A/N: Thank you to Pendragon2601 for beta reading this chapter.

Chapter 12

There had never been a time in Albus' life when he'd managed to find peace and quiet at the Burrow. There was always yelling, whether it was in annoyance or excitement. That was fine and all, but at times, Albus wanted to escape. He felt like he was too old for it, despite the fact that his cousins who were making the most noise were all older than he was.

Farther and farther Albus climbed up the Burrow's staircase, the noise echoing behind him. Eventually, he reached the top: the attic.

The smell was wretched when he lifted the trapdoor. The space was chilly in the winter air, no one bothering with heating charms for a place no one in the family entered often. That wasn't because it was out of the way. The ghoul moaning in the corner was an excellent deterrent.

The ghoul paid no attention to Albus when he entered. This was a common enough occurrence that the ghoul probably knew who was entering before Albus was in the door. It didn't matter to him; he kept moaning away.

It wasn't pleasant, but for the moment, Albus found it preferable to being around his family. Here he could get a few minutes of what would feel like rest.

So far, the holidays had been eventful in a most uneventful way. There was plenty to do, with Albus being dragged to the Burrow most days under the pretense of something important. No matter how many times Albus asked to stay home at Grimmauld Place instead, Ginny and/or Harry would give him such a disappointed look that Albus gave in and went along anyway.

He should have given up on getting out of it. Even Kreacher came along each day. That elf lived for the work he got to do each holiday season.

With a sigh, Albus settled onto the dusty floor, unconcerned about the state of his robes. The other cousins were sure to achieve much worse during one of their regular Quidditch games.

Albus opened the book he'd brought with him to the page he'd left off on. It was a book recommended to him by Scorpius, one about the Ministry's role in the Inquisition. All in all, it wasn't a book Albus would have bothered with if it weren't for Scorpius recommendation, but it was so dry of a text that deciphering it did the trick of getting Albus' mind off of his family.

Several weeks ago, Albus had promised to talk to Rose. He was supposed to calmly explain how she was making Scorpius feel, to get her to treat Scorpius like a person instead of an accessory. It shouldn't have been that difficult of a task. Albus knew what he wanted to say.

He also knew that it would lead to an argument, which was why Albus was adamant that the conversation take place when the two were alone. It was his best bet at Rose not shutting down and refusing to listen.

However, Albus had managed to forget how hectic Weasley family Christmases were. There was no speaking to someone alone. Not without some very heavy planning and a heaping dose of good luck.

There were footsteps on the stairs leading to the attic, breaking Albus out of his thoughts. He was on high alert, trying to figure out who would bother to come find him. There were two sets of footsteps, and Albus had a good idea of who the people would be when Victoire's and Teddy's heads appeared through the trapdoor.

The tension in Albus' spine loosened slightly. As far as worst case scenarios went, this wasn't one. Any number of Albus' other cousins would have been worse, but Albus couldn't say that he was thrilled at the intrusion.

Both Victoire and Teddy managed to look concerned as they glanced around the neglected attic. Victoire's worry, in particular, had a maternal air to it that had Albus rolling his eyes before she could speak.

"Nice hideaway that you've found yourself," Teddy commented. He motioned to the boxes of who knew what that lined a couple of the walls. They looked old enough to have been through quite a bit. "I can see why this is more welcoming than our company."

Albus sighed. Teddy was joking, but it was true that this attic was more welcoming than their family. Albus didn't have the nerve to say as much, knowing it would only make Victoire look more worried.

"It was quiet," was what Albus chose to say. It was the truth and a neutral enough statement. It didn't necessitate Albus revealing how irritating he happened to find their family or how little he wished to be in their presence most days. Everyone wanted quiet sometimes.

Unfortunately, Albus' words were punctuated by a particularly loud moan from the ghoul. Teddy and Victoire's presence had him more riled up than usual. The ghoul wasn't used to guests, let alone three at a time. The moaning didn't stop.

"I can see that," Teddy said with humor in his voice. "It's like being at a funeral it's so quiet in here."

Albus wished he could tell the ghoul that he felt betrayed, but it wasn't like he'd expected a ghoul to keep his promises anyway. He wasn't naive.

"You've been up here awhile," Victoire said.

