SPOV
"Come on Al let's write these letters so we can enjoy the little time we have left here."
"All right Mom... Jeez i'm just getting some clean parchment..."
Father
I am glad you have trusted me enough with the money to invest freely in this secretive little venture. I promise I will not fail you.
As far as my scholastic achievements go, I am proud to report that I have beaten Rose Weasley and am currently second in my year to none other than my closest… acquaintance.
Speaking of. I was hoping to formally invite this housemate to the Manor during the winter Holidays. He wished to hear your response before writing home so that he might better inform his family as to the specifics of our arrangement and has already requested as thanks for the invitation that he repay our hospitality by housing me for an equal portion of the Holidays.
As always I would be most pleased with whatever allowances you permit.
Well to put this delicately. Whatever your decision I was requested to inform you that this individual, has already, well… crafted (or acquired) presents for the three of us... and wished to deliver them before christmas regardless of our travel arrangements. He has been quite secretive of late and I believe, however potentially erroneously, that his activities concern our gifts. He has been very… kind to me despite our family name... and has gone to great if not always permissible lengths to acquire these things for us… I cannot be sure but I thought it prudent not to return his kindness with rudeness by not offering him our hospitality.
Volo... Has shown little interest in causing unnecessary trouble, but we both fear he might be up to something. Matheus and Aurora offer their sincerest thanks to you for managing and … growing the estates.
I hope our foreign relatives aren't causing too much trouble.
I will notify you immediately of my success in my oversees venture.
S.H.M
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Dear Mum and Dad
So hols are coming up and well I thought this would be a great opportunity for you to meet my best friend. We were thinking of spending one week at the Burrow and the other at the M um… his place. James got to bring Connor last year and I thought that I could either spend Christmas at Scor's and he could come for New Years or vise versa depending on ,well, space. Scor's parents already agreed to whatever you thought best… although I'm fairly certain he didn't mention I was Harry Potter's son sooo…Well please say yes. You know I rarely ask for anything!
Well by now you've heard from uncle George… So the whole story is Scor and I actually pooled our vault savings, well Scor's vault savings really… and invested in uncle George's American expansion project as I'm sure he mentioned. Well George agreed if I would sign over trade licensing of those five potions I designed at aunt Hermione's over summer… George says they sold so well that he simply had to have them. Its a little risky but we would own 25% of the shops that he sets up over there. Hope that wasn't too much of a surprise… Oh and did I forget to mention I'm first in my year! Not that that should influence your… um decisions.
Love You Both!
-Albus
P.S. Since uncle Ron says your Slytherin son is always up to something, this isn't about trying to get out of presents! I already made everyone something, promise!
P.P.S. Hope Delia Cresswell has calmed down slightly. Let me know what other developments occur with the Gobs…
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Several days later.
Dear Al,
Since You, Rosie and Lou all wrote home asking about this mysterious friend, your Gran has agreed that he can stay with you in your room at the Burrow (although I'm certain some frenzied rearranging will have to be made as usual…).
Since James has asked Connor Finnegan to come over again for Christmas and has made some veiled comment about rather dying than having to stay with the snakes… your dad and I will allow you to stay at your friend's house until Christmas day, but we expect you both over that morning to open presents with the family!
This Scor? Is welcome to stay through New Years, but I imagine his family will want to have him a few days before returning to school. I can't wait to see you! Don't fight too much with your brother!
We can talk about this business with your uncle when you get here. I have already… explained… what I think of him taking your money, but after all, you did invent those potions and you should learn to handle what's yours. Your father invested with George when he was still in school and he doesn't mind the idea of you doing it too.
Love
-Mom & Dad
P.S. At least its Connor and not that horrid girl.
P.P.S. Your father is curious about how you always seem to know too much about what's going on at work. (Raised eyebrows included from both of us.)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~)*(*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scorpius,
This… acquaintance, sounds very unusual indeed. Since it would be most discourteous in light of his effort to refuse him invitation, I will permit you your choice of the holidays to use the Manor as you see fit. I am looking forward to meeting this… friend.
I must remind you that your success or failure reflects on your family and you will find me hard pressed for future license should this venture meet misfortune.
Your grandmother has expressed an eager desire to see you… She insists on sending you her love… As she does I mine.
I must say I have missed you and am genuinely pleased with your marks. Your friend must be smart indeed to outwit you.
