The characters from the Harry Potter books are the property of J. K. Rowling. The rest are mine. This is my first shot at writing fiction in many years. Hope you enjoy. Please read & review. Thanks.

Chapter 1 – The Passing of Time

"Potter, I owe you a life debt. And Weasley, too."

"You don't owe us anything, Malfoy."

"You and Weasley each saved my life, and I owe you for protecting my mother at her trial. She wouldn't have survived in Azkaban. Your testimony saved her."

"She saved my life. She lied to Voldemort and told him I was dead. If she hadn't, he would have tried again, and probably succeeded. I'd be dead. So you see, I owed her. And if the Wizengamot was lenient with your father, that was not because of me."

"All the same, I owe you and Weasley, and I will repay the debt if ever I can."

"Your mother helped me because of you. Dumbledore saw good in you. You can repay us by becoming the man Dumbledore saw deep inside you. Muggles have an expression, 'Pay it forward.' That's all we ask"

Draco Malfoy remembered the conversation as though it was yesterday although it had been over twenty-five years earlier, after Voldemort's defeat. At Narcissa Malfoy's trial, Harry Potter had testified on her behalf, recounting how she lied to Voldemort to protect Harry. Lucius Malfoy received a lenient sentence, a choice of five years in Azkaban or loss of his wand and 'exile' to the muggle world. He took the loss of use of magic and he and Narcissa "retired" to Majorca. They stayed there until Lucius died ten years ago. Narcissa had decided to remain in Majorca, saying that that those were the happiest years of her life, away from the gossip and rude looks from those who had opposed Voldemort, and the attempts of former Death Eaters to involve her in their opposition to the current Ministry. She took a monthly pension from the family's vast wealth and gave charge of the family fortune and business to Draco.

He'd done well in business, far exceeding his father's ability to make money. Where Lucius used threats and cajolery to influence clients, Draco had a good head for business and invested his profits wisely. He maintained an office in London to oversee his muggle business ventures and another in Diagon Alley, near its intersection with Knock-Turn Alley. He went to the London office only once or twice a week, as it was maintained primarily for meetings with muggle associates and prospective muggle clients. Although he didn't loathe muggles as he did as a student, he still felt uncomfortable in their world. It had taken him some time to get used to not relying on magic outside his own world, but he'd come to terms with it. Still, he had done well for his family. Well, what was left of it, anyway. His wife, Lydia, had been gone since Scorpius and Lyra were children at Hogwarts. They were grown now, Scorpius married and Lyra engaged. He was alone now, and the loneliness was becoming more and more of a black pall over him as time went on. He felt so much older than his age. How his life had changed over the years!

"Well," he thought, "at least the name Malfoy is no longer pariah in the wizarding world." He had seen to that, donating large sums to charity in the name of those who died battling the Dark Lord. "How foolish we all were, to become so enraptured by that hypocrite! He raved on against muggles and mudbloods while his own father was a muggle!" But, as his mother had told him, he had been molded by his father's prejudices then. As she had counseled, he had become his own man. Yes, life had changed drastically in the years after Voldemort's defeat.