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Chapter Text

Steam clouded the air. Footsteps rang out as feet hit hard stone. Shouts rose above the clatter. Chatter muddled together into a roar of noise. People took up every inch of space, pushing through the crowd.

The commotion of the train platform overwhelmed Albus, his senses on high alert as the world seemed to rush around him. He felt like a fish trying to swim upstream--no, not upstream, up a rapid river--the water trying to overtake him. His own beating heart only added to the noise that filled his head.

Albus tried to keep up with his family, navigating through the hoards of people the rushed around, pushing trollies piled high with trunks, broomsticks, cauldrons, and owl cages. He pushed his own trolley in front of him, swerving through small gaps and trying his best not to run over anyone. Returning students raced down the platform to greet their friends with cries of glee and enveloping hugs. Parents looked over their children with teary eyes, instructing them to be good and promising to write.

Albus' heart slammed against his chest as he gripped onto the handle of his trolley for support. He chewed at the inside of his cheek, his stomach churning, despite the little breakfast he'd eaten that morning. He could barely hear his family, who conversed with a certain cheer and exhilaration that could only be brought by the excited thoughts of the year to come. James ran ahead to meet up with his friends, leaving their mother to push his trolley. Lily clung to her father's arm, looking at the train with starry eyes, eagerly awaiting the day she would be able to board along with her older brothers.

Albus only caught pieces of his father's expressive tales from his years at Hogwarts.

"--Met your aunt Hermione and uncle Ron on this very train my first year--"

"--Had some brilliant times in the common room--"

"--Coming back to Hogwarts was always--"

"--Made the quidditch team the very first year. Ended up choking on the snitch!"

Albus had heard all of it before. Whether it was in books, The Daily Prophet, or his family's stories, he was always hearing about his father's school years and amazing feats. He wondered what his first year would bring. What friends would he make? What classes would he be good at? What adventures awaited him? He'd waited for this day since he was a little kid listening to his dad reminisce about the cosy Gryffindor common room. Albus could imagine sitting by the warm, crackling fire, curled up in a red, plush sofa, surrounded by bright red and gold tapestries, joking around with a group of friends.

When his older brother, James, started at Hogwarts just a year previous, he was overcome with jealousy, so much so that his parent's had to buy him a book filled with moving pictures of the castle and its magical origins.

But now that the long-awaited day had finally arrived, everything seemed so much more daunting.

The whole journey to King's Cross was filling with his brother's pestering.

"If you're late to class, they hang you in the rafters by your cloak!"

"James," Ginny said with a warning tone before taking her youngest son's hand and giving it a squeeze, "Don't listen to your brother, Al. He's just trying to scare you. Hogwarts is a wonderful place."

Albus pulled his hand away, not convinced.

James didn't listen to his mother, leaning over to whisper in Albus' ear, "Watch out for the Slytherins! They'll jinx you in the halls if you even look at them the wrong way. They sense fear." He snickered at Albus' sudden intake of breath.

Slytherin.

He'd heard the cautionary tales and rumours. The Dark Lord's house. An aura of darkness and fear surrounded it. But James insisted on teasing Albus about it, claiming that he could be sorted into Slytherin. Albus tried not to think about the possibility. A Potter in Slytherin? That couldn't be possible.

Could it?

Albus' daze was broken as he stopped abruptly, nearly crashing his trolley into his family, who had come to a halt. It took only a second to realise why they had stopped.

"Hi, Al!" A chipper voice greeted him.

He turned to see his curly-haired cousin, Rose, who practically glowed in exhilaration--the opposite of how Albus felt. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped together, and a smile overtaking her face.

"Aren't you thrilled? I can't believe it's finally here! I've reread Hogwarts: A History at least twelve times this week, just to prepare." Rose rambled, not sensing that Albus didn't mirror her excitement.

Albus looked passed his cousin to see his aunt and uncle, who greeted him and his parents.

"Are you ready, Al? Big year ahead of you!" His uncle Ron grinned.

Albus managed to muster a smile, "Yeah." He swallowed the lump in his throat as he tried to hold back the quiver in his lips, as not to show his family how he truly felt. Ron seemed satisfied by that answer and turned back to talk to Harry. Hugo broke away from his mum's side to chat excitedly with Lily about their future Hogwarts houses.

"I'm positive we will be in Gryffindor, of course," Hugo boasted with confidence. He placed his hands on his hips and jutted his chin in the air--the stance of a true Gryffindor.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," Ron said to the young ones, "but no pressure."

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, giving him a light slap to the arm.

Rose and Albus exchanged an uneasy glance.

"He doesn't mean it," Hermione reassured them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders.

Rose brushed it off, used to her dad's sense of humour, "Doesn't matter. I know we will be in Gryffindor. Right, Al?" She elbowed him in the ribs a little harder than she meant to.

"Mhmm," He nodded but his thoughts drifting back to what James' had said.

The train whistle broke through the family's conversation.

His father glanced down at his watch, "It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."

Rose skipped away to say goodbye to her parents. Hugo jumped into her arms before she could even get to her mum and dad, engulfing her in a hug.

James rushed back over give his farewell. He gave everyone a hug goodbye but stopped in front of Albus.

"See you later, Al. Watch out for the thestrals." He said with an impish grin, giving his little brother a small kick to the shin.

Albus' heart dropped into his stomach, "I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!"

James laughed before dashing off to join his friends, who waved him onto the carriage.

Harry turned to Albus, giving him a soft clap on the shoulder and a gentle smile, "Thestrals are nothing to worry about," he told Albus. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

Albus swallowed the lump in his throat with a small nod.

His mother came over to pull him into a tight embrace and gave him a peck on the cheek, "We're gonna miss you, Al. But you're going to have a great year. I love you. Be good, and watch over your brother. Make sure he doesn't cause too much trouble." She chuckled, knowing that wouldn't be an easy task. "We will see you at Christmas. Don't hesitate to send an owl if you need anything." She let him go, allowing her husband to wish him off.

"I'm sure he'll be much too preoccupied at school to send an owl," Harry chuckled to his wife before turning to his middle child, "Have a great first year, Al. It will certainly be one to remember. Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you've learned how. And don't let James wind you up."

Albus took a step back, his fears still clouding his head.

"What if I'm in Slytherin?" He muttered for only his father to hear.

His father took a deep, pondering breath then kneeled down before his son, looking him right in the eyes.

"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say--" Albus started.

"--then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it?" His dad cut him off. "It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?" Albus lifted his head slightly.

"It did for me," Harry assured him.

The train whistle blew again, calling for the final students lingering on the platform to board. Harry stood, pulling his youngest son into one last hug before giving him a gentle push towards the train, where Rose waited for him. Albus glanced back at his family one last time, before joining her.

Large clouds of steam began to gather as the train prepared to leave. Albus bit at his lip as he watched his family wave them off. Rose waved back enthusiastically, but Albus turned away, not wanting them to notice the tears gathering in his eyes.

The train jolted. The metal wheels screeched as they started to turn, moving the train slow at first, then picking up speed.

Rose stood at the door, waving and yelling goodbyes until the platform was out of view. Then she turned to Albus, her hands on her hips and a bright smiled painted across her face.

"Well Al, this is it!" She stated, full of pride. "Now, let's find a place to sit."

---

The journey felt endless as he watched the countryside fly past the window. Albus was glad that they had found a compartment to themselves at the back of the train, where he could spread out and not have to worry about sitting with strangers for the next five hours.

Rose had occupied the first hour by chatting her cousin's ear off about Hogwarts and all her expectations of the school.

"Do you think we will get to go in the Forbidden Forest at all? Like I know it's forbidden, but mum and dad have been there loads of times and it sounds incredible!"

After a series of one-word answers, Rose gave up on trying to hold a conversation, delving into her collection of books that she brought.

As the train slowed to a halt, reaching its destination, time seemed to speed up. His legs seemed to move by themselves and Albus soon found himself on another train platform, crowded with students. Soon he was loaded into a boat with Rose behind him, marvelling at the stunning display of the castle before them.

The windows shone against the night sky like flickering stars that climbed the impressive towers that stood proudly on the rocky hill above the lake. For once Rose was speechless, marvelling up at the magnificent castle.

An explosion of warmth spread across Abus' chest and he suddenly felt at ease as they drifted on the smooth, silent water. Maybe going to Hogwarts wouldn't be as scary as he thought.

But all too soon, the view sank behind the stone ceiling of a vine-covered cave.

Albus was lifted from the boat and pushed into the centre of the crowd of jittery first years. They were ushered through the large wooden doors and guided down the magnificent Entrance Hall. Candlelight flickered against the stone wall, casting the hall in a warm orange glow. A professor gave a speech about the sorting ceremony--something that had already been explained to him by both his parents and older brother--then led them to The Great Hall.

Albus had seen plenty of pictures of The Great Hall, but he didn't realise how great it would actually be.

Hundreds of students watched as the first years paraded into the Great Hall, each seated at their assigned table, each neatly set with golden goblets and cutlery. Normally this amount of attention would have made Albus anxious, but he was too distracted by the bewitched ceiling to notice. He found his eyes tracing the constellations that mirrored the sky outside as if Great Hall reached all the way up to the heavens.

"Can you believe it? It's amazing. Even better than I imagined!" Rose whispered to him in awe, gazing around with a twinkle in her eyes that matched the sky above. She gripped onto his wrist with excitement, and for the first time all day, he gave her a genuine smile. He started to let his guard down, caving into the comforting atmosphere of the castle.

'Maybe this won't be so bad after all,' he thought.

He looked over at the Gryffindor table, scanning over the students until he caught the eye of his brother. James waved, turning to his friends and pointing his little brother out to them. They, too, waved and gave him friendly smiles. Albus waved back, keeping a mental note of where they were sitting so he could join them after the sorting. He hoped James wouldn't mind his little brother tagging along.

'Just until I make friends of my own,' Albus assured himself.

The sound of someone's throat being cleared caused the noise to dim to silence. Albus turned to see Neville--Professor Longbottom--standing at the front of the hall, a scroll in hand. As expected, a raggedy old hat rested on a stool beside him. The crowd waited in expectation as the hat began to stir. The tear in the fabric began to move and its song began.

"I am the greatest hat you shall see,
For I am the Sorting Hat,
No greater hat there be."

Albus heard a soft gasp from behind him, presumably from a muggle-born. But even with all the magic he had seen in his life, Albus, too, found the singing hat rather surprising and amusing. The rest of the Hogwarts students watched in silence as the raggedy hat continued.

"Although my looks are not divine,
As you can see I am patched and torn,
It would be hard to get a hat this fine,
For I am the Sorting Hat.

Place me upon your head,
And I will look deep inside,
And your house is what will be said."

Albus' stomach began to tumble around inside of him, like a single marble in an empty jar. He wasn't sure how he felt about a magic hat looking through his mind. He glanced around at the other first years. They all looked equally unsettled at the thought, which reassured him.

"Maybe Gryffindor,
The brave and the daring,"

Rose elbowed Albus softly, shooting him a wink. He glanced back at the Gryffindor table, who sat proud under their banner of red and gold. Their parent's house held a special place in their hearts--and in the history books. All the Weasleys and Potters before them had been sorted into Gryffindor. James gave him a thumbs up from across the hall, which made Albus smile before he turned back to face the front.

"Hufflepuff where you'll find
The kindest and the caring.
Maybe Ravenclaw,
The creative and the smart,
Or Slytherin,
If you've got a cunning heart.

Where you will be,
Well, no one quite knows,
No one else but me.

So try me on,
For I am the best,
Still, no greater hat than I,
For I'm the Sorting Hat!"

There was a brief moment of silence when the hat finished its song before the students erupted into applause.

Neville stepped forward again to address the crowd, unrolling the long parchment scroll in his hands, "Settled down everyone and the Sorting Ceremony will begin." A few cheers lingered before all attention was refocused on the ratty old hat. "When I call your name, please come forward to be sorted'" Neville instructed before looking down at the scroll to read the first name, "Andrews, George."

A short and stout boy at the front of the crowd walked up to the stool tentatively and the hat was gently placed on his head. With just a moment's thought, the hat shouted out its decision.

"RAVENCLAW!"

George jumped up and ran to take his seats with his new peers, that congratulated him as he passed by.

Albus began to wonder what it would be like when it was his turn to be sorted. The Potter name carried weight with it, and would surely attract attention. He remembered James telling him about how excited the Gryffindor table got when he was sorted.

"Of course, no one was surprised," He had said, "Where else would the son of Harry Potter be sorted?"

"Granger-Weasley, Rose," Neville called, bringing Albus' thoughts back to the present.

His cousin stepped confidently up to the front, addressing the crowd with a confident grin as the hat was placed on her head and immediately made its choice.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose skipped cheerfully over to her assigned table. James slid over to make room for her next to him. She left a spot next to her open, shooting Albus a thumbs up.

Albus barely paid attention as more names were called and the group of first years widdled down around him. Instead, he examined each of the long wooden tables that stretched out along the Great Hall.

At first glance, they each looked the same. But it was the significance of the house that differentiated them. Above each table, a banner flew, boasting the house colours. Everyone had their own house, their own family. Houses were meant to be a symbol of pride, where they would not only live but work, play, and make memories. It was where the legendary trio became friends, and where they spent their days when they weren't galavanting off on their adventures. Albus hoped he could make a group of friends that strong, just like his father had.

"O' Hare, Leanne," The list was starting to narrow down now.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Pachelli, Antonio!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Potter, Albus!"

Albus' heart started to thunder against his chest. He stepped forward, feeling like a spotlight had suddenly fallen on him, every eye burning into him.

"That's Harry Potter's son!" He heard someone whisper in awe.

"I can't believe he is in our year!"

Albus tried to block out the all the looks and whispers he got as he made his way up to the stool in the front of the hall. Ahead of him, he saw Hagrid, who towered over the rest of the teachers at the head table. Noticing the little boy's nerves, Hagrid gave him a wide smile. Neville also snuck him a subtle nod of encouragement that only he could see.

Taking a deep breath, Albus planted himself down on the wobbly old stool. He felt the hat brush over his hair as it was gently placed upon his head. Albus held his breath, staring down at his shoes to avoid looking out at the crowd of faces that all pointed towards him.

A small, gruff voice in his ear made him jump, 'Well, well, well, another Potter,' The Sorting Hat spoke to him. 'Hmm, not like your brother, no... No, you've got a mind just like your father's, you do.'

Albus was taken aback, 'I do?' He thought. All his life he had been told how much he looked like his father, inheriting the same black hair and green eyes, but never in any other respects.

'Yes...' The hat drawled with an eerie sense of confidence, 'I know a great place for you,' the Sorting Hat continued, 'you'll fit in well with them. You'll make strong friendships. If you're willing, you can really thrive. It would be the perfect fit.'

The offer tempted Albus. He looked up at the Gryffindor table, where Rose and James watched him in anticipation.

Albus made up his mind, 'Yes,' he told the hat, 'That's where I want to be.'

'Good...' The hat spoke to Albus one more time before it shouted out to the waiting hall of students.

"SLYTHERIN!"

There was a moment's silence as the name echoed through the hall. Shock fell over the students and even the teachers. No one moved or clapped.

Harry Potter's son a Slytherin? It was all wrong.

Albus' heart dropped into his stomach. The Great Hall began to sway before him as if he was still on the boat crossing the lake.

'No!' He thought, frantically, 'That can't be right!'

The Sorting Hat was silent. Its decision was final.

As the hat was slowly lifted from his head, the initial shock wore off of the students and the whispers began.

Slowly, as if he had treacle on the soles of his shoes, Albus stepped down and trudged over to his respective table. The green and silver banner flew overhead, the serpent's beady eyes staring down the newcomer, unwelcoming and unapologetic.

"Is that really Harry Potter's son?" He heard someone whisper.

"Slytherin? Bloody hell!"

No one welcomed him as he took a place on the bench. Their stares burned holes in his skin and their whispering tones slashed through his skin like claws.

He stared down at the plate in front of him, wishing he could just melt away into nothingness, like the candles that decorated the hall. He couldn't bear to turn and see Rose and James' reactions. He knew he had let his family down. A Potter in Slytherin? He was a disgrace. A disappointment. What would his parents think?

Oh Merlin, his parents. How would he tell them? The question lingered in his head throughout the rest of the evening.

He hardly touched the feast; the thought of food disgusted him. He didn't pay attention to Headmistress McGonagall's speech, or even the Hogwarts song, which used to make him laugh whenever his parents sang it to him as a child.

The castle didn't seem so comfortable anymore.

As the Great Hall emptied out after the banquet, Albus followed the rest of the Slytherins to the common room, staying at the back of the group with his head hung.

"Albus!" He heard someone call. He glanced over his shoulder to see a concerned Rose, jogging to catch up with him

Albus turned his head, "Just, leave me alone." He picked up his pace, keeping up with the rest of his house, leaving Rose looking dejected.

The castle air felt colder and damper as the descended into the dungeons, the candles casting flickering shadows against the cold stone.

Albus didn't even bother to look around the common room like the rest of the first years. Instead, he went straight to the dormitory, where his trunk and belongings were already waiting by a four-poster bed.

He sat on the bed curled up, resting his chin on his knees. He tried to digest the day, but he couldn't come to accept his fate.

Slytherin.

Slytherin.

Albus Severus Potter was a Slytherin.

His father's words lingered in his head, but they brought him little comfort. He was just trying to console him at the station, he didn't truly mean it. How could he? How could Harry Potter accept his son in the house of Voldemort? Thoughts and questions swarmed his mind. How would his parents react? And his aunt and uncle? His grandparents? They would be so disappointed. A whole Gryffindor legacy ruined by him. Why him? What did he do to deserve this? What did he--

"Jelly slug?"

Albus' train of thought was interrupted by a hand holding out a green gummy in front of him. He peered up to see a boy standing over him, clutching a bag of sweets in his arms. He smiled softly, encouraging him to take the slug.

Albus hesitated at first, but the rumble of his empty stomach got the better of him--plus jelly slugs were one of his favourite sweets and he couldn't resist. He accepted the sweet, chewing on it halfheartedly.

"Thanks," He muttered to the boy, who looked happy that Albus had accepted his offer.

"I've got loads more. My parents gave me a whole case full of sweets. They said it would help me make friends." The boy smiled, teeth as just barely whiter than his pale skin. His hair also a similar colour: pale blond.

He offered Albus another slug, which he took without complaint, "My mum was worried about me leaving for Hogwarts. She worried that I would get homesick, but really, I think she'll miss me more. I'm an only child. She isn't used to not having me around to care for," The boy told him, "What about you? Do you miss your parents yet?" He asked, knowing fully that something was bringing Albus down.

Albus shook his head, "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm really not in the mood for talking right now." He told him truthfully, expecting the boy to be insulted or upset.

But the boy just shrugged, "Okay. Well, when you're in the mood to talk, I will be here. I'm Scorpius, by the way." He told him, giving him another jelly slug.

Albus took the sweet, letting a grateful smile slip, "Albus. My name's Albus."

Chapter Text

Albus decided to keep his head down low for his first term at Hogwarts. Perhaps he could make it through the year if he didn't attract any attention to himself. He could just hide in the shadows and his classmates might forget he was even there.

But that was impossible. He was a Potter. There was no avoiding the limelight. Maybe it would work for an ordinary student, but not for Albus.

Albus was extraordinary--but not in the way his father was. He was constantly reminded of all of his father's amazing feats: becoming seeker in his first year, using the invisibility cloak to sneak around after dark, and, of course, defeating Voldemort for the second time and saving the Philosopher's stone from the hands of evil. While his father was an extraordinary boy wizard, Albus was an extraordinary failure.

It didn't help that all eyes were always on him.

"In my father's first year, he and Harry Potter used this spell to defeat a troll!" Rose's voice rang out in the classroom during one of their first charms lessons. Professor Flitwick had just finished demonstrating wingardium leviosa and the students were eager to attempt it themselves. But all were distracted from their feathers for a moment as they tuned in to Rose's subtle boast. She made eye contact with Albus from across the room, giving him a small smile as if the attention would benefit him in some way.

"Is that true?" A boy behind Albus leaned forward to ask him with astonishment. The Slytherins sitting nearby all turned to him with wide eyes.

"Yes..." Albus muttered, wishing that he had the ability to apparate out of the room. Even if he could, he would probably mess that up, splinching off his arm or leg in the process.

"Alright students, give it a try," Professor Flitwick told them, "Remember, swish and flick!"

Everyone grabbed their wands pointing them at the feathers in front of them. The room filled with a chorus of "Wingardium leviosa!"

"Yes!" Someone exclaimed from across the room. Albus looked up to see Rose, beaming with pride as her feather immediately lifted from the desk. The gaggle of Gryffindors sitting around her all leaned in to watch, emitting "ooo's" and "ahh's".

Albus suddenly felt the attention of his housemates on him as watched him in expectation.

Taking a deep breath and trying to ignore the burning gazes of his peers, Albus lifted his wand and pointed it at the feather, "Erm... Wingardium leviosa!" He waved his wand as the professor had demonstrated. But the feather didn't budge.

In an attempt to recollect his dignity as those around him continued to watch hopefully, Albus tried again with more gusto in his voice, "Wingardium leviosa!" His wand emitted a single dull spark but the feather remained untouched.

The students started to turn away in disappointment, a few letting out some giggles. They began to focus on their own feathers, many of them able to lift them as if they had mastered the spell years ago. Albus bit his lip as his face reddened.

"Wingardium leviosa!" He tried once more but nothing happened.

"Not much like his father at all..." He heard someone mutter from a few rows back.

Albus' grip tightened on his wand, feeling the strange urge to snap it in half. But he knew it couldn't be the wands fault: it was his.

"Well, it could have been worse, I suppose. It could have just blown up in your face!" A voice spoke to Albus.

Albus turned his head to look at the boy next to him. It was the same boy he had met just two days prior in the dormitory.

Scorpius made an exploding motion with his hands, his fingers spreading apart as if something had combusted beneath them, "Buwushhh!" He made an explosion noise before giving Albus a rather awkward smile. Albus loosened the grip on his wand, the corner of his mouth just barely twitching up.

His other lessons didn't go much better. He somehow managed to kill a plant in herbology. His astronomy papers always came back with low marks. He couldn't even manage to succeed in flying class. His broom never responded when he ordered it to rise up and once he did manage to get a chance at flying, the broom shot out from under him, leaving Albus flat on his back in the dirt.

"He really is the Slytherin sqib," Matthias, a fellow Slytherin in his year, snickered with his friends.

Scorpius extended Albus a hand to help him up, "I was never much into Quidditch. Always thought the sport to be a bit boring," He offered in an attempt to cheer Albus up.

As dreadful as his first term at Hogwarts was, Albus wasn't much looking forward to returning home for Christmas either. Showing his face after three months to his family, dressed in his assigned green and silver detailed robes. He still hadn't told his parents and he wondered if they knew. He'd ignored all their letters, which his mum and dad sent frequently during his first few weeks.

"W-what are you doing?" Scorpius gasped from his seat in an armchair in the common room one day.

Albus had gathered the letters his mum and dad had sent, each enveloped still sealed and untouched. Albus crumpled them all into a ball and tossed them into the fire, which quickly ate up the paper. The letters soon turned to ash without Albus even knowing what they contained.

"I don't want them," Albus huffed, still staring into the blazing fire. The heat from the flames hit his already flushed face and cast him in a soft orange and yellow light.

"But," Scorpius stood in protest, half-stunned and half-impressed by Albus' boldness, "Don't you want to hear what your parents have to say?"

Albus finally turned away from the fire, shoving his hands in his pockets as he paced back and forth across the green and silver woven carpet, "I don't need to. I don't want to read about how disappointed they are in me."

Scorpius frowned, "Why would they be disappointed in you?"

"Because of this!" Albus pointed to the Slytherin crest on his robes, the snake serving as a constant reminder of who--what--he was. "The Great Harry Potter's son, a filthy Slytherin!"

Albus immediately regretted his words as Scorpius bowed his head and rubbed his arm as if Albus' outburst had physically hurt him.

Albus sighed and stopped pacing to look at the boy who was the closest thing he had to a friend at Hogwarts, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just mean...its just my family." He wrinkled his nose.

Scorpius let out a weak chuckle, "I understand how that can feel. My family... well..."

"How do they feel about you being in Slytherin?" Albus questioned.

"Oh, they couldn't have been more proud!" Scorpius must have seen Albus' perplexed look, so he continued, "My name is Scorpius. My dad and grandparents were Deatheaters. I'm from a whole line of pureblood wizards. I was sorted into Slytherin practically at birth..."

Albus blinked in shock, taking a step back, "Deatheaters?!"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Scorpius frowned, "You really don't know, do you?"

Albus shook his head and Scorpius seemed to brace himself, plucking up the courage to admit something that could ruin their friendship altogether.

"I'm a Malfoy. Surely, your father must have mentioned us before? Your father and my father... well they didn't get on well. In fact, they were more like sworn enemies." Scorpius told him slowly, his voice trembling more than usual.

"Really? As in that Malfoy that my father always mentioned? Merlin's beard..." Albus had never made the connection.

"I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore," Scorpius squeaked out. "But just know!" his inflexion rose as he lifted his head to look at Albus, "We aren't like that anymore! Deatheaters, I mean. That was a long time ago."

"I know."

Scorpius quirked his head, "You do?"

Albus nodded, "You're too nice to be a Deatheater." A smile spread across Scorpius' face. Albus continued, "I don't care about who your family is if you don't care about mine. Friends?" He extended his hand.

Scorpius took it and they shook hands, "Friends."

---

"Promise you'll write?" Scorpius asked Albus as the train screeched to a halt at Platform 9 3/4 that December after their first term. "To tell me how it goes?"

Albus bit his cheek as he stared out the compartment window at the families who eagerly awaited their children's return for the holiday break. The students quickly emptied their compartments, wanted to jump off the train as soon as it came to a stop and the doors opened. Everyone but Albus seemed excited to go home and see their families.

"I will," He affirmed. His heart thundered in his chest as he scanned the platform and spotted his family waiting. His mum held his little sister's hand as Harry chatted to one of the other parents on the platform. Students began to flood the platform as the unboarded the train. Albus was able to see James run across the platform to meet his family before Albus' view was blocked by the crowd.

"I suppose we should go now," Scorpius said, sliding open the compartment door. Albus followed behind his friend through the narrow passage to the door. They stepped off the train, lugging their trunks behind them.

They stopped on the platform and turned to each other to say their goodbyes.

"See you in the new year," Albus said softly, wishing he could just stay with his friend instead of returning home.

"See you too. Good luck," Scorpius said with a nod of encouragement as Albus' parents came into view behind him.

"Al!" The unmistakable voice of Harry Potter called, "Al, over here!"

"I better find my parents," Scorpius said before they parted ways and he disappeared into the crowd.

"Albus!"

He turned just in time to be swept up into his mother's arms as she engulfed him into a hug and kissed his forehead.

"We missed you terribly, Al! How was your first term?" She asked.

"Why haven't you answered any of our letters? We were beginning to worry. Was it that much fun that you forgot to write?" Harry said with a hint of amusement.

Ginny released her son and Harry noticed the green and silver scarf wrapped around his youngest sons neck. His smile faltered slightly and Albus immediately wished he hadn't worn it, despite how cold the December day was.

"So, it is true... James told us in a letter but I thought perhaps it was one of his jokes. I wasn't sure. I had hoped you'd owl us and tell us yourself." Harry said. Albus couldn't work out how his father was feeling, his reaction more subdued than he expected.

"Why, I think it's wonderful, Al," Ginny said, trying to cheer up her son. "Green really does make your eyes pop." She reached out to brush some of his dark hair out of his face. Albus turned his head away so she couldn't touch him. She frowned but lowered her hand. "Is everything alright?"

"Can we just go home?" He finally muttered.

"Say, who was that boy you got off the train with?" Harry inquired, trying to peer over the crowd to catch another glimpse of him.

Albus lifted his head to look his father in the eyes, "That was my friend. Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy," He told him, jutting his chin out slightly. Ginny's head whipped around to look at her husband, fearing his reaction.

Harry needed to process the name, "Scorpius Malfoy?"

With perfect timing, preventing Albus from feeling his father's full wrath, James appeared with Lily by his side.

"Well if it isn't my little brother, the traitor of the Potter family," He teased. "Don't see you around much. How's Ssssslytherin?" He dragged out the 'S' and put his hands together to form a snake head, worming his arms through the air. Lily giggled but Albus rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut it, James."

Sensing the tension between her family, Ginny spoke up, "Let's head home now, shall we?"

---

Albus spent much of his Christmas break alone in his room. His father tried to pry, asking him to tell him more about Slytherin or Scorpius but Albus stayed quiet. He could feel his fathers disapproved, he just wasn't sure if it was towards his house or his choice of friends.

When he heard his parents mention his name one night, after they believed the kids were all in bed, Albus decided to listen in. He snuck out of his room and sat atop the stairs, hearing his parent's muffled whispers drift up from the lounge.

"--I don't know Ginny. I'm worried. Do you think I should send an owl to Neville? Have him check in on the boy?"

"Do you think that's a good idea? Maybe we should just let him be. Let Al work things out himself. Figure out who he is on his own."

"But Scorpius Malfoy? I thought our son would have better taste in friends than that. Bloody hell, even I knew better than to make friends with Malfoy in my first year."

"Harry, you know nothing about him! He could be a very lovely boy! Albus has a good head on his shoulders. I'm sure he knows what is best."

"I don't trust him, Ginny. Do you see how he is behaving? I've barely seen him since he got home. He never wants to talk to me about school or anything! It's like he's a completely different person."

"Hogwarts will change a person."

"Yes but not like that. Hogwarts is a wonderful place. I'm sure that Malfoy boy is behind it. Those Malfoys are all insufferable little--"

"--Harry, please. Owl Neville if you'd like. But I think we need to let Al grow on his own. My first year at Hogwarts was tough, surely you of all people would remember. I felt lonely and out of place. But I soon was able to make it my home and develop some really great friendships. I'm sure Albus will too. But let him adjust first. It's only his first term."

"Fine. But I still think that Malfoy boy is a bad influence. I just hope that Al learns to make friends with the right kind."

Albus had heard enough. He slunk back to his bedroom, doing his best to shut the door with as little noise as possible. Soon after, he heard the sound of footsteps up the stairs. Al jumped in bed, throwing the duvet over him and shutting his eyes. The footsteps stopped outside his door and he heard it gently be pushed open.

Harry glanced into his son's room to find him curled up in bed. With one last glance, he shut the door again, leaving Albus alone in the dark.

---

Despite Ginny's hopes, Hogwarts never really got better for Albus. The only thing that made it bearable was his friend--his best friend--Scorpius. Together, Albus was able to make it through his first and second year despite the teasing, the name calling, and the humiliation.

