Astoria attempted to appear as if there was no pain radiating in her shoulders as she walked in stride with her husband through the rainy streets of Diagon Alley. Scorpius held her hand, trotting beside her, occasionally losing stride when he found a puddle he wanted to hop over instead of walk around. The family hurried along, avoiding gazes, keeping their hoods close to conceal their faces. It was rare, extremely rare, that they ever left the Manor all together. But today was an exception—Draco had a very important meeting at Gringotts to discuss some Dark artifacts that had been discovered in his family's name in a few ancient vaults. To dispel any rumors and prevent any trickiness from the banking goblins, Draco decided to go in person and settle the destruction of the artifacts himself. Astoria and Scorpius were coming along to catch up on some of their own errands—Astoria needed to pick up some ingredients for some of the medical potions both she and Scorpius needed on a daily basis. Scorpius was tagging along because his parents did not want to leave him alone at home in his fragile condition. Draco was only allowing for an outing such as this with several stipulations, one of them being that they wear their hooded cloaks at all times and avoid engaging in anything said about them.
As the rain drizzled on, Scorpius tilted his face up towards the looming gray skies. "Ahh…" he cooed, enjoying the refreshing patter of droplets on his face. Astoria pulled his cloak higher up. "Don't catch cold, love." she reminded. They hurried along, coming to a stop in front of the ominously tall building with the stone dragon seated atop. Draco turned to Astoria. "Be safe," he instructed. "I don't expect to take too long. However, if you need me, come and get me here." She gave him a nod. Draco respectfully kissed her hand, then bent down to Scorpius. "Take care of mum," he added. Scorpius gave an innocently sweet smile in response. Astoria took her son's hand again and led him away from the entrance to the bank towards a small market store nearby. Upon entering, she lowered her hood, but Scorpius gave his whole body a wild shake—sending water droplets flying. "Scorpius!" she hissed. "You aren't a dog, you're a boy!" The boy gave a giggle and immediately became fixated upon a large jar full of angelically drifting white jellyfish swirling around. He spread his little hands on the glass. He wondered how it felt, to be so weightless and free. "Mama," he called out. "Mama, have jellyfish a heart?" Astoria stepped up behind him, pushing away that all-too familiar pain in her back. "No, I don't think so, darling." she replied.
"Have they a brain?"
"…No they don't." she replied, giving a side glance to a few young adults snickering at her son's questions from behind another shelf. "Just like some humans."
"Have they any lungs?"
"No, love. No lungs."
Scorpius appeared to think at this. He let out a congested sigh. "Perhaps that's why they float so freely."
Astoria's brow furrowed in sad realization that her son was longing to feel light and free, and not constantly heavy due to the painful mucus buildup in his chest. "Scorpius…" she began, but stopped when she saw her son turn his head towards the giggling group that was teasing him. She stepped in front of his gaze so that he wouldn't make eye contact. "Pay them no mind, just like daddy said." she whispered. Scorpius's eyes again seemed clouded with anguish. He gazed back at the jellyfish with his chin in his hands. Astoria silently told herself to quickly gather what she needed so that they could be on their way. She decided that her boy needed some cheering up, so she mapped a quick plan in her head to take him by the book shop and let him pick something new.
