Sooooo - Hello again. Hope all of you are doing well :D
Back again with a story, this time it's Hogwarts based and will be full of all those teen story tropes I have always wanted to write about. The story was alternatively titled "Just Another Teen Story" so you can imagine, haha! It's silly and fun, and I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it.
The story is rated T for now. But may get bumped up to M in the later chapters as Scorpius grows.
Please excuse the length of the prologue. Upcoming chapters would be shorter, and hopefully coming in super regularly. Aiming for updates on the weekend. So keeping fingers crossed.
Do review and let me know what you thought of the chapter. Your reviews are like my energy juice :)
Disclaimer:All recognisable characters & settings belong to JKR. Copyright infringement is unintended.
1. Prologue
At eleven years, three months, and nineteen days old, Scorpius Malfoy is about to board the train to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
After the initial hesitation on entering Platform 9 ¾, and being spell-bound by the scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express, Scorpius feels his nerves return at a degree he hadn't anticipated. His mind is flooded with questions.
Will he like Hogwarts?
Will he enjoy studying there?
Will he be liked?
Will he make friends?
"You'll be fine, love," he hears his mother say. She places her hand on his shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.
Astoria Malfoy was grace personified. Tall, lithe, and sharp, she was as cunning and ambitious as she was kind and caring. Scorpius loved his mother, and he knows he will miss her terribly at Hogwarts.
"I see the Weasleys and the Potters have a pair joining this year," his father, Draco Malfoy, says.
Scorpius looks in the direction his father pointed out, to spot a sea of redheads and brunettes, who are currently trying to look oblivious to the stares they were receiving.
With a jolt, he realises that he is looking at the Golden Trio, the saviours of the wizarding world. He can make out the Boy Who Lived, the magnificent Harry Potter, standing out in the group due to his untidy jet black hair. The tall red-headed bearded man must be Ron Weasley, the flaming hair and height making it obvious. The bushy, brown haired woman next to him clearly was Hermione Granger, who was rumoured to be a rising star in the Ministry, many projecting her as the next Minister of Magic.
Scorpius has read so many stories about them that he feels almost starstruck. He's also heard from his father about how they saved his life, despite being enemies at school, and he feels a rush of gratitude towards them. He loves his father, and understands that the mistakes he made as a child was due to the prejudices he was raised into.
But Scorpius's parents had ensured that he led a happy life without any restrictions. He grew up in a lovely home in Derbyshire, far away from Malfoy Manor, which was now tainted with the horrors of the Second Wizarding War. While that didn't stop other kids from bullying him about his infamous surname and unfortunate short stature, he decided that he would be as kind as possible to others. He'd gotten into nasty fights as when he was younger. But as his father told him, the world had enough negativity as it is, and he did not want to see his son adding to it.
"A Granger-Weasley kid is starting this year," his father says, sounding curious. He then looks down at his son, a solemn look on his face, "Be sure to beat the girl at grades. If she is anything like her mother, she will be brainy and smart. It's a good thing that you're so smart and can give her a run for her money."
Scorpius beams back. He knows it won't be a challenge. He's already gone through the books once, knows he's a genius, and he also knows that he will excel at school.
"But don't pick up any enmity with her. That won't work out well. And when I say that don't pick up any enmity, I also don't mean get married to her," says Draco, shooting him a smirk, taking Scorpius by surprise, "We do not want grandfather to turn in his grave, do we?"
Scorpius is eleven. Given how driven and focused he was, he was highly doubtful he'd want to date anyone, least of all someone who belonged to a family historically at odds with his.
"Be careful about coming on as a know-it-all," his father adds cautiously as they walk towards the train, "It doesn't usually bode well here at Hogwarts."
"I'll be okay, dad," replies Scorpius happily, "I'll be a good boy and make you both proud."
His parents look down on him adoringly and embrace him tightly, warning him that school may get difficult at times, but he'll always have his parents who will love him no matter what.
With that heartening thought, Scorpius bids goodbye to his parents and boards the Hogwarts Express. As the train leaves the station, he stands in the corridor, viewing the chaos of people hunting for compartments or meeting their friends after the holidays.
He is positive he was never this close to crying. He felt so lonely.
He quietly drags his suitcase and his owl cage featuring his tawny brown owl, Athena, past a few compartments, and lands himself in front of a compartment having only two boys, twins at that.
