Dragged along

At the Burrow, three figures appeared, Ron, Hermione, and Scorpius, the latter still with his mask and hood on, sword in hand. At first Hermione and Scorpius just lay on the ground, still trembling. Ron quickly got up and started to remove all the chains and ropes Hermione was tied with. He then took her into his arms and started humming to her. She recovered slightly after a while, realising that she was in fact, not dead and that she hadn't imagined Ron's loving embrace.

"Shh, Hermione. It's okay. It's over now."

They sat like that for what seemed like forever. Scorpius, starting to recover from the sudden Apparition, also realised that he was not dead, and was not anywhere near where he was supposed to be. He moaned and tried to stand up. Hermione then seemed to become aware of him for the first time. She lunged for him.

"You MONSTER. You MONSTER! WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?" She screamed this at him whilst kicking and hitting every part of him she could reach.

"Oow. No! Nothing! I haven't done anything! We didn't bring her!" Scorpius tried to explain, whilst trying to protect his face from her kicking.

"You LIAR. YOU SAW HER. SHE WAS THERE. WHERE IS SHE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?"

She continued kicking and hitting for quite some time, not listening to Scorpius' attempts at explaining. Ron came over and tried to stop her, but she was unstoppable. She did not stop her assault until she had kicked out all her frustration and anger and came down to the sorrow. She then fell on the ground again, crying. Ron went down next to her, comforting her.

All that screaming had alerted the rest of the Burrow. Molly and Arthur came running. They saw Ron and Hermione on the ground, and a hooded figure protecting his face next to them.

"Ron! Hermione! Thank goodness! Are you hurt? Who is that?" Molly gasped when she noticed the Death Eater robes and mask.

"Arthur! Bring him inside as well. I see we have plenty of chains to use." She pointed to the pile of chain and rope that Ron had removed from Hermione.

Arthur quickly secured Scorpius with some of the chains and started carrying him inside. It was at this point that Scorpius realised that these other people had no idea who he was.

"No wait!" he said, trying not to scream from the pain. "I am not an enemy. I am Albus' friend. I am Scorpius Malfoy."

Molly however, had just discovered the large, ornate sword that he had dropped. Seeing the ornamentation, the symbols of an executioner on the sword and Hermione's reaction to it, she narrowed her eyes at Scorpius.

"Friend? I doubt that," she said coldly. Scorpius gulped. This was not good. He just hoped Albus had fared better and could return to get Rose.

***

"Where is Scorpius? What happened to him?" Albus asked back in Lancashire.

"I didn't see him," Harry answered. "Where was he standing?"

"He was up there with Aunt Hermione and Voldemort. He-" Albus stopped, realising that this would probably not make Scorpius' standing any better.

"He what?"

Albus whispered. "He was the executioner." Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. The look on his father's face was murderous.

***

Back at the Burrow, Hermione had been put to bed with a Calming Draught. Ron had given his parents a quick summary of the night's events then gone back up to Hermione, when Albus, Ginny, and Harry walked in.

"I am telling you, Dad, he wasn't going to do it!" Albus exclaimed.

"Really?" Harry shouted angrily. "He could have fooled me! A few more seconds, and we would have been too late. And why did he disappear?"

"But he wouldn't have done it! That was why he dragged it out so long! He was waiting for you to come in and stop it. Why did you wait so long if you were there all along?" Albus asked.

"We needed them all to be focused on the scene up there. But yes, we probably should have attacked sooner. I was trying to locate you among all the others," Harry said, a bit more defensive.

"Albus! So glad to see you back again," Molly grabbed her grandson in a massive hug.

"Molly, has anyone else returned here?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Ron and Hermione arrived a while ago. With one hanger-on. Hermione was rather upset."

"No wonder," Ginny said. "I am angry just from watching it. I can't imagine how she must feel."

"She started kicking and screaming at the Death Eater. She was unstoppable. When she eventually let go, we brought them back here. She is sleeping now. We took the Death Eater upstairs. He is secured on the first floor. In his condition, I don't think he is going anywhere."

"Good. Let her sleep," Harry said. "She has been through enough for now."

"That scene was just the tip of the dungheap," Albus said sadly, removing himself from Molly's embrace. "You don't even know the worst part yet."

They all turned to him. Albus reluctantly started telling them about the night's events,

"Rose," he explained. "She was tortured. For real this time. In front of Hermione. The more Hermione protested, the longer he continued. Until she stopped protesting. Rose was almost unconscious at the end. It was horrible. It is the worst thing I have seen in my life. And I couldn't do anything! I just stood there!" He started crying again.

"Oh, Albus," Ginny cried, while giving him another hug.

"Where is Rose now?" Harry asked.

"She is still at the manor. Voldemort wanted Hermione to think we would be bringing her with us, but for some reason he didn't want her to leave the property. I really don't know why. I need to go get her, before some other Death Eater returns there," Albus explained.

"I'll go with you," Harry said.

"No, you can't. The whole manor is blocked with a Dark Mark barrier, same as he used at the graveyard, only much larger. That is why I was hoping to find Scorpius, so we could go together. But I'll just have to go alone." Albus said.

"You can't do that!" Ginny exclaimed. "Not after what you just did. They will be after you now."

"No one else saw that," Albus said.

"Can you be absolutely sure about that?" Ginny asked.

"No. But sure enough. I have to risk it; we need to get her out of there." Then Albus noticed the sword on the table. "Where did you get that from?" he asked Molly.

"The Death Eater had it. The one Hermione was so angry at. And no wonder if that is what I think it is," Molly answered.

"It's Scorpius! He didn't run away, he came here!" Albus started running up the stairs.

"Wait, Albus! Wait!" Harry shouted after him, but Albus ignored him, relieved to have found out what happened to Scorpius. He ran up to the room, and opened the door, expecting to find Scorpius on the bed. But the room was empty. Confused, he looked for other doors.

"Where is he?" he asked when Molly came running after him. "Where did you say you put him?"

"In that room there," Molly said and pointed to the open door. "Where has he gone?" She saw the chain on the floor, the window open, and she ran to check. She saw clear footmarks in the garden.

"He must have jumped out the window. I honestly didn't think he would be in a condition to do that, or I would have secured him better. I even forgot to check if he had a wand."

"Look, he left a note!" Albus said, reading it aloud: ""Gone to get Rose. I'll be back soon." Oh no! I have to go after him!" And without another word he was out the window and following the footsteps out of the garden.

"No, Albus! You need to stay here! Come back!" Harry shouted after him, but it was too late. Albus was already gone.