V
Hogwarts' Express was full of Christmas stories - about gifts, sweets, and Holiday guests. For a while, Scorpius searched for a peaceful spot. He didn't have patience with high and mighty Gryffindors or loud first-year students, who were always the most excited.
Finally, he took a seat next to Esther Moonbrown. She was reading a book, and the only proof that she had acknowledged his presence was a slight nod. In the compartment were other Slytherin students: two from the sixth year who talked about the last Quidditch match, one girl from the seventh year who studied for the exam, and finally, Zachary Nott, one of Scorpius' roommates.
"Hello, how are you doing?" Zack asked happily when he left his luggage above the seat.
Zachary was a tall, slim boy with blonde hair and a cheerful personality. His father had been in the same year at Hogwarts as Draco, but they weren't close friends. In comparison to Zachary's father - who was a quiet and temperate person - Zachary himself was loud, funny, and open to people. Always smiling, he made new friends with ease, but he also liked to make fun of other students and had a very mischievous sense of humour.
However, Scorpius knew that it was only a well-prepared mask. Zachary's grandfather was one of the most loyal servants to the Dark Lord, and after a battle of Hogwarts, he died in Azkaban. That fact left a mark on Zack. He often had to fight brutal accusations - though natural optimism allowed him to get used to these situations.
Fortunately for Zack, at least his father was clean.
"Wonderful," Scorpius replied with a frown. "I had a fight with my father, so for the rest of the Holidays, I have been dreaming about returning to school."
Zachary laughed, even though he knew for sure it wasn't a joke. Scorpius noticed that Esther began to watch them.
"Nice," Zack said. "Like always, you know how to have fun. Was it so boring at home?"
"Horribly! I have done all my homework."
"True desperation. I didn't finish History of Magic and Poisons. My three younger cousins came over, and I didn't have one minute of peace…. And where is the food trolley? I'm starving!"
Suddenly, Esther took a lunchbox from her bag and gave it to them.
"From my grandma," she said, putting away her book - Polemics on Mediaeval Exorcisms. The girl had a very specific book taste.
"Thanks!" Zachary opened the box and took a big piece of fruit cake.
Scorpius also took a piece. The cake was sweet and really good. It brought memories of the truly peaceful family atmosphere - something that Scorpius remembered only from his childhood.
He smiled and thanked her with a nod. Esther smiled back and returned to her book.
For the next few days, the happy holiday mood refused to give way to a normal routine and work. However, it was inevitable, so finally, students fell into a swirl of lessons, study, and exams.
Scorpius didn't pay too much attention to lessons, but the shock on the face of Professor Willick when Scorpius gave him his finished homework from Defence Against the Dark Arts was priceless. He probably thought Scorpius was the last person who would do it.
As expected, the South Tower incident was an old topic, and nobody had any interest in it anymore. Nobody except Albus Potter who was grounded for the rest of the year. Moreover, he had to help Professor Longbottom in the greenhouse twice a week.
Scorpius thought - more than once - about how he would satisfy his father's order. He couldn't go to the Headmaster McGonagall and admit that all had been his fault. It was a straightforward way to get kicked out of school. Considering how awful he felt at home, Scorpius didn't want to go back there any time soon. Being trapped in the empty rooms of the manor was far worse than enduring an unpleasant atmosphere in Hogwarts.
He wasn't going to apologise, either. Those words would never come out through his mouth, especially to some bloody Gryffindor. Besides, he strongly doubted they would be accepted - he was a Slytherin, after all, so his words were worth less than leftovers from breakfast. However, Scorpius needed to do something, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. He had a feeling he needed to hurry because if he procrastinated for too long, everyone would forget about the incident, and he wouldn't be able to satisfy his father.
Scorpius didn't want to think about the little remorse he felt somewhere deep inside as he stood, hidden in the shadows, watching Albus Potter. The boy walked towards the greenhouse, curled in his robe. Dinner hadn't ended long ago, and from what Scorpius had heard, Potter should have been working there until evening.
Scorpius observed the door to the greenhouse for a while. Finally, Professor Longbottom came out and went to the castle. Scorpius waited another few minutes, then he took a deep breath and walked towards the building. He couldn't think too much about what he intended to do; otherwise, his common sense and self-presentation wouldn't allow him to do that.
Without a second thought, Scorpius opened the door and entered the hot and humid greenhouse. Potter turned around to say something - probably thinking Professor Longbottom came back - but he stopped with an open mouth when he spotted the Slytherin student.
