I TRIED posting this yesterday, but for some reason FF wasn't working that great... But happy belated birthday to our favorite Chosen One and the ever great Lady J.K.
Number 12 Grimmauld Place was packed to the seams. Laughter and cheers filled the air as Ginny Potter took the last present from her husband. Their children taunted and teased their father for getting older, which Harry Potter shot them all a playful grin. Despite it still early in the day, it had gone on perfectly. Rather than doing their traditional dinner, everyone got together for a late dinner, early lunch before the entire family swarmed in for dinner. Right now it was just Harry and his family, Ron and Hermione with their kids, and Tori with Draco and all four of their children. However, teenagers sat quietly in the corner as the others were happily going on.
"What's got you lot in a slump?" Ron stared at the teens.
"Nothing." Al said as he took a bite of his cake.
"It can't be nothing." Ginny ran her fingers through her sons hair, just to have him pull back and flatten it back down.
"Don't get us wrong Aunt Ginny, we all love Uncle Harry." Aria moved her fork between herself, brother, and her cousins. "It's just, whenever Uncle Harry's birthday rolls 'round, we know school is going to start soon."
No sooner did the words leave her lips, several screeches could be heard swooping in through the window. "You just HAD to open your mouth didn't you?" Aries glared at his sister. One dark owl landed in front of Aries and Aria, while a tawny brown owl landed in front of Al and Lily, and a snow white one outstretched his leg towards Rose and Hugo, lastly a raven swooped in a dropped a letter directly on top of Scorpius' cake. "Perfect, thank you Hermes." Scorpius grumbled as he wiped the frosting of the letter.
"Yes!"
"You've got to be joking!"
The twins both let out cries as they stared at the two shiny new badges in their letters. Aries had a huge smile on her face while Aria tossed the badge back on the table and continued to read through her courses for this term and everything she would need.
Hugo groaned as he stared at his letter and flung it at the table and stabbed into his cake. The other teens were all equally confused and irritated as they looked over their letters. "Please tell me this is a joke." Al all but wanted to crumple his letter and toss it into the fire.
"What is it?" Hermione grabbed her sons letter and opened it up. "Hugo…this is amazing." Hermione stared at her son shocked. "I guess." Ron leaned over and stared wide eyed. "Hugh."
"It's nothing Dad."
"This is not nothing."
"What's wrong?" Rose asked.
"Hugo is getting awarded early graduation." Hermione beamed at her son proudly.
"What?" Al looked at his cousin. "How is that possible?"
"Professor McGonagall might have mentioned it a possibility at the end of term. I didn't think she was serious." Hugo wanted to shrink in his chair. Yes, he did extremely well in school, but that didn't mean he wanted to graduate early. He was only fifteen for goodness sake.
"Great, my little brother is going to graduate before I do." Rose leaned her head against her fist and pushed her cake away from her. "It's not like I'm going to do it!" He fumed.
Rose went to say something, but her father held his hand up, "We'll discuss it later." Rose went back to slouching in her chair and ignoring her father.
Tori noticed Scorpius was staring at a rather different letter and peered over his shoulder. "What's this?" Scorpius didn't say anything but held it over his shoulder so his step-mother could get a look at it. She let a large smile grace her face as she wrapped her around him. "Congratulations." She kissed his cheek. "You should tell your father."
"Tell me what?" Draco had walked over to them after dealing with the twins who had gotten into a small tiff over both being named Prefects. Scorpius looked up with a small grin. "I made Head Boy." He showed his father the badge and letter.
"Is Slughorn an idiot?!" Aria had overheard her bother. "The Captain and Co-Captain a Head Boy and Prefect? How does he expect us to get anything done? I have O.W.L's this term and you have N.E.W.T's, not to mention preparing for graduation. There is no way we'll have time to have trials, and schedule practices, or even draw up proper game plans." She fumed in her seat.
"If you don't like it Aria, I can always name Ben Co-Captain?" Scorpius teased his little sister. While he was a great player, he was a dunderhead when it came to technical and logistics of the game. "You wouldn't dare."
"If it's going to be too much for you." Scorpius shrugged his shoulders and went back to his ice cream.
An owl flew past her before she could saying anything, causing Aria to jump in her seat. It landed in front of Lily, who immediately grabbed it and tried to hid it. "Not so fast little sister." James took it from her hands while Lily protested. "James, give it back!"
