Chapter 4
"Mr. Potter?"
"Yes Scorpius?"
"My father will be a bit late today and my grandmother can't pick me up, is it okay if I wait here?"
"Of course you can! You can chat with Albus while we wait for him."
"Thank you Mr. Potter, sorry to trouble you."
"It's no trouble at all."
This was two days after I went over to Malfoys house. Yesterday, he also ran fifteen minutes late into picking Scorpius up. At first I was thinking he could just be putting off seeing me, then I realized how ridiculous I sounded. He wants what's best for Scorpius and I want what's best for Albus. If that means being friends with my childhood enemy who I've also almost killed before, it's worth it.
"Okay everybody, I hope you're ready because today we will be learning about Severus Snape."
Nobody raised their hand or interjected so I took that as an opportunity to carry on.
"I always knew him as my professor, I was not particularly fond of him while I was in school but soon, I realized he was a good man who made sure to look out for me. He taught me Defense Against the Dark arts, potions, and he also taught me how to keep Voldemort out of my head. He was also the head of slytherin house.
"He had what you would call a double life. He worked with the death eaters and when he had enough information he went to the Order and told them what the death eaters were planning."
"Yes, Cerelia?" I said to the girl who had two adorable braids in her hair.
"My father told me one day, Sevus Snape hit your best friend in the head with a piece of paper. It was a very funny story, Mr Potter!"
Harry chuckled at the pronunciation of Severus, "Yes, my best friend Ron, who we will learn about another day, got bonked in the head by Severus in a class."
The class erupted in laughter, which made Harry laugh because it was a glorious sound. He looked around and saw Rose laughing harder than the rest. He also saw Albus hunched over, gripping onto Scorpius' arm as Scorpius laughed. Harry smiled fondly at the whole class and would give anything to go back to this time, but instead of being The Chosen One, he could just be Harry Potter with all of his friends like this. Seeing Albus laughing the way he is with Scorpius makes him feel something he doesn't think he's ever felt. It makes his heart hurt.
"Okay! I'm going to pass around this photo I have of Severus, hold onto it, no more than five minutes, then pass it to your neighbor. If you don't think you had enough time to look at the photo, I will have it up here."
Harry watched his students faces as they passed the photo. Things like 'he's creepy' being muttered by each student. Snape was probably sneering down at the sight and Harry smiled at that.
Harry made the class go around and say one thing they would say, or ask to Severus if he was here. Harry loved doing that because he believed that they were all watching over him, happy about what he's become. Even Severus.
"I would tell him thank you for what he's done, even if he was with the bad guys he still helped the good guys."
"I would ask him about defense against the dark arts."
"I would ask if he preferred teaching potions, or Defense Against the Dark arts more."
Deep down, Harry knew the answer to that question.
"I think that I would try and get him to put on a different color." Cerelia said.
"I will ask him about my father and why he hit his head!” Rose said, trying to contain her giggles.
“I would thank him for giving me my name and for saving you.” Albus said, smiling up at Harry. Harry smiled back and winked at his son. He loved him so much.
“I would ask him about his time at Hogwarts and I would also thank him for loving my dad the way he did.”
Harry loved when it was Scorpius’ turn, he really took time to really think and he always saw the good in every single person.
“Thank you everyone, your answers were lovely. Tomorrow is our first Friday together then it’s the weekend! I hope you guys are as excited as I am.”
Harry smiled as the class yelled things like ‘yes!’ Or ‘we are’. He went to sit behind his desk and waited for the first parent to come. He opened his laptop and let the children talk in the background. He saw an email to him titled,
‘As parents we will not tolerate this.’
But before he could read it he heard the first yell, signaling him that parents were beginning to arrive.
One by one, children were getting picked up. Harry waited by the door and said goodbye to each of them, nodding at their parents with polite smiles. Nothing had been out of the ordinary until Bryon McLaggen’s father, Cormac came to pick him up. There was no polite smile from him, instead Harry got a sneer. Cormac looked around the room and it made Harry feel uneasy. He followed Cormac’s eyes and they landed on Scorpius. His stomach dropped. Cormac chuckled with a nasty look in his eyes. “See you around, Mr Potter.”
Harry couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling he was feeling. He waited impatiently for Malfoy, just to tell him about the encounter. There were only Albus, Scorpius, Cerelia, and Rose left.
“Hey mate.” Harry’s head snapped up at the familiar voice.
“Hey Ron.”
Rose stood up from her seat and skipped over to Ron with Cerelia. “Dad, this is my friend Cerelia, the one I was talking to you about! Can you set up a play date with her father?”
Ron smiled down at the girl in front of him. “Nice to meet you Cerelia. Sure, I’m sure we can plan something out. Who’s your father? Maybe I know him.”
Suddenly there was the sound of a voice being cleared from behind Ron, when he turned around Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson standing in the doorway. “Daddy! Mommy!”
The only facial expression on Ron’s face was shocked. “Hello Ronald, surprised to see us?” Pansy said, wiggling her eyebrows. She let Blaise and Ron have a conversation and walked over to Harry with a smile on her face. “Hey Harry. Cerelia absolutely adores you, she could talk about you for hours. Thank you for being so good with her, since..” she trailed off, her face suddenly becoming guilty as she looked at Harry.
“Pansy, I’ve forgiven you a long time ago. I don’t even think I was angry with you in the first place. I hope you don’t hold it against yourself.”
