A/N - Apologies, with the holiday last week, doing 5 days worth of work in 3, and feeling pretty crappy, I completely forgot. To get this finished this week (which would have happened if I posted last week), I'll post something today, Tuesday and Thursday.
:)
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Neville looked through his box and found a number of items he knew he would have wanted to keep safe. Photo albums from his childhood, but surprisingly none from Charlie's, a trilogy of books documenting his research in school, research he just started that semester, and items from his parents. "Scorp?" Neville looked to Charlie in confusion.
"Um, neither you nor Uncle Harry, well, you don't know who you married." Scorp gave a little shrug, "I told everyone we needed to be very careful in what we said. I thought maybe you'd like to at least have that surprise since you know about us." The younger boy pointed to the larger box that still held a number of undistributed boxes. "The ones for your wives are still in there. I mean I could tell you now, if you wanted." He felt a bit unsure offering to tell them, he really thought he did the right thing by keeping it a secret.
A knock on the door broke some of the tension Scorp felt. Hermione seemed confused when she opened the door and Luna Lovegood walked in with a knowing smile. "Hello Hermione." She looked across to Scorp and gave him a smile, "I think it's time Scorp." She turned to the rest of children who all looked at her with varying degrees of happiness.
None of the adults had a chance to ask why Luna was there or how she knew Scorp before he responded to her, "Hullo Auntie Luna, I guess I should have figured you'd show up about now." Scorp picked up a box, resizing it as Luna settled on the floor. The rest of the children all smiled the same relieved smile as when they first saw each of the other adults. They all started to inch toward the new arrival and Hermione let out a surprised gasp when Ells crawled into Luna's lap.
"Hi Mama, I've missed you." Luna hummed a little tune and the young girl wrapped her arms around Luna's neck.
"Luna, your middle name is Pandora isn't it?" Hermione's question slipped from her lips.
"Yes, tradition in Mama's family for the eldest daughter to carry the name of her mother." No one ever asked Luna her middle name, most believed Ells was named after Luna due to her friendship with Harry. It actually worried Hermione once she heard Ells full name knowing the names of the boys were all done to honor someone who died. "Seems Harry allowed me to carry the tradition forward with our daughter." The boys bombarded her from both sides and whispered broken words of love. "I see my boys need some love too." Luna wrapped her arms around her brood and released a relieved sigh. "I'm so glad to have found you now. I've missed you all so much."
Harry, a bit stunned, looked at his children and their mother sitting in a mass of arms and legs on the floor. Walking slowly, he knelt in front of them with a worried expression. "Luna?"
"You were always going to realize it, I guess it will just be a bit sooner this time around." She hummed a little more and Harry watched all three of the children as they nestled further into their mother's arms. "But for now, let's just be here for the children, we can talk when they go to sleep." Harry sat next to the group and attempted to put his arm around all of them, eventually settling for wrapping it around Luna's shoulders and leaning into the hug as well.
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Draco sat back and looked at the apparent Potter family before smirking. "What's that look about Draco?" Hermione worried when her boyfriend had that expression.
"It's just our relationship isn't the most surprising now. I think Potter and Weasley both have gotten used to it and see how perfect I am for you." His smirk widened, "But really, it's how perfect we are for each other. I think we'll quickly find those two are the same." Hermione set her head on Draco's shoulder thinking on his comment. She murmured her agreement and felt his lips on her hair.
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"Well, sort of makes me want to know now." Not really upset, Neville joked to the room at large. The children laughed, with Charlie looking a bit wistfully at Scorpius. "But, Charlie, as much as I think we both want to see her, I also think it's right to listen to Scorp. He's Mione's son and she's always right. Makes sense her son is the same."
"I know Dad. I just miss her. She gives the best hugs." Not being hugged much growing up, Neville wrapped his son in his arms. "But, your hugs are the best after her." Neville felt a need to protect well up inside of him and pulled Charlie a little closer.
"We can practice until it's time. Then we can surprise her at how well we can hug her." Charlie gripped his dad a little tighter and nodded into his chest.
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Ron sat with Rose who seemed a bit melancholy. "I want to see Mummy, but she'd tell Aunt Pavarti," Ron looked a bit surprised. "I love her and miss her, Scorp said we need to keep it a secret." Ron smiled and kissed her head. He wasn't totally ready to explain the situation to Lavender anyway. Instead he pulled out another photo album and Rose started to tell him stories about the photos that may or may not have matched the notes Hermione added.
