Time Keepers

by Ceilidhchaos

Co-authored with SarahFraser. A Dreomione inspired by Aurelian. not for the faint of heart. If a trigger exists, it's in this. It's 2032 and the Black Empress and her Death Eaters reigned supreme. For 2 years, the world had been thrown into chaos and darkness. As a last ditch attempt to save his children, Scorpius and Viola, Theodore Malfoy-Nott throws them back in time to 2013.

10. Chapter 10

The Rescue that Never Comes

Author's Note: This chapter flips back between 2013 and the 2030s. The twins struggle to adjust to life in the past with parents who are strangers to them. Theo engages in insanity again and again in 2013. In the 2030s, some of the previously mentioned early events of the war are explored. The fate of the Neville, Pansy and others and the destruction of the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary leaves the young people of the 2030s wondering why does no rescue ever come?

Remember this is a very dark fic and additional content warnings are as always in the end notes. It's a train wreck and it's hard to look away. Thanks to AStrangefan, ehlara and sobsinashell for alpha/beta-ing this chapter

4th of June 2013

Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire

Pippa was standing in the receiving room with a bright smile on her face when Draco stepped through the fireplace. He gave the little elf a warm smile, happy to see her again, especially since it had been a pain to convince his mother to let him come over. Never in his life had he been his mother's second choice, though apparently being a grandmother trumped her love of him.

"Master Draco! Mistress will be so happy to see you!" Pippa exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet, causing her long ears to flap. "Come along, come along. Master Scorpius and Mistress Viola are nearly ready."

"Nearly ready? I'm already forty five minutes late." Draco looked at his watch and noted the time. He'd been so caught up in running diagnostics over Theo that he hadn't even realised that he was very late starting to get ready. Luckily the international portkey was set to wait on him to activate it and not set to depart at a specific time.

One of the many perks of being wealthy, he supposed.

"Master can not rush perfect, that's what Master Scorpius tells Pippa." She chirped, rushing ahead of Draco to inform his mother of his arrival.

"I think you mean perfection, ah, never mind," Draco said to her retreating back, the little elf not even pausing at his words. Through and through, she was his mother's elf.

Draco took his time walking through the halls of his childhood home. A place his mother had insisted he should be living in, but frankly he wanted nothing less than to ever call Malfoy Manor his home again. He'd sooner burn the blasted place down. The horrors that he'd been forced to witness within these walls haunted him, even fifteen years later.

When he finally reached his mother's favourite conservatory, he was shocked to find Viola curled up on a lounge with a tattered copy of Alice in Wonderland in her hands. Draco took in the look of the girl, shocked at just how much she was a mirror image of Hermione. The tight long dark curls and her skin complexion were exactly the same, but now that he was looking at her, he was able to spot the slight differences.

Her nose was a bit more pointed like Theo's and the shape of her eyes and the colour were also the same as Theo's. The need for glasses also came from the man who had fathered her. The same man that Draco currently had sedated and unconscious in his guest bedroom.

"You're late," she quipped, not taking her eyes off the page she was reading. "Then again, Scorpius probably won't be ready for another hour at the least, so there is that."

"Er, sorry, I guess," Draco said, looking around trying to decide where to sit. It wasn't that there wasn't a plethora of seating, but Draco wasn't sure where would be acceptable. Should he sit near Viola, in the open chair nearest her, or should he sit at the table where there was a tea tray with biscuits waiting.

"What were you doing? I've never known you not to be prompt." Draco looked back over at the girl who had set her book aside, her eyes roaming over him as she studied him. "My mother also told me how even as a school boy you were always annoyingly on time to make sure you were outside each classroom ready to taunt her." Her blue eyes slightly narrowed and she cocked her head to the side as if she were trying to figure out a puzzle that didn't make sense.

"If you must know," Draco cleared his throat, shoving his hands in his pockets as he decided to just stand instead of sitting down, "I currently have Theo in a magically induced coma after almost killing himself with an overdose. He's showing signs that within the next week or so that he'll be waking up and frankly I'm scared shitless of how he's going to react and wondering if I've even done the right thing."

Viola nodded her head, listening and processing the information he'd just given her, just as Hermione often did while they were at work. It occurred to him that as technically her father, he probably shouldn't have told her the personal happenings of their lives and that less information might be better. Though, Draco wasn't thinking like a parent. He'd never had to think of putting someone else's needs above his own and what might or might not be too much information to give someone, especially a teenager.

"He's going to be pissed off and probably not speak to you for a month or so." Viola finally answered, turning so that she was looking out into the gardens bathed in light from the setting sun. "In my timeline, Aunt Luna found him near death and dropped him off at St. Mungo's. They had to put him in a coma for a month or so for his body to heal from all the damage he'd done to himself. When he woke up…well from what Papa told us, he didn't speak to Aunt Luna for over a month, angry that she wouldn't just let him die."

Draco couldn't take his eyes off the girl, watching as tears filled her eyes before she shook her head and cleared her throat. Her face hardened in a way that he remembered teaching himself to do as he stood witness to all the death and destruction during the second war. Something that these children had been forced into the same type of world that he'd sworn he wouldn't allow to repeat.

"You didn't change anything, apparently Pa–" she paused, clearing her throat and turning back to face Draco. "Theo was always destined to come close to death and live. Perhaps that's just how fate works, events are pre-written and not even time travel will change a thing."

...

Later that same night…

Viola pulled out the pins that Pippa had carefully placed in her hair, throwing them aside as she looked in the mirror of her vanity. All night she hadn't been able to engage in any conversation, despite everyone trying to get her attention.

She could easily see the guilt on Draco's face each time he looked at her for confiding Theo's current state with her. Though, she'd seen in his face guilt over something he was hiding from people and she couldn't stop herself when she asked.

"Alright, Grandmere is asleep, dosed her with a bit of sleeping draught. So, what's wrong, what happened?" Scorpius appeared over her shoulder, causing Viola to turn to face her twin. There was no hiding anything from him, nosy little fuck that he was.

"Theo's in a coma right now. Almost accidentally killed himself," she answered without a second's hesitation. "Only Draco is the one who put him under instead of Aunt Luna."

His hazel eyes widened at the information as he fell back on her bed.

"Fuck…"

"What if we can't change the course of history? What if everything that's happened just happens again only slightly differently this time?" Vi asked, turning to face her brother, allowing the tears to fall down her face in front of him.

"What if we left everyone to come back here and it's all for nothing," Viola wept. "I could have at least died fighting next to Al - my Al, not this child that exists now. We left Papa to die alone and for what? For everything to happen just the same all over again? We came back just to live through that fucking nightmare twice."

Viola let her head drop into her hands, everything just feeling like too much. Everyone they'd known and loved were here, but it wasn't them. Not really. They were misplaced in a time that they didn't belong in, sent back to stop a string of events that felt as though they were inevitable, despite their best efforts.

"Hey, hey, come here." Scorpius called out, taking her hand and pulling her towards him. "Remember, it's me and you against the world, no matter what Vi." He whispered, smoothing her away from her face and rocking his sister gently against him. "We may not have Papa and Al and everyone else but we still have each other."

Viola crawled into bed, clinging to her brother as if he were her only life line. And when she thought about it, he really was. There was no one else that would ever understand. With the safety and comfort of her brother's closeness, Viola felt the heaviness begin to fade and sleep take her.

Once he was sure that his sister was peacefully sleeping, Scorpius slipped from her bed and into the hall and out the front door without a soul aware of his departure. Despite Narcissa's best attempts at keeping him contained by locking the Floo at night, the gates still responded to his touch and allowed him to leave. Looking back at the Manor's imposing structure towering off in the distance, Scorpius turned on his heels and with a crack, was ready to lose himself in Muggle London.

...

14th of June 2013

Draco Malfoy's flat, London

Pacing around his flat, Draco checked his watch, wondering what was taking his cousin so long. Surely she wasn't so busy that she didn't understand the urgency with which he'd called her to join him.

Draco nervously looked towards the bed where Theo was still peacefully sleeping, the coma he was in still holding, but as Theo's life threatening status had turned to critical and then stable, his body was able to detox from the various drugs that had been in his system. With the strength coming back to his body, Theo's magic was beginning to fight against the coma, as it knew the wizard was no longer on death's doorstep and ready to be awakened.

If Draco didn't wake Theo himself soon, Theo's magic would break the spell, and as a healer, Draco knew that was not the best option. Only, Draco wasn't sure how Theo would react, even with Viola's warning, and for that reason, he'd felt the need to call in reinforcements.

When the Floo alarm finally sounded, signalling the arrival of his guest, Draco rushed to his front room to greet her.

"Is he awake?" Luna asked, brushing the soot from her peach coloured dress, tossing the long white hair over her shoulder. "I don't hear any cursing, so I'm assuming not."

"Er, not yet, but his magical core is pulsing and it's only a matter of time," Draco explained, leading the witch towards the guest room where he'd been caring for Theo.

"Then best we not waste another moment," Luna urged, her steps not making a sound while Draco's echoed through the hall.

As the pair entered the bedroom, they both had to take cover as a centuries old vase came flying at them from across the room. "What the actual fuck did you do, Draco!?" Theo shouted, standing up next to the bed, holding onto the headboard for support while his legs shook from their lack of use. "Where the bloody hell am I and what the fuck is she doing here!?" The brunette shouted, pointing a finger in Luna's direction, only making the witch roll her eyes.

"I saved your life, you great prat!" Draco shouted back, dropping to the floor as another family heirloom shattered against the wall. "Will you stop throwing things at me, you ungrateful–"

"Saved me!? I have a do-not-resuscitate order on file at St. Mungo's! What makes you think that you were allowed to bloody save me!? Been spending too much time in the Gryffindor's cunt, and it's rubbed off on you, has it? Have a hero complex now, do you?" Theo spewed hatefully, turning his glare on Luna, who seemed completely unbothered by her best friend's volatile reaction. "I don't know if I'll keep you as my beneficiary after this, you know that?"

"Shame, I always wanted an unplottable castle filled with unhinged dark magic on an uncharted island. Seems so appropriate for my small children," she deadpanned, making Theo let out a huff of frustration.

Draco looked at Luna, who only nodded to confirm the information the wizard had just shouted. Unable to contain his rage at Theo, Draco marched towards the irritated wizard, waving his hands in the air, every bit of Pureblood training going out the window in his fury.

"YOU'RE THIRTY-THREE YEARS OLD! YOU DON'T HAVE ANY TERMINAL ILLNESSES BESIDES THE FACT YOU WON'T STOP USING DRUGS! WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU HAVE A DNR!?" Draco screamed at him, his body shaking with fury. "THAT'S NOT SOMETHING SOMEONE JUST HAS SITTING IN THEIR FILE FOR A RAINY DAY!"

"I'm not actively trying to kill myself, but that doesn't mean I want to live," Theo replied, shrugging, stumbling a bit as he tried to release the bedframe. His calm voice only served to make Draco feel like the unhinged one, but the context of the situation helped Draco hold strong in his conviction that he was in the right, regardless of whatever bullshit documents the Nott heir had submitted to St. Mungo's.

"Just ignore him, you're a healer, you did what you needed to do," Luna told Draco, her hand coming to rest on his forearm. "It's what I always have to do whenever I have to take him to St. Mungo's, because an overdose is not DNR worthy, despite what Theodore thinks."

"You," Theo said, snarling at Luna, who still looked completely at ease as she turned back towards her friend. "You aren't allowed to give an opinion. Don't you have someone else to mother?"

Luna raised an eyebrow, as if warning Theo of what might happen if he continued down that path. Theo, it seemed, at least had sense enough to understand the unspoken threat from the tiny witch and snapped his jaw shut. Waving his hand in the air as if it were his decision to stop, and not the fear of what was in store for him if he continued, he moved on.

"Fine, go on and start, I'm sure you have all sorts of intervention-ish shit to say," he said, looking around the room, no longer giving his full attention to the other two occupants.

"We have kids together, you need to pull yourself out of this." Draco pulled his glasses from his face and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance, frustration, and exhaustion from the situation. Theo was so fucking infuriating and had been since the moment he'd withdrawn from their friendship in order to start using drugs.

"We?" Theo gestured wildly between himself and Draco, his head snapping back around to look at the blonde wizard. "We don't have anything together. We were childhood friends. We haven't spoken in more than ten years. I don't know who you are now. You sure as fuck don't know who I am. Just because two kids drop in from a future that other versions of ourselves shared together does not mean that either of us has anything to do with the other."

When Draco opened his mouth to argue back, Luna laid her hand on his arm again. Looking down at the little witch, he could see the tears brimming in her eyes as she shook her head.

"That's not how time travel works, and you know it," Luna whispered, emotion cracking her voice. "Your time hasn't come, and yet you constantly fight against those who care about you and want to see you heal. I can't do it for you, but I can't keep watching you slowly killing yourself. I love you too much and it's too painful to have a front row view of this cycle continuing to repeat. Please Theodore," she begged, gulping for air as the weight of what had brought her to Draco's home finally seemed to overcome her.

Theo stood, looking at his best friend, whose tears were now freely falling. Looking out the window and at the skyline, he muttered, "I'd say I appreciate you saving my life, but all three of us know that's a lie."

A sob broke the silence, Luna's cool demeanour finally completely falling away. As Theo continued to look into the distance, he shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Where are my clothes? I'll go out naked if you don't give them to me right now," he said, ignoring the heartbreak he was causing.

"I threw them out, there's a change of clean clothes in the wardrobe over there that will resize to fit you," Draco told him, looking down at Luna, whose body shook as she cried. "You know, we are here for you," Draco said, wrapping an arm around his cousin, who melted into his side.

The trio stood unmoving, only the sound of Luna's muffled tears filling the room. When Theo finally turned back facing the pair of blondes in the doorway, he glared at Draco, not sparing Luna a glance. "I never asked you to be," he told them, before walking to the wardrobe and yanking it open. "Now, if you don't mind, I think it's time you both left."

