A/N - Scorpius makes his debut. Enjoy how a newborn quickly sets the tone for his expectations in life.
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"A year! It's been twelve months! How do you have no information?" Narcissa Malfoy arrived that morning determined to make an absolute spectacle of herself. She was reaching new heights in her goal to make someone find her son. She was being excluded from all the important teas after not receiving a single invite to the end of year events. Draco needed to be found and returned in order for her to be granted her rightful roles again.
"Mrs Malfoy, as we explained on the outset of this, with absolutely no leads our investigator literally has to search the entire muggle world. While you may not be aware, muggles outnumber magical by a number you can't fathom. So no, we have no solid leads at this point." Narcissa picked up the one grain of information the man inadvertently gave her.
"Solid leads, but there are leads of some sort?" Happy to see his face show his displeasure at her catching his slip, Narcissa gloated in her head.
Kingsley didn't respond for a few moments, "There may be something and our agent is currently investigating it. Rumors and hearsay really, but it's more than what we started with. I expect to hear something in a month, but it might be longer, just depends." What it really depended on was the birth of one Scorpius Malfoy and for one Agent GM to stop her attempts in hexing everyone and anyone who spoke to her.
Late stage pregnancy was pushing the woman to her limit. She would cry and apologize after the fact and then beg forgiveness promising to be better. Draco suggested their few visitors should avoid visiting or sending letters until he let them know it was safe. This was done without Hermione knowing of course.
Kingsley couldn't wait to meet the kid, right now he appeared cozy and comfortable based on the latest report the healer thought it would be at least a month. While she was at 35 weeks, the healer was getting more and more confident she will be closer to the full 40 weeks than her hope of going at 37 weeks and the first technical week of the baby being full term.
"Depending on what we receive, I will inform you as necessary." Narcissa stood to complain, "Mrs Malfoy this is an official DMLE investigation as you dictated. As such, we are bound by our rules. One of which is the sharing of information on in-progress investigations are limited to a need to know basis. Currently you do not need to know."
Melanie arrived and reminded the Director he had a meeting starting in five minutes. Narcissa Malfoy was escorted from the office and the ministry before she could complain. Harry dropped another memory into a vial for later viewing by his best friend.
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Two and a half months later and Scorpius Malfoy was getting the hang of life outside of his mother. He didn't really like the concept for the first while and still wondered what happened. One moment life was normal he was warm and snuggled and the next, his world shifted and he was cold with no one holding him. A state of being he absolutely loathed.
He found almost immediately if he cried, someone came running. It was a trick he used non-stop to get out of whatever contraption his mother decided he needed to experience on his own. Currently it was some sort of sling thing that bounced. Draco walked in to see his son's tears, but something more telling, something Draco instantly recognized and appreciated, "You know kid, she's exhausted right now, but she will work this out. Might be a good idea for you to learn your mum is pretty brilliant."
The baby looked at his dad seemingly to ask why the man was still in the doorway and not saving his son from the horrible and evil confinement keeping him separate from his family and cuddles, "You probably have a good six or so months, but you'll want to tone it down." When Draco unhooked and picked Scorpius up from the bouncer chair, the four week-old baby stopped crying immediately with a happy sigh and snuggled. "Yeah, just like I thought, I think you're more like my side of the family than your mum's side. Shush, don't tell her."
Draco swayed and continued to quietly speak to Scorpius in hopes he would nod back off and allow Hermione to nap a little longer. He wasn't joking when he told Scorp how tired she was. Draco was amazed at what his wife did and he told her that regularly. He also said the simple broach given after the heir was born was not sufficient to convey his overwhelming love and devotion.
Hermione cried, not because she was sad or overcome by the sweet sentiment, but her hormones were literally all over the damn place. Finally she got out he didn't to give her anything, he only needed to love Scorpius. That, Draco assured Hermione, was a given. Though Draco still had plans for her birthday present.
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A very tired, but not quite as exhausted as three months ago, Hermione entered the main living area to find her husband, best friend, and said best friend's godfather all seated around four month old Scorpius giving the baby 100% of their attention. Hermione gave them a smile, her son was adorable, "If my son becomes spoiled, neither of you can say a word." Harry looked up to his friend who was smiling at the group, even as she criticized them.
