Punishment and Salvation

Published: July 27, 2025

Harry was fuming and sulking as he finalized reports that had nothing to do with him. Robards intended to bury him under a mountain of paperwork, but he left at lunch anyway and Apparated to Andy's house.

"Is he awake?" Harry asked when he walked in the front door.

"Not yet. He's been stirring. I put him into the guest room after you left. Teddy is still at Molly's for a few hours. How did it go?"

Harry reapplied the Silencing ward, just in case. "Bad for Malfoy. Robards wants his head on a platter. My intervention with the boy only made it worse for him. They already interrogated Draco with Veritaserum and denied me access to him."

"But... they can't interrogate people like that!" she gasped.

"But they do," Harry lamented. "I've been vocal about it since day one. Robards hates me and packed me into the Death Eater task force, chasing ghosts and tips. They keep me out of the office, and if I catch anyone, I'm taken off the case. Robards is a power-hungry bastard."

"Oh, Harry," Aunt Andy said.

"I don't have proof, really. Ron... Ron might. He wants to do it... but he supports the mission. He chose Robards today," Harry said, sadly.

"I'm sorry, honey."

Harry nodded and hugged her. However, they heard a soft "Papa?" from the guest room.

Harry lowered the Muffliato Charm and opened the door. The room was bright from the sun through the curtains, and the child was looking around, confused. He sat up and looked at Harry when he came in the door. Aunt Andy followed him in. Harry stepped to the front of the bed, trying not to scare him.

"Hello, young man," he said, gently.

The child recognized the greeting and mumbled with a slight nod. "Hello, sir... umm... where's my Papa?"

Harry's heart melted, unsure of what to say but determined not to frighten him. "Your Papa can't be here right now. He asked me to take care of you until he can return."

The boy's green eyes widened and welled up with tears. "Where is he? Où est mon père?" he cried.

"Non, mon enfant... ton père travaille. Il ne peut pas venir," Aunt Andy responded in obvious French.

"Parlez-vous français, Madame?" the child asked.

"Oui, je suis ta tante, ta Tante Andy," she replied, gently.

"Ma tante?" he said, wiping his eyes. "Papa... il n'a jamais...."

Thankfully, she switched to English, seeing Harry's confusion. "I have never spoken to your Papa, child. We were not close, but you are my nephew. You are my family, and you will be safe here until your Papa comes to get you."

The boy nodded. "How-how long? When? Please... Tante Andy!"

She looked to Harry. He met the boy's eyes again and realized he didn't know his name. "What is your name?" Harry asked, gently.

"Je m'appelle S-Scorpius, monsieur..." he started, but then blinked and switched to English-French mix. "But mon père...my Papa, he likes to call me Scorp."

"It's nice to meet you, Scorpius. Do you remember me from last night?" Harry asked.

"Mr. Potter?" he guessed.

"You're a smart kid. Do you remember what your Papa said?"

Scorpius bit his lip nervously. "He said... to listen to you?"

Harry nodded. "Because he knew he might be gone for a long time. He wants to be here, but he can't until he works things out."

Scorpius's eyes filled with tears again. "Mon père!" he wailed.

"I'm sorry, Scorpius. He can't be here... I'm sorry."

Scorpius flung himself into his pillow. "Papa! Papa! S'il vous plait, monsieur!"

Harry was crying, too. Damn, the pain broke his heart hearing the small boy in so much distress. He came closer and tried to console him. The child got up and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Je veux mon père!" he cried into his chest.

Harry hugged him tightly. He could guess what Scorpius was asking. "Shh... one day... okay?" I hope was on his lips.

Aunt Andy gave him a few minutes but then asked, "Scorpius, how would you like something to eat? You've been asleep all morning."

Scorpius let go to look at her. "But my Papa said that I can't take food from strangers!"

Harry nodded. "And your Papa was right, but you are in my care, like your Papa said. And this is your aunt. We might not know each other yet, but we are going to stay here for a while, okay? So, it's okay to eat here."

Scorpius nodded and Aunt Andy smiled. "Would you like a toastie and some milk, Scorpius?"

His eyes lit up. "Oui, merci, Tante Andy!"

"That sounded like a win," she said. "Harry, I mean Mr. Potter, can show you the house. He doesn't speak French, though, mon enfant."

"House? You have a house?" he exclaimed, and Harry's heart felt that one.

"Yes, Scorpius. This is going to be your home until your father returns," Aunt Andy said, her eyes wet with tears. "Maybe your Papa will want to stay here as well. Please consider this your home as well."

Scorpius's eyes widened, and he turned to Harry for verification. "My home? I never had a home before," he whispered. "Papa told me stories about his house, where he had his own bed and a bathroom with hot water!"

Harry was finding it hard to breathe as he heard the wonderment in Scorpius's voice about the simplest of luxuries... hot water... a bathroom... and a bed. He shared a look with Aunt Andy.

Aunt Andy gestured to the guest room. "This room... this is your room and yours alone, young man," she declared, admiring the look of astonishment on Scorpius's face as he looked inside. "I'll go get lunch going."

Scorpius turned to Harry after she went to the kitchen. "Where will Papa sleep?"

"We can find a room for him, okay? Don't worry. You will never be forced to leave, just know that, and neither will your Papa. Come on, I'll show you the bathroom and other rooms."

