Gray: Scorpius Malfoy and the Blood Runes

by Fiery Gray

UNDER EDITING! (I): After a trauma, the Malfoys are reluctant to send their son off to Hogwarts, especially after Scorpius gets off to an eventful start and nothing goes as planned. He finds things are wrong at Hogwarts under the rule of a dangerous headmaster who has it in for him while in the shadows lie an even greater threat than anyone could have foreseen. COMPLETE

15. Chapter 15: The Memorial

Parts (69-73)

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I

Chapter 15

The Memorial

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Part 1: The Ties That Bind

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"Hey Lucius," Brutus' voice said from behind him and Lucius nearly jumped out of his skin in shock, Soul Eaters didn't usually appear in his bedroom. In the middle of the morning. When his whole family were home. And he was halfway through getting dressed. It was lucky he was decent.

"Are you insane?!" Lucius hissed and went over to lock the door, passing Brutus who smelled of perfume again and now had combed back extremely dark auburn hair, similar to his brother but nor as long, "everyone's about, even Scorpius is home for the holidays. Do you want to be seen?"

"Don't worry, its fine, I checked and they're not around at the moment."

"Well good to know. I am going to my meeting with your grandfather, I was just putting off getting out of bed because my head is killing me."

"Yeah unfortunately you just have to live with that," Brutus said with a shrug as he scratched at his stubble, wandering over to Lucius' wardrobe, "headaches are an unfortunate side effect of sharing your body with a Specter for an extended period of time, gets worse the longer you have it. Be glad its dormant or it'd be worse. Or if you were fighting it more."

"Oh joy," Lucius muttered sarcastically as Brutus started going through his wardrobe and tossing some of Lucius' clothes onto the bed, "I really don't think my clothes are going to fit you, you're rather more muscular than I am."

"They're not for me! What you're wearing isn't up to Corvinus' high standards."

"Not up to his standards?"

"He won't let you in if you're not dressed well enough. Be glad you're not related to him or the standards would be higher, you actually get off pretty light in comparison to what he'd expect from me," Brutus explained in a growl and went on to lecture him on things to do and not to do that, specific details on stupid things like the pronunciation of certain words and things like how Corvinus prefers you to hold a glass. All the while having Lucius change clothes to see what looks best, they'd fallen out of society since the Second Wizarding War so his finest clothes dated back to Draco and Astoria's wedding which was still fifteen years prior which made them slightly ill fitting and out of date. It was a ridiculous amount of things to remember for one stupid old man, "you got all that?"

"Yes," Lucius lied, he had drifted out a bit near the end but he basically got the gist, Corvinus' standards were impossibly high, "it might help if I knew what I was after him for."

"I was just getting to that. You-"

Brutus stopped mid-sentence at the sound of the door unlocking, Lucius' head snapped towards it in time to see it open and reveal Narcissa standing there with her wand out looking extremely concerned. Excuses for Brutus being in his room ran through his mind as he glanced back to the Soul Eater but Brutus was gone, he would admit the soundlessness of the shadow way of teleporting was a plus, he looked back to his wife as she came over to him and put away her wand.

"Why was the door locked?" Narcissa asked worriedly rather than angrily.

"Because I wanted privacy to change," Lucius invented.

"And you thought closing the door wasn't enough?"

"No... in case Scorpius came in without looking."

"Right," Narcissa said carefully but didn't look like she was really convinced, "I thought I heard voices."

"I was just talking to myself. Practicing my speech for when I meet Corvinus... I want to make a good impression."

"You're still going? What about your head?"

"This is important and Corvinus is very particular, I can't get out of it on account of a headache."

"Its important, why the sudden interest in Corvinus Ashain?"

"Because... Because..." Lucius struggled for a reasonable answer, "I'm sick of being alone with just us and occasionally Astoria's sister. I miss being around people and holding conversations with other adults, I feel cut off from everyone and I want us to be part of society again, to have friends."

"And you think befriending another social outcast is going to improve our status somehow?" Narcissa wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"At least we're in the same boat. What's with all the questions anyway?"

"I'm just worried about," Narcissa sighed and reached out to hold his arm, the one branded with the Soul Eater symbol that he kept bandaged at all times in front of her, "that wound still hasn't healed and those headaches, you won't even see a healer about it. You should be worried about your health, not your social life."

"I'm fine, Narcissa."

"You're not fine, Lucius, I'm really worried. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

"You'd be fine now leave me alone, I have to get ready still," Lucius snapped harsher than he wanted to but he knew she'd leave if he was like that with her, a hurt look crossed her face but predictably she left him alone without another word and closed the door behind her. He'd have to make it up to her somehow, he sighed miserably but she was better off away in the dark about the shadows so they wouldn't have a reason to hurt her, to hurt any of the family he was trying so hard to protect.

"Bit harsh to your wife, eh?" Brutus wondered and Lucius jumped again at the silent return, they were going to give him a heart attack one of the days.

"Not like I have a choice if I want her to leave us alone, suppose you wouldn't understand," Lucius sighed again before the perfume scent made him wonder, "or do you? Does perfume woman know about Soul Eaters?"

"Oh hell yeah," Brutus commented and laughed, "she knows."

"She's one too, isn't she?"

"You could say that. Sal's really amazing, smart and beautiful and she actually cares about me..." Brutus told him, his face lighting up as he spoke before seeming to change his mind and shake it off as he became more serious again, "so what you're looking for from Corvinus is a blood rune orb, try bring it up after awhile and then the Master will tell you what to say through the Specter. We have to go now though."

"Can't I say goodbye to family first?"

"If you don't show up on time he won't let you in, not if your reason for being late is saying goodbye to your family. Plus you need to take my hand to be teleported."

Lucius sighed again and offered his hand to Brutus, Lucius was both pleased that the teleporting no longer bothered him and upset, like he was used to being a vassal for the shadows. He found himself outside a tall and long beautiful white marble wall, Brutus simply pointed him in the direction to walk, wished him luck and vanished into the shadows. Lucius managed not to sigh again and wonder why Brutus hadn't just took him to the entrance as he walked, occasionally passing a pillar of marble in the wall to break it up with marble vultures on top of each peering down on him with their cold unseeing eyes.

He reached the entrance, two huge black barred iron gates with jagged spikes lining the top, looking through the bars at the distant mansion reminded him of looking through prison bars. In the center of the bars was a large circle with an 'A' inside it.. He heard the snap of fingers and the gates groaned, creaking loudly as they opened to allow him entry, a filthy looking house-elf seeming to be the one who'd done it. It was a very gray-skinned house-elf - or maybe it was just dirt - with hollow eyes devoid of hope, it gestured with a hand missing all but two fingers for him to follow. Lucius entered the grounds and the house-elf clicked its fingers again, the gates groaned but obediently closed with a surprisingly loud bang that seemed to frighten the birds because a swarm of around twelve vultures scattered from the distant mansion and started cawing ominously as they circled the murky sky.

Lucius followed the silent and stoic house-elf along the gray graveled path, directly in the center of the grassy grounds. The grass seemed overgrown and unkempt but didn't touch the path, it seemed a very bland green almost as if all the color had been sucked out of it. The mansion itself was fairly distant but he could make out the looming dark shape, it was far larger than Lucius' home which irritated him somewhat, he already had an intense loathing for Corvinus and he hadn't even met him yet. He didn't want him to have anything good. As he got closer he realized there was a massive rectangle of water with an extravagant black marble fountain in the center, a cluster of black marble vultures with water coming out of their open mouths which were positioned in an impressively intricate pattern. The gravel path went around either side, the house-elf picked the right.

It took them a while to walk around the fountain, it was incredible massive and as he walked he realized that the vulture sculptures were moving to reposition themselves ever so often, taking it in turns to be in certain positions. Lucius tried not be impressed as they continued on, finally making it around where the gravel paths rejoined on the far side of the fountain and continued forwards centrally directly to the door. The mansion itself loomed over them, blocking out whatever sun there'd been through the clouds and casting them in shadows. The stone was such a dark gray it looked black in that light, it had a very old feel to it, older even than Lucius' home but also eerie with more decorative black marble vultures, also gargoyles. The entrance were double doors, carved decoratively on dark Ash wood with an ornate vulture door knocker that blinked at them as they got close enough. The house-elf just opened the doors though, holding them open for Lucius to enter.

The house-elf closed the door behind them before leading him through the mansion, it did have a feeling of grandeur about it but it also felt cold and dark despite the lighting, Lucius felt very unwelcome. All the pictures were moving and looked to be by famous wizard artists, none of them were portraits though, it was all landscapes with flowers blowing in the wind or abstract shapes moving and all had intricately carved golden frames. There were black marble columns lining the walls and pedestals in the exact center of each bearing some vase or sculpture or other expensive-looking items. There were no photographs, Lucius noted, no family portraits or photographs like they had at home. The house-elf still didn't say anything as it led him through a seemingly endless maze of the corridors, all the doors off to the sides were dark Ash wood in a similar design to the front door but singular and all were closed.

Finally they came to an open one, it led to a huge parlor - at the very least twice the size as Lucius' largest room. But also emptier, the walls were virtually the same as the hallway but there was a vast emptiness in the room. Directly across from them was a huge ornate black marble fireplace, ablaze with red flames with two crimson armchairs beside it and a small dark Ash wood table in between them with intricately carved table legs. There was actually a portrait above the fire, of the same man who was sitting in the right armchair.

Corvinus Ashain actually looked good for a man in his early nineties, he still had a full head of the same extremely dark auburn that his grandsons shared with a lone streak of silver flowing through the long-ish combed back hair on the right side. He had a rather full mustache and goatee that shared his natural hair color still and the same dark chestnut eyes as his grandsons, they looked extremely sharp. His facial features themselves weren't much like his grandsons though, deep-set eyes, aquiline nose and a very square jaw. He wasn't massively overweight but he was noticeably rotund as he sat in his finery, his chubby fingers seemed to have at least one ring on every finger, the most striking was his signet ring. His left hand was on the arm of the chair and his right clutched around the black sphere at the head of his cane.

"Why Lucius Malfoy," Corvinus greeted him coldly and crisply, eying Lucius as if eying an insect, "nice of you to arrive on time. Why don't you take a seat?"

"Very gracious of you," Lucius commented untruthfully as he sat down in the surprisingly comfortable armchair, "what a wonderful estate you have."

"Why thank you, its been in my family for generations," Corvinus informed him before giving the house-elf a dark look who seemed to take that as a silent command to summon an incredibly expensive bottle of liquor and two glasses, pouring some into each and handing one to each of them, "I took the liberty of selecting a beverage within your price-range, wouldn't want to shock your palette with something a little richer than you're used to."

"Thank you, most considerate," Lucius told him in a courteous lie, managing not to look visibly offended at the insinuation he was poor. Corvinus inclined his head in acknowledgement and smiled smugly as he sipped his drink, he didn't say anything though but didn't take his piercing eyes from Lucius. Lucius recalled Brutus saying that Corvinus was perfectly content to stare you for long periods of time just to make you uncomfortable, he should make conversation to avoid that and throw him off his game if possible, "so... did you know your grandson is one of my grandson's teachers at Hogwarts?"

"Why would I know that? Atticus was disowned years ago when he became an Auror and killed his brother, good riddance I say, I never liked either of them. Or their father. Or their grandmother. If you want my advice then take your grandson out of school and homeschool him, you lose the influence and control you have over the young when you let them out of your sights like that. You don't want to lose control of him."

"I'll... bear that in mind."

"Is your wife still alive?"

"Yes."

"A pity," Corvinus commented sympathetically.

"Why a pity that Narcissa is still alive?" Lucius wondered trying not to feel angry at the implication.

"Why my apologies, I didn't realize you actually cared about the sister of a blood traitor. I only meant that she's outlived her usefulness, she already bore you an heir and her tainted bloodline really means your image would be better without her now."

"My image is perfectly fine with her," Lucius snapped before he could stop himself and Corvinus closed his eyes and leaned back smugly, smirking at having upset him.

"I know, I was just seeing what kind of man you were and now I'm even more sure that you've been lying to me, Lucius, very naughty," Corvinus told him in a patronizing tone as his eyes flicked open again, "so why don't you just tell me what the Shadows want before I throw you out?"

"What?!" Lucius burst out in shock as he started to panic.

"Did you actually think I was stupid? Your letters ignore when I insult you and agree with me on everything, in person its harder not to be offended and so you defended your wife, I can practically see your dislike of me glinting in your eyes. That all tells me that you were lying in your letters and just trying to gain my trust, most likely because you want something from me and as I'm a collector of sorts I assume you want some artifact I possess. I can't see any reason why you would have a sudden interest in that unless you're being coerced and what group have been dominating the paper with their killings and thefts of artifacts? Oh yes, the Shadows."

"Your blood rune orb. They want your blood rune orb."

"Why?" Corvinus asked cautiously, losing his smugness as he clutched his cane tighter.

"Err... I don't know," Lucius admitted and lowered his voice, "some help would be nice."

"So they send an errand boy without even telling him the errand? Ugh. Tell your master to use a smarter messenger next time."

"I-" Lucius opened his mouth to reply but he felt himself being shoved mentally aside, the control of his body wrested from his grasp as easily as snatching a toy from a feeble child as the Master took over. He felt his mouth smirk and his legs cross themselves, "tell me yourself."

"Who am I addressing?" Corvinus wondered but looked intrigued more than anything.

"You may call me the Shadow Master."

"Interesting way of communication, I don't think I've seen the like before. Its not the Imperius curse?"

"Does it look the Imperius curse, Corvinus?"

"No," Corvinus admitted and continued to gaze at Lucius, no longer like an insect but like a fascinating object he'd just discovered, "so what did you want with my blood rune orb? I have enough money to not care how much you offer me for it."

"Well good because I wasn't going to offer you money," the Master continued speaking with Lucius' mouth, he truly despised the feeling, "I wasn't going to offer you anything."

