MCGONAGALL'S FACE WAS ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS, he had never been more grateful for Rose stepping back to let him deliver the case for the Headmistress' verdict.
But while the victory was short lived, there was something to be said about how and why the Dementors were making a move on Hogwarts. If Lana Avery wasn't the one to kill Ursula Goyle, that meant there was a killer amongst the students of Hogwarts- and knowing his house's history, all eyes would be on them.
Which meant this was the time to buckle down the latches of the Slytherin dungeons and make sure all the students were safe and sound.
"Mr.Malfoy, may I have a word?"
Although McGonagall posed it as a question, it was very obvious that it was a statement that would not be denied.
He briefly met Rose's eyes, giving a curt nod to Lana Avery. Watch her.
Skirting behind McGonagall he reached behind him to close the doors of the Great Hall so no one would hear their conversation.
"Slytherin students are at risk." she stated firmly before Scorpius even got the chance to speak. "I am splitting you all amongst the other houses. I have a feeling that the culprit must be working from the Slytherin dungeons."
"And what makes you say that?" he narrowed his eyes, ready to defend his house.
McGonagall lifted a brow at his tone. "Because the dungeons are the only secret passageways to other parts of Hogwarts that can be used for discreet travel. We have nearly doubled the number of professors patrolling at night since the Battle of Hogwarts, and none have seen Dementors or suspicious figures within the actual school grounds- which leads us to believe that someone may have something similar to the Marauders' Map."
"Someone who also damaged the wards we put up to defend Hogwarts and that can only be done from the inside. For now, for the safety of all Slytherin students, it is best that we don't leave you with your own house. A working theory suggested by Professor Longbottom is that the culprit may be hiding more Dementor induced killings amongst Lana's crimes. There are several students who have been missing, but we've kept it low profile to avoid panic."
"Is that why you were upset about the Death Mark symbol?"
She sighed heavily. "I was worried at first that you were the reason behind all of the events."
Scorpius quirked an eyebrow. "Thanks for that."
Her eyes conveyed her sincerest apology, so he took the punch in stride.
"It's probably related to the Dark Arts professor position." he joked wryly. "Thea went off about it being cursed by Voldemort..."
McGonagall snapped her head up. "Prefects were made to teach spells in place of the Defense Against Dark Arts position this year."
Scorpius cursed. "And with the trend of past professors usually ending up dead or evil... the next victim may be a prefect."
"Or one of the prefects could be the culprit."
Rose burst through the doors, "We did a headcount. There are students missing."
Scorpius met McGonagall's eyes as he asked a question they were dreading. "Who?"
"Lorcan Scamander, Brody, and Hadley Winslet."
All prefects.
Rose pulled her wand out and gestured for Scorpius to follow her. "We'll check for the missing students."
McGonagall looked like she was going to vehemently deny that they did such a thing, but Scorpius touched his hand on the Headmistress' arm. "Please, we'll be safe. Besides, it's my turn to save her."
Rose smiled softly at him and he felt his heart grow even more. She turned to McGonagall. "Any ideas where the students could be?"
Scorpius and McGonagall caught her up with the theories as well as the other missing students in addition to the prefects.
"Be safe. Take this." McGonagall passed them both an item wrapped in brown paper.
Scorpius pulled the edge of the paper to reveal a mirror. It was the same ones they had picked up during their Hogsmeade run for supplies.
McGonagall opened the doors to the Great Hall where the sound of frustrated and scared students carried over into the deserted hallway. "Those mirrors are enchanted to trap the figure caught between the reflections. As long as you hold, the person caught won't be able to move. Be safe. The professors and I will work to evacuate the students."
"We won't let you down," Rose promised as she backed away.
McGonagall pulled out her own wand and cast a quick Patronus. "Be safe, you two."
"Of course." Scorpius nodded as McGonagall shut the doors.
He could still hear her barking orders at the students and professors even through the door. Rose nudged his shoulder. "Any ideas where they could be?"
He grimaced. "I have a bad feeling they're in the woods. The dementors are flooding that area, the centaur I encountered was terrified of the mere thought of dementors."
Rose accio'd both of their brooms. "Tight formation, we'll stick low to the ground. The last time we went through the Dementors nearly got Roxanne."
Scorpius shook his head as he mounted his broom. "I still can't believe I was out cold that whole ride. I hate that I wasn't there for you. Or that Albus stole the spotlight with his patronus when mine is clearly better."
Even though this was a very dangerous mission, Rose couldn't help but smile at his frustrated laugh. He really was sweet when he opened up fully to her. No secrets, no hidden agendas. Just them.
"Brody gave me a list of students who were missing before he vanished." Rose kicked off and urged the McGonagall's patronus to follow them out into the courtyard.
Scorpius had cast his patronus already, a much larger dragon flapping just under them as if they were gliding on the smoke trails left. The dementors kept their distance just from the sheer size of Scorpius' patronus.
