"Legerdemain"
"Chapter Twenty: The One with Alby"
Lily moved into one of the five guest bedrooms in Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire that night after visiting Albus at St. Mungo's. She didn't even have the heart to tell her parents as she knew her dad would be upset that the last of his kids had officially left home for good. Even though she had no long-term plans to stay at Malfoy Manor, she knew she would have to find a home of her own to raise the twins. She knew she needed to attempt to raise her babies on her own and only ask for help when needed and not heavily rely on her parents. She knew they would be there when she needed them and she loved them for that, but she really wanted to be the great mother that her mother was to her.
Lily and Scorpius packed up her room and moved out within two hours, before her parents had even arrived home for the night. Honestly, she didn't even think they'd miss her too much. They were consumed with Albus and she wanted to keep it that way. Her brother needed all of the love and support he could get right now. Seeing him look so defeated and scared in his hospital bed only made Lily's heart ache. She didn't want her problems with Rayko to distract her parents from what was really important: helping Albus come home a free man.
She only unpacked the essentials she needed for the night before her and Scorpius lounged in the parlor and listened to a repeat of Hidden Passions. Lily laid her legs across Scorpius' lap, crossing them at the ankles. She dug through Albus' sweet stash and found a few gumballs and popped one in her mouth.
It wasn't long before the fireplace roared to life and Draco Malfoy stepped out looking equal parts relieved and upset at the same time. Lily didn't know Draco all that well as he never came over for holidays or parties. The few times she had met him it had been while she had been visiting Scorpius and Albus. He never did stay long when anyone was around.
"Dad!" Scorpius exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"Hi, Scorpius' dad," Lily greeted with a wave before she blew a bubble with her gum.
Draco scowled as the bubble popped. "It's Mr. Malfoy, Miss Potter. I see the Weasley genes are strong in you."
Scorpius frowned. "Don't make her call you that. She's family!"
Draco said through gritted teeth, "Fine. Draco will suffice."
Lily grinned but the frown on Draco's face only deepened. He looked back and forth between them, obviously not pleased. In fact, he looked like he had swallowed a lemon and had dung under his nose.
"I've been looking for you, Scorpius," Draco said, folding his hands in front of himself. "I didn't expect to find you here."
"It is my house," Scorpius said carefully. "Lily agreed to stay with me so it doesn't feel so lonely."
Draco arched an eyebrow. "Did she now?"
"Just until we can prove Albus is innocent," Lily replied. "He'll kick me out as soon as he's home."
"I see," Draco said slowly. "Scorpius, I think you should come home."
Scorpius frowned. "I am home. You gave me your grandparents' manor. Albus and I have made this our home."
Draco sucked in a breath. "You should be with family right now."
"I told you, Lily is family," Scorpius replied, his brows low on his face. "She's my sister. My best friend. We need each other right now."
"I'm very certain that Miss Potter has an abundant amount of family members who would love to take care of her," Draco replied. "We only have each other."
"Lily," Scorpius said.
"What?" she asked as she swung her legs off Scorpius' lap.
Scorpius stood up, crossing his arms over his chest. "No, I mean, her name is Lily, Dad. Don't call her Miss Potter."
Draco suppressed a groan in the back of his throat. "Let's talk in private, shall we?"
"We can talk right here," Scorpius replied, standing his ground. "Look, Dad, I love you. I appreciate you being there for me now and my entire life. You are truly a great father. Except sometimes I feel like you have a pillow over my head. You hover and you need to know every single one of my thoughts and feelings. I just… I need to breathe. I need to get away. I love you, Dad, please don't think otherwise, but I just need to be me for a little bit. I don't want to tell you I'm fine a thousand times a day. I'm managing as best as I can with everything going on with Albus right now. I just want to sleep in my own bed and wear Albus' clothes and eat an insane amount of Maltesers and not be judged because it makes me happy."
"You can do that at my house," Draco insisted. "I promise, I'll stop asking how you are doing and you can wear Albus' baggy clothes and I won't say a word. I will buy you as many Maltesers as you want. I won't even complain when you turn on that ridiculous soap opera."
"I appreciate that, Dad, I truly do. I just think this is where I need to be right now."
"I will buy an elf to take care of this house while you're gone," Draco continued. "It will be just how you left it when Albus comes home."
"You know how Albus feels about house-elves," Scorpius replied.
Draco huffed. "Yes, he's exceedingly like his father, isn't he? His head has been filled with mistruths about elves for years. I treat my elves with respect unlike some purebloods. Back when I was young, you didn't even have to pay an elf for their services. They have all sorts of laws now to protect the little creatures. I'll even pay one of those entitled and overpriced elves for the house if you like. That should please Albus."
"Dad, please, just let me do this," Scorpius said in a soft tone.
"I'll take good care of him, Draco," Lily spoke up as she rose from the sofa to stand next to Scorpius, their arms linking. "Stop by anytime you like. We can have nightly dinners and weekend wireless nights."
Draco grimaced, causing Lily to frown. She knew that Draco Malfoy was as much of a broomstick parent as Harry Potter. The two would probably get along if they just sat down and put behind their childhood grudge. She didn't exactly understand why Draco had to hold said grudge against her and her brothers. Her dad was nothing but nice to Scorpius and had already made him an honorary son. Draco Malfoy was not like her father in that regard.
"I am only a mirror call away, do you understand me?" Draco said instead. "I will have it on me at all times. I'll even increase the vibrations at night so I know it will wake me."
"I know, Dad, I really appreciate it, I do. I'm all right."
Draco nodded, a frown etched deep into his forehead. "Call me later?"
Scorpius rolled his eyes, his lips curving as he took a step forward to pull his dad into a hug. It was brief unlike the hugs her own dad gave, but it must have been enough for Scorpius because he smiled up at his dad. Draco made his way back towards the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of powder.
"Good night, Miss Potter," he said as he nodded in her direction.
"Night, Scorpius' dad!" she called with a big smile.
Scorpius stepped back and wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders as Draco disappeared into the flames. "Well, that wasn't as bad as I anticipated it to be."
"Hmm, it's often not as bad as you anticipate it to be. I mean I remember being petrified my dad was going to absolutely murder me when I got caught sneaking out of Hogwarts in sixth year to see Finn Harris' band and then snog him afterwards."
Scorpius wrinkled his nose. "Finn Harris? The same Finn Harris who punched Albus in the courtyard? That pillock we had to share a dorm with who hated our guts?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Albus was a dick to him. They both gave as much as they took. Besides, he was hot and in a band."
"You absolute slag," Scorpius said, bumping his hip against hers.
Lily glanced up at him, a smile tugging on her lips. "Takes one to know one."
"I've only ever been with your brother," Scorpius said. "We're as boring as boring can be. I never even kissed anyone until I kissed Albus. I saw the stars and felt very light-headed and I knew he was it."
"Um, yeah, boring isn't a word I would use to describe you two," Lily said with a smirk. "James told me all about the time he walked in on you two in the kitchen before."
Scorpius winced.
"And in Albus' bedroom," she continued. "And that time in Grandpa's Muggle shed. For shame, Scorp!"
"James has a bad habit of walking in on people… enjoying themselves."
Lily wrinkled her nose. "He does. I think he's seen or heard every single family member by this point."
"Oh yeah? Has he walked in on you yet?"
"Please," Lily said. "I'm much too refined to let that happen."
Scorpius snorted. "Yet."
