This chapter would be rather boring, as it is a closure of an arc. Enjoy anyway :)

The end of crisis

Blonde hair, pale skin, pointed chin…you look exactly like your father, don't you? … … Poor child, son of a traitor, son of a death eater … … His father never did anything useful in his schooldays, or even after his schooldays … Nah, I don't think he would ever be brilliant or bright, seeing the way his parents are … … the Malfoy family, sigh, they are just one declining family … … Their family never did a single good deed at all, did they? … … Poor child, look exactly like his father, exactly like the traitor twenty years ago … …

Don't care about what they tell you, son. Walk with your head high up, be proud of who you are. Yes, I have made my mistakes

But don't go down the same path as me, Scorpius.

"Scorpius."

Scorpius blinked. Blonde hair, slightly residing, pale skin, pointed chin…ah damn, is he dead? Is he staring at his body as a soul, unable to be alive again?

He blinked a second time. Huh. "Father?" He croaked.

The pale blue eyes on the head grew bigger in shock. "Hey, Honey? Scorpius is awake."

"Scorpius? Scorpius, dear?" Another head appeared in his vision. He blinked a few more times. He was in the hospital wing, he realised with a shock. His parents were standing next to him, peering at him with worried eyes, while Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall were standing over the other side.

He rubbed his eyes. "W…what happened?" He asked, surprised at his weak and husky voice.

"What happened? That should be what Mommy's asking, my poor Scorpius, I was so worried!" Astoria exclaimed, grabbing Scorpius up for a hug. The hug was so sudden and it sent excruciating pain towards his spine, and he suddenly had difficulties breathing.

"Ma'am, let him rest!" Madam Pomfrey came to Scorpius' rescue. "He's not completely healed yet, so try not to touch him!"

Scorpius was laid comfortably back to the bed. He watched his mother sobbing in the arms of his father, still wondering what happened. His head was in a blur and he felt really drowsy.

"Okay, since you know he's okay now, please leave, sir, ma'am." Madam Pomfrey said, rather irritated, shooing his parents away. Astoria was still shaking her head vigorously, boring Scorpius with her anxious eyes. Draco pushed her out of the room.

"Let him rest." Draco persuaded, as he turned around to see his son one last time. He nodded slightly. "I'm really glad you're alright." He said. "Take care." He nodded a polite greeting to Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey before leaving.

"Bye." Scorpius said simply. His body was aching all over and he had no idea what happened, and why on Earth he was in the hospital wing with his mother crying over him. He was still furrowing his eyebrows thinking hard when Madam Pomfrey left and Professor McGonagall sat next to him.

"How are you feeling, Malfoy?" She asked benevolently, much unlike her previous image.

"I'm fine, I think. My body's aching all over." He said, slightly confused. "I don't really remember what happened. I just…the dragon…I was trying to distract the dragon…and then…and then…I thought we successfully ran away? And then I blanked out…" He sat up immediately as he suddenly remembered. "Coactus! That Coactus guy is evil! He's trying to kill Rose and Albus! He – "

"Mr. Scottson and Mr. and Ms. Rhea told me all about it." Professor McGonagall said, calming Scorpius down. "They told me all about how you guys first met the dragon, and how you guys wanted to investigate whether Mr. Coactus was really the one bringing in the dragon, and how you, Malfoy, saved everyone from the dragon." She smiled. "Well done, Malfoy, you have done wonderfully. I don't think any of my seventh years could have stand against a dragon as well as you do, and you are just in your first year. Very good, Malfoy, I'm really pleasantly surprised."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. Pleasantly surprised. Bah. It's just that they never expected a Malfoy to be so good, did they? "Thanks, Professor." He muttered.

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Yes, Malfoy, are you unhappy with something?"

