XVII
After a few hours of sleep, Scorpius woke up early in the morning and, for a long time, couldn't muster the strength to get out of bed. He lay there, contemplating the events of the previous day. For a moment, he wondered where he would be at the moment if Albus hadn't stopped him. Perhaps he would be sitting in some abandoned warehouse, hungry and freezing, utterly alone, with no chance of any help. However, he quickly abandoned such thoughts because they were even more overwhelming.
He didn't feel up to going down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Besides, his stomach was tied in knots, and he doubted he could swallow anything. So, when he finally pulled himself together and got up, he went to the common room, just waiting for the summons. That came shortly after.
He entered the office when he heard Professor McGonagall's invitation. She wasn't alone; a tall, slender, black man dressed in a grey Auror robe with the Auror Office emblem on his chest accompanied her. At the sight of the Ministry representative, Scorpius tensed, which was in stark contrast to the calm and unexpectedly friendly face of the Ministry envoy.
"I assume you are Scorpius," the man said. "I'm Dean Thomas from the Auror Office."
"You can use my office; no one will disturb you here," said the Headmaster, nodding to the Auror before leaving the room.
Scorpius felt his legs become shaky. He never held a special fondness for Aurors, and that meeting filled him with an extraordinary unease. It was hard to imagine how much depended on it. The wizard standing behind the desk would decide Scorpius' future, and unfortunately, Scorpius had little control over the outcome. Even the Auror's restrained smile couldn't alleviate that feeling.
"Sit here," the man said, pointing to one of the chairs.
Despite his earlier apprehension, Scorpius managed to make his legs move and took the designated seat. He didn't take his eyes off the Auror as he sat down beside him.
"So, you're Draco Malfoy's son, correct?"
That was the last question Scorpius wanted to hear. If he had any delusions that his father's past wouldn't play any role in his case, he could abandon them. However, he had no intention of apologising for who he was, so he merely looked at the man more suspiciously.
"Does it matter?" he asked before he realised that rudeness towards Auror probably wouldn't work in his favour.
Surprisingly, the man didn't appear offended and just waved off the question with a hand.
"Not really, I just knew him years ago. We were in the same year at Hogwarts."
Great. So, he would be interrogated by a Gryffindor, probably one who participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, because Scorpius was sure that the wizard sitting in front of him was a Gryffindor ever since he first saw him in the Headmaster's office.
Each of these thoughts made Scorpius doubt more and more whether he would leave the place as a free man. However, he didn't want to reveal his anxiety. He was well aware that if he let his emotions take over, his untamed tongue could do even more damage if that was even possible.
"In truth," the man added, realising that Scorpius wasn't going to add anything, "Harry asked me to join that investigation."
"Mr Potter?" Scorpius couldn't hide his surprise.
The man nodded. "Apparently, you're friends with his son."
Scorpius blushed slightly. He had indeed started to consider Albus as his friend for some time, at least to some extent, but he had never said it out loud.
"I guess," he replied uncertainly, shrugging his shoulders.
The Auror's gentle smile never disappeared from his face, which started to get annoying, especially since it was such a stark contrast to Scorpius' image of the profession.
"It doesn't matter either," he added reluctantly. "Albus wasn't there."
"Indeed. So, let's not waste more time on chit-chat, then."
The man finally abandoned the futile attempts to ease the tension as he reached into his pocket and placed a small vial on the desk. Despite his problems with potions, Scorpius didn't doubt that he looked at Veritaserum.
The Auror drew his wand and conjured a glass of water, then precisely measured three drops of the potion, which he added to the glass.
"Do you know what that is, right?" he asked, and when Scorpius nodded, he handed him the glass. "In that case, bottoms up."
Drinking the Veritaserum was the last thing Scorpius wanted, but he had already realised that he wouldn't get out of it without that step. Therefore, without hesitation, he drank the entire contents of the glass. He expected some spectacular effect, but the water tasted completely normal. He felt no immediate impact on his mind. For a brief moment, he even wondered if it had worked at all, at least until he heard the first question.
"What is your name? When and where were you born?"
"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, born on the 18th of November in the year 2005, in Wiltshire, at the Malfoy Manor," he replied before he could fully process the question.
"Do you feel okay? Any dizziness or nausea?"
"No, I feel fine physically."
Scorpius cringed inwardly. His response only led to another question. The Veritaserum was ridiculous.
