Unexpected Things

Meaoh: thanks for favourite-ing :D

KeysCanHurt: Hahah! :)) The ol' man's losing it :P You'll see it when it's Christmas for them :P It'll be good, I think =)) She might, but I doubt she knows it =)) Hmm... make your guess on what happened to Duddlykins after reading this ;) Aww thankies, Keys! Love ya too :D

Zee: Heheh, we'll see what happens. But I agree that Lily's a real sweetie :D Hahah! I almost can't wait to write that precious scene of Draco reacting to Scor's gift xD Hmm... I'd like to be known for that, the updating often :P But I hope I can update just as often when school starts... oh well, heheh...

heartshaped-sunglasses: Yeah, Cookie is :D Hmm, you'll find out... part of Duddley's experience here ;)

Osito and Maydayy: Thanks for Story Alert-ing! :)

RedCloakedMaiden: Yo! Thanks for adding this to yer Story Alerts :D

MalfoyMaiden: Awww! I'm glad to know ya love a lot of stuff here :D Here, I updated ;)

Chapter Two

Stranger

"Albus! That's not how you catch a ball!"

Al resisted the urge to yell at James and instead awkwardly steered his broom downwards to the Quaffle and caught it. Just as unsteadily, he flew back up to be level with Scorpius and James. This game was trying his patience. It was probably the fifth time this morning that he dropped the ball. Growing frustrated, he tossed the ball towards Scorpius, who nearly missed the ball but caught it before it fell downwards.

Scorpius tossed to James, who caught it easily.

"This is boring!" Scorpius complained. "There's no fun in throwing and catching! I'd rather hit it!" He swung a fist, miming hitting a Bludger with a Beater's bat.

"Sorry, Mr. Beater, but it's not like we've got a Bludger. And even if we did, killjoy parents wouldn't let us use it!" James sounded like he would also rather play with Bludgers than this Quaffle passing game.

"Let's find something else to do then." Al heard the eagerness in his own voice. He would rather be on the ground. He looked like a monkey on a broom next to James and Scorpius with their superior skill and talent with broomsticks. Annoyed by how wobbly his flight was, he reached the ground, almost falling over in the process.

"Fine." Scorpius and James didn't sound too enthusiastic. Even if their game bored them, they obviously would rather stay on their brooms.

Al spotted a young wizard roughly their age, watching them at the edge of the field. Even if the boy was dressed in Muggle clothing just as they were, Al knew he had to be a wizard. No Muggle would see or be able to enter this place. Their parents had made sure of that when they set it aside for their children to play in.

"Who do you think that is?" Al asked, indicating the boy.

"I dunno. Can't see his face from here. Hidden by that cap he's wearing." Scorpius shrugged. "Who cares who he is? He's not supposed to be here, isn't he?"

"He isn't supposed to be here." James agreed. "Come on, let's see what he wants."

They approached the stranger together. Up close, it was revealed that he was a probably the kind of boy that girls would find attractive, with a lean, sturdy build, dark blond hair and blue eyes. What would he be doing here? Al could easily picture him flirting and enjoying himself in a room full of girls. Like James would if he got the chance. Scorpius might too.

Al wondered if he would manage that…

"Who're you?" James spoke forcefully.

The boy's eyes narrowed slightly, focusing them on James. But it didn't look like he was glaring at James… more like… he was sizing James up, analyzing how much of a threat James could pose. The same scanning gaze fell on Al himself, he felt uncomfortable, but he didn't flinch or step back. He had more right to be here than the stranger did.

Scorpius got the same treatment, but instead of remaining silent, Scorpius snapped. "What're you looking at?"

"Vat do you think I'm looking at?" the boy had an accent Al didn't recognize.

"Can you just tell us what you're doing here?" Al spoke up before any of them could think up any retort. The last thing he needed was a fight to break out thanks to Scorpius's and James's hostility. After all, the boy didn't look like he was planning to attack or anything… seemed more like… he was just… inspecting… or something.

"Can't I take a look around?" there was a grin tugging at his lips. He obviously saw no wrong in what he was doing.

"Well you're trespassing!" James snapped.

The boy shrugged. "Ver are the signs that say I can't come here?"

"There… there were charms, spells, that stuff around here! How'd you get passed them?"

"That's vor me to know and not vor you to find out." The look he gave James was challenging. "Vell I'm done looking around. Bye." Without another word, he turned around and walked off.

"That kid is weird!" Scorpius commented.

"But he wasn't a threat… or at least… I don't think so…" Al tried to remember what his parents told him when they were talking about the field. "I can't remember exactly what mum and dad said, but they put enchantments to keep Muggles from seeing this place, and then… they didn't say the exact spell, but they did reassure us that we don't need to worry about someone who's a danger to us to come in to this field and attack us..."