"Why on Earth would I give it to you for no reason?"

"To see it in use."

"In use?"

"I have a complete wardstone circle, an obelisk in place and a somewhat willing sacrifice. The previous orb was lost so all I need is a new orb to do what no one has done since Before the Common Era."

"Really?" Corvinus wondered looking somewhere between excited and amazed.

"If it wasn't true then I wouldn't need the orb, would I? It's all in place. All I need is the orb. You just need to give it to me, to decide whether you'd rather die clutching a virtually useless ball or give it up to see the power of ancient times unleashed," the Master continued and got Lucius to his feet, "time is of the essence though. The more time passes the more chance of my plans being discovered."

"Wait!" Corvinus protested desperately as Lucius' body started to leave, he actually jumped to his feet, "you can have it. But I have conditions."

"Conditions?" the Master sneered disapprovingly with Lucius' mouth.

"I want it back when you're done. And I want you to provide a pensive memory of it in action."

"Fine," the Master agreed and held out Lucius' hand, "give it to me."

"Not yet. I want you to make an Unbreakable Vow so I know you won't go back on your word, if you're really telling the truth about the conditions then you won't have a problem with that."

"There's only two physical bodies here."

"Get Aurelius now!" Corvinus barked at the house-elf and struck it forcefully with his cane, the house-elf bolted. You weren't allowed to do that to house-elves now with the new laws put in place, Lucius had checked, "my son will bind us in our agreement."

They waited for a few minutes and the Master still didn't give Lucius' control of his body, he willed his fingers to flex just because he hated not having control, it was frustrating. The house-elf didn't take too long to return with Aurelius Ashain though, he also looked really good considering he was about sixty, he looked closer in age to his sons than to Lucius who was only a few years older than him. He was easily the best looking of the Ashain bunch and lacked much facial resemblance to any of them but he did have the same extremely dark auburn hair and dark chestnut eyes as his father and sons, only his hair wasn't combed back but hung loose, the wavy locks cascading almost down to his shoulders. His clothes were extremely mismatched in color, clearly not having improved his dress sense since Lucius had bullied him for it in Hogwarts. His eyes widened fearfully when he saw Lucius and hurried over to Corvinus, whispering to him but his ears still picked it up.

"Father, we're not supposed to have guests, they could attack us, Lucius was a Death Eater, he could torture and murder us," Aurelius hissed fearfully, "you put us both in danger, what is wrong with you? Are you going senile or something? We're in danger and he has glowing eyes and its creepy. And he's mean."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Aurelius," Corvinus snapped, "its was more than twenty years ago you were attacked, get over it already. I'm making an Unbreakable Vow with him and I need you to be the Bonder, think you can manage that or is something so simple above your shameful skill level?"

"I'm not... I'm not doing that, Father. I want him gone."

"The faster you do this, the faster he will be gone."

"Alright, fine," Aurelius reluctantly agreed and whipped out his wand, standing out as it spiraled the entire length of the wand, "do it."

Lucius went to take a step forwards but his body didn't obey him, the Master preferred to hold out Lucius' arm to force Corvinus to come to them. Corvinus took the step forwards and clasped Lucius' wrist, the Master clasped Corvinus' arm in turn and Aurelius moved closer. He shivered violently and gave an unfairly accusing look to Lucius, it wasn't Lucius' fault he was cold or was it? Aurelius pressed the tip of his wand against their clasped hands before Corvinus spoke the first vow.

"Will you return to me the item I am bestowing on you after the task, and only that task, is complete?"

"I will," Lucius heard his voice agree and wondered if it was binding him, the Master or the Specter to the vow. A thin streak of flame snaked its way out of Aurelius' wand and wrapped itself around their clasped hands.

"And will you, show me the memory of the task being completed?"

"I will," Lucius heard his voice agree again, whoever was being bound was now bound anyway, "you can go now, Aurelius."

Aurelius looked like he was about to argue but decided against, either not caring or not wanting to be involved with what they were doing, even by knowing what they were talking about. He gave both men a dark look before hastily hurrying out, Corvinus waited until he was gone before moving. He held up his cane and pulled the ball off the top of it, offering it to Lucius. Was that the orb? Hidden in plain sight, clever. Lucius' hand took the orb and he felt his lips curl into a triumphant smirk, to his surprise the second it touched his skin the orb changed color to gray then back to black then gray then black and kept alternating between the two.

"Why is it doing that?" Corvinus wondered scowling, "its never done that before, its supposed to change to the color of your soul. Its always been black for me. Atticus touched it once when he was a child, I nearly murdered the boy for it, but it turned white for as long as he was holding it. Why is it changing color?"

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is I have an orb, no one can stop me now. Pleasure doing business with you, Corvinus," the Shadow Master said through Lucius' mouth before turning on his heel and starting to walk away but Corvinus called after them, the Shadow Master paused to glance back.

"Maybe we could do it again sometime."

"What was that?"

"Your operation intrigues me. I never wanted to get my hands dirty before with Voldemort because I had too much to lose to put my faith in a half-blood raised by muggles. Now though, I'm an old man, I have everything to gain and nothing to lose."

"I'll bear that in mind. We'll talk again but for now I have much to attend to."

"Fair enough. Good luck. You'll need it with every Auror in England looking for you."

"They're the ones who need the luck," the Shadow Master smirked before leaving without another word.

The Shadow Master didn't return Lucius' control of his body until they were outside of the estate, even after the iron gates slammed shut behind them. Lucius was a prisoner in his own body while the Shadow Master walked for a bit by the wall, walking with a spring in his step that Lucius usually lacked, all the while caressing the orb like it was the important thing in the world. Lucius wondered what it did, what all the was about, he didn't think he'd heard of blood runes before. Brutus stepped from the shadows and the Master offered him the orb with Lucius' hand, he felt his lips curl into a smirk again.

"We need to get this to Varanian as soon as an owl can fly, I need to write the letter from Retsam Wodahs now. Take Lucius to his home then bring it back," the Shadow Master said through Lucius' voice as Brutus took the orb, it turned gray in his deformed hand and remained gray.

"Come on, Lucius, you heard the master," Brutus commented as he offered Lucius his free hand that Lucius took, finding control of his body had been returned as he was taken back to his study.

"Is that the master's name then?" Lucius wondered himself, much preferring his own voice in his own tone of speech, "Retsam Wodahs? I don't recall any Azkaban inmates name Wodahs."

"It's not the master's real name, just an alias, its Shadow Master backwards. I thought of that."

"Oh well done."

"Was that sarcasm?"

"No its very clever," Lucius offered, he'd been trying to improve his relationship with Brutus the few times he'd seen him since New Year's when he wanted something corrected on the letters to Corvinus. He hadn't managed to gleam an incredibly useful amount of information but Brutus was less hostile towards him, "so... do I get to know what the orb does? Or why my grandson's headmaster is being sent it?"

"Its part of our getting past the Hogwarts protection plan, the orb is needed to activate the blood rune magic which will destroy the magic stopping the Specters from being able to not be banished from inside the castle if they step outside whatever or whoever they're inside. You'll get to see it in action soon enough, come June if everything goes to plan."

"I will?"

"Yeah, the master wants you there."

"This won't hurt Scorpius, will it?"

"No. Your grandson will be the safest person there because of the color of his soul."

"Well... good. I almost didn't think Corvinus was going to give it up."

"He's been under the influence by the orb for too long," Brutus said with a smirk and a shake of his head as he stared at the gray ball, "he'd be incapable of not jumping at the chance to see it in action. Stupid smart bastard. Didn't except his last handful of sentences though."

"Wait, I thought of something, since the Shadow Master is writing a letter does that mean I'm not being watched?" Lucius thought suddenly and Brutus looked up.

"The Master doesn't watch you every second of the day, the master is human and takes breaks to eat and sleep and do other stuff if necessary, the Specter knows to rip you to shreds it you do anything majorly threatening. For longer periods of time like sleep Rabastan usually takes over keeping an eye on everything or I do sometimes, bloody difficult. Rabastan's asleep now though and I'm here so yeah, no one's watching you but the Specter itself. I should be getting back though, take care."

Brutus vanished into the shadows and Lucius quickly hurried to where he'd hidden the letter, assuming it didn't fall under the majorly threatening category, there was something about Varanian he was sure. The first part was interesting about the blood rune discs, he assumed that was part of the spell that they'd mentioned as already being completed although he wasn't sure he approved of using eleven year olds as victims of it or maybe it needed eleven year olds. It was the final but that horrified him, a paragraph about Scorpius, his grandson, about Varanian using a magic spell to slash Scorpius' face and later feet. He threw the letter into the fire feeling hurt and angry and desperate to see his grandson, he stalked over to Scorpius' room.

What good is confronting him going to accomplish? Brutus' voice questioned in his mind and Lucius hesitated.

"That evil bastard attacked my grandson! I'm not going to just do nothing!" Lucius screeched.

You have to

"What part of he attacked my grandson don't you understand?! I saw you kill a man for attacking your brother!"

When this is all over you can kill Varanian if you still want to but for now we need him. I really don't want to hurt you

"I hate this!"

I noticed

"Still hearing voices?" Scorpius wondered popping his head out of his room.

"Err... no," Lucius said slowly feeling a wave of guilt, he was the one who'd pushed for Scorpius to go to Hogwarts and Scorpius had been hurt. It was his fault. He hugged Scorpius close in some useless gesture to make up for putting him in harm's way, his grandson's neutral expression breaking for a moment of surprise before Lucius dropped his voice to a whisper, "you know you can tell us anything right? We'll always believe you and we'll always love you, we just want you to be safe with no one to hurt you. But adults don't know everything even though I know sometimes we act like we do, sometimes we can only help us if you talk to us, tell us what's wrong. We just want to help you, Scorpius. If there's anything or anyone - anyone - giving you trouble or hurting you then you have to say something, do you understand? Please."

"I understand..." Scorpius began but trailed off. Lucius waited for a long time, both wishing he could see the expression on Scorpius' face and terrified of breaking the embrace. His heart was pounding for fear of having his soul torn apart but nothing happened before finally Scorpius answered but it was a lie, "but there's nothing. Absolutely nothing."

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Part 2: In Memoriam

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Scorpius didn't have a good Easter. He was too wracked with guilt for being the only one to get away with his memories, afraid his friends would never get their memories back or that he would lose his too. Varanian had reversed what he'd done to Abby and Rose before but somehow Scorpius doubted he would return them again when he got back, he'd looked up 'obliviate' and it was debated whether it was reversible or not. It wasn't debated that memory charms on underage children and teenagers were potentially harmful to their still developing minds, trying to reverse it could actually do more damage than good. The spell caster had the best chance of reversing it safely, reversing your own magic was a lot easier than undoing the damage someone else's had done.

Mostly he pretended to not be feeling well or to oversleep so he couldn't have to fake happiness so they'd think he was okay or talk about the friends who'd forgotten him. The only thing that had cheered him up marginally was Molly's letter of thanks for his gift, at least she remembered him. He hoped Michael was okay and Calderon, he was afraid Varanian would hurt them or that he'd go back and find they'd forgotten him too. He was also on edge since his grandfather's strange outburst, he'd actually thought that Lucius could have somehow figured out about Varanian. That was the last thing he needed, for his grandfather to think he'd failed the Malfoy standards again by being so weak. He still thought his grandfather was being a bit strange around him again, maybe his headaches were effecting his mind? He did seem to be acting stranger every time Scorpius saw him and Scorpius didn't care what he said, he was pretty sure his grandfather was hearing voices still while Scorpius' stayed gone. He said as much to Yip while he was helping the house-elf with breakfast for the final time.

"I shouldn't speak ill of Master Lucius," Yip said and lost all traces of his usual cheerfulness, "but... well... let's just say he's had some shady company of late."

"What do you mean?" Scorpius wondered with a scowl, "do you mean his sudden interest in Corvinus Ashain?"

"Maybe, I haven't caught a name. It disturbs me."

Scorpius was even more worried about his grandfather than usual after that, it was just what he needed because he didn't have enough to worry about. He just sighed and went to breakfast with his family before they'd know he helped the house-elves, his parents tried to draw conversation out of him but he couldn't muster the words. By eleven o'clock though he was back on the train and trying not to worry about it, he got his own compartment as Calderon wasn't on the train again. He almost forgot about the memory charm when his friends looked in for somewhere to sit, their faces gave him a look of disgust as they left to find another one. He knew it wasn't their fault, he knew he shouldn't be upset but he couldn't stop the stab of hurt in his heart at that, his wished he could cry. Dom asked to join him as everywhere else was full, they didn't make much conversation thankfully and Scorpius spent the whole journey in misery.

Seeing the Thestrals cheered him up a bit when they got to the carriages, he didn't know why he was so drawn to them but he was. He went in the last carriage with Dom and a handful of other 'loner' students who hadn't friends to go with or their friends' carriages had been full, they didn't talk much between them either. He was anxious when he got to the Great Hall at possibly being forgotten, Michael was watching their friends with a guilty expression but sitting apart them and didn't look away when Scorpius sat down opposite him. Had Michael had his memory erased or was he just lost in thought? Scorpius was terrified of asking.

"What are you looking at, thief?" Rose snapped when she caught Michael looking and the mudblood's face flushed with embarrassment as his head went back to his plate.

"Wait, thief?" Michael wondered and looked back with his eyes without moving his head.

"I know you took it, you were the one who packed my trunk after all," Albus hissed leaning across to speak to Michael, "the cloak better be back with my possessions by tomorrow or I'll set my brother on you. I don't know why you took it but its a very valuable family heirloom and I need it back."

"I know that must be hard for you to understand considering your family clearly don't care enough about you to take you back home or even give you a comb but its important," Rose added coldly and Michael failed to mask his hurt.

"I didn't take it, I didn't take anything, I'm not a thief," Michael whispered tearfully as he shoved aside his plate, "I'm not hungry."

