XXXIII

It had been a truly strange week. On the surface, nothing had changed. Scorpius spent his mornings in the library and his afternoons by the river or wandering around the area. Elizabeth still accompanied him, but there was a new atmosphere between them. They exchanged meaningful glances more often, and Lizzy no longer withdrew when he accidentally or intentionally touched her hand. They didn't discuss what had happened by the river, but they also didn't attempt to deny it. They just let it be and waited for what would happen next.

Scorpius knew that their relationship could complicate everything, considering that Elizabeth's situation was far from clear and simple. But he simply couldn't pretend that nothing had happened. Especially when he saw the fear in her eyes from time to time, as if she feared he'd tell her to leave. Of course, she never admitted to such fears; she was too proud for that. But he knew, he had seen it frequently over the past few days.

Above all, it was a pleasant feeling, knowing that his affection was returned. Three months ago, if someone had told him he would get involved in such a situation with Nash, he would never have believed it. But here they were, and more than that, he didn't want to change anything. It might be madness, and it might end as soon as they returned to school when they would become a Ravenclaw and a Slytherin again. But for now, that unusual relationship brought too much satisfaction for him to want to give it up. Especially when Lizzy held his hand while they walked together in the evenings, all doubts disappeared.

He realized that while others had started to show interest in the opposite sex for some time, he hadn't paid attention to that at all, preoccupied with various problems. As a result, he had never had a girlfriend he could call his own. Well, apart from Lily, but she remained a kid. Elizabeth, nearly seventeen, seemed almost grown up in comparison, and she outshone her in that competition. It wasn't just her age. While Scorpius liked Albus' sister very much, he considered her more of a friendly addition than a real companion for spending time. Lizzy wasn't afraid to express her opinion, and in many subjects, she could challenge him. Sometimes, he had to put in quite an effort to out-talk her, and he considered words his greatest weapon. Quickly, he realized he had met a formidable opponent in that regard.

Scorpius ate breakfast in the living room. Astoria had left for work a few minutes earlier, and Lizzy sat in one of the armchairs, finishing her tea. Suddenly, a house elf with a tray appeared right next to him, carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Master, today's newspaper," the elf explained, pushing the tray a bit closer.

Scorpius noticed Lizzy's ironic smile upon hearing the name by which he was addressed. He had tried multiple times to persuade the house elves to call him something else but to no avail. Ignoring the embarrassment gnawing at him, he took a bite of his toast and nodded. He reluctantly spread out the newspaper and felt as if he had been hit squarely in the stomach. The headline in large letters screamed: "Aurors Foil Terrorist Attack! Horntails Captured!"

He felt his hands tremble, although he did his best to hide it. At the moment, he couldn't be too concerned about Elizabeth. He would figure that out later. Instead, he quickly read the article below. It described an operation by the Auror Office that had taken place between two and three in the morning in London. One of the hotels that was hosting the Chairman of the International Confederation of Wizards' Council had been targeted in an attack by Horntails. Thanks to an anonymous tip, the Aurors arrived at the scene just as five armed and dangerous wizards had infiltrated the hotel. A brief but fierce battle ensued, during which two attackers were killed, and three were apprehended.

Upon reading the last paragraph, Scorpius saw the photographs of the captured and killed wizards. Fortunately, none of them resembled Draco, which allowed him to breathe a little easier. Wherever his father was, he had nothing to do with that... unless he was the source of the anonymous tip mentioned in the article.

On the next page, profiles of the Aurors involved in the operation were featured. Among the pictures, Scorpius easily recognized Harry Potter, who had led the mission. That further strengthened his belief that his father had likely tipped off the Aurors about the impending attack. The realization filled him with both pride and fear. How much had his father risked to warn the Auror Office? What if he had been captured? If he were imprisoned or worse, nobody would come to his aid, as the Ministry did not know of his involvement. What if he were being tortured or killed?

Scorpius quickly shook his head, trying to push away the dark thoughts. They served no purpose other than feeding his panic, which was already lurking at the edge of his consciousness, ready to resurface at the slightest weakness.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and when he looked away from the newspaper, he saw Elizabeth's serious expression. She furrowed her brows and read the headline of the article.

