APOV

The blond was yelling uninterrupted strings of profanity and reproaches as he paced back and forth in front of me. At least we were in Dad's warm office now. Mercury and Hyperion sat beside me, their heads following Scor as he hurried to and from each end of the room.

"You told me that nobody would notice that you'd left! How on earth could you do this Al? They followed you to our house! We could have been killed. You put us all in danger."

He was so angry. I guess having him angry was better than not having him at all. My head was hurting enough without the shouting. How best to stop him…

"For a start you should have told me that they weren't…"

"Scor…"

"What? What in gods name made you think that the bollocking had ended? Did I give you permission to …"

"SCOR."

"WHAT?" he snapped turning to me with a glower.

"I love you."

"Yeah well that's not going to get you out of… what... what... did you say?"

"I said…I - love - yo— "

"Yeah yeah… no I heard you. I just was…um…"

"Wondering whether it was a ploy to disarm you. Yeah and it worked pretty well."

"You are such a shit Al." he said smiling. "Anything to get out of a scolding."

"Yeah but the yelling was a bit much."

"You're terrible."

"Well I really, really do love you, you know."

"Well… m… t…broer" he mumbled back annoyed. His cheeks were getting a little flushed.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." I asked with a sly smile.

"I SAID, ME TOO!" Scor repeated loudly with that pinched expression that said he resented having emotions in the first place. "brother…" he had added almost inaudibly. This was my real brother. We were born upon the same day, bound by eldritch magic as old as Time itself. As old as Nature, as old as Thought, as old as Death, as old as Fate, as old as Hate and as old as Love. A soul print... faeric magic this complex was unheard of since the disappearance of the last queen of the ljosalfar. The last of their magic existed only in rare pockets hidden away in ancient artifacts or the secret places of the world.

"What's all this yelling?" Draco asked walking into the room with an auror, two dragoons, and an unhooded Vivian.

"Mr. Malfoy! I am so sorry!" I shot getting up from my seat, forgetting my strange thoughts about Scor.

"It's… quite alright Albus…"

"No it isn't! I brought aurors into your home. You or Scorpius could have gotten hurt… I should never have come."

"Had you not come i'm certain neither of you would have recovered from your injuries. Besides, your uncle's injuries should amuse me enough to serve as sufficient recompense for tonight's… disturbance." Mr. Malfoy said chuckling. I was so upset. What Scor had said was true. It was my fault. I had put everyone in danger. That no one had died was a miracle.

"Uncle Ron is ok right?"

"Of course. He is merely a little stunned." Mr. Malfoy finished with a smirk. I can't believe I had actually attacked uncle Ron. "I'm much more surprised that the Cheshires defeated two aurors themselves. Mercury and Hyperion entered the minds of Emile Dockerty and Randolph Hern, entirely... rearranging them. I was more than a little shocked when-"

"Father what happens now?" Scor interrupted. He couldn't have been less concerned with our furry friends at the moment.

"Well we have finally finished the debriefing and will be through the rest of the paperwork in another hour or so, which is why I'm off to find your father Albus. You both will be free to return with me to the manor after we are done. Let's hope the elves have completed the cleanup by then." Said Draco picking up some forms from a drawer in my dad's desk and grabbing some firewhiskey and two glasses from a hidden cabinet.

Thats strange, he seemed to know where everything was kept. Why would Scor's dad know my dad's office so well? Surely they weren't... actually... friends?

"Vivian will keep you company until we get back. As for returning to Hogwarts, it seems a go but we'll have to discuss that later. For now, you will have to settle for some late night snacks and potions discussion back home." Shot Draco from over his shoulder as he all but darted from the room.

Scor and I turned toward each other beaming. We were ecstatic. We were being allowed to return.

Finally the elation subsided and curiosity overtook my idiot brother when he'd realized the obvious. Vivian wasn't human.

"What is she?" Scor whispered staring at Vivian. She was another of my favorite people, although to be honest she frightened me perhaps more than marvolo. I was surprised Scor's dad had never told him about Viv.

"The Ministry's Mystery, young Scorpius. One of Hermione's greatest weapons." replied the Fae. I didn't have time to warn him of her powers when he'd whispered to me.

"I'm sorry I…" Scor stumbled. He hadn't intended for her to hear him. She could hear almost anything within a mile radius.

"There is no need for apologies… in truth I serve you two more than my Minister."

"Um… I don't understand…" Scor returned unable to tear his eyes from her. She was beyond beautiful. Exotic and strange for certain, but none could refute her obvious beauty.

"I'm a Peverell and you have the blood of half the Seven families. She serves the ministry because your dad ordered her to. Her loyalty is tied to the Noble Bloodlines."

"I still don't understand…" Scor said unable to break eye contact. His eyes were turning pink as he stared at her.

"Vivian le Fae was bred. She is a ministry experiment a long time in the making. In fact her father was a wizard who it's said had the blood of goblins, veela, and even giants in him. Vivian's mother on the other hand… well… her mother was the ministry's…um…project…"

"My grandfather was a Svartalfar, a dark elf, and my grandmother was herself born of a dementor and a vampire…" Vivian explained. "Yet it was their child, my mother, who was the exceptionally… mysterious creature. I inherited my blue skin from her as well as my eyes."

