Astoria's eyes grew wide with joy as she stared down at her newborn son. The boy, hours old, had a visible golden aurora emanating off of his body, creating a sense of warmth inside his mother.

She and Draco had tried so long to have a baby, and had lost so many in the process, but finally, her prayers were answered. The boy slept in her arms as she lay in bed with him, admiring her only son. For only a few hours old he already sported the platinum blond hair of the Malfoy line, and his eyes were already a light gray-blue. His features were softer than that of his father, not as hard and cold, and for that Astoria was thankful.

"Mistress Malfoy?" a small almost squeaky voice asked after a sudden pop in the quiet room. Astoria looked up to see an old house-elf that had come with her from her home when she married Draco. "May I…. May I see him, miss?"

"Of course, Blinky!" Astoria responded with enthusiasm, although she down played her affection for the elf around Draco, she loved Blinky. Blinky had been with her family since her sister, Daphne was born, yet Astoria and Blinky had always been close, looking out for one another in the cruel world they were raised in.

Blinky hobbled over to the bed where Astoria lay. Placing her arms just so, Astoria placed the baby in Blinky's grasp.

"Oh, miss! He's so beautiful! What have you named him?" Blinky asked, her huge eyes never leaving the little boy's face.

"I'm waiting for Draco to return to decide that," Astoria smiled down at her son.

"He'll grow to be so strong and respected," Blinky said, the glow emanating off him was warming the small house elf's heart now too.

The boy's glow was infectious, literally wrapping its self around the heart of any who held him, and remaining with them even after they released him.

"and loved," Astoria added with a sigh of happiness. It was a perfect moment of peace and tranquility as the baby lay in the house elf's arms, innocent and sleeping, one that Astoria never wanted to end.

But it was broken by footsteps approaching her bedroom door.

"Blinky, go now!" Astoria said in a hushed but urgent whisper, she grabbed the boy from the elf's arms and with a quiet pop Blinky was gone.

The old wooden doors were thrown open, and standing there in black robes, billowing in the draft was Draco Malfoy. Platinum hair swept back, grey eyes searching for his son; he walked over to his wife's bed and took the baby from her arms.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Astoria asked as Draco held out the boy, almost as if inspecting him. She watched as Draco eyed the child up and down, a small smile growing across his face, but something deep within Astoria told her it wasn't a smile of joy.

"Oh, he'll be handsome," Draco said, there was a coolness in his voice when he spoke. Something almost demonic, but Astoria brushed this aside in her happiness.

"He looks just like you already," she said encouraging him as she sat up. She patted the spot next to her for Draco to sit down.

"He needs a name, dear," Astoria reminded him. "Any suggestions?"

"It's been decided. Scorpius."

"Scorpius?" she said with dislike, it was a harsh name and dark, something her son was obviously not. "What about something more gentler? Even Lucius or Abraxsas, after your family-,"

"My family was weak, but this boy, this boy will be strong and powerful… everything my father never was," Draco responded, still eyeing the boy as if he was prey.

The baby's eyes opened and almost immediately he began to cry in Draco's arms. Astoria went to grab the baby from her husband but he pulled the child close to his chest.

"Hush, child," he said in a cooing tone and Astoria drew her hand back. "Father's here."

Draco patted the boys back and held him close until the boy fell asleep once again, and then handed the child back to his wife. Astoria wanted to believe that Draco was the father she knew he could be, that he was a good man, a changed man, but there was something deep inside of her that told her she was wrong.

"This child will be powerful," Draco said to his wife after a few moments of silence.

"Being a Malfoy, how could he not?" she responded safely, as much as she loved Draco she was terrified of him. She had seen his temper flare before, seen the result of his anger and frustration, but wanted to believe that he had changed since the war, wanted to believe that there was a part of him that knew what he had done was wrong, and truly wanted to be better. Nevertheless, she was always careful not to step on his toes and to play her role as wife, and now mother, quietly and always in his good graces.

Draco smirked at her response, "More powerful than a Malfoy could ever be. The future of our world is certainly in his hands." His message was cryptic and gave Astoria chills; she wanted the child to be in her arms, his glow enveloping her, not fading away in her husband's cold stony embrace.

"His future is bright," Astoria replied quietly and Draco handed her the baby.

"I want his naming ceremony to be on Halloween night," Draco stated standing up. "There needs to be a large celebration for the birth of our son." He kissed his wife on her forehead and straightened his robes. His lips were cool.

"What ever you wish dear," she replied, again quietly.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy," Draco said smiling. "Do I have plans for you."

It was the eve of the party, and Scorpius was close to three months old. As he grew, he looked more and more like his father every day, something that Astoria was grateful for and also hated. Draco was handsome, there was no question that any child of his wouldn't be any, but Draco was also feared and despised by many still, and she didn't want her child to enter a world where his image reminded people of a man they hated, showing that same hatred towards him.

Astoria was dressed in a light grey gown the wrapped around her body, Draco was in emerald robes, and Scorpius in an elegant and exquisite emerald and silver blanket.

Clutching Scorpius close to her bosom, Astoria let Draco lead his family into the grand hall of the manner as dozens of guests sipped on cocktails and devoured h'ordurves. Although the birth of Scorpius had been announced in the papers, Astoria had not been able to take him out of the house and let the public see him. She had found it very odd for Draco to order this of her, but she did as he said regardless. She was proud to show her only son off tonight though, except as she looked around she hardly recognized anyone.