"Aw, Lily got a love letter." Aries teased.
"A love letter?" Harry perked up in his seat. "Shut up Aries!" Lily glared at her cousin as she tried to get the letter back from her oldest brother.
"Jonathan wrote you?!" Both Aria and Rose jumped from their seats and Aria snatched the letter from James and the three girls darted from the room. Harry looked at his wife who was trying not to laugh. "Ginny.."
"Oh Harry, she's sixteen."
"Exactly! She is nowhere near old enough to be…."
"Dating? I was only a year old than she is now when you proposed."
"That was different." Harry muttered.
"If it's any consolation Uncle Harry, I don't think I've ever seen Lily even look at a boy the entire time we were at Hogwarts." Hugo grinned, "Unlike Rosie." Hugo raised his voice a little so his sister could hear him.
"Hugo, if you value your life, shut up." Rose yelled from the other room. James, Al, and Aries all laughed at their cousin. It wasn't a secret that Rose was very popular among the boys something that annoyed Hugo to no end. Someone was always coming up to him asking whether or not his sister a single or what was something she liked because they wanted to get her a gift. While Aries sympathized with him, he was thankful his sister was not as coy as his cousin. Most the boys at their school were terrified of Aria and none had the courage to ask her out, well except for Michael Dugan.
"And so what Hugo? Not all of us can have the same girlfriend since first year." James sent a knowingly look at Scorpius, who turned a light shade of pink.
"Wait….you have a girlfriend?" This was the first she had heard of a girlfriend. He had never brought anyone one around. "Um..yeah. Her name is Millie Smith."
"She's absolutely gorgeous." James told Tori. "She actually models when she's not in school."
"She's also really nice and extremely smart." Aria added when she walked back into the room. "So you've met her?" Tori asked her daughter. "Well yeah, we are in the same house."
"Well that settles that. How about you bring her over for dinner one night? I would absolutely love to meet her." Scorpius inwardly groaned. There was a reason he had yet to bring her around her family.
"Like that'll happen." Aries snorted. "Oh shut up. Just cause you go through girls like old socks." Aria wanted to whack her twin.
"Why wouldn't we meet her?" Draco looked between his children.
"Well….." Scorpius rubbed the back of his neck.
"They might has well know Scor. I mean, I've seen the ring." Tori's eyebrows shot into her hair. "Ring?! You were going to marry a girl we've never met!"
"It's not like that! I mean…"
"Oh come off it! You don't want to introduce her cause you know she'll run off."
"Shut up Aries! You don't know that." Rose threw a bread roll at the boy, as she and Lily rejoined the rest of them. "Oh course I do! There's a reason no one besides us who knows their dating. I can see it now, front page of the Daily Prophet written by Rita herself, 'Scorpius Malfoy marries a Muggle!'." Aries laughed as he put drug his hands through the air, displaying a mock headline. "I can just imagine ol' Lucius' face when he see that."
Aria and all her cousins stared wide eyed at her brother, while Scorpius just groaned and threw his head into his hand. Tori looked at her husband with a frown on her face. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hermione tugged at her sleeve. She knew all about the scar on her arm and how she got it. Tori rarely ever saw her without a long sleeve on as she tried to hid the word that would forever remain on her skin. "That's enough, get your things. Now Aries." She stopped her son before he could open his mouth and say another word. The three of them grabbed their Hogwarts letters and whatever they happened to bring with them and went towards the fireplace. The other children followed after them, they knew it was about to get ugly and wanted nowhere near it.
Draco watched as Tori struggled to get up from her chair. She was reaching the end of her first trimester, but for some reason this pregnancy seemed to wear her down more so than the others did. Taking her hand, he helped her to her feet and steadied her. "You alright?" He whispered to her. Tori nodded her head and grabbed her purse from a nearby table. "I'm sorry about this Harry."
"It's alright." He gave a soft wave and a warm smile at the woman. "I have a feeling we won't be seeing you tonight. So give my best to the others." She smiled at everyone and with her husband, the two of them walked towards the fireplace.
"Let's go." Taking Gus by the hand, they walked into the fireplace with a handful of Floo Powder. Throwing it down, she and Gus went up in green smoke and were out of sight. Aria went next, then Aries. Scorpius stared at his father. "Father…"
"Not right now Scorpius. We'll discuss it back at the house." He nodded towards the fireplace and Scorpius followed his fathers instructions. Grabbing the powder, he threw it down and the sight of his fathers home came into view. As he stepped out of the fireplace he could hear Tori yelling at Aries. His father was not far behind him, and bypassed him as he went into the kitchens.
