Prologue
Harry
When Hermione and her terrible husbands had forced him to swear an oath, Harry didn't realise how complicated it would make his life.
Harry Potter was most annoyed to discover that his oath to be fair to all of the children of Hogwarts, regardless of House, also held when he was at the Burrow for Sunday dinner. In his own best interest, he tried to refrain from discussing Hogwarts unless it was specifically related to one of his own children or his nieces and nephews.
He'd managed this rather successfully if he did say so himself, at least until Albus was sorted into Slytherin.
Suddenly it became much more difficult to refrain from discussing the other Slytherins, especially when Albus' best friend was Scorpius Granger-Malfoy-Nott. Ron's nose was still out of joint that Hermione had rejected him in favour of the two Purebloods, and he never wasted an opportunity to insult or degrade Hermione about it. When the news had come out about Hermione and her secret family before Rose and James started Hogwarts, even Harry had been shocked at the vitriol that had come out of Ron. It happened anytime her name was mentioned even in passing by anyone. He vacillated between thinking that she was under the Imperius and that she had actually been a galleon hungry slag the entire time, sometimes within the same ten minute rant.
Harry wasn't sure who that made more upset: Lavender, who could hear the jealousy in his voice Harry was sure, but never expressed any opinion counter to Ron where anyone could hear her, George and Angelina, who had taken to sitting as far from Ron as possible at family gatherings, or Albus, who'd been to the Granger-Malfoy-Nott townhouse in London a few times with Scorpius.
Because, if Harry was being fair to all Hogwarts students, he couldn't forbid Albus and Scorpius from being friends–as much as he wanted to. To Harry and Ginny's chagrin, Albus was Hermione's biggest fan. Hermione was also very magnanimous and always told Albus stories about their childhood that painted Harry in the best light. He couldn't even justify getting angry with her. Albus always came home with stars in his eyes and a huge hug for him after visiting Hermione.
It was all very frustrating.
The issues all came to a head when James was in fourth year and the kids were home for winter holidays. Shouting and loud laughter rang throughout the Burrow.
James and Rose were out back with their brooms along with several of the other cousins. Both of them were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, to the Weasley family's pride, although James did better in his studies than Rose, a point which Ginny constantly rubbed in Ron's face so Harry didn't have to. Roxie and Freddie had their brooms as well.
Harry noticed Albus sitting on the side with a book, rather than with a broom, and Harry shook his head.
He was exceptionally proud of both of his sons, despite the fact that Albus had been placed in Slytherin. He was just a very different boy than James or Harry had been at that age. Albus might not be interested in Quidditch, but at least he was academically at the top of his class. He was in a good position to be chosen asHead Boy and Harry had to be happy with that, even if that would make his son the first Slytherin Head Boy since Theodore Nott.
Harry couldn't help but scowl at the thought. He subconsciously rubbed at the spot where Nott's wand had been pressed into his throat. Harry deeply hated Theodore Nott, mostly because he had gotten the drop on him.
"Reading anything good?" Harry asked, coming to stand next to Albus as Rose and James loudly argued over who was going to play Seeker.
Albus looked up and smiled brightly. "Oh, hey Dad. Scorp's mom lent me this book. It's called The Illustrated Brief History of Time by Dr. Stephen Hawking. He's supposedly a Muggle, but I don't believe it. This book is bloody brilliant."
"Not all Muggles are like my aunt and uncle, Albus." Harry felt a bit guilty that the exposure to the Muggle world that Albus was getting was through Hermione rather than him, but he didn't have fond memories of the Muggle world and didn't particularly want to take his family there.
Albus shrugged. "Uncle Dudley is okay, I guess, but I think that he wouldn't have anything to do with us if cousin Violet wasn't a witch."
Harry nodded. Dudley reaching out last year after McGonagall's visit about his daughter's accidental magic had been a surprise. They didn't wait until Muggleborns were ten anymore; little Violet was only five. Harry had met Dudley and his wife for dinner with the boys a few times. Ginny said the Muggle world made her nervous. He probably should bring Dudley to Sunday dinner so that Violet could get used to her cousins, because at least little Lily Luna would still be at Hogwarts when she got there, as well as Ron's youngest, Arthur, who was the same age.
"Al!" James yelled. "Numbers are off. I need you for a chaser."