"So you're saying the weird guy wasn't dangerous?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not! There were three of us and just one of him! Danger? Hah!" Scorpius shook his head. "Since when were lonely weirdo kids dangerous?"

"I still didn't like him." James muttered.

"Me neither." Al agreed.

"Yeah."

"Does your dad still rant about the Malfoys and your friendship with Scorpius?" Lily asked, sounding curious.

Rose bit her lip. "Well… he does… once in a while." She admitted honestly, thinking about a time when her parents argued recently, just before the sleepover. Her dad was telling her mom that he still feared Scorpius might be taught the Dark Arts by Draco Malfoy. Her mom called him paranoid. "But it's less, I guess…" Well… it wasn't every night like it used to be.

"Our dad approves of him though." Rose couldn't resist frowning. Why was it that Harry Potter was so understanding and could accept Scorpius while her dad was so stubborn and paranoid? Lucky Lily.

Rose loved her dad, she did. But he was just… he really annoyed her sometimes.

"Don't worry about it! Uncle Ron will come around!"

"It's been two years!"

"People need time."

"Yeah, whatever." Anger and jealousy made her snap at Lily. It was all fine for Lily. Her parents were very understanding. Her father was very accepting. Lucky Lily could make friends with anyone she wants! But Rose? Ron disapproved of anything Malfoy and anything Death Eater. It was unfair.

Turning her back on Lily, Rose glared at a shelf of books. Not really noticing what book she had picked up, she let her eyes wander. Muggles had some really interesting books. Their ideas about Magic and Magical Creatures was fascinating, sometimes amusing. A few shelves ahead, she noticed a tall boy with his back to her. He was wearing a green sports jacket, like what Muggle sports players wore. There was something familiar… yet unfamiliar about the boy.

"Rose…"

"What?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at Lily.

"I'm sorry… if I made you angry…"

Rose relaxed. It wasn't Lily's fault. Rose reminded herself she shouldn't be angry with Lily just because she envied her. "It's fine… It's just that… sometimes I wish dad would just accept that Scorpius is my friend…"

Lily looked about to say something, but someone behind Rose spoke first. "Rose?"

Rose turned around to find out who had said her name. "Oh! Raph! It's you!" So she did know the boy in the jacket! It was Raphael McCartney, a Hufflepuff boy who sometimes spent time with them. Scorpius didn't seem fond of him. He didn't seem fond of Scorpius. Rose didn't understand why they were like that. She enjoyed the company of both Scorpius and Raph. Raph was funny, Scorpius was... well... interesting. Scorpius was her good friend since they were first years. "You cut your hair!" Rose realized why she hadn't immidiately recognized him.

"Ahaha, y-yeah, I did." Raph touched his hair, which had grown long last year. He had cut it over the summer, his reddish-brown hair was somewhat messy... spiky actually. It somewhat suited him. "Er-uh…"

"So what've you been doing all summer?" she asked.

Raph touched his hair again, then shrugged, grinning. "Oh, y'know… this and that… not much." He shifted his weight onto another foot. "Well I've been practicing… training… y'know. Maybe I'll make it into Hufflepuff team this year, like mum was before."

"That's great! I hope you make it in!" Rose patted his shoulder, smiling back at him.

"Y-yeah…"

Rose was about to think of something else to say when Raphael spoke again. "What about you? What've you been doing?"

"Just spending time with my family, playing around with my cousins. Scorpius and I are sleeping over at Al's house."

Raphael nodded, "Er… cool!" She just realized that his eyebrows had lowered and his smile had gone. But he raised his eyebrows again and the grin returned. "I… uh… I was just here for… er…" He lifted a hand, which was holding a book. Then raised his other hand, and pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "I… I gotta go now." He turned around, waving. "Bye!"

"Who was that?" Lily finally spoke.

"Oh, that's just Raph. He's from Hufflepuff."

"He likes you!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Seriously, how would eleven year old Lily know? She didn't know anything about these kinds of things... or at least, she shouldn't.

"Well then why is he looking at you?" Lily giggled.

Rose raised an eyebrow, then looked in the direction Lily was facing. Raphael was buying a book, his back facing them. She faced Lily. "Again. You don't know what you're talking about."

Lily's smile didn't leave her face. "He's good-looking, you know. By the way, did you notice how he frowned for about a second when you said Scorpius's name?"

"I-… what?" Rose stared at Lily.

Lily rolled her brown eyes. "You really need to practice noticing these things." She walked towards the door. "C'mon, the books here bore me. Let's check another store."

Rose stared at Lily, bewildered. How does she notice little things like that? And why does she draw such stupid, crazy conclusions from the silly little things she notices? Did that weird ability of being observant run in the family? Al was just like that!

After a moment of thought, Rose changed her mind. Al wasn't exactly like that. Lily was worse. She came up with absurd conclusions.

