Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.

That was him!

Standing in the doorway was Scorpius Malfoy. He looked nothing like the boy she remembered from Hogwarts. His once neatly groomed hair was now messy, but still was in platinum blond. His sharp gray eyes still held their intensity, but the playful spark that used to shine in them was gone. He had grown taller and more muscular, and his face had lost some of its boyish softness, now pale and worn. A prominent scar ran down the left side of his face, a visible sign of the years that had changed him. What shook Rose the most, however, was the empty, emotionless expression he wore, hiding any trace of the Scorpius she once knew.

She hated him—more than she could ever explain—but that didn't stop the pang of concern that stabbed through her at the sight of his scarred and weary face. Rose glanced at Teddy, who stood frozen beside her, his expression dropped as he looked at her apologetically. He shrugged and muttered, "Didn't see this coming."

Rose gritted her teeth, fighting back the surge of emotions threatening to spill over.

"This is Scorpius Malfoy," Lorcan said, oblivious to the tension. "He's an expert on magical creatures and will be working with us on the case."

Scorpius nodded curtly, his face impassive. His gaze swept over the small group, briefly scanning each Auror until his eyes landed on Rose. For a fleeting moment, his cold facade cracked. His eyes widened as he recognized her—the red-haired girl from his past now biting her lip, clearly fighting back tears.

Rose saw the flicker of emotion in his eyes, but just as quickly, it vanished. He regained his composure, shutting away any hint of feeling behind a wall of indifference. She swallowed hard, her heart racing. Scorpius Malfoy, the one person she had hoped never to see again, was now standing before her. And worse, they were about to work together.

"The Head of the Aurors, Edward Lupin," Lorcan introduced, a hint of formality in his tone. Rose rolled her eyes, thinking, As if they don't already know each other. Teddy stepped forward, extending his hand to Scorpius with a warm smile. "Long time no see."

Scorpius nodded, accepting the handshake with a neutral expression. Lorcan, eager to keep things moving, gestured to the rest of the group. "And these are the Aurors assigned to the mission: Nathan Cadwallader, Leon McLaggen, Rufus Alderton, Zoe Carter, and Rose Weasley." Scorpius glanced at each of them briefly before his gaze returned to Rose for the briefest of moments. His face remained unreadable.

"I hope we can begin work today. Can we, Ted—I mean, Lupin?" His voice was calm but carried an edge.

Teddy nodded. "Yes, I'll leave you to it. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to come to me." He glanced at Rose one last time before hurrying off. "Let's get to it quickly before another incident happens," he added, urgency creeping into his voice.

Once Teddy was gone, Alderton cleared his throat and began, "Let's start with the facts. We're dealing with five murders in the last two months. We suspect these aren't usual wizarding attacks—there are signs that a creature might be involved."

McLaggen, clearly skeptical, raised his voice. "Seems like the work of some dark wizard, if you ask me." His eyes narrowed on Scorpius, who remained unfazed by the accusation, his gaze steady as he listened to the briefing.

Lorcan took over, pulling out some files. "According to the reports, the victims all suffered similarly. There were no wounds or scars, and they died as if faced with a killing curse. All of the bodies were found at the crime scenes, which were perfect location to select for a crime. It's been confirmed that the murders were not caused by a killing curse."

"Could it be a werewolf?" Zoe asked, glancing at the others.

"What about a Dementor?" Cadwallar suggested, sounding uncertain.

Scorpius finally spoke, his voice cutting through the speculation. "No, not them. That is clearly not a werewolf. The victims didn't die from bleeding or wounds, nor by a killing curse. If Dementors were responsible, there would be evidence on the bodies. Whoever or whatever did this was careful not to leave any trace. I don't think a creature could manage that without help from someone." He paused, locking eyes with each Auror in turn. "There's a dark wizard or witch behind all of this—someone who knows how to control magical creatures very well." His steady voice held weight, the seriousness of his words hanging in the air.

The room fell silent as the Aurors absorbed his conclusion.

Rose sighed heavily as she stepped out of Level Four, her mind still spinning with everything that had happened. As she made her way to the ground floor of the Ministry, she spotted Albus waiting alongside Draco and Astoria Malfoy.

"Roe!" Albus called out as soon as he saw her. "Teddy sent me an owl."

Rose sighed again, realizing Teddy had probably told Albus about Scorpius. She glanced at the Malfoys, confused. "What are they doing here?" she asked, feeling frazzled.

"They're here to see Scorpius," Albus explained. "I went to Malfoy Manor and told them."

Rose frowned, her confusion deepening. "Didn't they know he was coming back?"

"No," Albus replied, shaking his head. "He hasn't been in contact with them for years, except for a short note once a year saying he was alive. They haven't seen him in person for years."

Rose's frown deepened. Why had Scorpius distanced himself from everyone who cared about him? It felt cruel. She couldn't understand why he was pushing everyone away. Astoria Malfoy stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Rose, dear," she began, her eyes filled with worry. "Did you see him? Is he alright? Did he talk to you? Did he ask about us? Has he eaten well? Will he come out soon? Would he-"

"Astoria!" Draco interrupted gently, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. Astoria broke down into sobs, unable to hold back her emotions any longer. Rose's throat tightened as she fought back tears, feeling the pain for Astoria, heartbroken over the distance from her only child.

How could he be so selfish? Rose thought. Why keep them in the dark all this time? It wasn't just cruel to her; it was cruel to them too. They stood in silence for a while, watching the miserable couple, with Albus looking just as upset. But Scorpius didn't appear.

"Do you think he's still in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?" Albus finally asked.

Rose shrugged helplessly. "May be he is inside, hiding from everyone like a coward."

"Can't we go check?" Albus asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Not without permission," Rose replied. Albus, being a Quidditch player, didn't have the authority to access restricted areas of the Ministry.

Albus cleared his throat and spoke again, more cautiously this time. "I know it's a lot to ask, Roe, but... for them... could you check? Just for them." His voice softened, and guilt washed over his face as he saw the pain in Rose's expression. "You know how hard this is, Roe. While you were suffering, they've been suffering too. We need to help them—at least give them a chance to see their son."

Rose clenched her jaw, feeling anger and sadness collide within her. "Was it my fault, Al?" she choked out. "Did he leave them because of me? To get away from me?"

Albus squeezed her shoulder reassuaringly. "No, Roe, none of this is your fault. I know that, and so do they. Don't blame yourself. Scorpius is the one who wronged all of us, not you."

Rose looked over at Draco and Astoria once more, her heart aching for them. Finally, she nodded. "I'll try to find him," she muttered. "For them."

Albus gave her a grateful nod. "Thank you, Roe."

A/N: Thanks for reading. Pleass review. Sorry for the mistakes.