"Expelliarmus!" Scorpius disarmed the man in one swift flick of his wand, and the wand disappeared into the hedge behind him. He didn't recognize the man- but it didn't matter. He was working with Selwyn. "Petrificus Totalus!" The spell quickly seized the man, and he fell backwards, immobilized and silent. Scorpius pulls his shoes off, the ones Michael had quickly tugged on. Damp grass instantly soaked into his socks, but his footsteps became silent. His ears were keenly picking up on the words spoken through the hedges. The men trying to locate where his voice was coming from.
Scorpius- still incased in Michael's body- stepped over the man he had just dropped. And balanced on the balls of his feet, leading up to another corner. He let that voice drive him. That silent feeling pulling him towards one side or the other. So far, he hasn't reached any dead ends. It was like the labyrinth was working with him. Like the dark looming hedges on both sides of him were rooting for him. Scorpius knew his goal was to get out of here- to get somewhere safe. But the voices he overhear whisper of destroying the Manor- and there was no way he'd let that happen. This was his home.
The more Scorpius moves through the thick garden hedges, towering higher above him, the more mud and dirt latched onto Michael's clothes. And it did nothing to prevent the chill from the air. His heart was so loud it almost drowned out the sound of the other people in the maze- the ones searching for him. Even if they found him- Scorpius didn't last a chance. Even if Selwyn knew who Michael was- there was no point in keeping him alive.
He had no idea of the link between Scorpius and Michael- or that Scorpius had switched their bodies just to keep him safe. Selwyn's ignorance could get them both dead.
Aries had warned him.
The thought warmed him from the inside, a little hope that maybe- even if she was still a terrible person- that somewhere she did care. Maybe that friendship had meant something to her. He shook his head clear of the thoughts.
Focus.
"He's here!" Scorpius hears a hiss behind him, down the same stretch of maze which he'd left the man's immobilized body. His hand gripped the wand tighter. He'd slipped the phone into his pocket- not needing that distraction. His grey eyes looked up to where the Malfoy Manor's silhouette rose above the hedges behind him. Michael had said a dozen people or so. Then let's start a count.
Scorpius had taken care of one beneath the earth, and immobilized another. That makes ten more- give or take. And spying here- in the labyrinth- it provided the perfect cover and place to lay an ambush. Scorpius found himself grinning with Michael's lips, and knew that he probably looked extra creepy doing it- considering this was Michael. Selwyn had made a big mistake. And Scorpius was going to use that to his advantage.
So instead of running away from someone who rounded the corner, he raised his wand and hissed the spell. "Avifors." The transfiguration turned the man into a bird. A pigeon. A form that he couldn't attack from. The man yelped as he transformed, his wand falling out of his hand, and his body shrinking down. He curled into himself until he was nothing but feathers. Scorpius headed backwards, and rounded a corner. He came to a small clearing with a fountain in the middle, and stayed in the shadows. "Serpensortia Maxima." The conjugation appeared snakes. Three of them.
Scorpius's skin raised with goosebumps at the sight of their slithering bodies under the dim lighting. "Dinner has conjured us." One hissed. Scorpius felt unease, and then he faced them.
"I am the heir to Slytherin and you will obey." He says quietly, how voice naturally slipping into parseltongue. The snakes paused, and raised up slightly as though they were going to strike. And maybe they would've. This is Michael's body- Scorpius hadn't really thought about if that would make a difference. Another one hissed in response.
"We will follow no one, nothing."
"You will obey me." His voice raised in volume- a risky move. But this time they seemed to sense that he was who he said. Scorpius hadn't ever tried this- but Aries had said he could do it. So he was going to try.
"We will obey."
"Find Selwyn and Daniel. Strike down anyone else you see looking for me." He ordered, keeping the same tone even though it was loud enough for others to hear him. The serpents still created fear in him- but compared to the thought of dying? It paled. Let Selwyn's followers hear the parseltongue. Let that sink in and terrorize them. They have no idea who their messing with- let's show them. Scorpius watched as the black serpents immediately slithered away under the hedges, and could feel a sort of tether to them. Like he could sense where they are, what they were doing. The feeling was strange, foreign. Then again, perhaps it was because he hadn't conjured a snake to use it like this.
