Another flash of brilliant green flared across the hardwood floors, and the pair in the den held their breath until a familiar bored, drawling voice broke through the silence that had followed.
"Potter? You home?"
"I-is that Malfoy?"
"Undoubtedly, IN THE DEN!"
"Since when has he had access past the wards?"
"It's a long story… But probably more than ten years? The whole Malfoy family has access... We're pretty good chums now."
"Good chums? You mean you and Malfoy are friends?!"
"Yeah… Kinda strange, how life works out isn't it?"
Back in the early 2000s shortly after James's first birthday, Harry had been sent on an undercover assignment tracking Death Eaters who'd traveled deep into muggle territories with Draco.
It had been an experience, one of many trials, to learn how to cooperate after years of strife.
Then, one night tired of listening to Draco's scorn Harry let it slip that he and Ron no longer considered each other friends.
Malfoy had rolled with laughter, disbelief evident in his condescending tone.
Until Harry had shared the tail of the Weasley - Granger wedding gone awry.
"No shit? You stole their first dance from Weasle-be?"
"It's not like that was my intention! I didn't even know it was their song when I offered! All I knew was that he had stormed off after pretty much calling Hermione a whore, and I couldn't stand it! What kind of bloke acts like that at his wedding?!"
"The uncultured, jealous ones. I tried to warn you that he was of the wrong sort."
"Well, you struck me as a spoiled git back then. Reminded me an awful lot of my cousin Dudley from the jump. So you'll have to forgive me for not taking your "advice"."
"Heh, suppose I was. Didn't see a need to change until… well you know."
"End of sixth year?"
"Yeah… Maybe before that, I spent most of that year damn near pissing myself."
"Wish I had known. Maybe instead of hexing you to bits, we could've helped get you out of there."
"Well, you know what the muggles say, "You can wish in one hand, and shit in the other… see which one fills up first"."
"Ha! Did you, Draco Malfoy, just quote a muggle saying?"
"What of it?"
"Nothing, just think I might like you a bit better now."
"You're not so bad yourself, Potter. Even if you did cost me a large sum by marrying the weasel girl..."
"The best of mates, actually. Ah, Granger, nice to see you again. Uh, my apologies, old habits, and all that... I suppose it's Mrs. Weasley isn't it?"
"Granger will do just fine, thank you. Since I won't be Mrs. Weasley for much longer anyhow."
"Is that so?" Though he was posing the question to Hermione, Draco was staring at Harry, his eyes sparkling with a knowing gleam. "Since when?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but I started the paperwork this morning."
*Chuckle* "Oh, we're still not my biggest fan I see… My nose hurts just seeing that look again. Still think I'm a "foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach"?"
"Oi, shove off Draco. It's enough to know it's recent news alright."
*Tsk* "So defensive, I'm only having a bit of fun."
"Malfoy."
"Alright, alright. What brings you here Granger?"
"Same as you, I guess. I'm here for Harry… In light of recent events. I figured he could use the company."
"Don't you think that's a bit odd? You just filed for divorce, and now you're here with another man, whose marriage is falling apart, very publicly, I might add. What might the press think, should they find out?"
"It's no stranger than you and he becoming friends, and I don't give a damn what those bloody vultures think. Never have. Harry needs me, so I'm here."
"Ha! knew I liked you, Granger."
"Yes, well, the sentiment isn't returned, so, keep your distance. Harry might trust you, but I certainly do not."
Pinching his nose, Harry growled. "Are you two quite done?"
"Depends." Malfoy snorted, unrattled by Hermione's ire.
"On?"
"Are you finally gonna file for divorce?"
"Did you come here to comfort or interrogate me? Because it feels more like you're gearing up for an interrogation."
"I did come here to check in on ya. Figured someone should, before half of Britain imploded from accidental magic, but Granger here already has that handled… So?"
Casting a sharp glare at Draco, Harry nodded. "Yeah, I've got Alvaro's number in the top drawer. I planned on calling him today." Lifting the prophet from his desk, he moved to toss the paper that had started all of this ruckus in the bin.
' A bloody fucking headache, that's all this rubbish ever is good for.'
"Splendid! Then you should probably be saving that. Could come in handy."
"Hello?"
"Jimmy? It's Mum, I saw I missed your call. Is everything alright?"
"No, everything is not alright! How could you even ask that?! I called you days ago! Why are you only getting back to me now?!"
"Come now, no reason to have a row. I've been a bit busy dealing with the most recent press gossip."
"Gossip? This isn't just gossip mum. It's a picture of you naked in bed with a random tosser! "
"That's a bit harsh, Victor is hardly some random tosser."
"That's what makes it worse! Do you know what the students here are calling you? "A Dirty no-good gold-digging whore." Is that what you wanted? To be called a bloody whore?"
"Like those petty names even matter. What do the opinions of some school kids matter to me anyhow?"
