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Scorpius Malfoy and the Salem Witch Trials by Hotrav

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Chapter Notes:

Chapter contains allusions to previous story "Luna Lovegood and the Dark Room Legacy." You do not need to read the story to understand the chapter


Kaitlin stifled a yawn as they waited for the coaches’ usual pre-breakfast game day meeting. Rose, seeing the yawn, kicked her in the side of the ankle. The kick drew an angry look and the beginning of a retort, which died away as Coaches Devon and Potter walked out of their office and into the study.

–All right, today we start our journey to win the Cup. Seven is our lucky number. Seven victories and we are world champions.” Devon’s comments drew a round of excited murmurs from his team. Rhys’ face broke out into a grin that threatened to touch his eyes. –You may ask me how we will beat Brazil. Well, I’ll tell you.”

Before he could expound on the plan, the door seemed to vibrate as if it was going to explode inward from the force of the person pounding from outside. Scorpius looked at the two girls. Kaitlin was weary. Rose’s face turned into the color of ashes.

Lily, who was seated in the back of the group, reading a Marvin the Muggle comic, gave a very loud put-upon sigh, made a little show of her walk of four steps to the door and opened it. Three men filled the doorway and a strong smell entered the room before the strangers could.

–Eeww!” shouted Lily, as she fled from the door and strong odor.

–What the devil?” asked Devon.

The old, broad-shouldered man in dress robes, didn’t look at the team, but honed in on the two adults. –Coaches Devon and Weasley, we need you and your entire entourage in the tournament headquarters building. A grave violation of the rules of sportsmanship has occurred and accusations against your team have been made”

–I want them out! I want them disqualified from the tournament!” The man dressed in old Quidditch togs spoke in a thick Russian accent. He repeated pointed toward Devon with his index finger like it was a dagger.

Devon put on a smile that Scorpius recognized as a fake one. –Vladimir Nickovetch Andropov, it’s been a whole week without being blessed with your presence.” Devon threw his arms wide like he was going in for a hug and even took two steps toward the Russian coach before coming to a stop. The smell grew worse the closer you got to the man.

–Coach Devon, you have ten minutes to assemble your entire team in our offices or you will be disqualified from the tournament.”

Devon nodded in acceptance, but he was not ready to totally surrender. –Mr. Baum, we are scheduled to play Brazil at noon. We have our pre-game meeting, breakfast, warm-ups. Surely, this can wait until tomorrow.”

Baum just shook his head.

–Very well, we shall be there in ten minutes.” The door closed and Devon turned with anger flooding from his eyes toward his charges. –Who did what? I need to know. Now!”

Kaitlin and James hid their guilt well, having had plenty of practice. Rose’s face, however, became flush and her cheeks grew to the color of ripened tomatoes.

Rose’s Aunt Ginny locked in on the color change. –Rose, what aren’t you telling us?”

She swallowed; her head jerked to the right as she caught herself starting to look at Kaitlin but stopped the motion before it betrayed her co-conspirator. –It was my idea. A harmless prank to get even with them for the bouquets they gave us in the first round. You see, I planted Dianthus mephitidae around their compound. The plants have only a two day life cycle. Once planted it releases the odor and dies within twenty-four hours. So no real harm was going to be done to them.”

–And you planted these flowers all by yourself in the dark of the night, did you?” Ginny Potter moved closer to her niece with every word looking for anything to get to the real truth.

–No! I mean, yes! I mean, no….” She was so busted. Kaitlin and James sat quietly nearby letting her take the fall.

–I helped her,” interjected Scorpius. –I used my Herbology club expertise to help with the prepping of the soil and the watering.”

–Why?” asked Devon. Scorpius, who had been concentrating on Mrs. Potter, was caught off-guard by the other’s question.

Rose spun on him. –Quit this! I’m sick of you always trying to protect me. I’m not some silly little girl in a stupid story that needs a boy to always come to rescue her.”

Scorpius stood and took an angry step toward her. –Well, you and Kaitlin needed my help last night. If it wasn’t for James and I your stupid, little plants would have never bloomed. Would’ve they?”