By his third year, Albus still hated the idea of returning to Hogwarts but at least he had Scorpius.

His father was almost unable to join them on their trip to Platform 9 3/4. Albus has been filled with relief when his mother gave the children Harry's regrets. But just in time the very morning of September first, Albus' father--in true Harry Potter fashion--burst through the door sporting an accomplished smile and a fresh cut on his cheek.

"Dad! You made it!" Lily exclaimed running into her father's arms.

James shared her excitement, "I thought you weren't going to be able to come." He dropped the trunk he had lugged from his room, joining his father and sister in a group hug.

Harry smiled, "Well I couldn't miss dropping Lily off for her very first year at Hogwarts! So I was able to wrap up my case a little bit earlier than expected." He rubbed his hands together as if brushing off lingering dirt and dust from his duties as Head of Magical Law Enforcement. "Now, is everyone ready? We best be going soon. We wouldn't want to miss the train like Ron and I did in our second year."

Lily giggled with an eager nod, running over to where her packed trunk was waiting. James picked up his trunk again, ready to bring it out to the waiting car.

Harry turned to Albus, who stood back against the wall, keeping a fair distance between them, "How about you, Al? Ready for another year of school?" He asked with enthusiasm, trying to be encouraging.

Al grunted, "Let's just get on with it." He uncrossed his arms to pick up his truck, pushing past the rest of his family to drag it out the front door.

Harry looked to Ginny with a quirked eyebrow, hoping for an explanation of Albus' mood. Ginny just shrugged, her hand raised to just brush her chin as she watched Albus storm out. Her eyes flickered with concern which she quickly blinked away as she turned her attention back to her other children.

"Well then, let's get a move on!"

---

The train platform was busy as it was every year full of families, tears, hugs, and laughter. Albus had learned to become numb during these times. To ignore the world around him. He felt hollow but at least the world hurt him less.

James ran off to meet his friends, like usual. He never could wait long to get to Hogwarts, practically bouncing up and down on the whole car ride there. It was the Gryffindor in him. He was hyperactive and the definition of an extrovert. If he had his way, he'd stay at Hogwarts year round.

Ginny hugged and said goodbye to Albus before she took Lily to help her load her trunk onto the train. Albus started across the platform, hoping to find Scorpius along the way, but his dad stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He stared out through his glasses at the shiny red train with a wistful look as if wishing he too could return to the magical school.

"Third-year. Big year," He stated. "I met my godfather, in my third year. Sirius Black. A great man. I named your brother after him."

Albus rolled his eyes, "I know dad. You've told us a million times. Each of us is named after someone special blah blah blah." He shrugged his father's hand off his shoulder.

Harry frowned but continued to try and make a connection with his son, who seemed determined to shut him out. All he wanted was for him to be happy. To be the boy he knew before he went off to school.

"Here is your permission form for Hogsmeade." Harry pulled out the sheet of paper from his coat pocket and handed it to his son. He hoped that somehow, the trips to Hogsmeade would cheer him up. Let him have fun in the village and be free of the castle for a short period of time. Maybe Albus could use that feeling of liberation from his studies.

"I hate Hogsmeade," Albus grumbled, refusing the paper.

"How can you hate a place you haven't actually visited yet?"

"Because I know it will be full of Hogwarts students" Albus stated like it was obvious. He couldn't imagine anything worse than a village full of his peers. The tormenting would only continue, but this time without any adults to step in.

"Just give it a go." Harry encouraged, holding the paper out again with. With a wink, he added, "This is your chance to go nuts at Honeydukes without your mum knowing!"

Albus snatched the paper from his father hands, crinkling it up into a little ball and tossing it onto the ground.

"No, Albus don't you dare," Harry uttered in a threatening tone. But it was too late. Albus had already whipped out his wand, pointing it at the crumpled ball.

"Incendio!" The paper lit up with a burst of flame that was quick to dissolve into nothing. All that was left of the paper was a small pile of grey dust. Albus put his want away with a smug grin.

"Of all the stupid things!" Harry exclaimed, rubbing his temples.

"The Ironic thing is, I didn't expect it to work. I'm terrible at that spell" Albus crossed his arms, kicking away the dust as an added measure.

Harry took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn't want to get into a fight with his son before he left--Especially not publically. "Albus. I've been exchanging owls with Professor McGonagall. She says your isolating yourself. You're uncooperative in lessons. Surely your--"

"So what would you like me to do?" Albus spat, throwing his arms out as he began to make dramatic motions as he spoke, waving his hands about, "Magic myself popular? Conjure myself into a new house? Transfigure me into a better student? Just cast the spell, dad, and change me into what you want me to be. Okay? it will work better for the both of us." He grumbled, grabbing the handle of the trolley that held his things. "I've got to go." He turned away from Harry, not wanting to look at him as he began to put the trolley towards the Hogwarts Express. "Train to catch. Friends to find..." he rolled his eyes.

Leaving his father behind in the crowd, Albus scanned the platform, hoping to catch sight of a familiar head of platinum blond hair. Soon, he spotted him from behind and Albus made a beeline towards his friend. He stopped his trolley beside where Scorpius sat alone on his trunk.

"Scorpius!" Albus smiled, relieved to finally be back with his best--and only--friend. But immediately, Albus knew something was wrong. "Scorpius? Are you okay?"

Scorpius didn't respond, staying curled up with his face in his hands. His grey eyes looked glossed over. He had a far-off look and his face showed no hint of his usual smile. It was unlike Scorpius to be unhappy on the first of September. Despite the harassment of the other students, Scorpius loved school. He loved to learn, do homework, and roam the library. Albus couldn't understand his passion for education but he'd stopped trying to question it. There was only one thing that could bring Scorpius' mood this low.

"Your mum... its got worse," Albus said softly, kneeling down to be beside him. As long as Albus had known him, he knew Scorpius' mother was ill. It had only gotten worse over the few years they had been friends. Albus had only met her once but he knew that Scorpius adored her.

"Its gotten worse than it can possibly get" He barely managed to form the words, his bottom lip quivering. He stared straight ahead, trying to avoid blinking in fear that, if he did, tears would spill out of his eyes again.

"I thought you'd send an owl..."

"I couldn't work out what to say," Scorpius voice cracked.

"And now I don't know what to say."

"Say nothing."

"Is there anything--" Albus began to offer.

"Come to the funeral?" He interrupted, turning to look Albus in the eyes and finally allowing himself to blink. A tear fell down Scorpius' pale skin--paler than usual.

He hated seeing the pain in his best friend's eyes "Of course." He placed a hand on Scorpius' knee in his best attempt at comforting him. How could you console a friend after something as tragic as...

"And be my good friend," Scorpius finished with a shallow breath.

Chapter Text

As the summer days started cooling and autumn approached, the feeling of dread in Albus' stomach grew larger, tossing and turning inside of him and threatening to fill his whole body with the dark and murky feeling. While many people loved autumn, with the changing leaves, cosy jumpers and the nearing holidays, Albus hated the season because it meant only one thing to him: Back to school. This feeling came to him at the same time for the past five years since he started at Hogwarts and it never got any easier.

He sat up in his bed, unable to sleep, absentmindedly picking at his chipping black nail varnish while staring out the window opposite him, thinking about the impending day of departure. In just three days time he would be starting his sixth year at Hogwarts, aka the year his father began to discover Voldemorts Horcruxes and first got together with Albus' mum. Every year, he was reminded of his father's triumphs when he was his age. Whether it was through family, classmates, teachers, magazines, or books, there was always something boasting his father's legacy.

A legacy that Albus could never live up to.

In fact, his years at Hogwarts had been the opposite of glorious. He never fought dark wizards, or won huge tournaments, or travelled in time to save someone. No, his school life consisted of embarrassing himself in front of his classmates, performing subpar magic, and becoming the laughing stock of the Potter family. He was constantly disappointing people by not living up to expectations of the Potter name. In his first year, he displayed his lack of Quidditch skills to the dismay of the Holyhead Harpies fans. And he let down his teachers by showing little skill in charms, transfiguration, defence against the dark arts, and just about every other class that required a wand.

Meanwhile, the other Potter children excelled in school.

James Sirius Potter lived up to his namesakes, causing mayhem around the castle as the school troublemaker, while still managing to remain at the top of his class. He was entering his final year as a talented student, one of the most popular Gryffindors, and the captain of the Quidditch team. If it weren't for his rambunctious side, he would have been a shoo-in for Head Boy. He not only exceeded expectations in charms class--even managing to create his own new spells--he also charmed the girls, never seen without his arm around a new girl every year. He'd spent the majority of his summer, exchanging sappy love letters with a Ravenclaw bird he'd wooed in the last term.

Lily Luna, who was now entering her fourth year at Hogwarts, had been sorted into Gryffindor within seconds. She became one of the most beloved students in school, praised by every teacher, friend of every student, and even liked by every creature in and around the school grounds. She'd followed in her father's footsteps as the Gryffindor seeker, making the team the previous year. She developed a love for Care of Magical Creature and Herbology, and became a teacher's pet, much like her aunt Hermione. Her summer had been filled with non-stop plans with friends, still managing to find time to read almost every book on the shelves.

Finally, after a sleepless night, Albus finally rose for breakfast. He threw on a black t-shirt over her bare chest before heading downstairs to the awaiting smell of toast and sausage.

Despite only being half eight in the morning, the Potter family was as lively as ever. Harry fixed breakfast on the hob, watching over the frying pan as he poured glasses of juice across the kitchen with a flick of his wand. At the kitchen table, Ginny flipped through the Daily Prophet, wrapped up in her dressing gown, sipping her second cup of tea. Beside her, Lily was already dressed and ready for the day as she scribbled out a letter to one of her many friends. Her brown and black speckled horned owl, Luella, perched on her shoulder, waiting for her next journey. Finally, James lounged with his feet on the chair across from his, using his wand to transfigure a muffin into various other objects and small animals.

Albus hated Sundays. They were the only day his family wasn't busy with work or activities and would sit and eat breakfast together. He tried to slip in silently, not wanting to attract attention. But it was no use.

"Morning, Al!" Harry greeted him, "Sausage?" He offered, transferring them from the pan to a set of plates already piled high with toast and potatoes.

Albus ignored the offer, reaching into the pantry for a box of cereal, which he dumped into a bowl. Harry frowned with a dismissive shake of his head, waving his wand so the plates of food floated over to the table, setting themselves down in front of each of the awaiting family members.

Albus poured some milk into his bowl, before trudging over to his family at the table. He set it down, then pulled out the chair from under James' feet, which fell to the floor.

James rolled his eyes, "Well aren't you a ray of sunshine this morning. I'm surprised you even came out of your cave."

"James," Ginny said with a warning tone, "Stop playing with that muffin and actually eat something."

He huffed, but obeyed, transfiguring the muffin back from a toad and taking a bite. Albus shuttered, trying not to think too hard about what that muffin had been.

"So," Harry cleared his throat, "Lily, do you have any plans today?"

Lily shrugged, biting into her piece of toast, "Well, Winnie is busy today, Ben was going shopping for school books with his parents, and it's Fey's little brother's birthday, so I was just going to stay home today. Maybe I will start packing my trunk today. Which reminds me," She looked to her mum, "I need a new grey jumper. I outgrew mine over the summer."

"I will pick one up tomorrow after work."

"And you, James?" Harry looked to his oldest son, who had already scarfed down most of his breakfast.

He shrugged, speaking through a mouthful of food, "Might go for a run later. Got to get in shape for Quidditch season."

Albus rolled his eyes, "Quidditch doesn't even involve running. You're on a broom. How in shape do you even have to be?"

James made a face at his little brother, his eyes rolled up and lips moving to mock Albus' nagging.

Harry ignored their bickering and turned to Albus, almost hesitating to ask, "What about you Al? What are you doing today?"

"You mean other than mope around his room in the dark, whining about how much he hates life and misses Scorpius?" James teased. Albus shot him a glare, kicking his leg under the table.

Harry ignored James' comment but shot him a warning glare, waiting patiently for his youngest son's answer.

Albus just shrugged, moving around the soggy pieces of cereal with his spoon, "I don't know." As much as he hated to admit it, James was probably right.

Harry didn't push the matter further, choosing to focus instead on his breakfast. The breakfast table was silent save for the scratch of Lily's quill and the rustle of Ginny's newspaper. Ginny let out a displeased hum as she read the Prophet, catching her husband's attention.

"What is it this time?" Harry asked, taking a sip of orange juice. "Lorelei Lacero trying to tarnish my name again?" He waved his hand through the air, used to the gossip surrounding his name.

Ginny shook her head, turning the newspaper out for Harry to see, "An old Hogwarts professor was found dead." All the children looked up when they heard their school mentioned.

"Dead?" James blinked, distracted from his food. He peered at the article that his mother displayed.

"Who was it? Do I know them?" Lily spoke up, her eyes wide with concern.

Ginny shook her head, "There's nothing to worry about, Lily. She retired years ago. Septima Vector. She used to teach arithmancy when we were in school."

"She was killed," Harry stated bluntly. As the head of Magical Law Enforcement, he probably already knew the case inside and out. "Found dead on her way home from food shopping. I sent a team down there to examine." He shook his head in remorse.

"She was killed?" James repeated, "Bloody hell, by who?"

"Language, James," Ginny reminded him, although she had been thinking the same thing.

"We aren't sure who or what yet. But we know it was magical in origin." He rubbed his temples, his forehead wrinkling as he shut his eyes trying to process everything. "First the man in Hogsmeade and now an old professor. It's going to be a busy week in my department."

Albus picked his head up to look at his dad, "Were they connected in any way?"

Harry seemed almost surprised by Albus' interest, "It's highly unlikely. We have no reason to think that. Why do you suppose?"

Albus shrugged, "Hogsmeade is close to Hogwarts. Just seems like an awful coincidence to me."

"If they were connected, we would know. There's no need to worry," Harry reassured his kids.

"Hogwarts is the safest place you can be," Ginny added. "Besides, the article said that she was living in Bristol at the time. Far from Hogwarts."

Lily looked relieved but still curious, "Did you know her well?"

Harry shook his head with a wave of his hand, "Just by name, really. Never studied arithmancy. Although your aunt Hermione enjoyed that subject."

James shook his head in disbelief, "Wow, you just nip off to Tescos for some food and then poof! Dead..." He leaned his face against his hand.

"James, be respectful of the dead," Harry raised his eyebrows at him. "She was a very hard working woman who fought bravely in the Battle of Hogwarts."

James shrugged, "I'm just saying! Sounds like a horrible way to die."

Harry opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a tapping on glass behind him.

Ginny rose, opening the window, letting a large barn owl swoop in, landing gracefully in front of Albus. Lily's owl hooted resentfully at the familiar owl. Everyone watched Albus take the letter from the owl, knowing exactly where it came from. The barn owl nuzzled him, with a happy coo, before taking off back to his owner. Albus bit back a smile, the sight of the sprawled handwriting on the enveloped filling him with warmth.

"Another letter from Scorpius? That's nice of him." Ginny noted, not even needed to see who had sent it. She knew by now.

The family's attention turned from the Prophet to Albus. Harry gave a stiff nod in agreement, trying to be supportive, but Albus already knew what his dad thought. Ever since his first year, when he met Scorpius, his father was wary of their friendship. It was a struggle for him to get over his past with the Malfoy family, and he found his son's close friendship with the youngest Malfoy unsettling.

"I'm going to my room," Albus announced, standing up abruptly. He didn't wait for a response, as he took the letter back upstairs, leaving his breakfast half eaten. His family didn't protest, immediately turning their attention back to the news.

"Shame what happened," Albus heard his mum say as he left. "Seemed like a nice lady..."

Slamming the door behind him, he sat in his desk chair, ripping open the envelope. Letters from Scorpius were the only thing that kept him going through the summer. Getting one was like receiving a gift.

Other than school, Albus never got to see Scorpius; the tension between their families prevented them from getting together during the summer. They lived practically on opposite sides of the country, making the journey too long to meet up often by train or car, and floo powder made Albus too nauseous. He couldn't wait until he learned to apparate so they could meet up in seconds with no issue. As much as Albus hated the distance between him and his best friend, it made their letters so much more special

Albus,

Hope you're alright. Sorry that your family is giving you a hard time. Just hang in there. You'll be able to get away from them soon when school starts.

I can't wait until September. My father and I bought my school supplies yesterday. I've already started reading my books. I know you hate it, but I think transfiguration is going to be great this year. Have you got all your supplies yet? My dad insisted on buying me the new Firebolt X even though he knows I'll never use it. Waste of good money, if you ask me.

Sorry I don't have much more to say this week. It hasn't been too interesting. I think dad and I are going to take a short trip to Wales before school starts, so that's sure to be awkward. I'll have to tell you about it on the train.

Miss you loads! See you on the first!

~Scorpius

Albus smiled. Even the slightest interaction with Scorpius made him feel better.

He pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write back. He knew they would see each other in just a few days time, but writing to Scorpius distracted him from the world for a bit, so he didn't care.

He quickly scribbled an update on his life. Not much differed from the previous weeks, so there wasn't much to say.

'Miss you too.

Love, Albus'

He sat back, staring at the letter for a moment. Then he crumpled it up, throwing in the bin. He rewrote the entire letter, only to change the ending.

'Miss you too.

Albus'

Chapter Text

There was a short rap on the door before the intruder burst in the room, not waiting for a response.

"What are you doing still in bed? It's quarter past noon!" Ginny complained as she entered her son's room, which was still cloaked in darkness and he laid in his pyjamas, his hair a tousled mess. She flicked her wand, opening the curtains. Sunlight streamed in, practically blinding Albus.

"Mum!" Albus groaned in annoyance, blinking and rubbing his burning eyes.

"Up, up!" She ordered, floating around the room, picking up any old glasses, plates, and empty crisp packages. "Your aunt and uncle will be here soon. I know it's the last day of summer holiday and you just want to rest, but you have to at least show your face to the family."

"If they want to see my face, just show them a picture. It will last longer" He grumbled and was met with an unamused look. "Okay, okay! Just get out of my room." Albus waved her out. She raised her eyebrows at him, her free hand placed firmly on her hip. He sighed and added, "Please?"

"Be presentable and downstairs in ten minutes," She said as she left. Albus shut the door behind her, then begrudgingly made his way to his wardrobe. He pulled out a random pair of grey jeans and a black t-shirt. He threw them on, then ran a comb through his hair. It was only his family, he could care less if he looked good or not. Within minutes, he was in the lounge with the rest of his family, staring at the fireplace.

"Well aren't you a rainbow of colours," Lily noted, her voice laced with sarcasm as she looked Albus up and down, unimpressed with his greyscale outfit. His outfit was the antithesis of hers, which consisted of a yellow blouse, and a floral skirt. Her bright red hair matched her sunny disposition just as Albus' black hair suited his. He ignored her, taking a place on the sofa.

Harry glanced at the clock above the mantle, "Hermione said they would be arriving at one," He said, watching the minute hand. With a slow tick, it fell on the 12 and there was a small rumbling.

There was a burst of ash and green flames, as figures began to emerge from the fireplace. Ron came through first, followed by Hugo, Rose, and finally Hermione. The room was filled with the sounds of friendly reunion. The two families exchanged greetings, hugs, and began to catch up with each other.

"It's so lovely to see you again. How have you been?" Hermione pulled Harry into a hug.

"So James, last year at Hogwarts, eh?" Ron asked the eldest Potter child.

"Hugo, I heard you're going out for Quidditch this year!" Ginny gave her ginger-haired nephew a proud pat on the back.

Albus remained sitting on the sofa in the corner, leaning his cheek on his fist, already wishing he was back in bed. The rest of the family went on chatting cheerfully, while Albus sat alone, examining the wallpaper in great detail.

There was a sudden dip in the sofa cushion, surprising Albus. He looked over to see his cousin Rose, smiling brightly at him.

"Hi, Al! You alright?" She asked with a quirk of her head.

"Y-yeah, I'm alright. Thanks." He responded, surprised that she'd decided to talk to him.

As children, they had been best friends despite their opposing personalities. Rose had always been outgoing and energetic, whereas Albus was more soft-spoken. But their closeness in age made them the perfect pair, playing games, making up stories, and engaging in lively conversations. But that all changed when they started at Hogwarts. They shared many of the same classes, but their houses divided them.

Albus remembered their first potions lesson in their first year. He walked into the cold dungeon classroom, looking around cautiously at all the various liquids, powders, and other ingredients that decorated the shelves.

"Al!" He heard someone call him, and saw Rose sitting at the front of the room, waving for him over. He started to move towards her when he noticed the looks he was getting from her Gryffindor friends who sat around her. They stared at him with cold eyes and disapproving frowns, as if he had kicked a puppy right in front of them.

He quickly changed directions, walking right past Rose. Scanning the room for another empty seat, he found one at the back of the class, next to Scorpius, whom he'd recently met.

"Can I sit here?" He asked the blond boy, pointing to the empty chair.

Scorpius smiled, "Of course."

Albus put his books down just as the professor walked in.

"Hello, first years! Please open your textbooks to the first page of the introduction."

From the front of the class, Rose looked back at him, her eyes showing hurt and confusion. Albus pretended he hadn't seen, flipping open his book instead.

That was the beginning of the end of their close relationship.

Albus spent the rest of his first year avoiding his cousin, despite the numerous attempts she made to talk to him. Now, Albus regretted his behaviour toward Rose. He missed their friendship, but he knew there was no going back to fix it. It would never be the same as it used to be.

"Are you ready to go back to school tomorrow?" She asked, trying to make conversation. Unfortunately for her, Albus was never that great at conversation.

"I suppose," He shrugged, playing with the seam of his shirt. There was a lull, as Rose tried to figure out what to say that would actually get Albus talking.

"So..." She swung her legs over the edge of the sofa, "How is Scorpius? Have you heard from him recently?"

"He's good. I got a letter from him yesterday. He's looking forward to going back." Albus answered.

"Oh, that's nice." The conversation was stiff, dying before it even got started. Rose looked thankful when her younger cousin rescued her.

"Rose! Come see the new broom I got in Diagon Alley last week! I saved for it all by myself!" Lily took Rose's hand, pulling her out to the garden.

Albus found himself sitting alone in the corner again, feeling ignored by the rest of his family. After a few long minutes of keeping to himself, he finally stood, slipping out of the lounge and back up the stairs with no issue.

Back in the comfort and safety of his room, Albus closed the curtains again, blocking out the sun. He flopped back onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow. He tried to block out the muffled sounds of his family talking downstairs.

No one noticed him leaving.

No one noticed he was gone.

No one noticed he had been there in the first place.

Despite the warm summer air and cosy bedsheets, a cold seemed to settle upon his skin. A weight began to pull on his chest, dragging him down, down. A fog filled his mind. He didn't know how much time had passed as he laid still on his bed, staring at the wall.

Finally, he managed to muster up some energy to reach into the drawer of his bedside table. He shifted through some rubbish and random trinkets until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out an old, cheap, mobile phone. He flipped it open, typing in a number he knew by heart.

The wizarding world had never caught on to the idea of mobile phones. They saw them as a complicated hassle. Smartphones were too confusing and distracted the muggles from the real world. Most wizards wouldn't even know how to turn one on, let alone be able to send a text. But in an attempt to modernise the family and keep them safe, Harry had given each of his children a flip phone that probably had been discontinued in 2010. Albus barely ever touched it unless it was an emergency. But he needed it now.

There was a metallic ringing tone before a familiar voice broke through.

"Hello?" The voice sounded distant and fuzzy.

"Scorpius," Albus stifled a giggle.

"Hello? Albus? Is that you?" Albus could hear his friend's confusion even though the muffled receiver.

"Scorp, I think your hand is covering the microphone," Albus told his friend, a grin growing on his lips.

"Oh." The was a soft fumbling before Scorpius spoke again, "Albus? Can you hear me?" This time his voice came in clear.

"Yeah, now I can."

"Bloody mobiles. I will never understand why muggles worship these things." He muttered. "Anyways, are you okay? Why did you call?" His voice filled with concern. He knew Albus only called him if there was something wrong or urgent that couldn't be delivered through a letter.

Albus didn't know what to say. Even he didn't know exactly why he had called.

"I just needed to hear your voice," He finally told him.

"Oh..." Scorpius didn't sound convinced, "You sure that's all?"

There was a pause.

"Yeah," Albus sighed, "Well, you know my family." He mumbled. He didn't have to elaborate; Scorpius understood.

"I know... Have you tried talking to someone about how you feel?" Scorpius asked.

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"Uh well yes. But I meant to like your parents."

Albus scoffed, "Oh yeah, I'm sure that my father--the Great Harry Freakin Potter who defeated the Dark Lord at 17--would totally listen to his sad son whine about how awful the world is." He could already hear the conversation that would ensue playing out in his head. The only way it ended was in a shouting match.

"Albus, he's your father, I'm sure he'd understand. Or at least try to. He loves you."

"That's debatable," he muttered.

Scorpius ignored his comment, "What about your mum? She'd listen to you, for sure."

"I dunno," Albus said softly, "I don't really want to talk to anyone except you, really."

"Well, I'm always going to be here for you, if you need me."

Albus' lip tweaked up, threatening a smile, "Thanks, Scorp."

"And tomorrow," He added, his voice lifting, "We will be on our way back to school. Away from your family for a while. And we'll be together again!"

Although the thought of going back to school brought new threats, Albus decided to overlook them, focusing on seeing his friend again, "Yeah, you're right."

The thump of footsteps up the stairs caught Albus' attention and he knew where they were headed.

"Hey, Scorp, I got to go. Thanks for listening."

"No problem, mate. See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah, see you."

"Bye."

Albus flipped the phone closed right as his bedroom door swung open.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Albus shot bitterly at his father, who stood in the doorway.

"Ever heard of spending time with your family?" Harry retorted back with more elegance. "Seriously, Al. It's like I never see you anymore." He sat on the edge of Albus' bed.

Albus rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sometimes it feels like you don't see me at all."

"What's are you implying?"

"I dunno, dad!" He crossed his arms, avoiding eye contact with his father.

"Al--"

"--My name's Albus, not Al."

"--Albus," He corrected himself, "I'm worried about you."

"Well, thanks for your concern. Can you leave now? I have to finish packing." He made up an excuse in hopes that his dad would leave him be.

Harry took the opportunity to try and bond with his son, "Do you want a hand? Packing. I always loved packing. It meant I was leaving Privet Drive and going back to Hogwarts. Which was... well, I know you don't love it but--"

"For you, it's the greatest place on earth. I know. The poor orphan, bullied by his uncle and aunt Dursley..." Albus scoffed.

"Albus..." Harry's voice grew softer but Albus didn't stop.

"Traumatized by his cousin, Dudley, saved by Hogwarts. I know it all, Dad. The poor orphan who went on to save us all. Blah, blah, blah." He finished with a huff.

Harry stared down at his shoes. For a moment, Albus wondered if he went too far. But Harry reached out, placing a gentle hand on his son's shoulder.

"Why don't you like Hogwarts?" He finally asked.

Albus rolled his eyes at the ridiculous question, "What is there to like? You saw my O.W.L. results. You know I'm a failure." He shrugged his father's hand off.

"You got an O in potions and an E in History of Magic, I would hardly call that failing." Harry reminded him.

"Did you forget about all my other exams? I was only five points away from getting Troll in transfiguration. I'm hopeless."

"Don't say that. You just need to put in more effort."

"I am," Albus argued. "Sorry I can't be as smart or talented as James or Lily. Sorry I can't be the perfect son that you expect me to be."

"You know I don't think that."

"Well, it sure feels like you do."

Harry could tell he wasn't getting anywhere with his son, so he switched tactics, "You can make this year better. Maybe if you tried making a few more friends," He suggested, "without Hermione and Ron I wouldn't have survived Hogwarts, I wouldn't have survived at all."

"But I don't need a Ron and Hermione. I've--I've got a friend, Scorpius, and I know you don't like him but he's all I need." He said, stubbornly.

Harry sighed, "Look, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters to me."

"But you admit you don't like him?" He raised an eyebrow at Harry.

Harry could tell that Albus was trying to rile him up, "I admit I am wary of him because of his family's past, but that doesn't mean I can stop you from being friends. I know you care about him."

"I don't just care about him, dad! He's--he's my best friend! He's all I have. Why should his family matter? Look at me! I'm Harry Potter's son and I'm nothing like you!"

Harry was starting to lose his patience, "Well it's different. The Malfoy's were close followers of Voldemort, that makes them dangerous."

Albus shook his head in disbelief, "Have you ever even met Scorpius? What do you know about him that makes him 'dangerous'?"

He found himself raising his voice, his anger finally spilling over, "I know that since you started being friends with him, you've completely changed!"

There was a pause when Albus didn't respond.

Harry took a deep breath, steadying himself before he continued, "Listen, Al. I'm your father. Your mother and I have known you your whole life. You were always such a happy child. Sure, you were more timid than your brother and sister, but you were always so close to us all. You and Rose--you were inseparable! Now you barely speak."

Albus lowered his head, knowing his father was right.

"You used to come running to your mum and I every time you had a problem. You used to talk to us. You would tell us about your day, your dreams, and what you wanted to be when you grew up. But when we said goodbye to that boy at the platform that day, we never saw him again. You came back as a different Albus. You hardly speak to us. You hide away in your room in the dark all day. You barely eat. We notice these things, Al. Your mother and I, we're worried about you."

Albus bit at the inside of his cheek, "So what?" He spoke softly, "I've changed. That's life. I don't see what it's got to do with Scorpius."

Harry sighed, debating whether he should say what he thought or not, "We--" He paused to correct himself, taking Ginny out of this, "--I think that he has been a bad influence on you."

Albus almost laughed, "Scorpius? A bad influence? That's hilarious." If anything, Scorpius was the type of boy parents would want their child hanging around. He always did his homework, achieved high marks, and was terrified of getting in trouble.

"He's a Malfoy, Albus."

"And I'm a Potter. Your point?"

Harry was struggling to keep his frustration at bay, "I'm just saying, everything was fine before you became friends."

"Fine? Do you even know what I go through every day? If I didn't have Scorpius, I--I probably wouldn't be here."

Harry blinked, speaking before he thought, "Don't be ridiculous." He immediately regretted his words, wishing he could take them back.

"Ridiculous?" Albus gaped, looking at his dad like he didn't know who he was anymore, "Wow, glad you think that, dad. Glad you take how I feel seriously."

"Albus, you know I didn't mean that. It came out wrong." Harry tried to reconcile, reaching out to comfort his son.

Albus turned away, "Just leave."

Harry sighed, not moving. Every ounce of him was filled with guilt. He wished he had a time turning to take back what he had said. He should have listened to his son. Albus was being serious, but he had brushed it off as teenage hyperbole.

