Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is by the brilliant J.K. Rowling. If there are characters and such things you don't recognize they are of my creation.

Chapter 14 – Unbreakable Tension

Scorpius' POV

The next two months rolled by without a hitch. Our first match of the season was coming up very soon. We would be playing Ravenclaw. Lily told me her cousin, Hugo, had gotten good over the summer and would be hard to score on. But if anything, it's a good thing we have Lily on our team because every family knows eachother's strengths and weaknesses.

I was walking down the corridor when people starting glaring at me for no apparent reason. I glared back at them immediately and most of them scattered away. People are so strange. I saw Rose and walked up to her. She got a glance at me and started to walk away. Something is not right. I walked up beside her and grabbed her arm.

"Rose, what's going on?" I snapped at her. She glanced over her shoulder and I turned too. People were staring at us with eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Wait a bit and meet me in the empty classroom three doors to the left." She muttered under her breath. I waited and looked around as people started to disappear. I waited a little longer, but finally told myslef to go and see what was going on. I walked fast to the door where she told me to walk into. I opened and closed it fast. I looked up to see her walking back and forth muttering to herself.

"What's going on? Why has everyone…" She silenced me and pulled a newspaper out of her bag then shoved it in my face. The headline of the Daily Prophet said, "Lucius Malfoy Breaks Out Bigger Than Ever!" I gritted my teeth at the headline. Before I could look at the pictures on the front page and the article, I threw it back at her.

"I don't want to read it. If I must know you tell me!" I shouted at her. Her face looked furious.

"You want the truth? You want the truth? Then read it. Are you telling me you can't read?" She said.

"I'm NOT GOING TO READ ANYTHING ABOUT MY GRANDFATHER!" I shouted back at her. I was breathing heavy. "Just tell me what he did. Tell me why people suspect me to have helped him escape. Tell me what is so bad that everyone is glaring at me. TELL ME, ROSE!" I looked over her to see her face full of anger and I thought I saw her nostrils flare.

"It says the family was supporting him in everything he does. They said that he learned what he has done in the past and he should have been released a long time ago. He murdered someone. Someone who happened to be a part of my family!" She said outraged and then all at once she started to cry. I thought she might break down. I leaned against the wall and slid down it. I put my face in my hands.

"Who?" I heard her sobbing trying to stop and to tell me the truth.

"My grandfather! Grandpa Weasley. He killed him wwhile he wwas at work...and and he ggot away." She cried out. "He was getting revenge after he broke out. Iit ssaid they might form the Ddeath Eaters again. [silence. Rose had started to calm herslef down. Just tell me, are you on his side?" She got out. I stared at her with cold eyes. What? How could she think that?

"Are you kidding me, Rose? Are you telling me you actually believe that article? THAT ALL THE MALFOYS ARE SUPPORTING IN WHAT HE DOES? Are you seriously asking me that? I thought I was showing everyone that I am not like them. NOT ONE BIT! How could you even…?" I stopped shouting. She looked terrified, just like everyone else in the halls.

"But, what you did in Defense Against the Dark Arts, you couldn't have learned nonverbal..."

"Magic? Is that what this is about? You know what, forget I even tried to be the civil one." I pushed myself up and threw open the door.

"Scorpius, please, I was just…" I slammed the door on what she was about to say. I didn't care, I wanted to move far away from here as possible. These people are actually considering that I helped my grandfather escape and actually considered that I helped commit a murder.

People were dodging to get out my way as I made my way down the stairs. One person was slow getting out of my way that I threw him on the ground and walked on. I actually heard people dare to yell out, "Murderer." I gritted my teeth and dug my fingernails into my palms from keeping me from hurting whoever said that. I felt a huge burst of energy swimming in my veins. If I had my wand out the word 'murderer' might come true. I was so angry and frustrated.

I went up to my dormitory. I wasn't staying here any longer. Good thing nobody was in here. I pulled out my trunk and threw it on top of my bed and started to throw clothes in and anything at random. I shoved my Hogsmeade treats and dungbombs that haven't been used in a long time. I heard someone come in, but I refused to look up and see who it was. They'll be out soon enough. I'm murderer ain't I?

"Giving up already?" came the person who walked in. I spun around to see Lily Potter leaning casually against the wall. Her eyes were all red and puffy and her hair a heaping mess, but her eyes gave me a piercing stare.

"Potter, what are you doing here? If it were my guess I would be the last person you would want to see!" I was trying to remain calm. I felt bad I blew up at Rose, so I thought best to stay calm.

