Soldiers and Serpents //Scorbus

68 The Dead

"I guess that's kind of a big thing to forget to tell someone."

"But I forgave her." Scorpius tells him. Orion caught his gaze. Scorpius felt his stomach turn into a knot. There he was, being vulnerable again. Why was he telling him this? "Whatever it was, she did what she thought was best."

"I could've grew up around my family."

"Family's overrated." Scorpius shrugs.

"You do suck at consoling."

"Andromeda reached out to your mother?" Scorpius guessed. Orion nods. "Probably when she married the muggle?" Another nod. "And Marius didn't try to rekindle. She refused to go back to the mother who disowned her. She refused to bring her son around the grandmother that disowned her." Orion blinked a couple times.

"When you put it like that it doesn't sound that bad."

"Think about it from her perspective. Andromeda obviously feels like her daughter didn't try to rekindle a relationship. But Andromeda is the one who ruined it in the first place." Scorpius explains. "And for what? So that you would meet Andromeda sooner? Meet your cousin sooner? It doesn't help to dwell. You've met them now."

"They're amazing."

"I agree. Teddy should've been in Slytherin." Scorpius jokes.

"On what grounds!" Orion was laughing now, all traces of stress gone from his face. Scorpius gestures, and they head back to the house.

"He's cunning. Resourceful-"

"He values dedication and kindness more."

"Like you value bravery and justice? Come on." Scorpius elbows him. Orion scoffs, pushing him back. "I'm telling you. The sorting Hat is Merlin knows how old? It's probably inaccurate."

"It's objective."

"Says who?"

"You think your sorting was inaccurate?"

"Maybe I'm more of a Ravenclaw." Scorpius considers. Orion laughs harder.

"No, absolutely not."

"Why not?" Scorpius challenges.

"You're way too ambitious to be a Ravenclaw."

"You're too much a coward to be a Gryffindor, but here we are."

"Now you're being an ass." Orion opens the back door as they go in.

"It's part of my charm."

"Aha, charming is another Slytherin trait."

"Can't argue with you there." Scorpius winked at the boy. Orion shook his head incredulously, heading to the kitchen. Scorpius walked on to go upstairs. "See you later, if I don't die." He could hear Orion snort.

Scorpius changed and met Teddy in the foyer. The blue haired man had a camera slung around his neck, and his wand in his hand. Scorpius wore a simple tee shirt and jeans, not bothering to hide that purple scar on his arm since he'll be under the invisibility cloak anyways. Andromeda stood nearby. "... sure that no one sees you."

"I've got that covered." Scorpius unfolds the invisibility cloak. Teddy looks at the cloak.

"Where'd you get that?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Scorpius jokes. Teddy just smiles. "Ready?"

"Both of you be careful." Narcissa walks up to Andromeda's side.

"It's just for intel." Teddy reassures. Then they leave without another word. Scorpius kept the cloak under his arm, and his wand in his hand as Teddy apparated them to Diagon Alley. Unlike Scorpius, the man actually had a license to do so. Teddy's attire was just as casual as Scorpius's, dark clothing and cool for the summer. They weave through the outskirts of Diagon Alley, avoiding masses of people and the crowds. Summer time tended to bring more witches and wizards from out of town. Luckily that meant Scorpius and Teddy were just another face.