"Al, I love you. You know that. Please talk to me."

Albus didn't budge.

Defeated, Harry stood, slowly making his way to the door. He was about to step out when he heard Albus mumble something.

"Maybe everything would be better if I were dead."

Chapter Text

The Slytherin common room wasn't exactly known for being warm and inviting. It was as if the reputation of being dark and fearsome was forced upon them by the very founders of Hogwarts itself. Stowed away in the dungeons and devoid of any natural sunlight, it was a wonder that all the students of Slytherin didn't go mad within their first year. The Slytherins needed to learn to adjust to the dim lighting and the green tinge that painted the room from the windows that looked into the depths of the lake. In an attempt to make the room one of elegance and grandeur, the founder had decorated it with detailed carvings of snakes and glistening scales in the stone of the fireplace and columns that held up the ceilings. Various curiosities and trinkets were placed on every surface: preserved animal skulls on the mantle--that were broken multiple times every year but quickly mended with a simple charm by the prefects (who'd grown so accustomed to it that instinctually repaired them with a flick of their wands when they heard the sound of shattering bone)--emerald encrusted silver cases that were rumoured to put a curse on any individual who moved it from it's place, and medieval tapestries that smelled of thousand-year-old dust if you got within half a meter of them. The common room was certainly something to behold but no place to feel like home.

It wasn't as if they didn't try to make the room seem less daunting--kindling always flickered in the great stone fireplace, alight and radiating heat; Turkish rugs of intricately woven greens and silvers were rolled out to cover patches of the dark slate floor; plush green pillows and cosy knit blankets were laid out on the stiff tufted leather sofas--but there was no way to make the room feel any less like, well, a dungeon. Yet somehow, it was nothing compared to the way Albus' bedroom felt now.

Even with the dark papered walls, the bluish glow from the lake, and the stone floors untouched by the warm grace of sunlight, Albus would have preferred to be in the common room instead of in his own home. At least there he knew that at least one person appreciated his existence.

Albus sat, unmoved, on his bed, hearing the muffled voices of his family drift up through the floorboards. The conversation--if it could even be called that--with his father had left him worked up, a bitter taste in his mouth from the harsh words spoken. His room no longer felt so comfortable--no longer his safe haven from the world. No. Now the walls felt like they were closing in on him. The shadows seemed to be expanding, spreading out from the corners and wrapping around the whole room until Albus felt encased in the darkness. It even infiltrated his mind, filling his head with a great weight and a feeling of murkiness to the point that keeping his eyes open took a great deal of effort.

Giving in, he pressed his eyes shut, rubbing his throbbing temples. He tried to keep his breathing steady as Scorpius had taught him. 1-2-3, in. 3-2-1, out. But this time, it didn't seem to help. The feeling of his heart thumping against his ribs wouldn't go away and his ears were still filled with the rush of blood. His back prickled as if hundreds of tiny spiders ran up and down it, as he shifted uncomfortably in his clothes to try and shake the feeling.

Opening his eyes, they fell upon his trunk, sitting aloof across the room, packed tight with books, clothes, and anything else Albus might need throughout the year. His eyes trailed over his cluttered desk, drifting over the scattered paper and broken quills, up to a framed photograph hung from a nail in the wall. The subject in the photo moved in a never-ending loop, making the memory seem infinite.

Albus was smiling--genuinely smiling. He was about 14, in the winter of his fourth year, a green and silver scarf hung loosely around his neck. Mid-laugh, his eyes were squeezed shut, arm slung over the shoulders of his best friend. Next to him, Scorpius chuckled, giving a sideways glance at his friend with a twinkle in his eye. Albus couldn't remember what had been so funny, but the memory still made him feel warm, giving him some comfort in his cold home.

He stared at it, taking long, slow blinks as an idea stirred up in his brain. It started as a small speck of dust the quickly grew into a tornado, spinning and spiralling in his head with little care of the danger or damage it could cause. With a gust of new energy, he rose from his bed, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He grabbed his wand from his bedside table, threw on his trainers, and grabbed the handle of his trunk. Hoisting it up with all the strength that his lean body could muster, he dragged it out to the hall, wishing he was James' age so he could use magic to lift the trunk for him.

Pausing at the top of the stairs, he listened closely for the sounds of his family's chatter, but it had ceased. As quiet as he could manage with the bulky trunk in his arms, he crept down the stairs, stealthily avoiding even the slightest of creaks. He peered around the corner but spotted no one in the hallway so he continued his mission.

The muffled sound of laughter caused him to freeze and check his surroundings. Out a window, he noticed his family in the back garden. An impromptu Quidditch match had broken out. Harry, Ron and Ginny had taken to the skies, passing a quaffle between them. James, Lily, Hugo, and Rose swerved between them, trying to take possession. From the ground, Hermione watched and cheered them on, serving as a referee for the match. They all smiled and laughed, completely forgetting about Albus alone in the house.

Albus lingered for a moment, watching his family play around like children. It was something that happened often between their large family. When the whole extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins gathered at their grandparent's house during the holidays, they often had enough people for full matches. They all gathered in the fields surrounding The Burrow, splitting up into teams where they'd compete to have the silliest name that would have to be included in the commentary by their grandad, who used an amplifier charm so his voice could be heard for almost a kilometre. As the children got older, Teddy and uncle George often tried to get away with innuendos for team names, much to the disapproval of the mums. Albus' parents would always be put on separate teams because, according to uncle Ron, it was "too much talent for one team." After much debate over who was on what team and whether Teddy's name suggestion was too risque for the children or not, they'd finally mount their brooms and the match would begin. There was no telling how long it would last. Familial bonds did not stop the matches from becoming fierce. Pride and bragging rights for a whole year was on the line. One match lasted so long that they needed to call it a draw after they realised the commentary had ended because their grandad had fallen asleep on the sidelines.

Albus grew up watching these matches and at one point must have actually enjoyed them. As a toddler, he sat on his nan's lap watching his family soar through the sky in awe. The youngest children were given toy brooms to organise their own little "quidditch" matches but they all knew it was nothing compared to the real thing. He couldn't wait to learn to fly one day so he could join in too. But it was quickly realised that Albus didn't inherit his parent's quidditch genes.

That didn't stop him from trying one year. James begged their mum not to be on the same team as Albus because he'd "just muck it up." The rest of his family wasn't as vocal about it but he could clearly tell they weren't too thrilled about having him play on their team. Of course, the match went as well as all other forms of magic seemed to go for Albus: terribly. They didn't trust him as a beater (too clumsy and could get hurt), seeker (not skilled enough), or even keeper (couldn't risk losing the points), so he played as a chaser but rarely even saw the quaffle. They avoided passing to him at all costs and rightfully so, as the one time he was passed the quaffle, he dropped it. In the moment, trying to save it seemed like a great idea. He pictured himself swooping down to catch the quaffle in a heroic fashion, impressing all of his relatives. But of course, that wasn't what happened.

Instead, he lost control of the broom, taking a sharp nosedive and plunging into the dirt. He was flung from the broom and skidded across the ground into a patch of tall grass. Rubbing his head, he sat up and spat out a mouthful of dirt. He could hear James snickering from above as his dad flew down to see if he was okay.

"Maybe it would be better if you just stuck to the ground for now," His dad suggested after checking that Albus hadn't broken any bones.

His nan rushed over to collect him, more than happy to have him join her on the sidelines, "Let's go get you cleaned up, shall we, dear?" She placed her hands on his shoulders to steer him towards the house.

That was the last time he attempted to play quidditch with his family and no one ever argued about it. When their annual match broke out, Albus elected to stay inside, refusing his grandad's offers to let him help with the commentary. He'd rather be bored and alone inside than making a fool of himself.

Finally, Albus tore his eyes away from the window where his family continued to play outside. He no longer felt any hesitation, his decision now cemented in his mind. He marched into the empty lounge and dropped his trunk on the ground with a powerful slam that rattled the crystals dangling from the chandelier.

Snatching a small vase that sat on the mantlepiece, a small cloud of dust flew up into his face. Albus coughed and tried to wave the powder away. Even the smell of Floo Powder made his stomach churn but he had no other options--he could apparate yet, his broom skills were less than subpar, and he wasn't sure how to navigate on the muggle transport.

Reaching inside the little blue vase, he pulled out a handful of ashen powder that slipped through his fingers like sand in an hourglass. He clenched his hand into a fist, trying not to make a mess by spilling too much powder on the floor. Pulling his trunk with one hand, he stepped into the fireplace, which was dark and coated in black soot from frequent use. Bits of leftover charred log crunched beneath his feet, disintegrating into ash under the weight of his trainers.

Stating his intended destination, he unclenched his hand. The powder fell gracefully, scattering on the floor of the fireplace. Within seconds of the Floo Powder hitting the ground, there was a blast of heat and flash of green flame and his lounge disappeared. As if with the force of a giant vacuum, Albus was sucked up. His body twisted and was flung about, feeling more battered than when he fell from the broomstick. His stomach mimicked the jolting movements and he forced his eyes shut as the air rushed past his ears sending shooting pains into his head.

Suddenly he was thrown out of the darkness back into the light of day. He shot out of another fireplace, tumbling before landing on his back with a heavy thud. The solid ground had never felt so comforting.

"Bloody hell!" A voice across the room scream after a yelp of surprise and a small thud

It took a moment before the room became visible and he was finally able to see Scorpius sat up in alert in an armchair. The book that he had presumably had been reading was now on the floor, dropped in surprise by the sudden intruder.

"Albus?" He blinked, trying to wrap his head the sudden entrance. Then, looking on the floor to see where his book had fallen, he let out a cry of frustration "Now I've lost my page!" He complained, frantically picking his book up and flipping through the pages to find the right one. He slipped a bookmark in up against the spine, placing it down carefully before turning his attention back to the unexpected visitor, "What are you doing here?"

Albus opened his mouth to explain but only managed to choke out, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Scorpius jumped up and rushed over to his friend's aid. He wrapped an arm around Albus, helping his stand up.

Swallowing back what little lunch he ate, he let Scorpius guide him over to his bed, letting him lay down. Scorpius watched over him, his eyebrows scrunched together, still puzzled but allowing Albus moment to recuperate.

"Are you okay?" He asked with concern.

Albus gave him a slow nod, "I will be once the room stops spinning." In a fit of vertigo, he dug his nails into the silk sheets as if hanging on for dear life.

"Do you need water?" Scorpius offered, trying anything to make his friend feel better.

Albus shook his head. He didn't think putting anything in his stomach was the best idea right now.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," He said, regaining a bit of his strength, the vertigo slowing and the room becoming steady.

Scorpius seemed unsure, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, wishing there was more he could do to help.

"Really," Albus insisted, sitting up against the magnificently carved wooden headboard, pulling his legs to his chin. "I hate Floo powder," He grumbled.

"What are you doing here?" Scorpius asked, taking a seat by Albus' feet, "Not that I'm not happy to see you," He quickly added. "I'm just surprised."

Albus sighed, rubbing his aching head, "My family..." He didn't even need to finish. Scorpius understood. His eyes trailed to Albus' trunk and nodded, the situation becomes clearer. Scorpius was accustomed to Albus' complaints and moanings about his family. He received letters full of it when anything major took place at the Potter household during the summer holiday. But this was the first time Albus had ever shown up at his house.

"Oh," He frowned with a hint of pitty, "Well you're always welcome. Maybe just warn me before you come bursting out of my fireplace, okay?" He said with a faint grin.

"Thanks, Scorp. You're the best, you know that?" Albus allowed himself a small smile as he stared into his friend's eyes. It had been too long since he saw those eyes--two months too long. Two months of agony in the Potter household of Albus wishing he could be with his best friend again. Letters just weren't enough to get him through the summer.

Scorpius smiled, turning to look down at his feet. For a moment, he looked lost in thought as he chewed at his lip slightly and his brown furrowed. Albus took the moment to close his eyes, resting his head back and draping his arms over his still churning stomach.

"I should tell my father you're here," Scorpius stood up suddenly.

Albus' eyes fluttered open and he reached out to grab his arm, pulling him back down to sit at the edge of the bed, "No, please stay. I just need you here for a minute." His eyes pleaded with Scorpius, knowing he'd give in.

Scorpius didn't argue, "Want to talk about it?" He tilted his head in concern. Even with Albus' constant complaining, Scorpius was always willing to lend an ear if he needed it. It was one of the things Albus needed most, although he'd never admit it to anyone. Everyone seemed to assume Albus liked being the silent loner kid. But if he never got anything off his chest, he would be sure to explode.

"Not really. Just stay with me." Albus mumbled, letting his eyes fall shut again and releasing Scorpius' arm from his grip.

Scorpius nodded, "Of course. Always."

---

The Malfoy Manor boasted the same elegance and poise as those bearing the name--an equal amount of darkness too. High vaulted ceilings, dangling chandeliers of dusty crystals and silver, towering pillars with ever flickering torches, and marble floors that echoed with every footstep. Corners were shadowed, some with cobwebs forming that would soon be dusted away by a house elf. It was almost always empty, with only two occupants and the small staff of house elves.

Draco Malfoy, the current head of the household, had inherited the manor shortly after his marriage--a gift from his father. Lucius would never admit it but he had been itching to be rid of the place. Draco had come to realise it after his father refused his offer to continue living there, insisting he and Narcissa were comfortable "downsizing". He could see it in his father's eyes the day he moved out. His face had remained stoic but his eyes hinted at a deeper feeling: one of pain and resentment. After living his whole life in the manor, it had become a place filled with wickedness that he couldn't wait to escape. The reputation lingered in the aged walls, never fully able to be washed away after the Dark Lord had walked the halls and blood had been spilt.

Scorpius always said that his father had never been too fond of the place either and would have been happier in a house of his own choosing. But he'd agreed, wanting to legacy to live on, hoping that the past would one day finally be behind them and the manor would be glorious again.

Albus remembered visiting the manor for the first time back in the summer of before his second year. He had been intimidated by its massive size, complete with a vast garden, and heavy gated front entrance. But inside it was full of life. Astoria Malfoy had decorated every corner with a colourful painting, or potted plant. She opened the heavy velvet curtains so the sunlight could stream in, reflecting rainbows through the crystals of the entrance hall chandelier. She made sure every surface was dusted, every statue polished, and every floor waxed. It had smelled sweet, like cinnamon and freshly baked bread.

But since her death, everything seemed to fade. It became dull, dark, and empty. Scorpius often complained about how his home seemed to suck the soul out of you like a dementor. He never looked forward to coming home. Not anymore, knowing all that awaited him was a large empty manor.

Tea time was six o'clock sharp and the whole household was required to attend. That was one rule Astoria made that was kept after her passing. It kept a stable routine for a family that was anything but.

Draco Malfoy was already seated at the head of the long wooden table by the time the boys entered the ornate dining room. He watched, stone-faced, as a tea trolley rolled in by itself from the kitchen carrying the table settings. Two plates floated over, laying themselves out in front of Draco at the head of the able and the empty seat diagonal to him, followed by two glass goblets and silver cutlery. All arranged themselves neatly into their usual places.

Albus slipped in the room silently behind Scorpius, twiddling his thumbs out of a fidgety habit. Although he tried not to be, he always felt nervous around Draco Malfoy. He had heard his father's stories and the whispers of the Malfoy's and their involvement with Voldemort. Scorpius had proven to be the exception to the Malfoy reputation that his father often spoke about but Albus had only met Draco on a few other occasions. While he chose to overlook the Malfoy family's dark past, there was always some unspoken tension between the two families that even Albus couldn't always ignore. His father's preconceived notions of Draco Malfoy had not failed to make him slightly wary of the man.

"Dad," Scorpius cleared his throat, bringing Draco's attention across the room to the two boys standing in the doorway.

Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise but his lips remained in a straight line, "Oh? I wasn't expecting any guests."

"Hi," Albus stepped awkwardly, worried that Draco would be unhappy with an unannounced visitor--especially one of the Potter variety. "I'm terribly sorry for intruding, I just--"

Draco raised his hand to stop him, "No need to apologise. There's always room at the table." He pulled out his wand, giving it a quick wave. A new set of cutlery floated from the trolley as a setting was laid out on the table across from Scorpius' chair. Albus was flushed with relief, happily accepting the seat at the table.

With another wave of Draco's wand, the trolley rolled back into the kitchen only for a new trolley to emerge, this one pushed by a small figure in a make-shift tunic made from a grey teatowel. The elf guided the trolley along easily, despite not being tall enough to see over it, stopping behind Draco. The elf lifted the domed cloche covers on the trolley to reveal freshly prepared food, still steaming with warmth. The room filled with the mouth-watering aroma of fish and herbs.

The elf took the plate in front of his master, taking it to the trolley to dish out even portions of food and placing it back down in front of Draco. He continued the routine for Scorpius before pausing to in front of Albus.

"What would you like, Albus? We have some lovely baked halibut, wild rice, and asparagus here. Or we may also have some leftover pasta in the kitchen if you prefer," Draco offered. The elf waited with a cocked head for Albus' reply, holding his plate in his wee hands.

Albus accepted the meal that the Malfoy's were having, his stomach growling at the sight of the skillfully prepared food. The average teatime meal at the Malfoy's would be equivalent to the Potter family going out for a special occasion at a restaurant. Scorpius could look forward to a quality homecooked meal every evening, whereas Albus meals mostly consisted of various types of meats and potatoes or curry takeaways when his father was too busy to cook. Judging by Scorpius' stunned look when Albus described his frequent visits his neighbourhood chippy by his house, takeaways were of a rare appearance at the Malfoy Manor.

"Thank you, Hodgey," Draco nodded to the house elf as he rolled the trolley back to the kitchen. He then turned his attention back to Albus, "So, are you looking forward to your year at Hogwarts?" Draco asked, cutting into his fish filet.

Albus shrugged, "I suppose," He lied, not wanting to get into all his issues with his best friend's father.

But Draco caught on to his hesitance, "Christmas will be here before you know it. Only two more years, boys. Enjoy it while you can. You'll miss it someday. I know I do."

'Doubt it,' Albus thought, chewing halfheartedly on his asparagus. The only thing he'd miss about Hogwarts was being away from his father for a long stretch of time.

"So, how is your family?" Draco asked, trying to come up with more small talk. Unfortunately for him, small talk was another thing Albus didn't excel at. Scorpius shot his father a warning glance, trying to discreetly shake his head, not wanting his father to bring it up. But it was too late.

"They're fine," He answered plainly, picking at his food. He knew Draco was only asking out of formality. It wasn't as if he cared much for the welfare of Harry and his family. His name was always coming up in the Prophet, so it was unlikely Draco needed to know about his whereabouts or doings. In fact, he probably knew more than Albus, as he tended to avoid the papers and his family all together.

Draco nodded, "I hear your father is working on a new case. Something about the death of an old Hogwarts teacher? Quite grim if you ask me. Don't know how your father puts up with that line of work." He said with a brush of his hand. Draco had little need to work after inheriting his family's wealth. Scorpius always complained about his father being home all the time and his need to get a hobby.

"I think it's rather interesting," Scorpius piped in. "I always admired the work of the Aurors." After seeing Albus' grimace he then backtracked slightly, "Not that I'd ever actually consider it for myself. It's much too dangerous. And dirty." Scorpius shoved a forkful of rice into his mouth to shut himself up. He often got rambly when he wasn't sure what the right thing to say was.

"Right..." Draco gave his son a slow nod with a slightly quizzical expression, "And what exactly is it you're interested in? Surely you've given it some thought after seeing your O.W.L results?"

Scorpius pondered, chewing his mouthful of rice slowly in order to buy him time to think, "That's a very good question, dad..." He said with a crooked grin and waving his finger at him.

Draco rolled his eyes, knowing his son well enough to know that he wasn't going to be able to give him a straight answer, "You best be thinking of these matters now. You'll be expected to know by the time you take your N.E.W.T.s. The courses you take this year will determine where you'll go."

"Yes, dad," Scorpius said as if he'd heard this lecture on multiple occasions. "I will figure it out...eventually."

"Of course," Draco said, not entirely confident in his son's abilities to settle on one plan. Scorpius had always struggled with making decisions. Often times, he would get anxious and let Albus chose for him. But these sort of decisions were much too great for him to put in Albus' hands. It was something he'd need to determine for himself. It wouldn't be too difficult for him to find a suitable career, as Scorpius was a model student and had successfully passed all his exams; it was making the decision that would trouble him.

"And you, Albus?"

Bringing himself back from his thoughts, Albus blinked in surprise, "Me?"

"Yes," Draco nodded, "Do you have any interests you intend to pursue?"

Albus shrugged, mumbling slightly, "Well, I'm not really good at much." He wished he had more to offer. Similar to Scorpius, he didn't have a clear idea of what career he wanted but his options were much more limited. Unlike Scorpius, who could excel in any form of magic if he revised enough, Albus struggled to even pass his O.W.L. exams. Had he the marks and options of Scorpius, he'd have no trouble picking something that interested him. But at the rate Albus was going, it looked as if he might end up with a muggle job.

"That's not true," Scorpius interjected, "He's fantastic at potions! Top of our year!"

"That certainly sounds like something," Draco said. "Why not pursue that?"

Albus shrugged, "It's a possibility."

"Or history of magic," Scorpius offered another example.

While Albus managed to get good marks in that class, he never intended to pursue the dry subject, "I'd only end up working for the Ministry, though. I'd hate that. Although my father would love it," He added as an afterthought.

"Well," Draco spoke up with a certain confidence in his voice, placing his fork down on his empty plate, "If there is one thing I know for sure, it's that you never should do something just because your father thinks it's best for you. Take my word on that, Albus." He looked the boy right in the eye so Albus could tell he meant it. Albus nodded in agreement, glad to have someone on his side for once.

The faintest hint of a smile graced Draco's lips before he pushed his chair out from under the table and rose to his feet, "Now, let's get one of the spare bedrooms ready for your night's stay, shall we? Hodgey!" He called for the house elf, who quickly appeared from the kitchen to clear the table.

Draco led the boys to the room across from Scorpius' turning on the light. The spare bedroom was one of many that looked as if it hadn't been slept in for years. The bedding remained in pristine condition, untouched, and the chest of drawers had long been empty.

"Don't worry, the elves do clean these rooms every so often," Draco assured him, gazing around the room as if he himself hadn't stepped foot in it in a long time. Then he turned his head to face his son, "Why don't you fetch your friend's trunk."

Scorpius nodded before leaving the room to follow his father's orders.

As soon as Scorpius was out of earshot, Draco began to speak to Albus in a more serious tone, "I know where you are coming from, Albus," He started to wander with slow steps around the room, brushing his hand over the carved antique furniture. He looked somewhere far off as if his thoughts had drifted to some time past.

"Family can be tough. There are expectations put upon you. Legacies to uphold. Names to live up to. But if you only ever listen and do as your family tells you, you'll end up feeling miserable your whole life." He turned back to face Albus to make sure he was paying attention, "My father would have loved me to have a respectable ministry job and to follow in his footsteps. But that's not me. You have to remember that you are your own person and aren't alive just to please your parents. Remember that. I could have really benefitted if someone had told me that when I was your age."

As he looked at Albus, he was able to see some of himself inside the boy. Despite his negative relationship with his father, Draco liked Albus--he was different. While it had been a surprise to hear, Draco never took issue with Albus Potter's friendship with his son. It was a new generation and he was happy to leave the past behind and embrace the uncharted territory that the future brought. Being a parent was unpredictable, he'd come to learn, and he wasn't there to control it. So he embraced Albus as more than just the son of his former enemy but instead as the boy that managed to put a smile on the face of his son, even in his darkest time. And for that, he'd forever be grateful for the boy.

Albus came from glory, a family of heroes. Draco came from the opposite, a family to be feared. But yet he could understand the trials of Albus, the boy from a renowned individual. A name could so often bear weight on those who shared it--whether it be respectable or nefarious. Draco dealt with it and now he could see Albus grappling with it as well.

Scorpius returned, dragging the heavy trunk initialled A.S.P. behind him, "Merlin's beard, Albus! Did you pack your collection of rocks or something?" He grunted as he finally put it down. Draco stifled a laugh.

"Well, I hope everything is to your liking, Albus," Draco said, glancing around one around the room one last time to make sure everything was in order.

Albus hadn't been sure how to respond to Draco's words of wisdom, still feeling slightly at a loss, "Yes. Very much so."

Draco nodded with content then added, "And remember, you're always welcome here. We enjoy having you."

Albus couldn't hide his smile, exchanging a look with Scorpius, "Thank you, sir."

Draco brushed his hand through the air with a quick roll of his eyes, "Albus, I've known you five years now, there's no need for this sir business. You're practically my second son." His father had been referred to as "sir" and he was determined not to be.

Albus felt his heart leap. He looked back over at Scorpius, who grinned with a sparkle in his eyes.

For once, Albus felt at home.

Chapter Text

The Potter house filled with the savoury aroma of a roast dinner. It had become a tradition in the family to cook up one last roast the night before the children would depart for Hogwarts--the final taste of home before the new term.

Before their evening meal, the adults took the time together to catch up, sipping tea in the lounge. Drained from the quidditch match, they all wondered where the energy of their youth had gone. The kids, on the other hand, were just as lively as ever and ready for the new term to start. Huddled in the other room, they discussed their plans for the year and the expressed their desires for new adventures.

"My timetable is so good this year," Lily told her cousins, "I've got back-to-back Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology on three days a week!"

"Well, of course it's easy for you, you don't need to worry about exams yet," Hugo moaned.

"Have you made a plan for revising everything yet?" Rose asked her brother. "It was a lifesaver for me last year."

"Just make sure to slot in enough time for quidditch. This year is going to be the best year for the Gryffindor team. We'll win the cup, for sure."

"And what makes you say that?" Lily questioned her eldest brother.

"Because I'm the captain, of course!" James boasted.

Harry smiled, overhearing the children's conversations from across the hall. Fond memories of Hogwarts came flooding back to him and he wished he could feel the exhilaration of returning to school once more. While he was satisfied with his ministry job, nothing could compare to the times he spent roaming the corridors of Hogwarts, the nights by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, and the moments spent training on the quidditch pitch. Years may have passed since his last visit but Hogwarts would forever and always be his second home.

"Do you remember that time," Harry started, looking over to Ron, "when we were late to charms because Peeves was throwing Bertie Botts at students in the corridor?"

Ron rolled his eyes as if he could never forget that, "Nearly hit me in the eye! Boy, I'm sure ol' Pomfrey would have been thrilled to hear that one."

Ginny shook her head with a chuckle, her eyes sparkling as she recalled the better years of her Hogwarts experience, "I think that poor lady saw enough of you during your time there. I'm shocked she still there to this day with all the mess she's had to deal with."

"Perhaps we should have given her a gift before we left. Sent her some flowers with a little card reading, "Sorry for all the trouble we've caused you. Please don't retire!" Ron suggested, prompting laughter from the others.

At the sound of the stove timer dinging, Ginny arose from the sofa in the lounge to check on the food in the kitchen. Taking out her wand, she gave it a wave and the oven door opened with a puff of heat as the steam and scrumptious scents of roast beef spread into the kitchen air. She guided the pan of beef through the air to the counter to rest, then grabbed the meat thermometer from a drawer to check that it was fully cooked.

Ginny couldn't take all the credit for the delicious meal that awaited them. In fact, it was often Harry who did most of the cooking. Despite her mother's best efforts to teach her recipes and techniques, cooking never was never one of Ginny's strengths. On nights when Harry worked late, she could whip something simple up for her and the kids but some nights she was too stressed and tired from work to bother, which lead her to end up picking up food from one of the local takeaways instead. It may not have been as nice as her mother's homecooked meals growing up but it was still something.

"Lily?" Ginny called out for her daughter, who quickly appeared in the doorway, "Will you please lay the table?"

Obeying unhappily, Lily grumbled, "Why doesn't James have to do anything?"

"James will do the washing up with Albus," Ginny assured her as she began to carve the roast the way her mum had taught her years ago. Lily left the room with her hands full of cutlery to lay out for her family and their guests in the dining room.

The growing scent of food seemed to lure everyone into the dining room, their stomachs growling in anticipation.

"Smells great, mum," James said, taking a peek into the kitchen. His eyes widened when he saw the trifle piled high with fruit, cake, and custard in a glass dish, "Looks even better!" He added, practically drooling over the sweet treat. With cat-like speed, he stuck out his finger to take a swipe at one of the dollops of cream atop the trifle, happily licking it off his finger before his mum could stop him.

"James Sirius!" Ginny exclaimed at her smirking son, "For heaven's sake, you're 17, you know better than that. Out, out! Go sit down." She shooed her son out of the kitchen where he rejoined the others in the dining room.

"Has there been any word on what exactly took place," Hermione asked Harry as she took a seat across from at the table. Her face was twisted in concern. It was a matter that both affected her as the Minister for Magic and personally.

Harry wished he had more information to give her but he himself still didn't know the full story, "The latest I've heard is that the witnesses were obliviated. Which leads us to the conclusion that it was, in fact, a witch or wizard."

"Well, that certainly doesn't narrow it down much." Hermione heaved a sigh, "I just feel so terribly about it all. Professor Vector was a wonderful woman. I loved her lessons!"

Harry nodded, "The loss of any great witch or wizard is always tragic. I will let you know as soon as I get any word about the case."

"Please do."

"Okay, that's enough Ministry talk for this evening," Ginny spoke up as she entered the room carrying a steaming dish of vegetables. "This is supposed to be a nice family meal."

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "I'm more than happy to not talk about work anymore. That seems to be all I do these days!"

"To be fair, you talked a lot about work back when we were at Hogwarts too," Ron jested. Hermione wrinkled her nose but knew she couldn't argue with that.

As the whole family gathered around the table, one seat stood noticeably empty.

"Oi, where's Albus?" Rose piped up with a furrowed brow, looking across at the empty chair where her cousin should be.

"Oh, he's just up in his room," Harry waved his hand through the air, looking slightly annoyed by the fact. "Albus! Teatime!" He called for his son.

Everyone waited for the sound of footsteps down the stairs and for Albus to appear around the corner but nothing happened.

"ALBUS!" Harry bellowed louder this time, in case he hadn't heard him the first time.

When he still didn't show, Ginny sighed, standing up from the table, "I will get him." She made her way down the hall to the stairs.

"Funny fellow, Al is," Ron remarked. "Not the most social of kids. I don't think I've seen him since we arrived."

Harry shrugged, used to his son's moodiness, "Well, you know teenagers. They can be troubling."

"Dad, you do realise your other teenagers are sitting right here," James pointed to him and Lily with the slightest hint of amusement.

"Yes, well we were all your age once. I know what it's like to be a--"

"Albus is gone," Ginny burst into the dining room, her eyes wide and voice filled with alarm.