"He's amazing Hermione." Harry popped up and gave her a hug, "Something from everyone. Not that most of them know anything at all, but they would have all wanted to give you this so I signed their names." Taking the gift, Hermione opened it and found the most adorable Gryffindor color striped outfit. Written in gold thread script, it read 'Lion in training'.
When she pulled it out and showed her husband, he gasped in dismay. Showing her son made the new mother close her eyes, Scorpius started to cry until his father summoned the green blanket with silver edging the boy took to snuggling from his crib and handed it to him. "It's ok Scorp, that mean lion isn't going to get you. Promise, we can talk when you get a little older on what to do. But in the mean time, I'll do my best to keep that entirely too warm color away from your complexion."
Scorp cooed at his dad and seemed to give his mother a smirk. "You have to be kidding me," Hermione placed the gift on the table, "thank you Harry, it's a lovely gift and I agree everyone but Pansy would be on board with it."
Draco nodded and started to whisper speak, "That's right Scorp, Auntie Pansy will help too. Two snakes are more than enough. Uncle Reg will also be on our side. And really, your mummy is a snake in disguise. When you're older, I'll tell you stories about your mummy."
"You'll do no such thing Draco." After sitting next to Draco and picking up her son from his father, she tried to place Scorp in the bouncy chair only for him to start screaming. "Really Scorp, come on buddy, it's a nice chair. It'll help you with your hand to eye coordination and even your arm strength when they get long enough to reach the bar."
Scorp was having nothing to do with that thing. It was impersonal and he'd rather be snuggled with someone. Harry would later swear the baby actually shook his head no. But that couldn't be, Scorp was literally seventeen weeks old and only got the hang of controlling his head a few weeks earlier. And by control, it means Scorpius could hold it steady and not have it loll to the side.
Draco pulled Hermione and Scorp back toward him, "It's fine, we can work on all that later. I have an infant quidditch set." Hermione inhaled sharply through her nose, "But, Harry brought my mother's most recent visit to the DMLE. He and I think it's time to move forward."
Sirius piped up seeing an opening and wanting to distract Hermione from the fact Scorpius was far more Black than Granger, "I'm here in place of Reg, he had something come up with the renovation at Grimmauld. The study had a mysterious accident about four or so months ago." Pausing, Sirius made a funny face at Scorpius, "About seventeen weeks ago, now that I think about it."
When Sirius gave Scorp a wide smile and winked, the baby giggled in his own right. Hermione sighed already acknowledging to herself her son took after her husband's family. Ignoring the reaction and expression on Hermione's face, Sirius continued his story, "It's unsafe for anyone to access the room until it's deemed clear of whatever happened. The Department of Mysteries is investigating. It's a good thing Reg is head of the department." Sirius smiled again at the baby more or less ignoring the adults. The study of course was the room that housed the Black family tapestry.
Turning a bit toward Draco, Hermione shrugged, "Did you decide how you wanted to play this?"
"Yes, it's what we were discussing when Scorp realized he was in his cot. I was hoping for you to get some extra sleep and we were distracting him." Hermione closed her eyes and leaned into Draco's chest, she waved her hand for him to keep talking. "Agent GM is going to discover something, not sure if it will be a person or a single record, but the end result will be the possibility I have a child." Hermione nodded she was ok with there being some suspicion about Scorpius.
"Document, if it's a person your mother will pull out all the stops to go around the DMLE to find them on her own. I'm not in the mood nor do I have the energy to bring in a complete stranger on this." The slow comment fell from Hermione's lips.
"Agreed, which was our thought as well. She doesn't have quite the same galleons behind her now, but it's not that she's destitute. She has more than enough money to get through her lifetime." Nodding, because Draco already told her how much money he put into her vault, Hermione started to drift to sleep.
Draco placed a partial silencing charm over her and Scorpius. The pair dozed and Draco was hellbent on them both sleeping longer. Sirius looked at the family noting how happy they were, it really was what he always wanted for those he loved. "Reg and I have been thinking about how to handle Scorp since he brought me into the secret. He's messing around with the tree right now trying to figure out what he can easily do as head of the family and what might need something special. Though he's probably going to need to bring someone from the office. Thus the accident in case a certain blonde starts to push before we're ready to upgrade the Black tapestry."
