Seventh-Year: The Next Generation

Chapter 2: Of Death Threats and Disturbing Kisses

He forced himself to drag his eyelids open. It was like opening heavy shutters reluctantly on a cold winter's day. Pulling himself into a sitting position, he pulled back the curtains of his four-poster. Immediately he shut his eyes again, as the sun burned his dilated pupils.

Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, he slowly opened his eyes once more. This time he gave them ample opportunity to adjust.

He was alone, the room was void of any other living form. The scarlet sheets of the other beds were crumpled messes on their respective four-posters. Only one four-poster had been carefully made. He smiled to himself. Albus.

The bright morning sunlight poured through the windows, leaving burning pools of liquid topaz on the floor. He could hear birds singing sweetly from somewhere outside.

Rising to his feet, he dressed quickly and left the dormitory, making his way to breakfast.

Upon arriving in the Great Hall, he threw himself into a seat, grabbed a piece of toast, and began to butter it.

Albus watched him from across the table. "Morning, sleeping beauty."

"Where's Rose?" Scorpius reached for the jam.

"She was only down here for a few minutes, said something about the library and excused herself pretty quick."

"What?" Scorpius stopped in the middle of preparing his breakfast. "She can't be planning on spending all day in there, can she?"

Albus shrugged. "Well, she is Rose."

"But it's such a beautiful day outside! It would be a travesty to spend all that time with your nose in a moldy book."

"Maybe she went right away, so that she could finish up whatever she was doing before you got up?" Albus pointed out.

Scorpius thought about it. "Maybe... but you never know with her." He bit off a chunk of his toast.

Albus looked back down at the copy of The Daily Prophet that was spread in front of him.

"Anything interesting?" asked Scorpius around his food.

"Not unless you're interested in Zacharias Smith's love affair with Hannah Boot."

Scorpius snorted. "You'd think that every once and awhile that old hag Rita Skeeter would write something people actually want to read about."

"You'd think so, but she's always been more interested in the latest love scam. I always wonder why The Prophet keeps her. I've always thought she would be more at home with Teen Witch Weekly, or some other trashy magazine."

Scorpius pasted an expression of injured outrage onto his face. "Hey, I happen to own every issue of that magazine. I think it makes quite good reading material."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Just because you make the cover every once in awhile, shockingly, does not make it worthwhile, Scorpius."

"You're just jealous they've never asked you to come in for one of their photo-shoots."

"Yes, Scorpius, I'm jealous that I don't get to walk around posing in my underwear, so that a bunch of giggling teen girls can goggle at my sexy body."

"For that to happen, Albus, you would have to have a sexy body," said Scorpius, with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"Merlin, you can be frustrating!"

"Wouldn't you love to be me?" said Scorpius, leaning back and striking a pose. "I would brush back my flowing locks for a dramatic effect, but I have pumpkin juice in one hand and toast in the other. It would be quite messy."

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" It was Elsa Baddock, a Ravenclaw seventh-year. She had stopped in the act of passing by. She was now looking curiously out at Scorpius from her long, flowing red-gold hair.

"Why, just letting you have a chance to feed your eyes on my gorgeous figure, darling," said Scorpius with a smile.

Elsa's eyes narrowed. "You do have some decent looks Malfoy, I'll give you that, though you flaunt them a bit much."

"Just decent?" asked Scorpius in an injured tone.

"Well, maybe better than decent, but don't let your head get so big you can't get it out of bed in the morning."

"Don't worry, I can handle my ego like Inigo Montoya handles a sword."

Elsa laughed; Albus found the sound kind of disturbing, but he couldn't have said why.

"If Rose ever loses interest in you, Malfoy, just let me know," she said coyly, with a sly smile. And with that, she turned around and flounced off, her long red hair swishing back and forth behind her.

"Watch it, Scorpius," warned Albus.

Scorpius laughed. "Don't worry Albus, this heart of mine belongs to one girl only. Speaking of that girl, I'm going to go get her. I don't care if I have to drag her out of this castle, I'll get her out of that infernal library, somehow."