...

5th of June 2030

Wild Thyme Restaurant, Diagon Alley, London

It was Draco's fiftieth birthday, and Hermione and Theo had decided after the events a month earlier to cancel the surprise party that they had been planning with Narcissa. It had felt wrong and tainted to have such a large gathering when one of the most important people in their lives was no longer with them to celebrate. Draco also hadn't been himself since they'd discovered his mother's body, and while he was speaking with a mind healer, Hermione and Theo didn't want to force something on Draco that would cause him distress. Instead, they'd settled on having a quiet evening with just the three of them at his favourite restaurant.

Theo glanced at his watch again. They were supposed to meet him here at seven sharp, and it was already now ticking past seven twenty. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Theo tried to push away the unease that was churning in his gut as he watched the quiet street with just a handful of shoppers milling about. It was a Wednesday night after all, nothing extraordinary happened on a Wednesday.

When another ten minutes had passed and still Theo hadn't heard from either of his spouses, Theo sent his Thestral patronus, requesting for one of them to check in with an update. Though as he stood there waiting even longer still, with no responding Patronus, no otter nor dragon coming to tell him they were just running behind, Theo knew something had gone wrong.

Terribly wrong.

They were just supposed to have been out collecting what Hermione had said was a bit of evidence. They'd received a tip about what had caused the magical black out on the second of May, and had to investigate it. They'd gathered a team that included them and the Deputy Head Auror and Deputy Head Auror Healer, with it being such a high profile case there was no way that any would miss being involved in every step.

When the time hit seven forty and he was still alone with no word from either of them, Theo turned on his heels and disapparated to the Ministry entrance. When he landed in front of the phone booth, not giving a damn if any Muggles might have seen him, he launched himself in and headed down.

When the bell dinged, Theo trotted through the atrium at a brisk pace. With the late hour, no other department besides the DMLE was operational. It was the sole round the clock office, due to the nature of the job. Riding upwards in the lift, Theo was fidgeting with his waist coat, the entire outfit he'd chosen for Draco's special night feeling too tight and making him even more unsettled.

The doors finally opened and Theo made a swift exit and was in the lobby of the DMLE in a matter of seconds. When he found no one waiting at the front desk, he walked straight through the open door, hopeful to find his spouses in the bullpen. Instead, one lone brunette witch was in the room hunched over a table, her eyes glued to a map.

At his entrance, the witch looked up, her face scrunching in confusion at the sight of him. To be fair, he was not an employee of the DMLE, so it was a justified reaction.

"Oh, thank Circe, you're here. You designed these blasted trackers, did you not?" Astoria asked, the panic clear in her voice. "McLaggen is refusing to send anyone out to check, despite the fact that they haven't checked in and the team was supposed to have either checked in or returned over an hour ago. Pansy and Nev…Theo, please."

Without waiting another moment, Theo stepped up to the table and saw that all the trackers of the investigative unit were labelled and oddly not a single one of them was moving. "Where is this?" Theo asked as he began to wave his wand over a spare piece of parchment to show the wearer's health stats.

"A cemetery outside of Manchester. McLaggen sent an entire squad to collect the evidence. Hermione, Draco, Pansy, Nev, Teddy, and a bunch of others. Theo, they aren't moving, they haven't checked in. I didn't want to send a Patronus just in case they'd found something or were with someone."

Astoria was one of the receptionists of the DMLE, but more than that, she was also engaged to be married to two of the Aurors who were not responding. Just like Theo, her stake in this was bigger than just the mission. "Where's McLaggen?" Theo asked.

"His office last I checked. Theo, there's no readings on there, what does that mean?" As he scanned the paper and each ministry issued tracker showed zeros for every category.

"It means they've been removed," Theo assured the hysterical witch, taking hold of her trembling hands. "If they'd been killed the cause of death would be listed. Now, stay here and have a cup of tea or whatever you need to calm your nerves and I'll be right back."

Theo was out the door and heading down the long corridor to where he knew McLaggen's office sat. Hermione and Draco's were both near it since they reported directly to him. A glow under the door was all Theo needed to know that someone was still in the office. Theo didn't even bother to knock as he stormed inside, causing McLaggen to jump at the sound.

"Their trackers have been removed for at least a hour, why weren't you monitoring them to dispatch a team as soon as it happened!?" Theo demanded, not giving a single fuck that it was his husband and wife's boss he was speaking to like this. "That's your job as the Head of this fucking department to monitor the missions when my fucking wife and husband are out in the field! Now, are you going to do your job and send a team out there to see what's going on or not!?"

McLaggen opened and closed his mouth a few times, obviously trying to get his thoughts in order as he watched Theo. "I'm positive everything is fine and they just dropped their trackers. It was just to collect evidence, nothing too strenuous." He finally answered, taking a sip from a crystal tumbler filled to the brim with what smelled like firewhisky.

"If that's the case, then tell me, Cormac," Theo snarled, leaning in over the desk towards the pudgy man. "Why are the heads and deputy heads, all four of them, out in the field?"

"It's a…it's a sensitive case. We have to put our best people–"

"Cut the shit!" Theo shouted, slamming his hands on the desk. "If you don't go out there and try to find out where my husband and wife are, then I'm going to!"

Without waiting for an answer, Theo spun on his heels and stormed out of the office.

...

5th of June 2031

Safe House, Possilpark, Glasgow

Theo stood at the kitchen sink, dumping every bottle of wine and liquor that had been left behind by the owners of the safe house that he and the twins found themselves in. It was Draco's birthday, marking a year since he and Hermione had disappeared. When Luna had offered for Theo and the kids to stay with her and Blaise, he'd declined.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the offer, but today Theo felt as though he just needed to be alone with his thoughts. Dark as they were, he needed to sit with them.

As he looked out into the grim street, broken street lights caused it to mostly be cast in shadows from the few still flickering lights. Trash was everywhere and stray dogs breaking out into fights over scraps of food, Theo couldn't help but think of what their life should have been. They ought to be having a party, Draco ought to be taking turns dancing with him, Hermione, Viola, Scorp and Narcissa. Instead, Theo and the children were locked away in a house that without magic would have been a hazard to even try to walk through, much less stay inside for a night.

"Papa?" Viola asked from the doorway, and Theo turned to face his daughter. Her glasses sliding down her nose as she looked at him, and seeing what the war and what the day had done to his precious girl made Theo feel sick. Her face was tired. Dark circles prominent, and her eyes were filled with a sadness that a sixteen year old girl shouldn't have known.

When they'd found out that Hermione was pregnant all those years before, the three of them swore that their children would have a childhood they would treasure. That they wouldn't be thrown into darkness like they had been, and forced into a life of misery. However, the Black Empress had changed all that. They'd been powerless to stop her as she destroyed their children's peace and the lives of everyone in the Wizarding and Muggle worlds.

"Come along, my darling," Theo walked over to where she stood and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. "Where's your brother? I'm fairly certain we can see the stars from the roof."

Once everyone was on the rooftop with the help of sticking charms, a notice-me-not, and several experimental muggle repellents that Theo had mastered back in his days on drugs, Theo was finally able to relax.

"Want one?" Scorpius asked, holding out a cigarette towards Theo as he lay on the roof. Instinct told him that he ought to take the ruddy things and smash them to bits. However, seeing his son's gaunt face and the bones protruding on his hands and wrists, Theo bit his tongue and instead accepted the offer.

To his surprise, even Viola accepted one from her brother, coughing heavily as she inhaled the smoke. They laid in a comfortable silence for a time, each of them finishing their cigarettes, with Theo and Scorpius smoking another one each.

"There's Dad," Viola murmured, raising her arm in the air as she traced the constellation Draco with her finger. Theo didn't take his eyes off the stars she'd pointed out, wishing again that he could see his husband's face. "Happy birthday, Daddy." Viola's words were heavy with the tears she had begun to shed.

Theo sat up, taking her in his arms as the sorrow hit her in full. Her body shook with such force that as her sobs came, and Theo in turn also broke. He looked over her head to where his son sat, watching his sister with wide eyes. Without saying a word, Scorpius removed all the charms and climbed back through the hole in the roof that they'd used to come outside.

Only when the clouds covered the moon and the stars, leaving them in complete darkness, did Viola finally begin to calm down. "Do you think Mum died hating me, Papa?" Viola asked into the quiet dark, as if speaking it aloud when they were alone and couldn't see was protecting her heart.

"Oh, sweetheart," Theo hugged her tighter, his heart breaking even more not having realised that she'd lived with such guilt. It was something much too heavy for Viola to have lived with, but he understood her feelings, causing his own silent tears to slide from his eyes and into her hair. "Your mum could never hate you. Not ever."

...

Summer 1996

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Highlands of Scotland

Minerva McGonagall was not a witch who tended to show her emotions. It wasn't often that something moved her to the point that the stern exterior cracked, though her students knew that they brought much joy and light into her life.

After the school year they'd just had with that bloody toad of a woman running a mockery of the school, Minerva was grateful for a bit of peace as she strolled through the now empty corridors. The portraits were all relaxing, quietly talking about the students who'd just graduated and how they envisioned their lives would pan out. Minerva smiled inwardly to herself as the Fat Lady sloshed wine over her friend, Violet, proclaiming the departure of the Weasley twins was about to make her life exponentially easier.

Minerva wholeheartedly agreed with that sentiment.

She continued on her stroll through the remainder of the castle, making a point to go the long way around the east wing after she heard Peeves cackling in an alcove along the direct route. Better to be safe than sorry. When she made it to a side door, she walked into the bright summer sun, breathing in the Scottish fresh air. The day was perfect.

With her routine final patrol after the students had left, now completed, Minerva was now ready to make her way back to the little summer home she kept in Glencoe. Her first stop, however, was to the Three Broomsticks for one last drink and a round of goodbyes and good cheers for having survived another school year with Harry Potter. A little more ominous now, with Voldemort's return made public, the chances of having the peaceful summer she'd dreamt of were diminished as she knew Albus would be around demanding more of her help.

Her thoughts were lost to the war and what she knew Albus would be expecting of her, despite her reluctance. She was a bloody school teacher. Her job was to protect children, not train them to be disposable soldiers for a war that he could end with that bloody wand he had in his possession that he thought was such a great secret.

As she got to the entrance gate, however, her steps faltered when she spotted a familiar form sitting in the mud, her knees pressed to her chest.

"Ms. Granger? What in the world are you doing here?"

Her star pupil looked up, her face was smeared with dirt and her eyes were red and puffy, clearly having been crying. The girl, who always seemed to have every move planned out and knew exactly what she was doing, seemed to be broken and lost as she sat in a pair of dirty shorts and tank top.

"I'm sorry, Professor, I don't know why I'm here." She answered, shivering as she rubbed her hands over her arms. Minerva could still see the small scars that still showed on her body from the hexes that she'd obtained just a few weeks earlier in the Department of Mysteries when she'd battled against Death Eaters.

"Well, you must have a reason," Minerva answered, taking care to sit on the ground next to her student. "Now, why don't you tell me why you aren't at home with your parents. Didn't they pick you up from the train station last night?"

When Hermione didn't answer, looking away from Minerva, the elderly witch's jaw tensed at what she was now starting to piece together. It hadn't escaped her notice that as the years had gone on how much less involved the Grangers were in their daughter's education and her life in general. She knew that Hermione spent most of both her summer and winter holidays with the Weasley family now rather than in her own home.

Each year it seemed to get more dangerous, and despite Minerva informing every parent of the happenings in the school (much to Albus' displeasure), the Grangers were the sole parents who never replied.

"They kicked me out," Hermione mumbled, tears pooling in her eyes again as she reached into her bag and handed Minerva an envelope.

"Ms. Granger," Minerva started as her eyes quickly scanned the letters she'd been handed. "You've been emancipated?"

"And officially evicted, they filed the paperwork with the courts before I got home. I have thirty days to clear all my stuff out and find a new place to live, but I couldn't stay there another moment." Hermione answered, rubbing her dirty hands on her eyes. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be here, but I didn't know where else to go. The Burrow, but I knew after everything that happened with Fred, George, and then also Ron and Ginny that they would probably want to spend a bit of time with just them."

"Yes, well, you can come home with me for the summer. I have a trip planned to go to Spain for a few weeks, but you're welcome to join me."

"Professor, I– I couldn't impose like that. I couldn't ask–"

"Nonsense, now come along. We will stop and say goodbye to Rosmerta so that she doesn't worry something happened to me. I have a guest room that's rarely been used that can be yours."

Without another word, Minerva stood up and looked down at Hermione who still hadn't moved, completely in shock. When the words seemed to finally have registered, the girl scrambled to her feet, tucking a curious little purple bag against her chest.

"Don't you have anything else to bring along with you?" Minerva asked, already knowing what the answer was going to be from the clever girl.

"No, Professor, this is everything," Hermione's face turned red as she shifted the bag out of sight. Undetectable extension charm no doubt.

The two of them walked in a comfortable silence as they headed towards the Hogsmeade village. When they were nearly there, Hermione cleared her throat, getting Minerva's attention.

"A knut for your thoughts?" Minerva asked, prompting the girl.

There was another long pause, but Minerva didn't push, knowing that the girl would open up when she was ready. A few more steps, and with the crunching of the gravel beneath their feet as the background noise, Hermione finally spoke so low that she was barely audible.

"I don't think I ever want to have children of my own. I don't think I ever could do it, I wouldn't know how."

Minerva didn't answer at first, letting the statement hang in the air before she finally answered.

"Never say never. I won't say you will change your mind because I never did, but there might come a time when you find that right person and you want a piece of them and you to come together and grow into a wonderful new person."

Hermione didn't argue, but she looked sceptically into the distance as they walked together into Hogsmeade.

...

