Chrysocolla Cottage, with its six rooms and its library and warm sitting room, was an altogether peaceful little place somewhere in Norfolk. Its inhabitants took pleasure in the simple things: on weekends, when the adults need not go to work and the children need not spend their days in advance school, Draco could often be found napping in the back garden; his son Scorpius most likely nearby and always with an ice cold glass of water at hand (and if it should grow warm, the young lad willed a frost over the glass to set it cold again); and the four year old twins Castor and Chara were always chasing after butterflies in the vast orchard Draco had cultivated nearly twelve years before. And their mother?

Jane Kingsleigh (for although she was now technically Mrs Draco Malfoy, all the world knew her still as Jane Kingsleigh) spent her weekends with a book in hand, an eye on her family, and a smile on her face.

Today, however, was the first of September, and, as it so happened, was the beginning of Scorpius Malfoy's first year in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Naturally, the normally peaceful home was in a frenzy.

"Scorpius," Jane chuckled in good humour, "you can't bring Haeg to school. He's a pet ferret, not an owl or a toad. Have you not read your letter?"

"But Mum," the boy pleaded, his blue Kingsleigh eyes round under the sunlight, his sharp Malfoy features softened endearingly, "who's going to take care of him when I'm gone? And let him out for walks? Can't you please ask Headmaster McGonagall to reconsider?"

"No, I shall not. Besides, do you really think we'll let the poor thing starve to death?" She winked, "no, and that's final. Now get your trunk and leave Haeg at home, or you shan't be going to Hogwarts at all."

Scorpius groaned and stomped up the stairs.

"And do so cheerfully, young man!" his mother threatened from the kitchen below.

Still, Scorpius dragged his feet audibly across the wooden floor. Jane sighed and shook her head. Scorpius was proving more stubborn by the day.

Ring, ring!

The doorbell rang thrice before Jane pulled open the door to answer it. The gate was wide open, and there on the stone steps leading up to the cottage stood a handsome young man, his curly black hair tucked behind his ears, and his waistcoat snug against his fit middle.

The tall man smirked down at Jane—a smirk reminiscent of the late Sirius Black.

"Hullo, Aunt Jane," he said brightly. "How's the shop this week?"

"Danny Kingsleigh! I forget how tall you've grown," Jane exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "Oh, you know, the weeks leading up to September first are always busy—everyone wants a new wand."

"Good business is never something to complain about, my dear aunt. Right then, I've got the car out front. Are we all set to go?"

"We're running a tad bit late today. Scorpius nearly brought Haeg along for the trip."

"Maybe you should have let him."

"And have Professor McGonagall send me a howler? No, thank you. I'll pass."

Danny threw his head back in laughter.

By this time, the twins had begun to wonder why their mother had been so long at the door, and had been lingering in the shadows for quite some time. At the sound of Danny's laughter, however, the two shot out of the front door and onto Danny in a quick second, sending the poor man tumbling down to the ground.

Jane shook her head at the lot of them, sprawled out on the stone steps. Fortunately for Danny, the moss had grown quite thickly over them, cushioning his fall.

"Why, hullo, you two!" Danny laughed, his dark curls ruffled by the last summer wind. All three of them smiled at each other with twinkling blue eyes—Kingsleigh eyes—as the sun shone down on their dark black heads.

Scorpius, having heard that his favourite cousin had arrived, came pattering down the stairs at lightning speed.

"Danny!" he said, throwing himself onto the ground with his siblings. "I'm going to Hogwarts today!"

"That you are, Scorp!" Danny said, patting the boy's blonde mop of hair.

"Not if we don't leave soon," Jane said from the doorway. "Where's your trunk, Scorp?"

"Dad's got it."

Sure enough, Draco was calmly making his way down the stairs, his hands clasped behind his back, and his wand pointing at Scorpius' floating trunk behind him.

"Come on then," Danny said, helping the children up, "or Scorp will miss his train. Got your ticket?"

"Yeap!" Scorpius said, tapping his finger over his breast pocket.

"Alright then! Young wizards, and witch, step right up to see the most wonderful Muggle invention not counting the camera, the train, and the printing press—"

"Danny," Jane said, frowning at her watch.

"—Almost done, honest—as I was saying, I present to you, with a few probably illegal magical modifications, the automobile!"

"Also called the SUV," Jane added as Draco stowed Scorpius' trunk, and the children took a moment to ooh and ahh at the car. Then, the whole bunch filled into the unnaturally spacious car and left Norfolk for Kings' Cross Station.

"D'you think I'll bump into Uncle Neville often, Dad?" Scorpius bounced in the back seat.

"If you get yourself in enough trouble," Draco winked.

"Scorpius, don't listen to your father," Jane said blandly.

Danny laughed.

"Surely there are better ways," he said, "like doing badly in Herbology."

Jane glared at Danny through the rearview mirror.

"Just kidding," Danny winked. "But seriously, keep away from his Mandrakes. Far, far away."

It was Jane's turn to laugh.

It had been nineteen years since Voldemort had nearly reduced Hogwarts to ashes, and now? Now, with the windows down and the kids chattering next to her, and with Danny grown, and with Draco married to her, and with herself nearly two decades older, history was far far away in books and in memories. Now, all was well. As it should be.