Chapter 3 : What Goes Around
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters or affiliated books, movies, games, etc. The creator and copyright holder of Harry Potter, to the best of my knowledge, is J.K. Rowling. However, this story's plot is my original idea as are the original characters, so no stealing, taking, copying, borrowing, etc.
The school day progressed much as Albus had expected. It was quiet for the most part, and no one had confronted him the way Stewart had. Of course, lots of people still hated him; they were just smarter than to threaten him directly. So, most settled with glares, stares, gossiping, 'accidentally' bumping into him but not stopping to apologize, and other such juvenile bullying tactics. Being shy but not weak of spirit, none of this truly bothered Albus, but he was worried. True though it was that Louis (and every other member of his family) would defend him if they saw him in trouble, they couldn't be with him all the time. What worried Albus was what could, and probably would, happen when he was alone.
Despite James's best efforts to ingratiate Albus with Gryffindors who weren't family or the twins, the black-haired boy wasn't any less hated by any of his housemates, and after two meals, he'd had enough. So, he evaded his elder brother's clutches and marched straight over to the Slytherin table to sit next to Scorpius. His friend always kept a space to the right empty, even if Albus didn't end up sitting there for a meal. Fortunately, the blonde already commanded enough respect and admiration that no one ever complained about this. Albus had a feeling that it had something to do with the loud, annoying seventh year that was always seeking Scorpius out, but he wasn't about to object much about the presence of someone who helped to ensure a seat was always available for him next to his best friend. Unfortunately, he didn't notice a certain sixth year sit down next to a certain group of first years as he made his way across the Great Hall. However, someone else did.
As usual, Albus spent an enjoyable meal at the Slytherin table, conversing quietly in his one-word answer way with Scorpius, Sven, and maybe one or two other people. He stayed there longer than normal, turning his attention away from the table just once to agree to meet the twins in the Gryffindor common room the following morning before breakfast. The Great Hall was completely empty long before Scorpius, Sven, and Albus left that night, almost dangerously close to curfew. The two Slytherins walked their friend to the Fat Lady's portrait before heading down to the dungeons themselves.
The common room was still pretty full of people when Albus arrived, but he couldn't see James, Hannah, Holly, or any of his cousins. So, he headed up to his own dormitory to turn in early. He had a feeling that he would need all the sleep he could get. However upon entering the room, a surprising sight greeted him. All five of his other dormmates were standing in a close group looking as though they were waiting for something or someone. Possibly him. And that thought chilled him to the bone, because he had had only a few conversations with any of them, and none but the first had been pleasant in nature.
Focusing more of his attention on their facial expressions and eyes in particular, Albus saw a frighteningly unified gleam in their eyes that looked dangerous. Instantly feeling the instinct to flee, Albus turned to get out of the room, but two pairs of hands grabbed him roughly and pulled him in as a third pair forced some sort of potion down his throat. Then, the other hands stared in and feet soon joined them in a relentless onslaught of punches and kicks as brutal and painful as a group of normal eleven-year-old boys could possibly make them. Albus was helpless to do anything but scream out in pan and hope for help to come. But his voice was never very loud to begin with, and he was soon gasping for breath. He had to focus on breathing through pain that should have knocked him out, and that required more concentration than he possessed.
Within just a few short, agonizingly long minutes, Albus was on the ground wishing for unconsciousness more than anything else in the world as his tormentors continued to viciously kick him as hard as they could. But blissful nothingness never came. No, the potion forced down his throat was one created to ensure that he would be wide-awake to feel every moment of pain.
After what seemed like an eternity, they finally stopped the beating after making sure that not a single part of his body had survived unscathed. When they had paused for a fair amount of time, one of the boys said, "I think that's enough for him to get the message, don't you?"
Most nodded, and another boy said, "Yeah, you're probably right. But, Potter, remember this, you're not better than everyone else, and your family won't always be there to protect you, kind of like right now."
Then, they all went to bed, and as soon as he was sure they weren't going to get back out, Albus tried to get himself to his own. But he couldn't stand up, sit up, crawl. He couldn't even make his smallest finger move the tiniest little bit. All his strength had left his body, so all he could do was lie there in excruciating pain. And because of the potion still coursing through his body, Albus didn't get a single wink of sleep that night. Even worse was the fact that the pain never dulled to numbness, it only grew worse and worse.
The next morning found Hannah and Holly waking up a bit later than usual, but they still made it to the common room before Albus. This was a bit odd since he had always been an early riser, but they both knew for certain that he wouldn't have gone ahead without them after promising to meet with them. So, they settled in to wait for a bit, but after half an hour had passed, the twins were becoming worried. After another five minutes, they couldn't wait anymore and asked one of the few males left in the common room where the first year boys' dormitories were. Following his instructions, they found Albus's after poking their heads through a few doors and ran toward him in horror at what they saw.
"Oh my god!" Hannah almost shrieked "How badly are you hurt? What happened? Who did this?" She started a rampage of questions, sounding like a quiet banshee, as she knelt down next to him. However, she didn't touch him out of fear of causing more damage. Recognizing much more quickly that their friend could neither move nor speak, Holly took a different approach.
"You stay here in case they come back to do more," she told her sister. "I'm going to get help." Racing away, her mind whirled as she thought of people she could trust to actually help Albus. Obviously, at least one or more Gryffindors had done this. So, she didn't bother looking for help from fellow housemates. As she started down the many staircases, luck was with her. Less than two flights down, she bumped into Scorpius who had decided to meet up with Albus and the twins with the intent of joining the trio for breakfast.
