"WHERE IS MY FATHER?" I shrieked into the bustling corridors of the ministry of magic, the new directive crumpled tightly in my grip. Wizards and witches stared incredulously as I strode quickly past them. The Ministry was positively chaotic due to the recent assassination and yet everyone sane enough to know who I was parted before me like the seas did for moses.
"Albus please, we cannot have you shouting up and down—"
"—Shut up you insipid witch. It's Marquess Peverell to you. DAAAAD!"
I finally reached the grand double doorway only to be stopped by a platoon of aurors and unspeakables. The huge M to the Minister for Magic's office hung above the entrance like a great ominous cloud, casting its shadow over everything. It did not have the intended effect on me... nor did these idiots.
I tapped my foot impatiently on the cold stone, which merely elicited an awkward movement from my father's secretary. The guards hadn't so much as batted an eye. I cleared my throat which seemed at least to get their attention.
"We are sorry Mr. Pott—erm... Marquess Peverell but the Minister is in a meeting with the Speaker of Mysteries."
It took me a moment of eye twitching before my conscious brain processed what he'd said. I shook my head in a mixture of anger and feigned astonishment. Were they really dumb enough to play this game with me?
"You use their titles as though it were meant to impress or intimidate me. ME! Are you really that stupid? What you meant was my father is in there with my aunt, most propbably discussing how my uncles should go about addressing this new political threat."
"Well… yes… The Minister and the Speaker have instructed us to hold all other scheduled parties here."
I gave them all a wicked and twisted smile. "I wasn't on the schedule, nor do i need to be, I'm the minister's son. Now move, all of you."
"Marquess, it is urgent ministry business. We cannot allow—"
"—Burke… do you remember what I did to you the last time you crossed me? A teenage child, a mere boy, defeated you wandlessly. Do you want me to demonstrate my prowess to your colleagues again or will you order these aurors aside? They seem to have forgotten that I grew up in these halls. They have forgotten how they used to play with me when my father was busy. Amelia Bones, one of my own professors and Kent Abbot, my cousin Molly's husband. You would think they might remember a funny little boy as adorable as sin running about the ministry with his toy broom. A boy they all helped raise while my parents, aunt and uncle sacrificed their youth fixing this broken country."
The aurors looked at me with pained expressions on their faces. It was at times like this that I missed Scorpius… The older I get the more I scare them all. He is the only one who isn't afraid of me. Except…
Before anyone could speak, Burke snapped his fingers. The group spun around to stare at him, reluctantly agreeing to stand aside (if only after a moment of intense confusion). He knew better than to cross me.
I waived my hand to burst open the doors and was about to enter the reception room when I turned to the assembled guards. I looked at the carved macassar ebony, the pillars of black marble with veins of gold and silver running through them like rivers. I looked at the arches and statues, even the suits of armor.
"My running this place, isn't a question of if, but of when. One day I will sit in my father's seat and I assure you that I will never forgive how you've all elected to treat me. You gave my sister no trouble at all when she waltzed in here earlier, yet somehow you treat me differently. You had best find yourselves different professions. You'll all be summarily dismissed when I'm in control. This i swear to you, on my life."
The next set of varnished wooden doors exploded inwards to a very shocked Harry Potter and Hermione Granger who both had drawn wands at me. The red robed unspeakables that served as Father's elite private security had also trained their wands at my head and chest, thinking that i might be another assassin. Those two masked guards were the only unspeakables not under Hermione's command. It was deemed vital that Harry have security forbidden from repeating the secrets they overheard in his office, and given how Kingsly had been assassinated Father would indeed require extra protection… but not I think from me.
Vivian was the only one who had remained motionless at my unexpected arrival. She gazed at me unblinkingly as though she had been expecting this.
"Leave us. Now." I ordered calmly towards my aunt and Vivian. Hermione looked furious at the notion that I should presume to give her commands, while father's outrage—apparent though it was—was tempered by sober appreciation for the situation I was in.