"Besides, one has to be seeing someone to be walked in on." She held up her hand when Scorpius made to speak. "No, I still don't want to talk about it."
Scorpius plopped down onto the sofa and lounged back. He opened up his arm and Lily immediately cuddled into his side. With a tap of his wand, Hidden Passions became louder and the hologram appeared in the middle of the room displaying the newest episode. Lily sucked in a breath when Hollis Sterling appeared but she only grabbed Scorpius' wrist to stop him from turning it off. She'd be fine. More than fine. She could handle it.
The evening with Scorpius was great. They had always gotten along famously and she knew moving in with him was the right decision for the both of them. She also knew that Scorpius worked shifts and had a hectic work schedule. It had been a complaint she had heard from Albus who worked more consistent hours, unless he was engrossed in a big project at work. She knew she would be alone a lot and the manor was just too big for her to rattle around in. It was why the next morning on her way home from visiting with Roxanne, Lily wandered into a Muggle pet shop in a pair of leggings and a baggy t-shirt that belonged to Albus. Her hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head, her face free of makeup, her sparkly nail polish chipped. She wasn't even wearing heels so she probably looked like she was twelve but she didn't even care for the first time in her life.
"Can I help you?" the shopkeeper asked.
"I want a cat," Lily explained.
"Have you lost your mum and dad?" she asked in a gentle voice.
"I'm nineteen," Lily said flatly. "I have a credit card and everything and I want a cat."
"Miss…"
Lily growled in a very Albus-like way as she opened up her handbag and dug around for her pocketbook. She pulled it out, snapping it open and pulling out her Muggle identification card that her dad helped her get. She held it up to her face.
"Lily Luna Potter. November third, two-thousand and seven. See, nineteen bloody years old," Lily snapped. "My boyfriend is an arse and we broke up. My best friend and brother is in jail. I'm lonely and I just want a fucking cat. Is that too much to ask for?"
The woman looked apprehensive before she gestured for her to come around and look at the cats. Lily wasn't sure why she was looking at cats exactly. Malfoy Manor was large and lonely and far too quiet for her tastes. She was used to a loud house with so many people. Scorpius worked odd hours and she found herself alone for long stretches of time at night. A cat seemed like the perfect companion, one that would curl up with her in bed and rub his head against her belly.
She wanted a soft cat to snuggle. Maybe an orange tabby or one of those sleek black ones. Her eyes roamed from cat to kitten, not really liking any of them until she saw him. Eyes as green as a fresh pickled toad staring out of a kitten with the grumpiest little face she had ever seen. His ears pointed and his eyes narrowed in such a way that she almost laughed.
"That one. The grumpy one."
The woman shook her head. "You don't want that one, dear. Trust me. He's a miserable coot. He's only a few weeks old but you'd think he was an eighty-year-old man in terms of grumpiness and picky food choices. He'll only drink milk from a purple dish, can you imagine? Why don't you look at this black one instead? She loves to snuggle."
But Lily shook her head, tears in her eyes. "No, I want the grumpy one. He's perfect."
The shopkeeper opened the cage and hauled the little kitten out. He meowed and clawed frantically at the bars as though trying to stay inside. She handed the kitten to Lily. Lily held the kitten up to her face so she could get a good look at him. He hissed at her, his paw trying to bat at her hair.
"See," the shopkeeper said. "He's a testy little thing."
"Oh no, he's perfect. Absolutely perfect. I'll take him!" Lily said with a big smile, the first one she could manage since breaking up with Rayko. "I want a sparkly purple collar with a little bell on it."
The kitten looked at her grumpily, a low meow escaping his lips.
"Are you sure, dear?"
"Positive. I'm going to name him Alby, after my brother. He's a miserable old coot too."
Lily plopped the kitten into her shirt, his little grumpy face peeking up and his chin resting against the collar. She wrapped her hand around his body to keep him still as she walked around the shop pointing out all the things she wanted to buy him. Three large bags later and with a quick flick of her wand out of sight to make the bags weightless, she exited the pet shop with her new cat. Alby meowed as the warm air hit his face and turned to look at her. If Lily didn't know any better, she would have said the cat glared at her in obvious dismay from being taken from his cage.
Harry was exhausted. He and Ginny had stayed with Albus the previous night, refusing to leave his bedside until they were certain he was all right. The next day had been filled with work and collecting evidence against Reed. He had come home late that night and collapsed onto bed next to Ginny without even having dinner. She had brushed his hair off his forehead as he fell asleep in record time. The next morning, he had stopped by to visit Albus again before heading into work where he, Ron, Demelza, and Sutton organized their evidence against Reed.
Harry lazily unlocked the front door at nearly nine at night. He was half tempted to skip dinner again in favor of his bed but knew he had to eat something. He had barely eaten since the riot as his mind had been consumed with more important things.
He shrugged off his Auror robes and draped them over the railing before making his way towards the parlor. Ginny lounged on the sofa with a tin of biscuits in her lap. The side of her head rested against the back of the sofa and her eyes were closed. He crossed the room towards her. Without a word, he lifted her legs off the sofa and plopped down next to her, resting her legs in his lap. She quirked open an eye as he reached for a biscuit.
"You look exhausted, Harry," she observed.
"That's because I am," he replied as he took a bite of the biscuit and nearly moaned at finally eating something. "I worked late since I stopped by to see Albus this morning. Teddy was there."
"I stopped by after work," Ginny told him. "Teddy was there when I got there too. Merlin, it will be a miracle if one of us doesn't get fired from our jobs since I feel like none of us actually go to work anymore. I heard from James that Lily has taken a leave of absence from work as well."
Harry hummed. "Well, after the whole Albus situation is taken care of, I'll gladly be fired."
Ginny snorted. "You would be so bored out of your mind. There's no way you would be content to do nothing all day."
"Who says I'd do nothing?" Harry asked as he snagged another biscuit. "I'll open up a nursery for our grandchildren and just hang out with them all day while our children work."
Ginny laughed. "Grandpa Harry's Grandchild Nursery. It has a nice ring to it."
"I thought so," Harry replied, his lips quirking up.
"You'd go bonkers minding children all day, especially with their ages."
Harry shrugged. "I deal with grown adults who act like children all day long. I think I can manage."
Ginny laughed again as she grabbed a biscuit from the tin. Harry finished off his second biscuit before he grabbed a third. He kicked his feet up on the coffee table and settled into the sofa.
"How's Lily?" he asked.
"I don't know. She hasn't come down from her room yet," Ginny said.
Harry sighed. "I should go check on her."
"You should give her some space," Ginny replied. "I swear to Merlin, Harry, you coddle her to the point of suffocation sometimes. If she needs us, she will come to us. If she's hiding up in her room, she wants to be left alone."
"I just want to make sure she's eaten something and she's not just up there alone and crying," Harry said, his head lolling against the back of the sofa. "I hate the thought of her hurting, of any of our kids hurting."
"Getting hurt is part of life," Ginny replied. "She knows we love her and we're here for her. Sometimes, just sometimes, people need personal space to work out their thoughts and feelings."
"She's emotional, Gin," Harry whispered.
"I know," Ginny replied. "That doesn't mean she can't take care of herself though. I remember just needing my space sometimes and my brothers and Mum would just coddle me. I swear my dad was the only one who understood that sometimes I just wanted to be left alone."