"What's going on?" she asked after reading the first paragraph.

"Nothing," Scorpius muttered, searching for a reasonable explanation. "I was just scared that there might have been another attack on Diagon Alley. Back when the first one took place in Gringotts, my mother was there. It was a terrible few hours, waiting for news that she was okay."

He could tell by Lizzy's gaze that she wasn't entirely buying his explanation. She looked at him expectantly for a moment before shifting her attention back to the article.

"But that wasn't Diagon Alley," she pointed out.

Scorpius shook his head.

"They attacked a hotel somewhere, but the Aurors caught them."

"At least they were useful for once," Lizzy remarked bitterly.

"Indeed," Scorpius agreed.

He tried to flip to the next page, where there was information about the Chairman of the International Confederation of Wizards' Council when Lizzy grabbed his hand. The hand that, despite his best efforts, wouldn't stop trembling and was uncomfortably sweaty.

"What's going on?" she repeated the question, that time with more emphasis. "If you don't want to tell me, at least spare me the lies."

Scorpius looked away and swallowed hard. He knew he shouldn't involve her in that, but the temptation to share the burden that had weighed on him throughout the summer was compelling.

"It's about my father," he muttered through gritted teeth. "A few months ago, I found out that he was working with the Horntails."

He heard Elizabeth sharply inhale, so he quickly added:

"He's spying on them for the Auror Office."

Lizzy let go of his hand and leaned against the desk. She then studied the newspaper more closely.

"There's no mention of him," Scorpius pointed. "But somehow, the Aurors knew where the Horntails would strike. Although it's just my speculation."

"How did he get involved in that?" Lizzy asked, visibly bewildered.

Scorpius shrugged.

"I don't know the details. I only know that he talked about it with Harry Potter, and then the never-ending delegations and trips started. I don't know why he decided to do that; I can only guess. Albus says he's trying to clear our family's name."

"Potter? He knows about that?"

Scorpius smiled wryly.

"I trusted only him enough to tell such a thing."

Lizzy looked at him strangely after that statement, then she smiled faintly.

"I guess that means I've moved up to a position right next to Potter. How... nice."

Those words made Scorpius realize that his trust in Elizabeth had indeed grown significantly over the past month. Not for a moment did he assume she might use that knowledge against him; rather, he worried that she might get herself into trouble because of it. His hesitation to reveal the truth wasn't due to a lack of trust.

However, he quickly dismissed these thoughts and returned to the pressing issue.

"I feel utterly helpless. There's nothing I can do but wait and hope that my father manages. My imagination conjures up some pretty horrifying scenarios."

Elizabeth also grew serious.

"I don't know your father well, but he seems like someone who can take care of himself."

"That's true, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm sick with worry."

The Ravenclaw girl merely nodded, and they both finished reading all the articles related to the attack.

The next three days were truly tough for Scorpius. His father didn't return, and his mother was subdued and silent, even though she tried to create an illusion of normalcy around them. She must have been consumed by the same anxiety, but unlike Scorpius, she had no one to share her worries with.

Scorpius couldn't even concentrate on his studies. As a result, he spent most of his time in his room, often in the company of Lizzy. They tried to talk about topics unrelated to Draco and the Horntails, but that issue hung in the air, causing nausea.

"Maybe you should contact Albus," Lizzy suggested when the conversation inevitably turned to recent events. "If his father is directly involved in that, he might know something."

Scorpius, sitting on the bed with his hands on his knees, shook his head.

"He's at a magical camp with Lily. I doubt he knows anything. He'd just worry needlessly."

The girl sat down beside him, offering a slight smile.

"I would have never guessed that a Slytherin would be concerned about someone else's well-being."

Scorpius returned the smile, although he was far more ironic.

"Albus is an idiot. He takes everything to heart as if the fate of the world depended on him. I usually don't tell him even half of my problems, or he wouldn't sleep at night."

