Chapter Seventeen
Rose awoke the next morning, still in her clothes from yesterday and her leg aching. Groaning, she reached to her bedside table for the bottle of potion Madame Pomfrey had given her. She took a swig, her face scrunching up in disgust. Why did potions taste so disgusting? Oh, yeah, the things that go in them that's why.
Rose sighed, her face still in her pillow. Her mind raced with all the vents that happened, from Scorpius all the way to Lily. Her concern for her cousin overrode her new feelings for Scorpius, after all Lily was family. The whole thing with Scorpius was...well it was complicated and sticky business.
Rose sighed again and rolled over, noticing another scroll besides the scroll she had received last night. This however had the messy writing of Al on it. She reached for it and unraveled it, revealing a short note.
Rose,
Lily has woken up. She appears to be fine and the burns are beginning to heal.
Al
Rose gave a sigh of relief and rolled out of bed and grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom. A few minutes later she emerged fresh and began to quickly change so she could go see her cousin in the infirmary. Rose finally arrived at the hospital wing, the curtains around Lily's bed had been drawn back and she could see Lily sitting up, sipping on some juice on the tray in front of her.
"Hey, Lils...How are you?" asked Rose.
Lily looked up at her cousin and gave a faint smile. She shrugged.
"Amateurs...Got me from behind so that I wouldn't see them. Only cowards attack from behind,” she answered.
Rose smiled and sat beside her cousin, and searched through the bag she had brought with her, pulling out a copy of the recent Witch Weekly.
"Thought you could use some light reading while you are here...So, you don't know who did this to you?"
Lily smiled and began to flip through the magazine before looking back up and a small frown etched across her face.
"No...I was on my way to the Owlry and bam...Next thing I remember, I wake up here with nice blotches all over me, which I do not appreciate one bit," she said, glaring down at her skin.
Rose bit her lower lip and sat back in her seat, looking around.
"Where is Al?"
Lily didn't look up from the magazine as she answered," Madame Pomfrey sent him away after cursing up a storm when I told him I was attacked from behind...Muttered something along the lines of "Bloody Slytherins" and something about Malfoy."
Rose froze, which went unnoticed by her cousin. No one knew where Scorpius was yesterday except for her. Al must have suspected that Scorpius and his crew did this since Scorpius had been, say M.I.A. If Al found Scorpius first, who knew what kind of trouble could break out?
* * * * *
Scorpius stood by the fireplace in the Slytherin common room. He watched as the flames danced, and as it slowly destroys the wood -- turning it to ash. The others sat on the couch, some occupied the armchairs, while waiting for him to speak up. But he just stood there quietly. As soon as Goyle, Marcus, Nott, Lestrange, and Zabini heard that Scorpius had called them, they quickly went on their way to come. Damon was sitting on the throne-like armchair across the room. They were the only ones in the Slytherin common room. First period classes are ongoing. But no one cares about that. Not in Slytherin.
At long last, Scorpius sighed. He faced the others. He hated this. He hated making a big deal over such a small matter. Quite a small matter, in fact.
"You forgot to mention what kind of hex you used on Little Potter," said Scorpius expressionlessly.
There was a moment of silence before Goyle answered, "The Furnunculus curse."
"Hmm," mumbled Scorpius thoughtfully. The Furnunculus curse is the one used for creating boils/burns on the skin of an opponent. That's what the boys used on hexing the Potter girl. Pretty harsh for a girl of her age.
Scorpius turned to Goyle. "Don't you think that's a little bit crude to use on a young girl?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We don't care," Nott growled, frowning. "She's still a Potter. She's as bad as any Mudblood out there. And don't get upset hearing the word 'Mudblood', Scorpius. You can't change our views on them."
Scorpius scowled at him. "I'm not stupid like you, Nott. I know I can't change your views. I don't intend to, either," he said coldly.
"Then, why--"
"However," continued Scorpius. "As I keep saying over and over again, it's best for all of us to keep that to ourselves. Nothing good will come out of it. Parading it to the whole school won't do you any good. So frankly, what's the point?"
"The satisfaction coming from it is the point, Scorpius," Zabini piped in.
"It's unethical, Zabini," said Scorpius coldheartedly, with a low voice.
"Since when did we become ethical, Scorpius?" asked Lestrange impatiently. "We were never moral. You know that. Even if half the time, you act self-righteously, you can't deny the times when you act 'unethical' as well." Lestrange stood up from his seat. "You should be happy that some of us are brave enough to cast a curse on the Potters. I'm actually surprised seeing you upset rather than joyful."
