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Angerona, Roman Goddess of Secrecy

-

I remember the morning of my dad's tenth year anniversary. It was only a few weeks after my fifteenth birthday, and it was no different from the other years. Papa was ready to go to the cemetery long before I was out of bed. He was gone before I had finished my breakfast. It didn't bother me. I know how much he likes his private time with Dad.

When I got there, he was curled up between Dad's grave and Lily's grave. He couldn't stop crying. Not like I could blame him, though. I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose the love of your life and your daughter.

I settled beside him, making sure I wasn't on either of my family members, and cuddled him. He wouldn't stop shaking. That was normal.

I always hated seeing Papa like this. He would cry until he had nothing left in him and gingerly walk home, rather than Apparate. I'd Floo out, the same way I got there.

The Malfoy cemetery wasn't too far from the estate and had its own house connected. It's from there that I can Floo in and out of the place. I only visit three times a year. The warden tends to the graves. I never knew how often Papa visited.

It took Papa forever to get home that day. It wasn't like him to keep me waiting like that. He knew how much I hated it; how much I worried about him. When he did, he went straight to bed.

A week later, he was gone.

-

Harry was thinking the exact same thing as Malfoy had been. What had happened wasn't normal. The lack of animosity between the two was beyond strange. He was with Malfoy and they hadn't fought once. He even promised to hide certain facts about Lucius Malfoy.

"I'm doomed," he muttered to himself as he reached the seventh floor. He knew Hermione and Ron would be waiting for him in the common room.

In a situation very similar to the bombardment he suffered the night before, Harry found himself at the mercy of Hermione's questions yet again.

Naturally, Hermione wanted to know everything there was about Harry's secret errand this Scorpius kid he had spent so much time thinking about.

"What errand did Snape want you to run?"

"He just wanted me to take Scorpius to Malfoy," Harry responded easily. He instantly wanted to return to those dungeons.

-

Draco's eyes widened as he saw Scorpius' make-shift room. It was the same size as Severus' office, he instantly noticed, and was lined with more books than he could have imagined. A tiny bed was situated in one corner, but Muggle chemistry and advanced potion brewing equipment was connected throughout the room. He had to duck and dodge between the pumps, vials and tubes of the set up.

"Where did you get all this stuff?" Draco asked as Scorpius ducked to get towards his bed. It looked as if he had been there all his life already. "Is your bedroom like this at the Manor?"

Scorpius had to laugh at that. "Papa gave me hell for it."

"I can't imagine Severus lending you all this in the time you've been here..."

"I brought it all with me." With that, Scorpius tapped his bag. "Only the basics, though."

Draco's grey eyes roamed the room as he sat down on the edge of the bed next to Scorpius. "Yeah, basics, obviously."

Rolling his eyes as his dad's sarcastic comment, Scorpius grabbed the only book on his bed. "This is your work journal. I can't let you see it, though, since you name Papa a few times. But it has every potion you've ever tried to tweak. It's how I've gotten so good."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "It's got your papa's name in it, huh?" he asked, taking a swipe at the leather-bound book. Scorpius merely lifted it out of his reach. "How the hell did you get so tall, anyway?"

"Papa is kinda tall. He's taller than me. And from what Papa told me, Grandfather wasn't all that short either. He used to tease you about how you ended up getting your height from your mother." He started to flick through the journal until he found the potion he was looking for. Still keeping the book away from Draco's arm reach, he read out the ingredients. "This is the one that gave me life, so to say. I don't think I would have been born if I couldn't have been from the both of you."

"I become a sappy romantic."

Scorpius laughed again. "You're the one who wants to protect he-who-took-your-virginity."

The older blonde lifted a hand up to play with one of the tubes in front of his face. "Why weren't you ever Sorted?"

"My papa wanted to keep me safe, so I went to Muggle schools instead. He knew I looked too much like a Malfoy to get away without any attention so he enrolled me in public Muggle schools instead. The first time I stepped foot in Hogwarts was a few months ago."