Pansy gave him a sad smile and shrugged a bit, “I think about it everyday. I know you said you’ve forgiven me but even so, I’m very sorry.”
“Thank you Pansy, it’s okay.” Harry just nodded at her and gave her his most reassuring smile he could.
“Aunt Pansy!” Both of their heads snapped towards the running Scorpius with Albus slowly trailing behind him. Pansy moved quick enough to sweep him off his feet and onto her hip. “Hello Scorp darling. Where is your father?” She asked, brushing a few stray hairs out of the boys face. “He’s going to be running a bit late today. But it’s okay I’m with my best friend, Albus. He came over my house with Mr Potter and we had dinner together!”
“Oh, did you now?” Pansy turned to look at Harry with a knowing smirk, wiggling her eyebrows for the second time that day.
“It’s not like that Pansy.” He said, feeling a bit disappointed but he didn’t know at what.
“And this must be Albus?” She bent down to the boy looking at her with curious eyes. “You are very beautiful, ma’am.” Albus said, not forgetting his manners.
“Why thank you, you are very handsome yourself.” Pansy ruffled his already messy hair and his face went red. Harry just laughed at his son. “He’s so adorable Potter.” Pansy said, putting down Scorpius and standing up.
Harry looking over at Ron, they were talking about quidditch while the two girls were making up a dance.
“Wow, what have I just walked into?”
Draco was standing at the door, not believing what he was seeing. Harry and Pansy laughing with Albus and Scorpius. Blaise and Ron joking about quidditch while their two daughters danced.
“Papa!” Scorpius screamed and ran to Draco. He quickly got down on one knee and held his arms out for Scorpius to crash into his chest. Harry was the only one who saw the way Draco winced when Scorpius made contact with him.
“Hello, my star.” Draco placed a bunch of kisses on his son’s head, causing him to giggle loudly, trying to pull away from his father.
Draco picked Scorpius up with him and took a look around the room. He nodded at Ron and smiled at him a bit. “I see you’re replacing me Blaise.”
“So what if I am?”
“Whatever.”
“It’s nice to see you Mal- Draco.”
“Likewise Ronald. How’s Hermione?”
“She’s good, Hugo has both of us up all night but I’m afraid she’s not getting enough sleep.”
Draco nods sympathetically. “Not sure if you would be willing to but I’m available if you need me to watch him for an afternoon.”
Ron looked shocked and thought for a moment before a content smile rested on his lips. “That would truly be wonderful. Thank you. We can discuss it more later, I have to run home and start on dinner. Harry, don’t forget about Sunday.”
“I wouldn’t dare forget mate.” Harry said.
“Let’s go Rosie.” Ron held out his hand for Rose who was giving Cerelia one last hug before taking his hand. Everyone was smiling at the sight. Ron and Rose walked out.
Draco walked up to Pansy and the two hugged, Draco kissing her onto of her head. “It’s been way too long, darling.” Pansy said. “Let’s meet up Sunday at our usual place.”
“That sounds lovely but I have nobody to watch Scorpius.” Draco sighed.
“I can go with you papa!” Scorpius yelled at squirmed in his father’s arms, Draco wincing at the volume.
“You aren’t allowed there, angel. It’s for grown ups.”
Harry watched Draco, his stomach jumping watching the gentle way he looked and spoke to Scorpius. Even though he was not a child, he wished somebody would speak that softy with him.
“I can watch him.” Harry had said it before he even realized it came out. The adults all looked at him with shocked faces. “Don’t be ridiculous, you heard Ronald about Sunday.”
“We’re going over to Mollys for Sunday dinner, I can take the boys and if you wanted I could even take Cerelia over to play with Rose.” Harry paused for a bit but continued before Draco could speak. “Molly loves children there, there hasn’t been much liveliness there for awhile.”
Draco looked like he was seriously contemplating it, “Fine, but speak to Ronald about it first and make sure it’s really okay.” Harry just nodded with a stupid smile on his face. “Don’t look at me like that Pot- Harry.” He cleared his throat. Harry’s smile just got wider.
“It’s a plan then, it’s a play date on Sunday!” All of the children in the room screamed which was ear piercing.
“Did you give our children sugar?”
“No I did not.”
After a few more minutes of chatting, The Zabini family left and it was just the four of them. “I need to speak with you.” Harry looked at Draco, his face suddenly serious. Draco put his boy down and kissed the top of his head. “Boys, go play in the back.” They didn’t even question it and they both ran hand in hand to the back, sitting side by side on the desks.
“What is it? Has Scorpius done something? If so, I’m very sorry-”
“No, Draco he hasn’t done anything, he’s a sweetheart.”
“What is it then?” Draco asked anxiously.
“Do you remember Cormac McLaggen from school?”
Draco tensed up.
“Why? What has he done? Did he do anything to Scorpius? Did he do anything to you?”
“No! Draco calm down.” Harry placed a hand on Draco’s shoulder, trying to ignore the way his heart sped up at Draco being worried for him.
“He just came in today and he was acting really weird, he looked at Scorpius and sort of sneered but then he laughed. But it all just made me extremely uncomfortable.” Harry paused for a bit and watched Draco, hoping he doesn’t cross a line by asking his next question. “Has he done anything to you?”
“No.” Draco said with a shakey breath.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m positive, Potter.”
“And you’ll come to me if he does anything?”
“Of course, Potter.”