"Slow down," Scorpius said as Holly plowed into him. The only reason they didn't fall was the blonde boy's quick reaction of instantly tightening his leg muscles to make his stance more firm and catching the girl in his arms before she stumbled downwards. "Where's the fire?"
"Oh! It's you. Perfect!" In any other situation, those words would have sounded incredibly sarcastic, but Holly's voice was filled with relief. The only other thing she said was, "It's Albus," and then, she was half-dragging him up the stairs after having grabbed his arm.
It only took a few minutes to get back up the stairs but quite a bit longer to get inside Gryffindor house. The Fat Lady did not want to let Scorpius, a Slytherin, into her house which led to a shouting match between the two females. In typical fashion, both registered the other's volume more than the actual words. Scorpius watched in horrified wonder until his mind managed to filter the volume away and process the words being said. Suddenly much more anxious to get inside, Scorpius slapped a hand over Holly's mouth to silence her.
"Excuse me miss," he said in a gentlemanly voice, addressing the portrait. "I know I'm not one of your house, but our friend is hurt in there. He was hurt by fellow Gryffindors, but we don't know which ones. So, Holly went looking for help and found me. Would you please let us enter?"
"Of course my dear boy," the Fat Lady replied as she swung open. As they walked inside, the two could hear her muttering, "Why didn't she just say so in the first place? Rude girl. Students these days have no manners. Well, at least that boy had some…" Both choosing not to comment on what they had just heard, Holly led the way to Albus's dorm while Scorpius followed.
Upon arrival, grey eyes widened in horror at what they saw. Scorpius had seriously underestimated the extent to which Albus was hurt. As anger erupted inside him, the blonde pushed it aside and knelt down close to his friend. After a fairly quick examination of Albus, Scorpius knew that this was beyond his small range of healing capabilities. But there was one thing he could do for Albus. Pulling out his wand, the blonde muttered a spell, and those brilliant green eyes closed.
"What did you just do?" Hannah asked worriedly. She knew that Albus already trusted Scorpius with his life, but Rose was convinced that Scorpius was sure to follow in his family's footsteps. She was still trying to figure out who was right.
"He was forced to drink a potion that was designed to keep him awake and alert," Scorpius replied. "He's been awake all night unable to escape the pain by falling into unconsciousness. I just did the spell that counteracts the effects of the potion."
"Oh," was Hannah's reply. She watched as Scorpius stood up and cast a hover charm on Albus. Then, they headed out to the Hospital Wing, Scorpius keeping their unconscious friend close and being very careful about keeping Albus from bumping into anything.
Upon entering the Hospital Wing, Scorpius gently placed Albus on the nearest empty bed while the twins ran to the office to fetch the newest Madam Pomfrey, Poppy Pomfrey's granddaughter. She came out asking what was wrong, but the words died on her lips as soon as her eyes landed on Albus's unconscious form. Gasping in horror, she quickly went to work pulling out potions and salves, telling the first years to get Albus out of his school robes, and rushing to his bedside. With the three children's help, Sunny Pomfrey forced a few potions down Albus's throat and rubbed a lotiony mixture on the worst of the bruises. When she was done, Albus only looked to be a tiny bit better.
"That's it?" Hannah asked looking mighty worried.
"These things take time you stupid girl," the nurse said. "Too much too soon or a wrong mix of medicines can make those injuries infinitely worse."
"What are you talking about?" Hannah demanded, flaring up at the stupid comment. However, Scorpius garnered her attention by placing a hand on her shoulder. When she looked back, he shook his head.
"He'll have to be here for at least a few days," Sunny said. "I won't know the true extent of his injuries until at least 24 hours from now. And now, since all of you are late for class, I'll write a note for your teacher. But you must eat something first." With that said, she flicked her wand toward an empty space. A table, three chairs, three goblets, and a plate full of sandwiches appeared. The three first years sort of ran away from her by rushing toward the table to sit and consume their breakfast.
"Who would do such a horrible thing?" Hannah barely whispered as tears gathered in her eyes. There was a sandwich in her hands, but she had yet to take a bite. Silence reigned for several minutes as the other two forced themselves to eat and encouraged the younger twin to do the same. Soon, a light bulb went off in her head, and she gasped, "No! He wouldn't do such a horrible thing, not after what that blonde Weasley said. Would he?"
"Well," Holly replied. "It would make sense. Louis said, 'Never let me see you touch him again, or you'll regret it.' That could have given him ideas like attacking Albus in a place no one would be able to see. Besides, David is the only one who has directly confronted Albus thus far."
"I do believe you are right about him being involved in this," Scorpius commented. "But I don't believe he was the one who physically attacked Albus."
"Why not?" Holly asked.
"Because for all the injuries he got, Albus received no broken bones," the blonde Slytherin answered. "This David Stewart doesn't seem like the type to hold back, and he would have easily broken at least an arm or leg with the kind of beating Albus got. Because of the lack of any broken limbs, I also think this was done by a younger student, most likely a group of students, who were influenced by Stewart. Also, that potion is one of an extremely high level, not one any average student could make. So, the younger students would have had to receive the potion from Stewart or someone else and be told to use it on Albus."
"I don't care who had what part in this," Hannah said angrily. "Every last one of them is going to pay dearly for hurting our little Albus."
"Yes," Scorpius agreed quietly. "Yes, they well." Slightly awkward silence hung in the air for a few moments after that. Because while Hannah was in her own little world, Holly watched Scorpius with her own expression of horrified wonder. She knew he was plotting something and was entirely too afraid to ask what. But she had a fairly accurate guess as to the subject material.
