Leave Out All the Rest

Chapter 26: Of Broken Promises

POV: James and Liam         

Things were too quiet. 

The tension that'd been building up for what seemed like ages now had just been multiplied and stacked on everyone's shoulders since the day of the attack in Muggle London. No one dared to move, to speak, to breathe, or even look at one another. It was as if by doing so that silent vow would be broken and all hell would break loose.

It was maddening.

I looked away from the spot on the ground that I'd been glaring at for the past hour and found my two best friends sunk into separate armchairs. Both were sulking in that same damn silence and their own share of that suffocating pressure it brought. 

Freddie still looked just as unmovable as he did the day of that unspeakable event. Before this, I believed he did not know what indifference was. Freddie was the definition of upbeat, of alive. Now that was gone. The flush of pink that breathed beneath his dark skin had faded, leaving only gloom behind. It took over his gaze, too.

On the other hand, there was Louis. He had been sulking just as much, but his was out of impatience than regret. He was here out of loyalty. He was here because had acted admirably and responsibly that day. He was here because Aunt Fleur had practically shoved a protective enchantment so far up his arse, he thought he should register it as part of him now. 

Yet, no one had it worse than Al. 

Before, I could never get Albie to shut the hell up. He was always banging on about something or the other, driving me up the wall, but for the past two days I had not even heard a breath leave his mouth. I turned to look back at him now, at this shadow of a boy who claimed to be my little brother. 

I knew this would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

The doors to the office opened, startling me back to the moment just as Louis let out a giant groan of relief at the four men that entered. 

"You two, up," said Head Auror Potter to Louis and Freddie, motioning them up from their armchairs. As they did, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini took their places. He did not pause as he took a seat behind his desk, saying, "There will be no sugar-coating the severity of this issue, you understand me? No matter what the Minister and his council has decided upon."

Al lowered his head more, his green eyes completely obscured by his unruly hair. 

For a brief second, Head Auror Potter wasn't his title. He was Dad. He looked at Al with a heartbreaking sympathy that almost led him in his direction, to wrap arms around him like when he was a child and needed his father to make all the monsters go away. But Dad couldn't. Not this time. As such, he was back to being Head Auror in the next second. 

"On account of Fredrick Weasley," said he as his second in command, dearest Uncle Ron, handed him a file, "the Wizengamot has found you guilty of underage sorcery and for casting an Unforgivable. Your wand was confiscated by the Ministry the day of its misuse and has been debated over its disposing."

The only reaction that came from Freddie was his jaw squaring off.

Louis reached over to our cousin, squeezing his shoulder in form of solidarity. A solidarity that did not stay silent. "That's hardly fair," he said to the Head Auror. "You can't strip a wizard from his wand. It's like cutting off his manly-bits, Uncle Harry."

"I said the issue had been debated over, Mister Weasley," said the Head Auror, "not seen forward. An underage wizard and witch is allowed under law to use magic in case of an emergency. As such, the charge of underage sorcery was dropped. However, the use of an Unforgivable is another matter entirely. Under much of the Minister's relentless persuasion and your father's threats to terrorize the Wizengamot, this charge has been forgiven."

"That's great—!" Louis began, but he was cut short when Auror Weasley extended Freddie's wand back to him. 

"Forgiven," said Head Auror Potter, "but not forgotten. You will be monitored until you are twenty-one, Frederick. I suggest you think over every spell that leaves your wand from here on out."

Freddie tightened his fingers around his wand, but the color wasn't back to his skin. He just nodded once, looking down at his shoes. He did not have to say it, but we all knew he felt nothing but shame.

Auror Weasley handed his Head Auror another file.

"On account of Louis Weasley," he started, "the Ministry of Magic thanks you for your service. You saved multiple lives that day. In this file," he then said as he handed it over to Louis, "you will find two recommendation letters from Auror Ronald B. Weasley and myself if you so wish to ever join the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Louis could not hide the shock that spread across his face. "But, Uncle Harry—I mean, sir," he cleared his throat, standing tall now, his shoulders squaring out, "I have another year of Hogwarts left."

"More time to focus on Defense Against the Dark Arts, then," said Auror Weasley. "We need more honorable young recruits to join the force."

Louis laughed, looking at him now. "Thanks, Uncle Ron."

Auror Weasley offered a smile. 

