"You cannot convince me they aren't dating."
"I know. I just don't get it, like friends don't do this shit."
"Could they really be that stupid?"
"Maybe we just got all the brains of the family."
"What about Lily?"
"I stand by what I said."
James peeled open his eyes to glare at Scorpius and Andres who were watching them amused.
"I hate you." James mouthed.
"We gotta go home for dinner James." Andres said with a laugh, "Mamá made tamales."
"What time is it?" James asked quietly trying not to wake up Leo. He had genuinely no idea how she was still asleep through their brothers' loud talking.
"Six. We let you sleep as long as we could." Scorpius answered.
"He let you sleep as long as he could." Andres corrected, "I wanted to blare music in your ear."
"Glad you didn't." James responded genuinely. He carefully shook Leo's shoulder to wake her up. "I gotta leave."
"Mm." Leo groaned as she rolled to her other side and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Scorpius and Andres both snickered as James shot another glare in their direction. Leo appeared to always be loopy in the mornings.
He picked her up and rolled her over his stomach to switch sides with her. The movement woke Leo up a little more. "What are you doing?" She grumbled without opening her eyes.
"Leaving." James answered as he removed her arms from his neck.
Leo let him move her arms, but she instead moved her hands to rest on his jaw as she opened her eyes. "Why?"
"Because it's dinner time at the Potters." James said taking her hands and giving them both a kiss, "I'll call you later."
"Mmkay." Leo mumbled as James got up off the couch.
"Come on." James said ushering Andres and Scorpius out of the room.
"You made it official then?" Andres asked once they were in the hallway.
"No." James replied annoyed.
"What the fuck are you waiting for? Because that shit is very couple-y!"
"Don't want to talk about this in front of Scorpius, Dre." James scolded.
"Oh please, Scorp saw you two about to kiss in Leo's room this morning."
"Whatever happened to not being interested in my love life?" James said ignoring the comment about that morning. But in actuality it relieved James that he wasn't the only one who thought Leo was about to kiss him. He had feared he only imagined it.
"I've convinced him that we'd fly under the radar more if you two were together." Scorpius explained.
"Yeah and I get the feeling you'll report back anything I say ya prick, so I will be refraining from speaking anymore on the subject."
"I'd never report back to Leo. I mean, I don't go telling you everything that Leo says about ya."
"Does she say a lot of things about me?" James asked curiously.
"Dunno." Scorpius shrugged with a smirk, "If she did you'd never be told."
"I don't like you." James said through narrowed eyes.
"That's no way to speak to your future brother-in-law!" Scorpius teased as the entered the parlor.
James turned to them before entering the fireplace, "You guys need to stop worrying about me and Leo. Anything that is going to happen will happen when it's time for it to happen."
"My lord he's speaking in circles." Andres said to Scorpius.
"Potter Residence." James announced as he threw his Floo powder.
************
Leo sat in her room that evening painting her nails a neutral color so they would look professional for the next morning. Her hair was in curlers and she had a movie playing on her computer.
"Door still stuck open?" Scorpius asked from the doorway.
"It was a twenty four hour spell. Dad can be kind of dramatic." Leo replied.
"That's where you get it from." Scorpius said entering and sitting next to her on the floor. "Talk to me."
"About what?" Leo inquired.
"Up to you. Your trial or James."
"Trial." Leo decided, "Because there is nothing to even talk about. I casted a spell and I'm having a Trial so I don't get expelled."
"Why'd you use magic at your mum's place Lee?"
"Because I cut myself and wanted to heal it." Leo answered steadily.
"That's so stupid of you." Scorpius said flicking her forehead.
"Hey!" Leo complained swatting away his hand, "I'll explain to them what happened and everything will be fine." She said mostly talking to herself.
"Will it?" Scorpius asked concerned.
"It has to." Leo decided. "I'll make sure of it."
"Okay." Scorpius nodded, "So did you have a good time at your mum's?"
"Yeah it was the same as always."
"Was it?"
Leo paused painting her nails, "Why? Don't you believe me?"
"Well you came home late last night out of nowhere..."
"Yeah cause I was homesick, I missed you guys." Leo repeated what she had said to her father.
"Mhm." Scorpius hummed.
"What else is it?" Leo asked confrontationally putting down the polish.
"Don't get mad at anyone in this situation because we all just care about you."
"What is it Scorpius?" Leo asked sternly.
Scorpius spoke quickly in hopes that Leo wouldn't flip out on him, "Andres was with James when you called him the other day and he seemed really worried so Andres was like what's up and James said that you'd been acting really weird and that he thinks something happened at your gram's but obviously Andres knows that you weren't at your gram's so he asked me about it and I was like that's strange because Leo has been acting like everything is peachy so here we are."
