This story is based on Harry Potter written by J.K Rowling

A/N: this is being written for the international wizarding school championship.

Round Three: Welcome to the Dungeons, it's potions time!

School: ilvermorny

Year: part-time fill in for year 7

Theme: Draught of the Living Dead

Prompts: 3. Cauldron [Object]

7. Begging [Action]

Word count: 2,653 (according to docs)

I woke up to a peaceful morning. It was early enough that the birds outside were still sleeping, with barely a hint of sun.

I also woke up to a sock in my face. How I didn't notice it resting on my pillow, right next to my face, I couldn't say.

"Ugh." I scrunched up my nose in response to the smell. Looks like the freshening charm is wearing off. I picked up the sock and threw it at a still sleeping Ron, smiling when in smacked him in the face. "Really Ron, how did your sock travel from your foot to my pillow?"

All Ron did was roll over with a mumble, causing the sock to fall off his side of the bed.

I sighed and stood from the bed. Making my way to the bathroom, I paused next to Ron, and lifted the blanket. One of his feet was in deed without a sock.

He groaned at the cold and cracked an eye open before whining, "Mione, too early." His slurred words making him nearly unintelligible.

I just snickered and dropped the blanket. "You have to leave for practice soon anyway."

He of course went back to sleep.

I went through my morning routine, by the time I finished Ron finally seemed to be waking up.

I made my way to the kitchen, taking a Peek into Rose and Hugo's room on the way down. I didn't bother waking them up, they're usually good about coming on their own when they smell breakfast. Everyone in this house was like that actually.

As predicted, as soon as I started cooking, Ron walked in and started brewing the coffee. He pulled three mugs from the cabinet before he turned around and kissed the back of my head. "Morning."

"Morning."

Not long after, the children decided to shuffle into the kitchen.

Too tired for real hugs, they each walked up to us and leaned forward into our sides, doing this little headbutt thing with their foreheads. They then switched parents and repeated the process, I just gave them a pat on the head and resumed cooking.

I had a feeling they were copying Crookshanks a little too much.

I finished cooking and set the food on the table along with four plates. The kids had chosen orange juice to drink while Ron and I drank our morning coffee.

The third cup of coffee and an extra orange juice was set in front of two empty chairs.

Halfway through breakfast the fireplace roared to life and we heard Malfoy shout, "Coming through!"

Rose shot up first. "Uncle Dray! Scorp!" She sped over to the doorway leading to the living room. Determined to be the first to greet them. Hugo hot on her heels.

Malfoy managed to kneel and open his arms in preparation before they reached him. Upon reaching him, Rose and Hugo plowed into him. If he wasn't used to their greeting by now he would have gotten knocked clear off his feet.

With a smirk Malfoy ruffled their hair. "How are my little minions this morning?"

While they were preoccupied babbling about their short morning to Malfoy, I took the opportunity to swoop in and pick up Scorpius for my own greeting. He released a squeal and a giggle as I lifted him off the ground. "How is my favorite nephew?"

He gave me one of his cute smiles and said, "I'm good, but isn't Albus you're favorite?"

"What? Of course not. Why would you think that?" I said with Mock confusion.

Scorpius giggled. "You said so."

I grinned "Did I? Well you'll have to forgive me, you two are practically twins. You really are my favorite though, of course."

I do this little joke every week or so. Every time I see either Scorpius or Albus I'll switch which one my favorite is. Most of the time I see them together so they know, of course, and they find it funny. Mostly it's just to cover up the fact that both of them are my favorite. I've done a poor job obviously since everyone seems to know.

Ron, still seated at the table, decides to speak. "And where's my greeting?"

I finally set down Scorpius and he runs over to Ron. "Uncle Ron! You'll never believe what Albus told me yesterday."

The integration of the Malfoy family into our lives was a very sudden and surprising thing.

I had just finished my mastery in potions and was starting to figure out a work schedule. I wanted it to compliment Ron's so we could take care of Rose, who was a barely a few months old at the time. Malfoy showing up on our doorstep was a shock in and of itself. To see the state he was in. It was a completely different shock to see him so ruffled and un-Malfoy looking.

"Granger." Malfoy gave me a nod and paused briefly to glance at Rose sleeping in my arms. "Got a minute?"

