A few weeks past and things were fairly normal at Hogwarts. The Christmas holiday was roughly a month away, so there was an excitement amongst the students. Despite her best efforts, Amethyst was still on the receiving end of Alexia's avid dislike. Draco, too, had started to be on the receiving end of his niece's comments and remarks. Most of the students - really all of the students, except for a handful of Slytherins - paid Alexia no attention when she spouted things against Draco and Amethyst. She, had, on a few occasions, tried to get Scorpius to speak out against Amethyst but he never did. Most of the time he stood up for Amethyst as a person and professor, as well as her relationship with Draco. One morning, Amethyst sat down at the head table in a huff. Students were sleepily entering the Great Hall for breakfast. It had been a bitterly cold night as the first freeze hit the area. Amethyst had moved all of her things into a room on the ground floor of the castle where should would be staying during the winter months, but she stayed in her tent last night to make sure the hippogriffs were okay. Normally, they would hunker down deeper into the forest during the winter, but the acromantulas were still a concern. The baby hippogriffs, while not as vulnerable as they were in August, were still vulnerable enough.

"Everything okay?" Neville asked. Draco took his seat and looked between the two. He could tell that Amethyst was stressed about something.

"Alexia and I are tasked with checking the charms along the paths leading to Hogsmeade." Amethyst said. Draco could sense the tension in her voice despite her trying to hide it. Neville was also able to pick up on it. He and Amethyst had gotten closer over the past few months and actually began to seem more like actual cousins, rather than just cousins by marriage.

"Hannah is going with Victorie. Madame Pomfrey needs a few ingredients that grow in the forest. The ones in the greenhouses aren't ready to be harvested yet and using magic will diminish the potency." Neville said. "I think James and Teddy are in Hogsmeade checking the charms there."

"And everyone else had class, including me." Draco added.

"It'll be fine. As long as we get the job done, that's all that matters." Amethyst sighed. She wasn't unaware of the comments Alexia was making. She also figured the attitude was Alexia not wanting her aunt's memory replaced or forgotten.

"Let's just get this over with, Puffle." Alexia practically barked. Draco stood up to spat back, but Amethyst laid a hand on his forearm.

"Ms. Greengrass-Selwyn, I suggest you show more respect for our professors." McGonagall came up behind her and glared.

"Sure thing, Professor." Alexia rolled her eyes. "I'll wait for you in the courtyard since we're not allowed to do things by ourselves." She spun on her heel and left.

"She may have to be replaced… if I can find another Slytherin to agree. She wasn't our first choice, but she was the only one to agree." McGonagall huffed.

"Then she'll have to do. I'm not giving her any reason for further attacks. She doesn't know me and hasn't even given me a chance." Amethyst shook her head. "The only thing she had against me is my relationship with Draco. Honestly, the only one whose acceptance holds any weight is Scorpius'."

"Right, and he has already accepted it. I mean he even encouraged it." Draco kissed the side of Amethyst's head. "Be careful."

"I will do my best." Amethyst leaned into his side. "Orion, stay at the school. I'm sure Draco or Scorpius won't mind you hanging around with them for a few hours." The kneazle rubbed her legs and then trotted off to find Scorpius.

"Guess he prefers my son." Draco smirked.

"He just knows Scorpius' classroom windows overlook the paths." Amethyst smiled. "Well, the sooner we get started…" She was reluctant to leave. Draco pulled her into him… something was nagging him. Amethyst could feel his unease. She stretched up to whisper "I love you" in his ear. He hugged her tighter in response and then let go. He would have felt better if she had a wand, but Ollivander wasn't quite finished.

"I'll see you at lunch." Draco said and then Amethyst headed to the courtyard.

"It's about time, Puffle." Alexia spat as soon as Amethyst joined her. "Let's just get this over with."

"Agreed." It was the last either of them spoke to each other. They were about halfway down the path, when Amethyst sensed that something was off. As soon as she checked the protection charms in the location, two acromantulas emerged from the tree line.

"…" Alexia couldn't even manage a scream before sprinting back to the castle.

"Aracnis duo!" Amethyst cast the spell but it was only effective on one. The second spider charged her. Before she could cast again, a leg knocked her to the ground. She was hit hard enough that it knocked the wind out of her. Just as she regained her composure, another leg kicked her. She rolled across the path as she began to realize that the spider was playing with her. She breathed deep but a pain shot through her. Her arm instinctually went to her stomach. She could feel something warm seeping through her shirt. Just as she felt legs begin to pull her in towards the spider's mouth, she rolled onto her back. "Aracnis!" The giant spider disappeared and she could barely make out a small spider scurrying back into the forest.

"Professor!" James and Teddy had been on their way back from Hogsmeade when they noticed the commotion. They rushed to her said, with James reaching her first.

"What happened? Why are you alone?" Teddy asked. He kept his eyes on Amethyst but was listening for any movement from the forest.

"The protection charm has broken here." Amethyst explained. "Alexia… was s-supposed to b-be with me…" A sharp pain shot through her with each breath.

"How many acromantulas?" James asked while Teddy repaired the protection charms.

"Two. I used aracnis duo, but it only worked on one." She winced as James lifted her shirt to check the wound. "The other one knocked me down and then kicked me like… a t-toy." The pain was becoming unbearable.

