Chapter 26. Bumblebee hive

She wasn't showing up to the library. He'd grown used to her presence randomly joining and now it was silent. She didn't appear. Didn't come do homework with him. He went as far as to prowl the back sections looking for her and there was nothing.

He didn't know how to take it. He was even going by himself and trying to do homework alone in the hopes that she would be more receptive to coming then. But there was nothing.

Rennings, however, seemed to take every opportunity to come his way.

Audaciously, Rennings sat down across from him, her arm swooping across his vision, bangles jangling loudly in his ear.

"So," she said, her arm moving back to her hair and pushing one side behind her ear, exposing a rather large jewelled earring. "In the library again. Didn't you know this is the worst place to have a social life? The vultures at the front door stop are all sorts of fun."

He grunted and rubbed at his eyes. Merlin, he'd been in here a long time. He wasn't about to stop for her and really didn't want her here bugging him. "Busy. Have homework." Her arm once again cut across his field of vision and gently touched his wrist.

"You're doing more work than most seventh-years who have NEWTS."

She had a point, yet he couldn't stand doing anything else besides homework and Quidditch. And wondering about Weasley. Maybe a bit too often.

"I expect good grades and my Captain does as well."

"I don't see any other player in here as much as you."

"You're never in here." Why couldn't she take a hint?

"I … wander the school. I see you day in and out sitting at the same table. One does have to wonder about your sanity these days." Her eyes did look concerned, but concern could be faked.

"I'm quite fine. Thanks," he might have said it more gruffly than intended but she didn't appear to take offense. She quickly changed the subject.

"Do you like my new earrings?" Her hands went back to her ear and cupped around behind it. The jewel was obnoxiously large.

"They're nice." He looked back at his book and got back to his homework. She might have said something else, but he was too zoned out and Rennings took off eventually. He was left alone again.

Surprisingly, his day turned around at Potions. For the first time ever, his bench was empty when he went in the classroom. There was no glaring and moody sixth-year sitting there, ready at any moment to throw a carrot at his head or glare or yell at him.

Perdsmith came by as Scorpius sat there in silence, waiting in sheer agony for the moment Emmanuelle would show up and darken the class once more. "Scorpius, Ms. Simone has taken ill this afternoon and you will brew the Toothache Potion alone. However, feel free to join another group if you prefer to work with someone."

Scorpius could have kissed him. "I think I'll stay here and work." Perdsmith gave a nod and moved on.

Scorpius did a mental happy dance. As it was, he rolled his fingers together under his chin and thought about the possibilities. No restrictions. No partner. Unlimited supplies in the potions cupboard.

He barely listened to Perdsmith as he gave a beginning-of-class-spiel. His mind was already scheming and planning, flipping the potions recipe around in his head. It was simple enough. Took one hour to brew. If he added Hornsroot in the first step, he could probably finish brewing the potion in 45 minutes. And if he added newt livers before separating the potion in the last step, the colour would be a more pleasant ruby colour than a greeny-yellow colour. Maybe. He recalled reading about how clover leaves mashed with honey and sap from the teegle shrub helped grow human tissue. Could it work well for people with receding gums? Hmm. He wasn't confident on that though. Plus how would it mix?

He could have been alone in the room and he wouldn't have noticed. There were students milling around, talking, things happening, and he was completely oblivious.

Everything was going well until the newt livers. He added them in to try the colour change and was preparing seven vials to separate his finished potion when there was the sound of intensive bubbling and sizzling – like butter on a hot pan. He turned to his potion and saw it spitting ruby liquid up in the air.

"Hey dumbass you're potion is exploding," he heard Brawns shout from across the room. And true to form, Scorpius had a millisecond to pull his robes over his head and hit the floor. The small explosion rattled the schools foundations, he was sure. He got hit by some liquid and heard screams from all over the class. The backs of his robes felt sticky wet as he poked his head up above the desks to see the damage. Other students did the same, looking around in shocked surprise.

"Mr. MALFOY!" Perdsmith yelled, similarly emerging from his desk with his periwinkle robes above his head. "What just happened? I haven't seen an explosion like this from a sixth-year in years!" Perdsmith this angry was a rarity.

