Chapter 138: 3-1

And so, Draco woke up about three days later. With no lingering side effects, he seemed completely unfazed, despite all the worry surrounding him.

"Can I punch you once, just for starters?"

"Not in the slightest!"

I cornered a cold-sweating Draco against the wall. When he tried to sneak away, I blocked his escape route with my leg. What did my daughter, Lily, call this again...? A 'leg-don,' (leg kabedon) wasn't it?

"......Maria?"

"You know..."

Next came my arms. Ignoring our height difference entirely, I trapped Draco in place. Snatching his tie in one hand, I fashioned a makeshift collar.

"Why... did you keep... something so important... to yourself?"

"Wait, calm down."

"Why... after almost getting killed... didn't you say anything?"

"Hey, Maria."

"Aren't we... partners?"

"...Harry."

"Shut up. Right now, I'm talking as Maria. Listen to me, Malfoy: make your excuses clever. Otherwise, your lifespan is going to get a lot shorter."

"You're already assuming you'll shorten it?!"

Draco, cowering with his back pressed to the wall, eventually reached out his arms and wrapped them around me.

"...I'm sorry. For making you worry."

"...Hmph."

I released him from my wall-trap. If it came down to keeping secrets, I was far worse; I was hypocritical to the extreme. But still—for Astoria's sake, and for Scorpius's sake—we couldn't afford to lose Draco Malfoy.

"While you were sleeping peacefully, a lot happened. For starters, an interrogation: why was that pendant delivered to you?"

"When it comes to motives, you and I have far too many enemies to narrow it down. But... the one who brought it was Theodore."

"......"

One of my eyebrows twitched upward. Theodore Nott—indeed, using Theodore as a fellow Slytherin classmate made it remarkably easy to approach Draco. In short, Theodore had taken the place of Katie from the "last time." If Draco hadn't taken the pendant... Theodore might have died.

"It's no clever excuse, but... don't make that face. You look ugly."

"My mother's face is beautiful no matter what."

"It's what's inside that's ugly."

We shared a quiet laugh, the tension melting from my shoulders.

"Honestly, I didn't think I was the target. I had my suspicions, but... what benefit is there in killing me here, other than a personal grudge? What difference does my death make? Even if it affects individuals, it won't shake the foundation of any organization—unlike Dumbledore."

"If the goal were to unsettle Harry, targeting me would be far more effective. So, just as you said, isn't it likely a personal grudge? Which means the list of potential motives is practically endless."

"...Still, I can't overlook someone actively trying to kill you."

"Nor can we ignore the collateral damage to those around us."

Pansy, for instance. Theodore, for instance. Or... Astoria. The scythe of malice aimed at Draco was threatening to harvest everyone around him as well. —The cry of the Augurey was ominously summoning death.

"In that case, I have a report of my own—listen carefully."

And just as I had anticipated, hearing the name of the Augurey turned Draco pale. His already fair skin drained of color until he looked like a vampire.

Neither he nor I—nor our sons—had any pleasant memories regarding the Augurey. The Augurey... Delphini, the daughter of Voldemort.

"That world was one where everyone was tested, and everyone failed. We must not allow even the possibility of it being resurrected."

"Of course. There can be no world where my... where my son is set up as some kind of king. He isn't meant to rule over others."

"I was not a good father. I was a useless father. I treated your son terribly too. I tried to tear their friendship apart—when I knew better than anyone how much strength comes from standing beside a friend. My blindness nearly ruined our sons... I caused you a great deal of trouble as well."

"Harry."

Draco patted my shoulder, just as a friend would. Draco Malfoy being an ally—what a rare and precious thing that was.

"That's why we're going to stop it. The two of us. —No passing this on to the future."

"...Yeah."

A deep breath. I calmed my emotions. We couldn't let our children clean up our messes. The world the Augurey desired—we adults had to shatter it.

"Let's gather information. Is she truly in this world? If so, then she—"

"Her mother was Bellatrix Lestrange, and she was born at Malfoy Manor. But that's impossible in this world. How does the Augurey exist here? And why... 'me'?"

"Let's find out. Together."

We gave each other a firm nod. That incident had happened because it was bound to happen—the responsibility of adults who had allowed lingering grudges to smolder for generations. This time, without fail—we had to hand down a world free from the scent of blood to our children.

"I'm counting on you... partner."

We exchanged a long-overdue handshake. The futures he and I carried were similar yet different—but the destination we were looking toward was surely the same.