"We thought you hate the Potters, Scorp," said Goyle, frowning in confusion.
Scorpius scowl deepened. His deadly aura rising. His eyes began to blaze in calm rage. It took just one look at those eyes to make the boys shut up.
"Yeah, I hate the Potters, all right," said Scorpius venomously quiet. "They’re the main reason why my father was afraid of letting me go alone outside the manor. For eleven years, people looked at us like we were vermin on the streets and parties. My grandfather couldn’t go out of the manor without people whispering and pointing at him. My grandmother cried at night, fearing my future. People refused to see that they’ve changed their ways because people are too concerned worshiping the Potters." He paused, containing the hatred that was about to burst. "I don’t just hate them, Goyle. I loathe their mere existence. But why don’t I take revenge on them, you ask? That’s because I’m not stupid enough to do so. I know what the outcome will be. There’ll be no happy ending for me. People like them are too stuck up in their fame and glory that they won’t ever dream that someone would even think of taking revenge on them – even if it’s just a petty hex. And when someone does what they don’t expect, they will not rest until they find out who did it to one of them. They’re going to make a big deal out of it. The wizards and witches are going to make a big deal out of it. Why? Because they’re the Potters, Goyle. That surname alone can make people’s heads turn and stare in awe. It’s best if I leave them alone. And don’t you dare say that I’m a coward," he added to Lestrange. He looked at the boys one by one. "You are very well aware of what I can do. I just choose not to do it to them because the trouble isn’t worth it. They're not worth it. Not one bit."
That silenced everyone in the common room. Scorpius had a good point, of course.
"If any of you doubt me again," said Scorpius warningly. "Doubt your doubts before doubting me."
No one replied. They just nodded a bit shamelessly. After several minutes of eerie silence, Damon cleared his throat.
"So what's the solution to our problem now?" he asked conversationally.
"Wait," said Marcus, confused. "Isn't it our problem? You lads weren't with us during the attack."
Scorpius' rage wasn't totally worn off. But his boredom was slowly replacing it.
"No, we obviously weren't," said Scorpius with a bored voice. "But we can't just watch you get expelled for hexing a Potter, either. You prats are still one of us."
Marcus, Goyle, Nott, and Zabini smiled gratefully. Lestrange and Damon sneered.
That just adds another whole respect and loyalty of the others to Scorpius Malfoy.
* * * * *
"I think I'm going to go find Al, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Rose said as she stood and stretched. Lily looked up from the magazine, chuckling.
"Everything he does is stupid," Lily said with a smile before turning back to her magazine.
Rose smiled herself as she started for the door. She paused and turned back around.
"Feel better, Lils. I'll be back later," she said as she disappeared through the door.
Rose checked her watch, it was around nine in the morning, Al was no doubt in the Great Hall at breakfast. And possibly waiting for Scorpius and his gang to show up. Would Scorpius be blamed for something that he didn't do? Would Al wind up in some sort of trouble? Would he get hurt just like Lily had? Should she warn Scorpius that people were beginning to suspect him since no one had seen him yesterday? Frustration grew within her as she made her way through the stony corridors. Things had just gotten so complicated, and Rose hated complications.
She had reached the Great Hall and scanned the Gryffindor table for Al. After a few more moments of searching, it was apparent that Al was not there. Neither was Scorpius. With a sigh, Rose plopped down on the Gryffindor bench, trying to think of where Al could be. Almost immediately, Rose sprang up and started making her way for the dungeons before Al could do something reckless.
Al remained stealthily hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak that was in his possession for the week. Each week it went to a different family member, whether it be a sibling or one of his many cousins, they all had their turn with it. He had his wand at the ready, waiting for the moment that Malfoy came through the stone wall that lead to the Slytherin Common Room. He wants to curse and hex people for the fun of it, he'll get a taste of his own medicine.
* * * * *
"It's settled, then," said Damon. "We all have an alibi now. And we have a Professor to back it up."
"Hold on," said Zabini, turning to Scorpius. "Where did you disappeared off to yesterday, Scorp?"
Scorpius just shrugged. "That's my business," he answered. "Besides, I'm not an idiot. So you don't have to worry about me hexing people who're not worth the trouble."
Damon smiled. Lestrange sniggered, as well as the others.
"Can we go now?" pleaded Goyle, after the laugh died off. "I'm starving," he added, his hand clutching his stomach.
"You're always starving, mate," said Nott, as though saying, 'What's new?'
"All right," muttered Scorpius, glancing at the clock. "We better go up to the Great Hall. Let's not add the suspicions, shall we?"
