Chapter 14: Luck
Albus carefully watched Will from across the table. His friend had been quiet all evening. Still friendly, but Albus could sense Will felt uneasy about his plan to befriend Scorpius. His reasons weren't right and he knew it. However, if he wanted to find out what game the boy was playing at, and if this boy had harmed Rose, he had to gain Malfoy's trust. Sitting under the gaze of Will's eyes made his stomach sink and twist. He pushed his food around his plate instead of eating it, feeling slightly soothed by the rhythmic scraping of his fork.
"Albus," Will snapped, fork waving towards his head, "you rarely eat enough as is. Please, for God's sake, take a bite of something. I haven't yet learned how to enchant napkins to hold soup, remember?" Will pushed a slice of bread towards him, scooping a dollop of butter on top.
Albus couldn't help but let a small smile escape him as he reached out to take a bite of the bread. The butter tasted like the warmth of the sea on a summer's day. His gratitude must have been written all over his face because Will rewarded him with a full, toothy grin.
"So, I've been thinking," Will said, taking a sip of pumpkin juice and clearing his throat. "We need to find out more about your parents first. And Death Eaters, and how the Graybacks and Malfoys fit in and all that before we stroll on up to Malfoy and offer a fake hand in friendship."
Albus bit his lip, hearing the bite in Will's voice on the word fake. He sighed and nodded, "I'd been hoping to speak directly with my parents about that, but I do agree. James wasn't a huge help, but we could perhaps ask Teddy."
Will nodded his head slowly, "Alright. We ask Malfoy for his side of the story too though."
"We what?" Albus exclaimed, choking on the bread. "Wouldn't that seem a bit suspicious, going up to Malfoy and saying 'Hi let's be friends, and by the way, does your family practice dark magic and do you have something against my father still? Also, what are you hiding? And while you're at it, did you harm Rose to set up the scene as a hero? Thanks!'."
Will laughed, eyes crinkling at the corner. "Look, I'm just saying that whether it was staged or not, he saved your life yesterday on the broom and risked his neck while doing it. Maybe instead of forcing the friendship, you just thank him instead?"
Albus put his glass of pumpkin juice down. Certainly he planned to thank Malfoy, didn't he? Either way, it was hard to tell whether he would actually mean his apology. There was absolutely something Malfoy was hiding and it got under his skin that he couldn't discern what it was. Perhaps James was wrong about him being a Legilimens.
"And," Will continued, leaning in closer to him across the table, "I think you need to show your supposed friendship to Malfoy with more than just words. You need actions." Will paused, waiting until Albus' eyes to focus out of his thoughts. "Your parents are famous, yeah? You could talk to them, see if you can get Mr. Malfoy out of Azkaban. Or perhaps at least arrange a meeting, so Malfoy can visit with his father?"
Albus felt the dry air hit his tongue as his mouth dropped. It was incredible, the way his friend's mind worked. He didn't deserved such friendship. He was pulling Will into something disingenuous, a fake friendship with a Slytherin.
"You're absolutely brilliant, Will. I hope you know that." Albus said, finally meeting Will's eyes.
Will relaxed, smiling back and winking. "Teddy is heading out of the hall now. Let's get your parents' story from him."
Albus did not expect to have to jog after Teddy. The blur of blue hair moved quickly and quietly, trailing away from busy corridors and staying to the shadows. Albus and Will exchanged a look as they stood outside a small, deserted corridor in the dungeons. Teddy had left the door ajar and they hesitated, hearing rummaging and the crackle of a fire.
"Should we…" Will paused, hand outstretched as he began to push on the door.
Albus shook his head sharply, grabbing Will's wrist quickly before letting go. Something wasn't right in the way Teddy had slid through the corridors of the castle. Nor in the way they could hear the mild cursing under the elder boy's breath. Albus swallowed the lump in his throat as Will gave him a look that said, something along the lines of "really, spying on your family too?"
Albus waited a minute longer, listening to Teddy mutter "Not enough time. Need another week…"
Will nudged him, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.
Albus sighed and shouted "Hey Teddy! Are you in here? We thought we saw you head to the dungeons. Can we talk?"
Albus pushed open the door, finding Teddy as white as a sheet, mouth open, and hair turning snow white briefly before settling on a shade of electric blue. In his hand, a ladle crashed to the floor, a small stream of liquid steamed into the air in smoky rivulets.