15th of June 2013

Zabini Cottage, Samson, the Isle of Scilly in Cornwall

"I think the boys need to go talk to someone," Blaise told his wives over breakfast, cutting into his eggs and taking a bite as he enjoyed the calm before the children woke for the day. He looked over at Ginny propped on pillows with her own breakfast tray next to her before his gaze moved over to where Luna sat with a tray of her own on the love seat near the window overlooking the beach.

Luna had come home from Draco's after Theo had woken from his coma being even more unusually quiet and soft spoken. While Blaise was concerned about what had happened to his wife's best friend, he knew that she would eventually talk to him and open up about what had transpired at Draco's flat the day before. Until then, he was happy to give her the space she needed to process the events.

"Someone?" Ginny asked, her brow furrowed, her coffee halfway to her lips. "Do you have someone specific in mind? That's rather cryptic don't you think?"

"A paediatric grief counsellor," Blaise continued, disappointed that Ginny wasn't having the same thoughts as him, however the late term of her pregnancy was jumbling her thoughts as of late. "I've talked to a couple people at work and have a handful of referrals. I am willing to call and set everything up and take James and Albus to the appointments. It's no problem. Actually, after speaking with them, I think that it's necessary and I didn't want to put any more pressure on you."

"You've given this a lot of thought," she commented neutrally.

"I've been talking with the boys quite a bit," Blaise admitted, looking towards Luna who'd yet to chime in on the conversation. "They are dealing with a lot of very big emotions and I think it's beyond my scope. Besides, I know they aren't being fully honest with me because they are worried about my feelings. We need a professional to help them process Potter's death."

Ginny sat silently in thought, thinking over what Blaise was suggesting. He knew that she had no experience with therapy, despite that it was something Blaise had always encouraged, but had never made her do. When it came to their children, however, he couldn't sit idly by and watch the boys struggle. Despite Potter not being a very good father, he was still theirs and they weren't just going to bounce back from his death.

"You know," Ginny finally spoke, looking back at Blaise, her face still impassive. "My mum never wanted us all to see someone after Fred was killed. Always insisted that we didn't need an outsider getting involved in a private family matter. It makes me wonder if I would have jumped into marriage if I had had some therapy." Ginny sighed, rubbing at her forehead. "I don't regret Jamie, Albus and Lily, but it does make me wonder how different life would have been if someone had pushed for us to get the help we needed. I think you might be right, we can't sit around and hope that the boys will move on or whatever."

Blaise's mouth fell slightly open in shock at just how easily his hot-tempered wife agreed. Typically there was always a bit of pushback, it was just in her nature to not go along with all his ideas, it was part of what made him love her, even when she was being frustrating. Leaping from his seat at the foot of her bed, he leaned down and pressed a firm kiss to her lips, enjoying the moan that she gave him.

"You're a fantastic mother," he murmured against her lips, pressing his to hers one more time before releasing her. "I'll take care of everything, I promise."

...

1st of July 2030

Longbottom Estate, outskirts of Plymouth

"What do you mean you can't search for them?" Theo asked, looking at Pansy and Neville sitting across from him at their kitchen table. Astoria scurried about putting together an assortment of finger foods and tea, though no one was hungry. Scorpius and Viola were in the sitting room, their eyes glued to the television, pretending to be watching it, though Theo knew they were really hanging onto every word the adults were saying.

"McLaggen gave me strict instructions," Neville ground out, gripping his fists on top of the table. "I'm to do nothing without running it past him first, and as we all know–"

"We all know he's going to look out for what's in his best interests above anything else." Pansy stated, finishing her fiance's sentence.

"So he's just going to leave them!? Everyone else was found tied up and unconscious, but when it comes to them, his plan is to do nothing!?" Neville growled again in response to Theo's statement as he and Pansy had been two of those people who'd been rendered worthless while the heads of their departments were kidnapped. Both were taking it personally.

"That night," Astoria finally spoke up, coming over and settling herself in Neville's lap while taking Pansy's hand. Theo nodded for her to continue as she looked at him. "That night, you came in and remember how you had to cast the charm to check all the tracker's health readers?"

"Of course, they were always supposed to be active so…" Theo trailed off, looking at the triad across from him, dread filling his stomach.

"So there could be constant monitoring of field agents by anyone and aid could be sent straight away, if necessary. Instead it had been disabled and you, who created the charm, had to fix it. McLaggen wasn't even in the bullpen, he was off in his office most likely doing pixie dust or getting blind drunk. There's something happening with the higher ups at the Ministry, and I bet you it's all a cover up." Astoria stated, and Theo couldn't deny what she was saying.

While the Heads and deputy heads Aurors were clearly aware of some corruption, that would have nothing on what a receptionist would have heard. Things that officials might say in the presence of witches and wizards that they don't view as extraordinary due to their positions. However, as far as ministry intel went, they knew all the dirty little secrets.

Just as Theo was about to speak, Neville's badge began to flash, drawing their attention. "Auror Longbottom and Healer Auror Parkinson, do you copy?" A gravelly voice called out, addressing Neville and Pansy.

"We're here, go ahead," Neville answered, keeping his arm wrapped around Astoria's waist and holding her close to his chest.

"An anonymous tip just came through of a spotting of a man with nearly white hair being dragged onto a fishing boat on the English Channel in Kent. Exact coordinates are being sent over, a team is coming together now."

"We'll be right there, thank you, Jenson." Pansy answered before ending the connection. Moving swiftly from her chair, she gathered her first aid bag that she always carried with her. Pansy held out her hand in an invitation to Theo. "Pucey is working today, you and the children can stay in his office to wait so that it's not suspicious that you're there."

Theo nodded to Pansy, and away they went. Astoria, as a DMLE receptionist, was permitted to come and go through the floo without an escort. Neville and Astoria helped bring his children along and as soon as they'd stepped through the hearth, Pansy nodded in the direction of Pucey's office and disappeared with Neville into the bullpen.

"I'm going to go to my desk to keep an eye out, but if you need me–" Astoria started, but Theo held up his hand stopping her. Without need for a further explanation, Astoria nodded and was off to sit and act as an internal spy. Whatever McLaggen was up to they needed to figure out and Astoria Greengrass was in the exact position to do it without notice.

"Theo, kids," Pucey greeted as he sat in his office. The walls were made of glass making it so that the man who oversaw the second shift Aurors could easily keep an eye on his charges. "Nev and Pans told me that I'm to keep an eye on you. They don't trust McLaggen as far as Astoria could throw him, and I'm of the same mind."

"I appreciate it," Theo said, stepping forwards and taking his old housemate's hand. "How long ago did the tip of their whereabouts come in?"

"Just a moment ago. Trevor insisted on being a part of the rescue team." Pucey pointed out a rookie Auror that Draco had mentioned more than once. "There they go." The team apparated and Pucey turned back to Theo. "The rest of the blokes that McLaggen approved to go with are pretty green, haven't gone out on a mission, much less a rescue mission."

Theo's gut clenched at what Pucey was telling him. It seemed that McLaggen was setting this up to be a failure or something worse. The minutes ticked by, and the clock seemed to not be moving at all. Whatever was happening in Kent seemed to be taking a lot of time. Theo knew that a rescue could take time, but he was ready to have Draco and Hermione home.

Just as Theo was getting ready to ask Pucey to get an update, the screaming began. He watched in horror as Neville and Pansy appeared, obviously having used an emergency portkey that brought them into the middle of the Auror bullpen.

Blood sprayed out of their cut throats, but the holes burning into their skin where their blood touched made it without a doubt of what had happened to them.

The acid blood curse, Theo had no doubt about it. He hadn't seen it in years, but it had been one of his father's favourites. He'd loved using it on married couples so that they could watch each other die in agony. It was hard to forget a curse that brutal, Theo had tried. Gods how he had tried. But the only question was...who had used it on Neville and Pansy? Thoros had never shared the curse with anyone, not wanting to risk a countercharm being created. Theo could hear Scorpius retching behind him, but was unable to look away from the horror before him to check on his son.

"NO! NOOOO!" Astoria screamed as she sprinted, pushing her way through the crowd of terrified Aurors all rushing to get away from the Deputy Head Auror and his fiancee. "PANSY! NEVILLE!" Astoria pushed her way into the bullpen, her cries of terror changing to pain as the acid began to touch her skin, the smell of burning flesh filling the air in the department. "NEVILLE!" She screamed again as his body fell to the ground, so horribly burned that had Theo not seen who it was moments before he wouldn't have been able to identify who laid dead in the centre of the bullpen.

Astoria's melting hands clamped down on Pansy's throat in a hopeless attempt to stop the bleeding. Their cries mixed together, and as they burned alive, Pansy wrapped her fiancee in an embrace of death, before both witches collapsed to the ground, joining Neville.

"We have to go." Adrian said, yanking on Theo's shirt, pulling him away from the glass. "Look, they aren't shocked at all," he pointed out, gesturing towards Zacharias Smith and a few other Aurors Theo didn't recognise. The look of glee in his old classmate's eye as he gazed almost with pride at the triad's melted bodies on display made Theo's blood run cold.

"You saw what I saw then?" Acting Deputy Head Auror, Teddy Lupin asked, transforming from a plain Auror and back into himself as he entered the office.

"We've got to get these three out of here," Pucey answered, no longer even looking at Theo, but towards the new Head Auror, Ted's promotion instant upon Neville's death.

"Agreed, they were targeting Draco and Hermione. It's not out of the question that they'd go for their family as well," Ted answered, turning his attention towards the terrified teenagers and their father.

The rancid smell of the deceased triad's corpses hung in the air, making everyone rushing from the department choking and covering their nose and mouths. Now that the blood had stopped flowing, Theo could see the holes in the floor from where it had eaten away at the concrete below the carpet.

Looking away from what little remained of his beloved friends, Theo turned to Ted and Adrian, still trying to come up with how to get everyone out of the ministry. With the attack, Theo knew the entire building would have gone on lockdown and no one was to be let in or out, regardless of who they were.

"Get me to DoM. We can get out of the Ministry from there." Theo informed the two men as they began to weigh the pros and cons of attempting to create a portkey without the proper tools.

"Are you sure?" Ted asked, looking from Pucey to Theo.

"Positive, I have a way out. We'll just have to be careful getting down there."

When the door opened, Viola screamed and fell to the ground with Scorpius covering her body as the three men turned with their wands drawn on the newcomer.

Dennis Creevey stood in the doorway with his hands up, his camera hanging around his neck and blood streaking down his face. "I mean no harm, I just saw Teddy in here and had to talk with him. I was trying to get into the safe room, but I heard someone laughing about Neville's death. I think they're trying to round everyone up to see where everyone's loyalties lie."

"Fuck," Ted cursed under his breath, scrunching his nose and closing his eyes and the man began to shrink until he appeared to be a small unsuspecting ministry house elf. "You'll all need to cast a disillusionment on yourselves. I'll try to clear a path so no one bumps into you. Stay close, we've got to hurry."

Ted walked over to where Viola was now standing, her arms wrapped around her brother and her eyes wide and terrified. "I know that this is terrible and very very scary, but you can not scream, alright?" Viola shook herself and nodded, biting her lip just as her mother often did in a stressful situation. "That's a good girl. Now no one make a sound."

By the time Theo had gotten both his children hidden and had a tight grip on them, the other two men were ready to leave. Not being able to see anyone, Ted looked around the room and closed the curtains, breaking the light hanging from the ceiling and overturning the desk to make it look as if it had already been ransacked.

Enough people had seen Theo and his children in here with Pucey, that if they really were after him, it wouldn't be out of the question that they'd come looking for them here. With a final nod from their new leader, the group exited the office.

...

14th of June 2013

Somewhere in Muggle London

"Theo? How you been, love?" Regina asked, putting out the cigarette she was smoking with her tall heeled boot on the steps to some dilapidated building. She was looking a bit thinner than the last time he'd seen her and at the moment she was sporting a black eye. "Everything alright?"

"Have you ever been stabbed in the back?" Theo asked, looking her over, walking over and accepting a small bag of white powder that she handed him. He slipped her a few extra pounds, hopeful that she might use the extra to find someplace safe to sleep for a few nights. In reality, though, he knew she would just use it to buy more drugs.

"Yeah, but I believe in karma and try not to fret. The world always has a way of righting itself, yeah?" she said, stepping down and taking Theo's hand, leading him to a trash bin with a lid. Right there at the mouth of the alley she took the drugs she'd just sold Theo and began to lay out lines until the entire bag was empty.

Holding her hand out, Theo rolled his eyes, handing her another bill that she used to roll up tight before bending forwards and snorting the substance into her nostril. When she stood back up, she wiggled her nose, her eyes already beginning to dilate from the drugs. She handed the bill back to Theo, who didn't hesitate as he took not one, but three of the remaining lines before straightening himself.

Breathing in deeply through his nose, Theo's head began to spin as the drugs started to take effect, his pulse racing. "Gina, do you really think the world will always right itself? Karma or whatever it is, dealing with people and what they've done?"

Regina was already bent over, snorting up another line, making Theo wait for her answer. When she stood up and handed him his note back, she swayed a bit on her feet before smiling up at him. "If it isn't going to, well then why the hell am I still alive?"

...

The hair was a bit too dark, not exactly the bright white that he'd been searching for. The yellow tinge that he could see in the dim club lighting also made it clear that this colour was artificial and not natural. The bloke was also a bit tan and his eyes were fucking green, but that was alright. He was the best match that Theo could find to fuck this need he had out of his system.

"You alright, mate?" The man panted against Theo's lips, not pulling away, rubbing his hard cock against Theo's thigh. His accent was all wrong, it ruined the illusion. He needed to shut the fuck up.

"Don't fucking speak," Theo growled, spinning the man around so that he was gripping the dirty sink of the bathroom they'd made their way to. Theo made quick work of his belt, freeing his aching cock and giving himself a squeeze as he admired the leather pants the man was wearing.

