The first time he'd Apparated to Malfoy Manor from London, Scorpius had vomited. Tonight he stood next to the wrought iron gate without a trace of nausea. Interesting. Was his calm stomach due to an ingredient in the potion or his relaxed mental state? He decided it didn't matter. He had a more immediate concern.
Grandmother's peacocks roosted in trees at night, but his Niffler roamed the grounds searching for the gold nuggets Stephens planted during the day. If Felix caught a whiff of his master, his squeals would alert everyone in the house.
Scorpius walked in the darkness, skimming his fingers along the tall yew hedge until the elegant barrier to uninvited guests ended and a wall of stone and flint began. The anti-intruder spells on the hedge repelled anyone who attempted to bypass the front gate, but the security wards on the stone merely repelled those who weren't Malfoys. He levitated over the wall. Unless his grandparents entertained, only the torches at the front of the manor burned throughout the night. The side garden was a tapestry in shades of black. Once his feet touched the ground, Scorpius Apparated.
His destination was a remnant of childhood hidden in the thicket of trees beyond his mother's herb garden. He'd built a fort there when he was seven. Mrs. Stevens had allowed him to raid the linen cupboard for sheets, while her husband provided the instruction and rope. Scorpius played jungle explorer until the day he'd found a wooden castle in place of his tent.
A black banner emblazoned with a crimson snake still hung from the flagpole. Spells protected the castle from decay. Scorpius Apparated to the platform at the top. He'd rained down thousands of arrows through the notches in the crenelated battlement, decimating hordes of imaginary invaders. As he grew older, the castle became a place to escape the tension between his parents and grandfather, a place to play with Felix, read a comic, or listen to a Quidditch match on the wireless.
He climbed down a ladder to reach the Great Hall. The Hall was the only room in the castle, decorated with a stone fire pit and a medieval chair. Scorpius knelt down to press one of the square panels on the back wall. A door in the wood swung open. He reached inside and pulled out a rucksack. He felt sixteen again. Nervous, excited, and willing to pay anything to imitate his favourite Creevey character not only in costume, but in secrecy, owling measurements and scrolls of instructions to three different tailors and a boot maker.
Scorpius exchanged one costume for another, grimacing slightly at the tightness of the armoured shirt until the fabric stretched to fit his arms and chest. The Sizing Charms added length to his trousers and sleeves. His boots didn't change, and the cloak was still flawless. Permanent Shield Charms provided protection, and an Eternal Concealment Charm cast on the hood wreathed his face in impenetrable shadow—an extra expense worth every Galleon when the Plain Jane potion wore off at Comic Con and he wanted to stay without being recognised.
He froze when something scratched at the door.
Felix.
"Sorry, mate, I don't have time to play," Scorpius said.
A heart-tugging whimper echoed.
Scorpius pushed back the hood of his cloak and opened the door.
Felix bounded toward him, chirping excitedly, his rat-like tail wagging. Scorpius picked the Niffler up. "I missed you too." The charm on the bandana tied around his neck modulated his voice into something unrecognisable. Deep and gruff. Powerful. Felix seemed unimpressed. He rolled over to let Scorpius pet the slick black fur on his belly. There was silver on the long snout. His friend was Grandfather's age in Niffler years. Felix clutched Scorpius's finger with his two front paws and made contented whuffling sounds.
"You wouldn't like it in the city," Scorpius said. "You'd have to burrow in the planting boxes on the terrace." He could take Felix to a park; give him exercise chasing a gold ball. An Appearance Charm collar and Muggles would think the Niffler was a dachshund.
Felix licked Scorpius's finger.
"A visit," Scorpius said. "I'll tell Rose it's a visit." He cast a sleep spell and then tucked Felix inside a cloak pocket. He stashed the Loki Scamander outfit, climbed to the battlement, and Apparated.
.
He took the chance that Rose was still with her family and went to the penthouse to retrieve his wand. He left Felix curled up with a gold watch at the end of the bed. The headache pounding Scorpius's skull from all the wandless magic he'd done sent him rifling through the apothecary cupboard. Cough Potion, Drowsiness Draught—was Rose having trouble sleeping? He opened another drawer. Pain Relief Potion. He swallowed every ginger infused drop.
