When Harry leaves the Hospital Wing, twenty minutes or so later, Malfoy's right behind him.
"Where are you going?" he demands.
Instead of answering him, Harry turns to look at him and raises an eyebrow. "Don't you want to stay with Scorpius?" he asks. Hannah's promised to kick them all out in the night, but she's allowing them to stay for now. Instead of coming with him, Ginny's staying with their children, and Harry can't blame her. He'd stay, too, if it weren't for the fact that he's got to hurry now.
"Astoria's with him," Malfoy says. "Where are you going?"
Harry hesitates for a split second, and then decides to be honest. "To meet McGonagall," he says.
"I'm coming, too," Malfoy says. "Someone attacked my son. I need answers."
"Okay," Harry says. They fall into step together as they start walking up to the Headmistress's office.
"You promised," Malfoy finally says, after a moment of silence. "You promised that you'd keep him safe."
Harry closes his eyes and rubs a hand over his face. "I know," he says.
"What happened?" Malfoy asks.
"You know what happened," Harry says. Hannah had explained the incident, as quickly as she could. She hadn't gone into too much detail, though. Scorpius, Albus and Rose were attacked by some students, who used Dark magic on all three of them, especially Scorpius.
"Yes," Malfoy says, "I want to hear it from you, though."
Harry would probably feel the same, in his position. "From what I know… they were on the fourth floor. And then someone – Al says there were at least two people, but I haven't ruled out more than two – made it go dark. Lumos didn't work."
Malfoy looks at Harry, pale. "Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder," he whispers.
"Yes, I think so. And then… well, they attacked all three of them. Albus and Rose seem to have been hit by a curse that's, well. A curse that's similar to the Cruciatus Curse, but slightly less intense." Harry swallows around the sudden lump that seems to have formed in his throat.
"And Scorpius?" Malfoy asks, barely louder than a whisper.
"It seems to have been… Sectumsempra. From what we can tell," Harry says.
Malfoy looks at him, pale with fear and ill-concealed anger. "And then what happened?" he bites out.
"Lily found them. Albus told her to come get me. Rose went to get Ginny. James and I were in my classroom, and then we found them. Ginny and I took them to the Hospital Wing, and… and well, you know the rest," Harry says, and then says, "I'm sorry." He doesn't know what he's apologising for, exactly, but Scorpius is in bed, healing from a curse than Harry had once inflicted on Malfoy himself, and Albus and Rose aren't doing too much better. He doesn't know if he'll ever stop feeling guilty about it.
"Hannah says you healed him," Malfoy says, apropos of nothing.
Harry doesn't say anything, getting his wand out instead and mutters, "Expecto Patronum."
"And Astoria, she said that, too," Malfoy presses on, turning to watch the silver stag go to the staircase and gallop up before disappearing. "Is that true? You saved him?"
"Well, yeah. Course I did," Harry says, taken aback.
"Well… thank you," Malfoy says. He looks physically pained to have to say that. "What's the Patronus for? Don't tell me there's another damned Dementor around."
Harry shakes his head, glad for the slight change in topic. "It's a message," he says, and then draws to a halt.
"Aren't we going to McGonagall's office?" Malfoy says.
"No," Harry says, and waits.
Within a few minutes, McGonagall is walking towards them, making her way quickly despite her age. "What happened?" she demands.
"There's been an attack, Professor," Harry says. "Here. And we've got to act fast."
"An attack?" McGonagall repeats, and then looks at Malfoy.
"Scorpius was hurt. Here, on this corridor," Harry says. "And Al and Rose, too. Sectumsempra and a new curse. At least two students, probably older, judging by the level of magic." He's talking fast, practically tripping over his words in his haste.
McGonagall takes a second, and then draws herself up to her full height. "I see," she says. "What do you need from me, Potter? How do you want to handle this?"
Harry practically sobs in gratitude. "I need to cordon off this area, Professor. And… I'm going to have to check the wands of the students. Priori Incantato. And it's a lot of students, and we'll have to investigate the area, so I need your permission to get some Aurors here to help with that."
McGonagall blinks behind her square spectacles as she takes it in and then says, "I will speak to the school at dinner, since it's almost time for that, anyway. Inform them of the attack – without giving too many details, of course – and warn for caution. The other teacher and I can check students' wands as they leave the Great Hall. Which will leave you free to investigate the area and clear it of any traces of Dark magic and evidence by the time dinner is finished, along with any Aurors who join you. Does that sound satisfactory?"
It's times like this when Harry is reminded of just how much he admires McGonagall. "That… yeah. That'd work," he says.
"Good. Do you need assistance here now?" McGonagall asks. When Harry shakes her head, she says, "Very well, then I'd like to go meet the students in the Hospital Wings. Mr. Malfoy, perhaps you would accompany me. I'm sure Scorpius would want you there with him."