He wondered if Aries would've been proud.
Scorpius looked into the clearing, where the fountain wasn't on. Water sat in the small cement pool, still and silent. He stayed there, listening as people grew nearer and nearer. His grey eyes watched from where he stayed hidden, as a girl emerged. Not a girl- a woman. With a man beside her. He didn't recognize them and they didn't see him.
"... even know who he is." The man was saying.
"It doesn't matter. He came out of the manor. Clearly he's someone close to the boy if he lives there." The girl responded. "If Selwyn wants him dead, then he'll be dead. Perhaps that'll send a message." She scanned her eyes around to the fountain and then to the several entrances of the maze surrounding the clearing. Scorpius's heart skipped a beat. So they did plan to kill Michael. There's no reason for him to pull his punches then.
"Aqua Eructo!" Scorpius stepped out of the shadows, and the spell immediately pulled the water from the fountain, and the jet stream curled around the woman- who was completely caught off guard. She screamed- until the water flooded over her head, muffling her cries and cutting off her air. Filling her nostrils, her mouth, eyes, everything. She fought against the water. The man went to attack Scorpius, but before he could- a serpent strikes him from the back.
The man falls, and the snake whispers Dinner as it slithers towards his kill. Scorpius lowered his wand as the girl collapsed. She wasn't dead, but she was probably unconscious from oxygen deprivation. He dashed through the darkness, across the clearing and through another entrance to the maze. Three more down. Seven left. He had to find Selwyn. If Selwyn and Daniel went down, the others may flee. And the Manor wouldn't be touched.
Scorpius pulled out his phone, holding it up to his ear. "Still there, Michael?" He asks in a soft whisper. Michael responds immediately, his voice also low- as though hoping that it wouldn't affect Scorpius.
"I heard the parseltongue. What's going on?"
"I'm not abandoning my family home."
"You're in my body!"
"Listen to me." Scorpius hissed, feet drawing him towards an exit of the maze, Hut he couldn't reach it before a man comes into view, so he turns a corner instead, and presses his back to the hedge, branches grabbing at his bare arms. "I'm not going to put your body in danger. You have to trust me. Do you trust me?" There's a moment of silence on the other end of the line.
"Merlin help me. I trust you." Michael curses softly.
"I'm hanging up. I'm almost to the forest behind the house. I'll loose signal there. I'll call you back when I'm safe." Scorpius tells him. Michael softly agrees, and then Scorpius ends the call, slipping the phone into his pocket. He wasn't going to the forest yet, but Michael didn't need to know that.
His head leans out slightly, and sees the man guarding the exit of the maze- and the trees beyond. Scorpius thinks. At any given moment there's three exits of the labyrinth. But at every quarter hour, one changes. That was fifteen minutes. They could easily guard the exits and look for him inside considering the numbers. But if he lured them in, then maybe it would free up one.
Any moment now, the Aurors should be arriving. Especially since Albus called his Mum. When they arrived, Scorpius would immediately leave. But until then, he wasn't going to let the Manor go unprotected. The only reason why they hadn't gone inside yet was because he posed the bigger threat now- and he was outside. He'd single-handedly managed to catch off guard five people. And from the loud talking and angered voices, Selwyn knew that he was picking them off.
He replaced the defensive spells in his head with offensive ones, plucking them from everything he'd ever read, anywhere. Forget transfiguration and charms- he'll go straight to curses. Sweat beads on his forehead, which was strange considering the way he was shivering from the cold.
Scorpius stayed there a moment longer, and then headed back deeper into the maze. He'd lure them in with his location, and ambush them. He just needed to find a certain place in the garden. Where the hedges turned to rose bushes. Thorny and blood red. It was easier to tuck into those- completely hiding in the walls of the labyrinth instead of being in the open. It hurt like hell, but if Michael left this with just a few thorn scratches, he should consider himself lucky.
