A/N: Hey people! I'm so sorry for the delay. School started last week, and I've been ridiculously busy since then (mega-groan). But I'm still working on this story whenever I get the chance, so don't worry! Also just wanted to give a huge thank you for all the kind reviews I've gotten on this story! I know I say this a lot and those of you who actually read the author's notes are probably sick of me saying this, but it really does inspire me so much to see that other people actually enjoy my writing. So, thanks to you all!
Anyway, since Scorpius was absent from the last chapter, he gets this one all to himself (wasn't intentional, but oh well :P )! :D The writing in this one isn't my best, but like I said, I've had a crazy schedule and I really just wanted to get this one over with. So, enjoy the best you can ;)
Scorpius' eyes slowly fluttered open, squinting against the bright rays of sunshine that peered through the gap in his scarlet drapes. Groaning, he buried his face in the pillow below him, wishing he could turn back time and go back to the night before. Exhaustion flowed through every crack and crevice of his body, and it took Scorpius a moment to remember why.
He suddenly rolled over and sat straight up in bed. Today was the day; the day he went back to Hogwarts. Today was the day his fifth year began. A broad grin etched itself across Scorpius' face, replacing the scowl that had been there only seconds earlier. Today was the day he saw his friends again for the first time in what felt like ages, even though it had only been mere weeks.
And then he remembered. The smile faded, sliding down his face like raindrops off a window. Scorpius sighed as an image of Lucius floated into his sleep-laden mind. The cold grey eyes seemed to drill into him, and Scorpius shook his head, letting out a deep breath to rid himself of the unpleasant squirm inside his stomach.
Glancing up at the clock above his headboard, Scorpius was shocked to find that it was nearly ten 0'clock already. Throwing off his thick array of blankets, he leapt out of bed, nearly tripped over the trunk he had finished packing the night before, and bolted over to his closet. By the time the clock signaled the start of the tenth hour, Scorpius had changed into a pair of dark jeans, and a loose, light green t-shirt.
In a matter of minutes, Scorpius had checked and double-checked his luggage, making sure he had everything he would need for the school year. Finally satisfied, he closed the trunk and snapped it shut. Slipping into a pair of sneakers, he quietly opened the door and darted out into the hallway.
He made the short trip downstairs to the kitchen in record time. Snatching an apple and banana from the fruit bowl, Scorpius scarfed them down as quickly as he could chew. When he finally slowed his pace, he perused through the kitchen and dining room, searching for his parents. Oddly enough, they were nowhere to be found.
With a crease set firmly upon his brow, Scorpius traveled back up the stairs to the second floor and walked quietly to the door of his parents' bedroom. Knocking gently, he waited for an answer. Seconds passed, and no one replied. After a moment of hesitation, Scorpius opened the door and tentatively stepped inside. It didn't take him long to find his parents.
They lay against the back wall, sitting side by side. Astoria was curled up against her husband's chest, and Draco was snoring softly as his arm kept his wife held close. Scorpius held back a smile, pausing to watch them momentarily. He had no earthly idea why they were sleeping on the floor, or why they were still wearing their clothes from the night before, but he hated to wake them when they looked so peaceful.
It had to be done, however, unless Scorpius wanted to miss the Hogwarts Express, and that prospect certainly did not appeal to him. Walking quietly over to his slumbering parents, Scorpius knelt down and reached for his mother first. He gently shook her shoulder, murmuring a quiet 'Mum' in an attempt to wake her.
His mother's eyes gradually opened to reveal smaragdine orbs, glazed over with grogginess. Her eyes swung around for a moment until they found Scorpius's, then widened slightly. Unraveling herself from Draco's arms, Astoria yawned and leaned towards Scorpius.
"Are you alright, dear?" she mumbled in a sleepy tone as Draco began to shift beside her.
"Of course." Scorpius answered. "Are you?" Astoria, eyeing his outfit with a confused look, suddenly dawned a look of realization.
"Oh goodness, today's the day!" she exclaimed, promptly proceeding to shove Draco until his eyes finally flew open.
"Oi!" he muttered groggily, a perplexed expression spreading across his face as he was dragged from his slumber.
