A/N: What's up! Hearing from you guys makes me smile and when I smile I'm happy and when I'm happy I update. See what I'm getting at here? I'm quite proud of this chapter please tell me what you think!

Chapter Twenty Two

Family Matters

Stephen Wood leaned his chin on his older sister's shoulder. She eyed him curiously through the mirror in front of them. Bonnie Wood was three years older than Stephen and if they both hadn't inherited their parents' Quidditch skills she would have been a tough act to follow. She'd been drafted right out of school, like Stephen and their father, but unlike them she actually had the head space while at school to consider things other than Quidditch which was why Stephen had been named Quidditch captain and not his sister.

Bonnie Wood certainly lived up to her name, though. She was very pretty (even Stephen had to begrudgingly admit that). And she was the consummate Wood. A Quidditch player, fan and fanatic through and through. She'd gotten her more stable side from their mother who loved Quidditch but didn't think it was the end all be all. It was her stable side that kept her away from the countless Weasleys while she was at school. She'd been friends with them, in passive sort of way. They didn't bother her but they didn't ignore her either. It was the perfect balance.

Too bad Stephen hadn't learned from his sister's example. He was up to his elbows in Weasleys all because he'd fallen for one. For some reason to be involved with that family meant that drama dogged your every step. All he wanted to do was make Rose smile however she wanted him to do that. But no! Her father had to lose his freaking mind and pay his nephews to stalk him. So now the only way that they can be together is by hiding it from the rest of her family. And the only way to hide it from her family was to hide it from everyone.

Stephen was having a hard time with the last part. He was just so happy being with her, but he had to appear single and at all interesting in mingling. That drew attention making all his mates and his family think that he still wasn't over Rose. Which he wasn't but not for the reason they all thought. They thought he needed to move on, he needed to meet someone new, he needed to get laid. Stephen was inclined to agree with the last bit but only with Rose and she was only sixteen and he wasn't enough of jackass to even ask her about it. Soon she'd be of age and he wouldn't feel like such a pervert for wanting her.

Stephen just couldn't help feeling like if he had someone on his side that his situation would be easier to handle. He had another year and half before he and Rose could be together the way they should be. They'd decided over Winter Break that once she graduated they would let the cat out of the bag, sort of. Rose didn't want to hurt her family's feelings by letting them know she'd kept her relationship a secret. Apparently when her parents found out that her brother was hiding his relationship her mother had cried for a few hours and her father didn't look too happy either.

They planned on lying and saying they got back together at her graduation, which Stephen would attend. They'd find some alone time after the ceremony and make it seem like they were hashing out their differences and that night Rose would tell her family they were getting back together. It sounded simple and Stephen hoped like hell it would be simple. He'd just have to wait and see though. Until then he needed to somehow avoid the dates (landmines) his family and friends were setting for him.

Last night he'd thought he was meeting his father at a pub but instead he found an old family friend. A female family friend. The daughter of one of his father's teammates. He'd hung out with her for two hours, catching up he'd thought, when he wondered out loud where his father was. She'd been confused because apparently she was under the impression that this was a date. Stephen politely corrected her and they'd had a laugh over the whole thing. He'd spent a few more minutes with her, but quickly began feeling guilty. He was Rose's boyfriend. Though he had to admit he'd had a good time and that it would be easier to be someone else's boyfriend. And then that made him feel guilt.

He needed some help which was why he was here, at his sister's flat. If anyone could keep a secret it was Bonnie Wood. His big sister, who had just sprayed her perfume in his hair.

Stephen pulled away, ran his fingers through his stinking locks and smelled his hand. Flowery and fruity and nauseating.

"Thanks, Bonnie," he muttered darkly.

"You're welcome, you surly git," she said.

"This is disgusting, Bon. How could wear this crap?"

"I don't," she admitted. "I save it for bad dates and brothers who bug me."

