SURPRISE!

Oh, sorry, I'm a little early.

Forget I said anything.

Chapter Eleven
Dinner With the Enemy

"Rosie, you are grounded for the next century!" Ron hissed as they stumbled out of the fireplace and into the drawing room of Malfoy Manor.

The drawing room. Rose didn't know the importance and significance it held to her mother and father. She didn't know that what happened in this room haunted her mother's dreams.

Ron did, and was now shaking with anger, slowly looking around the room, his eyes finally landing on the man with the pointed face and long white blonde hair (more white now, for he is an old bigot). Lucius strode forward, his cane making a loud thunk on the wood floor with every other step. Age hadn't done him any favors. He now resembled an old turtle.

"Mr. Weasley. I'm surprised you agreed to come."

"Knowing Rose, she probably dragged him into the fireplace!"

"Scorpius!" Rose exclaimed in delight, running straight into his arms. The adults watched (Ron with disgust, Lucius with disapproval) as Scorpius twirled her around and kissed her tenderly.

"I missed you too," he said laughing. "We were away from each other, for what? Two days?"

"It was hell!" she exclaimed.

The fireplace erupted with green flames and Hermione and Hugo swirled into view, Hugo pushing the wheelchair out of the fire with a bit of difficulty. Ron, needing something to distract him from murdering Lucius (and maybe even Scorpius) on the spot, hurried to help his son.

Just then, Narcissa Malfoy appeared in all her fine Malfoy glorly, flaunting off her best gown and what-not.

"You must be Rose!" she said upon seeing Scorpius's arms wrapped protectively around her. "How lovely to meet you!"

"And I expect you to be on your best behavior!" the familiar drawling voice of Draco Malfoy sounded, as the man himself entered the drawing room behind his mother.

"Me?" said Lucius, looking shocked as he placed a hand over his heart. "Aren't I always?"

Draco rolled his eyes, then turned to smile (or grimace, no one could tell) at Rose and Scorpius. "Welcome to my . . . dwelling. It's not much of a home, I admit. Horrible things have happened here to make sure of that. Why don't we visit in the sitting room while we wait?"

"Surely not," said Lucius grandly. "The drawing room holds wonderful memories, doesn't it, Mrs. Weasley?"

Hermione paled considerably, and Ron stepped protectively in front of her.

"Enough!" Draco shouted at his father. "They are my guests and if you intimidate them you will leave. Now!"

Lucius only sneered and strutted from the room, looking very much like a peacock (with a turtle's face, remember).

Draco sighed, turning to Rose's parents with a sincere look in his eyes. "I'm truly sorry. As much as I (and everyone else, for that matter) try to forget, my parents cling to the past like a lifeline."

"What are they talking about?" Rose whispered to Scorpius.

Scorpius tensed. "I . . . I don't know," he said evasively. Rose shot him a quizzical look, but didn't push him for any more information.

"Well, shall we?" Draco asked, gesturing to the door (and their certain doom, surely).

"It's now or never," Hermione sighed. "Merlin knows Scorpius will propose marriage any day now."

"Mum!"

Chuckling darkly, Hermione wheeled herself after Lucius and Narcissa, closely followed by Ron and Hugo. Wordlessly, Draco gestured Rose and Scorpius next.

Draco lagged behind, and when Scorpius and Rose disappeared around the corner, he closed the drawing room door behind him. Sighing sadly, he knew that just because the door was closed, it didn't stop them all from remembering.

/././././

"Perhaps you should show Rose around the house, Scorpius," said Draco casually when they were all seated in the grand sitting room. Johnis the house elf scurried around with a tray of teacups, keeping his large eyes cast down in respect and, most likely, fear.

Scorpius doubted it was a good idea to leave the adults in the room alone, but did as he was told anyway.

As he stood up, he could feel Mr. Weasley's hated glare on him, but he kept his face expressionless as he held out a hand for Rose.

Rose pointedly ignored her glowering father as she took Scorpius's offered hand and stood up from her seat next to Narcissa.

"Hugo," Ron snarled, startling his son who was staring curiously around the elborately decorated room, "go with them."

"Ah, dad, do I have to?" he moaned.

"Yes," rumbled Ron.

"Why?" Hugo whined.

"Because I said so!" Ron snapped.

Grumbling, Hugo stood up and made to follow Rose and Scorpius from the sitting room, but Ron spoke again,

"Watch him like a hawk and make sure he doesn't try anything and don't let them out of your sight for even a minute."

Rose rolled her eyes, and Hermione said, "Honestly, Ronald, what do you expect them to do? I doubt Rose and Scorpius would sneak off to make -"

"Mum!" cried Rose, a blush creeping across her cheeks as Scorpius -much to Ron and Lucius's dismay- grinned cockily and whistled at her.

Draco and Narcissa snorted into the tea Johnis had just served them.

