When Your Parents Tell You Bedtime Stories

6

"A house is made of brick and stone, but a home is made of love alone."

"You never realize how much you cared about a person until, suddenly, they're not there anymore."

"Students can't just leave Hogwarts, can they?" a furious Draco Malfoy asked as he paced the headmaster's office.

"We are doing everything we can, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape assured him. "But her little friends aren't saying anything."

"They're Slytherins, loyalty means something to them," Draco put in turning to his old Professor. "Let me talk to them."

*********

Persephone still didn't know how she had managed to make it all the way across the grounds without someone spotting her. But, here she was, wandering around Hogsmeade thinking of what she could do. The night air was a deathly cold and she pulled her cloak tighter around her. She knew her "dad" would be there, probably already shouting about the idiocy of allowing his daughter to go missing. But, he wouldn't find her. Not until she got some straight answers. And suddenly, she knew exactly where to go.

*********

"We already told you, Mr. Malfoy," Aludra said sitting stubbornly on the Slytherin couch watching the man pace furiously. "We're not telling you a thing."

"I'd like to say something, Mr. Malfoy," Alphard said standing.

"Alphard, what are you doing?" Rigel asked furiously.

"What is it?" Draco asked thinking maybe he would finally get some information.

"How could you allow yourself to sink so low as to falling for a Mudblood?" Alphard said, his tone even and his stare deadly. Draco, who had still been pacing, turned to the boy slowly, a deathly pale color on his face.

"What did you say?" Draco growled.

"We know who Persephone's mother is. Hermione Granger; one of the famous trio, brightest witch Hogwarts has ever seen, Mudblood, and Gryffindor. We also know you're not her real dad. But she also told us that you loved her mother. Tell me, Mr. Malfoy, for a man as high in status as yourself, why would you allow yourself to sink that low?"

"You are out of line, boy," Draco growled holding himself back.

"I guess you really did turn your back on the Slytherins. But tell me, because I'm very interested. Your best friend fucks this girl you're in love with, and now you're raising their child. Are you clinically insane?" Alphard said as if looking down to the man years older than him.

"There are things you couldn't possibly understand," Draco said his anger rising.

"Then explain it to us, Mr. Malfoy," Alphard continued smirking.

"What is in my past is none of your business," Draco said.

"It is if it concerns our friend," Rigel put in trying to ease the tension. "Persephone went to seek the truth, and you won't find her until she does. So you might as well tell us."

*********

"I haven't had a visitor in nearly twelve years. And the first one I get I don't even know," the man muttered looking down at the cloaked figure on his couch. His appearance was rather ragged, but there was still this proud indefinable air about him that suggested he once really cared what other people thought. His midnight hair was neatly folded over to each side of his head and his green eyes searched the visitor avidly.

"Why don't you look at me, and then tell me you don't know me." The figure lowered their hood and the man nearly gaped before regaining his composure.

"Persephone," he said recalling his child's name; after all, their similarities were uncanny. "You've come home at last."