His father's godson smelled of fear. Albus lifted an eyebrow, feeling Teddy's frantic energy whirl around his azure eyes before breaking contact and stepping away.
Will, unperturbed by Teddy's demeanor, peered into the cauldron and sniffed as the potion bubbled under the crackle of the fire.
"What are you making?" Will crossed his arms and rested one hip against the work table littered in scraps of herbs and bones.
Through the dim and flickering firelight, Albus continued to watch intently as Teddy bit his lip, eyes shifting from potion to a him to a folded piece of parchment.
"N-nothing," Teddy stammered quickly, fingers slipping the parchment into his cloak.
Albus furrowed his brows. Teddy had never been uncomfortable around him before. Stepping besides Will, Albus peered over into the cauldron. A silvery liquid shimmered, barely enough for a small vial.
Will dunked his finger in and placed it in his mouth, licking his lips.
"No!" Both Albus and Teddy gasped at the same time.
His friend was going to be the death of him. Did this boy learn nothing about drinking unknown potions? His heart raced as Teddy starred in horror at Will.
"Not bad, a bit slimy though. Otherwise, no taste at all. What is it?" Will smiled at Teddy.
"It's um…" Teddy fumbled, reaching a hand behind him as he guided himself onto a stool.
"Teddy!" Albus turned to the boy he'd always looked up to as an elder brother, despite failing two grades and constantly getting in trouble, this was the boy whose courage and sense of right and wrong he'd admired. The boy who now stood before him pale as a ghost.
"Is Will going to be alright?"
Teddy nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah… nothing bad should happen. The potion isn't finished yet. Needs more time to simmer. It's a very weak strain."
Albus bit his lip and lifted an eyebrow. Teddy wasn't lying, but he wasn't offering any more information either.
"No matter, no matter, I'm fine," Will waved his hands through the air. "Anyways we came here to ask about Albus' parents."
Teddy looked simultaneously relieved and shocked.
Albus wasn't ready to let the discussion about the potion drop, but Teddy did suddenly look more willing to relax, the tension around his brows easing.
"Will got my dad on a chocolate frog card. James told me a little bit about the big secret of my parents' fame. Uncle Ron said they'd all planned to discuss it with me over winter holidays, but I can't wait that long."
Teddy nodded and conjured two stools, casting one last glance at the potion.
"Voldemort was the darkest of wizards known to Britain. He had radical ideas about who was worthy of becoming a witch or wizard and who was unworthy of having magic. Your grandparents, James and Lily, fought against him and were murdered by him. The same night they were killed, Voldemort tried to kill your dad, just a baby. But the spell didn't work, and Voldemort disappeared instead."
"How…" Albus began, but Will brought his finger to his lip and shook his head.
Teddy continued, eyes staring into the flames lashing under the cauldron. "Voldemort had followers. People who both sympathized with him and people who he considered servants worthy of his trust, who pledged loyalty to him. Death Eaters, they were called."
Albus shivered, recalling the Dark Mark that burned on Mr. Malfoy's arm.
"One of those servants was a man named Peter Pettigrew. A friend of James, my father, and Sirius Black. He betrayed your grandparents, giving up their location, and years later, used your father's blood to bring Voldemort back. Giving Voldemort a body."
Albus felt a chill crawl across his skin. He couldn't tell yet if it was rage or fear. Will covered his mouth and leaned forward on his stool, eyes ablaze.
"Turns out Voldemort used a form of dark magic that ripped his soul apart. Seven tears across his soul. He hid the pieces of his soul inside objects so he'd never die. So, your father, Ron, and Hermione hunted these object down across the country and destroyed them when Voldemort gained control of the Ministry. Your father battled Voldemort. Turns out there was an eighth piece of Voldemort's soul accidentally inside your father. So, when your father willing went to sacrifice his life, Voldemort ended up killing the last piece of his soul instead of your father. They battled again, and well… the rest is history."
Albus sat reeling, his mouth wide open. He couldn't think. Couldn't form words. His beating heart seemed to be pulsing from somewhere separate from him. All he felt was the chill one felt when missing a step while descending the stairs at night.
"Wow," Will said at least, pushing his chair closer and placing a comforting had on his back.
Albus felt a jolt shoot through his spine at the warmth of his friend's hand. His lungs seared with pain and his throat felt like a walnut was lodged within, unable to budge. Albus nodded briefly, grateful for Will's gesture.