Noticing Scorp opening one eye to see who was around, Draco shifted enough to cradle his son a bit more. The baby sighed and shut his eye. "He's so spoiled already. Though I can't help but to want to hold him. I know Hermione's trying to get him used to not always being in our arms, but come on he's adorable." The other two men nodded and chuckled when Hermione huffed in her sleep, "So I was thinking I liked the idea of the tree doing something unusual, —" Draco paused at the excited look Sirius now wore, "— we're on the same page. What are you thinking?"
"That was our hope and Reg said he trusted me enough to get the specifics on what you want since it will probably be dramatic enough for me. Whatever that means." Sirius scowled while the rest of those awake laughed. Ignoring the response, Sirius returned to the topic at hand, "Right now our thought is to do something with more than only you and Scorp. It should be more impactful if the entire tree did whatever. You decided for the connection to flicker right?"
Draco responded with a nod, glancing down he saw his son turn his head and peek to make sure he wasn't alone or snuck into his cot again. Also to make sure everyone knew he was still there. Sirius opted to ignore the little boy's effective act to keep himself the center of attention.
Truth be told, Sirius was more than a bit proud, "Good, I think that will really be a sight. We are hoping to get the traditional branch to unfurl and then fade before repeating again. Maybe for the portrait and name plate to start to appear if the branch is easily accomplished. Not sure on the repeat time, but short enough for it to happen a few times to confirm what was seen."
Sirius paused and scratched behind his ear, "If we can get the tree to do that, Narcissa is going to know you've been tricked by some evil muggle plot resulting in the birth of your heir. If we can't, I'm not sure what exactly we do or her reaction, it could go so many wonderful directions. I'll make sure I'm there so you can see my memories."
Mumbling from Draco's chest, they were barely able to make out, "Walburga be silenced." Sirius chuckled at the idea of actually getting rid of the portrait. Or figuring out how to silence her. Looking at the future of the Black House, Sirius wondered what would happen to Walburga's portrait when she was told of Scorpius's mother. When she was told the next head of the family after Draco was the child of a muggleborn.
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Narcissa Malfoy pushed through her cousin and threw the door to the study open. Not seeing any of the portraits that traditionally hung in the room, her focus turned to the tapestry. Knowing exactly where she was on the tree, Narcissa's eyes flickered to Draco and the empty spot next to him.
"Thank Merl…" Narcissa's comment faded when a branch flickered to life and extended from Draco's portrait before fading. She watched it happen again and this time she saw a fate outline of a portrait and name plate before it faded again. She watched twice more before it sunk in and she realized it was what happened after the birth of a child. She shrieked and spun, "What does that mean Reg?!" Both of her cousins stood in the doorway watching whatever Narcissa would do. When Reg walked in, he stepped to the tapestry and tapped it a couple of times.
"Don't know, it's been a while since I've been in here. There was the accident some months ago and the Department of Mysteries only cleared it for humans to be in it two days ago. I know you're aware since you've been bothering the DMLE for months now. I can't say when this started. But there was no branch like that coming from Draco before the accident." Narcissa's eyes narrowed and she spun back to the tree.
Slowly she realized there were hundreds of branches all growing and fading in the same manner. From the new growth, portraits starting to form and then be erased. Branches home to name plates not formed enough to show the name of the child. Branches that shouldn't exist as the Black family member from where the new branches grew was exiled for various reasons. Most of which included relationships with individuals not appropriate.
With a sickening feeling in her gut, Narcissa turned her attention to her two sisters. Sisters Narcissa worked hard to ensure weren't remembered as a member of the Black family. Both were banished and had children with men who were less than appropriate. Both sisters had branches flickering in the same way as her son. "NO!" And everything went black.
Some time later, Narcissa woke in her own sitting room with Aster standing over her. "Tell me it was a nightmare Aster."
"Is sorry Mistress. Is can'ts. Master Black think the magical accident is whys the lost family appears. He don'ts know for certain." Aster handed Narcissa a cold compress and a glass of whiskey. Days like this Narcissa needed something more than a glass of wine.
"My boy has been corrupted," Aster caught the glass as Narcissa passed out again. Sirius smirked and gave Aster a little salute. He left the home with another memory.