When the boys got back home, it was almost lunch time- Rose and Lily were setting the table while their mom was getting the food ready to be served. Rose and Lily were talking to each on in low tones, but when Al, Scorpius and James arrived, they whispered even more softly to each other. Al thought he heard the word ferret. It didn't really catch his interest, so he didn't bother trying to hear what they were saying.

Al took his seat while the others did likewise.

Just then, Al's dad came into the room, covered in ash and dust. Al knew Harry wasn't very fond of traveling by Floo Powder, and when he did, he usually dusted himself off, especially before entering the kitchen, where he might get dirt on the food if he doesn't. What caused a change in the usual habits and practices must be some kind of emergency. Alarmed, he watched as Harry walked straight to Ginny.

"I should be alerting the Ministry, but I thought I'd talk to you first."

"What's wrong?" Lily asked the question Al was about to.

"Later." Harry glanced at them before facing Ginny. "In private." Al heard him whisper.

The parents left the kitchen.

Al looked at Scorpius and his family. The same curiosity and concern that he felt could be seen on their faces. Quietly leaving his chair, he followed his parents, they would probably talk in the bedroom. The others did the same, following him.

They crowded around the bedroom door, listening.

"So they were attacked?"

"Yes. Probably a rogue, or there would have been more of them around. But it could also be that Greyback's… pack, or whatever he called his community, scattered after Voldemort's defeat and Greyback's capture."

"But… what about D-"

"Wait. I don't want the kids to know. Not yet." They heard footsteps, then the footsteps stopped, sounding near the door. "They might overhear. Muffliato!"

A buzzing noise filled Al's ears, blocking out the conversation his parents were having on the other side of the door. Frowning, he walked away from it. The buzzing faded then stopped.

"Greyback's a werewolf. Do you think a werewolf attacked your Uncle?" Scorpius asked.

"Probably." Al nodded.

"Damn. We could have heard the rest of what dad was gonna say." James was glaring at the door.

"Mom's been fighting for more werewolf rights… together with elf rights and other stuff… I thought werewolves would have taken advantage of that instead of running around wildly…"

"The werewolf can't get us when we go to Hogwarts, right?" Lily sounded worried, Al thought she was scared, until she added, "I don't want it to eat Cookie when I bring her there!"

"Hogwarts is safe, Lily. Don't worry." Rose reassured her younger cousin. "I've read about it in-"

"Hogwarts, A History." James, Scorpius and Albus finished for Rose.

"We know." Scorpius rolled his eyes.

Lily giggled, amused.

Scorpius's father arrived later that afternoon, Harry had already gone to the Ministry. Until now, Draco Malfoy seemed tense in their house, but it was a lot less than when he first came here. Perhaps each visit relaxed him just a little bit more than the last.

"Thank you again." Mr. Malfoy shook Ginny's hand.

"And thanks for letting Scorpius come over."

Draco Malfoy nodded at Ginny, then at Al, Rose, Lily and James. "Well… we're off. Bye!" He walked out of the house. Scorpius waved at them before following his father out.

"Have mom or dad told you when they'll pick me up?" Rose asked Ginny.

"Oh… about that… remember Harry's emergency meeting at the Ministry?"

"How could we forget?" James asked. "Dad nearly got dust all over my food!"

Ginny ignored James's comment and went on. "Rose, your parents will be busy, maybe until tonight or later. So they said you'll sleep over for another night. Your brother also will sleep another night at your Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur's house."

Lily and Rose exchanged grins. Rose nodded her head. "Okay!"

Harry hadn't come home yet when Ginny shooed them off to their beds. Al lay awake in bed thinking of how the day went by.

Who was that weird kid and what did he want? He probably wasn't from around here. The accent hinted that. Where did he come from anyway? And of all the places to go, why to their field to watch them?

Then the werewolf.

Who was the werewolf that attacked Uncle Dudley, and why? Wasn't there some sort of potion… Wolfbane or something like that… that would keep a werewolf from being dangerous? Al didn't know much about werewolves or that Wolfbane thing, but he did know that the without the potion, they're deadly and savage.

Ruffling his hair, Al took his watch to see the time. Two o'clock in the morning.

Groaning, he tried to get to sleep, but his mind just wouldn't settle down.

Was Uncle Dudley alright? Could the werewolf have hurt him? Ginny had just said that it looked like he ran through a forest. She didn't say it looked like he was attacked by an animal. Maybe he was almost attacked… and escaped before he could be seriously injured…

Finally, Al drifted into an uneasy sleep where a blond haired boy in black robes cackled, pointing a wand at him. The boy was riding a werewolf with shaggy golden-brown fur. The werewolf howled before pursuing him, the boy riding it still laughing madly.

Terrified, Al ran from them. He could hear the werewolf's paws against the ground behind him, growing closer. Al felt the hot breath hitting the back of his neck as the werewolf panted.

A yell escaped him when the werewolf's teeth dug into his shoulder and tugged.

"Al! Al!"

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