"You didn't write, Come alone," Scorpius said. "Although if you had, I wouldn't be here, so it's a moot point."

"We need to talk," Ron said. "Man to man."

"What does that mean? Mum's not here?" Rose asked. "Does she know about this?"

Ron's expression became shifty. "I'll tell her later."

Rose squeezed Scorpius' hand and then let go. "I'm telling her now." She spun on her heel and marched toward the paddock.

"Rosie, wait. Petrificus Totalus!" Ron cried.

"Shield charm," Rose called back. Once out of the range of Anti-Apparation wards, she Disapparated.

"Bollocks." Ron glared as if his lack of foresight and marital openness was Scorpius' fault.

"If you have something to say, do it before they return," Scorpius said. He walked toward the Burrow.

Ron held the door open. "What made you agreeable all of a sudden?"

Scorpius entered the kitchen that smelled of lemon oil and a trace of vanilla and took off his leather jacket, draping it over the back of a chair. "One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb."

"Muggle Studies, English law," Arthur Weasley said. He stood by the kitchen table, a tin of ginger biscuits in hand. He dumped biscuits onto a plate. "He's referring to you, Ron, but it fits both of us, since I sent Molly to the shops. Tea, Scorpius?"

"Later, Dad," Ron said. "We don't have much time."

Arthur stashed a biscuit in a cardigan pocket. "Molly's got me on a reducing diet," he told Scorpius, before saying to Ron, "Very well. He's in the lounge."

"He" was Harry Potter, dressed in Auror robes, pacing in front of the fireplace. Potter said. "Are you aware that you've put Rose's life in jeopardy?"

The venom in his tone raised Scorpius' eyebrows. Potter knew that Rose could protect herself. Scorpius glanced around the room. Something besides Potter's attitude was off. "Where's the family clock?"

"It needed a tune up. Sit down and answer the question," Ron said. He and Arthur shared the sofa. Scorpius and Potter took the chairs. Potter's robes covered his shoes.

"There's no danger," Scorpius said. Not yet, anyway. "My friends accept Rose."

"Potter scoffed. "Wizard supremacists accepting a Mudblood's daughter? You're either lying or deluded. Tell the truth, Malfoy."

Malfoy, not Scorpius. Clues fell into place. Scorpius allowed himself a faint, taunting smile. "Spell supremacists, Lupin."

"Wh-what?" Ron said.

Arthur sighed and took out his wand. The missing clock reappeared in its corner. "How did you know?"

Scorpius said, "Supremacists is Lupin's word of the day, one he misspells in letters." He turned to Ron. "Did you lend him your old Auror robes? He should have brought his own. These days the Ministry uses sizing charms." He smirked at Lupin, who had morphed his features to what passed as normal. "Your overacting was the final giveaway."

Lupin scowled. "It isn't too late to shove Veritaserum down your throat."

Scorpius said, "Impersonating the Head Auror, threats of force . . . what will the disciplinary review board say?"

"You won't file a complaint." Lupin's confident words didn't match the unease in his eyes.

Arthur fished the ginger biscuit out of his pocket and took a bite. "I told them their plan wouldn't work."

"But you still let us try," Ron said.

"Some lessons have to be learned the hard way," Arthur replied. He finished the biscuit and said, "I need a cup of tea to wash that down."

Scorpius said, "I'd like one as well, if I may." He'd had enough man talk.

Lupin shot to his feet. "If Uncle Harry wasn't visiting James in Yorkshire, he'd be here demanding—"

"Asking," Scorpius said. "Good Auror, not bad. Try it sometime." He went into the kitchen. Arthur was pouring a kettle of boiling water into a floral teapot.

"You think us overprotective and untrusting, I suppose," Arthur said, "but it isn't you we're worried about." He glanced toward the lounge and added, "Those of us who acknowledge the lengths you've gone to protect Rose. Biscuit?"

"Thank you." The ginger biscuit was hard and dry. Scorpius coughed when he tried to swallow.

"Low fat treats are rather dreadful, aren't they?" Arthur said. He handed Scorpius a cup of tea and poured one for himself. "I tell myself they're better than nothing. Another cup?" he asked after Scorpius downed his tea.

"Yes, please." He preferred darker oolong with ginger biscuits, but the astringent Earl Grey cleansed his palate.

Arthur said as he poured, "Ron, Teddy, you may come in now." He gave Scorpius a look of apology.

I told them their plan wouldn't work.

"You put something in the cup," Scorpius said. The pang he felt wasn't hurt feelings. His ego was bruised from being momentarily outwitted.

"Verisimilitude Potion," Arthur said. "The bergamot in Earl Grey disguises the taste."

Lupin strode into the kitchen, grinning. "This is why I didn't bother to play the Good Auror, Malfoy. I had Granddad Weasley."

Ron hovered in the doorway with a frown on his face. "You were supposed to use the Veritaserum Teddy gave you, Dad. We need more than one truthful answer."

Arthur said, "My plan, my choice, Ronald."

The double chime of the family clock broke the taut silence.

Lupin said, "Hurry, Uncle Ron. They'll Apparate to the doorstep once they reach the garden."

"Tell Rose to come find me," Scorpius said. He Disapparated.

.

He was halfway through Legends of the Green Knight, vol. 19: Snare of the Enchantress when Rose climbed into the treehouse. He thought about sitting up, but he didn't want to be seen from the windows, so he continued to lie on the comfort-charmed floor. "Are they still searching?" Anti-Apparition charms prevented unwanted intruders. It didn't prevent Apparation within the house.

Rose sat next to him. "No. The ghoul in the attic pointed to the window, so they figured you conjured a ladder."

"I levitated." He turned the book around and pointed to a comic strip panel where the Green Knight and Enchantress's alter egos banter about what their evening holds. "I never realised how much innuendo Creevey puts in his comics."

Rose read aloud, "First, dinner…and then…we'll discuss that comforting you mentioned earlier."

Scorpius waited for her to ask if he was feeling in similar need of comfort. He wouldn't mind being compelled by Verisimilitude Potion to answer that question.

Instead, she asked, "Why did you hide in the treehouse?"

He knew she would look for him there. He didn't want to jump on his motorbike and leave her behind. It was a place he knew well enough to attempt mid-air Apparition, a place with good memories. All the reasons were true, but not the real answer. Scorpius held out against the magic of the potion for as long as he could and then admitted, "I'll miss coming here when your family decides they don't want me around anymore."

.

A/N: Volleyball season ended without another concussion! Huzzah! I wish the chapter could have ended on as happy a note, but Rose got teary-eyed and Scorpius didn't want to talk anymore, so they left me no choice…for now. Thanks to everyone who hoped my head was feeling better and reviewed the last chapter. I have a minor surgery scheduled on the 28th, so keep sending get well vibes. I plan to use my overnight stay as a writing retreat. :D Thanks to alix33, Ellinell, fynnsmom, Guest (name?), Invisiblegirl3, jullee, NaginiFay, Needle In A Haystack, Nocturna Mae, Rose of the West, scribbleeexx, SGed, Stromsten, yiota146 and zizzic797.

Almost forgot, the Green Knight innuendo dialogue was taken from an old Batman comic, The Lazarus Affair, which had Bruce Wayne acting like James Bond, which I found amusing.