Author's Note: Many thanks to all my teams and betas :)
Potential warning for PTSD-like symptoms.
Written for…
Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Team/Position: Falmouth Falcons, Seeker. Task: "We're a clumsy family, we make mistakes." Russell Howard
Hogwarts Assignment #11. Lesson: Voodoo Magic, task 3. Task: Write about someone causing trouble or breaking the rules
Houses Competition. House/Year: Hufflepuff, 5th Year. Prompt: Hamilton (heavily inspired by the Alexander&Philip discussion in Blow Us All Away)
Tainted Legacy
1,008 words
Hogwarts had changed a lot since Draco was a student. He distinctly remembered a time when he vowed to never return to the school. But that had been amidst a war when he was outcasted and wanted nothing more than to run away and never return. That was before he had a son who, despite a near-perfect record, had somehow landed himself in the Headmistress' office with only one more week left of school.
He made his way across the courtyard with his head bowed, hoping that no one would recognize him. There was a war memorial erected on the grounds. It had been front-page news when it happened, but it was the first time Draco had seen it first hand, and he couldn't bare to look at it out of residual guilt.
Stepping into the castle felt different in his forties, and yet he couldn't help his heart beating faster—too fast—as he caught sight of the door to the Great Hall, remembering the last time he had been in there even though it was more than twenty years ago.
"Malfoy?"
Draco turned to the right, finding Neville Longbottom descending the marble staircase. Draco's mouth went dry. It had been well over ten years since they'd last seen each other in passing. And while Scorpius had informed Draco of Longbottom's employment at Hogwarts, he hadn't planned on seeing him.
"Longbottom."
"Are you here about Scorpius?" Longbottom asked, standing a few feet away. He didn't appear to be hostile, for which Draco was grateful.
"Yes. McGonagall sent for me."
Longbottom nodded. "They're in her office. You know the way. Want me to take you?"
"No, I should be fine. Thank you."
"Any time. Scorpius is a good kid. I hope things get sorted out." He smiled warmly and turned towards the entrance. "Password is 'Montrose', by the way."
He took a moment to steady himself for whatever was to come, sure that this was some great catastrophic news that would destroy his son's promising future before it even began. When a few minutes had passed, he allowed the staircase to take him down to the Headmistress' office.
He found Scorpius having what appeared to be a serious chat with McGonagall over tea and biscuits. He almost felt bad for interrupting.
"Thank you for coming so quickly, Draco," McGonagall said, rising from her chair to greet him. "Please, have a seat."
"Of course, Professor. What seems to be the problem?" He noticed Scorpius ducking his head and felt his own stomach tighten anxiously.
"Professor Hagrid found Scorpius and another student dueling behind the war memorial this morning."
Draco stared at his son in disbelief. "Dueling?"
McGonagall continued. "Now Scorpius and I have already discussed the academic repercussions of his actions. He will be assisting Professor Longbottom in tidying the greenhouses for the remainder of the school year. And naturally the student with whom he was dueling will be similarly punished. That said, I thought you would like to have a word with Scorpius."
Draco ran a hand through his thinning hair. "I would, Professor. Thank you."
"I have some business to attend to. I'll leave you to it." She hurried from the office, leaving the men in silence.
Scorpius remained motionless, sitting with his head downcast and eyes closed, as if preparing himself for some sort of verbal attack. Draco took several deep breaths as he considered how best to handle the situation.
"A duel, Scorpius? What in the name of Merlin were you thinking?"
"Brody insulted you."
"What?"
Scorpius leaned forward and took a magazine from McGonagall's desk, handing it to Draco. His own grimacing face stared up at him from the cover beneath the headline 'The Evil Within: Murderer in the Ministry.'
"He was showing this around to some of the others. He said horrible things about you and Mum. Lies. I just wanted to make him stop."
"So you thought dueling him was the solution?"
"Well, no. But he wouldn't stop or apologize. Then he said 'make me' and… everything spiraled out of control. I wanted to back out but I thought he'd hex me anyway."
Draco sighed. "You're lucky you didn't get hurt, or worse."
"I know, I'm sorry." There was a long pause, during which Draco sent the magazine flying into the fireplace. "I… I was hoping you'd be proud of me. Not for putting myself in danger or anything. But, for like a split second when I agreed to the duel, I thought it might make you proud of me."
"Why?"
Scorpius shrugged. "Cause it was something you would do. Al's uncle Ron told us about how you and Al's dad dueled in when you were at school and—"
"Scorpius. No," he said forcefully. "I never wanted you to be like me. Never. I was a stupid child. I did horrible things and now I live with guilt and regret. I didn't want that for you. Thankfully you're more like your mother, and you managed to make good choices up until today. And I am proud of you, son. I always have been. I'm sorry if I haven't said that enough."
"Even now that I almost got myself expelled?"
"Always. We're a clumsy family, we make mistakes. Your mother taught me that the important thing is to learn from our mistakes. I did, eventually. And I've done what I can to make up for them. Some people may not see it that way, but fighting doesn't change their minds."
Scorpius scowled. "So I'm just supposed to let them say whatever they want about you and Mum?"
"For one more week, yes. Then you'll be free of Brody forever and you can go about your life. Please, Scor, do not ruin your life defending us. Nothing would make me angrier, and it's not what your mum would want either. Promise me."
"Okay, yeah, I promise."
"Good. Now that we've settled that, I'm going down to the kitchens for lunch if you'd care to join me. It's been too long since I had a proper feast."