“I can’t believe you, Hugo! ”







The blond haired boy paused as he heard the cry and frowned, puzzled. It was a voice he recognised, and it belonged to a person who certainly shouldn’t be out of their common room at this time of night. Scorpius’s frown deepened and he began to retrace his footsteps back along the corridor, stumbling a little in the gloom. Technically, he shouldn’t be out at this time either, but, as a prefect, he could probably make up some excuse about patrolling.






The boy winced slightly as a floorboard creaked beneath him and froze, praying the two people screaming at each other in the room hadn’t heard. He was about average height and had all the features of a Malfoy, pale blond slick backed-hair, cold eyes, and a long pallid face. He had the distinctive look of a boy who had been told all his life he was superior, and knew it. It was the small things that gave this away, his head held a fraction too high, his gait precise and his long figures, unblemished as if they’d never down any more work than write with a quill. He stopped outside the door from which the noise was coming and, after checking there was no one around but him and old shepherd busy carrying a lamb in a nearby portrait, then leant forwards and peered through the overlarge keyhole.






It was one of Hogwarts’ many disused classrooms. All the desks and chairs, coated in a thin layer of dust had been piled against one wall and the solitary blackboard was devoid of markings. Three of the five lamps were lit, and the shadows of the two people standing in the room’s centre twisted in the light, seeming ethereal and ghostly. Scorpius felt his mouth curl as he made out the figure of Lily Potter, her back to him and her long auburn hair tied in a messy plait. She was considered attractive, with alluring doe-like eyes, pouting scarlet lips and a willowy figure. Jon Saturn had promised twenty galleons to the first boy to snog her, but there was a general feeling he would keep the money. The last attempt to win the bet had ended up with Derek Handle in the hospital wing, covered in giant green pustules. Opposite her, stood her Hugo Weasley. His cyan eyes were perfectly calm, and he seemed almost bored by entire affair.







“I never meant it to happen!” Hugo said coolly.







“You’re a rubbish liar, Hugo,” Lily snarled. Scorpius couldn’t see her face but her slim frame was shaking with anger.







“But…”







“You’re not a Malfoy, Hugo. I can tell you don’t feel a shred of remorse for that poor boy.”







“Poor boy? A Slytherin? A pure-blood? A Death Eater’s grandson? A Dolohov?”







Scorpius’s grey eyes widened. The day before, Henrik Dolohov had been taken to the hospital wing after an alleged “fall from a broomstick”. Scorpius had found it very suspicious at the time, particuarly due to the fact that Henrik had always detested flying.







But now…







“Look, Hugo. I don’t like the Slytherins any more than you do. But using an unforgivable curse…that’s too far. Way too far. Thank goodness it didn’t work properly…”







Hugo smiled, almost sadly, shaking his head at Lily.







“You don’t understand, little cousin.”







“Little? I’m only two months younger than you!”







“It makes all the difference. I understand the truth. You don’t.”







Lily narrowed her eyes dangerously.







“What truth?”







“Well,” replied Hugo pleasantly. “Everyone knows how for centuries pure-bloods have been trying to murder Muggle-borns and hunt Muggles. They even tried to pass a Ministry decree on the subject! And then twenty years ago…it’s this deep-rooted prejudice, you see. All so-called “pure-bloods” have it, they may not show it, but they do.







“But…Hugo…that’s not the point. The point is that what you did was wrong, morally wrong…that boy was seriously injured! And the scandal it would’ve caused…”







“Pure-bloods do wrong things and no one cares. They slide along on money and influence. They’ve taken root in out world and can’t be dislodged, well…not by conventional means.”







“Hugo!” screamed Lily, making Scorpius leap about a foot into the air in surprise, “if you are implying…”







“I am, Lily.”







“Oh my…you’ve joined them. You’ve joined them, haven’t you?”







“The Brotherhood of Freedom? Yes.”







“How?”







Hugo smiled that secret smile of his again.







“As if I’d ever tell you, Lily.”







Scorpius’s hands were shaking as he pressed himself closer to the door. The Brotherhood! The most feared and illegal group since the Death Eaters and that…boy…had joined them! His father would be interested to hear this. He’d always hated the Weasleys and their treacherous ways…







“But the whole basis behind the Brotherhood is total hypocrisy! If they’re so against murder, why use it as a tool. We should work with them and talk…”







“You’re a fine one to talk,” Hugo replied, interrupting halfway through her speech. “Hexing every person within your reach.”







“Hugo…”







“Lily,” Hugo began. He had suddenly taken control of the situation, now he was pacing and Lily was seeming rooted to the spot, her hand frozen half way to her pocket, her eyes following his every move, “don’t you see? What they’re doing is wrong! Not us! I don’t want to hurt anyone…but there’s no other way. We have to stop them before they destroy everything!”







“That’s stupid, Hugo. There are some perfectly nice pure-bloods. Like the Fawcetts.”







“Ah, but why are they still pure-blood? Surely the odds of going through twenty odd generations without a single person falling for a muggle or halfblood are pretty small? They’ve all got the same mindset, they falsely believe that they’re above us. They’re not! They’re barely human, with their stupid ideals and disgusting attitude…they’re like animals! Scum!”







He spat on the floor.







“Hugo, what are you saying?”







“The right thing, Lily. The right thing.”







“Hugo,” Lily pleaded, her tone not the angry demanding one it had been before, “you’re not a Ravenclaw for nothing. You’re meant to be intelligent…use that intelligence. You’re top in so many classrooms. Please.”







Lily, Scorpius realised, was trying to flatter Hugo, trying to make him more persuadable. It didn’t, however, seem to work.







“I will use it. For decontamination of wizardkind.”







