Olivia Taylor stood frozen in the corridor, watching as Scorpius walked away from her with such an unwarranted purpose that it hurt. When she lost sight of him she ran to the only place she knew and banged on the door until Professor Potter came to the door with his usual messy hair looking even messier, wearing only a pair of plaid trousers and trying to force his torso into a t-shirt.

"Sorry to bother you this morning, Professor, but is Professor Malfoy here?"

"Uh," he said looking at her then back into the room, "yeah?"

"Can I speak to him?"

"Sure?" he agreed, though it came out more like a question.

Harry stepped back into the room and invited her in. Draco was sitting in an armchair near the window, having tea and looking over exams that needed grading. He was wearing a pair of fitted trousers with a short sleeve button up as if he had a meeting no one knew about but him.

"G'morning, Sir..." she didn't stutter, but she felt like she was tripping over the few words she had managed to mutter anyway. He looked up at her and she blurted out what she was going to say. "I just spoke to Scorpius and...I don't know. He doesn't seem like himself. I know he's been upset or whatever because his boyfriend broke up with him, but he's been like a zombie. And when I spoke to him just now..."

"Did he seem like he was going to hurt himself?"Draco said standing up, panicked, but still just as graceful and terrifying as his son.

"N-not really," she said getting nervous now. Were there signs she should have been looking for? She felt like a terrible friend. "But he didn't seem like he cared either way. I said something to him that I probably shouldn't have to- uh- to get a reaction, but he didn't get mad or anything...he just agreed with me."

"Well what did you say to him?" Harry asked, pulling on a pair of trainers and running a hand through his hair. She wouldn't look at them so he asked again.

"I called him a freak," she said crossing her arms and looking away. "He was just so numb, you know? I wanted him to get mad at me or something. I just wanted him to snap out of it...but he didn't. He just said he already knew that."

"Where was he headed," Malfoy said sliding on his own shoes much more gracefully then Harry could have managed.

"I don't know, he was stomping down the corridor. He never turned around, but it was like he was so sure of where he was going. Scorp's never sure of anything but his name, half the time."

"Where does Scorp like to go to be alone in the castle?" Harry asked, but he was aiming his question towards Draco, not Olivia.

"The library is always crowded so he wouldn't be there."

"The passage in the 5th floor corridor?"

"He got trapped in there last week trying to prank Teddy."

"Of course he did," Harry said with a fond sigh. "Then..." His eyes widened as they both think of something they probably should have realized before.

"The astronomy tower. Fucking hell!"

"Malfoy, language." But they were both  rushing towards the door.

"She's Millie's daughter and a Slytherin, besides."

"But you're a professor."

"Fine. Seven hells. Now, can we got stop Scorpius from being a complete fucking idiot."

Harry sighed, but didn't disagree and they both rushed off to find their son.

--:--

Scorpius was sitting in the astronomy tower. He was laying back, with his feet over the edge, staring up at the ceiling. It was way too early for him to really see any stars, but it was quiet here. He could think! He sat up and leaned his head against the pillar beside him and looked out across the school grounds. Tears were streaming down his face before he realized.

Olivia was mad at him. Hugo was ignoring him. Nat was trying her best, but being around Nick was awkward. Even hanging out with Teddy had been tough this week. Of course his life was shit. He was a freak. He didn't deserve to have a good life.

He leaned forward a bit and stared down at the drop from the tower to the ground. Would he survive that? He thought of how high he was from the ground. He'd probably die before impact. He sat back again and pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs as best he could. He sat his chin on his knees and continued staring out across the field towards the forbidden forest, where a huge white tomb held a previous headmaster. A man he had never met, but always heard about.

Harry stood at the stairway, watching a boy that was his but not his and nudged Draco forward before taking Olivia back downstairs and thanking her for alerting them.

"Dumbledore was a liar," said the boy's Father, scaring him a little as he eased down beside him, tossing his impossibly long legs over the ledge. "He was manipulative and selfish and a deeply emotional mess, but he was a great headmaster; a great man. He was kind when it mattered and he did, for the most part, what he thought was right." He wrapped an arm around Scorpius' shoulders. "That doesn't mean he didn't have hardship or heartbreak, because he did. We all do. I held him at wand point and he wasn't scared of me. He trusted me. He believed in me when I don't think anyone else did. I don't want you to ever think we don't care about or believe in you. That we aren't here for you, because we are. We always will be."

"I'm glad you're here, Dad," said the boy leaning into his father's embrace.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"I don't feel okay."

"But you will be." Draco smiled at his son before kissing his forehead softly and ruffling his hair.

"Will I ever not have to deal with this? What if I just wake up one day and like spell it away? Anti-depression-mortem or something?"

His dad ran a thumb over his cheek with a sad smile as he shook his head.

"We all have stuff we have to deal with, Hyperion. This is just your stuff. I'm just sorry you have to deal with it so young. You shouldn't have to deal with all of this."

"You're a great dad," the younger blond says wrapping Draco in a hug. The blond was shocked at the seemingly random admission and if a tear or two fell, no one else would know.

"It's because you're such a great kid."

-&-

hey futher muckers
everyday update #4-ish, i think 🤔🧐

sorry for the lateish update
moved in yesterday
my roommate came today
im kinda tired af

wanted to get this out, because the end of summer can be a depressing time for a lottttt of people, especially  for some poeple when it comes to being back at school/leaving home

know that you aren't alone
things will BE better

i hope you lot enjoyed this chapter
if you needed this reassurance i hope that you got it or will get it from someone you love very soon

love y'all

-- angel janeé xoxo 💋