Little Phoenix (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

93. Returned

"Zeph!" Nic cried, rushing towards him as he clambered out of the lake. Instantly she hugged him, ignoring the water soaking his robes. "Where did you go?"

"Mum," he replied, hugging her back. Pulling away, he demanded, "Where's Dad?"

"He's right here," Nic chuckled as Tyriq crouched down beside them, wrapping his arms around them tightly.

"Wait, you're together?" Zeph cried excitedly.

"Oh course we are," Nic replied, sharing a confused look with Tyriq. Zeph quickly grabbed his father's arm, pulling up his sleeve to see the Dark Mark.

"What?" Tyriq asked, looking worried and slightly flinching as he resisted the urge to cover the mark.

"And you two are best friends?" Zeph demanded, looking between Tyriq and Draco.

"Zeph, what is going on with you?" Nic asked.

"The time-turner," Tyriq sighed, realizing. "Wait, we weren't together?"

"No, in one of the times you divorced," Zeph explained. "And Mum was always working and...you were never a Death Eater. It-it was scary."

"Me not being a Death Eater was scary?" Tyriq chuckled.

"Y-You screamed at me for thinking that," Zeph explained. "Then you...you almost hit me."

Tyriq's expression shifted to one of great concern as he insisted, "Zeph, I would never."

"I know," Zeph replied with a smile. "Then...I don't know, but this you, I know you wouldn't. Wait! Where's Hadassah?!"

"You're a bloody idiot," the girl snapped, running up to him. Quickly the two siblings hugged. "Merlin, if you do that to me again I will slap you." Zeph chuckled, just glad he had his sister back.
..........................................
Scorpius, Albus, and Zephaniah sat in chairs in front of McGonagall's office as she stared them down, their parents behind them. "So, to be clear, you illegally jumped off the Hogwarts Express, you invaded and stole from the Ministry of Magic, you took it upon yourselves to change time, whereupon you disappeared two people."

"I agree it doesn't sound good-" Albus began.

"And your response to disappearing Hugo and Rose Granger-Weasley was to go back in time again - and this time, instead of losing two people you lost a huge number of people and killed your father - and in doing so you resurrected the worst wizard the world has ever known and heralded in a new age of Dark Magic. You're correct, Mr. Potter, it doesn't sound good, does it? Are you aware of how stupid you've been?"

"Minerva-" Nic began, her grip on her son's shoulders tightening comfortingly.

"Yes Professor," Scorpius said.

"Yes," Albus said after a moment's hesitation.

When Minerva's piercing glare was sent to Zeph, he defended, "Hey, I was just doing what my Mum told me to do. She told me to protect Scorpius and Albus because the kids at school are being mean to them. I was just protecting them."

"Professor, if I may," Harry began.

"No you may not," she interrupted harshly. "What you choose to do as parents is your matter but this is my school, and these are my students, and I will choose what punishment they will face."

"Seems fair," Draco admitted.

"I should expel you, but...all things considered...I think it might be safer for you to remain in my care. You are in detention for...well, you can consider yourself in detention for the rest of the year. Christmas is cancelled for you. You can forget visiting Hogsmeade ever again. And that's just the start..."

"What did I miss?" Hermione asked, appearing in the fireplace.

Nic just managed to hear Zeph ask, "What happened to my parents in that other time?"

"The second one?" Scorpius asked. Zeph nodded. "Well your mum was dead, but...she was killed by..."

"Who?" Zeph asked curiously.

With a sigh, Scorpius explained, "Your dad didn't know who she was because she was Phoenix. He killed her. Once he realized what he'd done...he killed himself."

"Merlin," Zeph grumbled. "That's bloody terrifying." After a pause, he remarked, "Isn't it weird that it took my dad being a Death Eater for them to have a long-lasting relationship?"

"That is weird," Albus agreed. Later on, Nic and Tyriq were sitting with Zeph in Nic's office.

"Zeph, you did something really foolish," Nic chastised. "However, I think the school punishments are enough, don't you agree, Ty?"

"Have to say that I do," he replied, wrapping an arm around Nic's waist. Zeph smiled in spite of himself.

"You know," he said, "I never realized how much of an impact you have on each other. Seeing both of you when you weren't together...it was scary."

"Why did we split up?" Nic asked, sitting down in front of him.

"Well..." Zeph began, piecing it all together. "Cedric got hurt really badly in the first task, so you and him got real close real quick. So, when he died, you were more of a mess, I guess. Then, Dad, you never found out your parent's were Death Eaters so you didn't join the Order and you didn't go undercover."

"And finding out you were undercover was what prompted us to get together," Nic filled in, looking to her husband.

"Right," Zeph agreed with a nod. "So then you didn't get together until sometime in sixth year before you disappeared for a year, Mum. Dad was mad at you for disappearing without telling him and you were still in love with Cedric. So, Dad was still mad at you deep down and Mum, you were not fully in love with him so you threw yourself into your work. Then you two divorced. It was weird. Dad was so...angry all the time and he was bitter. Mum was always...you didn't seem to care for me much."

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Nic said quietly, "but listen." She waited until he had looked up at her. "That isn't what's happening now. That timeline doesn't exist anymore. Your father and I are happy, we're all right, and I swear I love you more than I can say. You, Dassah, and your father are my life. I love you all so much. Come here." Zeph stood and hugged his mum tightly.

"I love you, Mum," Zeph said.

"Dang, no love for me," Tyriq joked, leaning against the wall with a smile.

Rolling his eyes playfully, Zeph pulled away from his mum and hugged his dad. "I love you too, even though you're a complete dork."

"I love you, kiddo," he replied, laughing lightly at his son. Nic got up and wrapped her arms around the two.