Chapter 1

'If anything – anything – upsets him, you must Floo us. And he always has a glass of warm milk at night.' Draco gives his parents as stern a look as he can manage through the Floo. 'Don't forget his milk.'

'We will not forget the milk,' Narcissa says wearily. 'I told you already, Draco, I will sit with him myself and make sure he drinks it.'

'And,' Draco twists his head to glare at his father, 'You're not to take his Bear away from at night. Like you did with me.'

Lucius looks as though he would like to roll his eyes; as it is, he just fleetingly raises them to the ceiling. 'Draco. It was once, and you richly deserved punishment. You had been wilfully scaring the peacocks until they nearly shed tail-feathers.'

'Hmf,' Draco sniffs. 'And don't let those birds near Scorpius. They peck.'

'Don't you think that you are perhaps being a little over-protective, Draco?' Narcissa ventures.

'No! This is Scorpius's first time to sleep away from home without us, and it is extremely important that it is a good experience for him. I don't want him scared.' Draco frowns. 'So no weird Dark magic or anything either, come to think of it. Just try and be sweet and grandparently, all right?'

'Honestly, Draco,' Lucius says irritably. Narcissa looks torn between being highly offended, and being amused. The amusement wins, which is a testament to something, and she gives a sniff of laughter, making her husband and son look at her in surprise.

'You will have to work on your aged, grandfatherly manner, Lucius,' she says coolly, but a little smirk curls the corner of her mouth, and after raising an eyebrow, Lucius's lips twitch as well.

'Quite,' he agrees.

Draco looks between them uncertainly, and then with a last, severe glance, disappears from their Floo.

Scorpius had better not come home in tears. Or heads will roll.