Chapter 11

                                        

                                              
Published: August 6, 2025

When dinner was ready, he woke Aunt Andy first, and then yelled for the boys to come in.
Teddy bolted in through the door, out of breath, and announced, "We found a garden gnome!" Scorpius followed, smiling.
"That's great, boys. Why don't you both go wash your hands?" Harry said.
Scorpius looked at him, confused.
"I'll show you!" Teddy declared and led him to the washroom. 
When they came back, Scorpius was staring at his now-clean hands. "Papa always used magic," he explained. 
Harry came over and knelt down. "It's good that your Papa took care of you, and it was the best way he could have. I will always help you, and so will Teddy and Aunt Andy. But it's also important that you do things on your own, too, so in this case, washing your hands in the sink. If you don't know how to do something, you can always ask for help."
Scorpius frowned. "So... why can't I clean them, then?"
"You... can?" Harry asked, surprised. Scorp was only 5.
"Lavaro," Scorpius said. The spell activated, removing any dirt that he had missed.
Harry and Aunt Andy stared at him in shock. "Scorp... have you done that before?" Harry asked.
"Lavaro? My Papa let me do it sometimes, but only when he was there. No one else can see it. Usually, Papa needed to be there anyway... though. For the magic to work..." he said, quietly.
Harry glanced at Aunt Andy and back to Scorp. "Scorpius... your Papa was doing everything he could to keep you safe and protected. He couldn't ask anyone for help, and you... well... Scorpius... children aren't supposed to use magic until they are older, and especially not around nonmagical people, you understand?"
"No... why can't I do magic? Papa told me that magic made me. It's in me, and though we hide it, it's the most amazing thing we have. Magic is a gift and we have to learn it and respect it," the five-year-old child declared, fervently.
Harry smiled at his words. "You are not wrong. It is a gift, and it takes time and practice to use it properly. But magic can be dangerous if you cast the wrong spell, and you could hurt someone. Children are not supposed to cast magic outside of school until they are 17, an adult."
Scorpius frowned. "But aren't we magical?"
"We are. But rules and laws say that you can't cast spells until you are older."
Aunt Andy cleared her throat. "I think your... umm... muggle upbringing is showing, Harry." 
He looked at her, confused. "What?"
"Magical homes shield the Trace. Wizards and witches have been teaching their children to cast outside of school since the dawn of time. The Trace activates when you're outside of a warded home or you use magic on a muggle."
Harry blinked, baffled. "Oh... I... right. That might be true, to an extent."
"Some people take the law literally, but homeschooling is allowed. But Scorpius, we do not want you using magic outside of lessons, okay?" she said, and Scorpius nodded.
"Alright then, let's eat," Harry said, trying to clear the air.
"Okay!" Scorp said and looked over his eyes, which widened at the sight of the food-laden table. "All this is for us?" 
Harry could see that Scorpius wasn't starved, but he was skinny. He hadn't been well-fed. Now Harry was concerned whether or not Scorpius had food insecurity, as he had made a similar comment at lunch.