Harry blinked, wondering if he heard her correctly, "Excuse me?"

All eyes were on Ginny, everyone with an equal look of confusion.

"Albus wasn't in his room." She restated, stood frozen in the doorway as if she was unsure of what to do with herself in this situation. At what point should she panic?

Doing his best to think calmly and logically, Harry tried to understand what had happened, "Are you sure he's not just--"

"His trunk is gone. Everything. He's not here." Ginny was starting to grow more frantic. "Our son is missing!"

Pushing his chair out with a loud screech, Harry stood, marching past his wife to go investigate. Curious and concerned, the rest on the family followed him up the stairs to Albus' room. The door was left ajar and Harry stepped inside. Rose ran upfront to peer in the room behind him, wanting to see for herself if it was true.

The room hadn't changed much since Harry had last entered. The curtains were drawn shut, the bedsheets were all bunched up, and there were still a few pieces of dirty laundry scattered about the floor. But the trunk that had been sitting by the wardrobe was now absent from the room... as well as Albus.

Harry ran his hand through his hair, tousling it into an even bigger mess, his eyes almost as round as his glasses as he turned to face his waiting family, "Where could he have gone?" He asked although he knew that no one would have the answer.

Pushing past his the crowd of onlookers, he began to call out for his son, "Albus!"

Everyone spread around the house, looking for any signs of their lost family member. Doors opened and slammed shut. Lights turned on and off. Albus' name was called over and over.

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed.

The family came running into the lounge to find Ginny on her knees next to the fireplace. In her left hand, she held a little blue vase that usually sat on the mantle. Using her right hand, she brushed her fingers over the floor by the hearth. When she raised her hand again to see, her fingers were coated in a fine powder with an unmistakable scent. She looked up to meet Harry's eyes, her mouth parted and eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Without needing to speak, Harry understood what had happened. Albus had left. And wherever he was, it wasn't close by.

---

"Are you sure you have everything?" Draco leaned against the doorframe of his son's room, watching him scramble to finish getting ready.

Despite agreeing that they'd wake up early so they would have plenty of time to get ready before they had to leave for the station, Albus and Scorpius still managed to be in a rush. Albus had been awake long into the night causing him to oversleep. His mind had been swarmed with thoughts of what his family were doing and if they'd even noticed he was gone.

Scorpius, on the other hand, didn't have a good excuse; he was just the type of person to realise he'd forget everything last minute. This habit had led him to develop a system of checking his trunk multiple times to see if he had packed everything he needed.

"Yes, dad," Scorpius answered, looking over the contents of his trunk one last time, mentally ticking off a list.

Draco looked sceptical, "Robes? Gloves? Quills? Scales?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes at his dad's nagging, "Yes, I have everything. I promise."

"Cauldron?"

Scorpius froze for a second before rushing to the cupboard, "Nearly everything." He dug around before pulling out a silver cauldron.

Draco shook his head, chuckling under his breath, "He's a bright boy," He said, turning to Albus, who waited in the hallway with his trunk all packed and ready to go. "But if it weren't for me, he'd forget half his trunk at home." Scorpius ignored his father's comment, knowing it was true, but refusing to admit it.

Albus grinned, knowing exactly what he meant. On two occasions, Scorpius had somehow managed to forget to bring his want to charms class--two! Albus couldn't help but laugh at him sometimes. Scorpius always claimed he just had too much on his mind to remember everything all the time. Albus knew that it was just a part of his general clumsiness.

"Ready?" Draco waited for confirmation, rubbing his gloved hands together. Both boys nodded. Draco held out his arms. Albus latched on with one hand, holding the handle of his trunk in the other.

"King's Cross it is then," Draco stated before the room began disappeared with a flash.

Albus braced himself as the pressure built in his chest and the floor fell out from under his feet. He felt himself being thrown about, stretched and compressed like a human accordion. But within seconds, they hit solid ground again. Albus took a gasping breath, trying to steady himself. As much as he still hated it, he much preferred apparating to travelling by Floo Powder.

The hustle and bustle of London now surrounded them. Cars whizzed past and travellers made their way towards the station. Sirens rang out across the city combining with the sound of a busker's guitar to compose a song of the city.

Kings Cross stood before them, looking just as daunting as it had when Albus first visited, bringing James for his first year. Albus took a deep breath, then followed the Malfoys across the street to the doors of the station. Draco helped the boys lift their trunks onto trolleys. The last crate place on top of Scorpius' trolley let out a small growl in displeasure.

"Careful with him!" Scorpius warned, bending over to check on his pet cat, "He's never much liked travelling."

Once secured, the boys pushed ahead with their trolleys, weaving through the rushing crowds of muggles and wizards alike. They didn't need to worry about getting lost; they knew the way by heart. Soon, they were stood in front of the familiar brick barrier.

"After you," Scorpius nodded for Albus to go first.

Without a second thought, Albus ran towards the barrier, travelling through the wall to the platform on the other side. The steam-filled air engulfed Albus, invading his lungs with the all-too-familiar smell. The glossy red train waited menacingly for Albus to board for his sixth straight year.

"How are you feeling?" Albus hadn't noticed Scorpius emerge next to him, his eyes glistening with concern.

Albus realised how rigid he had been standing, his knuckles white from gripping the trolley handle, "I'm fine," he told his friend, taking a deep breath. He tried to loosen himself out and ignore the somersaults in his stomach.

Scorpius placed a hand on his back reassuringly before pushing onwards. Wizards and witches of all ages gathered along the platform, toting trunks, greeting old friends, and wishing loved ones off. Albus kept his head low, trying to avoid seeing anyone he knew. Do his best to be subtle, he slipped the hood of his jumper over his head, blocking out his peripheral vision.

Unfortunately, it didn't work as well as he hoped.

"ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER!"

He froze in his tracks. By reflex, Scorpius jumped to his side, his hand hovering over where his wand rested. Albus recognised the voice: it wasn't the voice of a classmate. He almost wished it was.

Slowly, he turned to see a head of scruffy black hair storming over, robes billowing with every stride.

He came to a halt in front of the boys, "Move aside, Scorpius. I need to have a word with my son." Harry ordered, his voice deep, verging on growling.

Scorpius gave Albus an apologetic look but was much too scared to defy the fuming Harry Potter. He turned to go stand over with his father, leaving Albus alone with his.

"Dad," Albus greeted bluntly, crossing his arms in front of him. He'd hoped that he wouldn't run into his family on the platform. If he had his way, he would have gotten on the train and left without so much as a word but, alas, it was rare that the fates ever were ever in his favour.

Harry dove straight into his lecture, "Do you know how terrified your mother and I were when we found your room empty? We almost reported you missing to the muggle police! The muggle police!" He emphasised, waving his arms through the air like a mad man.

"As if you'd really care if I disappeared," Albus rolled his eyes, not fearing his father's wrath. It wasn't the first time they'd argued on the platform, although, admittedly, Harry had never been this enraged during them. Usually, it was Albus who provoked the disagreements out of frustration with the fact that he'd have to return to Hogwarts. This year, Albus almost wished he could just apparate himself to Hogwarts to get away from his dad.

Harry squinted at his son in disbelief, "How could you even think that, Al?"

"It's not like you pay any attention to me when I'm home unless we're arguing. Why should it matter now?"

Harry tapped his foot, trying to cool his temper and sympathise with his son, "Albus, you're lucky to have parents who love and care for you. That's more than I ever had at your age."

"Oh, here we go," Albus scoffed, "the old 'I was a sad orphan' story. Like I haven't heard it a million times."

His father was taken aback, "Excuse me?"

"--And if you really care for me" Albus continued on his rant, "why do I feel so much happier at the Malfoy's then? Where they make sure I'm alright. And actually talk to me without yelling or arguing with me."

"The Malfoy's aren't your family, Albus." He responded as if Albus needed the reminder.

"Well, they sure feel more like it."

"You can't possibly be blaming me for your unhappiness," Harry rubbed his scar, growing more and more irritated with his teenage son.

"And you can't possibly be arrogant enough to believe you're the only reason I'm unhappy! Open your bloody eyes dad, I haven't been happy since we first came to this platform when I was a kid. You've just been too blinded by your own work and the adoration of the wizarding world to notice your own son was miserable this whole time. Not everyone can be as popular as the great 'boy who lived'"

"You know nothing about what I went through!" Harry finally snapped, his face reddening and veins bulging as he pointed a threatening finger at his son.

"--And you know nothing about what I'm going through!" Albus fired back, planting his feet firmly on the ground. This time he was not backing down. He'd become fed up with his mistreatment and it was time his father knew that.

Harry opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the loud wail of the train's whistle, bringing their focus back to the platform around them.

So much for not attracting attention... Albus thought, noticing all the eyes upon them, intently watching the bickering Potters.

Harry took a step back, trying to calm himself, not wanting to cause any more commotion, "Albus, just get on the train. I really can't deal with you anymore." He said without realising the connotation of his words.

"You know what? I can't deal with you anymore either. In fact, I hope I never see you again." Albus spat, before turning around to push his trolley towards the nearest train car.

Harry's face fell, "Wait, Al," he called after him.

Albus ignored him.

"Albus, please," Harry's voice broke slightly as he watched his son walk away. His temper had gotten the best of him. He had messed up. Again.

"C'mon Scorp, let's go," Albus huffed, waving to his friend to follow as he trudged past.

"But--" Scorpius looked to Harry then back to Albus, his forehead wrinkled with worry.

The train whistled again. The final boarding call.

Scorpius sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do. Giving his father one last farewell, he boarded the train after Albus just before it began to pull away.

The steam grew thicker as the wheels screeched into motion. The train chugged off, away from the platform.

Another conversation with his son turned shouting match turned misunderstanding. Harry really had a way with words sometimes. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, wishing things could've gone differently. Albus could just be so frustrating sometimes. He couldn't understand how a boy could look so much like him but yet could be so different from him. He desperately wanted to connect with his son but he just didn't know how.

Harry finally turned away, ready to go find his wife. Before he could get far, he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. He whipped around to see his old classmate.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" He snarled. He was not in any mood to speak to his former rival.

"Well, I saw what just happened there--we all did--and--" Draco began.

"That's really none of your business." Harry turned on his heel to walk away but Malfoy followed close behind.

"I'm not trying to impose, but I'm just concerned. I care about Albus and his well-being."

Harry stopped in his tracks, spinning around to face him, "You don't need to care for him. He's my son. Just because your wife died and you can't have more children doesn't mean you can take mine!"

Draco stepped back, his mouth falling open, stunned by his comment.

Harry knew he had overstepped his boundaries. But it was too late now. He stormed off to where Ginny was waiting to usher him out, leaving Draco on the platform alone.

Chapter Text

The journey to Hogwarts always seemed to drag on--the trek from London to Scotland taking a good 8 hours.

In any other situation, Albus wouldn't have minded the long trip to the highlands. He enjoyed watching the passing landscapes--rolling fields of grazing sheep, cascading valleys, and far off mountains topped with snow. The rocking of the train would easily lull him to sleep and the time would fly by. But he could never enjoy the Hogwarts Express because he knew he wouldn't like his destination. Whether it was his house or Hogwarts, he dreaded his arrival. The train was just the eye of the hurricane, a brief, unsettling distraction from the inevitable.

Boarding in a bad mood didn't help much either. He slumped down in a seat, resting his head against the window, which rattled as the train chugged along.

"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered to Scorpius, who took the seat across from him, his eyes glistening in concern after the heated argument that had taken place on the platform.

For once, Albus was glad he was unpopular because it meant they could have a whole train compartment to themselves. He really was not in the right mood to be around other people at the moment--except for Scorpius but he was a notable exception. Scorpius had a peaceful presence that Albus could always count on. Scorpius wasn't the type of person to get into an argument easily, especially not with Albus.

When they first started to become friends, Albus considered Scorpius' passivity as a weakness. As if not putting up a fight made him spineless. But Albus quickly realised that it was, in fact, not a flaw, but a trait that showed Scorpius' strength to withstand something that could greatly fire up someone like Albus. Scorpius would only step in when it was truly necessary, using logic and wisdom to avoid silly little arguments that would do no good. It helped create balance in their friendship--Albus would always be ready for a fight but Scorpius would refrain until need be. Together, Scorpius could help restrain Albus and Albus could help Scorpius speak out.

"It's okay, we don't have to," Scorpius nodded in understanding, not wanting to push his still irritated friend. That was another thing about Scorpius--he didn't try to push Albus over the edge like his family seemed to enjoy.

Albus let out a wearied sigh, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, "I just want to forget everything to do with my dad right now."

"He does care about you, you know. He was just worried." Scorpius said, treading carefully. He knew better than to get Albus started on his family troubles.

"Yeah, I know," Albus admitted, "I just wish he understood me better. He can just be so--" he searched for the right word, "--so ugh!" He bunched up his face in disgust.

Scorpius slipped a smile, "I don't think parents are meant to understand us. That's what makes us teenagers."

"Yeah, I suppose." Albus sat back in his seat, watching the clouds roll over the blue sky. "It's just... I'm not like him. Or James. Or Lily. I'm not popular, I'm dreadful at magic, I can barely balance on a broom, and he just doesn't get that. He's the most famous wizard alive. He doesn't know what it's like to be a loser."

"I don't think you're a loser," Scorpius chimed in.

Albus' lip tweaked up, "Thanks, Scorp. You'd be about the only one."

"Someday everyone will realise how great you are. But until then, you've always got me." Scorpius gave him a cheesy smile, causing Albus to grin.

"You're all I got, so you better not leave me anytime soon."

"As long as you promise not to leave once everyone figures out how cool you are."

"Deal." Albus reached his arm out and Scorpius took it, giving it a firm shake.

---

Time passed slowly as the train chugged through the countryside. Scorpius rambled off to Albus, telling Albus about his recent trip to his second home in Wales.

"--He just gets all sad and mopey and always reminds me how much mum loved it there. It's not enjoyable. Although, one day I went off on my own and took a muggle bus to--"

He was cut off suddenly by the compartment door sliding open, hitting the other side with a forceful bang.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Albus and Scorpius jumped, startled by the abrupt entrance.

"Rose?" Was all Albus managed to get out before she placed herself on the seat next to him and kept talking.

"What happened on the platform? I can't believe you actually ran away! We all presumed you had hidden away in your room like you usually do. I didn't realise you had left completely! How did you even do it? And why?" She spoke so fast, Albus wasn't sure when she had the time to take a breath.

"Uhh..." Albus wasn't sure how to respond, overwhelmed by her energy.

"Oh hi Scorpius!" She finally noticed him sitting on the other side of the compartment before looked back to Albus for answers.

"Well, I didn't 'run away'," he tried to clarify, "I just went to Scorpius' for the night."

"You should have seen your parents. Your mum was on the phone with my dad practically all night. Your dad was freaked. He was so worried something had happened to you, especially with what he'd been dealing with at the Ministry. I don't think he got any sleep."

Albus looked down to his shoelaces, suddenly feeling a sense of guilt. But he fought it, remembering the conversation with his dad before he made the choice to leave. It was his dad's own fault that he left and he had no right to be so upset.

Albus crossed his arms over his chest. "My dad barely pays attention to his disappointing Slytherin son in the first place. Leaving just gave him yet another reason to yell at me."

Rose frowned, "Seriously? I doubt Uncle Harry thinks that. He's so nice!"

"You're a Prefect and the Gryffindor quidditch chaser, of course he's nice to you. You're the child he wishes I was."

Rose didn't get the chance to respond as someone else appeared in the doorway.

"If it isn't the little teenage runaway. Quite the scrap you had with dad today." James smirked, leaning against the compartment frame.

Albus rolled his eyes, ignoring his older brother.

"You know," James continued to pester him, "we didn't even realise you were gone until mum went to see why you didn't come for tea. You never leave your room anyway, so no one even noticed a difference."

"James..." Rose shot him a glare telling him to shut up.

"Alright, alright. I'm going back to my compartment." He put his hands up in defeat before pulling something out of the pocket in his robes. "We missed you, little bro. Mum told me to give you this." He threw a bag to Albus, then turned to make his way back down the train.

"What is it?" Scorpius asked.

Albus dug out a sandwich, apple, and bag of crisps from the bag, "Lunch, I guess." He reached back in, pulling out a folded piece of paper. Opening it, a couple of galleons fell out. Albus rolled the coins around in his hand while he read the note scrawled out on the paper.

"Some money for the trolley. Have a great year! Love you, mum xx" Albus read aloud.

"That's nice of her," Rose said.

Albus stared at his mother's writing for a moment before looking up, his eyes wide, "I just realised something..."

"What?" Scorpius cocked his head.

"I never said goodbye."

---

The rest of the train journey was quiet. Albus stared off out the window, watching the world pass by him, only getting up to change into his robes and purchase a package of jelly slugs from the trolley witch.

Rose remained in their compartment, much to Albus' surprise.

"Aren't you supposed to sit with the other Prefects?" Albus questioned her when she seemed to have settled in the seat next to him.

She shrugged, "I see them all the time. I'm sure I won't miss much."

She chatted occasionally to Scorpius and they tried to get Albus to join in, to no avail. He wasn't in the mood to talk. Finally, Rose dove into a book and Scorpius fell asleep against the window.

It was dark by the time the train came to a halt in Hogsmeade.

"I should find my friends. See you later then," Rose said, putting her book in her bag.

"Yeah, okay." Albus nodded and she ran off onto the platform.

Albus stood up, reaching over to wake Scorpius. His mouth had fallen open in his sleep and his hair was tousled from leaning on the window.

"Wake up, Scorp. We gotta get off." He gave his shoulder a shake.

With a loud snort, Scorpius' eyes shot open. Albus burst out laughing, the first time he'd had a proper laugh all day. With a blush, Scorpius was up on his feet, desperately trying to straighten out his hair.

"Oh c'mon, let's get this over with," Albus said, a grin still on his face. He threw his arm over Scorpius' shoulders to pull him along, which was quite difficult seeing how Scorpius was a good five inches taller than him.

They knew the drill by now. After getting off the train they made their way to the carriages that waited for the students. They climbed into one with a small group of nervous second years, who avoided eye contact with the older Slytherins. Only one Gryffindor dared to get a good look at the two sixth year boys, scanning them over with narrowed eyes.

"Oi," he nodded towards Albus, "Aren't you Harry Potter's son?"

Albus rolled his eyes, answering with a blunt "no" hoping to avoid talking about his father.

But the young Ravenclaw next to him wouldn't let it go, "Yes, you are! You're the Slytherin one that no one ever talks about!"

Albus grumbled something under his breath, staring off in the distance at the passing trees wishing the thestrals would move faster.

"Allen Potter!" A Gryffindor girl chimed in with confidence.

"Albus, actually." Scorpius corrected.

"Who are you?" The Ravenclaw asked, not too happy he'd interrupted them.

"Uh, I'm nobody." Scorpius stuttered. His surname still had a lasting reputation in the wizarding world.

"What kinda name is 'Nobody'?" The girl questioned.

"That's not his real name, you idiot." The Gryffindor rolled his eyes.

"Oh..."

For once, Albus was actually looking forward to getting to Hogwarts to escape the little second years. He wondered if he was that annoying at that age.

Finally, they reached the gates of the castle and they followed the large group of students through the grand castle doors. Students of all years chattered with excitement as the smell of the feast grew closer. Everyone seemed so happy to get back to Hogwarts.

Everyone except Albus, that was.

"Oi, Peewee Potter's back!" Albus heard someone shout with a cackle.

Albus clenched his fists, trying to avoid looking at whoever had shouted.

"Just ignore them," Scorpius whispered.

"Hey, Potter! How's your daddy? Oh, wait..." Someone else jeered, having overheard their argument.

Albus stopped in his tracks before the doors of the Great Hall.

He grabbed Scorpius's wrist, "Let's skip the feast."

"S-sorry?" Scorpius blinked in confusion.

"It's the same thing every year. We sit, the stupid hat sings, kids get sorted, we eat. Why should we sit through it for the sixth year in a row?"

"But—" Scorpius looked into the warmly lit Hall, the golden plates shining in anticipation for the feast, "what about dinner?"

Albus held up the bag his mum packed for him, "I still have this food. It will be okay."

Scorpius still looked hesitant. It was hard to say no to Albus and he couldn't disagree that the feast had become redundant. But he wasn't too fond of the idea of skiving off either.

"Please?" Albus pleaded, still holding onto his friend's wrist.

Scorpius glanced back at the Great Hall, which was almost packed full of students, then back to Albus.

"Okay," Scorpius agreed with a shaky breath.

Albus smiled, ducking off to the side of the emptying entrance hall. Pulling Scorpius behind him, they snuck down the corridors. A few ghosts passed by, giving the two boys suspicious looks, but turned away to mind their own business. Other than that, the corridors were empty, as the entire school gathered for the feast.

"Where are we going?" Scorpius asked.

"You'll see."

"I'm nervous. I've never skipped anything before..." Scorpius Malfoy held an almost perfect attendance record. The only exception was in the third year when he came down with a case of the Troll Fever. Madame Pomfrey had refused to let him go to lessons despite him begging her. He even tried to get up and sneak off, but in his feverish haze, he got too dizzy and fell over before he could even reach the doors.

"It's the feast, not a lesson. No one will even notice we're gone." Albus reassured him, continuing to lead him to a door. Pushing it open, they were greeted by the crisp autumn air. The day had been warm and sunny but as evening crept in and the sky faded to black, the warmth had been taken over by a cool breeze.

Albus pulled out his wand and muttered, "Lumos." It took a couple attempts but finally, the tip of his wand lit up, guiding them through the darkness over to a grassy spot by the lake. Albus finally dropped Scorpius' wrist, sitting down in the grass. He took a deep breath, this time enjoying it, taking in all the fresh air.

The breeze rustled the leaves in the Forbidden Forest, the lake water lapped the grassy banks, crickets chirped, and owls hooted as they crossed the clear sky, hunting for their prey. It was the only time of day when the Hogwarts grounds were completely void of students--which was just how Albus liked it. For once, he could enjoy the view of the school, the lights from the windows of the castle twinkling like the stars in the sky. It was a scene he'd grown up seeing only pictures from books and always dreamed about seeing in person. He wished it was something he could enjoy rather than feel such hatred for. But it wasn't exactly Hogwarts itself that he despised so much rather than the experience himself. Perhaps if he'd made more friends or was good at magic, he would have grown to love the place.

Albus flopped back in the grass, staring up at the stars, "Isn't this so much better than the noisy feast?"

"Yeah, I suppose it is." Scorpius was starting to ease up as he sat cross-legged in the grass, picking at clovers.

Albus propped himself up on his elbows, dumping the contents of the bag his mum packed on the ground.

"Split the sandwich?" He offered, holding up the triangular box that his mum had purchased from Waitrose. She never was much of a cook. That was his father's duty.

"Sure, what kind?" Scorpius asked, already munching on some salt and vinegar crisps.

Albus read the box, "Ham and cheese." He tossed him the box, containing the other half.

"Classic."

They lost track of time as the picnicked under the stars. They caught each other up on the summer, filling the gaps in between their letters. After they finished eating, they laid down and looked for constellations in the sky. Scorpius knew them all, of course. Albus could only just make out Orion's Belt.

Albus glanced over at Scorpius, the light from his wand lighting up the profile of his face. His silver eyes traced the stars, pointing them out and naming them for Albus. He was at peace, no longer scared about skipping the feast. He took relaxed breaths as he leaned back, using his arms to prop himself up. As he talked, he smiled, a dimple peeking out with every grin.

Scorpius looked over and noticed Albus was no longer paying attention to his astronomy talk, "Sorry, I'm boring you." His eyes met Albus' as he bit his lip, slightly embarrassed by his own nerdiness.

He shook his head, "Not at all." Albus smiled. He enjoyed hearing Scorpius go on about something that fascinated him.

Scorpius smiled back.

"Hey! Who's out there?" A gruff voice called out through the darkness.

Scorpius jumped, bolting straight up, his eyes wide with fear— both from the potential danger and risk of getting in trouble. Albus grabbed his wand from where it had been lying on the ground and turned around to face whoever was drawing near.

A massive shadow approached them. Scorpius looked to Albus for what to do. But Albus lowered his wand, no longer afraid as he realised who had spotted them.

He stood up speaking to the looming shadow, "Its okay Hagrid, it's just us."

The half-giant came into the light, looking relieved, "Blimey, Albus. Yeh best be glad it was only me. Yeh wouldn' wan' Filch catchin' yeh out at this hour."

Scorpius rushed forward apologetically, "We're so sorry. It will never happen again. I promise!"

"Oh cut yer whining, Malfoy. Yeh ain't in trouble. What're yeh doin' out 'ere in the firs' place?" Hagrid questioned.

"Didn't feel like going to the feast," Albus told him, honestly, seeing no reason to lie to Hagrid.

Hagrid furrowed his bushy brows, but shrugged it off, "Alrigh' well yeh both should be getting back now before anyone notices yer missin'. Off with yeh now." He waved them off in the direction of the castle.

Albus and Scorpius rushed to clean up the rubbish from their dinner before Albus used his glowing want to guide them back to the castle.

The stepped back into the warmth of the solid castle walls, and Albus doused the light from his wand and Scorpius let out a sigh of relief.

"Bloody hell, we could have gotten in real trouble there!"

Albus chuckled, "It was just Hagrid, he'd never get us in trouble."

Scorpius turned to look at Albus with an excited gleam in his eyes, "It was kinda fun though, wasn't it? Sneaking out?"

He grinned at his friend's uncharacteristic enthusiasm for rebellion, "Yeah, yeah it was."

Chapter Text

Harry hated the first of September. It used to be his favourite day of the year. The day he finally got to leave the Dursley's for Hogwarts, his real home.

But now that he was grown and had his own children, the day just upset him.

He and Ginny arrived home to a silent, empty house, which would have been a relief to most parents, but not to them. The house would remain empty for months on end. It wasn't until Christmas that their family would be one again.

Gone was the energy of their home. And he missed it. He missed the sound of pattering footsteps as the kids ran around. The laughter as they played games and made forts in the lounge. The toys that scattered the house from a long day of fun. He even missed the occasional tears of the children, when they'd run to him for comfort. But all that had slowly come to an end once his eldest had reached age eleven.

The kids began to grow apart, both mentally and physically. They went off to school and gained their own independence. They lived apart from one another. They no longer relied on their parents. James made his own friends at school, becoming rather popular among his year. Lily took up new hobbies that often occupied all her time. And Albus...

"I really messed up today, didn't I?" Harry sighed, rubbing his temples as he sunk deeper into the sofa.

Ginny sat next to him, her head resting on his shoulder, "Yeah, you did." She said, not trying to sugarcoat it.

"He's just so stubborn. Arguing with him is just so frustrating." He complained.

Ginny sat up to face her husband, "I don't think that Albus is the only problem here." She had always been the type of person to tell it as it was. While bothersome at times, it was ultimately helpful for Harry to hear things straight. His childhood had been filled with lies for his own good, but the only good it did was make things more confusing and frustrating to understand. He needed the truth, not some fibs to make him feel better, and Ginny was happy to give it to him.

"What do you mean?"

She sighed, "Well, you do tend to have a short temper. With Al, especially."

"He just knows exactly how to get on my nerves!" Harry tried to justify but he knew she was right. He hardly ever lost his temper with James or Lily in the way he did with Albus. In fact, he hardly fought with them at all. Albus, on the other hand, seemed to love making him sore and would do just about anything to provoke him.

Ginny took Harry's hands, toying with the gold band around his left ring finger, "Do you remember your fifth year, Harry?"

"Of course, what about it?"

"I spent a lot of time with you that year, and I noticed there was something different about you. You seemed more..." she searched for the right word, "combative. You always talked back to family and friends. You could be pushy and always tried to take matters in your own hands. Matters that were far greater than you could handle alone. You just didn't seem as happy as I knew you to be." She told him.

"Well, I was dealing with all that had happened during the Triwizard Tournament the previous year, of course I was a little on edge." He explained. Of all his years at Hogwarts, he tried to forget the events of his fourth year the most. He still could not think of Cedric without feeling the guilt flood his veins. He spent the whole next year dealing with the trauma. Even now, he wished there was something he could have done to prevented the death of the innocent boy.

"Don't you think that Al could be going through the same sort of phase? He is of that age."

At first, Harry was surprised to hear Ginny say that, "Al has had nothing to worry about! He didn't have to deal with Voldemort's return or dementor attacks. He didn't have to see his friend die before his very eyes."

Ginny bowed her head, knowing Harry was struggling to see her point. His childhood had been very different to those of his children--or those of any average child. He couldn't always connect to their issues, many of them seeming mundane compared to the trials of his boyhood.

"I know that his life is much different than yours was. But you know he is struggling in school. He doesn't have many friends, like James or Lily. And I worry that he is teased by the other students. He has a lot to live up to, you know? It may not be the same kind of troubles you had at his age, but for him, they are his whole life. He has a right to be upset." Ginny tried to put it in the best way she could. Even she struggled to understand Albus sometimes, as he didn't talk about his problems often. But as his mother, she knew that there was something deeper that was bothering him.

Harry took a deep breath, trying to put himself in his son's shoes, "I suppose you're right."

Ginny snuggled up next to him, his hands still intertwined with hers, "He just needs to know you care for him. You may not understand what he's going through, but just try to. And take it easy on him."

He nodded, "I will."

"Eventually, he will grow up and out of this moody teen phase. But he needs to know that you are there for him. That you support him."

"I think I will write him a letter. To apologise." Harry said.

Ginny smiled, "I think that's a great idea." She squeezed his hands.

"Thank you," he said, "Honestly, what would I do without you?" He took her cheek in his hand, moving in to kiss her.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

---

The first day of lessons was always one of Albus' most dreaded days; It meant there was still a whole year ahead of him that he had yet to bare through. He had barely slept the night before, questions swarming his mind. Where would he sit? Who would he be next to? Would Scorpius be in all his lessons? Would he even make it through the whole year?

Before he knew it, the sun rose and cyan light was cast through the lake filtered windows. The other boys in his dormitory began to stir, awakening to a new year filled with potential. All Albus saw was the potential to lose his mind. Reluctantly, he got up, dressed in his robes, and joined Scorpius for breakfast in the Great Hall.

"That's all you're having?" Scorpius asked, staring at Albus' single piece of buttered toast. His own plate was piled high with bacon, toast, sausage, and potatoes.

"I'm not really hungry," Albus told him, taking measly bites of his toast, his stomach churning with anxiety.

Scorpius looked as if he wanted to say more, but shut his mouth, focusing on his own breakfast.

