This ended up being a lot longer than I expected. It turned out a little differently from what I originally intended, but I decided to just go with it. Please, do review! Even if it's to offer suggestions or criticism, I'd really appreciate it.
Disclaimer: This world and these characters belong to J.K. Rowling. The only thing I own is the plot.
"They've got the look," Rose heard Lily whisper to Morgan, who nodded solemnly in agreement.
Hugo was interested enough to stop shoveling food into his mouth for a moment. "I love you, Rose," he blurted out randomly, loud enough that most of the adults heard. Hermione was giving her son a strange look; he was very like Ron and didn't usually say stuff like that. "Just wanted to put that out there," he added casually, noticing all the stares.
The adults returned to their dinners and conversations while the kids snickered knowingly. Hugo took the opportunity to scarf down a chicken leg before turning to look up at his sister pleadingly. "Please tell me," he begged, blinking his large brown eyes innocently up at her.
She looked down at him seriously, affecting a James-esque air. "You'll understand when you're older," she told her little brother.
Lily joined in. "Did you battle a dragon?" she asked eagerly, pitching her voice low enough that nobody at the adult table heard her.
"You're all becoming unregistered animaligi, aren't you?" Hugo accused.
"It's animagi, Hugo!" Rose rolled her eyes at Al.
"I bet you're enchanting a flying car!" Lysander chimed in – they had been told some things by the adults.
"It's definitely something illegal," Lorcan agreed.
"Are you sneaking off to see Victor Krum for flying lessons?" Morgan asked, apparently forgetting exactly to whom they were related – it wasn't as if there was any international level skill in the family, after all – just, oh, Angelina Johnson, Ginny Weasley, Charlie Weasley,and Harry Potter, to name a few. "Because my dad told me he's an excellent flyer, and I know Hermione knows him personally."
Rose just tuned them out, inching her chair back sneakily to eavesdrop on the adults. Not missing the movement, Lucy caught her eye and winked.
"We'll definitely continue the tradition," Uncle Harry was saying enthusiastically. "Do you remember in first year, when McGonagall got me that Nimbus 2000? Malfoy looked like he was going to cry!"
There were roaring bouts of laughter, and Rose allowed herself a smile at the memory. "Malfoy was a right git," her father agreed venomously. "Served him right. I've heard he's got a son who's Rose and Al's age."
Rose and Al stiffened at this. "Do you think Scorpius is having fun at his country house?" Al asked her, looking concerned. They didn't live at Malfoy Manor because Scorpius's dad had wanted to escape the memories; Narcissa lived there alone.
"I hope so," she answered. "Anyway, we'll see him again later." And they returned to their eavesdropping.
"Ronald!" Rose's mum was scolding. "Honestly, you don't even know the boy. What if it turns out he's nothing like his father?"
"Besides," Uncle Harry added, "I've heard from Seamus that he's really changed. They went to Healing school together – and besides, the boy may very well be the black sheep of the Malfoy family. Think what Sirius would say."
Rose and Al exchanged glances again. Rose wished she'd gotten the chance to meet Sirius Black, after having seen memories of him.
"Whatever," Ron grumbled, looking reproachfully at his best mates for ganging up on him. "I still can't believe Seamus became a Healer, though."
Aunt Ginny joined the conversation. "The year you left Hogwarts for – you know," and she lowered her voice with a furtive glance in their direction – "well, it was rough, Ron. After seeing that much violence, it doesn't surprise me that Seamus wanted to do what he could to counteract it."
"It's been going really well," Rose's mum said after a while. "I haven't heard a thing about pureblood mania ever since – well, ever since back then, really."
Uncle Harry turned to look at the children affectionately, his gaze lingering on Teddy, who immediately struck up a conversation with Rose and Al as if they'd been talking all along. ". . . and those O.W.L.s are killing me! And with all the extra Quidditch practice – we'd better win the Cup this year. . ."
