Chapter 11

Time was of the essence...

"Where are we, Mummy?" Hugo asked innocently, clutching tightly to Hermione's hand. He wobbled slightly, nauseous from the side-along apparition.

"We're at Grandpa and Grandma's, Hugo," she said weakly, looking down at her son.

"Is Rosie going to be there?" Hugo asked, while raising his arms up to indicate his desire to be held.

"No, darling. She's gone to Hogwarts, remember?" Hermione reminded him, bending over to pick him up.

"But Rosie came back..." Hugo pointed out astutely.

"Yes, she did. But, she won't come back until Christmas holidays, love. We'll see her soon," Hermione responded, walking out of a secluded corner of the playground, just down the street from her parents' home.

"Can we play on the playground?" Hugo implored his mother.

"Let's go see your grandparents first," Hermione answered as they walked a block or so, turning into one of the houses and through the garden. She rang the doorbell.

"If you're another one of those- oh!" Patricia Joan Granger stopped short in surprise. "Hermione, love! And Hugo! What a handsome young man already! Come in dear, I didn't realize you were coming, or I would have baked cookies-"

"COOKIES?" Hugo asked eagerly.

"Hugo," Hermione admonished. "That is no way to greet your grandmother. What do you say?"

"Hi Grandma," he said shyly, ducking his face into his mother's curls.

"Aww, what a dear. Come in, come in!" Pat ushered them into the house. Hermione set Hugo down, who kicked off his shoes and darted into the living room in search of his grandfather.

"Matthew Allen Granger, get down here this instant! We have visitors," Pat called up the stairs.

"Grandpa!" Hugo said excitedly, running out of living room and skipping up the stairs.

"Heyyy! Hugo the Hero!" Hermione's father greeted grandly, snatching the four year old up in a bear hug. He looked over Hugo's shoulder to Hermione from his crouched position. "Hello darling! I'm glad you two decided to drop by, there's this really cool toy I came across that I thought Hugo would like."

"Toy for Hugo?" he looked at his grandfather excitedly. He glanced at his mother quickly, and then gave his grandfather an earnest look. "Thank you, Grandfather for thinking about me. I'm sure I'll enjoy it," Hugo said seriously, and swiveled to look at Hermione, who was holding back laughter and gave a nod of approval.

"Can we go play with it?" he reverted to his exuberant self.

"Of course, Hugo! Come with me and we'll get it right now." Matt replied cheerfully, beginning to go back up the stairs. "I expect a full report of your life when we get back down, Missy!" he grinned at his daughter, brown eyes sparkling. Hermione mock saluted him. "Yes, sir," she answered.

"Come, Hermione," Pat directed them towards the kitchen. "I know something's up, so let's bake some cookies while you vent."

"You know me too well," Hermione chuckled .

"I'm your mother. I'd always remember..." she trailed off, exposing the tension left behind by Hermione's Obliviate spell. This was the one thing that Alex couldn't fix.

Hermione internally winced, and put her hand on her mother's shoulder. Pat covered Hermione's hand with one of her own, sighing. "It's not that we don't understand why you did it, and we appreciate the thought for our safety. It's just hard to get over the fact that we weren't there for you, and that you did it without consulting us first."

"I know, Mum. And I'm sorry,"

Pat turned around and hugged her. "It's been years, so there's nothing to worry about. All is forgiven."

"Thanks, Mum."

"Now," Pat exclaimed, returning to the task at the hand, pulling out eggs, flour, and other items. "Tell me, what's on your mind."

"Ron died about a week ago," Hermione blurted out bluntly, not sure how to sugar coat it.

Pat dropped the measuring cup she was holding in shock.

"Oh my goodness! How?" Pat gasped.

"He was murdered by a mentally ill man," Hermione said sadly.

"That is despicable, letting mentally ill wizards and witches have a deadly weapon on their person at all times," Pat shook her head in disappointment. "We recently tightened upon gun control here in muggle UK, and there have been barely three police gun fatalities in the last eleven years. They need restrictions on those wands you carry," Pat determinedly pointed at Hermione's pockets.