With the lights flickering and not being able to see the Muggle's face, it was too easy for Theo to imagine this man was Draco, that it was Draco wiggling his hips in anticipation of what was to come. It was Draco already moaning even before Theo had really even touched him. His prick wept from the tip as Theo reached around and began to loosen the tight trousers, pulling them down until all he could see was the flawless white skin, a perfect contrast to his own tanned hands.

Reaching into his pocket, Theo pulled out his wand, casting a lubrication charm, causing the man to hiss at the sudden cool liquid on his arse. He questioned why Theo was carrying lube with him, but Theo didn't give a shit enough to come up with an excuse. All he could picture was plunging himself into Draco and taking what he'd wanted for far too long.

Theo didn't care to try and prepare this man for what was to come, instead he lined himself up and pushed in. "HOLY FUCK!" The bloke cried out in that voice that was all wrong, not nearly posh enough, when Theo's pelvis slammed into his arse. Pulling back out, Theo rammed into him again and again and again.

The cries of pleasure were too high pitched, so Theo closed his eyes and imagined what he was really after. Draco. Inviting him into his bed for a night of passion. Draco. Shirtless and perfect, begging Theo to not stop as he sucked him into his mouth. Draco…Kissing Granger? Theo cocked his head to the side as his mind took over.

Granger straddling Draco's face so that she would face Theo as he pounded into the man he'd had more wanks to the fantasy of than he cared to count. Her dark brown eyes alive with mischief as she licked her lips at the sight of Theo taking what was theirs. Her full lips coming towards him –

"What the fuck is this!?" A man from behind Theo yelled, grabbing Theo by the back of his shirt and ripping him both out of his debauched fantasy and the man Theo had been shagging.

"A private and intimate moment between two horny blokes," Theo deadpanned, eyeing the rather large man who was holding him up so high that his feet weren't touching the floor. "Were you wanting to join us?"

Instead of answering, the man smashed his fist into Theo's face, causing Theo's vision to blur. Had Theo not been so high, that really would have fucking hurt. As it was, Theo couldn't feel any part of his body. The wind was knocked from him and Theo's head hung to the side as the man dropped him to the ground.

"Don't let that one get away!" The man shouted, but Theo couldn't even move as he felt a steel toed boot break his ribs. He coughed, tasting the copper of his blood coming up from a punctured lung. Theo reached towards his pocket where he kept his wand, grasping at air where the thin piece of wood ought to have been.

"Well, bugger," Theo muttered just as a foot came down on his face and the world went black.

...

Scorpius was standing in line waiting to get into a club that he'd frequented in his own time. However, at his time it was a popular gay club while now this was a dingy little fuck around trashed place. Still, it was familiar and Scorpius wanted to see what it was before it became what he knew it to be. Curiosity and whatnot. Though, as he heard slurs being thrown at him as he stood there with his booty shorts and crop top with the words "good boy" on it, all the "o"'s cartoonish hearts, Scorpius gripped his wand, and semi wishing that he'd thought to bring Vi with him instead of dosing her with the same sleeping draught he was probably now getting Grandmere addicted to.

The sound of sirens rushing towards the place had the fucks that had been harrassing him backing away and rushing down the alley. More people than Scorpius cared to count began to duck out of the line and took off, trying to get away from the Muggle police.

"Oi," Scorpius called out to the bouncer, now that the crowd was much thinner he could see the bloke. "Mind lettin' us in then? Since everyone else fucked off." The large man at the door looked Scorpius up and down, making the blonde shiver a bit under the gaze. Oh what he wouldn't mind showing this fucking viking of a man what he could do for him. Judging by the appreciative look he gave Scorpius, it told him that the Muggle would also enjoy an evening together. "Or you could at least let me in."

"Uh, no can do. Something happened in the loo, police have to clear the crime scene first before I can let anyone inside. You can stick around and wait if you want though, I promise I'll make it worth your time." The man winked at Scorpius, his long blonde hair pulled out of his face showing off his masculine and strong jawline.

"Oh, is that so?" Scorpius didn't need any more encouragement, walking up to the bloke enjoying the way his muscles were bulging against the short sleeve shirt he was wearing. Tattoos covered the eternity of the man's biceps. Scorpius smirked, wanting to see what else was tattooed.

"My shift isn't over till three, but, if you're willing to wait around…"

The banter between them continued, even as the emergency responders swarmed the building, Scorpius hardly paying any attention to the chaos around him. None of this was any different than the time he'd come from, well besides the fact that no one was currently trying to kill him.

"So, what's your name? I need to know what to be screaming later," Scorpius said, letting his hand rest on the man's forearm. He flexed beneath his touch, and it warmed Scorpius knowing the effect he was having on him.

"Ragnar," the man said, shoving his dirty blonde hair out of his face. "And are you going to tell me your name? Or am I going to just be calling you my good boy all night?" Scorpius' cock had already been growing, went instantly stiff in his shorts and his ass clenched at the deep tone the man was using.

Fuck, he was done for…

"Malfoy!? What the fuck are you doing here already? No one called anything in yet." A man called out from the club door as the office stalked closer towards him.

"Malfoy?" The bouncer – Ragnar – repeated, his eyes going slightly wide as he looked Scorpius up and down and not in the way he had been earlier. It was more apprehensive, Scorpius didn't like it and frowned. "Is that really your name?" Scorpius started to gesture to his abdominal tattoo, his surnames and family crests etched there large, but realised it must be too dark for the Muggle to make them out, so he shrugged.

"Well, it's Malfoy-Nott, actually–" Scorpius began, but the officer was already in front of him, his eyes narrowed as he looked him over.

"What the bloody hell are you wearing? You know what, I really don't care to know, come on. It's a right fucking mess and even though I don't know how you got here so quickly, I'm glad you're here. It's Nott, again. We've got a homicide too. Going to have to take him to St. George's since he was fucking found here. You'll need to get in touch with Melinda to have him transferred to Mungo's."

Normally, Scorpius wouldn't have let someone confuse him and Draco, but at the moment, he was much more curious as to what was going on. Especially if it involved Theo. As he followed behind this strange police officer, who was apparently very aware of the wizarding world, Scorpius looked around at all the officers taking statements and pictures as they neared the loos.

"We've got him stabilised! Move out of the way!" A Muggle healer called out, as a team of three ran past with a broken and bloodied Theo on a stretcher.

Scorpius felt his blood run cold as he looked at what was left of the face of his younger Papa. He was nearly unrecognisable, his face caved in from where someone had stomped on him. His arm hung off the side at an odd angle, clearly having been broken or dislocated.

"What the fuck happened to him? Why didn't he use his wand?" Scorpius asked, turning towards the police officer who was escorting him.

"He was caught having…relations with another bloke. The group killed the Muggle he was with," the officer nodded towards a body bag sitting on the top of a stretcher getting ready to leave. "Here, this was next to the toilet, I think he must have dropped it and not realised." Scorpius felt a familiar wand press into his palm, the Hornbeam reacting to their familial link, humming happily to be reunited with its owner's son.

When Scorpius still didn't move, bewildered by the warmth he felt running through his arm by his Papa's wand he'd nearly forgotten the stranger officer standing next to him. "Melinda Jones is who you'll ask to speak to. I already sent her a message so she knows to keep an eye out for Nott, but still you better hurry. No amount of Muggle medicine is going to be able to fix what they did to him. The man makes me insane, but I'd rather not see his obituary in the Prophet."

...

15th of June 2013

St. Mungo's, London

It was nearing seven in the morning and Scorpius was wrapped in a cloak that one of the healers had given him after he'd gotten Theo transferred to St. Mungo's. Melinda Jones, who was apparently a Squib that worked with the Ministry of Magic to ensure that all witches and wizards who somehow ended up at that Muggle hospital would be transferred into the care of St. Mungo's, had been very helpful, if a little frazzled.

As much as Scorpius wanted to learn more about squib liaisons, the officer who must have been the same Squib police officer that his Papa had told him about, or even better yet, that delicious bouncer at the club, the only thing he'd been able to focus on was Theo. Theo, who despite the mediwitches' best efforts was still in critical condition and fighting for his life.

"Mr. Nott?" The same assistant healer that he'd been speaking to all night called out as she stepped into the waiting room. Scorpius looked up from the floor and at the elderly woman.

"Is my Papa going to be okay?" He asked, his fear for the safety of this Theo just as real as it would have been for the man who had raised him.

"It's still questionable, there was a lot of internal damage done in the attack, but we believe we are past the worst of it. Have you been able to get a hold of anyone?" She asked, for the third time. Scorpius cringed, wishing that he hadn't given Grandmere, Vi, and Pippa the sleeping draught. It would be another hour at least before the effects of the potion wore off.

There was no doubt that they were going to be pissed when they woke up, but that was a problem for later.

Scorpius stood from the uncomfortable chair and began pacing the waiting room again, the healer still sitting in the chair next to the one he'd just vacated. He ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to stick up on end before fidgeting with his signet ring. In all the confusion, he'd forgotten that he had also been in London to buy weed and not having that to help calm him made him feel as if he were about to fly out of his skin. The restlessness wasn't something he was equipped to deal with.

"Is there anyone besides your Grandmother that we could try contacting?" The healer asked, and Scoprius looked back to her. He didn't know how to contact anyone else. He hadn't thought it important enough to remember, nor did he think any of them would actually show up.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to relay this, the doors to the waiting area were flung open and in strolled Draco, followed closely by Luna and Hermione.

Scorpius stopped moving, his eyes going between the three. "Thank Merlin you are alright," Hermione exclaimed, rushing forwards and pulling him into an embrace. Scorpius' stiffened in her hold, considering pulling away, but when he took a breath he realised that she even smelled like his mum and instead of fighting her, he melted into the comfort she was offering.

It couldn't hurt anything for him just to pretend for a little while. That was all it took for the tears to begin to fall. How long had he just wished to feel his mother's warmth and the comfort that only she could offer?

"What if he doesn't make it? Mum, I…I saw what they did to him. They were trying to kill him, and he dropped his wand and was completely defenceless." He cried into the top of her head, she'd never seemed so little to him, but it'd been years since he'd last seen her, he continued to grow without her. Though, the way she rubbed her hand down his back and made soothing sounds, he felt the safety that he always had with her.

"He'll be alright, I promise," she whispered, hushing him still. "Everything will be alright, I promise."

...

16th of June 2013

Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire

Minerva walked up the steps of the Malfoy Manor with Hermione next to her, nervously twitching with her tote. "Hermione," Minerva said, looking over at her ward. "Children can smell fear, if you're going to come in there with me then you need to get your nerves under control."

"They fucking hate me, and we're walking in there about to tell them what they have to do. How are you not nervous?" Hermione said, dropping her hands to her side and looking towards her for all intents and purposes – mother.

"I'm not nervous because you are my daughter and they are each part of you." Hermione went to open her mouth to protest, but Minerva held up a hand to stop her. "No, the you standing before me did not give birth to them, but that doesn't negate that future you did. Did you or did you not just comfort the boy yesterday morning after he had to see Mr. Nott in a disturbing state?"

"Well, but–"

"You are destined to be their mother. You are strong and you are determined, now, we're going to walk in there and explain that they will be attending Hogwarts this school year–"

"Only because Narcissa is furious that Scorpius has been drugging her for weeks. Honestly Minnie, how are you going to deal with them? They're in much worse shape than any of us were when we came back after the war. They've been living and watching everyone they love die for the last two years and then they were thrown back in time and lost anyone that was left. We can't just walk in there and make demands of them."

Minerva looked down at the new Head Auror and smiled warmly at how fiercely protective she was over her children. Hermione might not have noticed, but since the twins had arrived back in the past, she had slowly begun to slip into the role of their mother. Questioning Minerva on what her intentions were, as the children's Headmistress, was a move of a mother bear protecting her cubs.

"No need to fret, my dear. I just have to finish up a few things, but they will be given the tools they need to learn how to work through their traumas. Not by me, but I have an old friend who is more than happy to come stay at Hogwarts for the school year and work with them.

Minerva raised her hand and knocked on the ornate doors and just a moment later a tiny house elf appeared in the doorway smiling warmly up at the two witches on the stoop.

"Mistress! Headmistress!" The little elf bounced looking between them, her ears flapping and Minerva wondered if the elf might take flight in her excitement. "The Mistress has been waiting for you! Come, come, tea is waiting. Naughty Master Scorpius is not allowed near the kettle anymore."

"No, I'd supposed not," Minerva commented as they stepped into one of the most impressive foyers that she'd ever seen. Being the head of Gryffindor house, she'd never had any reason to come to Malfoy Manor, and now being here, there was no denying the grandeur of the place.

Walking through the halls, Minerva marvelled at the amount of priceless pieces of art that hung on the walls. Muggle and magical alike, it seemed that the Malfoy family wasn't concerned with who had made the art, but instead the beauty and value of it.

When they reached the library the little elf gave a bow before snapping her fingers and disappearing. The door swung open and Minerva's face twitched slightly at the sight before her. It was the largest library that she'd ever seen in all her life, the rows and rows of towering shelves making her feel just how small her place in the world truly was.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Hermione whispered next to her, now taking the lead as they wove their way through the maze. Minerva didn't respond to her girl, instead letting her eyes flash over some of the titles that the family owned. More books than she could count that they just had on display were long out of circulation.

When they finally reached a small sitting area, Minerva wasn't surprised to see Narcissa sitting with a book laid on her lap, a cup of tea hovering near her. She was shocked at the children when she finally saw them. It was as if she were looking at seventeen year old Draco and Hermione once again. Only, the boy was covered in tattoos and the girl wore glasses, but they were undeniably their children.

"Professor," Narcissa greeted, setting her book onto a side table and pulling the cup from the air. "Hermione, so nice of the two of you to join us. Would either of you care for a cup of tea?" She offered, standing from her seat and approaching them with a tight smile on her face.

