Chapter 55

He hadn't laid eyes on his childhood home in five years. It still felt as dark and as daunting as it did when he Apparated away from this very spot five years ago. As he made his way down the hill towards it, he thought about how much had changed since then. He was a different person in many ways, and better for it too. Scorpius knew that it was very unlikely that his father was as well but that was what he had decided to fix. Five years ago he had walked away, full of anger and resentment; now he was going to stay and help his father become a better man, a better husband and a better father.

As he approached the massive iron gates, he got this peculiar feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong. There was not one single light to be seen coming from inside the Manor. He touched his palm to the gate and watched it swing open with a loud screech. Now concerned and not taking his time, he ran to the large, towering front door and knocked. After no answer or movement to be heard, he slammed both hands against it, calling out.

"Hello? Is there anyone there? Dammit…answer me!" He knew something was definitely wrong. His father wouldn't leave the house and a house-elf should have answered the door. Trying his luck, he decided to open the door. To his surprise, the door wasn't even locked. The loud echoing creak sounded as he cautiously opened the door. He stood there in the huge foyer; silence seemed to be his only company. Quickly snapping into action, Scorpius raced up the stairs shouting 'Lumos' as he went, remembering where he was going in his old house like it was the back of his hand. There were only two places that his father would be, his bedroom or his office.

"C'mon Albus, pick up…pick up," Rose mumbled as she paced the length of her living room, listening to the continuous dial tone.

"Rose, honey," Hermione spoke tentatively, "maybe he is really busy." However, Rose just ignored her, continuing to pace the room. She let out a frustrated almost whimper, as she got his answering message politely say he'd get back the caller as soon as possible. Ending the call not a moment later, Rose redialled Albus' number immediately. Hermione didn't know what to do. She knew that she wasn't very keen on letting Astoria know what her suspensions were, at least not until they were confirmed, but even then she knew how much pain it would cause her. So instead Hermione watched her daughter panic and struggle with her mobile.

Alison and Albus eventually made their way to St Mungo's to see Raymond. The older man was surprised to see Albus there but nonetheless very proud of his daughter for sharing the truth. They were his family and he was very happy to see them both. The couple had spent most of the afternoon with him. It was like old times, like the many dinners and lunches they had shared; joking, laughter and smiles more common the anything else.

Scorpius decided to try the bedroom first. There was no light shining out from underneath the door. He burst into the large grand bedroom to find it not only empty but also looking like it hadn't been lived in for a little while. With the light from his wand he could just make out the light dust gathering on top of the elegant dresser. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Surely his father wouldn't have left Malfoy Manor. With the last shred of hope, Scorpius powered himself out of his parent's room and up another flight of stairs towards the office.

Albus was ignoring the buzzing in his pocket; work could wait. Alison left a couple of minutes ago in search of a drink, leaving Albus and Raymond alone for a little while. Raymond didn't want to let the opportunity pass, as he had something to ask the man that held his daughters heart. "Albus, I need to ask you something very important."

"Okay, sir," Albus nodded encouragingly.

"Why is it that you and my daughter are so very much in love and I have yet to see my only daughter walk down the aisle?"

"Ahhh…" Albus was not expecting to tell the old man his reasons because the longer he spent with Raymond in this hospital room the less justified they felt.

"You told me once that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her. Was I mistaken to think that meant marriage?"

"Of course not, Sir," Albus replied. "Ray, I love you daughter and I do wish to marry her, but I have a plan."

"I see," Raymond understood.

"Or at least I had a plan, but now…"

"No," Raymond said, knowing where the young man was going with this. "Don't give up on your plan… just maybe hurry it along a bit," he said with a smile.

"Yes, sir," Albus chuckled.

Scorpius slowed as he approached the closed office door. There was the faintest glow of light to be seen coming from the room. He suddenly feared what he would find on the other side of the door. Scorpius found himself with his hand clenched around the door knob, hesitating. He couldn't hear anything on the other side of the door, 'so it could just be empty like the bedroom', he thought. He opened the door slowly, scanning the room as it opened. His father's usually tidy desk was littered with empty alcohol bottles, and the floor was too. Then, as the door opened enough to reveal the centre of the room, his blue eyes caught sight of something on the floor. Scorpius' eyes shot open wide as he felt like his heart had stopped. He felt an uneasy cold chill as he stood frozen in the fire heated room starring at his father lying unconscious in a puddle of his own blood.

"No! Dad!"

Scorpius rushed over and knelt beside his father, avoiding the smashed whiskey bottle next to him. He quickly realised that the blood was still warm and thin, meaning that it must have just happened before he got there. Scorpius could see that the blood was coming from his left forearm and wrist. It appeared Draco had tried to cut off his Dark Mark. However, being as drunk as he was he had done a terrible job and had cut deep into his arm and wrist.

"You can't do this to me!" Scorpius let out a frustrated cry as he tore a strip off the bottom of his shirt and wrapped it tightly around his father's wounds. Finding the strength somewhere inside of him, he picked up his father and Apparated to St Mungo's.

