Chapter 7

September 25, 1979

Scorpius stood in the study with Lucius, Narcissa, and Severus. They were trying to find a way to send him and Rose home or at the very least to keep her and his unborn child safe and away from Voldemort. He glared at Severus as the man droned on about searching the archives at the Ministry for any chance of finding something about time travel and how they, the Malfoys should be searching through the Malfoy Library and any known artifacts within the Manor. It wasn't until Severus had suggested that Rose remain here and hidden from prying eyes did Scorpius speak up.

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"We need to get Rose out of this house. No exceptions." Scorpius spoke dismissing the idea to keep her here while they continued to try and find a way home. "I agreed to kidnapping her to keep The Dark Lord off our backs. i refuse to allow her to stay here though."

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"They have a trace on your magic. They will know the second you leave here and where you go. The Manor protects you against the trace, but you leave here and they'll be able to find you if you so much as light a candle using magic." Lucius was cold and his voice sounded as if he was scolding a child. "You cannot move her."

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"She also can not travel unless by floo or Port Key. Which means one of us will have to go with her and make sure she ends up safe." Narcissa pointed out.

"As of right now until we hear back from the Order we keep her here in the Manor. They know she is here, but we can keep them from her claiming she is too weak to get up." He knew the 'them' she spoke of was other Death Eaters and he hated it.

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"How long can we keep that lie though?" Severus was the one who spoke before Scorpius had a chance. The dark haired man continued in his usual low, uninterested voice, "Last I checked I'm the only one skilled in Legilimency."

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"You do not need to be trained in Legilimency to survive. Only Occlumency." Narcissa retorted and Scorpius heard the disgust in her voice about the mention of Legilimency. He had never thought she was skilled in any magic pertaining to reading minds or blocking against it. He guess she had to be considering she helped Harry Potter in the Battle of Hogwarts.

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"Either way, I would feel far more comfortable if she was with the Order. Can't one of you take her and stash her away with the Order?" Scorpius pleaded.

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"Even if we wanted to, we don't have any other location than the Weasley home. Which, quite frankly, is not safe." Scorpius hesitated at the words from his grandfather. Grimmauld Place was safe in their time. He didnt know when Sirius obtained the house though and he didn't want to reveal that to them.

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Scorpius knew they were running out of time. the safest place for Rose to be would be with the Potters, who would, in theory, go into hiding soon. But he knew he couldnt bring that up. He just had to push to get her to go back with the Potters. He also didn't know when the Prophecy would be given... or if Snape had turned into a spy for Dumbledore already or if it was soon.

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"We need to get her to Dumble-" Scorpius started.

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"No." Narcissa's voice was cold and firm and Scorpius stared at her as she raised her chin at him as if daring him to ask her why.

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"He is the only one who can protect someone from the Dark Lord." Scorpius spoke, carefully choosing his words. He caught a look from Severus, but whatever that look had been it quickly was hidden away under the stoney mask. Perhaps it was sooner than he thought that Severus would turn? Scorpius wondered if perhaps this was a catalyst that help Severus turn?

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"I don't like the idea of going to Dumbledore. If we get caught-" Lucius spoke low and deadly and Scorpius realized why Lucius was being so careful about this. For the first time in a while he noticed when it was. It was Fall of 1979. Which Meant his Grandmother was pregnant with his father or going to be soon. Whether his grandparents knew it or not yet.

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"Look. I know for a fact that the safest spot for Rose would be with the Order. Dumbledore is a part of the Order. The series of events that is going to happen soon is what will cause everything to happen and for things to go as they should I cannot disclose those events. However, I beg that we get Rose to the Order soon. Preferably before the end of Fall of this year." He hoped he could sway them without telling them exactly what would happen in somewhat near future, but he knew he would have to divulge something to them.

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Thinking of Pettigrew, Scorpius realized he only saw glimpses of Pettigrew during large meetings. Even then he distinctly remembered Pettigrew keeping to the back of the crowd attempting to blend in. Was he one of Dimbledore's spies? Was that a secret that died with Pettigrew and Dumbledore? He didn't remember Pettigrew sharing any Order Information.

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"Whatever it is we can handle it here." Lucius was defensive and Scorpius ran a frustrated hand down his own face.

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"You don't understand. He's going to become reckless, and even more bloodthirsty than he already is. She needs to remain hidden. She cannot be here." Scorpius pleaded.

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"We can lock down the Manor. They rarely hold anything here anyway. We'll still go to the meetings but we won't be hosting unless absolutely necessary." Lucius replied, and Scorpius felt a little more relief.

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"I want no one to be able to get in. No Bellatrix. No other Death Eaters. No one except us. Update the wards for now." Scorpius countered.

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"Scor-" Narcissa started but he cut her off.