Harry rubbed Ginny's calf, thinking about her words. It made sense. He didn't like to be coddled either when he was younger, not that it happened very often. He could remember Molly trying to coddle him from the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore coddling him from the truth of the prophecy for so long, and even Hermione's failed attempts at coddling. It all made perfect sense. He understood that, but he didn't really care. Lily was his youngest, the baby of the family, the only girl… coddling be damned.
"I'll just pop in quick," Harry concluded as he gently lifted Ginny's legs off him.
Ginny only rolled her eyes as Harry made his way out of the parlor and up to Lily's bedroom. The door was closed and he didn't see a light on underneath the door. He frowned as he knocked gently. He waited but she didn't reply. Frowning, he knocked again and called her name. He grew impatient the more he waited until he couldn't take it any longer. He twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.
Lily wasn't there.
In fact, Harry noticed a lot of her things were missing. The pictures of their family were missing from her bedside table. Her books were gone from her bookshelf. Her clothes were gone from her wardrobe. His heart hammered in his chest as he went over to her vanity to see she had packed up her make-up kit and her jewelry armoire was gone.
"GINNY!" Harry hollered as he stumbled from her bedroom. "Ginny! Lily's gone! Her things are gone!"
He took the stairs two at a time to get to his Auror robes where his mirror had been stashed for the day. He carried it on him at all times recently in case one of the kids needed something. Ginny rounded the corner into the entryway just as he reached his robes.
"What do you mean her things are gone?" Ginny demanded.
"Lily Potter!" Harry shouted into the mirror, his grip tight on the handle of the mirror and his entire body trembling with fear.
His image swirled and Lily's face appeared. She smiled at her dad and Harry could see Scorpius sitting next to her with a little kitten sitting on his shoulder.
"Hi, Dad!"
"Where are you?" he demanded even though he knew the answer by seeing who she was with.
"Uh, at Scorpius'?" she replied as she gestured towards him. "Where are you?"
Harry frowned. "Your things are gone."
The smile on Lily's face fell. "Uh, yeah, I, um, I thought I'd move in with Scorpius for a bit. We were both lonely with, you know, and… and you guys have been so busy. I thought it'd be easier."
Harry shoved the mirror into Ginny's hands and he marched into the parlor. He readied the fireplace before grabbing more than enough Floo Powder and disappearing in the flames. He stumbled out of the fireplace to see Lily and Scorpius sitting on the sofa together.
"You moved out?" Harry asked, his eyes darting between them. "You didn't tell me."
Lily sat the mirror down in her lap. "You've been so anxious and busy lately, I just thought it'd be better if you didn't have to worry about me too."
The fireplace sounded behind him and he knew that Ginny had arrived. She stepped up next to him and placed a hand on his forearm.
"You think moving out is going to make me worry less?" Harry asked, his throat tight. "I mean, Teddy moved out and he had a psycho killer after him. James moved out and he was nearly drained by a vampire. Albus moved out and nearly drowned at the hands of a mermaid. Bad things happen every time you lot decide to move out."
"Well, I'm already pregnant and alone?" Lily said with a shrug. "What else could happen?"
"Lily!" Harry hissed.
"Harry, all of that was coincidental," Ginny said gently. "Besides, it didn't happen as soon as they moved out. It took a few months."
Harry whipped his head to look at Ginny, his eyes wide. "That doesn't ease my mind, Gin!"
"What? So I'm never allowed to move out in case something bad happens?" Lily asked. "Those were all near misses. It's like a Potter family tradition to be kidnapped or nearly murdered or something. It was bound to happen to me sooner or later anyway."
Harry turned towards his daughter. "Merlin, Lily! You're pregnant and you won't even tell us why you broke up with Rayko Krum. Did he hurt you?"
"What? No, Dad, Ko didn't lay a finger on me, so can you just relax?"
"Why did you break up?" Harry demanded. "Enough is enough, Lily. If you're not going to live at home any longer, then I need to know what happened so I know how to protect you."
"I don't need protecting, Dad, Merlin!" Lily replied, exasperated. "This is why I moved out, all right? You and Teddy and James are literally unbearable! I feel like I am suffocating with all the questions and the pity looks. I just want to feel normal and deal with this breakup on my own. I learned some stuff about Ko that I didn't like. Okay? Does that satisfy your curiosity?"
"Yes, it does," Ginny said as she wrapped an arm around Harry's back. "Come on, Harry, let's go home, all right?"
The last thing Harry wanted was to leave. It did not satisfy his curiosity nor was he satisfied with the reason. He didn't fight Ginny though when she tugged him towards the fireplace and they stepped into the flames together.
When they arrived home, Harry sighed and carded a hand through his unruly hair. "Am I a bad father?"
Ginny stepped in front of him and cupped her hands on either side of his cheek. "No, you are not a bad father."
"I just…" Harry trailed off and looked down at the floor. "I didn't mean to suffocate her."
"You're a worrywart, Harry. A classic broomstick parent," Ginny replied. "You just need to learn to let go of the broom and let them fly on their own. We just have to trust that we raised them with enough sense."
"Look what happened to Albus," Harry said in a miserable tone. "I can't stand anything else happening to any of the other kids."
"You can't spend her entire life worrying, Harry," Ginny insisted. "Merlin, you'll have a heart attack by fifty if you keep this up. The stress isn't good for you."
"I don't know how not to worry about them," Harry admitted.
"I know. It's so hard. I struggle myself too sometimes, but they will be all right. We are going to help Albus and we'll be there for Lily. It will work out."
Harry grabbed his wrists and looked up. "You sound so sure."
"We're taking turns having breakdowns, remember?" Ginny said as her thumbs brushed across his cheeks. "You are borderline midlife crisis right now."
Harry let out a struggled chuckle. "Midlife crisis?"
"The last of our kids moved out, Harry. If that doesn't trigger you to have a midlife crisis, then nothing will."
Harry connected his forehead with hers. He sucked in a breath, her honeysuckle scent calming him.
"It's for the best," Ginny whispered. "She needs to grow up a little bit before the baby comes. She's still so young and naïve. Being out on her own will help her mature a bit before motherhood hits her square in the face."
Harry nodded. Ginny was right, of course. She was always right. He needed to let go and trust that his kids would come to him if they needed help. Lily normally had no trouble running to him with a problem. Maybe if he gave her a little space, she would confide in him what happened. Learning to be patient and not worry so much might do his mental health some wonders. He just needed to learn to breathe.
Teddy walked into work exhausted. Between Albus, Lily, and his parents, Teddy felt like he was slowly but surely wearing himself thin. Carding a hand through his hair, he made his way towards his office to drop off his bag before he planned to grab a cup of coffee and attend his morning group session. He glanced down at his watch. He had a good forty minutes to settle in before his first session which was less time than he normally gave himself.
He rounded the corner and froze, his gaze locked on Rayko Krum entering the private office of Ava Goldstein. His heart pounded in his chest. Either Rayko was messing with their family or he had been a patient at the facility before. Without thinking, his legs led him towards the back of the building where the patient records were kept. He pressed his wand to the handle and heard the lock click. He pushed it open, light flooding him as soon as he stepped inside.
Walking down the aisles, he made his way towards the filing cabinet labeled K. He opened the draw and thumbed through the files looking for Krum. If Lily wasn't going to tell anyone what happened, then he would find out himself. He couldn't protect his kid sister if he didn't know everything.
"Teddy," a familiar voice said.
Teddy whipped around to see Hugh standing behind him, his hands stuffed into his robe pockets. There was a frown etched deep into his forehead. Teddy straightened up.
