Scorpius lingered in the bedroom when Stevens left to serve the guests. The sound of Lupin rummaging through the wardrobe had distracted him from noticing something earlier. Mini-Crookshanks was missing. The toy Kneazle had lounged on the bed before the party. Where was he now? Scorpius flicked his wand. "Accio Mini-Crookshanks!" The toy floated out from under the bed. He fluffed the orange fur and placed Mini-Crookshanks next to the pillows. Felix hopped down from his hammock and came over to snuggle against the toy. "There," Scorpius said. "No one will hide you away again." He petted Felix and said, "Guard."

He opened the French doors and stepped onto the terrace. Victoire hugged Rose near the entrance to the lounge. Lupin hovered nearby, glancing toward the front door, impatient to leave. Scorpius picked up a bottle of Prosecco from the drinks station and went over to ask, "Going so soon?" He handed Lupin the bottle of wine. "Thanks for coming, Ted. Victoire."

Lupin said, "What's this, a consolation prize?"

For not finding the Green Knight costume? Scorpius laughed before he caught himself. That was his thought exactly. He said, "You mean for leaving early? Kind of you to say so."

"Don't mention it."

Victoire peered at Scorpius. "Is there somethin' on your face?"

"No, nothing. Good night."

"What's going on? Don't try to tell me nothing," Rose said once Lupin steered his fiancée toward the front door.

A new song started playing. Potions Yesterday, by Slytherin Green Five. It was a tune that had sounded brilliant sung by a dungeon full of students during a House party. Especially the chorus that said things were OK, really great, because the singer hated "you"—which everyone knew meant Potter—and so did Snape.

Scorpius cried, "Silencio!" Unfortunately, his father must have cast a Counter Charm to stop the Orpheus Orb and the spell negated Scorpuis's charm instead. The song continued to play as the family stopped talking to listen.

"I haven't heard this one in years," Harry Potter said.

Ron Weasley grinned. "You were a jerk for wrecking Dad's flying car."

"But we never called you stupid, dear," Granny Weasley said.

Ron snickered. "The Howler you sent said plenty of other things."

"I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME!" George Weasley's imitation was uncannily good.

"Absolutely disgusted!" Ron cried.

Hermione elbowed him. "You two did deserve to be expelled."

Ron asked, "But aren't you glad we weren't?"

"Yes, most of the time."

"Most?" Ron shouted to Fred, "Quick, spin another orb. One with a slow song."

"Here's a Time Turners classic," Fred said. "Amortentia!"

The song was a playfully sultry tune about a girl who accused a boy of slipping her Amortentia Potion because she wants him so much. Scorpius drew Rose close. She buried her face against his shoulder as her body shook. "What is it?" he asked. He glanced around and noticed that Harry and Ginny Potter were laughing softly together as they danced and Rose's parents were smiling, although Ron's smile looked more pained than amused. "What's going on?"

"I asked you first."

Scorpius decided he didn't really need to know. He would rather sway in silence. Only Rose didn't stay silent. She murmured, "Your skin has a mother-of-pearl sheen."

"Thank you." If she was trying to make him crack by quoting song lyrics, she would have to do better than that.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "D'orange vert on your skin has got to be one of the most seductive scents I've ever inhaled."

Two could play this game. His lips brushed her hair. "The scent of you is filling me up like drink."

Rose looked at him with eyes filled with starlight. "Are you dangerously excited?"

"Verging on obsessed." And it was hard to remember that he was only playing the part of a man intoxicated by Amortentia Potion. He bent his head and whispered, "Lupin was looking for a secret compartment in our wardrobe. We had a chat. Did he say anything to you?"

"He walked up and asked if I was happy," Rose said. "When I said I couldn't be happier, he said he was happy for me."

"Decent of him." Unexpected, yet very decent. Scorpius slid his hands down Rose's back as far as he could go without touching her bum. "Old Aesop's fable must have sunk in."

"You told him a fable? Which one?"

Rose had a way of ever-so-slowly undulating her body against his; an onlooker wouldn't know she was doing it, but Scorpius damn well felt it. "Dog in the manger." Her body shook—not seductively. Oh, well, her silent laughter felt amazing too. "He's the dog, I'm the ox, and you're the hay."

"I'm food?"

"Of love."

Rose snorted.

He chuckled.

A hand touched his shoulder. "Son, I'd like to have a word with you."

Draco Malfoy's quiet stern tone was worse than Ron Weasley's yelling. Scorpius asked, "Are you and Mum leaving? Rose and I need to thank her for making the pizzas under your expert supervision."

"Yes!" Rose said. "They were the hit of the party."

"Astoria would love to hear your compliments," Draco said. "She's in the kitchen saying goodbye to the Stevenses."

"Go on," Scorpius said to Rose. "Dad and I will have our talk over by Antares and then join you." The lights near the habitat were dimmed to accommodate the owl's night vision. If they stood by the privacy railing, they could speak without being watched or overheard as long as tempers and voices remained in check.

