I had barely slept for an hour (at least that's what it felt like) when I jolted awake. I looked around the room and frowned, realizing that I must've taken only a brief nap. I suppose it really was too early for bed. I hadn't bothered changing before I slept, so I quickly washed my face and returned to the common room. Sue was lounging by herself in an armchair, and the room was surprisingly empty. "Where'd everyone go?" I asked her.
She started, but then saw that it was me and visibly relaxed. "Er, dunno," she answered with a shrug. "Felt like rejoining the community?"
"What's that supposed mean?" I asked her as I headed to the door again. "I wasn't in the mood for conversations earlier. I wanted some time alone."
"What, to think of Weasley?" she snorted, watching me with a variety of expressions.
I shook my head. "No; why would I think of Weasley?" When she didn't reply, I asked her a question of my own. "So how long has it been since I, uh, went upstairs?"
"Less than an hour," she informed me mildly. "Hey, where are you going now? This time it's already past curfew, you know! I know you are Scorpius Malfoy, but you can't just stroll down the corridors as if you ruled the place!"
"Oh, for a walk," I told her absentmindedly, feeling rather warmed that she was worried about me, "I won't get caught. I'll be back soon enough."
Sue's only response was a glare. I knew what she was thinking (something along the lines of "Last time you promised that you'd be right back, you bumped into Weasley and she almost got you into trouble!"), since I had known her for a long time. Sometimes her father would come visit Malfoy Manor and bring her with him.
Ignoring her silent protests, I left the dungeon again, and found myself taking me to the Gryffindor tower. Huh. I was deep in thought, and hadn't realized until I heard footsteps before I saw that someone was coming. I stopped dead when I noticed the elder Weasley walking toward me.
"What are you doing out here this late at night, hmm?"
She was part-Veela. That much I was positive of. Her mother was half-Veela, apparently...Yes, this was Dominique Weasley, one of the Most-Wanted-Girls-of-Hogwarts. I had heard plenty about her through the older Slytherins when they discussed girls. I found myself rooted to the spot, as if her Veela-charm was working on me.
"You know, children such as yourself shouldn't be out after curfew," she went on breezily. "Oh, I hate it when my Veela-magic influences people when I'm trying to be serious!" she grumbled, and I was glad that my brain was still functioning.
"So I've been told," I said in a small voice as I stared at her.
Weasley pursed her lips, clearly not satisfied with my answer. What was she expecting me to say, then? "Yes, Ma'am, I understand?" She shook her head and sighed. "Oh, never mind. Look, uh, Malfoy, have you seen Al anywhere?"
"Al?" I echoed.
"Albus Potter," she corrected herself. "Silly me! You're not friends with him, so of course you wouldn't know what his nickname is. Well, how about you help me find him?"
I blinked at her. "Help you find Potter?" I repeated the question just to prove that I hadn't heard her wrong.
She smiled sweetly at me. "I won't tell anyone that you've been out after curfew if you help," she said persuasively with a wink. I felt slightly sick.
Too stunned to refuse her, I assented her request. "S-Sure, I'll help you find Potter," I stuttered, then turned and dashed away before her Veela-self could influence me any further.
"Don't run into Filch!" She yelled after me. I didn't stop running (and I didn't care if anyone heard me) for a long time, and when I did stop, I was just outside the Gryffindor tower. I stood, gasping for breath, as my mind cleared. Veelas, as Father had warned me once, were dangerous.
I could hear voices in the corridor, but I couldn't see anyone. I must still be dreaming, or it must be because of the Veela influences, I thought to myself while muttering aloud, "I thought I heard voices, yet there's no one here. How very strange." When had I started talking to myself?
Just then, I couldn't help gasping as Weasley appeared in front me. "Very strange indeed," she agreed, sounding somewhat smug.
"Weasley!" I exclaimed, too surprised to sound hostile.
"Malfoy," she said, greeting me with her eyes narrowed.
This time I wasn't so surprised as Potter (the older one) appeared beside her. "Potter," I spat out, wondering why they were there.
"Malfoy," Potter noted me. "Right. Now that we all know each other—at least our last names—scamper away! There's things to be done!"
Of course I wasn't going to follow Potter's orders! "Malfoys don't scamper," I snapped, glowering at him. But my curiosity won over. "Now answer me this, Potter," I growled at him, "What are you and Weasley doing out past curfew?"
"We're related, Malfoy, in case you forgot. So don't get any wrong ideas." Weasley added, and I stared at her. Is that what she thought I believed she and Potter doing? Well, then she was more clueless than I had figured.
"T-That's not what I meant. You know you still owe me, Weasley," I reminded her. If I had to use that to force her to tell me what was going on, then so be it. Her owing me wasn't that big of a deal, anyway.
She didn't seem happy that I had mentioned our incident earlier. And Potter was there, too, watching us with increasing interest with his eyes bulging out excitedly, as if plotting something evil in his mind. "Coming to find me already, Malfoy? I owe you, yes, but think wisely before you ask me a favor. You only get one."
"What are you two talking about?" Potter demanded, rounding on her. I was glad I didn't have a nosy cousin like Potter. What a bother.
I wasn't going to let Weasley tell him the truth, if that was what she was planning. "Nothing," I growled, "that a Potter should know. Anyway, I ought to get going. I'm breaking school rules too, and Father will go mad if I got detention." Not just Father. Sue, too. She would bother me to no end about how right she was and how wrong I was should I get myself into trouble.
What Weasley said next actually surprised me. "No."
"No?" I repeated. By no, she could mean practically anything—that it was something a Potter should know, that my father wouldn't get become mad at me, that she wasn't going to repay her debt, even...
Rolling her eyes slightly at both mine and Potter's confused expressions, she explained softly, "You know the secret now, at least some of it. Unless we use a memory charm on you..."
Secret? Memory charm? "Don't you dare, Weasley," I warned her threateningly, wanting to know what she was hiding. Remembering my encounter with the other Weasley earlier, was she looking for the other Potter, too? "I'm coming with you."
"W-What?" Potter choked out, looking at me dazedly as if he couldn't believe what I had requested.
Weasley's reaction was definitely worth it. "Are you out of your mind?" she burst out, her mouth dropping open.
"Yes, I am," I responded, glaring at her. I was indeed out of my mind for agreeing to help the Weasleys! If Father heard of this...I shuddered. "But I bumped into the other Weasley earlier, and she asked me if I had seen the other Potter anywhere. She offered not to report on me if I helped her look for him, and if that's what you two are doing as well, then we might've as well look together." It was all Weasley's fault for dragging me into this mess!
Sue would be more than just worried by the time I got back...if I got back without encountering Filch. She would be furious.
Weasley looked as if she wanted to smack me before quickly straightening herself. "W-Well, why not? We're breaking rules already, and we might've as well try not to be found," she rambled, not making very much sense. "I mean, oh, never mind..."
Potter and I stared at her.
"Truce?" she suggested, thrusting her hand in toward me.
"Until we find Potter," I reminded her, taking her hand and giving it one firm shake before I pulled my arm back.
"Yes, until we find Potter—I mean, Al."
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