Most surprising to him however, was that his top-of-the-line pewter cauldron was in five pieces on the desk. At least it was a healing potion – rather safe for an explosion. All things considering.

"I ummm … added newt liver at the end to change the colour."

With the shaky breath Perdsmith took, Scorpius knew he had messed up.

"Mr. Malfoy, you have a pewter cauldron! Newt livers combined with renegrad seeds produces an exothermic reaction with pewter. This was highly dangerous and irresponsible. We follow the recipes for a reason in this classroom and we don't experiment. GET OUT OF MY POTIONS LAB RIGHT NOW. Detention every night this week!"

Scorpius didn't even say anything. He grabbed all his things, shoved them in his bag, and booked it from the room.

After everything, this was finally the time Weasley sought him out in the library again. Scorpius didn't want to talk to her. He had already sent an owl to his parents telling them what happened and asked if they could send his spare cauldron from home. Now he was being grumpy. He blew his one chance in the potions classroom – he doubted he would be able to work alone ever again.

She sat down across from him and scooted closer to the table. She dug through her bag and then set a scroll on the table. "These are the notes you missed. Homework and the like for next class. You didn't miss much."

"I don't really care."

"Okay." He saw her hands clench into fists from the corner of his eye. He didn't look up.

She stood up slowly, hands spreading wide on the table, her long fingers with nails bitten down slightly digging in as she pushed off the table. She paused. She moved out of the way and pushed the chair slowly back in, gently scraping it across the floor. She paused again.

He didn't look up.

She took a step away, walking backwards, hands clenched.

Again, she rested a moment.

He still didn't look up.

Then she turned and started walking away. Dammit. He didn't want her to leave.

"Wait – you don't have to go. I'm just salty about this right now …" he opened his mouth to say more and she turned around. Merlin, he wanted to talk with her. He doubted she wanted the same. Yet her mouth was open as well, maybe also in the midst of blurting something out, or not.

They stared for ten seconds. Her fists were still clenched. Merlin, she looked exhausted. Scorpius was half ready to burst all his troubles on the table but nothing came out of his mouth. Her mouth closed slowly and then her face turned blank. Her eyes remained stormy.

Finally, she answered, albeit rather slowly. "I only came to drop this off … I have to go."

"Okay." Words at the tip of his tongue died down and he realised he had been half out of his seat. He sat down. "Okay."

The last two games of the regular season ended as expected. They lost to Hufflepuff – which was rather embarrassing once again. Weasley managed to catch the Snitch, but they didn't have cohesion as a team and were that far behind in points. Scorpius was embarrassed to show his face in the school for a few days after that.

Hufflepuff also beat Gryffindor in the last regular game of the season.

In the end, Hufflepuff was in first place in the House League, followed by Gryffindor, then Slytherin, and finally Ravenclaw in last.

He was sixth-year and they were in fourth place. It was disgustingly sad. Last year they were second.

As it was, all hope was not lose quite yet. The semi-finals were set up so first place played fourth place, and second place played third. Sitting in last place, they were playing Hufflepuff after the past few humiliating defeats. The winners of the two semi-final games would face off in the finals for the Quidditch Cup.

At least Nadir didn't ream him out as badly as he thought for his week-long detention stint. Instead he changed most of their practices to the morning, switching with Gryffindor who originally had some of the time slots.

There was a few weeks break now before semis started and the next round of games. Enough time for Nadir to go nuts and get in a verbal fight with Higgs and Sarrasin about pitch time. Enough time for him to have his detentions and then a few days of peace. Enough time to hide out in the Ravenclaw dorm rooms because Rennings was on the hunt for him at all times. Enough time for him to be moody because his friends were never around.

His third detention started by a note on the door. His name was written in a loopy cursive handwriting on a folded piece of paper. Surprisingly, Weasley also had her name in a note on the door as well as Sprocket, and then a student he had never heard of named Freddie Bulstrode.

He picked his note up and read it.