Scorpius did not answer. Professor McGonagall then continued. "We are now trying to catch Coactus, but it seems he had run away really fast. We have confirmed that Coactus is actually the Death Eater that has run away from prison. His disguising skills are really good. The government is tracking him though, and extra protection is given to this school, which means all your crazy experiments, no matter what they are for, quidditch merchandises or schoolwork or whatever – yes I know you have been doing experiments behind my back – will have to be stopped." She added firmly when Scorpius tried to argue. "It is for everyone's safety, Scorpius. And I have already spoken to your other three friends about it."

Scorpius sat back down unhappily.

"And here are the homework you are due to do, with these entire lesson notes, from the one week that you are unconscious" – He was unconscious for one week? – "Make sure you finish them by whatever time your teacher sets, though all your teachers are really lenient on you, and said that they do not worry much about you, with your studies being one of the top in the level." Professor McGonagall dumped a huge pile of work on the side table of Scorpius' bed. Scorpius stared at it, mouth agape, silently cursing Professor McGonagall. He was so wrong to think that she looked kind of benevolent a moment ago.

Professor McGonagall stood up and started leaving the hospital wing. She stopped halfway and turned around to Scorpius suddenly. "You know, Malfoy." She said. "I have taught your father before. To be really honest I do not quite like your father, both in his studies and character-wise. Therefore it is rather true that I am quite biased against you at the start, and I was really rather harsh on your father as well, looking at his… unsightly… past."

Scorpius blinked, shocked that she was telling him all these.

"And I was quite taken aback at all your accomplishments in school at first." She continued. "But you know, the Malfoy I knew twenty years ago, he changed a lot, and he is a really good father now." She smiled. "With a really good son, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." She turned around and really left.

Scorpius just sat there and blinked in confusion. But Scorpius was smiling slightly to himself unknowingly. His body was still aching and his mind was still in a blur. What and why was she talking?

I just know I have a hell load of work to do…sigh…

XxXxX

Scorpius was discharged from the hospital wing in the middle of the day, right after History lesson (thank god… He hated that boring lesson), and before Potion lesson. Scorpius grabbed his Potions book and ran into the dungeons in search of his fellow Slytherins.

"Sebastian!" He called out, after spotting the black and red haired boy.

Sebastian turned around, and his eyes widened in consternation. "Scor! You're alright!" He exclaimed, practically shouting as he came running towards Scorpius as well. "Oh my gosh, I was so worried about you, but that freaking Pomfrey wouldn't let us in to the hospital wing. Are you alright?" He scanned Scorpius from head to toe, like an overly-anxious mother.

"What's wrong with me? I don't even know why I was landed in the hospital wing." Scorpius said.

"What's wrong with you?" Sebastian said incredulously. "You fainted, and blood started foaming out of your mouth like a fountain!" (He was exaggerating) "And your hand was bleeding profusely, and you just fell on me, I was so shocked!"

Scorpius blinked. "Really?" He asked, unable to believe. Did he really faint and bleed that much? Damn it, it seems that he was really weaker than he thought…

"Yeah!" Sebastian continued ranting. "We were all so anxious and stuff. I was tearing on my robes trying to bandage up your wound, a primitive Muggle way, but it was Roy who stepped forward and used some weird healing spell he learnt to stop your blood loss. Roy, can you believe it, Roy knows how to heal! But Rose was the lousiest among them all. We were all holding you and trying to help you, even Albus helped you clean up your bloodstains, and James helped you uncloak your throat that was blocked by blood, but Rose was just standing by the side crying like a wimp. And she's the top in class (it's been announced; her assignments were all better done than yours), but she's a total loser in these practical and realistic areas." Sebastian paused to take a breather. "Anyway, you were in a complete mess that day, and we were all so worried about you!"

"Oh." Scorpius said, shocked. Now that you think about it, it is kind of embarrassing to be fainting and vomiting blood in front of your friends…

"You know, being in school without you is like going to the circus blind." Sebastian said.

"What's with that analogy?" Scorpius laughed.

