Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.
Note - I've had parts of this story written for awhile now, so this chapter has been ready for awhile too, haha. Sorry for any mistakes, because I probably missed a few. I didn't have long to edit this and look it over. But anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.
Family Tree - Ok, so I think the family tree in my profile should be working now. There's been a lot of problems with it for some reason. If it stops working again, just let me know.
Rebel Malfoy
Chapter Two: What Are You Fighting For?
Scorpius wasn't exactly excited when he woke up that morning. Not that he was disappointed either. He wanted to feel excited, but part of him hesitated to see people's up close reactions to him. Would they run like that Weasley girl did?
But he still got up and ready for the day. He got dressed and combed his hair a little before waiting for Lars and Mitch to finally be ready. Lars was still yawning as he tried to tie up his shoes. Mitch had done a terrible job on his tie, but didn't seem to care as he left it loose around his neck. Deeming themselves ready to go, the three boys left the dorm and headed down the stairs. To no surprise, they found Lana waiting for them, her outfit perfect, and her hair nicely brushed.
Lana rolled her eyes when she saw them. "And they say that girls take a long time to get ready," she mocked.
"Well I don't see any of the other girls," Lars pointed out as they headed out of the common room.
"At this rate, I just want to eat," Mitch said with a yawn of his own.
They walked out of the dungeons and made their way for the grand Great Hall, all of them ready for breakfast. There was already a good amount of kids there eating breakfast. Scorpius eyed the Slytherin table for a place to sit. He knew that Mitch wouldn't want to sit by any of his siblings, and Lana would probably be a little annoyed to sit by Aaron. So he caught sight of a few empty seats by a few kids that Scorpius only vaguely recognized.
"How about there?" Scorpius suggested, pointing toward the seats near the middle.
Lars shrugged. "Sure, why not."
The four of them walked down the table, and took the empty seats. The other kids were too wrapped up in their own conversations to notice them, which was what Scorpius had honestly preferred at the moment. But luck hadn't been a Malfoy thing for quite a while.
"Hey, you're the Malfoy kid, right?" a boy questioned as he took the empty seat across from Scorpius. He had dark blonde hair and an eager smile. He was young, maybe a second year.
Scorpius hesitated just a little. This kid was a Slytherin, and seemed happy to know his name. "Yeah, I'm Scorpius Malfoy," he replied.
The kid's grin got even bigger. "Awesome! I'm Ted West, a second year. You have brought about a lot of buzz."
Scorpius raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"Well now we've got someone that can contend against Potter," Ted pointed out.
"Leave him alone, West," a kid that was sitting close by interrupted. Scorpius knew this other kid, although he too was a year older. His name was Dante Montague, and their fathers were friends. "Just because his name's Malfoy doesn't mean he's going to go off and fight Potter his first day."
Ted looked like he wanted to roll his eyes. "Are you saying you don't want Potter put in his place?"
"I'm saying that it's not Scorpius's job," Dante argued. "If he wants to join in, then all the power to him. But I can fight for myself, and you should be able to as well."
"What are you talking about?" Lana demanded.
Ted West looked back to them. "Potter. He's a right git who thinks he owns the world just because he's a Potter and a Gryffindor. He' basically pitted the entire school against us Slytherins." Ted looked at Scorpius. "And trust me, Scorpius, he'll come looking for you eventually. So be ready."
Scorpius didn't reply, but he felt his earlier unease come back to him in full force. Was this what Slytherins expected of him? To fight the Potter kid? And was Potter already going to come after him? Because he was a Malfoy? What happened to the feud between the Potters and Malfoys having practically vanished? His father held no hatred toward Harry Potter, not now at least. Was that not reciprocated? Did Harry Potter feel differently?
"Mr. Malfoy?" a deep but haggard voice spoke behind him. Scorpius looked to seen older man holding out a paper to him. "Your schedule, boy."
Scorpius took it from him. "Thank you, sir," he mumbled.
"Potions with Gryffindors first," Lars mentioned as he idly looked at his own schedule. "That should be interesting."
