A few days later, Mara strolled through her room alongside Scorpius. Esme panicked, her chest tightening against the rest of her body. The last time she had seen Scorpius, he had abused her, without the slightest of sincerity for her injuries or the pain she was enduring as his friend proceeded to hit her. When Esme met Mara's eyes, she tried to remember the last time she saw her best friend. It must have been at the ball, which was almost two months ago.