I wish I could say our, extended family was well. They are… hungry, ill tempered and full of themselves… quite like your grandfather. Unfortunately the addition of their extreme boredom does not make for a safe combination among any member of our class. They are searching for something to… distract them.
Your Father
Draco Lucius Malfoy
P.S. We may discuss 'that boy' at a later occasion…
SPOV
"Geeze Scor you write your father as though you were requisitioning grade A un-tradable material. So formal! And what was that cryptic post script about?" Al asked reading over my shoulder.
"Oh the ministry has been intercepting our mail for years. Its code for 'Shut up you twit, not via Owl!'" I said without looking at Al. I couldn't stop thumbing through for the slightest sign of a hidden message. The French terrors were obviously up to something.
"Why did you play up the presents card? I don't want your family thinki…"
"Al… my Father abhors feeling indebted to anybody and the only thing he hates more than a debt is any further ill perceptions about the Malfoy family, namely their portrayal as bad hosts."
"So being a good host is equal substitution for war mongering?" Al teased.
"Don't be cheeky Al. War humor is ridiculously unbefitting somebody of your intelligence. Besides that is honestly why he agreed so quickly to letting you come over…that and maybe my beating Rose gave him a little extra incentive." I said smiling.
Al laughed at that falling backwards onto the bed. Vacation was always fun.
"Hey Scor how did you do on Snape's exam? I thought it was pretty hard."
"Al… He asked us third year questions obviously it was hard." I said rolling my eyes.
"Yes? And?"
"I made two minor errors which he disregarded and missed the last question entirely."
"0.3 grams tanned giants hide…" Al whispered softly.
"What?"
"So you basically aced it." he corrected louder.
"I guess… and you?" it was a redundant question. I'm sure his exam had been flawless. Al probably even answered the ridiculously difficult bonuses that Snape was fond of giving.
I heard from Rosie that Snape had given a few exams early on and had asked N.E.W.T. level questions for extra credit to taunt the first year students.
"I… also messed up on question 50." Al lied obviously. He even knew how I had messed up, 0.3 grams tanned giants hide. Merlin he was too nice… I didn't always know how to act around this Al.
"Bollocks! I bet you received full marks on 51 and 52 too. Am I Right?"
"…Yeah…" Al said looking down, his face a little red. He was so funny. He boasted at times but others he was like… well this. Too weird for words.
"I wonder if the almighty Albus Dumbledore had been a little shy once too." I mused aloud.
"What was that Scor?"
"Nothing, just mumbling. Congrats on the perfect exam."
"Snape is actually a shit… poor professor Smith." Al continued trying to get away from discussing his score. Hahahahaha
Professor Smith was from L.A. and I'm entirely certain the extra credit was intended as Snape's way of mocking the American and his absurdly distinct teaching methods. Alright Al we won't talk about your grades, I mused humorously to myself. His eyes flashed suddenly seriously as though he could tell what I were thinking. We are oddly adept at reading each other. It is beyond weird.
"Well Father said I get to do whatever I want over holidays so I suppose you'll be joining me for the first half and we'll go back to your house christmas day?" It wasn't really a question.
"I can't believe this is actually going to work!" Al squeaked throwing his lion plush at me.
"Until our parents see us together at the platform and realize who's going to be staying over …" I corrected, stamping out his excitement with a healthy does of Slytherin.
"Oh… shite."
"My sentiments exactly."
"That doesn't bode well at all…they might actually murder each other…"
"Yes well I trust you'll think of something?"
"Don't I always?" Al smiled snapping out of his contemplative horror.
"No Al, despite your intelligence I've found that you have a tendency for overly idiotic ideas…"
"Oh come on Scor. My silliness is intentional."
"Yeah? And my Grandfather was a muggle rights activist." I shot back sarcastically.
"Oh shut up."
"That and Grandmother's sister Bellatrix said 'please annnnd thank you' to every one of her house elves."
"Oh come off it I'm not that bad."
"And Moaning Myrtle is actually up for the 'delightful company' award."
"That's it! Care to play a round of wizards chess to prove me wrong?" Al said smiling Aurora's wickedest smile. They are spending quite a lot of time together… poor Al he'd be a real Slytherin soon enough if that continued.
"You're on, and this time I'm going to destroy you."