Alison came back into the room and Albus it was best to give them some time alone; plus, he wanted to take care of this annoying buzzing in his pocket. "I'll be right back," he said as he gave Alison a kiss on the forehead and left the room. Albus, for the first time, was cursing Scorpius for helping the guy who developed annoying Muggle technology that would work around Magic. That was until he saw that it was Rose calling him. Not a moment later she started calling again. Albus was just about to answer it when a collection of healers ran past levitating an unconscious man that looked like Draco Malfoy. With his still buzzing mobile in his hand, Albus ran around the corner and got in the lift. At the next level, he stepped out to find his friend standing still in the middle of the room, shirt torn and blood stained patches all over him, quivering as if he was freezing cold.

"Scorp," Albus approached him slowly. "What happened?" Scorpius didn't answer; he didn't even acknowledge Albus' presence. "Scorpius," Albus tried again. This time the blonde trained his gaze upon the concerned eyes of his best friend. Albus could see the evidence of tears sliding down his friends cheeks. "What happened?" Scorpius simply shook his head and slowly started to back away from Albus. "Scorp, wait-" But it was too late. Scorpius had Disapparated again.

Albus stood there in shock about what had just happened. Scorpius was obviously in a very vulnerable state, but he had no idea where he just Apparated to. Looking back down at his phone, he saw Rose's name flash upon the screen again. This time he answered.

"Rose."

"Finally, Albus," Rose said. "I have been trying to contact you for ages. I need to know if you know where Scorpius is."

"I don't know where he is right now," Albus said truthfully. "but he was here two seconds ago."

"Where's here?"

"St Mungo's."

"Oh Merlin," Rose mumbled.

"Rose, I am worried about him. They just rushed his father in here and he was covered in blood and then he just left, just disapparated," Albus uttered quickly.

"I think I know where he will be," Rose assured him. "Don't worry, you stay there and see what you can find out and I will find him."

"Ah…Okay, yeah," Albus stuttered, clearly still shocked and confused about what had happened.

"Bye," Rose said, before ending the call. Hermione could tell that something was wrong.

"What happened?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Rose replied. "But it ended with Scorpius' father in St Mungo's."

"Oh my," Hermione muttered softly. "And Scorpius?"

"I don't know," Rose replied with a slight tremor to her voice. They stood in silence for a moment before Rose spoke again. "Mum, I need to ask you a favour?" Hermione simply nodded, letting Rose know that she could continue. "Can you take me to Malfoy Manor?"

After some persuading, Hermione finally agreed to drop Rose off at the Manor and leave her alone with Scorpius.

"Thank you," she said as she hugged her mother.

"Just be careful," was Hermione's last warning as she Disapparated, leaving the place that haunted her dreams for many years. Rose just hoped Scorpius was here. She didn't know why she automatically thought he would be here, but she thought it was what she would do in his shoes. As she reached the front door she noticed it was open. Entering the Manor, a chill ran down Rose's spine. It was dark and gloomy, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Then, suddenly a loud banging noise broke the silence, followed by another and another; Rose took off up the stairs following the sound, afraid that Scorpius could be hurt. Eventually, she found the floor from which the loud noise was coming from. She raced down the hallway as she heard the distinct sound of glass shattering, towards the only door with light shining out from underneath it. Silence followed the final crashing sound. Tentatively, Rose opened the door.

Her stomach dropped when she saw what was inside. The room was in a complete disarray, to say the least. The floor was littered with shattered glass, furniture lay destroyed and crippled, papers, ornaments and photo frames all scattered across one side of the room. Amongst all of this destruction Scorpius stood, barely, with his bare, swelling back to her. His whole body shook as he leaned against the large masculine desk, his arms struggling to keep him upright. His deep shaky breaths and the crackle of the fire were the only sounds heard. At first, she didn't make a move to enter for the fear that he may explode again. Scanning the room again, Rose noticed a decent sized deep red stain on the huge sophisticated rug in the centre, now covered by broken glass. She saw his torn shirt strewn across the floor. The very same he had been wearing when he tenderly caressed her face earlier that day, ripped to pieces as though he had literally torn it from his body. A single photo frame lay near it smashed open, with a photo of a young happy family of three inside.

Something drew her gaze back to the nearly broken man; it was so quiet she could have thought she had imagined it. However, she hadn't imagined it at all. The sound of soft whimpering was all it took for Rose to hastily walk across the devastated room towards Scorpius. When she stood behind him, she didn't waste any time in wrapping her arms around him. At first he went rigid; his body stopped shaking as he held his breath. Afraid that he would push her away, Rose simply held him a little tighter and laid her cheek against his tense back. Slowly, she felt him relax in her arms.

"Everything's going to be okay," she whispered, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall, "you're going to be okay." Scorpius closed his eyes as he felt her breath tickle his back when she spoke. The minute he felt her turn her head and press her lips tenderly to his skin, he was certain that his heart couldn't beat any faster without it stopping completely. However, he also knew that she was right; eventually he would be okay.

Hi everyone, I can't wait to see what you think about this chapter. It is a little jumpy but I still hope it flow right. Some may not like this chapter but it is as close to what I had always planned it would be. Let me know what you think should happen and what you want to happen next. Tell me what is good and what is bad, I love getting your feedback.

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