Now that I was satisfied and was sure that my father would send the funds, I was finally able to sit down and concentrate on my studies. I generally hated to study anywhere in my dorm, because it was cold from being under the Great Lake, and candlelight is a lousy light to read by. Nonetheless, I had made considerable progress by the time I was interrupted again.
"Malfoy, there is some old dude knocking on the portal to the Common Room asking for you." When I raised my eyebrows, Marcus added, "Yes, he kind of looks like you."
Marcus never was very bright. It had to be my father, but he would not appreciate being called old. "Thank you, Marcus." I ran to the portal beaming with pleasure. "Hi father! I expected you to send the money, not to deliver it in person." I then embraced him in a warm hug.
"Hi Scorpius," he said with a smile as he embraced me back. "Could you get your coat, I have to take you to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes before they close, so we need to hurry."
That was a surprise. That was in Diagon Alley. Was he planning on using the floo? "But father, I am not allowed to leave Hogwarts without permission."
He told me that I should already know the answer to that. Yet, he said he did not have time to let me figure it out, so he pulled out a slip from his pocket. "I have already spoken to Headmistress McGonagall and gotten a permission slip. She is expecting us to use her floo. Now please grab your coat because time is short." I ran back to my room to get my coat wondering what was going on. When I returned, my father ushered me out of the Common Room and headed us to the headmistress's office. My father explained as we rushed down the hallway and up the stairs that I was going to need help if I wanted to get Louis a train ticket. He said that his parents would most certainly never allow such a charitable gift. He said that he thought he might know someone who might be able to get me the help I would need. We travelled from the headmistress's fireplace to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and then made our way to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
A tall and athletic red-headed man greeted us after we entered the door. "Mr. Malfoy! What a pleasant surprise! You are always welcome, but please make your purchases swiftly because we will be closing soon." His smile faltered as he looked at me; in its place, he took on a startled look, but just for a moment. His smile was quickly replaced, though it looked forced as he returned to my dad. "This must be your son. I must say the family resemblance is very strong." He darted me another quick look that was piercing. I wondered if I had soot from the floo powder all over my face or something.
"Hello George. I know we have come at an inconvenient time, but we need to talk to you. My son wants to give Louis Weasley a ticket home for Christmas as a present, but I am pretty sure his parents will not allow it. We have come to ask for your help."
George snorted in amusement. He did not address why he thought that funny, instead he ushered us through his shop and into his office. He explained that he could not have potential customers staying in the store when he would have to ask people to leave. He then went to his fireplace and spoke into it, calling for The Burrow. "Hi mum! Is it OK if I stop by briefly tonight after I close the shop? I need to talk to you and dad, and I may need to bring guests."
Out of the fireplace I heard, "You are always welcome dear. I will tell Arthur to expect you."
"Thanks mum." After that, George looked at me again and then left us in the office. It was not long before he returned, saying that he had closed the shop and locked the door.
When I caught him looking at my face again, I asked if there was something wrong with it. He got a mischievous grin, and said, "Draco, your son has left himself wide open with that question." He looked at me and his eyes twinkled as he did. "I will be nice and say that there is only one thing wrong with your face, it belongs to a young Malfoy." His grin got even bigger if that was possible.
"I am sorry sir, but you keep staring at me."
His mischievous grin lessened only a little as he became a little more serious. "Sir? You are very polite. And, sorry, but your resemblance to Louis is uncanny. That boy does not look much like his father. If my brother were to see you, he might question if his wife had been a little too friendly with your father, if you get my meaning." He then winked at me and elbowed me.
Draco frowned. "George, he is a bit young for talk like that. And yes, their resemblance is a bit uncanny. You will find that they have some similar behaviors as well." He then got his blank, proud fatherly look, which he always gets when he recalls something of my past. This time, it passed quickly as he asked if George could help us.
"You know, it is really funny that you would come and ask about a ticket home for Louis today. Louis wrote me early this morning if he could work in the shop during the break, asking for a ticket home for Christmas instead of pay. Now I would have instantly agreed to something like that, but I thought I had better ask my brother and his wife about it first. I must say that I was sorry that I had asked. They will not accept even that little bit of charity from me, and I am Will's brother." He looked almost annoyed.
"So, you cannot help us. Is that what you are saying?"
"I am afraid I cannot." His mischievous grin then returned. "But I know someone who can."
"Molly Weasley," I said with a grin on my face. She was very close to her youngest grandson, she would want to see him at Christmas, and she was someone that Bill and Fleur would have to listen too. Molly would not accept a no when it came to her grandson.
George said to my father, "He is bright, good looking, and rich. In a few years, you are going to have trouble with girls and him. Mark my words!" He then winked at the both of us. "Can you come with me and plead your case to my mum? She has a sore spot for children, not that I think she would deny Louis a family Christmas. Still, it always helps to play with all your cards."
"As long as we are not long. I have to get my son back to Hogwarts as he has school tomorrow." George just nodded his head in understanding and grabbed the floo powder. His eyes twinkled, he got a silly grin, and then he threw the floo powder at my face. Great, now there was something wrong with my face. He then ushered Draco to his fireplace, I stepped in next, and he followed.
"Mr. Malfoy! What an unexpected guest!" It came from an older man with ruddy cheeks whose once red hair had mostly turned grey. "Louis?" It was a question he directed at me. Yet, as George stepped through, he turned and asked his son what was going on.
"No dear. This fine, good looking young man must be Draco's son." This came from an older witch with so many wrinkles that they tended to hide her numerous freckles. She had dyed her hair red but it was starting to fade so that numerous gray strands were beginning to show. "Is that right dear," she asked as she embraced me in a big warm hug. That was how I would describe Mrs. Weasley, it was like walking into a hug. I understood why Louis was so close to her. I loved her instantly, of course, note that she thought I was a fine, good looking young man.