I didn't bother reminding him of how rude it was to suddenly drop in on someone without notice. He was, Undoubtedly, well aware.

My curiosity on what the hell was going on, outweighed the part of me that wanted to slam the door. Why was he so uncharacteristically ruffled? Why did he look at Rose with such a mixed look, mostly of horror?

Thank Merlin Ron was away at Quidditch practice with Harry. This would be a very different situation otherwise.

So I sidestepped the doorway and gestured for him to come in. "Lucky for you, I happen to be free, please come in."

I lead us to the kitchen, were I immediately spelled the stove to boil the water for tea. I had already set up Rose's bassinet in there, so I set her down.

We sat at the kitchen table in silence for what felt like ages. After the tea finished brewing and I levitated the pot and cups onto the table, I finally broke the silence. "Mind telling me what this is about?"

He took a deep breath and looked like he was psyching himself up for the biggest presentation of his life. "I need your help."

I was momentarily frozen in shock mid stir of mixing the sugar into my tea. And as much as I wanted to feel satisfaction at those words, I couldn't. Because something big and possibly horrifying had to have happened for those words to come out of his mouth.

I tried to ignore my mounting questions and stay quiet. I crossed my arms and leaned back, waiting for him to continue. There was no use jumping to horrific conclusions when he hasn't said anything yet.

He cleared his throat. "I assume you're subscribed to a paper." At my nod he continued. "Then you're aware that Astoria is my wife and that she is currently pregnant."

I was very confused. I knew this information of course, I'm subscribed to a variety of different papers and magazines, every single one had an article somewhere about it. other than those announcements, Malfoy has managed to stay out of the public eye.

My confusion was about what this had to do with asking for my help.

Malfoy went on without waiting for an answer. "What others don't know about is that Astoria is very weak and prone to illness. She has been for the majority of her life thanks to a blood curse cast on one of her ancestors. Only one Greengrass is affected every generation, she was the unlucky one."

I decided to interrupt. "And how would I be able to help? I'm no curse breaker."

He released a frustrated breath. "We have already tried curse breakers, the best money could buy. we've tried healers, experts in blood magic, experts from other countries, a bloody witch doctor for merlin's sake!" He ruffled his hair further and looked at me with pleading eyes. "The one thing we haven't tried yet is potions. Please Granger, You're the only hope I have left."

I sat back in my chair hard. "Okay, but why ask me? there are plenty of other potions masters, many of them with years of experience."

At that Malfoy scoffed. "Snape always complained about the incompetence of his peers. I wouldn't trust any of them with this. With Snape gone, that leaves you." He holds up a hand when he sees that I'm about to interrupt again. "I am aware that Snape has a portrait in Hogwarts, and while it has memories from the original, it is just a shade. It's not the same."

I sat back and really thought about it. Ignoring that it was Malfoy that asked me, Astoria is in desperate need of help. because of a curse that she had nothing to do with, her life and possibly her baby's life was in danger. The pregnancy was, undoubtedly, a strain.

I stole a glance at Rose before looking Malfoy in the eye. "How long does she have?"

"Assuming she survives labor? A decade, maybe."

It really isn't much of a debate. I never could turn away someone in need.

"On two conditions." He visibly perked up in his seat. "Firstly you have to be involved. I don't care how, researcher, assistant, fellow potions master, just do what you need to because I refuse to do this alone." He nodded quickly and I continued. "Secondly, if there is ever a time when we are stuck without ideas, we bring in snape. I don't care if he's just a shade, he's something and that's better than nothing."

He nodded quickly and said, "Deal." Without missing a beat.

"Go do what you have to do, I'll start researching in the meantime."

He stood and flew out of the house without a word, Leaving his tea cold and untouched.

"I hope I know what I'm doing."

It wasn't long after, that I was finally able to meet Astoria.

It also didn't take long for us to become friends. She was so different compared to Pansy and her sister Daphne, who had been my previous impression of pureblood witches in Slytherin.

Biased, I know, but those two left a lasting impression.

It wasn't long before Malfoy to his potions mastery exam. He must have broken some kind of record and I'm still not sure when he managed to sleep. I suspected a time turner, but he never confirmed or denied it.

Over time Ron and Harry got used to the Malfoy family being around. After several fights of course. Astoria was an amazing peacekeeper in those situations.