Lizzy chuckled.

"It's hard to believe that you're friends, given how different you are."

Suddenly, Scorpius remembered all those moments when he realized how much he had in common with a Gryffindor. But that was something they kept between themselves; outwardly, they had nothing in common.

"You'd be surprised," he replied, avoiding specifics.

Lizzy looked at him questioningly, so after a moment, he continued:

"Albus has more Slytherin in him than you might think, and I... Well, let's say I've embraced a lot of Gryffindor qualities. But I only learned that through him because, contrary to appearances, he's incredibly stubborn. He didn't let me sink when I was down."

He fell silent, not entirely sure if he wanted to continue. That topic had never been easy for him to discuss. Lizzy didn't press him, but her eyes were expectant.

"After White's death, I tried to flee the country," he finally spoke, gazing at his clenched fists. "I was convinced I'd end up in Azkaban. Albus found me in London, on the train to Belgium. To stop me, he was willing to take all the blame. He said he'd do it if I left."

Scorpius smiled bitterly.

"I couldn't let him do that."

Lizzy stared at him in silence for a while.

"I think I understand what you meant now," she said softly. "Both of you don't show your true selves to the world."

"There's something to that," Scorpius agreed.

The following morning gave no hint of what was to come. Astoria had an early breakfast and went to work, while Scorpius entered the dining room a bit later, where Lizzy waited for him.

For a few minutes, they ate in silence. Then they started to discuss what they would do for the rest of the day. Scorpius still felt too overwhelmed to focus on his studies, but he also didn't want to waste time idly and worry about his father, which certainly wasn't healthy.

Suddenly, they heard a commotion coming from the hall of the manor. First, a dull thud, then the sound of shattered glass. Scorpius jumped up and rushed from the dining room. He immediately spotted Draco on the floor, surrounded by shards from a broken flask that had usually stood on a nearby dresser. His father was conscious but breathing heavily. His jacket on the right side was noticeably soaked with blood. There was also a growing red stain on the floor around him. Draco was injured, and the injury was serious.

For a moment, Scorpius gaped at the horrifying sight, and then he finally pulled himself together and ran to his father. He knelt beside him and unbuttoned the jacket without a word. A moment later, he uncovered a horribly torn wound running from the collarbone along the side down to the beltline. Without hesitation, he cast the first healing cham that came to his mind. He didn't want to contemplate whether it would be of any help; he just had to act. Draco hissed in pain as the charm started to close the wound at the point where the bleeding was most severe.

Elizabeth cast a second charm, which stopped the bleeding more effectively.

Draco breathed heavily and looked at his son. His gaze, though clouded by pain and blood loss, remained focused.

"Scorpius, listen..." he began with obvious difficulty. His voice was hoarse and unclear, hinting at the possibility of internal injuries.

"Don't say anything; we'll get you to St. Mungo's," Scorpius interrupted him, ready to cast another healing charm. However, Draco grabbed his arm with a blood-stained hand, halting his actions.

"Listen to me. I…"

"I know, you're spying on the Horntails. I know everything," Scorpius interrupted him again, seeing how difficult it was for him to speak.

His words finally disrupted Draco's composure, and he looked genuinely surprised.

"How?"

"That isn't the right time. You need medical attention."

"That can wait," Draco hissed and, with a tremendous effort, managed to sit up. "They've targeted Potter's children... They want to take revenge for their recent arrests... I tried to escape... They caught me."

Scorpius felt a cold vice grip his insides. Albus!

"What..."

"Find Potter."

Scorpius could only nod, unable to muster any coherent words.

"Go. I will take your father to the hospital," Elizabeth said firmly.

Scorpius got up, but before taking a single step, he looked back at Lizzy.

"They'll search for him at St. Mungo's," he realized suddenly. "It's the first place they'll check, and then they'll come here."

"He can't be left without help. I can't mend such injuries on my own," the girl responded.

"I know, I know," Scorpius growled, trying to find a reasonable solution. They needed to move his father to a place where neither the Horntails nor the Ministry would find him, and where trustworthy wizards would be ready to help. Someone he could trust.