"Hello, excuse me?" he starts politely on opening the door. The identical twins, who seemed to be in an intense discussion, turn to face him.
"Can I sit here please? Everywhere else is full." Scorpius says softly. He is struck by how big their blue eyes are, and how bright they look against their strawberry blonde hair.
The twin on the right nods and gets up to help him with the trunk while Scorpius thanks him.
Scorpius also notices that the boy is almost a head taller than him. But then that's not something extraordinary, is it?
Scorpius was rather small for his age; the rather unfortunate nickname given by the kids in his neighbourhood for him was 'Pipsqueak'. He desperately hopes something like this doesn't catch up here at Hogwarts. Or that he hits puberty soon and shoots up in height; his parents were tall, and given how much he looked like them, it was astounding for him that he had practically inherited every physical feature, save their height.
"I'm Lysander by the way," says the boy who helped him, extending his hand, "Lysander Scamander. I'll be starting this year with my brother."
Scorpius's eyes widen, his heart skipping a beat, "Your father isn't Rolf Scamander, is he?"
"Yes he is," pipes the other twin, who smiles curiously at him, "I'm Lorcan, by the way."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm a big fan of your father's work," exclaims Scorpius hurriedly, trying to keep his excitement in check.
He is speaking to people who know one of his idols personally. This is unbelievable! "His wildlife discoveries last year in the Amazon basin were absolutely tremendous!"
"You're the first one we've met on the train who's excited about our dad's work," says Lorcan, chuckling, "Few others who came in for a seat moved out of our compartment when we started talking about our trek in the Amazons - don't think we ever caught your name? You're -?"
Scorpius suddenly feels like he is in the spotlight.
"Scorpius Malfoy. I'm starting this year as well." he says timidly. Predictably, their eyes widen for a moment and there is an awkward silence, which is broken by Lysander.
"Well you're kind of different from what we thought Malfoys would look like," says Lysander, looking amused.
Irritation creeps up Scorpius's neck. This felt familiar.
He fumes. "Really? Expected us to have fangs? Combust into flames in the sun-"
"No," says Lysander, rolling his eyes, "We thought you'd be taller."
Scorpius turns pink.
"Anyhow," snaps Lorcan, looking irritated at this unnecessary banter that interrupted his own tale, "The Amazon basin is incredible - do you know there are a million species of magical creatures currently hiding in there, half of them yet to be categorised and broken down -"
As Lorcan rambles on about their trip to the Amazons, Scorpius finds himself calming down. As Lysander pulls out a book of puzzles and asks Scorpius if he wants to join him, the young Malfoy decides he likes the Scamander twins so far. They didn't bother to dwell on his parentage nor turn hostile after knowing so.
He notices curious looks thrown into their compartment during the ride, some already looking rather hateful.
Something tells him that he needs to be prepared for the hate that might come his way.
"RAVENCLAW!"
Scorpius is shaking when the Sorting Hat announces his house after what seemed like hours of deliberation.
He is relieved that the Sorting Hat paid heed to his request of not being sorted into Slytherin. His grandfather had turned against some Death Eaters to get a reduced sentence post the war, and some of their descendants were currently studying at Hogwarts. The last thing he wanted was being stuck in a common room with these people.
There is scattered applause that follows his announcement, but the reaction from the people in the hall mainly is that of shock.
Because a Malfoy in Ravenclaw? Really?
He staggers his way to the Ravenclaw table on the left, where he is greeted warmly by a beautiful, older redhead. She extends her hand to him, and says softly, "Victoire Weasley. Head Girl. Welcome to Ravenclaw, Scorpius!"
He shakes her hand in awe, stunned into silence - partly because of her beauty, and partly because he realised that this was the first time someone had chosen to introduce themselves to him after his name was made known.
Another redhead, much younger than Victoire but older than him, nods at him encouragingly. The freckles on their faces indicate that they are related.
At that moment, he decides that he will be very nice to the Weasleys and the Potters.
There are already four other first years on the table. Scorpius knows them by their names, as he'd listened very carefully during the sorting - Nikhil Finch-Fletchley, Eleanor Davies, Jilian Jackson, Lauren Goldstein. And another one joins in as he was speaking to Victoire - Steve McDonald
He smiles warmly at them. They, however, look back at him cautiously, as if they might catch something if they even as much smile at him.
He feels awkward and desperately wishes for the Scamander twins to be sorted into Ravenclaw so that he has at least one friendly face in his house.
