Defense Against Misguided Information
"Wake up Cor, time for breakfast," Al said as he shook Scorpius awake. He groaned and mumbled incoherant words before turning onto his other side away from his friend.
"Nope, none of that," Al pulled the blankets off of him, "We are not going to be late today. We are not starting that reputation for ourselves."
"What kind of reputation are we going to start Al?" Scorpius groaned and sat up rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"The smartest and most responsible students ever that never cause any sort of trouble. Upstanding citizens." Al said in a very joking pompus tone.
Scorpius stood up and began grabbing his clothes from his drawers, "Sounds good to me. I'm already breaking the family mold my being friends with a Potter. Might as well get an Order of Merlin as well, really stick it to my ancestors."
"Hey, I'm the first Potter in generations to be put in Slytherin. Guess our reputation is breaking the family mold then."
Scorpius yawned as he nodded his agreement and finished getting dressed for the day. As they walked to the great hall, Al had to keep nudging him to keep him awake.
"Guess I should learn to brew pepper up potion for you Cori. One of these days you are going to break a bone falling down these steps because you fell asleep going up them."
Scorpius laughed and proceeded to tell Al that that had already happened to him at home. He had only broken his arm once, but he had fallen sleep while walking in his house multiple times.
"Oh sweet Merlin, why did I become friends with you?" Al teased.
"Beats me."
They made their way into the great hall for breakfast to find that Rose was seated at the same table as yesterday waiting for them, with Andy next to her already finishing his own breakfast. The four of them sat together at the Slytherin table and discussed their expectation for their up coming classes for the day. Al and Scorpius had DADA with Griffindor second today after Herbology with Ravenclaw.
"I wonder if Uncle Neville gives a speech like your dad does." Rose wondered.
"Mum already told me to give him my 'love.' I think I will hold that until after class," Al responded before holding his hand in the air and pretending to be in class, "Excuse me, Professor Longbottom. I just wanted to let you know that my Mum sends her love. So what are the four uses of milkweed root?"
The four of them chuckled at Al's antics before they were interupted by a snide voice from behind Scorpius whispering, "Death Eater spawn," before the owner of the voice walked off.
They all got really silent. Al turned around to look at whoever had just spoken, Rose reached her hand across the table to stop Al from getting up while Andy just looked away from Scorpius' direction. Scorpius just sat there holding the spoon in his hand looking at Rose's plate of eggs and sausage. He didn't know how to react. He was used to hearing the whisperings around him when he was out in public. Before starting school he had expected people to call him names, or treat him like scum because of his last name. But ever since the train ride here, he had almost forgotten that people didn't like his family. Aniara had noticed people's glares or heard whatever remarks were said about him, but he hadn't heard any here himself, until now.
He sat at the table like that for moment before a hand on his forearm caught his attention. His hearing came back to him as he heard Rose and Al calling him name.
"What?" he questioned finally looking up at them.
"Ignore them mate. They are just pricks trying to get a rise out of you, or to make themselves feel better." Al said with an odd gruffness in his voice.
"Copy cat," Rose said to Al in a slight acussing voice before turning her attention back to Scorpius. "Some people are just too stuck in the past to move forward."
"Yeah I know." Scorpius said a bit dazed, "I'm used to people talking about me behind my back."
Al and Rose groaned a sigh at that information. "You shouldn't have to me Cori."
"Side effect of the last name Al," Scorpius said trying his best to add a chuckle at the end to brush them both off. He didn't want to keep talking about it. He looked over to Andy, who was pushing his left over food around on his plate. "So Andy, I haven't asked, do you have any other family attending Hogwarts?" Scorpius was desparate to change the subject. He also didn't know much about Andy and thought that would be a good topic to change to.
Andy didn't look up at him but still answered, "No, I don't have any siblings or cousins."
"Oh. Me neither. Well, I have a sister, but she can't attend Hogwarts so its just me." Andy finally looked up at him and smiled a little. Scorpius smiled back and went back to eating his breakfast.