"Wingardium Leviosa," he cast the spell, carefully levitating his father. It took a moment to move him to the living room, and then towards the fireplace.

"Please, go with him," he told Lizzy, who nodded and entered the extinguished fireplace. A moment later, they placed Draco in it.

"They won't look there, for sure. Karl Campbell, my roommate, should be there. He'll help you."

"What are you going to do?" Lizzy asked.

"I'll find the Potters."

Scorpius looked once more at his father's pale face, then grabbed the Floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace.

"Everett seven, Denver, Colorado," he stated the address and the green flames swallowed Draco and Elizabeth. A moment later, Scorpius was alone in the house.

Although he felt the urge to act, his legs felt like lead and didn't want to cooperate. It took great effort to start moving. But soon, he forced himself to run and rushed into his room, where he kept a two-way mirror.

He tried to call Albus several times but with no response. Frustration welled within him. He didn't have time to waste on these futile attempts. Inwardly battling panic, he rushed downstairs and stood by the fireplace. Where to go? A quick thought and an even quicker answer. He tossed some Floo powder and spoke the address of the Potter's home.

"Homenum Revelio," he said without hesitation, not wasting any time searching. The charm confirmed that the house was empty, and for a moment, he had hoped to find at least one member of the family.

If not at home, Mr Potter should be at work. Scorpius swallowed hard at the thought of going to the Ministry, but that was not the time for hesitation. He took another handful of Floo powder and threw it into the flames.

A rapid journey brought him directly to the sprawling atrium of the Ministry of Magic. The place was in chaos, filled with people in suits, hurrying in all directions.

Scorpius stood there for a moment, disoriented, unsure of where to go next. He eventually started asking random passersby for directions and after a few minutes found himself in front of the entrance to the Auror Office. Although a few people questioned why he was there, he quickly made up plausible lies to explain his presence.

"What are you doing here?" a stout man carrying a stack of files called out. "You can't enter without a pass."

"I'm here to meet Mr Potter," Scorpius lied without hesitation, deciding not to share any details about his knowledge with the auror.

"You've got something mixed up, Potter isn't here."

"What do you mean?"

The man scoffed and pushed past Scorpius.

"Read the newspaper. Potter and Weasley are at Azkaban, interrogating captured Horntails. Now, get out of here, or I'll lock you up in a holding cell for twenty-four hours for obstructing my work."

Scorpius clenched his fists but said no more. Engaging in a discussion with the man would be utterly pointless, and he had the authority to back up his threats.

At that moment, Scorpius thought about those corrupt Aurors that Lizzy had mentioned on several occasions. He realized that the man in front of him was a perfect fit for that description. People like him, more than anything else, tarnished the reputation of the Auror Office.

Scorpius looked around, hoping to see a familiar face, but another growl from the auror made it clear that he couldn't linger any longer. The man seemed ready to cause problems, and he appeared to take pleasure in it.

A while later, Scorpius found himself back in the main atrium with numerous fireplaces. He wasn't sure what to do next. Albus still wasn't answering, his house was empty, and his father was unreachable. The minutes ticked away, and he was running out of ideas.

Ultimately, he decided to return to the Potter house. If he couldn't reach Albus through the mirror, he needed to do so in person, and for that, he needed information about the location of the magical camp.

Ten minutes was all it took for Scorpius to rummage through both Albus' and Lily's rooms, but he found nothing of relevance. No tickets, notes, or anything that could suggest their whereabouts. Frustration and growing panic were setting in. In haste, he went to the living room and started searching through the items there. Of course, copies of the Daily Prophet were scattered around, still discussing the captured terrorists, and plenty of photographs were displayed in frames or hanging on the walls. None of it, however, brought him any closer to his goal.

In an act of desperation, he entered the kitchen, and that's when his gaze stopped at the refrigerator. The entire side of the fridge was covered in magnets and postcards. On one of them, he spotted the smiling faces of Albus and Lily. He took it and looked at the other side.

