'Align my heart, my body, my mind, to face what I've done and do my time.' – Mumford & Sons, Dust Bowl Dance

"Hey, Lily?"

My sister ignores me; instead choosing to focus on blocking the Quaffles James is throwing at her.

"James?"

My brother stops.

"James, ignore him. He deserves it."

He hesitates, but again starts to swoop around our Quidditch Pitch, whacking Quaffles at the hoops, trying to score a goal on Lily.

I grab the broom next to me and take off, swinging myself over it in mid-air. I fly straight up to Lily, but my baby sister pushes me out of the way, still annoyed.

But I'm not giving up that easily. I float up to the top of the tallest hoop and push myself off the broom carefully, gingerly positioning myself on the rim of the hoop, legs dangling over the goal. It looks impressive, and my siblings will never know that I'm using a Balance charm.

James stops shooting immediately, not wanting to cripple his brother by slamming a Quaffle into my legs, and Lily sighs and swoops up to me.

"What do you want, Al?"

I take her in, my sixteen-year-old sister scowling at me, her cheeks flushed from the cold and her dark red hair pulled into a pony tail, proudly wearing her Gryffindor Quidditch kit, even though we're not in school.

"I'm sorry."

She raises an eyebrow.

"For Christmas Day."

She suddenly smiles at me. This girl knows what it takes to get me to apologise. She holds out a hand and helps me back onto my broom.

"No problem, Al, but it's not me who you should be apologising to."

I groan but she pushes me away from her firmly.

Bitch.

Not really, but why is she doing this to me?

I slowly guide my broom over to my brother, who is hovering in mid-air, looking at me hopefully.

Why is he making this so hard?

"Hey James."

He grins at me. "Hi, Al."

I do a double take.

"You're not pissed at me?"

He shakes his head. "No. If anything, it's you who should be pissed at me. I've been the worst brother, and I'm sorry. I'd like a second chance if you'd give me one."

What the fuck?!

"For Godric's sake, James, what's wrong with you?" I ignore the hurt flashing across his face, and look away as Lily focuses on us, making her way over quickly. "Why are you being so fucking nice? Would it really hurt you to just yell at me for once?"

Lily opens her mouth to say something, but James shakes his head at her and she subsides.

"Look, Al, you've got stuff you need to sort out with our parents, and I understand, but I don't want it to come between us. I don't want us to argue, which is why I'm not yelling, but I also don't want you to apologise to me just because Lily or Ria told you to."

There's a long silence where James watches me, and Lily scowls at me, and I refuse to look at either of them.

"Look," I say finally, "I'm sorry, okay? And that's not because anyone told me to say it. I'm 18; I can make my own decisions."

Then I dive to the ground and walk off, leaving my brother and sister speechless in the air.

We play Quidditch together the next day, and even though it still annoys me that James is trying so hard to be nice for reasons I don't understand, I'm also trying my best not to blow up at him. So I guess you could say we're getting along like awkward acquaintances that haven't seen each other in years.

The Hogwarts train takes us back to school on January 4th, and Rose, Scor, Ria, Ems, Sander and I get together in the girls' dorm after the feast as usual.

The next morning, I manage to escape Rose's un-caffeinated wrath (unlike last term), and make it down to breakfast in one sexy piece.

I spread maple syrup and sugar on my waffles as an owl drops a Prophet in front of Lysander.

"'Sup, my babes?" Ria slides in next to him and grabs a waffle from my plate.

I Accio the waffle back and roll my eyes as she scowls at me. "We're not your babes."

She blinks rapidly, pretending to cry. "SCOR'S MY BABE, AREN'T YOU, HYPIE DARLING?"

Emma giggles as Scor nods furiously and tucks himself under Ria's arm. "Can we call you 'Hypie darling'?"

He scowls. "Don't even think about it, Longbottom. As far as y'all are concerned, my god-awful middle name doesn't exist."

"Whatever, Hypie." Rose teases him.

"Hey, I - "

Lysander shoves an apple in his mouth, cutting him off.

As Scor chokes around the apple and Emma thumps him on the back, Lysander spreads the front page of the newspaper on the table, leaning forward. "Check this out." He points to a picture of my dad and Mr Malfoy shaking hands. "You never told us about this." He addresses this to Ria and Scor, who are looking surprised.

We huddle over the Daily Prophet and I manage to discern the upside-down words. 'MALFOY FINALLY MEETS THE LIGHT'.

Ria has a firm grip on the paper, so I have to content myself with slowly reading it upside-down.

'Our elusive ex-Death Eater has finally found his way to the side of Light. Mr Draco Malfoy, 42 years old and now long-term physiotherapist for the Chudley Cannons, has publicly announced his renouncement of Voldemort's army in the War. Yesterday night, in a statement he released to the Daily Prophet with the Saviour of the Wizarding World, Mr Harry Potter, by his side, he said - '

And so it goes on, describing the atrocities committed by the Death Eaters during the War and Scor's dad's long-awaited public apology of his crimes.

I look up as Rose takes Scor's apple and bites into it, ignoring the spit coating the skin. I look away quickly and my gaze focuses on Scor, who is looking shell-shocked (not at Rose's antics, at the article).

Emma pulls away the offending newspaper slowly as Lysander says quickly, "Scor, this is great. No more people saying your dad is a Death Eater or looking down on you for your lineage."

Scor lets out a long breath and shakes his head. "I got over that shit a long time ago."

Emma lays a gentle hand on his arm. "But aren't you happy about this?"

