Pure of Heart

In his sixth year, Scorpius Malfoy is grieving. He desires access to the Restricted Section to delve into his family history. Headmistress McGonagall permits only a select few. But is Scorpius able to meet the requirements? There's only one way to find out.

Irma Pince meticulously studied the parchment in front of her, her glasses held in her left hand. Facing her was a young man whose facial features bore a resemblance to certain portraits within the castle. Many of his ancestors had once walked on the ancient oak floors of the library. His blonde hair was swept back, leaving no doubt about his resemblance to his father, Draco.

Scorpius knew that Librarian Ms Pince was carefully evaluating his request, and it irked him. Pince, with all due respect, was an elderly woman who had been here for ages, long before the Battle, and upon Hogwarts' reopening, she had resumed her old position. She knew him, she knew his father, and perhaps she had even reprimanded his father for his antics in the library during his student days. Or, well, Scorpius assumed that his father hadn't been particularly dedicated to studying; he had marked himself for a specific destiny through his connections.

'Mr Malfoy,' Ms Pince began, 'You're aware that this decision is not mine to make, unfortunately.'

'I was hoping you might make an exception and grant me access, just this once,' Scorpius implored.

Pince sighed. 'I'm sorry, Mr Malfoy, but Headmistress McGonagall has the final say. The Restricted Section is off-limits to students unless they meet Headmistress McGonagall's requirements.'

'What exactly is that test?' Scorpius inquired.

'You know very well that it's a secret,' Ms Pince replied. 'Even your friend, Mr Potter, won't divulge it.'

The Great Hall buzzed with students the following morning. Scorpius, sitting down beside Albus Potter, heaved a sigh.

'Scorp,' Albus acknowledged, his eyes fixed on an article in the Daily Prophet.

'Has your dad caught any baddies again?' Scorpius inquired.

'Nah,' Albus replied, 'Rita Skeeter is concocting some absurd claims about my mother. Can't wait to see her get hexed again.'

'I visited Ms. Pince yesterday,' Scorpius said.

'Ah, you already knew what she'd say,' Albus said.

Scorpius nodded, stared at the table, and began eating his breakfast. 'But I had hoped for a 'yes.''

Albus draped an arm around his friend. 'I know you did,' he said, 'and you'll get that 'yes.''

'But I don't even know what the requirements are!' Scorpius exclaimed, with his mouth full from a bite of one of the cinnamon-roll buns on his plate.

'McGonagall won't let anyone know, mate,' Albus replied, releasing Scorpius from his embrace. 'Besides, she didn't even mention that. It's part of the mystery.'

Scorpius looked sideways. 'It doesn't make any sense.'

Albus smirked. 'Well, in a way, it does,' he said. He levitated the pumpkin juice jar with his wand and filled the cup in his hand.

Above their heads, the owls made their way to the House tables, delivering packages and letters to students with familiar precision. Albus received two letters.

'Undoubtedly from James, who's off traveling again', he mused.

Scorpius picked up the letter in front of him. It was addressed to him, bore the Hogwarts seal, and held a brief message:

"Dear Mr Malfoy,

I have been informed by Ms Pince of your desire to access the Restricted Section.

As you may know, access to the Restricted Section for students is subject to specific requirements. I invite you to my office to discuss further details next Monday at 7 pm.

I trust this information is adequate.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress"

Albus peered over at Scorpius and read the letter's contents.

'McGonna wants to see you!' he exclaimed.

'Yeah, well, I don't expect too much,' Scorpius replied, tucking the letter into his robes. Students around them were rising, chatting merrily, and donning their house colors.

'Something to ponder on Monday,' Albus said. He stood up and patted Scorpius on the shoulder.

'Ready to see us beat Gryffindor?'

'I suspect the Potter-Granger-Weasley clan will have the upper hand," Scorpius said, "but we can always hope, can't we?'

'Exactly!' Albus responded, gathering his green-and-white Quidditch gear beside him.

'Butterbeer frogs,' Scorpius said. The gargoyle immediately shifted, allowing him access to the Headmistress's Office.

'Mr. Malfoy. Welcome,' McGonagall greeted him as she noticed Scorpius outside her door. He entered and took a seat opposite her by the fireplace, somewhat unsure about whether he should initiate the conversation.

McGonagall sat down. 'How are you, Scorpius?'

'I'm well, Professor, thank you,' he replied politely.

'I understand, but how are you?" McGonagall watched Scorpius closely.

He paused before responding. 'Not too well at times, though sometimes I feel alright. It's a challenging situation. Not only for me, but for my father as well.' Scorpius absentmindedly scratched his chin.

