TREMOR | HP | ✓

⌘ Chapter 20

AFTER WALKING THREE times back and forth before one of the walls on the seventh floor, a wooden door carved itself into the wall before us.

"No way..."

I never thought the day would come where I would enter the Room of Requirements. It only showed itself to one in great need. Uncle Harry had stated that it was blown up during the Battle of Hogwarts, through Voldemort's last Horcrux which burst into ruins (although, the last Horcrux used to be my uncle himself) - destroying everything inside. In other words, the room should be gone. How could it have survived the death of a split soul?

I shuddered, as the door opened for us. The warm flood of light called us inside the most modern room I had ever encountered in the school. The walls shone in white and small floating candles decorated the air above us. Too many objects filled the room; from armchairs pilled up with other belongings to strange, small statues and pilled up books. In one corner, I spotted a wooden dummy holding a fake wand.

"Take this," he said and handed me a small something wrapped into dark green cloth. "Take it out, when in danger and say mihi in salute. Look at it, as you say so. Keep it hidden away from me, when I... you know."

"Know that you're a mad, sick coward with a tremendous schizophrenic disorder?" I shot back bitterly.

"Rose, you need to trust me. Not the other - me. Well..."

"Not the other you."

"I'm serious!"

"And I'm the one they call psycho."

There it was again - the icy gaze pouring down on me, where desperation and warmth swam a moment ago. With the new glint, a new Scorpius spoke. "Why won't you lay down your Gryffindor pride for once and listen to me? Really listen, not only pretending, like you tend to do. I tried for so long, Rose - I did. I did, because I think I - no, I know that I..." He trailed off at my disapproving face. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"How can I listen after all you've done to me and my family?"

"It wasn't me."

"Who else was it then, Scorpius? Who, if I was there everytime you tortured me? Who kidnapped me right in front of my mother and the others? Who was it, tell me?"

"This-"

"What? Lost your tongue now, Scorpion King?"

My heart dropped when his arms pinned me against the wall next to the door and held me there in place (looked like he had a thing for it). His whole body weight pressed against me, disabling any attempts from my side to escape. I stared back at the Slytherin with all the hatred I could gather, my back against the cold stones of the castle. My hands turned into fists and with one go, my right knuckles collided with his cheek.

He stumbled back and rubbed it with a scowl. "Guess, I deserved this..."

"To think that I almost considered liking you." The words fell before I could make out the thought to it. I could feel my ears losing their coldness, while my lips stayed parted in shock.

"You never even considered it. Albus was right all along - you hate me."

"Now I hate you."

"Anything... you can say anything but that."

"What in Merlin's pants is wrong with you?"

"Are you that blind to see, Rose? I'm trying to protect you!"

"By killing my father?"

His eyes jumped from one- to the other angle, as disturbed as his feet that paced around hastily. "You shouldn't have provoked it."

"So you admit it."

"No. Sort of... no, not like that, listen to me!"

"How else can you explain yourself that?"

Scorpius stopped and faced me for the 100th time. Tears swam in his eyes, not a single one falling yet. I could tell, however, that he seemed like having a hard time speaking. "It has been like this since this whole Time Turner story. At first, I didn't realize it at all... I remembered nothing but cut out images."

Pause.

I didn't want to interrupt him this time. My throat was weary and if I would start ranting again, I might not stop. My sanity had started fading with the death of a loved one. I didn't want to listen but something pushed me to do so and I was too tired to refuse.

"My... my dad noticed it too. I started changing in my behaviour and was more calculated. This is not me - never was," said Scorpius, "And with time, I felt this - aaargh!"

Startled by the cry, I shifted further away from him. Scorpius fell on his knees with such a force, I could hear his bones crackle under the pressure. He scratched his right arm in despair, as if trying to rid himself of a sting - or something trying taking over him.

Is he really telling the truth?

Worst was, I didn't care - somewhere in my head I believed him. He had convinced me with his mere breathing, which quickened to the point where he pressed his hands down the floor for support. Sweat pearls glittered on his forehead like tiny replicas of stars on a bright day.

His pain felt so real. Like a mule, I sneaked closer, until I could place my hands on his cheeks and leaned towards the blond. If what he told me was true, Scorpius needed help. If no one had succeeded in this yet, it had to be me.

"Fight it harder. You're stronger than... whatever this is."

Scorpius gripped my arms, shaking. His voice drowned in this throat, as he let out a grunt. "Go. Now."

"Fight it."

"I can't." He looked so broken. Not even his body wanted to obey him anymore. I forced his head up to face mine.

Considering him using no efforts to hold himself up, it was quite a task.

"Scorpius-"

"Leave. Before it's too late."

"Scorpius, you don't understand-"

"Leave!" The cry left him as fast as he passed out. Thanks to the show he threw in McGonnagal's office, I knew exactly what was about to go down. Unfortunately, time was not on my side, though.

I wanted to stand up and obey his last wish, but I was too slow; the once desperate fingers suddenly tightened around my arms. His skin reminded me of the touch of a phantom - cold and lingering under my own. When he rolled his head back up, I knew who had lost the battle.

"Hello, Thorn. Long time no see."