"So that's it in a nutshell, yeah?" Will asked, eyes intent on Teddy. "So, where does Fenrir Grayback fit in?"
Albus watched at Teddy's hair turned blood red, eyes flashing. Teddy could be hotheaded, but he'd never felt this rage off of him.
"My father was bitten as a child," Teddy said at last, voice scathing as the firelight flickered across his eyes. "He was discriminated against while growing up. Across his entire career too, really. He was a werewolf. And a brilliant wizard."
Teddy paused, tears glistening in the corner of his eyes as he released a breath. "Grayback wasn't pure enough to be a Death Eater. But he was a vital part of Voldemort's army and a skilled wizard. Basically in Voldemort's inner circle. Except Voldemort didn't want Grayback to touch or taint purebloods. But he was curious. Grayback was experimenting. Conducting research into the magic behind lycanthropy. So Voldemort struck a deal to allow Grayback to experiment on muggleborns and muggles. As long as Grayback would serve him. So Voldemort come to an arrangement. Whether he actually intended to follow through with it or not is up for debate, but Voldemort did promise a space for werewolfs to live and work outside of wizarding society."
Teddy paused, swallowing. "It was Grayback who killed my parents during the… the battle of Hogwarts. Left me an orphan."
Albus felt his teeth chatter as his body shook. He'd never known how Teddy's parents had died or why he lived with the strange woman who barely made an appearance at their family gatherings.
"Teddy…" he grabbed the hand of the boy he'd always admired and squeezed it tight. There was still a sense of shock and whirl of emotions within the boy, but mostly he just felt the mixture of warmth and sorrow.
Finally, Teddy heaved a quiet sob, removing his hand from Albus' to wipe the tears.
"Grayback never stopped then, yeah?" Will stated, voice even as the fire let out a loud crack.
"N-no," Teddy answered, glancing from Will to the potion.
"Well, thank you for the information and your time," Will stated simply. "We'll be going now."
Albus felt a crick in his neck form as he whipped his head to his friend's face. Something was off.
"Will, you feeling alright there?" Albus leveled the back of his hand against his friend's forehead. His dad did that sometimes when taking his temperature. Will felt cool, but not clammy. His friend shrugged his hand away.
"The day is still young. Albus and I have some tasks we need to complete. I have a really good feeling about going to visit the courtyard for a breath of fresh air. Ta now!" Will smiled and waved to Teddy, who had droplets of sweat accumulating around his temples as he stared wide-eyed after them.
Albus let Will lead him down the hall. It felt like he was stuck in a dream somewhere, weightless and drifting. Hearing the exact reason behind his parent's fame had left him with a hollow pit in his chest. His dad had saved the Wizarding World, and then hid his family from it. But why? His dad was an Auror, a powerful wizard. Why hide unless there was something or someone out there who still posed a threat. Was Grayback really enough of a danger that they hid away on a secluded lake.
His thoughts were interrupted as Will came to an abrupt halt in the cloisters. Albus squinted, seeing a white-blond boy in Slytherin robes resting in an alcove, book in one hand and cup of tea in the other, the steam raising up into the golden sunlight the strikes right before dusk.
Before Albus could his stop his friend, Will strode up to the Slytherin, large grin plastered on his face. "Oi there, Malfoy! Reading anything interesting?"
Malfoy looked up, eyes blown wide. Albus bit his tongue as the boy quickly scanned his gaze left and right. They were alone. The glance only furthered what he knew to be true - Malfoy was hiding something.
"Locksly, Potter," Malfoy said calmly, dipping his head in greeting. "It's just some light material, you know. Something enjoyable to read beyond the textbooks."
Will felt bloody fantastic. He was definitely in the right place. Ever since tasting the silvery potion, he'd had this innate sense that he could trust his intuition.
Will nodded to the boy, eyebrows furrowing together as he plucked the book straight out of Malfoy's lap. Scorpius swiped for the book, snarl curling his lips and scrunching his nose. It made Will smile even harder.
Albus grabbed the book from his outstretched hand, flipping through the pages before asking calmly, "Light reading?"
Scorpius sat statue still, eyes narrowed and waiting.
Will glanced back at Albus, feeling his stomach tighten into a knot while awaiting his friend's verdict on the book. If it was dark magic, they could be done with the espionage here and now. Albus wouldn't feel the need to pry Scorpius for more information, surely.
