A/N: Finally an update! Sorry for the delay, I've been caught up with writing my other work 'White Otter' when a recent reader comment drew me back here. It reminded me that I've so many plans for this story but it's super difficult to write due to all the characters and the many different storylines. So, please forgive the snail's pace writing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. This chapter at least introduces the start of Jack's big story. Please let me know in the comments what you think and if you are happy with the way the story is progressing (it really does help).

*****

Jack closed the lid of his trunk, glancing down at it somewhat wistfully.

His final year.

Heart suddenly racing, he reached into his pocket and retrieved from it the little silver Scottie dog, giving it a squeeze, something he always did when he was feeling apprehensive.

He cast his mind over the past eight weeks, his chest tightening when he thought about his father. They'd become, he realised, like strangers.

Was it his fault? Should he have made more of an effort? But then he remembered his first day home, when his dad had driven off in a sulk, upsetting not just himself, but his mum too.

Jack would never forget what having his father come into life had meant for him. He had, after all, spent those funny first years underground idolising him. It had gotten to the point where he thought his father was a fantasy figure his mother had simply made up, like Father Christmas or the tooth fairy.

But no, Draco Malfoy had proven to be very much real.

A real man with another wife, another son.

Another disappointment.

Jack couldn't help but think he had been better off as just a perfect fantasy, for him and his mum.

He heard the way they argued at night. Many times, Jack had cast the Silencing Charm on his room, not wanting to hear it, hating the sound of his mum being upset.

Fuck, he needed to get back to Hogwarts where he could just be chill. Fuck, how he missed his Gryffindor friends. They had kept in touch over the summer and even met up on occasion. But it wasn't the same as just being there with them, lazing around the common room, sharing meals and mucking around in classes.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do upon completing his education. Life after Hogwarts wasn't something he really thought much about. Anything he chose to do would be more of a hobby than anything else, the Malfoy inheritance meaning he would never need to earn a living.

His mother had tentatively suggested helping to run the arcade alongside her. As tempting as that was, working in the same building as his father would probably end up driving him nuts. Especially with the recent power struggle going on between them.

The smell of sweet charcoal wafted up from downstairs and he could hear the loud bellow of a familiar laugh. It had become a Hogwarts day tradition - Jack had never started a school year without Uncle Ron's burnt pancakes in his stomach.

But of course it was an extra special occasion, because it was Scorpius and Rose's first day too.

Thinking of his little brother, Jack sloped out of his bedroom and strode lazily down the landing across to Scorp's room.

He raised a fist to knock, but upon seeing the door was open ajar, he quickly changed his mind and quietly pushed it open instead.

Scorpius's back was to him, sitting on his bed with his head bowed, looking at something in his hands. It was only when Jack cleared his throat alerting him of his presence did he realise that Scorpius was looking at the photo of Astoria.

"Oh- Jack!" Scorpius said, his face going pink as he quickly stuffed the photo into his trunk. "I- I was just-"

"It's okay, Scorp," Jack reassured him at once, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. "She was your mum."

"No- no she wasn't, not really." Scorpius said in a sigh, his shoulders sagging dejectedly. "Mum is downstairs probably already crying about losing you to Hogwarts for another year."

Jack felt his heart squeeze. He knew Scorpius struggled with being the half sibling even if he never said anything. He could see it in his whole demeanour. It was no secret that Jack was their Mum's favourite, and Lyra was their father's.

"She's sad about losing you, too, you know." Jack offered, knowing that his words probably wouldn't help much but feeling he had to say something. "Mum loves you."

"It's not the same for her though." Scorpius mumbled quietly, not looking at him. "She carried you for nine months. Like Ly."

Jack sighed heavily, searching his brain for something profound to say to make his little brother feel the love that he deserved.

Moving across the room, he sank down on the bed next to him, the mattress lifting slightly, making their sides jostle together.

"I remember when we first met you." Jack murmured slowly. "You were only a few weeks old, Scorp. I felt jealous when Mum held you in her arms because she looked at you in the same way she looked at me. It's daft, I know."