"Along with numerous… other… eccentricities…" I finished for her. Her eyes were weird. Black sclera and white irises. No other creature known to magical kind has ever had their like. At least not that I'd heard of. Sometimes Scor is simply silly I thought watching him move protectively from his original position at my side to a new one in front of me.

"Vivian works for the founders, she would never hurt us silly." I said trying to pull Scor's hand into mine. She didn't mean us any harm, there was no reason to move in my defense.

"Those are all extremely dark creatures. You expect me to believe the ministry has bred her and kept her existence secret from the world and that I should be ok with it because she owes her allegiance to Father?" Scor returned.

"Scor" I started again. "Aunt Viv is the one who teaches me when Hermione is busy. Viv is the one responsible for… helping me learn my wandless magic. She's the one who's been showing me how to use your ring. I trust her as much as I trust you." I finished staring at Scor as he turned to face me. I gave him another warm smile which seemed to sway him.

"Besides she gave us our little furry ones." He turned towards the couch where Mercury and Hyperion were curled up together in a small ball of shifting colors. He looked contemplative but eventually gave in.

"Would you like to learn something new while we wait my prince?" Vivian asked temptingly of Scorpius.

"I am no Prince, but sure, why not."

"Lord Hecate, Lord Muramasa, Lord Rhöyne even the blood of the Last queen flows through your veins. You are indeed my Prince. Lets begin with something relatively simple. What do you know about the Goddess?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~)◊(~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mr. Malfoy I must apologize again for everything. I never ever meant to cause you trouble." I squeaked as we all emerged from the central fireplace at the Manor. I can't believe dad had allowed me to return with them.

"There is absolutely no need for apologies Albus. My son's earlier reprimands have been enough for one night. I trust i taught him well enough to scold someone appropriately." I watched as the elf named Itsy came into the room to stand before Mr. Malfoy. There was something off about the way she stood. Daisy and Rabastian were still in the process of magically cleaning ashes and debris from the rooms. A chandelier had fallen in the ballroom, some curtains had been singed in the dining room, picture frames and corner tables had broken in two of the living rooms. The place was a veritable mess.

"Welcome home master." the elf began hesitantly. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet as though she had more to report but couldn't bring herself to speak.

"Yes Itsy. What is it?" Mr. Malfoy asked curiously. Itsy only looked sadly back towards Scor, as though whatever she had to say might cause him pain.

"Draco? The wireless has been buzzing about some ministry raid on the Manor. I thought... you'd been..." shot a woman from the other room.

"Master we have company." Itsy shot as Scor's mom came running. She looked very out of place. So this was Astoria Greengrass. I now understood how Scor could be that much more handsome than his dad. His mom was absolutely stunning. I'd caught a glimpse of her at the platform before she'd vanished but really it had been too fleeting to get any sense of what she was like.

"More like an intruder." Shot Scor before turning to leave. Mrs. Malfoy reached her hand towards her son's shoulder before stopping midair. She looked to be battling some strange fear within her. He'd walked off before his mum could make up her mind. She turned to look at me strangely all of a sudden. Of course she had recognized me and looked as though she couldn't comprehend why I might be in the Malfoy's home.

"Scor wait." I shot running after him. I gave one last lingering stare at the woman that had so profoundly injured my best friend. Adults are strange I thought suddenly. They seem to carry so much more weight in them. A lifetime of life. A lifetime of lost love, darkness and fear. Of memory. Children are light and promise, yet she had managed to dim Scor's. No that wasn't right. Nothing in the world could cloud or darken my brother. It was interesting that she had eyes like mine. They were outrageously green, yet somehow more natural.

"What do you want to do now Al? I'm sort of hungry after all that." Scor shot at me from the island table in the center of the kitchen. We preferred eating our meals here since Scor didn't like bothering the elves to set everything up. I remember how stuffy sitting at the proper dining room table had been.

SPOV

"Don't you want to go talk to her? She must have been worried if she came all this way." Al asked annoyingly, ignoring my question.

"If she wanted to see me, if she wanted even the right to worry about me, then she should never have left. I was sick for the entire time that you and I were separated and father had written to let her know. I might have died and she wouldn't have come."

"She is still you're mom." Al shot in a tone that said it was rude to keep referring to her as she.

"Astoria was probably only worried about father. Anyway, who needs a shit mom like that when I have an amazing brother like you. I mean who else could cause midnight duels with aurors to happen in our living room?" I offered smiling. Al failed to return my grin, looking at me rather like I was made of translucent glass. Sometimes he scares me. I love him to pieces, but he was remarkably piercing. I couldn't for the life of me summon forth my mask. I couldn't hide anything right now.