Michael took off without another word, Scorpius hesitated for a moment before going after him, glancing back briefly to shoot a look of loathing in Varanian's direction but the headmaster was absent. He pushed it out of his mind as he left after Michael, for someone so short Michael could really move fast. Scorpius lost him but he was pretty certain the only place Michael would have gone to was Gryffindor Tower, sure enough his friend was curled up in one of the comfy armchairs by the fire, crying.

"Michael? Are you okay?" Scorpius asked awkwardly, not sure what you really should say. Michael glanced to him and hastily wiped his eyes.

"Do y-you still r-remember?" Michael replied struggling to silence his sobs and Scorpius nodded, "I'm s-sorry, its a-all my f-fault th-that he got Al-Albus, its all my f-fault."

"Hey, if its anyone's fault then its mine. It my stupid plan," Scorpius pointed out guiltily sitting down beside Michael who wiped his still streaming eyes again, "how is it your fault?"

"Be-Because V-Varanian caught m-me and he th-thought th-that y-you both were probably hiding b-b-because I don't th-think he knew about the passageway. H-He asked me w-where you were hiding and I s-said I had no idea wh-what he was talking about b-but he d-didn't believe me, he s-said... he said he was going t-to hur-hurt me unless Albus c-came out and... and he d-didn't come so V-V-Varanian used this spell on me, cru-cru-cru-"

"Crucio?" Scorpius guessed as a feeling of horror crept through him when Michael nodded and cried harder, hugging his knees closer.

"It h-hurt so much I c-couldn't help bu-but sc-scream an-and Albus gave himself up th-the sec-second time. Its all my f-fault. V-Varanian made me g-go, I tr-tried to f-find you or C-Calderon but I r-ran into J-James and his fr-friends and they used th-this body-bind c-curse on me and lo-locked me in a broom cl-closet. I d-didn't know if h-he got y-you or not. I'm s-sorry, S-Scorpius, I'm s-so s-sorry," Michael sobbed and buried his head in his knees.

"It's not your fault, Michael," Scorpius said firmly, "that's the torture curse, its... its unforgivable, Varanian will get a life sentence for it. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you, I should have thought of a better, I should have realized he would do something like that. Its my fault, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Its m-my fault not y-yours. You c-couldn't have known."

"No, its my fault."

"L-Let's jus-just say its both of our f-faults?" Michael offered raising his head with a nervously forced smile.

"Okay," Scorpius agreed and awkwardly patted Michael on the shoulder comfortingly like they did in the movies, forcing himself to return the smile and Michael genuinely seemed to stop crying as he sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"What are we going to do though?"

"I don't know. Where is Varanian, do you know?"

"Ill again with his headachey seizurey whatever's wrong with him. He's been sick all week, he's not usually at meals or if he is he looks terrible again," Michael explained before looking puzzled, "I passed him in the corridor the day before yesterday, he was clutching his head with one hand, he looked so ill you would've thought he was on his deathbed and I've seen people on their deathbed. And he... um... he..."

"Did he hurt you again?" Scorpius wondered furiously and the fire blazed.

"No, he... he apologized."

"What?"

"He said he was sorry for everything he'd done to me. He's insane, right?"

"Completely. I just can't figure him out," Scorpius offered staring into the raging flames, the heat was so intense he could feel himself starting to sweat.

"Do you still have Albus' invisibility cloak?"

"Yeah. Do you think I should return it to his possessions like he wants?"

"No. You promised to keep it and we may need it if we're going to stop Varanian, we can't... it... it was... it was his last wish. He can have it back when he gets his memory back or Varanian's in jail, whichever comes first. Besides, if you did that he'd think for sure that I took it in the first place," Michael told him and Scorpius nodded resignedly in agreement but raged inside as the fire burned so brightly it threatened to burst from the fire place. He really, really - really - hated Varanian.

Varanian was there the next day at breakfast, he did look unhealthy, his skin was practically gray and his hand trembled noticeably even from a distance as he moved it to eat, he rested his tawny haired head on the other one. It was exceedingly hard for him to feel sympathy when he knew Varanian had used the cruciatus curse on his friend, although he was curious about the illness. Calderon's memory was intact and Scorpius threw his arms around in relief when he saw the assistant for his detention, Calderon was in an extremely good mood and instead of a detention took him to Professor Hagrid's hut in a flurry of lights to see the 'surprise' which was that Professor Hagrid's dogs had just had puppies. They were only a few days old and Calderon was ecstatic, childishly cooing over them with bursts of light appearing around him every time they so much as twitched. While Scorpius lacked Calderon's incredible enthusiasm, he did think they were adorable. Calderon was still talking about them for weeks after and visited them every day or twice a day, using Scorpius as an excuse to see them again - not that Scorpius minded.

"I never saw a puppy before," Calderon admitted when they actually got around to getting on with the detention, still beaming, "I like animals. They don't care who you are, all they care about is how treat them and that is all that should matter really not who your parents are."

"Did you talk to Varanian?" Scorpius asked, he didn't want to ruin Calderon's good mood but he didn't want his friends to have lost their memories even more.

"He said its too dangerous to risk reversing it," Calderon sighed as he immediately deflated, "he promised not to do it to anyone else but I'm not sure I trust him anymore. He needs help, he's not well but he won't get help for it because he hates healers and hospitals so much. I guess I can't blame him, I'd rather die than be locked up in a mental ward but... I don't know if he'll hurt anyone else, I've given up trying to figure him out. Maybe you'll get your wish after all, Scor, if things don't get better... I'll have to do something. There's over a thousand people in the school, I can't keep leaving them at risk because he's like the closest thing I have to a friend. That's selfish... If there was a situation and you could either save one sibling or five strangers, who would you save?"

"My sister."

"So would I. But that's selfish of us, the right thing to do is to save the strangers. Putting the needs of the many over the person you care about, putting doing the right thing over what you want, doing the right thing no matter the cost to yourself. Its not easy. The right thing to do is never seems to be the easiest option, that's usually how you can tell its the right thing."

April dragged by. Scorpius didn't think it was a fun month for most people. The workload was piling on for the upcoming exams in June, Molly and Michael were stressed out of their mind over them. Scorpius wasn't though. Maybe he just had so many worries that he'd ran out space inside his mind for more or because he'd gotten so used to succeeding in class that he assumed he'd get through the exams or maybe it was because they were too far away to register, he still had the final Quidditch match against Ravenclaw to go before then anyway.

He knew Michael was having a horrible time of things, with the others' memories erased when Scorpius was at Quidditch practice or at his detentions Michael was all alone. Unless you included the bullies tormenting him. Scorpius could stop them when it happened around him, his reputation for almost killing half his class and later James meant no one really wanted to mess with him but he couldn't protect Michael when he wasn't there and Michael steadfastly refused staff help for fear of putting them on Varanian's radar, as well as fear of parents finding out and his strict stepdad pulling him from Hogwarts. Calderon lost his joy in the last week of April when Professor Hagrid told him he'd be giving away the puppies so to not get too attached, it was too late by then although Calderon stopped visiting them and talking about them happily. Varanian remained ill until the last day of April, like before he had a seizure and was perfectly healthy again. Or as healthy as Varanian normally was anyway. Professor Ashain was happy though, his wife had given him permission to see his family on his daughter's fourth birthday on May 21st, the professor was over the moon about it, he couldn't wait and was counting the days down on his calender. Scorpius was happy for him, at least something good was happening to someone he cared about.

The hardest part though was Abby, Albus and Rose having no memory of being friends with them, they hated Michael for 'stealing' the cloak and hated Scorpius for being Scorpius. It really hurt and no matter how many times he told himself that they couldn't help it and didn't mean it, it still hurt. Although one time he came up and Albus was sitting on the edge of his bed crying and looking confused, when Scorpius risked to ask why he just said he had no idea. Scorpius wished they could remember, it was torture to look people in the eye that you'd been so close to and not see a glimmer of recognition.

May 2nd - which was a Monday - was the twentieth anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts and it was a big event, they'd miss a whole day of classes as there was a memorial service being held for all the students and their relatives - if they chose to come, Scorpius' opted to politely decline - as well as relatives or friends of the dead or anyone who just wanted to show their respects. The Minister for Magic himself was going to be there to give a speech to honor his fallen friends, Harry Potter and other well known faces would also be giving speeches which meant security would be high. Calderon had been stuck coordinating with the Auror office and Ministry officials to arrange it for all of Saturday - as Varanian had naturally dumped the responsibility on him - so Scorpius hadn't seen him that day. It was being held near Dumbledore's tomb, Scorpius' whole Sunday consisted of setting up the thousands of chair with Calderon. Calderon seemed extremely withdrawn and all his lights were blue.

"Are you okay?" Scorpius asked after a few failed attempts at conversation.

"I have to go to the memorial because I helped arrange it all, Varanian and the Auror said," Calderon told him miserably, "I have the greatest respect for those who died and those who fought but... my parents still died. I didn't want them to die, I cried my eyes out when I heard. I know they weren't good people but they were still my parents and I loved them despite everything. Listening to hours of people celebrating their deaths and talking about the people they killed isn't easy, or even the slightest bit bearable. And the people that will be here, relatives of the people my parents killed, my parent's killers even. I shouldn't be here. If they they knew who my father was then they wouldn't want me there either, not unless they were burning me at the stake and cheering."

Scorpius wasn't sure what to say to that. Professor Ashain had seemed pretty sure people weren't prosecuted for being related to Death Eaters, if they didn't even arrest them then they wouldn't kill any of them. He could understand why Calderon was upset though, he was uncomfortable enough going and his father and grandparents had changed sides. And they hadn't died. He tried to cheer Calderon up with little success, he just resolved to try keep close by the assistant to make sure he was okay at the memorial.

May 2nd was a really sunny day, the sky was a beautiful bright blue, the shimmering sun smiled down on them and there wasn't a cloud in sight. Scorpius woke up early so he could tag along with Calderon, the assistant had dressed completely in black, black sneakers, black jeans, black pullover making his silver dragon necklace stand out more. Scorpius was pretty sure he'd be boiling, then again Scorpius always wore long sleeves to cover his wrist even though he was hot. Calderon remained in low spirits but kept to the task at hand, making sure the podium and chairs were still ready and in place.

The security arrived first to make sure everything was also in place and started getting ready or at least standing around looking grim, people started to arrive that, they were apparating to Hogsmeade and walking to the school, guides had been hired to direct people along the way. Calderon didn't actually have anything to do for once, the Ministry were running everything and all he had to do was 'be around' in case he was needed as Varanian had put it. People started moving to the memorial area quite early, taking advantage of the good weather to sit outside and catch up with their children before it began. They stood apart from everyone but kept an eye on them all, well Scorpius did anyway, Calderon just hung his head. Scorpius didn't think he'd ever seen him keep so still, he hated that Varanian had made him come when Varanian knew about his parents.

"Hey Scor!" Molly called as she rushed over to him cheerfully, beaming and waving frantically, Scorpius failed not to smile and Calderon looked up for the first time in awhile, "I want you to meet my family."

"Really?" Scorpius wondered nervously, "I um... its probably best I just.. err... stay with Calder-"

"That's Andromeda Black, isn't it?" Calderon interrupted staring at a woman that resembled Scorpius' grandmother only with black hair and a tad older, she was standing with a green-haired boy who was holding hands with Victoire.

"Andromeda Tonks," Molly corrected him.

"She's Bellatrix Lestrange's sister, though?" Calderon wondered staring at the woman with a mournful look, Molly scowled slightly, "she looks so much like her."

"Yes. But don't say that to her."

"I'm not going to say anything to her."

"Merlin's beard, you're related!" Molly burst out snapping her fingers and Calderon looked horrified, lights erupted around him, "your grandmother's her sister, right Scor?"

"Err... yeah," Scorpius agreed and Calderon looked about to collapse with relief for reasons that were lost on Scorpius.

"Come on, I'll introduce you!"

"Err... no thanks I'm good."

"Come on, I'm sure she'd love to meet her great-nephew. Don't you want to meet your long-lost family?"

"My grandmother disowned her for marrying... her husband, why would she want to meet me? I wouldn't know what to say to her anyway."

"I'm sure she would, you're really great," Molly told him with a smile that made his heart melt, Molly thought he was great? "I'll go ask her."

"Weren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" a woman questioned of Molly before his crush could run off.

Scorpius thought the woman had to be Molly's mother, she had Rivers' eyes and hair color and shared part of Molly's good looks or had once, the chiseled in stern expression detracted from it. She was standing beside a curly red-haired man who was very clearly a Weasley, he also looked very severe who he assumed was Molly's mother. Rivers also wandered over to stand with them, talking to a girl who he assumed was Molly's sister Lucy. Lucy had red hair like Molly and their father but it wasn't curly like them, wavy like her mother and uncle, she also shared their brown eyes but had freckles like her father.

"Yes!" Molly said excitedly and Scorpius felt extremely awkward as he was pulled forwards to the Weasleys, "this is Scorpius Malfoy and these are my parents and my sister Lucy."

"Pleasure to meet you," Scorpius offered politely as years of manners kicked in over his nerves.

"Molly's told us so much about you," Percy Weasley informed him neutrally, "well done on Quidditch, pretty impressive for a first year."

"Err... thank you. I try my best."

"Hang on, I'll be back in a minute," Molly spoke up cheerfully and darted away even as Audrey opened her mouth to protest, she snapped it shut again and glanced disapprovingly after her daughter.

"Do you still keep up with your studies?" Audrey Weasley asked of him and looking down on him with a judging stare.

"Yes," Scorpius answered truthfully although he didn't want to sound like he was bragging in case they thought he was being arrogant but then he didn't want them to think he was bad at things, he wanted Molly's family to have a good impression of him, "I'm... one of the top of my class... in some classes."