"What is it?" Will asked, glancing back and forth between Scorpius and Albus. Their eyes were locked on each other, daring the other to speak.
"The Arts and Magic: Capturing the Essence and Subjects' Souls - from the art of portraits to tattoos," Scorpius spoke, voice quiet, monotone. The Slytherin sat still as the moon.
"Magic and Art!" Will grabbed the book from Albus's hands and sat on the bench next to Scorpius. "Does it have anything in here on bringing art to life?"
Scorpius's eyes widened briefly. Will didn't wait for an answer and scanned through the chapter titles until he found it: "Reflecting the Soul, page 567."
"You're, er… interested in art?" Scorpius asked hesitantly.
Will spared a glance at the pale boy. Albus was right, something about him looked guilty, but he didn't think it had anything to do with dark magic.
"I am," Will nodded, thumbing through the pages until he landed on the chapter in question. "I like to sketch. This past Summer, before I knew I was a wizard, my sketches started moving on me. Scared the living daylights out of me. One of my sketches even flew out of my page."
"It what!" Scorpius gasped, leaning in closer to him. "How?"
Will dared a glance at Albus who just shrugged, still watching Scorpius carefully.
"Well, no idea. Magic, I guess? I had climbed this tree and was sketching a raven that had landed in the branches. When I'd finished, it just flew out of my paper and away into the air. I ended up falling and hit my head rather hard. Thought I'd given myself a concussion."
Will didn't like the prickling feeling growing in his stomach as Scorpius went two shades closer to the color of snow in the sunlight. He'd mentioned drawing the raven to Albus and Rose on the train, and they had seemed amazed. But not the scared kind of amazed.
"That's… interesting," Scorpius finally said, swallowing audibly.
Will laughed. "Just interesting, eh? Come on, out with it." He was burning with curiosity.
Albus looked interested too, taking a step closer before sliding in next to him on the bench and leaning forward.
"Art and magic is tricky. It usually takes quite a bit of skill, wand work, and potions mastery to do successfully. In addition to taking quite a bit of talent, it requires the ability to tap into soul magic." Scorpius met Will's gaze briefly before staring back down at the book in his lap.
"What's soul magic?" Albus asked, voice full of excitement.
Will felt a quiet calm wash over him before his skin prickled. Another wave of culture shock.
"Well, there are many different kinds of soul magic. There're reflections of the soul, like what art uses or even Patronusses. Just a mirror, but not the actual soul itself. Then there are vow's between souls, like marriage vows or unbreakable contracts. Then there're both light and dark magics that can either save or destroy the soul." Scorpius paused, the sunlight a halo around his head. "It's rare. A really rare gift, being an artist who can reflect the soul in one's painting. Any witch or wizard can enchant some movement or make a portrait speak, but just a characterization of the way the artist saw their subject. It's not a true reflection, you see? It's a talented that often needs to be honed over years of mastery to have a portrait capture the essence and mannerisms of a subject. It's a luxury in the magical world to own such portraits that get close at capturing the essence of a subject. And Hogwarts is bursting at the brim with such portraits of mastery. Sort of a tour de force for culture and British artistry, really."
Will's stomach was twisting into what he expected was a sailor's knot. One of the kinds of complex loops that don't come undone easily. He didn't like feeling… it felt abnormal. After the discussion with Madame Pomfrey, he'd been carrying around an extra weight on his chest. He hadn't told anyone about the discussion, not even Albus.
He was already an outsider. The world of magic still felt unreal at times. Especially after years of dealing with psychosis.
"Why are you interested in magic and art, Scorpius?" Albus asked, saving Will from a reply.
Scorpius remained quiet for a second. Will realized this was the moment. The test, cleverly articulated on Albus's part. A test to see if Scorpius would trust them with information regarding the tattoo Albus had seen burning on Mr. Malfoy's arm while in St. Mungo's Hospital. Or if Scorpius would come up with an excuse, another secret to hide. It made his stomach form an extra twist in his knot.
After several moments of continued silence Will sighed. It didn't feel right. He bit his lip and sent a quick prayer up to not lose his friendship with Albus for thwarting his plans.
"Albus ran into your dad briefly at the hospital. He had mentioned your dad had a tattoo that was causing a great deal of pain," Will said quickly, refusing to meet Albus's eyes.
The unusual urges he'd felt since tasting Teddy's potion had disappeared. But this still felt like the right thing to do.