He stops walking, hearing movement in the nearest brush, and his arms shake with adrenaline, his arms raised and holding the wand. But just a black serpent comes out of the leaves. When it sees him, it turns to face him, a tongue snaking out of its mouth to kiss the air. "The boy you're looking for is in the maze. He lurks on your trail." The serpents hisses, and Scorpius looked back, where he'd come from. Daniel was close behind then. Perfect, he'll wait and let the boy come to him.
"Find Selwyn." Scorpius orders to the reptile, and watched as it bowed its head before once again slithering under the hedge. He situated himself around the next corner, keeping his senses on high alert for any sounds indicating Daniel's location. He forced himself to not make this personal, to think about what Michael would say and do in this situation.
Daniel would try to kill him at first sight- so Scorpius had to play this carefully. He was too fast to try to catch off guard. But the element of surprise would still be helpful. No shield charms worked against the killing curse- so what did? If Scorpius could be fast enough, a stunning spell would prevent Daniel's curse. He could dodge it too- keep moving. It's harder to hit a moving target. But Michael's body was tall and lanky. And he wasn't use to it. Trying to dodge a curse was not something he should bank on. A stunning spell would be the best bet. And hopefully the Aurors would arrive not long afterwards.
His arms trembled, whether it was from the cold or adrenaline- Scorpius didn't know at this point. He waited, Michael's wand clenched in his hand. It felt strange, unnatural in his possession. Even though he was in the body that it choose.
And finally he heard Daniel's heavy steps and soft breathing. As soon as he came around the corner Scorpius didn't hesitate. "Stupefy." The stunning spell slew Daniel backwards and onto the ground, instantly unconscious. Scorpius let's out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and steps closer to where his brother laid on the grass.
The thought crossed his mind for only a second. How easy it would be to kill him now. It would certainly piss of Selwyn and probably alter his plans. Scorpius wondered if he could live with himself if he killed him.
He knew he wouldn't. He watched this boy grow up. Even if he's an asshole; he could change. Scorpius stepped over his body and headed towards another exit of the Labyrinth, hoping his serpents would find Selwyn.
He inched towards another exit, spotting a dark outline of a person guarding the entrance. Six left. One of them Selwyn.
Scorpius's feet were getting more cold by the passing minute in only socks. Damp from the grass. He probably had leaves and water in his hair from pressing into the hedges. Branches attached to parts of his shirt. Michael wasn't going to be happy about it. He heads confidently in the direction of the exit when realizing the figure's back was facing him.
As he approaches, a black reptile slithers up beside him from the brush. "Strike him." Scorpius orders softly, and the snake's muscles bunched in preparation- then launches itself at the figure. As soon as he was on the ground, Scorpius steps out of the maze, looking around. It was a mistake- he's instantly attacked and barely managed to put up a defense. "Protego." His eyes strain in the darkness to see the approaching man.
But it was him.
He could recognize the high cheekbones and long face from the mugshot in the papers all those weeks ago. Months, even. Argulus Selwyn. Scorpius didn't manage to say anything though before Harry Potter himself apparated a few feet away.
Scorpius felt relief flood him, and a weird sense of satisfaction at the expression of pure irritation on Selwyn's face in the dimness. "Expelliamus!" Harry flicks his wand towards Selwyn, but the man deflects the spell like it was a fly. And then vanishes in black smoke. Others began to appear as Selwyn vanishes, other Aurors- assumably.
And Draco Malfoy. Harry starts towards Scorpius, and looks him up and down as he approaches. "Scorpius...?" Harry testily asks. Scorpius wobbled on shaky legs and nods. "Albus told me about the body switching spell. Clever." He clasps him on the shoulders. Scorpius barely registered that that meant Albus had also called Harry as well as his Mum.
"Thanks. Michael wasn't too pleased." Scorpius gives a hoarse laugh, and feels the ties to the serpents melt away as they return to wherever they were conjured from. "There's four more outside of Selwyn." He tells Harry, gesturing to the maze. "There's eight unconscious." Scorpius points a thumb in the direction of the man on the ground outside of the entrance. "Including him."