"Aren't you three done eating yet?" Madam Pomfrey's shrill tone broke through the silence, well, more like shattered it, because the three conscious first years began to clatter about putting down their cups, pushing back their chairs, and stuttering out apologies. Walking towards the three of them, she pulled out a note from a pocket hidden somewhere inside of her robes. She held it out, and as Holly took it, she said, "There's your note. Now, off to class with you. And no dilly-dallying in the hallways. If you take too long, I won't be responsible for you three getting detentions."
"Yes, ma'am," they all said and hurried out the door of the hospital wing, but not before several backwards glances at their friend's unconscious form.
"Hey Scorpius," Holly said tentatively. "You're not planning something stupid are you? Like confronting Stewart to find out who did this or just plain confronting him by yourself…are you?"
"No," Scorpius replied with an eerie looking expression. "I'll leave the direct confrontation to his family. There's certainly plenty of them for it, and I know that they're more than likely to do so. Also, I believe Albus will be able to tell us who did it when he awakes. He didn't seem to have too much damage to his head, so he should remember."
"Then, what are you planning?" Holly couldn't stop herself from asking.
"Oh, nothing," Scorpius replied with a secretive smile. Holly shuddered, and Hannah just looked on with a blank expression and confusion in her eyes.
"That's why!" Hannah's exclamation seemed to come out of nowhere, and this time it was Holly's and Scorpius's turn to be confused.
"Where did that come from?" Holly asked her twin. "And what is this sudden realization?"
"I figured out why Albus reacted the way he did during the confrontation yesterday," Hannah answered. "He knew something like this would probably happen. He knew that Stewart would come up with sneakier, harsher 'reminders'. Though, I don't think he expected it so soon."
"That seems like a good assumption," Holly replied. "But how would he know that after a thirty-second exchange?"
"Shy people are often avid observers of human behavior," Scorpius commented as they neared the doors that would take them outside to their flying lesson, which they were more than half an hour late for. "As such, they often become good judges of character, getting a more accurate first impression than others do. So, he knew that Stewart would be encouraged rather than deterred by a threat. Now, let's save the rest of this conversation for another time."
Both of the twins nodded as they stepped outside. It was a sunny day with a slight breeze, perfect conditions to enjoy flying. However, as they neared the practice area, they all realized that the look on their professor's face promised anything but enjoyment. She ordered all the currently hovering first years to return to the ground and turned to glare at the three students who dared to be late to her class.
All three children were instantly afraid of her and halted their steps a good distance away from their teacher. All was silent for a few excruciatingly long and tense moments until Holly gathered her courage and with a look of frightened determination, stepped forward and handed the professor all three notes.
Dear Professor Angelina Weasley,
Scorpius Malfoy, Hannah Halibel, and Holly Halibel are late to class, because their friend, Albus Potter, was very badly injured. They brought him to the Hospital Wing this morning before breakfast. They are late, because they helped me administer treatment and ate breakfast here.
Sincerely,
Madam Sunny Pomfrey
"Well," Angelina said. "At least you three have a good reason for being late. So, I will keep your punishment light. Twelve inches on the three most important safety tips while riding a broomstick. What they are and why they are important. Due next class session. Now, go pick up your brooms and join the lesson."
The rest of the lesson progressed smoothly, and at the end of it, the twins and Scorpius arranged to meet up for lunch to go visit Albus in the Hospital Wing. Even though they knew Albus would eventually make a full recovery, they were still worried about their friend, that class period before lunch was and would be one of the longest of their entire school lives. After what seemed like an eternity, the teachers dismissed the classes, Scorpius, Hannah, and Holly were among the students who were at the front of the race to the Great Hall. However, once the three met up, they fought their way back through the crowd. They ended up catching two certain people's attention and, unbeknownst to the three first years, were followed to the Hospital Wing.
"Hey guys," was the first thing they heard upon entering the Hospital Wing. It was in a voice so quiet that they almost didn't hear it, and every one of them sighed with relief.
"Albus," Hannah cried out with tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're awake! You're feeling better now, right?"
"Not really," Albus said as they sat down next to his bed.
"Could you please elaborate on that," Scorpius said. The words sounded like a request, but his tone made it a command. "I know you're still working on being able to talk more than a few words at a time, but this is important."
"If it'll make it easier for you to talk to Scorpius, we can leave," Holly said making her twin glare at her. Hannah was going to protest, but Holly clamped a hand over her twin's mouth to keep her from speaking.
Albus watched his friends for a few moments in silent contemplation before saying, "No. You can stay. I'm still in a lot of pain. By all rights, I should be unconscious, but that potion seriously messed up my 'brain chemistry'. When Scorpius's spell wore off, Madam Pomfrey couldn't give me anything else for fear of messing up my 'brain chemistry' even more."
"What's this 'brain chemistry' that you keep mentioning?" Holly asked.
"Not sure," Albus replied. "Madam Pomfrey tried to explain it. Something about chemicals in the brain and how they make it work right. She said that potion released too many of some such chemical in my brain, and that's why I can't sleep. Like adding too much of an ingredient to a potion and make it explode."
"I guess I kind of understand that," Hannah said. "But I'm still confused. If potions can hurt your brain more, what about Scorpius's spell? Didn't she say anything about that?"
"Yeah, it's amazing and totally safe," he replied. "It doesn't introduce anything new, just calms everything down, sort of puts it to sleep, I guess. She said if you could show her the spell or tell her what potion was used on me last night, it'd help a lot. It's weird that she doesn't recognize either. Say, could you use it on me right now?"
"Of course," Scorpius said. "But first you have to tell us who did this."
"My roommates, all of them," Albus said, his volume going way down. "But they seemed different. I don't think it was their idea. So, don't hurt them too bad."