"Wake up!" Astoria replied in an exasperated tone.
"What's wrong?" Draco responded, his eyes instantly widening.
"We're going to be late to King's Cross Station, you git!" Scorpius held back a smile as his mother shooed Draco to his feet, mumbling under her breath as she followed suit.
"We'll be down in a few minutes, Scorpius." Draco called over his shoulder as he stumbled tiredly into the closet to fetch some fresh clothes.
"Alright." Scorpius murmured, leaving his parents in peace as he headed back to his room to make one final check over his luggage.
When he was finally satisfied that he had absolutely everything he needed, Scorpius gave one last look around his room. It would be months before he returned; months before he saw this place again. Although it saddened him to admit, Scorpius knew he wouldn't miss it one bit. Only a madman would miss the feeling of dread that sunk so deeply into Scorpius's bones every time he saw Lucius.
He would miss his parents, of course. He always did. There was no doubt on that matter. Despite the hell Lucius put them through, his mother and father somehow managed to be quite possibly the best parents Scorpius could hope for.
And with that thought drilled firmly in his mind, Scorpius slipped a small backpack over his shoulders, then hefted his trunk into the air. Nudging the door back open with his foot, he carried it down the hallway and stairs before setting it down in the foyer by the open front door. His parents were waiting patiently to the side, arm-in-arm as they watched him with proud expressions etched upon their faces.
"I guess we're ready, then?" Astoria queried, glancing in between Scorpius and Draco.
"Not yet." An all-too familiar voice spoke up. Scorpius froze as Lucius emerged like a black vapor from the shadows underneath the staircase. His ebony robes were crisp, with nary a wrinkle to show. His pin-straight silver hair framed his thin, expressionless face. Scorpius found himself unwittingly shivering at the icy grey eyes that instantly pierced into his own. "You weren't thinking of leaving without letting me say goodbye to my grandson, were you?" Silence fell, and Scorpius watched as both Draco and Astoria shifted their feet uncomfortably.
"Of course not." Draco eventually mumbled, turning his eyes towards the floor as he gestured for Lucius to approach.
Scorpius stiffened, his hands balling into tight fists as Lucius walked over to him. The sound of his grandfather's boots clomping noisily against the wooden floor seemed like thunder to his ears, each footstep signaling the approach of danger. Scorpius swallowed the lump in his throat, determined to look unfazed. Due to his rapid growth spurts over the past year, he was now only a few inches shorter than his grandfather. Instead of cowering underneath him as he used to, Scorpius barely had to tilt his head upward to meet Lucius's sharp, penetrating gaze.
"Well, if it isn't our little Gryffindor." Lucius remarked, appraising Scorpius with a disapproving smirk. "I hear you're going to be a prefect." Scorpius nodded slowly.
"That's right." he replied quietly. His grandfather leaned closer, dropping his voice to a low, cool tone.
"I trust you won't disappoint me?" he murmured, his glare unwavering. Scorpius felt as if a sudden weight had been placed on his shoulders. It didn't take a genius to hear the threat lurking behind Lucius's words.
"I won't." Scorpius answered. His stomach was doing somersaults, despite the calm voice that surprised even himself. His trembling fingers were damp with sweat as his nails dug into the skin of his palm. Scorpius felt the chill pulsing through his veins as Lucius seemed to tower over him.
"I hope for their sake that you don't." his grandfather responded, his ashen gaze flicking momentarily to Draco and Astoria before swinging back to Scorpius. Gulping nervously, Scorpius tentatively bowed his head in understanding.
The weight upon his shoulders seemed to increase tenfold, and he struggled not to let the sense of defeat show on his face. Instead, he dawned the bravest face he could muster and turned away. Without another word, or even a glance at his parents, he picked up his trunk and walked towards the open door.
He strode outside into the fresh air and dropped the trunk onto the top of the brick staircase. He let out a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he waited for his parents to join him. It didn't take long.
Scorpius could see the apologetic glint inside his father's grey eyes as they all took their place at the top of the staircase. He knew how terrible Draco felt about their family predicament; he saw it every day.
"Ready?" Draco asked quietly, and Scorpius glanced past him to see Lucius standing in the doorway, watching intently.