Gryffindor already? He would be forced to face Potter first class? Scorpius looked at his plate of food, then pushed it away. He wasn't that hungry anymore. After the others finished eating, they all headed back to the common room to collect their things for class, then made their way for their first lesson of Hogwarts.
When they entered the classroom, they all took spots near each other, and took out their things as they waited for others to arrive and for class to begin. But then Mitch nudged him. "Hey, Scor, look who walked in," he whispered.
Scorpius turned around to see the Potter boy and the two Weasley girls walking in. The one that had been angry the night before still didn't look happy, and she stormed away from the other two, taking a seat by herself. The other two took seats right next to each other. Potter didn't even look at him, but he caught the Weasley girl's eyes, but she quickly looked away and began to get out her things for class. Scorpius looked away too. What was that girl's problem? He couldn't even remember her first name.
"Ok, first years!" Professor Slughorn said happily as class started. "Welcome to Potions class. Before we get into the good stuff, we're going to do a role call and make sure that everyone is here, ok? So let's begin." He began to go through names, and soon came to Mitch. "Mitchell Avery?"
Mitch raised his hand. "Yeah, here."
Slughorn looked at him with a smile. "You must be Kimberly's little brother? Should I expect another potion expert?" he asked with glee.
Mitch had a dead panned look, but his friends could see the irritation in his eyes. "Dude, no," was all he said.
Slughorn just cleared his throat and quickly moved along. He stopped at some kids' names, asking about siblings or parents, obviously checking relations. But when Scorpius's name came up, it was a bit different.
"Scorpius Malfoy?" Slughorn asked, obviously slowing with his name.
Scorpius hesitantly raised his hand. "Um, I'm right here, Professor."
"I think I just became sick!" a Gryffindor boy with ashy blonde hair gagged.
Mitch immediately turned to the kid. "Why don't you bite it, kid!" he snapped.
The boy glared back. "Watch it, Avery!"
"Students!" Slughorn intervened with a loud voice. He cleared his throat once they were again silent, and then continued on with names. Then he came to another that made him stop. "Albus Potter?"
The Potter kid raised his hand. "Here, sir."
"Well, we'll have to see if you're as great with potions as your father was," Slughorn said with a chuckle.
Scorpius looked at Albus Potter. Should he say something like that other kid did? After all that was what Slytherins like Ted West had expected of him. But . . . was that what Scorpius wanted to do? What he should do? What would his father say? Before he could decide, Slughorn had moved on.
"Dominique Weasley?" he called when he got near the end of the list.
The angry Weasley girl raised her hand. "Here," she muttered.
"Ah, and whose daughter are you?" Slughorn asked with curiosity and excitement.
The girl, Dominique, rolled her eyes. "Delacour," she said simply.
Slughorn seemed to think about that. "Ah! You're the oldest son's daughter! Victoire's sister! Well let's hope you're just as bright. Your sister is definitely going places with her talent."
Unlike Mitch, Dominique said nothing while being compared to her older sibling. She was just quiet, and still obviously angry.
"Rose Weasley?" Slughorn called.
The girl that had ran from Scorpius raised her hand. "Here, sir." Rose! That was her name. Scorpius made a note to remember that name, as it would be easier to avoid her with the knowledge of who she was.
"And whose daughter are you?" Slughorn asked.
"Ron and Hermione Weasley," Rose answered.
"Oh, Hermione's daughter! That I'm glad to hear," Slughorn said. "She was an excellent student. The top of her game and class."
Scorpius tuned the rest of his words out as he praised Rose Weasley. He had heard stories off how Slughorn didn't favor his House, but his students with talent and connections instead. But Scorpius would admit to feeling a bit put out by Slughorn simply running over him. He wished that he had an older sibling like Mitch, if only to be recognized by something other than his father's past.
"Wow, that was stupid," Lars commented as they left after class was over. "I hate the course, and something about that teacher just pushes all the wrong buttons for me."
"I got sick of hearing him talk to Potter about his dad!" Mitch complained. "And next time he compares me to a sibling, I'll throw my wand at him."
"Well onto Herbology," Lana sighed. "Aaron always said that this class had a cool teacher."
