Requital

REQUITAL

Epilogue: The Circle

Pansy Parkinson died during childbirth. But the baby, a boy, lived, and it was obvious from the beginning that he was a Malfoy. His hair gave him away; a platinum blond color achieved only by the Malfoys.

Many wondered who would take in the child of two Death Eaters. The answer came up almost immediately; Nymphadora Tonks adopted the boy and named him Charlie.

"Aunt Andromeda!" Charlie chirped as Andromeda opened the door, allowing Tonks and Charlie to enter. "Tonks won't let me show you my new toy broomstick. She said the Muggles here would think it's strange. Do you think they would?"

Andromeda just laughed delightedly. Charlie ran past her and into the kitchen. Tonks had to run quickly to catch up with him. "Uncle Ted!" Charlie said happily. "Tonks says that my daddy was a dragon and my mummy was a flower," he said solemnly. "So I bought a flowered dragon!" He held up a toy stuffed dragon with flowers tucked underneath its arms.

"Wow," Ted said, beaming at Charlie. "Very creative. But your father's not a dragon; his name just means dragon. And your mum's name is the name of a flower."

Charlie shrugged and made the dragon do a barrel roll in the air. "My dragon's name is named Ron. Want to know why? It's because Tonks has a friend named Ron, and his hair is red, and so is this Ron's skin, so I named him Ron."

Ted nodded approvingly. "I can see the resemblance," he said. "But Ron has a sister too. And your dragon's got flowers. So isn't it a she? You should have named it Ginny."

Charlie frowned. "Nah. Ron's a he, aren't you, Ron?" he said, talking to the dragon. He made Ron the dragon nod its head. "See? He said he's a he!"

"Biscuit, Charlie?" Andromeda offered, putting a tray of biscuits in front of him.

Tonks shook her head as Charlie began stuffing biscuits into his mouth as if he had been through a thirty-year famine. "We've got an owl," she announced as an eagle owl soared in through the open window, carrying an official-looking letter. She untied the letter, and the owl flew back out. "It's from Azkaban," she said, frowning.

"Azkaban?" Andromeda said, looking over Tonks' shoulder.

Tonks opened the letter and unfolded the piece of parchment inside. "It's from Draco," she said. "I didn't know they were allowed to write letters..." She scanned the short note, and her eyes widened. "We have to go to Azkaban, now. Sorry, Mum... come on, Charlie."

"I wonder what that's all about," Andromeda said as the door slammed shut behind her daughter.

*

"Hello," Charlie said cheerily, looking at the man behind the charmed bars. The absence of Dementors forced the Aurors to put up invisible wards around the existing cells. "My name's Charles Draco Malfoy," he informed the man, who raised an eyebrow. "And this is my dragon, Ron." He held up Ron the dragon.

"I see," the man said coolly.

"What's your name?" Charlie asked curiously.

"It is not your concern," the man replied, his tone suggesting that he had many things to do and that Charlie was wasting his precious time.

"Oh. Okay." There were noises from down the hall. "Tonks is bringing my daddy to a special room so we can talk to him." Charlie gulped. "I think he's going to die," he added sadly. "My mummy died right after I was born."

"Oh, that's too bad," the man drawled unsympathetically. "My mother killed herself."

"Really?" Charlie said.

"Charlie!" Tonks called. "Charlie, what are you doing? That's Lucius Malfoy!"

"Lucius Malfoy? Is he Grandpa?" Lucius blanched as Charlie beamed at him. "Bye, Grandpa. I have to see my daddy now." He waved and dashed back to Tonks.

Lucius Malfoy shook his head slowly and glared at the retreating backs of his grandson and his niece. It was a disgrace, really, how his grandson acted.

*

Draco propped himself up, coughing loudly. He swore as his coughing fit grew worse. Tonks sat in the chair next to the bed, watching him. It was so cold... Draco shivered, feeling tired and feverish. "Hi, Daddy!" a bright voice said. Charlie ran into the cell, smiling. "You don't look like you do in the pictures," he said softly.

"Your father's very ill," Tonks said simply.

"Oh." Charlie's smile disappeared. He looked at Tonks, who nodded. Silently, he clambered onto the bed, causing Draco to look surprised. "You can hold Ron," he offered, holding the toy dragon in front of his father's face.

"Weasley the dragon," Draco said weakly. "Hmm."

"His name's Ronald Bilius Weasley Malfoy," Charlie explained.

"I see," Draco said. He began to cough again. Tonks saw that he was coughing up blood.

"Why didn't they bring you to St. Mungo's?" she said softly.

"Because I'm a bloody Death Eater, that's why," Draco said bitterly. "I really don't care. I'd rather not stay in this hellhole for much longer."

Tonks bit her lip. "I'm sorry..." she said. "I was still mad the last time I left, but then I realized it really didn't matter, since you were family, and family members need to support each other no matter what." She sighed. "It's too late now, isn't it?"

"Your apology was to take care of my son. Even though you did name him Charlie. Hopefully he'll be a bigger success than me." Draco rummaged under his shirt. "Here," he said quietly, handing a small chain with a miniature Malfoy seal on it to Charlie. "This belongs to you now." Charlie took it and clutched it in his hand, staring at it.

Draco coughed hackingly some more. "Thanks, Nymphadora."

"You know you're the only one who's allowed to call me Nymphadora anymore? I hate that name," Tonks said, trying to smile.

Draco's eyes were dimming. "Maybe you could Avocado it," he joked feebly. His eyes went blank and shiny, and he began muttering about random things, giving orders to Crabbe and Goyle. "You two are supposed to be the Beaters on this team, not the retarded trolls doing absolutely nothing on the field," he muttered, dreaming. "What are you talking about, I can't catch the Snitch? Let's see you try..."

Charlie clutched at Tonks' hand, staring at his father. "Tonks, who's Crabbe and Goyle?" he asked tearfully.

"They're not here," Tonks said.

"Tonks, is Daddy going to die?"

"I don't know, Charlie, I don't know," Tonks lied.

"He's going to die, isn't he?" Charlie wailed, sensing her distress.

Tonks looked at him. "Yes," she said softly.

Charlie climbed off the bed and onto Tonks' lap. Then, slowly, he held the chain up to look at it, watching the meager light in the cell catch upon it. He fastened it around his neck after a while. "Thanks, Daddy," he whispered. "I'll be a good boy and a good Malfoy."

Tonks hugged Charlie, sniffling. "Don't worry, Tonks, I won't be like Grandpa. He's mean. I don't want to be like him," Charlie said.

"I know," Tonks whispered back. "I know."