"I have no idea what has gotten into you lately Aries Malfoy, but this is ending now. I am tired of your attitude and the way you treat this family."
"Well maybe I don't want to be apart of this family!" He shot back at his mother.
"Excuse me?"
"Just forget it."
"No, Aries talk to me." Tori reached for her sons arm, but as he tugged it away from her, Tori lost her balanced. Before he could catch her, Aries watched as she fell hard to the floor. "Aries!" Aria screamed her brother as she rushed to her mothers side. Tori held tightly onto her small bulge, wincing the entire time she went to move. Draco shoved him to the side as he kneeled next to his wife. Pulling his wand out, he ran it over her stomach. Her breathing had steadied a little by the time he was done. "Draco?" She whimpered.
"Help me get your mother to bed." Aria just nodded and help her father get Tori to her feet and with a quick motion Draco picked her up. "Can…can I do anything?" Aries took a light step forward, but immediately backed up as his father glared at him. "Don't you think you've done enough."
Draco carried his wife towards their room, while Aria held Gus behind her leg. "Aries…."
"Don't Aria." Turning around, Aries walked out the backdoor and slammed it behind him. "I'm just gonna go."
"Scor, come on."
"It's okay Aria. I need to get home anyway." With a wave of his wand, his duffle came flying down the stairs. "I'll come by tomorrow. Okay?" Stepping back into the fireplace, he was gone.
"Is Momma gonna be okay?" Gus looked up at his older sister. "I'm sure she is. No one is better than Dad, right?"
The little boy smiled, "Are Aries and Scorpius gonna come back?" Aria felt her smile drop. Kneeling down, she pulled her little brother into a hug. "I hope so, Gus. I sure hope so." Gus wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight hug. "Come on. Let's go finish your train set?"
"Okay!" Taking his hand, the two went upstairs and Aria prayed everything worked out.
Draco sat in his study with a glass of Brandy. Today had been a long day. After getting Tori to bed, he ran almost every test he could think of and after a few minutes determined that the baby was okay. Once Tori had calmed down, Draco gave her a light sedative to help her sleep. She would be on bed rest the next couple of days to ensure nothing happened to the baby. Taking a swig, he thought about what his son had said, both at Potters and before he left. He had done his best to raise his children differently than he was. With Tori, he tried his hardest to be the best father, but where he went wrong he didn't know.
A knock at the door caught his attention. "Dad?" Aria poked her head in. "I put Gus down for the night and put Mom's dinner away."
"Thank you Aria."
"Mom's going to be okay right? Her and the baby?"
"I believe so." He could see the tears forming in her eyes. "Aria, what is it?" She didn't say anything but sat down on the sofa next to him. "It's Aries. I don't know where he is. I called all his friends and no one's seen him."
Moving from his desk chair, he sat on the sofa and pulled her to him. "I'm sure your brother is fine."
"Don't blame him."
"Aria, after what he did…."
"He didn't mean it Dad. None of it." Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew Aries didn't mean anything he said or did, but he did it anyway. "It's not easy being a Malfoy, you know."
"What do you mean?"
Aria sat back in the sofa and pulled her knees to her chest. "You know, when Aries and I first went to Hogwarts we didn't have any friends. Everyone heard our last name didn't want anything to do with us. Besides our family, no one talked to us."
"That's absurd."
"Is it Dad? Did you know that above Aries bunk, someone carved in the word Death Eater?" Draco looked at his daughter with a shock. After all these years? "But why?"
Aria let out a snort. "Like I said, it's not easy being a Malfoy. Our entire life story can be found in some article in the Prophet. Everyone knows everything about us, and no one wanted to be friends with the children of a Death Eater."
"One day, Aries was getting pushed around in the courtyard. They all taunted him for being who he was. He probably would have ended up in the hospital if it weren't for James and the others. From then until probably the end of third year, we were tormented, Aries more than anyone."
"Why him though?"
"Look at this way Dad. Aries looks like a Weasley, but has the last name of Malfoy. The remaining pure-blood fanatics look at him in disgust because he looks like a blood traitor and everyone else looks at him in fear because of who he is, the son of a Death Eater, someone who comes from a family of Death Eaters. One time in History of Magic, someone blamed him for Dumbledore's death."