*************
"That devils snare root in the corner of the class was really cool. I can't wait for next class. Professor Longbottom is such a nice teacher. He does a great job at explaining things to you and being patient with students. Herbology will for sure be my favorite class here." Aniara was still making notes on her parchement as they left the herbology gardens. She had not expected to like it as much as she did. It was probably because there wasn't going to be a lot of practical elements she couldn't recreate at home in their own greenhouse and gardens. It was a lot of learning about how to take care of plants and what their uses in potions or healing were.
"I'm going to have so many questions for you to ask each class." She chuckled to herself, "Longbottom's going to think you have an incredible interest in herbology." Scorpius internally groaned. Aniara knew how her brother felt about herbology.
"Please don't Ani. Then he is going to take some special interest in me and I would rather just get that class overwith."
"You know I'm just going to bug you until you ask them anyway."
"You are the worst sister."
She stuck her tongue out to her brother and annoyed him more by fluttering her parchement around his head that only they could see.
"You are going to make me dizzy An, stop!" Scorpius mentally yelled at her.
She laughed but stopped the movement of the parchment and they continued on their way to their next class.
"I thought I would be less excited than you for DADA, but you might be starting to scare me with how quiet you are and that grimace on your face, Cori."
Scorpius softened his face and mentally swore at Aniara before he spoke, "It's not that. Sorry, I just really don't fancy herbology. All that memorization and being surrounded by dirt. It's not what I consider to be fun."
"Oh, the rich boy doesn't like getting his hands dirty?" Al teased and did a dramatic bow, "My appologies my lord, I didn't realize I was in the presence of someone so well kept and clean." Scorpius shoved him off and began to walk faster up the stairs away from his friend.
Aniara just laughed behind him as she tried to keep up the same pace.
Once they were in the DADA classroom, Aniara began to prep blank sheets of parchment and situated herself into the empty seat behind the two boys at the far side of the classroom. There were lots of conversations happening around them that were noticibly louder than in previous classes. The excited for their first class with the most famous wizard in the world was beginning to grow by the second as they waited for him to come out of his office. But once the door opened, everyone went quiet in an instant.
Harry Potter made his way down the stairs in a rush as if he hadn't planned to make such a dramatic entrance.
"Sorry students. I got sidetracked by an important floo call. Please have your textbooks open to page 4, and we will begin class shortly."
"Professor, is it true-"
"Hold all questions. I understand many of you have them, and I will answer them in a moment, just please make sure you have quills ready for our first lesson. We will not be doing any practical magic today, that will be saved for next time."
Many hands around the room slowly made their way back down to rest on the table as everyone began doing as their Professor instructed. Aniara quickly moved through the desk to look over her brother's shoulder at his open text book.
"Lets hope no one is as big of a quidditch fan as Dorinda so we can get to our lesson today." She said to him as she began to read.
That had made Scorpius chuckle out loud. When Al questioned it, he simply responded, "Just remembering that girl Dorinda from yesterday. I hope no one here is that big a quidditch fan."
Al chuckled back, "Remind me at the end of class to ask my dad how their conversation yesterday went."
Both boys had to stifle their chuckles as Potter gathered everyone's attention.
"I understand many of you have questions. Everyone always does. So I would like to start by preemptively answering the most common ones I get every year."
The energy in the room shifted to excited anticipation. Aniara even saw a few students physically shift to the edge of their seats.
"For the muggle born students who are not as aware of our world's history as the rest of the class, my name is Harry Potter. You will all refer to me as Professor at school mind you. But about 20 years ago, here in this very school, I defeated one of the worst wizards to ever live. You will learn more about him and the war in your history of magic class and I'm sure there are plenty of books about the subject in the library as well. I did that with the great help from my two best friends, Hermione and Ronald Granger-Weasley. We had been best friends since our first year of Hogwarts after we, yes this is true, took on a mountain troll in the first floor girls bathroom on Halloween."
A few students awed at that information which made Professor Potter smile cheekily, before he sighed for a moment and scrunched up his face a bit.
"Yes, I also became Griffindor's quidditch seeker my first year as well, making me the youngest seeker in a century. I didn't do any special training before hand to achieve this. I was raised by muggles so I was not even aware that I was a wizard until I turned 11. No I don't plan to coach quidditch, I haven't played since my 6th year. Yes, I know I am also married to one of the best chasers in Professonal quidditch. If anyone has any questions about quidditch I ask that you visit me after class to discuss it."