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The next morning, after everyone had bit of time to deal with the revelations the day before and look through the items Scorp saved, Draco woke with a renewed vigor. He leaned over and kissed Hermione on the forehead after getting out of bed. She made a noise like a displeased bowtruckle, "I need to start the potion before breakfast. Severus has class first thing."
"Fine, I should get up as well then." After getting dressed, Hermione popped her head into the children's rooms and found them in various stages of waking. "Morning, I want you all to get ready. I'm going to run down to the Great Hall and then will be back." A litany of younger sounding noises, she took as agreement, floated from the rooms.
As she left, she made her usual request for breakfast to be brought up for the children. Even though Scorpius took some classes with other students, primarily potions with others sprinkled in as needed, they were still kept mostly away from the rest of the student body. Too many things left to do for rumors to get too loud.
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In addition to trying to balance everything else, Hermione and Draco continued the group's mission of identifying the whereabouts of the stone given to the second brother. Its identity and location remained illusive as their attempts continued. The conversation, the same they had for the last two weeks, started again, "I still say he had it. We just need to find it."
The boys shrugged, no one really had any idea where the damn stone could be and it was driving them crazy. During their brainstorming session, Harry asked the question that started them down a different track, "If the Potters are the descendants of the third brother, which family started with the second brother?"
"That is a good question Potter." Draco thought on how to figure it out, turning to Ron, he continued his comment, "Weasley does your family or the Prewett papers go that far back?" With a shrug, Ron pulled a piece of parchment and began to write a letter.
"Mum will ask why. If we have it or if she can get her hands on it she'll provide the information, but she'll want to know the reasons we need it. She can't not know things." Rose sat quietly and listened to her dad talk about the family she lost. Her father didn't notice the look on her face as he continued to mumble, "Probably will show up to question us herself on the weekend." Ron looked up at Hermione, "We need to decide what we tell her and make sure we make it sound believable."
Rose licked her lips, but kept quiet. Given the opportunity she would see her grandmother again. A second set of eyes made the same decision and locked gazes with Rose. The pair gave a slight nod none of the adults saw.
Draco was the one to answer Ron's question about Molly, "Yes, I was thinking it's getting near the time we need to include others. I'd like to let Severus know a bit more, and the headmistress too." He and Hermione discussion it a few times already and were in agreement. The rest turned to Hermione, while Draco's idea seemed spot on, they wanted to see what the head girl thought.
"I agree with Draco, let's take care of the first issue now. The potion is complete and then we bring the rest in on Dumbledore. They may have some insight." At Hermione's agreement, Draco smirked a bit and called for Kitmu.
"Would you pull the family history and any reference we have on the Peverell family? Maybe check if Kreacher will let you borrow anything at Grimmauld. Have Mum get involved if needed." Draco scratched his chin, "Also, let me know when Lucius plans to visit the family vault. Assuming he gives any notice." The elf snapped his fingers and three books appeared on the table. With a bow, the elf left to see what Grimmauld might have and set up surveillance on Lucius.
"The vault?" Ron looked up and let out a loud laugh. "Bloody brilliant idea. I assume you and Scorp will be settling that debt?" Ron's eyes landed on the Malfoy family ring Draco pulled from the ring box and then to Scorpius. Draco shrugged and his son only smirked. Hermione suspected there was something going on she didn't understand as a muggleborn.
"If you get our son hurt, I will not be pleased with either of you. Or Ron for knowing and allowing it to happen anyway." The two Malfoy men shuddered and shared a slight look of fear they each rightly held for Hermione before agreeing to her demand. Ron smiled because he knew nothing would happen, Draco would protect Scorp at all costs and the vault wouldn't allow anything to happen to the child.
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It took Kitmu longer than Draco expected, but on the following Friday, a miserable day, the elf arrived with the desired information. "Scorp, it's time." The young boy quickly changed into more appropriate clothes and picked up the extra ring. "Hermione, we will be back in a couple of hours. Severus is letting us use his floo. We can tell him and Minerva what we decided tonight since Ron's parents will be here tomorrow." He paused when Scorp entered the room, "Plus Mum will show up too, just not exactly sure when. I'd be surprised if we don't see her before the end of the day."
Before Hermione could question him more, or ask why Draco was involving Scorp in a murder, Ron, Merlin bless him, popped into the conversation, "Go, I'll fill her in on why you're doing it this way." Ron wrapped his arm around the diminutive woman and led her to a quiet corner. The two Malfoys left the dorm and made their way to the dungeons.
"I assume I explained this to you before?"
