Okay, kisses and flowers are nearly over, and Her Majesty Life is entering the stage...
Chapter 8. Bout.
James stood in the middle of the living room with a grin that even Malfoy would appreciate, looking on as his father picked up Hermione's suitcase and his own duffel bag.
"I always knew that you just couldn't wait to get rid of Albus and take off…"
Harry smiled warmly at his son and glanced toward where Hermione and Rose had gone upstairs a minute ago.
"I told you a thousand times: I am on vacation, and since Hermione has this business trip, I decided to keep her company. It gets boring being alone in the mountains…"
"Right, right," James agreed readily, watching Hermione and Rose descend into the living room, laughing. "I'll tell Albus that."
"Albus knows," Rose hemmed, standing next to her cousin. "He asked to bring him some foreign sweets…"
"Right, just so he finally has his insides stick together. Fine, off you go, bon voyage," James shook his father's hand, gave Hermione a quick hug, and headed for the kitchen, as usual, ravenous after a practice. Since he happened to drop by at dinnertime, anyway…
"Jim!"
"Yes, yes, I shall lock the door, won't demolish your stash of Firewhiskey, and even occasionally water the plants…" James was already in the kitchen, muttering under his breath as he took a cup from the cupboard.
"I'll be much obliged, except we don't have any plants," said Malfoy from the doorway, looking mockingly at his friend. "Moonlighting as a housekeeper?"
"Very funny," James chortled, sitting down at the table. "What are you doing here?"
"Your favourite cousin let me in, after assisting your parents in swift and quiet getaway," Scorpius pulled up a stool and settled comfortably on it, his arms crossed, watching Potter sweep the sandwiches off his plate.
"And how did you know I was here?" James took a colossal bite, and Malfoy wondered how was it that food did not get stuck in that marvel's throat. Although, after all those years of practice…
"From Xenia," Scorpius shrugged his shoulders, watching Rose enter the kitchen. "How are the former Gryffindor Headgirls doing?"
"Hold your wit, Malfoy," the girl asked, pouring herself juice. "Can I offer you anything?"
"Wow, at least your cousin, Potter, has good manners," Scorpius remarked with a grin. "No, thank you," he replied to Rose with the most pleasant smile he could manage.
"Where did you see Xenia?" James, as usual, ignored Malfoy's remark.
"At our place, when she and Lily were getting ready to go shopping at the Diagon Alley."
"Shopping for what?" Potter perked up.
"For the usual stuff, Jim," Rose said calmly, with a slight smile. "Lily wanted new autumn robes; she had told me so."
"They will meet us at the café at two," Scorpius smirked, watching his friend, whose appetite seemed to only expand with each bite.
James shrugged his shoulders and decided that since his wife had gone shopping, he had the right to eat another couple of sandwiches. He reached for the bread, and only then saw a smudge of soil on Scorpius' cuff.
"Are you moonlighting as a ditch-digger?"
Malfoy hemmed and looked down at his sleeve.
"I shall kill Dong," he said calmly, taking out his wand. "This dolt got carried away shoveling, and showered me with dirt…"
"I hope you did not tie his ears over his…?"
"James!" Rose exclaimed indignantly, looking at the chaps in dismay. "This is terrible!"
"No, Lily forbid me to punish him corporally…" Malfoy smiled wryly.
"Discipline, Malfoy-style? What item in your family code is it?" as Malfoy derisively raised one eyebrow, James decided to steer the conversation back to the house elf: "So what was our Dong doing? Laying out a flower patch in your bathroom?" Potter sliced off a slab of bacon.
"Ha-ha," Scorpius said distinctly, glancing sideways at Rose. "It is actually a secret."
"I can leave," Rose remarked astutely, catching Malfoy's eye. "Although Lily actually has an idea…"
Scorpius nearly fell of the chair in surprise, and Rose laughed.
"How?"
"Well, your house elf is quite good at finding loopholes in your orders, and he has let a couple of things slip," the girl could divulge this with a clear conscience, knowing that Dong was not in any physical danger. "She knows that you are building the two of you a house, somewhere… And that your elf is overseeing the construction, and also laying out the garden around it…"
"That's it, Dong is a corpse; I won't even lay a hand on him – he will drown himself," Malfoy promised, his eyes flashing icily.
"And where are you building the house, play tell?" James even forgot about his sandwich. "Or the palace, or the castle…"
Scorpius frowned:
"At the Malfoy Manor, where else?"
"Why do you need another house?" Rose inquired.
"I was of a better opinion of the Hogwarts prefects' mental faculties," Malfoy chortled. "Just use your imagination and picture my father at the same dinner table with my wife… Get it now? I do not wish to accidentally find myself a half-orphan or a widower… Besides, a house can have only one master…"
"And you cannot settle for anything less than the master, can you?" James added. "By the way, does your father dearest know that he is now related to us?"
"No, I haven't yet had a chance to book him a private room at St. Mungo's… I even thought about Zabini…"
Potter choked.
"What?!"
"Well, she was always so good at giving my father unpleasant news," Scorpius smirked. "And now I don't know how to do without her…"
"Be careful what you wish for, Malfoy, for you might get it…" Rose set down her glass and looked at the two chaps.
"Meaning?"
"Don't you read newspapers? Shame on you," Rose got up, walked to the living room and returned a moment later with the fresh issue of "The Prophet".
Malfoy tensed, remembering Lily's odd pallor and her lie, which he had dismissed in his relaxed state.
"Third page," Rose watched the chaps hurriedly leaf through the pages.