Albus sighed and put down his book before taking a broom from Roxie, who was the spitting image of Angelina but with Weasley red hair, and standing next to James.
Albus said something that made Rose go red in the face.
"Don't mention that nasty little Malfoy bint to me," Rose yelled at Albus.
"Don't be salty, Rosie," James taunted, "Just because my girls play Quidditch better than you."
My girls? Who on earth was James referring to?
"Your girls?" Rose screeched.
"Hey Jamie," Jasmine yelled. "Why were you leaving a broom closet with both Lyra Malfoy and Paige Zabini last month? And why was your uniform all a mess?"
"Yeah, and why did I see a hickey on your neck after leaving the restricted section with the Slytherin Princesses?" Freddie called.
Roxie elbowed him in the stomach, and hissed, "Shut up!"
Hugo laughed and added, "Hey Fred, you see that green ribbon on his wrist? Cormac Jr. tried to take it from him and our sweet Jamie here punched him so hard he broke his nose."
Rose began screaming then, shoving James and Albus. Her siblings were suddenly crowding behind her. Hugo, Jasmine, Marigold, and Arthur were obviously ready to start brawling. All the rough-housing amongst the children was customary at the Burrow, but Harry didn't like the angry way that Rose was putting her hands on his sons.
Rose was clearly trying to start a fight with James and Albus. She was shoving them both away from her and screaming that at least she wasn't a "filthy snake lover."
Harry didn't understand what was happening, but he was off like a shot. He had been hurt enough times by his cousin growing up that he wouldn't allow his own children to go through the same thing. What he failed to realise at first was that more than half the Weasley family was right behind him.
Rose cried out, "You are all a bunch of traitors! In bed with bloody snakes."
"Rose, I'm in Slytherin," Albus pointed out as he rose from where she had shoved him to the ground.
Rose moved forward as though she was going to kick Albus and Harry was between them. "Rosie, you need to take a time out." Harry gave her his best professor glare. His niece was uncowed, glaring right back at James and Albus.
James was shouting at Hugo that he'd break his nose too if he didn't shut up. Bill grabbed both the boys by the collars and spoke sternly to them in a low voice, nearly growling. The scars on his face made him look sinister in his displeasure. Harry wouldn't want to cross him.
"Fuck," Charlie swore, putting galleons into Angelina's palm.
"I told you, Charlie," George's wife laughed. "I don't make bets I'm not sure of winning. I'm not my husband." Harry shook his head at the two of them, wondering what the bet was about. He'd find out later. There were no secrets amongst Weasleys.
"Have I been summoned?" George asked, laughing. "What's the ruckus?" Roxie ran to them, Harry assumed to tell him just that.
"Rosie, love," Ron came charging into the middle of everything, "What's the matter here? Harry, what are those boys of yours doing to upset my baby girl?"
"I haven't done a thing, Uncle Ron -" Albus started, as Harry helped him to his feet.
"They are disgusting little Slytherin lovers Daddy!" Rose interjected. "James is dating Lyra Malfoy and Paige Zabini. You said triads are foul and disgusting! And Albus is gay! And he's going out with Scorpius Malfoy!" Harry couldn't believe that Rose would say such things and then he looked at the faces of his sons. By James' sheepish expression and Albus' angry one, he knew that she was telling the truth.
Harry wanted to say something scathing about the Malfoy kids, but he couldn't force it past his lips. The Unbreakable Vow tightened like a vice and he refused to say something positive about any of them. So he stood there silently, his jaw clenched.
Ron made a gagging sound. "That's bloody foul. Boys, what do you have to say for yourselves?"
"Harry! Why aren't you saying anything!?" Ginny demanded angrily.
Victoire laughed loudly while pulling out her phone. "I'm texting Teddy! He's going to be so sorry he missed all the drama!"
Harry rubbed at his face, wishing this would all end. The cacophony of voices was giving him a migraine.
"That's enough!" Molly yelled, coming out of the house with Arthur on her heels. "What on earth is all of this nonsense?"
Everyone paused, silence descending momentarily, then Percy stood up pulling the attention towards him.
"I have an announcement," Percy said. "Since everyone is quiet for a change. I'm gay. I left Penelope and took the girls and moved in with Marcus Flint and his children. Marcus left his wife last year after we started seeing each other - again."
"Again!?" Ron yelled.