"You could probably be the top if you abandoned that silly broomstick game. I wish Molly would abandon that silly game and focus on her own studies, that's more important."

"Can I play the silly broomstick game when I'm older?" Lucy piped up and the parents both stiffened visibly.

"No, I'm not having you risking your life flying around like a maniac like Molly does. You have to focus on your studies and do well, do lots of magic."

"I can't wait to do magic," Lucy said brightly, grinning from ear to ear excitedly and Scorpius heard Calderon sigh sadly, "do you get to do lots of magic in your first year, Scorpius?"

"I'm back," Molly announced breaking through the circle of adults with Andromeda Tonks in tow, "Andromeda, this is Scorpius."

"Pleasure to meet you," Andromeda offered politely much the same way Scorpius had before, Molly laughed at this.

"That's exactly what he said!"

"Likewise," Scorpius greeted his great-aunt awkwardly as she held out her hand for him to shake which he respectfully did, wondering what his grandmother would think if she knew.

"And who are you?" Andromeda asked, directing the question who seemed to have been trying to discretely move away unnoticed but Andromeda had spotted him regardless.

"Err..." Calderon stammered for a moment and the lights flashed around him, "M-Marius. Calderon. Marius Calderon. That's my name. Nice to... um... pleasure to... err... glad I erm... hello."

"Have we met by any chance? Don't take this the wrong way but your remind me of me someone but I can't place who."

"No we haven't met... I just have one of those faces that looks like everyone else I guess. I don't... I don't know you. I mean I've heard of you. A lot about you but I haven't met you. Until now. I've... I've met you now. Just like now but I meant before that, you probably know what I meant. I just erm... Ticcy!" Calderon continued unusually awkwardly before spotting Professor Ashain nearing them and practically jumping at the possible chance of leaving, "what were you saying just now?"

"The Aurors want us to start sitting down now, the Minister just arrived," Professor Ashain told them, seeming to just dismiss the strangeness as Calderon being Calderon, "so could please make their way to the seating area that would be good."

"Everyone over to the seating area, I'll go spread the word! Nice meeting you," Calderon said looking relieved to have an excuse to be away as he bolted in a flurry of lights.

"Is he usually like that?" Andromeda wondered staring after him with a bemused expression.

"Pretty much," Professor Ashain admitted, "he's alright once you get... used to him."

"I still can't think of who he reminds me of."

"A crazy person? I-" Rivers guessed but was cut off as two identical dirty blond-haired boys ran into him, "hey!"

"Lorcan! Lysander!" Percy snapped as the two boys scrambled to their feet and Audrey helped a glowering Rivers up, "you have to be more careful where you're running, you'll be ten in a month, start acting like it!"

"We'll try," the two boys said in unison and winked as they ran off again.

"Unbelievable," Rivers moaned to his sister as they continued towards the seats and Scorpius remained standing beside Professor Ashain, "can you believe that, Aud? And you know those people? Unbelievable. Doesn't anyone know how to respect their elders? What are they teaching them in school? Why aren't the parents keeping them under reign? My arm hurts and my robe's all creased now!"

"Wherever he's sitting, I'm not," Professor Ashain grumbled.

"Me too," Scorpius added as he peered into the throng of people making their way to the seats, "don't suppose you saw Michael anywhere? I was going to sit with him."

"I'm afraid not. I was catching up with the Aurors, they actually remembered me, did you know?" Professor Ashain pointed out as they started to move closer to the seats, to the front few rows reserved that were off-limits to students not related to any of the speakers or staff, "well you should go find your friend if you want to, good luck in this crowd though. But if you change your mind and want a good seat you can sit up front with me, I always think its better to be near the front to see the speaker rather then disembodied voices."

"Sure."

They got seats in the second row, Scorpius actually had a really good view of the podium. There were two rows of chairs behind the podium too, for the speakers. Professor Ashain pointed out the Minister for Magic, Harry Potter, Rose's parents, Professors Longbottom and McGonagall he knew, Molly's parents would also be speaking as high ranking ministry officials, Rose and Albus' grandfather was also speaking, Varanian wasn't speaking but as headmaster he also had a seat up there and the others Scorpius didn't really know. Aurors were also clustered around the edges of the podium, standing ready to defend its occupants.

He turned his gaze to the chairs filling up near the front, Molly, Rivers and Lucy were sitting together in the front row but on the opposite side to Scorpius - there was a walkway in the center between the two sides - and he also saw Albus, James and a redheaded girl with glasses who he assumed was Lily sitting with a redheaded woman who was probably their mother, Rose and a younger redheaded boy also were sitting with them and an elderly looking redheaded woman, he recognized Victoire, Dom, Louis, Freddie and Roxy also sitting with a bunch of redheaded people and their presumed wives. He assumed that was just the Weasley segment. He recognized the twins who'd knocked over Rivers sitting near them with a dirty-blond haired woman and a robust rusty haired man, also he saw Abby, Nick, Heather with a younger boy and a slightly plump woman whom he assumed was Abby's brother, August and mother respectively. Andromeda and the forest-haired boy were there too - wait no, his hair was black. Ah, Teddy Lupin the metamorphmagus, he had heard of him. The only other people he recognized were staff sitting amongst the crowd, Calderon slumped into the chair beside Professor Ashain and Scorpius was on the edge so he had no one sitting on his other side.

Then the memorial began. An official spoke first to welcome then and explain why they were there although Scorpius was pretty sure everyone knew, the speakers magically enhanced the volume of their voices so everyone could hear which meant it was very loud in the front rows. Scorpius noticed Calderon hanging his head when the official spoke of remember the victims of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, the assistant's shoulders started to shake as if he was crying when the official mentioned them also celebrating the victory Voldemort's death and some people cheered. The Minister for Magic was the second to speak, he gave a very long speech about his friends in the Order of the Phoenix and their bravery in the war, focusing on those who'd died fighting, some people in the crowd also started crying and a lot of the Weasleys seemed to start when the Minister spoke of Fred Weasley. It was very touching and very depressing, Scorpius wondered if his father and grandparents had killed anyone. It trailed off positively, turning their sacrifices into an heroic inspiration and reminding everyone while they were gone, they were not forgotten. The applause was deafening.

The next to speak was Harry Potter, he didn't get very far though as he trailed off with everyone on the podium staring at the walkway. Scorpius turned to where they were looking - as did most people, not Calderon who still had his head hunched - and saw a man walking up the center, an old man with a long white beard and black eyes. Pupil, iris, sclera, all pure black and glowing. Professor Ashain shivered and gaped, all the adults were gaping.

"Whose that?" Scorpius whispered to the professor.

"Dumbledore," Professor Ashain breathed in reply.

"My friends, my brethren! I've come from the future to warn you!" Dumbledore called out to the crowd, somehow his voice carrying as he stopped near the front row before his lips curled into a cruel smile, "nah, I'm just screwing with you! Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light shot immediately out of Dumbledore's wand, straight towards Harry Potter but the handsome sandy-haired Auror was the fastest to react. He threw himself at Harry, knocking the Head Auror clean out of the path of the curse that sailed straight on towards the unfortunate person sitting directly behind. Audrey Weasley. Molly's mother. The curse struck her full on and her lifeless body was thrown backwards, he heard Percy scream no as the man jumped after his wife's body.

"I AM THE SHADOW MASTER! FEAR MY POWER!" Dumbledore yelled as he tossed his head back and his arms into the air, laughing maniacally as he did so.

Chaos followed.

---

Part 3: Chaos

---

Darkness erupted from his hands and tainted the sky, dark clouds swarmed as if on command. Dumbedore - or rather the Shadow Master - jerked his wand arm and a pulse of black shot out, becoming the symbol of the Shadows that gazed threateningly down on them. Dumbledore's body had been remarkably preserved, the white robe looked as good as new and his face was recognizable, only his skin had a unhealthy discoloration. Scorpius saw the hesitation in the Aurors' eyes, not wanting to hurt the body of their former friend, comrade and hero.

They had no choice though. The Shadow Master started throwing curses out in ever direction, using both his wand and his free hand to threw magic everywhere, injuring, killing, exploding wherever it touched. All the while laughing a demented laugh that made Calderon's sound sane. The Aurors retaliated by throwing curses at the Shadow Master which all had no effect in the slightest against the man, he continued attacking and laughing.

Shadows swarmed and started going into people, either into the fallen bodies of the dead or just random people. Their eyes would turn black like the Shadow Master/Dumbledore's and they'd join the attack, turning on their friends, families, even their children. Some were screaming. Some were crying. Some were running. Some were trying to get to their loved ones. Some were trying to protect their loved ones from their loved ones. Some were fighting back but their curses were useless. Some people were hurt.

Professor Ashain had rushed to try and fight the Shadow Master as had several of the Aurors including Harry Potter and his sandy-haired savior, Varanian was also trying to fight but it wasn't hurting the Shadow Master at all - no it was, Scorpius realized as Varanian slashed Dumbledore's body with his favorite spell and the possessed-corpse bled, the injuries just didn't seem to register with the Shadows controlling them, they had to be able to resist some though as most didn't have an effect.

Varanian stopped fighting for a moment to say a spell that Scorpius couldn't make out over the noise, he yelled that they could apparate and another Auror magically enhanced his voice to get the message across, popping sounds deafened all around but the Auror was struck down by a killing curse from being distracted. He became one of the possessed. It was all happening so fast, Scorpius had a hard time keeping track of everything and needed a lot more than two eyes to see it all.

The people around Scorpius started disapparating away to safety or rushing back to help but none of them thought to take him with them, Calderon didn't disapparate. The assistant was still sitting in his chair, his head was buried in his hands and lights swirled around him, bouncing back any stray curses. Scorpius tried to keep track of his other friends, the Weasley family were rapidly disapparating and grabbing children to take with them - his friends included - much to his relief, Abby's mum and elder sister grabbed the younger ones and also disapparated. He had no idea where Michael was. Professor Ashain was still fighting. Molly wasn't being disapparated, Molly, Rivers and Lucy were running towards the podium instead, Lucy clutching at her uncle's hand as if for dear life.

Audrey's body was one of those to have risen, it was sitting up, her eyes black like the shadow-possessed people who'd turned on their own kin. Audrey was no exception. She threw a curse at the Minister of Magic's back while he was engaged with the Shadow Master, Kingsley Shacklebolt went down with an unnamed black-colored curse and another Auror hastily disapparated him to safety. Her corpse attacked tried to attack her distraught husband without waiting to see what became of the Minister, only for Percy's father to push him barely out of the way in time and get struck in the face instead.

Hardly anyone was left by the podium by now, they'd either joined the fight against the possessed or disapparated. Rivers, Molly and Lucy were still heading towards Audrey, unbeknownst to Percy who disappareted with his injured father. Scorpius' legs were moving before he realized it, diving under the curses firing wildly all around him as he made a beeline for Molly, desperately calling her name and not sure if it was heard above the noise, he could barely hear himself.

Audrey was raising her wand to attack Rivers and her daughters, only Molly seemed to realize the danger and called out something that sounded like 'stop!' Scorpius had his wand out in an instant and focused every shred of his energy into funneling a burst of magic out. Gray light shot towards Audrey and struck her, flinging her body back once more and making her causing shoot harmlessly into the sky and not hit Molly.

"Don't hurt my sister!" Rivers was sobbing as he flicked his wand at Scorpius, Scorpius' wand was propelled out of his hand and he was knocked painfully back onto the ground, forgotten as Rivers continued towards his sister and crying out for her, "Aud! Aud! AUD!"

Percy apparated back and grabbed Lucy who was clutching Rivers hand so tightly that when he disapparated he took the professor with him, Rivers still screaming for his lost sister. Audrey meanwhile had got back up, tears were streaming down Molly's face as her own mother raised her wand to attack her. Scorpius yelled at her to duck and Molly threw herself out of the way just in time to miss the green jet of light, Percy appeared again and hugged his daughter close as he disapparated her to safety. Giving one last tearful look at his wife as he went.

Leaving Scorpius alone with her. Without his wand. Scorpius scrambled to get away to find it on the ground, his heart was pounding against the inside of his ribs as if trying to escape the cage because it was terrified and knew he was doomed. Wand, wand, find you wand! His mind was screaming at him in panic as he spotted the familiar stick in the dirt, he dived for it and a black jet of magic hit the spot he'd just been in. He got to his feet hastily and found himself right back into the middle of the duel with the Shadow Master.

Most of the Aurors who'd been fighting were now engaged dueling with other possessed people, some of which were the other Aurors. Harry Potter disapparating with an injured Auror as Scorpius stumbled into the fight. Varanian, the sandy-haired Auror and Professor Ashain were still fighting him from the sides of the walkway. Scorpius had landed in the middle and directly in the path of the ruined body that once been Albus Dumbledore, slashed to pieces, slashed to the bone in places but he was still fighting with a twisted smile in his face.

The Shadow Master had already thrown a curse towards Scorpius, before he'd got to his feet. He barely had time to register his serious error in judgement and the fact he was probably about to die before he felt himself being tackled out of the way, Professor Ashain had launched himself protectively at Scorpius just as the magic hit.

The burst of black, seemed to explode on contact only Scorpius didn't feel hit or even in pain until he was slammed against the ground. The curse must have missed, he thought triumphantly, glad to have survived perhaps another second was a second longer than a moment ago and really they were living in the seconds. He tried to get up but Professor Ashain held his arm to the ground.

"Stay down," Professor Ashain whispered into his ear, "ar-are you h-hurt?"

"No, I'm fine," Scorpius replied, he was face down on the ground, his cheek was pressed against the dirt but he could still see the now two-way duel with the Shadow Master.

"G-Good..."

"ENOUGH!" Calderon screamed and Scorpius' attention was drawn to him again.