–Damn, Malfoy,” shouted James. And then it struck Scorpius that he had just identified the other guilty parties and they were all but ejected from the tourney. Scorpius dropped back into his seat.

–All right, now that you’ve all come clean. While we are in his office, only Coach Potter and I speak understand. Now, if they ask you a question, you will use only yes/no/I’m sorry for your answers. Understand?” The quartet nodded. As they queued up to walk to the cabin Kaitlin walked out of her way so she could elbow Scorpius in the side as she walked by and Rose kept her silence.

Coaches Devon and Weasley, the seven players and Lily Potter all entered the offices of the Tournament. The stench was there too. Obviously, the Russians had filed their complaint in these offices.

The head of the tournament, Baum, sat behind a large mahogany desk eyeing each of them. –We play these tournaments to build bridges between the magical people from around the world. So instead of peaceful competition, the United Kingdom goes out of its way to start a string of international incidents!” The man’s right hand thumped the table reflecting the anger in his face.

Devon sighed. –Sir, during our match with the Russians, they gave the girls flowers and, well, they became a distraction for our team.”

–Yes, I have the report. The Russians made a generous gesture of friendship and it started a bout of fisticuffs.”

–Sir, you have to see it from our perspective. The Russians attempted to use the flowers to make some of our player’s jealous. They taunted the boys about the flowers and the girls. While on parchment, the flowers look like a friendly gift, it was used to gain a competitive advantage.”

It was obvious Baum was having trouble buying the coach’s argument. Scorpius felt someone slip past him to the front of the group. Lily had carried a small chair from wall and was seating herself in front of the group at the desk. The young girl sat upon her knees and placed her elbows on the table cupping her chin on the extended palms of her hands. She gave the man her best innocent smile. Baum lost his train of thought.

A burly, crop haired, leather jacket wearing male, who was standing behind and to the right of Baum, cleared his throat. The sound refocused the other man’s thoughts. –According to the revealing spells cast by the NAMED agents, six different wand carriers were in the vicinity of the Russian compound last night.

Scorpius felt his head jerk back because that wasn’t right.

Devon eyed his team. –Mr. Baum, only four members of our team left our area.”

–We found evidence of six: Four teenagers and two adults. From the size of the footprints and depth of the prints, the adults were probably males.” The man in black answered checking a sheet of paper on Baum’s desk for accuracy.

–And the two adults came from our residence?” asked Ginny. She had learned from listening to Harry and Ron talk about work that it was often what you withheld from your interrogation subject that was the really important information.

The law enforcement officer twitched. –Actually, we have two separate trails that lead into the forest near the ACE campground.”

–So, you don’t know if we planted the plants or the strangers?” Devon asked hoping for a way to stay in the tournament.

Baum turned to his security man. They whispered and they both faced Devon. –The footprints found at the places of the plantings were the juvenile footprints.” Devon’s face dropped.

–Did you find the adult foot prints everywhere your spell says they went?” Ginny Potter chimed in. All they needed was reasonable doubt. She had a lot of practice with interrogations. After all, she had James as a son.

–No, but the soil at the plantings was soft and wet.”

–And you’ve proof that the adults used no spells to float over or wipe their shoe prints off of the soft soil?”

The color in the security man’s face redden, he was getting agitated. Lily turned her large smile on the man. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling in response to her action.

Baum must have realized he was in a deteriorating position. He quickly changed the subject. –The Russians want you removed from the tournament and have filed an official protest.”

–Of course, we gave Andropov his toughest match to date. He knows if we play again-” Baum raised his right hand palm out to silence Devon.

–You have two choices. You play today’s game and the next game against China without two of the offending players in each or you forfeit today’s match against Brazil.”

The entire U.K. team erupted in anger. Devon turned on them, –Quiet, or I’ll disqualify the whole lot of you myself.” The room became quickly silent.

–We accept your penalty of forfeiting our game against Brazil. Is there an apology to the Russians that I have to sign?”