"I guess I'm just special, then." Stephen flopped back onto her bed, grabbed her pillow rubbed his head on it. Bonnie screech and pulled her pillow away from her brother.

"Bloody hell you're an ass!" She pulled out her wand and cleaned her pillow and Stephen's hair before throwing the pillow his head. He caught it, of course. Thank you Quidditch reflex. "You never used to be such an ass. You need a girl, mate."

Stephen sighed. "That's why I'm here, Bonnie."

"You want me to set you up with one of my friends!" she squealed happily. She jumped onto the bed next to him. "Jenny's been asking about you ever since you graduated! But maybe you'd be better with Mary. She likes Quidditch more than Jenny. Or there's Donna-"

"No, Bonnie!" Stephen interrupted her. "I don't want you to set me up. I've already got enough of that from Mum and Dad and all my mates. I don't need it from you too."

"I don't understand, Stephen," she said, crossing her arms. "You've been broken up with that Weasley for nearly a year."

"Not exactly," Stephen admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"Last summer I wrote Rose a letter-"

"You wrote her a million letters last summer!"

"This one was different. I told her the truth."

"Which is?"

"That I'm mad about her. I still want to be with her and that'll deal with her manic family if means I get to be with her."

Bonnie took this exactly as he expected she would. "Awww!" She threw her arms around Stephen's neck and grabbed his cheeks. "Who knew my baby brother was such a romantic! And here I was thinking you only had Quidditch on the brain."

"Stop flattering me, Bonnie," he snapped. "I might yax."

"Sorry for being surprised," she said, leaning back against the headboard. "You're more like Dad then Mum. His idea of a romantic statement is telling her she reminds him of the perfect save."

They both laughed and then sighed because they knew it was true.

"So, what did she say to your very un-dad-like declaration?" Bonnie asked.

"She said she felt the same, but we decided that until she graduates at least, the only way we can be together is if none of her family knows about us."

Bonnie stared at her brother for a second. "The only way you'd be able to keep something for the Weasley family is by keeping it from everybody," she said.

"Exactly."

She thought for a second. Stephen saw the moment she realized what was going on. "You haven't been broken up then?"

"Not since summer."

"Stephen!"

"What was I suppose to do?" he demanded. "I'm miserable without her. At least this way I get to tell her how much I adore her and whenever we can swing alone time together I get to kiss her."

"That sounds like it sucks," Bonnie said.

"Not as much as it would if I wasn't with her at all," Stephen said.

"Oh, baby brother," she cooed. "If you need to keep it a secret, why are you telling me?"

"Dad set me up last night."

"With a broomstick?"

"Oh ha ha bloody ha. He set me up with the daughter of one of his teammates," Stephen said.

"So, someone with the I.Q. of a broomstick?"

"She was nice and I was having a good time until I realized Dad had tricked me into it! I couldn't stay after that!"

"Why not?"

"It felt like I was cheating on Rose."

"I'm sorry, Stephen," Bonnie said. "But what can I do?"

"I need you to, like run interference. No one believes me when I say I'm all right but not interested in dating. Maybe they'll believe you."

"It's worth a shot, but you owe me!"

"Whatever, so long as you do it."

"Anything for you, little brother." Bonnie grabbed Stephen's face and kissed him soundly on the cheek. "We're family! It's what I'm here for!"

Scorpius straightened his robes and hoped that he looked like he hadn't just dragged his girlfriend into a broom closet. She'd scurried out ahead of him, her pretty little bum swaying back and forth as she skipped down the hall happy as can be. He'd made sure of that, at least.

She didn't need to be burdened with his insecurities. It was just making her unhappy and as her boyfriend it was his job to make sure she was happy. He had no business making her cry into his jumper. And from here on out, until she realized how wrong for her he was, he'd do his damnedest to make her smile so much her cheeks hurt.