"Everything is peachy Scorpius. I don't know what James was on about." Leo knew that out of everyone, James was the most aware of how terrible she was doing at Cynthia's place, but Scorpius didn't have to know.
"James wouldn't say that if he didn't really think something was up."
"Then he was looking too deep into something insignificant Scorp!" Leo said defensively, "I'll call him later and clear it up."
"Leo, what happened over Christmas?"
Leo took a deep breath and made the decision to tell a half truth, "My mum and I just got in a little tiff because I don't like her new boyfriend. That's all. We both said some hurtful things but it's all fine."
"Are you sure?" Scorpius asked unconvinced.
"Yes I'm sure." Leo lied. "I was planning on texting her so we could talk it out, then I got the letter from the Ministry and I put that on the back burner."
"Okay, so you're alright?"
"I am now." Leo confirmed as she went back to painting her nails.
"So now what's the deal with James?"
"Nuh uh. You got one topic and you already chose it." Leo said shaking her head.
"Come on." Scorpius pouted, "Why aren't you two dating?"
"I don't know Scorp." Leo answered.
"If he asked you out would you say yes?"
"I don't think he's going to ask me out." Leo told Scorpius.
"Leo." Scorpius deadpanned, "The man is whipped."
"I just... Every time I think that there's something there and that he likes me, I get in my own head and I start doubting it."
"But do you like him?"
"Of course I do." Leo confirmed said with a slight blush, "He might be a dick sometimes but when it matters, he's so.... so fucking amazing. Too good for me."
"What are you talking about? He is far from being too good for you. You are too good for him."
"No he is though. Yeah he might like me now, but I don't think it'll last forever and I don't want to be hurt."
"Girl, with the way he's looking at you I think that he's already planning your wedding."
"I mean that might be a bit too much for me." Leo said with a small laugh.
"It's true though. He's in love with you."
"Love??" Leo exclaimed, "You need to stop right now. Weddings and love is crazy talk."
"Oh I agree it's crazy talk too. You should take it up with him for thinking it not me for relaying it."
"You're stupid." Leo smiled shaking her head.
"And you need to get your head out of your ass and ask him out!"
"Why do I need to ask him out? He should ask me."
"He's probably scared you'll reject him. You're quite scary at times. You on the other hand know that he likes you and wouldn't reject him."
"Think. Not know. I think he likes me. All I know is that he's attracted to me."
"You're so secure in him finding you attractive but not liking you?" Scorpius asked with a laugh.
"Yeah I am." Leo said simply, "I mean he told me that I was prettiest girl in school and blushed like a fire truck when he saw me in my bra- don't ask- those are solid evidence for attraction."
"LEO SHUT UP." Scorpius said slapping her arm.
"Scorpius! You're gonna mess up my nails." Leo whined moving away from him.
"How do you still doubt he likes you Leo! You're crazy!"
"Okay you doubted Andres too."
"And my doubts were proven wrong. So would yours be!"
"Scorp. Whatever happens will happen."
"You two are like the same person." Scorpius groaned.
"I need to go to sleep." Leo said blowing on her nails as she closed the bottle.
"You also need to tell James how you feel."
"Good night Scorpius!" Leo said pointing towards the door.
"Ugh." Scorpius said standing up. "Love you."
"Love you too." Leo called out as he left.
Baby Bro 👶🏼 👩🏼🍼
scorpy:
thought you might like this 😏
Me:
hate you
Me:
but thanks
************
Leo sat in the holding room with her dad nervously playing with the bracelet James got her.
She had already turned in her wand for them to do an examination of her past spells, a new mandatory practice under the current Minister.
"Miss Malfoy." The Minister said entering the room. "I need to speak with you in my office."
"That's not protocol." Draco said confused.
"We need to a have a quick conversation before the Trial can take place."
"Kingsley-," Draco began.
"It's Minister Adébáyò right now." He corrected. "Miss Malfoy, let's go."
Leo shot a reassuring look to her father before following him out of the room.
When they entered his office, she took the seat on the other side of his desk.
"So Miss Malfoy, this isn't how we typically proceed with underage magic cases, but upon the examination of your wand we found it necessary."
"Okay." Leo nodded nervously, her confident facade slowly disappearing.
"We originally brought you in today because your underage magic use crossed a threshold of greater than thirty minor spells, which we deem equal to a major spell. However, after crosschecking your wand with the dates you've used magic we've found that nearly all of the spells were healing spells, which naturally raised a concern."
"I'm quite clumsy." Leo said defensively.
"I was under the impression you were a ballerina?" Kingsley asked through narrowed eyes.
"Doesn't mean I can't hurt myself sometimes."
"Miss Malfoy, we have two options here. We go through the Trial and you may or may not get expelled, or you can talk to me and I can override the Trial."
"I am talking to you. I fall a lot and scrape my knees or get bruises from running into things so I use Episky."