"And mentally?"
"I'm annoyed by the effectiveness of Veritaserum and terrified of what I might reveal under its influence."
The Auror nodded. "I won't ask you about personal matters," he added in a reassuring tone. Since that wasn't a question, Scorpius said nothing. He preferred to remain as silent as possible. He sometimes had difficulty controlling his tongue, but that was much worse.
"I will now ask you questions regarding yesterday's incident," the wizard continued, and a self-writing quill appeared near him. "Try not to fight the need to answer because it can have unpleasant side effects."
Scorpius couldn't fathom how anyone could even try to resist the effects of that potion. In his case, the words came before he even thought of them. So he merely nodded slightly.
It was probably one of the strangest hours in his life. The Auror systematically interrogated Scorpius about the circumstances of Peggy White's death, and Scorpius responded to everything without hesitation. At one point, he almost zoned out, drifting away with his thoughts. What was the point of analysing every word he said when he had practically no control over them? Furthermore, his responses were very concrete and devoid of emotional nuances. It was as if he recounted a book he had read or a rumour he had heard. He was well aware that under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be able to talk about it so calmly. Currently, not even his voice trembled as he narrated how he set up a shield, from which White's charm rebounded, pushing the girl through the window.
The Auror didn't miss a thing. Neither the curse placed on Scorpius nor his unsuccessful attempt to escape across the border went unnoticed. However, he didn't comment on any of it. He merely recorded Scorpius' statements and occasionally inquired about specific details.
Finally, the man took another vial and, just like before, added a few drops of its contents to a glass of water, which he handed to Scorpius.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Scorpius felt an incredible relief when the response didn't automatically escape from his lips. He looked at the glass for a moment, certain that it contained the antidote to Veritaserum, then nodded slightly.
"You're not the chatty type, are you?" the Auror asked with a smile.
Surprisingly, Scorpius managed to return the smile. He suddenly realised that the Auror was innocent and only doing his job. Besides, he showed a keen sense of the situation and didn't try to abuse his authority.
"I prefer to have control over what I say," Scorpius replied. "You never know who might use it against you."
The wizard nodded in agreement. "Very Slytherin of you."
Scorpius shrugged. Well, that wasn't the only reason he ended up in Slytherin, but it was certainly one of the more important ones. He used to be less distrustful, but Hogwarts quickly taught him the importance of behaving that way. In a way, it was only Potter and his family who showed him that it might not always be necessary.
"If you're feeling okay, I'll be on my way," the man said. He put the vials back in the pocket of his robe, then stood up from his chair and extended his hand toward Scorpius, adding, "It was nice to meet you."
Scorpius eyed the Auror sceptically for a moment but eventually got up and reciprocated the gesture.
"You too, despite the awful circumstances," Scorpius replied.
The Auror smiled more broadly. "I'm not a judge, but I think you can be hopeful. Look out for owls from the Ministry."
Scorpius nodded, then watched the man as he was about to leave, when he suddenly stopped at the door.
"I almost forgot," he said, reaching into his pocket one more time and handing Scorpius a folded piece of paper. "That is for you. Goodbye."
Scorpius couldn't fully conceal his surprise. He stared at the mysterious message for a moment, and when the man left the office, he unfolded the note and read the brief letter.
To Scorpius
Yesterday, late in the evening, I received a message from Albus regarding the events that took place at Hogwarts. He briefly described to me what he learned from you. He also mentioned that you have concerns about the fairness of the investigation due to your father's history. For the same reason, I don't want to get involved in that matter, as I'm aware he might receive it wrongly. However, I have asked my friend, Dean Thomas, to take on the responsibility of investigating that incident. He is a good auror and an upstanding person who will not let personal beliefs interfere with the integrity of the investigation.
At the very least, I can do that much in that unpleasant situation. I hope that everything will be clarified quickly and the matter will be solved positively for you.
Best regards,
Harry P.
Scorpius felt truly odd. He knew he was friends with the son of that great wizard, but he had never imagined that it would come with such consequences. He should probably be grateful, but in reality, he felt more embarrassed and had a strong urge to tell Albus not to meddle in his affairs. It would be unfair to Gryffindor, but, on the other hand, it suited Scorpius' nature much better. He wasn't used to having someone other than his family take such an interest in his fate, and he didn't quite know what to do with that knowledge.
