Constellations

Chapter 33

***Albus's POV***

Silence.

I was yelling and searching for my wand even though I knew that they had already taken him. Once I found my wand, I quickly got rid of the blindfold and looked around. No one was around.

"Albus?"

I turned around with my wand ready but it was just Scorp's parents.

"What are you—"

"They took him! I didn't see who but they took him!" I knew I was being loud and hysterical but I was terrified. He had slipped through my fingers. If I would have done something—

"Al, breathe," Jen put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Tell us exactly what happened."

***Scorpius's POV***

The ironic thing was that I love beaches. The first place that my kidnappers took me was a deserted beach but there was nothing distinctive about it that told me where we were. I watched as the water lapped up around my bounded ankles and relished its salty touch on the rope burns.

Catharine and the woman were arguing about a lack of plan but I didn't care. I was so tired. I didn't know what they had forced me to drink but it was making it hard to focus and think. The sand was so soft but every time I closed my eyes, I saw Albus's pained face as they used the Cruciatus curse on him. I could still hear his screams. He was calling out to me as I forced down the potion to make them stop. I hope to Merlin that he's all right.

My worst fear has come to pass and I just hope that they leave Al out of this. They want my parents, though, I don't know why. I was to be the bait and that all made sense to me. What Catharine had to do with it all, I don't know. I stumbled to my feet and looked back at Cath and the woman. They were still arguing and didn't notice me standing so I shuffled closer to the water. I walked into the water until I was up to my knees, the feeling of the waves was a comfort. I wanted it to wash me away.

I stumbled and fell onto my ass, soaking my clothes. I think some of the potion was still in my system. I could feel the world spinning around me and my cheeks were flushed despite the cold. Maybe if I laid down for a bit...

"Scorpius!" I felt hands tugging at my arms but I was so tired. "Get your ass up!"

A face appeared in front of mine but it was all blurry. They kept yelling at me but all I could hear was the waves washing around me. Then nothing.

***Albus's POV***

I was pacing back and forth in the Malfoy living room and all hell had broken loose. The house was crowded with people. Blaise, Reyna, Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Anna, Rose, Will, Ellie, and Lucy were all here. Everyone was shouting and trying to come up with some sort of plan. Jen and Draco had called their bosses and gotten clearance to investigate whoever they thought might be involved in the kidnapping. I wish I knew. I should know. But all I can say for sure was that Scorp knew the person who kidnapped him. I didn't recognize the voices but I can be sure that they used something to mask their voice. Something had been off about it.

Jen had already tried to use a tracking spell but it was a dead end. The only thing that we could do was go through the list. That's what all our parents were doing. Which left Rose, Anna and I to sit and worry.

"This is ridiculous," I said, plopping down on the couch. "I've got to do something, but I don't know what."

"You know there's nothing we can do right now," Rose said, sitting down next to me.

"But—"

There was a knock at the door. Throughout the chaos, no one seemed to hear it. I stood up and walked to the door. I opened it to see Cath standing at the door.

"Oh, hey, Al," she smiled. "Is Scorp around? He left his watch at my place." She held out Scorp's pocket watch.

Shit. "Uh, you should probably come in," I said.

***Scorpius's POV***

When I woke up again, my head was pounding but at least the potion's effects seemed to be wearing off. I was in a small cabin. My legs were untied and only one hand was tied to the bedpost. I sat up and took a survey of the room. There was a large open space that occupied the kitchen, dining area and bedroom. There was also a small room off to the left that I assumed was the bathroom. Cath was gone but the other woman was sitting on the couch. She trained her hazel eyes on me when she heard me shuffling.

"Good, you're awake. We were starting to think that the potion would kill you." She shrugged. "I guess I should have assumed as much given I let an underage witch make the potion."

"Cath—"

"My daughter," she stood up and walked toward me. "You made quite a mess of things when you decided to break up with her. We did warn you."

"But, why and how—"

"You're just a pawn in all this. Necessary for getting what I want and I will soon enough anyway. The Malfoys wouldn't risk their baby." She turned around but I called out to her.

"Why Turn me and go through this whole charade?"

She turned to look at me. "They were all threats. I first had to get Cath close to you so that she wasn't seen as a suspect and as the threats kept rolling in then I knew your parents would do anything to get me to stop."

"And kidnapping me? Was that all a part of the plan?"

"No, but once you broke up with Cath then I knew we had to act fast. Now no one knows that you and Cath are broken up and she can still be my informant until I get what I want."

"And what do you want from my parents?"

"A life for a life."