He notes the roar that follows when Albus Potter is sorted into Gryffindor.
The boy is a complete replica of his father. On arriving at the Gryffindor table, Albus is immediately engulfed by what looks like a bunch of redheads and brunettes, and then some more salutations by older housemates.
Scorpius feels a pang of jealousy at the clear adoration Albus Potter receives. How different things might have been had his own name been something other than Malfoy?
His wish of a friend in the same house as him partly comes true: after Alex Samuels is sorted in Ravenclaw, Lysander comes along as well, grinning wildly. Lorcan had been sorted into Hufflepuff.
Scorpius feels himself flush as Lysander wraps his gangly arms around him in an affectionate embrace; he's never received such affection from anyone but his family, but he feels highly pleased.
The Sorting continues and one last person joins Ravenclaw after Lysander: Rose Weasley.
Her hair is the first thing Scorpius notices as she sits across him; it's the most vibrant shade of red he's ever seen and it's wild. Her eyes are deep blue, as blue as the sapphires in his mother's wedding ring.
He's always loved the colour blue, truly fascinating for him. It also thrills him that the colour of his house would be blue and bronze.
He realises that Rose is staring at him with something akin to curiosity, and not disdain or the likes, and he sees an opportunity that he must not miss.
"Scorpius Malfoy," he says confidently, extending his hand for a shake.
Rose Weasley stares at his hand, and then back at him, looking slightly confused.
He flushes with embarrassment as his hand is left hanging, but just as he is about to take back his hand, Rose grips it firmly and shakes it.
"Rose Weasley. Pleasure to meet you," she says, a smile breaking on her face. She has rather large front teeth.
He also notices that there is something melodic and soothing about her voice. Maybe she can hold a tune.
The others on the table eye this exchange with curiosity, but Scorpius feels lighter than he had been in the past few hours. There are at least two faces in his house and year who won't really run away from him because of his name.
The Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, rises to give a speech, welcoming the first years to Hogwarts and issuing a warning to maintain discipline, after shooting a stern look to the Gryffindor table. Two boys with dark hair stand up at the table and salute her, and there are titters everywhere.
"So the letters were true. Fred and James just can't help showing off, can they?"
Scorpius turns back to his table to see Rose Weasley shaking her head.
"They are my cousins. Third year." she adds for the people in the vicinity, who nod in recognition.
"So which Weasley are you? Like who are your parents?" asks Eleanor. Before Rose can respond, food appears in front of them, making Scorpius's eyes pop out. He is positive he has never seen such a lavish feast in his life before. They even have shepherd's pie - his favourite!
"Ron and Hermione Granger - Weasley," responds Lysander, stuffing a chicken leg in his mouth, inadvertently sending some flying across. " 'orry 'ose!" Rose simply waves it off, digging into her mashed potatoes and chicken.
Comprehension dawns on Scorpius.
She's the one he has to beat; he'll have to keep an eye on this one. Friends or not, he will beat her at grades.
He also understands that Rose and Lysander know each other well, if the comfortable air they seem to share is anything to go by.
The rest of the first year Ravenclaws look in awe of her.
"You're one of the off-springs from The Golden Trio!" pipes Eleanor from next to Rose after some time, "How does it feel?"
Rose, who had been piling more mashed potatoes onto her plate, suddenly looks like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Um, my parents are lovely and life is good. Except that our names are in the newspaper all the time, and we're surrounded by people who just seem to have so many questions, so that's annoying."
Scorpius lets out a snort at the very obvious jibe. He sees Eleanor & Jilian looking offended, while Rose shoots him a small smile. He returns it.
"So, Malfoy," asks Steve McDonald, biting into a fry, "How was it growing up in a former Death Eater's household?"
Scorpius drops his fork in shock, which falls with a loud clang against the table. He should have expected this.
"Oh sod off, Steve!" says Lysander, looking at him with narrowed eyes. "That's not a kind thing to ask."
"What? I'm just curious. None of us have had the experience." replies Steve, sounding defensive.
Lysander looks ready to retort, but Scorpius holds him back by his arm, silently telling him to not bother.
"Is it true that Malfoys sleep in coffins standing up?" asks Alex Samuels, his brown eyes peering at him through his thick rectangular glasses. He looked genuinely convinced, "I had read it once in a wartime tell-all by Rita Skeeter." he announces pompously to those in the vicinity.