"That's why he acts the way he does. He has to. If he pretends it doesn't bother him, then no one can use it against him. That's why he pushes himself so hard in school, why he was so excited about being a Prefect. He tries to prove that he's more than his last name."
Draco took in all that his daughter was telling him. He knew that his son did well in school, many of his teachers were constantly telling him how great he was. McGonagall told him that she admitted herself surprised, neither him nor Tori were exactly the greatest students, but their son was one of the top students in the school. "It still doesn't excuse the way he treats Scorpius."
"In truth, Aries is jealous of Scor. He never got half the attention Aries did. To everyone else, he's just the bastard son of Draco Malfoy. He's nothing useful, he's not a threat to them. I know you see it Dad, everyone treats Scor like he's not really part of this family. You and Mom try to include him in so much and when someone says something about him being our half brother, you guys jump in and rescue him. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I will treat Scorpius like he's my brother until the day I die. Aries just has a harder time because even though Scor is technically your oldest son he gets the brunt of all the criticism and hate, and you and mom coddle Scorpius from the world so he doesn't get ridiculed while Aries is forced to deal with it on his own."
"Aries knows he could have come to us if he was having any problems."
"I know that and he knows that. He's just a stubborn ass."
Draco took a few minutes to collect his thoughts, but something always to the forefront of his mind. "Do you think that's why Scorpius hasn't brought this Millie girl around? He doesn't feel like he's part of the family?"
"Partially." Aria shrugged. "Millie is the only Muggle in our house. Some are nice to her and she has friends who are in Slytherin, but some still look at her like she's nothing more than trash. When she and Scor first started dating, everyone told her not to. That he was nothing more than a blood purist who wanted nothing to do with a Muggle like her. She actually reminds me of mom." Aria smiled at the thought. "She doesn't care who his family is, or what they did the past. She cares about him and who he is as a person, not what other people portray him as, but Scorpius didn't want her getting hurt."
A loud slam took their attentions away from their conversations. "DRACO!" Draco shot up from his seat and raced towards the noise, Aria not far behind him. Running to the front room, Draco felt the blood rush from his face. Tori was holding their son in her arms, his head was cradled in her lap while his body lay motionless. "What happened?"
"I don't know. I went to go get a cup of water and he came crashing through the door." Tori cried. Draco looked at his son, his face was turning black and blue and it was covered in blood. "I have to get him to St. Mungos." He tried to pull him away from his mother, but she held onto him tightly. "Tori, I need to take him."
"Come on Mom. Dad knows what he's doing." Aria pulled her mother off her brother and wrapped her arms around her. She watched as her father carried him towards the fireplace and instantly they were gone. Picking her up, Aria put Tori in the nearest chair, "Cilly!" She shouted and their house elf popped at her side. "Yes miss?"
"I need you to go to Malfoy Manor and get my grandparents, and quickly."
"Yes missus." She popped out again and not even five minutes passed before her grandmother came rushing in. "Aria sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"I don't know. Dad just took Aries to the hospital. I think he was attacked."
"I need to go." Tori tried to stand up, but Aria sat her back down. "Mom, you need to go back to bed. Remember what Dad said." Tori reached for stomach and winced a little. "Come on. Let's get you back into bed."
Help her stand, Aria turned back to her grandparents. "Gramps, do you think…."
"Of course. Narcissa, stay here. I'll be back shortly." Narcissa nodded her head and watched as her husband disappeared. "I'll be right back." Aria told her grandmother as she took her mother back upstairs. When she came back downstairs, she saw her grandmother had already gotten a tray of tea and biscuits together. Taking a seat across from her, Aria hunched forward and rubbed her face. "Sweetheart, what happened?"
Aria launched into telling her grandmother all that had happened that day, she left out the conversation with her father, but gave Narcissa the basis of everything. "Then when me and Dad came into the room, Aries was on the floor bleeding." Not being able to hold it in anymore, she started crying. Narcissa put her tea down and pulled her granddaughter towards her. "Now now, it'll be okay. Your father will handle everything. I'll call Alexandra and Timothy and we'll have them watch your mother and Augustus and we'll head to the hospital." She wiped her tears away. "Go on and get dressed." Aria nodded her head and went upstairs while Narcissa used the fireplace to call the others.
