"Since when has Zabini been squaring away galleons?" Severus questioned, their steps careful as they kept walking. Scarlett felt her heart beating in her chest, in surprise, in devotion, in happiness. She wasn't sure, but it felt... amazing.
"Just a few," Scarlett admitted. "For when we found him and... if we needed it to support him-"
"I see," Severus murmured. "And for how long has this been arranged?"
"Just recently, sir," Scarlett said quietly. "He surprised me with it, actually. It's apart of his inheritence." Severus nodded. "What will become of them? What are we going to do?"
"You are going to head to your Common Room and rest - you're limping. I am going to meet with the Headmaster to discuss what is the next step." Scarlett frowned slightly. Her side was hurting her, immensely, but... she wanted to help, too. "And when I find out what it is, I will inform you immediately. Is that clear?"
"Y-yes, sir." Scarlett waited a moment, the path steep as they walked. "I just... was hoping to ... to inquire as to whether or not we'd have a plan if the Dark Lord were to find out."
"I would personally ensure that he is brought here where he is out of harms way," Severus stated firmly. "And then we will work on where to go from there." It comforted her, that even if it wasn't an official plan, there was at least some idea on how to keep him safe should the need arise. "The Dark Lord will not find out about it."
But he couldn't promise that, because the Dark Lord would find out. It was just a matter of when.
"I will have an elf bring some ice for your side. How is it healing?"
"Very good," Scarlett admitted. "It's scarring around the blackness, but... I assumed that was normal."
"Yes," Severus said quietly. When they reached the front doors, he cleared his throat, causing her to stop. "The Dark Lord is being led to believe that the child is closer to London... If that is the case, we must move them in the opposite direction-"
"Are we telling them of the Wizarding World, then? If... we're to move them?"
"It's up to the headmaster at this point," Severus said with a frustrated grimace. "Did he wake?"
"No," she admitted after a moment. "He looks so much like Blaise... I don't see much of me in him... Perhaps that's a good thing... Help him blend." Severus didn't look as though he agreed, but also didn't comment. She hesitated, unsure of how he would react, but she hugged him suddenly, the black buttons of his robes pressing uncomfortably against her face, but she couldn't stop herself. "Thank you... for taking me to him... I owe you so much."
He stiffened, clearing his throat uncomfortably, as the last time she had spontaneously hugged him. She pulled back, biting her lip. "Sorry," she said quietly, but a small giggle leaving her. "I... I should go to bed, but... thank you, sir..."
"Your diary... I've placed an anti-copying charm, a paws-off charm, and a ... something that resembles a blood ward. It will only show its contents to you. So you may continue to use it, if you wish. While inspecting it, I noticed that it is a ... correspondence journal. There is a... essentially, a magical embodiment inside of the journal that... will reply to you, should you ask it something... However, I wouldn't go around telling your friends this. There have been many bad encounters in the past regarding those types of journals with them."
It was an interesting change of topic, but she brushed it off for his discomfort. "I'll use it, sir... Goodnight."
He only nodded, watching as she pushed the doors open to head to her Common Room. It was certainly a good night. Scarlett had to stop herself from practically skipping to the Common Room, she was so happy. So happy and so... just... bursting with happiness. Tyler... Tyler was safe, he was healthy, he was happy... and his caregivers were... were more than willing to let her take Tyler once she was able. She nearly squealed because of it.
She was getting her son back... She was... she could be the mother she never had the chance to be.
"Arcana," Scarlett said with a giggle and the portrait swung open, obviously confused by her excitement at such a late hour. She walked into the Common Room and spotted Harry first, still leaning over his map. And when he was about to tell them that she was there, Scarlett tackled him in a hug, giggling like a first year - at least as she had seen first years giggle. She didn't quite know if they all giggled like she was at the moment.
"You found him?" Hermione inquired as Harry struggled to right them before they fell off the couch.
