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LPOV
In a flash of smoke and an explosive crack the world rematerialized around me. A very familiar place. A place i'd grown up in. Damask curtains colored blue and gold. Marbled floors and pillars, cold. Like ice. Burl and Macassar wood dressers. Endless paintings. Of my father and grandfather. Of my aunt and cousins. Of me and my wife and son. Regal and poised. A familiar fireplace. My home. Well not anymore.
"Lucius!" My wife shouted in surprise at my arrival.
"Father? What are you doing back here? I thought—"
I was so enraged by the boys intrusiveness that I interrupted my son mid-sentence.
"—Why does that blasted Potter boy have the security key to my Manor? And how on earth can he perform remote apparition at his age!" I cursed loudly, slamming my cane forcefully down on the carpet. He may have thought he was saving me from arrest but I had no right to be here, nor business that might explain my unwanted presence to my family. Almost as though to make things worse a curious sound emerged by the door that sent chills down my spine.
"Albus sent you?" a softer voice queried from behind me. I shifted around to behold the future of my entire house. The most remarkable Malfoy to ever be born. My grandson Scorpius was the only thing for which I now endured. To receive letters of his progress and growth without being present to witness either... Had eaten away at me for the years I had spent in exile. In addition to his intelligence and magical prowess, he had become remarkably handsome too. A fine paragon of pureblood breeding.
"Scorpius..." I whispered to myself... before immediately recapturing control of my features to return them to their cold and formal mask.
"Why would Al send THIS man of all people, here of all places?" The boy asked of Draco, clearly becoming outraged. It was difficult a thing to bear... to have no power in my own home. To be spoken of as an intruder, without even a formal address.
"Ah Scorpius. We hadn't quite gotten to that part yet. Your grandmother and I were just about to inquire—."
"—Does Al hate me so much that he would think to torture me in this cruel and barbaric way? He sends this filthy perfidious wretch as some form of punishment?"
"Scorpius you will show your grandfather respect, no matter the circumstances. Do you understand me!"
"No! I have no life because of him! No future of my own! I am expected to spend my entire existence repairing the image and greatness of the name he destroyed through his treachery! As you were forced to do the same. I will not bow to such hateful fear or weakness. A shadow of the name Malfoy, a broken memory, a stain on our history and nothing more! I would rather hang from a gibbet to have my rotting corpse eaten by crows than be forced to show him any respect!" He finished furiously as the windows shattered and the doors slammed. "That I have not expelled him violently from this house is due solely out of love for my grandmother and for the fact that he has uttered Al's name in anger! What is your involvement with Albus Potter?" he asked furiously, turning his attention and rage towards me.
I could not fathom how Harry Potters child had showed me such trusting courtesy while Scorpius, my own grandson, could hate and fear me so.
"If nothing more you will obey my word in my house out of respect for me!" Draco barked, rising from his chair.
"I would swallow glass if you commanded father but even you cannot expect me to bear a shame like this." Draco relented at that, sighing exhaustedly as his son stood firm. Narcissa looked too shocked for speech.
"Well father, it seems we all would like to know why you are here. You might as well fill us in. What are you doing back on the isles?"
Incensed at their treatment of me I cursed venomously under my breath before beginning my explanation. I thought better of reprimanding Scorpius for his rude outburst.
"I had just concluded business with your wife's brother when I ran into Albus Potter. He mistook me for you from behind and bounded happily to greet me, like some little lost puppy. The boy had some heated words for my... companions... who didn't take kindly to the insults. Agron, Gruella, Vincent and that up-jumpted Addison heir would have attacked him then and there had I not intervened. The only reason I even helped was because that little imp was wearing our family's seal—"
"—You expect us to believe that you, of all filthy creatures, saved Albus? What sordid blasphemies you expect us to swallow! What have you done to Albus you utterly contemptible, iniquitous cur!"
It seemed an overly grandiloquent string of curses for a child to spew so venomously. My wife was completely incapable of restraining herself this time. She couldn't take the outrageous disrespect.
"Silence!" Narcissa shot, smacking the child across the face. The room went quiet for a moment before the darkness swelled. He turned slowly back, eyes blazing with dark flames lit within them. The house shook as he struggled to calm himself, energy swirling and dancing with such vigor that it was all visible to the naked eye. "You don't know half of what you think you do you spoiled child. You don't understand the fear we lived in or the choices we were forced to make for our very survival! I will not suffer attacks on my husband for they mirror attacks on me as well. Do not test me with your display of power, boy. Your misplaced anger is a poor substitute for your lack of understanding. When you fully grasp what sacrifices we have made for you, then you may judge our actions."