"What's wrong?" Teddy asked, his hand gripping the drawer.
"I took the file."
"You what?" Teddy asked, his gaze snapped to the drawer before he started frantically shuffling through it. "Why would you do that?"
"Because you and I are both too close to Rayko Krum's case," Hugh replied. "I have taken the file and placed it with Ava for safe keeping. She was his primary Healer last time he was here and this time. I've asked that neither one of us are allowed to view his file and have made sure you will not be in charge of any group sessions with him."
"Why would you do that? How can you not look and see what he was addicted to? To see what he said in his sessions?" Teddy challenged. "Lily is hurting. She's pregnant and hurting because of him."
"You're not thinking like a Healer, Teddy," Hugh said with a sigh. "You are thinking like a big brother."
"What's wrong with that?" Teddy snapped.
"What's wrong with that, Teddy, is that you are an Addict Recovery Healer and not a big brother while you are at work," Hugh explained. "There is a level of professionalism that I expect from you while you are at work."
"You always say you love us like we're your own grandkids but you certainly aren't acting like it," Teddy snapped.
"Ted, I know you're upset-"
"Don't call me Ted," Teddy hissed.
Hugh sighed. "Teddy, there is a line between wanting to protect your sister and violating the oath you took as a Healer. I'm not going to let you throw your career away. You care so much and have helped so many. Just walk away from this. Please, Ted, don't take this any further."
"You're not my grandfather, so stop pretending like you are," Teddy said very slowly.
Hugh took a step back. "Not by blood no, but I think being a part of your life for the past thirteen years affords me more respect than you are showing me. I care for you. I care for your grandmother. I care for Lily, Albus, and James. You are my family despite us sharing no blood. If you truly believe that blood is the deciding factor between what makes a family then you wouldn't be trying to throw your career out the window to help your godfather's daughter."
Teddy felt like he had been punched in the gut, all of the air leaving his lungs in one fell swoop. He stared at Hugh, a lump clogging in his throat. Lily wasn't just his godfather's daughter. She was his sister, his baby sister, his only sister. He would die for her, protect her until his last dying breath. He blinked at Hugh, coming back to himself.
Hugh had been there since he was sixteen years old. He had never missed a birthday or holiday with them in thirteen years. It was even hard to remember a time when Hugh hadn't been there. It seemed odd to even think of his childhood without Hugh by his grandmother's side.
"I'm sorry," Teddy whispered, tears springing to his eyes. "You're right. I didn't… I'm sorry, Hugh."
Hugh only shook his head as he stepped forward. "It's all right, Ted, I understand."
Strong arms wrapped around Teddy's shoulders. Teddy returned the embrace, his face burying into Hugh's shoulder.
"Don't think for a second I wasn't tempted to open that file," Hugh whispered. "Lily is my granddaughter as much as she's your sister. I love her and want to protect her. I knew for the sake of both of our credibility and careers, I needed to eliminate that temptation for the both of us."
"Thank you," Teddy murmured as Hugh patted him on the back.
"Let's forget this ever happened, all right?" Hugh said as he pulled out of the embrace. "We're family, Ted. I will always look out for you and your siblings."
"I know that," Teddy whispered. "I didn't mean what I said."
"We will not dwell on this," Hugh replied, his hands gripping Teddy's arms. "It has been a very stressful couple of months for everyone. You have endured so much with what happened with Remus. I never had any biological children of my own, but I have grown to care very deeply for Harry and Ginny as though they were my own. I know your grandmother feels the same. My heart has felt like it has been ripped out of my chest multiple times when it comes to the two of them. Their struggles are my struggles. You kids? Merlin, Ted, the four of you are my world."
"I'm the big brother," Teddy confessed. "All three of them look up to me, they expect me to fix things. I don't know how to help any of them right now. I can't fix Albus' legal troubles, I can't fix Lily's broken heart, I can't fix James' anxieties."
"None of them expect you to fix any of those things, Ted!" Hugh exclaimed. "They expect you to do what you are doing for them. They expect you to check in on them, to be there to listen, to make schedules so they're not alone. They don't need nor expect you to fix their issues. They expect you to be there to lean on in their time of need. That is what a big brother does. He is there for them. Ted, you have gone above and beyond for them just like they went above and beyond for you when Remus was going through his health issues. You all love each other so much and you lean on one another. It's a very beautiful thing. Harry and Ginny raised you all so well, and I know for a fact that they are very proud of you all."
Teddy nodded, his shoulders sagging as a weight lifted off his shoulders. He had felt like he hadn't done enough for his family. It was nice to hear that he had been wrong, that he was there for them in all the ways they needed him to be.
"I think I needed to hear that," Teddy admitted. "I've been so worried about them all. I've been worried I haven't been there enough for any of them. I've been worried about Mum and Dad too, worried that… that they were close to breaking and making mistakes."
Hugh forced a smile on his face. "Don't worry about your mum and dad. You let your grandmother and I worry about them. Your parents will worry about all of you. You just worry about Remus and Dora. How about that?"
"Did something happen?" Teddy asked, his heart hammering in his chest. "Did, did Dad relapse?"
"He is fine," Hugh said. "Your mother is fine. Your grandmother and I have been watching out for them. Trust me."
"Hugh… please, just tell me what happened."
"Nothing," Hugh replied with a smile. "Your grandmother and I made sure of it. Don't worry, Ted, all right? We are all looking out for each other. Why don't you go back to work? You have a group session soon. If you aren't feeling up to it, I will cover for you."
"I'm fine. I can handle it," Teddy replied. "Thank you. For everything."
Hugh gave Teddy one final squeeze before Teddy left the records room. He tried his hardest not to look down at Ava's office and marched towards where his group session was to take place. He sat down in his chair and tried not to think about Rayko Krum. In fact, he made the vow to avoid Krum if he could manage it.
He nearly succeeded. He had gone out of his way not to run into Rayko. Except Teddy couldn't deny that every time he saw him, something just seemed off. He didn't seem like a wizard going through his first week of a withdrawal. He ate his lunch without issues, he chatted with other patients, there were no withdrawal tremors. In fact, he seemed completely at ease and it was almost as though he were on a little mini holiday away from the outside world.
Teddy knew he shouldn't talk to him, not after he had gone the entire day without saying one word to him. Except he couldn't take it anymore. He walked up to Rayko who sat at a table in the recreational room writing in some kind of journal. Teddy took a seat across from him, folding his hands onto the table in front of him.
"Hello, Teddy," Rayko greeted.
"Rayko," Teddy said. "What are you doing here?"
Rayko licked his lips as he slowly closed the leather-bound book. "I'm here for alcohol addiction."
"Oh really? When's the last time you had a drop of alcohol?"
Rayko shrugged. "A few days before I came here? I'm not exactly sure."
"You know, I've seen a lot of people come through here," Teddy started. "I've seen people addicted to alcohol, potions, Muggle drugs, a wide gambit of things. I watch them suffer and fight in the first week. I've watched as they've trembled from withdrawal. I've watched them regret coming here. I've watched them cry in the corner of their room thinking that they're dying. I help guide them back to a life they want, help them overcome their addictions. You come in here like you're on a little mini holiday and getting away from your life. You're not addicted to alcohol. You're not showing a single sign of withdrawal. In fact, you're acting like you're just going through the motions. I've watched you this entire day. You're using a bed that could be for someone who actually needs it. So I'll ask you one more time, what are you doing here?"