His thoughts on the matter were interrupted by the entrance of the Headmaster.
"Thomas has informed me that you've finished," she said. Scorpius couldn't help but notice that she addressed the auror by his last name, as she had a habit of doing with students. It shouldn't have been surprising; after all, she had taught him as well since he was in the same year as Draco.
Scorpius nodded hesitantly, discreetly tucking the letter into his pocket. McGonagall walked over to her desk, placing several parchments on it before looking at the young man with a serious expression.
"For the next few days, while the situation settles, you won't attend classes. Stay in the dormitory."
Scorpius reluctantly nodded. He was sure that staying in his room and staring at the walls would be great for his mood. However, he wasn't in a position to complain, so he kept his thoughts to himself. Instead, he asked, "May I at least take a few books from the library?"
McGonagall apparently understood that having no things to do at a time like that could be particularly depressing. After a brief moment, she agreed with a nod. "Just remember, I don't want to hear about any new 'incidents' along the way."
All of a sudden, Scorpius realised something that made him feel even worse. Previously, McGonagall was still too concerned about his disappearance, but that day, she spoke with distant formality. Should he be surprised by that? She had trusted him and relied on him to act sensibly, but he had completely ignored that trust. If he had followed her request, came to her and informed her about White's strange behaviour, none of that would have happened. Likely, McGonagall would have summoned the Ravenclaw girl and, given her authority as the Headmaster, would have extracted the truth from her. It would have resulted in punishment for White, and everything would have returned to its regular course. Most importantly, the girl would still be alive.
However, it was a vain regret. There was no way to fix any of the mistakes he had made, and even though Scorpius felt the need to say something, in the end, he only nodded, said his goodbyes, and left the office. No words could justify his actions, and his apologies would mean nothing to anyone. It wouldn't rebuild the trust he had carelessly shattered.
He leaned against the corridor wall and closed his eyes, trying to contain the rising anger within him. He was furious with himself for never considering the possibility of failure. He had been so confident, so convinced of his infallibility, so foolishly arrogant. He couldn't even remember the moment when he started to believe he was smarter than everyone else, capable of foreseeing all consequences. That arrogance had gotten him into that trouble, and, what was worse, it had cost him the most precious thing he had gained during his time at Hogwarts – McGonagall's trust. It was hard to believe that she would want to continue investing her time in him after all that. He had done a lot to discourage her.
"Idiot," he growled, striking the wall with his fist. He felt like he wanted to bang his head against it, but he knew that wouldn't make any more sense to the situation. Nothing was that simple.
Furious and annoyed, he made his way to the Astronomy Tower, which was temporarily serving as an owlery. He quickly jotted down a few words to his parents, recounting his conversation with the auror while deliberately omitting the role of Harry Potter in the matter. The man had been right that Draco would be even angrier because of that. Scorpius could already imagine how pleasant their next meeting would be. That time would come when his parents would stop worrying so much about his fate. However, he simply didn't have the energy to be bothered by that.
After the owl disappeared from his sight, as instructed by McGonagall, he returned to the dormitory, stopping only briefly at the library to borrow a few books. When he entered the room, he had no desire to open them. He placed the books on his trunk, kicked off his shoes, and buried himself under the blankets. He wasn't particularly sleepy, but he suddenly thought that sleeping for the next few days wouldn't be such a bad idea. It would be a lot better than sitting here and rehashing all the mistakes he had made.
Those were damn long and frustrating four days, and unfortunately, Scorpius couldn't sleep through them. He spent most of the first day lying in bed, lacking the motivation even to get up for a meal. It wasn't until the next morning that he went down to the Slytherin common room, where the house elves had left his breakfast. He ate quickly, feeling the questioning glances of other students on him. The rumours of his involvement in the incident had likely reached their ears. Still, since he was known for his spitefulness, no one seemed to be in a hurry to inquire about the details. It was somewhat strange to him that Ester, who never hesitated to pester him, wasn't there. She didn't like Peggy White, but Scorpius seriously doubted she would be happy with that ending.
On the second and third days, he spent most of his time hunched over books, attempting to distract himself from unpleasant thoughts. However, that didn't help much. He often found himself not concentrating on the topic he was supposed to be studying but wandering off into unrelated thoughts. He didn't want to contemplate how all that studying and honing his skills seemed completely futile once again. It felt much like over a year ago when he thought everyone was against him and that he'd always be the worst one. Then McGonagall appeared and showed him that it could be different, or rather, it could have been if he hadn't messed everything up so spectacularly.