"Good luck with that. Though, if anyone could do it, it would be you."

"I'm glad to see you have faith in me, Albus."

"What can I say? After six full near-death-experiences-ridden years, I've come to see what you're capable of when you set your mind to something."

"Are you going to come help me get her?"

"Nah, I've got something else to do. Besides, I wouldn't want to intrude on you two star-crossed lovers."

Scorpius stuck out his tongue at the other boy, before getting to his feet and leaving.

Albus watched his friend go, desperately wishing he could have his support in what he was about to do.

Sighing, Albus dumped the newspaper onto the table before exiting the Great Hall himself.

***

Albus dispiritedly made his way to the fourth floor corridor. Looking around to make sure he was alone, he pulled back the portrait of the large black bear. Stepping out onto the stone tiles that were revealed beyond, he looked around.

He was on a narrow stone walkway that went along the outside of the castle. It was high up in the air, and hugged the wall as it ran along it, twisting out of sight around the curve of the school. A low crenelated parapet, that hopefully would keep one from falling off, bordered the walkway.

Albus started along the path, trying to enjoy the large expanse of blue sky above him, and the sunny grounds a ways below him. He himself was in the shade, the walkway running along the west wall of the castle, and it still being slightly before noon.

It had only been a couple of weeks since he had gotten the first letter. It had been a parchment rolled up and tied with a silver and green ribbon. At first glance, he had assumed it was a love note from some delusional girl -boy, had he been wrong.

The parchment had contained a map to this concealed path, and an elegant script that had directed him to come alone, and at midnight.

This, of course, had in Albus's mind confirmed that it was just some love-sick teen. It wouldn't have been the first one to come his way. Knowing that Scorpius would just make a big joke out of the whole thing, Albus hadn't told his best friend. But as midnight had drawn closer, something in Albus's gut had directed him to go, and go he had.

Albus sighed. How he wished hadn't.

Turning around the last bend, he finally arrived at the tower. It was nestled into the castle just-so, so that the only way to notice it would be if you were flying, and accidentally stumbled right upon it. There was no way you could find it if you didn't know it was there.

She was waiting for him. Her wavy, raven-black curls cascaded like a waterfall of darkness around her pale face. They pooled on her shoulders, shining even though she was in the shade.

"You're a little late, Albus," she said gently, her ruby-red lips pursing as she stared at him.

"Well, don't be offended if I tell you that I hardly look forward to our meetings," he said tightly.

"Oh? But don't you look forward to seeing me?" She walked up to him and traced her finger along his chest as she strode around him.

Albus shuddered violently. He snatched her hand and tossed it away from him. "Don't touch me. There's only so much I'll put up with," he hissed.

She stuck out her lower lip, pouty. "I thought you liked me?"

"Then only thing I like less than you is cancer."

She laughed, it was like honey pouring over hidden shards of ice. "But you think I'm beautiful, don't you?"

Albus sighed, exasperated. "I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said no?"

Her dark eyes sparkled. "Nope."

"Then why do you ask me?" he asked between gritted teeth.

"I like playing with you."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Could we please get on with this? Why did you call me here?"

"You're no fun," she pouted again.

"That's what I hear," muttered Albus to himself.

She walked over, and perched herself on the top of the parapet. Her body faced toward him, but she looked over her shoulder and out across the grounds.

Albus resisted the urge to push her off. He wasn't one for murder -not yet anyways. But if he had to take much more of this...

"Did you find out when the Ministry Officials' meeting is?" she asked, still not looking at him.

"Yes."

"Well? When is it?"

"Two weeks from today," he said coldly.

"And all the Aurors have to go to this particular one, correct?"

"Yes."

"Are you positive of that?" she asked harshly, now looking at him.

"That's what Scorpius's dad says, and he should know, being an Auror," he said angrily.

"Good," she said, suddenly smug.