Only Calderon wasn't just surrounded by light, he was light, he looked like he was fire with flames of light blazing from his body. He got to his feet off the chair and advanced on the Shadow Master then, the chairs tossing themselves away from him as he walked. He looked angrier than Scorpius had ever seen him. He punched his fist into the air and a streak of golden shot into the sky, making contact with the skeletal snake symbol that exploded.

Calderon lowered his arm ever so slowly towards the Shadow Master and hissed, light burst from his palm and the Shadow Master turned his attention completely to the assistant as he hissed. The Shadow Master raised his non wand palm towards Calderon and a jet of black light shot out, meeting Calderon's light straight on. Bolts of magic burst from the collision of power, like forks of lightning erupting out and thundering so loudly that Scorpius couldn't hear anything else as they tore through the chairs, trees, scorching the ground wherever they touched.

But Calderon was stronger. The gold forced through the black and he saw Calderon's mouth moving as if he was saying something but it was lost over the roar of the power, Dumbledore's body was thrown back the instant the light touched it. Tendrils of light flared from Calderon's body, golden waves flooding from him and crashing through the air, swamping the area and cascading outwards. Calderon was just a beacon of light in the center of it all, brighter than the sun and Scorpius was forced to look away.

He heard could hear inhumane screeches of pain slicing through the sounds of the magic, a possessed Auror was in Scorpius new line of sight and he was trashing wildly. Clutching at his head, his mouth open in a scream as his body convulsed painfully and a second later a shadow was torn from his body. The man's eyes reverted to brown and he crumpled to the ground in a heap. The shadow was drowned in the sea of light, Scorpius could swear the shadow was person shaped with pitch black eyes like he'd seen by Dumbledore's tomb before.

All at once the waves of light receded as if being pulled back, Scorpius awkwardly jerked his head back to Calderon and saw the light almost seeming to be sucked back into his still outstretched palm. The light vanished. No shadows. No dueling. No possessions. Just stunned people with bodies scattered all around them. Just another sunny day at the beginning of May.

Silence.

It was over.

Calderon was just standing there in the heart of it all, dressed like all a muggle all in black, his face streaked with tears and all traces of anger gone from his face. He lowered his arm and gazed at the ruined, again lifeless body of Dumbledore. Everyone was looking at him.

Scorpius wanted to see the expression on Varanian's face that the assistant he treated like dirt had just saved everyone's lives - again - but Varanian had collapsed, his chest was rising and falling indicating he was still breathing but unconscious. People slowly started moving again, most of the remaining Aurors - which was most of the people left, or at least left near Scorpius - converging on Dumbledore's body to make sure the Shadow Master was really gone, Dumbledore's glazed eyes just started lifelessly as the sun. It seemed impossible that it was shining after what had just happened.

"Did you see that?" Scorpius wondered to Professor Ashain, "what Calderon was amazing. He just... he just banished all the shadows and saved everyone, he saved all our lives. Did you see, Professor?"

Scorpius expected a reply and for him to move, he actually didn't like having someone half on top of him. Professor Ashain said nothing but he could hear his ragged breathing in his ear. Scorpius scowled and opened his mouth to ask him to please move before he noticed a strange wetness seeping against his back. A horrifying thought struck Scorpius, he hadn't been hit but...

"Professor Ashain? Are you okay?" Scorpius questioned fearfully but got no reply.

Scorpius wriggled his way out from under the professor and turned back, there were huge tears in the fabric of the professor's robe and deep blackish gashes visible. Crimson stained his whole back. Despite the sun, Scorpius felt colder than ice as he rolled the professor onto his back, Professor Ashain's eyes flickered open at this and he whimpered in pain. His front wasn't much better, the robe was still torn up from his right shoulder all the way diagonally across to below his left hip with a gaping open wound visible on the skin. There was so much blood. Professor Ashain looked in agony, every breath was ragged and jerky.

"HELP!" Scorpius screamed louder than he thought he could make his voice again, "someone help! Urgent healer help! Please! Help me! Help! Help!"

No one came running. The healers were probably already gone. What was he supposed to do? What did people do when someone got hurt? Scorpius wracked his mind frantically, putting pressure on the wound sounded familiar to stop the bleeding. He awkwardly put his hands against two randomly places the wound, ignoring the stickiness as he pressed down and Professor Ashain gasped in pain and grabbed Scorpius' wrist with his left hand, the right was still clutching his wand.

"H-Hurts... t-too... m-much..." Professor Ashain told him in shuddering breaths as he looked at him with a face devoid of color, "pl-please... i-it... h-hurts..."

"O-Okay," Scorpius shakily agreed, he didn't want to hurt him and he wasn't so sure it would help if it was hurting him. Professor Ashain let go of his wrist and his arm started to fall, Scorpius held his hand tightly as the professor started to close his eyes, "no! No! You have to... You have to stay awake and keep your eyes open, you're gonna... you're gonna be okay. The Healers are coming, they are, you just have to stay awake and not... not... not die and they can save you and you can... you can see your daughter on her birthday just like you were going to. You just have to hold on and not... not die. Please."

Professor Ashain's eyes hesitated in closing for a moment, he opened his mouth as if to say something else but instead he coughed and blood spluttered out. Scorpius winced, you didn't need to know a lot about healing or injuries to know that that wasn't good. Professor Ashain flicked his gaze to the sky as his eyes slowly shut.

---

Part 4: Bloodied Hands

---

"NO! HELP! HELP! HELP!"

Scorpius just keep screaming for help, eventually someone had to listen to him, someone had to help. Professor Ashain couldn't die. He couldn't. Not because Scorpius was so stupid to get in the way of a curse. Why was he so stupid?! The lump in his throat was so big, it hurt to yell but he didn't stop. He squeezed the professor's limp hand tightly, Scorpius wasn't sure if was breathing anymore. He couldn't be dead. He just couldn't.

Finally Scorpius felt arms pulling him away and healers swarmed over the professor like crows on carrion, on that depressing image Scorpius squeezed shut his eyes. Professor Ashain had to be dead, he'd been so hurt. He's dead and its all your fault! His mind roared angrily, why do people around you get hurt? Lyra died, your grandfather's ill, your friends lost their memories, Molly lost her mother, Michael was tortured, I don't even know where to begin with Calderon. What is wrong with you? Are you so evil that it just rubs off and everyone around you suffers? I hate you.

"He'll be okay, Scor, the healers are doing everything they can," Calderon's voice told him soothingly and he realized the assistant was the one pulling him away, he opened his eyes and turned to face Calderon.

"It's all my fault. He was trying to save me. He was trying to protect me," Scorpius cried but tears refused to break past his eyelids, he couldn't even cry when someone he cared about died? What was wrong with him? You're evil, "it's my fault he's dead."

"It's not your fault," Calderon said very firmly as he sat Scorpius down on one of few the chairs not cast aside by the assistant's power, he met Calderon's serious dark eyes, "do you hear me? Blame the Shadows, blame the security for not being good enough, blame me for not doing something sooner even but don't blame yourself because its not your fault. Ticcy wouldn't want you to, would he? He tried to protect you because that's the kind of person he is, not because you did anything wrong."

"Okay," Scorpius whispered, not quite believing it but he felt too distraught to argue with the person he looked up to most as he hung his head and saw his hands, Professor Ashain's blood was quite literally on them.

"And he's not dead, if he was the healers would have moved on to someone else," Calderon pointed out and Scorpius supposed that was logical, Harry Potter called Calderon over to help him secure the perimeter and insisted Scorpius couldn't come, "just stay with Ticcy, he doesn't have anyone to be with him right now. I'll find you when I can, is that okay?"

Scorpius nodded mutely and watched Calderon leave. Everything was a blur for awhile after that, he wasn't quite sure how he got from the grounds to the hospital wing. He just stared at the ground lost in guilt and grief as Professor Ashain's last moments played over and over and over in his mind. Scorpius knew it should be him, he should've been the one in pain, he should've been the one with the horrible injuries, not Professor Ashain. The professor was still alive at least, he looked so pale and his breathing sounded off, his chest was all wrapped up in bandages and his hair a mess. He would hate that. Scorpius still felt horrible though as he let his head fall into his hands. Why had Professor Ashain risked his life like that anyway? He'd been so happy to see his kids again in nineteen days, just nineteen days. The Shadows couldn't wait nineteen days? His life was more important than Scorpius, after all Scorpius was already weak and ruined and pretty much dead already. He wondered if Michael was actually dead already too, Scorpius still had no idea what had become of him. He was afraid to find out.

He looked up at the crowded hospital wing, the workload was usually light for the Hogwarts healing staff but that day he had a feeling that their feet wouldn't touch the ground for a long time. And that was after the majority of the more seriously had been taken to St Mungo's, the beds in the hospital wing were reserved for the seriously injured and Hogwarts staff - Varanian had a bed despite just being unconscious - that remained and he overheard them saying the less severe were in the Great Hall as their was more space, most students were gathering in the Great Hall with their families. The dead and those who died - Scorpius knew at least three had died in the hospital wing that he'd noticed - were moved to the room near the Great Hall and kept under watch lest they rise from the dead again and attack.

Professor Ashain was one of the worst off, they weren't sure whether he'd been struck by a curse from the Shadow Master and Audrey at the same time or the Shadow Master's had just gone straight through. Either way it didn't sound good, Scorpius was repeatedly shunted aside when they'd need to see to the professor again and try more things as more resources arrived, they said he'd be dead already if 'Cel' hadn't had some of the potion that had helped Rose's dad survive on him so they'd been able to repair some of the internal damage. They still seemed slightly surprised every time they came over and Professor Ashain wasn't dead yet, that really didn't bode well for him. Scorpius just held his hand for lack of anything more useful to do and willed him to hold on, to keep fighting and proving them wrong.

"Hey Scor," Calderon said after awhile and Scorpius glanced at the assistant who offered him a weak smile, he looked very drained, "how's he doing?"

Madam Pomfrey seemed to hear this and took Calderon aside for a moment, she whispered so quietly that Scorpius couldn't hear the whole conversation - not over the noise of the chaotic hospital wing anyway - but he did catch snippets. She recommended Calderon try get the professor's family because it wasn't looking good, something about making him comfortable and that he wouldn't wake up. Calderon looked saddened and just nodded, telling Scorpius he'd be back again and leaving. Scorpius didn't ask why. He didn't want to know. He'd rather cling to Professor Ashain's hand like it was the last wisp of hope. Maybe he would be okay, they'd said Scorpius' sister would be okay and she'd died so maybe since they thought he wouldn't be okay that he would? Scorpius wanted to cry so badly. He'd never forgive himself if the professor died from saving his worthless life. Calderon returned again not too long after that, he spoke to Madam Pomfrey in a whisper again, something about Professor Ashain's wife not wanting to come and sending an owl to his father but not expecting anything. Scorpius felt even worse, Professor Ashain might die and his family didn't even care.

"Come on, Scor," Calderon offered in a gentle tone, "let's go to the Great Hall with the others, your friend Michael's there, you've stayed with Ticcy long enough. A hospital wing isn't really the place for an eleven year old."

"I'm not leaving him," Scorpius said determinedly gripping the professor's hand tight.

"Scor-"

"I know he might die and I'm not leaving him. He doesn't deserve to be alone. He saved my life and he's my... friend type person and I'm not leaving him unless you drag me away."

"Are you sure?" Calderon wondered and Scorpius nodded before something dawned on him.

"Calderon... I know that... that healing is bad for you but... is there any way you could just heal him enough to make sure he won't die without hurting yourself?"

"I can't, some wounds I can't heal and the wounds the Shadows caused are immune like that, they taint the magic so it can't be healed magically. Not even by me. It sucks."

Calderon opened his mouth to say something but was called over by Professor McGonagall, her arm in a sling as she asked him to please get a roll call of all the students. Scorpius waved him a silent bye as the assistant that Calderon returned, scanning the room to mentally tally who was there before he left to find the others. Leaving Scorpius alone with Professor Ashain again - or not alone exactly as there were still healers and other injured people and their families and friends, they were in the very corner though and no one else was at the professor's bedside unless they were healers seeing to him every so often. Scorpius wasn't actually sure how much time had passed or was stilling passing, he just drifted in and out of his thoughts like he had been. He was sure it had been hours since the attack.

Eventually though he became aware of someone standing opposite him, he glanced up at the stranger but Scorpius' first guess was that he was a relative of Professor Ashain. He had the same eyes and same shade of hair, although the stranger had his a bit longer and not combed unlike the professor. Scorpius would have guessed brother if he didn't know that professor's only brother was dead, a cousin maybe? Although he didn't think Professor Ashain had a cousin. The man's handsome face looked incredibly anxious as he gazed at the professor, he was fingering his spirally wand nervously and jumping at any noise, for some reason thought wearing bright green and bright red were a good color combination.

"Can I help you?" Scorpius wondered of the man who jolted in surprise at being addressed and looked around the room fearfully before glancing at Scorpius.

"Are you related to Lucius Malfoy by any chance?" the man asked cocking his head to one side curiously.

"He's my grandfather, I'm Scorpius Malfoy. Are you related to Professor Ashain by any chance?"

"He's my son, I'm Aurelius Ashain," the stranger told him and Scorpius had to resist the urge to drop his jaw in shock before the man giggled, "professor."

"He's really your son?"

"Do you really think I would be here if he wasn't?" Aurelius said losing his brief glee and jumping at another noise from behind them, scowling anxiously as he continued fingering his wand, "I don't like leaving the safety of home. Although home isn't really safe anymore, not since Father decided to befriend a bunch of Death Eaters. Your grandfather is one of them, his eyes are so creepy. I never liked Lucius, he used to pick on me even though we were in the same house but he didn't have creepy eyes like that."

"Wait a bunch of Death Eaters?" Scorpius asked with a frown, he was sure his grandfather had just been befriending Corvinus for some unknown reason.