For a while, they looked at each other, and then Scorpius looked around the room. There were several boxes with seedlings near Potter, many empty flowerpots, and two large sacks of soil. Potter had his sleeves rolled and wore gloves on his hands, so it didn't require a genius to guess what task he got. A very exciting task.
Scorpius sighed slightly, took off his robe, and threw it on the chair nearby. He also rolled his sleeves and, ignoring the startled look on Gryffindor's face, he began to plant the first seedling.
Potter stood there, completely stunned. It seemed he wanted to say or ask something, but fear or shock took away his voice. Everybody knew that Albus Potter wasn't the bravest Gryffindor - too quiet and calm - he lived in the shadow of his older brother. James Potter was much more similar to their famous father. The younger Potter always seemed to be a little overwhelmed by his hero origins and looked incredibly embarrassed when someone talked about it.
At the moment, it seemed that Potter couldn't find the proper words to describe what he watched. However, after some time, his eyes changed, and the previous surprise was replaced by understanding. Scorpius didn't have to say anything. His presence and willingness to help said everything and was enough for Potter to understand.
Scorpius couldn't admit his fault; he wasn't going to apologise, but at least he could help in that unearned punishment.
For over an hour, they worked in silence, and Scorpius was grateful for that. He absolutely didn't want to start talking since being one-on-one with the Gryffindor in the same room was frustrating enough when they were quiet. Scorpius was sure that with his sharp tongue, they would start a fight after a few words. Without a doubt, the current situation was far better.
Suddenly, with less than ten seedlings left to plant, the door to the greenhouse opened with a loud noise, and James Potter hurried in.
Scorpius had watched the path the entire time, just in case Professor Longbottom came back, so it was odd that Potter appeared. How did the older Gryffindor manage to sneak there without notice? Scorpius didn't know; however, it wasn't a good time for deliberation. James Potter came closer to him - currently crouching next to the box with seedlings - grabbed his shirt and pulled him up.
"I told you not to come closer to Albus, you Slytherin rat!" Potter barked, pushing Scorpius against the shelf behind him with all his strength.
Scorpius clenched his fists and, on his face, painted an ugly frown. For a moment, he fought the urge to beat Gryffindor into a pulp, even though he knew he didn't have much of a chance of winning. If he didn't want to pay another visit to the Hospital Wing, he had to calm down and use his best weapon: words.
Scorpius took a shallow breath, and his expression changed from vicious to mischievous.
"I didn't know that the greenhouse was Potter's property; I must have missed the sign. Or maybe your famous father also fought here with the Dark Lord in an unforgettable battle? Is there a memorial?"
If Potter had looked furious before, now he wanted to tear Scorpius apart.
"Do you think this is funny? Are you also planning to blow up the greenhouse as a joke?"
"Did you find any evidence for it? Anything to prove these mindless accusations?" Scorpius asked, and his lips curled in a triumphant smile when he noticed the confusion on the Gryffindor's face. "So, these still are only your delusions."
"If you're not connected with that incident, then what are you doing here?" Potter asked, unable to find a better argument.
"I'm writing an article for Hogwarts' News."
Potter could choke with that answer. Scorpius wasn't going to explain his actions, especially not to him.
"If you want, I can add a paragraph or two about your bravery in rescuing your younger brother. Too bad you couldn't save Albus when HE had blown the South Tower up."
Potter gritted his teeth so strong that they crackled. His hand almost automatically went to the pocket where he probably had his wand.
"James…" The sudden, quiet word surprised them both.
James' younger brother stood a few steps further. His fists were clenched, and irritation was visible on his usually calm and gentle face.
"Go away, James," he said with confidence instead of anger. "You are making a mess, and I have work to finish here."
"Be quiet, Albus! You aren't going to sit here with this…"
"Please, James. Go."
The face of the older Potter visibly softened, then he exhaled heavily and nodded.
"As you like," he said and walked to the exit.
It was very strange and puzzling at the same time. James Potter didn't look like someone who could take that kind of order easily, and Albus wasn't someone to give them. There had to be some story behind it.
For a while, Scorpius looked at Albus, waiting for some explanation, but got none, so he took off the gloves, grabbed his robe, and went outside, too.
After sitting long hours in the library at the Malfoy's manor, Scorpius had thought, more than once, what his mother had said about developing his talents. She was right in that matter. He often had a feeling that he only wasted his time in the school. Maybe he wouldn't have many uses for these skills, maybe he wouldn't even have permission to use them in the future, but he didn't want to sit and wait.