Mr Malfoy, a family emergency has come up and I will not be here tonight for the detention. You and Freddie Bulstrode will be grinding dragon teeth to a powder until 7 pm. At 7, I would like you to switch gears and fill 20 vials of Moonsbrew potion for a third-year class. DO NOT DEVIATE FROM THE RECIPE. Professor Lavallee will come by at 9 pm and dismiss you when you are finished.

He huffed.

Grinding dragon teeth was utterly the most boring job in the world, but do it he would. He entered the lab and saw his work station set up near the front of the room. A huge pile of dragon teeth sat next to a standard classroom cauldron and twenty empty 250 ml vials.

Shit, he wants a lot of potion. This will take me longer than expected, he thought. One full cauldron of potion filled about three vials worth. Too bad he couldn't use a larger one. Another work station was nearby with only two vials but a larger pile of dragon's teeth. The desk sat empty.

Surprisingly it wasn't Bulstrode who entered the classroom first since he was currently ten minutes late for grinding teeth. It was Sprocket.

He looked small in the back of the classroom. Scorpius was in the midst of things, had already shed his robes and rolled up his sleeves.

"Sprocket!" Scorpius greeted. "How are you? You're much nicer company than this empty seat."

Sprocket walked over and peered into the cauldron, his red glasses fogging up from the steam. Scorpius already had a potion brewing because he knew he could grind dragon teeth during the rest stages of the potion. "I'm good. What are you making?"

"Moonsbrew potion. I have a lot to make so I'm jumping right in. You have detention as well?"

He shook his head. His glasses were slowly unfogging. "No. A potion I need to pick up. Why did you get detention?"

The moonsbrew potion needed to sit and brew for five minutes. He switched tasks, keeping count on his watch.

"Ah. I exploded a cauldron. Bloody well didn't know that newt liver and renegrad seeds produce a violent reaction with pewter. Perdsmith didn't appreciate the explosion."

Sprocket grinned. "Sounds exciting."

The door violently swung open and an angry stranger walked in. Sprocket backed away from Scorpius and went to the front of the class, grabbing a small bottle off the table and stuffing it in his pocket.

Scorpius glanced back. "Ah, Bulstrode it must be. Nothing like being twenty minutes late for a detention."

Bulstrode only grunted loudly and sat down in his chair. "Pipsqueak. Come grind the teeth for me."

Sprocket squeaked and then turned bright red. He looked at Scorpius, gave a weird wave, and then ran quickly to the door.

Scorpius could tell this was going to be a fun detention.

Bulstrode sat there staring at the teeth. Scorpius guessed he was a fourth-year, and seemed to be in Gryffindor judging by a red and gold pin on his robes.

"You know Perdsmith doesn't let people go early. If the work isn't done then you have to stay."

He grunted again. "This is a waste of time."

Scorpius gave a strained smile to the air and focused on his dragon teeth. Bulstrode eventually started grinding the teeth at a ridiculously slow pace. It was actually frustrating to listen to the inefficiency.

In the next instant a hand gripped his shoulder in a death grip and he grated part of his finger on the grinder.

"What the hell, sweet Merlin!" He swiped at his shoulder feeling a slippery fabric and perhaps a human hand under it. His finger stung and he was sure he'd start bleeding soon. He looked behind him as he tried to push the hand off. There was nothing. Scorpius gave a startled yelp.

"Are you nuts?" Bulstrode said.

There was nothing there but he could still feel the hand. He started trying to slap the hand with a vice grip away but it didn't move. It tried pulling him backwards and he almost flew out of his chair, his legs flying out and kicking the bottom of the table.

"Come to the hallway," a voice hissed at him. And he recognised the voice for sure, but what the actual fuck, how was she here but not here? He finally remembered that this was perhaps the weird blanket she had used when they snuck up to the tower to release the dragon.

But what was it? He was under it last time – this was much more than he imagined: it wasn't a chameleon type effect where you had to stay still to be hidden. Weasley was moving and still invisible. How!

Bulstrode was looking at him super weird after that invisible struggle. Scorpius didn't even care to make any excuses.