"You're not leaving because of what someone says about you, are you? You're not leaving because of what people say behind your backs or the fact that it's hard for people to believe you when one of your family member makes a mistake?"

"A mistake? A mistake, Potter? Murdering someone is not a mistake!" I yelled at her.

"You can yell, shout, scream, call me bad names, or even fight me, but it won't keep me from telling you to not give up!" She said. I glared back at her.

"Why aren't you mad at me or my family? Look, I don't belong here!" She snorted.

"And here that's what I thought all last year. Don't you even remember it? Don't you remember how miserable I was back then? I was the "goody-good" Gryffindor that got landed in "slimy-no-good" Slytherin. Don't you remember that? I thought I didn't belong. I thought I would be teased for life, that people would talk about me behind my back, and that I will never make a single friend for I was a Potter in Slytherin." I stared at the wall. I didn't want to listen to her.

"My father he had a tough time when nobody believed Voldemort had come back. The Prophet told everyone he was a liar, that he had gone insane, and even told everyone that he just wanted all the attention. He worked hard to tell everyone that he was telling the truth and even fought against them, but that is besides the point. You don't see him giving up."

"There are muggle-borns out in the halls right now being cursed and teased because they didn't grow up under the same circumstances that we did. Maybe they were even called "freaks," behind their backs. Have you ever thought about that? You can fight this. Deep down everyone knows you and your family had nothing to do with your grandfather. It's your turn to step up and to not let it get to you. If you say you're on our side then prove it. And one more thing, you're not alone." She stopped and everything was silent. I heard the door slam closed. I turned around and saw that she was gone. I sat on my bed and stared at the floor for awhile longer. She's right. Never give up on anything you believe in. Things will in the end work out. I started to put back my things in their rightful place.

I didn't go to one class after I found out, but I took up the courage I had left behind and went out into the world I've been hiding from. Of course, people were glaring at me after yesterday's incident. But I didn't care. It had nothing to do with me. The one thing I knew I had to resolve is by talking to Rose. I owe her that. She was sitting in the library reading from a book. She looked a complete mess. I sat opposite her. She looked up to see that I sat down across from her and immediately brought her book in front of her face.

"I'm sorry that I took all my anger out on you. It's just…It's just…"

"It's fine."

"Wwhat?"

"I said it's fine. We all lose our temper now and then."

"Yeah, but you didn't deserve it and I need apologize. So, it's not fine." I was trying very hard not to lose my temper, but she just said things that made my head want to blow. She dropped her book and looked at me.

"It's over and I know it's not your fault, so I understand why you yelled at me yesterday. It's just that…I was so…" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Her eyes were tearing up and she turned away.

"I understand. I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry for blowing up at you and for…your loss." I stood up as I hard sobbing behind me. I walked out of the library and saw Albus looking out a window.

"Hey Albus." I said softly. He looked over his shoulder and saw me.

"Hey Scorpius. Do you need anything?" I couldn't tell if he was mad at me or just depressed.

"No, well…yes." I wanted to ask, but I wasn't sure when the best time would be. He turned around to look at me. He made a notion to continue.

"I was wondering if you could…if you could bring this to your grandfather's funeral for me. I know it's not much for what my grandfather did, but I just wanted him to know that our family had no part in it and that he rests in peace." The words were so hard to get out. I handed Albus a muggle mechanical toy airplane.

"I heard your grandfather wanted to know many things about muggles and how they live without magic. I thought he might want this as a representation from the Malfoys that we are deeply sorry for what had happened. And tell him from me that he was a good person and very respected for all that he did. Yeah, I think that's all." Albus nodded, but before he left he gave me a brotherly hug. After that he walked away.

I was wandering around near the Forbidden Forest after a Care of Magical Creature's class when I had the sudden urge to explore it. It's not like there is a vampire in there now. Rose had solved the mystery and pulled those vultures out of the forest. Sure, there were all sorts of dangerous creatures, but I was sure they wouldn't be out during the day as much. I looked behind me to see if anyone was watching. They didn't look like it so I went in. Of course, I don't follow rules that well anyway so I knew I was breaking the rules, but who would catch me?

I looked around taking in the marvelous forest. Its inhabitance must be over a million years old. I walked further into the forest and remembered which way I came. If I ever had to get lost I knew a spell that would set me right back on track. I wandered even farther until I tripped over what appeared to be a shoe. What was a shoe doing all the way back in the middle of the forest? It was pretty small for a guy to wear so I assumed it was a girl's. I turned it over to see the bottom of it looking for the size until I saw something that really spooked me out. A name was carved on the bottom and it read Lara. So this is where Lara was killed. I looked up the tree from what Hugo described she was hanging in a tree. There was no sign of her.