Al and Scorpius tried their best to hold in their laughter at what they knew was the most recently added part of Potter's introduction speech. Aniara didn't need to hide her laughter and jokingly started speaking, "So professor, do you have any tips for students wanting to follow in your footsteps to join their house quidditch teams first year? What drills should we do? Can I meet your wife and get her autograph?"
Her faux questioning made Scorpius audibly laugh for a moment. He tried to hide it with a cough and proceeded to hide his head in his hands at his desk. "If this is how you are going to act while in class I'm going to have to block you out, Bear." Scorpius warned and they turned their attention back to Potter's speech.
"Most of the stories you have heard about my time at Hogwart are true, with some being more exaggerated than others. No I will not tell you where the chamber of secrets is, and its not like anyone can get in as it is only opened by speaking parsoltongue, which I can also no longer do as well as I used to. So unless any of you can talk to snakes, I would consider dropping that particular endevor.
"As for any other secret passageways or room in the castle, I do know where most of them are, and I may be inclined to inform students of their location, within reason," His eyes sparkled mischivously and a few students chuckled at that. "I am the Professor in charge of the dueling club, I am not the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for nothing. No matter the state of the world, I consider it incredibly important for all young wizards to learn how to defend themselves. Just rememeber I am also the Professor in charge of punshments for the missuse of dueling skills. And if you think detentions with me will be a cake walk, I would advise you to ask my children about their childhood punishments. Right Albus?"
Everyone turned their attention to the young wizard as he groaned his frustration at his father before answering, "My dad has learned a few things from my mum, so I don't think you want any detentions from him for duelling other students." Al smiled up at his dad with a sly grin, which made Potter chuckle.
"It appears my son is more afraid of his mother than he is of me. But no matter," he winked in Al's direction before continuing, "Yes, I have done many impressive feats in my life, most of them not by choice. But to you all I am simply Professor Potter. I gave up my job as an Auror for a reason, one I will not be sharing, and yes it does have to do with the large scar on my cheek. But you will find I am much more suited to teaching and I hope you will enjoy my lessons. I did learn from the best. Now, I have alotted some time to answering a few of your questions."
Many students hands shot up, eagar to talk to the famous savior of the wizarding world. Some asked about his favorite DADA teaher, his favorite spell to use, and if he was really close to Dumbledore while at school.
"I wouldn't have named my son after him if I wasn't. He was a great wizard that did a lot for this school and to help me defeat Voldemort so you all could be here today. Yes Mister Higson."
"How do you feel about your son being in Slytherin and friends with the son of Dumbledor's killer?"
The atmosphere in the room changed instantly at the Griffindor student's sneering question. Some students gasped silently while others gave Gregory Higson a shocked look. Aniara didn't watch for other's reactions or to wait to see how Potter would handle this. She had been internally waiting for someone to verbally call out her brother or their family.
"Aniara don't! You are going to give me a headache!" Scorpius said to her, but she didn't listen. She imediatly stalked over to Gregory and let her fist fly. He didn't feel it, neither did she, but simply doing the action of punching him in the face made her feel better. Then she began to yell in his face.
"You disgusting little viper of a person. How dare you! You don't have any idea of what my father did. You aren't even worthy of being in the same room as my brother! If I was here I would hex that stupid crooked nose right off your face!"
"You can't hex anyone, Ani. He's not worth it."
She felt her brother's interanly groan at her insessent yelling, but she didn't stop until she heard Harry's stern voice at the front of the class.
"I will have none of this!" He didn't yell it or raise his voice at the class. He simply spoke in a calm but firm tone that made the hair on Aniara's arm stand up. She stopped her ranting and turned to look at the professor.
Everyone in the classroom held their breath at his words. Potter's demenor had shifted from that of a caring professor to a protective father. Aniara could see what Scorpius had about the man the first few times he had seen him. The newer scar on his cheek, along with the emotions on his face he was trying to reign in, had made him a very indimidating man.
Aniara looked back at her brother. He had slouched down in his seat and was curled in towards himself. His head was turned away from the class in an attempt to hide the emotions on his face. Aniara could feel his shame and sadness, which only made her want to punch Gregory again. She did. It still didn't hurt. Then she started to walk back to her brother to comfort him while Harry Potter continued speaking.