Scorpius could feel the anger bubble within him. That supposed nutcase of a tell-all had really messed up things for his father, whose apothecary business had suffered tremendously the year the book was released. Scorpius was five at the time. He remembers how the holiday celebrations that year had been rather humble. However, it had been one of the happier Christmases from his memory.
While wanting to knock off Alex Samuels, Scorpius realises that maybe people at Hogwarts will have to be dealt with differently. He can't display his anger here, the way he'd dealt with the kids from the neighbourhood. He'd worked way too hard to learn how to suppress it. Besides, many of them come with prejudices they may not have a hand in. He could be the bigger one, and help them see the light.
All the first year Ravenclaws were staring at him curiously.
Maybe handling them differently would work for now.
"Coffins have the most interesting back support," he says matter-of-factly, extracting a gasp from Alex. Rose chokes on her food, suppressing her grin. He feels heartened and he continues, "We have found them to be wonderful bedrests. The blood circulation while we sleep from midnight to noon is absolutely fantastic. Plus we have our own privacy. No sharing of coffins between two people. I would highly recommend ordering yourself a coffin from I-Am-Still-Standing Coffin Makers store in Diagon Alley. They make them in all sizes." He then reaches to his goblet of pumpkin juice and takes a sip.
Lysander doubles up in laughter next to him, snorting his pumpkin juice all over the table.
Rose Weasley is clearly trying to hide a smile now. Once she gets a grip, she speaks up, "Rita Skeeter has only written garbage since before my parents' time at Hogwarts. Whatever she writes, just consume it as badly written fiction. Scorpius is just like us-"
"Rose!" interrupts Jilian Jackson, holding a starstruck smile, "I think it's so sweet and amazing of you to defend Scorpius even though his family tortured your mother in the second wizarding war."
Scorpius's blood runs cold at the mention of this. His father had admitted this to be one of the darkest moments of his life, where he'd watched his classmate being tortured mercilessly for information. This incident became one of the many reasons Draco Malfoy wanted to raise his family outside the Manor; the place held too many bad memories.
The smile that had adorned Rose's face ever since she sat across him disappears in a flash.
"I think that's enough for now." comes Victoire Weasley's stern voice. She is looking concernedly at Rose who is now staring at the table, her face now pale. Scorpius also believes that Rose may have teared up.
As the dessert is served, Scorpius realises Rose hasn't spoken to him since Jilian's unfortunate line of questioning. In fact, she's clearly avoiding his gaze, which pinches him hard. Just when he thought he was making another friend, this had to happen.
But he is glad that he has Lysander with him. Couple of things he discovers about his new friend:
1. He is obsessed with solving puzzles
2. He displayed the first sign of magic when he was four years old, when he turned Lorcan's hair bright yellow because he was annoying him.
3. His birthday is on June 24th.
4. He hates salamanders. Absolutely abhors them
5. He would love to work as a cursebreaker after Hogwarts
6. He enjoys watching Holyhead Harpies' Quidditch matches. Was a big fan of Ginny Potter
7. He values friendships highly, and already feels that he and Scorpius will be friends for life
The feast is over and everybody is rustling to their feet to head to their towers. Scorpius follows a kind-looking blonde girl and a sandy haired boy along with the rest of the first years. He is wowed by the hundreds of staircases changing continuously, the constantly chattering portraits and the sheer magnanimity of the Hogwarts castle.
Scorpius has decided that Hogwarts is a sight for the sore eyes.
He walks into the circular Ravenclaw Common Room ("We have riddles to solve before entering the common room. Awesome!" says Lysander excitedly) and is enraptured by the blue and bronze decor. The sight of cushy chairs, regal drapes, and a crackling fireplace feels very welcoming to him.
As he tumbles into his four poster bed (next to Lysander's), tired after a long day and a heavy dinner, he finally accepts that this place will be his home for the next seven years.
He hopes that Hogwarts will accept him as well.
Scorpius is easily among the first ones at the breakfast table. He's excited for the first day of school and all the learning that's waiting for him. The day can't start soon enough!
Next to him, Lysander lets out a loud yawn, while trying to eat his cereal. Lysander was not pleased when Scorpius woke him up to go down early for breakfast. He claims he could have slept fifteen minutes extra, and made enough time for breakfast and reach classes on time.
Soon, the Great Hall starts filling up. Scorpius notices that people are avoiding sitting in front of him or next to him. Rose Weasley even nods at Lysander in greeting but averts her eyes the moment she senses him looking at her.