"Don't worry," Scorpius replied. "I already figured that out. Now, go back to sleep." Then, he whispered the spell, and Albus slipped into unconsciousness once again. After a few moments of silence to ensure Albus would remain asleep, the blonde Slytherin turned his head around and called out, "You can come out now."
A few seconds passed and then, two heads poked up from a nearby bed: Rose Weasley and James Potter. Both of them were very obviously pissed off and foaming at the mouth for revenge for their darling family member. After a few moments, they stalked around the bed they were at and toward Scorpius. Rose spoke first, "I wanna know what happened. Start talking now! Oooh, I knew nothing good would come from Albus associating with you. I just know this is your fault somehow."
"Oh hush up Rosie," Hannah exclaimed. "Scorpius has been nothing but helpful. In fact, he's been extraordinarily helpful. Without him, Albus would be stuck awake and in lots of pain."
"Well, tell us what happened then," James demanded.
"Hannah and Holly can tell you all we know," Scorpius said getting up. "I have to talk with the nurse. Oh, by the way, that sixth year Gryffindor is definitely the one who put them up to this."
"How do you know that?" Holly asked. "We've only been speculating."
"Well, I was already fairly sure of who the culprits were," the Slytherin replied. "But I'll explain later."
With that said, he left the group to talk amongst themselves, not at all looking forward to his own conversation with the school's nurse. Hannah and Holly didn't take long to explain what little they knew about the situation, and James raced off to find Louis and a few of his older cousins. They were going to beat the hell out of David Stewart and any of the guy's friends who stood in their way. He hadn't decided what to do about the first years, but James had a feeling that Rosie would come up with a good idea.
Anyway, it was about fifteen minutes after James had run off that Scorpius came out of Madam Pomfrey's office looking a little worse for wear. That had been one of the most uncomfortable conversations of his life. And the nurse had been quite miffed at him when he left. Desperate to escape further thoughts of said conversation, he looked around and noticed one was missing from their number, "Where's James?"
"He ran off as soon as the twins were done explaining everything," Rose answered. Her tone not nearly as rude as it had been since their initial meeting. Apparently, she was going to give him a chance now. "If I know my cousin, he's going to grab a few family members and go after David Stewart."
"And you didn't try to stop them?" the blonde boy asked incredulously. "Rose Weasley, I thought you were put in Ravenclaw because you're smart."
"What did you say?" the redhead's volume rose greatly with her anger. Scorpius just sighed.
"Where do you think Stewart will end up after your family beats him up?" Scorpius said. "I knew this was coming, but couldn't you have convinced them to hold their tempers for at least a couple of days?" Realization dawned in Rose's eyes, and she smacked her forehead at her own stupidity. Naturally, the injured David Stewart would come to the Hospital Wing, and since they couldn't stay there forever, an unconscious, defenseless Albus would be at the elder Gryffindor's mercy.
"Can't you do some sort of Shield Charm to protect him while we're gone?" Rose asked. "I mean, you're obviously already very advanced for a first year."
"That is true," Scorpius replied. "But I have never learned to cast a conventional Shield Charm. The few shielding spells I do know will not help us, or Albus, in this situation."
"What about Madam Pomfrey?" asked Hannah.
"She, like us, cannot be here 24/7," Rose answered. "And David Stewart and his friends will know Silencing Charms. But she should know a shield spell that will work, and she'd definitely help us protect Albus."
"All Shield Charms can be broken," Scorpius said. "But hopefully your family will end up a bit banged up too. That will give them the perfect excuse to stay here for a little while, enough time for me to prepare something to ensure Albus's safety."
"Well," Rose said. "James'll probably grab Louis and the first two or three cousins he randomly runs into. Most of our older cousins are third and fourth years or girls. They're sure to be going up against at least three sixth years. So, it should be even."
"You're not overestimating your cousins are you?" Hannah asked.
"Louis isn't the only one built like a brick wall," the redhead said with a smile. The conversation might have lasted longer, but it was time for their next lesson.
Meanwhile, James had just finished collecting a small group of Weasley cousins, and they were headed to cut Stewart off on his way to the sixth year Gryffindor-Slytherin double potions lesson. Following James and Louis, there was Molly (a third-year Ravenclaw), Barney (a fourth-year Gryffindor), Dominique (a fifth-year Gryffindor and one of Louis's elder sisters), and Mason (a fourth-year Gryffindor). All had agreed that teaching David Stewart not to mess with their adorable cousin was more important than any class. Despite his shy personality, Albus had always been one of the most loved children by his entire extended family, especially by those in his own generation.
Anyway, the six cousins found David in an empty hallway. The only two other people there were his two best friends: Evilyn Carrow and Gordon Dolohov. Both of whom were infamous trouble-making Slytherins. However, their friendship with David was virtually unknown. It was better for David so that he kept off the teacher's radar, and the two Slytherins didn't mind because the Gryffindor was able to get them out of the really serious trouble by providing intermittent and supposedly unbiased alibis.
The stand off between the two groups lasted for a good while before both sides launched into simultaneous attacks. It was some unspoken rule between them that no wands would be drawn. It gave Stewart's group more satisfaction, and for James's group, it served as a clear warning that they would strike back by whatever means their family had been hurt. So, the fight was just a mass of limbs attempting to do as much physical damage to the opposing side as possible.
The fight was stopped by a teacher who had been patrolling the corridors during her free period. Needless to say, Gabrielle Delacour was far from pleased to see students, members of her own family, in a hallway brawl. She had become Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher because of her respect for Harry Potter. As a prepubescent young girl, she'd had a major crush on him, but she grew out of that eventually. But she never lost her great respect for him. So, when her schooling at Beaxbatons was complete, she moved in with her elder sister and brother-in-law to continue her studies in defense against the dark arts. After all, her newly extended in-law family was full of perfect study material. While in England, she fell in love with the country and decided to stay. When the position for Defense Against the Dark Arts professor reopened at Hogwarts, Gabrielle had applied for and was accepted into the position. She was at Hogwarts because of Harry Potter, and on the second day of classes, she found his son in a fight along with her nephew, niece, and three other Weasley cousins.