Scarlett sucked in a big breath, letting go of Harry and trying to keep her grinning and giggling to a minimum as she started to nod. "Yeah... He, uh... he reviewed the memories... and then we were running and ... Merlin... He's so happy... I mean, I didn't meet him, not really. He was sleeping, but his caretakers... They're the nicest people I've ever met and..." She didn't know what to do with herself, where to go, so she sat in the chair by the fire. "They donate all of the money from Lucius to the town, and... they only take a little to buy him a toy or something, but Merlin's... Merlin's beard... He's happy, and healthy, and warm and well-fed and..." She sucked in a breath at the sudden emotion that filled her. "He's got everything I could never give him."
"You actually went there?" Ron asked in surprise. "Bloody hell, no wonder you look like you've gotten a bit nipped by the cold."
She supposed it was a little cold. But she didn't care. She was just so relieved. "Yeah, it was really late and... I felt horrible imposing, but... she knew.. she knew who we were... sort of... And she just let us right in, and we explained... we explained it sort of. I was in a sex trafficking gig and escaped and Blaise escaped and... now they're trying to find us... It was all a bit on the fly, of course, but..." She shook her head, biting her lip. "They're going to let me take Tyler, once I graduate and ... have a place and whatever... they'll let me take him for myself. They've raised him his whole life, telling him his mother would come one day, so... they're called his aunt and uncle..." She saw the shocked expressions on their faces. "I've never had a better day in my life-"
"But what about the rest of the memories?" Hermione questioned suddenly. "The ones you were so surprised to see-"
It made Scarlett pause. "They cared for me, the Malfoys... They just... I couldn't know... Because I wasn't trained in Occulmens, if the Dark Lord saw them be kind to a slave girl... be kind to a Muggle? They would be blood traitors to him..." Scarlett swallowed. "It's a relief, I think," she admitted, tears filling her eyes as she remembered Lucius's look, his horror-filled gaze when the Dark Lord had discovered her. "I thought he hated me, I really did... And I didn't understand what I had done wrong. What made the change, but... I remember that before I was branded.. there were always whispers that the Dark Lord was returning, his followers were rallying again, in miniscule amounts but trying to resurrect him, find a body..." Scarlett blinked, wiping at the tears. "And... just..." She didn't know how to continue, clearing her throat.
"You care for him, after everything he put you through," Harry said quietly.
"He was the only father I ever knew, at that point," Scarlett said softly, deep in thought. "I loved him with everything. He taught me about the flowers, about the portraits... And when everything changed, I still loved him... I mean, I still do... and... he cared for me, in some regards. But, if I had been in his place, with the same threat over his real family's head, would I have acted the same way? I should think not, but in desperate times, you don't really act like yourself. And... he tried... I mean, you saw it... Lucius isn't overly affectionate... he... he shows it discreetly... like Severus. Not in grandeur but in small things... the bedroom for when Tyler was cold, or... warding off visitors, or... carrying me to the elves... it's always the little things... I like little things." Scarlett swallowed. "So... yes, I do care for him still... And I think what the memories showed me... it justifies what I've always felt... I always knew there was something good about him... there was something... something right... And I'm glad that it was true."
"But how can you just... forgive him for that?"
"I just ... can," Scarlett said, as if confused by Ron's question. "I don't know how, but... I just can."
"It's just... so weird," Ron admitted. "I mean, I never thought Malfoy would be... a good person. I don't like it."
She giggled, struck by the frown on his face. "I know... It's a little out of character, but... I don't think he ever expected me to share those memories... I didn't even know what was in them. I just thought maybe a single location, a few memories around where he would be... I didn't think an entire memory vault dedicated to..."
"To how much he cared for you," Hermione finished. "Do you know why he chose the garden memory? Or the following where he was brushing your hair?"
"No," Scarlett said quietly. "Maybe to remind me that... things had been different. I miss those days, I really do. There was no war, no ... threats. Abraxus, but... they handled him easily. It was so simple, then. I could... be whoever I wanted to be and I had all of the people I wanted to be around and... they wanted to be around me... sometimes... Maybe Lucius does, too... Regret, or... he just wishes that that's what I remember him for? I'm not sure. I don't understand how other minds work."