"I have no idea what possessed you to think that was an appropriate question to ask anyone, let alone myself. I will not tolerate such talk or treatment to a fellow student, or anyone for that matter. I raised my children to be kind to others and to tell the right sort of friends from the wrong sort. If my son has chosen to befriend young Mister Malfoy then I trust that is because Scorpius does not share the same beliefs and ideals as his ansestors. As for your misguided question, it seems I may have to postpone my first lesson for another more important one. History."
Aniara reached around behind Scorpius to hug him. She could feel his emotions much more strongly, and a tear fell from her own eyes at his upset. She rested her head on his and rubbed his back as she whispered comforting words to him. Their parents hadn't outright discouraged their emotions, but the twins had been taught how to present themselves to the world and when was the best time to openly show what emotions. Crying infront of their peers after someone had made an ill-informed comment about their family was not such time. Aniara could tell her brother was fighting his tears, "Don't worry Sunshine. I can cry for you." Her tears multiplied at her words and she let them fall without a care. No one could see her afterall. After a second she felt another comforting presence emerge in Scorpius' emotions. She looked down through her tears to find Al gripping her brother's hand in support and comfort. She vowed then that if she ever got the opportunity to meet Al in person, she would hug him and thank him for being such an amazing friend to her brother. She continued to cry as she turned her attention back to Potter as she continued to try and sooth her brother. He didn't turn his attention anywhere, just kept staring at the side wall of the classroom.
Harry Potter continued on to a lecture he obviously hadn't planned to give, "I understand this might be a heavy topic for first year students, but if you think you are mature enough to ask such insulting questions about things you know little about, then you are mature enough to hear the answer those questions. My 6th year here at Hogwarts was my last one. That was the year that my closest mentor, a man I considered a father figure, was killed. It was my darkest year at Hogwarts. If you don't think that is saying much please keep these things in mind. Every other previous year I had faced death. My dearest friends were hurt, and some were later killed infront of my eyes. I faced dark wizards more powerful and decades older than me every year. I faced a giant snake at 12, dementors at 13, a dark wizard and his followers at 14 and 15. I was betrayed by mentors that I trusted and endured torture from people in power.
"But I was luckier than most. I had a family that welcomed me into their home and kept me safe. They showed me love and kindness and their home became a safe haven for me. I had friends around me that I trusted with my life, that would and did put their life on the line for my own. I do not think I would be the wizard I am today without them.
"In my 6th year I was haunted by the fear that at any moment I would lose all of that. That out of no where my family would be taken from me, and that I would be powerless to do anything about it. Only a year before had that already happened. My godfather was killed inside the ministry, right in front of me. Dumbledore was the only other father figure I had at that time. In my 6th year I was given a daunting task. I had to find and uncover a secret that would aid in defeateing Voldemort.
"But I was also suspicious. That whole year I saw another student changing, hiding from those around him and sneaking off. He had been given a task, worse than the one I had been given. I only needed to gain the trust of another person and learn one of their darkest secrets. I didn't have to worry about my family housing an evil wizard. I didn't have to ignore my studies at school to fix an ancient dark relic that would allow Hogwarts to be infultrated. I wasn't given the impossible task of killing one of the most powerful wizards that ever lived.
"Everything I had to face that year I didn't have to face alone. But Mister Malfoy's father had to. He had to do all of that alone. His family was threatened and his home was no longer a safe place for him to return to. I was used to facing torture and death at age 16. A young Draco Malfoy was not. I was there when Dumbledore died. I witnessed it. And I can tell you, with everything I have, that Draco Malfoy didn't kill him. He was forced, against his will, to aid in such a horrible task.
"I hope all of you never have to face the things I went through, the things that Mr. Malfoy's father went through. We were not friends at school, far from it. But I do not blame him for the things he was forced to do at such a young age. I had high expectations placed on me since I started my first year here. These are expectations I do not put on my own children. They are not responsible for holding up any kind of legacy because of the events of my childhood. His father's past does not define the life of Scorpius Malfoy. If I hear of anymore such talk or treatment to him, or any other student here who's parents or grandparents were on the wrong side of history, and who hasn't done anything to warrant such treatement, I will silence it imediatly and heavily punish those involved. Am I clear?"