"What in blue blazes?" Arthur cried out.
Molly looked as though she was going to faint.
Everyone else was congratulating Percy and suggesting that he bring his new beau next Sunday.
Harry wondered if he shouldn't have chosen Hermione over the Weasleys after all.
Albus
"Too bad Lyra, Paige, and Scorpius aren't allowed over," Albus laughed. "They'd make up for how bad I am and we'd mop the floor with you."
"Don't mention that nasty little Malfoy bint to me," Rose yelled, her spit flying in his face. Rose hated Lyra since Lyra had caught the snitch at the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match last year, effectively winning the game despite only being a third year.
"Don't be salty, Rosie," James taunted, "Just because my girls play Quidditch better than you."
Albus laughed out loud. He'd have to tell Scorp that James called Paige and Lyra his girls. Scorp would tell Lyra, he always did, and it would definitely make the spoiled Slytherin Princess happy. When Lyra was happy, all of Slytherin was happier. His father had once made a comment about the tantrums that Draco Malfoy had thrown in school and Lyra was definitely her father's daughter. Her strops were legendary.
"You are disgusting." Rose's face screwed up as though she was going to be physically sick. "Malfoy's fathers were Death Eaters, not to mention that her mum is a filthy mudblood slag."
Rose shoved James backwards, but Albus was seeing red. He couldn't even focus on what his cousins were yelling at James and Rose because he couldn't hear anything other than his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.
"Don't you dare talk about Hermione like that!" Albus stepped toe to toe with her despite his smaller frame. "If it wasn't for her, both of our dads would have died before any of us could have been born."
"Who told you that, her Death Eater husbands?" Rose hissed.
"Read a bloody history book," Albus snarled. "If you can read."
Rose shoved him hard and Albus went sprawling to the ground. She loomed over him, "Between you holding hands with your little boyfriend, Albus, and James and his two tarts, I'm ashamed to call you both family."
Albus realised his cousins were yelling at the main combatants and finally paid attention right as Hugo laughed and added to the chaos, "Hey Fred, you see that green ribbon on his wrist? Cormac Jr. tried to take it from him and our sweet Jamie here punched him so hard he broke his nose."
James couldn't help but stroke the green ribbon tied to his wrist, one that had been tied in Lyra's hair for the last Quidditch match, despite the furious glare of their cousin. Albus had never liked Rose nor his Uncle Ron and their obsession with Hogwarts houses. It was insane.
Rose cried out, "You all are a bunch of traitors! In bed with bloody snakes."
"Rose, I'm in Slytherin," Albus pointed out as he rose from where she had shoved him to the ground.
Rose moved forward as though she was going to kick Albus and suddenly his father was between them.
"Rosie, you need to take a time out." Albus had never been so happy to be faced with his father's overprotective streak.
"I'll break your nose too if you don't shut up, Hugo!" James yelled, rushing towards Hugo who looked just as ready to brawl. Bill grabbed both the boys by the collars and spoke sternly to them in a low voice, nearly growling. Albus could see the wolf in his uncle then, something he always kept in check incredibly well. Albus tried to stand up, but his ankle hurt.
"Rosie, love," Ron came charging into the middle of everything, "What's the matter here? Harry, what are those boys of yours doing to upset my baby girl?"
"I haven't done a thing, Uncle Ron - " Albus started, as his father helped him to his feet. Albus tried to ignore the pain in his leg.
"They are disgusting little Slytherin lovers Daddy!" Rose interjected. "James is dating Lyra Malfoy and Paige Zabini. You said triads are foul and disgusting! And Albus is gay! And he's going out with Scorpius Malfoy!"
Albus looked at Rose in shock. She just outed him, to bleeding Uncle Ron. She should have just called the Daily in the Wizarding World was going to know inside of a week as soon as Aunt Lavender heard, if she wasn't already in the crowd that had gathered to watch the chaos unfold.
Albus felt physically ill. She was his could she do this to him? And she didn't even have the decency to look ashamed of herself.
Albus hated her.
Grandma Molly came out and yelled for quiet. Albus looked up. His Uncle Percy was standing nearby and he winked at him. Albus blinked in confusion. Uncle Percy winked?