This new resolution didn't do much to make him feel any more secure his current… life. He still got a letter from his Mum everyday begging him to just do what his father wanted. He still got about a Howler a week from his grandfather. He was still being completely ignored by most of his Housemates. He was still terrified that everything that was his father and his grandfather and his Death Eater relatives was lurking somewhere inside of him just waiting for him to get pissed off enough for it to just burst out of him. And he just hex or curse the first person he came across which would probably be Lily.

He was still certain they were doomed. And though Lily had been gently but firmly attempting to push their boundaries closer and closer to the point of no return, Scorpius had somehow managed to keep her a virgin. Because when they inevitably imploded he wasn't going to leave the Potter house with the youngest Potters' virginity. The way she was rubbing against him mere moments ago… Scorpius looked down at himself… it was hard to say the least.

Scorpius blew out a frustrated breath. He had Potions in a few minutes but there was no way he could walk into the dungeon class room in the state he was in. Or rather, the state Lily had left him in. He glanced down the hall. Lily was surrounded by her friends chatting and laughing. As if sensing his eyes on her, she turned towards him and smiled. Her friends caught this and giggled as they pulled her out of sight. Scorpius pulled his robes over his trousers and made for the Entrance Hall. He lost himself in a group of fifth years going to Care of Magical Creatures as he made his way down towards the Forbidden Forest.

Most students avoided the forest, taking its name to heart, but Scorpius always found it to be a nice quiet place to think. The library used to be his favorite quiet place to think, but these days it was crawling with Weasleys and Potters who all wanted his input on their teenage dramas. Scorpius had enough of that himself, thank you very much, he didn't need to be drawn into other peoples drama.

He pulled away from the other students and disappeared between the trees. He set a quick pace hoping to get his blood flowing enough that he didn't notice how cold it was. As he power walked through the forest he tried not thinking about how wonderful it would be for his life to turn out like Andromeda's (minus the dead spouse and child, of course). It would be too fabulous to marry Lily, have children with her and grow old together. But his family was haunting him more than usual lately. Apparently his parents were trying for another child. They were only in their early forties and as purebloods there was no telling how long they'd live. His grandfather had suggested it (big surprise) and his father agreed (of course). Soon he'd have a younger brother or sister looking down on him as he or she grew up. His mother wouldn't fight his father, she'd buckle immediately and just do whatever he wanted. Honestly, Scorpius couldn't remember when his mother had become such a cow-

"Oww!"

Scorpius, too lost in his thoughts to pay attention to the roots littering the forest floor, tripped and stumbled forward. His hands caught him at the last second. His right palm landed on something hard.

"Shit, shit, shit," he muttered grabbing the offending stone, intent on throwing it as hard as he could at a tree. You know, for revenge.

When he finally looked at the rock, it wasn't a rock at all. It was hideously ugly ring with a giant black stone in it. The stone was cracked down the center making it hard to see what was engraved in the surface. Scorpius got to his feet, dusted himself off and made for a ray of sunlight that had broken through the canopy. He held the ring in the sunlight. It was a crest of some sort. He wasn't familiar with it but had all kinds of snakes in it.

Scorpius snorted. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom pulled the sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat and he fell on his face in the Forbidden Forest and finds a ring with Slytherin written all over it. Scorpius threw the ring up and caught it again as he walked over to a fallen log and sat down. He absentmindedly twirled the ring in his hand as he thought about how unfair life was, the only person who really knew what he was going through at the moment was dead.

Talking to Andromeda hadn't helped much. She'd been encouraging him to follow his own path for months, but she'd been an adult when her family disowned her. It was much different being a kid… If only he could talk to Sirius Black. He'd been disowned just like Scorpius. If anyone knew what it was like being banished by your own family it was Sirius Black.

"Looking a little glum there, kid." Scorpius' head shot up. Standing in front of him was Sirius Black- er sort of. He looked barely corporal, leaving no doubt in Scorpius' mind that he was as dead now as he'd been seconds before. That didn't stop Scorpius wondering where in the hell he'd come from and why he was here instead of there. "Family giving you trouble?"

