Aftermath
The next morning, Scorpius sat at the counter for breakfast, his eyes ringed by black shadows. Beside him, Melun yawned widely, still half-asleep. When Narcissa joined the two boys at the table, she gave her elder grandson a meaningful look before settling onto her chair.
"Didn't sleep well, Scorpie?" Megara inquired, bringing her kiwi smoothie to her lips. Apparently, she couldn't live without it. "You look terrible."
"Mm," was the muttered reply. The memories of last night were still swirling around in his mind and he was in no mood for this. Plus, the ever-so-curt 'mm' was better than telling his sister to bugger off and have Grandmother after him for it.
"He'll be okay, Megara," Narcissa said, and she inclined her head at Scorpius. "I want to speak with you after breakfast, boy."
Melun and Megara looked at their brother curiously for that, but he simply shrugged it off. After what he'd seen in his father's memories, he wasn't really... feeling that snarky anymore. Laughing internally at what Rose would say if she discovered he was actually becoming thoughtful, he simply went back to breakfast so he could meet with Grandmother as fast as possible and get it over with.
Grandmother was direct in her approach.
"What did you see, Scorpius?"
Shrugging, the sixteen-year-old boy recounted every single memory from last night. He left out the details of what Father had written to him in the letter, preferring to keep them to himself. A last present of sorts, from an estranged pair of father and son, if you will. "It wasn't what I expected," Scorpius said simply, not looking at his grandmother.
Narcissa nodded, as if that was what she'd been expecting. It probably was; Grandmother saw much more than Scorpius gave her credit for. "Your father didn't have the best of lives," she said, her face set in familiar grim lines. "But he did deserve much more."
Scorpius simply looked at her, not knowing what to expect.
"I need someone to help me choose a quote to put on your father's tombstone, Scorpius," Narcissa said. "And I think that someone is you. Are you up for it, boy?"
She didn't have to ask, because she already knew the answer.
"Yes, I am, Grandmother," Scorpius said, and he felt his eyes sting again.
He tried to chase away the feeling.
Scorpius spent the next few days – the next week, even – looking for quotes. He let Al and Rose help him, too, and the three of them headed out to the library every day to search for some. They spent the mornings and the afternoons holed up there, only coming home for supper. Evenings were spent pouring over the day's work.
Finally, near the end of that week, Scorpius found the right quote.
"You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you"
It was by a Muggle American comedian and actress called Mary Tyler Moore, Rose had told him with her perpetual smug look. Scorpius had simply shrugged. Whatever. He had his quote, his perfect quote that he could give Grandmother – the quote everyone would remember Draco Malfoy by.
Now, he only had one thing left to do.
Scorpius walked towards the charred remains of Malfoy Manor, hand in hand with Rose.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" she whispered as her eyes scanned the ruins of his home.
He simply nodded. "And I'll do it alone. You wait here, Rose. I'll be fine."
Without awaiting her reply, he kissed her and quickened his pace until he reached what he believed to be the main entrance of the former Malfoy Manor. He let his eyes roam over the black heap in front of him, let his eyes roam over what had once been so great and what was now utterly destroyed. His breath hitching in his throat, he remembered the days of his childhood, the good old days during which he had run around the gardens with Megara and Melun. He thought of the days he'd spent in his grandparents' suite, the days coercing the house-elves in the kitchen.
He remembered Mother tucking him in as a child. Father putting a hand on his shoulder and wishing him a good trip to Hogwarts. Grandfather looking at him, half-fond and half-exasperated, and shaking his head. He remembered the elves, too – Batty and Tibby and Johnny and all the others. He remembered every member of his family that had perished in the fire.
One day, he'd get his vengeance on the one who'd set it. One day. But, for now, he had something to do.
For a moment, Scorpius felt the tiny slip of parchment paper in his left hand. It was soft and humid-feeling, because his hands were sweating. Whatever, he thought, and looked into the distance. The ruins of Malfoy Manor. He slowly uncurled his fingers and took the slip of paper with his thumb and his index finger.
He took a deep breath. He looked at his home – burned and destroyed – but still his home.
And, quickly, Scorpius let go of the paper.
It tumbled round on the wasted ground for a moment or two, but then the wind began picking up speed and it whirled off into the distance. Whirl, whirl, whirl. He didn't let it stray from his sight until it had disappeared, past the ruins of Malfoy Manor and to the beyond.
Scorpius turned back, already walking off to meet with Rose again. He didn't look back at the rubble, at where the piece of parchment paper had gone. He simply looked forward, ever so forward, and it was only when he had his face pressed in Rose's frizzy hair and his arms around her waist that he allowed himself to finally cry.
And, for those curious, the parchment paper had only three words. Three very simple words that could mean anything, to anyone. Three very special words for a certain Scorpius Malfoy.
I forgive you.
The End
a/n: And that's the end, people. Hope you enjoyed :)
Even so, please read and review - how did you like Scorpius? Narcissa? Rose? Melun and Megara? Draco? Lucius? - and please don't favourite/alert without reviewing, thanks! :D