Albus hadn't glanced at his watch since he sat down, but he didn't think that it had been that long, maybe half an hour at the most. Was that too much time to spend alone? Albus didn't think it was enough.

He shrugged instead of trying to explain himself. "Maybe I have. I've been reading."

Victoire and Teddy each looked at each other, frowning. Albus rarely read, and he certainly didn't read thick history books.

"Scorpius lent it to me," Albus felt the need to explain. "He enjoyed it."

There was something about the softness of Victoire's grin and the twinkle in Teddy's eyes that Albus didn't like, but he chose to ignore it.

"Well," Teddy said, taking a step towards the door, "wouldn't want to disappoint Scorpius by not finishing the book before the end of break."

"Right. I should," Albus agreed.

Teddy accepted the dismissal and began climbing back down the latter, going back to the rest of the family whom he belonged with. Victoire, however, hesitated, wringing her hands as she looked at Albus.

Albus kept his eyes trained on his book, not wanting to look Victoire in the eye, but it was difficult to pretend like he was focusing on what was on the page when he could feel her presence.

"Albus," she said, voice hesitant. Albus glanced up at her and tried not to be affected by the worry in her eyes. "Please do come down later on. We'd all like to spend time with you."

Albus' stomach tightened into knots at the honesty in Victoire's voice. He nodded, wanting to reassure her though he wouldn't have agreed with her assessment of what the others wanted. The fact that only Victoire and Teddy seemed to have noticed that he had disappeared said enough. Everyone would have been fine if Albus showed up back downstairs, but they'd be fine without him too. It didn't matter either way.

XXX

The only time Scorpius felt like Malfoy Manor was remotely hectic was when his mother declared they would have the day to bake together. Astoria loved baking, and she loved doing it the Muggle way, though she did occasionally speed up the process using her magic. She said it was more fun, and after doing it that way his entire childhood, Scorpius had to agree. There was something satisfying about eating something you'd created with your hands instead of your wand.

Every counter of the kitchen was covered in a mess, whether it was a coating of flour or a pile of dirty bowls, no space was left untouched by Scorpius and his mother's baking. Scorpius loved it, and he would love it even more when he was permitted to eat what they had created. They were only halfway through their planned goods. By the time they were done, there'd be enough there to keep Scorpius fully stocked sugar for the Christmas holidays.

He hadn't seen Narcissa all day. She had a habit of disappearing when Astoria announced that it was a baking day. Something about the process put Grandmother Narcissa off. It was probably the messiness of it. Narcissa never cared that she could clean it with a simple wave of her wand.

"Just a pinch," Astoria cautioned Scorpius as he hovered over the bowl of cake batter they were working on. This was Astoria's personal favourite, and Scorpius was determined not to screw it up by adding too much or too little of any of the necessary ingredients.

"That's right," Astoria assured him, reaching for the bowl so that she could take her turn stirring the ingredients together. She'd gotten them halfway mixed together when Draco appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, surprising both his wife and son.

Both bakers froze in their actions as they looked at him. Draco didn't make himself quite as scarce as his mother during Astoria's baking days, but he didn't often appear in the kitchen, never one to partake in the baking himself. He looked out of sorts as his eyes darted around the kitchen, taking in the mess that was antithetical to how he had been raised.

He'd never been able to see the fun in the process, but something inside of him had brought him to the kitchen. Maybe it was not seeing his son for three weeks and knowing there was limited time before he'd be back inside the gates of Hogwarts. Maybe that had given him some sense of urgency over finding ways to spend time with Scorpius that hadn't been there before.

Whatever it was, Draco was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, feeling hesitant but also resolved to participate.

"Would you like some help?" he asked.

Even Astoria, who often understood Draco's actions in a way that Scorpius failed to get, seemed surprised. While Scorpius had looked to her for guidance on how to handle such a strange situation, Astoria blinked several times in surprise before she could figure out what it was she should say.

"Of course."

Once the initial shock had passed, Astoria's face was bright, noticeably happy at this strange turn of events. She hurried forward to clasp onto Draco's forearm as if he would bolt if given the chance and tugged him into the kitchen, leading him to the bowl she had been stirring.

"Just stir this," she instructed, "until it's mixed."

Draco stared down at the bowl, perplexed. "Clockwise or counterclockwise? How many times?" he asked.