But really it was the day Astoria went into labor that sealed our fate. It was a Long and tiring delivery but they both pulled through.

The moment Astoria passed Scorpius to me and I looked at his cute face, I knew.

I was going to do everything in my power to make sure Astoria survived. I was not going to let my failure be the reason that Scorpius loses his mother, Malfoy loses his wife, that I lose a friend.

After that we did most things together. I worked with Malfoy almost everyday, eventually opening a potions mail order business so we had some extra funding.

We spent all major holidays together. mostly because other than the awkward interactions with Malfoy's parents, they were alone. Scorpius' cuteness helped the rest of the Weasley clan befriend them of course. While Ron and Harry weren't keen on friendship with Malfoy at first, they adored Scorpius.

Of course as soon as Scorpius met Albus they were as thick as thieves.

They were their for the births of Hugo and Lily both.

Astoria even helped convince Malfoy to let Scorpius go to the Muggle primary school with the rest of the kids when they were all old enough.

They have become an integral part of our lives over the course of 7 years.

We're still working on a cure of some kind.

Scorpius chattered excitedly with Ron. "Albus told me about this Muggle ice cream other kids told him about, he called it a chocolate vanilla swirl? I didn't know you could put them together!"

Ron smiled at him. "There's a wizarding version of it, but yes, it's very good."

Upon hearing it, Rose and Hugo come running over leaving Malfoy by himself again.

"That's right, we had those before. Dad can we get some after school? Please?" Rose asked with Pleading eyes, Hugo and Scorpius were quick to turn on the puppy dog eyes as well.

"Alright, Alright, but only because Scorpius hasn't tried it yet. And you'll be the ones to ask Harry if the others can go too when we see them."

They meet up at the school every morning. Harry and Ron drop off the kids and go straight to Quidditch practice. They won't even have to beg when they ask Harry, he always agrees anyway.

We quickly finish breakfast and Ron heads out with the kids While Malfoy and I head to the potions lab. We have a small order from the Auror department consisting of two batches of Draught of living death for today. Malfoy worked on that while I worked on Astoria's latest potion.

We fired up the cauldrons and worked in peace for a few hours.

By the time Malfoy is finished with the draught, I have come to an hour wait in my brewing process. So I decide to help him pour the batches into vials, to then be shipped.

"How's the potion coming?"

"It is doing well so far, none of the ingredients are reacting badly to each other."

"Good, I have a good feeling about this one."

"That's what you said about the last two."

"Well I'm positive we're at least on the right track now."

I finished scooping from the second cauldron and set down the ladle. "If this one doesn't work-."

"It might work."

"If it doesn't, I will be out of solid ideas."

He sighed and finished with his own scooping. "Alright, we'll request for Snape's portrait tomorrow."

"Minerva will undoubtedly agree. I'm surprised we've survived this long without his help as it is."

He nodded and we started packing the vials in a box with a feather-light charm on it, for the owl's sake.

We then spent the rest of our working hours on finishing the potion.

We heard the telltale signs of the children back from school not long after we finished with the potion.

We had finished the clean up and were now doing some additional research.

Scorpius barreled into the lab. "Dad, Aunt Mione, Chocolate Vanilla swirls are amazing!"

We took a break from research and walked with Scorpius to the living room while he told us all about it.

As soon as we arrived Rose and Hugo took Malfoy's attention, Scorpius took that opportunity to ask me something.

"You guys were working on mom's potion today right?"

I picked him up and walked over to the couch to sit down. No matter how many times I do it he never complains about being too old to be carried like Rose and Hugo did eventually. He is getting pretty big, so maybe I'll have to stop soon anyway.

"Yes we did, I'll be giving it to her later."

"It will make her better this time?"

No matter how much we tried to keep the severity of her condition a secret, there was no way to keep it that way forever.

"We have high hopes for this one." I hugged him to me a little tighter. "Even if this one doesn't we'll keep trying."

"Forever?"

"Forever and ever."

Rose and Hugo started calling us over. We stood up and I, taking advantage of Scorpius current weight, carried him over to the others.

I wasn't lying of course. I would keep working on this forever if that's how long it took to figure it out. Anything for Scorpius, Astoria, and yes Malfoy too.

I'll figure it out eventually.

They don't call me, brightest witch of our age, for nothing after all.