"He actually had his wand taken away, but he managed to break into the safe in which it was held," Hermione explained, leaving out the fact that Flint had been aiming for her in this insanity.

"Oh love..." Pat shook her bushy curls. "When is the funeral?"

"It was earlier today... I didn't ask you both to come because, as a war hero, he's being buried in a strictly magical place, and I know Dad wouldn't care for him much."

"That's incredibly early for a funeral. And while I understand your reasoning, we would have come if we could. Your father is not heartless, and we would've supported you regardless. Hermione dear, independence is a good thing, don't shun us or make decisions for us before asking us. Please, Hermione, could you tell us first in the future?"

"Yes, I am so sorry, Mum. I've gotten so used to having my magical life separate from my muggle life that I never give it much thought when they should overlap..." Hermione said ashamedly.

"Well, the past is the past," Pat said seriously.

"I have a favor to ask you," Hermione began, cracking a few eggs into a bowl.

"What is it, dear?"

"I... I need to get away. I almost relapsed into my depression earlier today, but thankfully, the usual three snapped me out of it before it went too far."

Pat immediately understood her daughter. Despite the two years she missed from her daughter's life, Pat knew exactly what Hermione needed.

"Thank goodness for Alex, Blaise, and Draco," Pat sighed. "Of course, dear, we'll take care of Hugo. How long do you think you need?"

"Just a couple of days," Hermione said, much less nervous now that her mother understood. "I... I think I will go somewhere out of the country maybe to California for two or so days. Please if any of my friends owl me, let them know I'm safe and taking a break."

"That's settled, then. Will you stay for dinner?" Pat asked, already knowing her daughter would decline.

Hermione fidgeted slightly, and put down the eggs she was beating. "I'm sorry, Mum, but I need out."

"I understand love. Go and give your father and Hugo a proper goodbye, before you leave," her mother ordered.

" I will, "Hermione smiled, washing her hands quickly and lumbering up the stairs. She followed the sound of laughter into her parents' bedroom, where Hugo was excitedly smashing two Hot Wheels Cars together.

Hermione leaned against the doorway of the bedroom, taking in the sight of her father chuckling merrily and Hugo ecstatically squealing. When Matt finally looked up, he was sporting a wide grin.

" And there's my darling daughter! Come in! Come in, my love! The cookies aren't ready yet, are they?" Mat questioned.

" Cookies? " Hugo burst out eagerly. "I love cookies very much," he said seriously.

"I bet you do," Hermione laughed. "No, they're not ready yet. Mummy just wanted to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?"Matt asked, his face dropping into a frown.

"Yes, Hugo, you will be staying with Grandpa Matt and Grandma Pat, just for a few days, okay? "

"Yes Mummy! Look, I got some cars! " Hugo proudly displayed his toys.

"Yes, they're very cool, aren't they? Did you say thank you to Grandpa yet?"

"Yes, I did Mummy,"

"Good boy. Why don't you show Grandma Pat your cars?" Matt suggested.

"Okay!" Hugo cheered, rushing out of the room with the cars clutched in his hands. "Bye Mummy!"

"Bye Hugo, love," Hermione called.

"Now, you just got here. Why are you leaving all of a sudden?" Matt asked seriously, pulling himself up from a kneeling position.

"Ron passed away last week," she sighed.

"And it wasn't fit to give us a call at the minimum?" Matt raised an eyebrow. Hermione immediately thought of Draco, but shook her head to clear such thoughts out of her head.

"I'm sorry, Dad. Mum asked as well... And I've been a bit preoccupied... the funeral was today." Hermione winced, aware of the disappointment radiating from her father.

"Hermione, dear," Matt sat heavily on the bed. "I'm sure you have your reasons, and you forgot with everything on your mind. But we don't like being oblivious of the events in your life. It's been tough, rebuilding the trust between us. But we care, and even though I wasn't a big fan of Mr. Weasley, he's your husband! I would have liked to support you."

"I know, Dad, and you're absolutely right. It's just... I almost relapsed. The three got me out of it, though."
Matt nodded. "I don't care about what you Gryffindorks say..." Hermione chuckled at Malfoy's obvious influence on her father. "Those Slytherins were good, genuine people. Harry and Mr. Weasley were, too, but they didn't understand you as well as those three did."