"As for you, James Sirius Potter," continued the Head Auror, cutting across the familial moment that was unnecessary at the moment, "your charge of underage sorcery has been dropped. Enclosed, as well, is a letter of recommendation from Auror Ronald B. Weasley for you to join the Department of Magical Law Enforcement if you so wish it."

I took the file from him, seeing my father and not the Head Auror. It was loud for everyone to hear: he would never approve of me joining his department. I was not thanked like Louis had been. I reacted too slowly. I let the moment engulf me. It was a miracle I was standing at all. 

He turned his green eyes from me to search out for his younger son. "On account of Albus Severus Potter, the Wizengamot has charged you with underage sorcery and three uses of two Unforgivable Curses."

The previous, cutting silence returned. It thickened the air in the office. 

"Two uses of the Cruciatus Curse and one of the Killing Curse," said the Head Auror, no emotion whatsoever on his features as he looked at my little brother. "With these accusations at hand, on just the uses of the Unforgivables alone, your wand was confiscated and debated over been disposed, as well as a sentence of ten years in Azkaban was presented to council."

Freddie gained some feeling when the words left the Head Auror's mouth. He turned to Al, something like fear in his eyes. 

"Do you have anything to say of these charges, Mister Potter?"

Al raised his head, his emerald eyes almost red from all the thoughts that burned inside his head. "I'll do it again, Dad," he said, his tone steady. "To save her, I would."

Father and Head Auror struggled over Harry Potter again. Eventually, it was both that formed together to say, "I know you would, Albus, but it's a fool's mentality to think that way. Blood for blood does not make you a hero."

"I don't want to be a hero," Al hissed at our father. "They attacked us. They tortured my cousin and they aimed the killing curse at my mother. What sort of justice lets them get away with that?"

"You let the Ministry decide was justice is," Head Auror Potter yelled back, standing from his seat as his fists hit the surface of his desk. "We have laws—laws you do not get to break because your emotions cloud your judgment. Dark magic is never the answer."

In his seat, Draco Malfoy balled his own fists.

Al kept his glare, but he shrunk back just a bit. "It's not like I killed him," he then said. "Aunt Hermione disarmed me before the spell actually left my wand."

"Your mother taught you better than that," Dad added. "I did, too."

Al kept his silence just as I found my voice. "Is he cleared of his charges?"

Dad turned to me, his own anger simmering down. "Yes, James. Albus has been cleared from his charges. It took the Minister, Hermione, and McGonagall to convince the council to do so. Still," he said with a sigh, "that does not mean you have been entirely pardoned, Albus. You will be monitored by the Ministry until you are twenty-one. By that age, you will undergo monthly Legilimency sessions until you are deemed safe for the community."

"Welcome to the club," said Blaise Zabini with a snort. 

I frowned. "Why are they even here?" I asked. "Did they, too, get recommendation letters?"

"That would be nice, wouldn't it?" said Mister Zabini. "No, you see, once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater. Well, at least according to your father's department. Malfoy and I were just prodded to assure we were not responsible for the attack on Muggle London."

"Your kids were there," said Louis. "Why would they think you were responsible?"

"That's enough," said Auror Weasley. "We are taking extreme precautions, that is all. If you two had chosen better in your youth, you would not be sitting here. Let that be a lesson to you, boys," he then said as he looked at us.  

"That's enough from all of you," said the Head Auror. "Malfoy and Zabini are here for other reasons, too. Reasons we cannot disclose with civilians, let alone underage ones. "

"Can we get a move on, then?" said Mister Malfoy. "I have a son and nephew at home who are still shaken down over an attack that should have been prevented from your end."

The Head Auror nodded once at him before looking back us. "Teddy is waiting for you by the Floo Networks. Go straight home."

As we made way for the door, Uncle Ron said, "I'd steer clear from Ginny if I were you, Albie. She survived this, but I doubt you will."

X

A sigh of relief broke across the rare silence taking over the Gryffindor table. All of its House members were completely emerged in their books, noses practically shoved against the pages, as if hoping they could get summoned in and retain all its knowledge in one go. Quills and parchment scattered the surface, too, their food long forgotten.

It was the last term of the school year—which meant final exams were not too far off.

"Mail's here," said Roxanne, the same relief in her tone was in her dark eyes as the flock of owls rushed in through the highest window of the Great Hall.