I look around the Hall, at the people poring over the newspaper and sneaking looks at my best mate.

Scor clenches his jaw, addressing his words to Ria. "Why didn't he tell us?"

Ria bites her fist, eyes scrunched shut. "This is bad."

Scor stands up and the Hall goes silent, clearly expecting him to give a speech. And he doesn't disappoint, grabbing the newspaper from Emma as an easy smile slips onto his face. "Looks like we're officially on the side of the angels."

The students laugh, and turn back to their breakfasts as Scor yanks Ria up and they turn to leave.

"Guys, what's wrong?" Emma asks quickly.

They turn back and Scor looks stricken. "Honey, it's not in my nature to be mysterious, and I swear I wish I could tell you. Al, see you in Muggle Studies."

"We've got double Herbology first." But Rose's comment falls on deaf ears, as Scor and Ria are already marching out of the Hall.

Ria's POV

I stride up Hogwarts' many staircases, not saying a word to the boy next to me until we reach the disused seventh floor where I take out my wand and slash it at the wall.

"WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T HE TELL US HE WAS GOING TO DO THIS?!" There are deep gouges in the dusty stone wall but I don't care. I'm not angry, but it's better than the other emotions trying to get through.

"HE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD AFFECT US?!" I move on to the next wall and give it the same brutal treatment.

"WELL, FUCK HIM!" I've mutilated the once-smooth walls of a seventh floor corridor and now I turn back to my best friend and brother, who is slumped against an intact wall, head in his hands.

The fight leaves me in a rush.

"The Elders are going to be furious." Scor looks up as I sit down against the wall opposite him, and my stomach twists as how distraught he looks.

I don't move to contradict him.

"The only reason they never physically hurt you in revenge for Uncle Drake's supposed abandonment of their cause was because they were scared of your dad's power and they still harboured hope that he was loyal to the Death Eaters." I'm stating facts that we both need to hear. "But now he's confirmed that he's shifted allegiances…"

I trail off.

"Why now?"

I shake my head at Scor. I don't know.

"Ri, what are we going to do?" He whispers.

I shift over to him, bending my knees so that one of my legs is between his. I clasp his hands between mine and wait until he locks eyes with me.

"You're protected at Hogwarts. And they're still scared of Uncle Drake. They won't dare to hurt you here or at home. So we just have to stay away from them."

Scor smiles at me weakly. "Simple, huh?"

I smile back, knowing he can see through my fake bravado. "Of course."

My smile drops when he hangs his head. "Do you think we should tell the others? About the Inauguration?"

Shit.

I search his face, trying to figure out what to say. "Scor, it was a long time ago. There's no point in bringing up the past."

He looks at me now, eyes desperate. "I need to tell Rose. She deserves to know what a monster I am."

I drop his hands and rest my head on his knees. "We're not monsters." I say to the floor.

He doesn't respond to that. We've had this conversation numerous times.

There's a long silence. And it's weighing down on me. In light of recent events, I've got to tell him.

I lift my head slowly. He's crying now, and I know I can't do anything about it when the demons are inside his own head. How can I help him when I've got my fair share too?

"I've been having nightmares."

His eyes snap to mine. "What?! Fuck, why now?"

I shake my head, refusing to cry out of self-pity and the worry that's lacing his voice.

He squeezes my hand. "Ria, why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought they would go away. But they haven't. And I'm scared." I whisper the last part.

He slowly pushes himself to his feet and helps me up too, pulling me into a hug.

"We're gonna be okay." He says into my hair.

And Godric, I hope so.

"So, I read the article." A slick voice intones.

I pull away from Scor and turn to face my smooth-talking cousin who steps out of the shadows and into the dim light of the corridor. I don't even want to know how he found us here.

"Fuck off, Lucien." Scor says cattily.

"Don't be a pussy, Malfoy. I came here to help."

"I act like I don't care about you, Black, but deep down, I swear … I don't give a fuck."

"Don't be a bitch." Lucien scowls at me, eyes dark.

"No offense, but right now I have an overwhelming urge to set you on fire, so why don't you just go on back to your little snake friends for your own safety?"

"Snake friends?!" Oh good, I've succeeded in pissing him off.

"Yes. Go back to your sly, cunning, bitchy Slytherins."

Lucien's expression somehow gets even darker. "You're my cousin and I know I should respect your opinion, but I find that difficult because you're a fucking idiot."

I laugh shortly. He came at the right moment. I am so in the mood for a fight.

"So why are you still here, Lucy?"

"Like I said, I came to help."

"We don't want your help."

"But you need it." He looks smug and this gets me angry.

"No."

Lucien looks slightly petulant and something flashes across his eyes. "Why not?"

Something's changed in the air, but I honestly couldn't care less. "Because fuck you, that's why not."

It may not have made sense, but he looks away and somehow I've gone too far. But I've gone too far with someone who can bite back.

Lucien looks back and his face is stony, impassive. "Look, cunt, I'm here to give you some advice that you'll follow if you know what's good for you."

I open my mouth to swear at him again but he sweeps on, ignoring me. "All three of us went through the Inauguration. All three of us know implicitly what my family is capable of. So you know exactly what this article means. The Elders, my aunts and uncles, are going to hate Malfoy here but they're going to want you back."

I'm listening.

"They're going to send you an invitation. I'd tell you to decline, but you know what they'll think if you say no. So do whatever you want, but don't take Scorpius there."

And then he's gone.