She watched as Teddy was lowered into the grave beside his parents. Albus stood beside her. He hadn't really left her side since Scorpius- since he went away. She knew why. She knew that Albus was the only person who felt anything close to what she was feeling right now. Like her entire life had gone onto autopilot. Raven wasn't annoyed with his presence, like she would be with anyone else. She didn't really have the energy to be annoyed with anyone. Even Rose Weasley, who was a sobbing mess over Teddy- as if Teddy was her brother or something.
Raven crossed her arms over her chest, glancing to where Dinah and Normani had joined. They weren't here for Teddy. They were here for Raven. Raven didn't want them here. She didn't even want Ashton here. And she could tell that Albus knew that because he tried to convince them all not to come.
Albus wasn't very convincing. They had to feel like they were supporting her. As her friends. As her boyfriend. But Raven didn't want them. She wanted Scorpius here. Like he always promised her he would be. But he lied.
He didn't die. But this was worse. If he had died, at least it was against his will. But this? This was his choice. And Raven loathed him for it. She hated that he just left it all behind like nothing. Raven looked at Andromeda and Narcissa, arms around one another. Andromeda hadn't even bothered to wear makeup, and it had been a good idea. Her cheeks were as damp as the ocean.
Raven's makeup was immaculate, as it usually was. She didn't shed a tear. What kind of person would cry over someone they knew for five minutes? Raven watched as people began to leave, probably to meet up at the wake afterwards. She wouldn't be going. Such gatherings are meant for those who will mourn Teddy. It was a shock that Raven even came to this funeral. She was half inclined to not attend Michael's, and he was her cousin. Maybe she did it for Albus. He told he they didn't have to go this morning, but she knew if he stayed because of her that he'd regret not going later.
She looked over at him, but Albus wasn't even paying attention to the funeral. He was too lost in thought.
"Hey, we should go." Orion softly suggests from Albus's other side, pulling him out of his own head. He realizes that the others were slowly leaving, and links his arm through Ravens.
"We're heading back too." Dinah speaks, gesturing to herself and Normani. Raven silently nodded, grateful that they'd be gone soon enough. They gave her half-hugs and then walked off through the cemetery, sending concerned looks back as they left.
"Are you going back to Dromeda's?" Ashton wonders. Raven didn't even meet his eyes. "Raven?"
"We're going to the House of Black." Albus spoke up instead. "It's in Orion's and- it's in Orion's name so that's where we'll mostly be staying." Sometimes it was hard for him to say Scorpius's name. Raven understood it all too well.
"I'll be switching from the House of Black to Andromeda's off and on." Orion explains, not that Ashton cared but he just nodded anyways. The Malfoy Manor was under repairs, so it would be awhile until Raven could return there. Though she and Albus returned to the Manor occasionally to make sure that the construction was still underway. Selwyn really did a number on the Manor, as well as the family who once lived there.
She would return there. The Manor had to have a Malfoy in residence, as it had been for centuries. And who better than Raven Malfoy. She'd inherit it all now, with Scorpius gone. Hell, even if he was around- she was the sole heiress. The only true child of Draco's.
Raven wasn't intimidated by it. She'd been the perfect Malfoy. The perfect sister, friend. Girlfriend. Everyone loved her and they all envied her. And they'd go on envying her, not being able to see how hard it had been to keep the strength. She was a Malfoy. But she didn't even know what that meant anymore.
She'd fake it until it worked out. That was her plan. She had two months, give or take, until school started again. Two months to wallow. To be whoever she wanted to be. Until she had to be Raven Malfoy again.
It was enough time.
She'd do as Albus suggested. Not because she wanted to pick up a routine or because she even felt up to coming out of her room. But because she felt a responsibility to be there for him as much as he did for her.
Orion felt Scorpius's loss, but it wasn't the same. Orion was trying to understand Scorpius's choices. But Albus and Raven would never be able to see it like that. Scorpius left them, he broke his promise to Raven and he left them both with a hole that neither of them knew how to sew back together. They were too hurt to try and understand. Orion may have a hole, but it didn't cut as deep.
"I guess I'll call you later." Ashton extends a hand for Raven, but she didn't even look at him. He looked at Albus, like realizing that he wasn't going to get a response from the girl.
"She'll text you." Albus tells him, slightly strained at the lie. He was a horrible liar. Ashton looked at the three of them and then left with a small departing wave of his hand. Albus slowly exhales. Raven taps her stomach, and Albus nods. "I'm hungry too."
"Let's get something on the way home." Orion offers, and the three of them head off towards the edge of the cemetery. Raven almost wanted to stay. Once everyone left, the cemetery was actually quiet. So quiet that only the dead was listening.
"What a day." Albus slung an arm across Raven's shoulders as the three headed down the road. None of them suggested apparition yet, just letting the gloom of the dead melt off with the brightening sky. The sun started to warm the air. "Let's stroll Diagon Alley. Retail therapy always feels good, huh?" He bumps Raven's hip and she can't help but grin. "Leaky Cauldron for lunch, then."