Scorpius looked up sharply at him then, his grey eyes full of wonder. They never really talked about those days, Scorp of course was too young to remember, and his parents didn't like to mention it because it would mean bringing up Astoria. And it had never occurred to Jack before now that perhaps Scorpius would want to hear about it, would need it, in fact.

"Do you..." Scorpius paused to swallow. "Do you remember her? Astoria?"

Stealing a quick glance over his shoulder to the still closed door, Jack turned back to Scorpius and slowly nodded. He knew his dad would go apeshit if he discovered this exchange going on.

"I remember she was beautiful... and crazy. She scared me. However, looking back, she clearly had some sort of mental condition. But in the end she saved Mum's life. So despite what Dad says, there was something good in her."

"Do you think he ever loved her?"

"No." Jack said without a beat. "One thing I can be sure of about Dad is that he's only ever loved one woman other than dear old Nanny Ciss. Have you not noticed how crazy jealous he gets when Mum's attention is pulled elsewhere? It's why he's probably chilling the champagne as we speak, ready to celebrate getting rid of the competition."

"Competition? But we're his kids!"

"But that's just it," Jack shrugged, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. "I'm not a kid anymore so Dad sees me as more of a threat. Thinks I'm trying to take his position as man of the house or some shit."

Scorpius let out a long breath as though he didn't know how to respond to that. He certainly didn't argue that he thought Jack was wrong, at any rate.

Wanting to change the subject from his father, Jack decided to go back to the reason he was there in the first place.

"How are ya feeling about today? Ready to become a Slytherin?"

"I might not get into Slytherin. You didn't."

"Oh, you're a Slytherin. And don't worry, they don't have the bad rep that they used to get during Mum and Dad's days. I blame Dad for that though, according to Mum he was pretty foul to Aunt Hermione for being a Muggle-born."

And somehow it always went straight back around to being about his father.

"Huh," Scorpius mused as the sound of their aunt berating their uncle about something came from below them. "Funny how things turn out."

"Come on," Jack chuckled reaching out to ruffle Scorp's hair, "let's go and wax lyrical about Uncle Ron's burnt offerings. It wouldn't be a Hogwarts day without it. Besides, I'm sure Rose is keen to see you. At least you're starting together, hey?"

A smile twitched at Scorpius's lips at the mention of his best friend. Jack sometimes wondered if a future romance was there. He'd sensed it in Veronica and Matteo on that first day too and he hadn't been wrong. Although 'romance' was probably not the best way to describe what they had. They were always either fighting or shagging. No in between.

His mum always enquired as to whether Jack himself had met anyone yet. 'No beauty waiting in the wings ready to steal you away from me?' she'd often joke.

'You're the only woman for me, Mum,' he'd always say back.

It was the truth. There was no one who turned Jack's head. He was asked out a lot. Girls often approached him with notes asking him to walk with them into Hogsmeade. One time, a busty blonde Slytherin with pretty blue eyes called Pamela in the year above him even offered to give him a blowjob around the back of Hagrid's hut.

He'd politely declined, of course.

"You're mad," Daniel had whistled, longingly staring at her voluptuous backside as she strutted away, swaying her hips. "What I'd do to have even a single second behind Hagrid's hut with Pamela Hot Pants."

Jack merely shrugged, not even looking twice at her. "Not my type."

Did he have a type? He wasn't sure. His mind drifted to what he thought about in the shower. It certainly wasn't to the likes of Pamela 'Hot Pants'. In fact, there wasn't ever anyone in particular in his fantasies, just a faceless figure helping him chase his pleasure.

Poor Daniel never got any offers. And he seemed eager to lose his v-card to pretty much anyone with a pair of tits. The way his eyes had widened when he'd come over to the Manor and walked in on his mum and Pansy sharing an afternoon tea.

"How do you get anything done around here with all these Milfs?" He'd asked afterwards. "I'd end up with a serious case of repetitive strain injury."

Jack had just shaken his head, trying to erase the image of Daniel jerking off to the idea of having a threesome with Pansy and his mum.

But now, here he was, entering the kitchen to have his final Hogwarts day breakfast, giving Scorpius a discreet wink as he took the seat next to an excited looking Rose.

Jack himself sat next to his mum like he always did. Tears were indeed already in her eyes and she hugged him hard, refusing to let him go.

