Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

Chapter 11: Scorpius is Dead

Harry awoke abruptly to the sound of his bedroom door slamming open. In one movement, he grabbed his wand, spun toward the door, and demanded, "Who's there?"

Ginny mumbled something groggily beside him and his other hand gently stroked her hair. "Dad, it's me," a frightened voice said from the door. "Something's wrong."

"Albus?" Harry accioed his glasses as Ginny sat up. "What's wrong?"

Albus shook his head. He climbed up onto his parents' bed and handed his father the coin that he had never let anyone touch before. Ginny frowned. "It's muggle money, isn't it?"

Albus nodded. "Read it."

Harry complied. "Elizabeth the Second, D G Reg F D 2005," he read gamely.

"No, read the edge."

Harry's eyes followed his son's pointing finger. "It says, 'Scorpius is dead.' Albus, what is this?"

Ginny took the coin. "I bet it uses a protean charm, but that's really advanced magic. Where did you get this?"

Albus nodded again. "We - Scorpius and I - bribed a couple Ravenclaws to help us make them. There's only two and he has the other one."

"And someone's found it," Ginny finished.

Albus shook his head. "It doesn't work that way. It's ... only Scorpius and I can use them, no one else. Only Scorpius could have written this. I tried to respond a few times, but that message keeps appearing."

"Is it possible Scorpius is dead?"

"No. I'd know. He's alive."

"Albus," Ginny said gently as she stroked her son's hair. "I know how badly you want him to be alive-"

"He is alive, Mum! I'd know!"

"Albus!" Harry snapped before his son could get too upset. The boy froze. "Have you asked who is writing?"

"It has to be Scorpius."

"Just try." Harry returned the coin and Albus pressed his wand to it.

Harry saw nothing happen, but a few moments later, Albus read, "'My name is Michael.'" He looked up at his father. "I don't know anyone named Michael, except Mum's ex-boyfriend."

"Ask where he got the coin." Albus pressed his wand to the coin again. After some time, he looked up.

"It just says he has to go. I don't understand."

Harry took the coin and looked down at it for a long time. It looked like a normal one pound coin, one of the ones with a Welsh dragon on one side. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his son's gaze shifting frequently between his face and the coin. Neither of them looked at Ginny. Finally, Harry said, "He may have used a Confundus. If he writes again, see if you can learn where he found the coin and who he's with. That may help us to find Scorpius. Can you do that?"

Albus nodded. "I'll try." When he started to stand, Ginny grasped his wrist. The boy looked at her questioningly.

"Sleep with us, tonight, Albus. You shouldn't be alone right now."

"But James," Albus started.

Ginny sighed. "We're worried about James, too, but for tonight he'll be fine."

"No, I mean what he'll say to me, how he'll treat me, how he'll treat Scorpius."

"He's always been more daring and foolhardy than you and Lily. I just worry he'll become a bully as he gets older."

Albus gave his mother a level look. "He already is a bully, mum. That's what Rose has been trying to tell you. He's rotten to me and Scorpius, and anyone he sees with us."

Harry put an arm around his son. "Why didn't you say anything sooner, Al? Why didn't you mention it in your letters?"

"No point. You always told us to work out our own problems, but I failed, didn't I? You won't do anything about it."

Ginny hugged Albus. "Yes, baby, we will. Tomorrow I'll take James with me to work. He'll miss the football game this weekend, and miss a chance to impress that girl he fancies, but perhaps that's just as well."

"Then he'll just blame me," Albus said quietly, "and beat me up again."

Ginny kissed her son's temple. "Let me take care of it, love. Now get some sleep."

Albus reluctantly snuggled between his parents, the coin still clutched in his hand. "I miss Scorpius, dad," he whispered.

"Go to sleep, Al," Harry answered as he stroked his son's hair. "I want you to come to work with me tomorrow."

"Will we see Mr Malfoy again?"

"I don't know, love. Maybe."

~O~

20 August 2018

Something else happened last night and my parents made me go to sleep before I could write again. My coin activated and it kept saying over and over that you were dead. It was horrible, Scorpius. Then the message said someone called Michael was writing, but I don't know any Michaels except a horrible muggle who hangs around with James sometimes and Mum's friend who used to be her boyfriend before dad.

Dad didn't ask lots of questions about the coin, but when I saw your dad this afternoon, he demanded that I tell him everything. He was scary, Scorpius, and I didn't dare disobey. So I told him all about how we bribed those sixth year girls in Ravenclaw to make them, the ones who thought I was so cute because I look like dad and they fancied him, then how we used the coins to chat all Christmas holiday without anyone knowing. I like the journals a lot better most of the time, but you don't have your journal with you now.

Now our parents know about both the coins and the journals. I'm sorry, Scorpius. I'm such a rubbish friend. Please come home, even if it's just to hex me. I'll still love you, I promise.

Albus

Author's Note: Thank you again for all the reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.