Rewritten || Scorpius x Hermione Time Travel AU

12 | Return of Happiness

"You're still here?" Scorpius asked in surprise despite his exhaustion.

She was trying her best to look stoic, but there was unmistakable worry in Hermione's eyes. "Dumbledore said I should stay," she explained. "In case when you came back and... err... I needed to call for Madame Pomfrey."

"That is very... kind of you, Miss Granger," Snape deliberately drawled as he quirked an eyebrow in mild surprise.

"Indeed, Miss Granger has been gracious enough to offer her assistance if you did not come back unscathed, Scorpius," Dumbledore said with a wide grin. Scorpius frowned when he could feel that the Headmaster found the whole situation entirely interesting. It didn't help when Hermione's cheeks flared into a deep shade of red.

"Well, nothing happened," Scorpius slowly said and gestured to himself. He strode closer and lowered himself on the seat opposite the Headmaster. "Like what Potter said, he knew his horcrux was destroyed. Voldemort didn't exactly say anything when we were summoned, but he was in a rage and started torturing people." He winced in memory of the meeting a while ago. "I was thankfully unharmed but I can't say the same thing about Yaxley."

Dumbledore's expression was mixed with relief for his welfare and disturbed with Voldemort's knowledge. "Perhaps a Sleeping Draught will help you?" he kindly asked. "Merlin knows what horrors you have witnessed a while ago, Mister Malfoy."

"Oh no, I don't think that will be nec—" He abruptly stopped talking when the Headmaster pinned him with his stare. He then discreetly shot a glance toward the Gryffindor in the room, and that was when Scorpius understood that he wanted to talk to him and Professor Snape alone. "Right, of course. A Sleeping Draught."

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore called. The witch instantly straightened her back upon being addressed. "Please fetch a Sleeping Draught from the Hospital Wing."

She wordlessly peered at the Slytherin in worry, before nodding her head and leaving the office.

Once she was gone, the lightness in Dumbledore's eyes was snuffed out and was replaced with deep worry and graveness. "It is most troublesome that Tom feels it every time we destroy a horcrux," the old wizard continued.

"I think the most logical thing to do is wait for a few more months before destroying the next one," Snape supplemented as he strode closer to the desk and stood beside the Headmaster. "The Dark Lord ordered his most trusted Death Eaters to check on his horcruxes to see if they were still in place."

Dumbledore frowned and pensively intertwined his fingers. "As much as I want to destroy all the horcruxes already, I don't think Harry is ready to face the Dark Lord."

Scorpius became uneasy. "Headmaster... you do know that Harry is a horcrux, right?" he tentatively asked.

Snape paled while Dumbledore sighed, but none of them looked surprised at all. "We have deduced that, yes," he replied. "I was hoping he wasn't, but now that you have mentioned it..." Dumbledore trailed off and tiredly sighed once more. In place of the powerful, healthy wizard Scorpius had been accustomed to for the past months was a tired, old wizard that had burdened too much. It unnerved the student immensely.

"He will live," Scorpius softly added. "I guarantee you that. He will live. I am best friends with his son. He'll actually have three children and will be an Auror and he'll be great. He will live."

"That is wonderful news," Dumbledore said with a small, sad smile. "But I am afraid it isn't wise to tell Harry yet that a piece of Voldemort's soul is sheltered in his scar."

Scorpius nodded in concurrence. "I thought so, too. I think... it is essential that Potter does not know at all."

Dumbledore looked intrigued and was about to say something, but the DADA professor had butted in.