Chapter Forty-Two

“So…tell me this again?”

“I’ve told you six times, Rose. Scorpius is accompanying me to Azkaban this afternoon.”

“Right…and then tomorrow?”

“I’m going to Jonathon’s house for his birthday?”

“Okay, okay. And what about Aslan?”

Savannah smiles at her friend, whose staring at her bemusedly.

“I talked to him yesterday. Morgan has agreed to fly with him.” Rose nods once more. Albus and Lionel watch with amusement while Peregrine paces in front of the Gryffindor fireplace.

“You placed ancient druid curses on their pictures?”

“Yes! For Salazar’s sake!” Savannah groans, falling back into the sofa. It was their break before lunch on Friday.

“And you didn’t go to jail?”

“No, not really. They can’t prove anything.” Savannah mumbles. The bell rings, signaling lunch. The portrait door opens and Morgan ambles in.

“Savannah, there is a rather large package for you in the Great Hall.” He delivers. Savannah sits upright, staring confusedly at him.

“Large package?”

“It was delivered by a pair of tropical birds and has no return address. I sensed strong magic around it.”

“Strange” Was all she utters before hurrying out of the portrait hole. The others follow.

When they reach the slowly draining hall, they find Professor’s surrounding it with their wands out. Professor McGonagall looks over at them with a stern face.

“Savannah, might you know what this contains?”

“No” Savannah goes to walk past the ring of professors but is blocked by Harry.

“I sensed Dark Magic.” He warns. She frowns and pulls his arm away, lifting her hands and rotating her wrist in a circle. A shield of magic blanketed over the package like a fine layer of blue mist, and Savannah makes her way towards it. The package is a large rectangle, larger than her, and tied with plain paper and twine.

“Morgan?” She calls. Morgan studies it but shakes his head.

“Nothing nefarious.” She nods and places her hands on the film of mist; it immediately grows along the length of them like gloves. Efficiently, she unties it and pulls away the paper. A plain box is revealed and taking a breath, she pulls of the lid.

“Ahhh!” She screams, rocketing backwards to the ground, raising an arm to shield her eyes. Morgan charges forward, hissing like a snake with fiery green magic engulfing his body.

“What is it?” He demands, stopping next to her. She looks up, her eyes wide with horror.

“The Mediwitch who healed me. From the hospital. She’s smiling and…Morgan she’d dead!” Morgan looks up and almost gags as a hand grips the edge of the box. He hauls Savannah to her feet and lifts her hand in his towards the box.

“A message….for…Sav…annah…Merl…in.” The body is sitting up, her rotting face turned fully towards them and her decaying skin making her smile look like a frown. The crowd of teachers around them gasp in horror, but without any inclination, another shield transcended out of Savannah’s own, encasing the three in a pitch black circle.

“Who are you and what do you want?” Savannah demands, clenching onto Morgan’s hand. He moves closer to her, ready to guard her himself. The deceased witch slowly clambered out of the box, a few of her bones popping out of her skin as she hit the floor. Her back is bent, the two halves of her spine clearly showing out of the skin as she limps forward. Her hair is in bloody tatters, her eyes scratched to pieces of flesh. It was clear that she was tortured to death.

“Fate…shall bring…us to…gether…soon…Sav…annah…Merlin. Soon.” Her body shivers and then dissipates into pearly smoke, a long drawn-out scream echoing in its wake. Savannah clings to Morgan, staring at the spot that she vanished.

“Morgan, that was…that was her…” She tries to say it, but can’t. She was still unstable from the Jungle, and her mind and body were going crazy overload.

“Her dying scream, I know. Savannah, look at me.” He forces her face into his hands, making her eyes lock with his. His beautiful Tiger Eyes. “Do not fear. I will protect you from this. Whatever it is, I will protect you.” She nods without hesitation, forgetting for the first time that she didn’t need protection. She never needed anyone.

Morgan felt his chest thump painfully as she placed her trust in him. He slowly lets go of her face and pulls her into his arms, topping his chin on her head. “It’s going to be okay.” He promises. She nods into his chest before sniffing and pulling away.

“Why don’t I hate you anymore?” He opens his mouth to respond but stops as he feels another presence. Not physically, but magically.

“Why do you have another’s magic connected with yours?” He asks. Her blush fades away and her pretty blue eyes grow heavy with sadness.

“I was connected with Scorpius.” Morgan nods and tilts his head to the side, evaluating the boy’s red magic’s attempt to barge its way through Savannah’s barriers.

“He wants in. I think he’s right outside this thing.” He comments. Savannah winces as she feels another rake of Scorpius’ wolf-magic. The anger and fear pulsing from it was painful to bear, knowing it was only because he thought she was in trouble.

“He probably is. We’re going to Azkaban today so I can kill his grandfather.” Morgan nods.

“Tough. Think we can break this thing?” He points to the black barrier. She studies it and then places her hand against its wall.

“Ow!” she screeches, pulling back. Her palm is burned, already blistering. Morgan holds it in his, breathing cool air and healing magic onto it. The blisters fade, but the burn pervades. He frowns and points to the barrier.