"Yes, and we did it, but Mum said we'd probably have to do it again. Something about time travel with a different location and blood bonds being particular."
"Glad I thought to do it. Must have pissed the old man off. Was I this excited last time?" Scorpius rolled his eyes before nodding, the two laughed as Draco knocked on the Potion Master's door. When Severus answered, he noted the clothing with a cocked eyebrow. "It's time. We shouldn't be long. Plan to meet with all of us tonight, along with the Headmistress."
"Be careful." Severus summoned the vial with the poison, placing it into a traveling box he'd prepared with everything Draco would need before handing it to the older of the two standing in front of him, "I'll wait here for your return and inform Minerva. You best be going." With a quick hug from both of the young men, Severus huffed and pushed them away. "Go."
After the flames died, Severus sat for a few minutes and wondered what he would soon learn. The information he did know, he still hadn't come to terms with it. With a flick of his wand, he sent a message to Minerva and waited for the two young men to return.
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At their arrival to the Leaky Cauldron, the pair quickly made their way into the Alley and toward the bank. Under the cover of a large umbrella, no one paid them any mind, "We'll take the side entrance. Father prefers to make a scene and always uses the main entrance." In under ten minutes Draco and Scorp found themselves sitting on a pair of plush chairs deep under the floor of the bank.
Draco took a bit of time to place the items they would need on the table and stood as he heard the arrival of the cart. "Here we go." Scorp remained seated and placed a shield charm over himself. He did take his mother's warning quite serious. At Draco's pleased nod, the younger boy settled more comfortably in the chair and waited for the show to begin.
When the vault's door opened, the two already there remained unmoving and silent until Lucius sealed his fate. He rudely told the goblin to leave and remain gone until summoned, Lucius slammed the vault shut on the creature. "Magna Corporis Glacio," Draco's smooth drawl and effortless swish of his wand masked the power of the spell.
"Circumago," As Lucius's frozen body lifted from the ground, it began to turn slowly until he faced the others in the room. "Hello Father, it seems you desire a future I can't allow. One I refuse to allow actually, but as the still-head of the family, at least for the next little bit, I thought you should see the future of my family. Meet my son," The boy, with a sneer reserved for those who were beneath him, tilted his head to frozen man. "Not that you'll actually meet him. It seems in the future you were slightly successful in your plans. But, we can't let that happen in this time. Scorpius and his sister will make sure of it and their future will soon be much more pleasant."
Draco began to prepare the ritual while humming a tune. "It's like you're already turning into my dad. You always hum that when you were quite pleased with yourself."
"It's from my mother, she is much more Slytherin than Lucius." The pair stood and chanted the oath, magic swirled around them until it landed on the ring Scorpius held in his hand. "And it's done." Draco winked at his son who slipped the ring on his finger and watched as it sized itself. Draco turned to his father. "Now it's time for you to be removed from the future." Draco pulled the box from his robes and carefully removed the vial.
"Not totally sure what this will do, so Scorp is going to document it. It's a cunning melding of an old Malfoy poison with a bit of Black debauchery added for fun," Draco paused and tilted his head. "Our fun, I doubt you'll be enjoying this. My wife designed it with a twist of muggle chemistry to reduce the amount of relief one of the ingredients would give you. Severus helped me brew it. Seems he wasn't much impressed with your plans either."
Draco tilted his head and with an expression showing how much he loathed the frozen man, he flicked his wand. Immediately the ever present cane clattered to the ground, his outer robe was torn away and the left shirt sleeve began to roll up his arm. Both of the younger Malfoy men glared at the black tattoo. Another slight flick of Draco's wand lifted the left arm and held it straight out, "No reason to touch your filth if it can be avoided."
Draco removed the second item from the travel case, a long needle and proceeded to attach it to the vial from Severus. Stepping toward Lucius, Draco pressed the needle into the proffered arm and injected the contents of the vial. With a less than gentle yank, the needle and vial were removed from Lucius Malfoy's body and Draco stepped away. Scorpius pulled his wand and set a timer.
"Now as that circulates in your blood and seeps into your entire being, let's talk about the future before it kills you. I plan to propose to my girlfriend, not that you would have known. She's the head girl and we've been together for a couple of years. It will be three years come this autumn actually. I need to get her a gift."
Draco paused, a bit of drama and smiled, "I think Grandmother Malfoy's ring would look very nice on her finger. Diamonds are the standard stone for engagements in the muggle world and we will spend a good portion of the time there." Draco gazed across the shelves of jewelry looking for the item. Seeing it, he summoned the glittering ring, "She'll say it's too large of course, but knowing how you will hate that she wears it. How with your death and our marriage, she is Lady Malfoy and also Lady Black will stop too many of her complaints."