"I hope he's nothing like Slughorn," Lars admitted.
"Hey, you're Malfoy, right?" a voice behind them demanded.
The four of them stopped and turned around. They stood in the Entrance Hall now, ready to go outside to the greenhouses. And behind them was a boy, who was coming down the stairs toward them. He was probably only twelve or thirteen. He had messy black hair that stuck up a little in the back, and his eyes were hazel. And the eyes . . . they already held malice and distrust. Who was this kid?
Scorpius took a small step forward. "Yeah, that's me. Who are you?" Scorpius looked at the kids around the boy. One was a little shorter, with a darker skin tone, and black hair that spiked up a little. One boy was kind of tall with sandy colored hair.
"I'm James Potter, your worst nightmare," the lead boy stated.
Scorpius gulped. Potter? There was another? This boy must have been who Ted West and Dante Montague were talking about. And he already was picking a fight? Why? "Oh. Did you need something?" Scorpius asked, trying to sidestep any issues.
James Potter raised a mocking brow. "Need something? The innocent act doesn't work with me, kid."
Scorpius looked away and sighed. Calm. He just had to stay calm and rational. If in his position, what would his father do? "I have to get to class now. I don't want to be late."
Scorpius began to turn around, but James Potter quickly caught his shoulder, preventing him from moving. "I'm not done with you yet," Potter stated.
"Get your hand off of him!" Lana snapped.
"Look, Jay. Malfoy needs a little girl to defend him!" the sandy haired boy laughed.
"I don't want to fight you," Scorpius mumbled.
James Potter looked at him. "What was that?"
Scorpius felt a blush of embarrassment come to his cheeks. "I said I don't want to fight you," he said louder. Have pride, he thought to himself. That's what his father would say.
James Potter laughed. "Well that's too bad. Because until there's no longer a Malfoy in my school, we have a problem between us." Then James Potter shoved him to the floor.
Scorpius grunted as his back hit the floor, but he quickly sat up. Malfoy. Was that all people thought when they saw him? Was that all that mattered about him? It was as if all they saw was the name Malfoy printed along his face! "What did I ever do to you!" Scorpius finally snapped, catching all of their attentions again. Potter even looked at him in surprise.
Scorpius stood up, that anger from the train rising in his chest. "What have I ever done to you! I don't know you! You don't know me!"
James glared at him as he moved closer, his face close to Scorpius's. "I know your last name is Malfoy. That's all I need to hate you. And what you did? You were born when you shouldn't have been! People like your father shouldn't be allowed to have a kid!"
That anger in Scorpius's stomach seemed to burst open wide, and he jumped at Potter with all his might. He took Potter by surprise, knocking him to the floor. But due to age and size, Potter was easily able to push Scorpius off, and turn the fight back onto him.
Scorpius knew that he was no fighter. He was a thin boy who didn't spend a lot of time exercising. His grandfather had called the idea of exercising pointless. Physical strength wasn't true power, he said. But now Scorpius knew that it wasn't true. Because with each punch Potter threw, he felt pain in his body and in his pride.
Malfoy. That was all he was to these people. A Malfoy. An enemy. Someone to hate, and someone to blame the past on. Someone who people could blame family deaths on. His father . . . he had been wrong. It wasn't just some people who still didn't trust Malfoys. Nobody trusted Malfoys. Only the Slytherins, but it was starting to seem as if some expected things of him. As if they expected him to beat up Potter. And now it was very obvious that it was a hopeless dream for them. He couldn't defend them . . . not like this.
It stopped suddenly, and then James Potter was getting up. But Scorpius didn't move as he listened to a new and frantic voice. "Class is soon and I saw Professor Brown coming!"
"This isn't over Malfoy!" he heard James Potter say before the sound of running footsteps.
Then Mitch's face appeared above his own, a hand offered to him. "You ok, man?"
Scorpius took his hand, and let his friend pull him up. Lana came up to him immediately, and with a cloth, she began to dab at his lip, which stung. "You're bleeding, don't move."
"Man, what's Potter's problem!" Lars exclaimed. "You couldn't even fight back!"