"You managed to fight eight of them?" Draco comes up, clearly having been filled in on the body switching spell because he was already removing his coat to wrap around Michael's cold shoulders. Scorpius takes the coat graciously and nods.
"I wasn't going to leave the manor unprotected. Plus, this is our garden." Scorpius explains. Draco smiles genuinely, seeming to hear Scorpius's words through Michael's voice.
"Go to Godric's Hollow. Ginny is waiting for you." Harry tells the boy. "I assume you can apparate?" Scorpius nods, and watched as the group of Aurors is led into the labyrinth by Draco.
Only a Malfoy could navigate the Garden.
—-
Scorpius stumbled backwards onto the ground when he falls back into his body. He blinks rapidly, looking around at his environment. And Raven leaps off the bed and darts to him. "Scorpius!" She exclaims, already knowing he was back, and hugs him. Scorpius raises his arms around her, feeling the tightness of the bandage around his right arm. In comparison to the freeness of Michael's arms- it felt restricting. "Albus told me what happened." Raven says as she pulls away, and Scorpius sees the tear-streaked makeup down her cheeks. Even though she smiled now; she'd been terrified.
After Scorpius made it to Godric's Hollow, he called Michael and told him it was safe now.
"I'm safe. Michael's safe." Scorpius promises her. He gets up slowly, looking around the boys dorms. It was empty, which was normal for a Saturday. "Albus." He sees the brunette boy sitting on his bed, and so Potter immediately stands at his name. "Al."
And that's the second hug he gets. Raven steps back as the boys embrace, and Albus's grip is bone tight. Scorpius makes sure to hug him back just as ferociously. And Albus pushes him away after a moment. "Don't ever do that again!" He scolds. Scorpius nods. "I'm serious! That was terrifying."
"I know." But even though Scorpius was saying it, he felt alive. His entire body tingled. Like he was meant to be in that position; taking down those people. Taking down Selwyn- Daniel. And protecting Michael and himself- and the Manor. Albus was quiet, just looking at Scorpius- almost like he didn't recognize him. It must've been weird, the body switching spell. Even for Albus, who saw Scorpius but recognized the person underneath as Michael.
"I'm going back to the common room. Christine is waiting to hear what happened." Raven tells Scorpius, with one last departing hug, and then leaves the two of them alone.
"What happened?" Scorpius asked Albus, feeling like he may have missed something with the way Potter looked at him.
"Nothing." Those green eyes looked away. "I understand why you switched bodies with Michael. He explained the soul bond better or whatever. I just wish I was there to help."
"You did help, trust me." Scorpius insists. "Your Dad has excellent timing." He adds, and realized that even though this physical body wasn't hiding in the labyrinth, he was still extremely mentally exhausted. Like he could sleep for a week. "And Ginny was so sweet when I-Michael- got to the house. Thank you."
"You're welcome." But Albus still didn't look at him. "I'm glad you're back. I'm going to call my Dad, I want to make sure everything went okay." The boy dismisses himself, giving a side hug to Scorpius on his way out. Scorpius watched him go, and tried not to let worry eat him from the inside.
—-
"Hey." Dinah greets Scorpius, walking up. He sat against the castle wall, looking down at his phone blankly. A cigarette in one hand. He looks up at the girl, caught off guard at first considering this was the stoner wall- but then he recalled her profession. He looked back to where a group of students were baking, and then back to Dinah. Wondering how many times he'd been here when she was part of the group- and he just never cared enough to pick her out.
"Hi." He replies, more to be nice than wanting company.
"You look a bit crestfallen. Raven told me about what happened earlier." Dinah sat beside him and stuffed her hands in the large kangaroo pocket of her red hoodie. Her long hair was pulled into another messy bun.
"Of course she did." Scorpius looked at his phone again, where the Unknown Number showed up on his recents. Aries.