"Its really weird. Too weird almost. The way you can't seem to cry. I wonder if even Aurora can remember you being able to do it." The way he had spoken sent shivers down my spine. His eyes were unwavering and his words themselves touched me too profoundly to express. My smile faded then. I merely turned around and spelled open the fridge. "Fine then. I will eat by myself. Insufferable Potters." I could feel Al's eyes on the back of my head. I heard him leave the room and I couldn't help but shiver again. It was still very cold. Crying was a sign of weakness, I didn't need to cry to feel sad.

APOV

"Mrs. Malfoy wait." I called as Scor's mom neared the fireplace. She and Mr. Malfoy must have already finished their business with each other since he wasn't there to see her off.

"You know I used to work with your mother on shoots. You look so much more like her in my opinion than your dad." She said examining me. "I had no idea you knew my son."

"Your son?" I returned skeptically. "I had no idea he had anything to do with you." Her eyes narrowed dangerously at me then. That I would dare presume to question her so forwardly. I hadn't known what to make of her comment regarding my appearance. Only Scorpius had ever made a similar remark.

"You would do well not to speak of matters you know nothing about."

I remembered saying something similar to professor Snape when he assumed I had lied about being friends with my twit.

"I know a great deal more about Scor than you might ever believe. I know a great deal more than he would even like me to." while that might have been true, I realized as I spoke, that there were countless things we still had yet to discover about each other. He hadn't told me what he'd done to scare his mother off, I just knew no matter what it was she shouldn't have left.

Astoria POV

I looked at the little Potter at that, watching as he stood there in defiant defense of Scorpius. Could this be the boy from the prophecy? There had been so much blood, too much darkness revealed. I couldn't stay and witness the horrors. I couldn't be party to it. We had all already lost too much.

"I saw him smiling, on the platform. The day you hugged him. I don't often recall seeing him so happy." I began. I honestly can't say my son had ever been a happy child. Aurora had brought him temporary distraction, but my boy had always been haunted by some grim depth. "Don't go dying on him. I love him too much to hope he loses someone else." I finished turning to leave. I wasn't about to stand here and defend myself to a child, let alone a Potter. His words had been designed to anger and force me reveal more of myself. I would not be playing along.

"But... how can you? He needs you. None of you can see it, but its true. You are his mother. The only one he will ever have. That has to count for something. Right? He is such a good person. Such a true wizard. He would make you proud I know it." the little boy was trying so hard, speaking wildly as I neared the marble entrance to the fireplace. He knew nothing. "There is no reason to be afraid. I can tell that you're petrified, but he makes everything so safe, so stable. He's like fire and sunlight, cool water and ocean mist. He's so special, he deserves to have his mother."

"I'm sorry. You are a child and as difficult as it may be for you to understand, I cannot deal with him. He is beyond dangerous."

He jumped in front of me then staring with fury in his eyes.

"He'll be greater than you can ever imagine! We are going to change the world together! You'll see! We will reforge the very fires of life. We will be the most renowned wizards that ever lived and he'll be happy. He will find someone to love without you, he will earn a living without you, build greatness without you, lead his entire existence without you. You cannot lead me to believe you would forfeit one of the highest honors that can befall any living creature in all the world. How could you abandon your child when you have the means to raise him?" The insolent whelp was so angry and outraged that he forgot any manners his parents might have taught him. Although he seemed to speak with wisdom beyond his years, he also seemed as strange as I remembered my son to be. He moved out of the way then, tears falling from his eyes. He was sad for my son, sad that his words had not reached me. He must care deeply for Scorpius to show him such devotion. His eyes were so green, I thought watching them. There was something buried deep within those orbs. Some form of magic.

"Goodbye Albus Potter." I offered with complete resignation. I shouldn't have even come tonight. I knew they'd be alright. "I hope you take good care of them for me. Greengrass Manor." I shot as the world became a maelstrom of emerald flame. Goodbye my son.

APOV

I watched as Astoria vanished into the emerald flames, cursing her coldness and inhumanity. That was when I heard a creak from behind me. I spun around so fast that my tears flew off my cheeks in little glistening balls. Scor had been listening and bolted the moment she'd vanished. "Scor! Dammit" I cursed chasing after him. I found him on his bed... he was crying... the only other time I'd ever seen him cry was when he told me they'd erased my memories. "Oh Scor. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff."

"Go away. I... d-don't w-want you... to s-see me like sniff* this sniff*" Scor shot turning away from me. "Aww. My big brother doesn't want me to see him cry." I said teasingly. I pulled him into a hug despite that. "Oh Scor. Emotions aren't a weakness. They're a strength. You should never feel the need to hold anything back from me ok? I won't go anywhere. I promise you. I will be there forever, for as long as you need me." He started to cry harder at that, turning slightly to hold me back. There was water blurring my sight. "Its alright Scor, you'll see, everything will be all right. I promise you everything will be all right."


I'm having so much fun writing the story. Everything is coming together really nicely. I would really appreciate it if those of you who are going to review do so for chapter 38. It was the most difficult to write and I still have so little feedback for it. T_T

This chapter is for my idiot twin. I love you sooooo much.