Hermione smiled grimly. "It's true. So, I'm getting out of here for a few days, and I was hoping you could take care of Hugo."

"Of course, just come back safely. And when you do, I expect major updates!" Matt commanded. Hermione mock saluted him.

"And just a suggestion, but you could always go muggle if the wizarding world's a bit crazy for you," Matt smiled. "Embrace the anonymity."

"I probably will. There's this quaint little muggle town Alex has told me about. I just might check it out."

Matt hugged his daughter. Where had the years gone? It seemed like they had just received her Hogwarts letter yesterday.

"Be safe dearie."

"I will. Bye Dad."

"Goodbye." He smiled at her and walked her out the front door, after a hug from Hugo and Pat. She didn't see the worry lines that creased his face as soon as the door shut.

"California, I'm coming back!" she grinned, excited for the beautiful weather. Although she wasn't really supposed to apparate internationally, Alex, Blaise, and Draco had taught her how to, and she'd be let off easily if she ever got into trouble. With her war heroine status and Kingsley behind her, she would probably slide out of any sticky situations.

"Plus, I'm a lawyer," she rationalized, chuckling a bit. "I can talk my way out of anything."

She pictured the Atlantic Ocean, draining and shrinking until it was about the size of a pond. With a vibrant picture of San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge in mind, she apparated across the Pond, though it took a little longer than normal apparition.

She stumbled and fell, landing on her bum following the loud crack of her magical transportation. She swore, her bum hurting only added to the presence of the heightened apparition nausea.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked her. She looked up, and her breath caught in her throat. Damn, these Californian boys... in a tight biker's outfit too.

"Uhm..." she said intelligently. "I kind of landed on my arse and have a bit of nausea, but I'm okay for the most part."

He helped her up. "I hope there's no wounded pride either," he chuckled.

"Oh it's nothing compared to my biggest blunders," she smiled. As she let her eyes survey the surrounding 'scenery,' she berated herself for allowing herself to be attracted. Her husband had just died, for Merlin's sake!

"Sorry, hon, but I'm from the Castro District," he grinned. She blushed, embarrassed that she was caught ogling.

"Well... whatever guy that catches your eye will be a lucky man indeed," she stumbled a bit over her words, feeling like an awkward sixteen year old again.

"Why thank you, and the same goes for you."

"By any chance... no one else saw my... embarrassing fall, did they?"

"Naw. Your 'fall' went magically unnoticed," he grinned again. "We muggles are fairly familiar with weird occurrences, so just go merrily along your own way, and none will be the wiser."

"Thanks...?"

"Kurt."

"-Kurt. Thanks!"

"Any time chica, and your name?"

"...Patricia," she choked out, using her mother's name as a back up.

"See you around, 'Trish." He mounted his bike and rode away.

She looked around the bridge, cars honking furiously in the early morning traffic. Ahh, she had forgotten. San Francisco was eight hours behind London time. She waved down a taxi, glad that she had kept her United States-affiliated credit cards inside her purse.

"Where to, ma'am?" The driver asked her.

"What's the fastest way to San Jose? I can't drive my own car."

"I could take you to a Bart station, I believe it will take you to Fremont. You'll need to take a taxi of some sort from there." The driver swerved to the right, Hermione grunting as she slammed into the side of the car.

"Have you heard of a little town called Ashbrook?" She looked out of the window, mesmerized by the Golden Gate Park as they passed it.

The driver peered at her suspiciously, eying her in the rear view mirror. "What's a young proper lady like you going to such a queer place?"

"Uhm... I didn't think there was anything wrong with it," Hermione said nervously.

"There's a good number of weird folk in robe like costumes and unconventional... items that they bring with them. Everyone knows that they go to Los Gatos and oddly disappear. We would think that it's gang related, but it is Los Gatos."

"What do you mean by that it's Los Gatos?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Ma'am, they have a Bentley, Aston Martin, and Lamborghini dealership a block down from the public high school. It's a rich town."