"Hi mum! Hi pop!" George spoke before I could reply to Mrs. Weasley. "Yes, this is Draco, who you know, and his son, Scorpious. They want to talk to you about Louis and his Christmas present." George looked at me with his big mischievous grin again. I got a tingling sensation that he was up to something, and I would bear the brunt of it again.
"Oh?" It came from both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Yet, Molly said that it would have to wait for a minute, because she had something to do first. She took out her wand, called a washrag over to herself, wet it from her wand, and then proceeded to start cleaning my face. "You have some floo powder on your face dear. A face as handsome as yours needs to be seen." She had a tender hand and seemed to enjoy cleaning my face. I could tell by the way her smiles matched the stroking of her hand.
"Er, yes," was all I could at first reply. I recovered, glared at George, and said, "I wonder how that happened?"
George had the nerve to wink at me. "Oh, you know. Boys and their dirty faces. They can pick them up anywhere." He knew that I wanted his help getting Louis a Christmas present, so that I could not rat him out. I was sure that his mother would not like hearing about what he did to my face. I was sure he would get in trouble. Yet, for Louis, I held my tongue. Besides, I really did enjoy the attention that Mrs. Weasley was giving me. I was beginning to feel almost as if I were one of her grandkids. My father just stood there doing nothing but snicker at everything.
When Mrs. Weasley finished, I almost regretted that she was done. Yet, Mr. Weasley got us back on track, asking how this all related to Louis and his Christmas present. George explained about his letter from Louis, asking to work in the shop to earn a ticket home for Christmas and how his folks nipped it. "Whatever for?" Mr. Weasley asked, though Mrs. Weasley was only beaten to the punch by a second.
"My brother said that he cannot accept anymore charity, even for Louis, even for Christmas."
Mrs. Weasley asked in a cold tone, "Do you want us to speak to him?"
"No, mum. That is where Scorpius comes in. This brilliant and kind boy heard that Louis would be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas, and on his own, discovered why, I need not remind you of why, and on his own, decided to give Louis a ticket home for Christmas as his Christmas present. Scorpius, of course knows little of my brother's anathema for charity, wrote his father for the funds, who contacted me for help, who in turn contacted you for help." George paused, looked at both his parents, and asked if they understood.
They nodded their heads. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked at me, but Molly spoke to me. "Is this true dear?"
"Not exactly, mam. Albus helped a lot, and Jake Wood told me why Louis was not going home and gave me the idea of giving him a ticket home as a Christmas present. Heck, Jake even gave me a gold gallon to help pay for it, mam."
"How can we help dear?"
She was speaking to me, and that extra word, dear, spoke volumes. I loved her for it. Yet, George answered for me. "Can you say that you bought a ticket home for Louis as his Christmas
present? You do not need to pay for it, as we will do that. It has to be from you because my brother will not be able to say no to his mummy and daddy." George made facial expressions when he said his last line; he was poking fun of his brother.
Mr. Weasley answered yes that he could. Yet, he insisted on paying for a Galleon of the ticket since the ticket would be said to be coming from him and his wife. Between the two of them, they almost scraped up enough Sickles and Knuts to make a Galleon, but George had to add two Sickles. George then offered to split the rest of the cost of the ticket with the Malfoys, but Draco would not let him. He said that the Christmas gift was Scorpius's idea, so that Scorpius should be allowed to pay for most it. They agreed to let George contribute a Galleon while the Malfoys paid for the rest. Scorpius handed Mrs. Weasley the money, telling her to buy a ticket and to send it in the next owl post. She smiled, said that she would, and then gave me another hug. I could see why Louis was so close to her.
All in all, it was a productive evening, and I made it back to Hogwarts in time to go to bed. I did not speak to Louis until we were on the Hogwarts Express, though I did see him get an owl post with the morning breakfast. On the train, I was sitting with Albus enjoying the ride home. After a while, I suggested that we go and see our friends. It would be easy as our friends only counted Hugo, Lilly, and Louis, and Albus expected Louis to be at Hogwarts. I knew he was on the train, but I had to pretend that I did not. We found all three of them sitting together chatting, or rather, Lilly and Hugo were chatting. Louis was looking out the window with a silly grin on his face.
"Louis, what are you doing here?" It was Albus, he expected Louis to be spending Christmas at Hogwarts.
"I got a Christmas present from my grandparents, a ticket home for Christmas." He said it with that same silly grin on his face. It made him look like an imp. I was so very pleased to see him happy.
Albus muttered something about his Christmas gift going to be much less expensive, but he was quiet enough that only I could hear him. He then wished everyone a merry Christmas, sat down, and started to talk to Hugo.
I asked Louis if that was what he had gotten from the morning post, explaining that I had seen an owl deliver something to him at breakfast. He answered that yes, it was. Not that he needed to explain, I already knew, but I wanted to keep up the pretense. I sat down next to him, saying that he deserved it and that I wished him a merry Christmas. He was going home, so I knew he would have one.
From my source, I hear he had a good time at Christmas. Yet, I did not see him again until the ride back to Hogwarts. I was sitting alone with Albus in a compartment in the train. Early in the ride, Louis searched us out and joined us. He made a few pleasantries, said little, and stared at me an awful lot. I could tell from that the way he kept eyeing me that he wanted to say something, but he did not because of the presence of Albus. He just kept quietly looking at me. It was getting uncomfortable as Albus and I continued to talk. Finally, Albus stood to look at a mother deer and her two fawns out of the window furthest from me, talking about how beautiful they looked. When he did, Louis quickly leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Thank you, grand maman told me everything." He then quickly moved back and smiled pleasantly at me. Albus missed it entirely. Shortly after Albus sat down and began talking, Louis got up, explained that he had to get back to his compartment, and left.