The others got on their feet and began to leave.
"Shoot," cursed Scorpius, stopping on his tracks. The others turned to him. "I forgot to write to mother and father. Wait for me outside. I won't be long."
After the last word, he sped up the stairs. He faintly heard Damon said, "Go ahead. I'll wait for him here."
Scorpius quickly wrote a letter to his parents, informing them that he was okay. Every Sunday, he always informs them that the was doing fine. He feared that they might be worried since he didn't write yesterday morning. It just slipped his mind. When he finished, he briefly stroked Salazar's feathers before taking off (Salazar is the name of his eagle owl). Just then, he heard a loud yell. He quickly went to the common room and found Damon leaning his to the stone wall that leads outside, his wand at the ready. He put his fingers to his lips to silence Scorpius.
"What is it?" said Scorpius very quietly. "Who yelled?"
"As soon as the boys went out, I heard a zap," whispered Damon. "I was about to come out but then you came down. I thought better to wait for you."
"Good thinking," nodded Scorpius. He took out his wand and got ready. His mind was on overdrive.
Who could possibly attack them at this time of day? More importantly, who could be stupid enough to attack a Slytherin Quidditch Player? Everybody knows that if it's a Slytherin player, it's one of Scorpius Malfoy's boys. And no one crosses Scorpius Malfoy. No one dared to even try. But then, only the Slytherin House knows where their common room is located. It's the same with the other Houses. So if it's an attack, how did they know where to find the Slytherin Common Room? Also, who could have the motive to do so? Only one name came to mind.
Potter.
"Ready?" asked Damon, getting ready to say the password that opens the wall.
Scorpius was about to nod when a sudden thought came to him. Something his father told him about. If this is an ambush, no one in their right mind would attack head on.
"Wait, Damon," said Scorpius urgently. "Father told me once that the Potters own an Invisibility Cloak."
Damon frowned. "But those things fade, Scorp," he said impatiently. "There's no way it could still have magic."
"Harry Potter couldn't afford an Invisibility Cloak during his year at Hogwarts," said Scorpius very quickly. "It's too expensive. He grew up with Muggles. So there's no way he could've learned about them when he was a kid. The only reasonable explanation is that he inherited it from his father. And if his father owned it more than fifty years ago, it's obviously not just any other Invisibility Cloak, Damon."
"Fine," said Damon. He faced the wall and muttered the password, "The Chamber of Secrets."
The wall opened. The immediately saw flashes of light coming from both ends.
"It's coming from that direction," shouted Lestrange, as he continuously fired away with spells.
Scorpius saw that Goyle was sitting on a corner, his hand on his bleeding left ear. Marcus and Nott doesn't know cruel enough spells to cast. So only Lestrange and Zabini were taking turns on firing away.
Scorpius gritted his teeth. He watched the scene for a moment, making sure of their opponent's direction. And when he located exactly where Potter is, in a blink of an eye he pointed his wand.
Levicorpus! he growled in his mind.
In an instant, Albus Potter was upside down. Good thing he was distracted by Lestrange and Zabini.
"Marcus, Nott, make yourselves useful and take Goyle to the Hospital Wing," ordered Scorpius, not taking his eyes off of the floating Potter. They quickly obliged. "Lestrange, Zabini, get Professor Slughorn, before I lose my temper and deal with Potter myself." And they went,glaring at Albus Potter as they passed. "Damon, grab the Cloak and hide it where no one has the chance of finding it," he added to Damon, still looking at Albus Potter as he spoke.
Damon grabbed the Cloak, swished his wand, and the cloak disappeared. He pointed his wand at Albus Potter and said, "Expelliarmus!"
As the wand flew away, Scorpius muttered, "Accio!" And the wand zoomed toward him.
For the first time, Scorpius' eyes left Potter as he turned to Damon and gave him the tiniest smile, "Brilliant, mate. Oh, right. You're here Potter," he said in mock surprise, looking at Albus Potter as though just seeing him. "I'll have the courtesy of explaining to you what's brilliant. See, Damon just cast a spell to hide your special Cloak. If I used Prior Incantato, it'll reveal the last spell his wand just used. It'll also reveal the Cloak. I know that you don't want anyone to find out about your precious Cloak. So Damon cast another spell to hide the vanishing spell. Did you get it? Well, honestly, I doubt you did," he added, walking around the upside down Potter. He stopped and stepped back. His eyes were blazing, as do every time he was in calm rage. "Now, do you also have the courtesy of telling me why you attacked my friends? Did you honestly think that you could duel us all by yourself?"
End of Chapter Seventeen
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