He tries his best to suppress the disappointment; he should focus on the big picture.
His timetable is handed to him and he perks up. He's excited about starting his time at Hogwarts with Potions!
Scorpius used to join his father at the apothecary during his free time and found himself highly intrigued by the medical potions his father used to concoct. He can even say that he'd inherited his father's aptitude for his subject, and his father was a master potioneer; his father had even gotten an 'O' in his Potions OWLS and Scorpius hopes to replicate the same when his time comes.
So after breakfast, he drags Lysander with him, chattering happily about the exciting prospects of medical potions and herbs. He grabs a seat at the front of the class, much to Lysander's chagrin. Ravenclaws are having this class with the Hufflepuffs. He can already spot Rose Weasley slipping into a seat next to Lorcan, who doesn't hesitate in regaling her with some tales. Scorpius finds his eyes drawn to a girl behind them with the most stunning black hair, falling in soft ringlets around her heart-shaped face. She's in conversation with a chubby-faced blonde that he surmises is Alice Longbottom, Professor Longbottom's daughter. The former's brown eyes suddenly catch his grey ones and he feels his cheeks heat up, albeit not uncomfortably. He turns back to the front of the class, wondering why is his heart suddenly hammering so hard.
During the roll call with their Potions Professor, who went by the name Urquhart, Scorpius finds out that the mystery girl's name is Gracie Jones. Lysander takes that moment to hiss excitedly in his ear, "Holy hells! She's Gwenog Jones' youngest girl!"
Lysander quickly explains that Gwenog Jones is a former Harpies captain who had led the team to many outstanding League victories.
As the professor continues to introduce the lesson, Scorpius wonders how blessed or cursed he is to be in a year with so many celebrity kids.
By the end of the day, Scorpius is seething.
Because Rose Weasley is utterly insufferable.
She is competing with him, and she is competing hard. During Potions and Herbology (with Slytherins) today, she matched step with him, her hand shooting in the air as much as his, and as fast as he was doing it. Her answers were precise, just like his. He'd correct her if she got any detail wrong and vice-versa. And then they'd argue.
What annoys him more are the smug grins and raised eyebrows she shot his way, as if she was the only one who had the right answers.
At the end of both classes, professors simply request them to allow others to participate and not answer till called out.
Scorpius is annoyed at her for stealing his thunder. And she is visibly furious at him for ruining her moment of triumph.
Some part of him sees this as a futile exercise, given that both of them are in the same house, and could do with working together to help Ravenclaw win points for the House Cup.
But only if Rose Weasley could get her head out of her arse for a single moment and listen to him. But no, she was one was pigheaded, prejudiced prissy.
By the time dinner rolls around, Scorpius is famished.
He's happily walking to the Ravenclaw table, with Lysander next to him, when he suddenly trips over something, sending him flying across the floor.
There is laughter everywhere; Scorpius can see his fellow Ravenclaws laughing as well. Lysander is fuming, looking around for the culprit who shot him with a tripping jinx.
Scorpius doesn't stay around for longer. Ears burning and eyes stinging, he picks himself up and walks out of the Great Hall to head back to his dormitory, ignoring Lysander's calls. He wasn't hungry anymore.
Though when Lysander comes back later to the dorm with some dinner for him, he devours the chicken legs and grilled corn.
"They'll get over it, Scorp," he says sadly, sighing hard. Scorpius prays for it to be true.
Thankfully, it's the weekend immediately after one day of classes and it goes rather smoothly for Scorpius as he is mostly holed in up in his dorm or the library, exploring other books Hogwarts currently hosts. But he takes out time to explore the castle, realising that his new home is absolutely beautiful. Once or twice in the hallway, he can hear words like 'tiny death eater' and 'blood traitor' thrown at him, but he only ignores them. The stupid kids were not allowed to diminish the happiness he felt at being at Hogwarts! He gets time to write to his parents, informing them that he's in Ravenclaw and has found a friend in Lysander. They write back saying that they are thrilled to hear about his sorting and that he is making friends. His father, however, cautions him to not wander into the forbidden forest with the Scamander boys; his own experience from his first year back then was quite traumatising for him.
The week ahead is when he understands how mean people Hogwarts can really be.
