The day was swelteringly hot, despite the amount of clouds in the sky. Scorpius was already starting to panic as he approached the Malfoy manor, the suspected hiding spot for Lord Voldemort.
The building looked eerie after he had lived there for his life in a parallel universe with its dark lighting and untrimmed plants.
As Scorpius walked on, he saw a shadowy figure run up to the gates, and heard a voice cry out.
"Scorpius! Oh my god! I was so worried!"
His mother was alive. He was so confused. She was supposed to be dead, and a dead person can't come back, no matter how much you want them to.
"Mum? What? I don't know what to say!"
"I was so worried! There was an attack on Hogwarts, and we lost about 50 of our best death eaters! I thought you had perished!"
Scorpius stood there, stunned. His mother ran through the gate as though it was a projection, and embraced him in a loving hug, one that Scorpius hadn't felt in a long time, and it wasn't anything he expected from a death eater.
"Are you all right? Can I get you something? We'll get you all back up! Let's go, honey."
She pulled him through the gate and into the building. An ominous muttering seemed to be coming from the walls themselves, and voices were audible from the luxurious dining room, where there seemed to be a meeting.
As they came into the corridor containing most of the bedrooms, a voice called out from the stairs.
"Astoria! We need you down here! Now!"
She gave him a hug, and rushed off.
He slumped onto his bed, and just layed there for a few minutes collecting his thoughts, and then muttered: "Expecto Patronum"
An owl appeared, and he sent his message to Terry Boot.
All of a sudden, the door opened.
Scorpius jolted, wand pointed at the door.
Kingsley stood in the door, vaguely recognisable.
"Kingsley? What're you doing here? I thought that you were supposed to be my backup in case something went wrong? Did something go wrong?"
"Nah, just that the patronus you sent made no sense. It just sounded like a bunch of jumbled up letters. Terry asked me to check on you just in case you were in trouble. What were you planning to tell him?"
"Just that I'm in, and that nobody here suspects me. By the way, do you know why mum's alive? She was supposed to be dead."
"In fact, I just happen to know what happened due to some easy confunding. Lord Voldemort forced her to make a horcrux, or he threatened to use the cruciatus curse on her until she was mindless, like Alice and Frank Longbottom."
There was a moment of silence, where Scorpius stood there, open mouthed, taking in what Kingsley had said.
"What? No, my mother wouldn't do such a thing."
"I assure you, she did. Ask her now, I hear her coming up."
Scorpius also heard the steps coming up the steps, and hastened to look comfortable.
"Oh hello, Oskar. What are you doing here, in Scorpius's room?"
"Well, I thought I heard his name, and I hastened to see the youngest Malfoy all safe and sound."
Kingsley gave Scorpius a genuine smile, and then walked out.
"Come on honey, the others want to see you as well. Even Lord Voldemort is coming."
"V- Voldemort?"