"Draco, you might want to take a look at this." Draco stared up at his best friend. He was thankful that Blaise was on duty tonight, he didn't think he could handle meaningless questions right now. Walking over to the other side of the bed, he looked down to where Blaise was showing him. Red and angry looking, the words would forever be burned into his mind.
DEATH EATER
Blood still seeped from the open wounds that were carved into his sons chest. Nausea hit him like a hippogriff and he landed in a chair. "We have to report it Draco. Something like this can't be ignored."
"Yeah…" He responded numbly. After everything Aria had told him, it all seemed so real now. Now everything became clear. Blaise pulled back the curtain slightly and called for a junior healer. "Get Harry Potter here quickly. And Stephens, if you want to keep your job you won't tell a soul. You are to speak to only Potter, no one else. It that understood?" The junior healer nodded her head feverishly and sent off.
"Sir, there's a Mr. Malfoy here demanding to speak with Mr. Malfoy." Draco looked up, why was his father here? "Let him in Tommens." Blaise continued to patch up Aries when Lucius came in around the curtain. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his grandson. Blaise didn't have time to cover the words on his chest before Lucius caught a glimpse. "What is this?"
A soft mumble caught Draco's attention when he went to answer his father. "Aries?"
"Scupious"
"Scorpius? Aries what about Scorpius?"
"n'ock'urn 'lley."
"Draco!" He turned to see Miriam rushing in past the curtain. "Oh good heavens…" She put a hand to her mouth when she saw the scarring. Blaise immediately pulled a blanket over his patient. "What is it Miriam?"
"It's your son, Scorpius. They just brought him in…. Draco, it doesn't look good."
Draco went his skin go cold, both his sons….What the hell happened? "Draco, go. I've got him. He's stable, just a little worn out." Draco went to leave, but Aria's words echoed in his mind. "Aries is jealous of Scor"…
"S'ok Da… Go." He looked back and saw a small smile on Aries bruised and battered face. With a nod to his father, Draco followed after Miriam to where Scorpius was being treated. They took the lift up the intensive care unit and Draco feared the worst. Once they exited, Brown came up to him. "They're working on him now Malfoy, but I don't know. I've never seen anything like it. Punctured lungs, fractured ribs, bones are completely missing from both legs, and there is severe head damage."
"Is he responsive at all?"
"No. He's been out cold since they brought him in."
"I need to see him." He pushed passed Brown, but was stopped by Miriam. "Draco, you know they won't let you in."
"Then what good am I?" He shouted at her as several items in the lobby began breaking. "Draco…?" A timid voice caught his ear, turning around, Astoria was clinging to her new husband. "Where's my boy? Where's my baby?" She whimpered as she continued to stare at him with tear filled eyes.
"I…" Miriam stepped in for him as the words failed him. "Come on Mrs. Tincher, I'll explain everything. Before he could saying anything to Astoria, Harry came out of the lift. "Malfoy." Draco barely acknowledge him. "Come on. Let's take this somewhere private."
"My office." He croaked out and the duo got back into the lift and headed for his office. The entire time they didn't say a word, but everyone stared at the two as they walked through the halls. Once inside, Draco pulled open the fourth drawer of his desk and pulled out the bottle. Pulling the stopper out, he took a long swig. "Do you think a drink is the best thing right now?"
"Don't lecture me Potter. I'm not in the mood." Draco gasped out through the sting. Putting the stopper back in, he hid the bottle back in its drawer. "You want to tell me what's going on? Everyone back at the house is worried."
Draco completely forgot that it was still his birthday, all the Weasley's were likely gathered at his home and now all wondering what happened. "I'm not sure. After we left your house, Aries and Scorpius took off. Aria said that Scorpius went home and I don't know where Aries went. I was going to look for him, but thought it was best to give him his space. Next thing I know my son is crashing through the door covered in blood. Then I get here and Miriam tells me that Scorpius is here as well and…." Draco just collapsed into his chair. He didn't know what to say or think anymore. Two of his children had been attacked, one scarred beyond repair and the other in critical condition.
"I heard Aries is awake, did he say anything about who might have done this?"
"No…. but he did say something about Knockturn Alley."
"Okay that's a start." Harry went to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to figure this out Draco, I promise." Draco wiped his hand over his face and took a deep breathe. "Yeah, okay." While Draco had all the confidence in Harry, he was still terrified what all this meant.