We parted ways as if signaling the end of our briefing. Then I turned back. Ah, right—I forgot to lodge one complaint. ...What does she even see in him? Is it just his looks? Handsome bastard.

"Make sure you thank Pansy properly. And don't be too cold to her. She's actually quite cute."

"Simpleton."

He offered a cynical smirk in response, and this time I finally turned my back on him. —Suppose... Suppose that was the reason I, Maria, existed in this world...

"...It might not be so bad."

The boy stared at his own palm. Hands transitioning into manhood. Hands that had lost their childish recklessness and learned to bear wounds with pragmatic efficiency. And yet... still young.

"Delphini... A settling of sins, is it?"

Reality was about to overtake the man's former reverie.

Finishing Herbology, Harry looked utterly exhausted. He had his second private lesson with Dumbledore yesterday, so I thought his heavy spirit was due to touching memories connected to Riddle, but the source of his anguish turned out to be our two best friends.

"Do you think those two will end up together?"

"Are you unhappy about it? Didn't you see it coming?"

"Yeah... but..."

Wiping my mud-soaked hands, I gave the crestfallen Harry a rough pat on the head.

"Are you feeling lonely?"

"......"

"You have Ginny, don't you?"

"We're not like that yet. Besides, that's completely different."

"—Different, right. I know."

I nodded in sympathetic agreement with Harry's hesitation. At this age, relationships shifted drastically in every way, romance included. Because I ultimately knew that Ron and Hermione would work out, I could afford to be optimistic—no, I couldn't. In the world our sons saw, the two of them had separated while still holding feelings for each other.

"...It's complicated."

"It really is."

Two people equally clueless about romance huddled together. At least without Cho in the mix, Harry himself had a clearer head—but as for me...

"What about you, Maria?"

My heart skipped a beat. As expected of twins, perhaps. His green eyes were looking at me, yet seemed to peer straight through to what lay beyond.

"What are you going to do, Maria?"

Me... What about me, Maria?

Once Quidditch practice started, the clashes between Ron and Ginny intensified as well. Ron's play was inconsistent; his mental state heavily influenced his performance. And Ginny seemed unable to stomach it.

"You absolute useless idiot! Look at Demelza! How many times did she take a hit to the face because of your 'accidents'?"

"I just haven't found my rhythm yet!"

"And when exactly is your rhythm going to show up? In three days? A year? Or when your beloved Chudley Cannons win the league? How many centuries from now is that?!"

"Why, you—talking like you know everything—!"

"Both of you, stop it! Ron, calm down. Ginny, don't call Ron useless!"

As the captain of the new team, Harry was completely overwhelmed. I watched him feeling as though I were looking at my past self... except a situation was waiting ahead that wouldn't let me remain a passive observer.

It happened while the two were engaged in their all-too-familiar sibling squabble on the way back to the common room. Both were exhausted after practice, especially Ginny, who was worn out after scoring six goals. In short, her mind wasn't sharp—and instead, her tongue slipped.

"That's why you haven't gotten an invitation from Hermione for Christmas!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Slughorn's Christmas party! If you get invited by one of his favorite students, you can attend even if you aren't one of them. You can't go unless someone invites you, right? Harry's going with Maria, after all."

"Huh?"

"Ah, yeah. That's the plan."

An ex post facto consent, of all things. When I looked up at Harry in utter disbelief, he returned a silly, dopey smile, making me shrug my shoulders. It was a face of complete assurance, never for a second suspecting I might refuse. Honestly, my little brother remains endearing no matter how much time passes... even though he abandoned his sister at the Yule Ball back then.

"I'm not Harry, so taking a sibling is the absolute last thing I'd do. Which means unless you get an invite from Hermione, you won't be coming to the party."

"It's not like... I... Besides, it's not as if she has anyone else to ask besides me and Harry anyway."

"Oh, what a shame for you! Hermione is popular, you know. She's gotten really pretty. Remember the Yule Ball two years ago? Plus, she's already kissed someone."

Ron stopped dead in his tracks. A moment later, Ginny stopped too, "Oops" written clearly across her face.

"...Well, I'm going ahead!"

Leaving her bewildered brother behind, Ginny scurried off. Left behind, Harry and I exchanged silent glances behind Ron's back. ...What do we do about this?

"Was that real? Was it Krum? If it was at the Yule Ball, it has to be him, right?"

"Uh, well..."

"Mm..."

We equivocated vaguely, but in Ron's mind, it was already set in stone. Fact was, Hermione and Krum really had been quite close back then. And we... were terrible liars.