That caused a frown to form on Draco's brow. "You wouldn't have enjoyed that at all."

"That's the only fight you two had. You wanted me to be happy, and Papa wanted my safety."

"I would have wanted you to be safe as well..."

"Yeah, you did. It's just...you recognised that my happiness was an important part of my life. I was really surprised that my papa thought that way after how he was treated over the years..." Scorpius stopped what he was saying before smiling brightly at his dad again. "I'm so glad I get to see you again. And you agree, right? Being a servant to Voldemort isn't a smart idea. If you continue to give over the potions, I'll tell my papa in this time and I won't be born, okay?"

Draco's jaw would have dropped at the threat had he not been a Malfoy. "You wouldn't...that's your own life that you're threatening."

"I would. Not only would you be losing a family, but you'd never end up with the one person you truly fall in love with."

"You're a closet Malfoy when Potter's around. He'd probably die of shock if he ever saw you acting this way." Grey eyes narrowed as they observed the boy again. "I'll try to hold back on the potions, but I can't promise you anything."

"You have to promise that you won't give them any potions designed to do all the capturing work, Dad. If you do...if you do, the whole war will won by them. And it can't happen like that. I won't let it happen like that. It's too horrible. They all die."

Draco shuffled closer to his son, pulling him into his arms again. He saw how white he had turned just by thinking about the future and the things to occur. The taller boy instantly wrapped himself around the comforting body that belonged to his dad.

"And...And I saw you and Lily..."

The tears came this time. He started to shake so hard in Draco's arms. Draco felt his heart burst as he felt for his child, holding him in to his chest as close as he possibly could. The last thing he wanted was for this boy to be in any form of pain or unhappiness.

"Papa died, too. I'm not going back," Scorpius promised. "I don't want to go back to a world where everyone's dead. It's horrible. I hate it. I'm staying here for the rest of my life with you and Papa. I won't ever lose the two of you ever again."

Draco just shushed him and rocked back and forth with him.

To be honest, Malfoys never had this problem. Raised as the perfect stone, most Malfoys have reason to doubt they can produce tears, let alone break down and cry like Scorpius was. Draco couldn't think of the last time he had cried. Lucius had stopped him a long time ago from ever letting his emotions from getting the better of him. Narcissa mightn't have had the strict anti-emotion childhood Lucius had, but the moment they were married, she adopted the Malfoy tear-ducts of steel.

Unfortunately, they also came with the expectations of the Malfoy family. Draco mightn't have had much to cry about growing up, having been given anything he could have possibly have wanted, but he knew he missed out on valuable parenting lessons because of the emotionless state his family expected of him. He had never shared a moment like this with his parents. Draco couldn't imagine the great Lucius Malfoy cuddling his son close as he cried over fallen friends and family. Narcissa most certainly wouldn't have done it, either. The Black household might have been a more heartfelt place (if the rumours of Sirius Black and Andromeda Tonks were anything to go by), but she didn't have it in her to pass down that lifestyle to her only child.

The more he thought about Scorpius, the more he started to like the idea of siding with the Light Side. If he went against his father, he was bound to a life with love. It wasn't heard of in the Malfoy family. His parents never loved each other. Their marriage was arranged the moment Narcissa was born. A betrothal had never been set up for him, thankfully. Instead, it had been decided that the Dark Lord would choose Draco's wife from the long list of Death Eater daughters he had on his side. Lucius was all too happy to agree to these terms. As was every other Death Eater with a child. They were the second generation of Death Eaters. Draco didn't know much about Muggles, but he once overheard his godfather likening the situation to that of a certain religion. They were encouraged to procreate in order to create more followers. Of course, Draco didn't listen to that Muggle drabble, but found it funny that the Dark Lord was being compared to a Muggle religion like that.

But if what Scorpius said was true, then Draco would have married for love. He would have created this child with that man because they wanted a child, not because they were forced to under the Dark Lord's rule or because of the Malfoy expectation. He was capable of bringing a child into this world under the circumstances he wanted to. Despite what many would say about him, Draco Malfoy welcomed the idea of falling in love. He wanted to experience the life his parents were never privy to. He wanted love in his marriage and love with his children.