"There are more rooms!" he exclaimed, taking Harry's hand.

The next ten minutes were filled with oohs and ahhs as Scorpius took in the wonders of the beds, dressers and bookshelves of the house. Scorpius's eyes went wide when he looked out the front patio. Aunt Andy had a lovely country cottage tucked between two large farms. There were hills, trees and streams.

"Look at all the green! Just like the park!" Scorp exclaimed, and Harry let him run around the lawn until Aunt Andy brought out a plate and cup for him. She had cut up some fresh veggies for him, too. Teddy had notoriously hated veggies.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Scorpius, but please come eat," she said, setting it down on the outside table.

"Oui, Tante Andy. Merci!" he said, coming over and frowning. He looked at them, uncertainly.

Harry thought he was going to argue, but he said, "All this is mine? Are we sharing?"

Aunt Andy clenched her chest like it physically hurt her. It hurt Harry, too.

"Yes, child. This is all yours," she told him.

"What about Papa?" the five-year-old asked.

Harry controlled his reaction and said, "He'll eat on his own. Dig in."

Scorpius plowed through his food, clearing his plate. Harry was glad he did. He looked so small and thin, though not too thin. Malfoy had obviously ensured his son received the larger helpings. Scorpius thanked them both when he was done. He really was a kind, sweet kid. Harry led him over to the garden, and Scorpius proudly told him what all the plants were, muggle or magic. Both Harry and Aunt Andy were amazed at his knowledge.

"Papa taught me all about them! This is a bowtrinkle! Wow!" Scorpius pointed at the small creature that Harry hadn't noticed.

After the garden tour, Aunt Andy said to come inside out of the sun. Scorpius looked at all the books in the den. He pointed to a few and said that he read that one. The boy could read easily, was very well-educated and apparently bilingual. Scorpius said his Papa had hundreds of books.

"Scorpius, why don't you pick out a book for us to read together. Har-Mr. Potter has to go back to work," Aunt Andy said.

"D'accord ma tante," he said, and looked at bookshelves trying to decide. Harry put up the Muffliato again.

Andy looked at Harry, and whispered, "Harry... he's Teddy's age?"

"Yes, maybe a few weeks older."

"He's very intelligent. Draco must have spent a lot of time with him. He's so polite... patient, too. He even ate everything without a complaint. It's so sad to think that he's happy and sweet having so little."

Harry's heart froze. He remembered where the young child and his poor father were living. Who knows how long they lived with all those squatters with no water, heat or security. Sure, Malfoy had magic, but he didn't use it in front of the muggles. Scorpius grew up in squalor and filth.

"I don't know if MCAPS will do an interview. It'll probably happen if Robards pushes it. But I need to get back. I'll be back in time for dinner, and to help Teddy and him meet.

"They'll get on great, don't worry," she said.

"Aunt Andy... I have to ask... it's okay that he stays here, right? I mean... it might be permanent. I don't know what will happen with his case. Molly might...."

"It is completely fine if it's forever, Harry," she said, a little heated. "Don't think that I'd ever turn him or his father out-of-doors! But I'm not blind to the fact that I can raise two young boys alone. Harry, will you consider... moving in, too?"

Harry smiled. "I would love to... if that's alright. Grimmauld is well... grim. I'd love to be closer to the boys."

"I wasn't thinking... when I said he could have his own room...."

"No. I will take the couch, Aunt Andy. I've slept on worse. It'll be fine. He needs time to adjust and enjoy his freedom. I need to get back and see if anything happened. Nat is there."

"Okay, Harry, make sure you say goodbye. I'm sure he's scared and nervous."

Harry nodded. "I wish I had answers for him. Draco could go to prison for a long time."

She grimaced. "Let's pray that doesn't happen."

Harry dropped the wards and walked over to Scorpius, who held up a book on dragon breeds. Well, he was Malfoy's son, after all.

"I think you will love it. Listen, I have to go to work, but I'll be back in a few hours, okay?"

"Okay, Mr. Potter. When Papa had to leave for work, too. I stayed with Madam Jenna."

"And now, Aunt Andy will be here for you, Scorpius."

"D'accord. Will you see Papa?" he asked.

"I'll try, but I... he's very busy right now," he lied, not knowing what to say. Draco could also be released. There was no sense in worrying the boy more. "But remember, your Papa loves you very much," Harry said, and he knew that to be true.

Scorpius smiled and stood up straight. "Thank you, Mr. Potter!"

"You can call me Harry," he mumbled.

"But Papa said that you should always address adults with a title!" he insisted, fervently.

Aunt Andy laughed. "Well, he's not wrong, Harry."

"We'll talk about it later," he sighed.

He wanted no part in being called Mr. Potter. He ruffled up Scorpius's hair, which the kid giggled at. He still couldn't get over how Draco raised such a little angel. He went outside and Apparated back to work.

Am I evil for putting cute child fic stuff in the middle of torture and misery?

Today's 온라인카지노게임 recommendation:

Friendly Competition by JayseHasNoGrace

Harry comes to teach Defense at Hogwarts and immediately starts competing with Potions Master Draco Malfoy to be the best teacher. Their students decide to elevate the game by trying to get them together and spying on them, who grow frustrated with their inference. 

Also on Ao3 under same name