"I'm sorry, Rose, dear. Did I say something wrong?"

Laughing quietly, Scorpius lead her from the room, Hugo trailing behind them and muttering darkly.

/././././

"You play the piano?"

Scorpius blushed, avoiding her eyes as he tenderly brushed the piano keys. He had decided that the most safest part of Malfoy Manor to show her was, indeed, the library. Astoria had insisted that they buy a piano and put in there.

"A little," was his quiet reply. "Mum taught me."

Hugo was paying them no attention as he pointedly looked around at all the grand paintings that dotted the room.

"Will you play for me?" she asked gently.

His dark eyes met hers and Rose smiled sweetly and expectantly. He sighed heavily.

"All right."

He sat down on the piano bench and Rose sat next to him, watching him with a loving smile on her face.

"Now," he said with a smile, "have you ever heard Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata?"

Rose shook her head with a smile.

"Good," he said grinning, "because this probably won't sound anything like it."

Rose watched as Scorpius's fingers flew across the keys, emitting beautiful music that rang around the room.

He kept his eyes on the keys, avoiding her gaze.

Whe he did look up, Rose found herself lost in those stormy gray eyes. Just then, Rose saw the real Scorpius, for only the second time in her life. The pain in his eyes was the same as that night so many months ago, when Rose had found him, alone, in the Astronomy Tower.

Tears in her eyes, Rose laid her head on his shoulder, listening to the beautiful music that haunted Scorpius Malfoy.

/././././

"Pass the greens, Rose," said Hugo, not at all attempting to be polite as he shoveled food into his mouth. Ron was doing the same, but he had the deceny to wipe his mouth (occasionally).

Rose passed him the plate, feeling very uncomfortable, knowing Lucius was watching her like a hawk. Every few minutes he shot her a completely random question, no doubt to see how smart and quick she was with her answer.

"And who, pray tell, received the title 'The Old-One' in 1132?" he shot at her.

Rose sighed wearily. "Ogden the Old-One, Mr. Malfoy." (A/N: I totally made that up, just so you know. Or at least I think I did. Either that, or it was from some buried deep background knowledge I don't remember remembering.)

Rose learned to call him Mr. Malfoy very quickly. Though Narcissa insisted she be called 'Cissy' (Rose politely refused, pointing out that it was not quite her place), Rose knew there would be no calling Scorpius's grandfather Lucius, and most certainly not Lucy, and to never, ever, suggest watching I Love Lucy reruns.

"What do you plan on doing after school?" Draco asked politely, ignoring the glare from his father for daring to interrupt his interrogation.

"I was thinking about being a Healer," Rose said, sharing a smile with her mother, who was waiting for Hugo to cut up her meat (he wasn't use to cutting it up with a knife because he usually just shoved the whole cow into his mouth).

"Scorpius hasn't decided yet!" Lucius announced, looking disapprovingly at his grandson. The glare Lucius shot him would normally send someone scurrying to a corner of the room to die, but Scorpius only shrugged, looking immensely bored with the conversation.

"It would be cool to be an Auror, I guess."

"No, absolutely not," Lucius said hotly. "You will be something useful, if anything at all! A lawyer, perhaps, or even a Healer, though I rather despise the thought of you working with Ms. Weasley every day of your life for the rest of eternity -"

"There's an idea!" Scorpius said brightly, beaming at his grandfather, who looked murderous for being interrupted yet again by 'one of his own.' "If I was a Healer, Rose and I could spend every waking moment together! That sounds like complete bliss!"

Rose beamed at him and Lucius (and Ron) pointedly looked away as he kissed her.

"Not at the table!" Hugo groaned, mouth full of potatoes (when was it not full of food?). "I'm trying to enjoy my meal!"

"Hugo, feed your mother!" Ron snapped. "You've had enough food to feed the population of South Africa and your mother hasn't had a thing!"

Grumbling, Hugo helped a smirking Hermione to eat.

Rose smirked at him, then returned to her plate, feeling Lucy's (snicker) eyes on her again.

"Who was Wendelin?" he demanded.

"The Weird!" Rose said calmly, a mishievious smile on her face." Wendelin the Weird! She'd wear different disguises and be deliberately caught and burned at the stake because she liked the tickling sensation the flames caused."

Lucius was clearly miffed by her intelligence.

"That's my girl," Scorpius said proudly, squeezing her hand affectionately. Rose giggled.

The door to the dining room creaked open and everyone turned to the source of the sound. Johnis scurried in and hastily bowed, bonking his nose on the ground. Eyes watering, he straightened up.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lucius demanded, eyes blazing. "You are aware of the penalty for interrupting my dinner meals!"

Johnis flinched. "I is sorry, sir! Someone is here to see yous, sir!"

Lucius rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Who, pray tell, is this man?"

But Johnis didn't need to answer (he couldn't), for at that moment, the door flew open, smacking into the poor elf and pinning him behind it against the wall.