Rose nodded and left, although the look she gave Scorpius said she'd be back to rescue him if he didn't meet her in the kitchen in a few minutes.

"She's a lovely girl," his father said as they strolled toward the railing near Antares's habitat.

"Yes, she is." Scorpius chose the best defensive position, back to the wall with the rest of the terrace in his line of sight if he looked over his father's shoulder. "I know what you want to talk about. The Orpheus Orb."

In the dim light, his father's pale skin, hair, and white shirt gave him the appearance of a vengeful ghost. "Where did you get it?"

From the same person who gave him Fanged Frisbees, Whizz Bangs, an indoor swimming pool and everything else he'd ever mentioned wanting. Not that Scorpius would admit it. This was between him and his father. He said, "Slytherin Green Five has a dozen orbs out. You heard Potter. He hadn't heard that song in years. I could've bought it anywhere."

"You know we don't listen to that kind of music in our house."

"Pop music? Unless you think the Weird Sisters are a folk group, we certainly do."

"Music with lyrics that perpetuate hate."

"What? That song was from the Get Potted album. The songs were jokes, meant for fans to sing and have a laugh."

"And did you?"

"Sing them and laugh? Of course I did. So did everyone else. Are you calling Slytherin House a hate group?"

"It was when I went to school." His father's tone held regret.

Scorpius said, "Voldemort was alive when you went to school. Pure-blood worshippers aren't going to bring him back."

"No, they want someone new to lead them."

"Not this again," Scorpius looked out at the city lights. Severus Snape had known how to fly without a broom. What would it feel like to jump over the railing and soar through the darkness like a huge bat? Like freedom, he expected, or in his current situation, escape from parental worry. It didn't happen often, but whenever his father had too much to drink, the fears he kept locked away found a way to slither out and whisper their poison until Draco found Scorpius and they had yet another talk. "Dad, I didn't join the Knights. Rose Weasley is my partner and her family is over for dinner. I'm in no danger of becoming the next Dark Lord."

His father ruffled Scorpius's hair like he was a little boy. "You don't know what they're capable of, how they can influence your thoughts, twist your emotions." A scene burst into Scorpius's mind as though rough hands had plunged down into his memories and yanked the images ruthlessly to the surface.

The secret meeting chamber deep within Hogwarts. The tapestry with a giant red serpent on a black background: the symbol of the Knights of Walpurgis. Initials carved into granite around the tapestry. Scorpius mouthing, "Fateor." Initials lighting up, representing Salazar Slytherin, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, and Edgar Goyle. Then . . .SM.

"No," Scorpius's father whispered. A tear rolled from the corner of his eye.

Scorpius cursed. "Look at me," he said. "You didn't see everything that happened."

Scorpius cradled Rose's face in his hands. They kissed. He raised his wand and sent a fireball hurling at the wall.

"Now get out of my head and stay out." Scorpius rubbed his palms against his temples. "Your rusty Legilimency skills are giving me a headache."

His father shot back, "I wouldn't have been able to see anything if you bothered to practice your Occlumency regularly."

"I didn't expect a sneak attack at a family dinner."

Behind them, the sound of a throat clearing was followed by, "Sirs, Miss Rose asked me to remind you that Mrs. Malfoy is waiting to say goodbye to Master Scorpius."

"Thank you, Stevens," Scorpius said. "We'll be right in."

"Righty-o," Draco said. A grin slowly spread over his face. "You burned your initials off the Legacy Wall?"

"Before I left school." Legacy Wall, Annals of Greatness—who the bloody hell came up with those names?

His father hugged him. "I love you, son." Draco sniffled.

"Yeah, love you, too, Dad." Scorpius patted his father on the back and said, "Let's not keep Mum waiting."

His father straightened. "Right." He put on dignity like a cloak and turned toward the lounge, only swaying slightly as he walked.

Scorpius pretended that everything was fine as he kissed his mother's cheek and thanked her for all her help.

She said, "I had a wonderful time. Luna Scamander and I are having lunch tomorrow. She said her story characters haven't decided what they want to do next anyway so they're happy to come along and enjoy my company. Isn't she the most amusing person?"

"Yes."

His father hugged him again. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Come along, dear. Our son needs to return to his guests." Astoria manoeuvred her husband out of the flat.

Rose smiled at Scorpius. "You managed to talk your way out of a scold, didn't you?"

He shook his head.

"Are you all right?" Rose asked.

"Headache. I'll take a Pain Relief Potion." He headed for the master bathroom.

Rose followed. "I think we're out."

"Shit." He'd emptied the last flagon after using wandless Apparition to retrieve his Green Knight costume. "What about Granny Weasley? Don't grannies carry medicines around in their handbags?"

"I'll run ask. Go lie down."

Scorpius fell across the bed, head over the side in case he puked. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth against the pain battering his skull. Felix nuzzled his fingers and then curled up on the small of his back. Oddly, his pet's warmth made Scorpius feel less nauseous. He heard the French doors open.