"Whenever you are." Scorpius answered, grinding his teeth together slightly.
"Let's go, then." Astoria murmured, holding her hands out. Scorpius took the one closest to him while Draco grasped the other. His father assisted him with the heavy trunk, hefting the far end into the air whilst Scorpius grabbed his own handle.
At a nod from Draco, Astoria closed her eyes and began. Scorpius had side-apparated a few times before, and each time had been severely uncomfortable. He braced himself, his muscles tensing as he awaited the inevitable.
To his relief, it was over before he could even think about it. With a loud 'pop', they were whisked away from Malfoy Manor, reappearing in a narrow alley shrouded with smog. Scorpius heard the familiar sound of train whistles and realized they were next to King's Cross Station. Some of the tension in the air dissipated, the knots in his stomach starting to unwind at the realization that he was away from Lucius once more.
After making their way to the front of the alley where the narrow, cobblestone street ran into the main road, they waited until no one was looking their way before darting out into the flow of passerby. Scorpius knew that lugging around a trunk would look odd to some, but the Muggles had never troubled him before. They were too preoccupied with their small, rectangular devices that they seemed to use for everything nowadays.
Scorpius followed his parents as they dodged and weaved their way into the train station. He mumbled 'excuse me' and 'pardon me' underneath his breath over and over as he struggled to keep up. He finally located a cart to place his trunk on, and the groaning muscles in his back thanked him profusely as he set it down.
It didn't take long to travel down to Platform 9 ¾. Scorpius hastily shoved his cart through the brick pillar to the other side, where the Hogwarts Express was waiting to take him back to the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His parents emerged seconds after he did, but all Scorpius could focus on was the hustle and bustle surrounding him. All around, students both new and familiar were running about, desperate to get their final goodbyes in before hopping onto the train.
Scorpius led his parents to the edge, where a train attendant offered to take his trunk to the luggage car. With that out of the way, the only thing left now was saying goodbye. Turning back to his parents, he hesitantly met their gazes.
"Well, I guess this is it." He remarked, shuffling his feet as he looked down at the brick pavement below his sneakers.
"You'll do great this year." Astoria murmured, reaching out to straighten his shirt collar before pulling him into a tight embrace. "But I'll miss you all the same." Scorpius smiled, wrapping his arms around his mother's waist.
"I'll miss you too." He replied, carefully stepping back.
"Promise to write at least once a week?" Astoria queried, giving him a pointed look.
"Of course." Scorpius answered lightly.
Then he turned to Draco. As he looked up, he realized it wouldn't be much longer until he equaled, or perhaps even surpassed his father in height. Draco looked weary and exhausted, but the glimmer of pride in his eyes was irrefutable. Breaking into a lopsided smile, he stepped forward.
"Love you, son." Draco said quietly, giving him a warm hug. "I'm sorry." He added before pulling away. Scorpius didn't have to ask what he meant. He knew exactly what, or rather, who his father was talking about.
"I'll be alright." Scorpius assured him, although he didn't feel as certain as he sounded, and his parents certainly didn't seem convinced either.
A loud whistle blowing from the front of the train dragged his attention away from his parents.
"All aboard!" an insistent shout followed.
"Off you go, then." Astoria spoke up again, smiling softly. Scorpius gave one last look in between his parents.
"Will you two be al –"
"Don't worry about us, Scorpius." Draco interjected, exchanging a quick glance with Astoria. "We'll be fine."
Despite the smile spread across his father's face, Scorpius could detect the lie. None of them were safe as long as Lucius was around. To say anything different was foolish, yet it somehow comforted Scorpius nonetheless.
Unable to think of any words to add, Scorpius instead wrapped his parents into one final hug. With their arms coming to rest over his shoulders, Scorpius felt a small burst of longing within his chest. He wished his life could return to the way it had been only weeks earlier. More than anything, he just wanted his family to be safe.
As the embrace ended, Scorpius murmured final goodbyes to both his mother and father before turning and hopping onto the closest train car. As his feet left the pavement and landed on the train car's steps, he peered over his shoulder. Draco and Astoria were standing hand in hand, waving at him with their free arms. Scorpius waved in return, smiling one final time before disappearing into the depths of the car.
