When Scorpius opened his eyes, he found four anxious blue ones staring back at him. After a few moments, the four blue eyes resolved into two and belonged to none other than Rosie Weasley.
“Are you alright?” she asked in a shaky voice.
Scorpius was so happy to see his friend that he sat up too quickly and the second Rosie returned; both were kind enough to reach out to steady him.
“You’ve got a nasty bump on your head,” Rosie explained, slowly letting go of his shoulders and then hugging him. “I’m so glad to see you, and that you’re not badly hurt!”
Scorpius gingerly felt his forehead; the bump felt like it was the size of a goose egg. “Are you okay?”
Rosie nodded. “Albus hasn’t woken up yet though.”
It was only then that Scorpius realized that Albus was lying on the floor to his right. One of the lenses of his glasses was cracked, but he looked fine otherwise.
“I think you both must have been hit with Stunning Spells, but that shouldn’t have givn you a bump,” mused Rosie. “Which reminds me, how did you get here? And where are we? I think it must be somewhere I’d recognize because they put me in a room with a tree blocking the view from the window. Whenever they bring food they always make sure I can’t see their faces, or perhaps it’s only one person. I really can’t tell. Do you know if my dad is going to find us soon? I’ve tried to find a way out but they took my wand away. It looks like they took both of yours too.”
Scorpius tried to focus on the information and the questions, but it made his head spin a bit and a second Rosie briefly appeared again.
“Wh-what happened?” croaked Albus, beginning to wake up.
“Are you okay, Albus?” asked Rosie, rushing to her cousin’s side and embracing him in a hug too.
“Yeah... we came to rescue you,” Albus answered, still groggy. “Surprise!”
Rosie looked mildly alarmed at this statement. “But... where are Dad and Uncle Harry?”
Albus shrugged. “Scorpius figured out that it was Mr Smith who kidnapped you, so we came to rescue you ourselves.”
“Mr Smith?!” asked Rosie in shock. “Why would he want to kidnap me? I’ve never even met him!”
Albus was studying his broken glasses. “I guess those slimy gits took our wands, so not only can we not escape, but I can’t fix this lens.” He looked to Scorpius. “Maybe you could explain everything to Rosie? I think we’re going to be stuck here for a while.”
Scorpius was still fighting back a bad headache and tried holding his head in his hands. He took a deep breath and looked up at Rosie. “It has to do with your mum’s house-elf thingy. The Smiths own a house-elf cleaning business and since you’re being ransomed tomorrow, your mum decided not to go the hearing or whatever it is.”
“I’m being ransomed?” asked Rosie, eyes wide.
“Yeah,” Albus answered. “For ten thousand Galleons.”
Rosie’s voice quivered. “B-but, Mum and D-dad don’t have-”
Albus interrupted, “Scorpius’s dad offered to put up the money.”
A blush began to creep up Rosie’s cheeks. “That was really nice of him. Thanks for coming to rescue me too.”
Scorpius could feel his own face beginning to warm. He feigned a cough as Albus replied, “Yeah, well our great daring rescue hasn’t exactly gone according to plan, has it? What did happen anyway?” He turned to Scorpius. “I remember you giving me a boost and then... nothing.”
Scorpius rubbed his head again; there was a horrid tapping noise that was making his headache worse. “I bet I got this bump from you landing on me after they Stunned you.”
“That would make sense,” agreed Albus. “Sorry, mate.”
Scorpius ignored Albus’s apology as he was currently lost in his thoughts. “I remember just before the light hit, they said something... there was something important...”
“Do you have any idea what it was?” asked Rosie, wringing her hands.
“I dunno, I have a pounding headache,” replied Scorpius. “And that horrible tapping is making it worse! Could you please stop it Albus?”
“It’s not me,” replied Albus indignantly.
“Look!” cried Rosie in excitement. She was pointing at the window, where a small tawny owl was pecking impatiently.
“Merlin!” exclaimed Scorpius. Ignoring his throbbing skull, he hurried over to the window. “It’s locked too!”
“We could break the glass,” suggested Rosie. “But we’d better come up with a plan first. They might hear the window break downstairs.”
“Merlin, can you hear me?” Scorpius asked.
The little owl blinked solemnly.
“Okay, wait right there. Whatever you do, don’t fly away, alright?”