The classroom was so quiet you could hear a feather drop. A few students began to nod their understanding and shift in their seats uncomfotably. Potter nodded at Gregory Higson and said firmly to him, "20 points from Griffindor."
Aniara looked at Gregory to see his face turn ghostly white before he put his head down on his desk in shame.
Harry Potter looked around at the students for a moment, taking in the fact that everyone had heard and understood him, before taking out an old pocket watch and examining the time. He sighed quiety and bit his lip in thought before speaking again in a softer and nicer voice, "Seeing as how my little history lesson is a lot to take in, I am going to dismiss everyone early. Please take the time to spend with your friends and to relax before the rest of your day. Please stay out of trouble everyone."
No body moved for a moment, shocked at the turn of events in the class. But after a few beats everyone began to slowly pack up their things and make their way out of the classroom, everyone but Al and Scorpius.
Scorpius hadn't moved a muscle the whole time. He just stared at the wall. Aniara wiped her tears but continued to hug her brother. After a second Al began to pack up their things but didn't try to get Scorpius to talk. He just let him be.
Once the classroom was empty, aside from Harry, Al, and Scorpius, Harry made his way over to the two boys.
"I'm sorry," He said softly, letting the tension in the air ease up a bit with his words. Aniara looked up at him and wished she could thank the man. She hand't expected him to stand up for her family like he did. She hadn't expected him to treat Scorpius with such care and respect. She wanted to give him a hug.
At his words, Scorpius finally spoke, "Its alright professor. I am used to rude things being said about my family." His voice broke a bit at his words but he didn't let any tears slip from his eyes. She saw him hold a brave face, but still didn't look at anyone.
"It's not ok Ned." She sent to him mentally, worried that if she spoke it aloud she would yell the words at him.
He didn't respond to her.
"Its never ok Cor. Like my dad says, you didn't do anything to deserve people saying those things about you."
"Has someone else said things like that?" Potter asked in shock.
Scorpius shook his head but Al ignored him and answered, "Yeah. Some other kid called him a name at breakfast."
"They weren't wrong," Scorpius said back, still not looking at either of them, "My dad was a death eater, that makes me a Death Eater Spawn."
Aniara and Harry gasped at his words, "They said it to your face? Who said it? I will make them eat their words."
Harry unknowingly spoke at the same time as her, "Who spoke to you like that?"
"I don't know, and it doesn't matter anyway. I've heard it all before. Death Easter's son, traitor's kid, murderers bastard-"
Aniara groaned as Al quickly cut him off, "Some older Griffindor kid, little older than James. And Scorpius, stop!" Al reached for his arm and gripped it tight, "No one has the right to treat my best friend that way. Dad, you can punish me all you want, but if anyone ever says any of this shit to him again, I'm fighting them. I'll use my hands if I must."
Even though he couldn't feel it, Aniara clapped Al on the back in agreement and thanks. Potter knelt down next to his son and smiled, "I guess I will just have to leave the sweets drawer unlocked during your detenitons."
Scorpius got up suddenly, not bothering to grab his stuff and made his way towards the entrance of the classroom. Aniara quickly followed after him and got in his way, "Hold up, where are you going?"
"Lunch." He sent to her and continued walking, passing right through her. She could feel his frustration and the fact he was still holding back tears.
"Cori? Where are you going? Your stuff." Al sighed gruffly. Aniara heard him thank his dad before he ran after Scorpius. He caught up quickly and grabbed his arm to stop him. Scorpius stopped but didn't turn around.
"You don't have to fight anyone Albus. I can handle-"
"Just try and stop me!"
Aniara reached for his other arm and grabbed him comfortingly.
"Don't push us away Ned."
Scorpius sighed and turned around to face Al and Aniara. "Thanks Albus. I'm glad you have my back."
The two boys smiled at each other as Scorpius grabbed his things from Al and they made their way to the great hall. Aniara, however, could feel Scorpius' lie. She could tell that his words were only meant to appease Al. She could see her brother was tired from his overwhelming emotions and just wanted to forget the whole thing.