"Always get there early" - Scorpius Malfoy

They weren't talking about it. Elle had been surprised when the next morning Scorpius had squeezed her shoulder and sat down next to her at breakfast as if nothing had happened. Asking her to pass him the butter for fuck sake. A fitful couple of hours sleep had done nothing to help her think through what had went on the previous evening. She had no idea how to deal with it. So, she didn't. Deal with it that is. She passed him the butter and started on a rant about the prospect of double Transfiguration, soon having Malfoy laughing into his mug of tea with her expletive filled descriptions of Professor Jones and her unfortunate habit of spitting all over the front two rows as she lectured. Deep down she knew they should talk about this. About him. But maybe just being there with him, laughing with him, acting normal with him could be enough? The crumpled mess she saw in the dungeons last night told her that he regretted it, that he had scared himself as well as her. No, there was no need to dredge it up again. She'd keep an eye on him, but no drastic intervention shit was needed. They would move on and everything would be back to normal soon.

Yeah, she knew she was lying to herself.

But she pushed it back. Took the easy option and they went about their business. Weeks passed. And it wasn't the same. There was a barrier between them that had never been there before, an underlying tension, and the ever looming threat of expulsion or incarceration didn't help matters. Sure to everyone else it seemed as if they were the same as ever, they even fooled themselves at times, but Elle knew that something had been broken that night. Whether they would fix it or not she didn't know. Until then, they laughed and joked, they bickered and strained. Because neither of them knew any other way to be.

The castle was growing restless as they drew closer towards the Christmas period. The world outside was rumbling with rumours surrounding the future of the Minister of Magic. He had not been seen in public since the early summer, and was widely believed to be seriously ill. An announcement of either his abdication or passing away was expected within weeks, and there were two names being touted as possible replacements, Felicity Bones and Ronald Weasley. Bones could boast a rich heritage of political influence and was undoubtedly an outstanding candidate. If not well liked, then certainly respected by both the public and her peers, she had carved a name for herself in the diplomatic office at the Ministry, rising to the department head position in record time. However, despite her excellent credentials, she wasn't a war hero like Ron Weasley. Add to that the accusations of her being too left of the centre ground and several high profile spats with both the Auror Office and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement over their, shall we say, enthusiastic approach, she was very much the outsider.

Ronald Weasley had been head of the Auror department ever since Harry Potter's sudden disappearance from public twenty six years ago. He had continued the work of his predecessor, hunting down former Death Eaters and shutting down any offshoot Dark Art cells that cropped up in the aftermath of the Second Wizarding War. He had had huge success initially and was hailed by many. However, he had also had a tough war and he'd grown more and more right wing as time went on. A messy divorce from the woman who could hold him in check hadn't helped matters. Today, his Auror department was shot through with prejudice and discrimination against his former enemies house. Accusations of falsified evidence, mistreatment of prisoners and whole scale corruption were whispered amongst certain sections of the Wizarding community, or shouted for all to hear by the Unity group. Despite this, he retained massive support amongst the mainstream who refused to listen and in all honesty it was his race to lose. The only hope for Unity or any with similar beliefs was that he would decide not to run it. Seemed unlikely.

In the light of this, the Unity group had stepped up their operations. A flash rally at Diagon Alley here, a big recruitment drive there, the name was beginning to ring out again. Tension within the Wizarding world was at a height not seen in years, and that tension had found it's way in through the cracks and crevices of the Hogwarts castle. Free from the restraints of Rufus Edwards' misguided non aggression tactics, Slytherin house had began to regain some much needed credibility. Although open duelling in the corridors was limited, the increased hostility could be felt by all. The professors were on high alert and prefects had been told to increase patrols. Scorpius and Elle kept true to their word to Rufus Edwards and attempted to maintain the fragile peace where they could, helped by the man himself. However, Rufus too was growing restless, more unpredictable. One day he would break up a fight and the next he would goad a Gryffindor into one. Although Eleonora had dismissed him as a slimy prick before, an opinion she still held, his behaviour over the weeks had begun to intrigue her more. He was a fascinating figure, an idealist, a militant, a peacekeeper, a leader. So many sides. She never knew which mask he would put on day to day and that appealed to her. Normally her and Scorpius could read young men like a book, but not this one. Still couldn't stand him though.

