'So you're thinking he's gone off to drown his sorrows?' Teddy asked Lily with a raised eyebrow.

They stood shrouded in darkness on Charing Cross Road in front of the old broken down shopfront that was the Leaky Cauldron.

'No' Lily replied. 'I think he's come to see someone who's constantly drowning their sorrows'

She had no idea if her hunch was right, but as Scorpius wasn't responding to her pocket watch messages, she had little else to go on.

'And who might that be?' Teddy asked her as they entered through the shabby wooden doors.

Rather than answer, Lily waved him over to the bar where the innkeeper Ms Abbott was standing with her back to them polishing glasses with her wand.

'Excuse me' Lily called out over the counter. 'Old man by the name of Montespan, which room might he be?'

Ms Abbott turned around calmly. She didn't look surprised and in fact let out a sigh as though this were a common occurrence. Without saying a word she flicked her head towards the stairs behind Lily.

Montespan, in the orange Chuddly Cannons t-shirt and ripped jeans he only seemed to wear outside of Hogwarts, was half way up them, a bowl of stew in each hand.

Two dinners. Lily knew then that her hunch had been right.

'Hey! Professor! PROFESSOR!'

It was evident to all that Montespan had heard her because his steps quickened. She rushed after him, Teddy in tow, taking the stairs three at a time.

Eventually she reached the second floor where he could be seen at the far end of the corridor, hurrying to get around the corner and out of sight. It wasn't long however before she was walking in lockstep a few paces behind him.

'I'm not that old you know' Montespan muttered back at her without turning around.

'He's with you isn't he?' Lily demanded.

She tried to get a glimpse of Montespan's face but all she could see was the Professor's retreating back.

'I don't know who you mean' Montespan retorted. But he sounded somewhat resigned this time. It became obvious they'd reached the door to his room because he stopped and turned around to face Lily with a sigh.

'What a load of phoenix dung' Lily nodded towards one of the bowls in Montespan's hand.

'That's his dinner isn't it?'

'I might be having a romantic dinner with Professor Farooqi for all you know' Montespan was blocking the door handle with this body, having noticed that Lily was eyeing it.

'Yeah right' Lily snorted. She put her hands on her hips and stared back at the Processor with a steely expression.

'Ahem' Teddy cleared his throat behind her. 'Perhaps you might let us leave a message for Scorpius, Mr Montespan?'

Montespan's shoulders slackened and he let out a groan. It seemed no one was convinced by his denials that Scorpius wasn't there.

'Perhaps you might explain how you knew I was here' He shot back gruffly at Lily.

'Professor Longbottom' Lily said with a shrug. It was no secret that her herbology teacher was engaged to be married to the landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, nor that he was a close friend of the Potter family.

'Said you're always here during the school holidays'

Montespan grunted in response, unsurprised but nevertheless annoyed.

'Why won't you let me see him?' Lily turned the conversation back to the matter at hand.

Her scruffy professor paused for a moment, considering his words before shrugging.

'Not sure he wants to see you right at this moment'

Lily's heart thudded painfully in her chest. That thought had never occurred to her and she felt instantly hurt by the assertion. If that were indeed the case then she certainly didn't want to hear it from Montespan.

'SCORPIUS?!' Lily bellowed through the door.

'Merlin! Keep your voice down!' Montespan's hand shot up and he put a finger to his lips in a whispering gesture.

'The whole of London will know where he is!'

'Lily?' Scorpius's distant voice sounded through the door.

Lily felt relief at the sound, followed by a pang of anxiety that perhaps he really didn't want to see her. But then the handle turned and the door creaked open.

Scorpius stood in the doorway in his usual black jeans and old white t-shirt, a ragged cloth pressed to the left side of his face.

'What happened to you?' Lily asked just as he said 'What're you doing here?'

Scorpius took a deep breath and looked from Teddy to Lily and back again.

'Perhaps you'd like to come in' Montespan's voice was dripping with sarcasm, but he finally moved aside to let them pass.

Inside the small apartment, Montespan placed the soup on a low table by the fireplace and forced Scorpius down into an armchair to eat it. He did so woodenly without taking the cloth away from his face. Montespan and Teddy retreated to the small kitchenette where the transfiguration Professor appeared to have a cauldron boiling, leaving Lily and Scorpius sitting alone.

Noticing that he looked paler than usual, Lily waited until Scorpius had had a few spoonfuls before she asked him again;

'Are you going to tell me what's happened?'

