(HP) When Time Isn't Enough

Chapter 18

Hathor, Egyptian Goddess of Happiness

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Papa and Daddy never fought. They were always the loving couple. Sometimes, they'd have their slight disagreements where they didn't see eye to eye, like decided where I would attend school, but they'd never have an actual fight.

One night, it was completely different.

Papa told Daddy that he didn't want me going to Hogwarts. He said that I wasn't allowed to go until Voldemort was killed. Dad disagreed.

"I want a divorce."

The words confused me. I didn't know what that was back when I was five. And it must have surprised Papa because he kept making noises as if he wanted to say something but couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'll take Scorpius and Lily far away from here, Harry. I'll find a place where they can be safe. Australia or New Zealand or somewhere around there. Just...anywhere far away from the dangers here."

"They're safe..."

"They're not safe. If they were safe, they'd be able to go wherever they wanted. Scorpius barely ever gets to see the outside world. He's five and he's been to Diagon Alley once. That's not normal for a child of wizarding blood."

"Look at who his parents are, Draco...he's never going to be normal. And I don't understand what's with the divorce. We don't need a divorce to make the kids happy. You just need to hang on just a little bit longer. I'll defeat Voldemort and then we can be a happy family together."

"You've been fighting him for years. We're not going to be happy. We should have known this before we got married. We did know this; we just ignored it. Our children won't enjoy their lives. They can't grow up here. It's too dangerous and it's the wrong sort of life for them."

My papa seemed to struggle for words. "So you want to divorce me because I won't let Scorpius go to Hogwarts? That's what this all comes down to, right? It's making me so warm and fuzzy inside to know that that's the extent of your love for me."

"Don't you dare question my love for you, Harry." Prior to that, I hadn't heard my dad yell at Papa like that. "I'm thinking about the welfare of our children. We shouldn't have even had children or have gotten married, in reality..."

"Don't say something like that." Papa was yelling now, too. "Lily and Scorpius are our babies. They're our everything..."

"We can't provide them with the lives they need. To make them happy, we have to put them in danger and to make them safe, we have to sacrifice their happiness. You of all people should know this." My dad sighed heavily. "I'll see Raquel in the morning..."

"To do what? Lily's birth is in a few weeks. What would you do?"

"I'd have her raise her..."

"The hell I'm letting that happen! Lily is our baby! What's wrong with you?"

"I'm scared." It sounded like Daddy didn't mean to say those words. "I'm terrified that Scorpius and Lily won't be happy. We both grew up scared and unhappy...I don't want our children to suffer..."

"You don't want them to suffer, but you'd separate this family? Draco, there's no sense in that. Just...let's go to bed. We're tired and not thinking straight...we can talk about this in the morning, okay love?"

And then I heard them moving away from the door.

When I woke up, Daddy was out. Papa told me Daddy had gone to see Lily.