Scorpius and The Final Fight

After

Scorpius wasn't back at Hogwarts a month later. Professor McGonagall sent him copies of everything his class did and he worked at a more relaxed pace. It wasn't the pressure and the work that kept Scorpius away from Hogwarts, it was the place. He wasn't sure if he would ever go to a potions lesson again without some form of calming draught to remove those memories. Albus sent him letters every day. Scorpius wrote back every day. Draco took time off work to help him recover and the pair began to get to each other more. After two weeks, Scorpius told Draco what had happened, he explained why he woke screaming each night, why he refused to go into a dark room. Draco had sat and listened as Scorpius had talked and cried and talked and cried again. Since, Draco had been there every night at the exact moment Scorpius woke, he had made sure there was a light in every room, he had been the best father he could be.

Scorpius sat up. For the first time in four weeks, he had slept through. It was dark and, for a moment, just a moment, he thought he was back in Voldemort's reality. He fumbled for his wand and breathed a sigh of relief as he felt it beneath his fingers. Buying it had been one of the first things he and Draco had done when Scorpius was able to leave the house without panicking. He lit the oil lamp on his table and got dressed. When he went downstairs, Draco was sitting at the table reading the Daily Prophet and eating a slice of toast. He looked up as Scorpius came into the kitchen.
"Toast?" Draco asked. Scorpius nodded, sat down and Draco directed the toast to his plate from the stove. He picked up a letter with a dark seal, "This came addressed to you. I don't recognize the handwriting. Do you?" he asked handing Scorpius the letter. Scorpius shook his head. He reached for the letter from Albus and laughed as he read it. Draco looked at him from behind his paper.
"Albus said Rose misses me," he smiled. Draco grinned back, mischievous. Scorpius took a bite of his toast and opened the other letter. A small key fell out of the envelope. The handwriting was loopy and round. The seal had an "R" in the centre. Scorpius had no idea who it was from. He unfolded it and began to read.

Dear Scorpius,

I don't know when you will get this letter. I don't even know if you will get this letter, but it was worth a try. If you do get this, then, the chances are that I've been arrested and sent to Azkaban. Yes, this is Delphi writing. Please read until the end. You might not forgive me, and I don't mind, but I need to explain.

You know that I grew up with Euphemia Rowle and you know that she hated me. When I was seventeen, Rodolphus Lestrange came to take me from her care. He told me the Death Eaters' side of the story and told me of my parentage. He told me that there was a way to meet my father and I jumped at the idea. I'd spent my whole life being told I was worthless and I wanted someone who wouldn't tell me that. Rodolphus took me to Diagon Alley, he bought me a wand, he taught me magic – dark magic. He was kind to me. Occasionally he mentioned the Prophecy, but only to motivate me. When I'd learnt the basics of wizardry, he suddenly became a lot harder on me. The Prophecy became a threat over my head, he taught me the dark arts every day. He used the Cruciatus curse on me until I could do it properly. He used it on me every time I made a mistake or didn't perform to what he wanted. But I began to realize that my father was not the great man that they made him out to be. But he made me keep going. One night when I was really angry and upset, I snuck out I got my Augurey tattoo. He found me and dragged me back to the house. He tortured me for days after that. He hated that I had associated myself with muggles, that I had left without permission, that I had even tried to leave. A month later, I started working at that care-home. And then, three months later, I met Albus. He was so blissfully unaware of who I was, of the guilt I held in my heart; it was the best feeling in the world. I invited him to see me at the care-home. Rodolphus was angry but, by that time, I didn't care if he killed me. He wizened up to the fact that I thought of Albus as a friend and he had a new threat to hold over my head. So, I did what I was told. I hate myself for it. I tried to avoid getting to that point. To the point where I might end up killing you both. But I had to in the end. I'm truly sorry for that pain I caused you. I'm going mad, I know that, and I will have cracked by the time we fight, whenever that is. I won't know who I am, and I will have tried to kill you. So, I'm sorry. For everything. I enclose the key to my vault at Gringotts (Vault 117) and the papers you'll need to get to the Lestrange vault. Use it to rebuild your world. Use it to fix the problems in the world. Don't let what happened to the world then happen again. Please.

I don't want you to accept my apology because what I did was not excusable. I just want you to know the truth.

Delphi

Scorpius read the letter again and examined the key. It was a genuine Gringotts key, he was surprised Rodolphus had let Delphi have a vault. He looked up at his father.
"What's wrong?" Draco asked. Scorpius stared back at the letter, debating whether to say anything about it. Draco smiled.
"I want to go back to Hogwarts," Scorpius said quietly.
"Are you sure?" Draco asked. Scorpius nodded. Draco nodded back, and the pair went upstairs to pack Scorpius' trunk.