Scorpius continued to sob, shaking harder in Draco's arms as he thought this over.

Draco's arms tightened as he promised his son that everything would be alright.

-

The Room of Requirement was frequently visited. The DA no longer met in secret. Anyone willing to learn a spell or two was fully capable of walking right through the front doors and into the class. Harry was in charge of the classes, and ran two a week. One during most of Saturday (unless there was Quidditch-he had been banned from the Hogsmeade trips due to the threat it caused) and another on a Wednesday night (end of class 'til five minutes before curfew). With the thoughts of an impending war about to crash down on them, the students felt much calmer about these lessons.

They were happy with Remus' teaching position. He taught them well, following the plan for the year. They just appreciated the extra classes that helped them hone the curses. The younger years were also better prepared since they were normally sheltered from the stronger spells.

Sometimes Remus would join in on the DA, teaching a spell Harry had a harder time perfecting. That then grew to include Hagrid, who brought in a few creatures every now and then for them to learn against. Severus even participated once when Remus had dragged him along to assist with the duel.

Harry, Ron and Hermione spent their Tuesday and Thursday nights studying extra for the classes. They had to master the skills before they taught them to everyone else. For this, alone, Hermione was granted permission to any book in the Restricted Section by Remus and Minerva. She could take them out whenever she pleased, but no one was to be with her as she got them.

On Sundays, they spent extra time working on affliction curses for Harry. Unlike the rest of the DA, he knew for certain that he'd have to use these skills in his future. It wasn't as if he was planning to defend himself against some random attack. Whatever came at him was for his life, and he was more than determined to bring Voldemort to his end. After everything he had done, Harry felt nothing but hatred for the man and accepted what the prophecy meant for him. He had to willingly murder another being to save the rest of the wizarding world-perhaps even the Muggle one as well.

At the moment, they were learning some simple first aid spells. They were partnered up, one receiving simple wounds so the other could heal it. Remus was here for this one, just in case.

Harry was paired with Ron, who was sitting up, unable to see Harry as he worked over him. The redhead was beaten beyond recognition. Both eyes had swelled shut, his bottom lip was fat and bloody, and a long slice on his left cheek trickled steadily with his own blood. That was the first thing Harry tended to. The first spell closed the wound. The second he cast washed away the blood so he could see the afflictions better. The third turned Ron's freckles green.

Remus raised an eyebrow at Harry's mistake. He hadn't been focusing at all, he had noticed. And now, during one of the easiest tasks, Harry had stuffed up. From over Harry's shoulder, he cast the correct spell, gaining Harry's attention. Ron, now able to see out of one eye, looked up at Harry, who had turned to Remus.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, noticing the strange gleam in Harry's eyes. He was in a far off world, he observed. Knowing that you were having your wounds treated to by a distracted person was unnerving to say the least, so he was happy when Remus finished off the job and sent him over to the group of three to continue with the practicing.

Standing, Harry exited the Room of Requirement with Remus by his side. It caught the attention of a few people, being Hermione and Ginny, before the room shifted slightly. A second doorway appeared and opened into a private room.

"I'm guessing they wanted to talk privately," Ginny supposed before Hermione cleared up a gash to her forehead. "What's going on with him? He's been out of it all morning. The only time he seemed remotely interested in anything was when he left to do whatever it was Snape told him to."

Hermione sighed heavily, placing Ginny's nose back in place. "It's far too complicated to explain right now. Something's going on and he's not really telling us about it. I think he might have met someone special, though."

Ginny smiled weakly. "Someone male by any chance?"

Brown eyes turned to her in near shock. "What do you mean by that?"

The redhead checked around them for any keen listeners. "One of the underlying reasons why we broke up was because our one time together was a mess. He had a lot of trouble with it. He told me about two months ago that he reckons that happened because I'm a woman."

"Harry's gay?" It came out in a hissed whisper.

