Hogwarts: A Future

Chapter Eleven: Inherited Wounds

Scorpius' discomfort was extremely apparent the next morning. Walking into the Great Hall for breakfast, his friend's blond haired head hunched over a bowl of porridge was the first thing Al saw. Iapetus was seated next to Scorpius, muttering something to the dishevelled boy. Waving Edwin and Petra on to the Gryffindor table, Al veered left to seat himself at the Slytherin table. A loud laugh caused him to look up the long table. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the sneering faces of Aello and her cronies.

'I've been trying to tell Scorpius there's no shame in going to the Hospital Wing,' Iapetus' voice brought Al's attention back to focus on his friends. 'Who're you suffering for, anyway? Them? You?'

Judging by the muted anger in Iapetus' voice, he had been trying to persuade Scorpius to seek treatment for hours. Al had to lean his head so his ear nearly touched the table in order to see Scorpius' face. He winced at what he did see. Scorpius' left eye was puffy, a deep bruise standing out in stark contrast with the rest of his pale complexion. Even his other eye did not look good, reddish with a dark circle beneath it, it showed the sleepless night Scorpius had spent. Guilt swelled in a sickish feeling in Al's stomach.

'I'm so sorry, Scorpius,' he said to the top of Scorpius' head. Iapetus glanced up from the small hunched shape between them to look at Al for the first time. He did a double take at Al's healed face.

'A kid in Gryffindor knew how to heal bruises, I know the spell, I can help you,' Al continued in a rush, flushing from the long stare Iapetus was giving him.

'M'alright,' Scorpius muttered. Al and Iapetus exchanged a look.

'What's the spell, Al?' Iapetus asked pointedly.

'Sanguescurare,' Al provided, 'I should have brought some Bruise Banishment cream from Weasleys.' He added as an afterthought to himself as he glanced about the room. The Great Hall was not yet full of students, and although all the teachers were present they appeared engrossed in their own conversations, newspapers and books. The enchanted ceiling overhead was cloudless, a perfect blue sky stretched overhead promising autumn sunlight but also freezing temperatures.

'Look, Scorpius,' Iapetus said softly, 'when the post comes Al and I'll heal you. There's always so much noise and fuss, no one will notice. You can't go round all day like this.'

'A teacher'll notice, Scorpius,' Al joined in, 'you'll be sent to Aunt Hannah and made to tell what happened. Please?'

There was a pause, then Scorpius nodded. It was fortunate that he agreed, for at that moment the first of the owls soared into the Great Hall from the high windows, all hooting excitedly for their owners. Ignoring the sounds of owls and students exclaiming over parcels or else calling their owl to them, Al and Iapetus raised their wands.

'Sanguescurare!' Directing the spell together over Scorpius they attempted to move their wand-arms as little as possible.

'How's that?' Iapetus asked after a few seconds as Scorpius sat up straighter.

'Better,' Scorpius breathed deeply, 'much better.'

He smiled at his friends, face completely back to normal.

'Oh no,' Iapetus had a look of horror on his face.

'What?' Al and Scorpius both asked.

'Your face...' the grimace of horror continued.

'What!?' Scorpius anxiously began feeling his face with his hands, Al craning his neck to see.

'It's just... you're definitely a Malfoy,' Iapetus' horrified expression began to crack, falling away completely as Scorpius stopped examining his face to look at Iapetus with mock annoyance.