Thus began Ron's unreasonable hostility toward Hermione. In the "last timeline," 'I' had been caught in the middle, running between Ron by day and Hermione by night to offer support, but this time, there were two of 'me.' We skillfully divided the labor, playing dedicated listeners to our best friends. Naturally, I took Hermione's side. After all... Maria was a girl, officially speaking.

"I don't understand at all. Why is Ron being so cold to me? What did I do to make him so angry?"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Hermione."

It's because you kissed Krum two years ago. There was no way I could possibly say that to her.

"I... I was planning to invite Ron. To the Christmas party. I thought, if it's Ron... But now I can't even speak to him! This is so humiliating."

"Hermione..."

I hugged Hermione as her face crumpled in tears. If only their feelings were simple enough that telling her Ron likes you would resolve everything—how wonderful that would be. But that wouldn't do. Loving someone... isn't built on 'liking' alone.

With the relationship between our two best friends a total mess, the Gryffindor Quidditch team reached its first match. As expected, Ron was sulking completely, showing zero sign that his performance could be counted on. Thus—Harry pulled a trick.

Hermione was furious. Believing Harry had spiked Ron's drink with Felix Felicis, Hermione was rightfully outraged. Once we somehow managed to send the two players off to the pitch, I whispered to Hermione.

"Calm down, Hermione. That was just an act. He didn't actually put anything in."

"...What did you say?"

"It was just a little trick to make Ron believe today was his lucky day."

Indeed, the weather was perfect for Quidditch, and the opposing Slytherin team had a missing player. Normally, a complete amateur Seeker would have been assigned to replace the sickly Malfoy, but this time, the Slytherin Seeker wasn't Malfoy—it was Theodore Nott. With no reason to sit out, Theodore stood there with quiet confidence.

"I... I see. So you made that plan without me. You thought if you told thick-headed me, I'd ruin it."

"That's not it!"

"No, that's exactly what it is. That's precisely what it means... I'm going back. Don't follow me. ...I don't want to end up hating you too, Maria."

Hermione left the Quidditch pitch before the match even started. Her figure looked painfully fragile from behind. She was hurt. She was hurting so deeply—yet I couldn't even offer her proper comfort. In the end, I was still a man.

Leaving Hermione's heart behind, the match proceeded smoothly. Under the clear sky, cheer upon cheer echoed from the Gryffindors and the students supporting the team. The world spilled light with almost hollow brilliance. Ron and Harry were both smiling, drunk on victory.

While the girls were weeping all alone.

Even at the celebration party for the new Gryffindor team's first victory, the feud between Ron and Hermione flared up again. Ron clung to Lavender ostentatiously just to make a point. Making matters worse, Hermione and Lavender were dormmates, systematically stripping away every refuge Hermione had.

Sending conjured birds to attack Ron, Hermione bolted from the common room. Giving chase in a hurry, I found her weeping by the lakeside—the very spot Draco and I used for our secret meetings.

Harry would likely take care of Ron. Without a word, I sat down beside the girl.

"I envy you."

"Envy what?"

"You two are working out so well. It makes me jealous to look at you. I'm sick of feeling this way."

"'You two'... You mean me and Draco?"

"Who else? There are plenty of people who like you, Maria Potter. You get prettier with every passing year. Every Gryffindor boy has fallen for you at first sight at least once. But... the one you like is only one person."

"......"

I knew Hermione misunderstood my relationship with Draco in that way. To avoid trouble, I hadn't bothered to strongly correct her. But... that was probably a mistake.

"You two are strange. Really strange. But... it works. You've formed something real. You care for each other, yet you can still just be friends. That's—"

"Wait, Hermione. Draco might have said he liked me, but he decided on someone in his heart a long time ago—"

"You mean that Slytherin girl, right? But she's been changing a bit... Are you really okay with that?"

"────"

What are you going to do, Maria? —Harry's voice echoed back in my mind.

"Tell me, Maria... are you really fine with that?"

Her tear-stained brown eyes were utterly sincere. The gaze of a girl striving to stay close to justice innocently shattered every avenue of escape, urging me to face forward. Her righteousness was always synonymous with pain.

"We're not at an age where we can keep faking it and turning a blind eye anymore. We have to think about this properly. Maria... what are you going to do?"

For instance, the night of that dance with just the two of us. For instance, the words spilled in that empty classroom after switching places with Anthony. The confession at the station. The reason my eyes couldn't help but linger on Pansy...

The time for pretending to be a child was over.