"Harry. It's an emergency." She said into the floo when he didn't look up from the file in front of him at her head's arrival.
The green eyes came up then and looked her face over before he raised a brow.
"Come through. It's actual work." She said and he was up and swinging his dark red Auror robes over his shoulder.
Pulling her head out of the fireplace, she stepped back and cast muffliato again. Just to be sure. Not sure what he might say and the boys were in the den just behind her. They had wanted to stay downstairs where she was and that was fine with her. She gave Tray one of her illustrated editions of Hogwarts a History when he asked if he could read something. Scorp was sleeping with his head in his friend's lap and she had double checked they were okay before flooing.
"What's going on Mione?" He asked as he stepped from the fireplace. Scanning her and the room before meeting her eyes. Serious Harry stood in front of her and she didn't smile this time.
"The woman across the street is restrained in her attic. Her house is warded so you will have to be the one to go in. I'll give you the memory if you need it but the basics are this. I've heard some unsavoury things from there when the attic window was open and I walked by. Today though I heard the hit and the scream. A child's voice Harry." She stopped then and he pulled out a pad of paper and a pen.
"What time?" He asked and she shrugged.
"Two hours ago maybe. Around then." She answered him.
"Where is the child?" He asked her seriously and she didn't indicate where they were.
"This was the strange part. That was disturbing and upsetting but who they are is the craziest part. It's Draco Malfoy and Theo Nott's sons. They are four and I don't think they have ever been outside." He blinked at her and then frowned. Thinking, then his eyes snapped up to hers and she could see the question.
"I know. Scorp, Draco's son. He knows who his father is and called him death eater scum." This felt significant. That his son so easily said that about his father. As if he had been taught that his father was worthless and so was he.
"It's bad Harry. I don't know much but what four year olds are afraid to go outside or of magic even. They will not go back." The last was said firmly and he was watching her.
"You are seriously telling me that Malfoy and Nott both have four year old sons that no one knows about. That have been kept that way." He said and she heard the professional tone to his voice. Not showing what he thought but dealing with the situation.
"Yes. Yes I am Harry. I couldn't believe it. When the huddled body on the floor peered up at me and I saw his eyes, it was stupefying. I had to heal him and so I did. Then I disillusioned them and crossed the street here. It was brighter here and I could see. They were dirty and bruised. I've fixed most of that. Scorp is sleeping and Tray was reading. They are in the den." He was writing things down and looked up then.
"I'll have to see them and I will take that memory. If you've healed them then I want to evidence. No time limit on the woman?" He asked her calmly and she shook her head.
"It will have to be you." She said and did look up then. A small grin at his ability to take down her spell work, most couldn't.
"They can't stay here Mione." He warned her and she threw up wards around the room they were in. Neither could leave this room and nothing could come or go until she took them down.
"Why not?" She asked him evenly and he looked from her wand to her face.
"They will have to be put into the system." He said as if she were not behaving like herself.
"No. The system did this to them. Then it didn't find out what it had done. No way did their sons disappear into a woman's house with no one being the wiser. The Ministry did that." She held his eyes and he didn't respond for some time.
"I've got my credentials. No reason they can't stay here." She said quietly and he nodded but put away his pad for the moment.
"You don't have to do this." He said quietly and she nodded.
"I know. I haven't thought it through either but they are safe here and will be until their fathers get out. It's only two years and I won't come face to face with either and tell them that I found them but handed them over and am not sure what the Ministry did with them. You chose to stay and ignore what you don't like. I didn't. I won't now." Harry's shoulders dropped and he looked down. Hands in his pants pockets and she waited.
"Everything changed Mione." He said quietly and she nodded. It had. Ron and her splitting like that had been like a bomb in their ordered lives. It had only been six months or so since but her life was nearly completely different than it had been then. She was done with the crap and pleasing others. Trying so damn hard and for nothing.
