Scorpius doesn’t believe in hope anymore. He doesn’t really believe in much now, lost his faith in God the day he caved his grandmother’s head in with a pitchfork. If it hadn’t been for his dad’s interest in gardening, he wouldn’t still be alive. By the time he meets James, Lizzy and Tom, he’s more dead than alive. Not in the way that everyone else is though; more like in a ‘slowly starving to death’ kind of way. Thankfully there had been no mirrors around the last few months for him to catch a glimpse of his looks that he had once so dearly prized. All Scorpius knew was that his ribs were showing more than before, his hair was a little thinner and his reactions were a little slower. Surely it was so typical that he would have the most human cause of death. At least this way he wouldn’t come back- that was the thought with which he filled his empty belly at night.
He almost hadn’t really believed it was them when they first ran into each other on a deserted street. Scorpius held up his hands encased in ragged gloves, still holding a pitchaxe because he wasn’t letting that go anytime soon. “Relax, Potter. I’m not bitten. You can give me a full examination if you don’t believe me.” He sneers, his gaze turning to the baby. How can something so… so sweet, so innocent exist amongst the ruins and desolation surrounding them? How can they really be raising a baby here? Now? “Congratulations.” He tells Lizzy in an unusually sincere tone, gesturing to the bundle in her arms.
Upon meeting, the first thing James' eyes noticed was the pitchaxe Malfoy's hand was holding. His own golf club would be in clear disadvantage if it came to battle, and his best friend seemed to catch up on what was going through his mind since he was trying his best so as it would not come to that. "Cool it," Tom whispered, tightening his grip on James' arm. He had always admired the way his friend's voice changed when he wanted to make himself heard, the way it deepened like the sound itself was going to attack you; and it worked about ninety-percent of the time.
His shoulders seemed to relax, and he blinked. James continued staring at Scorpius Malfoy, seeing him for what he was - a person. A real human being. They had been seeing so many enemies anywhere they went, that James had almost forgotten that there could be others, like them, out there. When Scorpius spoke again - "Congratulations." -, James' brow furrowed in confusion. It was not until then, when he reluctantly glanced away from Malfoy to look towards baby Daniel, that his instincts took over again. No one would hurt Daniel, or Lizzy, or Tom, or anyone he cared about ever again, even if he had to protect them with the rusty golf club that could easily break at any point.
It was James' turn to grab his friend's arm when Tom offered to examine Scorpius, just in case he was lying to them. They had not encountered a zombie that could lie yet, let alone one that could string two words together, but there was always a first time for anything. Just like, if Malfoy was telling the truth, this would be the first time they encountered someone alive. "If you try anything I'll bash your head in, alright?" James said without hesitation, taking one step forward that indicated he wanted to examine him himself. What a great way to make new friends.