"He's not too sure just yet. But it seems he could be getting somewhere." With that, Ginny cocked her head to the entrance of the Room.

"I don't know," Hermione continued, a little sceptical. "When I said he met someone special, I didn't mean it that way. This kid's been on his mind for the past night."

"A kid?" Ginny's eyes lingered on the door. "If you say so."

-

Harry knew why Remus had steered him out of the room, but that didn't mean that he really knew what to say about the whole situation. To be honest, he didn't really think anything could be said. He was concentrating on things that shouldn't concern him, despite the fact that they did. He should have been more focused on the task at hand.

The werewolf sat leaning against the stone wall of the hallway as Harry paced back and forth, trying to gather his thoughts over what had just happened.

When he had had enough of Harry's silence, he decided to through his own suggestion out.

"Did Malfoy do something when Severus sent you that way? Or was it Scorpius?"

"I feel something whenever I see him," Harry admitted weakly. "I saw how they were together; it was like watching Fred and George. They knew each other so well. They're father and son..."

"And?"

Harry paused to turn and look at Remus. "It was amazing, Remus. Scorpius knew Malfoy's work inside and out. Even though Malfoy died years ago, Scorpius still knew everything there is to know about Malfoy's style. They were working so well together. It was like they were in each other's minds."

"And?" Remus repeated. "How is that supposed to excuse you from turning Ron's face green? You're not focusing because you don't know your father inside and out? You want to have what they have? What?"

"Scorpius-he's constantly in my mind now, Moony. It's like he's taken it over. Hermione and Ron reckon he's cursed me or something, but I don't think he has...I can't concentrate."

"You have to concentrate, Harry. Right now, your mind has to be on improving your skills."

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "What if I can't beat him? I can't even do it twenty years into the future. I'm not strong enough."

"That's why we're going to train harder than ever. And I'm sure Scorpius has changed Draco's mind about the Death Eaters. He's a clever kid; he'll find a way how to stop that from happening. You'll be fine."

Green eyes rolled. "How will we know if it's enough? Surely Malfoy can't be the deciding factor in this war. I can't imagine his potions would be that powerful."

"If he's good enough to be Severus' apprentice, then yes, they'd have to be that strong. Severus has never once taken an apprentice over all these years because none could surpass him. If he chose Draco, then he must have seen great potential."

"That sounds more than a little arrogant."

"It's how wizarding apprenticeships work," Remus told him offhandedly. "But that's not important. Draco will play his role, as will you. It's up to you to secure a liveable world for the likes of Scorpius and his baby sister. But we're always here to help you, Harry. Never forget that. Ron, Hermione, Severus, Albus, myself, even Scorpius; we all want to help you, but you have to concentrate and get stronger."

Harry groaned. It wasn't as if he needed a reminder on that. Sure, the others were there to help him fight the easy fights, but he had to willingly take someone's life in order to make everyone happy and safe.

And then Remus' words hit him.

"Scorpius is not going to be participating in any fight! He doesn't even have a wand! He, like Snape, should stay away from all battlefields."

Remus laughed. "A Death Eater requires great fighting skills, Harry. Severus will be needed on the battlefield as much as I am."

The younger Gryffindor snorted at that. "Yeah, 'cause he was so good at defending himself against the Marauders back in the day."

Laughter came from Remus' throat again. "The Marauders were incredibly vicious and probably the reason why he got so good at duelling. Besides, that was a long time ago."

"Before he became a Muggle-murdering Death Eater, you mean?"

Harry watched as Remus shook his head tiredly, the mousy brown strands of his hair falling into place over his eyes. "You still don't trust him?"

"I never will." The mood darkened before Harry slumped against the wall next to Remus. "So, who's this guy you're going to marry?"

He couldn't help but smile at the unhealthy shade of red Remus promptly turned. "It-it's none of your business, Harry."

"Sure it's not. So, do you reckon you'll use Malfoy's baby potion together?" It just darkened Remus' complexion. "Do I know him? I mean, I'm going to have to meet him to approve of him sometime soon. I can't imagine you'll keep your hands off him for much longer now that you know it's actually going to work."