On the evening of the third day, the silence of the dormitory was interrupted by the arrival of Karl and Zack, both of whom Madame Pomfrey had released from the hospital wing. Karl's hand showed no trace of the previous fracture, and Zach had nothing left from the entire incident but a foul mood.
"Do you have any news?" the blond asked as they settled on their beds. "Have you talked to the Aurors?"
"Yes, two days ago. I gave my testimony under the influence of Veritaserum."
Zack looked at him in amazement. "They gave you the Truth Serum?"
Scorpius shrugged. "Apparently, they thought that, unlike you, I had reasons to lie."
"Scorpius Malfoy speaking nothing but the truth — must have been an interesting spectacle," Zack remarked.
Scorpius shot Zack an angry look. "You know, from my point of view, nothing was interesting about it. I felt..."
He fell silent abruptly. He didn't want to talk about that. He didn't want to talk about anything right at the moment.
"How did you feel? Everything okay?" Karl asked, staring at him intently.
Scorpius winced at the scrutiny. He knew Karl had no ill intentions, and he was just concerned. However, Scorpius wasn't in the mood for sharing emotions. Too many thoughts weighed on his mind, preventing him from talking openly.
"Yeah, okay," he muttered, returning to his interrupted reading.
Karl shook his head, and Zack snorted in frustration. Both knew they wouldn't get any details from Scorpius, even if it frustrated them.
The fourth day began just as drearily as the previous ones, but in the afternoon, the silence in the dormitory was broken by some commotion in the common room. Intrigued, Scorpius left his book on the bed and, together with his roommates, descended the stairs. About a dozen students were gathered around the fireplace, discussing something with evident enthusiasm.
"You had to see it," Nathaniel Claw, the sixth-year Slytherin prefect, said. "I've never seen anyone make such a quick getaway."
Several amused students chimed in, who must have also witnessed that mysterious event.
"What happened?" Zack asked, approaching the group.
"Well, you guys don't know anything," Nath replied, looking at them meaningfully. As a prefect, he must have received the information that the three of them were grounded. "That morning, the sirens from the lake delivered some mysterious package to McGonagall. Apparently, there was a dark magical book in it, and Willick turned out to be the owner. He immediately landed on her carpet. I don't know exactly what she found out from him, but I've never seen her in such a frenzy. She dragged the guy halfway through the school and personally threw him out the gate, and Willick's face was covered in nasty, pus-filled pimples. She threatened that if she ever saw him again, she'd transmute him into a flock of cockroaches."
Hearing that, Scorpius couldn't suppress a shadow of a smile. He almost regretted not witnessing the scene himself. In fact, he would have been quite willing to be the one to send the jerk to a family of five swamp trolls. However, quickly, his amusement gave way to concern. What exactly was in the package from the lake, and did it have any connection to him?
"Where are you going?" Karl asked when Scorpius bypassed the others and headed toward the door.
He felt several pairs of eyes on him. He never liked being the centre of attention, and at the moment, it bothered him more than usual.
"To see McGonagall," he muttered.
"No way," Nath chimed in. "It was clearly stated that all three of you were to stay here."
"Try to stop me," Scorpius growled, glancing back at the prefect over his shoulder.
Nathaniel gritted his teeth, and his previous amusement vanished almost instantly.
"You seem to forget, Malfoy, that rules apply to everyone, including you," he said. Scorpius clenched his fists, painfully aware that Nathaniel had a point. Indeed, he had forgotten about that a few days ago. Unfortunately, he was never particularly good at adhering to the rules, neither then nor now.
"I thought rules were meant to be broken," he quipped with irony, then took a step toward the door.
"Slytherin loses ten points," Nathaniel announced.
Scorpius couldn't help and, to everyone's surprise, burst into laughter. For the past few weeks, he had almost entirely forgotten that, aside from everything else, he was just a regular student. He had never been particularly interested in the House Cup, but it seemed more irrational than ever. He turned and looked at the gathering. Most people stared at him with surprise; only Zack and Karl showed concern. They were the only ones who knew what he was capable of.
"You need something stronger to stop me," Scorpius said when he had regained control of his feigned amusement.