Greetings from Skye! The Fairy Pools waterfalls are the most enchanting place in the UK. It's a shame you're not here. L&A.

"Fairy Pools?" he muttered to himself, and without hesitation, he summoned a map he knew was in Albus' room. He flipped through the pages until he spotted the name he was looking for.

"It's in Scotland, Skye isn't a town but an island."

With that discovery came another thought. The only place in Scotland he knew and at the same time the only person who would undoubtedly help him. He couldn't understand why he didn't think of it earlier. With the director's intervention, no auror would dare to brush him off.

He stashed the postcard in his pocket, rushed to the fireplace, and was reaching for Floo Powder when he froze in his tracks. Fireplaces at Hogwarts were locked from the outside for security reasons. You could only use them from the school's side, and only the teachers knew the charm to disable the locks.

Annoyed by his helplessness, he ran his hand through his hair. He had no time to use the train. He knew well how long that journey took. He had to find another solution and find it quickly.

He stepped into the fireplace before the new idea fully formed in his mind.

"Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade!" he shouted, and green flames whisked him away to his next destination.

Several wizards and witches looked at him strangely as he popped out of the fireplace and nearly sprinted between the tables in the pub towards the exit. He knew two passages leading from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts, but since he needed to get inside the school, he chose the Honeyduke entrance. He waited for a moment when the owner was preoccupied, slipped inside, and got into the back room. He found the trapdoor, and before anyone noticed, he was already in the tunnel.

Illuminating his path with his wand, he started running forward, paying no mind to the sharp edges of the walls or the rats scurrying into the darkness. Every minute was precious, and he had wasted too many already.

It took him over twenty minutes to reach the school, and when he emerged from the trapdoor on the third floor, he could barely catch his breath. But that didn't stop him for a second. He continued running, following the familiar path leading to the Headmaster's office.

He knocked on the door, then pounded it a few times, but there was still silence. Wherever McGonagall was, she certainly wasn't in her office. Furious and increasingly terrified, he pounded the door again, then leaned his head against it. He had one simple task: to notify someone about the threat hanging over Albus and Lily, and likely the other camp participants as well. Yet he felt utterly helpless. In the Ministry, he had hit a dead end, and at Hogwarts, he found emptiness. The school was deserted, and no one would be here for the next few days. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that earlier. Teachers also left the castle not long after the students. In the best-case scenario, he'd run into Filch, who would probably chase him away with a series of expletives.

He was a fool not to think of that earlier. What was worse was that he had no idea what to do more. If he tried to get to Skye using Muggle transportation, he probably wouldn't arrive before the next day, and by then, it was scary to think about what might have happened. The lives of his friends were in danger because of his inept actions, as he ran aimlessly from place to place.

"For Merlin's sake, what am I supposed to do?" he shouted, his voice trembling dangerously.

Out of sheer frustration, he pounded the door again, but the door remained silent.

He knew he had to do something, come up with a plan, but instead, he felt like screaming. He felt like an utter idiot, and others would pay for his foolishness.

"Professor McGonagall is in London at the Transfiguration Masters' Conference," he heard a familiar voice say.

He turned around to see Professor Scamander approaching. She wore dirt-stained overalls and rubber gloves, and her gaze showed mild curiosity as she looked at the unexpected guest. She had an unasked question written all over her face.

"Professor," he began, but his voice caught in his throat. He had to decide how much he could trust that peculiar teacher.

"It's unusual for students to break into the school during the summer. How did you get in? Through the Hog's Head passage, Honeydukes, or the Shrieking Shack, perhaps?"

The woman stopped right next to him, still smiling gently, while Scorpius stared at her, becoming more and more dazed. He had always thought that only the owners of the Marauder's Map knew about these hidden entrances.

"Where did you learn about these passages?"

"During the war, many of us used them, especially those who, for some reason, couldn't stay openly in the school. But that is no time for reminiscing, is it?"

Suddenly, Scorpius remembered why he was here in the first place.

"It's about Albus and Lily," he blurted out without hesitation. "They are in danger. The Horntails, in revenge for the recent arrests, are planning to attack Mr Potter's children."