"Who's that?" Dinah leaned over to look at his phone screen, rather invasively. Scorpius turned it off to hide from her prying eyes. He hadn't told anyone else about Aries call. How was he supposed to?
"A friend." He replies before thinking. "Kinda." He added, pulling the lit cigarette to his lips.
"Mind if I have one?" Dinah asks. Scorpius took the opportunity to joke as he fished out his pack of cigarettes.
"What? The drug dealer doesn't have cigarettes?"
"Actually no. Smartass." Dinah laughs. "I don't smoke weed, I just sell it."
"Why don't you smoke it?" Scorpius wonders, hardly curious at all. Dinah takes the cigarette he offered and lights it with a lighter she had on hand- not even bothering with magic.
"Waste of product." Dinah grins. He nods, guess it made sense from a business perspective. "You can tell me things you know. Like about Aries." She takes a puff from the cigarette, and turns her nose up at the flavor.
"You know, you're rather obnoxious." He voiced his thoughts, finding her loud nature insensitive. Especially when she hardly knew him. Dinah laughs at his words, not taking offense. "Seriously, you just say things boldly. Loudly. Like about the Slytherin king thing in class. And now? I hardly know you."
"It's just how I am. I try to make people comfortable with uncomfortable topics. It's good for sales." She shrugs. "Plus, it's obvious to me you guys were good friends. And Raven told me she was like evil or something. But you look for her in the Great Hall. I don't even think you realize you do it." Dinah explains. "If Normani is sick and doesn't come to class, I do the same thing."
"I didn't even know I was doing it." Scorpius murmurs, shaking his head. "But I don't really want to talk about it."
"Fair enough. I won't push. I'll leave that to your ex Christine."
"You don't like Christine?"
"I like her just fine." Dinah chokes out. He met her gaze, and then they both were laughing. "I like her like everyone else."
"She's not everyone's cup of tea." Scorpius agrees.
"Neither is bergamot." Dinah jokes.
"Bergamot. You know your herbs."
"Yes, I do know my herbs." Dinah claps her hands together in satisfaction. "That being said, Bergamot is an extract, not an herb." Scorpius laughs.
"I stand corrected." And the conversation continued like that. Random. Until they both went back into the Castle smelling like smoke, and headed for the Great Hall for dinner. Raven was there and seated by Ashton as they walked up to the other side of the table.
"Where have you two been?" Raven asked.
"Dinah was..." Scorpius trails off. "Marketing. We hung out for a bit." He shrugs and sits, looking around to see if Albus was anywhere. The boy combed fingers through his hair, and his eyes met with a Gryffindor boy down the aisle. As he starts to head over Scorpius shakes his head no, and Orion got the hint because he turned towards the Gryffindor table instead.
Thankfully there wouldn't be a reenactment of this last weeks events- at least with Orion. He made a mental note to find Orion later and apologize for everything. Especially since he believed Orion didn't mean any harm and Albus may have been exaggerating.
"Where's Albus?" Scorpius asks his twin, who shrugs.
"I think he was still studying in the common room when I left." She replies, and Scorpius stands. "You're not eating?"
"I'm not hungry." He tells her. "Plus, I need to study too." He gives a little wave to Ashton and Dinah as he leaves, and heads back to the Slytherin dungeons. There were groups of students here and there, and one group was playing music that thrummed in the common room. Scorpius didn't see Albus so he fetched the Marauders map from the dorms and opened it up to find him. But he was no where on the map. His dark eyebrows furrow and he plops onto his bed, eyes catching other names he recognized on the map.
Perhaps Albus went to Hogsmeade for one reason or another- it's not like the Potter had to tell Scorpius everywhere he was going all the time.
Scorpius looked up as a couple Slytherin boys came into the room, and watched them from the corner of his eye to see if they planned on staying in the dorms. Clearly they did, because they both sat and started talking about some other student. Scorpius gathered his school notebooks and then left, heading in the direction of Slughorn's classroom, where the Professor still was according to the Marauder's map.
