What You Never Knew
Scorpius Malfoy: The Man With No Regrets
1. He was raised in the Greengrass Manor.
Yes, it was untraditional; yes, both sets of his grandparents disapproved. But, for whatever reason, his parents had decided that they preferred his mother's home to his father's.
Only when he visited his paternal grandparents in the Malfoy Manor for the first time, when he was four years old, did he understand. A desolate air hung around the massive house, and the walls of the drawing room were stained with a curious red dye that Astoria quickly pulled Scorpius away from when he tried to investigate what it was.
2. Until he was ten years old, Scorpius had no idea what role his family had played in the war.
Of course, he knew about the war- everyone did. It was impossible for any witch or wizard not to know about the Second Wizarding War, and the Dark Lord- as Scorpius' parents always called him- who almost killed all the Muggles and Muggleborns. But only when Scorpius turned ten years old did his family- his mother, father, and his father's parents- finally explain just how they had been Death Eaters, how instrumental they had been in almost causing the fall of the Light.
Scorpius refused to talk to his family for a full month after that.
3. His father was his favorite person in the world.
Even though his mother had always been a bit kinder, a bit more affectionate, and all in all more like Scorpius himself, he had always felt a special bond with his father. Maybe it was the secret smiles they would share when Astoria blabbered on and on and on about a new scarf she bought, or when Draco taught him how to ride a broomstick and caught him before he fell into the Manor's pond. Scorpius wasn't sure. But for whatever reason, the sight of his father- standing tall, proud, cold, but eyes always full of warmth and mirth when he looked at his son- always sent a burst of happiness inside him.
Maybe this was why Scorpius eventually forgave his family for being Death Eaters. He couldn't stand to see his beloved father cry.
4. He first saw the Weasley/Potter family not in a magazine like every other wizard, but just before he boarded the Hogwarts Express.
On Platform 9 ¾, Scorpius' father had looked over at a large group of redheads, with maybe three brunettes thrown in, and told him, "Those are the Weasleys and the Potters. You've heard of them, yes?"
"Of course," Scorpius had responded smoothly, though inwardly, he was astounded that such a normal-seeming family was probably the most famous of all time- and that it included the infamous Chosen One. Scorpius assumed he was the tall man with black hair.
Draco cleared his throat, regaining his son's attention. "You see the tall man with the red hair, with bushy-haired brunette next to him, and the man with the black hair?" Scorpius nodded. "That's Ronald Weasley, Hermione Gran- er, Weasley, now, I suppose- and Harry Potter. We didn't get on well in school-"
Astoria snorted by her husband's side. "'Didn't get on'? Draco, you were enemies! I was two years below you, and even I knew that!"
"True," Draco sighed. "Anyways, you see the girl with the bushy red hair between Weasley- rather, Ronald- and Gra- I mean, Weasley- I mean, Hermione? That's their daughter, Rose or something. She's entering First Year as well. While I realize this request may be a tad irrational, son, I want you to try to do what I could not. Try to-"
"Beat Rose's test scores?" Scorpius guessed, grinning. He knew his father far too well.
"Well, yes," Draco smirked. "As to how you guessed that, I don't know-"
"You're always complaining about how Granger was smarter than you, Draco," Astoria cut in. "Our son isn't deaf."
"Yes, yes. You have a point. Scorpius, just- do your best, alright? Try your hardest to get better grades than her. You don't have to be enemies." The look in Draco's eyes, however, disagreed, and clearly stated, Be her enemy. Beat her. Be her enemy. Show Weasley who's boss.
"Got it, Father," Scorpius replied. "Loud and clear."
Draco clapped his son on the shoulder proudly. "That's my son. Have a good year at Hogwarts, Scorpius. We'll see you at Christmas."
5. He had to beg the Sorting Hat to put him in Slytherin.
Even though both of his parents had assured Scorpius that it didn't matter what House he was in, he knew they were both secretly hoping for Slytherin, their former House. And so, Scorpius was determined to please his parents, because they worked so hard to please him.
It was harder, in this case, than he thought it would be.
"Malfoy, Scorpius!" Deputy Headmaster, Head of Gryffindor House, and Herbology Professor, Neville Longbottom, had read off the scroll loudly. Immediately, rumors erupted throughout the Great Hall, the name very recognizable. More than a few people glared fiercely at the scrawny blond boy as he scurried up to the stool and plopped down, positively shaking with fear.
Goodness, what did you do? I haven't heard such a cold welcome since… well… I don't know when I heard such a cold welcome!
Let's just say that my family isn't the most well-liked family out there, Scorpius grumbled in his head, completely calm. He had known that the hat would speak to him, after all; his father had told him everything. The name of 'Malfoy' is no longer as respectable as it was at one time. And, hello to you, too, Hat.
Well, you certainly speak like a Malfoy, I can tell you that much. All prim and proper. Prideful, as well, with a little more than a dash of cheek.
…I think I'll take that as a compliment.
And there's that cheek again! Yes, you Malfoys are all very much the same… you are, however, different, even if you have the same basic Malfoy attitude.
Oh?
'Oh'. Only something a Malfoy would say nowadays… anyways, as I was saying, you are different from other Malfoys in your past. Less… what's the word? Ah, yes: malicious. You aren't willing to be quite so evil to get what you want.
My ancestors are not evil!
Of course they aren't. You go on thinking that. Now, let me see… Ravenclaw would be a good fit for you.
WHAT?! But- I- you- NO! I'm a MALFOY, for Merlin's sake! I'm supposed to be in SLYTHERIN!