"Okay. We can go through with the Trial then. But I feel the need to warn you that some of the people on the panel were responsible for putting your grandfather behind bars."
"I'm going to say the same thing at the Trial."
"Then we'll see if they deem it a worthy reason to use underage magic."
Leo twisted her bracelet on her wrist once more, "What do you think was happening?"
"I think you're hurting yourself intentionally."
Leo furrowed her eyebrows, "Oh. I wasn't expecting that."
"I assume that is not the case then." Kingsley said picking up on her genuine shock, "If there's nothing else to say then we can go attend the Trial and test your luck with the panel." Kingsley said he began to stand up.
"You haven't questioned the fact that my magic happened outside of a magical household." Leo's words put Kingsley back into his seat.
"Why were you using magic around muggles."
Leo's leg began to shake and she continued to fidget with her bracelet, "I-um I..... My dad.... You see."
"Take your time Miss Malfoy." Kingsley said kindly.
"Okay." Leo nodded as she took a breath, "Back before I was even born my mum and dad were in love and had planned on getting engaged, but then one day they started to have doubts. They were both purebloods and their marriage would please their families, so they weren't sure whether or not they actually loved each other or it was their subconscious duty influencing their feelings. So they decided to take a break and see other people. My dad had relations with a muggle woman during this break. Afterwards he immediately went to Astoria and told her that he loved her. They got engaged on the spot. But a month later they got a call from the muggle woman. She was pregnant. To save face, Astoria faked a pregnancy of her own and then took in the baby, me. I grew up with them, but would always visit with my real mother."
"That explains the muggle household, but what about the healing spells."
"My mother has a tendency of getting into abusive relationships." Leo said bluntly, "The healing spells are on her. Not me. With the exception of a single spell. Thanks to fucking Rob."
"Are your parents aware of this?"
"Hell no." Leo said shaking her head, "You aren't going to tell them are you."
"Miss Malfoy, I am mandated to report this to your parents."
"No no no." Leo said shaking her head as tears filled her eyes, "He'll never let me see my mum again."
"I cannot decide for him what he does, but he needs to be informed. For your safety."
"I am safe!" Leo insisted.
"According to you, you had to use Episky on yourself?"
"Yeah." Leo said softly.
"You don't have to be in the room when I speak to him. But I will cancel the Trial."
"Fuck." Leo whispered putting her face in her hands.
"You stay here, I'll speak to him in the conference room."
"Okay." Leo whispered not looking up. She heard him leave the room and she switched to looking up at the ceiling as she started to sob.
Time crawled as she sat in his office just waiting for her dad to come back.
"Hi sweetheart." Astoria said softly coming into the room.
"Astoria?" Leo asked looking at her through blurred eyes.
"Draco asked me to come take you home." Astoria said kneeling next to her.
"Is he mad at me?" Leo's voice cracked as she spoke and she began crying even harder.
"No no no." Astoria said brushing her hair out of her face, "You have done nothing to be mad at."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Then where is he?"
"Let's just go home, okay?"
"Astoria where is he?" Leo asked as her heart began beating faster.
"On his way to the airport." Astoria answered.
"Dad has never been on a plane." Leo said concerned.
"Addy is meeting him there to help him out."
"She knows too." Leo said softly.
"She does?" Astoria asked.
"Yeah. I didn't know who to tell. But she only knew about the past stuff. She didn't know it still happened."
"Okay." Astoria nodded as her jaw clenched.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys too."
"Don't apologize sweet girl. I'm not upset with you. But I'm sure your father will be quite mad at Adeline for not telling him straight away."
"I made her promise not to."
"You don't have to keep promises if someone's safety is at stake. But it's okay. In lighter news, I don't think you're grounded anymore."
Leo laughed slightly as she wiped the tears from her face. "Is Kingsley going to keep it secret?"
"Yeah he is." Astoria confirmed, "He's a good man."
"Yeah he is."
"Let's go home, you've had a tough day."
"Okay." Leo agreed letting Astoria help her up from the chair. "I love you."
"I love you too sweet girl." Astoria replied with a sad smile.
When they arrived back at the Malfoy Manor, Leo went straight up to her room as Astoria went to inform Scorpius on what has happened.
Leo laid in her room in the dark, just staring at the ceiling.
The door, now unstuck, creaked open and Scorpius silently entered and sat down on her bed next to her holding a bowl of ice cream.
Leo took the bowl from him and began eating as she rested her head on his shoulder, the two siblings didn't say a word. But they didn't have to.
Leo knew he was there for her and that he always would be.
//an
note for ppl who didn't read the first book, i changed kingsley's last name bc shacklebolt rubs me and a lot of other people the wrong way. Adébáyò means royalty in Nigerian, which is much more fitting.
also the family finally knows about leo's experiences at her mum's place 🙌🏼
i gotta wake up early tomorrow so love u all <3