"You won't ever tell him, as long as I help you, right?" asked Albus, his eyes flashing. She nodded quietly. "You swear it?"

"I already did," she snapped.

"If you ever, ever, break that promise, I tell you, I will find you, no matter where you are, and I will kill you."

She giggled. "Albus, you simply must make death threats more often. You can't take them seriously at all, and that makes them quite entertaining. You should get Scorpius to create one for you, I'm sure he could come up with something quite a bit more colorful."

"Yes, I'm sure," said Albus quietly. "But remember that, if you ever plan on telling him, I will find you."

She sighed dramatically now. "Yes, Albus, I know." She jumped lightly down from her perch.

"Be ready for the next time I call you." She walked up to him, placing her cool hand on his cheek -half-way cupping his face.

Albus closed his eyes, trying to ignore her close proximity.

"Hold up your end of the bargain, and he'll never need to know."

And then it was over, her hand was gone, and she was walking down the walkway that was behind him, striding away from him. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

"Goodbye, Albus."

"Don't call me that," he growled.

He didn't turn around, but when he heard her voice, he could tell she had stopped walking.

"Oh? It's your name isn't it? What should I call you?" she demanded.

"Anything, as long as it isn't so informal, so... personal," he ground out.

Her laugh came trailing over to him as she started walking again -it was followed by her voice. "You really shouldn't let me know any of your pet peeves, Albus, because I'll just use them all the more against you."

When her footsteps finally died away, Albus released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His upright shoulders sagged, and he walked over to the parapet and leaned heavily on it.

He could see the lake a good distance away. The sun shone on the surface, turning the water to a metallic blue that acted like a mirror. He could vaguely see a couple of figures swimming in the shallows, enjoying the lovely day.

Sighing, he put his head into his hands.

"Albus, what have you gotten yourself into?"

***

Scorpius blinked, and peered around the library. Here and there, students were poring over textbooks, studying or completing homework. Madam Flora, the librarian, stalked here and there, looking for troublemakers or disturbers of the peace.

Scorpius set off into the rows of bookshelves, looking for his girlfriend. He personally detested the library. Not because it was the home of so much books, but because it was so closed up, so contained. It made him feel like he couldn't breath.

He could never understand how so many people were working away on a Sunday morning, when it was so amazingly beautiful outside. Then again, he was a notorious procrastinator, and never did anything more than the night before it was due.

Scorpius's gaze wandered, searching. He fought the urge to laugh when he caught sight of a jumpy looking second-year, who was picking his nose as soon as he thought no one was looking.

He stopped and looked down when his foot accidentally hit something. An old paperback book lay at his feet. Stooping, he scooped it off the floor and read the title.

It turned out to be a play. "Twelfth Night?" Scorpius asked of the air. "A story full of loves that were never meant to be..." he said softly to himself, staring at the cover. He knew the tale well, his mother having insisted that he knew something of the Muggle world. His dad had not liked the idea, but his mother had put her foot down. His education of the other world that ran along side the wizarding one turned out to mainly consist of literature that his mother was infatuated with, rather than any information that was actually that useful.

Scorpius had always wondered why the current Headmistress had expanded the library to hold so many Muggle texts. It struck him as being rather wasteful, because most of the students only read their school material. And even if they did read something just for enjoyment, it was unlikely to be something Muggle.

Without thinking, Scorpius stuffed the small book into one of his robe pockets, and continued his search for Rose. Finally, he spied her.

She was sitting back in a corner, at a table squashed between two towering bookshelves. Her head was bent over an immense tome of a book, that was open in front of her.

The sun sliced through the window behind her. It turned her bushy, brown hair into a burning fire that radiated light.

Her face was cast in shadow, but Scorpius could still make out the features he knew so well. The soft hazel eyes. The smooth curve of her chin. Her rosy cheeks that matched her name. The small, cute nose that he loved so much.

