shy ↳ Scorpius Malfoy

Chapter Thirty Five

SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
AVEMORE TRAIN STATION, 1981

"One of you should talk to him, don't you think?" 

"One of us?" Albus reiterates. "Why not you?"

"Hello, Mr. Stationmaster," Scorpius practices. "Mr.Muggle. Question: Did you see a flying witch passing here? And by the way, what year is it? We just ran away from Hogwarts because we are frightened of upsetting things, but this is okay?"

Alice laughs a little.

"You know what annoys me most of all?" Albus says. "Dad will think we did it deliberately."

"Albus. Really?" Scorpius says. "I mean, really really? We're trapped, lost in time, probably permanently, and you're worrying what your dad might think about it? I will never understand the two of you."

"There's a lot to understand," Albus argues. "Dad's pretty complicated."

"And you're not?" Scorpius says. "Not to question your taste in women, but you fancied... well..."

The three know who he is talking about. Alice looks at her feet awkwardly.

"I did, didn't I?" Albus admits. "I mean, what she did to Craig..."

"Can we focus on the bigger problem here?" Alice interrupts. "We have no wands, no brooms... nothing. Except each other. What are we going to do?"

Suddenly, the man behind them— the Stationmaster— begins speaking in a very strong Scottish accent. Alice squints her eyes as she tries to make sense of it, but it's only a bunch of violent mutters.

"Sorry?" Scorpius says.

The Stationmaster says something else, again in a strong Scottish accent. Again, Alice doesn't understand.

"Late," the man says, frowning at the children as he points at a spot on an amended timetable.

Albus takes the timetable from the man and inspects it. Alice watches as his expression changes.

"I know where she is," Albus says. Alice raises her eyebrows.

"You understood that?" Scorpius asks.

"Look at that date," Albus says. "On the timetable." Scorpius and Alice lean in to read the date. Alice's eyes widen. She knows exactly where they are; the significance of the date, anyway.

"The 30th October, 1981," Scorpius reads. "Day before Hallows' Eve, thirty-nine years ago. But, why is she? Oh." Scorpius's face falls.

"The death of my grandparents," Albus says. "The attack on my dad as a baby... The moment when Voldemort's curse rebounded on himself. She's not trying to bring about her prophecy, she's trying to prevent the big one."

"The big one?" Scorpius asks.

" "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches", " Albus says.

" "... born to those who have thrice defended him, born as seventh month dies..." " Scorpius and Albus say together. Alice watches Scorpius's face fall as he speaks.

"It's my fault," Scorpius says. "I told her that prophecies can be broken— I told her the whole logic of prophecies is questionable—"

"In twenty-four hours' time Voldemort curses himself trying to kill the baby Harry Potter," Albus says. "Delphi is trying to prevent that curse. She's going to kill Harry herself. We need to get to Godric's Hollow. Now."