Lily’s head was in her hands.







“You sound like Voldemort with a back-to-front perspective, Hugo!”







Scorpius winced.







“You’ve changed! I should’ve noticed…I’m sorry, Hugo…sorry I didn’t realise but, Hugo…oh, Hugo.”







“You sound like my mother.”







Lily lifted her head from her hands, gazing at him defiantly. They were now circling, eyeing each other like competitive predetors.







“Hugo, this is how the Death Eaters started. A couple of fanatics sharing idea. Then the ideas became something a lot more sinister.”







“I am nothing like a Death Eater,” replied Hugo smoothly. The passion was still alive in his cyan eyes, which burnt with something not dissimilar to religious fervour.







“Yes you are. Just with different motives.”







“Don’t insult me, Lily. Please don’t insult me.”







Lily made a funny noise, somewhere between a squeak and a hiccup.







“Stop being pathetic, Lily,” said Hugo harshly. “You don’t need to cry. You’re not a baby.”







Not a baby…







The expression seemed familiar to Scorpius. He’d heard someone say that recently, a girl, a dark haired girl…







Lily gasped, her face, which Scorpius felt now knew was streaked with tears, suddenly tilted upwards so the could look her cousin, who was a good four inches taller than she, in the eye.







“Beatrice. Of course. Creeping around the school…worshipping the Order of the Phoenix…insulting Slytherins…she’s a member of that stupid group, isn’t she? That’s how you feel in with them.”







Beatrice?







Beatrice Hallows was dating Hugo?







Something squeezed hard at Scorpius’s stomach and for a couple of seconds, all he could hear was his blood rushing through his blood and his shallow breath.







Beatrice.







His Beatrice. The girl who he had first fallen in love with in Third Year. Beatrice, the girl with the lovely dark brown eyes and the scornful laugh. Beatrice…







He was pressed even closer to the door now, hanging on their every word and watching their every movement. Revenge, he wanted revenge now. Not just for spite, but for love.







Hugo’s face was twisted with hatred, imitating the expression on Scorpius’s.







“Yes. But leave her out of this! Dolohov murdered her father because he was a Muggle-born! She has ample excuse…”







“That’s no good reason!”







“Lily, You-Know-Who tried to kill your father and my parents!”







“Uncle Ron! An excellent point! He’s pure-blood. Would you kill him?”







Scorpius held his breath. Not that he would care, of course, if a blood traitor died. This conversation was getting more interesting by the moment. More things to destroy the Weasleys with.







“If necessary.”







“Hugo…” she whispered after a long pause. She was facing the door now, Hugo and Lily seemed to have swapped sides, and Scorpius could see her eyes, those lovely brown eyes filled with pain and gazing towards the door…







He ducked quickly, praying she hadn’t seen him at the keyhole. Unfortunately, he lost the next part of the conversation as a the ghost of Ravenclaw Tower, the Grey Lady, drifted serenely past, eyes staring, and he attempted to look innocent, pulling his bag off his back and pretending to sort through his books. By the time the ghost had gone, the conversation had become much quieter and he had to press his to the door, cutting off his ability to see them, in order to hear.







“Are you sure you aren’t just acting in your own interests, Lily?” Hugo asked.







“Own…”







“Pure-bloods to protect, perhaps?”







“What?”







“I somewhat doubt a girl who spends half her time in detention for a particularly fiery temper would care much about ethics, personally. But maybe, if she felt threatened…”







“I’m a Gryffindor! What’s right and wrong is…”







“Gryffindors are passionate. Maybe that’s a reason behind this. Do you like a pure-blood?”







“Ridiculous,” replied Lily flatly.







“Are you sure?” His voice was cold and slippery, yet seemingly persuasive. “What about the name Scorpius Malfoy? Does that…”







“Now that is ridiculous,” laughed Lily quickly.







Too quickly.







Hugo threw his head back and laughed, sending the hairs on the back of Scorpius’s neck on end.







“Who would’ve believed it? The great Lily Potter, without boyfriend, armed with the greatest arsenal of hexes since the beginning of mankind, spouting pacifist pure-blooded words, all for the sake of luurve!”







Scorpius made a face. Like that blood traitor? Like a girl who...?







“I do not like Scorpius Malfoy!”







“Denial, Lily! Denial!”







“You…”







A flash of red light suddenly burned through the room, Lily had finally drawn her wand, but Hugo was unharmed, having ducked at the last moment.







“He’ll manipulate you, Lily.”







“I do not…”







“Just because a boy’s got money and a charming smile it doesn’t mean he’s the right one.”







“I do not…”







“Scorpius…do you meet him in the broom cupboard after hours? Have a nice little chat or have you kissed him, Lily?”







“SHUT UP! SHUT UP!”







Scorpius could almost feel Hugo smirk, satisfied.







“I’m glad I’m right. I’ve had enough of your sentimental drivel for one night. I’m off.”







Scorpius barely had time to garble a Disillusionment charm and flatten himself against the wall before the door flew open and Hugo Weasley purposefully strode out, running a hand through his dark brown curls which looked slightly singed and leaving behing him a definate smell of burning. A few seconds later, Lily Potter followed, running after him.







“Hugo!”







Scorpius waited for the footsteps to die away, before undoing the charm. Despite the fact he knew that he possessed enough information to crush Hugo like the shell of an egg, his insides were numb. Beatrice preferred that boy and hated pure-bloods.







Ridiculous. Pure-bloods were superior.







He pulled his bag back on, removed the charm and began to head up towards the owlery.







His father would definitely be very interested in what he’d just heard…







It was the only contentment he could get out of this.







Oh, revenge.







Revenge was very sweet.