He carefully maneuvered his way through the line of cars as the Hogwarts Express began to chug slowly out of the station. As a prefect, it would be his job to patrol the corridors during the ride to Hogwarts. He did, however, need a place to stow his carry-on bag.
Thankfully, only a few moments passed before he heard the unmistakable voice of one of the Scamander twins, emanating from somewhere nearby. Scorpius scanned the general vicinity and spotted two familiar heads of bushy blonde hair a few feet away. The twins were waving frantically at him, and he scurried over to them as speedily as he could.
"You sir, are late." Lorcan remarked cheekily as he beckoned for Scorpius to enter their compartment.
"Sorry." Scorpius murmured apologetically as he plopped his bag down on the floor. "And I'm afraid I can't stay." He felt a hint of remorse at the crestfallen looks that dawned on his friends' faces. "Prefect duties." He explained.
"Ah." Lysander replied, nodding understandingly. "Can't argue with that, then."
"Well, I should probably go." Scorpius responded.
"Have fun." Lorcan exclaimed, grinning mischievously as Scorpius made for the door. "And we'll be sure to rummage through your pack."
"I would strongly advise against that, unless you want ten points from Gryffindor." Scorpius retorted, throwing the twins a teasing smirk over his shoulder as he strode back into the corridor.
After a few minutes of careful searching, he found the Head Boy, a seventh-year Ravenclaw named Hollace Middleton, and the Head Girl, a Slytherin by the name of Agatha Wilkinson. Hollace was quick to assign him several cars to patrol during the trip, and also to remind him that the prefects had their own carriage to take to the school once they arrived at Hogwarts Station. Scorpius was relieved to find the Head Boy to be kind, welcoming him into his new role with a warm, friendly smile. When he was certain he had a full understanding of his patrolling duties aboard the train, he turned to leave and head for his first car.
What he didn't expect, however, was coming face to face with Rose Weasley.
Scorpius managed to skid to a halt before they collided, and he opened his mouth to apologize before greeting her with their usual embrace. And then for the second time that morning, he remembered. His mouth hung open for a moment, and Rose stared back at him with sorrowful hazel eyes. She bit her lip like she always did when she was contemplating something, then tentatively ducked her head before brushing past him without saying a word.
This was their relationship now, as Scorpius was hesitant to remind himself. They couldn't even do something as simple as saying hello, lest they risk Lucius finding out through his mysterious ways. It infuriated Scorpius to think that his best friend in the entire world had just walked past him, and yet he couldn't even greet her.
It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to keep walking. Scorpius kept his eyes fixed ahead, not daring to look behind him. He could hear Rose speaking with Agatha about her own prefect duties, but he forced his ears to block out the sound. Instead, he somehow convinced his feet to keep plodding down the corridor to the next car, away from Rose.
As it turned out, patrolling was a lot simpler than he had anticipated. Scorpius had thankfully been assigned to the cars with mostly third and fourth year students, most of whom were relatively well-behaved. The train ride was a long one, but it passed without any major catastrophes. Scorpius sighed with relief at the announcement from the trolley lady that they would be arriving at Hogwarts Station in about five minutes. The train was starting to feel cramped, and he longed for a whiff of fresh air.
As promised, the train started its slow, screeching deceleration a few minutes later. A quick glance out the window told Scorpius that they had indeed arrived at their destination. The platform awaiting them outside was bare and empty, save for a few professors who would escort the students to the school.
Under orders from Hollace, Scorpius stayed until every last student had departed from his assigned cars. He meandered back down to the twins' empty compartment to find his bag waiting for him atop one of the benches. Scorpius snatched up the bag, and reached inside for his school robes. It didn't take long for him to change into the uniform. Scorpius stuffed his normal clothes into his backpack before slinging it over his shoulder and exiting the compartment, then bounding down the stairs onto the platform below.
He was disappointed to see that he had missed most of the rush. The majority of the students had already made their way to the waiting line of carriages and were climbing aboard. Scorpius spotted Hagrid leading the group of first-years away for their own special trip across the lake.