"What the fuck is Gran doing here?" The boy exclaimed, causing Narcissa to turn on him. "I mean, the Headmistress?"

"Professor McGonagall is here to discuss what we'll need to do to enrol the two of you in school so that you are able to sit your NEWTs next spring," Narcissa snipped in a tone that Minerva had heard her use on Draco only a handful of times. "You need more structure and guidance than I'm able to provide alone."

"But, I could pass my bloody NEWTs today!" The boy exclaimed, standing from his seat. "I don't need to go to fucking Hogwarts for a year!"

"Mr. Malfoy–" Minerva began.

"Malfoy-Nott," he corrected, turning his attention to Minerva. "I'm not going to fucking school."

"Mr. Malfoy-Nott," Minerva corrected, ignoring his little outburst. "I've spoken with Narcissa in depth about her concerns for the two of you."

"What did I do?" The girl finally spoke up, her hair sparking just like Hermione's did when she was angry. "I wasn't the one fucking drugging anyone!"

"You needed to fucking sleep! We've been over this!" Scorpius exclaimed, turning on his sister. Just as Viola was opening her mouth to respond, Narcissa waved her wand, silencing the two children.

"That's enough," Narcissa snapped, "the two of you will be attending Hogwarts this fall and the two of you will go to class and you will do whatever else I or the Headmistress put in place to help you. I don't care that you're legally adults. You're still children and children that need to be taken care of. We are not going to enable the two of you – yes, Viola, you are included – to continue down this path of self destruction. We may not be the parents and grandmothers that you know and love. However, at our core we are still them. Do you understand?"

Minerva looked at Narcissa, impressed by her firmness and thought that in another life she would have made an excellent teacher. When Narcissa lifted the silencing charm, the twins each murmured a 'yes, Grandmere', neither trying to add any more arguments.

"So, we're in agreement then?" Hermione said, finally speaking up for the first time. When the other two women nodded – the teens grumbling their protests, but quickly quieting down at a look from Narcissa – she continued. "What houses were you in? We don't want this transition to be more unsettling for you than it already likely will be."

"We were both in Slytherin," Viola answered, rolling her eyes as if it should have been obvious.

"Alright," Hermione cleared her throat and looked at Minerva before continuing. "So, we won't have you sorted, we'll just have you join Slytherin. For your safety, we cannot advertise that you're from the future to anyone who hasn't taken a vow to keep the secret. We will tell everyone that you were sorted beforehand."

"Fine," Scorpius grumbled with his arms crossed over his chest. "Don't tell anyone we're from the future, so what else do we need to do?"

"We were, well, we need to tell people who you are. Without it being suspicious." She said, looking between the kids. "Maybe use a different last name?"

"Absolutely not," Viola said, standing from her chair. "We will not change our names. We are the Malfoy-Nott twins. If we have to tell people that you had us when you were fifteen that's what we'll do, but we are not changing our entire identities. Have we not sacrificed enough?"

Hermione opened her mouth to most likely protest, but Minerva reached out and brushed her hand to stop whatever she was about to say. The children were right, they had given up so much already that taking their identities away was not something they could take from them as well.

"That'll be fine, we will just say that you were kept from the public eye for your safety as children. Simple enough."

"It's also not too far from the truth," Viola finished, making Minerva's heart break at what she knew they had lived through and even more that she didn't know about.

"Well, if that's all," Scorpius stood, obviously finished with the conversation. "I think I'll go see if I can find something to entertain myself with since apparently I'm on house arrest until I'm to be deposited at King's Cross."

Hermione watched him go and obviously wanted to say something else, but no words came out.

...

Viola laid in her bed, reading Alice in Wonderland again, enjoying being able to lose herself in one of the few comforts she'd always known. No matter how many times she read the book, she still found solace in the familiar pages and the story that she'd long since memorised. The words held a deeper meaning to her now, she had tumbled down her own rabbit hole and needed to make sense of the world she landed in. Though the only wondrous thing about it was that there wasn't a war ravaging the country. A knock at the door pulled her from her book, though when she saw it was her brother she turned back to the story and continued to read without a word to him.

"Oh, come off it. You can't stay mad forever," he complained, walking into the room without an invitation. "You needed to sleep, you've been restless."

"No, you wanted to get into fuck all and you drugged me." Viola snapped, putting the book to the side. "You can't just go around fucking dosing people with sleeping draught, Scorp! I don't care, it's fucking bullshit! You're lucky Grandmere didn't have your bollocks after she found out."

"Yeah, well, I knew she'd forgive me. I just needed to get out."

"And now look at you, you can't leave the grounds without a chaperone the rest of the summer." She finished, knowing that she looked much too smug, but Viola didn't care. She was pissed off at her brother, and though she'd already forgiven him, she wasn't finished being angry yet.

"Whatever," Scorpius mumbled, sitting himself down on her bed. Fucking wanker. "So, I did want to tell you something…" He trailed off, making Viola narrow her eyes at her brother. She didn't speak, not even wanting to guess at what he might have done. When it came to Scorpius, there really was no telling what might come out of his mouth next.

"Hermione hugged me at St. Mungo's," the words came out of his mouth in such a rush that Viola thought she might not have heard him correctly. "Don't look at me like that Vi," Scorp moaned, throwing his arm over his eyes. "It was kind of nice. She even smelled like mum. Like, I don't know. I was there alone, I thought Theo was going to die and she…she acted like mum. Not like a robot going through the motions."

Viola stiffened at her brother's confession, unsure what to do with this information. When she still didn't say anything Scorpius looked at her, his eyes filled with sadness and fear of what their future had been. They'd gone so long without a mother that having Hermione around and keeping them at an arm's distance had been confusing. They didn't know if they could trust her or if there was even a possibility that she could grow into the woman they'd known.

"I can't lose her again, Vi," Scorpius finally whispered, pushing some of his purple tipped hair out of his eyes. "Just…you know what you need to do." He finished, standing from her bed and walking out of her room.

With him gone, Viola looked around the four walls that made up her room, remembering her childhood. Remembering what her life had been before all the shit had started. Remembered how loved and safe she'd always felt with her parents and grandmothers. She'd never questioned how they felt towards her and just assumed that they'd always be there for her.

Standing from her bed, Viola slipped from her room and into the quiet corridors. She creeped through the manor until she found her Grandmere sitting in the conservatory, looking through a binder for a gala to raise money for whatever charity she was putting together this time. Viola said nothing when her Grandmere looked up and raised a questioning brow in her direction. Reaching into the beaded bag she always had with her, Viola gave Narcissa all the folios, memory vials, and the pensieve she had been carrying with her since her arrival.

"Could you make sure Mum and Dad get that?" she asked, averting her eyes from the witch and instead looking at a peculiar plant in the corner. "I think…I think they might find what's in there useful."

...

28th of June 2013

Draco Malfoy's Flat, London

"Why can't I stay with Luna or better yet in a hotel?" Theo complained, laying in the bed that he'd hoped to never lay eyes on again. "Actually, I can think of a million other places I'd rather be than in your fucking home."

Draco was standing in the doorway scowling at Theo, his arms crossed his chest. "After the fucking stunt you pulled, there's not a bloody chance Blaise is letting you stay in his house with his pregnant wives and all those fucking kids they have running around. No, someone's got to keep an eye on you, and unfortunately for you the only person mental enough to fucking volunteer for the job is me."

Theo's heartbeat picked up at the thought that Draco cared enough that he wanted to be the one taking care of him, but Theo pushed it aside, making way for his anger. He needed to stay angry and not just fall for this blonde perfection of a wizard. It would do him no good to remember that he didn't actually mean anything to Draco.

"Now, have you found anything useful in any of the notebooks that Viola gave us? We've been trying to sort through the memories, but there's just so much there." Draco walked over, sitting at the foot of Theo's bed, picking up one of the journals that his future self had written. Draco flipped over the worn binding and his eyes flickered over a few pages before he sighed and set it aside. "All the time turner stuff is gibberish to me, and most of the events documented aren't to take place for nearly twenty years. We're at a loss as to how to stop all of this without putting the kids at risk by revealing they're from the future."

"You'll have to figure that shit out for yourself," Theo snapped, grabbing the journal back. He didn't want Draco to ruin the blasted thing before he figured out how he'd been able to make such a powerful time turner. "If I were you I'd focus on the fact that McLaggen is going to be a bitch to get out of his position. Might want to have Granger chat with the Minister before the extra slimy Weasley becomes a figure head."

Draco rubbed a hand over his eyes, the exhaustion clear, but Theo clenched his hands so that he wouldn't reach out for him. "That's what Hermione suggested too; she swears Shacklebolt can be trusted."

"Then trust him, and get out of my room. I'm a very busy and important wizard, I don't have time for your sob stories and how difficult your relationship with Granger is." Theo snapped, opening another one of his journals on the different wards he'd crafted that had kept himself and the twins safe. "Toodaloo," he said, not looking away from the words on the page.

With the clear dismissal, Draco gave a heavy sigh and stood from the bed and left Theo to his thoughts. Fucking man had been spending too much time around bloody Gryffindors. This was why his best friend was a Ravenclaw. No bad habits to rub off on him.

Theo busied himself, sorting through the journals when a clinking sound caught his attention. Pulling apart the things that Viola had given Narcissa, Theo was shocked when he found the journal that was making the sound. When he opened the book, a tiny burlap sack fell out, only making his curiosity with the contents rise.

Looking towards the door that Draco had left part way open, Theo snatched up his wand that he'd thankfully gotten back at the hospital and gave it a flick to close it the rest of the way. Reaching inside, Theo smirked to himself, finding a memory vial that was unmarked. The rest of what Viola had given them had little notes attached to explain what they'd be going into before viewing. Not that Theo had actually viewed anything in his weakened condition.

Since Draco already had a pensieve, the one that Viola had provided hadn't been necessary. Theo summoned the spare one that was being stored in his room, thankful that Draco had been so thoughtless as to leave all of the things from the future in Theo's room. Fucking wanker.

With glee, Theo dumped the memory in, not caring what he was about to find as long as it took him away from the fucking life he was living now. He'd overheard Hermione and Draco murmuring about the horrors that they'd witnessed thus far. Lily Luna being kidnapped and then coming back to die. Ginny being killed. Finding Narcissa dead, truthfully, it was just a lot of death. The future sounded like real shite. He didn't fancy being around for it, honestly.

Since this memory had been separated from the rest, Theo hoped that it might have more of a clue as to help them prevent so many people from dying. As the swirl of blue memory began to circle in the pensieve, Theo glanced once more towards the door, flicking his wand and locking it as an afterthought.

It wouldn't do for Draco to come in and discover him doing something he wasn't supposed to. Taking a deep breath, Theo crossed his fingers and took the plunge.

...

"What the fuck is this?" Theo looked around a small room and in the centre of the room sat…himself? Though, he was old. Streaks of grey hair through his chestnut curls, sporting a brilliant beard though, his glasses were sitting on the top of his head, and he just looked…sad.

"Hello, Theo." The memory version of himself spoke, causing Theo to look around, but they were utterly alone. And with this being a memory, there was no fucking way for this older vision of himself to be able to interact with him. Unless he'd sent this vial back, just for the present Theo to see…

"I take it you've worked out by now that I wanted to give a message to just you. Knowing Draco and Hermione, with the knowledge of the Black Empress, they will have passed along my journals for you to sort through before they inquire about them. All their focus will be on the other memories I've given to the children, and you will be the only person to find this string of our memories. My past and your future."

Theo stood, gripping his hands, trying to pull himself from the memory, but cursed when he found that he was locked in. Glaring at his older self, Theo knew that he'd been the fucking clever shit that would have figured out how to keep someone from being able to leave a memory without viewing it in its entirety.

"Yeah, you've probably tried to leave. Yes, we create the nifty little spell. It was actually a dare with Luna, but that's not important. What's important is that if I've done this right, my children will be with you in 2012 or 2013 and I know what a fucking mess your life is right now. With the arrival of Scorpius and Viola, if I've done my calculations correctly, key events in our life will still happen, though hopefully not with the same outcome.

"I know how you're feeling because I was you. Literally. There is no one else that will understand the pain that you are living with better than me. However, I've sent you back the two most precious things to me, and I can't wait for you to get your shit together. Those kids need you, they are going to look to you for wisdom and guidance, and right now you can't fucking give it."

Narrowing his eyes, Theo took on a defensive stance, wishing he could attack a fucking memory. Who the fuck was he to be going on like this?

"I know the future is horrifying, but until recent years, I was living a fucking great life. We had a husband who loves and adores us. A wife who is fucking terrifying and sexy, that will destroy and rebuild the world just to help those around her. Two children, who drive me fucking mental, but they are the greatest things I've ever created."

"This is just to show you, there is hope, because Draco and Hermione are your destiny."

The scene around Theo began to shift and the older version of himself winked, as everything went up into a fog. Once it started to lift, Theo looked around confused as fuck as to where he was. Finally, he spotted himself, looking like a fucking wanker, standing in the middle of what appeared to be a fucking orchard.

He looked about the same age that he was now, but his face was fuller and the navy blue suit he wore was clean. "Fucking hell," Theo cursed as he watched himself fidgeting with his pocket, as if he were feeling something before fixing his cufflinks again.

"Theo?" Granger called out, coming up a trail on Draco's arm. They looked beautiful together. Draco was wearing a pale grey suit and Hermione in a dark orange sweater dress and knee high boots. The fall colours were a beautiful backdrop and Theo was shocked when Hermione broke away from Draco and ran to jump into his arms.

She was full on snogging him, right there in the middle of a fucking patch of apple trees. Draco snagged one of the green ones off a tree and took a bite while he watched his partners locked in a passionate kiss.

"I've missed you," the intimidating Head Auror murmured against his lips, as if she were a little kitten nuzzled into him. It was fucking weird.

"I've missed you, too. How was the mission?" The other Theo inquired, not setting Granger down, instead giving her arse a squeeze.