My, my, a Malfoy losing their poise! Yet another thing that makes you different from your ancestors! Tell me, boy, what makes you so eager to be in Slytherin? Surely you've heard of their not-so-great reputation.
My whole family's been in Slytherin, and no matter what Father and Mother say, I know they really want me to be in Slytherin, too. Just because not all Slytherins are nice, doesn't mean that I can't be. That's the way I see it, at least. And not all Slytherins have to be malicious, either! Just because they "use any means to achieve their ends" doesn't mean they have to be malicious all the time!
…A logical argument like that only makes me want to put you in Ravenclaw even more.
But- But- don't I have any say in this matter? Any choice at all as to what House I'll be Sorted in? It's the rest of my life, not yours! And I'd like to be in Slytherin!
Again, very valid points. Well, boy, as much as I want to put you in Ravenclaw, I fear that you would fit perfectly fine in Slytherin- even though you're perfect for Ravenclaw- and your choice does indeed effect how I Sort you. Now, are you sure that you want to be a Slytherin?
Yes, thank you.
Positive?
Yes.
Absolutely, positively sure?
YES.
Well, alright, then. I hope you don't regret your decision to be in "SLYTHERIN!"
6. He took his father's words to heart until Seventh Year.
For his first six- six and a half, more accurately- years at Hogwarts, Scorpius hated Rose Weasley with a burning passion. Not the other members of her family so much, though he didn't necessarily like them; just Rose. He never found himself able to beat her in an assignment, not a single one, something that always made Scorpius punch his pillow angrily when his roommates were asleep.
In Seventh Year, everything changed. He was declared Head Boy, and she was named Head Girl. Headmaster Flitwick, being more than a bit batty in Scorpius' opinion, had decided to make the Head students share a dormitory all to themselves. So, not only did Scorpius and Rose have to work together more, they were forced to live together. Including sharing a bathroom. One thing led to another, and eventually, they found themselves snogging desperately on the couch of their common room.
They never looked back.
7. The most terrifying moment of his life was when his family and the Wealseys met to discuss his and Rose's wedding details.
It was the first time either family and met in decades, for one thing. Second, the Weasleys and the Malfoys had been enemies for centuries- not just since Draco's time. Lastly, it wasn't just Ron and Hermione to represent Rose's side of the family- it was all the Weasleys. Every. Last. One. From old Arthur Weasley to baby Dora Lupin. Needless to say, it was all incredibly tense, and Scorpius and Rose were forced to confiscate everyone's wands.
A full twelve hours later, there was finally silence. No, they hadn't finished organizing the wedding details. They had all just fallen asleep from arguing so much.
8. He didn't hesitate in naming his daughter for a second.
Rose was allowed to pick the baby's whole name. After all, she was the one going through the most work- it was only fair that she got the honor of naming their child. And so, Draco was left to silently curse the world and everything in it when his first grandchild was named Jean Elizabeth Malfoy, after Rose's Muggle grandparents.
9. Scorpius nearly cried when his children were Sorted.
It wasn't that he disliked how his children were Sorted- the exact opposite, in fact. He couldn't have been more pleased. It was just the irony of it all… first, strawberry-blond Jean Elizabeth, named after two Muggles, was Sorted into Ravenclaw (which, admittedly, wasn't all that strange, besides the fact that she was a Malfoy who wasn't a Slytherin). Then, platinum blond Narcissa Astoria- named after two Slytherin women, both of whom were from very Slytherin families- was made a Gryffindor (something that Rose never stopped gloating about, by the way). To top it all off, Arthur Ronald- fiery red hair, named after two Weasleys, and you can't say "Weasley" without saying "Gryffindor"- sat on the stool for less than a second before being Sorted into Slytherin.
Even Ron had to admit the humor in this.
10. He only cried- not shed a single tear, but full-out sobbed- five times in his life.
The first time, his grandmother, Narcissa, died. She was the first person he had known to die, and besides that, she was always unfailingly kind to him and spoiled him utterly rotten. Scorpius was twelve at the time.
The second and third times were at his daughters' weddings. He would have cried at Arthur's, probably, but his son had taken him aside beforehand and said, "Pa, please don't cry. Even if it's happy tears. Leave that to Mum this time." So, Scorpius had done as Arthur requested, and held a blubbering Rose during the whole ceremony.
The fourth time was at his parents' joint funeral. Draco and Astoria had finally decided to trust the Muggle world and ride in a car, and the taxi had been hit by a drunk driver. Scorpius was crying the whole time, and not a single person tried to stop him.
The fifth time was at the will reading of Ronald Weasley. Scorpius was left no material item; instead, the lawyer read off of the sheet, "I, Ronald Bilius Weasley, do give to Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy my acceptance and love. You've earned it, son."
He couldn't have asked for anything more.
Scorpius was always an optimistic person. He believed that life had a road set for you already, but there were several forks in that road, and you had to decide which way to turn. Decisions, he would always tell people, dictated how your life played out. And every time he looked back on his life, he found he couldn't say, "I wish I had done that instead", or "I wish I had never done that." He was a Man with No Regrets. True, he made as many mistakes as a normal man; but as an old man, sitting on the couch with Rose by his side, when he looked out at his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and in-laws, he found that he couldn't regret a single thing that happened in his life.
Because then, he may not have had the life he had. And what a wonderful life it was.
Fluffy chapter! I actually really like it. I hope I got everyone in character; I love writing Draco, even if it's just for a little bit. Anyways, what'd you think? Like it? Hate it? What about this quick update? Please review!!!
-Joelle8