Confessions of an Ex-Death-Eater

Saturday 8th December

'Your car is a piece of shit!' Harry exclaimed, lobbing the keys to Draco as he strode into the kitchen at the manor. 'I had to use magic to restart it five times, once at a set of traffic lights with a police car behind me. If Arthur Weasley knew, he'd be hauling me in front of the fucking Wizengamot.'

'Dar, you've been spending too much time with Uncle Ron!'

'Oh! Teddy! Sorry, I didn't realise you were there. Don't you dare...'

'I know, Dar, don't you dare repeat any of it.'

'Repeat what?' said Scorpius, coming into the kitchen.

'Dar's been swearing again. He does it when he's frustrated and tells me not to dare repeat any of the words. I know them all anyway. There's this boy at my school called Frankie...'

'Edward Lyall Lupin-Potter.'

'Yes, Dar?'

'Don't!' warned Harry.

'Okay, Dar. Come on, bro, let's go and explore the orchards again.'

'Alright, bro!' replied Scorpius.

Both boys giggled.

'Wrap up warm, boys, it's beginning to snow!' Harry called after the retreating backs of Teddy and Scorpius.

'You know he's only going to tell Scorpius all the swear words he knows once they're out of ear-shot.'

'I'm sorry.'

Draco waved it off. 'Scorp probably knows them all too, and then some. You should hear maman when she drops a saucepan on her toes.'

'I am in the room, Draco-darling. I can hear you, you know.'

Harry blanched, 'sorry about the language, Narcissa.'

She rolled-her eyes, 'I was blessed with Bellatrix for a sister, do you really think you've just tainted my poor innocent ears for the first time...'

'Even so... I apologise.' Harry nearly added a bow, sometimes it felt like he was talking to royalty when it came to Narcissa. 'What's with the "bro" thing?' Harry asked Draco.

'I don't know, I noticed it at breakfast. They've been whispering about something all morning. I don't dare ask.'

'Probably best not to, I notice Teddy is keeping his hair blond these days too.'

'Honestly, you two are as blind as each other sometimes.' Narcissa rolled her eyes and left the breakfast table. 'I'm going to read my paper in peace, away from such corrupting language and this idiocy, in case it's contagious. Draco-darling, why don't you take Harry down to the farm, the stocks need checking on with Aaron, but I don't want you doing it alone seeing as you're just getting over another bout of your condition. It would save me a job next week.' She paused at the doorway, looked back and smiled fondly, 'and wrap up warm, boys, it's beginning to snow!'

Harry and Draco caught eyes with each other and Harry quirked an eyebrow.

'Come on then, Potter, it seems as if you've been cast as my carer for the day, even though I'm not the invalid she treats me as.' Draco led them off to the hallway.

'She just cares. She loves you.'

'I know, but I'm twenty-seven. I can look after myself.'

'You still live at home...' Harry pushed his feet into his boots and wordless tied the shoelaces.

'Piss off, Potter! Oh... that has good alliteration to it, most satisfying. Why didn't I use that at school?'

'Because you were a stuck-up prissy. Who's Aaron?'