"Unlike you, I don't intend to cast curses at whoever crosses my path," Nathaniel hissed, moving from his spot. He stopped between Scorpius and the door, then added venomously, "Or maybe you'll throw me out of the tower window because I got in your way, huh?"
Scorpius was taken aback. He had never been particularly close to other Slytherin students, but at the moment, he felt more alienated than ever. At the same time, he realised that not only in other Houses but even in his own, everyone considered him a murderer. Even if the Ministry didn't press any charges yet, he had already been judged.
Somewhere behind Nathaniel's shoulder, he saw the frightened faces of Karl and Zack. He knew several nasty spells he could use to retaliate against the prefect, but suddenly, he imagined Professor McGonagall's expression if she heard about it, and that cooled his temper.
"Get out of my way," he hissed.
"Make me."
Scorpius was about to open his mouth when the door to the room suddenly swung open, and Professor Smilthon walked in. The man looked slightly surprised by the situation he found, and then his gaze settled on Scorpius.
"Mr Malfoy, the Headmaster has asked me to take you to her," Professor Smilthon said in a gentle tone.
Scorpius couldn't suppress a smug smile when he saw the surprised expression on Nathaniel's face. All the previous anger suddenly left him. When he passed the prefect, he patted him on the shoulder.
"We'll dance another time, Nath."
The Slytherin gave him a strange look but didn't say anything in response.
In the office, Scorpius was met with the stern gaze of the Headmaster. She must have been really upset, as traces of her anger were still visible on her face.
"Sit down, Malfoy," she ordered.
Scorpius complied, hoping that her anger wouldn't be directed at him. The Headmaster presented to him a book covered in red-tinted leather. There was no title on it.
"Have you ever seen that book?" she inquired, showing him the volume.
He shook his head truthfully. For a brief moment, he felt like she didn't believe him, but then she pushed the book aside and sighed softly.
"That's good. If I ever catch you with a thing like that, nothing will save you from being expelled from the school," she declared with a dangerous tone.
In any other situation, he might have said that he'd seen worse, but McGonagall was in such a mood that he didn't dare utter a word.
"Do you know who it belonged to?"
"I heard it belonged to Professor Willick."
The woman nodded.
"It was found that morning along with a wand that belonged to Peggy White. Shortly after, Dean Thomas was here to reverse the charms cast with it. One of them was the Curse of Wrath, the instructions for which are in that book. A few minor errors were made in the spellcasting, but everything indicates that it was that wand that cursed you."
Scorpius bit his lip. Everything was dangerously coming together. Just before the attack, he had forced Willick into giving him an Acceptable in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The man never liked him, but to go that far?
"Are you suggesting that he wanted to get back at me and used White for it?"
McGonagall unconsciously massaged her temple and then removed her glasses, walking over to the window and gazing outside for a moment.
"That's what I thought too. The truth turned out to be even more disgraceful. I don't know what issues you had with Miss White, but it seems she took that book from Willick's private collection without his knowledge," she said with a grimace of disgust. "She had the opportunity because she was frequently in his quarters."
Scorpius looked at the Headmaster with a mix of surprise and understanding. Peggy White was, of course, very attractive, and girls from all houses had crushed on Willick. Still, to get involved with a teacher? In a moment, he realised what had so upset McGonagall. In her vocabulary, there was no place for such behaviour from any individual, especially from a teacher.
For a while, an awkward silence hung in the office. Then the Headmaster sighed deeply once more, attempting to calm her nerves, and looked at Scorpius.
"I've relayed all that information to Thomas. Appropriate consequences will be drawn for Willick. As a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, he was authorised to have forbidden books, but failing to keep track of one is a serious violation of safety norms. I won't even mention the norms of social and moral conduct he violated."
Scorpius simply nodded. Nonetheless, he still believed that speaking up in that situation might bring only the Headmaster's wrath. She was absolutely in no mood for disagreement.
"Under these circumstances," she continued, "I believe you can return to classes on Monday along with Mr Campbell and Mr Nott. I expect not to hear about any further incidents regarding you three."
Scorpius swallowed hard. The situation in the Slytherin common room just a while ago flashed before his eyes. Meeting that requirement would cost him a lot of effort. Still, he obediently nodded.
"However," she concluded, "tomorrow morning, you and your friends will come to my office. I won't go into detail, but you'll learn the extent of your punishment."