Scorpius's eyes switched from suspicion to excitement. "You saw my dad at St. Mungo's? Was he alright? I haven't heard from him since the morning of the attack," Scorpius exclaimed, leaning past Will to clutch Albus's arm.
Will bit his grin, recognizing the expression of contrition written all over Albus's face.
"I… I don't know," Albus stammered, not quite meeting Scorpius's eyes yet. "My Aunt Hermione escorted him back to the emergency room personally to get care. His arm was… burning around the tattoo. It appeared painful."
Scorpius nodded, taking his hand off Albus's arm and clasping his hands tight, white knuckles stretching against his skin.
"I haven't heard from my father since they took him to Azkaban," Scorpius said, stilling his features.
"What is the tattoo on his arm anyway? Why would it burn like that?" Will asked, tapping his fingers on the leather cover of Magic of Art.
"You don't know?" Scorpius asked Albus, confusion creeping into his voice.
"Just that Uncle Ron called it the Dark Mark," Albus answered, running a finger along his left forearm to indicate the location.
"Well yes…" Scorpius stated. "It was the Dark Lord's way of branding his Death Eaters. There was some kind of summoning magic associated with it. It's been dormant since your father killed him all those… those twenty years ago. That is until now. The burning is a new experience for my father… it's like it's been tampered with."
"Your father was a Death Eater?" Will asked, figuring he'd save Albus from any awkwardness in having just learned what that all meant in a nutshell only an hour ago. "What does a Death Eater and Dark Lord even mean?"
Scorpius sighed, shoulders folding inward. "My father was raised in the old ways of a line of wizards who had supposedly only ever married into wizards and witches. It was looked down on to… to breed with those of muggle decent. You know, contaminate the family line? So… eventually just associating with muggleborns was looked down on-"
"Wait a second. Are you telling me I'm… I dunno… less… less in this world because my parents don't have magic? That… I… I dunno… that people here have prejudice against me... and against others who weren't born into magical families? This is a thing?" Will choked. He already felt different enough.
"Yes," Scorpius answered simply. "It may always exist, but ways have certainly changed since Albus's dad defeated the Dark Lord. But yes… my father was raised in those ways. It made him feel… special? Superior? …To have that ancestry. And to grow up feeling like he had more of a right to magic and all the opportunities in the Wizarding World than someone like you… who, well, comes from a different world."
"And you believe this?" Albus asked, voice holding a note of vehemence.
Scorpius laughed. "Oh Merlin, no! Are you barking? No. It was just the reason my father made the choice to join the Dark Lord's army. He wasn't even an adult yet. He was pressured by my grandparents. And to be honest, don't think he had much of a choice. My grandfather was in trouble with the Dark Lord. The whole family was at risk of facing the Dark Lords wrath. Likely at the end of his giant snake, the Dark Lord's pet. My dad joining the ranks had temporarily assuaged the Dark Lord in the placement of my family's loyalties. Really, they just wanted to stay alive. But my father saw everything the Dark Lord did after that, and that sort of changed his whole view on the world. Made him question everything."
Will shuddered involuntarily. Did people in this new world really hate him already just for growing up as a muggle? Occupying a spot at this school? He couldn't help the small flame of hate from burning in his chest. It was enough to learn that this whole incredible world existed, hidden from those without magic, but who were still blissfully unaware of how they were affected by this world every day.
"The papers mentioned your father used dark magic while at St. Mungo's?" Albus asked, redirecting the topic towards his original intentions.
Scorpius stilled, exhaling slowly from his lips. "My father was forced to do unspeakable things under the Dark Lord. The kind of magic he had to use… well, it leaves its toll. Spells that aren't inherently dark don't hold much weight, and oftentimes don't stick. Dark magic, or really, just magic that has some degree of ill intent is much more effective for him. He couldn't fight the attackers in St. Mungo's with your basic Expelliarmus and defensive spells. Even Wingardium Leviosa barely works unless he's intending to drop the levitated item on someone's toe during the moment of casting. He's had to do a lot the muggle way."
Will felt lightheaded. The concept of magic felt impossible to grasp. He had a feeling that no matter how hard he worked in this world, he'd always be one step behind understanding what everyone else already knew. Now he had to worry about what types of magic he'd use?
At least Albus had his answer… the Malfoys used dark magic, but as a result of their involvement with the dead, evil wizard, they had to do some things the muggle way. Scorpius wasn't at Hogwarts to purposely further "bad" magic.
