Prologue:

"Explain yourself, Mr. Heggat, and do make what you have to say abundantly clear. I am in no mood for your stammering."

When the potions maker had made his way to Malfoy Manor that afternoon, Claus Heggat had known that he would not be receiving a warm welcome. The glare which Draco Malfoy was now sending in his direction only further exacerbated this.

The stout, balding man cursed in fright under those watchful grey eyes and adjusted his round spectacles with a quivering hand. "Yes, well," he huffed as though out of breath, his heavy frame heaving slightly, "Mr. Malfoy, you see, that potion you have been ingesting has been seen to have certain side effects."

Lucius growled and placed a protective hand on his son's shoulder. Under the light of the parlour room fire, the tall man was half-doused in shadow and made for an eerie opponent.

"Spit it out, Claus, before I force it form you. What have you done to my son?" The heavy man paled visibly and wrung his hands nervously. "It's not your son, Lucius, but rather what he has reproduced. The potion will most likely cause the Veela gene to double, if not triple in master Draco's offspring."

Astoria Greengrass gave a cry of alarm from her position in the padded armchair beside the fire. One pale hand clutched her swollen abdomen protectively. Narcissa smoothed the girl's blonde hair back and regarded the potion maker with steely eyes.

"Desist this nonsense," she hissed, "Explain yourself." The Malfoy Matriarch's tone broke no argument. With a mournful sigh, Heggat continued.

"I explained to you my apprehensions, Lucius. The deterrent potion was untested, practically a poison in the state you allowed your son to consume it. I begged you to allow me to perfect it." His black eyes became somewhat haunted, "young master Draco was not showing any Veela attributes because of his recessive gene. I could have further tested it but you and your son were adamant he begin taking it as soon as you discovered the gene. And now, it has become clear that it causes the creature aspect to mutate, to multiply. Draco's child will be a full Veela. The chances of it remaining human are slim at best."

Draco groaned and dropped his head into his hands, attempting to block out the distraught sobs of his wife. "What if it's a boy?" he asked desperately, "It can't be a Veela if it's male."

Heggat huffed another breathless sigh. "Honestly, mister Malfoy, I have no idea what this means for your unborn child. Logically, chances of a son becoming Veela are near nil. Either way, I can no longer condone the use of that potion. I had no idea it would endanger future offspring, I am sorry, Draco."

Draco waved away the man's apology, expression dark as he looked into Astoria's frightened face. "I have no one to blame but myself."

###

Several months later on the second of November, the Malfoy heir was born.

Draco beamed at his wife as she held his son, Scorpius, in her arms. The child was healthy, blonde and perfectly human.

And that was that.