Hogwarts was the only place in the whole of Great Britain where he could legally use magic. There weren't many other options. He had to wait another three years before he would use magic freely. Not completely free, but without too much supervision.
He refused to wait that long.
Scorpius pulled from his bag a large book covered in brown skin. He had taken it from home after reconsidering what his mother had said.
Advanced Practical Magic.
It could be very useful for him. He knew almost every basic charm, but his aspirations were far bigger. In the end, if he wouldn't have use of it in the future, maybe he could use it to defend himself against attacks from other students.
The only problem was where would he train? The dormitory wasn't an option, if not because of roommates, for sure because of eventual damage to the furniture.
He thought about the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, but he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to focus in the company of that annoying ghost.
Of course, he could use one of the unused classrooms, but Filch was very good at searching for that kind of activity. The caretaker quickly caught students who broke the rules.
There was only one good place left. The mysterious classroom his father mentioned some time ago. It was hidden somewhere in Hogwarts. If Scorpius remembered correctly, his father said something about the seventh floor, so he started searching there. He spent the next afternoon walking around the corridors on that floor. In the end, just before supper, he found what he was looking for - The Room of Requirement.
Even for a moment, he didn't consider asking Professor Willick for help. He wasn't going to give that pompous buffoon satisfaction. Scorpius could almost see that bastard's vile smile when he sent him away with nothing. That would never happen in Scorpius' life! He had his pride, and he wasn't going to waste it for such foolishness.
So, he needed to take things into his own hands.
In the past, he didn't have any problems with learning new charms from the books, so why couldn't he take a step further? Moreover, where was the fun when everything was too simple?
When he entered the Room of Requirement, he saw the room wasn't as big as he expected but had everything that the wizard could need to practice magic. In the corner was a large table with many small vials and things perfect for testing. On the other side stood a human-high mirror for watching his stances and gestures, and on the floor were a few pillows if he needed a little rest. Next to the door was a basket with water, probably in the case of a fire.
That day, Scorpius missed supper - he wasn't even hungry. Focused on his task, he didn't think about food. He completely lost track of time and came back to the dormitory long after midnight, lying on the bed without changing his clothes.
Potter's expression when Scorpius entered the greenhouse was very funny. For sure, he didn't expect that Scorpius would come there again, this time to help him with peeling and sorting some roots. The amount of work in the greenhouse was unexpectedly huge; Scorpius seriously wondered how Professor Longbottom managed to do it all alone - without help from grounded students.
Once again, they worked in perfect silence. The roots were a strange mixture of sweet potatoes and parsley, but they had a pleasant almond smell that filled the whole greenhouse. In truth, Scorpius didn't know what it was or what the purpose of their work was, but he was sure he would hear about it in their next Herbology lesson.
Suddenly, somewhere in the middle of their work, Potter stopped, straightened, and looked at the side.
"I thought that they wanted to beat you again," he said with hesitation. "Then, in the South Tower."
Scorpius put the root on the table and looked at the Gryffindor suspiciously. Was it the next trap for him to admit his guilt? Potter didn't look like that kind of person, but the look could be deceiving. Besides, he could be affected by his brother.
Scorpius wasn't going to play their games. He sighed a little theatrically and replied.
"What would I be doing there so late?"
At last, Potter also looked at him, and on his face was a mix of frustration and strange sadness.
"I know you were there. I saw you and those two." He smiled without humour - more with disgust. "Like an utter fool, I have run after you because I thought they had planned something bad. But I had totally misunderstood the situation since it was you who schemed there."
Scorpius felt as if something very hard to swallow was growing in his throat. Potter didn't know what had happened there - if he had any proof of that, he wouldn't be sitting in the greenhouse. Scorpius felt sick because that quiet and very naive Gryffindor had run to the South Tower to save him. Potter probably had heard about the incident in Hogsmeade, and he had misinterpreted the facts. But that wasn't the most disturbing. Much more surprising was the fact that he - the Gryffindor - wanted to help a student from the Slytherin.
At that moment, the well-hidden remorse hit Scorpius with double force. He didn't look good in that light. He was a spiteful bastard who paid back his enemies without mercy and cast the blame on an innocent person - a person who was there to help. But could words fix anything? If he told the truth, he would only drown himself or, even worse, he would be kicked out of school. He couldn't tell the truth, but he didn't want to lie to Potter, not after what he heard from him.
Finally, Scorpius shrugged and came back to work.
"Idiot," he muttered under his breath, but Potter had to hear him. However, Scorpius wasn't sure if he talked about him or himself.