"So, this tattoo," Will began, wrapping his fingers against the book while gathering his thoughts, "it's supposed to be dormant because this Dark Lord is dead? So does this mean that he's back?"
Will watched as Albus's eyes flared, green irises rounding in horror.
"No," Scorpius said quickly, flicking over a few pages and trailing his finger down a paragraph. "No, the Dark Lord is dead. The magic in the Dark Mark, it died with him. At least the kind of magic that was personalized… to him."
Will shuddered, sharing a quick glance with Albus. His friend's posture had relaxed a hair.
"The Dark Mark…" Scorpius hesitated, voice tightening, "it's… it's more than a tattoo. It's a… a brand." Scorpius' knuckles went white as his hands clenched the book.
Will nodded slowly. It was a fine line, wearing a symbol to identify with a group versus branding oneself to a group… an ideology. He wondered if most people understood the difference… or the lack thereof.
"My father, he was branded," Scorpius continued, each word clipped and biting, "branded as… as a piece of property."
"Oh god," Will whispered. His whole life had been built around independence. His mother had fought tooth and nail to maintain a steady stream of income, maintain their apartment, take care of him… and all without the aid of charity or government stipends. She'd had pride in her work, her independence. He couldn't imagine the thought of his mum ever surrendering an ounce of herself to anything… a gang or government.
"What kind of magic was in the Dark Mark?" Albus asked quietly, leaning closer.
"I, well…" Scorpius tapped his fingers on the paragraph, "I don't know for sure. No one does. This book doesn't have anything about dark magic in it, but it does state here that ancient rituals with tattooing used to imbed more than ink for art. They'd use the blood of magical creatures, sometimes potions, and combine them with runes to enhance powers, or certain spells. Types of magic and the likes, yes?"
"Enhance?" Albus echoed, lifting his foot to rest on his bouncing knee.
"See here," Scorpius tapped the paragraph again. "This talks about Morgan LeFey. She had two runes, Celtic, not the Nordic type, tattooed at each of her temples. No one knows what kind of blood she used in the ink, but upon exhumation and study of her body in the 30s, they were able to identify that there was blood. And the symbols had to do with wisdom and prophecy. To this day, she is still known for her unusual skills in divination."
"So you think your dad's ink is mixed with the blood of something, a creature?" Will asked, eyes scanning the page as Albus nodded in agreement.
Scorpius hesitated, "I… well, I hadn't actually considered that. I was thinking that the Dark Lord mixed his own blood into that ink. Even when dead, Blood Magic lasts. It's why my family's manor remains protected to this day. My ancestors' blood… my blood. It's why Hogwarts even has magic that carries on from the time of the Founders. But I suppose the Dark Lord could have experimented too, mixed in blood of powerful creatures into the Dark Mark. And if someone were able to access and ignite controls over that creature's blood. Or Voldemort's blood… perhaps there would be a degree of control over the person branded."
Albus covered his mouth, eyes closed in thought. Will, on the other hand, had been holding his breath. He sucked in a small gasp as he felt his mind numb with lightheadedness. He still had questions about his own drawings and how that worked. But tattoos. Brandings. He shuddered to think what some scientists in his own world would do with that power. What some governments or organizations would kill for in order to posess that strength… that control over the submission of a living, breathing being. Will shuddered.
"Have you talked to anyone else about this?" Albus asked, knuckles digging into his mouth as he glanced back and forth across the empty corridor.
"I…" Scorpius paused, raising one eyebrow, "No, no one knows. Honestly, I'm a bit shocked at myself for telling you two. I guess… I guess I've never had anyone express concern for my father before. Or interest in what I'm reading for that matter."
Scorpius's cheeks tinged pink as he closed Art and Magic quickly. "I… I've said too much."
"No," Will shook his head sharply, laying his hand on Scorpius's shoulder. "We'll help you. We'll figure out what could be causing the Dark Mark to burn your father… why it's suddenly active after all these years."
Albus nodded eagerly, looking a little too eager. Will bit his lip. He was positive Scorpius was being genuine, even if Albus still harbored doubts.
"This weekend, let's meet in the library, yeah?" Will asked, giving Scorpius' shoulder a tight squeeze before letting go.