"Well... I think we've all had a very exciting and emotional day," Hermione said after a moment. "Why don't... we all head to bed?" Scarlett agreed. And when she got to the dorm, Dobby was sitting on her bed, holding a small rag full of ice nervously, but giving her a timid smile.
"Missy needs some ice for her injury, Master Snape says." Yes, she did. It was beginning to hurt... a lot. She took the ice.
"Thank you, Dobby," Scarlett said with a bright smile. She sat down on her bed, realizing that she had skipped Astronomy for the evening... yet again. Professor Bane was going to kill her. She wondered if the teachers were going to make an excuse for her. She shouldn't be ... she needed to apologize to Madame Pomfrey again. But she sighed, changing into her pajamas and she laid on her bed, the curtains still open, with the iced rag pressed to her side, staring at the canopy above her.
"Why do you insist Cormac attend our BAFT meetings?" Hermione questioned as she slipped into the bed a few down from Scarlett. "He's not friends with us."
"He's friends with me," Scarlett returned. "A good friend and I trust him..." She glanced towards Lavender's bed, with the curtains drawn shut around it. Could she hear everything? "Can we not argue about this tonight? Any other night, but tonight."
"... You're right. I'm sorry." Hermione settled into her bed and Scarlett relaxed, knowing she couldn't sleep until midnight when she could take the bandage off and replace it with a new one. Leo purred as he jumped up onto the bed, curling close to Scarlett's injury, as if he knew she was hurt.
There was silence in the dorm for a long time, for so long that she was certain Hermione was asleep and she felt tired herself, deciding it would probably be best to just set an alarm on her wand to wake her. When she awoke, there was a being sitting at the foot of her bed, and she started, but didn't shout out.
"Lavender?" Scarlett whispered, sitting up. The ice had melted, leaving a wet spot on her sweater and bandages, but it was alright otherwise. Leo stirred but didn't wake and Lavender... Lavender was staring at the hands in her lap.
"She's dead because I found your diary, isn't she?" Lavender whispered. "Am I going to be next?"
Scarlett swallowed. What? What did this have to do with ... Oh. It hit Scarlett as Lavender glanced up at her and Scarlett shook her head, aware of the tears in the girl's eyes. "No... you won't be next."
"But she's dead because I copied your diary pages," Lavender pressed. "Isn't she?"
"No... You-Know-Who doesn't want... secrets of anyone he considers valuable, or ... on his side being spilt." Scarlett swallowed. "You can't tell anyone what you saw in the Hospital Wing, Lavender.. Not a soul."
"Do your friends know?" Lavender whispered. "That you're one of them?"
One of them. Was she one of them? She had watched Rita Skeeter's murder... had been glad it wasn't her, but she wasn't one of them. She wanted the Order to win above all else. "Yes. I told them as soon as I got back from the Infirmary."
"I don't trust you. How do I know you won't murder us all? Murder anyone?"
"You don't, but I would never... kill anyone," Scarlett said quietly. Just thinking about killing someone, it made her feel sick. Of hurting anyone. She glanced at the clock. She only had a few minutes before she needed to change her dressings. "You should go to bed, Lavender... I need to change my bandages-"
Lavender stood almost immediately, moving towards her bed. "I never meant... to put him in danger," Lavender said as she climbed into her bed. "Your son. Or yourself... were you Marked because of the article?"
"I was destined to be Marked soon. The article didn't change much." The news, though, seemed to pain her and Scarlett wondered what was going through her mind. But the curtains shut and Scarlett was left alone, in th silence, where she pulled out some gauze and the last of her potion, before casting a silencing charm and going through her quarter-daily ritual.
It didn't hurt as much, anymore, she was thankful for, and it was healing well - the scars were beginning to come in around the scabs and the potion was numbing it almost in its entirety.
She wrapped it up tightly and set her alarm for four in the morning, where she would begin her homework for the next few days. Her eyes darted to the beds around her, before she sighed and relaxed once more, this time under the covers. Scarlett drifted off to sleep, her dreams plagued with the haunted man that had begged her to find Tyler - of Lucius.