"Ah."

"So you're still going to Ashbrook?"

"Yup."

The driver shook his head sadly.

Draco groaned as he leaned back in his chair, surveying the scattered books, scribbled books, half-eaten dinners, and discarded wands strewn across the Medrex Company's library, he yawned, glancing over at Alex and Blaise, who were equally tired and disheveled in their appearance.

"I think it's time to turn in. For Merlin's sake, it's already 7 pm. We've been at this for hours, and you need to pick up Zayden from your mother's, right?" Draco directed at the two parents.

"You're right," Alex responded, beginning to clean her research area and organize the books into several neat piles. "Blaise, I have no patience to deal with your mother, so you're picking Zayden up."

"Fine," Blaise sighed, waving his wand to organize his table and clean up the leftover Thai food. Draco tidied up his own area, and held the door open as the Zabinis filed out of the library and walked towards the company's fireplaces. Blaise went first, calling out the address of his mother's home.

"Staying another night with us?" Alex asked Draco as she grabbed a handful of Floo powder.

"If it's all right with you, I wouldn't mind."

"Not a problem. Zabini Manor!" Alex called out, disappearing in a flurry of green flames. Draco followed after her, meeting her again in the green sitting room.

"Do you play much anymore?" Draco asked Alex as she drew the drapes shut.

"What are you talking about?" she inquired, turning to face him.

Draco motioned to the piano, shrugging. "Well, I mean it seems like a waste to have a nine foot grand piano in your home if you never play."

She grinned, "I do, but not as often as I'd like. Zayden and Ara play as well, it's too bad Ara can't practice at Hogwarts. All of those days she misses..." Alex shook her head.

"Hmm, I think McGonagall ought to have a piano somewhere. You should ask her."

"I'll have to. Remind me to write her tomorrow."

"Will do."

The flames behind them heightened, announcing Zayden and his father's arrival. "Mommy, why didn't you and Dad pick me up earlier? I thought the fune...fune-thingy ended earlier. Tzara was perfectly obnoxious during dinner today. She left before I did, and Aunty Tashy said that you guys left the fune-thingy ended like... four hours beforehand!" Zayden ended with an aghast exclamation.

"Sorry Zay, Mommy and Daddy had to do some work to help Aunty Tori," Alex explained, picking Zayden up to hug him.

"Did it have to be now?" Zayden asked, frowning. "You don't even like Aunty Tori," Zayden pointed out.

"Well..." Alex began, but was interrupted by two owls competing for a spot to bang on the windows. Blaise frowned. "Are those owls?" he asked, pulling back the drapes. Sure enough, two Hogwarts school owls were tapping the windows with their beaks, and Blaise let them in.

"Zay, could you grab the teapot and the hot water kettle?"

"Okay Daddy." Zayden let go of his mother's neck and dropped to the floor, rushing to the kitchen to grab the necessary items.

"Draco, this one's for you," Blaise informed him, handing a messily written envelope. Draco sighed, recognizing Scorpius's handwriting. Honestly, all of that wasted money on penmanship classes! Draco thought it was a lame idea, but Astoria and his mother had insisted claiming that "all respectable gentlemen have appropriate handwriting." Please. The English language was already deteriorating, everyone would be typing things up the muggle way sooner or later. Draco opened the letter curiously.

Dad,

My friends and I decided to research Mum's condition and see what options there were for her. Granger's child, as you call Weasley, helped loads to help Ara and me make a list of treatments. I guess Potter helped a bit, too, but he was grumbling the majority of the time. Hope this helps Mum, and you should stay with Aunty Alex and Uncle Blaise.

Enclosed:

Baruffio's Brain Elixir

Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious Unction

Memory Potion and its variations

Anti-Paralysis Potion

Mandrake Restorative Draught

Perhaps similar effects on comas? (in Rose's messy cursive)

Magi-Me-More Pills

Revive Potion

Scintillation Solution

Wit-Sharpening Potion

Resipisco, created by Professor Norris Brigateer in 1471.