"Everything we went through was worth it," Uncle Harry proclaimed with finality. "I think they'd be proud." He spoke up. "Your O.W.L.s will go great, Teddy, believe me. You're smart. And as for the Quidditch Cup –"
Ron broke in here. "Gryffindor is the best house, I don't care what they say," he finished. "There's no way you'll lose to those Puffs, or even the Claws, and you'd better not lose to the Slytherins."
Lucy sat up, overhearing the last comment. "Why not?" she demanded. "Slytherin is just as good as Gryffindor –"
"Sorry, Luce," Rose's dad told her kindly. Rose grimaced at Al. "But Gryffindor is going to demolish you Slytherin pansies."
Lucy narrowed her eyes in that dangerous Slytherinesque expression. "We'll see," she promised, her ire vanishing now that she realized it was just some healthy house competition and not another person proclaiming her house to be evil.
"And don't dismiss us Ravenclaws," Victoire scolded her uncle. "All you Gryffindors do is make reckless maneuvers and try to fight your way to the cup through sheer will and pure nerve. Ravenclaws actually have strategy."
"Hey!" Teddy protested. She shrugged at him, knowing full well that Gryffindor was acknowledged as the most talented team at Hogwarts, and his eyes narrowed at her. "Is that why Gryffindor has won the Cup every year since I joined the team?"
"Slytherin's going to get it," Lucy promised him. "We're going to show you brainless fools what things like cunning and ambition can do for you."
"You've already shown us what your so-called 'cunning' and 'ambition' have done for you," Teddy retorted coolly. "They've lost you the Quidditch Cup. Every. Single. Year."
"And besides," Uncle Harry nodded, "I was the youngest Seeker in a century in my day. For Gryffindor. We were undoubtedly the most talented team there."
"Besides," Hermione grudgingly allowed herself to be drawn into the argument – House pride, after all – "you just call us 'brainless fools' because you know you can't match up to our daring and chivalry. We're determined, too – that's why our houses clash. Difference is, Slytherins trample people in their path, while Gryffindors get what we want the noble way: through pure skill, unflinching courage, and unwavering determination."
Dominique applauded her aunt. "Hear, hear!" she cried; she was a first year Gryffindor.
Uncle Percy, however, who had caught the ending of that conversation, cleared his throat, clearly irritated. "Now, I know Lu's a Slytherin, but that's no call to be insulting her like that."
Lucy opened her mouth to argue, but Uncle Percy didn't give her the chance. "Really, she's your own family. I'm surprised at you – the example you're setting. Just consider yourself lucky to be in the presence of an actually decent Slytherin!"
Lucy's icy blue eyes flashed. "I'm not the only decent Slytherin!" she told her father coldly.
Percy looked taken aback. "You've misunderstood me," he told his daughter patronizingly. "It's just that you've got ambition – as did I at your age – but not the pureblood mania and propensity to be cruel."
To the adults, Lucy was staring back impassively, but the cousins caught the tightening of her jaw. Teddy put his arm on Lucy's shoulder, and the cousins saw her relax. To the adults, Teddy was just being comforting.
Rose and Al exchanged glances unhappily. That was about to become the annual Weasley gathering shouting match – every time the family got together, there was some huge row that occurred. Always – they really couldn't leave until it was over.
It turned out to be enough, though. "We're going to go upstairs," Teddy told the adults, and they nodded agreeably. The cousins all filed upstairs, cramming into what was now the bedroom shared by Teddy, James, and Al.
As the youngest, who had not yet been initiated, made to follow them in, Vic shook her head warningly. "Sorry, guys – you know how this goes. Off to bed with you lot."
Sulking, they scarpered off. "Hold on – they've probably gone to get the new Extendable Ears –" James began, and Louis continued.
"– but Uncle George was kind enough to give us the counter charm, which he invented himself, to the ears –"
"– because we help him with the WWW sometimes, and he thinks we can't use magic anyway, so we'd probably forget it," Fred finished. "It's the only charm that works against the ears."