"I swear to god, if I catch Finnegan hexing first years again I'm gonna avada the dickhead." Elle snarled as she stomped into the Chamber, finding Scorpius looking over her Polyjuice upgrade potion.

"Well you would be doing the world a favour," Scorpius replied distractedly. "How's this going anyway? Progress appears to have stalled unless I'm missing something."

"Course you're not missing anything," Elle sighed wearily as she slumped onto the sofa. "I'm fucking stuck aren't I?"

Scorpius continued to look over the potion whilst Elle watched him carefully. Didn't know whether to tell him her only solution. Didn't know how he'd react, not since the incident. He'd been back to the him of previous years in the last few weeks, unruffled, in control, at least on the outside. On this issue, they could both become angry.

"I think you'll have to give it up then Elle," Scorpius said after a while. "You could try mandrake root but that would probably…."

"Counteract the effect of the knotgrass, I know," Elle finished for him. "There's only one way…."

"Really? I can't see it myself." Scorpius looked at her confused.

"Genetics." she said quietly.

"Genetics?" Scorpius questioned. "What does genetics have to do with…"

Elle watched as what she had said registered in his mind. Watched as he worked through the possibilities. Watched as he came to the right conclusion. Saw something behind his eyes just for a second that she didn't recognize. It looked remarkably like panic, but it was soon replaced by anger. Just a trick of the light maybe. This is what she had expected.

"No!" he seethed. "Absolutely not."

"I know, I know," Elle sighed. "But there's no other way. You know that."

"Then fucking ditch it Eleonora." he countered, the use of her full name not going unnoticed.

"I can't. This is my project. It's the best work I've ever done. I can't just let it lie now."

Scorpius looked at her and was quiet for a moment. Elle thought she knew what was going through his head. Flashes of her memories that he had been witness to in all their hours of occlumency training. They had never spoke of it before, not really and she had been grateful for his tactfulness. But circumstances had brought the issue to the foreground now and they could ignore the elephant no longer.

"It's still no Elle," Scorpius said after a while. "I can't let you do this."

"It's not your decision Scorpius," Elle replied testily. "If I want to see my father I will, nothing you can do about it."

There was another pause.

"How can you want to see him?" Scorpius asked quietly.

"Of course I don't want to." she sighed. "But I have to finish this. The potion needs genetic material from a relation. And he's the only one left of my family. Everyone else has gone, at least from what I know."

"Fine, but even if it works, and it's a big fucking if Elle, how is it really going to help? The thing about genetics and DNA shit is that they're all, like, different in everybody." Scorpius mocked patronisingly.

"Yeah I know Malfoy," Elle sneered. "And you know as well as I do that if I can get it to work for me then the chances of being able to replicate it and syndicate it increase ten fold. Don't take me for a fucking idiot. I'm as good as this kind of stuff as you are."

"Well I'll do it then," Scorpius replied. "Just use me and my dad's. No need for you to be anywhere near this or him."

Elle had thought about it. But her stubborn streak wouldn't let go. This was hers, all hers and no-one else's. She needed to see it through.

"It has to be me. It just has to be." she said.

Silence fell upon them again. Scorpius twirled around and walked over to the glass cell on the other side of the room, watching as the inferius raged. It probably mirrored his own emotions Elle thought. She shouldn't have told him.

"Ok." she heard him say.

"You what?" she said, standing up as he brought her out of her thoughts.

Ok," he said again simply. "We can do this, but I have conditions."

"Conditions? Scorp, I'm not being funny but this is my decision, nothing to do with you."

Scorpius stormed over to her and grabbed her by the shoulders forcibly, looking her dead in the eye.

"How can you say that?" he questioned angrily. "This has everything to do with me. You knew what I would see when you asked for me to teach you. You fucking knew. So don't come at me like that. The moment you asked me to teach you to close your mind you put it on me as well."

Elle pushed him away and sat back down on the sofa. Took a joint out of her cigarette tin and lit it, closing her eyes. Took a drag and then held it out, her eyes closed. Felt as it was taken from her and heard Scorpius take a long toke before expelling the smoke, banishing it to the air. Opened her eyes to see him looking back at her.

"Conditions?" she said, this time in a tone of reluctant acceptance.

"Thank you," he responded. "One condition really. Actually two. Firstly, get better weed. That stuff's weak as fuck. Secondly, you don't see him. I get what you need, myself alone. I don't want you anywhere near this."