As he entered, his grey eyes scanning the class, the Head of Slytherin House looked up from where he sat behind a pile of papers to grade. "Ah, Scorpius. Come in. How can I help you?" He asks, setting his quill down.
"May I study in here Professor?" Scorpius paused. "Ever since people found out about... everything, I find it hard to focus in the library." He explains, not entirely lying. Truthfully, he knew no one would look for him here. And that kind of distance between the other students is something he craved. Slughorn nods in understanding, and goes back to grading as Scorpius sits at a random table.
He succumbs to silence and his studies, crossing off assignments on his mental checklist. Hours later Slughorn finally stands and walks over, telling the boy to lock the classroom before he leaves and handing him the key. Scorpius gives him a promising nod, and returns to his work solitarily.
The light disappears from the small windows, and the only thing illuminating the room is a few candles. That's when Scorpius finally checks his cell, but he hadn't received any calls or texts from Albus. Instead, Michael had texted him.
Freak Cousin: i had to take ANOTHER shower, what the hell did u do to my socks
Freak Cousin: Ginny let me borrow some clothes from james nothing fits
Freak Cousin: ask Dad Malfoy to bring me clothes
Freak Cousin: u can never use my body again
Freak Cousin: out of context that sounds disgusting
Freak Cousin: ur boyfriend is such a nerd im in his room
Scorpius shook his head at his screen, annoyed with Michael.
Scorpius: Next time you're about to die I'll just let you.
He sends the message and Michael responds immediately.
Freak Cousin: jokes on u, if I die so do u
Scorpius: At least then I'll be free of you. Leave Albus's room alone.
Freak Cousin: Or what
Scorpius: I'll beat you.
Freak Cousin: I'd like to see u try
He closes the messages, setting his phone on his desk, face up. Scorpius looked around the empty classroom, deciding he liked it a lot more when no one else was in here. He opened the Marauders Map back up, and sees Albus's name this time in the Slytherin common room. The boy was sitting with Raven and Dinah and Normani. Scorpius didn't even feel the pull towards the group, to join them. He looked then at the Gryffindor Tower, curious who was already inside. Rose Weasley's name was beside James's and Yann's. And it looked like most of the Gryffindors were in the common room- presumably because they won their Quidditch game today against Ravenclaw. It was probably a house-party if Scorpius had to guess.
Even upcoming exams wouldn't stop Gryffindor from throwing a party.
Scorpius scanned the hallways on the map, seeing McGonagall in her office. As he looked for a name he recognized his eyes landed on a student's that was near the Herbology greenhouse. Orion Black. Scorpius's eyebrows furrowed together as he read the name, and then looked at his own name. But it still read as Scorpius Malfoy. Orion Black?
Scorpius only knew of Orion Davis the Gryffindor boy. Perhaps there was another Orion that Scorpius didn't know of. Curiously, he grabs his books and tucks them into his bag. As he leaves, he locks up the classroom and heads towards the moving name on the Marauders Map, which he held in front of him.
He takes the long way, avoiding the moving staircases since they'd probably end up taking him in the wrong direction. Scorpius's mind wandered. Black is a common last name, isn't it? Perhaps it's just a new student Scorpius hadn't yet met, and had nothing to do with the Black Family.
He wondered how the Marauder's map worked, if it shows the last name registered with the school. He figured that wasn't the case, considering Aries Carrow is the name that would always show up on the map for her. But Scorpius's technical real name didn't show up on the map- so it didn't really make sense. Salazar Black is what should show up if it went off what your parents named you.
Scorpius paused before turning the corner where Orion's name hovered. And as he looked down the corridor he didn't see a new student. Or someone he'd never met before.
But he saw Orion, looking down at his cellphone. The bright light from the screen illuminating his curly black hair in the dim hall.
Scorpius looked back at the map, and saw that the name was still there. Then he looked up, and approached the Gryffindor boy.
—-
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I've hit a bit of a writer's block so if my updates are slow that is why, thank you all for continuing reading this! It means so much to me, I look forward to the comments you all leave!!