Al frowned. "What do you mean, he thinks you can't use magic? You don't even have wands yet! And Teddy and Molly and Vic and Lucy and everyone can't do the spell because of that Underage Magic Decree thingy."
Molly smiled at them. "Al, Rose, you've got to go get Scorpius from Malfoy Manor before we explain anything," she told them, as Louis whispered the spell in Teddy's ear.
"Why do we have to do it?" Rose demanded. "And how?"
"Because he's in your year – as for how, side-along Apparition, of course!"
"But none of us can Apparate –" Al broke off as Molly gave him a look. "Right. Explanations later – is Teddy going to do it, then?"
Teddy grinned over at them. "I learned how last week," he said proudly. "But I've been practicing since the beginning of this year. Still, a fifth year who can secretly Apparate – impressive, don't you think?"
"But I thought they don't teach Apparition to anyone younger than seventeen," Rose frowned. "You'd have to miraculously figure it out on your own, and what are the chances of that?"
James winked at her. "Insane intelligence runs in our blood," he told her.
Teddy ran a hand through his hair before taking out his wand. "Muffliato."
"Is that the Extendable Ear blocking spell?" Rose demanded eagerly, brimming with curiosity.
"Nah," Vic answered. "That's just a spell for muffling sound. It's great for conversations you don't want others to overhear. Third years aren't supposed to know it, of course, but I've used it before anyway."
"I'm starting to see a trend here," muttered Al.
"Anyway, Alice should be here any moment, so take my arms, both of you," Teddy instructed. Rose felt a sudden loud popping noise, and an extreme sense of vertigo overtook her. She felt as if someone was trying to vacuum her insides up through her nose. The world stopped spinning suddenly, and she and Al staggered like drunks for several moments before promptly being violently sick into some nearby bushes.
Teddy nodded sympathetically at them. "Did that on my first try, too," he added. He reached up to feel his hair. "Thank Merlin," he sighed in relief. "The first few times I did it, I kept leaving my hair behind. It was horrible."
Al looked mildly alarmed. "Is this Scorpius's palace?" Rose asked incredulously, taking no notice of her cousins.
"It's not a palace. It's a mansion. A large mansion," Teddy corrected her, looking amused. "You two go in. I'll wait out here. And hurry, before someone notices!"
Rose and Al decided to take it the old fashioned way – they picked a random window and spent fifteen minutes attempting to scale a tree to it before finally succeeding. Luckily, the room the tumbled into was empty.
"I nicked the invisibility cloak from Dad," Al whispered. "James said it was only fair, because he had to steal the Map." He pulled something shimmery out from the inside of his robes and draped it over them.
"I love this cloak," Rose said happily as they began to move haphazardly down the hall. Rose yelped loudly all of a sudden, and Al clamped his hand over her mouth. "You hit me!"
"Shut up!" he hissed back, as they snuck into the dining room. Scorpius was sitting with his parents, chattering excitedly as he shoveled food into his mouth.
They tiptoed over to him. "Hey, Scorp," Rose hissed in his ear. He let out a startled yelp.
Draco and Astoria froze, staring at their son oddly. "Uh. . . I just – just choked on. . . on my water," Scorpius told them lamely. "You know, I think I lost my appetite. I'm just going to go. . ."
"Scorpius!" Astoria scolded as he tried to get up to quickly. "Honestly, what –"
"AHHH!" screamed Rose as Scorpius nearly fell on top of her, tripping over the leg of his chair as he tried to escape again.
Draco's eyes narrowed. "What was that?" he asked his son sternly.
"That was me," Scorpius said hastily. "I stepped on my own foot. I guess that water made me sound a little girlish, but it's not as if there's a girl around here anywhere, so obviously it was me. I mean, really, who else could it be, right? Do you see anyone else? Because I certainly don't. Only me." He laughed nervously.
