Disclaimer: This story is also written in a similar genre to the movie American Beauty, so some of the lines and happenings may be very similar to that movie, which was sort of an ironic satire genre. So be aware that some of the nuances and parts of the storyline belongs to Dreamworks Entertainment, not the current author. And in addition, characters that HP fans recognize belong to the wonderful JK Rowlings, not the current author, just so you know that no copyright infringement is intended; this author is not making any profit or gaining world recognition for this story; I'm writing it for solely my own and other HP's fans' pleasure...soooo enjoy, all fellow Potterheads!

Never Too Late

By: CNJ

PG-13

Almost three years later...

2: This Is My Life:

Zar:

Hello. I'm Salazar Malfoy and I'm fourteen years old. To my parents, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson Malfoy, I'm Salazar Malfoy. At school, however, I'm Zar, especially to my three closest friends, Andrew Weasley, Eva Potts, and Geneveve Granison.
I'm a student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and I've just completed my third year there. So here I am now, almost three years later from that fateful day I met my friends on the Hogwarts Express and started my first year at Hogwarts.
I'm back at home at Malfoy Manor for the summer holidays. Home. What an ironic word. I snickered snarkily under my breath at the thought as I unpacked my clothes and school things, leaving my broom and a picture of my friends and me in the trunk. I slide the trunk under my bed, hoping my father won't insist that I put it in the basement where he can lock it up.
I then sat on my bed and started some of my summer homework and thought about how my friends and I have grown and evolved over the past few years. For one thing, my voice changed this year and is deeper while Eva Potts started her first period just yesterday. Andrew has shot up to almost five-eight in the past six months.
We've gone through other things and I now know that Eva Potts is actually the daughter of "that Potter bastard" that my father badmouths and hates so much. Eva has a sister, Margo, who is a year younger than her.
Andrew Weasley is the son of Ronald Weasley, another one that my father hates; Ronald was Potter's friend. So were Hermione Granger, Geneveve's mum, and Andrew's aunt Ginny.
Ginny has twin daughters, Susan and Rose, who are two years behind us at Hogwarts. Ginny's also made a lot of money creating hundreds of new broom products and brands.
Of course, my parents don't know any of this about my friends. Oh, they know I'm in Gryffindor and have three close friends, but of course, they've never allowed me to have them over and they don't know that Eva and Margo are Harry Potter's daughters. I know now that they are actually adopted; their biological father was Harry's cousin. Being that my father despises their dad so much, it's better for Eva and Margo not to be exposed to my father's snobbery.
They are terrific friends and they're so fortunate to have the parents they have. I've met them on occasion and even managed to get over to Eva and Margo's house last summer and they are really caring people. The more I find out about "that Potter bastard," the more I see how mental and mixed up Father is, since Mr. Potter is not the horrid villain that my father paints. Harry Potter has a warm smile and is loving. His black hair is slowly graying.
Eva and Margo's mum is wonderful too; she's always made me feel welcome there and tells me I can stay any summer I need to, since I think they get the feeling that my parents aren't the warmest people around. No, Draco and Pansy Malfoy aren't Parents Of The Year.
So this is my life as it stands now.

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Dinner was the usual standard fare. Formal long dining room with silent, deferential house elves trucking in the food and neither of my parents thanking them, naturally. I look at these two people and wonder who they are beside high-standing members of upper-class magical society. Mother's parents are extremely wealthy and had bought this house for them when they married. Sleepy music played in the background, almost sounding like muggle music.
Sometimes, we eat in silence; other times, Father talks on and on about work or about slights, real or imagined. Well...tonight, he was complaining about something that happened at his work and somehow his monologue turned to Potter.
"...a troublemaker just like that Potter bastard was," Father took a sip of wine. "Potter never knew when to butt out and always had his little Irish nose in others' business..." he made Irish sound like a dirty word. Yes, Eva and Margo had mentioned that there was plenty of Irish blood in their family, in both their natural and adoptive parentage. "I'm sure you'll never forget, Pansy, how he snubbed me that first day I offered my hand in friendship."
"I suppose you're mad because 'that Potter bastard' refused to butter you up..." I muttered under my breath on impulse. My father stopped jabbering in mid-sentence.
"What?" he asked sharply, his gray eyes peering at me. I went back to eating my broccoli and didn't answer. "What?!" Father repeated, leaning toward me. "What?!" he almost was bellowing now.
"I have homework..." I muttered and stood up and left the room before either of them could object. "Get a hearing aid, Draco..." I muttered, heading up the stairs to my room. Once I got there, I found an owl from Eva.

Hello! Hope your summer is going all right! Veve and Andy were over here earlier today and all of us, including Margo, played Quidditch, then took a swim in the lake. I've been asking Mum and Dad if you can stay over soon and they're thinking on it. They really want you over and love having you here. I do hope your parents will let you. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, so hang in there. Talk later.

Love, Eva

I owled back, saying things were still bearable here, but who knew how long it would last and thanked her and her parents for extending their invitation. I really do hope I can get away from here and go over to the Potts and Potters. It would make a great difference in my summer. More and more, I often wish I could just move out of here and either into the Potts and Potter place, the Granisons' or the Weasleys.'

More later!