This spell was created in 1471 by Professor Norris Brigateer, in hopes to awaken his father from a coma induced by a concussion. Unfortunately, Brigateer's attempt, although successfully awakening his father from a coma, did not allow his father to fall asleep when necessary. Brigateer's father died shortly thereafter, due to a lack of sleep. Since then, healers have not trifled with the spell again. In 1645, Healer Cuthbert Scobahull attempted to find a counterspell in hopes to restore the sleep necessary for various coma patients, but was unsuccessful. The mechanisms of the Resipisco spell have not been studied, seeing that the spell is fairly useless to the Healing field.

Expergedueram.

In 1292, Henecoc Walbrook experimented with the Latin wording of Expergefactam in awakening his wife from a deep slumber, known in the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. The best incantation resulted in Expergedueram, but it only lasted for brief periods of time. Walbrook's wife would awaken for a few hours, but the potency of the spell wore off quickly. Further research on the spell has not discovered the biological effects of the spell, though some Spell Composition Specialists (SPS), namely Richard Panshawe, speculate that the wording of the spell required too much energy to continue its effects. Panshawe consistently advocated its use for awakening patients in long term comas, but animal trials have proven that the spell requires an excessive amount of energy that the mice used in experimentation did not possess. After these studies, the Expergedueram spell became obsolete.

Love, Scorp

"Did you guys get a list of treatments from Ara?" Draco asked the two, who were both sitting down and reading their much more extensive letter. Zayden entered the sitting room, hauling a tea set with him.

"Yup. I'm guessing you got one from Scorp?" Alex looked up to Draco. He nodded in confirmation.

"You know, you could've accio'ed the tea set," Draco suggested, looking sympathetically at Zayden. Zayden put his hands on his hips after placing the tea set on the coffee table.

"I can't use magic like that yet. Duh!" Zayden exclaimed as if Draco were the dumbest person in the world.

"I know that bud, I was talking to your parents."

"It's dangerous with the porcelain," Blaise explained, still reading the longer letter from his daughter.

Alex seemed to finish the letter first, and whisked Zayden up into her arms. "Bath time!" she announced, to which Zayden promptly began wriggling with excitement.

"Can Uncle Draco wash me?" Zayden asked. Alex paused, looking at Draco.

"Sure, I'll come," Draco said, and Alex handed Zayden over to Draco.

"Thanks," Alex smiled, relieved that she would be out of the splash zone. Blaise tsked.

"You know, love, that when Draco stops bathing Zayden, it's still your turn," Blaise teased. Alex rolled her eyes, ignoring him.

"Type of tea for afterwards, Draco?"

"Earl Grey, and the usual milk and sugar combo," he answered, stepping out the French doors to head up the staircase.

"And mister, don't forget that we'll be practicing your apparition technique after!" Alex called, receiving a groan in response. Alex turned back to Blaise, who was just finishing the list and contemplating the various potions and spells. She flicked her hand towards the kettle, filling it with water and setting a warming charm around it. "So, what do you think?" Alex settled down in his lap, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Blaise inhaled, pausing to collect his thoughts. "Well, first of all, it's impressive that those four even bothered to look it up, and it's a great starting place for us. They helped us skip a pretty significant portion of the research. I think we can reasonably conclude that there are no treatments for Tori, and that we'll have to be creative. We're going to have to create a spell or potion, and it's not going to be easy."

Alex shifted in his lap. "From the list, it seemed like potions were more promising, but creating potions is quite a bit trickier and less efficient," Alex stated. "I think we should start off with spells, because potions just won't fit our timeframe. The cancer could be especially malignant, which is what we're assuming. She'll be lucky to survive to Christmas!"

Blaise rubbed Alex's shoulders, caught up in the thought process as well. "I agree," he stated tiredly. "We can get some of the potions labs working on it, but we'll focus first on spells. It's not going to be a single word incantation."

"I'm worried, Blaise. Can we do it in time?"

"To be frank, it's not likely. But since when have you ever cared about the odds?" Blaise grinned at his wife. She smiled playfully.

"Oh, I cared a bit when I calculated how likely I'd have attractive children when I married you. Your genes barely made the cut," she teased.

