HPOV
"Do you think he'll be ok?" Gin asked me from her position next to me.
"Draco isn't going to eat him love."
It was curious how they had become friends again, when the two of us had been so positively predisposed towards rivalry.
"Supermodular Praxia: a mental state of being which tends to accompany prodigious skills during youth, observable as the extraordinarily advanced neuro-cognitive abilities of children." I said out loud.
"Not this again Harry. Merlin you've memorized it. You even sound like her."
Supermodular Praxia.
That was what Hermione had told me when Al was seven. She said Al was in essence both an adult and a child, which would make raising him as a teenager beyond difficult.
Being one of the oldest members of his year I'm sure didn't help matters. He was twelve while most of his classmates were eleven and was already taller than most of his year.
James had started his growth early too but he didn't have to contend with the mind of a genius eighteen year old. Emotionally Al was ambiguous.
Flashback:
"Harry, Gin, what this means is that since he will be able to process practical and technical information more quickly he will be emotionally more mature as well. However you should know that those abilities aren't a substitute for emotional experiences. Al will be more attuned to reality than most of us and so will be very vulnerable to emotional trauma." Hermione finished darkly.
"So love what your saying is Harry and Gin have one son that's emotionally a two year old and one that's so overly sensitive…" Ron started before Mione interrupted him with a cold stare.
"This isn't funny Ron. Al is beyond prodigy level. He may be another Dumbledore or even a second Merlin… before he's hit seventeen. His emotional development will shape the wizard he will become. With the level of political conflict anything could hap… "
End Flashback
"Harry? Harry are you listening?"
"Sorry Gin I was spacing. What did you say?"
"I asked you what you made of Scorpius."
"Given what Draco has said about him and now Al I would say that Scorpius has a similar condition, if not the same one."
"As a person Harry."
"Gin he's twelve."
"Draco was an evil shit at twelve."
"Well he isn't anymore. Besides Al seems beyond taken with Scorpius. I mean Gin he glued himself to the boy when he thought we might separate them. Everyone may have thought he was just being silly, but I know him well enough to recognize when Al is absolutely terrified."
"But a Scorpius? This is just like the first time. We all agreed it was better for them not to remember..."
"Listen love. I know how things transpired the last time, but I'm glad Al finally found someone outside the family to bond with. We will have to leave it there for now and merely wait and see."
"I'm actually more curious with what Al has to say about his sorting. Especially if what Minerva said was true."
"Well and the fact that Al and Scorpius share a birthday." I added, reminding Gin of the day they were born. Same date, same time of night, same hospital... minutes apart, mere rooms apart.
"I may not have been born into wizarding society Gin but I know how rare that is and what it means. Bonded by Fate."
"You know you've become more cryptic since working with Hermione. I don't like that they are combining Auror and Unspeakable duties. You are dealing with terrorists and they are dealing with the secrets of the universe."
"Since Voldemort the Auror's priorities have shifted to include the prevention of war and even international affaires. Everything is relevant Gin even more so when you consider that I'm more than head Auror."
"Ah yes I forgot, Grand Marshall of the British wizarding army. As if wizarding society could break out into full scale international war. It doesn't justify Hermione's research into magics that could unweave the foundation of the world itself, nor your involvement with her department."
"Said the warlock? You know more about international terrorists than I do. What do you think Voldemort would have done had he succeeded here in Britain Gin? What they do in the DoM… Its beyond anything we can comprehend, but it's all relevant."
"Hermione should have accepted Shacklebolt's proposal a long time ago. She's become stranger since working in that horrible place."
"If she had taken the MM position who would have run the department of mysteries? Do you even know who we considered giving the job to Gin?"
"Rita Skeeter?" Ginny asked sarcastically.
"Very few British wizards are able to fill Hermione's shoes."
"So who made the shortlist?"
"HA! The shortlist! Kingsly, Mione and I came up with it one slow afternoon as a joke."
"Well go on. Oh come off it Harry, it can't as bad as all that."
"In terms of necessary skill, without regard to political affiliation or other… circumstances, we have: Morgan le Fay, Gringott the XVIII, Ernie Macmillan, Miranda Goshawk, Draco Malfoy, Tom Riddle and possibly Albus Potter." I said chuckling to myself.
"You are joking. Miranda Goshawk is over a hundred. Gringott is… well a Goblin. Tom Riddle is dead in addition to having been possessed of a number of other unsavory traits when he was still alive… "
"Ah but we don't know he's dead, Voldemort never seemed to want to die no matter how many times we killed him if you recall. Then theres the horcrux in my head. Our children were scarred by this blood magic. You know it as well as I do."
"Don't be flippant with me Harry I know full well the Slytherin curse afflicting Al and Lily. And Morgan le Fay… really a dark elf? Next you'll tell me the Ljosalfar have been founding hiding on the moon!"
"We don't know if she's really dead either."
"That leaves our twelve year old son, who I'm sorry, I need not address. And since when is Draco Malfoy qualified for the job?"
"When Draco went back to finish Hogwarts he applied himself like he never had before. He has become so specialized in his international ventures that the ministry considers him, with his history, to be a grade S threat. And yet… he's probably the only one smart enough to run the DoM."
"But the public would hang us if we gave him the job."
"But the public would hang us if we gave him the job." I repeated somberly.
"What about Ernie Macmillan?"
"HA! He's too busy making money. He may be close to smart enough but I doubt he could stand the work or the responsibility."
"Draco… huh."
"He has 6 subspecialties in charms, 9 subspecialties and a mastery in Potions, 4 subspecialties in Practical and Foundational magical theory, A mastery in DADA, and even received special permission under the French, despite our protests, to study and receive a mastery in Principles of Dark Theory which is the most highly restricted subject in the world."
"When on earth did he do all this? While making back that enormous fortune?"
"He's more than qualified."
"As if the wizarding world would let Draco Malfoy into the Ministry of Magic."
"Well technically he already is, and technically his position is higher than head of the DoM if you'll recall."
"Founder's nonsense."
"He's not that bad. I work with him all the time love."
"If he's not that bad then why is the file on him larger than all of his properties and investments combined."
"I was ordered to keep an eye on him so I do. The DMLE have their own spies following him too."
"Good."
"You know in the end he and his mother saved my life. Several times."
"Yes I recall."
"We're even sort of friends." I said before laughing.
"Oh sure."
"They made another post for me you know. Special liaison to the Supreme Founder."
"Hahahahahah. You are joking Harry right?"
"Years ago love. Years ago."
"Well you know what I think about that?"
"No but I think its midnight and I'd rather not talk about Draco Malfoy any longer. Especially since I'm considering doing this." I said before leaning over Ginny to capture her in a furious kiss.
"Hahahaha. You know it will be too crowded at the Burrow to do this over the holidays?"
"Well you are rather loud Gin. Besides thats why I intend to twice as much now." I said grinning down at my wife.
