(1) Dracarys (D. Malfoy)

Chapter Three

Dani likes sitting in the garden. It's quiet and Vis doesn't like coming out here, he prefers the greenhouse at the top of the tree house, their mother's greenhouse, Dani can't say exactly how many hours she and Vis used to sit up there and watch her work. Dani doesn't really go up there any more, she can't bring herself to, but she knows Vis does, more then anyone else. He doesn't like people knowing that so he usually sneaks away from them all. Dani prefers the open space and the sky the garden offers. She takes a deep breath and looks up at Drogon flying in the sky above her.

"What are you doing sat out here by yourself, young Daenerys?" Dani looks up as her grandfather approaches her. Newt Scamander. A man that is essentially her hero. His love of magical beasts matches her own.

"Vis is in a foul mood" she answers. "I'm hiding from him" she turns back to Drogon is. "Plus Drogon wanted to fly"

"Very impressive thing your father did there" Newt comments motioning to Drogon, Dani nods in agreement picking at the grass underneath her. "Daenerys" Newt states, she sighs and stands. "I thought you'd be excited, all you've ever spoken about is finally getting your Hogwarts letter....and it's here, and here you are, sulking in the gardens. What's wrong?" she kicks at the grass under her feet before looking up at him.

"I don't want to be different any more" she announces. "I want to be just like the other children"

"There's nothing wrong with being different, Daenerys" he assures her.

"But I don't like being different" she admits. "People look at me funny....As if there is something wrong with me"

"People fear what they don't understand" Newt tells her, she glances to him.

"Father said the same thing" she points out, Newt smirks.

"Wise man" he comments lifting her chin. "Come on, give me a smile....I would like to see my granddaughter smile on her birthday" he asks of her. She smiles at him but it falters slightly with her mood. He strokes her cheek brushing away her tears. "Daenerys" he whispers softly. "People like me, and like your father, we find the beauty in the things other people don't, we see something the world takes a disliking to and we see all the little things that make it wonderful" she looks up at him, tears in her eyes. "We see things differently, but we're not the only ones who do" he assures her. "There are people out there that will come to see you for who you truly are and they will adore you just as I do, just as your father does. They will see how intelligent and caring and wonderful giving you are" She hugs him, Newt wraps his arms back around her kissing her head. "The people who are different are the ones who are always remembered" he tells her warmly cupping her cheeks. "And no one in their right mind will ever forget those eyes of yours, not just because of their colour, but because they hold so much....." he sighs softly and then gives her a smile. "Will you come back inside? It's freezing out here" she nods and pulls back from him.

"Thank you" she whispers softly, he takes her hand in his and they head back towards the house.

...................

Dani sits with Rolf on one side and Newt on her other side, across from her Vis sits scowling because he has to wear a Christmas hat on top of the ugly sweater. On his either side are Apollo and Ray. Dinner is quiet but not uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as it could be. Vis is thankfully remaining stoic and keeps his mouth shut, thankfully. Dani hasn't fully recovered from her upset mood earlier. All the excitement of Hogwarts seemed to have run out of her. She was looking forward to this day for years, listening to her brothers stories, but now it's here and all her insecurities are burying their way deep inside of her. Drogon nuzzles against her leg trying to cheer her up. She doesn't need Vis making it worse. She swings her free leg a little and then looks to Newt who smiles warmly at her.

"Everything okay?" he asks her quietly, she nods and turns back to her food.

.............

Vis looks around making sure no one is watching him before he sets a blanket over a sleeping Dani, curled up tightly on the couch in the living room, Drogon stretched out along the back, he glances to Vis who presses a finger to his lips before leaving the room, Drogon snorts a little and goes back to sleeping.

...............

Newt pulls on his coat, getting ready to leave, he enjoys these moments, the holidays with his son and grandchildren, even though they only do it for Calliope and her memory, he is more then happy to do this for them. Apollo is leaning in the doorway looking into the next room where Dani sleeps, Newt moves towards him, stopping at his side.

"She'll be fine" Newt assures Apollo. "She's tough, and tenacious, and intelligent....." Apollo smiles a little and looks to his father. "She's reminds me of me"

"That's what worries me" Apollo admits, Newt nudges his son. "She's too much like you....."

"I'll take that as a compliment and not as the insult you meant" Newt argues, Apollo smirks a little. "You're worried she's going to get herself expelled" Newt points out.

"I know your expulsion was not your fault entirely, but Daenerys is the type to step in, to protect someone if she thinks they're being wrongly punished...."

"Just like me" Newt adds.

"Like I said...she's too much like you" Apollo repeats.

"Guess it skipped you" Newt comments. "You're all your mother" they share a look, Newt touches Apollo's arm. "But I see her in Daenerys too" he assures Apollo, they both watch Dani as she sleeps. "Send an owl when you decide to visit Diagon Alley" Newt offers. "Allow me to indulge my grandchildren whilst I still can...." Apollo nods but is still worried about Dani, and Vis, now is the time the two of them work together to help the other through a tough start at school. They should be side by side but they've never been further apart. 

.......................

Apollo watches his children, Ray, Rolf and Dani curled up on the couch, Vis sitting at the end as far from his siblings as he can get but he is sat with them. Dani chuckles as Ray whispers in her ear, Rolf rolls his eyes and nudges his brother who laughs pushing him back. Vis just watches them unimpressed and unamused.

"I hate Christmas" Vis comments flatly.

"Really?" Rolf asks. "We hadn't noticed" he adds, Dani smirks into his side, Vis rolls his eyes and then pushes Rolf off of the couch onto the floor. "Hey"

"That was uncalled for" Ray scolds and then it blows up into a full blown sibling row. All four of them shouting over the others. Apollo sighs.

"Might as well finish it like we started it" Apollo comments and then pushes himself off of the door frame and heads into the room.