"I'm not a fan of their fish n chips." Orion complains.
"Their BLT isn't half bad."
"You have low standards, Ghost boy." Orion insults.
"Clearly, I'm in the company of you." Albus carried no shame in the banter. Raven listened to the boys with a soft smile. If nothing else, they were entertaining.
She never would've expected that a Malfoy, Potter and Black would be hanging out willingly. If you asked her last year who Orion was, she'd probably say nothing more than gryffindor quidditch player. She would know a bit more on Albus, but not much. Now they were the only people who she could stand to be around.
Albus was a bit more tolerable. Finally, Raven started to understand why Scorpius found everyone annoying. It was weird to think that his leaving is what helped her understand how he was feeling for so long. Alone, even among friends. Irritable because he'd rather be alone rather than with friends. It was a weird cycle.
As they entered the Leaky Cauldron for Lunch, Raven grabbed the Daily Prophet and saw the events of the Auditorium on the front page. The title was huge. Several dead as the Aurors face off Against Selwyn
The Aurors and a handful of teenagers. Raven snorts, flipping through the pages as Albus and Orion chatted about random things. She paused as a photograph of Scorpius comes up on the page. She read the column beside it.
Scorpius Malfoy, also known as Salazar Black and grandson of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has reportedly joined Selwyn in his cause to take down the Ministry. Anonymous persons report Scorpius is the one who killed Cypress Black, Draco Malfoy, and Lucius Malfoy. Enraged that his heredity had been kept from him-
"Incendio." The newspaper goes up in flames. Albus and Orion both look over at Raven as she lit the paper on fire. They shared a look as the ashes fell to the table. Raven neatly brushed them aside, pulling a menu over to order.
"Sometimes you are a delicate little flower and other times you set things on fire at the lunch table." Orion jokes. "Honestly, if I told anyone that this is the kind of stuff you do, I don't think they'd believe me."
"They would think you're crazy, for suggesting a sweet and innocent girl like Raven Malfoy was also a closeted arsonist." Albus agreed. Raven flipped him off and he grinned in response.
—-
They returned to the House of Black, Orion disappeared upstairs but Albus and Raven both sat in the dining hall. Both at the end of the table, Raven had her wand in hand as she edited her father's will. Albus casted a few glances towards her as she performed spells, finally asking what she was doing and setting his book down.
"Erasing Scorpius." She answered curtly, continuing to change his name out of the Will and replace it with her own. Then she did the same with his inheritance.
"You can't just manually change the documents. They need to be redone and filed with the Ministry to be notarized." Albus tells her.
"Why?" Raven demanded, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Because that's the way it works. You know the way it works. Don't pretend like you don't."
"Let's see." Raven set her wand down and threaded her fingers together, setting her hands down on the documents and fixing Albus with a slightly condescending look. He knew she was about to enlighten him based on such a posture, but he didn't want to stop her from speaking so he just would sit back and take it.
"The ownership of the manor would be signed directly over to Scorpius Malfoy after Draco's death." Raven begins, the most she's spoke in days. Albus nodded, listening intently. "That's what the Malfoy tradition and will says. Yes, to change such will legally one must redo the entire thing and go through the ministry. And if the Will is forged, as I'm doing now, it can be taken to court. Because altering the documents without notarization is not legal. However, the only people who could hold me accountable for altering the will is dead. Lucius Malfoy? Dead. Draco? Dead. So unless a ghost can take me to court, I think I'll take my chances. Narcissa, now a widower and not considered a Malfoy in the eyes of any extended Malfoy family, will never be allowed to own the Malfoy Manor or any other assets."
Raven picked her wand up again to continue. "Which leaves me. I'm the last Malfoy who can possibly hold the title to the estate. I'm the one who will have complete control over the lands, money, and anything else this family owns until I have children or choose another Malfoy to take over. Considering that Morpheus and Julian have sided with Selwyn- and both of whom are probably dead- I don't foresee any issues."
"So it won't matter if you notarize it or not. There's only one way it will go." Albus concludes.
"Precisely. I'm just cutting out the unnecessary stuff and skipping to the result." Raven was a bit proud of it, shifting through and organizing papers. Changing everything into her name. Maybe illegal, but not illegal because she didn't know better. Just illegal because she knew no one would stop her. No one could stop her.
No one was alive to stop her.
Abraxas Malfoy would roll over in his grave if he knew that a young girl was taking over the Malfoy Manor and assets. He'd probably never thought it possible that a woman, Malfoy or not, would ever get her hands on such wealth. Wealth he helped accumulate.
Lucius on the other hand, he'd be proud of her.
"Well, I'm glad you're going to own the Manor. I honestly can't imagine anyone being a better fit." Albus grins. Raven looked up from the papers to him. He was grabbing his book once more, opening it up. "The Malfoy Heiress. Elusive, clever, a woman who can castrate a man and do her nails at the same time."
"Shut up." Raven snorts. Albus chuckles.
—-
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