He stood in the darkness of shadows cast by a row of shelves. Watching Rose study was one of his favorite past times. He simply adored the way her eyebrows furrowed when she was thinking hard. The way she gently turned the pages of a book, as if she was handling a priceless jewel.

His memory went back to the first time he had felt a twang of something more than just friendship for her.

It had been back in his third year, when he and Albus had thought it would be cool to go into the Forbidden Forest. They had gone slightly further than they had meant too, and had gotten lost. They had stumbled upon the nest of spiders, that lived deep in the center of the forest. Of course, Scorpius and Albus had turned and run for their lives. Scorpius's foot had caught on the edge of a large tree root, and he had fallen flat on his face. Turning, he had seen a large spider leaping towards him.

And that's when she had appeared, seemingly out of thin air. After protecting Scorpius long enough for him to get back on his feet, she threw each of them one of the three brooms she had brought along, and they had flown out of there immediately.

It was at that moment, when he was laying on the dirt floor of the forest, terrified and out of his wits, that he had felt the first growth of feelings he didn't understand. The fearless confidence and intelligence with which she acted seemed to draw him to her.

He smiled, as he thought about how she had lectured them about breaking school rules, after they had returned to the safety of the castle. And how she had told them that they were stupid, to not think of bringing something like a broom along that would guarantee a safe escape. And -Scorpius grinned widely at this part- how especially furious she had been when she yelled at them for not inviting her along.

Jumping back into the present, he stepped out from the shadows. "Hello there, oh flower of mine."

Rose looked up, startled at first. Slowly her face drew into one of those smiles that knocked the breath out of him. It was one of those smiles he would fly to the moon and back just to see. He would trade every sunlit day just to see her face glow like that all the time.

He walked over to her, and looked down at her. She beamed back up at him.

"What are you doing here? I thought you would be out, enjoying the weather with Albus."

"I've come to be your knight in shining armor, the one that rescues you from the evil tower of despair, a.k.a, this library." He waved his hand in a general gesture, that encompassed the large room.

"I don't know...there's some stuff I need to do, Scorpius..." she said, doubtful.

"Oh come on. It's beautiful outside, Rose. We can take a walk by the lake. Or anything really, I just want to be with you."

"But-"

"Please, for me?" he whispered.

She hesitated. "Okay, if it's what you want."

"You're all that I want." He smiled.

Taking her hand, he pulled her to her feet, and gently kissed her. It was strange. It wasn't their usual shared kiss. There was no warmth exuding from Rose's lips, they weren't as responsive, there wasn't that feeling of sharing a special moment together. It was as if she was reluctant, or as if her mind was elsewhere.

Scorpius pulled back, looking at her curiously.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, clearly confused.

"No, nothing," said Scorpius, his eyes slightly narrowed in calculation. "Let's go."

He turned and started to walk with purpose out of the library, dragging a slightly uncooperative Rose along by the hand.

Scorpius suddenly felt a searing gaze on him that rested between his shoulder blades. It felt like all the loathing and hatred that could ever be possible was burning into his back.

Scorpius turned, looking towards where he felt he was being watched from.

There, sitting at the same table Rose had been just moments before, was a tall, pale boy with carefully combed brown hair.

But as soon as Scorpius turned towards the boy, he could no longer feel the gaze on him at all. Though the boy was watching him with careful dark eyes. The boy's expression was smooth and blank, void of all emotion.

Scorpius's brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn't remember the boy being there a moment before, but there was no way he could have seated himself in the time between when Scorpius and Rose had turned away from it, and now.

Shrugging it off as just a weird experience, Scorpius turned his back on the boy, and began to pull Rose along again.

Long after Scorpius and Rose had left the library, the boy sat at the table. He stared off out the window, his face as blank and smooth as when Scorpius had seen him. But every five minutes or so, an expression would contort his carefully placed mask into an ugly, twisted thing; it would then return to normal a moment later.

Author's Note:

If you would just leave a review with your thoughts on the fic so far, I would be much obliged.