Astoria hurried her way through her shopping when she heard the group of people begin whispering; the name "Malfoy" on their lips in every few sentences. Scorpius was a curious child. She knew he'd be listening just because he enjoyed seeing people live their day-to-day lives normally. Any hint of bullying or maltreatment may crush his innocent picture of the world. She gently eased him away from the jar of jellyfish and led him back outside where they were able to blend in with the rest of the hooded, rain-dodging society members. "You've been a great help today, Scorpius." she remarked as she took his hand. The pain that was manifesting in her back began sending painful sparks up into her chest. She cleared her throat to try to relieve that bubble of pressure that seemed trapped where her heart was. "Let's go get another read, shall we?" Scorpius's naturally dark-circled eyes brightened a bit at this. He was excited. "Do you reckon they'll have the next book about Harry Potter and the basilisk?" he asked with zeal. He loved all of the stories about Harry Potter's heroic adventures, and all the events of history connecting together into one incredible journey. It seemed he was reading through the large books within a week and was always begging his parents to take him to Diagon Alley to get the latest story. Astoria smiled at his enthusiasm. She let him eagerly take the lead down the busy street, still treasuring that he wanted to hold her hand even at eight years old. He was still tiny, so navigating through the dense crowds was a bit easier for him on his skinny little legs. Most children would've opted to skip the bookstore and instead head to the toymaker's or the Weasley's joke shop—but Scorpius was a little different. He was special. He sped past both entryways in search of his favorite store that had the smell of burning candles and warm old leather with dusty pages—
Suddenly, Astoria felt a sharp, excruciating pain flash from her chest throughout her whole body like she'd been struck by a lightning bolt. It was as if that pressure bubble had popped inside of her and had exploded into a thousand knives. With a jagged breath, she stumbled—the piercing sensation in her chest caused her to lose her breathing pattern and for her limbs to fall weak. Her foot slipped off the curb of the cobblestone and down she fell. In the collapse, she let go of Scorpius's hand. She fell wrong. All wrong. Her frail arms cushioned her descent only slightly, but her weakness still forced her forehead down against the bricks. Scorpius gasped. "Mama!" he screamed. He threw himself down by her side, tossing his hood off to get it out of his eyes. People around them on the street stopped as onlookers. Scorpius didn't know what to do—he could tell his mother was still conscious, but she was in terrible, incomprehensible pain. He desperately shook her shoulder. "Mama!" he cried out again. This was the worst thing that could possibly ever happen to him—he was alone, out in the world, dealing with a crisis alone. "H-Help!" he shouted to the people around them. "Someone help me!" But everyone was just frozen there. Tears were beginning to form and his airways were constricting. "Please! Please someone help me!" he sobbed. Blood was beginning to ooze out from the top of his mother's head. Pressure, pressure, he thought. Just like he'd read a while ago in a book about medicine. He pressed his tiny palms against the bleed, earning a wince of pain from Astoria. "That's him," he heard someone say. "Voldemort's son." Confused, Scorpius looked up in the direction of the voice—who were they talking about? Why were they discussing something other than how to help the bleeding woman on the ground? A woman broke through the crowd and drew her wand. "I'm a Healer," she announced. "I'll take care of it from here." Scorpius was white with terror, shaking from such trauma. "Please, help her…" he feebly begged in tears. The Healer put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to get her to hospital quickly, dear. She's got to go straight away." she explained. "B-But…m-my…I need my mama or daddy…." The Healer was already preparing to Apparate with Astoria. "Go find your daddy and stay with him," she advised quickly. Scorpius panicked—how was he supposed to go find Draco when he wasn't quite sure how to get back to Gringotts or if his father would even still be there? Suddenly he felt a firm hand on his shoulder and someone knelt down beside him. "Where's your dad?" a man's voice asked. Nervously, Scorpius tried to think of an answer but was interrupted by a rattling cough that wracked his frame. "Come on little one, it's alright. I'll help you. Where's your dad?" Scorpius turned his head to see who was promising help to him. A man with fiery red hair and sad, kind eyes. "G-Gringotts…" Scorpius stammered. He was shivering in anxiety. The man took his hand and stood up. "Come on, let's go inside and we'll get in touch with him. Come get out of the cold and rain."