Scorp snorted a bit, he knew how much his mum both loved that ring and thought it was a bit too much on alternating days. Draco ignored the noise and waved his wand toward the jewelry a second time, this time a set of earrings floated to him. "Even with her engagement ring, I still need to make sure to remember our anniversary. These will do nicely." Draco eyed the earrings and felt they needed something more, but he'd work on that later.
Scorp glanced at the earrings and remembered his mum telling him before she had to leave, how if she could she would have told Draco to not get her matching earrings. Scorp decided to warn his dad, at least to make it easy to remove the drops after he redesigned the set. The studs were apparently enough but a Malfoy doesn't know when to stop. At least his mum muttered that a lot when Dad or Grannie Cissa would give her some new piece from the family vaults to wear.
While his mind wandered, Scorp kept careful watch on Lucius and started to make notes in notebook he pulled from his robes. Draco watched as the anger, at least he assumed it was anger and not the poison just yet, rose in the dying man, "Yes, she's a muggleborn, you went on and on about how could Dumbledore put a muggleborn in that role. You questioned his mental facilities after it was announced he'd assigned the roles before his utterly tragic death." Draco winked at Scorp, "And she's the mother to my heir," Draco waved toward Scorpius who dutifully noted the reactions from the man who sired his father. Currently the body of the soon-to-be former head of the Malfoy family had a slight quiver as if the muscles under were constricting and releasing in some unknown rhythm.
"She and I have plans to bring honor back to the family. Honor you destroyed with almost everything you did. So before you cross the veil, know this, your role in my family will be systematically erased until you are merely a footnote. An insignificant footnote in the great history of the Malfoys." Draco watched as Lucius began to comprehend what would soon happen.
A viscous smile formed, "In fact, Hermione mentioned an idea about more or less erasing you from the family. You shall remain merely a faceless name on the tree. Nothing else, as that is still more than you deserve."
Draco returned to the seat next to his son and the pair watched as one of the men who tried to ruin the future died in what Draco assumed would have been writhing and screaming agony if the body not been frozen by a rather powerful spell. When it was done, Draco magically moved the body and discarded clothing to the large fireplace used to keep the vault warm. The pair of remaining Malfoy men watched as the flames flared brightly and incinerated it.
"Put a note on there about how quickly the body burned. The poison must do something to the bones as well. It'll give Severus something to investigate since he was rather impressed with what Hermione did as it is." After making a few other additions, Draco poked around the firebox and picked out the ring his father wore. Setting it on the shelf, he smiled, "Merlin willing, I'll be around and we will need three rings."
When they exited the bank, Draco looked up and noticed the dark clouds that brought days of rain no longer covered the sun. Bright rays shone down on the street and seemed to usher the warmth of spring. With no issue in returning to the castle, Scorpius handed the parchment to Severus, "Thank you Scorpius, I'll add this to the notes on the brewing." The younger boy smiled, pleased to have assisted the acclaimed potions master. "Now, we have a meeting in a short while, you have time to change if you wish it."
"No, I think it's appropriate to wear these for a bit longer. I suspect Mum might show up before the night is done. She should have felt the marriage bonds snapping. It won't take her long to try to confirm his death and do a bit of investigation. Not that she could access the vault. I know father's will cuts her out of the family. Not that it matters in least since I inherit it all, she supported us in the future and she'll support us now."
Severus's curiosity was evident before he asked, "What makes you believe that?"
At the question Scorp smirked, "Lyra. Grannie Cissa loves that little girl. And while she supported Mum and Dad, and loves me, the birth of a girl, her granddaughter, did something that fundamentally changed Grannie. I believe, once she is told and meets Lyra, we'll have another dangerous ally again."
The two other men thought on Scorp's comment and came to the same conclusion. Narcissa was a dangerous woman, as was Hermione but in conjunction, the pair would be unstoppable. It was probably a good thing neither really wanted to rule the world.
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The meeting with Severus and Minerva went as badly as Hermione expected. Severus seemed to freeze when Draco explained his death. The sadness in Draco's voice hit Severus almost as hard as did the knowledge of his death. Minerva, still reeling from the basic information she discovered at the children's arrival, only recently began to accept how dangerous Albus Dumbledore was. As Hermione and Draco explained what they knew, the elder woman noticed how they continued to use the present tense when speaking of the former headmaster.
"Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy, am I to believe Albus is not dead? His body is in his crypt." That was something Draco thought on and now suspected he knew the answer.
"Yes, his mortal remains are there and have not deteriorated in the time since his death. His death nearly a year ago and a body only prepared in the traditional magical way with herbs, spices and oil. His body was not preserved using any modern technique or chemicals." Minerva blinked at Draco's comment and she thought back on the will. The instructions for his body were very specific.
While Draco didn't know where the Headmistress's mind went, he paused for a moment before continuing, "I haven't been able to confirm, but I believe he is in an incorporeal state. A state not dissimilar to what Voldemort experienced after the attack on the Potters and remained that way until the end of our fourth year." Draco pointed between him and Hermione, as if he needed to remind the Headmistress of that mess of a school year. A year causing Minerva to become a partial owner in both the distillery near her childhood village and a delivery service scheduled to make regular trips to the castle.
At Minerva's unimpressed expression, Draco shrugged and continued, "Dumbledore's goal, if I'm correct, is to rejoin his body and soul through old magic." They hadn't brought up the hallows or the potential for a horcrux and Draco didn't want to bring either up too quickly. The knowledge of one was dangerous until they had all three gifts and the other shouldn't be known at all.
"Headmistress, before we explain how he intends to do this, I need to know where your allegiance lies. With him or the school?" Minerva blinked slowly and looked around the head dorm, the children were reading or studying. Neville Longbottom sat with his son. Ron Weasley, along with Harry Potter sat close, but not near enough to participate. They sat with the Potter boys playing chess. Luna Lovegood was telling the girls about some mythical creature she planned to find over the summer. The question Draco asked rattled around in her head.
"Why are those two mutually exclusive?"
Instead of allowing Draco to explain, Hermione started speaking in a rush, "Because Albus Dumbledore wanted power and used whatever means necessary to get it. That book wasn't wrong. In the letter to myself, I provided evidence or where to find it, to prove many of the unsubstantiated parts of what Skeeter wrote. Unlike the majority of her articles, she didn't need to create or embellish anything to make the story more exciting. In fact, she toned down his exploits quite significantly."
Hermione's eyes flashed to Harry, who now looked at his hands with an uncomfortable expression. He remained utterly still when his quiet voice filled the room, "It's true Headmistress, I've seen it. I helped get some of the information from the Potter vault. What we now know about my parent's death, what he told people about their deaths was wrong. A complete lie."
Harry's voice rose in volume and began to drip with anger. "He was their secret keeper. He told Peter Pettigrew, who we know wasn't killed by Sirius, where to find our house. He knew Sirius didn't betray them, because he didn't have the knowledge to do so. Even with all that, Dumbledore still left my godfather to rot in prison."
Hermione watched as Harry stood and his anger flared off him in waves, "It better suited Dumbledore's plans to make sure I had no one who wanted to take care of me. He left me to abuse, with a family who didn't want me and were too afraid to send me away."
Minerva gasped in surprise, she wanted to not believe the book, but she never thought about him being responsible for the deaths of his own warriors. She slowly turned to the head students, "The school, always Hogwarts and her wards." Draco expected the response. He nodded in appreciation before going into what they suspected.
"He is after the deathly hallows. He and Grindelwald began their search as teenagers and never really stopped. His crypt, did he design it?" At the headmistress's stiff nod, Hermione huffed and Draco took her hand. "Some of the glyphs are the symbol for the hallows. We have two of them and are researching the third."
The two professors sat absolutely gobsmacked. Nothing in the earlier conversation prepared them for that revelation, during silence Hermione started to give more information, "Molly will be here tomorrow to bring some documents for us to use in our search, not that she knows it. Knowing her, she'll interrogate us before turning over the papers. We plan to tell her an abridged version of what we've just told you and other than one more person, we have no plans to tell anyone else the full story." Hermione stopped and gripped Draco's hand, allowing him the floor again.
"I suspect my mother will arrive sooner rather than later. A thing happened today." Minerva watched the head boy who offered no clue and only gave a too bland smile when compared to the smug tone of his voice. Minerva then turned her attention, not to the head girl as Minerva was sure Miss Granger would have told her if she knew, but to the younger Malfoy. It didn't take long for her to see the family ring on the boy's hand and how the pair were dressed. "Yes," Draco's only comment to Minerva when she returned her attention to him and looked at the family ring he wore.
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A/N2: So all the mothers have been worked out and one risk is gone.