"Dull," Draco answered and Granger looked over his shoulder, narrowing her eyes at him. "What? The bloke was a horrible shot."

"He hit Neville with the curse," Granger stated and Draco shrugged, causing both Theo's to burst out laughing.

"He was aiming for me, and Longbottom was on the other side of the pitch. Like I said, horrible shot."

"But you caught him?" Other Theo continued, moving past Draco's assessment of their mission.

"Yes, we caught him and his little operation. They will not be trafficking anymore Chimeras through England's borders." Granger proudly stated, lifting her chest. "Those poor creatures have been taken into protective custody and will be looked after until they are able to be released into a proper reserve."

"You do realise that Chimeras are extremely dangerous?" Other Theo asked, looking towards Draco who only shrugged and muttered something about Granger being mental.

"Every creature deserves a chance at a decent life. Now, what are we doing out here? You didn't buy a bloody orchard while we were away? Honestly, Theo, just because Draco likes apples doesn't mean that we need all these," she gestured wildly around while still in her Theo's arms.

"Speak for yourself," Draco called out, working his way through his third fucking apple. Man was a bottomless pit.

"Well…"

"Theo!" Granger exclaimed, smacking him on the chest, causing the other him to laugh even harder. Theo's breath hitched at the sound. It was so carefree and pure. There wasn't a single time he could recall in his life when he'd ever sounded like that. Not even before his father had killed his mother, as a child he'd been taught to stay silent and stay invisible to avoid drawing attention from his father. Attention meant pain.

This Theo, however, sounded like this amount of joy in his life was normal and nothing outrageous.

"I thought it would make for an excellent engagement gift." Other Theo told Granger when he'd finally calmed down a bit. With the words out, it appeared that both Draco and Granger had heard what was said and neither were expecting it.

Setting Granger down on the ground, the other Theo dropped to one knee and held up a box. Draco stepped away from the apple tree, blessedly without another fucking apple in hand, and came up to Granger, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Hermione, Draco, the two of you are everything that I have ever needed in life."

"Oh, bloody hell," Theo cursed aloud, throwing his head back, not wanting to watch how the rest of this played out. This had to be a sick cruel joke.

"You are my stars and the air I breathe. Without the two of you, I know for a fact that I would have continued down that path and I would not be here today."

Theo had just about had it, and began trying to pull himself free again, but it was no use. Fuck, he really was a genius.

"Everything I have, everything I am, I owe it all to the two of you. You found me at my darkest, and yet, you still found it in your hearts to love a sick man that desperately needed it. And now, I'm down on one knee, in the middle of an orchard that I actually did buy as a gift for Draco, to ask the two of you a simple question.

"Will you do me the greatest honour, and marry me." He snapped open the box and inside were two rings. A simple onyx ring for Draco and a beautiful ruby for Granger.

Theo had managed to get a bit away just as Draco and Granger fell onto the corny and blissfully happy Theo and the three of them were lost in a threeway snogging fest, making Theo want to slit his wrists. This was the happy ending of another Theo, not him. He understood that in this other alternate reality that the three of them ended up together.

And apparently really bloody happy.

Not in this one though. In this reality, Theo was too much of a fuck up to ever deserve the happiness he was displaying on the ground of an orchard.

As Theo continued to run, pushing his legs in a way that he didn't even know was possible in a memory. Fucking wanker that he was had probably been able to design it, knowing that it would be bloody torture to see all of this. Being the masochistic fuck he was, it made perfect sense that he'd do this to himself.

Though, even as Theo rushed past all the trees, a fog started to creep in again, causing Theo to curse himself even harder as the ground gave out from under him and the feeling of free falling took over.

Theo found himself being dropped onto the grass near the large fountain in one of the gardens at Malfoy Manor. He recognized it as the same one that he and Draco had played in as children. Theo had fond memories of learning how to swim here after Thoros had attempted to drown him …so, not so fond memories of the events beforehand, but the ones here were wonderful.

"Theo!" Narcissa called out, causing both Theos to turn in her direction.

"You've got to be fucking joking…" Theo groaned when he took in what the witch he'd viewed as a second mother was wearing.

"Where are Hermione and Draco? The photographer is waiting and your guests are getting impatient waiting to start the dinner. I know it's your wedding day, but you can't be running off every few moments. You have the rest of the night to do that."

"Cissa," other Theo cooed, rubbing her arms, "I'm sure my husband and wife aren't off doing anything questionable. Especially since I'm not with them," he gave her a wink which she responded to by smacking him upside the head with the little clutch she was carrying.

"With all the questionable acts the three of you keep disappearing for – oh I know what you're doing. I might be your mother, but I'm not a prude – I'd better have grandchildren in nine months. I'll go stall, you find them and for Salazar's sake, just get the bloody pictures taken before I have to pay the photographer double for having to put up with the three of you."

"Anything you say, Cissa. Any names you're particularly fond of for us to keep in mind while I'm shagging your son?"

Narcissa smacked him again, before turning and disappearing into the hedge maze. Though, Theo swore he heard her say Scorpius before she'd left.

Wedding day Theo took off at a brisk pace, as if he were well aware of the exact location of his groom and bride. Fucker, if Theo was him – which he was – he would have also let Draco and Hermione sneak away so he could walk in on them exactly when he thought the time was right. Fuck, the thought of catching them in a compromising position made Theo hard, and he trotted behind himself deciding he might as well get a good wank out of this mind fuck.

Memory Theo opened the bridal dressing room door and found his husband on his knees with his wife's knees resting on his shoulders as she sat in her fluffy gown on the countertop behind her. Theo took a moment to appreciate what a gorgeous photo they made. Granger kept moaning desperately, the way she was pleading for an orgasm was music to both Theo's ears.

Theo let out a groan, his hands twitching wanting to join them. They were fucking perfection together. "It's a gorgeous view. The contrast of the white dress and the debauchery is quite artistic. Well done, future Hermione and Draco. Oh look, I'm going to help. Get to it, future me," Theo spoke aloud, knowing that he wasn't going to ruin the moment with his commentary.

Married Theo approached his new husband and wife carefully removing his tie as he crossed the room. "Mother is looking for us," he said, but Granger was still rocking her hips against Draco's face, her grip on the counter causing her knuckles to turn white.

"She can wait," Draco called up from under the skirt, causing both Theo's to laugh. Narcissa Malfoy was not someone you made wait.

"Theo, please!" Granger's makeup was running down her face and Theo smirked at what Pansy's reaction probably had been upon seeing her masterpiece ruined.

The other Theo began to click his tongue, shaking his head at his new wife as he moved towards her. "That's not how you address me, and you know it."

"Oh shit," both Theo and Granger murmured with wide eyes and their mouths hanging open. Who the fuck was this man who got to talk to the Head fucking Auror like this?

Just as Theo reached Granger and gripped her chin, turning her face upwards, the fog started to settle around him again. "No! Gods damn you! Why the fuck can't I enjoy a show!" Theo yelled into the mist.

Theo threw himself on the ground, pouting like a child, but he didn't give a damn. He was about to see what would easily be the best fucking shag of his life, and the bastard that was himself had cut it short. Fucking prick. Fucking prick teasing motherfucker.

As the scene started to clear before him, Theo lifted a middle finger, hopeful that his older self knew that he was pissed. Though, since it was him, he would know that not getting to watch him fuck Draco and Granger would right piss him off.

Man, this shit was getting confusing.

"I love you my little stars," Theo heard Draco say behind him. When he turned around, his eyes went wide at what he was seeing.

Draco had his head resting against a very pregnant Granger, and they didn't look all that different from the wedding he'd just left. Well, fuck, they certainly moved right along once they got started it seemed. At least Cissa wouldn't be too angry about needing to pay double for the photographer.

"Draco, darling," Granger whispered, pulling at his hair so he was looking at her. "What if we fail at this?" Theo could hear the fear in her voice, and he had to admit she was right to be scared about having children. Especially with him and Draco.

What did he have to bring to the table? His father had been a fucking genocidal maniac who tortured his mother at pudding until one day he murdered her over dinner. Draco's own his father turned him over to the fucking Dark Lord to save his own ass, the mark still branded on Draco's left forearm to this day. Theo didn't know much about Granger's home life, but any parents that kept sending their kid back to a school after they were petrified in their second year probably weren't the greatest.

"We already know what not to do," Draco answered, making Granger roll her eyes and smack him on the shoulder.

"Draco, be serious, we're going to be responsible for not just one, but two tiny humans. Are we honestly equipped to handle this?" She asked, honest to gods looking terrified.

"The good thing is," Theo groaned when he spotted himself walking up. "We get to grow into being parents as they grow up. We don't have to have all the answers right now," the prick that was future Theo said, walking over and giving each of his spouses a kiss. "They are going to grow up knowing they are loved, that we are devoted to them, and that we're never going to abandon them."

"Theo…" Granger trailed off, her fear for the future now being taken over with the love and admiration that she clearly had for him. Theo stiffened as he watched, because no one had ever looked at him that way. Most certainly not the Granger he knew, and looking at the way she reached out for this other version of himself, it was made all the more clear to Theo that this wasn't his future. There was no possible way for him to make the terrifying and self righteous Granger of his world to ever turn to him for comfort.

The world began to fog again, and this time instead of fighting it, Theo sat down and waited on the memory to change. Only, looking around They noticed that he wasn't just experiencing one memory, instead there were multiple playing around him.

Off to his left was the perfectly happy triad standing in what appeared to be a nursery holding two babies, whom he presumed were the infant Scorpius and Viola. Even more, he looked about and saw him with his children happily running around and playing with what appeared to be even more of Luna's spawn. Fucking hell, the Zabinis had even more sprogs…

Elsewhere was a compilation of Hogwarts Express drop offs, through various stages of their lives. More Zabinis showing up with trunks in each scene, bloody hell, Blaise. Theo could respect a breeding kink, but this was next level.

Even more still, Draco standing in the courtyard of Nott-fucking-Castle – Morgana's left tit, they fucking lived there – instructing Viola on proper flying techniques. Another where an older version of himself was helping Scorpius create a new charm that spectacularly blew up in their faces, singeing their brows and causing both wizards to burst into laughter.

Finally, the memories stopped rotating, and one came into view, Theo levitating a large cake with a "50" written on the front towards a radiant Granger. Pansy, Astoria, and Longbottom were all standing together holding hands with a few kids he didn't know they'd had. The Zabini's absurdly large family was there, taking up a majority of the space. A blue haired man with a blonde woman he didn't recognize along with a few more sprogs, and a handful of other guests. All were crowded in the ballroom at Nott Castle, the moon glowing off the surface of the water just outside the large floor to ceiling windows making a beautiful backdrop.

"Happy birthday, my love," Theo said, stepping forwards and giving Granger a kiss on the cheek. Draco and their children flanked her, looking completely thrilled to be part of their family. Narcissa and McGonagall were also with them, the older witches looking as if they were friends. Bizarre, truly.

When Granger blew out the candles, Theo felt himself being ejected from this world.

Sitting back on his bed, looking down at the pensieve the blue liquid swirled still, as if begging for him to take another look into what an older Theo had gotten to live. Theo snorted to himself, levitating the stone basin away from himself and locking it in the wardrobe that Draco had graciously filled with his clothing, storing it at the back so he wouldn't have to see it anymore.

Instead of feeling a bit of hope that he could have a life like he had seen, Theo pushed aside what he'd just witnessed, diving into the journals and getting back to the task of time travel. Perhaps if he could sort through this, he could fulfil his life's purpose.

...

24th of August 2013

At Nott Castle, on an unplottable island off the coast of Lowestoft in Suffolk

Theo had now been sober for over two months. Draco and Granger had been working tirelessly through the memories that the older version of himself had sent back in time with his daughter, in a last ditch attempt to try and save their world from the horrifying future that was set to happen. Draco and Granger had decided with Luna that, with what they were witnessing, it would be best for Theo to not view the memories until he'd made more progress with his recovery and was further in his sobriety. Theo did not agree.

As much as Theo had thought he didn't care if he ever got the future that he'd been forced to witness, the more time he spent around Draco and Granger, the more he saw and the more he felt. Though, he knew the only reason either of them had spent such a considerable amount of time with him was because he'd been staying at Draco's flat to recover and they did not want him to be alone while a mind healer worked with him to keep him sober.

Through it all, Theo had begun to notice the looks that Granger gave him when they were sitting alone, debating the theory of time travel. Theo, was of the mind that the future was set, despite events being changed, where Granger was hopelessly optimistic, but agreed that certain events were destined to occur.

Over the course of the past month, Theo had also begun to grow closer to Draco. He'd stopped viewing him as an old friend who was just taking pity on him, but instead looking at him as his childhood friend who truly cared for him. Though, in all honesty, if it hadn't been for Luna coming back time and time again, Theo might have just stayed locked in the spare room until he was healed enough to be released.

As it was, Luna had convinced Theo to allow the mind healer to come and do her work with him and it had opened the door for Theo to speak to Draco without as much hostility. The mind healer had forced Theo to really look at where his life had gone and what had brought it to this point. It was not as much of a mystery since Theo knew that he needed to work through his childhood trauma and all the shit that went with being the son of Thoros Nott.

With that in mind, Theo had been advised by his mind healer to stay at Draco's for the time being. Something about having someone around who could keep him accountable and whatever else. However, Theo was still a man, and a man that was not used to living with others nor having so much human interaction. In the last however many years, the only person Theo had regularly spoken to was Luna.

It was with little regret that Theo had charmed one of his pillows to resemble him in a sleeping state and snuck out of Draco's flat. It was easy enough to do with Draco, Granger, Pansy, and Longbottom continuing to work tirelessly towards saving the world. At least they'd agreed to bring the Minister of Magic into the fold, giving him updates often on their findings.