"Wow," James eyes even bulge. "'The patron couple succeeded in the release of their sick daughter'. Sick, indeed…"
They looked at the moving picture of Priscilla Zabini, who had been convicted for "boundless trust in her elder brother that led her to assist a gang of werewolves in kidnapping a Hogwarts student", according to the article. Malfoy chortled, and his eyes flashed dangerously.
Scorpius quietly opened the door. The elves had already cleaned up all traces of first medical aid, like cut-up clothing, bloody bandages, towels.
In the gloom of the pristine room, on the white bed lay a pale red-head little girl. This was the impression Lily Potter made, covered up to her chest with the blanket, her bandaged arms laid carefully by her sides. Bandages that almost reached her shoulders.
They will answer for this. Every one of them.
For every tear. For every drop of blood.
He watched her drift off to sleep, not thinking yet of what he would do and how – life will show him the way.
They had dared to make their lair at his mansion… They had dared to draw him into their games by kidnapping the person he cared for the most… They had caused her pain… They would pay for it all.
He didn't expect to learn so easily the whereabouts of the two people he wanted, those who had initiated the kidnapping…
"Dong!" he called upon returning to his bedroom.
The house elf appeared at once, wiping his hands on the towel. His nose was smeared with flour.
"What are you doing?"
"Baking rissoles for your friend," Dong muttered, his breath catching in his chest, and his ears pressing into his head. "She is so slim… I thought that…"
"Don't," Malfoy asked, smirking. "Take this off; I have work for you. The grounds, the cage, the familiar werewolf mugs… Got it?"
The elf nodded quickly, staring devotedly at the young master.
"Not a word to anyone. Let the winterizing charms go off, but at full power, and only at that spot."
Dong nodded again, and his eyes blinked.
"Well, why are you standing there? Report to me after you are done."
The elf vanished, and Scorpius stood by the window, watching the Aurors bustle about the front lawn. Let them think what they will. Let them do what they will. He is a Malfoy and this is his home. Werewolves were not welcome here…
After mere five minutes, the house elf was back before Scorpius. They both knew that in the limited space of the cage, the winterizing charms would flare up terribly… However, that was what Scorpius had wanted in the first place.
"Fine, now on to Hogwarts…"
Thanks to the Minister of Magic, he knew precisely where to find Priscilla and Fritz Zabini, brother and sister, his childhood pals, the Slytherin blue-bloods, who had dared to touch Lily Potter. It is vile to attack a defenseless and, basically, innocent person. The person who was now one of the most dear to his heart… He would not forgive that…
They were frightened when they saw Malfoy materialize before them. He had not even taken out his wand, and they were already frightened. Priscilla, of course, made a brave face. Under different circumstances, he might feel sorry for her. He took his time taking his wand out of his pocket, feeling Dong's presence behind him.
"Malfoy…" Fritz found the courage to speak. "You…"
"Don't bother," Priscilla let drop to her brother, jerking her chin up defiantly. Cold, proud, cruel girl, whom his parents had expected him to marry. "It is just like a Malfoy – to attack those who are unarmed…"
He didn't bother responding. Zabini's words did not irk him, because they were the truth. Not the whole truth. Still, it was none of their business.
Scorpius did it easily; he didn't feel like turning away or putting a stop to it or covering his ears. He didn't feel discomfort from the suffering of the two teenagers – only peace spreading throughout him; only the certainty that he had done everything right...
"Led her…" Malfoy muttered, chasing away the memories of the verdict and the punishment that he had set for Priscilla even before she was sent to Azkaban…
"Mr. And Mrs. Zabini have been generously donating assistance to the St. Mungo's hospital and the Azkaban prison, helping greatly to improve the conditions for patients and inmates… Last Wednesday, during a closed council of healers, insisted upon by Mr. And Mrs. Zabini, their daughter Priscilla, twenty-one, was diagnosed with total dementation due to the shock of her brother's betrayal and her incarceration in Azkaban. The healers claim that during brief bouts of sentience the girl deeply regretted her past actions… The decision was made to parole the disabled Priscilla and to keep her under house arrest for five years. She would be cared for at home by her parents and her beloved younger brother… There is hardly any chance of her recovery…"
Flabbergasted silence filled the kitchen.
"And you believe this?" James finally asked, looking at his friend.
"Do I look like a kindly hamster?" Scorpius said through his teeth, still staring down at the article. "Where did they find these healers?"
"Theo says that the Zabinis were practically worshiped at St. Mungo's; because of their money much good has been done for the patients," Rose remarked gravely.
"Yes, Xenia did mention it once," James scratched the back of his head. "It's the Zabinis, then…"
"Rumours about her illness have been going around," Malfoy confirmed, rubbing his chin and pensively looking out the window. "Of course, the Zabinis themselves could be behind them… And she didn't tell me…"
"What's that?"
"Lily didn't tell me about this. And I am certain that she saw it."
"She must have wanted to spare you the worry," Rose shrugged her shoulders, "after all, you had only just gotten married…"
Malfoy eyed the girl arrogantly:
"And how are the two in conflict?"
They were silent for a moment, and then Malfoy rose to his feet:
"Let's go, Potter."
"What's up?" James got up, leaving his unfinished sandwich.
Malfoy did not reply.
"Let's go," Potter nodded and handed Rose the house keys. "Lock up when you leave, will you?"
She nodded slowly, looking by turns at the departing chaps and at the newspaper that lay open on the table, with Priscilla Zabini smiling a marble-cold smile from the page.