Merlin blinked again then ruffled his feathers.
“I wonder how he found us,” began Scorpius.
Albus peered out the window. “Not that it’s important, but since he’s sitting on top of a dead snake, I think I can guess.”
“What’s a snake got to do with it?” asked Rosie.
“We’ll tell you later,” replied Albus. “Right now, we’ve got to write a letter; no one knows we’re here.”
“Well, all we need then is ink, parchment, and a quill. I don’t suppose we’ve any of those handy?” added Scorpius, with a touch of sarcasm.
“No, of course not,” snapped Rosie. She bit her lip as she scanned the room. There was an empty dresser, a threadbare bed with a musty pillow, a rather uncomfortable wooden chair, a chipped bowl, a slightly bent spoon, an old goblet, and a few candles. “There must be something we could use for a message...”
“I... I don’t understand,” blurted Ernie, staring into the wrecked Potions room.
Neville’s face had gone pale upon seeing the smashed jars inside. Even more disturbing, the door had still been locked when he and Macmillan had arrived. Who would kidnap the boys and then lock the empty classroom behind them?
“We have to alert the Aurors, immediately!” barked Neville. “James, Fred, you’re both to stay with me until I can escort you back to Gryffindor Tower. Ernie, contact the Aurors patrolling the corridors and grounds, then we need to send letters to the Potters and the Malfoys. Mr Seward, get everyone into the Great Hall, now!”
Professor Macmillan didn’t even pause to argue, but took off at a run. Mr Seward sprinted up the dungeon steps showing surprising agility for someone his age.
“What’s happened to Albus?” demanded James, in a quavering voice.
“I don’t know,” replied Neville, “but I’m not taking any chances. We’re going straight to Professor Proudfoot. Now hurry up; there’s a shortcut this way.”
Three men were eating in the dining room of the Smith mansion. The shortest of the three looked up at the chandelier. “Did you hear something?”
The largest man’s deep-set eyes flickered upwards, but only a grunt escaped from him as he continued to shovel food into his mouth.
The third man was easily twenty years older than the other two and considerably better kempt, with his long blond hair elegantly queued back. He wrinkled his nose in disgust at the lack of manners from his troll-like dining companion. “Perhaps you should check on the children,” he suggested primly, while dabbing his mouth with a napkin, embroidered with the Smith family crest.
The first man shrugged. “There’s no way out of that room when they’ve got no wands. It can wait until after dinner.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” asked the eldest, hoping for an excuse to send the glutton upstairs so that he could finish his meal in peace.
“If you’re that worried, you can go check on them.”
The blond man dropped the subject; he wasn’t about to leave his dinner.
Nearly a half hour later, the three men had each finished their meals. “I suppose we really should make sure they haven’t gotten up to anything,” the first man stated. He looked at his largest accomplice. “Go on upstairs then.”
“Should we really send him alone?” asked the blond man.
The short one rolled his eyes. “I think he can handle three wandless eleven year olds.”
Meanwhile, Albus had his ear pressed against the door. “Quick! I can hear footsteps!”
“I still can’t believe they didn’t hear the glass break,” whispered Rosie, as she braced herself against the dresser.
“I hope this works,” added Scorpius.
Within moments, the doorknob was being turned. However, the three friends had barricaded it with the bed, chair, and dresser and were now bracing themselves against it too.
“Hey!” grunted a deep voice. “Watcha do to the door?”
He continued to push on it, but despite his bulk, there was simply too much furniture in front of it.
“Yeh’d better let me in or I’ll blast the door down!”
“Go!” mouthed Scorpius. He and Albus ran to their stations with the old blanket as Rosie lit the old pillow on fire with the aid of one of the candles.
“REDUCTO!”
“NOW!” yelled Scorpius. He scarcely had time to absorb the shock of recognizing the face of his captor.
Gregory Goyle barely had time to register that something burning had been thrown at him before a blanket landed on his head.
“Quick! Get his wand!”
Rosie and Scorpius were struggling with Goyle for the wand until Albus smashed the already chipped bowl over Goyle’s head. Goyle released his grip on his wand as he slumped to the floor.
Rosie scooped up the wand as Albus gave Goyle a well aimed kick, for good measure. Rosie then pointed the wand at her cousin’s face. “Reparo!”