"Do not insult the Italian Stallion!" Blaise said indignantly. "Besides, I got to marry you - that's what matters," Blaise leaned in for a kiss.

"OH! My eyes! They burn!" Draco shouted upon entering the sitting room.

"Gross!" Zayden squealed, covering his eyes with his hands. Alex and Blaise broke apart, laughing.

"Why is it gross, Zayden? Don't you want your Daddy and Mommy to love each other?" Alex picked up the six-year old.

"Well..." Zayden thought a little bit. "It's still gross."

"Oh really?" Blaise asked with a smirk, standing up next to his wife. Zayden nodded his head vigorously. Blaise swooped in and captured Zayden's mother's mouth, sandwiching their poor, thoroughly-grossed out son.

"EEWW!" Zayden protested, wriggling as his parents began French kissing. "Uncle Draco! Save me!"

Draco smiled at the struggling child. "Oh, I don't know, Zay. You're pretty stuck. I don't think I can get you out of there without your parents voluntarily separating. Trust me Zayden, they could go on for a long time. Your mother was a swimmer, after all."

"SO WHAT?" Zayden scrunched his face, still wriggling.

"She doesn't need to come up for air. Your father has great stamina, too."

"How long?" Zayden asked tentatively.

"A long time, bud."

His eyes widened comically. "Like, four hours?"

Draco chuckled. "Could be, but somehow I don't think that they'll swap spit for that long."

Blaise flicked his hand at Draco, levitating the blonde out of the room, Draco laughing all the way out. "Couldn't you have waited until Zayden and I were asleep?" Draco called.

Alex flicked her wrist, and the doors slammed shut on Draco, who was openly guffawing.

Eventually, Alex and Blaise broke apart, setting their son free. Zayden demanded that Draco put him to bed, especially disgusted with his parents' affectionate spectacle. After a tentative hug to both his parents, Zayden bade them goodnight, rushing upstairs to avoid any other public displays of affection.

Draco followed Zayden to his room, still slightly shocked at the transformation the room had taken from when Zayden was first born till now. There were no more stars decorating the ceiling, no little blue boxes hurtling through time and space. Although the room kept the deep blue color on its walls, the twinkling night sky had been replaced with Quidditch teams whizzing back and forth. A fair share of muggle toys, those blocks called... lay-goes? Draco pondered. Legos, he corrected himself as he saw the logo on the blue tub. Legos were scattered across the floor in the corner alongside a legion of Roman soldier... minee-figgs.

Draco was about to wave his hand to clean up said Legos when Zayden jumped on his arm with an anguished cry, "no!"

"Zayden, it's a mess. What would your mum say?"

"Not my minifigs!" Zayden declared angrily, stomping his foot down and still clutching Draco's arm. "Mommy understands. It took so long to fix them all up!" Zayden protested. "Please don't mess it up, Uncle Draco."

"All right, bud. I won't touch it, I promise. Now, get into bed. You've finished all of your homework already, I take it?"

"Silly Uncle Draco, I finished it in... well I don't know how long, but it wasn't four hours!"

"Well, that's good. I hope it didn't take too long. You'll have plenty of time to deal with four-hour long assignments at Hogwarts," Draco muttered, but Zayden heard, his mouth hanging agape.

"You have to do that at Hogwarts?" he asked aghast.

"Eventually..." Draco answered truthfully.

"I'm not going to Hogwarts," Zayden declared as he pulled the blankets up to his chin. "Poor Ara."

"She probably doesn't have to deal with that yet. We'll see how you feel in five years, bud."

"I won't change my mind. Goodnight, Uncle Draco."

"Goodnight," Draco replied, kissing Zayden fondly on the top of his head. Draco stood up and exited the room, surprised to find Alex just at the doorway.

"You're a great father, Draco. You should've had another kid," she sighed.

Draco shook his head. "It wasn't in the marriage contract, and Tori didn't want to bother. We both thought that as a couple, it'd be completely irresponsible to screw up another kid."

