Soldiers and Serpents //Scorbus

29 Tension

The following Monday at school started off in a way that seemed to be written up to annoy Scorpius Malfoy. He went down to the Slytherin Common rooms, about to head off for breakfast, when none other than Aries Carrow skipped up to him. The girl's hair was straight down, just above her shoulders. Dark purple lipstick stained her lips, mascara exaggerated her features. She had on ripped jeans that looked so tight he wondered if she could even eat breakfast when wearing those. Her Slytherin sweater had no white button up underneath it. Black on black; pale skin and eyes that sucked out your soul. The more he looked at her, the more he could feel the chaotic energy surrounding her; like it charged the air molecules closest to her. "Hey Sal."

"We aren't doing this." He tells her, and the funny smirk dropped off her face. Scorpius moves to walk past her. They earned curious looks from other students in the common room. She holds up a hand to stop him, and he stops, if only to avoid running into her. "What do you want Aries?" She looked confused at his tone of voice, and even a little sad.

"We haven't talked since you got back."

"I don't think it's a good idea to be friends." Scorpius deadpans. Aries nodded once.

"I understand." Her simple and short answer actually impressed him. He pivoted around her, and started towards the door. "I wanted to say sorry." She calls out as he walked. Scorpius slows, and what exactly are you sorry about? He knew he should just keep walking but curiosity killed the cat. And apparently he's the son of a deatheater, adopted son of a deatheater, and the grandson of a borderline-immortal. The cat has nine lives, what's the harm in using one of them? He turns around, stopping completely in his tracks.

"By all means, don't leave me in suspense." He paused. "Unless it was you who murdered Lucius Malfoy, you're innocent, no?" Aries shrugged her shoulders in a I don't know, I guess. "Stop wasting my time."

"They don't tell me what they plan to do. Only when they need me for something." Aries blurts, looking around and then walking closer to him. She lowers her eyes, like she felt ashamed. "I know you're a good person. I can tell."

"Don't bother with flattery, it's not going to win you any points." Scorpius's tone was harsh. Aries licks her lips nervously, which surprisingly doesn't take off any lipstick. Scorpius wondered if it was magic. He wouldn't be surprised.

"I didn't know. That they were going to kill him." Aries actually looked upset about it, like she had been carrying around guilt. Scorpius didn't care. He grabbed her arm in a grip so hard that he was sure it cut off blood circulation.

"Who?" Scorpius demands.

"Unhand me." She growled, using her free hand to grab his in a useless effort in prying his fingers off her. "I don't want to hurt you, Salazar. But I will." She snapped her teeth together, and the sound was rattling. Scorpius held her gaze in a power struggle for a moment, considering calling her bluff. But then he realized he didn't want to be on the end of her wand, so he released his grip. She rubbed her arm through her sweater, eyes piercing his with a silent rage.

"You know something." Scorpius states, not questioningly. Now he knew for a fact she was in it. Somehow, someway. Whatever it was.

"I know a lot of things. But you aren't trustworthy. And if they found out I told you anything, they'd kill me." Aries's expression was stone cold. "And if you don't join them, they'll kill you too."

"I'd like to see them try." Scorpius answers, assuming the only 'them' she could be talking about was Selwyn and Daniel. Who else? Aries snorts at his words.

"You're a fool. You won't even see them coming." She shakes her head, almost like in sadness, and leaves him standing there alone. Scorpius readjusts the straps on his bag, and then heads towards the Great Hall, rather shaken and unnerved by her cryptic words.