They were not people from the ministry, none of her husband's colleagues, not even her own sister. The only people who looked familiar were a few of Draco's classmates from Hogwarts, whom she had only spoken with a few times despite being in the same house at Hogwarts.

A sudden chill went through her body and she hugged her baby closer. As she made rounds with Draco, letting each guest see and hold her son, she began to notice some familiarities of the people she was surrounded by, they were the same witches and wizards who had escaped after losing the war, the witches and wizards who had plead that they were under the imperious curse, even though people had believed otherwise.

Although Astoria's family was as pureblooded as they came, she was never an evil person, and although she would never admit it she had never wanted Voldemort to succeed. The idea that his most loyal and faithful supporters surrounded her and more importantly her son scared her to no end, something wasn't right.

"Draco, I think the baby is hungry, I really should go feed him," Astoria said quietly to her husband. Her son sat in her arms, alert, happy, and smiling.

"Just a little bit longer Astoria," he replied almost harshly back. "It's almost time."

"Time for what?" she asked, her heart beating so loud she swore the whole world could hear it.

"The ceremony."

"He'll get cranky if he doesn't eat, I don't want him crying.-," but she was cut off by the pop of apparition.

"Father," Draco stood up straight as a board and talked like he was a solider.

"Where is my grandson?" Lucius asked coolly. He was standing feet from them, but Astoria tried to hide behind her husband and slink away. Lucius had been in hiding as well.

"Give me the baby," Draco demanded harshly.

"No." although she was terrified, she wouldn't give her son over, something horrible was about to happen and she had to avoid it.

"I believe your husband gave you an order," Lucius said, walking close to her, his hot breath was in her face.

"Give me my son."

"I refuse," she replied. Before she had time to register what was happening Scorpius was ripped from her arms and she was being thrown across the room, unable to move a muscle in her body.

She landed with a thump against the wall, and although she could not move her body the piercing cry of her son filled her. She struggled against the magical force that was holding her back, but with no avail. She felt tears fall down her cheeks, she was trapped and her son was helpless as he cried in his father's arms.

"My fellow friends," Draco spoke. "Today I present to you, our savior, a prince of darkness."

Astoria was screaming inside, trying to use every bit of magic to break the spell, she couldn't let them touch her son.

"The dark lord's defeat has made a mockery of all of us, has ruined our way of life, but yet our dreams did not die with him. Bestowed with the gifts you shall present to him, my son will lead us into a brighter future where our dreams are a reality. He will come to be the true dark lord."

The tears poured down Astoria's face like a flood. This couldn't be happening. Her eyes searched for something to help her, but it was the faint pop in the dark corner she knew she could rely on.

Blinky stepped from the shadows and looked at Astoria's helpless form. She blinked at her mistress and nodded, and quickly disapparated almost as if she had never been there.

Astoria knew what Blinky was doing; she just hoped they could stop it.

"Now hush, hush child. This will only hurt for a second," Lucius cruel and creepy voice cooed to the crying baby.

"I present the gift of deceit," a harsh voice which Astoria did not recognize rasped, and her son cried after a few magical words were spoken.

"I give the gift of intelligence."

"Attraction."

"Avarice."

"Pride."

"Manipulation."

Astoria was screaming inside and she could feel her son's glow and happiness and life being stripped away from him. Everything that was good in him was being replaced with the attributes that would lead these dark people into a dark future.

"And last, I give him the greatest gift of all," Draco spoke loudly so everyone could hear him. "I give my son, the gift of wraith."

Before anyone could take a breath the doors and windows to the manner were blown open and what appeared to be the entire auror department was swarming the grand hall.

The spell that was binding Astoria was released and she sprang up right in search of her child. It was impossible to see her husband in all the chaos but she ran for where he had been in the front of the room.

"Scorpius?" She screamed in all the madness, and she felt a rapid tugging at the hem of her dress. She looked down and it was Blinky holding the baby in her arms.

"Miss, we must go!" the elf cried and tried to lead her away from the spells flying over their heads.

"Give me the child," Draco's voice thundered in the sea of people, Astoria turned just in time to see a green spark emit from her husband's wand, and as she closed her eyes preparing for the worse she felt the house elf's small body fall against her legs.

Before she could even realize what happened she saw her husband fall to the ground, his eyes lifeless and body cold. Without hesitation she ran for the door where more aurors were pouring in.

"Help! Please, somebody help!" she said running up to an auror. The man pushed her aside callously; trying to get to the men the ministry had been after so long.

Astoria fell to the ground, clutching Scorpius. She held him close to her chest, but he felt foreign in her arms. This was not the child she had been holding only a short while ago. Her baby who she loved so dearly was marred with a hideous scar of evil.

She couldn't pick herself up, and sat crying, like her son, until a pair of hands gentle touched her shoulder.

"Mrs. Malfoy," a calm voice said. Astoria turned around to look at its speaker. It was a petite witch who wore an auror's uniform. Her hair hung shoulder length. "Let's get you and your son some place safe."

As the auror helped Astoria up, the word "Safe" echoed in her ears. Her baby was not safe, and he wouldn't be if she trusted the wrong people. Yes aurors were the police force that protected the magical world from evildoers and menaces, but so many of them hated Draco Malfoy, the wounds of war were still too fresh. As well, the magic Astoria had just seen was ancient and more evil than anything she had ever known.

She steeled herself as she walked outside of Malfoy Mansion perimeter and side along apparated with the small auror. She could not breathe a word of what had gone on inside.