"Break it up! Break it up!" she shouted. Most of them stopped, but James and Louis seemed determined to get in a few last punches. "Don't make me pull out my wand."
This was no empty threat. She was not strong physically, but it was well known among her students and family that Gabrielle's wand work was amazing. So, James and Louis instantly halted their movements. The two opposing groups separated, and Gabriele observed the extent of the damage. Everyone was a bit bruised and banged up, but the group of obviously older students had gotten the worst of it. She wasn't surprised. Louis, Barney, and Mason had been working out together for years. Dominique was a vicious little thing, and this entire generation of the Potter-Weasley clan had grown up rough-housing together. So, the vast majority of them were pretty darn tough.
"Aunty Gabrielle," Louis started to speak, but she held up her hand to silence him. She would give no special treatment to any student (especially those who were family members), regardless of the situation.
"All nine of you are to head to the Hospital Wing," she said. "There will be no more fighting amongst you. All of you will remain there until after dinner. I will listen to explanations then. Make sure that they are good ones and truthful. The Bloody Baron will go with you to ensure you all get there safely. Be prepared, because I am going to contact your Heads of Houses to discuss punishments. Now, off you go." With that said, she headed off, and the group of students made their way to the Hospital Wing escorted by the Bloody Baron. None of them tried anything, because they were afraid of their escort and the teacher they had just left behind.
Later, after the next session of classes had ended, a certain blonde Slytherin set about following his plan to keep his best friend safe. Having long since memorized the first year Gryffindor schedule, Scorpius was waiting in the Entrance Hall for them to return from Herbology. When he saw the group of five students who were Albus's roommates, he cast a spell. If any of them ever again wanted to harm Albus, their brain would give him the image of the person they loved most in this world. And if that wasn't enough, any pain they caused him would be reflected in their own bodies, twice as agonizing. He could do a lot worse, but he knew they didn't truly deserve it…if only he could convince Albus's family of that.
Then, he crept up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom where he started a potion and left it stewing. He was almost late to Charms class, but for some reason, Scorpius had a feeling that Professor Lovegood wouldn't have cared a whole lot if he was. She obviously wasn't one for conventional thinking, always doing odd things. Her introduction on their first night at Hogwarts was a perfect example. Not to mention, she had kept her maiden name after marriage and was always talking about odd creatures like crumpled-horned snorkacks. Either way, he made it to class on time, and there was an empty seat waiting for him next to Sven. He was the one first year Slytherin male whom Scorpius was forming a foundation for actual friendship with. And every so often, Sven would do him a favor, like saving a seat not surrounded by admirers. Of course, he didn't do this every class, or even every day. It had only happened thrice so far, because Sven truly did enjoy causing trouble for others.
So, Charms class ended peacefully, and Scorpius headed back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. There was just a bit left to do to complete the potion. He had chosen this one for its ease, convenience, and effect. After it was done, Scorpius poured it into an empty flask. When he reached the Hospital Wing, the blonde Slytherin saw a scene he had been expecting. Albus's family filled a good portion of the Hospital Wing, but some were surrounding his bed, and some were on beds of their own. Scorpius recognized all the Weasleys by sight, if not by name. He also recognized Evilyn Carrow and Gordon Dolohov, so the last injured student had to be David Stewart. Scorpius recognized him as well.
Unfortunately, he drew most of their attention when he walked in. But for what he had planned, he needed to be hidden. So, Scorpius called to Hannah and Holly, and they walked over to the corner he had situated himself in.
"Can I trust you two?" he whispered once they were near enough. "To not tell anyone what I'm about to do?"
"Of course," Hannah said, and Holly nodded her affirmation. So, Scorpius pulled out the flask of potion.
"Don't ask," he said as soon as they saw it. "And tell me about Albus's current condition so no one suspects anything. Even though I don't really care, it will seem normal to all of them that I don't want to get to close to such a large group Potters and Weasleys even if Albus is my best friend." Both twins nodded their agreement and understanding. Then, Hannah started speaking loudly, and Scorpius double-checked to make sure no one would be able to see what he was doing. First, he identified which bottle on each bedside table was filled with pain medication. Then, he switched the contents of his flask with that of the medication bottles on the tables next to the beds of his three intended victims. When he had finished, the twins weren't quite sure what they weren't supposed to ask about. All they had seen was Scorpius wiggling his wand, muttering under his breath, and the potion change color. So, while they stood there confused, the blonde Slytherin let out a sigh of relief, because he had finished just in time.
"Alright you lot," Sunny Pomfrey came crashing out of her office seconds after Scorpius had finished what he was doing. He was quickly learning that Madam Pomfrey was a great healer and cared very much about her students, but she was short-tempered and had a horrible bedside manner. "It's time for all of you to take you pain medication, and remember, this is your last dose. So, drink it all up; drain every last drop in those bottles if you want to avoid a fitful night." So, the nine who had been in the fight drained their bottles. Hannah and Holly watched the three sixth-years expectantly, if only because they knew who Scorpius's targets had been, but nothing seemed to be happening. However, this was a good thing, because it meant that Scorpius had made the potion correctly.
After that, Madam Pomfrey kicked all visitors out. It was dinnertime, and she didn't have the space to feed such a large group of extra children, especially when she had so many patients to take care of now. So, the children left, and the next visitor who came walked in an hour and a half later. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Gabrielle Delacour. She had finished her dinner and headed up to the Hospital Wing right after. Albus had woken up just a few minutes prior and was surprised to see here there.