Malfoy looks at Harry. "If you find out anything about who hurt him…"
"I'll tell you," Harry says, and he means it.
Malfoy nods curtly at him and follows McGonagall out to the Hospital Wing. Harry sends off a couple of more Patronuses, and then gets to work sectioning off the corridor. He's got work to do.
"Did you say Rose and Albus were both with Scorpius, when it happened?" Teddy asks Harry.
"Yeah," Harry says, looking up from where he's been talking to Ron and Hermione, who just arrived five minutes ago from the Hospital Wing, where they were visiting Rose. Teddy, whose hair is aquamarine-blue today, got here about twenty minutes ago, ten minutes after Harry sent him a Patronus, and they've been investigating the area ever since, trying to find any sort of clue that can help them. While he's been filling Ron and Hermione in on what happened, Teddy's been doing a quick sweep of the area, seeing how many people have cast powerful spells here within the last few hours. It'll allow them an approximate idea of how many people were there at the time of the attack, which is a start.
"Then I think they were attacked by two people. Which is a bit worrying, because whoever did it managed to attack all three of them more than once," Teddy says, getting to his feet.
"What do you think?" Ron asks him.
Harry sighs. "Two students who managed to do that much damage that quickly? It means they'd been planning it for a while. Maybe even since the start of term."
"When did you say the other Aurors are getting here?" Teddy asks, getting out a notebook from the pocket of his robes and starting to take notes.
"About that…" Hermione says.
Harry looks at her, and frowns. "What?"
"I spoke to Padma Patil. She's sending two more Aurors."
"Okay. That's good," Harry says. "Who is she sending?"
Hermione sighs. "She's sending Zara Khan, along with Proudfoot."
"Proudfoot's retired," Harry says, confused.
"No, his daughter. She just graduated Auror training last year, along with Khan. Joined the Department a few weeks ago."
"Oh, yeah, she was at school with me," Teddy puts in. "A few years younger, though."
"So neither of them have worked a case before?" Ron asks.
"Yes," Hermione says. "Padma doesn't know how many more she can spare. The way she sees it, we can't afford to send too Aurors for an internal Hogwarts matter."
"An internal—Hermione, there was Dark magic involved!" Harry says.
"I know, Harry, but… try and see it from her point of view," Hermione says. "Technically, this isn't even an Auror investigation yet. And you're not—well, you're not Head of the Department anymore, and Padma thinks the senior Aurors need to focus on other things."
"Other things like what?" Ron asks indignantly.
"Well… the Bulgarian Minister will be arriving for a diplomatic visit tomorrow, and the Aurors are in charge of his security…"
Harry narrows his eyes at her.
"I'm just the messenger, don't get mad at me," Hermione says.
"You're the Minister for Magic, Hermione," Harry says.
"I know I am!" Hermione says. "But I can't be seen forcing the senior Aurors to work a case for my own personal agenda—"
"Personal agenda?" Harry repeats, crossing his arms and doing his best to push back the sudden wave of anger he can feel coursing through him.
"My daughter was hurt!" Hermione says. "How do you think it would look, if I go over Padma's head to force the Aurors to work the case? I'd be abusing my authority—"
"So you're more worried about how this looks than anything else?" Harry says, raising an eyebrow at Hermione.
Hermione blushes. "That's not what I meant, and you know it," she says hotly.
"Isn't it?" Harry says.
"Of course not!" Hermione says. "Our children were attacked—for all we know, they were targeted, and—"
"Wait," Harry says, interrupting Hermione mid-word. His anger recedes as quickly as it came, leaving behind shock as a realisation hits him, all of a sudden.
"What is it?" Ron asks.
Harry only shakes his head. "It wasn't them," he says quietly. It can't be, but… but it's the only thing that makes sense, even if it's a bit of a leap in logic—it makes sense, though. Instinctively, Harry knows that it does.
"What?" Hermione asks, still looking wary.
"What are you talking about, mate?" Ron says.
"It wasn't our children, who were targeted," Harry says. "Albus… when he and Rose were telling us the story of what happened… he said… one of the students called out to them. Said traitor, but… that doesn't make any sense."
"It doesn't?" Teddy repeats, his eyes wide as he looks up at Harry.
"Why would anyone call Al and Rosie a traitor?" Harry says. "If this is related to the graffiti you saw in London, Teddy, then why would anyone expect Al and Rose to support that? Why wouldn't they be on the side of their dad or uncle?"
Teddy and Hermione look a bit confused still but Ron, who's got experience working cases with Harry, stands up a bit straighter.
"But anyone on the Death Eaters' side, on the other hand," Harry continues. "They would expect Malfoy to be against me. Which means…"
"That they'd expect they'd expect Malfoy's son to be against you, too," Hermione whispers, a look of dawning comprehension on her face.