Rayko leaned back in his chair. "I need to show Lily that I'm willing to do anything for her."
Teddy let out a small chuckle. "You need to do a lot of things when it comes to Lily and staying away from her should be number one on your list."
"She's pregnant with my child and I love her," Rayko admitted. "I'm not going to just walk away and let her do this alone. I can't lose her. I can't lose them."
"Then maybe you should figure out how to fix your real problems and not imaginary ones."
Rayko frowned, his face losing its color. "You know. Lily told you then."
"I sure as hell don't know enough," Teddy said.
Rayko gulped, his gaze locking with the journal on the table. "Are you going to tell Harry? Did she already tell him?"
"No, I don't tattle on my sister or betray her secrets, but I'm starting to think you should tell someone."
Rayko shook his head in the negative. "You don't understand. I… I think there's more that happened that I'm not remembering. I think, I think I may have hurt people."
Teddy stilled at the admission. "What the fuck does that even mean? You think you hurt people? You either did or you didn't."
"It means I don't know!" Rayko said, his gaze snapping up. "I've been here before, as a patient. I never fully regained my memories of everything that happened while I was on that potion."
"What potion?" Teddy asked.
"I don't know," Rayko replied. "I don't know what it was or what was in it. All I know is that it was bad and terrible and I will never touch another drop of any potion after that."
Teddy swallowed thickly. "I can't help you if you don't tell me."
Rayko's brow furrowed. "Lily didn't tell you. You… you lied to me."
"Look, Rayko, all I know is that my sister cried herself to sleep the night you two broke up. I know she holed herself up in her room and didn't want to talk to anyone. She only even left the house because Albus was attacked in prison."
"Is he all right?" Rayko asked in a rush. "Albus, is he… what happened?"
"He's fine. There was a prison riot and Albus was attacked. He was transferred to St. Mungo's. She only left the house to see him," Teddy explained.
Rayko nodded. "I'm glad he's all right. Is she… how is she?"
"Depressed. Upset. Sad," Teddy replied with a shrug. "She moved out of our parents' house."
"Where is she?"
Teddy shook his head. "I'm not telling you that."
"She's with Scorpius, isn't she?" Rayko said. "He's the only one she'd go to with Albus gone."
Teddy frowned. He knew her so well. He wouldn't confirm or deny anything.
"If you think you hurt someone, then you need to go to my dad or at the very least James," Teddy explained. "Lily will never respect you if you don't. She will never give you the time of day again if you don't take responsibility for your mistakes. If you hurt someone, then you need to come clean to the authorities. Turn yourself in and face the consequences."
Rayko sighed, his gaze falling to the table. Very slowly, he nodded.
"I know," Rayko whispered. "I know that. I'm scared, Teddy, I'm scared to find out everything that truly happened."
"You honestly don't remember what you did while high off a potion?" Teddy asked.
"I remember flashes of things. I remember…" Rayko trailed off, heaving a sigh. "I remember feeling like I wasn't myself, like I wasn't in control. It's all so hazy and distorted. I don't know what's real and what's not real."
"Have you tried regaining your memories?" Teddy asked. "There are means to do that. We don't do that here, but I know there are people who specialize in that type of thing. I have a few connections-"
"No, I really don't want to know, Teddy."
"You can't truly heal until you know exactly what you did," Teddy reasoned. "You can't expect Lily to ever understand or forgive you if you can't forgive yourself."
Rayko rubbed his chin, his body trembling at the words. He only nodded.
"My shift is over," Teddy announced. "Think about what I said."
Teddy rose from the seat and, without looking back, left the recreational hall and made his way out of work. His mind buzzed as he walked towards the Apparition point.
He picked the kids up from nursery school before he made his way home. After preparing a small snack for the kids, he started working on dinner as Victoire would be off in an hour. He cut up some vegetables for a stew, making his dad's famous stew for reasons he couldn't entirely explain. Maybe he needed some comfort food, something to remind him of home and ease his own anxieties.
The fireplace roared to life and Victoire stepped out of the flames. Remus ran across the kitchen to greet her while Dora banged her cup on her high chair in excitement. She greeted both of the kids with hugs and kisses before she made her way over to the stove to kiss Teddy in greeting. Her palm pressed between his shoulder blades.
"You all right, Ted?" she asked as she rested her cheek against his shoulder.
"It was a day," Teddy admitted. "Hugh and I got into a fight."
"You fought with Hugh?" Victoire asked with a furrowed brow. "He's like the nicest man ever. What happened?"
Teddy dove into the story about seeing Rayko Krum and attempting to sneak a peek into his file only to be caught. With a heavy heart, he admitted the nasty things he had said to Hugh.
"Oh, Teddy!" Victoire exclaimed. "You did not say he wasn't your grandfather! That's not like you to be so cruel."
"I was upset and angry and stressed," Teddy admitted. "I felt awful. He said that if blood was really the deciding factor of what makes a family, then I wouldn't be helping my godfather's daughter."
"Did that knock some sense into you?"
Teddy stirred the stew. "Yeah, it did."
Victoire carded her fingers through his dark hair and he leaned into her touch. "We're all just managing right now, Teddy. It's been hard on everyone."
"I know," Teddy said in a thick voice.
"We'll get through this. Together. As a family. All of us."
Teddy nodded, knowing she was right. Their family was strong and supportive of each other. The Weasley, Potter, and Lupin clan were a united front. They were a force to be reckoned with. Teddy knew his dad wouldn't allow Albus to rot in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He knew they would all be there for Lily and the baby, just like they had been there for him and Remus. He knew James would be all right in the end too with another baby on the way.
He turned to face Victoire, cupping her face in his hand. He brushed his thumb along her cheekbones, watching as her lips curved. Pulling her against his chest, he let out a sigh of relief that she was there with him to weather the storm. He didn't know if he could do it without her.
Ginny unlocked the front door to her home. She was exhausted after working the entire day and then spending her night with Albus at the hospital. His time at St. Mungo's seemed to be drawing to a close as there wasn't much reason to keep him there any longer. Scorpius had pulled as many strings as he could manage to keep him there until Zabini could get an answer on his bail request that he had just submitted that morning.
"Harry?" Ginny called out as she placed her bag on the table in the entryway
She could see the hallway light on upstairs, so she made her way up. She walked by Lily's empty room, a frown etched on her face. Harry had obviously overreacted when Lily moved out. That was a given, but Ginny did miss her daughter's bubbly personality to break up the heartache they were all going through. In the end, there was no one that they could trust to watch out for Lily more than Scorpius. He needed just as much support as she did.
Making her way down the hallway, she saw the light on in their bedroom. She pushed the door open all the way and stepped inside. With a frown, she made her way over to the bathroom. She paused in the doorway and couldn't believe the sight in front of her.
Harry sat on the toilet in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs. In his lap was Jackalope wrapped up in a blanket. Harry scratched the cat underneath his chin and Ginny could hear the purring across the room.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked.
Harry looked up at her, his eyes glancing between Jackalope and Ginny. "Uh… nothing?"
Ginny sighed and leaned against the doorjamb, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know you're upset that Lily moved out, but you had to know it was going to happen sometime."
"I'm not," Harry protested. "I mean, I am but she's living with Scorpius and I'm happy they have each other."
"Okay…" Ginny said slowly, an eyebrow arching into the air. "So why are you sitting on the toilet with Jackalope swaddled in a blanket?"
"He's not swaddled!" Harry protested.