"Yes, first Lucius and then that Lestrange brother. Both making Unbreakable Vows and I have to be the Bonder, I don't see why, I don't like it. I don't like Death Eaters. They're creepy. And evil. And evil and creepy. There should be a word for evil and creepy like... evipy or creevil. Woah, creevil. I don't like creevil. That sounds creepy. Or maybe that's good because its supposed to sound creepy. And evil."

"What Unbreakable Vows? My grandfather wouldn't make an Unbreakable Vow," Scorpius said in confusion, that really didn't sound like his grandfather. Why would be do that? Why with Corvinus Ashain?

"He did. I was the Bonder, weren't you listening? I didn't want to do it but they said Lucius would go if I did so I did. I don't like Lucius. I don't like Lucius even less with his creevil eyes," Aurelius rambled on before giggling again, "I used it in a sentence. Like a word! Only you and I know what it means. Pretty neat, eh?"

"What vows did they make?" Scorpius repeated as Aurelius became startled again and jumped, "why don't you sit down?"

"I can't sit down, what if I get attacked? Sitting down isn't the most defensive position to be in. Its alright for you because you're in the corner, you have the best view of the room so you'll know if you're about to be attacked but my side I'm like a legless fish on land that's an easy target because I wouldn't see it coming so I couldn't fight back. Wait fish don't have legs in the first place, do they? Okay a legless spider - no wait! I don't want to be spider, I don't like spiders they have so many legs. My animagus form is a bird so it wouldn't matter if I didn't have legs then because I could still fly away so I can't have that. What animal has legs?"

"Most of them."

"A lizard? No. I don't like lizards. Ooh a crocodile, I like them, they have snappy jaws. That would mean it probably doesn't matter if they had no legs because they could still bite the person. Oh a kitten, they're cute, everyone loves kittens. Except people allergic to cats I guess. I'm not allergic to cats. I'm allergic to the main ingredient in potions for pain though. Do you have any allergies? Wait, no I couldn't be a kitten because I'm too old and I don't like cats. Cats aren't cute because they can scratch you and-"

"I get your point, you don't need to think of an animal," Scorpius interrupted before Aurelius could carry on his with his rant and got up to give him his seat, "you can sit there and then you're not a legless anything."

Aurelius seemed to consider this for a moment before Professor Ashain's breathing changed, becoming spluttering and awkward and the healers swarmed like vultures once more. Scorpius had become fairly used to it, it had happened a few times and the healers would rush over and he'd be shoved aside, they'd do their thing and stabilize him again. Aurelius was clearly not used to it, he looked distraught and on the verge of tears, he didn't look away like Scorpius did. Scorpius thought it might be best to get him away, it tended to take a while and Aurelius didn't seem capable of taking his eyes off his son.

"Come on, let's get some air," Scorpius offered and Aurelius jumped again, Scorpius wondered if he was always that jittery but Aurelius just nodded and went with him miserably. He just still managed to startle at every sound and every imagined sound as they walked aimlessly through the nearly deserted halls, people giving him strange concerned looks as they passed, "he's... he's going to be okay, you know?"

"He is?" Aurelius repeated as his face lit up with relief, snapping him from his melancholy silence before Scorpius could confirm of deny it, "the letter made it sound like he was probably going to die within the day and people aren't very forthcoming with information, they just seem so busy and I don't want to bother them. I mean what if they were about to save someone's life but because they stopped to talk to me the person died? I wouldn't that to happen so I was afraid to ask. I was worried about Atty though. I may not talk to him anymore after... what happened with his brother but I don't want him to die. I didn't want either of them to die. Admittedly I'm not the best father but I did love them. Nothing good can come from wars."

"You think there's going to be a war?"

"I think there already is even if the Ministry side hasn't realized it yet," Aurelius told him with a despondent shrug before he jumped another foot in the air when a ghost floated in front of them, "I wouldn't worry about it though, you are only what eleven? Twelve? Or do you just look young for your age? With any luck it will have ended by the time by the time you're old enough to worry about it. You should go back to worrying about whatever eleven year olds worry about, when I was eleven I mostly worried about bullies because your grandfather used to pick on me, did I mention that? And I started to worry about girls too, I always had crushes on girls who were older than me and out of my league, teenagers don't want to date eleven or twelve year olds."

"What if the Shadows win?" Scorpius asked worriedly trying to get Aurelius back on track and not feel a pang of disappointment, did that mean he'd never have a chance with Molly? He mentally slapped himself again, it really wasn't the time. There never was a time.

"Then the Shadows win, does it actually matter? People will still die either way, everyone loses no matter who the victor. No point fighting, no point trying. Just wait until it all blows over and stay out of it. If you can anyway, obviously you can't help it if you get attacked. Its the only logical thing to do and beg your family to do the same. I fear its too late for Lucius though. He's creevil. Beyond redemption. I don't like him, he used to pick me. It wouldn't surprise me if he's working with the Shadows already. I like the word creevil actually, what do you think? Suits its meaning, I think. I always liked making up things, not that Hogwarts professors really like that, they never really liked me actually, said I was immensely bright but extremely lazy and had the attention span of a gnat. But I think that's really un- why is there so many ghosts here?!"

"My grandfather wouldn't..." Scorpius started to say but changed his mind, afraid it would sent Aurelius off tangent again, "so what were the Unbreakable Vows?"

"Erm... An item, something about an item for a task and the vow was for Lucius to promise to give it back when he was done and the second was a memory of said task. It was all very shady. Well everything Father does seems shady because he's just simply awful and everything Lucius does seems shady too because he's mean and he used to pick on me, did you know that? And he was a Death Eater and Death Eaters are bad. His eyes were so creepy. Very dark. And creepy eyes. Is there a word for that? Dark and creepy? There should be. He wouldn't have eyes like that if he was up to good."

"I get it, you don't like my grandfather. Did they say what the item or task was? Maybe it wasn't anything bad."

"Yes because two mean, creepy, evil men make Unbreakable Vows over such harmless things. You realize what happens if you break an Unbreakable Vow? Lucius is putting his life at risk. And I don't hold it against you for being related to Lucius by the way, I assume you're not that bad a person because you were sitting with Atty. It must be weird having him for a teacher, what does he teach? Wait was your question? Oh yes, I didn't know what the item or task was but knowing Father I could take a guess. Why do you want to know anyway? Ooh, I always liked that portrait, the background is rather pretty, don't you think?"

"Because I'm worried about my grandfather," Scorpius admitted as Aurelius cocked his head to one side to look at him again before sighing.

"Father's a collector of magical artifacts, he's very emotionally invested in one in particular and since Lucius' visit its been gone. Its this orb-"

"A blood rune orb?" Scorpius guessed feeling his blood becoming ice in his veins, what would his grandfather want with a blood rune orb? Why was everyone suddenly interesting in the same stupid rare old magic? Aurelius looked impressed he knew what it was and nodded, "you don't think the task is using it to activate the obelisk and the magic protection?"

"Its my best guess. Or to set up the wards because you have to do that first. Or both. How much do you know about then? How do you know it anyway?"

"You could say its a hobby."

"It is interesting I suppose and the fact the Shadows stole some blood rune ite- A tuatara! A tuatara without legs, that's what I'd pick. I like them, they're cute," Aurelius burst out, snapping his fingers triumphantly as Dom came out of the Great Hall and saw them, blinking in surprise, "that's what I'd be. What would you be? Why were we trying to think of legless animals again? Oh wait I remember."

"Scorpius, no offense but you could do with cleaning yourself up. You look like death, you're covered in blood," Dom pointed out and Aurelius looked relieved.

"Thank you for pointing that out, I've been wanting to say something for ages but I didn't want to seem rude. Are you a part-Veela by any chance, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Yes I am... why... why do you ask?" Dom wondered looking like someone had just thrown a bucket of ice cold water on her face she seemed so shocked.

"You just kind of have that pretty Veela-esque look about you," Aurelius waved it off dismissively but Dom's face split into a genuine smile as she blushed and stared at the ground, "don't take it the wrong way or anything, I've just spent a lot of time with Veela and part-Veela in the past and you just share their facial characteristics. I'm good with faces. Although one time I mistook an identical twin for the other and-"

"I'm going to get cleaned up," Scorpius interrupted before Aurelius could veer off into another tangent, the two nodded appreciatively as Scorpius slipped away.

He was heading to the nearest toilet to clean himself up, thankfully it was deserted. He turned on the water and put his hands against the edges of the sink, leaning against it as he forced his head to look up into his reflection. He did look rather a state if he was honest, he'd gotten used to seeing the blood on his hands but he hadn't seen the two bloody handprints he'd left on his face, his bangs were tinted crimson. Scorpius hated looking at himself in the mirror, hated seeing himself wearing the wrong colored robes of Gryffindor, hated seeing the pathetic weak little child staring back at him with his ugly gray eyes that revealed the pain inside he tried so hard to hide, although no one else seemed to notice that. He hated it. He hated himself. He wished he was stronger, he wished he was powerful, so powerful that no one could ever hurt him or anyone he cared about, not filthy muggles, not Shadows and Professor Ashain wouldn't have to have risked his life to save him. He did his best to wash the blood away and look presentable but he felt in a dark mood.

He returned to where he'd left Aurelius and Dom but neither were there so he returned to the hospital wing, Aurelius was sitting in his seat beside Professor Ashain with Dom beside him as they continued talking and Dom actually looked interested in what he was saying. Scorpius supposed it was alright to leave Professor Ashain alone with his own father for awhile, he didn't feel much like listening to Aurelius' ramble. Disappointingly he also noticed Varanian was awake in the opposite bed, Scorpius glared in the headmaster's direction as he left. He returned to the Great Hall, that was where Calderon would be and Michael.

It was just as busy in the Great Hall as it was in the hospital, more healers were still bustling around people and most people seemed to have a cut, bruise or bandage somewhere on them. Calderon was leaning against the wall beside the door, arms folded, lights flying, watching it all and he noticed Michael going around with the healers. He met his friend's eyes and saw relief there but Michael seemed busy as a healer poked him and they returned to going around the injured, checking on them he supposed as everything had to have been done in haste earlier. Instead he stood beside Calderon and leaned back against the wall, also gazing at all the people. He recognized some people, Rivers was sobbing in a ball, he saw a few other Weasley's about but not his friends, a few teachers and the librarian he saw, some people from the Quidditch team, Nott he also saw with his brother and a younger girl who looked Lucy's age with a man and woman that he guessed from the resemblance was their parents. He didn't see Molly though, although it was a big room and a big crowd and he was only by the entrance so he supposed she was just further back or home or something as she was definitely alive.

"How's Ticcy?" Calderon wondered.

"Stable I guess. Still alive at least. His dad's with him," Scorpius answered and Calderon nodded, a glimmer of relief in his shadowy eyes as he continued surveying the hall, "what are you doing?"

"I'm supposed to keep an eye on everyone in case they get attacked again, they don't think they will but the Aurors told me to wait here."

"Sounds like fun," Scorpius pointed out sarcastically.

"Its really not," Calderon sighed looking pained and almost tearful, "everyone's acting like I did a really amazing thing just because I banished the shadows with my magic. There's no getting out of being in the paper because too many people saw, I'm sick of people thanking me and asking me how I did like it was something special. Shadows don't like light is all, I just threw a load of light power at them."

"You did a good thing and saved lives, you're a hero."

"No I'm not, Scor. I'm nothing but a failure. I'm less than human. I'm insane. I'm a Death Eater's son. I shouldn't be thanked and I shouldn't be treated like I did a good thing."

"Hey Marius," Varanian greeted his assistant in an unusually... nice tone as he entered the Great Hall, the headmaster had scruffy tawny hair again and most of the scars except the ones on his cheeks were unnoticeable. He didn't have a perpetual scowl on his face either, if anything he looked guilty.

"How are you feeling?"

"Great actually, better than I have all year really. Except for the whole attack, that's not good."

"I guess you were right about the school being in danger from the Shadows."

"I guess but it doesn't matter," Varanian said as he shook his head, "I... I don't think its a good idea for me to be headmaster anymore, I'm resigning."

"What?!" Calderon and Scorpius burst out in union but Varanian seemed unfazed and just nodded and looked guilty as the sandy-haired Auror came over to them.

"I'm doing more harm than good, I'm not doing anything good and I think its best I quit while I can before something horrible happens or I can't. And Marius... I'm been treating you really horribly all year and that just isn't right, you don't deserve that especially after everything you've done for me and you're virtually the only person who can stand to be around me anyway and I'm really sor-"

"Hello," the Auror interrupted and Varanian shot him a dark look, "Cel Rooke, not sure we're all met."

"We've met," Varanian growled sounding more like himself, "did you want something?"

"Yes, you need to come with me back to the Auror office. You're the headmaster so we need to talk some things through."

"I'm quitting."

"Doesn't matter. Protocol."

"Can't it wait?"

"No. It has to be now, the sooner after you've regained consciousness the better."

"Will it take long?"

"It'll take longer if you don't come on," Cel Rooke pointed out and Scorpius realized he'd been the one with the potion that had saved Professor Ashain's life, he opened his mouth to ask him but he was already leading Varanian away who promised he'd talk to them when he got back. Calderon looked as stunned as Scorpius felt, was Varanian serious about quitting? Would he give his friends back their memories? Scorpius didn't want to get his hopes up but he could use some, he was all drained of hope again as he worried about his grandfather, the orb and his favorite professor. He hoped Professor Ashain would still be there when he got back.

"Are you okay?" Calderon asked after a few minutes.

"Not really," Scorpius admitted with a sigh and resisted the urge to add 'the only reason I'm not in pieces right now is because there's something seriously wrong with me,' "are you?"

"Not really," Calderon also admitted and for some reason Scorpius smiled weakly, at least he still had Calderon. They didn't say much but Scorpius felt a bit better, Calderon's presence was comforting even though his worries were eating away at the insides of his mind. Dom returned after awhile.

"Hey Dom," Scorpius called out to her and she came over to him, "is Aurelius with Professor Ashain?"