James groaned, looking away from his Care of Magical Creatures book.  "For fuck sake," he mumbled to himself.

Dominique picked her head up from her own pile of notes and textbooks. Her beautiful, pale features were still somewhat greenish under the morning light. While Rose kept insisting she go to the Hospital Wing for a potion to help her, Dominique assured her bossy cousin that she was not sick, just stressed for the pressures of being a Seventh Year. 

"What'd you do now, idiot?" she asked James with a raised brow.

"Nothing," James said, but then quickly added, "that I know of. But I got this feeling, you know? The one I always get when Mum sends me a Howler."

From his seat across James, Freddie grinned as he put jam on his toast (he was slowly returning to his usual self as the days went by). "I get you, mate. I get the same feeling when my mum mails me. But it usually goes away because Dad's letter follows after, filled with good pocket-money and the latest items from the shop. You'd understand if Uncle Harry had a wicked job like me ol' man."

James rolled his eyes. "My dad owns part of the shop, too, dickhead. I get the same things you do."

"Oi," Freddie glared, his butterknife now pointed forward, "who'd you call a dickhead?"

"Libby!" Nia's excited shout broke across the potential fight between James and Freddie. She leaped out of her seat, pushing aside her notes as her adoring barn owl landed before her. "Good to see you, my sweet girl," she said to it, scratching under its beak before taking her mail.

I raised a brow at her reaction. Nia was never excited for the post, especially when her mail had been in a merciless, boring cycle since we were First Years. It was either letters from her maternal grandmother, updating her on future etiquette lessons and other pointless Pureblood events she wanted Nia to attend to represent the Harper family, and the rest of her content were letters from Nia's mother assuring her she didn't have to do anything her grandmother wanted. 

 "Got a pen-pal I don't know about?" I asked Nia with a forming smile.

She looked up from her letter, a soft pink flush on her cheeks that slowly started fading when she locked eyes on me. Although we had talked about where we stood, about where I was with Lily romantically and our unbreakable friendship, there was still a glimmer of anger in Nia's blue eyes that appeared when she looked at me now. I knew she was fighting against it, against her own selfishness to be accepting of my new relationship, but it still hurt to see her instinct was to reject what made me happy. 

"It's nothing," she finally said, giving me a tiny smile in return, too. 

"You sure—?" 

I was cut short when a stack of books landed in front of Nia, causing goblets of Pumpkin Juice to spill over her possessions.  Al was the cause. As was his new girlfriend, Evanna Nott.

Bullocks.

"Do you have the Charms notes from last month?" Al asked me, dread on his face as he opened the nearest book to him, searching frantically through it. "I can't find mine. What about for Defense? I need last week's. I transfigured mine into cranes and made them crash into the fireplace."

Evanna patted Al's back as she laughed, taking a seat across Nia. "You don't take Defense with Greengrass," she reminded him, reaching for a book of her own. "Sit down already. We have to get as much studying in as possible, or you're going to end up seeing a lot more of Professor Alan if you fail your O.W.L's."

The fragile restraint Nia had when it came to dealing with Al and Evanna was now rendered useless. She had been doing so well, too (I mean, aside from snarky comments, sneaky hexes, and disgusted facial expressions). Now the light blue color of her eyes was a dangerous shade of navy. 

"I think you've lost your way," said Nia through gritted teeth. "The Ravenclaw table is back there."

I reached for my wand, quickly making work of the mess Al had made (something I seemed to be doing almost daily now when it concerned him and Nia). "Come on," I said to my best friend, trying to mediate before blood was spilled, "let's go to the library, Nia. I'm sure our table is free since you threatened anyone who sat there with blistering acne."

I was gullible to think that would work. I knew nothing stopped Nia. 

"I'm pretty good at that hex. Done it so many times, it might just escape me now," she said as she looked over at Evanna. "It takes Madame Pomfrey about a week to clear it."

Al cringed. I'm not sure if it was because he had seen Nia's victims, or because he hadn't the foggiest how this was all going to end. 

"My boyfriend wanted to sit here, Harper," Evanna said, a fake, sharp grin on her lips. "You understand, don't you?"

"Well, your boyfriend is a Slytherin. I'm sure you'll be welcomed there."