Astoria did her best to hide her grin, not wanting to discourage her husband when he had shown interest in something such as this for the first time. Scorpius had to hide his own smile in his sleeve. Thankfully, Draco wasn't looking at him.

"Remember," Astoria said gently, "this isn't magic, though it can sometimes feel like it. Stir it whichever way you like and however many stirs it takes for the ingredients to be mixed together. They should be one substance, not a bunch of different ingredients in a bowl together."

Draco nodded in understanding, face a light pink. He dutifully stirred the bowl, staring down at it as if he would ruin everything if he didn't pay close attention. Astoria watched him fondly for a moment before she took a step back and began gathering the ingredients she needed for their next project: brownies.

Scorpius didn't stop staring at his father until his mother placed an egg in his hand.

XXX

The days before Christmas were dragging on in a way that Albus never could have imagined. While James had complained the year before that the Christmas holidays had passed too quickly, Albus was finding the opposite to be true. He was finding the constant trips to the Burrow exhausting. Putting up with the insults thrown his way daily at school was easier than finding new ways to escape his cousins and aunts and uncles.

One particular day, Albus was in the orchard. For whatever reason, the cousins had decided that today wasn't a good one for Quidditch, and the spot typically rife with Weasleys was deserted, allowing Albus to view it as a safe place to set up camp for the day.

Still, he was a little jumpy, not believing that James wouldn't drag the others out there for a game at some point, so he realized immediately when someone was approaching the orchard. Albus braced himself once more for an onslaught of family, brooms in hand, but instead, he was faced with Teddy Lupin, no broomstick in sight. Once again, Teddy's presence was a bit of a relief, as it wasn't the worst case scenario, but once again, Albus wished Teddy wasn't standing in front of him.

"Reading again?" Teddy asked.

"I haven't finished the book yet," Albus pointed out. He'd only made it a couple of chapters since Teddy and Victoire had found him in the attic a couple of days ago. There was no way he was going to finish before the end of break, even if it was his excuse for getting away from his cousins every day.

Teddy nodded and, to Albus' dismay, settled underneath a tree that was close to the one Albus had claimed. The sign that Teddy was in this conversation for the long haul caused Albus' grip on his book to tighten. He wondered if he could get away with keeping his gaze on the book, discouraging conversation, but he knew it would never work. If Teddy had something to say, he would say it.

"Look," Teddy said. "I know you want me to leave, but Victoire and I were talking, and I started thinking about some things…" Teddy trailed off and sighed, running a hand over his face. He looked indecisive about something, and he'd managed to capture Albus' full attention for the first time. The book lay forgotten on his lap.

Albus' brown knitted together in confusion, waiting for Teddy to explain himself.

With another sigh, Teddy tugged an object out from a pocket in his robes. At first, Albus was confused as to what notes Teddy could have taken that he needed to read in Albus' presence, but as Teddy unfolded the parchment, recognition dawned on Albus.

"What do you have the Marauder's Map out for?" he asked. "We're not at Hogwarts. It's not going to help with anything."

"I'm not getting it out to use it," Teddy explained, which only made Albus more confused than he had been before. "That's the point, isn't it? I'm never at Hogwarts anymore. I don't have a use for the Map."

"Neither do I." Albus somewhat regretted how petulant the words sounded. He was panicking and wanted to do everything in his power to avoid taking the Map. He hadn't realized that he was against the idea of having it until the opportunity had presented itself. Suddenly, the Map felt...scary. "I'd never use it. I can't take it."

Teddy didn't lower his hand. Albus wished he would to humor him if nothing else.

"Al, you're still at Hogwarts. At least you have a better chance of using it than I will. Maybe it just sits in your trunk for the next seven years. So what? It won't be put to better use sitting at my flat."

Teddy's words may have made logical sense, but they did nothing to calm the panic that had settled in the pit of Albus' stomach.

"I don't want it," he repeated, having no idea of what else to say but knowing he didn't want that map.

Teddy had grown visibly frustrated, and he had yet to lower the hand that held the Map. Albus' heart beat faster and faster in his chest as he prepared himself for a fight that he didn't want to have.

"James has the invisibility cloak," Teddy said, taking an angle that Albus hadn't been expecting. "I don't want to give him the Map too. Just take it, Albus."

Albus shook his head firmly, refusing to glance down at the Map.