Scorpius wasn't really seeing straight from all the terror—everything was swirling and blurry, things were too loud and too bright. He knew he was being led somewhere past tons and tons of people, but the rest was hazy. "I-I want mama…" he whimpered. The red-haired man brought him up a staircase full of bustling kids. He ushered Scorpius into a door to a quiet room that had a cluttered desk and some chairs residing in it. "Sit, sit." he urged. Scorpius numbly sat in a chair and hugged himself, rocking, teeth chattering in shock. The man was hurrying around. Within seconds, the man was back in front of him, holding up a large green sweater that had a "G" knitted into the front. "My mum made it for me herself," he explained cheerfully. "Doesn't get much wear anymore. Not really something the kids are rockin' these days." He draped the sweater around the tiny boy's shoulders and wrapped him up. He then pressed a teacup with hot coco in it into his hands. "Relax, alright? Everything's ok. Your mum's gone to St. Mungo's, she's in good hands. I'm pulling a few strings and I'll be calling over to Gringotts to get ahold of your dad. I've got connections in the business world. Comes in handy in times like these—and when I need an extra day or two for the rent check to clear." The man offered a wink. Scorpius studied him with wide, fearful eyes. "W-Where…am I? How will Daddy know where to find me?" he stuttered. The man smiled kindly. "You've been lucky enough to come to the place with the best medicine—laughter. It's Weasley's Joke Shop. Can't say I've seen you in here before. Usually I'm good with faces."
"I-I don't come to Diagon Alley often because Daddy says it isn't safe for us."
"Ah…it's a shame your dad has to feel that way."
The man opened Scorpius's hand and told him to wait a moment while he pulled a soft green pygmy puff out of a drawer of the crowded desk. "Hold onto him while I place my call—these things usually make people feel a bit better." While he was still a little confused, Scorpius took a sip of the coco and let the small creature crawl on his lap. The red-haired man knelt by the fireplace; it appeared as if he was making a firecall. Scorpius couldn't see the face in the flames, but he heard a bit of the conversation with his working hearing aids. "Oi, don't be daft, you know who it is. Been drinking on the job again? You've got to be bloody stupid if you can't recognize me! Listen, I'm cashing in on that favor you owe me. Find out which of you greedy goblins has got Draco Malfoy in a meeting and tell them he's got to come to the shop immediately for his son. …And if you do it quick enough, perhaps I won't shove my shoe into your face the next time I see ya. …Yeah of course we're still on for drinks next Thursday. …Alright, see you then." With a chuckle, the man stood up and went back to Scorpius's side. "Shouldn't be too long now." he assured. "H-How did you know who my dad was?" the boy asked, genuinely perplexed. He'd never even met this man before. The man grinned. "I'd know a Malfoy when I saw one. Also, I happen to be the smartest man on the planet. Watch—think of a number between one and two million. I bet I can guess your number." Scorpius was a little wary; his nerves were shot, he was panicked, his lungs were burning like fire, his mother was ill, his father was far away… how could this man think now was the time for jokes? "Ah, too slow." the man said, reaching behind Scorpius's ear. "Looks like your brain turned your number into sweets." He held out his hand to expose a few tasty-looking jellybeans. Despite everything, Scorpius felt himself smile. The man chuckled with him as he reached for a bean.
Only minutes later, a knock came at the door of the small office. The red-haired man opened it and revealed Draco standing in a state of panic, frantically looking in for his son. "Right here," the man guided with a nod of his head. Draco rushed inside and threw his arms around Scorpius in the chair. The two hugged in silence. There were quiet tears. Draco wiped his eyes quickly. "It's alright," he whispered to his son. "It's going to be alright. I'm here. We're going to go home. Mama's going to be ok—grandmother is going to go look after her now at St. Mungo's. You and I are going home. Come on, love." Draco helped his son stand up and fold the sweater, and place the teacup on the desk. Scorpius gently handed the red-haired man back the pygmy puff. Draco paused at the doorway of the office. He turned to face the red-haired man. "I really don't know how to…" he began with a strained voice. The man gave a gentle half-smile. "You don't have to." he assured.
"I'm…so sorry…"
"Hey, we're not kids anymore. We're all dads now. We've grown up and left everything in the past."
Draco bit his lip. He gave an appreciative nod when the words failed him. The red-haired man put his hand out. "Let your kid come by again sometime, Draco." he said with a grin. Draco gave a weak, tired smile. "Thank you, George." Scorpius looked up at the red-haired man who was apparently named George. He earned a smile from him too. Though he was terrified of what his mother's episode today meant for her future, and he was emotionally drained from the trauma he'd endured in a single day, things seemed calm. Settled. Comfortable. Because of a stranger who knew more of him than he thought. When all those people on the street wouldn't help him, George Weasley came through and took him under his wing.