"You are all of you to remain exactly where you are. Albus we have company." He motioned towards five figures who had been obscured to me by the large doors when I had slammed them open. I was absolutely shocked that I could have missed all five of them. To the left were the warlock Alexander Sorenson and his Slytherin aide Vex Avery. To the right were Marius Maxus who stood next to a very bewildered Draco and Scorpius Malfoy. I stared at Scorpius venomously before resuming my explosive yelling.
"What is the meaning of this dad? I'm forbidden the use of my wand? This directive says I'm not even allowed to carry it while in Great Britain. How is this even legal?"
"I was planning on discussing it with you tonight when I got home." My father looked beyond exhausted. He and the ruling members of the Wizengamot had been up late every night since Kingsley's assassination.
"You sent magical law enforcement to the house to collect it from me! You couldn't have been bothered to do it yourself?"
At that point Hermione saw fit, as she often did, to interject. "You drew your wand in front of a room full of some of the most rich and influential muggles in the western hemisphere, did you think you wouldn't be punished for it? It has also come to the attention of other members of the Ministry that you've grown too powerful to be allowed free access to a wand while not in school. Given the reports about your outing into the forbidden forest we thought it best to limit your magic. The Wizengamot has since determined you to be an S class wizard, despite your age. You've been placed on a mandated magical probation, which is generous considering what you did was a crime."
"How did you get into the ministry without your wand Albus?" Dad interrupted hesitantly. I was reluctant to have this argument while the Malfoys were present but I had no choice. Young magicians were allowed to carry their wands in case of emergency. It was already illegal for us to use them, so why make me give it up?
"You actually think I let the DMLE take it from me? I broke Argus's hand when he presumed to touch me with it and I tied Nora Robards to a tree when she drew on me to intervene. I imagine mum has freed and healed them both by now.
"You attacked members of the ministry again?"
Again? What did he mean by again? Did Vivian tell dad about the night I attacked Burke? No... At least not all of it. If she had they would be asking for both my wands. Perhaps he meant the night of the assault on Malfoy manor...
"I was defending myself from an assault. Which was what I had been doing the night of the ball. He attacked me." I shouted indignantly, pointing a vicious finger at Scor. "So I drew my wand to defend myself." Mr. Malfoy spun towards his son, outraged at the accusation.
"You what?"
"I did not attack Albus." Scor spat. His eyes then shifted guiltily to his feet as he searched for his words. "I may have… grabbed him… but I was only trying to make him listen while I apolog—"
"—It doesn't matter how this came about… Albus, my son, I don't have the time to deal with reprimanding you for something which was my fault to begin with. I should have spoken to you this morning instead of sending wizards to the house. That being said, what you did at the ball was still unacceptable, regardless of the circumstances. Scorpius is your best friend, or was at one point. I severely doubt that you needed to unsheathe your wand in public to deal with him. I will have it from you, if not as Minister for Magic, then as your father."
"Are you mad? First the DMLE actually tried to forcibly incapacitate me when I declined your ridiculous order and second, nobody important at the ball even saw me do it. Only Markus Maxus, and no offense intended to the Duke but his nephew is a squib who has every right to know the truth about magic."
"Not anymore." Shot Marius from the corner. Those two words had my mind scrambling in abject shock.
"What? What are you talking about?" I asked as my father grabbed my arm and stole my wand away from me. I was too confused to resist. Only then did it dawn on me… why were the malfoys and members of the ICW here?
"He's no longer a squib."
"Marius, Albus doesn't need to know the details of this case. I would urge you to remain silent until his father and I have dismissed him." Hermione was absolutely absurd sometimes. I had been so angry at my father that i hadn't stopped to consider what this meeting was about.
"Did something happen to Markus? Is that why you're all here?"
I waited for Marius to elaborate but it soon became clear that he had absolutely no intension of explaining further. He wasn't a squib anymore? How was that even possible? After a moment the idiot started speaking.