Walking through the floo of his home, Theo couldn't help but scowl at just being back in this forsaken place. It ought to have been called a house of horrors instead of Nott Castle, as it was a much more fitting name. A solid warning to anyone that ventured inside.

Theo breathed in the dusty air, enjoying the peace and solitude that he found within the walls. Though he had no fond memories – and would be more than happy if the place burned to the ground – there was nothing like being able to just be alone. No worries if someone were going to come looking for him at a moment's notice.

His feet took over, dragging him up the grand staircase and onto the second level. The tattered tapestries, torn priceless artwork, and the peeling paint. The once grand home that his family had been so proud of was now a hazarded shithole – and that was an accomplishment Theo was most proud of. Stepping around where the planks of the wood floor were torn up, Theo expertly made his way into his office and slumped down into his couch.

There was no place like home, he thought as he sank into the worn cushions. Something in the corner of the room caught his eye as he leaned back, making him sit back up. It was the Nott family pensieve, though the one from this timeline and not the one that Viola had given Narcissa. That one was still stored in the bottom of the wardrobe back at Draco's flat, with the memories of his alternate reality floating inside.

Theo laid his head back on the old couch and closed his eyes to try and ignore the bloody thing. Though, unlike the sanctuary he thought he was going to be sitting in, all Theo could think about now was what he had been forced to watch in that fuck of an alternate reality. The idea that he could ever marry not only Draco, but Granger as well was laughable. Even more so now that he'd actually started getting to know them.

Granger, well, she was fucking brilliant. He'd always known that especially when they'd been in school and she'd let her brilliance run wild in front of him. The way she didn't always just think she had the correct answer and considered everyone else's input. Fuck, she didn't even just assume she was right, she valued what he said. She fucking listened to his theories, even the wildest ones that he was making up on the spot while she just considered what he was saying.

Then Draco…Truth be told, Theo had been in love with him for as long as he could remember. All the way back to the days that they were just boys dreaming of ways to get away from the pressures of their fathers, and save their mothers from what the fates had in store for them. Just a couple of young lads who desperately craved love and affection.

Theo rubbing his hands over his face, peeking through his fingers at the blasted stone basin again. With the thoughts of Draco and their childhood rushing through his mind, Theo stood up and walked across the room, pulling his wand from his pocket and twirling it between his fingers.

There was one time…No, he shouldn't revisit that memory. Theo thought back to all the work he'd been doing with his mind healer. She'd encouraged him to face his traumas and to acknowledge and forgive himself for the things that had been out of his control. Wouldn't this be doing just that?

Without another moment's hesitation, Theo put his wand to his temple and pulled the memory free. The blue strand glowed in the dimly lit room, and when Theo dropped it into the basin, he could see the shadows of the Astronomy tower. Dipping his face in, Theo held his breath as he allowed himself to be taken back in time.

"Draco, where are you taking me?" Theo was laughing as Draco pulled him up the spiral staircase. The night wasn't nearly as dark as it was at Nott Castle, the stars shining clearly in the night sky above the school.

"I am not going to come second to Granger in my fucking Astronomy OWL. Mark my words, I'm going to get top marks." Draco proclaimed, causing Theo's steps to falter as he laughed aloud at his friend. Draco, for his part, turned to scowl at Theo, but Theo only waved his hand, shaking his head.

"Draco, she's in fucking advanced Astronomy. You're not going to beat her out. Besides, just be happy to get your outstanding and move on. Honestly, no one will actually know anyone else's scores unless we compare, and I can't imagine you're going to sit down with Granger."

"My father will know, and if I – well, anyway just come on. I'm named after a bloody constellation; I'd better be the best in the fucking subject." Draco grabbed Theo by the arm of his robes again and began pulling him until they were in the viewing room with all different types of telescopes set up for students to use.

Theo watched Draco march up to the one that he was particularly fond of and began to work on his star charts. Theo chuckled to himself, Draco pointedly ignoring him, and began to move about. There were books and quills shoved in every nook and cranny, fifth and seventh year students leaving behind their materials to save themselves the trouble of having to haul it all back and forth. Though as Theo studied each of the names he noticed that most were muggleborn students, some half-bloods, but no purebloods.

Taking study material back and forth to the common room was much easier to do with magic. Those who'd grown up using it wouldn't have ever carried something up all those stairs without a feather light charm applied. It was second nature, not something they ever had to think twice about.

"Theo, come look at this," Draco called, pulling Theo's attention away from his musing of how differently he'd been raised compared to his classmates.

"What is it?" Theo asked, coming up next to Draco and looking into the telescope, careful to not move it at all. When he looked through the eyepiece, Theo let out an audible gasp at the sight in the sky. "It's beautiful…" Theo breathed out as he pulled back and looked up into the sky in complete awe. The use of the device was not needed for what he was gazing at.

A beautiful green streak of light ran across the dark sky, illuminating everything around them as it began to grow brighter. Theo looked over to Draco, whose skin was glowing in the light before looking back at the spectacle.

"What is it?" He asked, not able to look away again. He'd never seen anything like this, not even aware that this was possible.

"It's the Northern Lights. To see them, timing is everything." Draco replied easily, coming to stand shoulder to shoulder with Theo. "Charting the stars was more of an excuse to bring you up here so you could see it yourself."

"What?" Theo looked away and back at Draco who wasn't even looking towards the sky at all, his eyes were only trained on him. "Why would you…"

"I wanted to share this with you," Draco said, simply as if he just wanted to be near Theo the same way he wanted to be with Draco. As if he knew that Theo craved being close to him, that Draco needed the warmth and security from Theo, too.

They were like magnets, drawn to each other in that moment, unable to stop even if they'd wanted to. Draco's tongue darted out, wetting his lips, a movement that Theo didn't miss. His heart began to race, this was it. He was finally going to get to show Draco what he meant to him. Just how important Draco was to him, and that he didn't just want to be friends.

Theo began to lean in, his breaths coming in shorter when he realised that Draco too was leaning closer. When their lips were but a hair apart, Draco abruptly pulled back, his silver eyes bright in the still glowing green lights, but panic painted his features.

"What's…what's wrong?" Theo asked, looking around, confused at what could have possibly caused Draco to pull away. "Did you hear something?"

Draco's face began to redden, and as he turned back to look at the sight in the sky, Theo couldn't help but notice his posture stiffen. "Nothing's wrong, why would you think otherwise?" Draco snapped; his voice more severe than Theo had ever heard it directed towards him. "Just enjoy the lights, Theo. It's not something you can see from that bloody castle you live in with your deranged father."

Theo felt as though he'd been punched in the gut, licking his lips as he rolled Draco's words over in his mind. He wasn't crazy…Draco had just been about to kiss him, and even though they were alone, no one to see, he'd pulled away. Now, he was angry with him…

His feet began to move before he even had a plan of where he would go. His footsteps echoed in the tower, but Draco didn't move or even call after him to stop. Draco didn't ask him where he was going as Theo began to run down the stairs, tears burning in his eyes.

He just needed to get away. He couldn't stay there any longer. He needed to put as much distance between himself and Draco Malfoy as he possibly could. His heart was pounding in his chest as he reached the main level, his breaths coming in as gasps as he looked desperately around for somewhere to hide.

He needed to compose himself, he couldn't go back to his dorm room like this. Hell, he couldn't go back there at all. Not when Draco fucking lived with him. Theo slipped in the shadows, not wanting to draw any attention to himself as he made his way towards an abandoned classroom.

The tears were falling freely now, his face burning with the embarrassment of the almost kiss. When he pushed open the door, Theo stopped in his tracks as he looked between the two seventh year Ravenclaw boys wiping a fluorescent blue powder from their noses. Their hands were twitching, but their eyes were glazed over, and both looked incredibly relaxed.

"What are you doing, little Slytherin?" one asked, walking towards Theo with a smile gracing his face. Theo didn't miss when the boy's gaze roamed his body, and it caused him to stiffen. "Oh, come on. We're not particularly fond of rape. It's easy enough to find a willing participant."

"I can…I can just go," Theo sputtered, his nerves getting the better of him as he pointed over his shoulder back towards the deserted corridor.

"Oh, don't, the room is charmed so that only those who seek a place to find refuge from the real world can find it. It seems that you are in need of our assistance," the other boy said, walking forwards with a pouch in his hand. "Have you ever done pixie dust before? It'll take whatever is tethering you to this world and release it so that you're free."

Theo licked his lips as his eyes darted between the two wizards and then down to the sack that was being offered to him. Theo had never done drugs before, though he'd heard plenty about them from listening in at his father's office door. He knew the effects that pixie dust would have on the mind, but he'd always shied away from it for fear of becoming addicted to the substance.

"Come on," the more feminine of the two boys said, dipping his hand in the bag and offering Theo his finger – now coated in the illicit drug – "you wouldn't have been able to find us if you didn't need it. One time isn't going to hurt, it might just give you the clarity that you're seeking."

Theo looked over his shoulder once more, not seeing a soul in sight. Draco hadn't even tried to come after him. He'd taken Theo up to show him one of the most amazing sights, just to embarrass him. Maybe Theo had been wrong all these years? Maybe Draco didn't care for him as deeply as he did the blonde.

Turning his attention back to the two wizards in front of him, Theo nodded in agreement and stepped into the room. One hit, one time, one night of freedom, that was all Theo would need.

Theo gasped for air as he emerged from the pensieve, tears were streaming down his face as he frantically looked around the room. Draco didn't actually want him. Not back then before he was a fucking disaster, and he certainly didn't want him now. Those memories, the future, it had been nothing but a tease, nothing but an illusion of what some fucked-up version of himself had known Theo desperately wanted.

Draco deserved better than him. He deserved better than being shackled to his fucked-up self. He couldn't know how he felt about him. If Draco knew, it would be like fifth year, all over again. Granger didn't want to be with him, she was just being friendly towards her boyfriend's forced roommate. The kids, well, they'd only known a strong and powerful Theo that could keep them safe. He couldn't take care of them. He couldn't protect them.

No, feelings were dangerous, they were messy. His mum's face flashed in his mind. Her laying out on the floor of their dining room with her neck slit for sticking up for him…

Loving someone got you killed.

Clutching his chest, his heart aching with the pain of reliving that moment in his life when he knew that Draco would never love him, Theo rushed to his compartment. Pulling everything he had hidden inside, Theo began to take every pill he'd collected over the years. He knew it was stupid, but this Theo wasn't strong enough to live with this pain.

His body began to shake as the drugs started to take hold, but Theo didn't stop. He continued to shove the pills into his mouth, and when he vomited, he pulled the ones that he hadn't been able to digest out and swallowed them down again. As his heart raced and the world began to spin, Theo closed his eyes and welcomed death.

...

Viola stood at the entrance to Nott Castle and her heart ached for what it was. This was her home, the place of refuge that she'd grown up in. She pricked her finger, annoyed that the blood wards were still in place and forced her to give up a piece of herself just to gain entry.

Upon confirmation that she did have Nott blood running through her veins, the heavy doors slowly creaked open, making the building feel even more ominous than it already did. Whatever magic her parents had worked on the place to make it livable, Vi commended them more than she ever had in the past.

She coughed as she stepped inside, the dust her feet stirred nearly choking her. It was a far cry from the lively palace she'd believed she'd grown up in. She looked at the grand staircase leading to the second floor and could easily recall herself and Scorpius racing down those same stairs with Pandora. The neglected walls were littered with residue and indistinguishable artwork hardly hanging on.

This might have been the same building, but it wasn't the home she knew and loved.

Taking a deep breath, Viola clenched her hands as she ascended the stairs, wanting to make quick work of her visit. While she'd been on the run – nearly a year ago in fact – she'd lost her grandma Cassandra's necklace.

It had been one of the only things of his mother's that Papa had been able to save from his evil father, and he'd given it to her on the day she'd first left for Hogwarts. Viola had never taken the pendant off, knowing just how precious it was to him and in extension to her.

Rushing down the hall towards her Papa's study, Viola felt a chill in the air and rubbed her arms to ward it off. She quickened her steps until she was in a full jog, anxious to get out of the castle sooner rather than later. Bloody fucking demented family, oh how she hoped Thoros was rolling in his grave knowing that his half-blood granddaughter was roaming the halls of his ancestral home.

Viola reached her Papa's office and pushed open the door, readying herself to search. Looking around the space, her nose wrinkled as a foul smell hit her. It had been months since anyone had been here, yet the smell of sick and blood was fresh.

Her eyes narrowed and she pulled her wand from its holster as she raised it, readying herself for an attack. With careful and silent steps, Viola began to check the space, looking on the floor and under the desk. When she rounded the couch, however, her eyes widened and her arm dropped at the sight.

"PAPA!" She screamed, dropping to her knees and grabbing her father's limp body and pulling him into her lap. "SOMEONE, HELP!"

...

3rd of July 2030

Romanian Dragon Sanctuary

The smell of the coffee being poured filled the space in the small kitchen of the living quarters the dragon keepers shared at the Romanian Sanctuary. An occasional roar or snuffle from one of the dragons could be heard off in the distance, but the sanctuary was generally a tranquil place in the early hours of the day. Delia Zabini sat with Alecksander – her brother Cole's fiance – her uncle Charlie and her uncle Darius all four dragon keepers enjoying the serenity with a chat, spending the last bit of their morning together before their day began in earnest.

"2030 might as well be 1800 according to my parents," Alecksander admitted, holding the warm porcelain cup in his hand. "They won't come to witness me wed with another wizard. Last I spoke with my father, he said that I might as well be dead as far as they were concerned."

Delia reached across the small table the group of four was sharing to squeeze her future brother-in-law's hand. "You're inheriting the most ridiculous family ever," she assured him, causing a small smirk to tug at his lips, breaking through his melancholy. "Honestly, just ask Charlie. You'll get tired of the other two dozen Zabinis and Potters that you are going to get as part of your wedding gifts." His dark brown eyes still looked sad, and it caused Delia's heart to ache for the wizard that had brought so much joy to her older brother.