I don't know how they ever managed to discipline a child capable of destroying the entire Manor should he ever choose to. I merely assumed that Scorpius usually displayed greater restraint than this. His ability to grasp reason even amidst his anger was astounding. I was more surprised by his indignation. His response was so venomous that I had trouble withstanding it. He wandlessly grabbed his grandmother, lifting her in the air without so much as a whispered word.
"Do you hear the nonsense coming from your own mouth? I may not understand what choices you had to make while living in fear of Voldemort's shadow... But there can be no excuse for any of your actions when he was thought dead! You actively sought his resurrection, you sought to murder and torture innocent children. Lily Potter gave her life to save her son, her son thought to give his life to save his friends, while Albus would have died to protect me that night in the forest. I have learned a great deal more of sacrifice and survival from the Potters than you believe and more than you yourself have sought to teach me. Since we are family and I love you, I will not judge you for the lesser crime of forgetting yourself momentarily in your excitement, but out of respect for the Potter's honor, I will not allow you to paint yourself or this, creature, as saints. There is no justification for your crimes, nor will there ever be. That any of you were allowed to live shows the magnanimity of our former enemy. Narcissa Black, If you ever presume to hit me again out of your own misplaced anger, I will break the arm you used to touch me. Do you understand me, murderer?"
We were all quiet as his words resonated throughout the room. he released his grandmother and put her gently back on her feet. He stood there waiting for her to process his statement. I had never in my life experienced such a thing. I was afraid... as afraid as when i stood in the presence of the Dark Lord himself.
"Yes Scorpius... I understand you... I... Apologize."
"Good, then I will leave the three murderers, you supposed adults, to discuss things amongst yourselves. I will be in London, making sure Al is alright." the boy turned to me then and I flinched, recoiling as if struck. "If I hear that you've so much as scratched Albus... I will drag you screaming to Azkaban myself. They won't have a torture cruel enough to justify the punishment you'll receive for the stories I'll concoct. I will see you swing from the hangman's noose and even that would seem a mercy." he left the room and for a moment all was silent. I could scarcely breathe for fear of reprisal. The word murderer had struck me like a whip to the face. The cut ran deep into my heart. But I deserved it... and more.
After a long and quiet moment I finally broke the silence, dizzy at the scene that had just unfolded.
"Well that explains that." I offered slowly.
"What do you mean?" Narcissa returned shakily, easing herself down into a chair.
"I meant... That the loyalty goes both ways at least. I had been about to say before he interrupted that the reason I saved the boy was because he was wearing our family ring. You know that can mean only one thing. Albus Potter's loyalty to our grandson is absolute, unyielding, unbreakable. So it would seem is Scorpius's loyalty to him. This is a very interesting if also dangerous situation."
"Mother... Do you want me to speak to Scorpius about what happened? I have never seen him lose control of himself like that. Not ever."
"No he was right. I forgot myself too. I saw Lucius and it reminded me of the later part of the war. Our virtual enslavement... I forgot that our crimes extended beyond the shadow Voldemort's duress. We committed countless evils on our own, without his coaxing. I should not have struck Scorpius. I will... go apologize again later."
"This leaves us with a very big problem." I continued, ignoring the exchange, angry at being ignored myself. How liberal had they become? Thinking themselves responsible for apologizing to a child? Using the dark lord's name out loud. "Throughout my exile I was housed and befriended by the majority of Spain and France's pure bloods. It is now unilaterally obvious that they are all maneuvering for another great war. What I just witnessed today could be the very thing that starts it... And quite possibly the thing that defines its outcome. Albus Potter was wearing our Family's sacred seal. I believe Drcao, my son, that you might have an explanation for how on earth that might be possible?"
My son sighed and even Narcissa stared at Draco in shock and alarm.
"It's a long story."
"I have nothing immediately planned. So let's hear it then, why in Merlin's beard is Albus Potter now Albus Malfoy and how do you plan to use him for the final war?"
Sorry the chapter is so short. It was initially supposed to be part of the last chapter but i broke them up to make them more impactful. Hope it makes sense without having to go back and reread what happened last. This was merely a brief interlude to explore some of the multiple perspectives held about the actions during the war. Plus i wanted to update something soon before editing the really important chapter that comes after this.
Next Chapter: A forgotten past. Al will be remembering some things that have long since been take from him. Who is the mysterious boy who saves him from his mothers guards?