Halfway through the morning meal, owls swooped in, their wide eyes scanning the room for their target. Letters and parcels began to rain down in front of the students. Despite only being at Hogwarts for one evening, many students received mail from their concerned parents, wanting to know if they made it there alright, to wish them luck in classes, or to deliver packages with items that were forgotten at home. It was common for first years to receive letters from their parents asking where they had been sorted or sending them love and wishing them well. For the older students, getting a letter on the first day was often seen as mortifying. Students would sneak the letters into their robes, hoping for no one to see. Others blushed bright red as an owl dropped in front of them to give them their mail. Although there was a stigma surrounding it, most of the students appreciated the mail from their parents but were forced to act annoyed to prevent ridicule.

Albus eyed the swarm of birds, a faint flicker of hope that he might see his own family owl. Perhaps his father would send him an apology, begging him to forgive him for their fight on the train. But in the swarm of birds, not a single one looked familiar or gave Albus a second glance.

He watched the golden-haired fifth-year across from him tear open a package from her grandparents," "Cauldron cakes! My favourite." She beamed, pulling out the letter to read. She had no shame in accepting the mail, which was brave, especially at the table of Slytherins. For that, Albus had to give her some respect.

Scorpius, too, looked up to the enchanted ceiling, searching for his great barn owl. Albus knew what he was hoping for. His mum had sent his sweets and care packages every year on the first day of term before her passing. Despite knowing better, Scorpius always kept an eye out for a parcel that would never arrive.

"What lesson have you got first?" Albus asked, trying to distract his friend from the incoming mail.

"Um..." he had to recall his timetable, "Care for magical creatures, I believe. You?"

Albus frowned, "History of magic."

"Oh..." Scorpius stared down at his plate, picking at his bacon. "At least it's a class you sort of enjoy, right?" He tried to look at the bright side.

Albus huffed, leaning his face against the palm of his hand, "Well it doesn't involve a wand, so that helps."

"Oi!" Someone shouted out. Everyone within earshot turned to look. Albus looked over to see Matthias MacPherson, a buff brunet and the fittest boy in their year. All the girls in his year--perhaps even the school--seemed to fancy the Slytherin beater. He was tall with a sharp jawline and deep-set eyes--all the features that would make a teenage girl go crazy. Albus couldn't see what all the fuss was about; he didn't think Matthias was that fit.

Matthias stood up on the bench, a newspaper rolled up in his hand as if about to make a proclamation. His eyes locked on Albus, whose heart started to pound against his chest. Quickly, Albus pulled his eyes away to concentrate on a very interesting glass of juice. Some part of him hoped that he couldn't see Matthias, then Matthias couldn't see him. But of course, his childish theory was quickly disproven.

"Look who made it into the Daily Prophet?" He boomed in his deep Scottish accent, "If it isn't our own Peewee Potter!"

Albus' head shot up, his heart freezing for a moment. He and Scorpius exchanged a look of alarm.

Matthias unrolled the newspaper to show almost a full page spread. All eyes were drawn to the headline, printed in stiff bold letters.

NOT-SO-PERFECT POTTERS? : HARRY POTTER FIGHTS WITH SLYTHERIN SON ON TRAIN PLATFORM

Everyone's heads turned to Albus. Many of them snickered and sneered at him. Others flipped through their own copies of the paper to find the story. Kids from other tables crowded around to read it over their shoulders.

"Awe poor Potter's got daddy issues," a Ravenclaw girl jeered.

A Hufflepuff shook his head in disapproval, "Have more respect, man. Your father saved the world!"

Matthias smirked, "What secrets are you hiding, Potter?"

"Probably ran away to be with that little Death Eater boyfriend of his," A Slytherin in the year above took a jab at Scorpius.

Albus jumped up, snatching the newspaper from Matthias, who only laughed in response: He got the reaction he desired.

Albus looked down to see a large picture of him and his father arguing on the platform. He stood with his feet planted in a wide stance, facing off with his father. Their mouths moved in a wordless loop, that was clearly full of passion and anger. His father leaned forward with a menacing look, his arms moving wildly as he spoke--shouted--at Albus. The ugly scene was followed by an article explaining the event.

Amidst the teasing, Scorpius stood, leaving his breakfast and grabbing Albus by the arm, "Let's go." He began to pull Albus away from the students and out of the Great Hall.

He read the article as Scorpius pulled him along into the corridor.

'Is there trouble brewing in Potter Paradise? Father and son publicly battle it out on the train platform before leaving for Hogwarts.

Albus Potter, the middle child and only Potter to ever be sorted into Slytherin, appeared on the platform not accompanied by his family. When spotted by his father, the Great Harry Potter himself, an argument broke out between them, attracting attention from the many onlookers. Witnesses overheard that the young Albus Potter (now 16) had run away from home the previous night, much to the disapproval of his father. The teen claimed to be unhappy, placing the blame on Harry Potter, and seeking comfort from the Malfoy family. Harry fought back against his son, using his own troubled past as the justification for the mistreatment of his son, refusing to see the boy's struggles.

The intense fight ended with Albus being sent off by his father, telling him that he "really can't deal with [Albus] anymore". Albus agreed, saying that he hoped he never saw his father again: a strong statement for a child to make. He proceeded to board the train with his close friend, Scorpius Malfoy, grandson of famous former Death Eaters, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. The resolution to their argument is still unknown. A harsh finale to a cruel spectacle. Witnesses claim to be "shocked" and "horrified."

One parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Prophet reporters that she "couldn't fathom sending her child off in such a way."

"Harry Potter should be ashamed," Another father claimed after seeing the shocking behaviour of the famous family.

What caused the middle Potter to leave home? Could the impressionable teen be heading down a path of dark arts against his father? Is Harry Potter really as great a man as he claims to be? What secrets are the Potter family hiding?'

Hot tears welled in Albus' eyes. He tried blinking them away, but more took their place. He couldn't understand the muddled emotion he was feeling. Redding, his cheeks and ears heated up. His heart pounded against his rib cage. His stomach twisted into knots. Every breath felt thin and he struggled to take in air. The world started to feel hazy. He felt like he was disconnecting from reality. He was vaguely aware of his legs moving to follow Scorpius into an empty classroom. Scorpius may have said something too, but all Albus could hear was the thunder of his heart and every wheezing breath.

Scorpius pulled a chair out from a table, helping Albus to sit down. He kneeled down in front of him, snatching the newspaper from his hands, throwing it behind him.

Scorpius placed a hand on Albus' knee, looming him straight in the eye, "Calm down. You're okay, you're okay." His reassuring voice broke through to Albus. "It's just me and you now. Just breath."

It was a struggle at first, his breathing sharp and shallow, but slowly he got into a more steady rhythm.

1-2-3 in
3-2-1 out
1-2-3 in
3-2-1 out

Gradually, the world started to come back into focus. Albus' heart started to beat at a more normal pace and his hands stopped shaking. He became aware of the feeling of Scorpius' hand resting firmly on his knee to keep him grounded.

"Read it," Albus finally managed to croak out, pointing to the paper strewn about behind him.

Scorpius bit his lip, "It's a load of rubbish, I'm sure." He glanced back but didn't move from his place.

Albus shook his head, "Please, just read it," he insisted.

With a sigh, Scorpius grabbed the article and scanned it over with a frown.

"Well," Scorpius finished with a huff, "The Daily Prophet has really gone downhill if they call this news..."

"Everyone's gonna think I'm the worst son ever. Or that I'm evil just because I'm in Slytherin." Albus swallowed the lump in his throat, trying not to get worked up again. "I get made fun of enough on my own. I don't need some stupid article to tell the rest of the world how horrible I am."

"It really doesn't paint you or your father in a good light. Who does this..." Scorpius glanced down to read the name of the journalist who wrote the article, "this Lorelei Lacero, think she is?"

"Lorelei Lacero?"

A new voice made the boys jump. They looked over to the doorway to see Rose stepping in the room, her hands placed firmly on her hips.

"She's only the fattest lier in practically all of wizarding world history," Rose told them, making a face as though she had bitten into a putrid lemon. She saw their surprised looks, "Sorry for intruding. I saw what happened in the Great Hall. I wanted to check on you."

"It's fine." Albus said, not really caring that she'd followed them but wanting to know more, "How do you know who this woman is?"

Rose crossed her arms, obviously it was a bitter subject, "She wrote a horrid article on my mother. Complete rubbish, the lot of it. Wrote that my mum might be having an affair with your father. Full of insult and lies. Just wants the attention, I presume."

Albus blinked, "How come I didn't hear about this?"

Rose shrugged, "Perhaps your dad didn't want you to? Everyone knows it wasn't true. At least anyone with half a brain. She seems to enjoy spreading filth about our families. I suppose that how she makes all her money."

Albus furrowed his brow. He had never heard of anyone writing anything bad about his father. All he had ever been told about was praise. It wasn't often that he read the paper and he hardly knew was it contained. But the number of books he'd seen about his father, and the many photoshoots he'd been dragged along to made it seem as though the world couldn't get enough of Harry Potter, the hero of the wizarding world. He had always assumed that he was the only one who ever saw the bad side of his father.

"She's ten times worse than Rita Skeeter ever was. At least Rita didn't make up complete lies. A real insult to journalism, the both of them," Rose continued.

"Rita Skeeter?" Albus questioned.

"Bloody hell, Al. Please don't tell me you don't know who Rita Skeeter is." She shook her head in disbelief. "Don't you read anything?" She could judge from Albus' look of utter confusion that he really had no idea.

"She wrote for the Prophet, right? And some books too," Scorpius filled in, "Known for exaggerating."

"To put it lightly," Rose started, "But she also wrote some pretty nasty things about your father, Al. Back in his fourth year. A real nuisance. He was only fourteen and she was trying to stir up rumours and gossip. Lorelei Lacero seems to be eager to continue that legacy. Nothing sells more papers than a juicy Potter story, I suppose."

Albus was taken aback, "My father never mentioned any of that." He always assumed that the press loved his father, just like everybody else.

"Yeah, well now you know. You aren't the only Potter to have dirt published about him in the Prophet. Comes with the name, I suppose," She shrugged.

"Don't listen to what one crazy reporter has to say. She knows nothing about you." Scorpius tried to brush everything off. "She doesn't know how much of an amazing person you truly are. Anyone who truly knows you can see that." He gave his friend an encouraging smile.

"Yeah!" Rose agreed, "And this whole thing will blow over sooner than you know it. You'll see!"

Albus took a deep breath. He wished he could forget it as easily as his friends wanted him to, but it lingered in his thoughts. He could still hear the laughter from his fellow students ringing in his ears. It wouldn't go away. It never really did, no matter how hard he tried. Each year, he vowed he'd be better but yet he just kept making mistakes. Sometimes it felt as though he couldn't get anything right. Even if he did, his classmates would still find something to tease him about.

But he put on a brave face, hoping his friends would believe it well enough that they could move on from the subject, "Yeah, alright. We should probably go before we're late on our first day."

Scorpius and Rose didn't argue, both eager to learn. And for once, Albus actually looked forward to his lessons if it meant getting his mind off things.

Chapter Text

Albus was seven years old when he first came home from primary school crying. The young boy stepped in the door, with tears falling down his rosy cheeks. He dropped his bag and coat on the ground, running into his father's arms, seeking his comfort and warmth.

"Some kids at school made fun of me," Albus said through heavy sniffles and gasping breaths.

"Made fun of you?" A wave of shock and anger washed over Harry, "Why would they make fun of you?" He couldn't bear the thought of someone hurting his child, physically or emotionally. It sickened him. His kids were so small and innocent, their pain was his pain. He'd do just about anything to keep his kids safe, even if it meant giving his own life.

"They said my n-name is weird."

Harry frowned. As much as he hated the thought, he knew well enough that a scenario like this would happen eventually. After he and Ginny decided to send the kids to muggle primary school instead of tutoring them at home, he expected that Albus would be questioned about his unique name. Wizards understood the Al' legacy, but muggles? Muggles had no idea. To them, Al was just some kid with a funny name.

"Come sit," Harry led his son to the dining table. He went to the kitchen to grab some biscuits and placed them in front of Albus as he took a seat across from him. Despite his tears, the young boy gladly snatched one up.

"Albus Severus Potter," Harry began, emphasizing each name individually. "it's a very special name. I chose it because it holds a great amount of meaning to me. Do you know who you were named after?"

Albus shrugged, biscuit crumbs falling down his chin. He used the back of his hand to wipe his tear-stained cheeks.

"Albus Dumbledore, the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen--perhaps even the greatest wizard in history."

"The old guy? I've seen him on chocolate frog cards." Albus perked up slightly, knowing his name must have been important if he shared it with someone famous enough to be on a chocolate frog card.

Harry grinned, "Exactly. He helped me a lot when I was in school. Taught me things. Believed in me. Trusted me. And for that, I named you after him. Without his guidance, I don't know if we could have defeated Voldemort in the way we did."

Albus followed every word, nibbling on biscuits but his wide eyes focused on Harry.

"Severus Snape. He was quite the man, to say the least," Harry chuckled under his breath. "I didn't always like him. He was my teacher, you know, the potions master. I always disliked potions and was never all that good at it. I thought Snape hated me, and, perhaps, he did to some degree. But it wasn't until he was killed by Voldemort that I realised Snape had always protected me. And to honour that, I gave you his name." Harry looked across the table at his son.

Albus was always going to be a baby in Harry's eyes. It seemed like hardly any time had passed since he was spending long sleepless nights up in the nursery, cradling the dark haired boy. How had seven years passed already? Albus was no longer an infant but now almost a spitting image of his father at that age. Same touseled hair, thin frame, and heart-shaped face. The only difference seemed to be the lack of a lightning scar--the sign of a childhood less troubled than Harry's own.

"You were named after two great and powerful wizards and the muggle kids at school don't understand that. But your name is something to be proud of. So next time they make fun of you, just hold your head high and remember that I told you, okay?" Harry finished, reaching out to squeeze his son's crumb covered hands.

Sometimes Harry wondered if the name he had chosen would put too much of a burden upon the child. He was such a small boy and it seemed like such a great weight to place upon someone so small who knew nothing yet of the world and its dangers.

Albus would soon learn the realities of growing up as a Potter. He'd start to hear the rubbish rumours spread about his father. He'd experience the second-hand fame, with hoards of reporters and photographers hounding him for life details. Attention was thrust upon anyone with any relation to the Potters, the press trying to get any sliver of information from anyone who crossed their path. It was never easy-- the words"easy" and "Potter" never seemed to go together.

But Harry could already tell that Albus was a strong boy. Someone who never took his older brother's teasing to heart. Someone who fiercely protected his little sister. Harry firmly believed that he was capable of handling what life threw at him.

While growing up with the Dursleys had placed Harry in an entirely different situation than his son, Harry could see himself in Albus. Not just in the way he looked but in the way he stood his ground and refused to give up. When the young boy set his mind on something, he was determined to carry through with it and would not let anyone else knock him down.

Albus nodded at his father, a smile spreading across his lips, "Okay, I will." Even though his cheeks were still stained with tears, his eyes no longer glimmered with sadness, but instead with pride.

Harry smiled back, "Good," he started to stand up, but Al grabbed his hand.

"Wait!" He said, "I want you to tell me more!"

Harry tilted his head, "More?"

"More stories. About those teachers." Albus looked up at him, his green eyes were a mirror image to Harry's: Jade green rimmed in golden brown.

'You have your mother's eyes'

Harry nodded, "Of, course."

Albus kicked his feet in excitement as Harry sat back down.

"Now," Harry took a deep breath before launching into his story, "It all started the day I was sorted and I noticed a professor staring out at me..."

---

Potions was the one lesson Albus could almost look forward to.

Somehow, despite being rubbish at practically all other forms of magic, potions were the one thing he could actually get right. He could rely on a recipe rather than his own magical abilities. As long as he followed everything correctly, recipes were always reliable, unlike his unpredictable wand work.

For the first time, he was able to set aside the whole Daily Prophet fiasco from the day before and focus on his first Potions lesson of the year.

Albus and Scorpius walked side-by-side through the dungeon corridors, by which they were familiar with by now. Many students complained about having lessons in the dungeons, moaning about it being too stuffy, cold, or just eerie. But the Slytherins were used to it, no longer bothered by the underground atmosphere. Of course, the climate of the dungeons didn't help the stereotype of all Slytherins being dark or dangerous.

But the potions classroom was different. Despite the grim stone walls and lack of natural light, the potion's master had decorated it to feel warm and inviting. Sparkling crystals hung from the ceiling. Jars of ingredients were always kept polished and neatly arranged on the shelves. Colourful draperies adorned the walls. Various plants, of all shapes, sizes, and species, sprouted in almost every corner, nestled in bright painted pots. The room even had its own scent. It was subtle but sweet, almost like vanilla custard, just strong enough to cover up putrid odours of formaldehyde and the other jarred ingredients.

Even waiting outside the door, the sweet scent carried over to the students. As soon as it hit them, memories of potions lessons came flooding back to them. Albus waited eagerly for a new year of potions to begin, his brain trying to recall what he'd learned the previous years.

Separating from her group of red-adorned friends, Rose approached the boys, her nose wrinkling in distaste as she looked towards the potions' classroom door, "I can't stand Professor Amatori," she told them bluntly with her arms crossed.

"Why? She's nice!" Scorpius was not as interested in potions as Albus, but like every other school subject, he still excelled and continued onto the advanced levels.

"She's way too..." Rose made a swaying gesture with her hands, as if she were conduction a choir, trying to think of the right word to describe her, "...dippy." She finally decided upon.

"I like her. I think she's brilliant." Albus stated. He could see where his cousin was coming from, though. Professor Amatori did have a bit of a hippie vibe as if she was always floating on a cloud, but she was also a potions genius. She was known all throughout the world as one of the most successful young witches of their time. Despite her world renown name, she still insisted on teaching at Hogwarts rather than working as a potioneer. Her passion for the subject and teaching really showed in all her lessons. Albus actually understood what she taught and she was always there to encourage him.

"Of course you would," Rose rolled her eyes, "you probably just think she's fit, like all the other boys."

"W-what? No!" Albus was taken aback. Sure, he had heard some of the other boys in the common room saying that they found the young professor attractive, but he only ever saw her as a mentor. She may be young but she was still a professor!

Before Rose could say anything more, the door swung open with a large gust of sweet-scented air.

Dressed head-to-toe in pastel pink, Professor Amatori appeared in front of them, "Welcome students!" She greeted them with a beaming smile in her Northern Welsh accent, "Come in, come in!" She spun around, the lightweight fabric her long robes flowing behind her. The waiting Gryffindor and Slytherin students filed in behind her.

They began to take their seats. Rose split away, taking her place back with her Gryffindor friends.

Scorpius made his way to their usual table in the back of the room, Albus following behind him. It was where they first sat together back in their first potions class when they were eleven. While it was just like any old table in the classroom, it held more significance to them; It was where they started to bond and first became friends. And it was the one place in the school where Albus felt truly confident.

Albus had almost reached their table when he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to see Magnolia Richelieu, a fellow Slytherin, already sat at the table in front of theirs.

"Albus! Hi!" She greeted him with her perfectly white teeth. They were almost too perfect as if they had been cut straight out of a Colgate toothpaste advert.

"Uh, hi?" Albus furrowed his brow in confusion. Magnolia had never once paid him any attention--save for when her group of Slytherin friends gathered around to take their turns picking on him. But never had she actually talked to him directly.

"How was your summer?" She asked as if they were just two friends catching up after the holiday.

"Fine, thanks." He said with little intonation. He glanced over to Scorpius, who showed the same surprised expression, his wide eyes flickering between the two. His eyes met Albus' and Albus gave him a subtle shrug.

Magnolia didn't notice this exchange and continued to talk to him, "Great! So, I was wondering--excuse me if this is a little forward--but I was wondering," she formed the words slowly, slightly sing-songy, "if you would be my potions partner this year?" She giggled, brushing a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear.

"Oh!" Albus couldn't hide his surprise. He wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't want to be rude, but he didn't really want to say yes, either. Any other boy in their year would jump at the chance to be Magnolia's partner.

"But what about Scorpius?" He finally managed to blurt out.

Magnolia turned around to Scorpius, "Do you mind if I steal your dear friend Albus away from you this year?" She asked sweetly with a flutter of her eyelashes.

Albus stared at him, trying to send telepathic messages to say no.

But Scorpius didn't get it, his eyes gaping at Magnolia, shocked that she would even give him a second glance, "Oh! Erm, well I suppose that's okay. Righty-o. Yep. Just don't kidnap him! Like, steal him." He cringed at the squeakiness of his voice before scolding himself under his breath, "Oh, bloody hell, Scorpius, you utter muppet..."

Albus shot him a glare, which this time he noticed, responding with a conflicted shrug. His pale cheeks had flushed bright red and he slumped lower in his seat.

"Fantastic!" Magnolia spun back around, patting the stool next to her. Reluctantly, Albus took it, returning Magnolia's bright smile with one of unease. He then turned to face front, trying to process what had just taken place. Magnolia wanted to be his partner? Had she forgotten that he was the most hated Slytherin in the school?

From across the room, Albus caught Rose's eye. She raised an eyebrow at him, her mouth opened in astonishment as if he'd personally betrayed her.

Albus mouthed, 'I don't know!' back to her, turning out his palms.

Her eyes flickered to the side as she made a quick decision. She picked up all her supplies and marched to the back of the room, dropping them on the table next to Scorpius. He jumped, looking at her with bulging eyes, as she sat down with her chin held high.

Magnolia turned, flashing Rose a smile. Rose smiled back, her teeth clenched and eyes emotionless. Her lips fell into a frown and she rolled her eyes in disgust as soon as the Slytherin girl turned away.

"Alright, sixth years!" Professor Amatori's airy voice brought their attention to the front of the class, where she stood with her arms spread wide as if she was awaiting applause. "It's lovely to see you all again. Now that you're all settled, let's jump right in! We will start with a refresher. Something easy to get you back in the swing of things." She drifted over to her desk, tapping a textbook with her wand. It flew open, finding the right page.

"A forgetfulness potion," she announced, "I expect you'll remember this from first year! Very simple. I have laid out the ingredients for you in the front, you just need to know the quantities and remember the brewing directions. Let's hope you are feeling forgetful!" She winked with an over-exaggerated smile.

No one laughed.

She didn't seem to be bothered and continued, "Ready? Steady? Go!" She flipped over an ornate gold hourglass that sat on her desk and sparkling purple sand began to trickle down to the bottom.

"I will get the ingredients!" Magnolia offered enthusiastically, jumping up from her seat.

As soon as she left, Rose took the opportunity to berate Albus, "What the hell, Al! Magnolia Richelieu? Are you mental?" She whispered harshly, leaning her body over the table to get closer to him.

Albus shook his head, "I didn't want to be her partner! She asked me! And this twit allowed it!" He motioned to Scorpius. By no means was this Ablus' own fault. He'd barely been able to get a word in, let alone refuse her offer. He'd much rather be working with Scorpius.

"I don't really see what the issue is," Scorpius said in his defence, overwhelmed by everything that had just taken place, "She seems nice and really wanted to work with you."

"She's the worst!" Rose said in objection. "How can anyone be that cheerful? I don't like her."

"Well you also don't like Professor Amatori, who is a perfectly lovely person," Scorpius countered.

Rose didn't get the chance to quip back, as Magnolia skipped back over, her arms filled with ingredients. Albus turned back around to face his cauldron.

"I wasn't sure how much, so I just got a lot." She told him, dropping everything down before him.

"Um, alright." He said, staring down at the pile of valerian springs, mistletoe berries rolling all over. "Well, do you remember the first step?"

She let out a nervous giggle, "Uhh not really."

Albus sighed, really wishing he hadn't been placed in the situation, "Do you remember any of the steps?" He asked with slight irritation.

She shook her head with a sheepish smile. Albus wondered how she ever managed to make it in advanced potions. How she could have gotten an E on her O.W.L. Was beyond him.

"Okay then," He said with a bit of a huff, wishing he was back with Scorpius, "I guess I'll be making this myself."

---

The final grain of purple sand fell to the bottom of the hourglass in Professor Amatori's hand, "Time's up, my lovelies!" She smiled, holding up the hourglass for all to see.

Some students murmured in annoyance, not quite happy with their final results. Others threw in final ingredients in a crazed final rush to try and complete their potions.

Albus had finished with time to spare, the amber liquid gleaming in the cauldron, emitting a dusty floral scent, which reminded Albus of an old lady's perfume. He was proud of his result, fairly confident in his potion abilities, even without help from a partner--and Magnolia hadn't been much use. If the class had been called "Sit and Look Pretty," she would have gotten an O. She hadn't tried to participate much, opting instead to let Albus do the work as she chatted about her summer trips to her second home in southern France. Albus had done his best to ignore her and focus on the potion.

He turned around to see how Scorpius and Rose had fared. Throughout the lesson, he had heard them bickering over their cauldron, both wanting to take charge.

"No Rose, it's only two sprigs!"

"Well your clumsy hands added an extra drop of River Lethe water, so now we have to adjust the whole batch!"

Despite their arguments, they ended up with a similar looking potion, bubbling in the cauldron. Rose sat straight with a confident smirk, awaiting the Professor's approval.

Scorpius looked frazzled, his hair askew from raking his hands through it, a tick he often had when he was stressed. He caught Albus' eyes, giving him a pleading look, and he could tell that he regretted letting Albus partner with someone else.

Albus gave him a sympathetic smile, knowing how overwhelming it could be working with Rose. Even as children, she would dominate every game they'd play together, creating all her own rules and getting upset when she'd lose. She was very much a Gryffindor, wanting to take charge in all her endeavours.

Professor Amatori drifted down the rows of tables, inspecting each cauldron. The student's fidgeted while they waited, hoping to start the year out right.

"--Not bad, maybe could have boiled a little longer--"

"--I don't believe it was supposed to turn green. One too many mistletoe berries--"

"--Er, why does yours seem to be growling, Mr Moore? I'm not even sure what you did to get that result--"

Finally, she reached Albus, her eyes sparkling when she saw him. Her smile faltered slightly, her eyes flashing with confusion when she noticed Scorpius sitting at the table behind him.

"Mr Potter, I must say, I'm quite surprised to see that you're not working with Mr Malfoy," She commented. A few kids snickered, others turned around to see if it was true. Albus and Scorpius were hardly ever separated.

Albus noticed Matthia's glaring at him from the front of the room, inspecting him sitting with Magnolia. He turned away to whisper something to his best mate, Silas Walker.

"Oh, I was lucky enough to snatch him up this year!" Magnolia said cheerfully, nudging him with her shoulder.

"I see," The Professor put on a polite smile, but gave Albus a quick glance in pity. "Well, the potion looks positively perfect. A beautiful colour and aroma. Fantastic job, as usual, Albus." She made sure to address him directly instead of his partner, knowing well enough that he did the work.

Albus' lips tweaked upwards and he bowed his head to hide his face. He didn't get compliments often and wasn't too great at accepting them. Mostly professors just told him off for doing something wrong. It wasn't often that he was praised for his schoolwork.

Professor Amatori finished evaluating the rest of the students' potions, congratulating Scorpius and Rose on a job well done--to which they enthusiastically high fived each other with a loud smack causing Scorpius to recoil in pain.

"Overall, I'm impressed with the results, but do revise this recipe, as it is a simple but powerful one." Professor Amatori adjusted the pale pink pointed hat that sat upon her blonde hair, "No homework for tonight. But do take a peek at your textbook to prepare for the year. This isn't O.W.L. level anymore!" She concluded as the students began to pack up their books and cauldrons.

Magnolia turned to Albus, her blue eyes shining, "You were wonderful! We will make a great team. We should work together more!" She placed her hand softly on his arm, letting it linger for a moment before she started off, "See you later then!"

The weight on her touch seemed to stay on his arm and he tried to shake it off. He watched her leave with eyes narrowed, still trying to figure out what had happened. Why had Magnolia, one of the most popular Slytherin students, suddenly taken an interest in him?

"Well that was weird," he said turning to Scorpius. Rose tagged along with them as they left the classroom.

"Very," Scorpius agreed, scratching his head.

"What does Magnolia want with you? She and her friends have never been your biggest fans..." Rose alluded to the incident in The Great Hall the day before. Had Magnolia been there too? Albus hadn't noticed. He had been too overwhelmed by his humiliation to pay attention to who was watching.

But Rose was right. Magnolia had been a part of a specific friend group since first year. They were the elites of Slytherin, the type of kids Salazar Slytherin himself would have favoured--wealthy, popular, and pureblooded. With their entitled positions in their house, they saw Albus and Scorpius as easy targets, both outcasts from famous families. They didn't favour a certain side, Potter vs Malfoy--good vs bad--they just saw them as easy prey. Scorpius was a nerd and Albus was an embarrassment, so it wasn't hard for them to find something to tease them about.

As far as Albus knew, Magnolia had never bullied them directly, like Matthias or Silas. But the fact that she hung around pricks like them made her guilty by association. Although, she didn't seem all that mean in potions.

"She's probably just using me to get a good mark," Albus said with annoyance. "Why did you let her partner with me?" He groaned to Scorpius.

He shrugged with a shake of his head, "I don't know, I thought you'd want to!"

Albus almost laughed, "Why would I want to?"

"Well, she's a pretty girl and she seemed to like you so I just assumed..." he trailed off, clutching his books to her chest. He stared straight ahead as they ascended the stairs out of the dungeons.

"Oh," Albus' voice dropped. He hadn't considered that. He didn't really see Magnolia in that way. He knew she was objectively attractive, according to the other boys in school but she'd never caught Albus' eye. Although he didn't often pay attention to girls when he had bullied to watch out for.

"Well pretty or not," Rose started, "Don't go falling in love with her, or you'll have even more enemies than before."

"Why's that?" Scorpius raised an eyebrow.

"Is that even possible?" Albus asked.

Rose ignored Albus' remark, "She's popular. Her friends don't like you to begin with, I'm not sure they'd take too well to you trying to join their ranks. Plus, Matthias has been keen on her forever, and we all know how well you two get along." She added with a roll of her eyes.

"Fantastic," Albus said bitterly.

"Rose, are you coming?"

Albus looked ahead to see a group of girls--Rose's friends, presumably--waiting by the stairs leading to the Gryffindor common room.

Rose turned to Scorpius and Albus, "Where are you both off to?"

Scorpius and Albus exchanged a look, both shrugging.

"Outside, maybe?" Scorpius suggested, wanted to relax outside after their first day of lessons.

Rose looked back up to her cluster of friends, "You all go ahead, I will see you later." She gave them a little wave. They looked at her curiously before continuing on their way.

Albus blinked. Rose going off without her friends? It was almost unheard of.

She turned to the two boys, expectantly, "Well? Come on, then. We are going outside, aren't we?" She turned on her heel, making her way to the nearest door out to the grounds.