When she next saw Blaise, he was seated, and only acknowledged her with a headnod.
"Blaise?" she questioned. "Are you alright?"
He glanced at her, and she saw frustration. Was he... frustrated with her? "I want to hate him. But I can't."
Oh. Frustrated with Lucius, and with himself. "I know," she said quietly. Her fingers strummed on the table before her as she watched him, his fast breaths. "I think we should meet each other at lunch, in the Room of Requirement... I think you need to see something."
He raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"We can work on our Ancient Runes project then," Scarlett told him, biting her lip as he seemed confused. "Please, tell me you can pick up a hint that I would like to speak to you privately about something... something that you will take interest in."
He still seemed confused, and she was about to blurt Tyler's name, when understanding dawned on his face. "Oh, yeah, that project... sure." She rolled her eyes at how long it took him, before digging in her bag for her textbook.
She wondered how distracted he was, however, in his head, because he didn't seem to be taking notes, nor paying attention in class, instead staring at the parchment as he moved his quill, but the scratching producing no words as though he wasn't truly trying to make them. It worried her. He was behaving strangely.
The entire class period she wondered why he was so distant, so far away, and the only indication, had she been entirely unobservant, would be the way his eyes narrowed at the parchment, as well, as if scrunitizing it. Scrutinizing someone. Or something. And when they were asked to begin their Ancient Runes project, using up the rest of class time, he didn't make any acknowledgement the teacher had even spoken. Scarlett considered drawing him out of his world, but decided against it. She didn't want to interrupt a train of thought, especially if it would be important, potentially.
She talked about the project aloud, as if he was listening, but she doubted so, and did most of it herself, promising herself that she would have him do the rest when she met him that night in the library for their "confidence lessons" - of which, she doubted they were making much of a difference. She didn't feel confident. She still restricted herself to her own sphere, helped others when they approached her first... and only approached those she was familiar with.
By the end of class, however, he seemed to have barely noticed the moving students and she gently touched his arm, flinching herself when he flinched away from her. She removed her light grip, swallowing. "Class is over... you're in a bit of a daze, there."
She stared at the sleeve she had touched, wondering... he would have told her, she felt, if he had been Marked... right? He hadn't been, when they first met, and she hadn't seen him with bare arms since their first encounter. But... surely, he wasn't. He couldn't have been. He was, afterall, Blaise Zabini - and he had declared himself neutral - at least, to her.
"Right," he murmured. He gathered his things quickly. "We can walk to Defense, yeah?"
She didn't see how it would be any different than any other time they would walk together. They were near the rear of their class, taking their time as they followed the others, just out of hearing distance. "Where is your mind?"
At first, she wasn't sure if she had been heard, but then he shrugged lightly, one hand shoved into the pocket of his pants, and the other curled around a book that was pressed up against his side. "A lot of things. For instance, how the fuck did you and McLaggen actually start dating? Because, I heard that from Weaslette-"
"You talked to Ginny?" Scarlett interrupted, surprised. Blaise glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "When?"
"Malfoy actually. Weaslette approached him in the library Sunday afternoon, before BAFT. Told him to keep an eye on McLaggen, so that she didn't have to worry about him, too-"
"Keep an eye on him?" Scarlett questioned, confused.
"Watch him, make sure he's not being a tosser. So, of course, this was weird. Why would Draco listen to Weaslette? So he talks to me about it, and he thinks you're dating... so... I'll ask again, how did you start dating that prick?"
"He's actually a nice guy," Scarlett insisted quietly. Blaise snorted as though he disagreed. "It was only a week ago... And it's not like it's much. He walks me to my morning classes, we have meals together, and we study together. What else is there to do?" He raised an eyebrow. "He's sweet, he is. And while a lot of people don't think so-"
"The first thing people use to describe him is a far cry from sweet, or nice."
