Fourteen
The smoke dissipating, Scorpius Malfoy couldn't hear his grandfather cursing. That was a bad sign. It either meant he was very, very angry or he was dead. It felt a little irrational and bad, but he hoped it was the later. Grandfather wasn't just scary when he was very, very angry; he was the uber kind of terrifying that literally made you drop to your knees and cry for pardon.
(Scorpius wasn't ever supposed to talk about it, but he'd seen dad start bawling after he'd said something very awful while half-drunk to grandfather that made the older Malfoy still and calmly mutter something in return).
So as the vaguely green fog cleared out to reveal not his grandfather, but a teenager maybe a year or so older, the blond knew to be ready to drop to his knees at any moment. But after waiting for almost five minutes, the teen didn't get up. Approaching with great caution, Scorpius fell beside the other and touched his shoulder. The reaction was instantaneous.
"Who the bloody hell are you!" Was the demand as the teenager rolled away feeling for his wand (luckily grandfather kept in it his cane-which was on the other side of the room).
Frowning, the younger stood still and inquired quietly; "You don't remember?"
Eyes skittering around, the teenager gave an efficient shake of his head. "No, but this-" he looks straight at Scorpius with cutting eyes. "No one has been down here since my mother's death."
Racking his brain, the boy figured his grandfather's mother died early enough for his father not to mention her; but late enough that his grandfather knew her well. Putting his hands up, Scorpius made an offer. "You had a bit of a potion's mishap-you were older two minutes ago-I can show you if you like."
His grandfather cocked his head to his side. "Truly?"
Scorpius pointed toward the stairs. "Right up there, there's a family portrait of you, grandmother, father, mother and I."
"...I'm your grandfather?"
"Don't we look too much alike for it to be otherwise?"
Walking in his direction, grandfather's hand brushed down his face. "Similar," he agreed; "But the shape of your face...and your mouth, who's that belong to?"
"Mother," he answered; "Or I think it does."
Critical as always, grandfather fussed with his too long robes and questioned; "Who is your mother?"
"She's a Greengrass," he told the older boy.
The teenager seemed pleased as he began to stock the length of the messy lab. "Good stock," he grinned. "The Lord...Lord Voldemort, did his plans come to fruition?"
Scorpius always knew his family had been on the wrong side until the very end, but he hadn't realized his family had been so entrenched in it. Or at least not this long. Gauging a good response, the younger sighed. "No, unfortunately."
The blond sniffed and rolled his sleeves up. "Unfortunate indeed..." he mumbled.
Standing up and quickly grabbing the cane, he implored hopefully; "So, upstairs?"
"Lead the way."
Hurrying toward the staircase, Scoripus called; "C'mon! I can lend you some of my clothes!"
Reaching upstairs, his grandfather stopped to gaze at their family portrait. He blinked several times. "It's impressive;" he said.
"The last one was bigger," the boy offered with a grin. "But mother and grandmother talked you down from that-said it was too much if we were just going to get another in a couple years."
His fingers trace over the frame; his older countenance staring them down in silent accusation. Scorpius winced. Softly, the older teenager murmured; "...The last one I remember just held father and I."
"So your mother died not too long ago?"
"Just as my first year at Hogwarts finished."
Scorpius tapped his fingers on the railing of the staircase leading to the bedrooms. "What year are you in? I'm a Third right now."
"Fourth," grandfather replied.
The boy bobbed his head even though the other couldn't see. "Wicked, clothes now?"
"Where are your parents? Or my wife, I suppose."
Scorpius sighed. "Grandmother and mother are out dress shopping for the winter ball this weekend and father-working at the Ministry, I think. Or maybe he's on an assignment, he never really says what he's doing from day to day,"
The blond looked to him. "They'll be back soon, correct? And they'll be able to sort this out?"
"Wow, you're actually really scared; huh?"
A red glow came to the fourteen-year-old's face. "I am not!" He snapped. "This is just a ridiculous accident! Someone will be able to fix it!"
His smile fell. "That's right," he agreed seriously. "Mother's amazing at potions, if she can't fix it; she can go talk to Professor Snape's portrait at Hogwart's-he still knows a lot about potions for being a portrait."
"Snape? As in Severus Snape?"
"Yeah?"
A pleased grin split across his face. "I knew I chose well in taking that runt under my wing," he muttered happily.
Is this what all kids were like during his grandfather's day? Concerned about blood, picking the right people and buying big portraits? Or maybe that's still what Slytherins care for. He wouldn't know, being a Ravenclaw and all.
"You chose him to be father's godfather as well," he imparted.
Looking very satisfied, his grandfather waved a hand. "Let's go find something more fitting."
"Finally!"
"Hello mother!" Scorpius shouted sliding down the banner to his mother and grandmother. He kissed her cheek. "Guess what happened today!"
Grandmother made a strangled noise. A quiet thud followed. Mother gasped looking between her and then to where she had been staring. "Oh my..."
"You can fix grandfather, right? I told him you could."
A worry-line working itself between her brows, Astoria frowned. "I certainly hope so young man! Your grandmother is not going to appreciate having a child for a husband otherwise!"
Having joined them, the blond grumbled; "I'm not a child."