Scorpius pushed away Lana's hand. "I'm ok, guys," he mumbled. "Let's just get to class, ok?" He moved past them all, and began to walk toward the doors. He would not lose his pride, not to some kid with stupid hatred. No matter how it was attacked or damaged, Scorpius refused to lose it, or to let it go.
They were the last ones in the greenhouse for class, and were honestly lucky that they weren't late. Scorpius obviously gained a few looks from the Hufflepuffs and other Slytherins, but he ignored them. And Professor Longbottom did the same at first, until class was over.
"Mr. Malfoy, could you stay back for a short moment?" Professor Longbottom asked.
Scorpius wished he could say no. Professor Longbottom was often shown as the fool in some of Uncle Gregory's stories, and his father admitted to tormenting him. But he didn't think it was right to refuse. "Yes, sir," he mumbled, staying in his spot.
Once everyone else had left and the door was shut, Professor Longbottom came to stand next to him, and held out his hand. "It's wonderful to meet you, Mr. Malfoy," he said kindly.
Scorpius looked at him oddly, but politely shook his hand. "Um, thank you. Same to you, sir."
Professor Longbottom smiled. "Quite the polite young man, aren't you?"
Scorpius shrugged. "My mum always says that manners can make the man."
Professor Longbottom chuckled a little. "Well, how are you enjoying your first day so far?"
Scorpius looked at the professor. Did he somehow know what had happened to him? How could he though? "It's . . . different than I thought it would be," he said vaguely.
"Really? Well how about friends?" Professor Longbottom inquired politely.
"Well, I already know some of the older kids in Slytherin."
"What about other Houses?" Professor Longbottom mentioned.
"I haven't had much of a chance," Scorpius replied, just as vague. He looked at the professor again. "Why do you ask?"
"I just want to make sure you're adapting well," Professor Longbottom commented. "I'm sorry if my questions took away from your time."
But Scorpius shook his head. "No, it's ok. I'll see you next lesson, Professor."
"Goodbye, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Longbottom said as Scorpius walked from the greenhouses. But Scorpius didn't feel like going back to the common room. He instead took a walk toward the lake that he'd come across the previous night. But he stopped when he noticed that a girl was already there. She was obviously much older, maybe a sixth or seventh year. And she was very pretty. So much that it was probably uncommon to see a girl so pretty. She had shiny blonde hair that fell down her back like a waterfall of sunshine.
The girl turned her head to look at him. Scorpius froze, but this girl did something that he hadn't seen all day. She smiled at him. Scorpius looked at her robes to see yellow and a Hufflepuff insignia. She wasn't a Slytherin, so why was she smiling at him? Did she not recognize him?
"Hello," the girl greeted, her voice soft and sweet, but like it was a natural tone for her. "Did you want to sit by the lake too?"
Scorpius stayed silent as he shuffled a bit closer.
The girl didn't seem bothered. "Well I won't bite. And I don't mind the company either during a break before classes. Please, sit," she insisted.
Scorpius eyed her carefully as he moved to sit down, still a little bit away from her. Was this some trap? Would Potter come out and hit him again?
The girl glanced over at him again. "You don't talk much, do you?"
Scorpius hesitated. "Well . . . do you know who I am?"
The girl looked at him, her eyes scanning over his face. But her kind expression never changed. "Well, you look like the Malfoy boy from last night. Am I right?"
Scorpius tensed. She did know! So he nodded in confirmation, but was still afraid of what she would do. Hit him? Hex him? Run?
But the girl continued to simply sit. "I thought so." Then she reached out, her hand touching his cheek, making Scorpius flinch. "Sorry," she apologized, her hand still on his cheek, "but you have a nasty bruise there. Here." She pulled out her wand.
Scorpius pushed her hand away. "What are you going to do?" he demanded, his heart pumping a little harder.
The girl laughed. "I'm just going to heal. I promise. Now stay still."
Scorpius gulped as she pointed her wand directly at his face. But he watched her lips move as she mumbled some spell, and he felt nothing.
The girl smiled again as she set her wand down by her bag. "There we go. That looks much better."