"Oh, Merlin." Al smacked his forehead with his palm, shaking his head.
"Scorpius," Draco said calmly, looking as if he was fighting the urge to laugh, "would you like to tell us what's going on?"
"Er. . . no?" Scorpius tried, glancing at his father hopefully.
Draco narrowed his eyes, and Scorpius gingerly inched away. Al and Rose backed up hastily under the invisibility cloak. "Scorpius. . ." Draco warned.
"Oh, look!" Scorpius exclaimed, feigning surprise. "Is that a Welsh Green dragon?" And he tried to escape again, somehow managing to slam into Al, sending them both to the floor. The invisibility cloak flew off, and Rose jumped after it, managing to catch it and landing at Draco Malfoy's feet.
She gulped nervously. "Uh. . . hello." She waved at him. "Pleased to meet you, sir."
"Rose," Scorpius moaned, looking like he wanted to off himself. Rose didn't blame him.
"Rose?" Draco repeated incredulously. "As in Rose Weasley?" He eyed her bright red hair before turning to stare at Al, who was rubbing his side. "Tell me you aren't Potter's son."
"Um. Surprise?" Al asked awkwardly, running a hand through his hair and mirroring Rose's wave.
Draco closed his eyes. "Merlin." He slowly opened them again. "Would you like to tell me what you're doing here? And how you know my son? I'm assuming you're friends."
"We met ages ago and just wanted to wish him Merry Christmas."
"Oh, no, we've only met a few times before; this was an accident."
"I've never seen them before in my life."
They all spoke at the same time, turning to stare at each other afterwards. Astoria addressed her son, looking like she was suppressing laughter. "If you've never seen them before, how did you know Rose's name?"
"Scorp was just guessing," Rose said quickly.
Draco arched an eyebrow. "Scorp?"
"I meant. . . what's his name again?"
Al smacked his head again. And to think Rose was supposed to be a good liar. Then again, he wouldn't be able to think properly either, if Draco Malfoy was eyeing him like that. He decided to intervene. "Don't tell our parents." That was the first thing that came out of his mouth.
Draco looked like he wanted to laugh. "How did this happen?" he asked the ceiling. "Potter and Weasley's children, of all people!" He smirked.
"What is taking you so bloody long?" Teddy's voice demanded from the doorway. He froze when Astoria and Draco turned to look at him. "Oh. . . hello, Aunt Astoria. Uncle Draco."
"Teddy," Draco greeted, managing to look even more amused.
None of the children looked at each other. Finally, Al ventured, "Could we borrow Scorp for the night, Mr. Malfoy? Please? We've got to give him his present, and we've got something planned, but our parents don't know. . ."
Astoria looked at Teddy. "Well, it's not something that could get you in trouble, is it?"
"No," Teddy lied, managing not to look guilty. He'd had years of practice, after all.
"Well then," she conceded, "I don't see why not. Draco?" She looked at her husband pointedly, gesturing to Scorpius, who was looking happier than he'd been all evening – and that was saying something.
"Fine," Draco grumbled. "But if he comes back with a lot of ridiculous Gryffindor notions –"
"We're not even sorted yet," Rose pointed out.
"Please. Everyone knows you'll be in Gryffindor. All Weasleys and Potters are."
"Actually, my cousin Lucy's a Slytherin," Al interjected helpfully. "And she's proud of it, too."
Draco gaped, speechless. "Merlin," he repeated, looking back up at the ceiling. "Am I dreaming? Or am I going to have to take this boy to St. Mungo's, because there is no way he's related to me." He frowned at Scorpius, who looked sheepish.
"If he becomes a Gryffindor in three years," Draco told Teddy, ignoring the looks from his wife, "I'll kill you. Even if Aunt Andromeda would never speak to me again."
Teddy looked nervous. "We'll just be going then. . ." He herded Al, Rose, and Scorpius outside. "Merry Christmas!" he shouted, and with a loud pop! they vanished.