"Granny didn't have anything except lemon sherbets, so I brought Aunt Audrey and Uncle Harry."

A Healer and an Auror. "More th' merrier."

"What's Mini-Crookshanks doing on Malfoy's back?"

Ron Weasley was there too? Scorpius changed his mind about more being merrier. "Feli's guarding." He'd have to apologise to his pet later for thinking he'd abandoned his post, although Merlin only knew how ridiculous they appeared.

Aunt Audrey knelt beside him. "Do you know what's causing your pain?"

"Legil'mency." Or perhaps an aneurysm.

"You attempted Legilimency?"

A discreet cough was heard. "Beg pardon, ma'am," Stevens said from somewhere on the other side of the room, "I believe Mr. Malfoy performed Legilimency when not in complete control of his faculties."

Uncle Harry knelt next to Aunt Audrey. "Mr. Malfoy being Scorpius's father."

"Super Wizard is super smart," Scorpius mumbled.

"I've also been where you are." Uncle Harry waived his wand.

"Aneurysm Vanishing Charm?" Scorpius asked hopefully.

"One that soothes and strengthens the mind. Conforto!"

Scorpius passed out.

.

When he awoke, his head was on a bed pillow, his socks and shoes were off, and Rose was lying next to him. Felix and Mini-Crookshanks were pressed against his side.

"How do you feel?" Rose asked.

"Good." She wore his favourite dressing gown over fuzzy pyjamas more suited to winter than the end of summer. He didn't know what to make of the mixed signals, so he started with, "Party's over?"

"Hours ago. Everyone understood. They helped tidy the flat despite Stevens's best efforts to shoo them out the door." She reached a hand toward Mini-Crookshanks. Felix growled a little.

"Release," Scorpius said.

Rose picked up the toy Kneazle. "You'd think the host passing out after his father performed drunken Legilimency would be the biggest topic of conversation during the clearing up, but it was Felix and Mini-Crookshanks."

"No one took pictures, I hope."

"Dominique tried. I used a Vanishing Charm on her Goblin spy camera. I told her you'd send her another one." She didn't smile.

Scorpius asked, "What did they say about Felix and Mini-Crookshanks?"

Rose sat on the bed cross-legged with the toy on her lap. "He was a running joke. Merry saw his ear poking out from under the bed and put him on the mattress, and then Uncle George tossed him under the bed, but Aunt Angelina used a silent Accio to bring him back out, and so on, and so on, until Dad tried to take Mini-Crookshanks off your back and Felix nipped at him."

"I found Mini-Crookshanks under the bed and told Felix to stand guard."

"Why?"

All at once, he understood. "Why did you run in here and try to hide him before the guests arrived? I assume you were in a rush and didn't shove him under properly and that's why Merry saw his ear."

"I asked you first. Again."

"And I'll answer you again, and hope you'll finally give me the same courtesy." Rose's eyes flashed, but she didn't deny that she'd never answered his question about what was so funny about the Amortentia song. He said, "I promised your father I wouldn't tell anyone we were living together. I never promised not to show it."

Rose's face flushed. She uncurled her legs and hopped off the bed and shook Mini-Crookshanks at him. "Showing is telling!" She marched out of the room and slammed the door. A couple of seconds later, he heard a guest room door slam shut.

Felix whimpered. Scorpius petted him and then carried him over to his hammock. "It's all right, boy. Go to sleep."

Scorpius took off the clothes he'd worn to the party and pulled on a pair of loose fit lounge trousers. He didn't tighten the drawstring, he let the waistband hang low on his hips and then went to the guest room the furthest away from the master bedroom. "Sonorous," he said silently, followed by an audible, "Yes."

Rose cracked open the door. "Yes, what?"

"Yes, we're having a row."

.

.

A/N: Maybe I should have titled the chapter Party's Over, but that would have been too much of a spoiler, and I couldn't help using the Wayne's World homage. Party on, Harry. Party on, Ron. Potions Yesterday is a song by the wizard rock band Draco & the Malfoys. I wanted to use the exact lyrics so badly I actually emailed the band and asked permission, but since I got no reply (so sad!) I summarized the chorus, which, if readers go to youtube and search for the song, I think they will agree that it would sound brilliant sung by a bunch of Slytherins at a House party. I made up Slytherin Green Five, the Get Potted album and the Time Turners band and used the description of Molly's Howler from CoS and the Amortentia Potion description from HBP for the Amortentia song lyrics. The memory Draco ripped out of Scorpius was from the last chapter of Our Little Secret, which, if a reader hasn't read, I still can't have spoiled since you know they're living together six months after they left school. :D

The readers I have to thank for being brilliant at reviewing last chapter are alix33, Arcoiris, ctc, fynnsmom, glassycry, Needle In A Haystack, nobodysperfect2133(You thought my "expert supervision" reply was funny, so of course I had to use it), Rose of the West, The Chirpy Bitch, trinityblue76, and VandyFNP!