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"No. The only way I will agree to not keep trying to get her out of this Manor is if no one can get in. Lockdown the Manor. No one in or out without Authorization of either of you or me." He knew it was possible. He knew his Father had shut down the Manor when the Death Eaters lost the Battle of Hogwarts after Lucius had been taken to Azkaban for his part in the war.

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His grandfather stared him down but Scorpius didn't back down, didn't look away, he stared right back into his Grandfather's eyes, challenging him, daring him to tell him no. "Alright. But we have to figure out how to keep him from questioning our loyalty." The words were carefully chosen and Scorpius wondered what caused the stubborn man to relent. He dared a glance at Narcissa and saw the smirk playing at the edge of her mouth, he knew she had something to do with it.


Three long hours passed of changing the wards with his grandfather before they had to be at the Lestrange Manor for a meeting. Scorpius was tired, his magic straining as he and Lucius arrived, dressed the part. During updating the wards they had gone over every inch of what could happen. How they were supposed to act, and what they would say and if they would reveal anything.

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Scorpius stood beside his Grandfather, head held high with an air of authority that had been drilled into him since the day he was born. It took everything in him not to scowl at those around him. "Saw you take on Potter, boy, impressive." One man spoke and Scorpius took him in, the man looked familiar but he honestly dodnt know who it was. "We'll have to put you to use."

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Scorpius ignored the comment and everyone fell silent as the double doors to the large room opened and Lord Voldemort himself swept in. "Has the girl been retrieved?"

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Scorpius stepped forward, his voice unwavering, "Yes, my Lord. Although she is incredibly fragile, most forms of travel seem to cause her to go into what the Healers call, a Grand Mal Siezures. Which in turn, cause her to go into Cardiac Arrest. The Healers have deemed her unfit for travel as it could potentially kill her. They have also deemed her unfit for stressful environments at this ti-"

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"Where is she?" Voldemort cut him off his voice and deadly.

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"Malfoy Manor, my Lord." Scorpius spoke.

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"And yet you didn't bring her?" The hiss from the man in black caused every hair on Scorpius' body to stand on end. Every inch of him screamed to run, to flee, to leave, but his legs were like stone, gluing him in place.

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"No, My Lord. The Healers said if she is transported at this time her heart could give out for the final time. We deemed keeping her at the Manor the safest option to get information regarding the Order." His voice didn't betray him with the amount of fear he felt. All he could think was one slip up and Rose would be dead, their unborn child along with her, and he would surely be sentenced to watch her death.

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"Any information yet?" Again that hiss, and again it did nothing to soothe the young Malfoy.

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"When we left the Healer was still working on her as she has yet to awake from the last heart attack from transporting her from the Weasleys."

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The screech of anger before he felt his knees buckle as pain coursed through him, he refused to cry out this time. "My Lord." A voice spoke that Scorpius knew belonged to Severus. and the curse that had been set on him was lifted as Voldemort's attention redirected to Severus, who stepped forward.

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Scorpius listened as Severus explain the news he over heard regarding the Order's movement as he got to feet and returned to his Grandfather's side.

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Rose jolted awake, alone and in a strange room. it took a moment for her to remember what had happened, and then fear struck her. She whirled towards the night table, almost giving herself whip lash as she sat up, scrambling for the night table to find her wand sitting right there as if she had placed it there, a cup of water sat beside it, and a note.

Rose reached for the note, tentatively picking it up are reading the tight script she didn't recognize.

Rose, the Manor is on Lockdown. You are free to move about as you wish. You're safe, I promise. -Scorpius

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She stared at the note and then grabbed her wand, moving from under the plush duvet. She used the bed post help steady herself as she slowly put weight on her feet. Rose took a step away from the bed before her knees gave out and she hit the floor hard. Rose laid there for a moment before pulling herself into a sitting position, giving herself a moment before trying to use the bed post to get to her feet. She could barely feel her feet and it took all of her concentration to make sure her feet were flat on the floor as she struggled to get up to a standing position. By the time she successfully got to her feet once more she wasn't sure how much time had passed or if the Manor was still safe. She also wasn't even sure if she could make it to the window of her room let alone far from her prison before her legs would give out again.

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"It has to be something they did to me." She muttered to herself, but knew if they had done this then she had to make sure they couldn't do it again and that she regrew her strength. She realized how much weight she kept on the bedpost and slowly started to make her way around to the otherside of the bed focusing on where her feet were and how they were landing on the floor. Her eyes were set on the Window. If she could make it to the window and back-

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Rose hit the floor again, pain shooting up her left wrist where she had tried to break her fall, this time three steps from the bed, and just out of reach of the bed and still a good distance from the window. A frustrated huff escaped her as her wrist throbbed as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Cradling her wrist she spotting the small seating area in her room next to the window and fireplace. Pulling her wand and a quick precise flick the chair flew towards her stopping beside her and close enough that she could use it to furniture surf back to the bed.