'Losing a loved one is certainly very tough, especially when it's a parent.'

Scorpius's eyes began to well up.

'My mother was very kind to me, even when my father was emotionally distant. Losing her is an enormous blow. She was like a buffer between me and my father, shielding me from his outbursts or hurtful comments.'

McGonagall remained still in her chair. 'Do you visit your father often?'

'No,' Scorpius replied, wiping away his tears. 'Since my mother's passing, we haven't been getting along that well. His work consumes him most of the time, and since I have different interests than him, it feels like I never meet his expectations, whatever they may be.'

'That must be difficult for you,' she said symphetically.

'It is,' Scorpius confirmed, glancing at McGonagall.

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come and cry, Headmistress.'

'No need to apologize, Mr. Malfoy. I appreciate your openness," she said with a smile. "You know, I also taught your father.'

'I don't want to be like him!' Scorpius blurted out. He fell silent, feeling that his outburst had been somewhat too harsh towards the Headmistress. McGonagall remained composed.

'You're different from your father,' she said. 'You're aware of that.' She leaned back in her chair and drew her wand. A piece of parchment floated from a cabinet to her desk, and a quill rose from its holder, ready for transcription.

'You wish to access the Restricted Section,' McGonagall said. She waved her wand toward the quill, which scribbled for a moment, paused, and returned to its place.

'I would like to grant you permission, but, as you know, there's a test.'

'What test?' Scorpius inquired.

'In the past, various students have gained access to the Restricted Section. Some had ill intentions, while others sought knowledge to practice Dark Magic or engage in nefarious deeds or simply for the thrill.'

Scorpius nodded, understanding the importance of safeguarding such knowledge.

McGonagall was about to continue but paused. She tilted her head slightly. 'Why exactly do you want to access the Restricted Section?'

Scorpius nervously looked at his hands before meeting McGonagall's gaze.

'There's a book there in the Restricted Section. I believe it provides explanations about the blood curse that afflicted my mother. If I can learn what she was cursed with and how, I might find a cure for her family's condition and prevent any suffering for my descendants in the future.'

'A noble goal,' McGonagall acknowledged. 'There is no doubt literature on Dark Magic, but your ancestors have been cursed for generations. It must involve ancient magic. I hope that access will help you find answers, though I must note that expanding your knowledge often leads to more questions.'

Scorpius smiled faintly. 'I understand,' he said. 'I don't need a definitive answer right now, but I'd like to make a beginning.'

'In about two weeks, we'll be testing students again to determine if they can access the Restricted Section,' McGonagall informed him, handing him the parchment. 'The test is straightforward.'

'Do I need to prepare?' Scorpius asked.

'No, because you've already done so,' McGonagall smiled. 'The test is a Qilin.'

'A Qilin?' he said.

The next two weeks passed quickly, with Scorpius busy studying Ancient Runes, managing Albus's jests about bribing a Qilin, and focusing on Quidditch. Although he now knew the nature of the test, Albus remained tight-lipped, not revealing how to approach the Qilin. Scorpius found himself spending more time in the library, delving into Qilin-related literature after completing his schoolwork.

He learned that the Qilin was a creature that combined the features of a dragon and a horse, native to China and used in ceremonies to select the next Supreme Mugwump. More importantly, the Qilin would only bow to those with pure hearts, determining the next Supreme Mugwump in the process.

Scorpius felt deeply uneasy upon making this discovery. Pure of heart? He buried his hands in his face while contemplating this. His father and grandfather were Death Eaters, and his entire family, including his mother's side, had fervently advocated Pureblood supremacy policies throughout their lives. Although such ideas had significantly waned since the end of the Second Wizarding War, he knew how Pureblood families spoke privately. His father had never hidden his disdain for individuals like Albus's father or Rose's mother, even if he never dared to use words like "Mudblood," not even within the family setting. At least, when his mother was still alive, he hadn't done so.

Scorpius began to doodle on the parchment next to Scamander's book, pondering how his ancestors' actions would reflect on him in the eyes of the Qilin. He had always been uncomfortable with the notion of Pureblood supremacy and knew that Albus and his cousins supported his rejection of it. He felt conflicted, as he couldn't help but carry some of those thoughts, despite his efforts to combat them. He kept those inner conversations to himself, and although those thoughts were far less prevalent than before, he couldn't help but feel helpless in the face of the Qilin. The creature would know.