"I'm not sorry about that Harry. Sorry it hurts you though." She said honestly. None of the Weasleys except George seemed to understand. Charlie's letter hadn't said much but that he hoped she was okay and would see her on his next trip home so maybe he did too. Molly had been so derisive that she had quietly told her exactly what Ron had done to her and the witch had flat out not believed her. She hadn't sent the harridan to Harry but he had seen her face. Nose and cheek bones broken. Ruined and bloody. She hadn't seen Ron's fist coming but had felt it sure enough. He had been unconscious and bound when she sent Harry over to get her stuff. Moving Mack into this townhouse on a quiet magical street in Birmingham. She had lived here before.
"No doubt I'll have a court battle to come. They were hiding them somehow and I'll fight that too. What the hell? Little boys kept in isolation. In the middle of a magical street." She knew she was right and that he didn't like what she was saying or doing but that he couldn't argue. He knew better than she what childhood abuse or neglect did.
"Alright. Got a vial?" He asked her and pulled his little pad out again. She pulled the memory and stopped it at her front door. Not wanting to show them more than they needed to know.
"Thanks. Christ Mione." He rubbed his hand through his hair and looked up at her.
"I know. Better here than there. You will see in the memory." Her tone made it clear and his face hardened.
"You're Right. Im sure it was the right thing to do." He admitted and she pulled down the wards.
"This way." Hermione unnecessarily said to her friend that had been here many times. She knocked quietly and then opened the door a bit. Tray was sitting up straight and had an arm over Scorps shoulders. He relaxed some when he saw her and gave a tentative smile. She smiled back and then opened the door more. Instantly she watched the little face close up and he pulled his friend tighter.
"It's alright. This is my best friend Harry." She gestured at her friend who was staring at the sleeping face. Then she watched him look at the boy eyeing him uncertainly then at her. His face was grim and she could see it sinking in. He had been reacting to the situation before. Now he was processing it.
"Has he woken?" She asked and Tray shook his head.
"That's good. There were a few bones that were fractured. Cracked rather than actually broken. So it's better that he sleeps through the pain of it healing." She had added the explanation when he frowned at the word he didn't know. They were smart and well spoken for their age. Or she thought so.
"Can I ask you some questions?" Tray didn't answer Harry's question but he didn't seem surprised and the little boys dark blue eyes looked to her. She nodded and decided to explain.
"Harry is an Auror. Like a magical protector for people. When witches or wizards break the laws, it's people like Harry who go to help. Help the ones hurt and find the ones who did it." She said and watched the eyes contemplate that. Distrust bloomed and she cocked her head when his eyes flicked back to hers.
"He come because you called him?" The question surprised her and she thought about Theo's questions. His ability to needle her with small truths she didn't like.
"Yes. He didn't know though. That you were being hurt. Neither of us knew your dads had sons. Someone else did that. Before he worked there. I can explain a bit to you later Tray. It's complicated and you are only four, but I will try. If you could answer his questions then he will know more about what happened then just what I saw today. Know what rules and laws she has broken." Hermione tried to phrase it in a way he might understand.
"The man came. He knows." She looked down at the boy that wasn't sleeping anymore. He winced and she felt terrible.
"Sorry Scorp." She said quietly and he looked up at her.
"We going?" He asked her and she was so glad she had already told Harry they weren't.
"No. You will stay here with me. We might move but We will stay together until your dads get out. Not so long now." The reaction was surprising to her and her friend. Silence and then she could see suspicion on Trays face and Scorp closed his eyes.
"Well it is two years. Just under I think. I will find out their sentence dates and when it's closer we can find out more." She wasn't sure what to say. This was more emotion than she had seen, excepting when Scorpius was being hurt.
"They will never be free." The little blond spoke and Harry shifted beside her. She looked up and so only heard Tray say quietly but in nearly a hiss.
"They will be. One day." Harry's green eyes met hers and she knew he didn't know how to feel either.
"Did she tell you that?" Hermione asked. Still looking at Harry.
"Yes. No one wanted us. Our dads were scum and were worthless." Tray's voice was angry and low. It was odd on one she knew was so small but she held Harry's eyes still and waited. Until he gave her a nod. Alright. He agreed. Somewhat anyways. Didn't think she was behaving out of character or was wrong. Maybe he didn't like what she had so quickly decided to do but he wouldn't fight her either. Then she looked back to both boys and the grey eyes were open. A tear slid down the cheek and she knelt before the two on the big couch.