"I have an announcement," Percy said. "Since everyone is quiet for a change. I'm gay. I left Penelope and took the girls and moved in with Marcus Flint and his children. Marcus left his wife last year after we started seeing each other - again." Uncle Percy just came out? For him? Albus felt a bit of warmth in his chest for his uptight Uncle who was wildly unpopular in his family. He'd have to find a way to thank him for taking the heat off of him and James.
Albus shared a look with James as Uncle Bill let the boys go to cross the garden to talk in low voices with Uncle Percy.
Before Albus walked away he leaned in and whispered to Rose, "I'm going to make you sorry for outing me in front of the whole family, Rosie, just you wait. I didn't get put in Slytherin for nothing."
His mum tried to grab his arm, but Albus shook her off, heading for the floo. He needed to get out of here. He didn't care if he got into trouble at this point. He just needed to see Scorp.
Malfoy-Nott Townhouse
Muggle London, UK
Lyra and Paige had their music up far too loud, but that was by design. Scorpius was whinging loudly to their parents about inviting Albus over and his reasoning was circular. It was driving Lyra positively mental. If his arguments hadn't worked the first go round, then they weren't going to work the fifteenth.
Paige's head was laying in Lyra's lap and Lyra ran one hand through her girlfriend's dark hair.
"I miss James," Paige sighed, turning her cheek into Lyra's hand. "I wish he was here with us."
"Me too," Lyra said, her mouth twisting. She hated to admit that she needed anyone, with the exception of Paige, but James had wormed his way into her heart with his kind eyes, easy-going personality, and the way he was so proud of her all the time. My girlfriend - the future Head Girl.
He was never insecure, even when her team beat Gryffindor at Quidditch. He just exuded joy at each and every one of her and Paige's accomplishments. Even her dads liked him, although he hadn't told his dad (who was remarkably oblivious despite being a former Auror) or family yet. That was sure to be an explosion when it came out, although Scorpius and Albus' relationship was likely to be a much more difficult reveal.
Lyra's dads had sat down with her brother and his boyfriend on more than one occasion to make sure Albus was safe, that they were being discreet, and that no one suspected. Her dads had had a rough time with homophobia from their own fathers as boys and wanted to prevent anything from happening to Albus and Scorp. She really had the best parents in the world.
Somewhere downstairs the floo alarm rang, but the girls couldn't hear it over the music.
Hermione
Lounging with her back against Theo and her feet in Draco's lap while the three of them read, she was surprised by the floo chime going off. The twins and Cassie were at Narcissa's for the weekend and wouldn't be back until tomorrow, so they weren't expecting anyone.
Scorpius had given up begging for Albus to come over only a few minutes ago and Hermione had been enjoying the peace and quiet.
The sound of someone crying had Draco up like a shot crossing the room towards the floo parlour with Hermione and Theo on his heels.
"Albus?" Hermione asked, as the teen came into view, tears running down his cheeks, pants dirty, and obviously favouring one leg. "What's happened?"
"Rose outed me and Scorp to my whole family, and my ankle hurts," Albus stammered out through his tears.
Draco scooped him up into his arms as though the boy weighed nothing at all.
"Mr. Malfoy!" Albus shrieked in surprise. "You don't need to carry me, I can walk."
"I'll just take you to the couch Albus, so Hermione can take a look at that ankle. You don't need to make it worse. And remember, I said to call me Draco," Draco replied, exchanging concerned looks with his spouses. "Theo, will you go get Scorp please?" Only Draco could make a question a command, but Theo was used to Draco's imperious ways.
Theo nodded. "Hermione, you need to send a Patronus to Potter letting him know Albus is here. We don't need to get accused of something untoward." He quickly headed up the stairs to get their son. Draco headed back to the sitting room with Albus in his arms.
Delaying in the floo room for a minute, Hermione sent her spectral otter off to Harry, annoyed that the Weasleys had put her son's sweet bookish boyfriend in tears.
She walked into the sitting room and Albus was hugging Draco and crying. Her husband rubbed soothing circles on the young man's back. Albus looked uncannily like Harry in that moment, but without the glasses and the scar. Draco Malfoy comforting a little clone of Harry as he cried seemed like something that could break the fabric of space-time.
"You're safe, Albus," Draco whispered. "You're safe. You can stay with us as long as you need to. You're safe."
Hermione bit back tears of her own when the floo chime went off again. She put on her lady of the house face and stepped towards whatever was coming next.
Here we go again.