On Monday, someone charms the back of the robes to say 'Death Eater Spawn'. He doesn't realise it till the furious whispers during Transfiguration reach his ears. He's appalled and humiliated beyond belief when he discovers it. Lysander swears to take revenge on the idiots who dared to do that, but Scorpius tries to brush it off as if it was no big deal, while he was crushed from the inside. The Head of his house and the Transfiguration teacher, Professor Terry Boot, is kind enough to vanish the lettering stuck on his robe, and sternly warns the students against such behaviour. But Scorpius neither forgets nor ignores the mischievous grins shot his way from the Slytherin table during dinner that night.
On Wednesday, someone slips a voice changing potion in his goblet of pumpkin juice. His voice becomes even more high-pitched and he bites his lips between his teeth, holding himself back from speaking during the day, much to Lysander's bewilderment. He isn't able to answer any of the questions the professors ask their class. His heart cries when he hears Rose Weasley rattling off her perfectly structured answer. He can guess that the culprit behind the prank was either a Ravenclaw or Slytherin, given the proximity of the house tables and the probability of someone messing around with his drink without being caught. He quickly sneaks a peak at Rose during dinner, suspecting her of tinkering with his drink; he finds her to be staring back at him rather confused.
On Thursday, during breakfast, someone turns his mop of red hair. Like the Weasley red. He's indignant, and turns to look at Rose to know if she had anything to do with it. But then he notes Lysander looking stunned under a mop of identical red hair. So does Eleanor. And Jilian. The entire Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff tables are covered with red heads. It's only a matter of minutes before everyone's yelling and laughing. James Potter and Fred Weasley stand on the Gryffindor benches and take a mock bow, minutes before being reprimanded by Professor Longbottom, who looks highly amused. Among all the teasing he'd gone through, this turns out to be a lighter moment. Scorpius desperately prays for the worst to be over - he is really not fond of this colour, especially on his head.
And then Friday comes, and it only gets worse. Or better - depends on the way you see it.
He is hurrying back from dinner to back to his dorm, having stayed back in the Great Hall after Professor Urquhart had called him and had discussed the perfection of his Boil Cure potion with Professor Longbottom (who was observing him keenly). Scorpius had stammered and blushed through the talk, taken aback at the appreciation being showered on him; he wasn't used to it.
But just as he is heading back to the Ravenclaw tower, he's ambushed by a group of boys who drag him to a secluded corner.
He feels his heart in his mouth; his vision is unclear as he is roughly taken by the collar and slammed up against the wall. He feels a sharp prick at the back of his head. That's going to hurt for a while now.
The face in front of him finally comes into focus, and with a jolt he realises he is looking into Zachary Nott's livid face. The Malfoys and Notts had been friends in their days, but their relationship had soured over time when Theodore Nott Senior, Zachary's grandfather, was arrested due to Lucius Malfoy's confessions.
"How dare you even show up here, Malfoy?" he sneers into his face, and Scorpius curses under his breath when he notices Rudolph Carrow behind Nott holding his own wand. He was defenseless at the moment.
Nott was in the same year as him, but felt almost twice as large. They'd had their scuffles in the past, post which Malfoys and Notts had stopped associating with each other.
"Got my Hogwarts letter, you half-brained oaf. That's how you make it to Hogwarts." spits Scorpius just as sharply, his grey eyes turning into slits. He absolutely despised this idiot. He feels the old hatred, the absolute feeling, rise in waves within him.
He barely registers Nott's face turning into a scowl, before he feels Nott's fist landing on his cheek. Hard.
Scorpius barely has time to wince, his face stinging hard at the impact when he feels a knee to his stomach, bringing him to his knees.
He feels his eyes tear up. This hurt.
"That'll teach you to keep that mouth under control, traitor." he hears Nott say before laughing. The two boys with him also burst into laughter.
"Kudos to you though." Scorpius smirks through his pain, trying to get up and meet his eye. The boys all stop laughing and look at him, making him feel better. He will not stand down. "You have finally learnt to hit more than once in a span of sixty seconds."
Nott's nostrils flare up in response. Then, as if in slow motion, he sees Nott raise his bulky leg, ready to kick him, but he also sees the outline of spell hit Nott's neck, snapping his body rigid in a moment's time. And then he falls to the ground. The boys behind Nott look stumped before looking at each other.
Scorpius swiftly turns to look at Nott's attacker, only to spot Rose Weasley's nervous form, her hand raised in front of her, her wand shaking in her hands.