"Why shouldn't James get the Map? He'd use it. Hell, he'd love that map. Think about how much easier it'd make the sneaking around he already does. He'd do the Marauders proud, he would. It would be what they'd want for the Map. I wouldn't be."

The anger in Teddy's features dissipated. There was silence between them as Teddy watched Albus as if not believing what he'd heard. Albus' book had managed to capture his attention again, but he couldn't have told anyone what it said on the page. The words blurred together as he blinked back tears that he uselessly hoped Teddy couldn't see.

"Albus," Teddy said slowly, "what's the real reason you won't take the Map from me?"

Albus looked up far enough to see that Teddy had finally lowered the Map, but it was still in sight, and Albus glanced away as if it would blind him like the sun.

"I don't deserve it. I just don't. I may be a Potter, but I'm a Potter who's in Slytherin, which is as good as not being a Potter at all. I shouldn't take that map. Could you imagine their faces if they knew I had it? Teddy, I'm named after the guy my grandfather hated the most."

Teddy slumped against the tree he sat in front of. His mind was working on overdrive as he tried to figure out how to explain to Albus what he thought.

"I don't think your grandfather hated Snape the most." Albus shot Teddy a sharp look, causing Teddy to shrug. "I'm serious. There was Voldemort, who, you know, did kill him. And he probably hated Peter Pettigrew quite a lot when he realized they'd been betrayed, even if it was only for a few seconds. I mean, that was really shitty…"

"This is the worst possible attempt at trying to make someone feel better."

But there were grins on both of their faces, despite the darkness of the conversation. Teddy allowed himself to laugh for a moment before he continued speaking again.

"The point is, I don't think you should be worried about what any of the Marauders would think about you having the Map. You're as much a Potter as James or Lily or your dad. Even your grandfather. You deserve this map at least as much as James does. You might deserve it more actually."

Albus could do nothing but stare at Teddy. He wasn't sure what that last bit had meant, about him deserving the Map more than James. Of course he didn't deserve the Map more than his brother who was the epitome of everything a Potter should be. Albus could imagine his James' anger if he learned that Albus had been offered the Map instead of him. He'd see what Albus could see.

When Albus didn't appear like he was going to take the Map, Teddy spoke again.

"Look, Albus, I'm serious. You're getting this map whether you like it or not. Do what you want with it, but you're taking it."

"I'm a Slytherin–"

"Stop saying that as if it's a reason you shouldn't take it. You do remember that I'm a Hufflepuff, don't you? I'm not a Gryffindor if that's what you think the problem is. No one cares. Take the Map."

He punctuated his words by pushing the parchment towards Albus once more. It was becoming abundantly clear that Teddy wasn't going to take no for an answer, and the only way that Albus was getting rid of him was by taking the Map.

So, he reached out and took the parchment. Part of him wanted to rip the Map out of Teddy's hands to emphasize his anger, but he couldn't bring himself to possibly damage it. He had a feeling that, even if he magically repaired it, the guilt would stick with him for far too long.

Teddy stood up as soon as Albus had taken the Map, not wanting to give the younger boy an opportunity to hand it back.

"I know what sorts of things you're thinking, Albus," Teddy said, giving the boy a sad look as he hovered at the edges of the orchard. "But you'll get past it. Trust me. Everyone goes through a time where they feel like they don't fit in anywhere, even in their own family. It passes nine times out of ten. It'll pass for you too, and you'll be thankful that you have that map."

Albus scoffed as Teddy disappeared through the trees in the direction of the Burrow, back off to spend time with the family that he fit in with far more than Albus ever had. "It'll pass." Yeah, right. It wasn't as if Albus had decided on a whim one day that he didn't fit in with his family. The belief was firmly rooted in past experience. It was fact. He'd accepted it. Teddy was an idiot if he thought he understood Albus' situation better than Albus himself.

For the first time, Albus allowed himself to inspect the Map. Despite being a piece of parchment, the Map had held itself together well over the past several decades. Albus realized that it must have been magically protected. He wasn't going to test his theory, but he thought there was a good chance that he couldn't successfully tear it if he tried.

He didn't want this map, yet there it was in his hands. He shoved it into a pocket in his robes, not daring to say the magical words and see Hogwarts form across the page. He never would.