"Are you asking me to leave?" Evanna returned, her grin disappearing.

"No, of course not," said Nia with a laugh. "I'm telling you to leave, Nott."

A dark shadow of violent retaliation crossed over Evanna's features, but she stopped them from becoming action when she glanced down at the soaked letter in the small distance between her and Nia. She reached for it, fanning it as she said, "Forgive me, Harper. It seems like Al and I ruined your letter." Nia made a grab for it, but Evanna was quicker. "It's not too bad. You can still make out the lines of poetry Lorcan has written you. Merlin, he really does fancy you, doesn't he?"

Al choked on his own air. "What? He's writing love letters to you know?"

"Give me that," hissed Nia as she tore the letter out of Evanna's hands. 

Evanna smirked again.  "Relax, Harper. Lorcan and I are friends. I'm sure I can explain that his declaration of love was mutual on your end."

"Bitch," Nia snarled.

"Cow," Evanna retorted back.

Al gaped back and forth between his girlfriend and my best friend. I frowned at him. This would be a lot easier for all of us if Al just accepted that there will always be tension between those two. He was going to have to learn to make sacrifices in order for there not to be a war.

Luckily, this time hell was spared from descending upon us when Lucas, Rose, and Scorpius approached the table. 

"Morning!" exclaimed Lucas with a bright grin. "Salazar, you lot are truly dedicated, huh? Studying this early instead of having some eggs and bacon?"

Dominique stopped banging her head on the table to glare at him. "Shouldn't you be, too, Zabini? You're actually not that bright, you know? I've seen skrewts with better aptitude for Potions than you."

Lucas scoffed at her as he took a seat beside Roxy. She flushed when he did, but kept her eyes on her letter. "I've got the best tutor Hogwarts has to offer, you see. I'm going to pass this term with nothing but O's."

"I doubt that," Dominique retaliated. 

"Don't," Rose said to her cousin with a loud sigh, tugging on Scorpius' sleeve so he could sit down beside her. "Because I'm his tutor. And Malfoy's, too. I'm determined to have these idiots pass."

Scorpius rolled his eyes at her. "I'm doing just fine, Weasley."

"Fine isn't outstanding," Rose reprimanded. 

"Right?" Evanna said with a laugh. "I'm trying to get Al to see that, too."

Nia's face turned red again. 

"Morning, you lot," came a voice I had become quite keen to. I looked away from Nia to find Lily standing behind me, looking beautiful, her red hair flaming and bright, brown eyes almost gold. She had Emily beside her, her wrist caged by her fingers.

Lily bent to press a kiss to my lips. 

"Don't!" came protests all around the Gryffindor table from her relatives. 

"Piss off, all of you," Lily told them with a roll of her eyes. "I've caught almost all of you doing worse things, so, really, a kiss between my boyfriend and I isn't going to make you go blind. Anyway," she then said with a deep breath, "someone please tell Em she can't keep hiding out in the mail room hoping her boyfriend will write her. She needs to study for her O.W.L's."

"I'm not hiding out," Emily defended, although her face showed no sign of frustration. "And Lance isn't my boyfriend."

Rose knitted her brows. "He isn't at Hogwarts yet?" 

"He hasn't returned, no," Lily answered for Emily. "Some creepy little cretin who claims to be Greyback's friend said he had been ill and wasn't allowed to return until he is better." 

Emily sighed heavily, stepping away from Al as he was about to comment.

Beating him to it, however, was Scorpius. "He probably turned into a werewolf and is running around on four legs right about now. Don't worry about it. I'm sure when he's done with his murder he'll be back."

"Malfoy," Rose gasped, smacking him on the arm. 

"What?" he returned, just as cutting, but with silver eyes focused on Emily. "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me none of you are thinking the same thing."

"That's enough—"

"Shut up," Emily said just as Rose kept trying to get Scorpius to leave it alone. "You don't know anything about him. You're just making assumptions. He might be sick, or injured, or—"

"Or running on four legs and murdering people," Scorpius repeated, ignoring her. "That or he was a participant of what happened in London and is off receiving his award for torturing muggles."

"Scorpius," Emily almost pleaded now. "stop it."

"Yes, Scorpius, stop it."

That came out louder, rougher, and deeper than anyone else could muster. Everyone familiar to the man standing before us echoed his name with excitement and surprise.

