Disarranged

"Scout!" a voice exclaimed and suddenly the person in question was on the ground.

"Lucille," Scout groaned as her friend giggled and clung to her.

"I did much better on my Potions essay than I expected!" Lucille rejoiced as she stood up, offering a hand to Scout.

"Well that's great!" Scout enthused. She was absolutely crap at Potions, so she was always impressed with anyone's achievements in the subject.

Anyone looking back at Scout could see she hadn't changed much sans a few wrinkles and stray white hairs. She was still thin with big observant eyes and had a way of moving that simultaneously signaled both self-assurance and avoidance.

Lucille was meanwhile well-built. She worked out often and her body was toned compared to her friend's. Her hair was a dirty blonde that bounced with her steps, and her eyes suggested a curious nature about her.

"What are you doing for the holiday?" Lucille quickly asked. "My family is having a New Year's Eve party and I know they'd love to have your mother, father, and brother there as well!"

Scout inwardly smiled, knowing Lucille had a little crush on her brother and that it wasn't just her parents that wanted the Urquarts at their shindig. "We don't have any plans for New Year's currently," Scout replied. "So I'll let my parents know of the invite, although I'm sure yours have sent one already."

Lucille sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's on some tacky doily stationary this year." The two best friends had a good laugh at that--Purebloods sometimes had the most outdated sense of style.

"Did your parents invite Cecil's and Liatrus' families too?" Scout asked.

Lucille snorted and waved her hand. "Of course! Only the people that matter will be there." Scout felt a small pang of regret knowing that for Lucille's family "people that matter" meant elitist Purebloods.

"Well, I'm sure we'll have a grand time then," Scout predicted with a smile, shooing away any guilt that bubbled in her stomach.

The group of four Slytherins were close as could be. They weren't intensely Slytherin in any particular way. Scout's brother had been Ravenclaw and Liatrus' younger sister had been sorted into Hufflepuff, so they weren't the type to go around bullying Gryffindors or hexing first-years.

There was, however, always a pervasive sense of elitism and prejudice that Scout picked up on. Scout tended to ignore it. She didn't agree with it, remembering her times in Muggle Casper fondly, riding her bicycle to and fro rather than a broom. But it got to her sometimes when someone turned to her and she was forced to give a nod of agreement.

She often wondered why she was sorted into Slytherin. She wasn't fanatical when it came to someone's heritage, and that seemed to be a big consideration for being sorted into it. She could understand that her ambition, intelligence, and cunning could have put her in the House--but she certainly wasn't a Dark Witch!

No matter their prejudices or ignorance, however, Scout held her friends dear. They mostly kept in touch after graduation by writing letters to each other every week. Scout remembered being surprised that only three weeks out of school did Liatrus' wedding invitation arrive.

It was a who's who of the Wizarding World present at the ceremony and reception. It was a bit stuffy for the Urquart's taste, but nothing they weren't familiar with.

"Going to things like this remind me how thankful I am that we eloped," her father joked to her mother lovingly, giving her a peck on the cheek. The action earned a few disgusted stares. Scout noticed the whole night it seemed as if her mom was being pushed to the fringes. Luckily her father stood right by her side.

"Gosh I can't wait to get married one day," Lucille had sighed to Scout as they stood by the buffet.

Scout laughed. "Really? You can't wait for this?"

Lucille seemed surprised. "What do you mean? Don't you want to marry into a good family like Liatrus?"

It was Scout's turn to be surprised. "I don't care much for titles or heritage. I'm happy as long as he's a good man."

Lucille scrunched up her nose. "I think that's somewhere where you and I always differed."

Scout shrugged, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. "Guess so." It was one of those moments one could tell it was the beginning of the end for a friendship.

Liatrus fell off the map after that. She moved to Russia with her new husband and rarely wrote. The last letter Scout received explained that Liatrus had become pregnant with her first child.

Cecil and Scout briefly dated. Cecil went along with Pureblood rules, but didn't really care about them personally. It didn't work out, however. Cecil wanted to move up the ladder of the Ministry, and Scout wanted a simple life in the countryside. They mutually broke up, and didn't keep much in touch after that. One day Scout saw Cecil's picture in the Daily Prophet with his wife. Scout recognized her as Harley Berkheart, a social climber. Scout immediately labelled the two "power couple," but was nevertheless happy for Cecil.

It seemed the only remaining friend Scout had was Lucille. The two met often, and usually lamented over being female and single. They avoided any topics relating to Pureblooded standards, though.

"So what are you and your family doing this summer?" she pleasantly asked Scout over tea one day.

"My parents and Sphene are staying home at Spinel Place," Scout responded, secretly gushing over the Oolong tea they were being served. "But I think I might go to Vienna for a short trip."

"You should!" Lucille enthusiastically suggested. "I heard the Zaubergesangsbrunnen is amazing!"

That conversation had convinced Scout and she went on a short trip to Vienna to shop for magical supplies and to sight-see. She had a fun time, and was happy Lucille had given her the push to get out a bit.

Upon her return home she opened the door to Spinel Place. "I'm home!" she exclaimed, suitcase in hand. "You won't believe what I got!" There was no answer.

"Hello?" Scout warily asked. Her family knew she had been coming home today. Walking into the adjacent sitting room she dropped her suitcase. Slumped over the sofa was a battered and bloodied unmoving Sphene. His wand sat on the floor. Scout immediately rushed into the kitchen, and her worst fear came true. Her mother's body was slumped on the counter, and her father was on the floor. Both of their wands were on the floor too.

Scout didn't cry, but rather felt numb. Suddenly everything felt unreal, as if she were in a movie and she was the camera. Surely now someone would yell, "Cut!" and the actors playing her family would stand up and have a good laugh.

That didn't happen unfortunately. The deaths were labelled as "suspicious," but no accusations or arrests were made. It was a if the whole case was being ignored or covered up.

Not many people showed up at the funeral. Scout's mother and father didn't have many friends. A few of her brother's old classmates showed up, mourning the loss of the "goofball."

Dumbledore appeared toward the end after most had already cleared out. It was here he supported her suspicions that it had been Death Eaters. That a war was coming.

"I know it is difficult to hear now--" Dumbledore had began.

"I need to hear it," Scout interjected.

The same day Scout was informed of the Order of the Phoenix, its history, and Dumbledore's plans for renewal. She immediately affirmed her alliance.

The next day Scout sat in the eery silence of Spinel Place. Neighbors and strangers had placed flowers and candles on the stoop. The front door opened and Lucille walked in, her face cold and impassive.

"You," Scout accused simply. Her eyes seemed haunted as if they had sunk into her skull.

"Me," Lucille certified.

"Why?" Scout questioned in disbelief.

"Because you all thought it was so easy to rejoin us," Lucille cooly replied. "With that Muggle mother of yours. You're lucky we were even kind to you for so long."

Scout tried to speak, but no words could come out.

"Why didn't we kill you? I'm sure you're begging for it right now. Although your heritage is dirtied, it would be a crime to eliminate the ancient and dignified Urquart line. So this is your warning: you be the Pureblood you were always meant to be. You forget any ideas of a good man, and you do as you're told. You stay quiet and out of the way."

With the message delivered Lucille left the house. A heaviness settled on Scout's shoulders and she laid her head on the table. Betrayal broke her down, burned her throat, and numbed her mind. But what Lucille didn't know was that it would ultimately make Scout stronger.