"Yeah," the Weasley girl nodded, "but they took him to St Mungo's. His condition is too critical to stay here. Aurelius went with him because he wanted to be with his son."

"They took Professor Ashain away just like that? I... I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"He's unconscious, not like he would hear you. And yes, he's got a better chance of surviving with better medical resources that Hogwarts doesn't have. Aurelius and I are going to keep in touch, I'll keep you informed of his progress if you want."

"Sure," Scorpius agreed although still felt disheartened as the redheaded girl walked away, "I hope he'll be okay."

"So do I," Calderon muttered just before Varanian returned with jet-black and a livid expression on his face, "hey Pippy, can I visit Ticcy at some point?"

"What?" Varanian barked twirling on his heel to face him and glaring at the assistant with a look of disgust, "of course you can't, you worthless idiot. There's stuff to be done, can't have you stupidly getting yourself hurt again because who would protect the school then? You especially can't risk yourself for scum like Ashain."

"Hey!" Scorpius snapped darkly and Varanian turned his scathing eyes on Scorpius, "take that back, he's not scum."

"You, him and Marius are all scum, Death Eater relatives are all scum," Varanian sneered angrily, "you make me sick."

"Are you still quitting?" Calderon wondered.

"Of course not! I was just feeling upset about the attack but now I'm not as its not really my fault, those useless Aurors were supposed to protect us but they failed. Aren't you glad I made you come now, Marius?"

Varanian stalked off without another word, he and Calderon exchanged identically confused looks. Scorpius had given up hope trying to figure the headmaster out and Calderon seemed to have as well, his behavior was just... odd. He really, really hated Varanian.

Order gradually started to come from the chaos though when Calderon conjured food from the kitchens to hand out to all for dinner, Scorpius wasn't really hungry but ate at Caldeorn's insistence. He didn't know what was happening but Calderon gave him permission to go back to his dormitory so Scorpius did so, he was the first to make it back to his bed, he'd been planning on waiting for Michael who'd still been tied up with the healers but he was asleep the second his head touched the bed. His dreams were filled with nightmares, of Shadows and blood runes and glowing black eyes and of Professor Ashain dying over and over again to save him, he woke up shaking and coated in sweat more than once but by then Michael was already back and asleep. When morning came he felt more weak and pathetic than ever.

---

Part 5: Greatest Fears

---

"Lu-cius, Lucius," a voice was calling him from his slumber and Lucius started to stir before immediately feeling a slap across his face, like being hit in the face with a wall and the voice barked gruffy, "Lucius, wake up faster!"

"What?" Lucius wondered rubbing his cheek and shooting a glare in Brutus' direction as the Soul Eater ran his hand through his uncouth hair, he must have fallen asleep at his desk again and was greeted by a painfully familiar throbbing headache.

"C'mon, wake up already. You need to be my lookout, take my hand."

"You could've slapped me more gently," Lucius grumbled as Brutus held out his deformed hand, Brutus looked extremely confused - he'd gotten much better at reading Brutus' facial expressions.

"But I was being gentle."

Lucius just sighed and took the Soul Eater's hand resignedly, it didn't even bother him as they teleported the shadow way although he still wondered - not for the first time - why they didn't just apparate like normal witches and wizards did. It was a bit awkward going from sitting to suddenly standing and only Brutus' grip kept him falling flat on his face, Lucius was surprised to find himself in a sterile hospital-like... they were in a hospital. He scowled in confusion, he'd been expecting them to be in the wood-paneled place or the middle of nowhere or somewhere not in a hospital that looked like St Mungo's as it had magical paraphernalia.

"Don't we usually stay out of the open like this?" Lucius wondered deepening his frown as Brutus' eyes flicked closed, "what if someone sees us? You're supposed to be dead, you wouldn't want to blow your cover."

"That's why you're my lookout," Brutus commented as he opened his eyes again, "just stand at the foot of this bed and tell me if anyone's coming while I do this."

"Fine," Lucius grumbled and went to stand where he was told, glancing around at the other occupants in the strangely overcrowded ward although considering the previous day's attack he knew there, "what if they notice us?"

"They're possessed so the Specters can force them to stay asleep so they don't notice anything. The gray souls have already been killed."

"Nice," Lucius muttered although it was easier to not care about random strangers, Scorpius was unhurt and that was all that mattered.

Draco and Astoria had nearly had a fit when they heard, they'd almost marched to the school to take Scorpius back because clearly it wasn't safe for him. The only thing that stopped them was knowing that Marius Calderon had been the one to banish the Shadows with his incredible power, the person Scorpius looked up to so he was probably safest with him although they'd still sent him a letter asking him if he wanted to come home because that was a different story entirely. Lucius was now near a hundred percent certain that Scorpius' beloved assistant was the person capable of banishing the Specter and saving his soul, not that it helped knowing that. Lucius wasn't sure how he could make Calderon aware of the Specter without saying it which he was sure that would get him killed by the Specter before Calderon could do anything, assuming he would want to help Lucius in the first place and relish his suffering.

"You're going to be okay, you know?" Brutus said gently and Lucius glanced back in confusion before he realized Brutus was sitting on the edge of the bed and talking to the person in it, Lucius hadn't bothered to see who it was as he'd assumed it was probably an assassination. Now he saw though that the person was Brutus' brother - and Scorpius' favorite professor - and Brutus was feeding him some flask of potion, lifting the unconscious former Auror's head to let him drink, "I bet it probably tastes like crap but it'll help, way better than that stuff they're giving you. You'd probably think its interesting how the instructions for this potion have become so diluted over time, this is straight from the source though. You have to fight though, Atty, it'll only help as long as your heart keeps beating, just keep fighting."

"What are you doing?"

"Get back to keeping lookout," Brutus growled without stopping giving the professor the potion, "I'm saving my brother's life in case you hadn't noticed and you're helping, you owe him."

"I owe him?" Lucius repeated raising an eyebrow but he turned back to the silent, oddly deserted corridor.

"He's nearly dead from saving your grandson's life."

"I thought Scorpius was off-limits?!" Lucius burst out in panic and glanced back to see Brutus putting the cap back on the flask and pocketing it.

"Look at the corridor not me. The Master wanted to see his reaction."

"The Master wanted to see his reaction!? He's eleven!"

"You wouldn't understand," Brutus said with a sigh as he shook his head and turned his attention back to his brother or rather half-brother technically, gazing down solemnly and gently stroking his hair, "it'll be okay in the end, you'll see. The world will be a better place in the end, we'll be the rulers so we'll make sure of it, no one will ever look down on us again, they'll look up when we kick them to the ground or they'll die. Worse than die, we'll rip the magic right of them because they won't deserve their power, we'll give it someone who does. The muggle vermin will be our slaves, isn't that kind of us? They get to live, the ones not eradicated anyway. They're like pigs or cows or sheep, they have their uses but they haven't got our level of intelligence so they're better off in captivity with people taking care of them. It'll be great, you'll see, Atty, you just have to hold on and everything will be okay. I'll make sure of it."

"Can we go now?" Lucius pleaded, not really liking the tangent into world domination. Brutus shot him a dark look but seemed to silently agree.

"I love you, brother," Brutus whispered as he stood up and gently squeezed his brother's hand in farewell before walking back over to Lucius.

"Just out of curiosity, how do you expect your ex-Auror brother who just nearly died fighting against the Shadows to ever willingly go along with your plans for all this?"

"He'll come around eventually, we'll find a way. Its not his fault he thinks like that. His bitch blood-traitor mother twisted his mind into thinking muggles and mudbloods were okay, got herself killed so its like everything she ever said or did could never be wrong and because of how she died the Death Eaters always seemed like the bad guys to him... You still want Scorpius to not be a Soul Eater, don't you?"

"Of course I still don't, your master murdered his sister and gave him to abusive muggles."

"Wouldn't you rather he live in the shadows than die in the light?" Brutus wondered scowling slightly as he offered Lucius his hand, Lucius took it and they returned to his study but didn't stop their conversation.

"My greatest fear is him getting hurt. I'd rather him not be involved at all. I wish him to just be kept out of it all, never be involved, never be in danger, to not have any part of it."

"Like that's possible."

"Brutus, you're not stupid, can't you see this whole thing is only going to end badly? Look at what happened to Grindlewald, look at the first two wizarding wars and what happened to You-Know-Who. Its going to be like father, like son," Lucius told him firmly and for some reason this amused Brutus who smirked and chuckled, he scowled in annoyance, "assuming all that stuff is true. And I'm being serious. This can and will only end badly for your master. Mark my words."

"Good thing the master's not watching you now or you'd have pissed the master off."

"The master isn't watching me right now?"

"No, the master's resting after the whole attack thing... when you're connected to the Specters like that it effects you if anything happens, leaves you weak and drained so the master must rest. I'm on shadow-duty right now, well when I get back anyway," Brutus explained and didn't look very happy, "I should be going. Bye."

"Wait!" Lucius called him back desperately and the shadows halted their swarming on him, "what you said before, about being able to regain control of your body while being controlled by the master... how do you do that?"

"Why? Didn't I also mention the Specters would tear your soul apart if you succeeded? You'd have seconds of free will again then get a fate worse than death," Brutus pointed out as he cocked his head to one side, Lucius did know this but he thought if he could learn how to fight it off temporarily then maybe he could tell Calderon and he could banish it like he did the people during the attack, "you just think you can escape from it somehow, don't you?"

"Can you blame me?" Lucius wondered with a sigh but Brutus looked sympathetic rather than angry and thoughtful.

"No. But it really won't work, you let it take hold and it'll take your soul... eventually."

"Oddly enough, I have realized that. I'm just out of hope."

"Okay," Brutus sighed and scowled, "your mistake from before was trying to fight the master out of your mind, the master isn't the one that controls. The Specter is the thing that overwhelms your mind, the master just controls the Specter. You just have to ignore the other consciousness and focus on fighting off the Specter, you can't make it leave your body but you can make it leave your mind and if its not controlling your mind then the master can't control you. As soon as you throw it off your mind though, it will go for your soul and rip you to shreds in seconds like its been told, you may have time to call a few words out for help but no one could say the banishing spell in time even if they wanted to. Its been tried in experiments and no matter how fast the other person is speaking, your soul will be destroyed before banishment, which is why believe me when I say, its suicide. Do you understand?"

"I think so," Lucius commented feeling deflated, wishing he'd gone to the memorial more than ever and trying to remember how fast Calderon had talked in desperation to cling to the threadbare fabric of hope.

"I'm sorry. I'd really rather you not die for as long as possible, I'm not sure how sincere you are but you treat me better than most and for that I'm grateful. Just keep doing as your told and I don't see a reason why you can't still live a long life, see your grandson grow up," Brutus continued as the shadows consumed him, "just don't fight it."

---

May was an even more miserably month for Scorpius than April had been. Varanian had changed the rules about the grounds, not only was the Forbidden Forest forbidden but the rest of the grounds too unless it was for classes in which case Calderon would escort them which seemed to bother the assistant as he was pelted with questions about his power. The only exception was Professor Hagrid and even them Calderon had to check on him in the morning, evening and if he went back to his hut for any reason although Calderon minded this less as he got an excuse to dote on the puppies he'd taken a liking to again.

All Quidditch matches and Quidditch practices been cancelled for the rest of the year, the team was crushed although in a way Scorpius supposed it wasn't that bad considering his broom. Since he'd 'given' it to Professor Ashain, Varanian had insisted teachers had to keep their own brooms in their own rooms so every practice he had to retrieve it and bring it back, it was a bit tedious but he'd enjoyed his talks with Professor Ashain when returning it as the former Ravenclaw Seeker had no problem giving tips and advice. He hadn't relished the thought of breaking into the professor's office every time to use it but he did still miss practice, the nerves from the matches he missed a lot less though.

Lessons had been terrible the first week, several students and even teachers not returned from spending time with injured family - or just time with family as some relatives had died - so due to the absences a lot of teachers just allowed studying and homework to be done and all classes with absent professors - Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions were the only ones effecting Scorpius' schedule - were free periods. Scorpius had made a game of trying to write each essay longer than the last because he was that bored and desperate for a distraction from his worries, he felt like it was eating him alive inside.

The only good thing was that Professor Ashain was still alive, every day Calderon would update him that the professor continued to defy death and was still alive for which Scorpius was eternally relieved although he was anxious by the following day. Every few days Dom would give him a more detailed account from what Aurelius had said, mostly that he was doing miraculously well and his condition was stable but he remained unconscious.

After the first week most people were back though and teachers arranged to cover the classes with absent professors, it wasn't too bad for Defense Against the Dark Arts - except for it not being Professor Ashain - as many of the professors had fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and knew a little something about the subject, potions on the other hand was sorely lacking in professors who knew what they were talking about. Varanian was the obvious exception, he was also helping cover the classes and he was frustratingly good at Potions, Scorpius had so desperately wanted him to be incompetent as a teacher. It made Scorpius feel ill watching Albus lapping up the praise Varanian gave him - Albus had developed a real talent for potionmaking - because he was oblivious to the memories lost. Mostly Varanian was a good teacher, kept everyone in line and was maybe a bit harsh but fair. Except to Michael and Scorpius.

Varanian would ride him for the smallest mistakes - Scorpius knew others who had also made the same mistakes but not been crucified for it - although Scorpius got immense satisfaction whenever he did something so perfectly that Varanian couldn't find fault, he would fume angrily and grudgingly tell him it was 'passable.' Michael on the other hand wasn't very good at the subject and Varanain seemed to make it his mission in the classes to torment his friend, taunting him for his failures and insulting him for his mistakes, he even went as far to threaten Michael with 'severe punishment' if he didn't improve, smirking and casually fingering his wand as a veiled threat. He knew it upset Michael, as if literally torturing an eleven year old hadn't been bad enough. On days with Varanian as teacher, Scorpius would often return from his detentions and see Michael crying. Varanian would just make them sit apart if Scorpius tried to defend Michael and Michael would always wipe his eyes and pretend he was fine as usual putting a brave face on everything and trying to seem upbeat despite everything, Scorpius still felt exceptionally useless at being unable to help his friend.

