Working Through the Rest

Lone Cage

When I wake up again, I sit up slowly, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my temples. I told Scorpius. Scorpius knows, if he was conscious enough to hear. Scorpius knows that I love him.

Scorpius.

Scorpius.

Shit. He's not here.

I'm alone. Which means that they still have him. He's still in danger. He's still in danger because I fucked up protecting him. I promised him it would be okay, that I would keep him safe. And I then I watched them torture him until he passed out.

I stand up quickly, stumbling forwards as the pain in my head triples. I swear, crashing into the door, twisting the handle and tugging at it desperately. It doesn't open.
"Where is he?" I bellow. "What have you done?"

There is, unsurprisingly, no reply, but I keep slamming my fists against the wood. I'll get out. I'll get out if I have to break this door apart. The hairpin that I had been using is long gone, but it didn't work anyway.

If I want to get out of here, I need to break through this door. And as there is probably something blocking the other side, I can't just throw things at it and hope that the wood cracks. It probably wouldn't anyway. Wherever we are, it won't be the sort of place where stuff breaks easily.

I look at the hinges. They're visible on this side of the door. That means that, if I can work out how to get rid of them, I might be able to pull the door off its hinges and get out of here.

I accept, at this point, that I cannot fight them alone, certainly not unarmed. I have no intention of asking dad to help, but if I can get to Malfoy Manor, if I can find Draco, he'll help me. He'll come to save Scorpius.

But he might not be at Malfoy Manor. He won't be. He'll be searching for Scorpius. He'll be searching for both of us. He'll be with my parents, with dad.

Albus. For fuck's sake. Get over yourself.

This is about saving Scorpius, because you couldn't. You need help. So you need to get out of this room. Which means you have to work out how to open this door in a way that won't be noticed.

I turn to the other door and open it, pulling the birdcage out onto the floor. It looks reasonably old and I start to pull at the looser-looking bars. If I can bend them enough, they might be strong enough to unscrew part of the hinges. I might be able to get out.

This is all, however, assuming that they are not directly outside to catch me. Because if they are, I am about to get myself killed. At least, if I die, they definitely won't kill Scorpius – they'll need him as leverage.

Unless he's already dead.

No. Albus. Stop.

He's alive. He's still alive. You would – you know if he was dead.

These thoughts aren't helping. I need to concentrate on escaping, and then I can help Scorpius. Then I can save Scorpius. I continue trying to work the wire out of the cage, swearing as I slip and drag my thumb along a sharp edge. It doesn't break the skin.

And then the door starts to open and I look up, trying to find something to throw at whoever is about to enter. There's nothing, apart from the birdcage, but I don't get the chance to pick it up before Euphemia Rowle strides in, seizing my hair and forcing me to my feet.
"Where – where is Scorpius?" I demand.

She doesn't respond, dragging me out the room. Scorpius is not in the Hall. But mum and dad are. With Hermione. And Draco.

And Delphi is stood beside them.