In an instant, the smile disappeared from the teacher's face, replaced by determination. Scorpius was convinced that she hadn't doubted the truth of his words for a moment.

"We can't allow that. Come with me," she said decisively, then turned and briskly walked down the corridor. Scorpius followed her without a word.

"You should have gone to the Ministry with that," the teacher said after a moment.

"I tried, but Mr Potter wasn't there, and some jerk threatened to arrest me if I would bother him."

Professor Scamander only shook her head.

"I thought things had changed over the years."

Scorpius didn't think it was important to ask about her history with the Ministry when they had just stepped onto the grounds outside the school.

"Expecto Patronum," she cast the spell and, after a moment, a radiant, ghostly hare appeared right in front of them. "Harry, your children are in danger. The Horntails have targeted them," she said to the Patronus, which only perked its ears before darting off through the grass and disappearing in the distance.

That was the first time Scorpius had witnessed someone casting that challenging charm so effortlessly. It was the first time he had ever seen it cast, even though he had read that it required exceptional magical skills. He had never truly appreciated what a great witch Professor Scamander was.

"Assuming you checked at their house?" she asked as they hurried across the lawn.

"Yes, but I didn't find anyone. As far as I know, Lily and Albus are at the camp..." He stopped mid-sentence and began searching his pockets, finally pulling out the postcard he handed to the teacher. "I only found that."

"I recognize the place. An endemic species of water elves live there."

If the situation weren't so dire, Scorpius might have laughed at that statement. It would have been strange if Professor Scamander didn't know some places in the Islands.

They stopped near the cottage.

"I hope you're not afraid of heights," she asked, not waiting for an answer, and brought the tip of her wand to her lips. A hissing sound came out, and after a moment, a similar, slightly more shrill sound echoed in response. Then the branches of the trees rustled, and some creature flew out of the distance. It was the size of a horse but with wings and a distinctive bird-like head. Even with his limited knowledge, Scorpius immediately recognized that they had a hippogriff in front of them.

The creature circled in the sky for a moment before landing right beside them. The woman nodded slightly and approached.

"That is Manetail, he'll help us," she said, conjuring a harness and saddle onto the creature's back with a single motion of her wand, then gracefully climbed on top. When she extended her hand towards Scorpius, the question about his fear of heights became more than relevant.

However, Scorpius didn't hesitate for a moment. He had to find his friends and make sure they were safe. So, he firmly grasped the extended hand and settled behind the woman. The hippogriff took it as a signal to take off because he started running and took off from the ground after a moment.

Without considering what he was doing, Scorpius held the teacher more tightly around her waist when he saw how quickly they were moving away from the school grounds. It wasn't even a minute before Hogwarts looked like a child's toy placed among the grass, surrounded by the forests.

"That way, in less than two hours, we should be at Fairy Pools," Professor Scamander said, shouting over the wind's noise.

Scorpius could only nod because he couldn't gather the courage to open his mouth. Trying to fight the panic induced by that wild flight, he focused his thoughts on his friends. He could only hope that they would arrive in time.

It was past noon when they flew over the Kyle Rhea strait, which separated Scotland from Skye. The island, covered with hills and grassy plains, seemed deserted. It was difficult to spot any people on the few roads and in the small towns they passed. Numerous hills and steeper elevations, torn by the wind and illuminated by the summer sun, created an otherworldly landscape.

After another half-hour, Manetail hovered in the air and emitted another shrill cry. Below, Scorpius saw a lake with about a dozen waterfalls flowing into it. These must have been the Fairy Pools, but he couldn't see any camp nearby. There was no soul in sight.

Scanning the horizon, he suddenly noticed an unnatural-looking cloud. "Professor, there!" he pointed with his hand, although letting go of the teacher cost him a lot. Manetail turned around and headed in that direction.

With every passing second, the dark cloud grew larger, and after a moment, Scorpius noticed an orange glow at its base. In less than a minute, everything became clear: they were late. The camp was on fire.