The wizard with more grey than red hair now boomed out a laugh that echoed in the space. His wide smile caused his aged face to show even more wrinkles than usual, and Delia's soul warmed at the sight of her mentor. "Even if your father has managed to leave my parents' brood in the dust, I can attest to being a part of a large family. It takes some getting used to, but I'm sure you'll adjust."

"Well," Delia pointed out, smiling at her favourite uncle, "There was only the one mum at your house growing up, Charlie."

"And thank Zeus for that. I love my dad, I do, but he could barely handle one wife." Charlie laughed again, smiling to himself. "I also don't think Mum was ever keen on triads."

"A triad is a perfectly acceptable traditional form of wizarding marriage," Delia stiffened as she pointed out tersely, far too used to defending her family.

"Ah Delia," Darius said, patting her shoulder and clicking his tongue at her. She turned towards him, her temper calming her as she looked at her second favourite uncle. "No one said it wasn't. Molly's just…Molly." The Romanian native explained giving her a wink, ensuring her that he understood what a cow the witch in question was.

"I know, it's just…" Delia rolled her shoulders back as she remembered her 'grandma', "it's a sore subject."

This time, Aleck reached across the table to give her hand a gentle squeeze. He'd had the displeasure of meeting Molly Weasley and knew from Cole's stories just how awful she'd been to every one of their siblings that didn't have the last name Potter. Not that Delia or Cole held any grudges against James, Al, or Lily Luna for it. It was entirely a Molly Weasley issue.

"Did you know Cole bought a little cottage in the village?" Aleck asked, gracefully changing the subject. "I was convinced that Cole was going to be terribly bored moving out here, but he's gone and proved me wrong and gotten accepted at the Institute of Archaeological Sciences at ELTE University in Budapest."

"He'd do amazing at that," Charlie sipped his coffee and shared a soft smile with his husband. "I imagine he'll be the first Zabini with a Muggle doctorate."

"Well, he did only get his mastery in curse breaking as a hobby so he could treasure hunt without breaking any international laws. Taking muggle university archaeology courses only makes sense for him." Aleck offered, unable to wipe the grin off his face as he thought about his husband to be. Delia was so happy for her brother and his fiance. They were so in love, and inseparable. The only reason Cole was not with them today was because he'd gotten a lead on some artefact in Egypt that he'd spent the past two years searching for.

Looking at the wizards around her, she envied the love they'd all found, hopeful that she would find something like that someday.

Despite being desperately single and slightly lonely, Deila felt her heart grow as she looked around the table at the men she was honoured to call her family. She sipped at her coffee, enjoying the warmth running down her throat and the energy the caffeine in her drink gave her.

She loved her life here among the dragons, usually keeping her so preoccupied that she hardly gave her dating life a second thought. Working so closely with such amazing creatures, and getting to share a bond with them. Dragons were sorely misunderstood, seen as dangerous and menaces to society. The reality was, they were much like dogs. Just very big emotional, sometimes territorial, fire breathing dogs.

Just as she was about to make a jab at her older brother's expense, the entire room shook with such force that books were knocked from their shelves and a few of the pictures hanging on the walls fell to the ground. All four dragon keepers were on their feet in an instant, their wands drawn as they rushed to the window with Charlie in the lead.

"What is it?" Darius asked his husband, standing the closest to Charlie. "Do you think Samantha got out again?"

"GET DOWN!" Charlie bellowed, turning and tackling the three of them to the ground just as a stream of fire exploded inwards through the window. Glass rained down on them, cutting Deila's face, but as she looked upwards where the roof used to be, she gasped in shock.

Hooded figures wearing black cloaks and bronze masks were flying on brooms overhead. Their aim was precise and their attacks were clearly calculated.

"Fuck," Charlie muttered as he rolled off them, keeping low to the ground. The small group shuffled towards the overturned bookcase, using it as cover so as they wouldn't be seen by their attackers from above. As it was, they were sitting ducks at the moment.

"Charlie, we need help." Darius said, keeping his voice low as he kept watch for any incoming attacks. "Look at how many there are, even if no one died in that initial attack, we're severely outnumbered here."

"This is Charlie Weasley, Head Dragonologist with the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary. We are under attack, I repeat we are under attack. We need backup," Charlie said into the massive Ironbelly Patronuses that were coming out of the tip of his wand. Two took off at top speed, heading to most likely the Bulgarian and British Ministries, but Delia didn't dare ask.

"Nev, Percy, whoever you have, we need them here. I'm not sure how long we can hold them off or if we can even get anyone out. Hurry." He finished his message, and with a wave of his wand, his Patronus split into two and both took off. "They're going to see that and come to investigate," Charlie said, taking hold of his husband's hand.

"We'll hold them off," Aleck stated, nodding his head in understanding. But when Charlie looked at Delia, she knew what he was really saying.

"No," she could already feel the tears prickling at her eyes as she shook her head. "No, you can't!"

"Aleck, take Delia and run. Get out of here as quickly as you can. They have anti-apparition wards up, so you'll have to get to the dragons and fly out on dragonback." Charlie said, looking at Aleck, ignoring her pleas. "Quickly," he said, looking in her direction. With a wave of his wand, Delia could feel the disillusionment charm falling into place over her body.

"I won't leave you!" She cried, but before Charlie could answer, the Death Eaters were upon them.

"THERE THEY ARE!" One cried from the sky, sending a shower of fire down on their hiding spot, turning the kitchen into an inferno.

Charlie didn't spare a backwards glance as he and Darius jumped from their hiding spot, and began trying to ward off the fire. Aleck didn't hesitate, following Charlie's instructions, he grabbed Delia around the waist and hoisted her over his shoulders and ran through the flames.

Delia waved her wand, desperately trying to deflect a curse aimed for Charlie, but she missed. The larger than life man who had been her idol since she could walk fell to the ground, the fire absorbing him in an instant.

"NO!" Darius's cries could be heard over the roar of the fire, but as Aleck continued to run, the fate of Darius Weasley was left unknown.

The rage in her belly was churning as Delia looked around at her beloved home. Dragons were crying in pain as their enemy slayed the creatures that she'd dedicated her life to protect.

"Put me down, we have to set the dragons free!" She yelled at Aleck. "They're killing them!"

Aleck must have been thinking the same thing, because he didn't hesitate in releasing her. The pair took off at full speed towards the closest enclosures that housed the fierce mother dragons, their hatchlings, and the eggs. As they crossed the threshold they realised that they were already too late. The building was already in ruins as they picked through the debris, desperate to find any sign of life.

"They're gone…" Delia stated, looking up at Aleck as they stood in what used to be the nursery. Her eyes filled with tears as she spotted scales of the mother dragons littering the ground.

"What do they want with hatchlings and eggs?" Aleck asked, as they crept through, still checking for survivors quietly as possible, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

"I don't know, but look, they're fighting the main reserve now. We've got to get the rest of the dragons out of here," Delia said, motioning towards where there were five to six Death Eaters to each dragon. "We get one to flee, the rest will follow."

Though as they climbed out of the wreckage, any thoughts of being quiet and using stealth to get through left her mind as she saw her own dragon familiar being attacked.

"Argus!" Deila cried, spotting her opaleye snapping his jaws in the direction of a Death Eater, biting the horrid human in half. "Argus! Get out of here!" She yelled to the dragon, but hearing her voice, he turned in her direction.

The Death Eater who'd been fighting alongside the now eaten person, sliced his wand in the air, beheading her dragon. Delia let out a scream, as she charged towards the Death Eaters, pulling her spear from her side pocket. With her wand in one hand and spear in the other, Deila jumped into the battle, slaying the man who'd just murdered her beloved friend.

She wasted no time, pulling her weapon from his chest as she turned and began to attack the next group. Aleck was beside her, throwing the axe he kept while also using his wand in tandem. With their distraction, the longhorn that had been struggling to fend off her attackers was able to burn four of the seven with a single breath.

Delia rushed forwards, waving her wand to free the Longhorn from the restraints that had been put on her. With her back turned, she hadn't noticed the man coming up behind her.

"Hestia, please," she begged the large raging dragon. "My darling girl, please let me help you," she cried. A flash of green lit up the scales of the massive scared dragon in front of her, making Delia whip around.

On the ground, Aleck laid motionless, his eyes opened and lifeless staring into the sky. "NO!" Delia screamed, looking at the man who'd killed her friend. Hestia, having sensed Delia's pain, let out a terrifying roar that shook the ground.

Delia waved her wand, summoning Aleck's engagement ring just as Hestia charged with her head down. With practised ease, Delia took hold of one of Hestia's horns and swung herself onto the back of the large dragon. Tucking herself into the protective scales, the hexes and curses shot her way missed, but just barely.

The scream of the man being impaled by the massive horn filled the air, drawing all eyes in their direction. Delia tapped her heels against the tough hide and clicked her tongue giving Hestia the command to fly. Shaking her head to rid herself of the corpse, Hestia did exactly as Delia requested.

With a leader escaping, the remainder of the dragons began to take flight, following Hestia and Deila. Looking over her shoulder at the place that was her life, Delia watched in horror as it burned beneath her. The Death Eaters chasing her slowed their pursuit, realising they'd never catch the retreating dragons, Delia was finally able to lay her tired body down.

As her eyes grew heavy and she secured herself to her companion, only one thought kept replaying in her mind. Why had no rescue ever come?

End note:

CW:Death, attempted suicide, drug use, underage drug use, murder, childhood trauma, internalized homophobia, questionable use of potions against another's will, killing of dragons and stealing dragon eggs, dark curses, government corruption, blood, homophobic violence, public sex, mental illness

OG Timeline:

Summer '96; Hermione is emancipated from her parents and formally evicted. McGonagall brings her home to live with her.

05.01.14; Hermione, Draco, and Theo are bonded and the twins are conceived

01.03.15; The twins are born

12.24.29; Ginny goes missing and George is discovered dead at the ministry gala

12.25.29; Hermione tells the Zabinis that Ginny is missing with no ransom.

12.31.29; Ginny's body is discovered on Harry's grave with the baby cut out of her and missing.

05.02.30; Delphini brings back all the death eaters – causing a magic core drain on creatures and beings and a black out in the muggle world.

05.03.30; Narcissa and Pippa are killed by Lucius

06.05.30; Draco and Hermione are kidnapped while going to collect evidence.

06.07.30; Theo meets with Pansy and tells her about his time turner. Pansy tells Theo that Lucius is somehow involved and Cormac is covering everything up.

06.15.30; Fleur and Parvati meet with Neville and tell him that people with special abilities are being targeted. Fleur and Parvati flee the country with Ted and Vic's children.

07.01.30; Pansy, Neville, and Astoria die inside DMLE from Thoros' acid blood curse

07.03.30; Dragon sanctuary attack where Charlie, Darius, and Alecksander die

07.31.30; Draco and Hermione are executed in front of Theo and Twins in Trafalgar Square

08.02.30; Ted is elected leader of the New Order, and it is discovered no one with the trace can leave the country.

08.05.30; Zabini girls over 17 sent to Italy, except Delia who works with Charlie in Romania.

06.05.31; Theo and the twins spend Draco's birthday together

09.09.31; The last time James and Maeve are together

09.11.31; The burning of Edinburgh

09.20.31; Lily Luna is kidnapped on a mission

09.25.31; James, Al, and Cole go to Hosmeade and are attacked by an imperiused Aberforth.

01.03.32; Al and Vi soulbond

02.15.32; Lily Luna dies

02.21.32; Blaise forbids his children to help try to get the missing baby back, and Al tells Blaise he's Vi's soulmate.

03.26.32; Cormac rapes Vi and is killed by Scorp in his attempted kidnapping

05.09.32; Theo sends the Twins back to 2013

New Timeline:

06.15.05; Greyback finds his mates

07.31.07; Ginny finds out about Harry's affair with Cho and goes to Zabini Cabin. Meet Charlie's boyfriend.

08.01.07; Kingsley asks Ginny to come to the ministry to sign a NDA to not speak publicly about Harry's affair.

08.07.07; Blaise, Luna, and Ginny get together for the first time.

11.02.07; Harry has his first visitation alone with his children after the separation

04.15.09; Blaise takes the kids to work for the custody exchange and Molly shows up

04.10.13; Cormac takes down Greyback's pack and Delphini and Greyback become partners.

04.12.13; Delphini and Greyback become partners

05.02.13; Delphini kills Harry Potter

05.09.13; Twins arrive, meet Theo, Luna, and Narcissa. Scorpius meets Hermione and Draco, Viola meets Albus.

05.15.13; Theo gets arrested.

05.16.13; Cormac is appointed head of DMLE and is beat up by Scorp and Vi. Pansy and Neville meet the twins. Hermione meets Viola. Draco goes and retrieves Theo from jail.

05.17.13; Hermione finds Harry's body and Theo is put into a coma

05.25.13; Hermione and Blaise go to Potter Manor for the first time

05.26.13; DRCMC comes to Potter Manor to collect all the creatures being housed there

05.31.13; Harry's wake and burial

06.01.13; Reading of Harry's will

06.04.13; Draco's birthday dinner with Narcissa and the twins. Scorpius drugs Narciss with sleeping draught and sneaks out.

06.14.13; Theo wakes up from his coma and goes out in Muggle London and gets beat up. Scorpius finds Theo on the brink of death at the club with Gerald.

06.15.13; Blaise, Ginny, and Luna discuss bringing in a mind healer to help the Potter boys. Theo is transferred to St. Mungo's for his injuries.

06.16.13; Narcissa contacts Minerva and Hermione to have the twins attend Hogwarts. Viola hands over the evidence Theo sent back from the future with her.

06.28.13; Theo finds memories just for him sent back by future him.

08.28.13; Theo views the memory from his fifth year of almost kissing Draco and overdoses on purpose. Viola finds him unconscious.