They skirted around to the woods and dipped down at the sound of the centaurs. Rose took lead. Scorpius was glad that she approached the horde of centaurs. He wasn't too sure about negotiating with centaurs for information since his last encounter.
Scorpius locked his hand around both of their brooms and kept a tight grip on his wand tucked by his side as Rose spoke softly with the centaurs.
A skittering behind him had his wand whipped at the ready. He turned just in time to bark a quick expelliarmus at the offender.
It was Hera Carrow, her eyes wide and beautiful baby blue dress torn and ragged. Her arm has p u r e b l o o d carved into it. Similar to Lana's work on Maryse's body- similiar to the mudblood that was carved in Rose's mum's arm. Her wand flew off to the side.
"Hera, are you okay?" he lowered his wand but she screamed silently and reached for her wand.
She sandwiched her back to his. He could feel her back tremble and tears dripped down her face as she looked up at him over her shoulder. Horror filled Scorpius when he saw that her lips were stitched.
Rose ran over immediately with one of the centaurs in tow.
The centaur thankfully wasn't the same from his last encounter. Scorpius still, however, felt the loathing gaze burning into him.
"Hera, talk to me- oh." Rose frowned and cupped Hera's face.
Her whole body wracked in sobs that weren't ever released.
Scorpius kept a sharp eye on the woods. If Hera was close, the other students may be as well.
"I told you," the centaur clopped nervously. "Hogwarts students have been randomly found throughout the woods. Hagrid had us keep an eye out for anyone. Death Eaters feed off them once...well..."
"Once what?" Scorpius gritted out with a hard edge to his voice. "Once they're mutilated?"
The centaur shook his head and reached to brush a blond lock from Hera's dirt-streaked face. "No. When they're lips are sewn shut so they can't cast spells."
Rose choked on a cry. "So they can't cast patronuses."
"Can you show us where you came from?" Scorpius turned Hera around slowly.
He respected her fear enough to let her hold her wand in shaky hands, even if the tip was poised right under his chin. He wouldn't leave his own house-mate feeling helpless.
She shook her head violently and backed up into the centaur.
"Firenze will talk you home." Rose wrapped an arm around Hera's shoulders as the centaur yielded for his house-mate to mount him.
McGonagall's patronus hopped into Hera's lap as Rose spoke quietly with Hera.
"The wards are down temporarily. Take her to the Great Hall. There's a hole in the window facing the courtyard. Keep her safe for the journey back." Scorpius tried to not let the promise of violence leak into his voice at the thought of the centaur abandoning Hera at the sight of a dementor like the one he faced did.
Firezene's eyes softened and he gave a brief nod before taking off.
Rose took her broom from his hand. "When you asked where she came from, Hera pointed to the southern part of the Enchanted Forest."
Scorpius locked up at the creatures implied for that region. "We're not going."
"You're right. We aren't- I am. You need to take Hera back, it's dangerous out here."
"So giant bloody spiders aren't?" Scorpius gripped the top of Rose's broom as she mounted. "We're doing this together. I'm not letting you out of my sight."
"If I may, we have been hearing sounds of students coming from the Whomping Willow. Perhaps the Acromantula's home isn't the answer." Firezene offered.
Beside him, Hera Carrow shrieked (muffled, of course) in eagerness.
"That's where they're located?" Rose grinned. "Alright, let's head out. Firenze, do you mind escorting Hera to the grounds? We'll send a patronus to you. Take her straight to the Great Hall. The wards are down, someone is letting Dementors in so you should be able to cross without any trouble."
Scorpius was already climbing onto his broom and sending a dragon patronus to circle over them.
He gave Hera Carrow a tight hug before lifting her ontop the back of his broom so she could climb onto Firezene's back. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will find a way to remove your stitches. Be safe. Let the Headmistress know we're heading to the Whomping Willow."
They parted their separated ways, Firenze heading east to the Great Hall, Rose and Scorpius heading south to the Whomping Willow.
Rose cast a patronus for protection, which was logical as expected. What didn't make sense was Rose jetting past the Whomping Willow and straight around through Hogsmeade- at least until he saw the goal of where they were going.
"The Shrieking Shack?"
"Mum and Uncle Harry discovered a path from the hole in the Whomping Willow to the shack. If the screams were there, it makes sense that whoever's doing this is hiding everyone at the shack. Hera must've escaped through the passage.
They both buried their brooms under a light layer of snow just outside of the fence bordering the Shrieking Shack.
Scorpius draped the Cloak over both of them. "I don't understand- why not correct me when I told Firezene to tell McGonagall we're at Whomping Willow?"
She paused in her tracks and turned to face him. "Because I know this is personal for you. And it is for me too. They have Lorcan, and they hurt your housemates- our housemates."
His heart couldn't grow any bigger. "Quite cunning of you. I really think you should've been Slytherin instead of Albus sometimes. Going against the Gryffindor honesty, aren't you Head Girl?"
She merely winked slyly at him. "Every Rose has its thorns. Now let's go give this bugger hell for messing with our students, Ex-Head Boy."