He glanced to the side and saw Rebecca Remarque busily writing on parchment. He had met her and his boyfriend in his year, Josephus Nott, briefly in the Slytherin Common Room a few days ago. Nott had subtly indicated that only fools would seek validation from a Qilin to access the Restricted Section. Remarque had understood her boyfriend's remark and looked uneasy at Scorpius. He had thought nothing of it. Nott's father and his father were similar, but he was different.

Scorpius stood up, returned the book to Ms. Pince, and headed back to the Common Room. He was certain the Qilin would grant him access, thinking of his childhood memory of his mother consoling him in bed after one of his father's outbursts. He would find that book; after all, he was pure of heart.

On the day of the test, Scorpius arrived at the agreed-upon time on the second-floor corridor in the Faculty Tower. The Qilin, under the guidance of a Tibetan wizarding official, was in one of the empty rooms used as faculty quarters.

He sat quietly on a bench outside the room. His eyes fixed on the Faculty Tower staircase as Headmistress McGonagall came into view.

'Mr Malfoy,' she began. 'Ready, I presume?'

Scorpius nodded.

'Very well,' she said.

The door of the room opened, and a woman walked out, her gaze avoiding Scorpius. It was Rebecca. She hastened toward the staircase. He followed her with his eyes and rose as soon as he heard his name.

'Mr Scorpius Malfoy,' the Tibetan wizard said. He greeted him and entered the room. The Tibetan wizard closed the door, guided Scorpius to stand in the middle of the room, and waved his hand toward the door in the room that Scorpius had not noticed yet. It opened, and the head of a Qilin, no larger than a small dog, appeared.

The Qilin entered the room with curiosity, briefly acknowledging the Tibetan wizard before approaching Scorpius. He stood still, and even though the weather that day was quite cold, he felt his head turning a deep shade of red. He suspected the Qilin had noticed, as it began to gracefully circle him, examining him closely to determine if he deserved access to the Restricted Section.

McGonagall had told him not to prepare, and now he understood what that meant as he stood before the Qilin. The creature would grant him access because of who he was, not what he was. A product of his upbringing.

The Qilin ceased circling Scorpius, and then returned to face him. Its blue eyes met his.

Then it bowed.

In response to the news, Albus embraced him more tightly than ever before, and he received hugs from Rose Granger-Weasley and Dominique Weasley. Reluctant to reveal his full thoughts about the process to the three of them, he said he was happy to receive access.

'We should go together sometime,' Rose suggested. 'There are many interesting books there.'

'Indeed,' Dominique added. 'I don't know why McGonagall placed a book about Broom Tricks in the Restricted Section, though.'

'So you won't need to be hospitalised again for two weeks,' Albus laughed. He turned towards Scorpius.

'Did you find what you were looking for?'

Scorpius nodded. 'I've been reading up on it. McGonagall even persuaded Pince to have me take the book home.'

'Home!' Rose exclaimed. 'Nobody's ever done that. They've never allowed me to take a book home from the Restriction Section. How did you manage it?'

Albus gave Scorpius a friendly tap on the shoulder.

'It's just who he is, Rose.'

Malfoy Manor felt almost haunted at this time of the year. Scorpius entered when its large, iron gates swung open and stepped forward on the cobblestone path. Even though there was no snow, the cold December wind made the prospect of seeing his father all the more chilling.

He knocked, and the house-elf invited him inside. Scorpius was pleased that his father had treated the elf well enough to retain it, although its new attire showed no signs of frequent use.

To his surprise he was greeted by his grandmother in the Manor's hallway. She embraced him tightly, her frail hands caressing his back.

'It's good to have you here,' Narcissa Malfoy said. 'This is the first Christmas without your mother. I'm here for you.'

'I know,' he replied softly. 'I'll just go and put my belongings upstairs.'

'Oh, let Knealy do that for you,' Narcissa suggested, indicating the house-elf. She understood his reluctance to see his father.

'Or, check to make sure everything's there. Your father is in the tea room. I'll see you in a bit.'

Scorpius nodded and headed to his room upstairs. Knealy bowed to him upon entering.

'Everything is ready, Master.'

'Thank you Knealy,' said. 'You can go.'

After Knealy had Apparated, he sat on his bed, grabbed his bag and searched for the book.

'My dear Scorpius,' a woman's voice said.

Scorpius turned, his eyes welling with tears. A painting of his mother gazed at him.

'I have a book,' he stammered, fighting back his emotions. 'It won't help you, but it will help us, hopefully.'

Astoria Malfoy's portrait smiled at him. 'I'm proud of you, Scorpius.'

'I'm proud of me too.'