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Once again Rose wasn't sure how long it was before she was on her feet again and this time she made it back to the bed, crawling in to it as a house elf arrived with what appeared to be lunch and whisked away the untouched breakfast from the seating area. Rose glared where the lunch sat on the bed, her stomach rumbling with the smell of food.

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She glanced at her wand that sat on the bed beside her then at the fireplace. She didn't see any Floo Powder beside it, which left her wand, and the fact she couldn't even walk at the moment. Her gaze went to her feet now and for the first time she realized her feet were swollen, the ankles, and her calves up to her knees. She ran a hand a long the swollen parts and felt a strange tingling sensation almost like the bottom half of her legs had fallen asleep. Otherwise her legs looked normal, as she scanned her legs and feet she noticed that two toes on either foot had turned bluish in color, not a dark blue, but tinted almost like bruises.

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Scorpius landed back at the Manor, and moved past Narcissa as he headed up stairs. He heard Narcissa ask Lucius what happened and knew his grandfather told her as he headed into the East Wing of the Manor. He paused outside Rose's Room, he knew he should just walk past but he couldn't help himself, cracking the door he peered in to check in on her.

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The Blond Man watched as his wife moved chairs with her wand before slowly and methodically standing up, using the bedpost. What is she doing? He watched as took a step or two transferred her hold from the bed post to the first chair. He watched as she furniture surfed using the first chair. When she went to switch which chair she was using to support herself he saw her stumble. He was moving before he could think better of it.

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She had to have heard the soft pop as he landed behind her she spun, a hex catching him off guard and sending him flying into the wall behind him. For a brief moment Scorpius saw the room spin before it settled. "Stay away from me." She warned, her grip on the chair turning her knuckles white and he could see her right foot was turned so she was standing with the sole of her right foot turned facing the left foot so she was standing with it on its side.

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"I'm just trying to help you." He steadied himself on his own feet and took a step towards her, only for a silent hex to be flung his way. He easily blocked, using his own wand, but paused where he was.

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He blocked again and again as she repeatedly tried to hex him. This time he took slow deliberate steps. She sent 3 different ones at him, something he knew she had been trying to figure out and it caught him off guard, once more sending him flying into the wall. This time the air left his lungs for a brief moment.

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"Stay away." Her warning, he barely understood. Getting to his feet again, he continued to block her hexes.

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There's got to be a way to get her to know I'm a frien- He racked his brain of everything he knew about Rose and her family... and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Rubber Ducky." He deflected another stunner.

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She froze in place."What did you just say?" Her voice was untrusting, and she never lowered her wand.

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"Rubber Ducky." He repeated. Hoping it worked. Growing up in the Potter home from the time he was 12 he figured out the word that was used for each individual family to know, incase there was ever a chance of attackers who would use poly juice potion to get to the family. Each branch of the family had their own "Password", and after Hermione figured out how to set wards so a password must be spoken to reveal the location in question...Each Branch's password became their key. Potters had Petunia. Hermione and Ron had Rubber Ducky. George and Angelina were Pigmy Puff. And so on. He always thought that Charlie Weasley's was the strangest but most fitting with Thunderbird. He hoped that hadn't been erased too. Her face seemed to betray her so he continued, "Rubber Ducky. Petunia. Pigmy Puff. Thunderbird. Howler. Pyramid. Garden Gnome."

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"Those are just words." He saw through her lie as she held up her head, but didn't further hex him. She did not lower her wand either but the fact she wasn't hexing him as he took a step closer.

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"They aren't just words, and you know it." He stepped closer, moving half a step closer with each breath. Another stunner, and he blocked easily.

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"What do you know about those words? You just rattled off random words." She still clutched the chair with her one hand and the other had her wand pointed at him still.

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He Took the final step, her wand pressed into his chest now as he spoke, "You know as well as I do that each of those words are a specific password to be let into the Burrow during War or Dangerous Times, God Forbid your grandparents ever had to lock down the Burrow. It is also the password for each individual family to know they are safe or talking to each other and not an enemy who used polijuice potion." He hesitated now before he spoke one more. "Orlando." ge watched her eyes, and there was no recognition of the password they had agreed to make theirs when he married her. The Password that was used for them to get to the Burrow.

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Rose narrowed her eyes, "And why should I trust you." It was his chance. He hoped she would listen... better yet be willing to see what he wanted her to.

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"Can I show you?" He held out his hand. Rose looked at it and then to the still open door of her room before back at him for a long moment. Her eyes glanced down to her feet, and he saw her feet slowly turning colors, all of her toes looked like they were bruised from the color they were. "I want to show you my memories. We also should get a healer to come and look at your feet."

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Rose watched him before slowly letting her hand release the chair and grip his own, instantly he felt how much weight she was keeping off her feet by using her arm. What the hell is going on with her? He moved to scoop her and pick her up, but her wand pressed into his chest proving she still didn't trust him. So instead he moved her arm so it was around his waist and his own arm came around her shoulders and up under her arms for support.