Teddy did not seem too excited to see them, however. 

"You lot were warned about speaking of that day. Heed that advice," he said, looking specifically stern at Scorpius before sharing it with the others.  "Anyway, no time to chat. Study, pass your exams, and Dom, go to the Hospital Wing, you look like shit. Now, Liam, come with me, mate. You, too, Scorpius."

"We're we going?" asked Lily to her oldest brother.

"Not you, kid," Teddy said, pushing her down to the bench. 

My cousin and I stood. "Is this about Mrs. Norris?" I asked as Lily frowned, handing me my schoolbag as Teddy pointed a finger to the exit of the Great Hall. "Filch always said he was going to press charges, but I didn't think he'd actually go through with it."

"He can't press charges, Liam," Scorpius said with a tired sigh. "We all know he has some weird, black magic keeping that bloody cat alive. If he involved the Ministry, they'd run tests on her."

"Forget that old, dodgy journal. Voldemort should have made Mrs. Norris his horcrux," said Teddy with a snort as we made way further into the grounds. "Dad told me everyone has at least put that cat's life in jeopardy once and she comes out stronger."

We came to a stop on a lonely pumpkin patch nearing the Forbidden Forest. The sun shone dimly throughout the grey sky, giving the clouds a soft light that seemed soon to disappear by an oncoming storm.

"If he's not getting arrested, to what do we owe the pleasure, Ted?" asked Scorpius as he sat on the bench, stretching his legs out. "Came to tell us all about your awkward, family dinner with my father?"

Teddy flipped him off. "It wasn't awkward, you twat."

"You took him to a muggle restaurant where he had to eat with his hands, trust me, it was awkward," Scorpius laughed. 

I smiled at both of them. Catching this, Teddy said, "You know, mate, I figured since Scorpius and me are cousins, and you are related, too, then that could make us family, too. Through marriage and all that rubbish."

"I think it does," I said. 

"Is that why you came, Ted ? To get sentimental on us?" Scorpius teased, but not before giving Teddy a grin.

Teddy scratched his head, his blue hair fast turning brown. "I'm actually here on Ministry business."

"So I am getting arrested?"

Following the example of Teddy's darkening hues, the sky turned murkier, too. Something sent a cold shiver up my spine.

"You're not," Scorpius kicked my shin before looking at Teddy. "What the hell is going on, then?"

Teddy no longer had glimmers of a grin on his face. Not when he said, "The Auror Department has recently discovered the real motive behind the attack in Muggle London. It was to distract us while higher-positioned wizards in this scheme went to retrieve information from old associates."

"Meaning what?" Scorpius pressed again.

"Those wizards gathered members of old Pureblood families for an emergency meeting supposedly pertaining to their business assets. In reality, they were looking for the whereabouts of certain dark objects they have been on the hunt for. None of these members divulged anything, so...so they were murdered." Teddy took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Liam, but your father was one of them." 

His words crawled into my ears, but I could barely hear them. My body had frozen, my head along with it. It was like my mind registered his words but they weren't accepting them at first. Slowly, the oxygen escaped my lungs as my throat went aflame and so did my eyes. A deep pressure sunk in my shoulders, crashing down along with my world. 

Scorpius was already by my side, gripping me as I could feel my mouth part, my throat roar with a scream that was filled with agonizing pain.

Burning tears blinded my vision, my heart breaking off into pieces as something like poison filled my blood as I sunk to the grass beneath me.

My cousins held on to me as I slashed and fought against them, clawing the grass as all I wanted to do was run far away.

I wanted to go back to the day I last saw him. I wanted to go back to the last time my father embraced me, smoothed my hair out, and told me to have a good holiday. I'd been upset with him that moment, frowning that he'd chosen to go off on a meeting than join me at the Potters for Christmas dinner.  To that, he'd had pulled me into another hug, saying, 'You're all that I've got, Liam. Nothing will ever be more important to me than you. I have to go to secure your future. You understand me, don't you, son?'

His last words to me had been a lie. If I had been important, he would have stayed. Now I was going to have to watch his body be buried six feet underground, right beside a tombstone engraved with  'Here lies Pansy Parkinson-Greengrass. Beloved mother.'

Both will lie together, dead and forever gone. Both buried liars. Both had promised to stay forever, but both had slipped away and left me an orphan.