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Scorpius Malfoy preferred people. Kitmu was fine in a pinch, but he was small and Scorpius didn't get the cuddles he wanted. As he grew, the boy began to notice his mum wouldn't come to him as soon as he cried, so he began to experiment. He tested both her reaction time and circumstances surrounding her arrivals.
On his turns, his dad would always walk in and smile saying something about learning the art of subtly would be a necessity. Scorpius wouldn't always be picked up, but at least he'd get his dad to put his hand into the vile thing his mum called a cot. The pretend cuddle and warmth was barely enough, Scorpius came to the startling conclusion sometimes he would have to make do with what he was given. Not that he really accepted it, but at the moment he was limited in his options.
Scorp had ideas of course, but most of those included him being able to make his mum understand. That seemed impossible since she never listened to him. So he tried to explain it to his dad. While Dad seemed to understand, he told his son the most important thing a Slytherin needed to know was how to get out trouble. In other words, Scorp was on his own. In addition to telling Scorp about subtly, his dad also said soon enough Scorp would be big enough to do things on his own.
As the weeks moved along, Scorpius figured out the best time to scream bloody murder, as his mum called it, was about thirty minutes after eating. She'd rush in and not only pull him from the repeated torture she insisted he suffer, but change him as well. Apparently one blowout and Mum decided cuddles were better than extra laundry.
Scorpius continued his experiments and now at ten months old, he had his routine down. After the now expected diaper change and buttoning up his little outfit, Scorp tried to sit up. Instead, his mum picked him up and held him close. Scorpius cheered his success, finally she got it.
As Scorp applauded himself for the success of his plan, Hermione spoke to her son, "I think you're playing me kid. Your father was smirking as I rushed in here." Hermione pulled her face back from the cuddle and looked at her son. Scorpius snuggled into her arms, "If I figure out you and he have worked this out, I'll not be happy."
Scorp cooed and looked up, not wanting to drop his dad into it, he gave his mum a wide eyed look and big gummy smile. Big enough she saw the teeth he now had. That was more painful than the bouncer chair he still detested, "How are those other ones feeling?"
Scorp opened wider to distract his mum from her comments about his plans and whether or not his dad was involved. As Hermione slid her finger along his gums, she hummed a little, "I think you have another one getting close, let me know when it hurts." Scorp cooed again and cuddled more deeply into his mum's arms. Hermione sat, putting his favorite blanket over him, Scorpius relaxed as his mum rocked in the chair she liked.
Once confident her little dictator-in-training was asleep again, Hermione stood and adjusted her hold. Walking to the cot her son seemed to loathe more than the color red, she shook her head. The set Draco purchased was top of the line and supposedly as comfortable as the womb. Appropriate as Scorpius didn't want to leave hers and Hermione evicted him. Before leaning over, she placed a gentle kiss on her son's forehead and then laid Scorpius back into his bed, sighing as she straightened. He was truly his father's son, "He out again?"
"Yeah, I think that top tooth is getting ready. Meaning another week of him being miserable and totally unreasonable," Draco pulled Hermione into his arms and watched Scorp cuddle under his blanket with his favorite dragon plushie.
"We got this down now, the first one was bad, really bad. But the second wasn't as horrible. This one will be even better. We know what works for him now."
"Holding him until the tooth cuts or using tubes and tubes of the oral pain gel my mum got are not options Draco." Her husband hummed guiding Hermione from the room and back to where Harry was waiting. "Sorry Harry, he had a horrible accident a couple months ago and it took forever to get the bedding clean."
Harry smiled and tried to not think about what Draco already described to him in vivid detail with the additional offer of viewing his memories, "It's fine. Sirius sent these memories from when Narcissa discovered the possibility Scorp existed last week. Apparently Andi was informed of the modifications to the tree, not the reasons mind you and is totally onboard with the entire thing. Apparently she has her own reasons and plans when everything comes out."
Hermione hummed and looked at Draco, "What about this Bella? Will you tell us about her now?" Draco smiled, "Come on, I mean obviously it's something like Andi."
"Similar, but much more of a scandal really, Auntie Bella fell in love with a man who was older than Grandfather. That wasn't actually the issue, it was the man's parentage. Apparently, the guy really did a number at Hogwarts and got everyone to believe he was a pureblood, a bastard but still a pureblood. Not the best, but his mother was sacred twenty-eight. That held sway and as he told it, she decided to travel on the continent and was taken advantage of by an unscrupulous wizard. She died shortly after he was born and he was raised abroad."