"I'm not a child Scorpius," Elle glared, ignoring his first point. "I can handle this. I can handle him."

"Can you Elle? Really? Cos I don't think I could if I was you."

"Well maybe I'm stronger than you." she taunted.

"Fuck you Elle." Scorpius cursed angrily.

Elle could feel the rage bubble up inside of her as her and Scorpius glared at each other.

"No, fuck you," she responded. "Yeah, maybe I put my shit on you, but it's no different from the other night. I was standing there, by your side as you tortured those men. That's on me as well. So fuck you Scorpius, you self righteous cunt."

She saw his arm twitch in a movement towards the pocket where his wand was stowed before he pulled it back. Never had either of them turned their wands on each other before.

"Really?" Elle said in shock. "Did you really just consider that you prick? What the hell is wrong with you? What the hell is wrong with us?"

"Nothing," Scorpius replied, his voice expressionless, his eyes cold. "Nothing's wrong."

"Bullshit!" Elle exclaimed, but she could feel herself deflate. She just couldn't be bothered. Couldn't be bothered to handle this right now. Deal with him. If she was honest with herself then she would admit that she was afraid of what this inevitable, and it was inevitable, confrontation would throw up. Accusations on both sides, half forgotten truths, secrets and lies. They were pulling away from each other, she knew that, but she wasn't ready for it.

"Fine then," Elle snarled after a while. "You do it. Get what I need by the end of the next cycle or I go myself."

"With pleasure," Scorpius drawled sarcastically as he began to storm out the room. "And clear your schedule for Saturday."

"Why?"

"Adelaide got back to us. We've got a meet with The Wolf." he threw over his shoulder.

"Better get yourself some anger management classes then judging by last time," Elle shouted at his retreating figure. "Don't want you going all granddaddy Malfoy on us again."

Scorpius raised his middle finger over his shoulder as he exited the chamber and Elle wheeled away, upturning a table in rage and frustration, not missing the irony.

She was falling. Falling and falling for what felt like an age. Just falling. A flash of red hair, of mysterious grey, of passionate blue and unconvincing green. Another flash of red. She was late for something, but she didn't know what. Still falling. Cold steel juxtaposed with warm laughter, a shadow of a figure that was just out of reach. Clutching throats, missing teeth, red. Answers so close she could taste. A cold room, shivering, alone melted into a packed one with threatening whispers, cigarette smoke and the foreboding sense of danger. Wolves, lions and snakes. Forever falling. Until she wasn't. Now she was in front of a mirror, her reflection clear as winter's daylight, harsh and bright. A woman's voice, slurred and off kilter, the pitch all wrong, the words jumbled, but beautiful all the same. A face behind her in the reflection, crowned in dirty blonde hair, gaunt and defeated, alone. The face so familiar but yet such a stranger, she couldn't turn around because she knew there was nothing there. It was just a trick. A horrible, painful trick. Anger. Glass smashed and falling again. And then ….. nothing. Calm. A white beach and crystal blue water, wand in pieces on the sand. Bliss. A flash of red. A flash of green. The world spinning on it's axis. Faster and faster. Falling. Always falling.

"Elle…. Elle." she heard vaguely through the fog.

"ELLE!"

She woke with a start, bolt upright, reaching for her wand before strong arms were holding her.

"It's me," Scorpius soothed. "Just me."

The sense of panic abated, to be replaced by clearer thought. She was awake now, with Scorpius still holding on to her.

"Stop fucking groping me Malfoy you perv." she spat, throwing him off her, much to the blonde's amusement.

"You know how many girls would kill to be in that position with me?" Scorpius smirked.

Elle ignored his arrogance and looked around bleary eyed. She was in the Chamber, had obviously slept there again last night.

"You shouldn't sleep down here Elle," Scorpius said his tone changing to his serious one. "It's not healthy. Are you really that afraid of your dorm that you'd rather sleep in a hidden dungeon where Voldemort was almost resurrected and the most dangerous creature in history used to live?"

"You obviously haven't seen 'Mean Girls'." Elle grumbled as she got up, stretching. "I'd take a Basilisk over teenage girls any day."

"You're a teenage girl." Scorpius stated, eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, but I'm different aren't I? And I have way more swag." Elle laughed striking a ridiculous pose, tiredness and dreams forgotten.

"Straight outta Compton you." Scorpius laughed.