"Whaa…? Where…?" Scorpius asked, wide eyed.

Sirius nodded at the ring hanging limply off of one of Scorpius' fingers. "Know anything about the Deathly Hallows?"

"This stone is that stone!" Scorpius exclaimed.

"One and the same," Sirius said, sitting down next to his nephew of sorts. "So, what am I doing here? Oh! Are you writing my biography? The title should be something along the lines of… A Marauder's Life: A Story of Heroics, Mischief Making and What it Truly Means to be Sirius Orion Black III." Sirius nodded as Scorpius realized that the dead had way too much time on their hands.

"I'll be sure to do that as soon as I graduate," Scorpius said, giving his relative an odd look.

"Oh, well keep a hand on that stone, then," Sirius said. "I've got plenty to say about my life! But don't Summon James or Remus! They'll just lie about me. Call me arrogant!" Sirius scoffed. "As if."

"I'll keep that in mind," Scorpius said, still completely freaked out. This was not what he was expecting from the man he'd identified with for nearly his whole school career. He'd expected some one well… more like himself. But from what he'd witnessed Sirius Black was a lot like James Potter (the living James Potter (but perhaps he was like the dead James Potter, Scorpius didn't know)). Carefree and far too arrogant for his own good. Then again he was dead. Scorpius supposed he could be however he liked now.

"If you're not writing my biography at the moment," Sirius said. "Why'd you call me here?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," Scorpius said, defensive. "But you had it right the first time."

Sirius sighed. "All right, Scorpius. I'm going to let you in a little secret… most of the time being dead is boring. Yeah, James and Remus are there but half the time they're off with their wives. Most of the time a single bloke hasn't much to do… except console those poor souls that died virgins," Sirius wiggled his eyebrows and Scorpius' eyes went wide. "Besides that, we watch the living. Ha! Harry reminds me a lot of his grandparents. Collecting all you lost puppies. Kira and you." Sirius smiled indulgently.

Scorpius was about to open his mouth and correct him about Kira, but Sirius didn't give him a chance. "There are lots of ways for a parent to abandon their child, Scorpius," he continued. "Sometimes they don't have a choice. Like with James and Remus. They never wanted to leave their boys, but they weren't exactly given an option about it. Kira's parents on the other hand had far too many children and when Kira wanted to spend all her time with James, they never fought her on it. While both parties were willing, it doesn't change the fact Harry and Ginny have raised that girl since she was eleven. And then there is what happened to you and I.

"We both grew up with a rebellious disposition, not really wanting to believe the crap our parents shoved down our throats. Being sorted into Gryffindor was enough to change things for me. Being friends with the Potters was enough to change things for you. It starts to suck pretty much immediately, as I'm sure you've noticed. Just because you're willing to open your eyes to a new way of thinking doesn't mean that your parents are. I got back from school after my fourth year and my mother gave me an ultimatum. Start acting like a Black and drop all your mates or leave the house. She locked me in my room to think about it. As if there was anything to even consider. I grabbed my truck and my broom and jumped out the window. I lived with James until the summer before my seventh year when I got a flat.

"And while it's worked out for Harry and Teddy and Kira and we know it wasn't their fault. Most of the time when a child is abandoned by their parents it's not their fault, that doesn't change the fact that each and every child blames themselves for it. Harry and Teddy will never admit it, which is good because I don't need their soppy tosser fathers fretting over dying, to an extent they blame themselves for it happening. Kira can't help blaming herself. Thinking, 'if only I'd been a better daughter, then maybe they wouldn't have been so willing to let me go.' And then there's me and you. And we both know it's our fault. Our parents gave us a choice and we chose.