Scorpius and Albus exchanged wide-eyed glances before briskly following Rose's lead. First Magnolia wanting to be his partner and now Rose wanting to hang out with them?

This was going to be a strange year...

Chapter Text

The longer Harry stared down at the words on the parchment in front of him, the more the letters seemed to dance around as if the ink was bleeding all over and turning everything into a muddled mess that couldn't be interpreted. Harry took off his glasses to rub his weary eyes. When he had decided to become an Auror and follow a path of magical law enforcement, he didn't realise how much paperwork would be involved. While he did get to spend time out in the field chasing dark wizards, he often felt like he spent most of his time at his desk looking over case files.

Sitting back in his desk chair, he decided to close his eyes, just for a moment. But whilst that gave his eyes a break, his thoughts still jumbled around his head, overwhelming him with information and memories of what had taken place over the past week.

The recent murders had made headlines, pressuring his department to work harder and faster to get answers out to the public. But leads were hard to come by and the investigation could only move so quickly. If they were going to be thorough, they needed to take their time. Harry, too, wished he had answers but, unlike most magical things, he couldn't just poof them into existence. Even in the wizarding world, law enforcement wasn't any more easy or instantaneous. So in the meantime, every minute of the workday had been occupied with paperwork, interviews, and following leads.

On top of his usual work-related stress, Harry had his own life to think about. As much as he wanted to be seen like he lived a problem-free lifestyle after Voldemort's defeat, nothing ever seemed to get easier for Harry Potter. Sure, he may have defeated the Dark Lord and saved the world but now he had new challenges to deal with: his own family. More specifically, his youngest son.

Memories of the most recent events with his son swarmed Harry's head. The heartbroken and hurt expression on Albus' face after their fight in his room, that had ended so horribly, burned into his mind. The feeling of cold dread in the pit of Harry's stomach when he realised Albus' room was empty. Finding his son on the platform, only to get into another argument with him. Things hadn't gone how Harry had wanted them to at all. He wished he'd behaved differently on the platform, scooping his son into a hug instead of going to battle with him. Sometimes Harry questioned his parenting abilities--not just sometimes, but all the time.

Sitting upright again, Harry's eyes shot open as he reached in one of his desk drawers and pulled out a piece of parchment. Dipping his quill into his pot of ink, he began to write at the top of the parchment.

'Dear Albus,'

Harry's hand hovered over the parchment, trying to figure out how to begin. How do you apologize for so many things in just one letter? How can you express your love with just parchment and ink?

A knock on his office door caused Harry to jump. A drop of ink fell from his quill, spilling onto the parchment in a blob that sprung tendrils that leaked across the page forming twisting spider's legs.

"Come in," Harry spoke, resting his quill back in the ink pot and attempting to blot the spilt ink.

The heavy door creaked open as a familiar face stepped in. Expecting one of the Aurors to come in and give him more work to do, Harry was relieved by the sight of one of his closest friends instead.

"Minister, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Harry greeted, teasing with formality.

"Hello, Harry," Hermione slipped him a smile, "Just wanted to see how you were getting on with the cases."

Harry picked up a heavy stack of papers and files from the side of his desk and dropping them down in front of him with a loud thud, emphasizing his workload.

"You're welcome to come give me a hand if you want to speed up the process"

Hermione let out a single laugh of disbelief, "Right after I finish the pile on my desk that's three times as big." She said with a playful roll of her eyes. "I'm afraid this isn't Hogwarts anymore, and I can't let you copy my notes."

Harry adjusted his glasses with a chuckle, "Oh, if only."

There was a short moment of silence as Hermione teetered slightly in front of him as if wrestling with what to say next. Harry knew well enough that Hermione would speak her mind about whatever she wished to say but it was how best to word it that she needed some time to ponder. Now more than ever, as Minister for Magic, she needed to carefully think out her words before addressing anyone. The press had a way of twisting what someone said and turning it to mean something completely different.

Finally, she cleared her through, "I was also curious to know," She started slowly. "If you happened to see the story that was run in the prophet a few days ago."

Harry rubbed his temples, thinking back to the headlines, "How could I have missed it? There was a great big photo of me and my son on the page glaring right at me. Going after me is one thing. I'm used to the articles blasting me. But my son?" Harry's stomach churned just thinking about it, "He's just a boy!"

"It's vile, I know." Hermione nodded. As Minister, she was familiar with bad press and would continue to hold her head high and ignore it. But as a mother, she could sympathise with Harry's feelings.

"Isn't there anything we could do? That Lacero woman has no right to be publishing rubbish like that about my family! I mean, you're Minister for Magic, for cripes sake, can't you have her fired?"

Hermione sighed, "That would be censorship, Harry. I think it would cause more trouble than it's worth, firing a journalist just because she published something you didn't like."

"It's slander, that's what it is. Lies like that hurt my reputation--and my family." Harry crossed his arms with a huff. Deep down, he knew Hermione was right. She was always right.

"It isn't all lies, is it though?" Hermione bit her lip, "Listen, Harry, you're my closest friend so, of course, I'd hate for anyone to hurt you. Or your family--your family is my family. I feel your pain. But your reputation isn't the most important thing here. And since when has that ever been your biggest concern?"

Harry sighed. He should know better than to worry so much about what the wizarding world thought of him, especially after growing up under the media's watchful eye and hearing all of Rita Skeeter's articles. But sometimes, he couldn't help but take it personally. He'd had his fair share of good and bad press but he worried about how the wizarding world saw him now. Was he a washed up old hero with too much pride for his own good? Or was he a caring family man still beloved by those around him?

In the end, did it even matter?

"It's not. It isn't," Harry started staring off at the crackling fireplace at the side of the room. Watching the flames reminded him of his times sitting in the Gryffindor common room with Ron and Hermione, doing homework or just discussing their days. His adolescence had been filled with trials and glory but he had still been young and experienced simpler times where he could really be a kid. But those days were over now.

He turned back to look at Hermione, who watched him carefully, "That article...it just reaffirmed to me what a rubbish parent I am."

Hermione's face fell, "Don't say that! You've raised such wonderful children!"

"Ginny deserves the credit. I'm bloody useless. I mean, you read the article! I couldn't even see that my own son has been miserable this whole time! I played it off as teenage angst but I think it might be something more."

"There are some things you just couldn't have known, Harry. You can't blame yourself." Hermione tried to reassure him.

Harry shook his head, standing up and leaning forward against his desk, "You know what Albus said to me when we got into an argument during your visit? He said that he'd be better off dead. I could have lost my son without even knowing how he was feeling." He was starting to get worked up, his eyes stinging as he blinked back tears. He looked away from Hermione, not wanting her to see him fighting the urge to cry.

"When he wasn't in his room that evening, I--," Harry sniffed, "--I thought the worse. I jumped to conclusions and thought that he might have...he might have killed himself."

Hermione let out a small gasp. She approached the desk, reaching over to put a hand on Harry's shoulder, comfortingly.

"I could have lost him, Hermione," Harry spoke softly. He hated the thought. That evening had been one of his worst memories. The feeling of panic that had overwhelmed him was more than any fear he'd felt before. It was cold and heavy as if someone had poured a vat of thick oil over him, coating him in a miserable feeling of dread. He'd tried to hide his feelings from his face, so not to concern his family any more than they already had been. Thinking that Albus had run away was one thing--but fearing that he'd taken his own life was a different level of fear.

Hermione stayed silent for a little while as her face twisted in thought. She continued to rub his arm, a comfort technique that had become second nature to her from her 16 years as a parent. Finally, she opened her mouth to speak again.

"I can't pretend to know exactly what you're going through and how to solve it. But I know, as a mother, that there are times where I think that I'm doing everything completely wrong."

Harry scoffed softly, "You're bloody Hermione Granger, how could you possibly do anything wrong?"

Hermione almost laughed, "I'm also Minister for Magic. My office is my second home. There have been times where I barely am able to see my children for more than a few moments each day because I'm so preoccupied with my work. I feel horrible about it but I have to remember that life is like that sometimes. Yes, I wish I could be there for my children every moment of the day. I wish I had the power to know at all times how they were feeling if they were hurt, or how I could help them. But I can't. There are some things that kids need to go through on their own. It's how they learn and grow into mature adults."

Hermione took her hand off of Harry's shoulder, standing up straight again so she could look him in the eyes, "That being said, it sounds to me like Albus needs you right now. Your family receives all this attention from books, papers, and magazines, but I think that Albus needs to see the real you--not the one of legend, a hero with a grand life. He needs to see you as I did growing up--as someone who went through loss, pain, and strife, but overcame them and grew up into a great man."

Harry took a deep breath, processing Hermione's words, "I think you're right."

Hermione took a few steps back, moving slowly towards the door, "You can't possibly control everything but you can at least show Albus that you love and care for him. And that he isn't alone in his fight."

She made eye contact with Harry one last time, as a sort of confirmation that he'd remember what she told him. Then she turned on her heel, walking out of the office with her cloak flowing behind her.

Harry was left alone with only the sound of the crackling logs in the fireplace to keep him company. He looked down at his desk, spotting the ink-stained beginning of a letter. Picking it up, he crumpled it up into a ball and tossed it into the bin.

Chapter Text

It had been nearly a week since Magnolia had chosen to work with Albus in potions class and he was still waiting for the day she got bored of him and decided to partner with someone new. It wasn't that Albus completely minded being partnered--he'd actually started to get used to her--but knowing his luck, he expected her to realise that working with Albus was a mistake.

It had been fairly clear since the beginning that Magnolia only wanted to partner with him to get a good mark. Perhaps she saw mutual benefit in their partnership, she would do well in class and he would be slightly more popular by association. Albus wasn't so sure if it was actually working in his favour in that way. It seemed like Matthias was more hostile toward him than ever despite Albus' best attempts to avoid him. It was almost impossible, of course, to avoid him completely since they had been assigned to the same dormitory since first year. Albus' new relationship with Magnolia might explain why some of his possessions had been disappearing from his dorm and turning up in odd places...

Even if Magnolia wasn't helping his social situation, she was bearable to work with. Although she still didn't seem to know the recipes, she at least tried to pitch in every so often. She acted as a sort of assistant to him, grabbing the ingredients he asked for or stirring the cauldron whilst he crushed ingredients with a mortar and pestle. So she wasn't completely useless.

She attempted to make conversation too. She must have learned quickly enough that Albus was never much for small talk, so she tended to just go on about her day or recent gossip whilst he pitched in the occasional 'mhmm' or 'okay'. Working with Magnolia didn't compare to working with Scorpius but it wasn't as torturous as he expected.

Rose and Scorpius, on the other hand, still seemed to be in a bit of a power struggle as they attempted to work as a team. Rose, a determined leader, and Scorpius, a meticulous perfectionist, tried their best but almost always ended up bickering.

"Bloody hell, Scorpius, hurry up. I need to add it before the potion boils over!" Rose moaned, stirring the steaming cauldron and waiting to add the next ingredient.

"The book says to grind it into a fine powder. Look, it's still too coarse!" Scorpius held up the mortar for her to see the bone he was crushing.

Albus held back a chuckle, overhearing their squabbling. He continued to stir his own cauldron, adding the last few ingredients to the potion.

"So how did you get so good at potions?" Magnolia looked over at him, plucking the petals off a daisy one by one.

Albus blinked, not used to her asking about him for a change, "Erm, I dunno. It's just the only class I'm not rubbish at."

She raised an eyebrow, "The only class? Surely there's more you can do than just potions." Albus thought she was trying to be encouraging but she obviously didn't know him too well.

"Do you remember that time in defence against the dark arts when I tried to cast expelliarmus but ended up disarming myself and my wand flew into Elliot Birch's eye?" Albus reminded her of a lesson back in third year, "That's pretty much how all magic works out for me."

Magnolia giggled, "Okay, okay, so that wasn't your greatest moment, but I bet with a little practice you could get better! I happen to do very well in charms. Maybe we could study together sometime?" She tilted her head slightly with a flutter of her long lashes.

Albus' breath got caught in his throat and he started to choke on the air a bit, making quite the fool of himself, "You want to study...with me?" He sputtered. Albus could understand Magnolia partnering with him to get good marks in class but wanted to spend more time with him outside of lessons? That was just unheard of. Why would she want to even be associated with him if it wasn't to her benefit?

Magnolia ignored his small coughing fit, "Well yeah! Since you've been nice enough to help me so much in potions, I thought I could return the favour."

"Times up, lovelies! Please bring a vial of your potion up to my desk for us to test on Mr Toad here!" Professor Amatori's voice announced to the class. She held up a rather warty toad, who looked as if it couldn't be bothered by her antics anymore.

Magnolia shot him a small smile, "You think about it," She said, gently placing her hand on his for a second before she grabbed the potion vial from him to bring up to the professor.

Albus sat there for a moment with a furrowed brow trying to work out in his head what Magnolia had just offered. He turned slightly to look over his shoulder at Scorpius, who had a look on his face as if he'd just ate a spoiled milk flavoured Bertie Bott.

Trying to wipe the disgusted expression off his face, Scorpius grabbed his own potion vial and briskly delivering it to the front of the room.

"Did I just hear that correctly?" Rose gaped at Albus. "Magnolia wants to study with you?"

"Yes?" Albus said as if it was a question as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh my pygmy puffs, I think she fancies you!" Rose said in a loud whisper, her wide eyes darting around.

"She just wants to study, that's all!"

Rose shook her head, her curls flying around wildly, "That's just an excuse girls make up to meet boys out of lessons."

Albus' face twisted, "Do you reckon?" He glanced back to the front of the room, where Magnolia waited patiently for her turn with the toad. She caught his eye and gave him a little wave.

Albus turned back to Rose with a look of terror on his face, "Oh bollocks..."

"I can't believe it!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Albus questioned her, wondering if he should feel insulted by her surprise.

She shrugged, "I mean, she's Magnolia. Nearly every guy thinks she's fit. And you're, well, you."

"Hey!" Albus protested but he knew she was right. Magnolia didn't seem like that type of girl to go for the angsty-looser type.

"Merlin, if Matthias gets word of this..." Rose glanced cautiously at the boy, who dangled a rat's tail in front of his friend Paisley's face. She yelped in disgust while he laughed.

Rose rolled her eyes and turned back to Albus, "Well, what are you going to do?"

"Say no," Albus responded immediately.

His cousin looked surprised by his answer but nodded, impressed, "Really? I expected you'd need convincing."

"I don't really want to make any more trouble for myself," Albus shrugged. He'd never really seen Magnolia that way. Plus, being her potions partner had already irritated Matthias enough, he didn't want to wake up with earthworms in his bed--or worse...

"Good, you don't need it," Rose agreed. "Perhaps we could find you another girl? It would get Magnolia off your case. What about Millie Jacobs, from Hufflepuff? I always wondered if she was keen on you..."

"No!" Albus protested holding up his hands to stop Rose from continuing, "I don't want to try and date anyone. I'm not like James who feels the need to always be with someone to be happy. I just want to focus on my studies and get through the year without any added stress."

Rose shrugged but didn't argue as she spotted Magnolia skipping back to the table, "Suit yourself."

---

"Good work today, everyone!" Professor Amatori projected over the sounds of students shuffling their things in order to leave the classroom as soon as possible. "Homework is due Monday. Please remember to revise over the weekend, it will only help you in the end! Now off you go!"

Students began to file out, heading off to their next lessons.

"What lessons have you both got next?" Rose asked as they started towards the door.

"Herbology, " Albus answered.

"History of magic," Scorpius said as if it was obvious. "We are in the same lesson."

Rose blinked at Scorpius as if it was the first she'd heard of it, "Are we really?"

"We have been for the past week of school!"

"Huh," Rose thought, "I never noticed."

Albus rolled his eyes with a small grin. It was typical of both of their personalities: Scorpius was quite and stayed hidden in the background and Rose was too preoccupied with her own friends and studies to pay close attention to others.

"Albus," An airy voice stopped the three friends.

Albus turned to see Professor Amatori looking at him from where she sat on the edge of the desk. Her long lavender robes draped over the desk in a soft purple cascade. She was almost never seen wearing anything but bright pastels. If she ever wore dark colours, everyone would be concerned about her health.

"May I speak to you for a moment?"

Albus waved Scorpius and Rose off so they could continue on to their next lesson. He approached the potions professor, his heart beating a little faster, worried about what he might have done wrong. He almost never got in trouble for messing up in potions! Was his good luck streak in the subject running out? He wouldn't be surprised--he was Albus Potter, boy of little talent, after all.

Professor Amatori must have read his emotion off his face and was quick to reassure him, "Oh don't be nervous. You aren't in trouble!"

Albus felt some relief but wasn't ready to let his guard down yet. He'd learned over his years of past failures to expect the unexpected and never be too trusting. Bad things seemed to happen if he wasn't careful.

"I know you have other lessons, so I will try not to keep you too long. Please, have a seat!" She flicked her wand and a fluffy pink bean bag chair appeared on the floor in front of her desk.

Albus felt rather ridiculous as he sunk down in the cushy seat but did as he was told, waiting anxiously for what the professor had to meet with him privately about.

"I must admit," the blonde professor began, looking over a little yellow flower planted in a miniature clay pot on the corner of her desk. "I'm rather surprised that you chose to work with Ms Richelieu as your partner this year. I hope that you and Scorpius didn't have a falling out."

Albus shook his head, "No Scorpius and I are fine. To be perfectly honest, I didn't really choose to work with Magnolia. She asked me and I just went along with it."

He watched as she tapped her wand on the edge of the flower pot. Water began to pour out of the tip of her wand, soaking into the soil below. If she hadn't chosen to pursue a career in potions, Albus wondered if she would have done something related to herbology. She seemed to have a strong affinity for plants, as the decorated every corner of her classroom.

"Well, that's good to hear. I've seen you two boys grow up together in your lessons with me. You're both such stellar potions students. It would be a shame if you two weren't getting along."

Normally, Albus would have been discomforted by a teacher taking interest in his social life. But this was Professor Amatori and he trusted her. She was one teacher that seemed to genuinely care about his wellbeing. In his first few years at Hogwarts, when the bullying began and affected Albus the most, she had a keen enough eye to notice something was wrong. Whether she overheard the teasing in the corridors or if she just noticed the dark circles around his eyes and generally low mood, she knew that Albus was struggling with his transition to the new school. She often checked in with him, making sure he knew that if he needed anything, she would be happy to listen. Of course, Albus being too stubbornly prideful for his own good, never seized the opportunity when he probably should have. Instead, he sought comfort in Scorpius, which always seemed to work well enough.

"Ms Richelieu, of course, is a nice girl but I can tell that she doesn't seem to take an equal share of work. I just wanted to check in to see if that would be an issue for you. Of course, I will take her participation in account when marking exams but it would be unfair for you to have to do all of the work on your own." Professor Amatori was a lot smarter than she let on--in areas other than potions, that is. Rose may have seen her as dippy, but the professor was sharp-witted and seemed to be able to deeply understand people and their feelings.

Albus supposed that was the Hufflepuff in her. As Head of House, she was always supportive of her students, both Hufflepuff and non-Hufflepuff alike. Normally, her cheeriness would have scared Albus off but Professor Amatori had a comforting presence, sort of like a grandmother who always prepared you fresh baked cookies when you visited--of course, Professor Amatori was a 30-year-old potions master and definitely not a grandmother. Nevertheless, Albus didn't think she had an evil bone in her body, the perfect embodiment of a star Hufflepuff student.

"It's fine, really," Albus assured her. "To be fair, I sort of like doing the work by myself."

"Ah yes," Professor Amatori nodded with a flourish of her hand--she always seemed to be moving, never wanting to stay still for too long, "Well, you always have been a model student. I trust that you will get your work done well enough without Magnolia's assistance. But be sure to let me know if it ever becomes too much trouble."

"I will."

She looked satisfied by that answer, "Which brings me to my point for keeping you," she stood up and began to walk around her desk while she spoke, "I was wondering if you'd be interested in tutoring some fifth-year students for their O.W.L.s."

Albus was taken aback for a moment. He was good at potions, sure, but he didn't know how to tutor anyone.

"Wouldn't you rather have someone more qualified? Like Rose?" Albus questioned. Surely Rose would be much better at the job. She loved to talk about all things school and learning.

"Your O mark makes you the perfect candidate for this position! I certainly will consider Rose, if you do not wish to do it but, personally, I think it could be good for you. It will help you revise for your own exams whilst you help others."

Albus looked down at his hands, contemplating what to say. It was true, it could be useful for him but it could also go horribly wrong. What if the students he was supposed to tutor ended up being mean to him? Or what if he was just a terrible tutor? He could lose Professor Amatori's respect!

"Of course, it's entirely your decision. But if you are considering a career in potioneering, it would be a great way to gain some work experience." She tempted.

Albus could tell she really wanted him to say yes--not for her own sake, but for his. She seemed to genuinely believe that it would be a good opportunity for him.

"I'll do it," He affirmed, almost surprising himself with the confidence in his voice.

Professor Amatori clapped her hands together, gleefully, "Oh wonderful! Trust me, Albus, I think you'll find it very rewarding."

Albus hoped she was right.

Chapter Text

The fateful day had come. Albus could feel it. It was the day he was getting kicked out of Hogwarts. McGonagall had finally come to her senses and realised that Albus wasn't magical after all and he had no place at the school--At least that's what Albus believed as he made his way through the corridors that Saturday morning, his stomach tossing and turning the little food he'd consumed. He hadn't been able to eat much after receiving the letter at breakfast summoning him to the headmistress' office at 10 am sharp.

Scorpius had tried to assure him that he wouldn't be getting expelled--Why would they wait until your sixth year to do it?--But Albus wasn't convinced. It seemed only a matter of time that his cruel joke of a school career came to an end. Of course they would keep him almost all the way to the finish only to rip the rug out from under his feet when he was only two years away from completion. It was just his luck. The poor miserable son of Harry Potter, the laughing stock of the wizarding world, put through hell just for others to laugh at his misery.

Despite expecting the worst, he still wasn't prepared for what awaited him as he stepped inside the headmistress' office.

"Dad?" He gawked, freezing in the doorway to the office as he spotted the all-too-familiar head of tousled black hair.

His father turned to face him from where he was stood in front of the headmistress' desk. Albus' eyes narrowed as they scanned over the outline of his father. His chin had grown scruffier since Albus last saw him a week ago, but other than that, he looked no different: same tired green eyes, same iconic lightning scar, and same rounded spectacles that he'd hardly ever seen his father without. Whilst Albus had grown taller over the years, shed the baby fat on his cheeks, and had gone through various haircuts and styles, his father hadn't changed a bit. Only the wrinkles of his skin seemed to become more prominent with every disconcerted raise of his brows and the circles under his eyes darkening after late nights at the ministry. But he was still the same Harry Potter that he'd grown up seeing photographed in books and papers and the same face he'd looked up to as a child but now caused his shoulders to tense with just a glance.

"What are you doing here?" Albus spat, finding the courage to step fully into the office. The thick wooden door slammed behind him and he tried not to flinch at the loud bang.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but McGonagall started before he got the chance to, "Albus, please come forward," she instructed as she stood up from her desk chair to wave him closer to her desk.

Albus obeyed, drifting further to the left to create a large gap between him and his father. He crossed his arms and stared off to the other side of the room, away from his dad, scanning the spines of the books that were displayed neatly on the shelves against the wall.

"As I'm sure you both are aware, parent visits are normally highly discouraged, especially this early in the term," McGonagall began with a clear flat tone, "but, as Mr Potter has assured me that his visit is an emergency that could not be taken care of through an owl, I have decided to allow an exception"

"But," she tutted, raising a spindly finger, "Do not make a habit of this, Mr Potter. You may be famous but that does not give you permission to be exempted from the rules. You shall be treated equally to the other parents that entrust Hogwarts with the care of their children. I expect that this will be a one time--and one time only--occurrence, correct?" She lowered her chin as her eyebrows raised at Harry.

"Of course, professor," Harry nodded, hands held in front of him feeling as if he was a schoolboy again in the presence of his former instructor. He glanced over at his son, who avoided looking in his direction, arms folded over his chest, head bowed slightly so that his hair shaded his face.

Gazing around the office, Harry recalled the many times he'd visited this room when it had belonged to the former headmaster, Dumbledore. Not much had changed since then, many of the dusty relics and old furniture unmoved by McGonagall. But now it was his own child's turn to stand in front of the desk and face the head professor, just as he had done many years prior.

Albus looked as Harry assumed he must have at that age, with the same dark hair and green eyes--although they lacked the glasses that Harry had become accustomed to. His son was considerably shorter than he had been but shared the same facial structure, usually displaying a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, and thin frame. Only Albus' clothes reminded Harry that this was the 21st century now, with skinnier jeans and oversized hooded jumpers. Teenagers nowadays seemed to struggle with the proportions of their clothes, although it was probably a better look than the great amount of denim and neon prints that were in style when he was young.

"Well then," McGonagall gave him a firm nod, "I will let you two discuss whatever matter that brought you here."

Harry cleared his throat, "Professor, would you mind if we took a walk around the castle?"

She looked at him, her lips drawn in a thin line and he could tell he was already testing her patience but she nodded, "Try not to attract too much attention to yourself, Mr Potter, as I know you have a habit of doing. And don't be too long. As much as the students would appreciate your visit, I'd prefer to keep my school in line."

Harry slipped the professor a grateful smile, knowing that there was more to her than her hard rule-keeping exterior, "Thank you, professor. I will be back shortly." Harry turned and started for the door, turning back to look at Albus who'd barely budged. "Are you coming, Albus?"

"I don't seem to have a choice," he muttered before following his father out in a huff.

---

The flickering light of the torches filled Harry with the warm feeling of nostalgia as he strolled the corridors of his former school and home. As much as he would have loved to stay at Hogwarts past his teen years, he had made the bold decision to leave the comfort of the school to live out his life in the real world. He'd made a new home for himself, one with Ginny and his kids. But that didn't end his love for the castle and he cherished being able to visit it once again.

That being said, the grounds still harboured some more painful memories that sometimes haunted Harry's dreams. Fires, ruble, and flashes of green lights still sometimes crossed his mind. He did his best to shake those dark memories, replacing them with more sentimental ones as we walked the corridors with Albus by his side.

"What are you doing here? Did you not embarrass me enough on the platform that you needed to come to my school to make it worse?" Albus finally spoke with bitterness, breaking the silence that had been held since they left the headmistress' office.

Harry sighed, ignoring his son's belligerent tone. He didn't want to get into another fight, that wasn't the purpose of his visit.

"I actually came to apologise to you, Albus." He told him, his voice calm and collected.

Harry could have sworn Albus' expression softened a bit before returning to a scowl.

"And that couldn't have been done through a letter?"

"I thought it best you hear it from me in person."

Albus was quiet for a moment as he stared at the ground, his hands shoved into his pockets, "Go on, then"

"I'm sorry about what happened. You just have to understand that I was concerned, Albus. That's why I lost my temper," Harry explained. "I shouldn't have caused a scene on the platform like that."

"But you have no problem arguing with me at home. So it's because it was in public that you're here to apologise, right? Because that hurt your pristine reputation as the most amazing wizard that ever lived?" Albus was obviously still cross at Harry, not dropping his hostility despite Harry's attempt to say he was sorry.

Harry shook his head, wanted Albus to understand his reason for coming to Hogwarts was to make things better between them, "That's not true! I couldn't care less about what the public thinks. I care about you, Albus. And your wellbeing."

Albus hesitated but didn't fully crack, "Just seems strange to me that you'd come all this way coincidentally after that article was published about our fight in the Prophet."

Harry sighed, his shoulders falling, "So you saw that?"

"The whole school did," Albus said, his voice quieting slightly as his eyes darted back and forth. The corridor was empty but Harry could tell he was still worried that someone might see them. "Really started the term on a high note," He muttered sarcastically.

Every fibre of Harry wished his son never read the article--or better yet, wished it was never published at all. If he could protect his children from the press at all costs, he would. After all the articles and books and rumours that were spread around about him growing up, he knew he didn't want his kids to be subjected to that. But now that they were growing older and would go off on their own soon, he was beginning to realise how difficult a task it would be. He couldn't protect them from everything all the time, no matter how hard he tried. That was the way the world worked and part of being a parent.

"Listen, if the kids are giving you a hard time about that, I can speak to Professor McGonagall about it. Surely, she could--"

Albus held out his hand and waved for him to stop, practically grimacing at the idea, "No, no! The last thing I need is my father, Harry Potter, to step in to try and save me. I can handle things on my own."

"You don't have to be afraid to ask for help sometimes, Al."

"I don't need help from my dad. That would only make the bullying worse."

"Well it doesn't have to be from me," Harry said, wondering why all conversations with Albus seemed to go in circles. He could hardly ever make a point without Albus finding something to retort back to him. Often times, their conversations seemed more like mad table tennis matches. "I meant in general. Its good to talk to someone."

"I've got Scorpius to talk to," Albus said crossing his arms again.

"Right, Scorpius..." Harry's gaze drifted off to the tapestries on the walls. As if he could forget his son's choice of a best friend...

"I'm not always as sad and lonely as you think I am, dad," Albus turned his head to face his for the first time since he arrived. His green eyes had turned hard and stone-like, lacking their usual depth. "I mean, not as long as I have Scorpius." He turned away again, avoiding Harry's eye contact.

"It's just," Harry started, trying to word things gently, "after what you said to me before term started..."

Albus threw his head back and let out a small groan, "Is that what this is all about? I knew I never should have said anything. I'm fine, dad."

Harry didn't want Albus to shrug off the subject like he normally did. This was serious.

"I know you say that but--"

"Listen," Albus finally stopped walking, facing his father, "I'm sorry if I worried you. But I don't need your lecture about how great my life is and how I've got nothing to be depressed about. Like I said, I'm fine. If I need to talk to anyone then I will talk to Scorpius."

Harry felt like shouting how he wanted Albus to talk to him. How he was his father and he cared for him and he wanted to know how Albus was feeling. He didn't want to be left in the dark anymore, oblivious to his son's emotions. He wanted Albus to trust him. He couldn't be shut out any longer.

But Harry didn't shout, for Albus' sake more than his own. He knew his son wouldn't want that kind of attention, especially not from his peers. Harry had already made that mistake once. Instead, he took a deep breath before speaking.

"Your mother and I miss hearing from you, Albus. We wouldn't mind a letter every once and a while to check in."

"Fine, I will send you an owl then. Just please don't show up to Hogwarts again." Albus gave in, trying to speed the conversation along. "Now if you don't mind, I should really get back to Scorpius in the common room. We were kind of thinking I was going to get expelled so I don't want him to be worrying."

Harry's eyes widened, "Expelled?"

Albus shook his head, "Nevermind that. Can I go?"