"You're a git," Remus muttered, shoving Harry away playfully. "And what about you, huh? You marry some guy. I didn't..."

"Is that what Scorpius said?"

"You don't seem too shocked by that knowledge," the werewolf observed bluntly.

This time, it was Harry's face that darkened. "Yeah, well," a hand came up to mess with his hair again as he tried to find the words, "I guess that's what happens when you...well, when you already know that you're, you know."

"Gay?"

"Yeah, that one."

"And how long ago was this information gathered and how come I wasn't informed of it?"

Harry sent Remus an embarrassed glare. "Like you're one to talk. I didn't know that you were gay, either."

Remus laughed again. "It's different for me than it is to you. I wasn't raised by Muggles. We wizards understand that love can be found within all races, breeds and genders. We accept that sort of stuff. I'm surprised you didn't come to me to complain about it or anything."

He grumbled this time, drawing his knees up to his chest. "I guess I've known since I tried to sleep with Ginny however many months ago it was. And I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure what to make of it, let alone sure that it was even happening. I mean, Muggles get killed for this sort of things, and have been for such a long time now."

"Witches were persecuted. They turned out to be a lot better than what you would have originally thought."

"Yeah, I know."

Remus ruffled Harry's hair this time, though it was already thoroughly tussled by Harry's treatment of it. "So how'd you know?"

Harry's face turned as red as Remus had ever seen a face go without the aid of a hex. "Like I said, I tried to sleep with Ginny."

"Oh."

"It just wouldn't work. So, yeah, end of that story, thanks."

Remus nodded his head sympathetically. "Of course." They sat in silence for a short time. "So, do you like some guy or something? Or did you just know after that incident?"

Harry rested his forehead against his knees. "I'm attracted to one guy. And it's only because he's just that damn gorgeous. It's his body and nothing more. I could never enjoy being anywhere near him, let alone a conversation with him, so I don't like him as a person."

"That helps prove it, I suppose."

He nodded his head. "And I can't help it that he's that good looking. No one should be that good looking. And his skin should be illegal. That much I know. He's gay, though, so that's promising, but I'm not in love with him or anything, and it's never going to get that far since he's such a horrible person..."

"Draco?" The question went unanswered. "Looks certainly run in that family."

"Hell yeah."

"Fantastic genes. Narcissa isn't too bad on the eyes, either."

"She looks as if she's got something disgusting under her nose-that is not attractive in the least," Harry objected, looking up at Remus with near shock.

"You'd look like that too if you were married to Lucius Malfoy."

"Perhaps."

"There's a lot that goes into being a Malfoy, apparently."

Harry couldn't help his cold laugh. "Yeah, and Scorpius missed out on all of the training he's going to need. Malfoy's going to be so surprised when he sees how different Scorpius is to him. They work the same in the potions lab, but their personalities are so unalike. I can't help but wonder what Scorpius' papa was like to raise a kid that smart and different."

"You need to get your thoughts off him."

"It's a lot better than thinking about his dad. That'll distract me more."

"Point taken. It could be worse, though. You could be attracted to Scorpius."

Harry shuddered, which Remus was very thankful for. The last thing he really wanted to see was Harry being infatuated with his own son and not even knowing it. "Scorpius is different. Whenever I look at him, I get all funny inside, like he's the most important person in this world to me, but at the same time, I know it's not those types of feelings. I never want him to get hurt or to have to know what it's like to lose everyone close to him, even though he already has. I feel like I'm his guardian or something. I just...you saw me last night. I got really protective when he suggested that he could help with the fighting. It's not going to happen for as long as I still have some influence within the Order."

Remus shrugged his shoulders. "We could always get him in some of the DA classes to strengthen him up a bit."

Harry shook his head this time. "That's never going to happen. He's not allowed near anything that'll make him think he's strong enough to fight against the Death Eaters."