I wanted to kick myself. Of course there was no sign of her. They took her down to put her in a casket for others to see her body that remained. But then something caught my attention. There were tracks on the forest floor. It looked like someone had been dragged to this spot. Must have been Hugo's. I looked again and I saw that the dragged tracks weren't coming from out of the forest, but more toward into the forest. This didn't seem right. Why would Hugo be dragged from inside the forest? Was there another way out that reaches to Hogwarts grounds?

I, of course, followed the tracks wanting to know more at the scene of the crime. It went back a long ways, but it wasn't too far. I peered through the hedges and saw an old house standing almost as if it could fall down any moment now.

Sanguini and Eldred weren't there anymore so I assumed it was safe to walk in. I walked in, but only to see it a disaster. Everything here was a mess. There seemed like there had been a war had broken out. I walked in and felt the boards cringe under my feet. I opened a door to see a four poster bed in the far corner. The bedroom was the only neat place in the whole house. I crept outside the bedroom and saw a door in the opposite side. I opened it to see stairs cascading down below. It was very dark. I pulled out my wand and muttered, "Lumos."

I walked in and saw the most terrifying thing I have ever saw. There were chains in the wall and what looked like a transparent cubicle box surrounding the chains. It's door was hanging open. But the most terrifying thing was what was inside the big hug cubicle that was surrounding the sides of it. There were about fifty bones of various kinds of animals. Some were more recent than others. One, in particular, that gave me the shivers the most was what looked like a fox pressed against the box with a look of horror written across it face. Its eyes were wide open and its mouth was hanging open. It was unbearable. It was barbaric. Then I felt the gust of the cold wind fly over my shoulder.

"You shouldn't be here." Came a slow whispering sound from behind me. I spun around to see a pearly white figure who was glowing from the outside floating where the door was swung open. It was a ghost. The ghost came closer so that I could get a glimpse of who it was. It was the ghost of Lara.

"Lara." I whispered.

"Oh, you know who I am?" She said faintly. Her voice seemed like it was afraid of me.

"Of course, the whole school knows who you are. You died last year by a vampire."

"Oh, it was terrible wasn't it? I suppose you're going to do it to more people, aren't you?"

"What?" I looked at her and I saw her looking at the animal bones. I understood.

"No, I'm not the vampire. He was captured you see. His name was Sanguini. He got out by mistake and got to you."

"No, no, no, you've got all wrong. You must go back. You must go back he might get to you too!"

"Lara, listen to me. The vampire is locked up in Azkaban. It's alright he can't hurt me."

"But he's back he framed him. He framed him." I couldn't believe what she was saying. Then something bad creeped up in my mind. Sanguini must have given someone Polyjuice Potion in order to save himself. He was still out there. But that didn't make sense who would want to risk going to Azkaban. Oh, unless that person was imperialized.

"Lara, when will he be returning here?"

"I don't know he checks here ever so often. He always feels ashamed of what he did to me, but he told me that it was a mistake and now he's untamed. You must go before he gets you too!" I ran up the stairs as she floated behind me.

"Wait! You can't tell anyone about him, he'll know that if you did. And if you did he'll be agitated again and be out on the loose. You mustn't tell the professors. He's so untameable." said the ghost of Lara.

"How will he know?"

"Because I talk to him and he gets all information out of me no matter what. The bite keeps us attached. The one thing, however, I can keep is the identity of the person. As long as you don't tell me your name you're safe. Farewell, little boy. Don't come back." Lara last said faintly to me.

I ran out of the forest and sometimes resting for a break and shouting, "Point Me," to see if I was heading the right way. I got out of the forest and ran into Hogwarts doors. I ran through the Entrance Hall passing Derek and Hugo and ran down the stairs to the Slytherin dormitory. I never been so terrified in my whole life.

How is this happening? What should I do? I need to tell someone! I can't keep this in much longer. What did the ghost of Lara mean that the vampire will know if he faked his own identity? What was I to do?

A/N: So there's that! The vampire is back and Lucius Malfoy is on the loose. Will the nightmare ever end? There's more to come so BEWARE! The next is James' POV. Thanks to those who are stickingto my story. Let me know if there is anything that needs to be done:-)