"I found him!" Scor blurted out. "He was lying face down on the sidewalk a few blocks from Whitehall. Five masked wizards had just finished performing some sort of strange ritual when I interrupted."
"Scorpius be silent!" Draco barked, rounding on his son for his disobedience. Scorpius merely continued to explain... He was doing it for my sake...
"When Markus woke up, there was something about him... he could use magic… somehow whatever they did awoke the latent potential in his blood."
Hermione rolled her eyes dramatically. She knew I would guess the rest of it. A fair assumption.
"So then… these abductions we've been hearing about across Europe… the muggle children…"
"Obviously." Hermione offered back, clearly annoyed. There was no sense in hiding it now. "Some unknown group is trying to invoke the magical abilities from old pureblooded families that have lost their magic over the ages. Its happening all over the mainland. That, the assassination and all of the strange magical anomalies we've been detecting lead us to believe that pieces on a board are being set and moved without our knowing. Someone wants magical soldiers… to what end… we still do not know."
My eyes shot towards Scorpius then. I couldn't help but think about what we overheard in the Forbidden Forest. The hooded figure and Marvolo...
I observed him curiously. Scorpius had disobeyed his Father to share all that with me... Not only to shift attention from my crime and outburst, but also to inform me that Markus was alright. He looked so meek beneath my piercing eyes. Our roles had somehow reversed. I had become harsher and less forgiving and he...
"What will happen to Prince Maxus now?" I asked curiously, tearing my eyes away from Scorpius.
"Prince?" Alexander Sorenson asked, slightly confused. The warlock may have been one of the world's most powerful wizards but he was apparently not very well versed in the nature of the nobility. I had myself only learned of it all once the direct link between the Potters and the Peverell's had been established after the war. By then I had already been deemed my Father's heir.
"We called Marius Duke Maxus, out of respect for the fact that Markus was still alive. Now that he has Magic, Markus can assume the full title given to the head of the Maxus Family. Every head of the Major Nine Families is called Prince. My father included." It was an awkward thing to have to explain in front of Marius, but I doubt he minded his demotion at all. His brothers son was now a wizard when all the world had thought him lost to the arts of our world.
"Markus will be taught magic over the summer. Hopefully he can learn quickly enough to enter l'Accademia Magia in september. Since his mother has custody of him however, it might serve to send him to Hogwarts instead. If that is all you require of me Prince Peverell?" Marius asked of father. Whatever needed to be discussed, it would have to wait until Scorpius and I left. I had clearly interrupted a pivotal conversation. Scor must have been here to report as much as he remembered about the attack.
"Yes your grace you have my leave. We will want regular reports about Markus's health and development. The wizards responsible may not be finished with him. Alexander and Vexler, we will expect you to report these happenings to the ICW. I am formally requesting you to convene a council headed by mugwump Arcanis Hecate himself. Draco, Scorpius you are to stay." Hermione and Vivian took that to mean they too were no longer needed, for they quietly left through a side door to the right of my fathers desk as the Marius and the Warlocks left through the front. At that I was now stuck in the room with him.
I found myself suddenly fiddling with the Malfoy family ring as they all shifted to observe me.
"As it happens Albus, we have another matter to discuss. Draco has brought it to my attention that Scorpius has again started to show symptoms of bluescale. Since your last separation resulted in a similar occurrence we thought that-"
"-Absolutely not. I refuse."
"Oh come on. You haven't even heard them out." Scorpius shot angrily. Mind reading with him gives me a headache...
"Nor do i intend to. This was obviously your doing malfoy. Some scheme to get us on speaking terms again."
"Bluescale is a life threatening illness." The matter of fact tone suggested he thought i couldn't possibly refuse him nor refute the validity of his position.
"Then I will be sure to come to your funeral."
"Albus!" dad and Mr. Malfoy yelled, rounding on me.