"Aunty Gabrielle," he said in a shocked tone. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question dear," she replied in a kind voice as she took in his injured state. "Who did this to you?"
"That's the thing," James started to speak to explain everything before Albus had even opened his mouth, but he shut his mouth instantly when Gabrielle glared at him.
"I hadn't forgotten about you or your fight Mr. Potter," the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor said in a severe tone. "After conferring with your Heads of Houses, I have your punishment. 10 points taken away from your respective houses each, and all of you have earned yourself a week's worth of detention. Further punishment is at my discretion."
"But professor," James cried. "Taking points in this situation isn't fair."
"Hush," Gabrielle silenced him. "If punishing your house prevents personal fights in the form of muggle dueling, it proves that such a punishment is a successful one. Now, who is going to tell me…" The rest of what she would have said was cut off as the door to the Hospital Wing opened, and once again, Scorpius drew everyone's attention as he entered the room.
"Uh, Madam Pomfrey sent for me," he said. He could feel that he had walked in at a really awkward moment.
"Right you are," the nurse said from Albus's bedside. She had been trying, rather unsuccessfully, to get the black-haired boy to sleep with a few spells of her own. "And you better get used to it unless you're willing to tell me that spell. Albus needs his rest, and he hasn't been able to get any more than a few hours at a time.
"I know and expected as much," Scorpius replied. "Feel free to keep calling on me. I'll continue coming in until Albus can get the rest he needs on his own." Then, he turned and hid his wand's movements from view as much as possible (he hadn't closed the curtains because he just knew that doing so was sure to garner much more trouble from Sunny Pomfrey than it was worth). He whispered the spell as quietly as possible, and Albus fell back into unconsciousness. Then, something happened that none of them had been expecting.
"Mr. Malfoy, I would like a word with you," the one who had spoken was Gabrielle Delacour. When they all looked at their professor with blank faces, she emphasized her point with one word. "Alone."
Still, Scorpius turned away from Albus's bed, despite his surprise, and nodded. He saw no reason to deny the request especially when it was coming from a professor. She motioned to the door, indicating they were to go out into the hall. She moved; he followed. Once they were out of the Hospital Wing, she led him to a secluded hallway and into an empty classroom. Casting a Silencing Charm on the door just in case, Professor Delacour turned to him with an extraordinarily serious expression on her face.
"Mr. Malfoy," Gabrielle said. "I brought you here to talk alone for a very specific reason. Do you know what that is?"
"Seeing as I can't read your mind, Professor, I can't be entirely sure," Scorpius muttered darkly. "But I'm pretty sure I can hazard a fairly accurate guess."
"I know Dark magic when I see it, Mr. Malfoy," the professor replied, confirming the blonde Slytherin's unspoken guess. "No matter how simple it is. Tell me what spell you have been using on Albus and why you have been using it. I already know you are not using it for the creator's intended purpose."
"You are correct," Scorpius said with a sigh. "But if it's information you want, I will describe the spell, but I will not give you the incantation or the name of the spell. I wouldn't tell Madam Pomfrey either when she interrogated me. I will not be the reason it has a chance to get spread around. If that is not acceptable to you Professor, I will accept punishment."
"I will not put up with that tone from a student, and I do not appreciate the allegations in your words, but I understand," the professor said, her tone was an odd mix of being harsher and softer at the same time. She was annoyed with him, but she was also starting to understand what kind of person Scorpius was. "Your conditions are fine, but you had best be truthful."
"Yes, ma'am," Scorpius responded in a more respectful tone this time. "The spell I used on Albus was originally designed to slow down certain brain chemicals and functions to put the victim in a permanent coma. Albus was force fed a potion that does pretty much the opposite. It speeds up the chemicals in the brain, so the victim is kept awake and alert for an, as of yet, undetermined amount of time. The body's pain center is also modified so that the pain one feels never numbs or dulls. Obviously, the potion was made to assist with torture. No one knows how long the potion truly lasts, because all documents relating to the potions effects have the victim succumbing to the torture and being killed within five days or less. However, a short while ago, I discovered that the spell could be used to counteract the effects of the potion, but the potion will not counteract the effects of the spell. But I'm afraid to use the proper incantation on Albus, so I've been using a prototype that was rejected by the creator. The main reason the prototype was rejected was because it only produces a temporary coma. There's no bad side effects or anything…unless you count me having to redo the spell every few hours."
"You're one hundred percent sure about that are you?" Gabrielle asked. "That there are absolutely no ill side effects for Albus."
"Yes, I'm sure," Scorpius said. "When combined with the effects of the potion, this spell does nothing more than cause temporary unconsciousness. Of course, the will of the user makes quite a difference to the effect as well. Either way, if Albus was going to suffer any ill side effects, he would have done so already. I've used that spell on him three times now."
"What about long-term side effects?" the professor persisted in her questioning.
"There are none," Scorpius answered. He didn't even have to think about this answer. "The creator left many notes behind the problems with that version of the spell. He had exhausted all possibilities during testing with the particular prototype I am using before moving onto the next one. Something that really annoyed him was that there are no long-term side effects. In terms of Dark magic, the spell is pretty much nothing but a failure."
"That's acceptable I suppose," Gabrielle commented hesitantly. She wasn't sure how she felt about Scorpius using Dark magic on her nephew, but it did seem to be better than the alternative. At the very least, she knew that every word the student had spoken was truthful. Gabrielle Delacour had been very sure she would never approved of the use of Dark magic, but Scorpius had saved her nephew. The spell was something she had never heard of but the potion certainly was. She supposed she should just be grateful that Scorpius had the knowledge to help her cousin and the intelligence to take such precautions. But she did wonder about something. "Why are you afraid to use the proper incantation on Albus?"
