It is our choices (A Harry/Severus friendship fic post DH) (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter 21- What I am capable of

Authors note: I dedicate this chapter to animegal for always been so keen for my updates by counting down the number of comments i'd need before i would post the next chapter! Thank you for loving my fic so much!  Anyway, this chapter is a continuation of the previous one. I hope you enjoy it! Questions shall be answered :P

Chapter 21- 'What I am capable of....'

"We are all equally to blame for this," Narcissa asserted miserably, gesturing to herself, her husband and son. "None of this would have happened, had it not been for us." 

"And why do you put so much blame on yourselves?" Snape asked, curious. "Greyback is also to blame here, and probably the one to blame." 

"I know, but it- we've been- Draco I can't," Narcissa said looking pleadingly at her son who was sitting next to her, looking very shaky and pale as he sat, watching his mother struggle. 

"It's alright, Mother," Draco said, trying to sound reassuring. Of course, he knew she wouldn't be able to tell the truth, especially with so many witnesses and after causing so much trouble, but someone had to tell them what was happening and it seemed that responsibility was down to Draco. 

"My mother is being too kind to me-" 

"But Draco-" 

"Mother, let me tell them," Draco intervened gently. Narcissa held herself back and continued to sob quietly in her chair as she watched her son with wide-eyes. 

"Although my mother and father helped Greyback tonight, they are not to blame for the lead up to this moment. That alone rests with me," Draco said, wanting Potter, Snape and the rest of them to understand that if they are to be mad with anyone, it should be him. 

"After the Dark Lord was defeated," Draco looked at Harry momentarily. "Greyback was still keeping in frequent contact with my father. They became friends and Greyback, although harsh at times, was generally nice to me. Then when I met Astoria and we married, I moved out of the house, still with the understanding that Greyback and Father were good friends. Father and I kept in contact frequently and I always enquired about Greyback because it seemed he had changed for the better, like everyone else had and I hoped that that would remain so. Unfortunately, when my wife and I gave birth to Scorpius, things changed and I regret it greatly that I didn't tell my father at the time-" 

"What didn't you tell me Draco?" Lucius asked, with a slithering edge in his voice. 

"Greyback contacted me soon after Scorpius was born and I was expecting some form of congratulations, but he um..." Draco didn't know where to go from here. Of course the easy way would be to just spill the beans, but it wasn't easy; life had never been the same since that day. 

"Greyback proposed that I help him to be a more powerful wizard. He- um- he wanted me to teach him things he didn't already know so that he could improve. He asserted it was purely for his own desire and had no intention of using it to create havoc later down the track. I didn't believe him and rejected his request, saying that I didn't have the time with such a young child. But he continued to insist on it, eventually threatening to bite Scorpius during a full moon. He said he would go to any length to ensure my son was bitten if I didn't help him. I- I knew what I had to do and yet I also knew that I would be helping Greyback become better and more powerful. I knew one day I would regret it and that moment is now." 

"You never told me this, Draco," Lucius said harshly. "I continued to befriend Greyback during that time, never knowing what kind of a man he was. I had no idea he threatened you and had I done, I would have severed any contact him from that moment onwards! But instead you chose to risk your family, your mother and father because you didn't tell us what you-"