The instant his headache subsided, he used his wand to cast a Disillusionment Charm. He slipped out of the building and Apparated to Lumos Duo. Security wards would trigger alarms if he used a spell to open a window or door. At the front entrance, Undoing Charms prevented anyone from using Disillusionment or Concealing charms to sneak people or contraband items into the club. He waited in the alley behind the building for Boot or an employee to step outside.
And waited.
And waited . . . .
In comics, Super Wizard never had to wait to confront his enemies. He always arrived at the perfect moment to fight Dark wizards. The Green Knight also had Creevey-given uncanny good timing, but once, when hit with an Incarcerous spell and left to die in a burning warehouse, the Green Knight had used wandless magic to summon help. Scorpius had his wand. His spell should work even more quickly.
"Affere Barry Boot!"
Moments later, Boot rushed out the door, wand in hand. "Where's the fire?"
The burning warehouse. Scorpius had been thinking about the Creevey comic as he cast the Summoning Charm. "Incarcerous! Petrificus Totalus!"
Boot's wand dropped to the brick pavers as its owner froze in place. "Black walnut loses power when the one who wields it practices self-deception." Scorpius's voice was a threatening growl. He picked up the wand. "I think it wants a new match." He had to take Boot somewhere else. A rundown warehouse came to mind. One he remembered vividly. One Malfoy Enterprises didn't own. He wrapped gloved fingers around one of the cords binding his prisoner and Apparated.
The Goyle warehouse was tidier than he recalled. No broken glass on the floor. Windows boarded over. Edgar must be trying to sell. Scorpius said, "Nox," to extinguish the glowing tip of the wand he'd taken from Boot. Darkness replaced light.
"How does it feel to be powerless?" he asked. "To be at the mercy of another's whim?" Scorpius counted to sixty in English and Latin. Enough time for Boot to fear what his captor might do and acknowledge his inability to defend himself. Scorpius silently chanted, "Lumos Solem." The beam of light from Boot's wand illuminated the wizard's wide, fixed stare. "I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself, Mr. Boot. Follow my instructions and you'll have immunity. The world may even call you a hero. Disobey . . . ." Scorpius's tone rasped with menace. "And I will destroy everything you love."
.
A memory augment charm ensured that his instructions would stay fresh in Boot's mind. Released from the Petrificus Totalus, Boot didn't try to fight or run. He begged.
"Don't hurt my brother. I'll do anything you want. Just don't hurt Terry. For Merlin's sake."
"Silencio." Scorpius grabbed his prisoner's arm and doused the wand's light. "You are the one who with the choice to hurt or save, Mr. Boot."
He Apparated to an alley near the telephone box that served as the visitor's entrance to the Ministry of Magic. "Speak to no one until you enter the box, and I'll return your wand to Terry—one way or another." He used a Disillusionment Charm and backed out of reach before countering the spells that held Boot bound.
"Owl Post," Boot said. "You send it Owl Post." He stumbled out of the alley.
Scorpius levitated to the rooftop. He watched Boot enter the telephone box and stood at the edge of the roof long after the box disappeared into the ground. He wanted to feel satisfaction or triumph. Anything but a sense of hollow victory.
.
He went home. Rose was on the terrace playing with Felix. Her emerald green chemise—satin, by the sheen—flirted with her thighs as she knelt to pick up the Galleon Felix had dropped by her toes. She sent it rolling toward the French doors where Scorpius stood disillusioned in magical and non-magical ways. Felix ignored the coin and ran to his master and snuffled at invisible boots.
"It took you a long time to find your costume," Rose said. "Why won't you let me see it? Doesn't it fit?"
"It fits."
Rose blinked. "Oh. It disguises your voice too."
"Or reveals it." He countered the Disillusionment Charm. "The way a costume reveals the man inside."
She moved closer. "Take off the cloak. I want to see you."
He pushed back the hood.
Rose's eyes searched his face. "Something happened. Tell me," she said softly.
How to begin? "My grandfather used to say that it isn't who I am, underneath, but what I do that defines me." Lucius Malfoy wanted his grandson to be defined as a Knight of Walpurgis. "If that's true, when Barry Boot walks into the Auror Offices he's a hero." Scorpius untied the bandana to speak in his own voice. "And I'm a monster."
.
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A/N: Kudos to everyone who recognised the Batman quote "It isn't who I am, underneath…." and sparkly stars to the reviewers who made me feel even happier to post the last chapter. Thanks alix33, Lumere97, Needle In A Haystack, peacock33, Raylis, Rose of the West, SGed, trinityblue76, and VandyFNP!