"We… ugh…" Scorpius swallowed several times, staring at the window as dusk set in. "You all probably don't want to be seen with a Slytherin son of a Death Eater… and it'll be harder for me if I'm seen with Gryffindors. But…"
Will grinned wide. "You think I give a damn about that? Me… a muggleborn?"
Albus laughed, relaxing for once. "Will, he does have a point, it'd look peculiar…"
"No!" Will slammed his hand on his thigh. "These divisions are ridiculous. As if your society wasn't already divided enough between degrees of magical blood."
Scorpius crossed his arms, growing three shades paler.
"No, don't you two see?" Will stood up, hands on his hips. "We have a choice. Right here. Right now. Continue on playing and tip-toeing around these divisions or break them. Break them down so thoroughly we change the whole status quo in this world!"
"You," he pointed at Albus, "Have power, whether you realize it or not. Yeah, because your dad's a famous survivor and all that. But still, you have power. Use it to change this world."
Albus eyed him with a mix of admiration and horror. Will smiled even wider. He'd bring out the courage in his new friend, just wait.
"And you," he pointed to Scorpius, "Well, I don't know you well enough yet. But I can tell you want change. Not the kind your father fought for… but… equity"
Scorpius nodded, biting his lip, then stood. "I want… I…" Scorpius choked on his words as Will looked up at him. "I want to be friends with someone and not have it matter that my blood is 'pure' or they're a muggleborn or their parents fought on the other side of the war from mine. I'd just like to be friends with someone because… because they see something in me they trust and want to care about."
Will smiled. He'd never seen Albus look so utterly flabbergasted. Not even when Rose was sorted into Slytherin.
Will held out his hand to Scorpius, "friends?"
Scorpius hesitated briefly before grinning and shaking his hand, "friends."
"Potter?" Scorpius held his hand out to Albus, brows knotted and lip pressed into a thin line.
Albus hesitated, glancing at Will once. Will shrugged his shoulders, hoping Albus got the gesture - the choice was Albus' and Albus' alone.
After what felt like an opportunity lost, Albus took a step closer to Scorpius and grasped the boy's hand. Will let out a relieved sigh and grinned from ear to ear.
"Well then?" He smiled, "what should our first act as friends breaking down walls be?"
Scorpius hovered on the practice broom, looking down at the glimmering castle lights reflected in the Black Lake.
The rules were simple, really. Hit as many people off their brooms as possible. The last player flying makes it onto the team as the new Beater. Scorpius tried to hide his grin. Captain Nott was brilliant. Ruthless, but brilliant. Add the component of blindness in the dark and the exercise became a challenge beyond compare.
He could barely see his opponents. He had absolutely no hope of seeing the bludger.
But he could hear it, a deep rumbling like the tide building into a wave before a crash.
It was headed towards him. He saw it, a rush of darkness right under his legs.
Scorpius swooped low off his broom, hanging tight with one hand and smacked the beater into the bludger with a resounding crack. When hit, the ball sounded like thunder striking.
A second later he heard a resounding "oooh!" followed by a splash.
Calmly, Nott's clear voice clipped into her Sonorous spell "Pikes is down."
No points for Malfoy. No praise. No care if her players attempted to cheat. The rules were clear - the last player standing won.
Scorpius waited for the bluger to return to him, there was usually a degree of the balls heading back once hitting their target, unless the angle of the strike set it on a new course.
Scorpius heard a crack followed by the hiss of the rumbling bludger. He twisted 360 degrees on his broom to avoid the impact, then charged after the ball, intercepting it and whacking it as hard as he could towards the tail of the broom he saw shifting in the shadows.
A player shouted, followed by a resounding splash. Scorpius grinned, flying lower towards the loch.
"The younger Flint is down! Can't believe it… Elvin Flint is down!" Nott called, voice echoing across the water.
Scorpius waited. He'd be hard to spot down here, close to the water. He, however, had an excellent view of the sky. A few starts shone bright between the clouds. But best of all, the candle light from the castle provided just enough contrast.
Three. That was the number of players left. He watched as one in the left field hit a bludger into a player's head, loud laugh echoing across the water.
"The elder Flint is down! Someone bring her to Madame Pomfrey's, please?" Flint called out.
Scorpius winced. Quickly judging the angle of the bludger's direction, he skimmed across the water and shot up, striking the bludger at full force at the laughing player's crotch.
The player went down with a wail.
"Oh that's got to hurt. Shunpike's done a belly flop on the water." Nott hissed, voice hitching. "Flint will be pleased."