"And what happened last Saturday?" Harry says. When Ron and Hermione – and Teddy – don't say anything, he adds impatiently, "Scorpius and Al went to Hogsmeade together. Together. And two days after that, someone calls Scorpius a traitor and attacks him, more than they attack the others. Albus and Rose weren't hit with any Sectumsempras or anything like that."
"Bloody hell," Ron says.
"Wait," Teddy says. "So… what does this mean?"
"It means," Harry says, "that whoever did this singled out Scorpius. They attacked him, and Albus and Rose were…"
"Collateral," Ron finishes.
Harry nods grimly. "Which means that we need to talk to Scorpius. If we're right, then he might be able to tell us whose voice it was, whether it was familiar at all. And if it's familiar, then… Then it means that someone's targeting Scorpius specifically. And we need to stop them before they try again."
The next morning, Harry and Ginny are on their way to the Hospital Wing when McGonagall catches up with him. Hermione and Ron, after seeing Rose and hastily meeting Hugo, left to go back home, and Astoria had to leave as well, but Malfoy stayed back with Scorpius, and he knows he'll meet him now when he goes to the Hospital Wing. It can't be avoided; he needs to speak to Al, Scorpius, and Rose before Hannah discharges Al and Rose, so he's got to hurry. After filling Ginny in last night, she's just as worried as he is, and the only thing keeping him calm is the steady presence of her next to him.
He's deep in enough in thought that he only realises McGonagall's caught up with him when Ginny says, "Oh, hi, Professor."
"Hi, Professor," he says tiredly.
McGonagall nods in greeting, and then says, "Did you find anything useful yesterday?"
"I think they were going after Scorpius," Harry says. "I've got Teddy and the other Aurors looking into Death Eaters who are enemies of Malfoy."
"How were the wand checks?" Ginny asks.
"Well," McGonagall says. "Inconclusive. As you know, we can only check for the last five spells that a witch or wizard used. And to save time, we only checked the sixth and seventh years, and we found nothing like the curses that affected the children."
Harry sighs, somehow not surprised by that.
"How is that possible?" Ginny says indignantly.
"Well, if the attack was premeditated, then they probably had the sense to scarper and then cast five Accio or something at once," Harry says.
"Precisely," McGonagall agrees. "The other teachers and I will, of course, be on the lookout. Until we find anything suspicious, however, the most we can hope for is that the perpetrators will have a change of hearts and come clean."
Ginny snorts. "And how likely do you think that is?"
McGonagall doesn't answer, but the look on her face is enough to tell Harry that she isn't very hopeful.
Harry leans over and opens the doors to the Hospital Wing, and then smiles despite himself at what he sees.
Scorpius is sitting up in bed, pale but smiling. Albus and Rose are perched on the end of Scorpius's bed, and Freddie and Jamie are sitting on chairs right next door. Lily, Roxanne, and Hugo are there, too, sitting down on the bed next to Scorpius's. Looking as if he doesn't belong there, Malfoy's perched on a chair a little distance away, watching the scene warily.
"And if you see them," Jamie says, "just make sure to case a big enough hex that—"
McGonagall clears her throat, and Jamie looks up at her, grinning. "Hi, Professor," he says cheerfully.
"Hello, Mr. Potter," McGonagall says, but a small smile lingers around the corner of her lips. "Are all of you not meant to be in class or at breakfast?"
"We're not hungry," Roxanne says.
"We wanted to see if Al and Rose and Scorpius are alright," Hugo explains.
"Besides, class hasn't started yet, Professor," Freddie says.
"And we've got Transfiguration first thing," Jamie says.
"Which we wouldn't dare to be late for," Freddie says sweetly.
"Mum," Albus says softly. "Dad. Is everything alright?"
Harry clears his throat, and then looks at Ginny, who nods.
"Everything's fine," she says calmly. "Except… except we think, because of what you lot heard the students say before it happened, that they were attacking you, Scorp."
Albus sits up, and leans over, grabbing Scorpius's hand immediately. Rose grabs his spare hand. Malfoy gets up, rushes over to them, and smooths his hand over Scorpius's pale blond hair.
"I thought as much," Scorpius admits, leaning back against the pillows. "Traitor, they called me."
"They did?" Malfoy says, and Scorpius nods, moving a bit closer to his dad's side.
Jamie stands up, looking serious. "Scorp, don't worry. We won't let you be alone. If anyone tries to go up against you again, they'll realise very soon that it's not a smart thing to do."
"Exactly," Freddie agrees and then, catching McGonagall's eye, says, "By which we mean we'll calmly and non-violently bring them to your office, Professor."
"Of course. No hexing involved," Jamie says.
McGonagall does smile at that, and then tells Scorpius gently, "Mr. Malfoy, we will all ensure nothing like this happens again."
"I'm not worried," Scorpius says.
"Good," Albus say softly.
"You shouldn't be worried," Lily puts in. "Whoever tried to get to you and Al and Rosie, they'll realise soon that it never ends well for anyone who gets on the wrong side of a Potter."