He takes this moment to tackle Carrow, who crumbles like a pin on being tackled. The third boy, Donald Murk, is a little slow on the uptake. By the time he takes his wand out, Rose has already shot him a full body-bind curse, and he too falls back.
Scorpius easily wrestles his wand out of Carrow's grip, who seems a little wary of getting into a scramble with two very much conscious Ravenclaws.
Rose is already running towards him and quickly grabs hold of him.
"Let's go, before the prefects find us!" she hisses, tugging at his upper arm. Scorpius doesn't need a second telling. He gets up quickly, and winces just as much.
"Carrow, take care of your buddies," Rose says sternly, pointing at his temple. Scorpius is surprised; he never thought he'd find her intimidating since she had a rather kind face. But she did look ferocious at the moment. Maybe it was the wild red hair and the big expressive eyes. "You dare try anything funny as we walk away, you will have a whole clan of Weasley-Potters hunting your arse for the next seven years."
Scorpius won't lie. He is highly impressed with her right now.
He doesn't say a word as she wraps one of his arms around her shoulder, and she grabs him by his waist. The angle is a bit awkward since she's notably taller than him, but he's silently grateful for all the help.
He's also very confused. Why was she helping him? After days of the silent treatment, she is talking and helping him like they're more than mere acquaintances. But then, Scorpius surmises, he too would not stay away from helping those in need.
"Where are we going?" he asks instead as they walk ahead, the corridor they'd been fighting in seemingly miles away from where they were.
"The hospital wing, of course!" she replies in near disbelief. Scorpius believes she may have rolled her eyes as well. But he couldn't see her face.
They reach the hospital wing and he is immediately admonished by Madam Pomfrey, who is busy chiding him and a couple of others for being injured barely a week into school life.
Scorpius sits on a chair while Madam Pomfrey is examining him. He notes Rose looking at him nervously.
"So are we talking now?" he asks, trying to keep the bite out of his tone.
Rose turns red at the mention. Scorpius wonders if someone could blush so much.
"Yeah," she replies softly, her eyes bright as she looks at him. He notes the guilt lurking in her eyes. He realises he doesn't need to hear anything else.
"Good," he says, feeling a lot lighter than he had been in a while. He smiles at her and she returns it. He feels hopeful.
He'd never had any friends while growing up; he'd had cousins from his mother's side, but they didn't spend much time together, more due to the animosity between his mother and his aunt Daphne that developed after his mother had chosen to be with his father.
He really, really wanted to make more friends. And Rose seemed nice enough. Except for her reaction to the past misdeeds of his family.
Madam Pomfrey waves her wands over his ribs and he yelps when he feels something snap into place within him.
"Broken ribs." she says plainly, her eyes taking him sharply, "Avoid getting into fist fights here, Mr. Malfoy. Your name will invite a lot of reactions and emotions. So please be careful."
Scorpius nods at her, feeling a lump in his throat. He's going to have to deal with a lot of shit over the next seven years, wouldn't he?
But as he jumps off the chair and walks back to the Ravenclaw common room with Rose (who turns out to be a chatterbox, a complete reveal) he is a little more optimistic about the weeks ahead.
It does get better. But just about.
And all of that because of the two friends he has.
(He has friends now, people!)
Lysander is definitely one of the most funnest people Scorpius has ever come across. They have many similar interests although Lysander is far more laid back in his approach, reserving his energy for the few things that matter the most to him. Rose on the other hand is just about as passionate about things as he is. She is still competitive, often comparing the points she won for Ravenclaw against what he did and arguing with him on his theories about various potions and magical plants. But she is kind and often carries around these muggle chocolates he loves to nick off her just to see her lose her mind.
A month into Hogwarts, Scorpius is exposed to more hatred, more name-calling, more trash talk, but thankfully no more of the cruel pranks. He wants to tell his parents how much this bothers him, because it does bother him.
But he doesn't tell them. He's heard enough to know that his parents can't do anything about it; he's the only one who can change the perception about him.
It's on a lazy Saturday afternoon when he is exploring the library when he comes across a self-help book in the hidden corners of the shelves - almost missable. It looks like it has been read quite often, but also hidden from the rest of the world. It seems like a Muggle book, making Scorpius wonder how it even reached here. But it was the title that caught his eye.
"So You Want To Be Loved" by Don't-Even-Bother, it said. Curious, he opens to the first page. And he is hooked.