"Chill, Mum," he drawled, patting her back as she began to sob. "I'll be back before you know it, and then you won't be able to get rid of me."

"My final year, you came into my life, Jack," she whispered, drying her eyes. "You were the light during my darkest time."

"You saved us all, I think it's fair to say." Ron chuckled as he tipped pancakes onto Jack's plate. "We were all losing hope down there before you came along."

At that moment, his father walked into the kitchen, pausing to take in the scene before him. Jack could see at once the concern fall on his face as he clocked his wife's tears, and he was suddenly reminded of the time in the treehouse in their days of hiding, when only his dad could take away his mother's tears, and then the three of them would play cards together and everything would be alright again.

He felt the familiar tightening of his chest and he looked away. When was the last time he had played cards with his father? In fact, when was the last time he had ever sat down together and had a civil conversation without it turning into a pissing contest?

"Ah!" Ron announced jovially. "The lord of the Manor finally graces us with his presence. Pancakes?"

His father politely declined before moving across the room and seating himself next to Lyra who had been eagerly awaiting him, nodding his mornings at everyone around the table as he straightened his tie.

Jack stiffly nodded back, suddenly desperate to get on the fucking train.

*****

He saw Veronica first who amazingly wasn't glued to Matteo's lips. Her fiery red hair made her easy to spot in the crowd and he was reminded strongly of a Weasley.

"Hey, Stormy!" Jack called out.

She turned at once, her hard scowl immediately softening. She had a strikingly beautiful face when she smiled, Jack noted. It was just a shame she didn't do it much.

But she always had a smile for Jack. Most people did.

"Good to see you, Jackie," she grinned once she reached him, playfully squeezing his cheek in the way she always did. "Where's that dishy dad of yours?"

Jack rolled his eyes, but he didn't mind really. Veronica never tried to hide the fact that she fancied the Draco Malfoy just as Daniel never hid how he had the hots for the Blaire Zabini (she was still referred to by her maiden name in the papers despite the fact that she took the Malfoy name eleven years previously).

"Still saying goodbye to Scorp," he muttered, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. "It's his first day."

He had tried not to sound bitter, but he must not have succeeded because Veronica's eyebrows immediately knitted. "Trouble at the old homestead?"

Jack gave a heavy sigh, letting out a long drawn out breath. "Nah. Just glad to be getting back to Hogwarts. Any sign of the lads?"

"Matt's gone on to save a compartment. Although I don't know if I'm going to bother joining the fucktard after I caught him chatting up the car park attendant just now. Let him ride the train alone, I say."

It had probably been completely innocent, but Jack said nothing, not wanting, as usual, to get involved.

Together, they boarded the train, with Veronica filling him in on her and Matteo's summer rows (it was always Matteo's fault, of course).

Walking along the train's corridor, Jack peered into each compartment, looking for either Daniel or Matteo.

He paused when he came across a compartment containing a boy he had never seen before. A tall, lanky looking boy of around their age, possibly older.

He didn't know what made him do it, maybe it was the way the boy looked lonely and in need of some company. Or, maybe it was the way his amber twinkling eyes pierced into his, causing a strange fluttering sensation to occur in the pit of his stomach.

"You go on," he motioned to a curious looking Veronica. "Tell the boys I'll catch up later."

Without waiting for an response, Jack swiftly slid open the compartment door and flashed the newbie his warmest smile.

"Hey, I'm Jack. And you are?"

The boy didn't seem in the least bit perturbed by this unexpected visit, instead, sitting up straight and shaking his head to flick his soft dirty blonde wavy fringe away from his eyes.

"I'm Edward. Edward Greyson. Transferred from Durmstrang to repeat my final year."

His voice was smooth, Jack noted, without a hint of apprehension. And when Edward offered out a hand, he didn't hesitate to take it, marvelling in the firmness yet softness of his skin.

"Mind if I join?" Jack asked, already hauling his trunk up into the overhead shelf. "It looks like you could use the company."

"Sure," Edward shrugged nonchalantly, a smile to his voice. "Knock yourself out."

And Jack knew, as he took his seat, that Stormy and the boys would be waiting a long time for him.

A long time indeed.

*****