"That's for him, his dad and his papa to decide, and since you've claimed that you could never fall for Draco, you can't be Scorpius' papa. Scorpius said his parents are very much in love with each other."

"I don't think Malfoy could ever fall in love with anyone," Harry speculated. "I mean, love doesn't seem to run high in the Malfoy Rule Book. I heard him tell Scorpius that Lucius would kill him if he didn't do as he said. And Narcissa doesn't look as if she really cares about Malfoy, either, from what I've seen of her."

"Narcissa was trained to be the perfect little Malfoy by Lucius when they wed. Any woman willing to allow herself to be an incubator for a man's heir couldn't have had much of a soul to begin with, though. I'm sure that's all the Malfoy men see her as, anyway."

Harry groaned again. His fascination with those two male Malfoys was becoming complicated. "Anyway, the only reason Malfoy even came up in this conversation is because he's the only proof I have of my sexuality. I don't want to talk about him more than I have to, and I really don't want to say any more on it in case someone actually hears it. We're not really in a private place here."

Remus smiled widely at that. "Indeed we're not. Perhaps we should put this conversation away for a better time."

"No, I'd rather it never popped its overly-blonde head up ever again."

"You're focused?"

"Even less than when we left the Room."

Remus sighed, shoving Harry playfully again. "You're pathetic. Think of a girl and get your head out of the clouds."

-

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose as he went over one of the several essays he had set for his seventh-years. Due to the heavy NEWT requirements, only a few students had passed on to reach this seventh year in his class. Leading the class was Draco Malfoy. That boy had shot forward above the likes of Hermione Granger, Ernie Macmillan and Terry Boot. Those four students were the leading students in their House, but Draco had really surprised him.

It was his role, as the Head of House, to update the students on their chosen career paths and what they needed to do in order to achieve those goals. At first, Draco had admitted that he didn't expect to live long enough to settle down in a job. He was aware of the dangers his father had thrown him in to, and had seemingly accepted his early grave. Not even a month later, he returned to Severus' desk and had confided in him that he didn't want to become a Death Eater, but a potions master instead.

As that had been his own chosen profession, Severus had told him exactly what Draco had to do. He had given him a list of extra texts books and theories for Draco to study, and within three months, he had returned, asking for more. The Malfoy heir often did this, sometimes with his own potions to see if they were acceptable in Severus' eyes. The more he worked, the more Severus recognised the potential within Draco to become his apprentice.

In an age-old tradition, a wizard could only accept an apprentice that could surpass the master's skills. Only then could they be awarded the title of 'master' and go on to success.

In all his years of teaching Draco Malfoy was the first with the knowhow and the will for Severus' interest to be tipped. These thoughts had entered his mind not even two months ago.

The arrival of Scorpius Malfoy-Potter however, had his mind reeling. If the boy could create a potion capable of changing the DNA of an embryo, the possibilities were limitless. Not even Severus had imagined such a potion could be patented. Only the best of the best could have created that potion and he was more than intrigued with Draco's potential now.

Scorpius' age was also a testament to Draco's skills. Only a strong potion could send anything back in time twenty years and only a strong potions master could design it. Granted, it seemed that both Scorpius and Severus had worked on it, but it was more than likely that Draco had started it.

The piece of parchment he was holding slipped out of his hand and drifted to the desk he was sitting at as he continued to think. Scorpius had admitted that Severus had taken Draco as his apprentice. Severus searched the desk for the essay Draco had written. The assignment had been to identify the difference between two similar ingredients. He hadn't read Draco's yet (saving the best for last), but knew that it was going to receive the best mark already. Draco had taken his every word to heart in his endeavour to better his skills. He wasn't the neatest writer he had ever seen (that title went to Granger), but his handwriting was pleasant and actually legible (he glared at the scribble Potter called an essay). It also always proved to be an essay worth reading, often pointing out things Severus had never noticed or considered.