"First thing's first!" Teddy announced. He pointed his wand at the door to the bedroom, his brow furrowing. A moment later, he nodded with satisfaction.
"You can do wordless magic?" Scorpius demanded, wide-eyed.
Teddy grinned. "Yeah," he answered proudly. "Now, there's a reason all of us are so amazing at magic, and that James, Fred, Rowan, and Louis already know some spells. It's because we use the Pensieve to go through the adults' old lessons – every bit of magic they every learned, unorthodox or not, and we learn it even before we start Hogwarts."
The four newest members' mouths fell open in sync. "You're wondering how we do that, when they don't even have wands," Vic guessed. "Well, Molly and I devised a way to get around the trace. It's how Teddy's doing magic now. We all have wards around our homes, special ones that block even the trace, because our parents are so famous – there's a reason we don't have shrines on our doorsteps."
Rose looked at Molly with new respect. Rose had always thought Molly was a goody-two-shoe, just like her father. That was what the adults always said, anyway. "We are Ravenclaws," Molly beamed. "Couldn't resist the challenge. Even if Vic did most of the work – I'm only a second year. We've got a secret room in Potter Manor; we'll show you when we everyone's gone to sleep."
"Now, you won't start learning magic today, but every single night, Teddy will take you guys out, sometimes accompanied by Vic, Molly, and Lucy, and we all meet every week. You'll get very good at sneaking out after a while," Dom told them gleefully.
"You've got an almost Slytherin appreciation for deception, Dom," Lucy teased, grinning. "Not very noble of you."
Dom gave her an affronted look. "Anyway," Vic spoke over them. "That's the reason we're all so brilliant. Top of all of our years, and all that, in addition to our incredibleness on the Quidditch pitch – or at least, our enthusiasm for the sport. And you'll often find the teachers talking out how we're some of the most mature and talented young children they've seen since our parents' time."
"Now, first year or not, Lu's already managed to cut down on the amount of Slytherin children buying into all that pureblood nonsense," Teddy told them. "There are, however, some children and grandchildren of Death Eaters who want revenge. They take it out on us. This is why we're so proficient in DADA before we even start Hogwarts, even more so than the other subjects. It's children of the Death Eaters against children of the heroes."
Scorpius looked mildly uncomfortable, so Vic added kindly, "Not you, Scorp. You're father's fine, it's just your grandfather." She looked apologetic. "We're not judging you."
"Good," he stated firmly. "Because the Golden Trio? They're my idols! I mean, they broke into Gringotts and escaped on a dragon! Mr. Potter killed a basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor when he was a second year! And he's the youngest Triwizard Champion ever! And, you know, he killed Voldemort!"
Teddy grinned. "Yeah. Harry's my idol, too," he admitted. "I just wish they'd stop assuming things about us. That's part of why we do this, see? We know each other for who we really are. Harry looks at me like I'm a young Remus – and I resent that. And Luce, your dad doesn't know you at all, although I imagine he'd be sorry for making assumptions if he did know how you feel."
"We're going to show you some of what we've managed to do at Hogwarts so far," Vic continued, nodding firmly. "Including our secret resistance against the pureblood mania Slytherins – Lu's crushing them, though. Most of the Slytherins just hate us for being Gryffindors, now. Or related to Gryffindors, I guess."
"You guys are going to think your schoolwork is a piece of cake when we're done. We're going to do great things. But you can never tell anyone – we'd go to Azkaban for some of this. Harry got in trouble for casting a Patronus in front of a Muggle once, and that was with a dementor attack. Imagine what they'd do to us."
"You know," Alice drawled, "considering your parents, you've broken a lot of laws."
The older kids flashed matching Cheshire grins at her. "But it works. We're going to leave behind our own legacy." Teddy glanced at them. "That's what we call ourselves and our little. . . projects, by the way. I came up with it."
"What?" Al asked, looking confused, and Molly beamed at him.
"Legacy."