Harry frowned, he'd come all this way to see his son and now all he wanted to do was get rid of him. He couldn't blame him, after the way they had ended things when he left. But what Harry would have given to get a visit from his parents when he was at Hogwarts...or from Sirius or Lupin even. He wouldn't have taken moments like these for granted.

"Wait, Al. I wanted to talk some more."

"I don't know what else there is to talk about. Hogwarts is terrible as usual. I'm still the Slytherin Squib. I haven't changed since I left home. Unlike yours, my life is terribly uninteresting. Sorry if that's not enough for you, but I think it's best you leave before we get into another spat. That's always how it seems to go with us, right?" Albus turned on his heel, walking with a quick pace trying to get away from his father.

Harry quickly followed, turning into the next corridor behind him, "Can I at least walk you back to your common room?"

There was a gasp from the other side of the corridor. Harry pulled his attention away from his son to see a small group of younger students all staring at him as if Merlin himself had entered the room.

"Look! It's Harry Potter!" One of the students exclaimed, attracting everyone's attention. A few more students poked their heads into the corridor to see if the exclamation had been true. Their eyes grew as they started to run over to him to get a better look.

Albus look from the gathering crowd back to his father, clearly unamused by Harry's knack for attracting attention, "I think it's best you don't. Bye, dad. See you at the end of the term." He gave a halfhearted wave before turning and jogging down the corridor leaving Harry surrounded by the Hogwarts students, unable to run after him.

---

Albus turned some corners, hoping to get as far away to lose his father, where he couldn't follow him. But he didn't get very far before he ran smack into someone exiting one of the classroom doors.

"Woah!" He heard a girl's voice exclaim as the contents of her arms clattered to the floor.

Albus cursed at himself. So much for trying to get away smoothly. He immediately bent down to help the girl gather her things. He picked up a couple of textbooks and a copy of Witch Weekly, a smiling portrait of Bastian Rozario, a new hit wizard singer from Spain, plastered on the cover. Albus stood up to hand the girl her books.

"Than--Oh! Hi, Albus," Magnolia smiled as she realised who had run into her, gladly accepting her books back.

"Sorry about that. Are you okay?" He asked, scanning her to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"Don't worry, I'm totally fine. I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going," She giggled and waved it off as an accident. "I just finished up some defence against the dark arts homework and was going to head back to the common room. Want to come with?"

Normally Albus would have declined but he was already planning to go the same way, so he agreed and they began walking down the corridor. Every so often, Albus found himself glancing over his shoulder to make sure his dad wasn't following.

Magnolia scrunched her eyebrows together, following his gaze, "What were you running from? Nothing dangerous I hope?" She peered behind them but was satisfied when she saw nothing.

Albus shook his head, "Oh no, nothing. It's fine."

But Magnolia didn't look convinced, looking over her shoulder once more, her blue eyes glinting with concern.

Sighing Albus admitted in a low voice, as to not be overheard, "It was just my father."

Magnolia's eyebrows shot up, "Your father? You mean, like, Harry Potter?" She responded in an excited whisper.

"That's the one." He rolled his eyes.

"But why were you running from him? How did he get here in the first place? I thought parents weren't allowed to visit Hogwarts." She seemed confused by the whole situation.

Albus didn't really want to explain his issues with his father to Magnolia. He expected a reaction like all the others: shocked that anyone would have a problem with Harry Potter, their saviour that could do no wrong.

Sensing that Albus was hesitant, Magnolia spoke slowly, "It's about that article, isn't it? When you two fought on the train platform?"

He shoved his hands into his pocket, staring down at his trainers as he walked, "He can just be such a pain in the arse."

Magnolia nodded, clutching her books to her chest, "Tell me about it," She sighed. "My father is...well let's just say, I'm not too fond of him."

Albus blinked, turning his head towards her, "Oh? Why's that?" He didn't mean to sound like he was trying to pry. He was just taken by surprise, he'd never thought someone like Magnolia would admit something like that to him.

Magnolia looked hesitant to admit anything. Her eyes darted around the corridor to see if anyone would be able to hear her before she started speaking softly.

"I was never close with my dad. He left my mom when she was still pregnant with me. I only saw him every other weekend until I came to Hogwarts. He tries to bond with me but we just never had a connection, you know?" She frowned, cocking her head at Albus. He could see some vulnerability in her normally so confident eyes.

"Yeah, I can understand that," Albus told her, thinking of his own complex relationship with his father.

"I know it's not the same as growing up in your father's shadow but I still find it hard to forgive someone who would just leave their family like that." She bit her lip, looking down to the floor.

Albus felt a pang of sympathy in his chest for Magnolia. He never expected Magnolia to be the type of person to have a problematic life. She was wealthy, popular, and always cheerful, never showing any signs of distress. She was able to hide it well, unlike Albus, who was known for being mopey. Magnolia surrounded herself with friends and always seemed to have a sparkle in her eye. Albus never would have expected her to have problems at home.

In an uncharacteristic moment, Albus forgot about his troubles with his own father and found himself reaching out to put a hand on Magnolia's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"Must be pretty stupid to miss out on raising someone like you," Albus found himself saying, "I mean, you did well without him. You're nice, smart, and have loads of friends. Sounds like you don't need him in your life anyways."

Magnolia lifted her head slightly to look over at Albus, her lips hinting at an appreciative smile, "I suppose that's true. Thanks, Albus."

Albus' lips tweaked slightly. He suddenly became hyper-aware of his hand, still resting on Magnolia's arm. He pulled away quickly, feeling his face flush and his chest fill with pressure at the awkward moment of softness. It wasn't often Albus found himself offering support like that--with anyone except Scorpius that is. But something about Magnolia's story struck a chord with him. He'd always assumed she was just an airheaded popular girl, her only care having to be with how she looked or what the latest gossip was. Realising she didn't have it so easy made Albus question his impression of her. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. Maybe she was someone he could actually learn to trust and become friends with.

"So," Magnolia said, eager to change the subject from her personal life, "Your father. Does he come to Hogwarts like that frequently?"

"This is the first time that I know of." Albus walked in sync with Magnolia down the corridor in the direction of the common room, "But he basically loves this place more than he loves me so..." he shrugged.

"You think so?"

Albus scoffed, "I'm surprised he doesn't come more often just to feed that large ego of his. The wizarding world practically worships him."

She giggled, "My roommate has a poster of him on the wall."

He shuddered at the thought but cracked a smile, "Creepy, but proves my point."

"It is a little strange," She admitted, looking up at the ceiling in thought, "how much people seem to adore him. Sure, he did something big and great but there were also many other people who fought or lost their lives in the war and they get no attention."

Albus had never thought of that before. The way most articles or history books seemed to frame it was that Harry Potter saved the day. Sure he had help, but many of the other people who fought were nameless according to the books.

"Yeah, that's true."

Magnolia shrugged, "Just seems a bit unfair if you ask me. I mean we talk about the Fallen 50 but how many of them could you actually name?"

Albus had to wrack his brain but very few names came to him besides the ones his father was close to, such as Teddy's parents.

She took his silence as the answer, "See what I mean. It's just sad."

They approached the common room door, Albus' thoughts still on the legendary Battle of Hogwarts as Magnolia gave the password.

"After you," Magnolia nodded to him as the portrait swung open for them.

Albus stepped inside, followed by Magnolia as the portrait door slammed shut behind them.

From the softa, someone jumped up. Albus spotted Scorpius, waiting eagerly to hear Albus' news but his expression faltered when he saw Magnolia walking beside him.

"It looks like your friend is waiting for you," Magnolia noted Scorpius. "It was nice chatting with you. I hope things get better with your dad, I truly do." She placed a hand on his shoulder, her blue eyes staring right into his.

"Y-yeah," Albus shifted uncomfortably, "You too. With your dad, I mean."

She gave him a small smile, her lips drawn shut, before turning on her heel and striding over to the girls' dormitories.

With Magnolia gone, Scorpius approached Albus, his gaze following Magnolia out before focusing on his best friend, "So? What happened? You're not expelled, right? Right?"

Abus shook his head, "Unfortunately they're keeping me."

Scorpius breathed a sigh of relief.

"But I saw my dad."

"Your dad?" Scorpius' eyes started to dart around the room as his forehead creased, trying to work out how this was possible.

"He wanted to apologize--or so he claims. Probably just wanted an excuse to roam the castle." Albus rolled his eyes.

Scorpius opened his mouth to say something but Albus didn't let him, "C'mon, let's do something other than talk about my dad for once. I need a distraction."

Albus started walking in the other direction before Scorpius could argue. Albus was done thinking about his father for the day--or so he claimed. Somehow, Harry Potter was always working himself back into Albus' conscious, like a pestering song that just won't leave your head no matter how hard you try. His father was a stubborn force that Albus didn't think he'd be rid of any time soon...

Chapter Text

There were times when Albus really missed waking up to sunlight streaming through the windows and the warbling of birds enjoying the crisp morning air. He was never much of an outdoorsy person but waking up to the bright and calm greeting always made the worst time of day a little bit easier.

But mornings like those were impossible in the Slytherin dormitories. The room was dark when he shut his eyes at night to when he was forced to pry his eyelids open in the morning. The only light that managed to stream through the ornate windows that lined the far wall was green in hue from the murky lake, making the morning feel far more threatening than the welcoming rays of sun in his bedroom at home.

Albus didn't awake to the sounds of birds either. Instead, the dorm filled with shuffling students, low raspy morning voices, and the screeches of drawers opening and shutting as the others got ready for the day.

On the days when he could sleep and wasn't kept up through the night by his thoughts and worries, Albus was one of the last to wake up. When he did finally manage to pry his eyes open, Scorpius was already tying his shoes, sat on the edge of his bed.

When Scorpius noticed Albus' open eyes, he smiled, "Morning!"

He was far too chipper for the early hours. If there was one thing about Scorpius that got on Albus' nerves, it was that he was a morning person; he was always full of energy while Albus struggled to keep his eyes open.

Albus groaned and rolled over, shoving his face into his pillow. Seconds later, he felt Scorpius' hands on his back, shaking him to try and get him to stir.

"Come on, I'm hungry and don't want to go to breakfast alone," Scorpius pleaded.

They heard a snicker from across the room, "Merlin forbid, you go anywhere without your wimpy sidekick. A scary first year might try to duel you in the corridor and goodness knows you don't have a chance on your own."

Albus recognized the patronizing voice, rolling over to throw his pillow at him, "Shut up, Matthias."

With quick reflexes, Matthias pulled out his wand, thrusting it forward as an orange light sparked out at the pillow. The pillow burst open mid-air, littering white feathers over the floor in a fluffy blizzard.

Matthias and his friends, Ryker and Silas, laughed as they started towards the door, leaving the mess behind for Scorpius and Albus to deal with.

"Wouldn't need a pillow to defend yourself if you actually knew how to use your wand," Ryker sneered as they passed then slammed the door behind them.

Adding to Albus' miserable experience at Hogwarts were his dorm roommates. The rectangular room mirrored the style of the rest of the Slytherin common room, with stone walls and high ceilings held up by grand pillars. There were five students to a room, each given a four-poster bed curtained with green velvet. The beds faced each other, pushed up against the long sides of the room, three on one side, two on the other. The beds were spaced alternatingly, in a sort of zipper-like pattern that zigzagged to the far wall where tall pointed windows looked out into the lake. On the opposite wall, a fireplace crackled softly next to the wooden door that led out into the common room. The fire stayed alight most hours of the day and Scorpius' cat could almost always be found curled up in the flicker of firelight, enjoying the warmth she was unable to get from the sunlight-less windows. It would have been fairly comfortable if it weren't for the unpleasant company it held.

Scorpius and Albus resided in the two beds next to each other, their trunks pushed up against the footboard. Across from them, they faced the three most popular Slytherin boys--just their luck that they'd be stuck with the same boys who loathed their existence. Their dorm room was not a safe space where Albus could hide away at the end of a long day like he wished it could be. He was never fully free of the constant tormenting from Matthias, Silas, and Ryker.

On a positive side, as popular students, they spent little time in their bedroom and more time out with their friends. If they weren't with their other friends after lessons, they could usually be found on the quidditch pitch--a place where Albus and Scorpius would never be caught dead. So the only real times they saw the three boys were early in the morning and late at night, to Albus' relief. They came and left quickly, hoping not to interact with the two outcasts, only stopping to make fun of them every so often. The less either group saw of each other, the better.

"Pricks..." Scorpius muttered as he waved his wand over the mess the boys had made. The feathers began to sweep themselves up into neat little piles before blowing over into the rubbish bin.

After the room was cleared, Albus finally pulled himself out of his bed to get ready for the day before he and Scorpius headed out towards the Great Hall. The corridors on that Monday morning were quiet, as robed students shuffled towards breakfast, still groggy from waking up early after the weekend. Only echos of footsteps against the stone floor and the soft murmur of quiet conversations could be heard as Scorpius and Albus made their way up to the ground floor, where the smell of toast and sausage wafted from the doors of the Great Hall.

As Scorpius and Albus grew closer to the Great Hall, a loud wail caused them to jump, disturbing the sleepy quiet. A girl burst out of the Great Hall letting out wailing sobs, her Ravenclaw robes billowing as she ran past.

Everyone in the corridor paused to watch the scene as the girl disappeared up the stairs in the direction of her common room. They exchanged looks of confusion and concern before continuing to their destination, with more hesitation than before.

"Who was that?" Albus questioned, craning his neck to peer around Scorpius to the staircase the crying girl had run up, trying to catch another glimpse of her.

Scorpius frowned, "It looked like Amanda Boot. She's a fifth year." His eyes drifted in the direction she ran, "I hope she's okay."

Albus shrugged, figuring he'd overhear what happened later in the day. Rumours seemed to spread around Hogwarts faster than any illness or plague ever could. As a boarding school isolated in the Scottish Highlands, everyone was always itching for the latest news and gossip, wanting the entertainment and something to talk about to get their mind off of schoolwork.

The rumour already seemed to be circulating throughout the Great Hall as Albus entered, whispers mixing in with the scrapes of cutlery and the crackling torches. Students leaned over to talk to their friends in hushed voices, their eyes facing the doors Amanda had just run through.

Albus assumed the whispers all regarded the sobbing girl, as something must have caused her to break down at breakfast. But as he and Scorpius approached the Slytherin table, he began to notice the stares following him.

"What did I do this time?" He whispered to Scorpius, his heart starting to beat faster in his chest. If he wasn't awake before, he certainly was now, alert and fearful as to what he could have done to attract this much attention so early in the morning. Was his hair a mess? No, he had brushed it before he left his dorm. Did he forget to zip his fly? He discreetly reached for the zipper of his trousers but found it fully closed. Had he somehow caused Amanda to get upset without meaning to? He wasn't sure how it was possible if he'd only just gotten out of bed.

He didn't have time to question himself anymore before a hand grabbed his wrist, forcing him to turn around to face a head of bright red hair. He glanced down to see his little sister, clutching something in her other hand, her eyes more firey than usual.

"Why didn't you tell me dad was here yesterday?"

"Uhh..." Albus didn't have time to process her question as a taller figured appeared behind her.

"Oi, what did you do to make dad have to come all the way here?" James towered over his two siblings, looking annoyed as if Albus was to blame.

Albus was intimidated by the sudden confrontation from his siblings, his mind spinning as to how they could have known about his father's visit.

He didn't have time to ask before James shoved something in his face. Albus stepped back to get a look at the paper in front of his eyes. From behind him, Scorpius let out a displeased sigh seeing what the Potter siblings were referring to.

"You just can't stay out of the media, can you?" James' voice was sharp and accusatory. "Whatever this ongoing battle you have with dad is, it needs to stop. It's gone too far."

Albus' head was spinning, trying to understand his sibling's anger. His eyes scanned the paper in front of him, the tiny font of the newsprint hard to focus on. But he didn't need to read very far before he began to catch on.

'Potter's Unannounced Visit to Hogwarts Provokes Questions of Security and Privilege' The headline announced, followed by a photo of Albus walking down the corridor with his father. Their backs were turned away from the camera, completely oblivious to the photo being taken.

"Don't you think dad has enough to deal with right now?" Lily folded her arms over her chest. Albus was unused to seeing her so cross at him.

"He's trying to solve murder cases but he has to drop everything to check on your emo arse because you can't go a day without causing drama and making our family out to be the bad guys." James spat.

"I'm not trying to!" Albus finally sputtered out. He was still struggling to process everything. What did the article say that upset his siblings so much? How did someone even find out about Harry's visit?

"I get you think you're some sort of black sheep in the family but now people are gonna think dad isn't doing his job because of you. So good going, Albus," Lily grip tightened on the copy of the Daily Prophet in her hand. "This doesn't just affect you, you know. You're embarrassing us too!" She huffed before marching away to rejoin her friends, who were all staring daggers in Albus' direction.

"Seriously. Take a minute to think about the rest of us for once. You may not like it but we are your family and what you do concerns the rest of us. We don't need this negative attention--dad certainly doesn't need it. Just be normal for once in your life and stop dragging dad into your issues." James dropped the paper into Albus' hands and stormed off before Albus could say anything more.

Albus felt frozen in place, trying to comprehend what just happened. His hands shook as he clutched the paper--yet another article containing a story about the tension between him and his dad. The whole wizarding world read about his troubles twice in the course of just a few weeks.

He flinched as he felt someone else's hands on his shoulders. His head whipped around to see Scorpius, his face pale with worry, knowing Albus wouldn't react well to the attention on him. He started softly pushing Albus toward the door, where they could escape the stares of the students and find a place to escape to.

Rose ran forward from the Gryffindor table to follow them, holding her own copy of the story in her hand.

"It's that Lorelei Lacero again," Rose informed them. "Don't read it. It isn't pleasant."

Albus let out a groan. It was the only noise he could muster. A heavy weight had begun to settle on his shoulders and his feet felt as though he was being pulled down into quicksand. Why did these things always happen to him? It was never James or Lily. They barely had to deal with the negative attention. They were the perfect little Gyffindors of the family, model students who took after their famous parents. Albus was nothing but a disappointment that only seemed to drag their family down.

"Don't worry too much, though!" She tried to sound more positive, seeing Albus' worsening mood, "It doesn't say anything that bad about you. It's more just talks about people thinking your dad is using his fame to drop into the castle. They just don't like the fact that he can break the rules like that. In my opinion, they are making out to be worse than it is. They say it could be dangerous to let in someone to the castle like that but clearly, they don't realize that Hogwarts is the safest place in the wizarding world. McGonagall knows what she's doing. And uncle Harry certainly doesn't pose a threat. I just don't see why--"

Scorpius cut her off, "Rose, please shut up." He spoke more boldly than usual, even seeming to surprise himself. "We don't really need to hear this right now." He still held onto Albus' arm, offering support.

Rose pursed her lips but didn't argue, "I just wanted to help..." She looked to Albus, concern in her eyes, "I know James and Lily might be mad but they will get over it. Just know that your whole family isn't against you. I don't blame you. I've got your back."

Without warning, she grabbed Albus and pulled him into a hug. There was little height difference between them and he was able to rest his head against her shoulder. Normally, he would have rejected the friendly advancement but for once, Albus was in need of an embrace.

It was easy to forget how closely related he and Rose were. They showed little resemblance, Rose inheriting the Weasley's ginger hair with her mother's bushy curls and a blend of her parent's skin tones, whereas Albus appeared to only have received the Potter genes, with a mop of dark black hair. By looks alone, one wouldn't realize they had any family in common. Their personalities couldn't have been more opposite either, Rose outspoken and academically inclined and Albus a quiet failure. As children, they had been best friends but after entering Hogwarts, Albus grew more and more distant, hardly interacting with his cousin at all. Without knowing their family history, no one would have ever guessed that Rose and Albus even knew of each other's existence.

But within the last few weeks, that all seemed to be changing. As Rose began to stick around him more, their broken childhood bond suddenly felt as though it was being stitched back together, little by little. She would always be his cousin, but she now felt more like a friend.

Rose finally released him, stepping back with a serious look on her face, "And if anyone causes you any more trouble, they will have to deal with me!" She made a fist, waving it threateningly. Anyone who knew Rose in the slightest knew she wasn't messing around.

"And me!" Scorpius piped up, trying his best to look intimidating. He narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest, trying to appear tougher despite his lanky build and innocent demeanour.

Rose's eyebrow tweaked up, unconvinced by his attempt at intimidation, before she let out a soft chuckle. The thought of Scorpius trying to fistfight someone was not an easy thing to imagine.

"Hey! I can be tough too!" Scorpius protested with a pout, revealing his true puppy dog nature. Her laughter only grew, lightening the mood a bit as Scorpius joined in, laughing at himself.

Watching his two friends enter a fit of giggles, even Albus managed to crack a smile. They were there for him when everyone else seemed to be against him. Knowing they had his back made him feel not so alone anymore.

---

If it were up to Albus, he would have skipped his lessons and spent the day in bed, hiding from anyone who read the article and hoping it would blow over by the next day. But Rose and Scorpius pushed him to attend, refusing to let him go back to his dormitory.

"They'll be a good distraction. Just focus on your work!" Rose told him as they approached the potions classroom.

Albus kept his head low, books clutched tight to his chest. He wanted to protest but was cut off by Professor Amatori swinging her door open with her usual dramatic flair.

"Good morning, dears! Takes your seats quickly. I have an exciting lesson planned!" She waved her arm through the air as if she was presenting the classroom to them. The oversized bell sleeve of her periwinkle robe just narrowly avoided dragging against the dusty floor.

The students filed in, Albus and his friends being the last to enter the sweet-smelling room. Already, he could feel the stares of his peers on him--Or perhaps it was just paranoia looming over him as he walked into the room.

Noticing his discomfort, Scorpius whispered to him, "Wouldn't a sleeve of that length be considered a safety hazard?" He looked back at their Professor, who was working dangerously close to the fire underneath her own cauldron. One wrong movement and her whole arm could go up in flames. Leave it to Professor Amatori to sacrifice safety for style.

Albus' lips tweaked up, thankful for Scorpius' attempt to distract him.

Magnolia was already seated at their work station by the time Albus got there. She sat straighter in her seat and smiled at him, only able to get out a short but cheerful greeting before Professor Amatori began her lesson. They followed along with her instructions, taking turns adding in potion ingredients and stirring the bubbling brew.

Rose had been right. Working on a potion did help distract Albus from his disastrous morning. He was able to focus on something he enjoyed rather than lingering on the harsh words of his siblings. But unfortunately, the distraction could only last so long before he was dragged back to reality.

The professor made her rounds through the classroom, checking the potions of each pair of students, allowing them some spare time to finish up. Magnolia took this opportunity to chat with Albus, turning to him with wide eyes.

"Did read the article in The Daily Prophet this morning?"

Reality came crashing back down upon Albus' shoulders, his concentration on his potion shattered. His hand clenched instinctively, almost crushing his handful of pufferfish eyes.

He bit his lip, sprinkling the eyes into the cauldron while avoiding Magnolia's gaze, "I don't really want to talk about my father right now."

Magnolia blinked, tilting her head as if she wasn't sure what he was talking about.

Albus furrowed his brow, looking over at her, "That rubbish story about my father?"

She shook her head with a puzzled look, "Well, I reckon your father's department must be involved..."

Albus tried to get his story straight, not following along, "Wait, what are you on about?"

"I'm talking about the murder! What are you on about?"

Albus was taken aback, "Murder? What murder?" He hadn't heard anything about another murder taking place. He'd avoided looking any further at the newspaper after Rose had explained the article about him and his father to him.

"You really don't know?" Magnolia looked shocked, "What do you think everyone's been talking about all morning?"

It never really occurred to Albus that people might have been gossiping about a topic other than him and his father. Maybe his siblings were right: maybe he was the selfish one. He spent so much time worrying about himself, he wasn't even aware of something much more serious taking place.

Magnolia took his confused silence as a cue to explain further, "Amanda Boot's dad was killed yesterday."

Suddenly things began to click. Albus' thoughts were thrown back to the Ravenclaw girl running out of the Great Hall crying. After his own negative experience at breakfast, he had brushed that aside as just a minor event and had almost forgotten about it.

"What? How?" Albus questioned, leaning in to pick up every detail.

Magnolia shrugged, speaking in a low voice so the others wouldn't hear, "I don't know. I heard some people say they suspect he might have gotten mixed up with some bad wizards."

"Bad wizards? What is that supposed to mean?" Albus was on the edge of his seat. His mind started racing back to the other murders that had taken place so recently. First Hogsmeade, then the professor, and now Amanda's dad. They all seemed to sudden yet eerily close together in time. There had to be an explanation for why all these wizards were being killed in such a short span of time. Maybe they were connected after all...And there may be a group responsible for it. Albus needed more information.

"I don't have any idea. It's pretty scary if you ask me." Magnolia lowered her head with a solemn shake, "I just feel bad for Amanda..."

"Alright, everyone! Time to clean up," Professor Amatori's voice cut through their conversation before Albus could ask for any more details. "Please practice and perfect that recipe for our next lesson. I don't want to give anything away, but I suspect it will be useful to memorize for your exams."

The class began to quickly shuffle to clear their workspaces and head off to their next lesson.

Magnolia turned to Albus one last time as she packed up her things, "You haven't heard anything from your dad about it, have you? It's his department working on the case, isn't it?"

Albus rubbed the back of his neck, his mind wandering back to their conversation yesterday "No. We don't really talk about his work much." In fact, the only time Albus heard about his father's work was when he overheard his parents discussing it or his conversations with Aunt Hermione. There was never much time between their arguments to discuss Ministry business.

Magnolia frowned, "Oh...well I hope it all gets resolved soon. I hate the idea of murderers being on the loose." She shuddered before returning to her normal self, giving him a beaming smile, "See you later then!"

A feeling of guilt spread through Albus' chest. A girl in his year had brutally lost her father and meanwhile he had been in an argument with his the same day. What if his father had been at the ministry instead of Hogwarts? Would he have been able to help? Would the case have been dealt with sooner?

His father had chosen to deal with Albus rather than be at work where he could be working on the case. That thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Wizards were being killed and Albus could be to blame for the fact that the murderers had not been caught yet. And now his family was taking the hit because of the drama he had caused.

He needed to do something about it. He needed to not only fix his own reputation but help his family's too. Maybe this was an opportunity to make things right.

Albus' mind began swirling with thoughts and ideas, trying to remember all the details of the murders he had read or overheard. It was uncommon to hear of one wizard being murdered in the news, let alone three in just a months time. There had to be more to the story than just sporadic deaths. And the Wizarding World was practically begging for an answer to make some sense of them.

Filled with a sudden burst of energy, Albus grabbed Rose and Scorpius with either arm, pulling them out of the classroom.

"Woah! What's going on with you?" Rose asked in surprise as she was dragged along, taking quick steps to keep up with Albus' brisk pace.

"Come on, I need to talk to you guys." He scoped out the corridor, twisting his head to peer into open doors for a private place to talk. His mind first went to the Slytherin common room. It wasn't far but it wouldn't work. He would risk people overhearing--plus Rose wouldn't be allowed inside. He'd have to find an unused classroom.

"But we have a lesson soon!" Scorpius protested, trying not to trip over his own feet as Albus tugged him along.

"This is more important," Albus assured him.

"But--"

Rose could see the intensity in Albus' eyes, "It's fine. It's just one lesson."

Scorpius looked shocked at Rose's uncharacteristic comment but decided to keep his mouth shut.

Albus pulled Scorpius and Rose into an empty room, slamming the door behind them. A fire burned in his chest: a newfound enthusiasm he hadn't felt in a long time. He released his friends, pacing in front of them as he tried to organize his thoughts and ideas to present to them.

Rose hoisted herself up onto a table, swinging her legs over the edge. Scorpius eyed the door as he fiddles with the seam of his robes, leaning back against the table. Both waited anxiously for what could have possibly launched Albus into this sudden frenzy.

Albus finally stopped pacing, turning to face his friends who watched him with anticipation.

He looked his friends dead in the eyes and stated with a rare boost of confidence, "I'm going to solve the murders."

Chapter Text

Ron was already sat down in the far corner of The Leaky Cauldron when Harry arrived, slightly dishevelled from rushing over from his office. His black hair was touseled like always but his robes were askew and his the dark circles under his eyes even more prominent than usual.

He plopped himself in the seat across from Ron, still puffing but happy to be off his feet.

"Sorry, I'm late."

"Nah, no worries, mate. Got you a pint already," Ron nodded to the amber filled glass across from his own half-empty pint.

"Thanks," Harry took a big swig, releasing a sigh, "You don't know how much I needed this."

"Oh, I'm sure. Hermione's been keeping me updated. You deserve a good break."

Harry let out a small scoff, "I certainly need the break but I wouldn't say I deserve it."

He'd been working tirelessly since the night before, spending sleepless nights at the office overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork, constant meetings with the Aurors, and on the field investigating. Not to mention the flood of letters and complaints that had been showing up at his door from people who had read the most recent article published about him in The Daily Prophet--almost all of them criticizing his choice to show up at Hogwarts instead of apparating to the scene of the crime as soon as it was discovered. His visit with Ron at the pub was the first break he'd gotten in the last 24 hours. While his aching feet and throbbing head were thankful for rest, he couldn't really enjoy his pint with the looming feeling of guilt prodding him that he should still be working.

"It's because of the bloody article, isn't it?" Ron said, taking a sip of his drink and leaning back in his chair. "You can't take that to heart. The Prophet has never been your biggest fan, one more rubbish story shouldn't be bringing you down. Not to be too blunt but you look like you're second from falling apart, mate."

Harry rolled his eyes, trying to straighten his cloak, "Gee thanks, Ron."

"I'm just saying," He raised his hands in defence. "But it's a new low to be targetting you for trying to just be there for your son. Writer must not have any kids of her own."

"I believe the issue is more of my so-called entitlement," Harry scoffed with a roll of his eyes, "for being allowed to go to Hogwarts to talk to Al. If they only knew the whole story, maybe I wouldn't be receiving as much criticism as I am. The problem is they make judgments on something they know nothing about just because some ridiculous journalist tells them they should be upset."

There was no way Harry could please everyone; The entirety of Britain were all bond to hold different opinions on different situations. But as the former saviour of the Wizarding World, Harry was expected to somehow put everyone else's needs before his own. If he did something that someone disagreed with, he'd surely hear about it.

If the people knew about the real reason for his visit and the worry he had for Albus, perhaps they could sympathise. But of course, they only cared to point out Harry's wrongdoings and never the good he was trying to do. They saw him bending the rules to talk to his children at Hogwarts instead of being on call for his job, labelling him as entitled because of his status and ability to do so. Had something actually happened to Albus or they had published more about the reason Harry was so concerned, he would have been attacked by the media, called a bad parent for not caring more for his son. It was a lose-lose situation. No matter how hard he tried to balance his work and family life, people would always scrutinise him for leaning too far in one direction or the other.