Scorpius scowled in confusion. "You're weird," he stated firmly.
The girl didn't seem offended or upset. Just curious. "Really? How so?"
"Because I'm a Malfoy," he said simply.
The girl laughed. "You being a Malfoy makes me weird?"
"Well you're not running or hurting me!" Scorpius insisted, a bit annoyed by this girl's relaxed ways.
Now the girl stopped laughing, and she actually looked a bit sorry for Scorpius. "Why would I run from you? You're an eleven-year-old boy."
"And that makes me weak?" Scorpius growled weakly, already knowing the answer.
But the girl shook her head. "No. It makes you an innocent kid. I have no reason to hate you, because you haven't given me one. And I apologize that it's already happening to you."
Scorpius looked away from her. "I don't know what you mean," he denied.
But she didn't seem fazed. "If you're having troubles, you can always come and tell me. I'd gladly help."
Scorpius still didn't look at her. "I don't need help," he muttered.
To his surprise the girl laughed. "Oh, it's one of those things." Then she sighed. "I can understand that. Someone important to me once said that there are just things that a man has to handle by himself. But, if you do ever want help, you can come to me."
Scorpius looked at the girl in honest surprise as she began to get up, picking up her bag as well. "I don't even know who you are!" he called as she began to walk away.
The girl looked back at him. "Oh, I'm sorry, how rude of me. My name's Victoire Weasley. I'm the Head Girl this year."
"Victoire Weasley? Yeah, she's a cool girl," Aaron Goyle commented after Scorpius asked him at lunch. Aaron had chosen to sit with the four of them today, to see how his little siblings' first day had gone. Scorpius hadn't let them say a word about him and Potter.
"She seemed oddly . . . really nice," Scorpius mumbled.
"She is really nice. She's probably the only Weasley you could trust," Aaron commented. "The others . . . they all treat Slytherin like we're dirt. But she gives people fair chances, no matter who they are."
"Nice to know what we'll be dealing with for the next seven years," Mitch mumbled, running a hand through his bangs.
"Look, there's really only two things you can do," Aaron told them. "Defend yourself and stick together. We may not always agree and get along, but Slytherins defend each other now. And don't let them beat you down. Get up, don't show weakness. Otherwise, they'll all eat you alive."
"Father always told me to have dignity and pride, and hold my head high. I don't think that fighting would agree with those things," Scorpius pointed out a bit quietly.
Aaron shrugged as he picked up his glass. "Sometimes you do what you have to." He took a quick drink, then sighed. "Either way, I'd suggest bulking up a bit, Scor. Maybe then you won't get jumped as much. Because trust me, eventually each of you will get jumped. Happens to every Slytherin eventually, and sometimes continually."
To say that there wasn't a new fear running through them now would be a lie. And apparently, all the other first years had been told basically the same thing by older students or siblings. Watch your backs and be prepared. The attack could be verbal, physical, or both . . . but it'll happen eventually. And Scorpius knew personally that while he'd already been attacked by James Potter, it was probably just the beginning for him.
And he was right.
They caught their first real taste of what the older students had warned them of on their way to Charms one day. After turning the corner of what had at first been an empty corridor, the four of them saw a scene that made them a bit sick and very angry. Three girls stood around a fellow first year Slytherin, Miley Flint, who looked close to tears at what they were saying. And they all soon heard the words being thrown at her.
"I'm not sure who's uglier. Her brother . . . or her!" one of the girls sneered as she jabbed her finger into Miley's shoulder, giving an effective push.
"I don't know either. They're both disgusting," another girl commented.
"Leave her alone!" Mitch yelled suddenly, running toward the scene. And before any of them knew it, expected it, or could stop it, Mitch had shoved one of the girls harshly to the floor. As the other three hurried to catch up to him, partially to stop him from hitting one of those girls, the older girls looked at him in shock, especially the one on the floor. Scorpius looked at his best friend. His firsts were clenched, the only visible sign of his anger, as his hair covered his eyes.
"You brute!" one of the girls shrieked. "You'd actually shove a girl?"
