Trio

4

"Now, mr. Malfoy, give us a few reasons on why you recognize this as amortentia." He said to Scorpius. Scorpius stood up and mirrored Rose's look of contempt and answered in a matter-of-factly tone, "It has that mother-of-pearl sheen characteristics, along with the spiraling steam. And as Rose said, it is supposed to smell differently on what we like, I smell my mother's perfume, ink, and... Bread, er–bread! You know? What's wrong with bread?" He said nervously as he sat down. Rose was too occupied to notice any of this, although she saw Albus looking suspiciously at the both of them.

***

The three of them left Defense Against The Dark Arts looking very weary and tired. Remembering their tea with Hagrid, they walked out of the castle and into the familiar cabin just outside the forbidden forest. There was a great silver Hippogriff outside that Hagrid was feeding raw fish.

"Hi, Hagrid!" Albus said brightly, stopping just in front of them. "Hello, Albus." He said gruffly and pulled him into a rib-cracking hug. He then looked at Rose and smiled. "Hello there, Rose. How's Ron an' Hermione?" He asked as he too, pulled Rose into a hug. "They're fine. They send you their love." She said. "Did they now?" He said and chuckled. "Come in' come in'. Don' min' the Hippogriff, his names Buckbeak." He said. He then leaned in closer to them. "Min', he was christened Witherwings because I don' think ter Ministry'd be happy abou' tha'." He said. The two nodded, they marched up towards the front door. Rose and Albus entered.

Then, as if Hagrid had only just realized he was there, he spotted Scorpius Malfoy. Hagrid leaned closer, as if not believing his eyes, "You'll be the Malfoy kid eh?" He barked fiercely. Scorpius looked shaken. "Y-yes." He said nervously, unsure whether he should be proud of this or not. "Get outta my house." He said ferociously and slammed the door.

"Hagrid!" Rose and Albus chorused. "His father gave me a hard time in me early days o' teachin'." He said gruffly. "I assure you, Hagrid that he is nothing. Nothing like his father." Rose said, going for the door. "He's our friend, Hagrid." Albus reasoned. Hagrid snorted. "He's your friend now inni'?" He said, getting three large mugs and filling them with tea. "Ar', alrigh' le' him in then." He said and shrugged. Rose pushed open the door, and found Scorpius there, looking very harassed.

Rose then approached him. "You should know, that your father gave Hagrid such a hard time. I feared this would happen. Let's explain inside." She said and grabbed his hand, pulling him inside. They sat in one of the large chairs in his round wooden table. "Hagrid. This is Scorpius Malfoy." Albus began, shakily. Hagrid did not look at them, but pretended to be fiddling with his tea. "Hagrid, he's confused on the treatment you gave him. Please, explain." Rose began. Hagrid eyed them all suspiciously, and sighed.

"Well, boy. Yer father was a bad, slimy, right-foul–"

"–Okay Hagrid, just cut to the facts." Rose cut in pointedly. Hagrid sighed again. "Yer father almost sacked me in me early days o' teachin'." He said as he took a sip. "He was a proud an' haughty boy, that Draco Malfoy inni'? Faked an injury, sentenced tha' very same Hippogriff to death, an' his dad successfully charted me off ter Azkaban!" He shook with great force. Albus and Rose looked solemn as Scorpius looked guilty. "So as yeh can see, I'm not happy with the lot of them. They were a curse ter me, the Malfoy's. Always gave me a hard time. Spoilin' dreams. Scarin' people jus' because they rich. Givin' ou' gold just fer power!" He now sobbed silently. Rose stood up to him and patted him on the back sympathetically.

"Oh, Hagrid. Scorpius is nothing like that. I promise you." She reasoned. Scorpius gave a grim nod as he dwelled into these words. Hagrid wiped away the leaky tears. "Righ'. I'm sorry, kid. I'm just not used ter it." He said, having another swig of tea, he now stood up. "Say, let's feed Beaky. Come on then, I've got meat fer him ter eat." He said and took out a bucket of raw chicken and beef.