The hand only left his shoulder when he awkwardly stood up from the chair. His potion had spilled a bit over the ledges from his kick and he was supposed to add wormword powder right now and stir for one minute. But screw it all, his potion had to wait.

Merlin, he hoped Perdsmith wouldn't come back anytime soon. He dashed to the lab and grabbed a pixie wing. It was arguably one of the most expensive ingredients and he was sure he'd be skinned alive if Perdsmith saw him, but he didn't want the potion to go to waste. He threw it in and mixed it. The potion turned grey in colour and became solid. He had time now. He turned off his flame and left, with Bulstrode still looking at him like he was crazy.

He shut the potions door behind him and looked for Rose. The hallways were empty. That had been her voice though, no question. It was slightly frustrating; he hoped he didn't waste a pixie wing for nothing.

Of course he gave a startled cry again when he turned around and she was right there standing near the wall.

"What the hell… is happening?" he gasped out. Merlin his poor heart, he was too old for this.

Her arms were crossed tight, the note from Perdsmith in her hand, and her face was grey, as if she were going to be sick. He could see tense lines on her face.

Her voice was calm.

"Did you see Perdsmith at all?" she said. She was looking at him, but also not looking at him. Her eyes were unfocused – as if she wasn't seeing real life – or there was a film over it and she couldn't see through it.

"No. There were notes on the door when I arrived. That's it."

"What time was that?"

"Half six."

The note in her hand seemed to clench a bit tighter. "Did you … did you see Dakota at all?"

"No. There was only ever myself, Bulstrode, and Sprocket who entered the room as far as I was aware."

She gave a distant nod, her eyes still not there and not connecting.

"Are you feeling okay Rose? Maybe I could help you get to the Hospital Wing or –"

"Scorpius." His name was like honey. He stopped talking. "I need you to find Hugo for me." Her voice sounded detached from her, as if she was containing extreme emotion, but her eyes finally went past that screen and connected with his. "I need you to find Hugo and tell him Aunt Luna's bumblebee hive is swarming." She abruptly stopped talking.

"Okay? That's it? You want me to tell Hugo about your Aunt Luna? When?"

She looked to the side again, beyond his shoulders then put her head in her hand, scrunching up on herself. "I … I know it sounds … dumb." She straightened. "I just … this is more important than I can explain. You need to take that message to Hugo right now," her voice took on a frantic edge. "Please, Scorpius."

"I mean I have detention –"

Oh hell, she tensed up.

"– but yes, I will go find him right now and tell him."

He could see some of the relief leave her shoulders but she had so much tension still. There were voices at the end of the hallway slowly coming closer. Scorpius stared down the hallway and rubbed the back of his neck. Where would he even find Hugo at this time? That was what may be tricky.

And it was as if she read his mind. "He's near the Transfiguration classroom. Fifth floor."

"Yeah … Alright. Headed right there … wait. What? Where are you?" The corridor was empty. "Is this an invisibility blanket or something? Am I talking to myself again?" If there weren't voices maybe he could hear the soft patter of footsteps of her sneaking away. He felt tempted to simply spread his arms and run down the hallway – she had to be there – yet, this didn't seem like the time.

He had to find Hugo.

Hugo was not alone. Of course he wasn't. That would be too easy. It was a noisy classroom of what looked like students hanging out. Of course all Gryffindors as well. Just peachy.

Well, might as well jump into it. He had to do it, no point delaying further.

The instant he went into the room and leaned up against the door frame it fell quiet. He didn't really know any of the Gryffindors well, or ever converse with them. And Hugo wasn't looking at him yet, writing something on a piece of paper. A girl with short black hair hit him in the shoulder.

Cute enough it was his ears that perked up first and then his face burst into a grin. "Scorpius, mate, what's happening?"

Scorpius gave a smile that he was sure looked fake. "Can I talk with you for a second?" He jerked his head to indicate the talk should be outside.

Hugo nodded and passed the paper off to his friends before pushing himself up and rather gracefully making his way through the crowd. It seemed like they were playing a game, the next person sat down and people crowded around her.