"Oi! Over here, Scorpius!" a voice cried out, drawing his attention. Scorpius glanced around the platform until he located Hollace by a particularly large carriage. The tall, lanky, brown-haired boy was waving wildly at him.
"Coming!" Scorpius called in response, rushing hastily over to the carriage.
"How was patrolling?" Hollace asked curiously as he approached.
"Better than I thought it would be." Scorpius answered candidly.
"Excellent!" Hollace replied before jerking his thumb over his shoulder in a gesture to the carriage behind him. "Climb aboard, and we'll have a meeting with all the prefects on the way up there."
"Alright." Scorpius murmured, grasping the handle on the side of the carriage and pulling himself into the cab. Since the weather was fair, the top was open, letting the evening sun illuminate the cab in a soft light. A wide bench went around the perimeter of the cab, and Scorpius was quick to notice that one seat was already occupied.
Rose sat near the corner of the bench on the far wall, her nose buried in a copy of the Daily Prophet. As Scorpius entered, she glanced over the top of the newspaper. Her hazel eyes drilled into his for a brief moment before hastily dropping down again. Again, Scorpius had to bite his tongue to keep from saying anything.
He settled on the nearest corner, flopping down onto the bench and sliding his pack underneath to get it out of the way. Scorpius struggled to keep his gaze off of Rose, but he couldn't help but study her from where he sat on the opposite side of the cab. She had cut her hair; Scorpius hadn't noticed it when he had first seen her on the train, but now it was grossly apparent. Her bright ginger hair had been cut close to her shoulders, while a few locks had been cut even shorter to gently frame her face all the way around.
It looked nice. The more Scorpius glanced at it, the more he started to like it. He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't. Of course, there was a great multitude of things he wanted to say, but couldn't.
Another face suddenly appeared in the entryway, dragging Scorpius's attention away from Rose. A tall boy with jet-black hair and murky brown eyes swaggered into the cab. Scorpius instantly recognized him as Peter Jenkins, a sixth-year Gryffindor prefect who also happened to be Seeker for the Quidditch team and heartthrob of nearly half of Hogwarts' female population.
Peter surveyed the cab briefly, his brown eyes narrowing as they met Scorpius's. Scorpius swallowed nervously, wondering if the older boy was going to sit next to him. Instead, Peter ignored him and turned instead to Rose. Scorpius didn't have to wonder why; he had garnered many a dirty look over the years due to his name.
"Is that seat taken?" Peter inquired of Rose in a boisterous, friendly tone that made Scorpius want to hurl out the window.
"No, it's all yours." Rose answered. Scorpius gritted his teeth together as Peter slid into the seat next to her.
"It's Rose, right?" Peter asked, although Scorpius had to strain his ears to hear. For some reason, it irked him that Peter Jenkins, of all people, would remember Rose's name. She had never been one to hang around the jocks like Peter. Scorpius did, however, reluctantly recall the time during Christmas one year when Peter had approached her during a Gryffindor party.
"Yes, it is." He heard her reply. Scorpius snuck a quick glance in their direction, and was surprised to see her cheeks blossoming bright scarlet as she peered sideways at the older boy sitting beside her. Something in his chest shifted uncomfortably, and he looked down at his sneakers, tapping his feet impatiently.
As more prefects filtered into the carriage, taking their respective seats along the bench, the sound of Peter and Rose's conversing faded. Scorpius could still see them, however. The muscles in his stomach squirmed, and he came to a startling realization;
Fifth year was suddenly looking to be a great deal harder than he anticipated.
A/N: Ahh, the jealousy begins (IT WON'T TURN INTO A LOVE TRIANGLE, I PROMISE! This isn't Twilight, after all :P )! For those of you don't remember, this Peter guy was briefly mentioned at some point in third year (I think? Maybe second year) during a Christmas party. And yes, this was totally planned out the entire time and not at all just me deciding twenty minutes ago to bring him back in because I wanted Scorpy to be jelly of someone.
Alrighty, I'm done rambling for now. Hope you liked this chapter! Leave a review if it's not too much trouble, and I'll try and respond if I can (it kills me that I can't respond to guest reviews, because that's almost all I get on this story xD )! Thanks for reading, and God bless!