"Oh yes you are!" The woman snapped back. "You're nearly the same age as my son, you are a child."
Scorpius's grandfather huffed and looked ready to argue, but the boy made an exaggerated gesture with his face to signal him not too. No one survived mother's argument skills. Not even grandmother.
His grandfather sighed and slumped a little. Mother reached forward and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright Lucius? This must be quite the shock and Scorpius-"
"Can't explain anything coherently for his bloody life," he finished in a grumbled.
Mother chortled. "Don't swear," she chided just as quickly. "It's unbecoming."
"Stop that! What are you, my mother?" He hissed back, grey eyes slits.
Astoria looked sad for a moment. "No," she whispered. Beckoning them to her side, she inquired softly; "Loves will you take care of grandmother while I go inspect the potion's lab?" She sent a questioning look to her son who nodded back.
"We can do that mother!" Scorpius agreed in a chipper tone as he knelt beside his father's mother. "Will you take her feet grandfather? She's your wife."
The boy stopped and inspected her face. "She is Narcissa Black, yes?"
"She was," Astoria answered as she patiently waited for the boys to complete their task.
Lucius's eyes softened. "She's beautiful even now."
"Oh ew! Grandfather! She's like, a hundred years older than you!" The thirteen-year-old gagged.
His mother swatted his behind. "Watch your tongue!" She ordered. "Shall I just levitate her instead?"
"Please," the other older youth agreed.
A few minutes later, Narcissa Malfoy was settled comfortably on a parlor sofa as Astoria disappeared down the lab's stairs to see how easily fixed this potion would be.
Getting up, Scorpius brought back a Chess board for them. "Shall we play grandfather?"
The older blond sighed. "Why not?"
Twenty minutes in their game, Lucius's grandson's mother returned. "I shall have an antidote by morning," she explained. "When your father gets home Scorpius, I expect you to explain what you did. I have no doubts you caused the mischief that happened down there."
The blond groaned and hid his face. "Father will blow his top!"
"Who's fault is that?" Lucius asked slyly as he moved his rook. "Checkmate!"
The younger peaked around his fingers. "You cheated!" He whined.
Laughing quietly, his grandfather smirked. "I did not," he said. "You were distracted.
"That was very clever of you Lucius," Astoria praised. "I'll see you all at dinner;" her hand gently running over her father-in-law's head before leaving.
Lucius appeared to be grinning despite the fact his lips never curved upward for the rest of the afternoon.
As expected, once Draco saw the state of his father, he turned on his son.
"What did you do?!"
Cowering back, Scorpius yelled; "It was an accident!"
"I bloody hope so!" The adult roared back. "And if this isn't reversible-!"
Coming into the dining room with a glass of wine in hand, Narcissa took her seat across from her husband. "Don't worry Dragon, it is. Astoria is working on it right now."
His father calmed down considerably. "Oh good," he sighed. Sitting down, Draco took a bite of his dinner before saying conversationally; "I hope you don't mind using the school brooms for the rest of the year Scorpius."
"Father!" The thirteen-year-old moaned.
Lucius snickered.
"I wouldn't be snickering if I were you," Narcissa tittered; "You forgot to put up the wards and that is why you are as you are."
The fourteen-year-old scowled. "Wards are for toddlers! Not kids his age!"
"He's a Ravenclaw, naturally curious," Draco muttered around a forkful.
Lucius's eyes softened. "Mother was a Ravenclaw."
His wife smiled. "That she was," she agreed. "A very good one."
Scorpius's grandfather smiled back. Like it was the very best compliment he could have ever received.
"I have it!"
"Thank you," Grandfather muttered. Taking the vile and dashing off for his room. "Someone come get me if I'm not back in fifteen minutes!"
Fifteen minutes pass.
"Scorpius go get your grandfather," Draco ordered as he flipped a page in his newspaper.
The boy dropped his book. "He'll skin me!" He complained.
Pausing in her knitting, grandmother frowned at him. "You deserve it you naughty boy."
"Mother!"
The brunette held no sympathy. "Go."
Sighing, he closed his book and dragged his feet all the way to his grandfather's rooms.
"Grandfather?" Scorpius called opening the bedroom door.
On the bed lay the old man he has known his whole thirteen years. "Grandfather!" He shouted relieved.
The man sat up wincing. "Scorpius," he grumbled. "What did you do with my cane?"
"Um, stashed it."
He sent him a withering look. "Never say 'um' again. It is unbecoming and I expect you to bring it to me once we go downstairs."
"Yes grandfather."
There was silence for a minute. "I should punish you."
"You aren't?" Scorpius perked up hopefully.
Steely gray eyes looked his way. "You need to be more careful."
"I know."
"You don't" the man snapped. "That is how my mother died. By not being careful."
"Oh," he whispered in a tiny voice.
His grandfather rose up and put a hand on his shoulder. "I love you and I loved my mother," he murmured; "One of these days, I won't be able to protect you from the fate that befell my mother. If you don't learn to be more careful, you'll be repeating history in a few years time when I can't be there to watch over you always."
The blond looked to his feet. "I'm sorry," he apologized.
"Just promise to be careful."
Hugging the old man, the thirteen-year-old nodded. "I will be!"
A hand petted his hair. "That's all I ask."
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