"The only girl I see in this scene is Miley. The rest of you are freaking harpies!" Mitch countered, anger in his voice. "Where do you get off picking on some defenseless girl?! I'm a brute? You three are cruel!"
Lana quickly pulled a tearful Miley, who had finally released a few tears, away to the back of their little crowd. Scorpius moved forward to pull Mitch back a little, hoping to keep his friend from doing anything irrational again. "Calm down, Mitch," he mumbled.
"You have no right!" Mitch continued. "You are completely beneath her as humans!"
Lars moved forward now, pulling Mitch back too. His efforts met with more success, and he pulled Mitch all the way back. "Come on. Let's just get to class. You're right. They're not worth anything." He then began to push Mitch forward and away from the girls. Scorpius followed, as did Lana who was whispering soothing words and encouragement to an upset Miley.
Mitch pulled his shoulders away from Lars's grasp. "I'm really tired of people attacking kids who can't defend themselves, whether it's because they are bigger or have more people with them!" he complained. "Next time I'm hitting someone!"
"And then you'll get beaten!" Scorpius pointed out. "You really think you could take someone like Potter?"
"Better than standing around and watching a girl cry!" Mitch retorted. "If my taking a beating stops someone as defenseless as Miley from being hurt, then I'll take that any day! But I'm not going to just stand around anymore! I'm not letting my friends get walked on!"
Mitch seemed impossible to calm down, and he seemed to refuse the idea of calming himself down. Like he wanted to be angry. Scorpius had never seen something like that from Mitch, and they'd know each other all their lives. And he'd never seen Mitch so passionate. Nor so into the idea of fighting. Sure, Scorpius had seen Mitch wrestle around with some of his brothers, but that was different. That was just joking around. This was real, and Mitch wouldn't know how to take these guys down like he did his own brothers. Only Merlin knew if James Potter had a ticklish spot like Xavier did. Mitch would be clueless.
"You know, I think I agree with Mitch," Lars whispered during class.
Scorpius looked at him in surprise. "What?"
Lars nodded. "Yeah. I think we should fight back."
Scorpius sighed. "Well do what you want. But my father wants me to have pride in being a Malfoy."
"We're fighting as Slytherins," Lars argued lightly. "I'm not fighting to defend my last name. I want to defend my being a Slytherin. Because seeing Miley like that . . . still like that," they both glanced over to the sullen girl with tear streaks on her cheeks, "I don't want to see others like that when they do nothing to deserve it. I mean . . . all Miley did was be a Slytherin. That's no reason to do what those girls did, and if we do nothing . . . then it'll just continue to happen."
Scorpius thought about that. Fighting as a Slytherin? Lars made sense in that way. Scorpius couldn't go against what his father had said and give in to fighting just because of his name. He'd already failed once. But . . . Scorpius believed that he could defend his House. And it wouldn't be wrong of him to defend others, right? It's not like he'd be the one starting the fights . . . and even if he did, then so what? Aaron might be right too. You do what you have to sometimes.
The Slytherin first years took to walking in groups of at least three after Miley was jumped. It felt safer, although sometimes it didn't always work out. Sometimes one left to the bathroom, and that was it. That's how it was when Rex came to Transfiguration one day, sporting a fat lip, and being quieter than Scorpius had ever known him to be.
Scorpius himself had a few more run-ins with James Potter and his friends, and he came from each with some form of a bruise, or at least a sore body from being shoved into the floor or wall. He'd had a headache from when his head had crashed into a wall when Potter shoved him in the hall on the way to his own class. But he did nothing when James Potter insulted his family or his name. He would not fail that again. Instead he sucked up his anger and continued on.
There was only one time now when he fought back, or fought at all.
"Say it one more time," Scorpius threatened a Gryffindor boy named Roddy Bella. He was in his year, and he always had something to say about Slytherins. "Say it to my face!"
Roddy Bella glared back at Scorpius, not afraid. "I said that Goyle's more of a boy than either of her brothers!" he spat.