Baum nodded and slid five pieces of paper in front of him. Three of the papers were identical letters of sincere apology to the Russian team and people and the other two were a written acceptance of the penalty of the one game forfeiture. Devon looking like he was sucking on a lemon signed the papers with a quill and Mr. Baum read them.

After he reviewed the documents, he extended a hand to Devon. –Bobby, one more incident and you might not even get another hearing. You’re gonna have to keep them in line or else.”

Devon nodded and the two men shook hands.

With the game forfeited, no one felt like eating breakfast. The team walked in silence back to their home. Devon walked to the coach’s office and opened the door and the four late night gardeners went inside.


Wizard’s Cemetery at St. Angus’ Watch

Harry Potter, wearing his Auror dress robes, stood with his wand stuck in his armpit as he, Ron, Sterling, Smythe, Adams, and Glouster lifted by their white gloved hands the box containing the remains of their comrade: Willie Bones. They honored their fallen by using their own exertions and not some impersonal spell to bring their friend to his final resting place.

As the pall bearers turned the corner around the Thestral driven hearse, Harry saw Maisey Bones and child, Willie’s mother, mother-in-law and guests. Harry almost lost his solemn demeanor when he saw that two of the mourners standing behind the seated family were Mr. Olivander and Luna. He didn’t know that they knew Willie.

The detail, in perfect step, brought the casket to the pall above the grave and placed it down. Harry called his men to attention and they stood in silent formation to the left of the family. A small man wearing a white collar across this shirt with stepped forward with a large book and began to deliver the eulogy. As the man went on, Harry’s mind began to wonder to how they got here.

On Monday, a note had appeared on the front desk of the Inn at the Leaky Cauldron. When the clerk first found it, she had assumed it had been left behind by a boarder. She opened the note to see who had left it so she could return it to its owner. After reading the first sentence, she ran into the kitchen of the Bistro.

Hannah Longbottom took the note from the trembling hand her employee. She read the first sentence and her left hand involuntary leapt to cover her mouth. Hannah glanced down to her daughter as she banged an old sauce pan on the tile kitchen floor. She looked up at Halley, the clerk, and said, –Watch Alice, while I go upstairs for a moment.”

Halley nodded and went over to talk to the fourteen month old. Alice, who was used to her, offered the pan to her friend. Halley took the pan and returned it to the girl. As Hannah walked up the back stairs to the private rooms the last thing she heard was her daughter’s laugh. As she entered the grand dining room, she strode over to the fireplace and opened the closed little door on the empty portrait containing an orange background. Although she had seen Neville do this a thousand times, she felt like she was out of place now.

–Professor, I need to deliver a message.” She waited not knowing if the portrait would come at her request. Into the frame, Minerva McGonagall walked. She looked past Hannah probably looking for the current head of Gryffindor House.

Her clipped Scottish accent held a touch of annoyance, –I don’t understand why you summoned me? I am…not…a messenger service!”

–I’m sorry. I need to get a message to the Auror office and I know that you used your portrait in the Headmaster’s office to deliver a message to someone with a portrait in the Aurors’ office for Rose Weasley.” Even in her late thirties, Hannah found the dead woman’s image intimidating. –A message was left here telling where the body of a missing Auror can be found.”

Even though she was a magical painting, the shock was evident on her face. –It’s not Harry Potter, is it?”

–No, Willie Bones-–

The painted head of the woman nodded in comprehension. –Alas, another brave Gryffindor has met an early death. Neville will have to learn to live with that, just as I did. So many of our best do not get to enjoy a long life. I will deliver the message to the Auror office for you. I’d return to your place of business, it may take awhile.”

And that’s how Harry had found out about Willie’s fate, third-hand from a friend via the portraits of two dead wizards. When he and Ron had arrived at the bank of the Avon, they had found not only Bones, but also the two Muggle escapees. From the state of the bodies, all three of the bodies had been tortured prior to their murders.

The man giving the eulogy mentioned Harry’s name and it brought him back to the graveyard. Harry fought to keep focused on what the man said, but he just kept droning on and on. After about five more minutes, the man closed the book and stepped aside from the casket.