“Thanks!” Albus adjusted his mended glasses and looked down at their captor-turned-victim. “Looks like he’s going to have a bump to match yours,” he cheerfully informed Scorpius.
“I’m sorry, Scorpius; I don’t know any Healing spells yet,” added Rosie.
Scorpius wasn’t really paying attention; he was staring down at the limp form in horror. “He... he was a friend of Dad’s... I... I used to call him Uncle Gregory... I recognized his voice, but I couldn’t place it until now...”
Albus looked somewhat uncomfortable. Rosie grabbed Scorpius’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, but we really have to get out of here. Someone must have heard the crash.”
Scorpius tried to pull himself together. He still couldn’t believe that his father’s friend could be involved in this, but he knew Rosie was right: they needed to escape. The three friends ran out of the little room and down a hallway, hiding in a small room near the stairs.
Moments later, the two other men were running up the staircase. Scorpius peeked out to make sure they had both passed and then motioned for Rosie and Albus to follow him down the stairs. Unfortunately, a step near the middle creaked when Scorpius tread upon it.
“They’re on the stairs!” shouted one of the men.
“Run for it!” yelled Albus. The trio went down the stairs as quickly as they could until they heard a loud pop at the bottom of the steps. One of the kidnappers had Apparated at the bottom. Scorpius whirled around but Goyle and another man were guarding the top.
Goyle was leering in a manner that made Scorpius wonder if he’d lost his mind. The other two men had their hoods up and Scorpius still couldn’t see their faces.
“Gimme back my wand! Yer trapped!” Goyle began to advance on them.
Scorpius quickly weighed his odds. Even without a wand, Goyle was still formidable and there was an armed man behind him. Thus, down seemed the way to go. “Rosie! Albus! Follow me!”
Scorpius had slid down his own banister most mornings when he was in a hurry. Without even thinking about it, he leapt onto this one and began a rapid descent. Rosie and Albus followed suit. Rosie even had the sense to aim a spell at Goyle with his own wand.
“Wingardium Leviosa!”
Goyle looked utterly perplexed as he slowly rose off the ground. The man at the top of the stairs had aimed a Stunning Spell at Albus, but it hit the rising Goyle instead. Meanwhile, the trio was speeding down the banister, straight towards the tall hooded man at the bottom, who was momentarily distracted by the unconscious floating Goyle. He didn’t even have time to utter an incantation before they crashed into him. The kidnapper’s wand went flying across the room and skittered under a sofa. Unforutnately, Goyle’s stolen wand snapped during the collision. The three children managed to untangle themselves much quicker than the eldest of the kidnappers, who’s left leg was dangling at a strange angle. Scorpius only had a few moments to assess the situation. He correctly guessed that the odd angle of the man’s leg meant it was broken and that they were temporarily safe from him. However, there was still a hooded man chasing them down the stairs.
Somewhat disoriented, Scorpius took a wild guess and ran towards the nearest room, his two friends on his heels. This room turned out to be a large sitting room, with another door at the far end. The doorknob was nearly in Scorpius’s grasp when a chillingly calm voice called out, “Colloportus.”
The three friends were cornered and wandless. The kidnapper advanced on them slowly, while laughing softly. He removed his hood and Scorpius noted the resemblance between this man and Bernard.
“You must be Mr Smith!” he guessed in an accusatory tone.
“Well done, young Mr Malfoy,” remarked the man, softly clapping in a mocking fashion. “I don’t know how you and the Potter boy found your little friend here, but I can assure you, you won’t be leaving here.” He turned to Albus and Rosie. “I don’t mind ransoming the two of you.”
“Wh-what do you mean you won’t let Scorpius leave?” asked Rosie, tremulously.
“The Malfoy family owes my family a debt. They’re responsible for the death of my step-sister, Charity Burbage, and I will have my revenge.”
“We won’t let you kill him!” declared Albus. He and Rosie had both protectively stepped in front of Scorpius.
Zacharias Smith smiled. “I wasn’t going to kill him, yet. I think the Cruciatus Curse would be a more appropriate beginning.”
“No! We won’t let you!” Rosie shouted. “Besides,” she added in a pleading tone, “Scorpius never did anything to your step-sister. It’s not his fault!”