"Your dad's are getting out. It was five and half years total. Five years from their trials. So just under two years to go. You must have been born before the war ended so they know about you. I am completely certain that they will come for you as soon as they can. Both are possessive. That means they don't like people touching their things. You guys are more important than any broomstick and I'm sorry. Sorry that people hurt you." It felt like all she could say.
"You mean it?" The little Malfoy said and began to sit up. Tray was quiet and watching her.
"I'll find a newspaper or something with their sentences. That's what it's called. I know it was five years from the trial date for each of them." Dark blue and gray eyes looked up at her. Pressed together and she waited.
"It's true. They had some of the shortest sentences and Hermione is right." Harry said from behind her. Then looked up at him and she saw Tray cock his head.
"You are Harry Potter." He said and she remembered he had recognized her from the papers.
"Yes." He paused and when they said nothing he asked his first question. Their names and their ages. Then where did they live and where were their beds. They had them. Shared a room. Ate twice a day. Got cold baths on sundays. Neither said much about being hit. Just that it wasn't so bad most of the time. It wasn't torture but it was abuse and she eventually sat on the couch by the blond boys feet and they moved closer to her until one was on her closest leg and the other nearly on his lap.
Eventually Harry stopped and closed the pad of paper. He looked at the two boys who were clearly upset and the blond ones eyes kept drooping closed.
"That's enough for now Mione. Thank you for answering my questions. Neither replied to her friend but she looked up and he gestured to the other room. It was reflex for her to comply but then she looked down. At the white blond head pressed against her shoulder and the dark one pressed to his.
"Enough for today?" She asked him. Wanting him to know she was going to lock the wards down. She felt vulnerable and like this wasn't a safe enough place for them.
"Alright. I'll floo before work tomorrow." He was going to turn away but didn't when she didn't answer.
"I don't want Ginny to know." She said quietly and he met her eyes and then nodded reluctantly.
"I'll floo from the office then." She heard Harry's frustration but knew the red head would tell people. People who knew where she lived and would have opinions. Not the time for that and she didn't need to take it anymore. She watched her friend leave the room, closing the door softly behind him and then waited for the wards to tell her he was gone.
Tray looked up over the other boy and she met his eyes. He looked tired and upset. She reached hand around so she could touch his shoulder and he pushed his face against her wrist.
"He's gone. I'll lock down the wards so no one can come or go. It's just us here." She said quietly and he nodded against her.
"Are you hungry?" She asked after a minute and the head nodded again. Thinking about it she decided that the best she could do right now was a plate of snacks and drinks.
"Let's get up. I'll carry him and we will get snacks on the way to my room. Would you prefer to be in the spare room?" She asked softly and he looked slowly up at her.
"Scorp too?" He asked and she nodded.
"I won't separate you unless it's what you want. I promise." She held his eyes and meant it. There was a lot she couldn't promise but this was easy to do.
"I wasn't expecting you but we will get two beds for the room next to mine. In a few days though. For now let's settle in and you guys can eat and sleep. We can read and Scorp can heal. Then we will start making plans. The room is a pale blue now but we could paint it or something. You guys can choose." She spoke until his face looked more relaxed and watched him touch his short hair. Most wizarding kids had theirs longer and Theo had been vain about his dark chestnut curls.
Maybe he would want to grow it out.
"Let's go get some food alright?" She suggested and he stood carefully and then watched her shift the boy in her lap and lift him. Tray followed her out, opening the door for her and she smiled at the serious face. He watched her wave her wand in the hand that was under Scorp's knees and watched cupboards open and things arrange themselves in a tray that pulled out from its place. Then juice and water poured into glasses and settled to the tray as well. He was smiling, small but there, when the tray hovered in front of her and she started walking again. Up the stairs and down the hallways to the last door on the left.
He opened this one too and didn't wait for her this time. He walked in and turned around slowly. Her room was comfortable and her. Golds and navy blues with white sheets and walls.