–Detail, present wands!” Harry commanded. He could hear his men moving in obedience to his command. –Honors, salute!” Golden sparks shot from the wands in an arc over the casket. Harry silently counted to eleven. –End, salute!” The sparks ceased.

The group of Aurors stood at attention while people consoled the widow and the mothers. Stiff backed, he walked over to the family. He bowed to Maisey.

–As a representative of the Ministry, I wish to convey the deepest sympathy over your loss from the Minister, myself, and Willie’s fellow Aurors.”

Maisey tried to hold it together as she reached for Harry’s hand. However, when their hands touched, she lost control and almost fainted. Willie’s mother took Maisey in her arms. Another woman, probably Maisey’s mother, stepped forward.

–Harry Potter, you got the bastard that killed my Reg. I want you to promise to me you’ll do the same for poor Willie.”

He was confused by the woman’s reference to some past action. He would not let that deflect from the solemn proceedings. –Count on it,” Harry said and stepped back to make a slow reverent bow to the family. He returned to his Aurors and called them to attention. They snapped to. –Detail, dismissed!”

The younger Aurors went over to give their condolences to their friend’s widow. Ron stepped next to his friend. –The woman who talked with you, she seems familiar.”

Harry nodded and said, –She knows me from somewhere. She said we caught the person who killed her husband.”

–When-”

–She didn’t say.”

Luna hugged the widow and the mothers. She bent down to hug little Reg and mussed his hair. After she was done, she walked around the casket over to where Harry and Ron were standing.

–Hello, Harry. Hello, Ron. It’s really sad that we only seem to see each other at weddings, funerals, and ministry crises.”

Harry hid a smile. –Bless Luna,” he thought. What he asked was, –How do you know the Bones family?”

–Well, I met Mary after the Battle of Hogwarts. I came to deliver the news about how Voldemort had kill her husband Reg while we were prisoners in Malfoy Manor. Reg had always talked about you, Harry Potter. After all, it was because of you and Ron, probably, that Mary got released from the dungeons in the Ministry. The whole Cattermole family considers you to be a special hero to them.”

It clicked for both Ron and Harry at the same time. Willie Bones had married Maisey Cattermole. Bones had named his son Reg. –And now they all expect me to avenge Willie by killing Lucius like I did when I killed Tom Riddle.”

–Yes, but Harry I’m worried.”

–Why?” it was Ron who asked.

–As I walked over here, I took a long look at you. I’ve seen that look only twice. The first time was in the forest just before our trip to the Department of Mysteries, and the last time was at Shell Cottage just before you went to Gringotts. I’ve always considered that look to be your desperate face not your thinking face. You will need to put on your thinking face to beat Lucius Malfoy.”

In an almost whisper, Harry confided to her, –What if I can’t, Luna? What if he’s too slippery?”

Luna turned to appraise her friend. –Well, you do have the office of Aurors on your side and Draco must have some insight about his father. I mean, he and Astoria must want this to end just as much as you do.”

Harry nodded. He hadn’t seen, let alone talked to, Draco since the kids came home from Hogwarts. Maybe, Luna had a point.

Luna went on talking. –And remember Harry, if all else fails, you will always have your secret weapons.” Harry felt as confused by Luna’s comment as Ron’s face showed he was also. Luna smiled and in supreme confidence said, –You know, Neville and me.”

Harry nodded not seeing how anything could get that drastic. He looked around at knee level.

–Where are the twins?” he asked.

–They are with Rolf visiting with my father. We are getting up an expedition to go to The Island and document all of the flora and fauna that westerners have not been allowed to see.”

–The Island. Well, if you see the Dokes, tell them hello for us.” Luna smiled and kissed Harry and then Ron on the cheeks. She turned and walked back to Mr. Olivander who had remained at a respectful distance as he leaned heavily upon a walking cane.

I want you to promise to me you’ll do the same for poor Willie. The words hung as heavy as a millstone around his neck.