Scorpius bit his lip. That might have been a little too much on his part.
"Just two left!" Nott's voice cried out. "Must say, this is one of the fastest tryouts we've ever had. Whoever's out there must either be able to see in the dark or has some wicked skills."
Scorpius blocked out the commentary. The last player was no longer in sight. Neither was the bludger.
A well of water shot into the air following the crack of the bludger no more than a foot from where he skimmed the lake.
Scorpius turned, a rush of black cloak flapping behind him as the player attempted to run him off his broom. Scorpius twisted, knees banging against the player's broom.
He pushed his feet against the player and shot into the air. Muttered curses fell behind him and he dropped back down to the water. The sky lit up in a burst of yellow.
"No wands allowed!" Nott's voice thundered over her Sonorous.
Scorpius twisted his broom erratically as shots of yellow sparked across the sky after him, hitting the water. He looked down, watching as the spells dispersed the moment they made contact with the loch.
He smiled viciously, shooting straight into the sky, serpentining all the way up. Hovering, he waited for the black shadow to pursue. Once close enough to make out a figure on a broom, hood up, Scorpius plummeted his broom directly into the loch. The cloaked figure pursued, breaking off right before the water.
Scorpius didn't stop. Narrowing his body tightly to his broom, he tucked his head to his chin and dove under the icy surface, holding his breath.
The water burned cold against his skin like pin pricks. Gently, he guided his broom to a few inches below the surface. Looking upwards, Scorpius watched as a robed shadow passed overhead, rippling in the water's current. Quietly, he raised his face to the surface, breathing in a shuttering breath before diving back down. He waited, bracing himself for anything as the cold pierced his bones.
The bludger surprised him, causing him to jerk sideways on his broom as the water streaked in a glow of star-drenched bubbles behind the ball as the force slowed it down.
Scorpius half swam, half guided his broom after the bludger, wrapping his arms around the slowed ball as it struggled against both him and its watery confines.
Lightheaded from holding his breath, Scorpius propelled his broom towards the surface, slowly raising his head as to not create too many ripples. The night air was freezing and he bit his lip to keep his teeth from chattering.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the shadow of a black cloak swoop in low over the water. He ducked back under as silently as possible and held his breath. The cold was numbing him. He wasn't entirely sure he could feel the broom under his hand any longer.
The shadow finally passed overhead. Scorpius sprung out of the water, tossed the blugder up gently, spun his broom in a full circle, and whacked his beater against the ball. He smiled, listening to the low rumble streak across the air before it smacked square into the back of the cloaked figure.
He rose into the air, grinning ear to ear as he heard the player grunt and splash into the water.
"Greengrass-Macmillan is down! I repeat, Greengrass-Macmillan is down!" Nott shouted into the air. "I can't believe it!"
Scorpius felt electrified as he swooped in low across the loch. His drenched cloak smacking his skin as is caught in the wind.
Dunstan Greengrass-Macmillan. The cousin he'd never met. His mother's sister didn't want to be associated with a family of mass murders and dark magic and had looked down on his mother's marriage, despite the fortune the Malfoys had.
Any guilt he had about hitting a boy in the back who tried to attack him with magic during a Quidditch tryout disappeared.
Gently, he stepped to the ground, placing his beater under his arm as he attempted to tame what could only be wild hair. His hand shook from the cold.
Cautiously, he stole a glance at the crowd gathering around him. Standing his ground, he swallowed hard and met their eyes. The faces that greeted his were pale, with wide eyes and open mouths. Scorpius closed his eyes and tilted his head up towards the starry sky. The place where he always sought solace.
"Malfoy is victor!" Nott exclaimed, grabbing his hand and raising it heavenward.
The crowd was silent and still as the moon. A pit formed in Scorpius' stomach. This was a mistake, to try out. He shouldn't have wanted more… wanted something for himself.
A lone, single clap erupted. Scorpius's eyes locked onto the face of Albus's Potter as the boy clapped, green eyes alight. Will, behind Albus, was displaying the largest and brightest smile he'd ever seen. Then, Will hollered out, shout of pure joy, and joined in with Albus clapping.
The spell of silence broke and clapping erupted around Scorpius like thunder.
Nott pulsed his hand in the air several times over before bending down to his ear. "Welcome to the team, Malfoy."
Something like starlight seared, filling itself within the empty space that made his stomach sink before falling asleep every night. He had friends.