Sarah Beth~
I knew Ben was really mean to Scorpius, but was violence really the answer? the idea of Elle showing him how to defend himself frightened me. Scorpius was to innocent, what if she corrupted him? True, I couldn't tell her what to do, mostly because when Elle has her mind set in something nothing is going to stop her, but also because it wasn't my kid. I wasn't him mum, so I couldn't make the calls. And it wasn't like she wasn't capable of the task. Back when Eleanor was 17, she trained a group of men called the Snatchers. She taught them how to defend themselves, how to fight, battle strategy, and dark magic. Although that was years ago, that talent is still in her somewhere. Now, she would have to so her son could protect himself.
All of us went from Vincent Colin's , who was now being cared for by Narcissa, nursery and went down to the Malfoy's big ballroom. I knew it well from years of singing at their annual Christmas Ball. Eleanor turned to her son.
"Okay, Scorpius. I'm going to show you what you need to do if that little sh-" Elle had started, but was interrupted by Lucius. As time and gone by, her mode started changing from worrisome to revengeful.
"Elle! Language!"
"Oh! Sorry. What you need to do if that little prat tries to hurt you again."
"Actually, he was trying to wrestle..." Scorpius admitted. I shook my head.
"He defiantly intended to hurt him." I confirmed. This only seemed to infuriate Elle.
"Okay! Just watch! Draco, come here!" Her husband looked shocked that she wanted his assistance. He walked over to her cautiously, afraid of what she might do. I didn't blame him for his fright. Back in our seventh year Eleanor used to get into lots of fights, and she won every one. Some of them were even against boys, and she still came out on top.
The next hour was spent with Eleanor demonstrating different ways to defend himself. Every time she did, Draco would end up on the ground, hit in the face, and one time even in the kicked groin. We all watched as Draco laid on the floor, grabbing his crouch and looking close to tears.
"You hurt him, Mummy!" Scorpius ran to his father and sat down beside his face. Elle threw her head back, laughing.
"Ah, he's okay. Take it like a man, Draco." She helped pull her husband off the ground. He looked at her wearily.
"I... Think I need to sit down..." And he left the room, limping a bit. Lucius spoke up.
"Eleanor, perhaps you should be more careful."
"Hey, this was his idea. If I'm going to show Scorpy how to fight off that kid, in going to do it right."
"I don't think you should..." I said. Elle looked at me as if she couldn't believe I just said that.
"What do you mean?! Do you think we should just let people walk all over him?"
"He doesn't have to see him again." I replied. Elle shook her head.
"Yeah, but what about the next kid that's mean to him? Or the next?"
"Lets settle this peacefully! The kid was being punished when we left!"
"I know what I'm doing Sarah Beth!" She snapped. Scorpius jumped and grabbed onto my pant leg. Mr. Lucius started to say something, but she interrupted him. This time her tone was soft and caring, for she was speaking to her son. "Now, Scorpy. I'm going to a usually show you how to go some things. "
"But mummy-"
"You need to know how to, Sweetheart."
"I know mummy, but my hair is in the way. I look like grandad!" The five year old pushed some white-blonde hair out of his face as we all laughed at him.
"Well..." Elle thought for a minute. "Okay. How about I cut your hair, and then we try?" She sounded genially excited about this. Scorpius frowned.
"I don't know if I want to anymore Mummy. I think you hurt Duddy..."
"I promise I didn't, sweetheart." She bent down and hugged her son. He hugged her back and then she picked him up. "Lets go cut your hair."
"Okay, mummy. Can Frecky come?"
"Of course."
As I followed them, I tried to bit my tongue at the fact that she had just blatantly lied to him. She had hurt Draco, and I was afraid of what would happen to Scorpius.
The weird thing was, this just didn't seem like Elle. She was having terrible mood swings. I had never seen her like this. She was always either really happy or really sad or completely emotionless. Why was she acting like this? It was almost like she didn't care about anything.
"Sarah Beth," Mr. Lucius pulled me aside as mother and son went into a bathroom. "Eleanor's behavior is bothering you, isn't it?"
"Um, no..." I lied. He shook his head.
"Don't lie."
"Well, yes... Why is she acting so wired?"
"St. Mungo's has put her on a new set of potions. She complained about the old ones, so they're trying something new. The old ones made her numb, but these ones... They intensify her emotions, and she doesn't mean to be that way. Infact, she doesn't remember doing anything bad or angry. She barley remembers her day.
"I've been trying everything to try to calm her down, but nothing works. The hospital is going to switch her back on to the old ones Monday. Anyway, I want to ask you if you could please just tolerate her and excuse her actions. She doesn't know she's even doing it."
"I had no idea..."
"It's terrible..."
"Why doesn't she just not take them?"
"Because of the new act that the Ministry passed, we could get fined. I've been trying to keep her down with naps, but it doesn't always work."
"Oh...." I looked down. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Just try not to make her angry."
"Alright. I can do that." I nodded and went into the bathroom.
Scorpius was sitting on the sink, and Elle was beside him with a pair of scissors. She had already cut halfway around by one or two inches. She looks up at me when I entered, then started cutting again. Scorpius smiled.
"Hi Frecky!" He waved. Eleanor gently grabbed his hand.
"You have to hold still, Scorpius! Do you want me to accidentally cut you?"
"No, mummy..." He looked down. Ellie smiled and continued cutting.
"So, when can we go see that boy again?" She brushed done hair off of Scorpius's shirt. I hesitated.
"Whenever..."
"How about tomorrow?" She asked. Scorpius widely smiled as his eyes gleamed.
"Can I stay with Frecky tonight, Mummy?! Please!?"
"Now, Scorpius, you weren't invited to-"
"I don't care." I shrugged. "I love the little guy." What I didn't say was I could talk to him about NOT doing anything to Ben. He threw his hands in the air.
"Yay! And I love you too, Frecky!"
"There we go." Elle finished and lifted her son off of the sink and put him on the floor. He went running through the house. "Thanks for doing this, Sarah Beth." She put a hand on my shoulder as we excited. I forced s smile back, remembering what Lucius had said.
"You don't have to thank me. I love having him over."
"Eleanor," Lucius stopped her in the hallway. He must have been waiting for us. "It's been a long day. How about a nap?"
"I just had-"
"Eleanor." He shot her a look I couldn't read. Her eyes widened, and then she nodded her head yes.
"Okay... Bye Sarah Beth." She willingly gave me a hug and started walking with Lucius. As she went, she looked back at me. "I'll have Gumby pack him some clothes."