“Stop!” He commands. It shudders and suddenly falls apart like glass. Savannah swears quite fluently as she and Morgan duck to the floor, Morgan over her as extra protection against her will.

When the tinkling of the shield falls away, Savannah slowly looks up, seeing the dust of the event settling around them. The professors have up their shields to protect themselves from the glass and the hall is closed and empty of students. Savannah winces as she places her burnt palm to the floor, yelping and falling back to the ground. Morgan heaves himself up, muttering an apology for her most likely bruised stomach.

“Allow me” He takes her non-burnt hand and slides another arm under hers and around her back, hauling her to her feet. They shake off the dust and swipe it clean with a swipe of their combined hands.

“Morgan?” She looks at the box. He nods and steps away from her, holding his hands out towards it and it erupts in a burst of emerald flames, quickly falling to ashes. She turns to the others as he does so, her eyes locking immediately on tawny ones. They stare at her furiously, the fear still apparent within them, causing the irises to be bigger than usual.

Scorpius stands only feet from where the barrier had stood, one of his own hands burned and cradled against his chest. His mother stands behind him, casting worrying glances between her son and Savannah, who cradles her hand similarly to his. “Let me see that.” She says gently, walking quickly to him. He stiffens and starts to transform his expression into a glare, but his mother tightens her hand on his shoulder and he shuts up. He allows Savannah to pull his burnt hand into hers, and he bites his lip as he feels the feverish skin of one palm.

“Sanare” She breathes it over his palm, and ice spreads over the wound, glowing faintly yellow. Scorpius feels a twang in his wolf, and knows that Savannah allowed a connection for the barest of seconds to use their bond to heal him.

“There” She drops it suddenly, as if it had further burned her, and she backs up to talk to Morgan, who is waiting behind her.

“Is it healed?” Rose asks, surprising Scorpius, who had not known the others were there. He looks at her warily.

“Yes” She nods and purses her lips.

“I wonder when she will be.” She walks away, the others glancing at him as they pass by. Scorpius sets his lips in a thin line, quite reminiscent of his father. His heart beat dangerously in his chest but he ignored it. He focused, instead, upon the events that will be happening in less than an hour. His father’s words, after hearing what Scorpius intended to do, were still echoing in his mind.

Do not believe a single word that he says. He has the silverest tongue of any snake. He will do his very best to get out of the coming sentence and he will use any means he can, including you and Savannah. Be wary of everything he does, and every word he speaks, Scorpius. Most importantly, do not get close to him. Say what you have to say and walk away.

He shivers. His palm was blessedly cool and his mother’s hand on his shoulder was comforting. His eyes watch as Merlin converses with Fray.

He seemed worried beyond belief, holding one of her hands in his while talking rapidly. Rose and Albus stood beside them, watching the exchange while Peregrine and Lionel spoke with the other professors.

“Why isn’t dad coming?” He looks up at his mother. She frowns slightly, thinking of how to best phrase it.

“Your father is afraid…” She trails off, her eyes unfocusing.

“Afraid?” Scorpius could not imagine his father afraid of anything. He once was rumoured to have rushed into a cave full of dementors to save his friend, Blaise, after the war. Without knowing how to cast a patronus.

“I didn’t think I’d ever have to tell you this, Scorpius. When we had just graduated from Hogwarts, I was pregnant. And your grandfather was on the loose.” Scorpius stiffens and fists his hands tightly. Pregnant?

“He was unhinged and only wanted revenge. So he captured me and held me hostage to terrorize your father, as well as your Uncles Ron and Harry.”

“Did he hurt you?” Scorpius managed to get out calmly. Hermione pauses, unsure of whether to continue. Draco was concerned over the fact of what Scorpius would think of his not going to the death of his own father, while his own son went gladly. How best to continue?

“He caused me to lose the child. I was rescued soon after. The whole point of this story is to prove that your father is not afraid to face Lucius. He is afraid of what he will do if he faces him again, knowing what that man caused us to lose.”

“Would he kill him?” Scorpius demands. Hermione pulls her son closer, hugging him tightly as the memories cloud her mind once more.

“Without a second thought.” Scorpius nods and hugs her back, knowing instinctively that she needed it. Hermione presses a few kisses into his hair before letting go.

“It is time to go. We will handle what has happened here.” Professor Longbottom promises as he walks over with Savannah and Morgan. Savannah is pale and tight lipped, clutching Morgan’s hand tightly in hers.

“Harry is waiting outside the Hall with the Minister.” He informs them. Scorpius nods and looks at Savannah. She is watching him with bright blue eyes, reading his emotions.

“Savannah” She turns to face Morgan, whose handsome face is troubled and furious.

“Yes?”

“You will make the right choice when you face them. Know that.” She bites her lips, closing her hands around a silver chain glinting at her neck.

“Did you?” Morgan’s face becomes blank.

“No, I didn’t.” She nods and gently let’s go of the chain and his hand.

“Let’s go.” She turns to Scorpius and inclines her head to the doors. He walks away without another word, knowing she is following.

When Harry and Ernie see them exit the hall, they hold out a tattered newspaper; ironically the issue proclaiming Sirius Black’s escape from Azkaban. Savannah and Scorpius place their hands, quite close to each other’s, as it glows neon blue and vanish.