Chapter 12
The First of Two
Draco leaned back in his chair and stared out the window at the night sky. The sound of his office door opening drew his attention away from the window to see his son entering the room. "What are you doing out here so late?"
"Writing Grandmum."
"To tell her you're letting Sere go to your old school?"
Draco nodded.
Isaac smiled. "Grandmum is going to be excited. Are we all going or do I have to be back to school before Sere does?"
Draco sat up and pulled the calendar out of the left drawer. He flipped the pages to the September entries. "You don't have to be at school till the tenth of September. Sere's train to Hogwarts leaves London on the first. That gives you more than enough time to go with us. I would prefer that you do. Your mother would prefer it if for no other reason than your schooling will require we return home to see you off."
His son smiled. "Good cause I want to see the manor."
"That is a certainty. I've requested that we stay with your grandmother at the Manor for the extent of our stay. I don't want your mother to feel pressured to be anywhere. At least there the inevitable press from our return will be forced to stay nearly a kilometer from the main house. The wards won't allow them any closer."
Isaac gave his father a weary look. "You're more concerned about that dream than you said earlier aren't you?"
"No. I know what caused that. I have no doubt she'll experience more than a few over the next few months. This whole experience, going back to Britain, seeing people we haven't seen since we were teens, and Serenity going to Hogwarts is going to dredge up memories that will cause them to become frequent again I fear. But those we know how to deal with. A few calming draughts and dreamless sleep draughts and your mother will be healthy as ever."
"Then why are you so worried about going back. I can see it you know. You don't have to say it. Something has you worried. You've got that look like you had right before I left for school, only ten times worse."
Draco stood up and began pacing the length of the room. "You know just about everything there is to know about our lives before we came to live here. You know about the war and the blood feud that divided your mother and me. What you weren't told and what the girls haven't been told is why we left."
"Well that's pretty obvious. You were supposed to be enemies. No one would have understood. I have done the math. I do know Mum was pregnant with me when you moved here. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you moved here because of me."
Draco moved to stand in front of his son. Isaac was his mirror image at sixteen. Same shaggy blond hair cut short, same nearly grey eyes, same chiseled features. One more in a line of men that all carried the same defining looks. "You really are the smart one aren't you? Yes she was pregnant with you. We left Britain to keep you safe and so we could be together. And a certain member of your mother's family found out about you. He was none to happy to find out I was the father of her baby. He said some things that scared your mother and me. So when your mum asked to leave Britain, I talked to Grandmum and she sent us here."
"So it's Mum's family you're worried about. You think someone might do something bad to their own family?"
Draco took a deep breath. "Most of them wouldn't. Most would pull Gin and you kids into the family without a second thought. But the youngest of her six brothers, Ron, might. He's got a temper that puts your mum's to shame. I know that I would deserve some of what is coming to me from him, but your mum and you kids don't. He wouldn't see it that way. Ron saw Ginny as betraying their family for being with me. He likely won't even give you a chance before he claims you're the spawn of Satan."
"Did you say six brothers? Mum has six brothers?"
"Yes. Ron is the youngest; he was in my grade at school, a year ahead of Gin. Fred and George are twins, Percy who also wasn't talking to the family when we were last there, Charlie and Bill; though I think his real name might be William. You'll have to ask your mum."
"And her parents?"
"Molly and Arthur. Molly is just barely taller than your mum if I remember correctly and was a piece of work if your mum's stories are to be believed. Her dad is the new minister of magic according to Severus. They were good people. Members of the Order of the Phoenix and very friendly even if they are poor."
"If they were such good people why didn't you tell them Mum was pregnant? Surely they wouldn't have done anything to upset Mum would they?"
Draco sat back down and hung his head. "I don't know, probably not truthfully. I know what my father always told me about her family. But I've known for a very long time that everything he said about them was lies meant to keep me in line. Lies meant to keep me on the side of the Dark Lord. Personally what I know of your mum's family outside of Ronald could fit in a thimble."