Elle began to laugh before she suddenly remembered their fight last night and their current problems and the laughter died in her throat. Looked at Scorpius and saw him go through the same thought process as he looked away from her and cleared his throat.

"Anyway, get dressed," he said. "It's time to meet The Wolf.

In reality, it wasn't actually time. Elle realised quickly when they walked through the castle and grounds to the gates that Scorpius had woken her up ridiculously early, something that she was still giving him shit for hours later.

"Two o'clock," Elle began, talking to him in the earpiece that he had provided her and looking at him from across the square. "P.M. 1400 hours. That's when this was set for right? So why the fuck have I been sat in the middle of Leicester Square in the middle of December since seven in the bloody morning?"

"Always get there early," Scorpius replied. "You know the drill."

Elle huffed and sat back on the bench she was located on, watching the muggle world go by. She was impressed with The Wolf's choice of meeting place, mind you he had a reputation for being smarter than the average knucklehead they dealt with. In the heart of muggle London, Leicester Square was teeming with people going about their day, tourists and professionals, although Elle was naturally drawn towards observing the scammers and scrappers who frequented the area. She had already witnessed a crew work the three card monte scam on the tourists milling around, three successful and one unsuccessful pickpockets by a girl who could only be thirteen and, most amusingly, a fight between two fat Americans that ended when both just ran out of breath. The meeting place was a smart choice because it was in muggle London, an area which most wizards were unbelievably ignorant about, and it was a crowded place where it was easy to slip away unnoticed.

"Spare any change love?" a ragged looking man interrupted her thoughts with a plastic cup held out filled with shrapnel change. Elle waved him off and he staggered away, off towards whatever an unfair God would throw at him next.

Truth be told she was on edge. The Wolf had a dangerous reputation in certain circles and the whole thing just wasn't sitting right with her. They knew that he'd have likely rumbled their scheme immediately. Adelaide was supposed to have pretended this meet was with her on the pretext of selling him more potions before Scorpius and Elle surprised him. But the chances of both Adelaide holding firm and him not working it out were slim. If he had worked it out, then they could be walking into a trap. The hope was that he had heard enough about them on the grapevine to be curious enough to turn up. Maybe even see it as a recruitment opportunity. Without being arrogant, both Elle and Scorpius knew that they would be huge assets to a group like Unity. But she still didn't like it. Unbeknownst to Scorpius, she had stationed a couple of old associates around the area to keep an eye out.

Speaking of Malfoy, she glanced over to where he had positioned himself and was amused to see the tramp from earlier accosting him. She had always mocked his general air of superiority and it always made her chuckle when something like this happened to him. Was surprised to see him hand some coins and she suddenly felt bad that she hadn't done the same. Oh well, long way off hell. Still, gazing at the tramp, she groaned in frustration as he made eye contact and started staggering over towards her again.

"Spare any change love?" he asked again.

"Look mate, harsh as this is, please just fuck off." Elle sighed.

The tramp went to leave, before turning back.

"It's funny you know," he began the slur in his voice suddenly disappearing to be replaced by a clipped tone. "Dress like this, hold a cup out, and no-one notices you whatever you do, not really. They just see what they expect, not what's really there. So Eleonora Jago, look again."

As soon as he'd turned back around, Elle had realised their mistake. They really were losing their touch. But she didn't let her annoyance show. Looked straight back into his eyes and prepared the lie.

"We clocked you an hour ago mate, just didn't want to make the first move. Looks a bit desperate, you know?" she mocked, putting on her tough front despite the fact that her heart was beating hard through her chest.

The man let out a laugh.

"You are an excellent liar Miss Jago," he replied. "But it is neither here nor there really. I presume you know who I am?"

"The big bad Wolf," Elle replied, before cocking her head to the side, a quizzical expression painted on. "I thought you'd be taller."

Another laugh.

"Fair play. You've got guts," he said. "Now should we go and get Mr Malfoy? I have something I wish to show you."

Elle stood up and led the way over towards Malfoy, feeling uncomfortable with The Wolf behind her and not in her eye line, who had naturally heard everything through his earpiece and was ready with his hand outstretched.

"Scorpius Malfoy," he introduced himself as he shook hands with the man. "The Wolf I presume?"

"No need to stand on ceremony Scorpius," The Wolf replied. "Let's not pretend that you don't know who I am."

Scorpius chuckled.

"Well then, do you prefer Mr Lupin, or can I call you Teddy?"