"You're holding him like a newborn! For someone who claims they hate that cat-"
"I don't hate him," Harry said quickly. "He's just a pain in the arse. He's annoying. He's always licking my hair."
"Uh-huh."
"Okay, fine, look, I came home and I was sad that Lily's not here and then I heard an awful sound, you know the one that indicates Jack is puking up his weight in fur in the hall. He looked so pathetic. I mean, the size of the hairball, Gin, it wasn't normal. He's sick!"
"It's a hairball, Harry," Ginny assured him.
"I levitated it into a container for you to look at. I thought if you thought it was abnormal, we could mirror call Rose and see if Colin was there," Harry reasoned. "Hermione said they're together almost every night now."
"You did not keep Jackalope's hairball. Tell me you didn't," Ginny said, her face pulled in disgust.
"It. Was. Massive," Harry emphasized. "I've seen a lot of hairballs in my life. I mean, Crookshanks used to have some with mouse and bird bits mixed in. I was shocked when I saw the size of Jack's."
"Harry, you need a hobby," Ginny concluded. "A hobby that doesn't include fretting over everyone and having anxiety attacks."
Harry scowled. "I don't fret. And I don't have anxiety attacks."
"You kept a bloody hairball!" Ginny protested.
"Just wait until you see it," Harry argued. "We'll see who has anxiety then."
"Harry, I am saying this in the most loving way possible, but you are mental," Ginny said slowly as she stepped fully into the bathroom. "You are one hundred percent completely barmy."
Harry rolled his eyes as he stood up from the toilet. He continued to cradle Jackalope in his arms. The cat shot out a paw and batted at Harry's five o'clock shadow. The cat craned his neck and started to lick Harry's chin. Ginny just shook her head and gestured wildly towards them.
"Look at you and that cat!" Ginny exclaimed.
"He's a Potter, Gin," Harry said. "Jack Potter is our only child left living under our roof."
"He's a cat. Not a child," Ginny argued as it all clicked in her head. "Oh my, I know what's going on with you."
"Nothing is going on with me."
"You're going through an empty nester phase, aren't you? You don't have a child to take care of so you're attaching yourself to Jackalope."
Harry let out a chuckle. "I am not going through an empty nester phase. Lily hasn't officially lived here in two years. She's always been flaky about when she was even sleeping here."
"She's officially moved out. She's pregnant to boot so she's never coming back to live here," Ginny argued. "Oh, Harry, we can get you a dog."
"I don't want a dog!" Harry argued.
"Well, we can't have another child!"
Harry shifted. "It wouldn't be the worst thing to have another baby."
"You are mental. I should have you committed! We are in our forties. We are grandparents. Our youngest is nineteen," Ginny explained.
Harry huffed. "Fine. No baby. No dog. No nothing. Just Jack."
"Harry, you're adorable."
"Stop!" Harry protested. "I'm not going through a phase."
Harry walked past her to the bedroom. Ginny followed him, her lips curving. Harry plopped down on the bed with Jackalope and laid the cat next to him on the bed. Jackalope immediately hopped up by Harry's head and started licking the unruly locks. Harry ran a finger along his back paw that rested on his shoulder.
"So, we need to find you a hobby," Ginny said, taking a seat next to Harry on the bed.
Harry batted Jackalope away from his hair. "Can we do the hobby together?"
Ginny smiled down at him, her heart swelling at the very thought. "What did you have in mind?"
"Sex. A lot of sex. Our hobby could just be having an insane amount of sex," Harry replied with a lopsided grin.
Ginny hit him on the thigh with the back of her hand. "I'm being serious, Harry! You need a hobby!"
"Why can't sex be my hobby? It relaxes me. I already know I enjoy doing it."
"Harry…"
"Do you not like sex with me or something? Am I bad in bed?"
Ginny shook her head. "You are unbearable sometimes, Harry. I am more than happy to have more sex but that won't get you out of finding a hobby to occupy your time."
"What time? Between work and my anxiety attacks and now our new sex schedule, there will be no time for a hobby."
Ginny let out a sigh. She'd let the hobby thing go for now, but Harry really needed to do something for himself for once. His entire life had been consumed with taking care of the people he loved the most. He needed to focus on himself for once.
"You can still fret over the children," Ginny reasoned. "They have kids now and they will gladly let you have those grandbabies anytime you want for a sleepover. You won't be a full empty nester with little grandbabies around."
"I know," Harry whispered.
"Are you all right?"
Harry sighed. "It's just… they're all grown up. They don't need us anymore. They try to do things on their own and… I don't know."
"Trust me, our children still need us. Teddy needed you when he was going through a parent's worst nightmare. James needs you to show him how to excel at being an Auror. Albus needs you to clean up his messes when he tries to handle things on his own just like his dad always did. Lily, Merlin, that girl is the biggest daddy's girl that ever lived. She will need you to do a million little things for her from now until forever."
"Yeah?" Harry asked in a small voice.
"I still need my mum and dad from time to time," Ginny said gently as she rubbed his thigh. "I know this is hard for you but it's part of being a parent. We raised them as best as we could and now they're out in the real world. We just have to hope we gave them enough advice and love to navigate on their own."
"Would it be rude of me to say I'm not sure we did the best job?"
Ginny's brow furrowed. "How so?"
"Let's see," Harry started. "Albus is in prison for murder and treason. Lily is pregnant and single. James has anxiety through the roof. Teddy… well, actually, Teddy is doing pretty okay for himself. He's probably the most well-adjusted out of all of our kids."
"We raised Albus to do the right thing even though it is the hardest. We raised Lily to know her worth and not stay with a bloke that doesn't make her happy. Teddy is great because we raised him to be great. And James…" Ginny sighed. "James may have anxiety but he's a great father, a great husband, and he is a damn fine Auror who takes after his dad."
Harry sighed, a small smile tugging on his lips. He grabbed Ginny and pulled her down to lay next to him. She cuddled up against his side, her hand draping across his stomach. A sigh of contentment escaped her lips as he played with her hair.
"I need to tell you something," Harry whispered.
Ginny propped herself up to look at him, her hand resting on his chest. "Hmm?"
Harry licked his lips. "Tomorrow Ron and I are going to pay the Minister of Magic a visit. We're going to show her all of the evidence against Reed and ask her to publicly fire Reed for corruption."
"You think you have enough?" Ginny asked in a small voice.
"I do. Ron, Demelza, and Sutton have been doing a bang-up job of putting it all together," Harry replied. "I don't know how I would have done it without them. James and Hunter have been really helpful as well."
Ginny brushed her fingers along Harry's cheek. "Can you take out Greengrass too?"
Harry frowned. "No, I have nothing besides the financial records against Greengrass. I'm hoping once Reed is fired and then arrested, we can get other departmental heads who took bribes spooked enough that they came clean with concrete evidence against Greengrass."
Ginny sucked in a breath. "Did Sutton accept your offer as Deputy Head Auror?"
"He did," Harry said, relief in his eyes. "Demelza will be promoted to Head Auror and Sutton will be her Deputy Head."
"You trust him?"
"I trust him as much as I trust Demelza," Harry replied as he reached out and cupped her cheek. "I've known Sutton since I started with the department. I've always liked him and he was one of the few who was actually nice to me when I started. Everyone thought I was some dumb kid who got the position just based off my name. Sutton actually believed I deserved to be there and he took the time to teach me and Ron a lot. I wouldn't be half as good of an Auror if it wasn't for Sutton."