Hermione and Harry nodded, nothing to scandalous really, "But only a small part of that story was accurate. His mum was Merope Gaunt and the Gaunt family were sacred twenty-eight. Everything else in his story was a lie. Though it wasn't discovered until much later."
Hermione waved him on, her husband loved dragging this stuff out, "So while he really wanted to claim the place owed to him by way of his mother, he didn't know all the traditions, protocols and expectations for someone of his birth and reported childhood. There were always whispers about him stepping out of line here or there, but once he and Bella got together the transgressions grew. He proposed without the traditional approval by the parents. Worst was Arcturus not being aware Bella was even courting someone."
Draco nodded, as if he had to think about the story, "Grandfather and Grandmother didn't approve of the relationship, though no one is totally sure why. On the surface, based on his story, it appeared to be a good match. In the end, Grandfather demanded Auntie Bella end the relationship immediately. So the guy and Auntie Bella eloped." Draco's smirk told Hermione it was something more than just an elopement, "People like the Black family don't do that unless there was a reason to eschew the expectations of society."
Draco waved Hermione off when she opened her mouth, "The elopement caused gossip and apparently the utter embarrassment of my grandparents. They only discovered Bella's reaction to Grandfather's demand when her husband and his family showed up on the tapestry. All manner of hippogryph shit hit the fan then." Harry leaned forward, he knew it had to be something good because when he mentioned it to Reg, he got excited.
"When I told Reg what you said and asked about your Aunt Bella, he paused for only a moment. A second later he figured it out, or figured something out because just after his entire attitude changed. In that moment, he reminded me of Sirius. Like you suspected when you mentioned this Bella, Reg didn't explain anything." Hermione put that to the side, while Regulus wasn't as insane as Sirius, he wasn't some pure and innocent maiden. He was also a Black.
"A month or so later, Reg told me Sirius needed to be involved." Both Malfoys were curious about it when Sirius came to discuss the plan all those months ago, "Sirius almost bounced out of his chair in excitement. To this day I'm not sure if it was because of Scorp or whatever this is about Bella."
Draco smirked and didn't give any of his thoughts on that, "So the guy is technically a half-blood. But, if mother's family were to rank half-bloods, this guys was the worst option. His father was fully muggle with absolutely no history or evidence of any magic in their blood. The subsequent investigation found Merope used a love potion on the guy in order to get pregnant. There was some debate on the couple actually marrying as well. There was no evidence magical or muggle to support it ever happening. So the generally accepted story is he is a bastard half-blood who was raised in a muggle orphanage outside of London."
The two others blinked, "Yes and Dumbledore knew all that but still never said anything while the guy was at school. Not sure what Uncle Tom had over the old man, but it must be something good enough to stop Dumbledore from making any comments. I thought about looking into it, just never really felt like spending the time to figure it out."
Hermione shook her head, Draco certainly loved gossip, "So they married and had a kid. Andi married a muggleborn. What's the difference?" Hermione questioned, hoping to move the story along.
Draco's smile told them there was something majorly different, "A few reasons, first Aunt Andi and Uncle Ted were married in a traditional magical ceremony. Even if it was after Arcturus removed her. It was well attended and didn't bring any additional real scandal to the family. In fact I remember mum telling someone once how nice Andi looked, even if it wasted on her now-husband."
Hermione ignored the crass comments Narcissa was known to say and tried to put the mystery of Bella Black together with Draco leaving out major parts of the story, "Second, Bella eloped in the muggle world. They went to a magicrate or peace judge or something like that. Since it was in the muggle world and no magical license was completed, the Ministry wasn't even aware until Arcturus showed up demanding to see the nonexistent paperwork. When he got home he looked more closely at the tree, that kicked off the almighty row ending with Bella's expulsion from the family."
