*Author's Notes: I took some license with the charm that is cast. The trio never needed to cast it while on their journey, though Hermione DID say that she had potentially figured it out. So sorry if it seems ridiculous. I just went with whatever was easiest! Also, Loqui is roughly the Latin translation for 'speak'.*
Chapter 7
Scorpius Malfoy, for the first time ever, had fun on the Hogwarts Express. Chatting mostly with Hugo and Albus, he was able to be outgoing and cheeky for the entire ride. The other four students were obviously uncomfortable, but he hoped they were warming up to him. For the long ride, the three boys talked about their classes, professors, and Quidditch. Unfortunately, Scorpius noticed, Lily was not being her usual self. She was quieter than usual, only speaking when spoken to, and looking out toward the window for long spans before blinking. The most worrying of all though were her hands. They normally never stopped moving. She was always running through plays, exercising her wrists, of fidgeting. But today they were still. Her hands, usually full of life, were motionless. Since her brother and cousin were there, he didn't want to try to pry. But he had to figure out a way to get her alone, so that he could do just that. So Scorpius stood, and sliding the glass door open, he said, "I have to go say hello to the other Slytherins… Hopefully I come back in one piece!" With the last retort, Scorpius saw Lily's head snap up. Then he turned and left, leaving the door open, going the opposite direction from the Slytherin car. He hoped with all of his might that Lily would follow.
"…I come back in one piece!" She had to have heard him wrong. Lily Luna Potter, distraught by the thought of losing another person in one day, whipped her head up and locked eyes with Scorpius. Just for the smallest of moments, she thought she saw something in his eyes. But then, the moment passed, the thought In his eyes faded, and he left. Finally aware of her surroundings, Lily turned to her friends, cousin, and brother and asked, "Where is he going?" To her surprise, their answer was that he was going to check in at the Slytherin car. 'The Slytherin car? But he went toward the front of the train, not the back!' She faltered for a few seconds, and finally made up her mind. Without a word, she stood and followed him, closing the door behind her. To her surprise and relief, he was waiting for her in the next cabin. Making sure that no one was coming, she went in, closing the curtains behind her. "I'm not going to waste any time with this. What is going to happen to my mom? At first I figured that they would be fine, but thinking back to their faces, I have a really bad feeling. I think someone is going to get hurt." She paused for a moment, and then continued desperately, "Scorpius, I think something happened. When I looked back to where they had been, they were gone. There is no was that they simply let it go. That's not my mom. What if they got into a fight and started to yell and make a scene outside? What if they left and started to duel? What if my dad was pulled—" She could feel the tears coming to her eyes as Scorpius jumped up and grabbed her shoulders to stop her. He kissed her forehead lightly, and then looked into her eyes. "Lily, I have an idea. One time when I was at the Ministry, I was with Minister Shacklebolt. An auror needed to contact him quickly because there was an emergency. Do you remember me telling you about how he contacted the Minister? Lily remembered well. Nodding her head vigorously, she asked, "Do you think you know how to do it?"
He wasn't going to tell her, but Scorpius had learned how to do it in September. The year before, Professor Longbottom had taught him how to produce a corporeal Patronus. Then, in August, he had seen this Patronus speak out loud. It had burst in, spoken, and then disappeared. He had to learn how to do it, so he contacted Professor Longbottom, who sent him a book. In the book was this charm. "It's a long story, but yes. I learned how to do it. Now do you want me to try to send it to your mother? Ask her to send you an owl? I can do that." When she looked helplessly and beseechingly up at him, h had his answer. He held the tip of his wand close to his lips, and whispered into it. When he had finished, he cast the charm. "Loqui Expecto Patronum!" He turned and smiled at Lily. She was watching the Patronus, in the form of a large stallion. She had a look of amazed fascination, which Scorpius appreciated greatly. Stepping into her line of sight, he got Lily to look at him. "Lily, when we get to school, expect an owl to come at some point. If an owl doesn't come by breakfast tomorrow, then we can worry. Until then, we're going to assume that your mom and dad are fine." Grasping both of her hands and holding them to his chest, he crouched so that their eyes were on the same level. "Lily, we're here now. Finally we can be in the same room without fear of being turned into bird baths by any disapprovers. Be here now. Be there, wherever there may be, then." He leaned in, kissed her deeply, with strong lips which Lily molded hers to. Then he smiled and said, "Come. Time to join the Slytherins for a while." Lily shivered. Scorpuis didn't blame her.