Scorpius lowered his spoon and looked at her with his one uncovered amber eye.

'There was an argument, that's all' he said softly. When Lily continued to watch him with imploring eyes, he added;

'With my grandfather'

Lily moved off her armchair and kneeled on the floor between them. She leaned in close to his face and gently pulled back the hand that was pressing the cloth to it.

Raw, red skin, bleeding and oozing with puss, stretched from his forehead all the way across his left eye and down to his chin.

Lily lips parted allowing a soft gasp to escape.

'It'll heal' Scorpius told her calmly. 'Montespan has an antidote brewing'

Lily wanted to respond but her mind was flooded with thoughts and her throat felt suddenly dry and painful.

'It was an accident' Scorpius went on quietly. 'He shot some blasting spells at the furniture and one ricocheted back'

'Because of me?' Lily finally managed to choke out. 'He hurt you because of me?'

'No, no' Scorpius quickly put a hand out to cup her cheek.

Lily narrowed her watery eyes at him in disbelief.

'I mean- it's not just that' he admitted with a sigh.

'He was mad about everything. That I was in Hufflepuff this whole time, that I've still been studying healing after he told me to stop- even that I've been taking Muggle studies...'

Lily blinked at him in confusion.

'But how did he find out?'

Scorpius exhaled and slumped against the back of his chair.

'I told him'

'What?' Lily's eyebrows shot up.

'It was ridiculous' Scorpius said firmly. 'The whole thing was ridiculous- my father always running around trying to cover things up. For years he was transfiguring my robes from yellow to green, hiding away my healing textbooks and then burning copies of that stupid magazine'

Lily watched his face go from pale to flushed as he spoke.

'And my grandfather, always hounding me to try and get that internship at the ministry! What was going to happen when I graduated and went for my healing exams? Or for Merlin's sake, if I ever actually become a Healer?'

Lily still felt numb from the shock of this revelation but she managed nod slowly along as he spoke. He was right that the constant secrecy seemed neither constructive nor sustainable.

'And what about us?' Scorpius went on forcefully. 'What about when we get older, and you know, leave Hogwarts and all that? Am I supposed to keep you a secret forever?'

Lily hadn't really thought that far ahead and was surprised to hear that he had.

'If I can't even visit you in the holidays what am I going to do if we decide to live together?'

Blood rushed to Lily's ears at the idea but she quickly recovered.

'Did my asking you to come over cause all this?' Her brows knitted together anxiously.

Scorpius shook his head.

'I'd been thinking about it for a while'

They fell into a thoughtful silence. Montespan and Teddy could be heard speaking in low voices in the neighbouring room. Lily was trying to imagine just how Scorpius might have revealed the truth behind so many secrets to his grandfather all at once. From the steely look in his eyes, she gathered that he hadn't been gentle about it.

'Anyway…' Scorpius finally spoke again. 'How did you know I was here?'

Lily wrung her hands together and cleared her throat.

'Your father is looking for you...' she replied hesitantly.

Scorpius immediately let out a groan and put a hand to his forehead.

'Where is he?' he asked.

'At my parent's in Grimmauld Place-'

But before Lily could finish, Scorpius had turned to grab his jacket. He was half way to the door when Montespan's head appeared from around the corner.

'Wait-I'll floo you there. It'll be faster'

Scorpius turned back around, his expression hard. He headed straight for the fireplace as Montespan fumbled with a golden box full of glittery powder and Teddy motioned for Lily to hold tightly onto his arm.

A herb-like, spicy sent filed Lily's nostrils and she could see the flames flash a bright green even from behind her closed eyelids. Flooing was certainly her least favourite of any of the forms of magical transportation; the spinning sensation caused her to feel nauseous in a way that broom flying never did. But one benefit was that they could be transported right into the warm sitting room of Grimmauld place.

Unfortunately the room was still full of her parent's guests and so they tumbled out of the hearth only to be greeted with the pointy ends of three Auror's wands. Teddy got up first, raising his hands in surrender.

'At ease please, it's just us'

Slowly the Cassius, Alice and Tobias lowered their wands. Jonathan had put a hand out to protect his mother, whose face was white at the sight of three wizards and a witch appearing suddenly in a burst of green flames. Lily saw James and Albus' eyes widen at the sight of Scorpius's injured face. He had dispensed of the cloth, throwing it in the fireplace to burn, and was now striding across the room towards the door.

'The kitchen' Lily hastily called out to him.

Without turning to acknowledge her directions, Scorpius disappeared into the hallway. Lily had to jog to catch up with him.

