The Secret Riddle {Wattys2017}

24: Nineteen Years Later

~ Madeline Riddle (Malfoy) ~

For the first full year after the war, the European Wizarding World was in a state of total and complete chaos. Giving Draco and I the perfect opportunity to escape to America. We brought Lucius, Narcissa, and Mum to America with us so they wouldn't be captured by the Minsitry of Magic. Draco and I's backup plan if Daddy lost the war was to escape to America anyways. As far as the European Wizarding World knows, The Malfoy's and The Riddles are dead.

After we arrived in America and moved to Virginia, where we got married. We live in a modest manor in the countryside with our kids and Mum. She helps a lot with the kids since both Draco and I work high-level jobs at M.A.C.U.S.A, the American version of the Ministry of Magic. Lucius and Narcissa live close by and they also help with the kids as much as they can.

Today Draco and I's third child is leaving for their first year at the American Wizarding school, Illvermorny. In total we have six children together. Draco wants another child but six children is my limit.

Laura and Landon are the oldest at age fifteen. Scorpius is the third oldest at age eleven. Angelina is the fourth oldest at age nine. Clay is the second youngest at age seven. And Claire is the youngest at age five.

"MOMMY! Wake up!" A child yells.

I bolt up into a sitting position, instantly awake. I rub any remaining sleep out of my eyes and look for the source of the voice. My eyes land on Claire, who's standing in my doorway.

Claire has curly platinum blonde hair and stormy grey eyes, just like her father. She's wearing a baby blue sundress that Mum probably helped her pick out. Claire, Clay, Scorpius, and Landon all look more like Draco than they look like me. They all have platinum blonde hair and grey or light blue eyes Laura and Angelina look more like me than Draco. They both have curly dirty blonde or light brown hair and emerald green eyes.

"I'm up, sweetie. I'll be down for breakfast in a minute, okay?" I ask with a smile on my face.

Claire nods before leaving the doorway. I turn to face my husband. How did he sleep through Claire shouting? He's usually a lighter sleeper than I am. I lightly shake him by the shoulder. He stirs under my hand and rolls over to face me. He slowly opens his eyes.

"Morning, Maddy" He says, his voice still scruffy from sleep.

"Morning, honey. It's time to get up and get ready" I said.

Draco before slowly sitting up. I climb out of bed and walk into our shared closet. I grab a white knee-length sundress and stringy golden sandals. I put a concealment charm over the Dark Mark that still resides in my arm. The kids don't need to know that I was a Death Eater and that Voldemort was my father. They don't know what my surname was before I married Draco. I quickly finish changing before going downstairs.

I walk into the dining room and all of the kids are already sitting at their spots. Laura, Landon, and Scorpius are talking about Illvermorny. Angelina, Clay, and Claire are talking about Quidditch and American football.

The house elves set up a traditional breakfast spread on the table; pancakes, waffles, bagels, bacon, eggs, sausage, and hash browns. There's a carton of apple juice and a carton of orange juice in the middle of the table.

"Good morning everyone! Who's excited?" I asked, looking at the three oldest of my six children.

I sit down at my seat, one of the heads of the table. I make myself a plate of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage. I pour myself a cup of apple juice.

"We are" Landon grumbles, wolfing down a piece of toast.

"Try and sound a little more enthusiastic, Landon" I say, rolling my eyes at my oldest son.

"Sorry Mother" Landon says.

Draco walks into the dining room wearing a competely black tux. He always wears black, ever since the war. He also always wears long sleeved shirts. He does it to hide his Dark Mark, since he doesn't use concealment charms.

"Good morning Father" Laura says.

"Morning children" Draco says softly.

He sits down at the head of the table, opposite of me. He smiles at me and I smile back at him.

"Is Scorp going away today?" Claire asks, sounding as if she's going to cry.

Claire has the hardest time at this time of the year. She bawled her eyes out when Laura and Landon went away to Illvermorny for the first time. Since she's the youngest, she'll be the last out of her siblings to go to Illvermorny. It also means that most of her siblings will have already graduated by the time
she's a First Year.

"Yes, Claire. Scorpius is going to Illvermorny today, with Laura and Landon" I explain to my youngest child.

"Is he going to come back?" Claire asks sadly.

"Of course, Clairey. I'll be back for Christmas and over the summer" Scorpius says, trying to comfort his younger sister.

"So? You'll still be gone a lot" Claire pouts.

"I know but I'll write to you every week" Scorpius promises.

"O-okay" Claire says, nodding.

She still looks as if she was going to cry but she smiles at her older brother.

"Soon enough you'll be going to Illvermorny, Clairey" Laura says, smiling at her youngest sibling.

"I guess" Claire says with a pout.

"Angie, pass the sausage please" Clay says.

Angelina passes the plate of sausages to her younger brother. Angelina and Clay get along better than Laura and Landon, who are as thick as thieves. Scorpius and Claire get along very well, besides their six year age difference.

We all finish up our breakfast and start getting ready to send Laura, Landon, and Scorpius to Illvermorny. I never thought that I would send any of my children to Illvermorny instead of Hogwarts.

But it is what it is. And after all this time, our family is safe and happy.