Challenge Prompt: Write about a family from the Sacred 28.

Setting: Greengrass Manor, summer of 2009 (3 years after the birth of Scorpius Malfoy)

"Well, as much as I enjoy visiting, I really should get back." Astoria put her teacup down, ready to make her excuses so she could get home to her husband and son. She couldn't stay out for very long these days.

"Before you go, there is one matter I wished to discuss with you." Edward Greengrass put his cup down as well, and leaned forward on the couch he shared with his wife, Janet. "I've been speaking with Lucius, and he tells me that you refused to allow them time alone with Scorpius?"

Astoria nodded shortly. She had rather hoped she would be able to avoid this conversation, but she was smart enough to realize it would be coming sooner or later. She supposed the lounge of her family manor was as good a place as any, and better than some. "I feel, and Draco agrees, that it will be best to handle Scorpius's education on our own until such time as he's ready to attend Hogwarts."

Edward stared at Astoria. "That is highly unusual. The grandparents typically take a hand in helping to educate their grandchildren, particularly regarding their ancestry and their heritage."

Astoria shook her head. "That is precisely why I came to this decision. We want Scorpius to learn the truth of our families, of everything that has happened."

Edward flexed his right hand once. A nervous tic Astoria had long ago learned meant her father was fighting the urge to draw his wand. "Lucius said that you had convinced his son to turn his back on his heritage, but I never believed… couldn't conceive of you actually doing so yourself, let alone convincing your husband to share in your neglect. Have you forgotten everything we stand for?"

Astoria lifted her chin up as she met her father's stare. "What, exactly, do we stand for father? Please, tell me, since I've so obviously forgotten."

"You are the child of the Greengrass family, one of the Sacred 28." Her father's words were harsh and clipped. "The 28 pure-blooded families of Britain, the nobility of the wizarding world. You have a responsibility to ensure your child grows up knowing his place and his duties, lest he be exposed to improper ideas."

"The Sacred 28? Would you like me to teach my Scorpius about them too?" Astoria asked, keeping her tone level.

"Of course. It is only proper." Her father's tone still clipped, but wary as well.

"Then shall I teach him about the House of Black? A pureblood house that descended into madness, whose only honorable member was exiled and framed before being killed without ever clearing his name? How about the House of Carrow, whose most well known recent members gladly used the Cruciatus curse on children, and encouraged children to do the same? Maybe you'd rather I speak about the Parkinsons, a family whose heir displayed her hatred and cowardice by offering to sacrifice Harry Potter, the man our entire world now regards as a hero, to the dark lord he defeated that very day?"

Edward stood, his nostrils flaring. "I will not have you use the mistakes of a few to dismiss our noble heritage so callously! You allow yourself to be blinded by the lies of the mudbloods!"

"What lies, father"? Astoria stood from her chair as well. "Shall I keep going? The Selwyns, all but gone, their last living member a death eater. The Bulstrodes, a house with a single heir and no redeeming features. The Crouches, whose patriarch sacrificed his wife to get his son out of Azkaban, used the Imperius to keep his son under control, and who was later killed by his son because his son wanted to bring back Voldemort! Or let's skip straight to the best of the bunch, the House of Gaunt, whose last living member was Voldemort!"

Edward shook his head. "None of that matters. We are pure of blood, and that means something. There are still many of the sacred 28 that are good and noble, and it is to their example you must look, their example you must teach your son to emulate."

"The Weasleys, you mean? Perhaps the Shacklebolts or the Ollivanders?" Astoria tipped her head, pretending to consider. "Yes, there are some examples there worth emulating."

Her father's twitched again. "Never. You will never teach your son to be like those blood traitors."

"Then I'm afraid you've lost me." Astoria showed a small grin. "Every family that's part of the sacred 28 that has any honor at all, you've decried as a blood traitor."

Her mother winced at that, and her father actually grabbed his wand before he regained control of himself. "How dare you accuse our family of being honorless? You will explain yourself this instant or…"

"Or what?" Astoria placed her hand on her wand. "You'll attack me? I'm sure the Ministry will be very forgiving of that, very forgiving of an attack on a young woman because she didn't want force her parents' blood purist views on her son."

Her father glared, his face contorted with rage, until her mother stood and took his other hand. At her touch, he relaxed, and as he closed his eyes and began to breath more slowly, Janet turned to speak to her daughter.

"Astoria, I realize that a great deal has happened, but surely you don't want to throw away your entire family over this?" She placed a hand over her heart. "The Greengrass family traditions stretch back hundreds of years, and we do not follow that tradition of purity out of hatred, but out of respect! Respect for our family, for our magic, to ensure a stronger future."

Astoria shook her head. "Is that why a half-blood became the strongest dark lord in memory? Why the only one capable of defeating him was another half-blood? Why the two who helped him at every step were a muggle-born and a blood traitor? Reality says that purity of blood means nothing when it comes to magic, and everything else… the Sacred 28 was written anonymously!" She took a deep breath, wondering when she had gotten so light headed. "The only ones who care about it are the families that place pedigree over everything else! There was never any reason to call us sacred, just some unknown wizard we've all… we've..."

Astoria swayed on her feet, had to grab the arm of her chair to keep from falling over. Her parents started to rush to her side, only to be waved off as she regained her balance, her right hand never leaving her wand. "I'm fine, just a bit weak."

"Weak." Her mother's voice trembled, and she noted her father had opened his eyes to stare at her, the blood draining from his face. "When did this start?"

Astoria smiled. "About three years ago."

Her mother collapsed back onto the couch. "The blood curse. It's never fully been purged… you knew the risk when you had a child... you didn't have to.. and the risk was always worse for the younger child. Why?"

Astoria met her mother's gaze. "If you knew that you would have died giving birth to me or Daphne, would that have stopped you?" When her mother shook her head, she continued. "Then you know why. No matter what happens, the day Scorpius was born was the best day of my life. I regret nothing." She looked back to her father. "Is this part of that blood purity you're so proud of, father?"

Her father reeled as if he'd been slapped. "How could you think I would be proud of such a thing?"

Astoria held his gaze a long moment before responding. "We weren't the only family to be hit with that particular curse. Every other family that suffered from it has intermarried with half-bloods, with muggleborns, some even married muggles. They all freed themselves from the curse in the span of a few generations. Our family stayed pure, and we alone continue to suffer."

She walked to the door of the lounge. "You're welcome to visit whenever you like, but your views on blood purity are not. I've seen the harm they bring, and I'll not see my son exposed to it one second sooner than necessary."

She started to walk out, then stopped and turned. "I haven't forgotten my family, mother, father. I'm proud to be who I am, and our family traditions will be honored. But there's so much more to those traditions than blood purity… I have great-grandmother Jessica's old book on gardening, I'll be showing Scorpius how to raise a traditional Greengrass garden. When he turns five, Draco will show him how to make a Malfoy protection rune, to ward off bad dreams and spirits."

Astoria shook her head. "There's so much good in our past. I will make sure Scorpius sees that. If you want to help with that, you're more than welcome in my home. If you can't see that we're so much more than the purity of our blood… I will still make sure Scorpius knows of you, but you'll have no place in his life."

Her parents sat speechless as she turned to walk from the manor.