"We made lots of other analogies!" Sebastian exclaimed suddenly, as he started to take out a book from his bag. "Me, Roy and Roxanne were writing analogies in this book during lessons, and we wanted to pass it to you, but well, that Pomfrey wouldn't allow us."

Scorpius took the book and read it curiously. It was a really well-decorated book.

School without Scorpius is like Quidditch without brooms.

School without Scorpius is like breathing without air.

School without Scorpius is like wedding without the bride.

School without Scorpius is like studying with no brains.

School without Scorpius is like a straw without the berry.

School without Scorpius is like a book without words.

School without Scorpius is like Hogwarts without Slytherin.

School without Scorpius is like a book without texts.

It continued on and on for four whole pages, and the remaining few pages were well-wishes from many different people. Scorpius flipped through the pages, hands shaking more and more after every page. He closed the book and looked at Sebastian, unable to find words to say.

"We went around trying to get people to write well-wished for you too. Even random people from other houses wrote in it too!" Sebastian explained.

Scorpius smiled. "Thanks, Sebastian. Thanks a lot…I…" He stopped saying as he concentrated on blinking his eyes furiously.

Sebastian beamed. "Glad you like it." He spotted Roy and Roxanne walking in their direction. "Roy! Rox! Come quick! Scorpius is back!"

"Scorpius is back?" The two of them ran as fast as they could, and lightened up radiantly when they saw him. "Scor! We missed you! Oh you saw our book we made for you! I hope you are all better now."

Roy took out a Slytherin mini with fairing wings attached on it. "We did not forget our little project, and we made this mini, symbolizing you. This basically means you are like an angel in our world, and it's one of the bestsellers yet!" He said, as he released the mini into the air. The mini Slytherin started flapping its wings beautiful as it flew up the sky. "It will come back down, don't worry."

Now Scorpius was really too moved for words. Who cares about McGonagall and his whole load of shitwork? Who cares about being embarrassed in front of his friends? Who cares about his father? Who cares about Coactus? He had his best friends with him, that's all that matters now. That's all that he needs, and it's enough for him.

"Thanks a lot, guys." He forced a smile from his hardened face.

They walked towards the dungeons to their Potions lesson. The whole class immediately became silent when Scorpius walked in, and they were all looking at him weirdly.

"Scorpius, you're back!" Labino said.

"So glad that you're back!" Leto added. "Are you alright?"

Scorpius smiled. "Thanks, I'm alright now."

"Malfoy." Albus and Rose had come up to him. "Thanks for everything." They said. "We're really sorry about our attitude towards you previously."

Scorpius stared back, unsure of what to say. "It's alright." He said awkwardly. "And you have to be thanked too, Rose, if you haven't told me about ice being dragon's weakness, I would have died."

Rose shook her head fervently. "I'm nothing! I'm really nothing!" She said, almost close to tears. "I could have told you immediately but I was so useless, my brain was not functioning at all, I have to wait till you are so injured… I didn't know what to do, books, studying and theories are all that I'm good at, I'm such a terrible…horrible loser at these kinds of stress…I….I'm really sorry Scorpius…"

"It's alright, really." Scorpius added frantically, afraid that the girl would just break down and cry in front of him. "It's really alright, Rose. I'm okay now."

Sebastian stared at the two of them. "Since when have you started calling her Rose, and she calling you Scorpius?" He asked incredulously. "Since when have you the two of you become so close?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "It's just a name, Sebastian, don't go assuming all the time."

Sebastian frowned. "Then could you explain about the discount you gave her last time?"

Scorpius said nothing. There was an awkward silent among them until Professor Slughorn walked in cheerfully.

"Ah, students, let us continue with our syllables! Today we will be making Dragon Pox Healing Potion! But before this let me explain to you a little bit about the Dragon… oh my, Scorpius Malfoy! You're back in school! Lessons were a bit boring without my best student…"

XxXxX

End of chapter! Having writer's block right now ): btw second and third year won't be as interesting as the first year sigh…the first year seems so fun.