It is a book that speaks to him about wanting to be loved, to be popular among his peers, to be looked upon with respect, worshiped even. It is an engrossing read, a book he'd finishes by that night, a book that gives him some insight on how he could become popular at Hogwarts. At the end, book asks him to observe his surroundings and understand what made people popular or well-liked before setting his goals. The book had even given structure to as to how to design his goals so that he'd be motivated to achieve them.
So he does observe. He looks around curiously during classes, during meal times; his ears are more alert than usual and then by the next weekend, he finds himself at his desk again, ready to jot down the seven things that can make him popular at Hogwarts. He picks up a quill and starts writing on the parchment.
Scorpius Malfoy's List of Seven, he names it, and diligently underlines the heading.
ONE: I will be a good friend.
Stories of strong friendships and bonds were often revered in a place like Hogwarts. James Potter and Fred Weasley were not just cousins, they were brothers, a fierce friendship that many admired. And it goes without saying how friendship shared by the Golden Trio, the Marauders became the stuff of legends. He promises himself that he'd be the best ever person to Lysander and Rose over the next seven years and beyond.
TWO: I will make it to the Quidditch Team.
Quidditch players at Hogwarts were automatically uplifted on the popularity ladder at Hogwarts. Scorpius knew he was a pretty decent Quidditch player, if their first Quidditch class was anything to go by (the broom had flown into his hand the moment he said up; very few people in their year had accomplished that) He knew he had a pretty good shot at making it to the team next year. Shouldn't be a difficult one.
THREE: I will get ten Outstanding OWLs
He almost tuts while writing this. This was a personal goal. While brains were certainly admired at Hogwarts, with the most studious people in the respective years hosting tutorials before exams and being very much in demand. Taking ten subjects would allow him to interact with many people across the year, helping him with his visibility and accessibility. That, and ten OWLs was a stellar academic record that could help him later with job interviews and applications.
FOUR: I will get tall.
Scorpius sighs while writing this. Now he was tinkering with difficult goals. He honestly doesn't know if he would grow into his frame. But there was no harm in wanting this. As unfortunate as society constructs were, tall men were admired a lot. Scorpius had noted the look of awe the tall guys at Hogwarts got. They were admired and very much desired as a partner. Whatever workout or magic he needs to do, he will do it to ensure he grows up. He knows it's shallow. But he wants to be one of the tall guys.
FIVE: I will date the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts
Scorpius has seen how many people still talk about Teddy Lupin, who'd graduated two years prior and was currently dating Victoire. And then there's her sister Dominique, a fourth year Gryffindor, who is dating Ian Woodcroft, a fifth year Huffepuff, and Scorpius knows how boys chase him, asking him for tips on dating girls. A good-looking couple surely got talked about a lot at Hogwarts. Dating the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts would definitely put him in the spotlight. As much as he'd been denying the probability of dating someone in school at the beginning, it just seems like that it would be needed to boost his likability in the Hogwarts peer circle.
SIX: I will lose my virginity before I turn eighteen
Scorpius is blushing furiously while writing this. Before he was to leave for Hogwarts, his father had spluttered and fumbled through the talk about s-e-x, using grandiose Quidditch metaphors that had Scorpius very confused and mortified at the same time. When he couldn't understand what his father meant by putting his quaffle in his or her hoop, he'd asked his father for more clarity on that. It had led to his mother stepping in and explaining everything. He is still balking at the idea of his penis entering a girl's vag- you-know-what, and was still trying to wrap his head around the idea that people did that for pleasure (like, eww). But apparently, s-e-x was a hot topic here at Hogwarts, with hushed whispers around who's doing whom, who was caught where etc. rushing through the corridors. He doesn't really see this goal happening, given how disgusted he is at the idea of sex. But what's the harm in writing it down? Because this clearly made people popular in the social circles. Hopefully, he'll be dating the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts, and he'll do it with her. Gosh, he sounds like an imbecile even in his thoughts.
SEVEN:
Scorpius struggles with the last one. He has decided that he will only have seven goals to conquer. There was, after all, a sacred power associated with the number seven. It's another thing that it's his favourite number. He thinks deep and hard about what he should write here. And then believes that this should again be something personal, something he should strive for. He smiles when his final goal sinks in.
I will be happy, he finishes writing the seventh goal, with a flourish of his quill. Who doesn't envy those who are happy?
Scorpius sits backs in his chair, feeling oddly confident, now that he had a plan in place to ensure that people would like him.
And they were all achievable, no big deal.
Right?