The pair listening didn't move when Draco stopped to take a sip of coffee, "Not only did Tom and his entire family show up on the tree, including the muggle half, but the tree also indicated there was a child." It clicked to both of the listeners at the same time, "Correct, a daughter of the Black family married a bastard half-blood, —" he paused for the sake of drama only, "— and she was pregnant with his child. Therefore she would bring another, now blood related, half-blood bastard in the family. A child that was likely conceived before they wed. There is a strong possibility the baby was born before the wedding, otherwise Arcturus wouldn't have seen the branch from Bella."
"So if they weren't married before the baby was born. How did she hide that fact?" Hermione thought about her own pregnancy and the impossibility of masking it.
"I'm not totally sure, I've never heard the timing. But, I know the trees will not acknowledge a child until their birth. That tells me since Arcturus saw the branch for the baby, the baby was born once the marriage was discovered. What I don't know is if Grandfather and Arcturus missed the baby's branch initially being so worked up about the muggles appearing. It's possible they didn't realize Bella married Tom months earlier. Or Bella and Tom were parents before the tranquility sheriff was brought in." Hermione sighed, she didn't feel like correcting Draco again about what a justice of the peace did or what the correct name was.
Draco shrugged at the end of the explanation and got back to the topic at hand, "I've not actually had the chance to ask Reg or Sirius what they did for Scorp. Based on what Sirius said when he visited, I know they wanted to do for the others whatever they did for Scorp."
Hermione sighed again, waiting for Draco to finish, "Meaning, they wanted to rig the tree to show all the Blacks, even those who were disinherited and probably some indication they had children. At least their names on their branches, names of children whose parent had them with some level of an unacceptable partner."
Hermione needed to learn more about how the family trees were created. That magic was impressive, "While, that is an interesting story, I still don't understand all the secrecy."
Draco only smiled, otherwise completely ignoring his wife, "Finally, Uncle Tom tried to take the family to court when Arcturus died. I remember Lucius finding it hilarious and Mum kicked him out of their room for a few weeks. I don't honestly know how long, I was pretty young." Hermione cocked her head to the side and gave Draco a look. With a swoon worthy smile, he started again.
"Tom's claim circled around the tenet of Bella being disowned improperly therefore entitling her to her inheritance. He also fought to have his daughter placed before me in the order of succession. He lost on the latter and Reg gave Bella her inheritance. Personally, I think Reg used it as an excuse to try and fix his relationships with Bella and Andi. Andi received her inheritance as well. He also set up trusts for all the children in my generation since Arcturus did it for me"
Draco took a sip waiting for the questions he knew would come. And come they did, "He lost and turned tail?" Another voice, "Why were Reg and Sirius so excited when Bella was mentioned?" A second question from the first voice, "Something else had to happen for her to be virtually unknown."
"Ah, that's the thing, Bella and her story isn't unknown. In fact, many people know it. She's a scandal and all the proper folk refuse to discuss it in the open. I suspect the story is still something giggled about among those mum used to look down on. Every year at Hogwarts there would be one or two students who'd get the nerve to ask me about her and if what they heard was true."
"What does having the blinking branch mean for them and everything Tom tried to do?" Hermione now began to worry about what Regulus was doing and if he thought it all out.
"Nothing, even if she wasn't blasted, unless she had a son, I was inheriting. She and Andi only had daughters who were not born a Black and could not pass the house to any son's they may have. Andi has a grandson but Bella has granddaughters. If Reg changes the succession rules, it will be applied after me, for my children." Hermione nodded, "My aunt and her family are actually fine. They moved to the continent after the discovery of their marriage. He's some sort of motivational speaker these days. I guess he's pretty popular or something, but they're fine and don't need money. Last I talked to her, she was going on about how nice it was to be able to go out without concern on what she wore or with whom she was seen."
Hermione relaxed, she figured Draco would have made sure there was no risk, but she still had to ask for her own sake, "So Reg and Sirius did whatever they did only to piss off Narcissa even more?"
"Yeah, I suspect to push her to reacting in whatever ridiculous way she did." Draco turned to Harry who held the vial, "Let's see what ole mum did."
Scorpius woke to hear loud laughing and him alone in his cot. He screamed bloody murder and his dad appeared to save him. After getting a dry nappy and some needed cuddles for the trauma of waking alone and cold for at least the third time that day, the baby made a decision on how he would move forward. Scorpius swore to not allow his dad to let him go, especially to his mum. She was sneaky, Dad was right she's a snake too.
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