Claire's eighteenth birthday was approaching soon, and so was graduation.
Neither Magnus nor Scorpius had heard from her in over three months.
Hermione and Ginny appeared in the Slytherin common room, helping their sons get ready to graduate. Claire should be here, too. She should be graduating with them.
"Mom, where's Claire?" Scorpius asked her.
She exchanged a nervous look with Ginny. "Nowhere. Don't worry."
"No, there's something going on," Magnus said to his mother. "What happened?"
"You might want to hear it from her," Ginny told him.
Magnus and Scorpius were twenty by now. The thought of entering adulthood was scary, especially in the wizarding world.
They entered the Great Hall with their robes and caps on. Draco and Orion sat in the audience, Claire not next to them.
The students were lined up alphabetically. As Scorpius made his way to his spot, he found his sister in front of him.
"Claire? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Graduating. Just like you," she shrugged.
"But you've been gone for over three months!" he exclaimed.
"Some things came up that I had to work out with dad," she said. "Otherwise Magnus would be dead by now."
"He doesn't approve of you dating?" Scorpius laughed.
"No. He doesn't approve of me being pregnant," Claire frowned, turning towards the front of the room.
"Wait. Are you serious?" he asked.
She nodded slowly.
"Welcome to graduation!" Professor Longbottom announced. He continued to speak, but neither of the Malfoy children were listening.
He began to call their names and they grabbed their diploma, joining their parents in the audience.
Claire's name was announced and Magnus's head perked up. He stepped out of line and tried to run to her, but Scorpius pushed him back.
She grabbed her diploma and met his eyes. He seemed to be pleading with her. She smirked at him and joined her father. Draco seemed to send daggers towards the young Potter boy.
Harry sat a few seats over. He knew about the news before his son did. He was furious at first, but him and Draco had gotten over it by now - at least they weren't nearly as mad as they were three months ago.
As soon as Magnus's name was called, he rushed off stage to sit next to his dad, asking him tons of questions about Claire.
Once Professor Longbottom excused them from their duties, Claire began to walk out of the castle. None of her family was around her, and Magnus rushed to her.
"Claire!"
She turned to face him. "Hey."
"Where have you been? Why did you leave?" he asked worriedly.
"It's hard to say…" she rubbed her arms nervously.
"It's okay, you can tell me," he said.
"The night of the New Years party, some things happened," she began.
"Oh, I know," he smirked.
"No, Magnus. More than you know," she met his eyes.
"Wait… do you mean-"
"Yes," she frowned.
Magnus rubbed his face, turning the other way. He took his cap off and looked back to Claire. "You're serious?"
"For about three months now," she said.
"Oh Merlin… does your dad hate me?"
"Not as much as he did. He has no choice but to like you now. At least you're a pureblood," she frowned.
"So are you, Claire," he looked at her.
"But my father is more-"
"Claire," a low voice called from behind Magnus. "I'd like to talk to Magnus."
She nodded and walked away. Magnus turned around to face Draco Malfoy. He never feared him as much as he did now.
At his full height, Magnus hardly surpassed Draco's shoulders. He was a towering man that could easily intimidate anyone he wanted.
"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," Magnus started.
"What exactly do you plan to do with my daughter?" Draco narrowed his eyes at him.
"Um, well, this is unexpected," Magnus laughed nervously.
"What is? My question, or the current situation you're in?" Draco talked over him.
Magnus swallowed hard. This was the Draco Malfoy his father once feared. He held much more power than Magnus did, maybe even more than his father did.
"It's frowned upon, here in the wizarding world, for a witch to bear children before marriage, especially as well-known as my daughter is." Draco looked at him hard. "I never wanted my daughter to date a Potter, let alone birth his children. Yet here we are."
The man held his hands in his pockets, looking at the ground, shaking his head. Magnus glanced over to Claire, who talked with her mom.
Magnus hung his head. "I'm sorry, sir."
He walked away, not wanting to hear anymore. It was a cloudy day, and looked as though it might rain. Claire's favorite type of day. It broke Magnus's heart that he might never get to meet his child, all because Draco Malfoy despised his existence.
He slumped down the stairs and across the grounds. He didn't know where he was going, but he didn't care.
At the Quidditch field, a single person sat in the stands. His father.
"What are you doing here?" Magnus asked him.
"I could ask you the same question," Harry shrugged.
Magnus sat next to him. "I didn't even know."
"I know," he nods. "I'm sorry."
"I loved her, you know," Magnus looked at his father. "Since I was thirteen."
Harry looked across the field. "What did Draco say?"
"He hates me."
"If the roles were reversed, I would be in the same position."
They sat in silence for a while, before Ginny called for Harry to come home.
Magnus remained there, even though it started raining.
He knew Claire would be outside, enjoying the rain drops, graduation or not. It hurt even more to think about her.
Half the castle was cleared out. But Magnus waited until he was the last one left.
He walked through the halls one last time and sat in the Great Hall for a moment before heading home.
You can't apparate on Hogwarts grounds, so Magnus walked in the rain to Hogsmeade.