She gave a slight bow, dipping her head respectively.
"It's me pleasure, sir." She replied in a thick Irish accent, then disappeared back into the room from whence she came.
"So Scorpius, tell us about Hogwarts." Astoria began as she carefully took some duck meat from the silver platter and passed it to him.
The words poured out as Scorpius began telling story after story to his parents of the happenings during his first tenure at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His parents laughed along, though it was stilted. Scorpius' own laughter was stiff as well. He knew it was from the portraits that lined the wall, the statues that watched their every move, listened to their every word.
"What exactly are we doing for Christmas?" Scorpius asked when his storytelling mood had expired. Their plates lay empty before them, dinner finished long ago.
"Staying here." Draco answered, though Scorpius noticed his eyes shifting nervously. "Lucius is coming."
Scorpius felt the atmosphere thicken. He detected the exchanged glance between his parents, and realized Astoria must know as well. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as the realization that his grandfather was coming dawned on him.
A hand suddenly enclosed over his and Scorpius looked down to see Draco's strong finger covering his smaller ones. His other hand was taken by his mother, and the three of them each knew what the other was trying to say.
They would get through this. Together.
Lucius Malfoy arrived on Christmas Eve. His ebony cloak flowed majestically behind him as he sashayed through the door into his former residence. His silver mane of hair framed his pointed face, his cold grey eyes locking onto Scorpius the moment he walked down the stairs to greet him.
"Scorpius." Lucius said, his voice sickeningly sweet. "How good to see you." One look into his icy gaze, and Scorpius felt the terror take up residence in his stomach.
"Grandfather." Scorpius acknowledged, bowing his head in respect of the powerful wizard before him.
"I hope you're enjoying your time in Gryffindor." Scorpius wished with all his might that Lucius would stop using such a honeyed, grating tone. He could feel the rage, the vehemence behind the voice. He could see it in those stony grey eyes that bored into the very depths of his soul.
"I-I am." Scorpius replied, not knowing what else to say. He immediately regretted it, mentally scolding himself for being so bloody stupid.
Lucius' eyes widened at the confession, then grabbed him by the collar and practically dragged him into the study off of the entrance hallway. Scorpius whimpered slightly as Lucius slammed his much smaller frame against the back wall of the dark room and pulled out his wand with the his free hand. He heard voices coming from the entrance hall as his parents searched for the new arrival that had mysteriously disappeared.
"You are the most pathetic excuse for a Malfoy I have ever seen." Lucius hissed, his face contorted into an enraged scowl. "Even more so than your father, and believe me he was pathetic." He spat.
"Father?" Scorpius peered under Lucius' raised arm and saw his parents standing in the doorway, horror painted across their faces.
"You've raised quite a boy, Draco." Lucius sneered, releasing Scorpius' collar but still keeping him pinned against the wall. "You must be so proud, knowing you've raised the boy who will bring nothing but shame and ruin on this family." Lucius said the words so viciously Scorpius almost felt as if they were knives, tearing into his flesh.
"Please, just…" Draco swallowed, the fear on his face growing with each second. "Just leave him alone."
"Leave him alone?" Lucius repeated, chuckling lightly, though no humor resounded in it. "If I leave him alone, he will disgrace us, Draco. Is that what you want?" Draco opened his mouth, but nothing came out. "Is that what you want?" Lucius shouted, his eyes wide in rage.
Scorpius realized these were not merely the ravings of an angry man, or just a man with a grudge. These were the ravings of a man hell-bent on saving his family's name, no matter what that entitled.
These were the ravings of a mad man. A lunatic. A man so obsessed it had driven him over the edge. Scorpius felt a wave of terror wash over him anew, wondering how much harm Lucius was willing to do.
"Lucius, leave Scorpius out of this." Astoria suddenly spoke up. Scorpius couldn't help but feel impressed at his mother's courage. No one stood up to Lucius, and that was made perfectly clear by the infuriated expression on his face.
"Do not speak to me as if you were part of this family, you witless woman!" Lucius snarled, his eyes wide in fury.
"I am your daughter-in-law, Lucius. I am part of this family, whether you approve of it or-"
Astoria never finished. Lucius flicked his wand effortlessly in a wave-like motion, muttering "Diffindo." under his breath. Scorpius watched in horror as his mother screamed in pain, a bright red line of blood appearing on her forehead and stretching down the side of her pale face.
"You bastard!" Draco roared, drawing his wand and leaping forward.
"Do you wish the same punishment as your mewling wife?" Lucius responded nonchalantly. Draco continued striding towards his father. "Or perhaps your pathetic son would enjoy it." Draco skidded to a halt as Lucius turned his wand towards Scorpius. Scorpius gulped nervously, sweat rolling down his forehead as the tip of Lucius' wand pointed straight at his chest.
Fear and terror once again etched themselves onto Draco's face as he stared in between his father and his son. After a moment's deliberation, he lowered his wand. Lucius followed suit.
"Wise choice." He smirked. "Now I suggest you go look after your wife." Lucius swirled around so he was once again facing Scorpius. "As for you…if you ever do anything to dishonor this family, you will receive a punishment so horrific, you will wish you had never been born. Do you understand?"
The words were spoken quietly, yet with a deadly force behind them. Scorpius stared up into the iron-grey eyes of his grandfather and knew he was serious. His heart pounded in his chest as terror overcame him.
"I understand."
A/N: Well, there ya have it! Special surprise for you guys: next chapter will be from Draco's POV (yay!)! :D sorry if it feels like I'm deviating too much from Scorpius/Rose's stories, but I think it's important to see things from Draco's perspective. Plus, I'm planning on having a flashback that explains a few things about his and Lucius' relationship. Really excited about writing this.
Alright, well I'll see ya guys next time! It may not be up til Monday, I have a buttload of stuff going on tomorrow :/ if you have time, please leave a review! Love to know what you think! Good night everyone!