"Then how about having half the wizarding world questioning Lily, Albus, and I's heritage?! They're saying we're bloody liars, and that Dad isn't our real father!"
*Scoff* "Well that's just bloody rubbish, I-"
"It doesn't matter if it's rubbish! YOU were caught on camera in bed with someone else!To them, that's all the proof they needed! Now everyone "knows" we're nothing more than leeches riding on the coattails of someone else's success! We're being treated like social lepers, and it's all because of you!"
"That's not fair! I've done nothing wrong! It's not a crime to be in love with someone else!"
"Is that all you care about? That it's not a crime!? You're married! If you're off shagging someone who isn't your husband, that's adultery! It might not be a crime, but it is still shameful Mum. You might as well embroider a brilliant red "A" on all your clothing. You're as good as branded, nothing more than a scarlet letter!"
"EXCUSE ME!? I am your mother! You will not talk down to me like this young man!"
*Scoff* "Did you forget, it's public knowledge now, I have a whorefor a mother."
Her shrill screams filled the room, rivaling the loudest howler he had ever seen. The kind normally reserved for his father.
The screaming could go on for hours if she wasn't properly appeased.
He could probably tell you exactly what she was saying, even though he stopped listening.
Her tirades were always the same.
Everything was dad's fault, if only he had loved her more, spoiled her the way she deserved, catered to her every whim, then this wouldn't have happened. She'd have been home more, cared for their family, and attended every event. But she wanted adventure, and life as the wife of an Auror wasn't nearly as exciting as she thought being married to The-Boy-Who-Lived was going to be.
She had all the fame she wanted, but it wasn't enough… They were never enough.
So her opinion didn't matter.
It hadn't mattered for years, just like he and his siblings hadn't to her.
She was selfish, horribly wretched.
' What kind of parent thinks so little of their children, and their feelings?'
All that mattered now were his siblings, they were being bullied, and it was all her fault.
Little Lil hadn't smiled in days, only leaving her room for classes and food. Her cheeks were almost permanently streaked with tears.
They called her things like "cry baby", and all her friends had turned on her.
He'd heard of rumors of lecherous boys who had accosted her in the middle of the corridors, implying she was easy, or a slut like their mother.
Each one had found themselves at the end of his wand. Hexed, jinxed, or stunned. She was only twelve for Merlin's sake!
Nasty no good tossers.
And Albus, poor Albus, he's had it hard enough when he had been sorted into Slytherin.
Thanks to this he and Scorpius were back to being shunned, and "Slytherin Squib" had returned, this time they said it was proof that he was some muggle man's son.
Luckily he seemed to be thriving right now, but it didn't make James feel any better.
He had spent the greater part of his third and fourth years trying to get rid of that wretched nickname. Hexing anyone who'd dare utter it, even under their breath.
To see it back in full swing, due solely to the actions of their mother, really pissed him off.
"You know," He interrupted. "Some of the students swear they saw you smirking in that photo, say it happens right before the loop. They think you planned all this… and I kinda agree with 'em. Who knows how long this has been going on."
"That's ridiculous, and none of your business. What does it matter how long? New or old it doesn't change anything."
"Doesn't it though? I know you weren't home all summer, and hardly around for the last couple of years too. For fucks sake mum, we're your kids, but even we didn't see you until the entire family met up outside the train station. What, did you show up just to play the part of a perfect wife and mother waving her kids off to another year at school?! Don't answer that, I can already guess you did. Bet the entire time you were probably just itching to run off and shag your washed-up, has-been bloke again!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH! I WON'T STAND FOR THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR YOUNG MAN! AND DON'T CALL HIM THAT! VICTOR ISN'T A HAS-BEEN, HE'S A CHAMPION, AND A VERY KIND, LOVING MAN!"
"Victor, Victor, Victor! Is that the only person who matters to you?! What about us?! Lily, Albus, me and dad? Don't you care about how any of us feel?"
"Your father probably only cares that I involved the press. He's never cared about me, nor what I do. It's his fault really, if he had treated me better, and had-"
"You-you're so fucking selfish! Ugh, I hate you!"
Fingers clenched as the silence stretched between them, there was a deep breath, then dial tone. *Scoff* "Fucking coward."
All his life people had judged him, it came with the territory of being related to The-Boy-Who-Lived, Triwizard Champion, Savior of the Wizarding World. His life had been in the spotlight since practically the moment of conception.
His mother had thrived off it, lived for it. So he had learned to live with it, and the ever-growing list of labels the public had come to attach to him… brazen, like his namesakes, meddling, troublesome, but if anyone were to see him now: tears free falling, clutching onto the school's bell waiting for any other sound than the continuous disconnection buzz.
They might add "immature" to that list.
He certainly didn't feel as if he was only two years away from becoming a man.
"Come on James, when dad was 16 he'd already faced Voldemort seven times! This is nothing!" *Sniff* "You're James Sirius Potter! You can handle this."
Whipping his tears, he dropped the phone on its receiver.
"Fuck her."