She didn't say it directly, but Scorpius understood that tomorrow, the three of them would find out the consequences of their actions. He didn't doubt that there would be consequences. And, as he had repeatedly told himself over the past few days, he would accept them with his head held high.
"That's all. You can go back to the dormitory," the Headmaster concluded.
In any other situation, he might have felt a prickly sensation at the abrupt end of the conversation, but seeing McGonagall's mood, he wanted to get out of her sight as quickly as possible. Therefore, he hastily stood, bid her farewell, and left her office.
Zack and Karl weren't happy when Scorpius relayed the information to them, but eventually, they swallowed their bitterness and surrendered to reality. Scorpius was willing to take all the blame upon himself, but he didn't even suggest it after the conversation in the Hospital Wing. Zachary seemed ready to lose his last bit of self-control and give Scorpius a black eye, and the last thing Scorpius needed was to explain the bruising to the Headmaster the next day.
Finally, silence settled in the room, but Scorpius couldn't sleep for a long time. He lay on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the dark ceiling. He didn't think about what kind of punishment McGonagall would impose on them. Only a few days ago, he was horrified at the thought of going to Azkaban, so any other punishment seemed relatively mild. What troubled him most was the idea that McGonagall might cancel their lessons. He was afraid that that would be his punishment. McGonagall knew perfectly well that no detention or extra classes would faze him. If anything were going to affect him, it would be to deprive him of the opportunity to practice magic.
He had to admit to himself that it wasn't just about learning charms. He just enjoyed coming to the Headmaster and learning under her guidance. He respected and admired her, and unlike other teachers, she didn't treat him as a burden. Those few months helped him regain his lost self-confidence and believe that he wasn't inferior to other students.
He rubbed his face with a nervous gesture. He was angry and frustrated, especially because, despite his sincere intentions, he couldn't think of any good solution. And that helplessness drove him crazy.
For a long time, he tried to think about something else, but the other topics didn't seem any more pleasant. Ultimately, he fell asleep well past three in the morning and woke up before the others.
A gloomy silence filled the room. The three Slytherins were silently putting on their robes and making their beds. Zachary looked like he would go to his execution, Scorpius was too exhausted and sleep-deprived to speak, and only Karl seemed to behave somewhat normally, but he was generally taciturn.
They had breakfast in the common room, though it was practically just a bowl of cornflakes. The sweet pastries and colourful sandwiches remained untouched. Clearly, it wasn't just Scorpius who had lost his appetite in recent days.
"Will she expel us?" Zack asked unexpectedly as they walked down the corridor towards the Headmaster's office.
Scorpius didn't expect such a question. He hadn't even considered that possibility himself. Had he miscalculated in his self-assurance? When did he become so convinced that his place at Hogwarts was guaranteed? McGonagall had every reason to show all three of them the door. No one could blame her for that.
Crushed by that sudden realisation, Scorpius merely shrugged. He also made a quick decision. If McGonagall's decision were indeed to expel them, he would take full responsibility so at least his friends could continue their education.
The last time he found it so difficult to enter the Headmaster's office was when he stood in the corridor with Albus after returning from London. Back then, he wasn't afraid of meeting McGonagall but rather everyone else. However, currently, with every passing minute, he grew more fearful of what he would hear. When he opened the door and saw the stern face of the woman, his fears intensified. She didn't ask them to sit, so all three of them stood before her desk.
"I'll spare you the lecture on how reckless and hasty your actions were," McGonagall began, piercing them with her gaze. "We all know the consequences of your decisions, and picking at that wound won't help anyone at the moment. The Ministry's investigation is one thing, and accountability before the school is another. As the Headmaster of Hogwarts, I can't turn a blind eye to such reckless acts. I understand you had good intentions, but it's far too little to justify everything. Therefore, all your student privileges are revoked for the remainder of the school year. Aside from classes, you won't be allowed to use magic unless a teacher orders it. You won't participate in Hogsmeade trips or Quidditch games. In addition, until the holiday break, after school, you'll help Mr Filch three times a week. You'll start by repairing the damage in the owlery. Is that clear to all of you?"
Scorpius looked at his friends. Zack's face expressed clear relief. None of these punishments probably seemed too severe to him, considering he had feared expulsion from the school. Karl appeared a bit worse, likely feeling disheartened about the prospect of missing Quidditch. Scorpius didn't even want to think about how he would survive seven months without using magic.
"If there are no questions, you will start helping Mr Filch after lunch today."