Scorpius tackled Bella to the floor, pushing his full weight onto the boy, even though it wasn't much. Their friends around them cheered them both on, arguing with one another as well. Scorpius focused on throwing punch after punch at Roddy Bella, while ignoring the pain from all the hits he took himself.
"Boys! What is going on here!" a stern voice yelled.
The small group around them separated, and Scorpius and Roddy moved away from each other, and quickly stood up. Professor Macmillan, the Arithmacy teacher, was taking long strides toward them, looking extremely angry. "I said, what is going on here!"
"He insulted my sister!" Lars accused, pointing at Roddy.
"Malfoy attacked me!" Roddy argued.
"Enough!" Professor Macmillan snapped, stopping them all from talking. "Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Bella, I'm taking you both to the headmaster, and letting him decide what your punishments will be. Follow me."
Scorpius didn't look at either of his walking companions as they walked, but instead glared at the walls he passed by. While his adrenaline was starting to dull, his anger had not. In the weeks since Scorpius had decided that he would fight back when the Slytherin House was attacked, he had learned to let his anger run freely through his body. It helped get his adrenaline rushing again, which he needed since his normal strength was almost useless in a fight. But he was working on that too.
He now went on morning runs with Trevor March. He was the Quidditch Captain for the Slytherin team, who Aaron had introduced Scorpius too. And when Scorpius had mentioned his feeling small, Trevor had told him to join him on workouts. And Scorpius hadn't been able to pass it up. So now every morning, he got up an hour early, went for a run with Trevor, then came back to shower and have breakfast before class. It was tiring, but Scorpius liked to think that his endurance was increasing, if even just a little.
This would be the first time Scorpius had been taken to the headmaster's office. It wasn't the first time he'd been caught fighting, but normally the teacher or prefect that caught him took care of the issue. Maybe it was because he'd been caught so many times that he was being led there now.
When they reached the office, Scorpius couldn't help but look around. There were so many weird things around. Not to mention all the portraits, each watching them. But Scorpius soon saw one that made his nervous. Albus Dumbledore. He quickly looked toward his own headmaster, not wanting to even think about his father's past.
"Sit down, boys," Professor Brown said with a sigh. "A fight?"
"That's right," Professor Macmillan told him with a nod. "Good luck." Then he left the two boys with their headmaster.
"Malfoy was the one that attacked me, sir," Bella quickly said.
Scorpius didn't attempt to defend himself. "Yes, I did," he admitted. "And I'm proud of it."
Professor Brown raised a brow and gave Scorpius a curious look. "Hmm. Well, either way, you both fought and hurt each other. Mr. Bella, two detentions. Mr. Malfoy, four, since you admit that you attacked him. Your heads of house will talk with you both about them. Mr. Bella, if you would leave now, I want to talk with Mr. Malfoy."
Scorpius groaned. "Why do people always hold me back after something like this?" he demanded as Bella left the office.
"Well I can't speak for others, but for me, it's because you fascinate me sometimes," Professor Brown said with a sigh. "Sometimes, you seem like such a quiet boy. On the other hand, I hear all the time about you getting into fights."
Scorpius shrugged. "I guess that's just who I am."
"A fighter? Or a quiet boy?"
"Both," Scorpius stated. "I fight when I have to."
"What are some reasons that you fight?" Professor Brown asked curiously.
"One reason. When someone attacks Slytherin," Scorpius said proudly. "That's when I have to fight."
"You have to fight?"
Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. Otherwise, people will always hurt Slytherins!"
"Do you win every fight?" Professor Brown. "And are you the only one that has to fight?"
"No. To both questions. I lose sometimes. But that still means that one of the girls, or my friends didn't get hurt. And I'm not the only one fighting for Slytherin. A lot of kids do. Older kids," Scorpius stated.
"So why do you feel, as a first year, that you must jump into the fray?" Professor Brown asked.
"Because someone has to," Scorpius told him. "And I don't want kids to get hurt just because they're Slytherins."
"Does it always take fighting to solve that problem?" Professor Brown pointed out.
Scorpius didn't want to answer that, because he used to question that too. But the answer came to him every time he took a hit, or a kick, or a shove, or a verbal insult.
Yes.