Isaac nodded his head and changed the subject realizing the end of a topic when he heard it. "So you think Grandmum will have a problem with us staying with her at the manor?"
Draco laughed. "No. In fact if I know my mother, and I do, she'll be on a spree the moment she reads this letter. Every nook and cranny of that dark manor will be cleaned from top to bottom. Rooms that haven't seen sunlight in years will be aired out. The floors will be waxed, the furniture cleaned, the silver polished, and if she's really in a mood she might out right decide to redecorate half the manor so you kids will like it better. She tends to be a bit whimsical from time to time. This will defiantly inspire one of her redecorating extravaganzas."
"Sounds expensive."
"Oh it is. But don't worry she's got more than enough funds to do whatever she wanted to that manor twelve times every year for the rest of her life."
"Yeah I know. Old money, one generation after the next of stuffy old coots investing the family funds in the right pots making more money. I got it. So when are we leaving?"
Draco couldn't resist a laugh at his son's rather accurate description of the family fortune. "That will be up to your mother. I do believe she told Sere a week before the train leaves. I was rather hoping we might spend two weeks there instead of just one. But I haven't been able to speak to your mum about that yet."
"I hope she says yes. There are lots of places that you both have talked about over the years that I want to get to see. I don't think a week would nearly be long enough to see everything."
Draco smiled. "I'm sure you're right. I have my own list of places I would like to return to as well as a few places that your mother spoke highly of that I would like to see. No doubt your mother and sisters have similar lists."
"Sere doesn't. The only thing she's going to want to see she's getting."
"She has been going on rather nonstop all day about going to Hogwarts hasn't she?"
"At least since I got home yeah."
"Speaking of, are you going back to finish you vacation with your friend?"
"Nah. I told him it was a family emergency. If I showed back up it would be a bit odd."
"A bit probably." Draco glanced at the clock over the mantel. "It's getting late. You've had a long day with traveling back home and all the excitement around here. You should probably get inside. I need to finish this letter to your grandmother."
"Yeah I should. Night Dad."
"Night Isaac." The boy moved to leave the room. "Isaac."
"Yeah Dad?"
"I love you."
"Love you too, Dad. Night." Isaac left Draco's office, quietly pulling the door closed behind him.
Draco pulled his chair up to his desk before pulling a fountain pen and finely crafted stationary from the drawer.
Dear Mother,
Depending on how fast my godfather is in relating the past few days events to you, you may or may not already know what I am about to tell you.
As I'm sure Ginny has already informed you, Serenity has been receiving invitations from magical schools all over Europe. She's even received a couple from notable schools in the Americas as well. Two days ago she received the letter than I have both feared and hoped for. She received a letter from Hogwarts, hand delivered by the Headmistress herself. For a reason I don't know Uncle Severus arrived with Professor McGonagall.
After some catching up and informing, both Severus and the Headmistress joined us for dinner and at Ginny's request spent the night and most of the following day with us. Both were able to see for themselves just how talented the girls are. Uncle Severus got to meet Isaac, but not view his magical abilities since Isaac arrived home only hours before Severus departed.
Ginny has agreed to allow Serenity to attend Hogwarts. A fact that I know you will be pleased with. Serenity is very pleased herself, I must admit.
In preparation for Sere taking the train from King's Cross we will need to return to Britain prior to September First. Ginny has promised the kids at least a week prior to the first to spend sight seeing and visiting with family. I am rather hoping that she will agree to two weeks.
I would prefer to return home to the manor for the duration of this trip if that is convenient for you. I understand if this will not be workable for you and would request that you let me know if that would be the case so I may make preparations for my family and I to secure lodging somewhere in London instead.
Your Son,
Dragon
Draco read through the letter multiple times before deciding it was wordy enough to fit his mother's ideals of a proper letter but not so much so that it made him look like he was rambling on. Folding the letter he placed the letter in an envelope before addressing and sealing it.
Letter in hand, Draco set the room right and turned off the lamp before heading back to the house. He let the clear sky and the warm summer night air relax him before he headed in for the night.
-->