Ginny forced a smile. "All right. I just… I feel like we can't trust anyone."
"Trust me, I've felt that way for as long as I can remember," Harry said, his eyes sad. "You need to prepare that you may be bombarded. The press might spin this as me being corrupt and taking out the Head Auror. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that but with the way the press likes to attack me…" Harry sighed. "It's why I'm having Edgecombe do it."
"You really think Marietta Edgecombe is going to listen to you? She bloody well hates you," Ginny reasoned.
Harry winced. He hadn't been thrilled when Marietta Edgecombe became Minister of Magic. Ginny could remember him cursing under his breath at the announcement.
"She may not like me but her moral compass outweighs her dislike of me," Harry reasoned. "She surprisingly hasn't given me any issues since she took office."
Ginny nodded. "We need to prepare the kids."
"We do," Harry agreed. "James is already prepared. Lily and Teddy have no idea the political shitstorm that is going to take place soon."
"I just hope this doesn't hurt Albus," Ginny whispered.
Harry held her closer in his arms. His lips pressed against the top of her head.
"We just need to control the narrative and Albus will be fine," Harry assured her. "Zabini is already preparing. He may be a complete and utter wanker, but I have to admit he is very good at his job."
"I'm just hoping this information is enough to keep Albus out of Azkaban," Ginny said with a heavy heart. "He needs to be able to post bail. I don't care how much money it takes. I'd pay anything to have him not spend another second in Azkaban."
Harry sighed. "Me too, Gin. Me too."
He pressed his lips to her head once more but Ginny didn't feel comforted. How could she? Not when her precious son had been nearly murdered in prison in order to silence him. She had all the faith in the world in Harry, knew that he wouldn't rest until their son was back home. Except he couldn't control everything. He couldn't keep their son out of Azkaban. The best he could do was attempt to place the chess pieces in the right positions.
Harry and Ron marched through the Ministry of Magic early one morning to meet with the Minister of Magic Marietta Edgecombe. Harry had no idea how such an awful person could ever become so powerful. She had risen through the ranks in the Ministry after the war, preaching about honesty and transparency. She had gained a following of supporters for her no-nonsense attitude and how she always claimed to speak the truth even if that gained her a few enemies along the way. Harry had never trusted her though she could never fully remember why.
Harry sucked in a breath as Ron schmoozed Marietta's receptionist, asking about Marietta's mood and what she thought of the various department heads. The receptionist blushed when Ron smiled at her. After a ten-minute chat, she giggled and disappeared off to let Marietta know they were there for their meeting.
Ron cleared his throat as he took his spot next to Harry. "She likes Reed. Thinks he's tough on crime. Isn't a big fan of Greengrass or purebloods in general. Thinks they have the wrong ideas."
Harry nodded, his lips drawn in a thin line. "Does Hermione know you get girls' knickers wet for information?"
Ron snorted. "This is for Albus. I think Hermione would understand."
"Oh, yeah, yeah, Hermione isn't the jealous type at all," Harry said sarcastically.
"I can't help it that I exude charm and wit," Ron said. "It's a curse and a blessing."
It was Harry's turn to snort. "Sure, Ron."
"I don't see you getting any knickers wet," Ron bit back.
"Nah, you're right. Only your sister's," Harry retorted with a side grin.
Ron paled. "That was just uncalled for, Harry!"
Harry chuckled as Marietta Edgecombe appeared in the doorway. The smile fell from Harry's face.
"I'm ready for you two," she said before turning to disappear back in her office.
"Be nice," Ron hissed as he reached over to straighten Harry's tie.
Harry slapped his hand. "I'm always nice."
Ron gave him a wide-eyed look as his hands straightened his DMLE pin on his robes. "No sarcasm or witty remarks either."
"Would you stop?" Harry hissed. "I look fine and I know how to handle myself!"
Ron gave him an incredulous look. "You're socially awkward and can be inappropriately hostile towards people you don't like."
"I am not!" Harry whispered.
"Just… follow my lead, all right?" Ron said as he gestured for Harry to follow him into the office.
Marietta sat waiting for them behind her desk, her hands clasped together on her desk. She had a few scars on her face but it no longer read SNEAK. Ron smiled and greeted Marietta. Harry took a seat and tried to smile as well. Ron gave him an odd look and then an eye roll.
"What can I help you gentlemen with?" Marietta asked. "I don't think you've ever requested a private meeting with me."
"It has come to our attention that Montgomery Reed has been neglecting his duty as Head Auror," Ron explained. "He's been involved in some unlawful activities that we believe should not only see him stripped of his position but also warrants a criminal investigation."
Marietta narrowed her eyes at them. "Why are you telling me this? As a courtesy, I presume?"
"We would like you to be the one to fire him, Minister, and to approve an investigation on his unlawful activities," Ron clarified.
"That's unusual," Marietta commented.
"We believe due to the nature of his wrongdoings, it would look better for the Ministry as a whole if you were the one to fire him," Ron added. "May I show you the evidence we have gathered?"
With a nod of her head, Harry handed the file on Reed over to Ron. They went over the mysterious money being funneled from the Department of Mysteries to the Auror Department. They showed her the lack of security at Azkaban, the lack of proper personnel on duty, and how handwriting analysis showed that Reed had signed Demelza's name to the scheduling logs.
Harry kept his mouth shut as Ron talked for a good two hours, showing her in detail everything that Reed didn't do by the book. By the end, she looked like she had swallowed a lemon. Silence hung between the three of them until Marietta cleared her throat.
"Do you have an immediate replacement in line for a smooth transition?" she asked and Harry let out a breath of relief.
"Demelza Robins will take on the position of Head Auror and Beauregard Sutton will be offered Deputy Head Auror," Ron replied.
"Fine, I'll fire him this afternoon," Marietta said. "You aren't the first person to complain about him."
"What? Who else?" Harry spoke up for the first time since entering the office.
"The Head of the Hit Wizards, Daniel Oxley, came to me complaining that Reed was attempting to take over the wizardhunt for Albus Potter," Marietta explained. "I had a talk with Reed that he was overstepping."
"What?" Harry demanded. "Why weren't Ron and I informed about this?"
"Because you both were too close to the case," Marietta explained in a dry tone. "It's why Oxley came to me. It's the same reason you two are coming to me instead of just taking care of the Reed situation yourselves."
"Minister," Ron said in a calm tone as he shot a warning glance over to Harry. "We appreciate you telling us this information. We would like to open a criminal investigation on Reed and an even more hush hush one of Gareth Greengrass."
Marietta leaned back in her chair. "I want to be kept in the loop daily on the investigations. I want nothing leaking to the press. The only thing I am going to release to the public is that he botched properly staffing Azkaban and a riot ensued. Are we clear?"
"Yes, we understand," Ron agreed and raised his eyebrows at Harry.
"Crystal clear, Minister," Harry said through clenched teeth.
Without another word, Ron grabbed Harry by the arm and steered him out of the Minister's office. Harry knew Reed wouldn't take the firing easy. He also knew that Greengrass would probably start covering his own tracks. None of that mattered if they found out who the buyer was.
Albus bite the skin around his thumb as he stared at Dominique flipping through a fashion magazine. She had been one of the more lackluster visitors he had at St. Mungo's, having grown bored of their talk within the first fifteen minutes.
"I'm fine if you want to go a little early," Albus told her.