She swallowed. "I know, but... He's not like what the rumors say. I ... I didn't think much about a relationship... It isn't a priority of mine. And he knows that. I don't want romance to distract me from my studies, or my duties or... or anything else that needs to be taken care of. And he - while attentive to my emotions, it seems - respects that. At least, he has so far... so I see no problem with the relationship-"
"You'll be careful with him?" Blaise interrupted suddenly, his voice firm and the look he gave her when he glanced towards her was a warning. "And I mean, make sure he doesn't hurt you-"
"He's not ..." Scarlett let the argument die, not wanting to fight about Cormac. She instead nodded, swallowing. "He's not going to hurt me, but I'll be careful, I promise. I feel like I've already agreed to this with you."
"Probably. I just want to make sure that you're careful..." She smiled gently towards him, but he wasn't paying attention as he worried his lip, seemingly deep in thought. "I want you to know that if anything ever happens, I will always be there to help you... and Tyler."
"Thank you," she said just as quiet, knowing that he was sincere. "And though I don't have much to offer you, I will always be there, as well, to return the favor. It is the least I could do."
"You said you wanted to meet in the Room of Requirement-"
"Yeah," Scarlett said brightly, flipping her braid over her shoulder as she glanced towards the windows as they walked past them, showing her the bright sunny October day outside. "But I'd like to eat a quick lunch first, if you don't mind. I... wanted to show you something - a memory-"
"More memories?"
"I think this one will be something you'd like to see," Scarlett admitted cryptically. She glanced at Blaise to see him nod. "So I'll get a quick bite to eat and then meet you there."
It was agreed. They went their separate ways once in class, and the real dueling began. As always, Potions was an experience. The Slytherins stayed as far from the Gryffindors as possible, and attacked them ferociously. Scarlett was given a rather harmless Hufflepuff as a partner, so as not to aggrivate her side, and the entire time Scarlett couldn't help but wonder if, had she been brought up different... if she would have been like this girl - if the confidence lessons weren't working.
The girl was shy, quiet, didn't meet Scarlett's eyes... It reminded her of herself, just a few months prior. Is this how Scarlett would be? Is this how she would have ended up if she had stayed in the Malfoys care until her eighteenth birthday? She had changed so much in the last two months... She couldn't imagine changing any more than she had, but she knew in the war... well, it would be inevitable.
"Are you alright?" She glanced up from sipping her pumpkin juice to see Cormac giving her a concerned look. Scarlett attempted an easy smile, as if she wasn't trying to analyze her entire time at Hogwarts so far. She couldn't stop thinking about it, since Defense.
"Fine," Scarlett insisted. "I have to head to the Room of Requirements... it's about last night and I need to... to show Blaise something-" She swallowed. "I'll tell you about it tonight, alright?"
"You're leaving?"
"I'll see you later," Scarlett insisted, rising. "I'm sorry..." She made sure to lightly touch her lips to his cheek as she stood, knowing that the argument Harry, Ron, and Hermione were having would lead them not to notice. "Then I'm all yours."
He sighed, as if disappointed, which made Scarlett feel horrible, but agreed.
Blaise Zabini looked... still absent-minded as he settled himself on a comfy couch. The room was one she hadn't seen before, cool, but still warm - if the fireplace in the small room was anything to take for granted. There were further seats, but Scarlett didn't see a point in sitting so far away from him.
"What's this about, Scarlett?" he questioned.
"I showed him the memories, Severus, I mean," Scarlett told him as she sat beside him, biting her lip. "And..." Blaise glanced up, interested now. "We left the castle, and..."
"Bloody hell... you found him?'
Scarlett nodded. "I wanted you to see the memory... to see him... He was asleep but- he was there, and he was healthy, and he was warm, and happy- and so... so perfect, Blaise... I couldn't... I never could have given him all of that, and he was ... he had it."
"Can I..." he swallowed thickly. "Can I see him?"
It was a silly question. She extracted the memory, requesting a pensieve, and as he went to take a look at the son she had been forced to leave in a Muggle location, Scarlett began to drift once more, thinking of how different she would be by the time she graduated. Would she even recognize herself?