"Oh Draco, Scorp isn't screwed up at all! Yes, he's snarky. Yes, he's sarcastic, but beyond his sharp tongue and slightly condescending attitude, he's fundamentally a good kid. And that is what matters. He could be the next Steve Jobs or Kingsley Shacklebolt, but if he compromises his principles, he would be a failure as a person. He's not that person. He's the kid who shares his cauldron cakes with Ara. He's the kid who helped teach Zayden how to walk. He's the kid who counts the strawberries on a cake and determines the best way to split them evenly amongst everyone. That's a success in it of itself," she praised, laying a hand on Draco's shoulder.

Draco smiled at her. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me! Congratulate yourself on a job well done thus far!"

Draco followed her down the stairs, where Blaise was sipping some freshly made tea. Alex handed Draco his cup, and he relaxed as the tea soothed him. The Zabinis were his true family, Draco thought, mulling that idea over. He spent more time in the Zabini Manor than the Malfoy Manor; he and Astoria had had a row over it before. When hadn't he and Astoria fought over those things? A thought struck him.

"Why'd you come up to Zayden's room?" Draco asked Alex, who was busily stirring her tea.

"Oh, we heard Zayden stomping about his Legos, so I just came up to check on you. Both of us have been... test subjects for Zayden's accidental magic."

"Ahh," Draco nodded his head in understanding. "So..." his eyes focused on Scorpius's letter, laid out on the coffee table. "What did you think of Scorp and Ara's list?"

"Well, we agreed it was a good starting point, and that we'll focus more on spells," Blaise stated. Draco rose an eyebrow.

"But there seemed to be more success in potions," Draco pointed out.

"Right, but it's time consuming and we don't have any time to spare with Tori," Blaise replied firmly. "Spells are easier to test and develop. We can set the potions division on it once the heart disease product is finished, but we can't wait."

Draco nodded slowly, seeing the importance of time. "All right, any conclusions?" he asked, yawning. It had been a taxing day.

"Actually, I don't know if Scorp mentioned this, but Ara mentioned that Albus had a brilliant epiphany," Alex added.

"I don't recall, but I don't think he said anything about Potter's spawn," Draco frowned.

"Well, basically he hypothesized that the reason why generic attempts at coma-releasing spells failed is because the magic isn't focused well on each of the causes creating the overall coma. Because the spell is trying to help everything at once, something goes wrong, being so spread out," Alex explained. Draco put down his tea and looked into space thoughtfully.

"So, we might need several spells rather than one. And, they would have to be rather specific..." Draco trailed off.

Blaise sighed. "I hope we won't need more than two or three spells - spell combinations are tricky."

The three adults paused, silently mulling over the design of such spells. Once Alex had finished her tea, she pulled Draco up to a standing position. "Come on, apparition practice time."

Draco groaned. "Now?"

"Unless you'd like me to wake you up bright and early tomorrow morning. I thought I'd let you sleep in, but if you insist..."

"You... you manipulating witch!" Draco pointed an accusing finger at her.

"I did marry a true Slytherin," Blaise smirked. "I'm staying here with Zayden tonight, Alex and I decided."

Draco snorted. "Meaning you played an intense game of rock-paper-scissors and Alex lost."

"Chandler wouldn't have..." Alex grumbled.

"And you're not Chandler! Have fun, love!" Blaise smirked cheekily. Alex really wanted to hit him, but decided a sticking charm would be better suited. So, with a flick of her wrist, Blaise was 'permanently' glued to his seat. Alex then contentedly left with Draco, passing through the main hallway towards the main entrance, where the apparition spots were located for more public events.

"Where to?" Alex asked Draco casually.

"ALEXANDRA ZABINI GET YOUR ARSE OVER HERE THIS INSTANT AND UNDO IT!" Blaise shouted loudly from the sitting room. Draco merely raised an eyebrow, as per usual.

"Slytherin, what more can I say?" she shrugged, chuckling.

"What in the BLAZES did you use to prevent the counter-jinx?!" Blaise shouted angrily. "What if I have to pee?"

Draco immediately covered his private parts. "Alex, you were just saying how I'd be an excellent father to more children-"

"You can adopt," she suggested mischievously. "Relax, ugly duckling, I just stuck my gorgeous husband to his seat."