They went outside, finding the great Hippogriff gnawing on grass. Hagrid took a large beef and threw it on the ground. Buckbeak sniffed it and ate it instantly. Hagrid then turned to Scorpius. "I'd ask yeh not ter come any closer. Yeh look mighty like yer dad an'-an' Beaky, he migh' not like it." He explained nervously. Rose and Albus brandished raw meat and threw them on the ground. Rose turned to look at Scorpius and gave him a thumbs up, Scorpius smiled nervously, keeping his distance with the Hippogriff.

"I'll get him new meat. Now jus' you wait." Hagrid said, disappearing into his house. Albus and Rose stood next to Scorpius, eyeing the Hippogriff nervously. "You don't suppose." Scorpius began, and put one foot forward. "Scorp, no. No!" Albus screeched, as Scorpius put another foot forward. Rose shook her head violently, afraid of making noise. "Scorpius, Hagrid said–"

"–Oh, come on. Let you have all the fun? Listen, this Hippogriff is not going to remember what happened twenty plus years ago." He said and approached him. "Hello, Beaky." He said proudly at it. Albus and Rose groaned as Hagrid looked out the window, looking startled. "Malfoy, no!" He began.

An earsplitting scream filled the air. Albus closed his ears and shut his eyes tight as Rose looked the other way. When the screaming stopped, they all looked around and saw Scorpius on the ground, a great slash across his arm, blood splaying on the grass. He was moaning in pain as Hagrid bent down to pick him up.

Rose then approached them quickly, sitting on the dirt to examine him. Hagrid now led the Hippogriff farther away from them. "Are you okay?" Albus began, approaching them. Scorpius groaned in agony. "Hagrid! His blood!" Rose shrieked, covering it with her robes.

"What'd I tell yeh! Come on then, I'll take yeh to the Hospital Wing." He said and picked him up off the ground easily. Rose hesitated, looking at the deep cut the Hippogriff made, blood spilling to the ground. "No, Hagrid. He's losing so much blood. Have you got any dittany?" She asked nervously. "Migh'. Come on then." Hagrid then lay Scorpius on his bed. "Here." He said, giving Rose dittany. "Unstopper it Albus." Rose instructed shakily, as Albus fumbled with the bottle. "Albus, hurry!" Rose shrieked as Scorpius's robes were now soaked with blood. Albus then gave Rose the bottle. She poured droplets across the slash, and new skin seemed to grow over it, making the wound look several days old.

They now waited a few minutes, the sun began to set, and Scorpius now made no noise. They did not take this as a very good sign. "D-do you reckon he, lost enough blood to–"

"-No. Of course not." Rose said indignantly, walking towards the window, unable to make eye contact. Hagrid heaved a great sigh. "This'll be the end o' me, I spose." He said gravely. They then heard Scorpius groan. They all swiveled their heads expectantly. Scorpius then began blinking groggily. Rose rushed forward, kneeling beside the bed, waiting. "W-where are we?" He groaned lazily. The three of them sighed in relief at this. "You're okay!" Rose screeched, taking his arm. "How does it feel?" She asked. Scorpius shrugged. "Okay, I suppose." He said.

"Be'er get goin' now, it's gettin' late." Hagrid said, standing up. "Hagrid, have you got any bandages?" Albus asked, examining the wound. "Ar, I used em all ter tend the unicorns." He said gruffly. Albus looked at Rose. "I-I do know
The spell." She said nervously. Albus raised his brows. "Come on, Rose. His blood'll be spilling once he starts moving." He said. Rose nodded and drew her wand. Pointing it at the wound, she muttered, "ferula." Bandages sprang up into Scorpius's injured arm, wrapping themselves tightly. "That's all I can do for the time being. Let's get to the castle." Rose said to Hagrid, who stood up and trudged up alongside them towards Hogwarts.

"Should we write to your dad, Scorpius?" Rose asked him. She was certain Hagrid was listening intently, although he's done a very good job pretending. "No." Scorpius said indifferently. Rose looked startled. "He would've wanted to know about this." She added. Scorpius shook his head. "I don't want my family to spoil Hagrid's life anymore. It was my fault for approaching Buckbeak. Hagrid told me not too." He said grimly, head down. Hagrid looked at Scorpius with something odd glinting in his eye. "Yer a good man. I judge to early." He said. Scorpius gave him a small smile and nod. "Thank yeh, Scorpius Malfoy." He said as they reached the entrance hall. "No problem, Hagrid." He replied as Hagrid now went back down towards his cabin.