Snakes and Sanguine

Year 3: Difference

Just like every year, Platform 9 ¾ was bustling with witches and wizards. Al and I took immediate action into searching for Scorpius once we boarded the train. We passed by our usual compartment and walked through the rest of the train but he was nowhere to be found. Ultimately, Al and I gave up and walked back to the compartment defeated.

"Do you think something happened to him?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if I wanted to bring up such a topic again. "Or...his mother? I mean, he's not the type to not send us any letters or show up to something he promised to show up to, or be late to the express." I began to ramble.

"Delancey," Al said softly. "He'll be here and I'm sure he has a good reason as to why-" he continued but was soon interrupted by the sound of the compartment door sliding open. I noticed Al's eyes widened the tiniest bit and I'm sure mine did the same when we saw Scorpius standing in the door frame.

He stood there for a moment, his hair and skin still snowy white but his stature tremendously different. He was now taller then both Al and I, and his hair was no longer gelled back but was rather messy and very "unmalfoy". He had grown evidently thinner and his eyes somehow became an even paler shade of grey. He slumped into the seat next to me and threw his black knapsack onto the floor without saying a word.

Al and I looked at eachother, neither of us wanting to be the first one to speak, both unsure of what we would possibly say. Scorpius zipped open the front pocket of his knapsack and took out a small box and a lighter.

"What is that?" I asked, finally saying something.

"A cig. Want one?" he replied, holding the box in front of me.

"Um. No thanks." I declined, still taking in this seemingly new Scorpius. He shrugged and took out one of the white sticks from the box and placed it in his mouth, his lips pursed around it. He cupped his hand around the lighter as he lit the cigarette.

"So why didn't you write?" Al asked harshly, crossing his arms.

"Didn't have time." he replied, exhaling a cloud of smoke causing me to need to hold back a cough.

"Why didn't you come to the trial? Delancey needed you, you know." Al pressed, his voice now hinted with anger.

"Al it's fine." I reassured, fearing how this conversation could escalate.

"No it's not." Al snapped. "Why didn't you come?"

Scorpius didn't answer, he just perched his legs up on the bench across from him, his feet now beside Al.

"I said, why didn't you come?" Al repeated, now on the verge of shouting.

"Cause my fucking mom died, is that what you want to hear!" Scorpius shouted, pulling his legs back in, then placing his cigarette back in his mouth.

Al opened and closed his mouth a few times, contemplating what to say but kept quiet and instead rested his head on the glass of the window, looking out. I looked at the two boys awkwardly and despised the thick tension in the compartment.

"Scorpius..." I started, scared of saying the wrong thing. "I'm so sorry." I placed my hand on his shoulder but he shrugged the shoulder, pushing my hand off.

"Don't give me that bullshit pity. It happened weeks ago, it's fine." he replied, looking at the compartment door.

I sighed. I was not good at this. "I'm not pitying you trust me, that's the last thing I'm doing. I know how it feels." I finally said.

"Your dad's in Azkaban, not dead." he scoffed, taking another puff of his cigarette.

"He might as well be."