"We have to get her to Madame Pomfrey immediately." Teddy said. He and James, carefully, got her to her feet and helped her back to the castle.

—

"Dad!" Scorpius burst into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Orion was right behind him. "It's Professor Abbott." Before he had a chance to say anything else, Draco was out the door.

"Where is she?" Panic was setting in.

"James and Teddy were taking her to the hospital wing." Scorpius answered. He could see the fear on his dad's face. They both skidded to a stop when they saw Alexia near the statue that hid the stairs to McGonagall's office.

"What did you do?" Draco tried to remain calm, but he was seething with anger. "What happened?"

"I… I don't know. I wasn't there." Alexia stammered. She'd never seen her uncle like this.

"What do you mean 'you weren't there'? You were supposed to be with her!" Draco was struggling to remain calm.

"Dad?" Scorpius laid a hand on his dad's shoulder. He had rarely seen his dad this angry. "Professor Abbott needs you."

"We're not finished." Draco said coldly and then took off for the hospital wing again.

"Scorpius, I…" Alexia started but stopped as soon as she saw the look on her cousin's face. Orion growled at her before sprinting after Draco.

"You don't get it." Scorpius began. "Professor Abbott is great."

"But…"

"But nothing. Dad was hesitant to start a relationship with her. They've been friends since they were students - way before he and my mum. Professors Abbott never cared about what Dad did in the past." Scorpius took a deep breath to calm himself. "He came to me before. He wasn't even going to bring it up at first, but it was obvious. He loves her and she loves him. Professor Abbott can't replace my mum and she doesn't want to. She respects and honors the memory of Mum."

"She…"

"What? She doesn't get it? She doesn't understand? She's weak because she's a Hufflepuff? What? You don't even know her. She's worked with dragons, she has a kneazle and a phoenix. She's been practicing wandless magic because she doesn't have a wand currently." He paused. "That's not my story to tell." Not only was it not his story, he didn't know all the details himself because Draco had told him the same thing.

"Is that why we can't work alone?" Alexia huffed.

"No. You can't work alone because acromantulas don't work alone. They are ambush predators. Only two emerge from the forest but there were more just inside the tree line." Teddy and James came up to them.

"How is she?" Scorpius asked.

"Luckily, there was no invenomation. A couple of broken ribs and a decent gash across her stomach, but she'll be alright in a few days." James patted Scorpius on the shoulder before turning his glare on Alexia. "I'd steer clear of your uncle for now. He doesn't look quite as murderous as he did at the Halloween ball, but it's up there."

"He'll get over it. She's just a stupid, weak Puffle." Alexia rolled her eyes.

"Hufflepuffs are neither stupid nor weak." Teddy bristled. "My mother was a Hufflepuff. She was an Auror, a metamorphmagus, and she died fighting Voldemort and his Death Eaters right here at Hogwarts. She was also a descendant of House Black - my grandmother being Andromeda Black." He paused and looked over at Scorpius. "Bet your gran rarely mentions mine. Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Andromeda were sisters. My gran was scorned by the rest of the family for marrying a muggle-born. So, young Malfoy, that makes us cousins."

"I've heard the name, but not outside History of Magic. My gran doesn't talk about much apart from my dad." Scorpius was making mental notes of things to ask his dad when things calmed down.

"Whatever." Alexia sighed. "And Uncle Draco won't do anything to me." She puffed out her chest. She was confident until Draco joined them.

"Teddy, James, thank you." Draco shook their hands and then looked at Scorpius. He was making a point to ignore Alexia lest he do something he'd regret.

"How is she?" James asked what the three boys were thinking.

"Resting. Madame Pomfrey gave her something to set the bones, so she'll be in the hospital wing for a couple of days - something she did not like at all." Draco smirked remembering the protest Amethyst had done just moments ago. "It could have been much worse if you two hadn't come along when you did."

"She had it well under control when we arrived." Teddy said. He wouldn't admit it openly right now, but he was rather in awe of Amethyst.

"Uncle Draco…" Alexia had noticed her uncle ignoring her so she was cautious.

"Unless you are going to admit your mistake, that you were wrong, and apologize…" Draco struggled to remain calm. Neither Astoria nor Amethyst would want him to express how he's really feeling right now.

"Alexia, I would like to speak with you. In my office. Now." McGonagall was standing at the base of the stairs leading to her office. Alexia reluctantly followed her up them.

"If she'd used a wand…" James started to say.

"There's a reason she doesn't currently. Ollivander is working on it." Draco sighed. "She doesn't know that we've gathered resources and gave them to Ollivander. I'm hoping he'll be finished before Christmas."

"What reason?" Teddy asked curiously.

"Not my reason to tell." Draco said simply. "Scorpius, you should get back to class." There were things about Amethyst Draco hadn't even told his son. Scorpius hesitated, but knew his father was right. There was not much her could do at the moment so he turned and headed back to class.

"Are you alright, Professor?" James looked at Draco. Draco shrugged. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. There had been so many times in just the past four months where he could have lost Amethyst… even before he'd realized his feelings for her.

"I need to let Dimitri know what's happened." Draco turned and headed towards his room. Teddy and James just stood there in confusion before heading to their rooms.