"No, Uncle Harry would murder me," Dominique replied lazily as she flipped the page. "Did you see that the lead singer from the Crotch Goblins was photographed beating on a paparazzi?"
Dominique turned the magazine so he could see the singer pummeling a camera into the wizard's face. He grimaced at the scene, wondering how a magazine got away with publishing such a graphic image. Honestly, Albus had been harassed by the paparazzi before and wondered what exactly had happened.
"The real tragedy is his trousers. The early two thousands called and they want their trousers back," Albus replied.
Dominique rolled her eyes and flipped the magazine back towards her. "They're back in style, Albus. Merlin, do you not follow fashion at all?"
"I know what doesn't look good," Albus argued. "He looks like someone who would name their band the Crotch Goblins."
"You're so judgmental, Albus!" Dominique huffed.
"And you're not?" Albus challenged.
Dominique chose not to answer as she flipped the page of the magazine. She pursed her lips to the side and chose to ignore him. Albus suppressed the groan in the back of his throat as he threw his head back onto his pillow and stared up at the ceiling.
There was a brief knock at his door before it opened to reveal Lily. She bounded in the room, a little bounce to her step for once, as she sat down next to Dominique and reached into her bag to pull out a paper bag. She handed him a pumpkin pastry with a grin.
"It's from that cute little café you like in Wiltshire," Lily explained.
"Why were you in Wiltshire?" Albus asked.
"Um… because I live there now?" Lily said as though that were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You live there now?"
"Oh, you didn't know she moved into your house?" Dominique asked.
"She what? You moved into my house?" Albus asked. "You bloody well didn't!"
Lily only shrugged. "I was lonely. Scorpius was lonely. We got a cat. It's all fine."
"You got a cat?" Albus asked.
"Are you all right? You're just repeating what everyone else is staying," Lily said with a frown and turned to Dominique. "Do you think he's having a stroke or something?"
Dominique grinned and shrugged. "He might be having an aneurysm. Give him a minute."
"You can't just encroach on my life, Lily!" Albus protested. "That's encroachment. That's illegal."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Albus, do calm down before you have a heart attack."
Albus sneered. "Is that my hoodie?"
Lily looked down at the green Holyhead Harpies hoodie that was entirely too big for her. She shrugged and wouldn't look at him.
"Stop it!" Albus hissed.
Dominique huffed. "Honestly, Albus, calm your tits. It's not like she's going to steal Scorpius from you or something."
"You don't know that! She's taken my clothes and my house!" Albus protested. "Taking my fiancé would be the icing on the cake."
"No offense to Scorpius but ew. He's not my type," Lily said. "Besides he's my brother. My best friend. That's gross."
"Not to mention he's gay," Dominique stressed and Lily nodded.
Before Albus could respond, the door to his hospital room opened. He was about to make a comment about barging in and privacy when he saw his father step inside the room. There was a grave look on his face and Albus knew he had not been granted bail for the second time. He tried not to show the fear and disappointment on his face.
Harry cleared his throat. "Lily, Dominique, can I speak to Albus alone?"
"Daddy?" Lily's voice wavered as she stood up.
"We'll talk in a minute, Lils, all right?" Harry said as he crossed the room and kissed her on the cheek. "I need to speak with Albus."
Lily and Dominique left the room without another word. Albus worried his bottom lip, watching as his dad sat down on the bed. Harry reached out a hand and squeezed Albus' knee.
"I'm sorry, Albus," Harry whispered. "They denied your bail again."
Albus tried to keep his poker face. "I figured it was a long shot anyway."
"I'm putting you in solitary," Harry continued. "It's the best I can do to keep you safe."
Albus only nodded, not trusting himself to speak. When he saw the tears shining in his dad's eyes, Albus sucked in a shaky breath.
"We're upping security," Harry whispered, his voice quaking. "Demelza is increasing the guards by thirty percent for the time being. Your mum is already working on a visitation schedule for you. We're going to keep you out of your cell as much as we can."
Albus nodded again.
"Either Uncle Ron or I will be at the prison daily to make sure everything is all right," Harry continued. "I'm so sorry, Albus."
Albus blinked back tears. "They didn't care that Reed's fired and now under a criminal investigation?"
"They said his corruption has nothing to do with your case. They said if the investigation shows that Reed did attempt to… well, they said he's not in power anymore so the threat is eliminated."
"Right… you know, because corruption stops with just one person," Albus said bitterly. "Just in time to release me from St. Mungo's too. When am I going back there?"
"Probably within the next day or so. Scorpius and Victoire have been trying to pull every favor and string, but there's nothing medically wrong with you anymore."
"What if…" Albus trailed off, his head shaking.
"What?" Harry pressed.
"Nothing. I was thinking of how I could be… committed or something."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Albus, that isn't a joking matter."
"I'm not joking," Albus replied. "They held me and they beat the bloody shit out of me, Dad. I have never been so scared in my life. I thought I was dying in the infirmary. It hurt so bad. I don't want to go back there."
"Nothing is going to happen to you," Harry assured him with wide eyes. "You will eat your meals in your cell. You will be in the visitation room with someone nearly all day. I will personally assign a guard to you daily to watch over you."
"Can we push my trial up at least?" Albus pleaded.
"Pushing your trial up isn't going to help matters, Albus! We need time to expose the corruption. We need time to nail Greengrass, to figure out who the buyer is, to prove you didn't hurt anyone."
"Can't they just take my memory? I'll willingly give them my memory of that day! Of all of my conversations with Greengrass and Livingstone! I mean I know I blew up the Veil of Death and destroyed Ministry property but stopping an undead army makes up for that mistake, doesn't it?"
"Memories are not permissible in court as they can be distorted and fabricated," Harry told him.
"I'll take Veritaserum!" Albus shouted.
"That's not permissible either," Harry explained. "A skilled person can manipulate the truth while under the influence."
"Then what am I supposed to do, Dad?" Albus asked, his voice hoarse as a sob crawled up his throat. "Just wait for a guilty verdict?"
Harry's jaw clenched. "We wait for the truth to prevail."
"What if that doesn't happen? I don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison. I'd rather die."
Harry jerked back as though he had been slapped. "That's not going to happen."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know."
Albus scoffed. "When has anything ever worked out for me? I'm Albus Potter, the black sheep of the Potter family, the slimy Slytherin, the grumpy and moody sibling next to my sunshine and smiley brothers and sister."
Harry leaned forward and grabbed either side of Albus' face. They looked each other in the eye, neither one looking away.
"Then I will break you out of prison and get you out of the country so you can live your life," Harry whispered. "I will not allow you to rot in prison for something you didn't do."
Albus shook his head. "They'll just lock you up instead, Dad."
"Then so be it. Better me than you," Harry said through clenched teeth.
"Dad."
"It is my job to protect you," Harry insisted. "You and your siblings and your mum are my life. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you."
Albus let a sob out, the tears pouring down his face freely. He leaned forward, wrapping his free arm around his dad's neck and burying his face into his shoulder. His dad held onto him, squeezing him when the sobs made his entire body shake. Albus didn't know how long he cried in his father's arms but he knew one thing. He was so glad Harry Potter was his dad because Harry would not rest until Albus was safe and happy.
I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter! I posted a day early since I'll be busy tomorrow. Don't forget to drop a review. They motivate me to keep writing, they inspire new ideas, and they just plain make my weekend.
Special thanks to Bell for editing. Special thanks to Brie for always talking scenes out with me. You're both gems.