Author's Note: Written for Hondagirll. Set in the same universe as More Than Our Abilities but it's not necessary to have read that to get this. I spell it Asteria because that's how JKR spells it on the Weasley family tree.
Scorpius rested his chin on his hand as he stared at the book in front of him. He had expected Il Principe to be more interesting, have tales of battles and adventures like the Iliad. Instead it was just rule after rule of what princes should and should not do.
Stifling another sigh, he looked over at his parents. His mum was lying on the couch. With her head resting on a pillow on his dad's lap, face turned towards Scorpius, she looked to be asleep. His dad was sitting back, book in one hand and his other hand resting on Asteria's pregnant belly. Even though he'd known for years where babies come from, he still found it weird (and a little gross) that a person was growing inside of his mum.
He looked over at the clock, frowning as he saw the time. Soon, it would be too late for Al to use the Floo and he'd have to wait until tomorrow to hear back from him.
Turning back to the book, he stared at the page for several more minutes when a chiming noise came from the Floo. His mum opened her eyes and his dad turned to look at the fireplace. But Scorpius was faster than both."I'll get it!"
With Scout at his feet, he hurried to answer the Firecall.
"...stop pushing me, Rose!"
"I can't see!" Two heads popped up in the flames, Rose's loose hair taking up much of the space.
"Is that your ferret?" Rose asked.
A third voice – a man - chimed in from the background, "Malfoy's kid has a ferret?"
Scorpius nodded, glancing over to where his parents were to find his dad frowning at the fireplace.
"So what did you parents say?" he asked Al, sitting down in front of the fire. "There's a big hill by my house – well, okay, it's more by my grandparents' house but it's close enough – and my mum says she can do the Weather Charms so it will snow and we can go sledding."
Rose and Al exchanged a worried look and Scorpius felt his heart drop.
"Go on," Rose said, nudging her cousin.
Al frowned, turning to look at Scorpius. "We can't go. My godmother – she's a magizoologist – she's looking for Nargles and invited us to come along. Our parents already said yes. We're leaving in the morning."
"Oh. Maybe when you get back?" he asked hopefully.
Rose frowned. "We won't get back until the afternoon before school starts."
"We'll write?" Al offered. There was more noise in the background, a woman's voice this time that made both cousins turn around. "We have to go."
"Have a nice holiday," Rose said, Al echoing her.
"You too," Scorpius replied dully even though part of him hoped it was awful and that they'd be sorry for not coming over.
Al and Rose disappeared from the fireplace and the flames faded from green to red. Scooping up Scout, he walked past his parents who seemed to be in the middle of a very quiet argument, judging from the expression on his dad's face.
"Scorpius," his dad called.
"What?" He didn't want to talk. Something about the way Al and Rose behaved tonight made him think back to the last time he saw them both, with their families, on Platform 9 3/4's. It had been clear then that their parents didn't like his.
"I'll take you sledding tomorrow, if you want?"
"Yeah, sure," he said without much emotion. "I'm going to go upstairs and read."
Bidding them goodnight, he turned and left the parlor.