When they reached the kitchen, they found Draco still sitting with this arms crossed in a chair facing Harry. The two were glaring at one another while Ginny stood with a vial of yellow liquid in one hand. She was attempting to get the pale, haggard man to extend his arm so that she could apply the solution of pickled Murtlap tentacles to the enormous gash on his bicep, but he kept batting her hand away.

Draco's expression immediately softened however when he saw Scorpius appear at the doorway. He moved towards him with outstretched arms. Scorpius ducked and backed away.

'You let him hurt me' he spat with venom.

Draco froze. His features contorted into a tortured expression and he held a shaky hand to his lips to muffle a dry sob. His knees buckled slightly and he opened his mouth but he was so overcome with emotion that the words 'I'm sorry' came out softer than a whisper.

Lily felt her heart tighten with sympathy. But Scorpius continued to glare at his father with an anger Lily had never seen in him before.

'I didn't think he would... he never used such a powerful spell against me...' Draco croaked out.

Scorpius remained silent. His eyes shifted apathetically over his father's bloodied arm.

'What the hell happened to you then?' he asked roughly.

Draco swallowed.

'He tried to blast you off the family tree...' he replied, closing his eyes in despair.

Scorpius let out a short bitter laugh.

'Why didn't you let him? Merlin knows my life would be easier without having to associate with you both'

'Scorpius' Lily interrupted in a low voice. This wasn't like him. Up until recently, she'd never heard him say a word against his father before. And the pain that it was causing Draco was immediately obvious in his features.

'It would set off irreversible magic. You wouldn't be able to say our name- you wouldn't be able to come home-' Draco's chin was trembling now.

'That pile of rubble isn't a home without her' Scorpius seethed.

The room fell into a tense silence. Ginny was trying to motion for Harry to get up and leave so that the father and son could have some privacy but he seemed reluctant to leave Lily alone with the pair.

'I know but...I've tried...' Draco's wavering voice came out like a plea. 'I've tried Scorpius…'

'Well stop trying' Scorpius said coldly. 'Let him disown me. Go get remarried, have another heir. It's what everyone wants'

Draco shook his head and stepped towards him.

'That's not what I want- that's not what I want' he repeated over and over in a flustered anguish.

'What the hell do you want then?' Scorpius growled. 'Because all we ever seem to do is what he wants!'

Draco moved hesitantly towards him again and placed his hands on Scorpius's shoulders.

'I want my son to be happy...' he said with a despairing loneliness that made Lily's heart sting.

Scorpius avoided his eyes. But he didn't move away from him this time.

'Give me some space then' He muttered.

Draco nodded slowly. His hands fell from his son's shoulders.

'It would be better if you don't come home for a while...' he agreed gloomily.

'He's welcome to stay with me as long as necessary Mr Malfoy' Montespan called out from where he stood just outside the doorway.

Draco nodded his gratitude without meeting the Professor's eyes.

'I have to be at the Manor. I need to make sure he doesn't try to remove you again...' Draco said quietly. Then he backed away from Scorpius to prepare to disapparate away.

'Your arm-' Ginny started to say. It was still bleeding profusely and not a drop of the Murtlap essence had touched it.

'It's fine Weasley' Draco said dismissively. He gave Scorpius one last longing look before disappearing with a loud crack before their eyes.

As soon as he was gone Scorpius let out a ragged sigh and Lily rushed to his side.

'Can't you stay here?' she asked him.

Scorpius looked at her with a sad smile.

'I'm sorry. He wouldn't like that'

She didn't need to ask which 'he' he was referring to. Lily's eyes fell to the ground. Scorpius took her hand and squeezed it as though to apologize.

'I'll come see you though' he told her quietly.

Montespan cleared his throat.

'Don't worry Miss Potter. We'll pour a few potions over that face and have him back as handsome as before for the next time you see him'

'He's already much better looking than you on a regular day Sir' Lily shot back with a reluctant grin before she could stop herself.

Scorpius snorted in amusement as Montespan gargled in mock outrage.

'You see the cheek I have to deal with from your daughter Mr and Mrs Potter!' Montespan exclaimed to Harry and Ginny who were busy hiding smirks themselves.

'I'll see you soon' were the last words Scorpius whispered to her before disappearing once again into the green flames of their sitting room fireplace.

A/N: Sorry it's such a short chapter this time! I had a bit of trouble writing it and am not 100% satisfied but thought it best to get it out sooner rather than keep delaying. Please let me know what you think!