All three of them nodded.
"Mr Campbell, Mr Nott, you're free to go."
Both of them looked surprised, first at the Headmaster and then at Scorpius. He was sure that McGonagall had something more in store for him. She knew too well that both Hogsmeade and Quidditch meant very little to him.
"Professor," Zachary spoke up shyly. "Scorpius shouldn't receive a harsher punishment than us. It was ultimately my idea, and he just…"
McGonagall silenced him with a hand gesture.
"Your loyalty is commendable, Mr Nott. Nonetheless, considering the circumstances, there are duties that only Mr Malfoy can fulfil."
These somewhat enigmatic words had to suffice as an answer for them all. Scorpius saw Karl and Zack looking at him with questioning eyes, so he nodded toward the door.
A moment later, he was alone with the Headmaster.
"I hope you take the restrictions I've imposed on you to heart."
"Of course," he responded without hesitation. He knew exactly which particular restriction she meant.
"Furthermore, I believe you should do one more thing. Basic human decency requires it."
Hearing McGonagall's words, he liked them less and less.
"I want you to write a letter to Peggy White's parents that week. You owe it to them."
Scorpius stared at the Headmaster in silence for a long while, foolishly hoping it was some distasteful joke. How was he supposed to write to these people when he was responsible for their daughter's death? What could he possibly say? That he was sorry? It was absurd!
He clenched his teeth, determined not to let his tongue slip out of control. It wouldn't help him in any way, and it wouldn't change McGonagall's decision.
"Is that all?" he asked with a slightly too sharp tone.
"That's all."
The Slytherin turned and headed for the door. So that was it. She grounded him, took away his right to use magic, and ordered him to humble himself before the White family. She had thought that through well. She attacked three of his most cherished aspects: independence, magic, and pride. He didn't know if he was angrier or more bitter that their relationship ended like that.
But before he grabbed the doorknob, he hesitated. In some way, he owed her an apology, even if these words had no power to change anything.
"I'm sorry for disappointing you," he said without turning around, then opened the door.
"Scorpius, wait." He heard his name. For the first time in several days, that characteristic touch of gentleness returned to McGonagall's voice. He stopped and, despite his inner reservations, turned around. She looked at him with an unusually peculiar expression. Then she closed her eyes, sighed, and took off her glasses.
Scorpius reflexively closed the door and waited in silence for the next words.
"It's not that I'm disappointed. I'm more shaken by how tragic the consequences of my mistakes can be."
"Your mistakes?"
She nodded, then got up from her chair.
"Of course. You're still a child, no matter how mature you consider yourself, and you have the right to make mistakes. However, your mistakes, among other things, result from my wrong decisions. Many people don't like to think that way, but the responsibility for children's mistakes always falls on their guardians, and in that case, on me."
Scorpius didn't know how to react to that statement. He felt an unpleasant lump in his throat. He knew McGonagall was disappointed in him, but he never expected her to consider his education a mistake. That really hurt. However, he still had a shred of pride left, not to show it directly. Instead, he hid his pain behind a mask of anger.
"You can still expel me from school, as you originally planned last year. My mistakes can't be fixed, but yours still can."
McGonagall's facial expression became even more inscrutable, and then she gently shook her head.
"I think you misunderstood me. I never considered our lessons a mistake. I made a mistake when I straightened your belief that only you could solve your problems. I lacked decisiveness at that time. My conviction about your responsibility blinded me."
Suddenly, Scorpius felt his eyes stinging. He quickly averted his gaze, fearing that McGonagall would notice.
"Clearly, I'm not so much responsible," he grumbled. "But I didn't do it against your will. I just wanted... I don't even know anymore. I think I wanted to prove that I could handle it. That I'm not a child anymore."
He couldn't see McGonagall's face, but from the tone of her voice, he suspected she smiled slightly.
"Don't try to grow up too quickly. Allow yourself to be a child and to make childish mistakes. They also have educational value."
Scorpius didn't respond; he just nodded.
"Go now. You have a lot of work ahead of you."
"Can I come back on Monday?" he asked, even though it made him feel even more childish.
"Of course. After all, you'll only be working with Mr Filch three times a week."
Hearing those words, Scorpius felt the iron loop around his neck, which he had tightened over the past few days, loosen slightly. For the first time, he allowed himself the shy thought that perhaps everything would somehow work out.