"Now listen carefully, Scorpius, because I'm finally getting to the point. Just because it's your fault that your parents abandoned you, it doesn't make you wrong. They made a choice the same way you did, only they chose to love you based on your ability to do as your told and not on who you are. James and Albus are your friends because you're an awesome guy. Lily loves you because of who you are. Not a one of them could care less about your name! And that's all your parents can focus on. Since that's the case, since they can't love you for the person you are not the person they want you to be, Scorpius, you have to decide that they aren't your family anymore. You have to build a new family around the Potters and the Weasleys. And I know what you're thinking! After everything your family did to theirs there is no way that they'd welcome you. But Scorpius, that's the reason they will."

Scorpius attempted to absorb this and then gave up. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Wait, all of it or-"

"No, just the last bit."

"Right! Harry saved Draco's life mere moments after Draco tried to kill him. Why did he do that?" Sirius asked.

"Because Harry's the bigger man."

"Well, yes, but Harry is also the better man. Harry hasn't realistically thought for a second about lashing out in violence against Draco, no matter how much he deserved it. He stopped Remus and I from killing Pettigrew because he is not the revenge sort and he can't imagine anyone around him becoming that sort of person. Harry and the Weasleys won't hold your name against you because they're not those kinds of people. They're not like… our family. They're better. You made the right choice throwing in your lot with them. If you let it happen, it'll make you happier that's for sure."

"I'm afraid," Scorpius admitted.

"Of?"

"Becoming like them."

Sirius didn't bother asking which 'them' Scorpius was referring to. "We all have badness in us, Scorpius. I almost got Severus Snape killed because of mine. We've been given far too many bad ideas from our family to ever think that we're just normal good people. But there is good in us too. And we're lucky because we have far more good in us than bad." Sirius gave a humorless laugh. "I met a Muggle girl not long after I died and she told me something I wish I'd heard while I was alive. She said, 'God never gives us more then we can handle. When you pray to God for strength does he give you moral fortitude or does he give the opportunity to be strong?' She made it sound like life was just one big test to see if you've got what it takes to be just what God knew you could be. Like life is just one big 'what if?' and you've got to decide which 'what if' you're life is going to be."

"Was she one of the poor souls to die a virgin?" Scorpius asked with a smile, the first genuine smile he'd worn in days.

"Mind out of the gutter, young man," Sirius attempting (and failing) to look serious. "And yes."

Scorpius snorted. "I suppose she isn't anymore?"

"Good gracious, what James will think? You dating his granddaughter and everything!" One of Sirius' eyebrows went up and a slow smirk stretched across his face. "I suppose the littlest Lily won't be a virgin much long, eh?"

"Not if she has it her way," Scorpius muttered, going beet red.

"That's the way it is with those Potters. They know what or who they want and they have no trouble just going and getting it. Do you need any advice about that? I'm rather well learned in that field," Sirius chuckled.

"Sod off," Scorpius laughed.

"I can't. Not until you let go of that stone."

Scorpius' hand squeezed around the ring, compulsively.

"Do… do you want to leave?" He tried to sound casual, but… it was just so nice. Like having a real father.

"Don't worry about it, mate. The stone only becomes troublesome when you're trying to live with the dead. But the dead don't belong with the living."

"What about Professor Binns and-"

"I think that Professor Binns is a perfect example of why the dead don't belong with the living. As for other ghosts. They're only around because life wasn't all it was cracked up to be and they couldn't let it go."

"But you could?" Scorpius almost wished that he couldn't. That he wanted to stay among the living.

"How about this? See how your life works when you actually accept the Potters and the Weasleys as your family. See how you feel after you give Lily what she so desperately wants. See how happy you are then. And think if you really want some dead bloke hanging around. After that the only time you need Summon me is when you write my biography. The Auror department has all sorts of files on me, I'm sure that they make me sound like a total bad ass. Take a look at those when you're an Auror and use them."

Sirius' ghostly and oddly solid hand landed on top of Scorpius' that was still gripping the stone tightly.

"If you ever need another chat, just turn it in your hands a few times and think of me and I'll be here."

"Promise?" Scorpius whispered.

"Promise. Now let it go."

The ring dropped from Scorpius' hand and Sirius vanished.