Draco relaxed, holding out his arm. "How about the Manor? I ought to check up on my house elves, and I need to pick up some files for work."

"Perfect. Now, silent and concentrated," Alex pleaded.

"Is it bad that I automatically think of your dad when you say that?" Draco laughed. "He'd say something to the effect of clearing out the whole room in ten seconds," he teased, while Alex made a face. Draco apparated them to Malfoy Manor.

Draco's apparition was much quieter this time, and Alex didn't feel quite as nauseous as before. "Better," Alex praised. "I think you'll get it back to silent in very little time."

Draco smirked, walking through the main foyer and walking up the black marble staircase on the left. Alex casually followed him, presumably towards Draco's study in the Upper East Wing of the Manor. Alex didn't typically visit Draco in this area of the house, so it was slightly unfamiliar.

As they passed through a long, arched hallway, the portraits of various Malfoy ancestors greeted Draco, some more frostily than others. Alex stopped in her tracks at the portrait of Bellatrix Lestrange, shocked that Narcissa and Draco hadn't destroyed it. Draco noticed Alex's pause, and turned to see the cause of her stopping. He sighed as Bellatrix stared defiantly and maniacally at Alex, cackling a little.

"Draco dear, come speak with your Auntie. My, what a pretty little thing. Do clear up any evidence before Astoria comes back," Bellatrix jeered, eyes appraising Alex.

Alex really, really, really wanted to slap the bitc- ahem, witch, but she couldn't do any harm to a portrait, so she simply glared at the maniacal woman. Alex probed the anti-flammable, anti-silencing, and permanent sticking charms with her aura.

Draco made to pull Alex away, but Bellatrix shrieked before he could direct Alex elsewhere. "You! Stop touching my protections! Quit that!" she screeched, slapping away at the edges of the portrait, where Alex's magical aura was probing. "That's not possible!" Bellatrix screamed. "Not even the Dark Lord could-"

Bellatrix's mouth continued to move, but no sound came out. She appeared shocked, realizing this, and made a variety of rude gestures.

"I think, Bellatrix, you'll find that there are at least four people currently residing in this country that are far more powerful than you or your precious Lord could ever dream of being," Alex said calmly. "I think you'll also have to consider a rather different word than impossible, as I've found that anything, really, is possible." Alex nodded to Draco. "You've said it yourself, Bellatrix. Voldemort's heir was capable of so much more than the Dark Lord himself. Oh don't look so surprised. Draco and I are very good friends, not that you've been kept in the loop at all. Anyways, I'm sure your sister and nephew wouldn't mind a portrait burning session soon," Alex nonchalantly continued on, ignoring the bitch's infuriated gesticulations and visually sputtering rage.

They continued down to Draco's office, but upon entering the room, both Alex and Draco halted in shock at the scene before them: Harry Potter having tea with none other than Narcissa Malfoy. Narcissa stood up with a smile, greeting her son and Alex. "We were just about to owl you!" Narcissa said brightly.

Harry did not smile, looking Draco straight in the eye. "Malfoy, though I concede you are a better person, now, than before, I know a prophecy when I see one. And you are the most likely of Hermione's best friends to succumb to the Dark. I am keeping an eye on you, and I will get to the bottom of this."

"Are you threatening me?" Draco asked snidely. Alex and Narcissa both gave him disapproving looks.

"I thought you of all people would understand. Being a Slytherin, you live by the three B's: bribery, blackmail, and bullying," Harry shot back, before stepping into the Floo in a whirl of green flames.

AN: Hello readers! Sorry it's been so long, but I had loads of application essays to write, so I wasn't feeling all that inspired. I'm just about to finish my last application, so we should be getting more updates more quickly. Side note, while you wait for the next chapter, (which will have a bit of a time jump, I warn you), check out a story I co-authored with one of my friends! It's called Tom Riddle's Daughters, you can type in /s/9002995/1/Tom-Riddle-s-Daughters without the space. It's short and (in our opinion) quite funny, so please favorite/review to give us some love! Doctor Who starts up again this Saturday, so watch it! Shout out to people from Laos! And of course, the usual plea for reviews! I adore them!