"I've only ever used in on an adult before," Scorpius answered. "I had no idea how it would effect a young, not yet fully developed brain. I couldn't take that sort of risk, especially on a friend."
"Okay," Gabrielle said. "I'll allow you to continue to use this spell, under certain conditions. You must observe his body's reactions to the spell and keep me informed on how he progresses. I also want to know how much longer you think you'll be needed."
"Well, I've been watching closely anyway," Scorpius said. "And I don't think he'll need the spell for longer than a few days at most. He slept longer the second time I used the spell. So, that means that his brain is slowing down. It'll take longer to revert back to normal levels, but in a few days, he should be able to fall asleep without the help of the spell. It won't be pleasant, because he will once again be unable to sleep for more than a few hours at a time. Starting tomorrow about mid-day, I'll have to keep him awake for at least two hours between each time I cast the spell."
"I take it this is something you know from experience," Gabrielle commented with certainty in her tone. Scorpius just nodded in confirmation. "Well, Mr. Malfoy, since you're going to be going to the Hospital Wing a lot regardless, I think it prudent to make it as convenient for you as possible. Would you be willing to spend your next few days in the Hospital Wing like you would in Slytherin house? You would still go to class of course."
"I'd go to class and eat meals in the Great Hall but basically be living in the Hospital Wing though, right?" Scorpius asked, and it was the professor's turn to nod in confirmation. "I have no problems with that." It would be far more convenient, and it would make protecting Albus much easier just in case David Stewart and his friends got any more bright ideas.
"Now, since that is settled, will you tell me the story of how Albus was forced to drink this potion?" Gabrielle asked.
"It's kind of a long story," Scorpius said, side-stepping from answering right away. "And I don't know all of it first hand. I wasn't there for certain parts."
"Tell me what you know," Garielle told him. "If I find any details lacking, I shall continue the questioning you interrupted. I am not so daft as to assume that the two incidents are unrelated."
"Well, it all started with the rumors that are going around school that say Albus is a rude, stuck up brat who thinks he's too good to associate with anyone but Slytherins," Scorpius said in the tone that most people use when starting a story. "Sixth-year Gryffindor David Stewart is one of the people who believes these rumors, and he decided to take it upon himself to knock Albus down a peg or two. So, yesterday morning before first period, there was a confrontation between them. As far as I heard, Stewart pushed Albus down and threatened him. Louis Weasley was in the immediate vicinity and witnessed this. Louis warned Stewart against attacking Albus ever again. During dinner the same day, I saw a sixth-year Gryffindor who I can now identify as David Stewart speaking with Albus's roommates.
This next morning, Hannah and Holly Halibel found Albus on the ground in his dorm room in much worse condition than he is now. He was in so much pain that he couldn't move or speak. They figured only a Gryffindor had done it and decided to look for outside help. Hannah stayed behind with Albus, and Holly went out looking. I was the first person Holly ran into. She took me back, and I did a quick examination. I know a bit of healing magic, but his injuries were far beyond my help. The only thing I could do for him at that moment was to use that spell to counteract the potion.
Anyway, we took him to the Hospital Wing, helped Madam Pomfrey with the initial treatment, ate breakfast, and went to class. During that time, we were speculating about who could have done this. Hannah and Holly thought it was Stewart. Based on the extent of Albus's injuries, I thought it would have been a group of younger students who had been influenced by David Stewart. I thought the most likely candidates to be the members of said group were Albus's roommates. Lunchtime came around, and we came back to the Hospital Wing. Albus confirmed my theory that his roommates had done the physical damage but insisted they weren't themselves. My guess is that they were given a potion that would release their inhibitions and greatly heighten their desire to do violence. After the confirmation, I was sure that David Stewart was the mastermind, and I told the twins as much.
Well, I put Albus back to sleep and called out to Rose Weasley and James Potter. I had not noticed them as they followed us to the Hospital Wing, but I did notice when they slipped in after us and hid behind a bed. Well, I needed to speak with Madam Pomfrey because she wanted to discuss the spell, so I left the twins to tell the other two what had happened. When I came back, James was gone, and Rose was sure that he went off gathering other family members to quote-em-quote teach Stewart a lesson. From the scene I just saw in the Hospital Wing, I assume that Rose was correct in her assumption."
"I'm sure you're right about Mr. Stewart and his friends instigating the attack on Albus," Gabrielle said. "But do you have any proof that isn't purely circumstantial or theoretical?"
"During lunchtime, a fair few friends of mine heard Carrow and Dolohov discussing and laughing about what they did," Scorpius replied. "Well, I wouldn't call all of them my friends, but that's not really the issue here. Would the word of a dozen or so different Slytherin students work?"
"Enough to validate the use of Veritaserum if needed," the professor confirmed. "Now, about this potion you mentioned…"
"Well, like I said it releases inhibitions and greatly heightens one's desire for violence," Scorpius said. "It cannot make someone do something truly against their principles or morals, but Stewart is clever. Very few eleven-year-olds have a true sense of right and wrong. Making the potion correctly is extremely difficult as it is, but if one is masterful at it, the potion can be made in such a way that all the heightened desire for violence can be aimed at one very specific goal. In this way, it can be considered a mild form of brainwashing, categorizing it, as I'm sure you know, as Dark magic."
"Which one of the three do you believe is most likely to have been the one to brew the potion?" Gabrielle asked, knowing the answer to this question was the one that would most determine how she would alter the punishments.