A flick pulled the sheets down and she gently laid the small body down. Pulling them up and touching his forehead gently. He didn't have a fever and they would be right here so she kept the lights dim and climbed up on the bed. Then held a hand out to Tray and watched him walk slowly toward the bed. He looked at his friend a few times but mostly watched her. Eventually he made it and couldn't easily get up so she pulled on his extended hands and helped him climb up. She would need a step or something maybe. Not for long though.
He sat cross legged in front of her and she let the tray settle between them. His eyes scanned the foods kn offer and she watched him for a minute and then realized he wasn't going to take anything.
"Go ahead. You can use a plate or not. We can spell the crumbs away." She picked up a strawberry and bit into it. She hadn't eaten either and should have been hungry. He picked on up and ate it slowly. Then another. Then a piece of cheese after she did. He didn't look sure of what it was and she started talking about the food. He knew what lost were but hadn't had them. It was enough to make her temper rise again and she made herself look at the sleeping boy and then back to the one watching her.
"We will make sure both try everything you want to. Muggles have more variety and we can try that too." She said and he looked up from the cucumber slice he was biting around.
"Are we in trouble?" He asked quietly and she shook her head. Then made herself speak.
"No. Not at all. You have done nothing wrong. Other people wronged you and I'm angry about it. I can't see a way they could not let me keep you so it's what else they might do. Regardless we will visit a helper tomorrow and I am stubborn you know? Did you find anything in the book that was interesting?" She didn't want to talk about things that were unsettling before they went to bed. It was early for her but tonight she would rather be here with them than begin writing her lists of questions and concerns.
"The stairs. I read they move." He said quietly and finished the piece of vegetable. She sipped her juice and watched him carefully pick up a smaller cup and sip the pumpkin juice. His eyes lit up and he smiled with juice on his top lip.
"Scorp likes sweets." He said and she smiled.
"His dad does too. Used to get big parcels of cakes and treats from his mum at school." She said and watched him yawn. She sent the tray to the dresser top, put a stasis spell on it and spelled the doors closed. A last scan of the wards and she stood to get changed. Then stopped and spelled both boys teeth clean. Tray was sitting in the same place when she came out of her closet in her pajamas. The same as they wore now. Theirs were shrunken versions of her T-shirt and comfortable lounge pants.
"You stay too?" He asked her and she nodded.
"Is that alright?" I could conjure a separate bed for me." She offered and he looked to Scorp and then back to her.
"You stay." He said, ordered really and she chuckled lowly.
"Your dad likes to order people about too. Both of them. I'd appreciate a please." Her smile was genuine and he nodded. Then smiled, grinned maybe and she was struck by how lovely it was. Charming and real. Could Nott smile like that? He watched her pull up this side of the covers and she gestured him in beside his friend. He scampered in and out a hand on the other boys shoulder when he lay back against the pillow.
"Does he look like me?" The quiet voice asked when she had dimmed the lights. Not dark incase they woke up but better for sleeping than the light she had before.
"Yes. Nearly the same. Your eyes are very close. Maybe a bit lighter than his. They are a very dark blue. His hair is curls. I wanted them to be mine in school. He was proud of them too. I didn't know him when he was a little boy so I don't know about that. Your cheekbones are similar too I think." She said, turned to face him. He did the same and she watched him fold his little hands under his head and scoot back until he was pressed against Scorpius.
"We stay here. With you." He said and she smiled. Feeling herself get emotional. Anger and other things had been drowning it out but now she felt her throat tighten.
"Yes. We will wait for your dads and have fun while we do. Both of you are smart, just like them, we will read and learn. Play too. I don't know about wizarding parks but muggles have so many. Ones to climb and ones to run or ropes to climb. Some with water and pools to swim in. Big slides and lots of games. I've got the time and we could all use some fun." He looked thoughtful and nodded.
"Tomorrow though Trayden Nott. For now let's sleep." She said quietly and he smiled a bit before turning to Scorpius and nestling against his shoulder. She fell asleep watching the back move slightly with his breaths and not thinking about anything but what was happening now. There were two little boys in her bed that were safe and well. That was enough for now. Eventually she reached a hand out and gently rested it against Tray's back then shifted so it was comfortable and closed her eyes. The soft sounds of them breathing was enough to lull her off eventually.