The essay was returned to the table as another thought struck him. Something he had never considered had been written in the note he had written to himself. He said that he had to look towards those he never normally would in order to find happiness. The first thing he thought of was Lupin. The werewolf had been on his mind night and day and he knew exactly why. He had begun to feel an attraction for the other professor back in Draco's third year when Lupin was teaching at Hogwarts for the first time. However, the attraction was quickly pushed aside as momentary insanity when he discovered Lupin sneaking into the Shrieking Shack that night. Initially thinking that the werewolf hadn't changed at all, he had actually started to think ill of himself.

Now that Lupin was back in his life, Severus felt that flame return to his chest, urging him forward to make something of those emotions he locked shut four years prior. He paced over to his bedside table and picked up the letter, rereading it for what felt like the millionth time that day alone. Reality hit him hard as he slammed the sheet of paper back down onto the table, scrunching it under his hand as he did. The damned werewolf was with that clumsy bint (he had started to refer to Tonks as such since the first month into this semester, when he realised that his feelings for Lupin were a lot stronger than he originally thought), happily engaged to be married with plenty furry babies promised for the future. He glared at the paper before he rolled his eyes at his childish behaviour. The letter was ignored as he turned back to his chair, only to have a knock on the door interrupt him.

Throwing his robes over his less formal clothes, Severus left his private chambers and headed for the front door to his office.

"I'm busy," he said to Draco who had two books clutched to his chest. "I haven't lent you any books recently..."

"Scorpius brought them with him. His bag has one of those expanded charms of it, courtesy of the Mudblood..." He received a sharp smack on the back of his head for that. "Scorp!"

Scorpius' head popped out from under the Invisibility Cloak. "Most of my friends in my time are Muggles, thank you very much. If you want to have a say in who I befriend, live long enough to meet my friends next time," Scorpius hissed before he smiled up at his 'uncle'.

Severus rolled his eyes again before he stepped aside to let the two of them through. "You seem to be adapting to fatherhood quite well," he cynically claimed.

"I'm sure I would have found that funny had it been a good joke," Draco claimed, ushering his son into the room. "This boy has more books on potions than I've ever seen in my life. He puts your collection to shame."

"Most of the books I have are from his collection, Dad," Scorpius argued. "And some are from the Malfoy library both here in England and the one over in France, and I got my hands on the Black library and Hermione stole some of the ones from the Restricted Section just after the school was abandoned..." He was listing them off on his fingers as he continued. "Uncle Sev took me through all the wizarding markets trying to find a few good ones, too. That's where we got that one." The thicker book in Draco's arms was pointed to. "That one taught me how to extract the..." Scorpius paused, looking at his dad. "You're not listening."

Draco gave him a smile before he handed the texts over to Severus. "They're amazing."

"I'm sure they are," Severus replied as he took a seat behind his desk. "What are you doing here?"

"He wanted to show you my books," Scorpius pouted, folding his arms over his chest as he sunk into one of the few chairs in the room. "He got really excited about them."

"I also wanted to show you the potion I finished today and last night." He fished them from his robes so he could hand them over. "Are you all right?"

Severus rubbed at his temples. "It's none of your business."

"He normally gets that look whenever I've done something stupid," Scorpius mentioned to his dad. Draco couldn't help but laugh.

"My idiotic moments receive the same treatment."

Draco eyed Scorpius closely, feeling a warm sensation spreading through his chest. He felt it every time he saw that boy, knowing that he had created this life. A small smile latched on to his lips before he could stop himself. It stuck well and he had to force himself to look away from the heaven that was his child.

"It was my own foolishness that did this," Severus admitted before he pulled a potion out of the top drawer of his desk. It was downed instantly.

"Ah, that's another thing you made me promise you," Scorpius started. "You told me I have to get you off the headache potions."

Severus gave him a glare as he tossed the vial back into the drawer. There was just something about this child that he didn't like.

And he seemed to click on to that quite well.

"Have I done something to offend you?" he asked, looking genuinely concerned. "Because I didn't mean to."

"You know what's written in that letter?"

"Only what you told me last night...it didn't mention anything about Moony, did it?"

That sealed it.

Once again, the boy understood it. "Oh crap."