"Stewart is a leader, and therefore, he is not the type to dirty his own hands," he answered. "Plus, it is highly unlikely that his family would know the recipe. Dolohov's and Carrow's families will definitely know it. However, Gordon Dolohov is about as brilliant as a mountain troll, and Evilyn Carrow has always been a genius at potions. According to my father, she even got an O on her Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. So, the brewer of both potions would have been her."
"I agree with that assessment as well," the professor stated. "Thank you for all your help. Hopefully, I will be able to keep my nieces and nephews safe now."
"If it's like this, I'll always help you however I can. You're not the only one in this room who cares for Albus a great deal," the blonde Slytherin said.
"But you've only known him for a few days," Gabrielle said surprised. "How close could you have gotten in that time?"
"Professor, time is never an accurate indicator for how strong one's feelings should be," Scorpius stated. "Besides, it really is very easy to become fond of Albus. I already consider him a very important friend."
"I see," Gabrielle commented. "Tell me, Mr. Malfoy, how you came to be so wise and mature beyond your years. You are, by far, the most extraordinary eleven-year-old boy I have ever met."
"Unfortunate necessity," Scorpius answered. "Shall we head back now?" Recognizing the tone, Gabrielle Delacour nodded and began heading back to the Hospital Wing with her young student close behind. He was done talking for now. When they had returned, the Hospital Wing was filled to the brim with nervous tension so thick you would think you could cut it with a knife. Sometimes, the apprehension of waiting for the punishment to be doled out was worse than the actual punishment itself, and all the students knew there were going to be alterations. That's just the kind of professor that Gabrielle Delacour was. First, she pulled Madam Pomfrey aside to discuss the arrangements of Scorpius staying for a few nights. After finalizing details between the nurse and her student, she turned to address the students she was punishing.
"Well," the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor said. "Scorpius has relayed to me the events that led up to your hallway brawl. So, there will be a few changes in your punishments. Mr. Stewart, it is obvious that you have little loyalty to your own house, so your loss of points will be transferred to Slytherin House. Furthermore, Ms. Carrow, Mr. Stewart, and Mr. Dolohov, 30 points extra will be taken from Slytherin on top of the 10 your Heads of Houses decided on. Mr. Stewart and Mr. Dolohov will be given two months worth of detention. Ms. Carrow, you are to be suspended until further notice and such time that the Headmaster allows you to come back to school. Any questions?"
"Yeah," Evilyn said. "Why take just Scorpius's word? How do you know he didn't just twist the facts to suit him and his friends?"
"I'm not so daft as to believe an eleven-year-old boy's lies," Gabrielle Delacour stated. "Remember, I have been your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for six years, and you never once tricked me Ms. Carrow, despite your best efforts. You will be sent home first thing in the morning. I know that Scorpius spoke the truth about everything. He told me every single detail of the events that led up to this hallway brawl, including your masterful technique in certain branches of magic. Now, I ask again, any questions?"
This time, no one said anything. After several moments of silence, Gabrielle left with the parting words, "Nieces and nephews, the next time you have such a problem with another student, consult with an adult first. And Ms. Carrow, Mr. Dolohov, Mr. Stewart, you three are very lucky that you are not yet old enough to be considered legal adults. Remember that."
"I feel like we're missing something important," James said after she was gone
"I think most of us are," Holly commented.
"Relax," Evilyn called across the room in a snide tone. "Your puny brain wouldn't be able to comprehend it all anyway." As a verbal match began in the Hospital Wing, Scorpius just shook his head and left. He was headed down to Slytherin House to get his things.
A few weeks later, Albus's school life had finally calmed down a bit. He had been released from the Hospital Wing for a while, and he felt safe in his own bed. His dormmates had been punished with a week's worth of detention and seemed to have formed some sort of silent truce with him. Also, that sixth year Gryffindor wasn't just leaving him be; Stewart was completely ignoring Albus's existence.
Oddly enough, Albus was not the most interested in discovering why this was. One day, Holly pulled Scorpius aside and asked, "What did you do?"
"Gave him a taste of his own medicine," the blonde replied. "I slipped all three of them a potion that causes extremely painful boils to cover their entire behinds. And those boils will be there for months. The best part is that I won't get blamed, because they'll be too ashamed to tell anyone, and the potion didn't activate until two or three days after I was anywhere near them."
"Extremely painful constant reminder that will never be traced back to you?" Holly said giggling loudly; she was almost cackling actually. "I love it!"
A/N: IT'S OVER 9000! …Sorry, couldn't resist. In all seriousness, welcome to the end of Chapter 3 of Return, Rebirth, Redemption. I'm sorry this took so long, but hopefully the fact that this chapter is indeed over 9000 words long will make up for that a little bit. For anyone who is wondering, these chapters are written by events rather than word count. This means, I have planned for certain events to take place in each chapter. So, the length of the chapter depends on how many words it takes to get each event written to my satisfaction. …I remember the days when I thought 2500 words was a long chapter. It's funny how things change.
One very important thing to note before I ask for the usual: There is a reason that Scorpius sounds like he is an adult when talking to Gabrielle Delacour. No, I am not going to tell you why. That will be revealed at a later date. And now that I have said that, here's the usual:
I love reviewers, but I do have a request. I would really love for someone to seriously critique my work. It doesn't have to stop at constructive criticism. I'd love for someone to really pick apart my work and tell me every little thing they hated, what needs to be improved, and what parts of my writing they liked best. Believe me when I say I love all reviews, and it's really nice to know people appreciate my work. However, I'm a far cry from being perfect, and there's always room to improve. Also, if I can get better, I can give better fan fiction to my readers. Anyway, thanks again for reading this fan fiction and hopefully you seriously considered my request.