“I don’t care what a silly little girl thinks,” snapped Zacharias. “Now stand aside or I’ll be forced to curse both of you too.”
Zacharias began to advance, wand outstretched but before he could say anything there was a loud bang as Draco Malfoy Apparated between Zacharias and the three children.
“RUN!” yelled Draco, as he aimed a jet of red light at Smith.
The trio scattered while Smith dodged Draco’s spell. Zacharias dove behind a large armchair as he sent a curse towards Draco, who easily deflected it with a Shield Charm and then set the chair that Zacharias was hiding behind ablaze.
“Augamenti!”
While Smith was distracted by putting out the fire, Draco aimed another Stunner at him. The two men continued to duel but it was clear that Draco was the stronger of the two. Zacharias suddenly changed tactics and grabbed Scorpius by the hair, jabbing his wand against Scorpius’s throat. Draco froze, gray eyes glittering with a mixture of hatred and helplessness.
“Now, throw your wand over there if you want your son to live another five minutes,” ordered Smith.
“Calm down, Smith. It’s me you really want anyway, isn’t it?” pointed out Draco as he carefully tossed his wand towards the center of the room.
“Incarcerous!” hissed Zacharias, with a look of triumph on his face. Ropes shot out of his wand, binding Draco. He then repeated the spell on Rosie and Albus, while maintaining his grip on Scorpius.
“Now, Draco. While I do want to make you suffer, I still think it would be better if I make you watch as I torture your son before I kill you. After all, we were all forced to watch the Death Eaters use the Cruciatus Curse on Charity before they dragged her off.”
“That wasn’t my fault and you know it!” argued Draco.
“It is according to the book Skeeter wrote,” raged Smith. “Not only did your aunt torture Charity, she was murdered at your house!”
Draco struggled against the ropes as he tried to reason with Smith, “My family was under house arrest by the Dark Lord, there was nothing we could...”
“You were a coward! Your whole family are cowards!” yelled Smith, losing his temper. A few sparks shot from his wand and Scorpius felt them burn on his skin.
“You’re calling me a coward?” taunted Draco. “I’m not the one who pushed first years out of my way to escape Hogwarts. I’m not the one who kidnapped a little girl. I’m not the one threatening children!”
“Don’t push me,” growled Zacharias in a menacing tone. “Cru-”
“NO!” screamed Rosie. Scorpius couldn’t be sure, but he thought he heard something else as Rosie screamed; when he tried to turn to check Smith viciously yanked on his hair.
The colour had drained from Draco’s face as Zacharias had begun the incantation to the Unforgivable Curse. Smith grinned with malice. “It would be so easy...”
Draco changed tactics. “Look, this is between you and me. Leave my son out of it; you can torture me into insanity; I probably deserve it, but don’t hurt an innocent child.”
“As though any Malfoys are innocent,” scoffed Zacharias.
Draco was looking into the distance but then focused on Zacharias’s face, adding in a softer tone, “You don’t want to do this.”
“Oh? And why not?” mocked Zacharias, sending sparks out of his wand again.
Draco smiled grimly. “Because I told the Aurors to follow me here, and it looks like they’ve just arrived.”
Ron and Harry’s Stunning Spells hit Zacharias before he even had time to turn.
“Rosie! Are you alright?” asked Ron, hugging his daughter tightly after Vanishing the ropes.
Rosie was crying and hugging her father as tightly as she could. “I was so scared!”
Ron patted his daughter’s hair and told her in a soothing tone, “Shh, it’s over now. You’re safe.”
“What took you so long?” complained Draco, still bound on the floor.
“We ran into your mate: Goyle,” snapped Harry. He used a Severing Charm on the ropes binding Albus and then Draco.
“Goyle?” asked Draco in disbelief.
“Wait!” blurted Scorpius suddenly panicked. “You only found Uncle Gregory? There were three of them!”
The door that Smith had previously locked opened and the tall blond man limped into the room. “Very good! Now, if you would kindly all put down your wands, I won’t have to hurt any of you before wiping your memories.”
Ron and Harry seemed rendered speechless. Draco stared in horror at the older man who slowly approached them, wand drawn. Finally, Draco spluttered, “What the hell are you doing here?”
Gilderoy Lockhart flashed a dazzling smile. “So you do remember me!”