Scorpius shut the door behind Hugo so the sound wouldn't carry.

"I have a message for you."

Hugo's eyebrows raised. "From who?"

"Your sister." Hugo's eyebrows immediately went to a frown and he looked down the hallway at the window. Or the painting next to the window of a ballet dancer. Scorpius paused.

"She says your Aunt Luna's beehive was swarming … if that means anything –"

There was an alertness in his eyes and then instant anger. That should have been the cue to back up but Scorpius would not have guessed that Hugo's response would be to wind up and sucker punch him in the face. His eye instantly swelled shut and started throbbing. Scorpius was unwittingly pushed up against the wall, Hugo's hands at his lapels.

"Where is she? Who told you that?" He growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Okay. Ow. Scorpius was in enough pain that he pinched the skin between Hugo's thumb and pointer finger and twisted hard to get him to back off. What was with the Weasley siblings and pushing him against walls?

"Chill Hugo. Fuck. I don't know where she is. She found me in detention in the Potions lab and pulled me out to tell me to find you. Without, might I add, any due warning about this violent reaction from you!"

"What did she say?" His voice still had a dangerous tone.

"Just that I needed to find you right away and tell you that. What do you want me to say?"

"Where did she go, what did she do?"

How to cool him down? "I don't know. I looked away when she said that and she disappeared. She may have had some sort of invisibility thing going on with a blanket. I don't know Hugo. That's all she said to me."

His eyes were wild and true comprehension crossed his face. "Holy shit. Holy shit."

"What's happening? What does it mean?"

"Okay. It's all good." Hugo put his hands through his hair, pulling it back from his head tightly and took a deep breath. "It … doesn't mean as much as you think. Can't say much actually. Sorry. I've got to go."

"What? Are you serious? You punch me in the face and say it's nothing. I can't even see out of this eye!"

Hugo looked a bit sheepish. "Sorry mate. Really. Didn't mean to do that. Hope it heals. I'll have to talk to you later."

He took off running with one more backwards glance.

And exactly where was he headed?

Hugo wasn't one that could keep hidden easily. Easily one of the biggest guys in the school, Scorpius followed from a rather far distance. It wasn't as if he was hiding in plain sight, heading down all the main staircases. He got to the bottom and booked it outside.

Hmm, maybe something to check out later, he thought. Then he headed back to his detention.

Not surprisingly, even though he was absent for thirty minutes, he finished the detention exactly on time.

He wanted some fresh air. Plus his eye was throbbing and his bruise balm was in his locker at the Quidditch arena. He figured that was enough of an alibi to cover up his sleuthing of where Hugo may have gone.

However, one Hugo Weasley was standing right outside the front door.

"Your eye looks much worse now," he stated. His eyes looked tired.

"Haven't put anything on it yet. My bruise balm is at the Quidditch pitch."

"The Hospital Wing is open."

That was as clear an answer as any. "What are you doing out here?"

"Waiting."

"Okay … Will you prevent me from going outside if I try?" Hugo had a power stance, arms folded across his chest, feet spread wide, completely blocking Scorpius's path.

"Yes."

Scorpius paused in his thoughts. Why? Why why why?

"Well … I guess I'll save my midnight stroll outside for some other night."

"That'd be best." Hugo brokered no further argument or questions. Scorpius wasn't looking for a fight. He left Hugo and shut the door behind him. What was happening?

It was next to impossible to sleep. His eye was throbbing. Try as he might he still wanted fresh air. He couldn't fall asleep. After an hour or two of tossing and turning he threw his covers off and went to the window, throwing it open to feel the wintery air and taking a big gulp of icy freshness.

The full moon was bright and brilliant right ahead. Merlin, it was felt so close. He could see some of the craters better than before – he'd always enjoyed a brilliant full moon. Probably not as much as Nadir did, but there was something magical to it even.

There was a haunting howl in the distance and his eyes diverted from the moon to the forest. Some lone creature lost in the forest, Scorpius thought.

Then he stopped.

Rose Weasley was a fucking werewolf.