The man standing there was the most terrifying thing Rose had ever seen. He was a monster of a man, standing over six feet tall with broad shoulders and a whiskery face that seemed vaguely familiar. He had dark blue eyes that swept the room, finally landing on Hermione, who had stiffened in shock and fear.

His lips curled into a sneer.

"Octavius!" Lucius snarled, standing to his feet and pointing a shaking finger at the young man.

"'Ello, Malfoy," he said with a smirk. "As pleasant as it is to see you, I'm not here to listen to your tall tales. I'm here with a message and to take back something that was stolen from me. AVADA KADAVRA!"

A flash of green light and everything was still.

/././././

THE END!

Ooops. Sorry. I was early again.

My bad.

/././././

Rose opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as she was blinded by light. She found herself in the Malfoy's drawing room, her hands bound behind her, a rope securing her to a chair.

Her head spun around, taking in the empty room . . . or was it empty?

"Rosie?"

"Scorpius?" she said, heart skipping a beat, trying to find the source of where his voice was.

"You're alive!" he said, voice breaking with relief.

"Where are you?"

"I'm behind you. It seems we've been tied together."

Rose leaned her head back slowly, her heart leaping as it rested against the back of Scorpius's neck.

"Where is everyone?" she whispered, comforted a little by his presence.

"I don't know. I regained conciousness just before you did."

"Avada Kedavra!" she exclaimed. "Scorpius, who died?" she asked, voice tight.

"I don't know," Scorpius said quietly, tone frustrated. "I don't know, Rose, and it's killing me not knowing."

"I'm so scared! I knew dinner was a bad idea!"

Scorpius chuckled regretfully. "So did I."

They fell into fearful silence, straining to hear any sounds in the house.

"Scorpius?" she said hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"What happened in here? What did your grandfather mean?"

Scorpius sighed. "You don't want to know."

"I do if it involves my parents!"

"Now's not really the time to talk about this. . . ."

"This house is as silent as the grave," she snarled. "I want to know!"

"Just . . . don't hate me after I tell you, okay?"

Rose bit her lip, wondering what possibly could have happened in this room to make Scorpius think her feelings for him would change.

He took a deep breath. "My father told me . . . that during the Second Wizarding War, when Voldemort was . . . you know . . . doing stuff . . . that Fenrir Greyback caught your mother and father and Harry Potter."

Rose nodded slowly, knowing what must be coming and dreading to hear it.

"Well . . . Bellatrix Lestrange -you've heard of her, surely?- saw that they had the Sword of Gryffindor," he paused, hesitant. "Your mother and father have never told you this?"

Rose shook her head. "They don't like to talk about the war."

"This would be much easier if you knew the rest."

"I know enough," she said gently. "About the Horcruxes and such. And the sword. Please continue."

"Well, supposedly, the sword was suppose to be in the Lestrange's vault at Gringotts, so she thought they had broken into her vault there and stole it. She freaked out, well, because Voldemort had entrusted her to keep a Horcrux there and would kill her if he thought Potter had gotten in and destroyed it. So she, um, well she . . . "

"What did she do?" Rose asked in a fearful whisper.

"She tortured your mother, Rose," he said softly, his voice tight. "Used the Cruciatus as means to get your mother to tell her how they got the sword."

Rose fell silent, mind churning. It made sense. Hermione's pale face as Lucius had said what he said, Ron protectively stepping in front of her and blocking her from Lucius's view.

"My father felt useless," Scorpius continued, voice shakey. "He was forced to watch, and felt so much pain, hearing her screaming."

"It wasn't your fault, Scorpius. I . . . thank you for telling me."

"You're not mad?"

"Of course not. It's in the past and you had nothing to do with it."

"But my grandfather did," Scorpius said bitterly.

"You're not your grandfather," Rose said firmly.

"But I'm still a Malfoy."

Before she could respond, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed ominously through the dead house, causing Rose and Scorpius to hold their breath in fright.

Rose struggled against her bonds, the rope burning her wrists painfully. She froze like a deer in headlights as Octavius Greyback slouched into the room.

He sneered at them, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"The lovebirds," he smirked.

Rose had the strongest urge to roll her eyes, but didn't dare. Why was everyone calling them that?

"Who did you kill?" Scorpius asked, his voice surprisingly calm. His serene personality always amazed Rose. Though, she supposed, he must remain calm so he doesn't transform into his wolf form.

Octavius's smirk deepened. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

More footsteps were heard once more, accompanied by the sound of something being dragged across the ground. Two wizards entered the drawing room, backs turned to Rose and Scorpius, dragging a body between them.

Rose felt, rather than heard, Scorpius's breath catch. She felt tears fill her own eyes and slowly fall down her face.

Narcissa Malfoy's body was lying before them, her frozen face obliviously innocent and confused.

/././././

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