"Do you think they're better off?" Michael asked as they sat in the Common Room one evening near the end of May, Scorpius had been teaching him Wizard's Chess as an alternative to studying to death for the exams.

"What?" Scorpius wondered, trying to think what that had to do with him checking Michael's King.

"Do you think they're better off?" Michael repeated with a nod towards their former friends, the trio were sitting together laughing about something, "without their memories I mean? Let's face it, we're both miserable but they seem... okay. Do you think when we find a way to get the word out about Varanian that we should let them keep forgetting? Ignorance is bliss they say."

"I think they'd want to remember," Scorpius offered as he considered it, they did seem happier or as happy as you could be with the Shadows around. Maybe they were better off with him and Michael. That depressed him even more, "would you forget if you could?"

"No. Our experiences make us who we are, the good and the bad and I'd be a different person if I forgot all the bad memories," Michael said firmly shaking his head, "besides if I don't remember then no one would know what Varanian did, stopping him is more important than being happy. You have to put what's best for everyone above what's best for yourself, no matter what. What about you?"

Scorpius had guiltily been thinking that maybe it would be a good idea as soon as Michael said bad memories, some things wouldn't be worth losing his friends but if someone offered to make him forget about Marvin and the muggles and everything he'd suffered at their hands... he would be much more open to that. Even if it changed him. Maybe it would change him back to how he'd been before and his family would be happy again? Then again, Calderon had mentioned trying to erase his memory and just making it worse. Maybe some things you weren't allowed to forget. He was dragged from his newfound depressing line of thought by Molly's return - he hadn't seen her since the attack as she'd been out of school still - and she ran over to him the instant she saw him.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Molly exclaimed as she threw her arms around him, his depression was smothered by the blissful scent of cherries. Despite everything he smiled, if he could just hug her forever then he'd never worry again. His bubble burst when she started speaking again - still hugging him - and he realized she was crying, "I t-told my dad to go back f-for you b-b-but he s-said it was too dangerous and wouldn't and I was s-s-so scared that you would d-d-die too and it'd be all my fault and after you saved my l-life and everything."

"It's... It's okay," Scorpius tried to sound comforting but had a feeling he failed as she pulled away and wiped her streaming eyes, "I'm fine, its not your fault and I'm okay. Not a scratch."

"I'm s-sorry, I'm not usually a crier. I've j-just been a wreck since..."

"Its understandable you'd be upset after... anyone would. Its better to cry and get your emotions out than not be able to cry at all, bottling them up so they eat you up inside isn't fun."

"Th-Thanks," Molly said wiping her eyes more with little success, Scorpius felt the overwhelming desire to hug her and tell her it was alright or go back in time and save Audrey so Molly wouldn't be sad. Rose came over to them at that point looking stunned.

"Quidditch is canceled," Rose pointed out gently, "you don't need to pretend to friends with the Malfoy anymore and you certainly don't need to hug scum like that."

"Sc- wha- I..." Molly trailed off looking absolutely bewildered before anger blazed in her eyes and her hair looked like flames of rage that billowed down her back, she even managed to look beautiful angry as she screamed loud enough for the whole common room to hear, "he's not scum! And I'm not pretending anything! He is my friend and he used to be yours too, I don't know what in the bloody hell is wrong with all or what happened between you all but whatever it was it doesn't matter! You don't call people scum and you don't be so prejudiced and you don't be so mean! And do you really think I'm that cruel to befriend someone just to win at Quidditch?! What is wrong with you?! Why am I related to such horrible people?!"

Molly didn't wait for a reply as her anger faded and she ran off in tears again, racing for her dormitory. Scorpius almost went after her but it was the girl's dormitory after all and the prefect standing near the entrance didn't look like the kind to allow him to pass, Dom had seen the whole exchange and put away the letter she'd been writing to go after her cousin but paused to glare at Rose who looked even more stunned.

"She's right you know," Dom commented bluntly, "cherish the family and friends you have because you never know when you'll have none, that's what Aurelius says. Its good advice. You should take it instead of alienating everyone. Scorpius is alright."

"This is all your fault," Rose snapped to Scorpius as soon as Dom had gone upstairs after Molly, Abby and Albus seemed to be staying well out of it, she also glared at Michael, "and yours. You're a thief and you're a Malfoy. You're both scum. I wouldn't be friends with either of you if my life depended on it, you're the worst kind of people in the world and I hate you. Stop telling vicious lies to people that we used to be friends, are you really that pathetic?"

"We get it, we're pathetic scum, blah blah blah," Michael muttered miserably and Rose snorted in disgust and stormed back to the others, Michael sighed, "let's just go to bed."

Scorpius was more than happy to oblige. Not that things got any better the next day, flicking through the Daily Prophet at breakfast - it was a Sunday - and saw another story about a missing boy. In this case two boys, twins, who had gone missing two weeks before their tenth birthday just like Scorpius and the other boy whose name had been left out to protect his identity. He shoved the paper aside and refused to think about it in any more detail, they were just coincidences. Freakish coincidences but coincidences nonetheless. It wasn't the same muggles, the muggles weren't involved with wizards, his dreams had been dreams and they'd stopped anyway. His brain might actually explode if he worried about anything else. He overheard his former friends talking about the missing boys though, apparently they were family friends and the trio didn't seem very happy after that.

His mood didn't improve any the next day either, Varanian was covering their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Scorpius' blood seethed with rage as he saw the headmaster in Professor Ashain's chair, smirking cruelly as he told them all to sit down. Scorpius would have sat at the back to try avoid him like usual if he wasn't so curious about the shuddering trunk at the front of the class, what was Varanian playing at?

"Can anyone tell me what's the most important thing when using defensive magic? Fifty house points if anyone can get it," Varanian questioned to the class and almost every hand shot up. Almost every hand had shot down before long and Varanian seemed pleased that no one got it, "it was courage."

"Courage?" Nott spluttered which earned him a glare from the currently raven-haired Varanian, "that's ridiculous! What has that got to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Everything! What use is attack or defense or preparation or knowing your opponent or any of the things you all guessed if you freeze up? How are you to defend yourself from so much as a pixie if you're too scared to fight? Too scared to remember anything you've learned? It's all for naught if you're too scared when the time comes to use what you know. Which is why today you're all going to be facing your worst fears, if you can face your fears than you can face any foe. Today you'll be facing a boggart," Varanian explained before talking about what a boggart was and what it did, moving on to the spell used against it, he made them practice saying it a lot - although mentioned overcoming your fear and focusing on the change was more important - as he moved all the desks and chairs to one side before turning back to them, "Michael, why don't you go first? Everyone else get back behind him."

Michael blanched but stepped forward nevertheless clutching his wand tightly in a sweaty palm, Varanian didn't even ask him if was ready before flicking his wand at the trunk that shot open. For a second there was nothing and then a werewolf stepped out, a few people jumped back and squeaked fearfully as the ferocious wolf-like beast advanced on its prey, snarling with its huge knife-like teeth visible for all to see. Varanian looked like he was enjoying himself as he watched from one side, Michael wasn't the best at magic but he raised his wand bravely and didn't hesitate.

"Riddikulus!" Michael cried and a whip-like crack broke the air.

The werewolf stopped in its tracks and immediately whined and started twirling in a circle trying to snap playfully at its tail as if it was a puppy, Michael grinned triumphantly as the class laughed although Varanian only glowered and told them to get in a line. Scorpius went to the back, trying to think of what his worst fear was, he thought it might be Professor Ashain dying - although by all accounts he was defying the odds and hanging on but still unconscious - but he had no idea how the boggart would do that or how he would make it not scary. Michael joined him at the back looking relieved for it to be over with.

Scorpius watched everyone else in the class do it, not laughing with the rest or paying much attention to people he didn't really know or care about. Nott's worst fear - surprisingly - was a man resembling him telling him he was a disappointment to his family and not as good as his brother at anything, he thought Nott was going to run for a minute before he turned it into the man wearing some rather frilly girlish bright pink dress robes and the class laughed harder than ever. Rose's was a giant spider that tripped over its own web and got its legs all tangled up in the sticky silk but her cousins' was much odder, Albus' turned into Varanian. Everyone looked shocked by this, no one more so than Albus himself before boggart-Varaniain turned into a boggart-Dumbledore with glowing back eyes like from the attack, Albus looked actually relieved as he cast the spell and turned it into a healthy, kindly normal eyed Dumbledore who smiled warmly and said it was an honor to meet the one named after him. Abby's boggart became her father, slumped on the ground covered in blood with glazed eyes. Dead. She looked about to burst into tears but Varanian told her to stay strong, she defiantly cast the spell and her father returned to his usual self and started dancing a lively jig. Varanian congratulated her on her bravery and awarded her twenty house points, saying it was a difficult fear to conquer.

Finally it came to be Scorpius' turn. He still hadn't thought of what it would be or what he could do but to his surprise the boggart seemed to know even though he didn't, it turned into Marvin. Scorpius was so shocked he couldn't move. He could hear people whispering, wondering why his worst fear was just an ordinary looking muggle but he could barely register the sounds of their voice. Marvin smirked cruelly, his emerald eyes glinting with delight and Scorpius felt actual tears in his eyes. Not you, anyone but you! he begged but it didn't change. Marvin stepped forward and it took ever ounce of self control he had to keep himself on his feet, he was shaking, his legs were suddenly like tooth picks supporting a mountain and his hands were trembling so much he couldn't keep his wand straight. He couldn't speak with the jagged lump jabbing the insides of his throat. Varanian made no move to try help him.

"What's the matter, freak? Surprised to see me?" Marvin sneered as he batted away Scorpius' wand, it clattered the ground and Scorpius' legs gave way so he was on his knees again, "didn't I tell you that not even death can protect you from me? Nothing can protect you from me. You'll never be safe. You'll never be free."

Scorpius squeezed shut his eyes. He'd still been a prisoner a year ago, it wasn't that long, not really. He hadn't changed, he was still just a weak, pathetic child that couldn't protect himself from the monsters disguised as men. Marvin grabbed his hair and tugged painfully, forcing him to look up at the cruel face. Marvin just smiled and caressed his cheek gently, Scorpius wanted to vomit or cry or both but his tears refused to fall and his bile refused to push past the lump. He tried to reach for his wand but Marvin snatched his unscarred wrist, twisting it painfully and digging in his filthy nails. Scorpius cringed inwardly.

"You worthless, weak, pathetic little brat," Marvin spat darkly as he ran his free hand through Scorpius' hair, "nothing but a coward."

Scorpius just wanted it to stop. He just wanted Marvin to die... To die. Scorpius had already killed him once. He hadn't a wand. He hadn't had a chance in hell. But he'd done it. And he wanted Marvin to die again, this time he didn't fell the slightest shred of remorse as he pictured Marvin dying. In one fluid motion he snatched up his wand with his free left hand and pulled himself from Marvin's grip, he aimed the wand at his nightmare and focused all his strength into watching Marvin die.

"DIE!" Scorpius screamed, too focused to remember the incantation but it worked. His wrist burned and gray light burst from the tip of Scorpius' wand and shot towards Marvin, puncturing him through the chest and throwing him violently back inside the trunk that snapped immediately shut, "AND STAY DEAD!"

Scorpius was quivering as he was reminded where he was. In a class. In Hogwarts. People were staring at him, he could feel their eyes burning holes through the back of his skull. They'd seen Marvin. They knew. They all knew. Michael was standing beside Varanian, his fists clenched as if they'd been arguing but now they were just watching him. Varanian was smiling. Scorpius had to get out. He had to get away. He started to turn for the exit but Varanian stepped in front of him, blocking the path and when Scorpius tried to go around he just grabbed the front of Scorpius' robe.

"Where do you think you're going, you little coward?" Varanian sneered and Scorpius wished the ground would turn into a huge dragon's mouth and eat him. Or Varanian. Preferably the both of them. Focusing on that didn't make it happen though but what he did see out of the corner of his eye was Michael, he went over to the trunk and kicked to towards the headmaster as Varanian opened his mouth to say something else.

"You didn't face your fear," Michael said angrily and aimed his wand at the trunk with a spell on his lips, the trunk flew open and Varanian's eyes widened in fear as he let go of Scorpius.

Scorpius bolted to the exit but the gasps of surprise stopped him in the doorway as he glanced back to see what it was they were gawking at, what Varanian's boggart had become. It was Calderon.

Only it wasn't quite him. The usual muggle clothes and dragon necklace were replaced by fine black robes, intertwined silver serpents decorated it and it looked expensive. Calderon had a very regal air about him from the way he held himself, his presence was commanding and despite the fact he was roughly the same height as Varanian, he seemed taller somehow. His black hair was still neat, dark eyes were harder than flint as he smiled with a cruelty that Scorpius had never seen before.

"I'm more powerful than you, I always was and everyone knew it. Everyone knew I was better than you. Did you actually think you could come close to rivaling me?" Calderon taunted with a sadistic twist to his words before he laughed a disturbing laugh. It might not have sounded so disturbing if Scorpius wasn't used to hearing the assistant laugh several pitches higher than his usual voice but this laugh wasn't high-pitched or manic, it was just bitter and cruel and very ordinary. Calderon stretched out his arm with his palm towards Varanian, "you never could escape my shadow, could you Sal?"

Blinding light exploded from Calderon's palm and Varanian was thrown to the ground, he raised his arm to block out the ferocious light and his hair switched to tawny. Immediately Calderon vanished and the light turned into flames, Scorpius barely heard Varanian saying the spell over the roar of the fire that abruptly burst into thousands of little bubbles that fled back into the trunk that closed behind it. Scorpius just ran, leaving behind a very confused class and an even more confused teacher.