"I'm sorry, i've forgotten myself. Out of respect for his family, and the kindnesses that Cissy and Draco have shown me, i won't let him die. I will not however spend one moment more than i have to in his presence. Which means I don't intend to help unless he gets worse... much worse. We've been apart for two days, I can hardly believe the disease has spread so fast."
"I can't believe you Al. What will it take to get you to forgive me?" Scor barked angrily.
"Sleep with me." I offered seriously. Our parents nearly had aneurisms at the statement, not understanding what i had meant. Scorpius merely scowled at me, recognizing my cruelty for what it was.
"Do you think this is a game?"
"A game? Certainly not. It is, however, reminiscent of an enormous and horribly inappropriate joke I once heard. There was a jester, a fishmonger and a cat-"
"-A joke? You think this is funny? I'm dying."
"Incidentally so am I," I offered pulling up my sleeve to reveal the debilitating scales that grew there. "And yet I would rather a slow agonizing death by bluescale than any form of cure that involved you."
At that he lunged at me, taking us both down to the floor in heap of twisted limbs. Everything quickly devolved into a frenzy of strangling holds and angry blows. Barely a moment passed before our father's had descended to separate us. When we were both back on our feat he started shouting again.
"I would die for you, and you, you won't hold my hand for twenty seconds to save my life? To save your own?"
At that my anger boiled over. How dare he presume to talk to me about sacrifice. He would eat his words. "Hypocrite!"
Even if my father was restraining my arms i found the strength and will to attack him anyway. I managed to shape enough energy into my lungs to send waves of fire streaming jet-like towards Scorpius. His response was to mix magic into his own breath, blowing out a blizzard that buffeted the entire room in blankets of snow. The galeforce winds and swirling crystals were an even match for my fire. When the steam and mist cleared they found me collapsed on the floor in tears.
"You Hypocrite! You cruel monster! Why can't you just leave me alone? How many secrets have I kept for you? How many times have I defended you and your family's honor from all of them?"
"Well this worked about as poorly as was possible, I think we should go. Good day Harry."
"I Hate you! You cruel boy! I Hate you!" Draco was trying to pull Scorpius away when I noticed that he'd drawn his wand.
Scorpius looked very sad at the sight of me. He very gently dislodged himself from his father, walking right up beside me. He paused for a moment as i continued to cry. The next thing he did surprised me more than anything i'd ever seen. He took his wand in both hands and before i could grab him to stop it, snapped it in half. A wizard's first wand is like an extra limb. Sure you could find replacements but none would ever fit like your first. For him to snap it was akin to maiming himself.
"No Don't!" I shouted. Even Mr. Malfoy was visibly too shocked for words. Scorpius merely lay the broken pieces at my feet, bowing before turning quietly to leave. I was so shocked that i hadn't realized i had latched a hand onto the bottom of his sleeve to stop his departure. My curiosity had momentarily overpowered my anger.
"Why?" I asked softly. For a few moments we only stared at each other, what our father's must have made of it, i could have hardly guessed. Finally Scorpius bent down next to me to whisper in my ear, words that I would never forget until the day i died.
"Magic means nothing to me if i don't have you to share it with. I would sooner be a muggle than live without you in my life. Since you won't forgive me, at least this way you'll always know how much you mean to me."
My head started to hurt as it registered the words. He doesn't hear the way he sounds when he speaks to me. He doesn't understand how much it hurts to hear hims say these things. In that moment my heart broke.
It wasn't actually an apology... but i knew how much he valued our friendship. It's a shame he can never take back what he said to me that night. I still woke up with nightmares of him killing me. Nightmares of a murder of crows cawing out the singular word: Freak! as they pecked out my eyes. He told me to die, to kill myself and save the world the trouble of dealing with a freak like me. There was nothing more horrifying than hearing that horror come from his mouth.
What did it matter if I was in love with him... if i couldn't forgive what he'd done to me.
