@Seanny,
IF, when you had your caliper off and squeezed the brake handle, your brake-pads were IN your caliper, you need not to worry. If you had them out and activated your brake, then piston and rubberseal has to be checked.
Scratching sound: brake discs get "wavy" by time, from heat and other influx. If this scratching is not permanent, you should be good to go.