"That's the press for you," Ron raised his glass up in a mocking toast. "People still want to see you as the hero of the Wizarding World rather than a father with kids who need and rely on you."

Harry raised his pint up in agreement before taking another frothy swig. He sat back in his chair, staring out at the moderately busy pub. Wizards of all shapes and sizes in robes of all colours mingled with friends at the tables, pints in hand. A witch with an offwhite apron tied around her waist meandered around the tables, flicking her wand at dirtied plates and cups which floated onto the trolley cart behind her. The scent of meat pies and gravy wafted through the air from the kitchen mixing with the musty scent of the old wooden tables and floorboards. There was a dull murmur of conversations, mixed with the clink of cutlery and the fizz of drinks being filled on tap. The pub was a cosy and communal place, perfect for gathering with old friends or meeting new ones.

Years ago, when Harry was still a child himself, he couldn't even step into The Leaky Cauldron without attracting attention from the patrons inside. They'd crowd around him, trying to shake his hand or get a look at his lightning scar. Now, as a regular, he was able to have some more privacy, seating himself in a corner, unlikely to be bothered. It didn't mean that people had lost interest in his life though--on the contrary--but instead of being praised for his heroics as a baby, he was watched for his actions as a ministry man. There were very few days where his name wasn't mentioned at least once in The Daily Prophet. Today had been no exception.

Lines of this mornings news articles raced through his mind, mixing in with the comments and complaints received by owl. It was almost impossible to have any sort of private life. Every action he took always seemed to find it's way into the public eye, from his department at the ministry to even his family vacations. The only place he ever felt perfectly secure was his home and Hogwarts, but now even that was ruined for him.

"I just don't know how that Lacero got the photo and information from when I was there," Harry suddenly stated. It had puzzled him all that day since he had read the paper.

"Did anyone see you when you were there?"

Harry thought back to the stroll around the castle. He highly doubted Albus would sell him out to a journalist. While it would have been a good way to further get on Harry's nerves, he knew Albus wouldn't want any more attention from The Prophet than he already got. He would do anything to avoid having anything about himself in the paper. It couldn't have been him.

"There were a few younger students who spotted us. Perhaps one of them might have a connection to the Prophet?" Harry thought aloud, trying to remember the faces of the young students who huddled around him excitedly.

"It's possible," Ron nodded.

Harry didn't know who else could have witnessed his conversation with Albus. Only McGonagall had known he was there at all. And he hadn't encountered any other students on the walk.

Unless they hadn't witnessed it at all...

Harry bit his lip, trying to shake away the idea of that. He didn't want it to be true but the creeping suspicion crawled up his back, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stick up.

Ron noticed his discomfort, cocking his head, "What is it?"

"You don't think...no, he wouldn't," Harry muttered, trying to disprove his theory.

"Who wouldn't?" Ron inquired, wanting to know what Harry was thinking.

"Well, the only other person who might have known what Albus and I talked about was--" Harry hesitated to even say his thoughts out loud. He already got enough flak from Ginny for questioning his son's choice of company.

"Who?" Ron asked again, growing impatient.

Harry sighed, "Scorpius."

"Malfoy's little brat?" Ron's eyes widened before quickly narrowing as he rubbed the red scruff on his chin.

Harry nodded slowly, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth.

"You don't think..."

"If Albus said anything to Scorpius--and there's no doubt he did," Harry knew that his son couldn't resist complaining about him to his best friend. "--then it's possible."

"Do you think he told Draco?"

Young Draco's voice moaning his usual catchphrase, 'my father will hear about this' rang through Harry's mind. He could tell that Ron had been thinking the same thing.

"I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree..." Ron let out a breathy chuckle, exasperated but not surprised.

"It all makes sense," Harry removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose, wondering how he didn't think of it sooner. "The first article was published after we fought on the platform. Draco was there and when he tried to talk to me afterwards, I may have said something regretful. But now he must be trying to get back at me using his son to manipulate Albus into revealing things."

"That certainly sounds like a Malfoy thing to do..." Ron agreed.

It had been many years since Harry and Draco were in school together, constantly rivalling each other. While the Malfoy family may have turned around slightly from their dark days as Deatheaters, it seemed unlikely that Draco could have changed so dramatically since their school days. Even in Albus claimed that Scorpius was nothing but a saint, Harry still had a deeply rooted distrust for Draco and his family. It seemed only likely that Draco still desired to get back at Harry after all these years, and now he found a way to do it.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Harry had to think about Ron's question. They weren't schoolboys anymore; they couldn't just tell a professor or even duel out on the grounds. They had to start handling their issues as mature adults now. While Malfoy may have been seeking revenge in a more childish manner, Harry decided he wouldn't do the same, electing to take the high ground instead.

"I will ignore it," Harry decided with a firm nod. "As you said, stories are rubbish anyway. Everyone will forget about them in a few days time." A little bit of bad press couldn't ruin Harry's reputation.

Ron looked impressed. A lot had changed since they were boys at Hogwarts...

"I've got more important business to focus on than Malfoy's childish games."

"Good on you," Ron pointed at Harry nodding his head. "I can't say that I'd do the same but you know me. If that bastard ever tried to come at me or my kids I'd be at his door to give him a good ol' sock to the nose."

The image of Ron punching Draco at his own front door made Harry chuckle, "Believe me, he deserves it. But I'd definitely be reading about that in the paper the next day."

Ron shrugged, a smirk lingering on his lips, "Well if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

"I'd love to take you up on that offer but I'm getting enough complaints and hate-mail at my door already for decided to meddle in my son's life than be at work 24/7. Had a murder not taken place the very same day, I'm sure no one would have even bothered to care that I was at Hogwarts. I would have much rather been able to be on the scene right away. Perhaps I could have done more," Harry lowered his head with a shake, the guilt creeping back upon him.

The thought had bugged him all day. What more could he have done if he was only home that day, ready to jump up and work the case? Would they have caught who did it? Could they have prevented the death in the first place?

Ron tried to lift some of the blame off of Harr's shoulders, "You're only human. They can't expect you to be on call every moment of every day. Sunday's a day off, you wouldn't have been in office anyways."

Harry shrugged, not feeling much better about the situation. While Ron was right, Harry couldn't help but feel as though he had an obligation that he disregarded. Perhaps if he hadn't been preoccupied with Albus, he could have been on the case as soon as it took place.

"But I could have been there."

If Harry had been home, he would have been the one to answer the door for the Auror who came to tell him the news of the murder. He could have apparated to the scene to scope out the surroundings, collect any evidence, or perhaps even have caught the culprit--or culprits.

"Yout can't blame yourself for not being able to fix every little wrongdoing in the world, Harry," Ron tried to reassure him. "It may seem like the wizarding world expects that from you, but you're just one person. Not even the great Harry Potter can solve every little issue, just like that," He clicked his fingers together with a swish of his hand.

Harry rubbed his temples, "This one just feels more personal. He was in our year, Ron. A member of the DA. And now he's dead because my department still hasn't been able to find who's responsible for these killings."

His best friend nodded, solemnly sipping from his glass, eyes far off as he thought back to their fifth year.

"I didn't know him well," Ron spoke finally. "But he seemed like a bright kid."

"We were in Advanced Potions together with Slughorn," Harry noted, thinking of the former Ravenclaw. "Never kept up with him after Hogwarts. I'm not even sure what he went on to do after the war. A pity really. After all the time in DA meetings, we all should have stayed in touch."

Ron nodded in agreement, although they both knew it would have been unlikely. After a war seemed like an inappropriate time to exchange contact information. Terry Boot had never been a close friend of theirs, spending much more time with his fellow house members. Yet, he'd played a valuable role in the fight against Lord Voldemort which Harry and Ron would forever be grateful for.

"Hermione said he had a daughter. Hugo's age, I believe." Ron told him, tapping his chin as he tried to remember the details he'd overheard from his family throughout the years.

Harry heart sunk in his chest, thinking of the poor girl without a father now. While the thought of loss still stung, especially as someone who lost many people throughout his lifetime, the feeling only made Harry more determined to make things right. It fueled him to go to work everyday and complete form after form, review every bit of evidence, look over all the notes, and sit through hours of meetings in hope that he could resolve a problem and provide closure to those who were hurting.

Ron took the pause in conversation as an opportunity to lean in, lowering his voice so none of the other pub-goers could overhear, "Any word on who might be involved. Hermione said there's rumours going round that all these deaths could be connected."

Harry hesitated to share his findings, knowing his office preferred to keep things strictly confidential. But this was Ron, his best friend. There was nothing Harry couldn't tell him. Besides, he'd probably be able to find out through his wife eventually.

"We haven't been able to confirm or deny that these killings may be interconnected in some way. But sporadic deaths like these are normally so uncommon, it seems suspicious that there would be three within the span of a month."

Ron hung on to every word, "So who--or what--do you think's doing it?"

Harry glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. People were already starting to get worried from reading the news stories about the deaths, he didn't want to be responsible for any panics starting.

"Based on what we've seen, it's definitely a witch or wizard. All killed by curse. No bite or claw marks to indicate any creatures involved. No poisons in their systems. All just discovered lying dead out on the street. All witnesses in the area were obliviated." Harry then added, "Been a real pain to hide the investigations from the Muggles."

The Aurors and investigators had to work quickly to investigate the area. They used charms to keep out any Muggles but the crimes were creeping closer to busier areas, where their spells could only distract Muggles for so long before they start getting confused as to why they couldn't find their street or local takeaway.

Ron nodded, crossing his arms in front of him as he processed the information for a moment before offering his thoughts.

"Okay, okay, so if it is a person, why are they doing it. First that man in Hogsmeade, what was his name?"

"Kristoffer Parr," Harry answered.

"--Kristoffer Parr. Then the old professor, and now Terry. Why them?"

Harry had spent hours tossing and turning at night with that same question. The word "why?" constantly flooded his thoughts. With the answer to the "why" they might find the "who."

"I'm not sure. But they appear to have been targetted."

Ron's eyes widened, "You reckon?"

"Think about it," Harry nodded. "Hogsmeade, Bristol, and now Liverpool. All on different days, each more close together than the last. Every time, it was just one witch or wizard killed, but no others were harmed. Seems too specific to be random or coincidence."

Ron shook his head in disbelief. They'd dealt with a lot throughout their lives but it never made anything seem less shocking or crazy. No matter how strange things got, they could always get stranger.

"That's bleeding mad! And everybody's expecting you to know the answer so quick when all you're getting is scraps of evidence and possible hunches."

Harry couldn't blame them for wanting answers. In the years since Voldemort's defeat, murder in the wizarding world had become extremely uncommon. There were a few cases throughout the years, all single occurrences and the act of a wizard gone mad. Each was resolved with haste, the culprit locked away. But with three murders in succession, there was reason for people to raise concern. Unfortunately, these were not open and shut cases as the past ones were.

Whoever was responsible was determined not to get caught.

And they knew how to get away with it--that made them dangerous.

Chapter Text

Rose looked at Albus as if he had jumped up on the table and started dancing or confessed that he was running away to live with the pixies in the Forbidden Forest.

"Excuse me?" Her jaw hung slightly slack as she blinked rapidly as if she wanted to make sure she was actually awake and hearing him correctly.

"I'm going to solve the murders," Albus repeated losing none of his original confidence.

Scorpius remained speechless, his face twisted as if he just swallowed a cockroach--and not the sweet kind from Honeydukes.

"And you plan to do this, how?" Rose wasn't trying to hide her scepticism. She had a habit of being blunt, for better or for worse.

Albus couldn't blame them, even he thought he sounded a bit mad. But his mind was set on it and his chest filled with an overwhelming feeling of purpose. His heart pounded against his rib cage and he could feel his veins working overtime to pump the rushing blood throughout his body. His fingers tingled as if they wanted to get started right now, grabbing hold of a book or broom to begin finding answers. He could barely stand still, his feet ready to rush into action.

"Well, I haven't worked that part out yet. But I'm sure that I can! Just need to do some research, that's all. That's how our parents did it after all, isn't it?" He tried to rally for her support, knowing that his father, aunt, and uncle spent loads of time researching for their adventures--aunt Hermione especially. Rose had inherited her mother's love for books and research, which Albus planned to appeal to.

"Umm forgive me for doubting your--uh--brilliant plan," Scorpius finally spoke up with a squeak, tugging at the collar of his shirt, "But aren't we a bit, err, under-qualified?"

Albus shook his head, "No!" He hesitated, thinking of his marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts, "Well, perhaps a little. But that doesn't mean we can't do it. I mean look at our parents! They were already fighting Voldemort in their first year. By our age, our parents had saved the world almost six times."

He'd heard the stories recounted by his family and even in school too many times to count. How his father did this at only eleven years old, or how his aunt mastered that at just thirteen, or how the trio did such and such at sixteen. If they could form an army and protect the entire wizarding world as teenagers, then solving just a few magical murders seemed like child's play.

"Your parents," Scorpius emphasized, his voice growing softer. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers, his gaze falling to his shoelaces.

"I'm sorry?" Albus wasn't following.

Scorpius glances up, his head still bowed, to clarify, "Your parents saved the world. My father...well..." he glanced off to the side, "Let's just say sixteen-year-olds don't often make the best decisions."

Albus' thoughts wandered back to the few stories his father told him and his siblings growing up about the Malfoys. He spoke little about them, but when he did, it was never good. He vaguely recalled his father mentioning that his rival Draco joined the Deatheaters in their sixth year and attempted to kill Dumbledore before Severus Snape did in his place--on Dumbledore's own orders. Albus never liked that story. The thought of one of his namesakes killing the other unsettled him, sending a chill down his spine.

There were many times--actually most times--when Albus hated his name. Not just his famous surname but his given names as well. Despite his father singing praises about Dumbledore and Snape, Albus couldn't help but feel as though they weren't always as great of men as he claimed. To bear their names was a great challenge for a young boy who knew very little about them other than his father's perspective and what was written in the history books.

Albus and Severus were wizards long past by now. Their names might have held great significance to his father but to Albus, they were just a piece of him. An arrangement of letters he scribbled on the top of his school work. A collection of sounds formed to get his attention and address him. More often than not, when he heard the sound of his name being called, it was never anything good--his mother scolding him for his untidy room, his father using his dreaded nickname that only got on his nerves, or his classmates pestering him about his less than stellar performances in school.

For once, Albus longed to hear his name used for good. He longed to be praised rather than scoffed at. He wanted to make his name his own and not just borrowed--to be remembered for his own good deeds, not the acts of someone else that his father once knew. He was never going to live up to Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and especially not Harry Potter. But maybe, just maybe, he could reclaim the name and be proud of it.

Albus Severus Potter.

Not the name of the Slytherin Squib or the forgotten child of Harry Potter.

But a name to be respected and remembered.

"This is our chance to prove them wrong!" Albus' voice flooded with determination. "We aren't just the geeks and failures they see us as. We can do great things too."

"Speak for yourself," Rose piped up, "I'm perfectly content with how I'm seen, thank you very much." She said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms. I was easy for her to say; she was a smart and popular prefect, well-loved by the school and her family. She never had to deal with the same challenges as Albus.

Scorpius nodded, shying back from Albus' crazy idea, "I may be seen as a loser but its better than the reputation my family usually has. We Malfoys aren't really known for being the good guys..." His voice trailed off.

Scorpius had always preferred to stay in the background and out of trouble. Albus remembered in their first few weeks at Hogwarts, how the other students grew uncomfortable when Scorpius would introduce himself as a Malfoy. Like Potter, the name carried a weight with it, but not one that made people excited to get to know him.

As their peers began to realise Scorpius was almost the opposite of the Malfoys that came before him, they no longer feared him and resorted to teasing him for the exact opposite reason as Albus. Albus wasn't good enough but Scorpius wasn't bad enough. Scorpius was bullied for excelling at school and Albus for being untalented at magic. It was as if, no matter how hard or how little they tried, the other students would always find something to pick on them for.

Scorpius wasn't his father just as Albus wasn't his.

Albus pointed a finger at his best friend, "That's just it though! It's our chance to change that. We aren't just clones of our parents. The whole wizarding world expects us to be something we are not. We have to prove that we can do something great too. Show them who we really are."

His friends still looked unconvinced. Albus continued, trying to muster as much enthusiasm and confidence as he could. He believed in his cause, he just needed to get them to believe in it as well.

"Scorpius, you are the kindest and most knowledgeable person I know. But just because you're a Malfoy, they expect you to be some dark and pureblood-obsessed wizard. If we can solve these murders, they won't see you as the descendant of dark wizards. They'll see you for the smart, caring, and amazing person you are--the Scorpius that I see." Albus added the last part with a softer voice, looking at his friend who was always misjudged based on his looks and his name. Albus only saw the good in him, and it was time the rest of the world did too.

Scorpius nodded slowly, his eyes fixated on the floor as he considered everything he had to say. Albus swore he saw a hint of a blush cross his cheeks but he kept his head facing the floor making it harder to tell. Part of Albus wanted to reach out and pull his friend into a tight hug but he fought the urge, instead turning to face his cousin.

"And Rose," She sat stiffly with her arms folded but tilted her head to listen to his offer. "You're the daughter of two of history's greatest heroes--not to mention that one of them is Minister for Magic. Everyone knows you for that. But they don't know Rose Granger-Weasley, the smart and determined Gryffindor who never backs down from a challenge. Don't you want them to remember you for you, and not just who your parents are?" Albus prodded at her, trying to make her give way. He knew that she would be the harder one to convinced, not used to being a follower but taking charge instead.

Rose pursed her lips but didn't challenge him, "Okay I suppose a bit. But what are you trying to prove, Albus? That you can do spectacular things and save the world like your dad? It's not that simple. We can't do what our parents did. That was a different time--A whole different circumstance!"

"I'm not trying to be like my dad," Albus argued, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "I'm trying to fix my reputation." He sighed before adding, "And my family's too."

"Your reputation?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "And how is solving some random murders going to do that?"

Albus tapped his foot trying to think of a way to explain what he meant to her when he got an idea, "Do you still have that copy of The Daily Prophet?"

Rose leaned over to dig through her bag, pulling out a folded pile of newsprint. She handed it to Albus, still not convinced.

Albus opened it laying it out on the table between Scorpius and Rose. They leaned over to see what he was looking at. He scanned over the page, ignoring the photo and article on him and his father to find the one he was searching for.

"There," He pointed to the article on the most recent murder. He skimmed the story, which described Amanda's father and how he was a veteran of the War of Hogwarts. He was found dead in broad daylight, not far from his home in Liverpool.

"A girl's father was killed, just like two other wizards. My dad's department is in charge of solving these sort of things and you know where he was at the time? Here, talking to me. I could be the reason Amanda's father was killed and the murderers are still on the loose. And now there's an article bashing my father for being here and not working. I can't help feeling like I'm to blame. And if my father isn't going to fix it, then I have to."

Rose and Scorpius exchanged glances.

Albus sighed, allowing some vulnerability to show, "And I can't do it alone. Our parents never worked alone. They had each other and Dumbledore's Army. I need you guys."

"I don't know, Albus," Scorpius bit his lip, teetering on the balls of his feet.

"Okay, well think of it this way, even if you say no, I'm going to try no matter what. And you both know how my record is with magic..." Albus warned, hoping to sway them. He knew there was no way he could do it without the help of his friends. He was useless at magic--but Scorpius and Rose weren't.

Scorpius huffed, "I can't believe you're guilting me into this. Fine. I'm in." Scorpius smiled weakly as Albus pumped his fist in triumph.

"Me too." Rose agreed with a firm nod of her head.

Albus looked at her in surprise, he hadn't expected it to work so easily on stubborn Rose, "Wait, really?"

"Well if I can't change your mind then I'm at least going to join you." She shrugged, placing her hands on her hips.

Albus smiled, rubbing his hands together, anxious to get started, "Alright. Sounds like we've got a team"

"Should we have some sort of group handshake?" Scorpius brought up, 'I feel like we should have a team handshake. That's how they always finish team meetings in Quidditch." Scorpius demonstrated by putting his hand in the centre of an invisible circle and throwing it up with mock enthusiasm.

Rose and Albus gave him quizzical looks, speaking over each other at the same time:

"We are not going to do that," Rose shook her head.

"Since when do you watch Quidditch?" Albus questioned.

Scorpius' face flushed as he scratched his head sheepishly, trying to backtrack "Oh well my dad used to take me to matches--I just thought...Nevermind, its was silly."

They decided to ignore Scorpius' comment and move on with their plan.

Rose hopped off the table, clapping her hands together, "So, where do we start?"

"Can we start by going back to our lessons?" Scorpius suggested, a timid note in his voice. "I don't think we'll be able to do much mystery-solving if we are in detention."

Albus wanted to argue, his adrenaline pumping already. Skipping lessons would have been his preferred option. He wanted to get started as soon as possible but by the way Rose and Scorpius looked at him, he knew he wasn't going to get his way this time.

"Okay fine. Meet in the Library at lunch break?" He suggested.

"Sounds good," Rose affirmed with a nod before throwing her bag over her shoulder and making a beeline for the door.

Scorpius lingered back with Albus, who was working out how to fold the newspaper back into a neat square. Struggling in the process, the Prophet ended up creasing in the wrong places and folding in the wrong direction to the point where it looked as if Albus was trying to take up origami.

Scorpius stifled a giggle watching his friend battle with the paper. He stepped in, pulling out his wand to tap it on the crinkled attempt at refolding it. With a little flitch, the newspaper rose up slightly, smoothening itself out before folding back into a crisp square.

"Thanks," Albus muttered, tucking the paper into his potions textbook.

They started walking side by side out to go to their next lesson. The corridors were quiet, most of the students in the classrooms where they were meant to be. Scorpius and Albus spoke in hushed voices, not trying to attract attention to the fact that they were missing their second lessons.

"Thanks for agreeing to help, Scorp. I know it sounds crazy but I think it's worth a try," Albus looked up at his friend admiring Scorpius' sharp profile. He was always thankful to have a good friend like Scorpius by his side. He wouldn't have known how to survive Hogwarts without him. Even with Albus' craziest scheme yet, Scorpius wasn't about to let him down. They stuck together through thick and thin.

Scorpius stared ahead and nodded thoughtfully, "It's fine. I believe in you."

"You do?"

Scorpius looked at Albus, his eyes glimmering like silver, "Of course I do."

Albus wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't often someone told him that they believed in him or even offered him much encouragement. He was much more used to people just accepting him as a failure and never trying to make a difference. Albus opened his mouth, trying to search for something to say, but luckily Scorpius spoke for him.

"You know, you scare me sometimes Albus," Scorpius stated out of the blue, his lips curling into a half-smile.

Albus furrowed his brow, not sure if he was being serious. Never had he been referred to as scary before, he was so used to being laughed at. He supposed his 5'6 frame wasn't too intimidating, as most people had to look down a bit to speak to him--one of the reasons he'd earned the cruel nickname 'Peewee Potter' from his fellow students. Perhaps the darkness in his eyes could give a timid person a bit of a chill or frighten a small child. But what did Scorpius, who towered over him and could easily overtake him in a duel, have to be scared of?

Scorpius began to explain, "When you set your mind on something, you really mean it. I wouldn't want to mess with your determination."

"Is that a bad thing?"

He shook his head, "No, it's not bad. It's just...you. And I like that about you." His eyes flickered over at Albus then back down to the floor.

"Oh, alright then." Albus didn't know how to respond. He'd never really thought of himself as a determined person. He always felt more like the type of person to give up when something got too tough or he felt too uncomfortable, like in lessons or trying to play quidditch with his family. But those were things he wasn't too passionate about in the first place.

"I know you're not too fond of being placed in Slytherin but--" Scorpius hesitated as if he wasn't sure if he should even finish his statement, "--but I don't think it's the wrong house for you. You're ambitious, Albus. Whether you like it or not."

Albus opened his mouth, wanting to contradict him, but he wasn't able to find a strong enough argument to use. Before he could argue, they paused at the end of the corridor that divided into two directions. Scorpius leaned towards the left, indicating his intention to part ways.

"See you at lunchtime, then?"

Albus confirmed with a nod before Scorpius skittered off. He started walking in the opposite direction, pondering what Scorpius had said. He'd never wanted to be in Slytherin but he never stopped to ask himself if it was where he belonged. To be fair, he never felt he belonged at Hogwarts at all.

Growing up, he had always assumed that he was meant to be in Gryffindor like the rest of his family. When he was separated from them, it felt as if it just further pushed him away, making him the outcast. His resentment of his sorting didn't come from a hatred of the house itself, but of the fact that he felt divided. Not to mention the judgement he faced because of it.

Slytherin had a stigma, a stereotype that followed the people who were placed there. It was known for being the house of bad wizards and witches. His siblings liked to tease him, saying that being in Slytherin would turn him evil. Even The Daily Prophet seemed to imply that being a Slytherin made Albus worse than the rest of his family--as if they needed to keep a close watch on him because of it. But Albus wasn't a bad person.

Sure, he was a bad wizard in terms of talent, but he had no desire to cause any harm. He resented that Dark Arts as much as any other members of his family. He may not fit in with the Potter-Weasley family but he grew up hearing the gruesome stories of the war and always knew better than to befriend anyone on the dark side. He trusted his judgement enough there. Not that he even had the ability to be a dark wizard--what with his marks and all. But yet everyone still seemed to imply that being sorted into Slytherin was the equivalent to joining the Deatheaters.

And Scorpius...

Scorpius was as far from evil as one could get. Albus didn't believe he had one bad bone in his body. But yet, he was placed in Slytherin all the same. It was easy to assume it was because of his heritage but would the Sorting Hat have put him in Slytherin just for that? He would still have to show some Slytherin qualities but evil was not a way to describe Scorpius.

The pair of them were not typical Slytherins in the eyes of the students at Hogwarts, which was one of the reasons Albus believed he never belonged there. So was the Sorting Hat wrong for placing them there? Or did everyone just have the wrong idea of what a Slytherin student was?

As Albus approached his classroom, he tried his best to shake the thoughts out of his mind. If he kept thinking like that, he'd only end up spiralling to a deep place where he didn't want to be right now. He needed more time for a debate like that.

So he took a deep breath, mustering up some effort before he pushed open the door to his next lesson, ready to face whatever was ahead of him.

Chapter Text

A blank piece of parchment stared back at Albus as he twiddled his quill between his fingers, the fluff of the feather tickling his skin. Earlier in the day, his mind had been racing with ideas; he'd pictured himself solving the murders, his face plastered on the front page of The Daily Prophet in celebration of his amazing feat.

'ALBUS POTTER CRACKS THE CASE' The headline would read. Below, a photo would picture him shaking hands with the Minister (which was arguably not too exciting seeing how it was his aunt). Witches and wizards would congratulate him on the street. His classmates would realise he wasn't such a squib after all. He couldn't wait to rub it in Matthias' smug face.

But Albus never considered how he'd actually get to that point. Now that he'd sat down to work, his mind was as blank as the paper before him.

The library was quiet, as always--Madame Pince made sure of it. A few students bunkered down at the tables to study on their lunch breaks or scramble to complete assignments that were due next lesson. Towering walls of books loomed over them, the sunlight from the grand windows catching the flecks on dust in the air. The old floorboards creaked as students shuffled around, whispering to their friends or picking out books.

Albus faced Scorpius at a table tucked in the back corner of the library between two bookshelves of magical cookbooks--a section where few students ever looked. Scorpius rested his chin on his palms, elbows against the table as he watched Albus, awaiting further instructions.

"Soooo..." Scorpius drew out the 'o', "Where do we begin?"

"Umm," Albus scratched the back of his neck, glancing down at the empty page. He didn't want to admit that he had no idea. It was hard enough to convince his friends to get on board, now he didn't want them to realise he had no idea where to steer the ship.

A slam rattled the table, causing Albus to jump and almost knock his pot of ink over. He looked up to see Rose, leaning against a thick leather-bound book that she'd dropped at the end of their table.

"What's that?" Albus asked, his eyes widening at the book. Loose leaves of yellowing parchment stuck out of the sides, the binding warn and close to tearing. Thick as a brick, it took up almost the entire width of the table with wide square pages. From the side, the pages appeared to be in a gradient, from newer off-white pieces of paper to old browning parchment at the very bottom, as if it had been added on to over many years.

"It's a book," Rose said, obviously. "You do know what the library is for, don't you?"

Albus rolled his eyes, "I'm not that thick."

"With the way you've been staring at that blank parchment, I wasn't too sure," Rose quipped, causing Scorpius to let out a small snicker

"Well, what book is it?" Albus asked, ignoring her comment.

Rose opened up the cover, trying to be as gentle as possible with the fragile pages, "Its a record of all the Hogwarts professors and faculty."

"All of them?" Scorpius' interest piqued, glancing over at the handwritten pages.

"This is just one volume. There's even more dating back centuries that we're not even allowed to touch!"

"Wow," Scorpius' wide eyes glittered in amazement at the amount of history in front of him. He ran his fingers delicately over the spine, where the leather was dry and cracking, the pages barely hanging on.

"So what's it for, then?" Albus asked, just seeing a dusty old record book with sprawled cursive writing.

Rose exchange a look with Scorpius, "Honestly, what would he do if we didn't decide to help him?" She said with a disappointed shake of her head.

Albus crossed his arms in front of him, "I'm starting to regret my decision," he grumbled, unamused by the banter. He knew his cousin was only kidding but it didn't stop the teasing from getting to him.

Scorpius frowned slightly, giving Albus an apologetic look, before turning back to address both him and Rose, "One of the murder victims--She was a professor here, wasn't she?"

Rose nodded, "Yep, so she's bound to be here. I reckon we can get some information on her to start." She rifled through pages until she reached the one she wanted, "Ah-ha, Septima Vector, professor of Arithmancy, 1982-2016" She pointed down to a profile scribbled out over a page spread.

"So she retired fairly recently," Scorpius stated. He stood up from his chair, walking behind Rose to look over her shoulder. Albus tried to do the same before realising that Rose was the same height as him and he couldn't see past her. He sat back down in a slump, trying to read the intricate handwriting sideways. It didn't do him much good, so he listened while his friends read instead, feeling rather helpless.

"Just before we started at Hogwarts," Rose added. "My mum had her for a professor. Spoke highly of her but said she was rather strict. Have to say, I'm rather glad we didn't have her as a professor from the sound of it."

Scorpius' eyes scanned over the page, "Looks like she took a year off after the war." He pointed to a year where she was noted as absent from Hogwarts.

"I suppose it must have taken a toll on her," Rose suggested solemnly, "My mum came back to Hogwarts the year after. Always noted how empty everything felt."

"I can imagine," Scorpius frowned before squinting as he read something else in the top corner of the page, "Location: 54 Webbs Way, Bristol." He read out loud, running the address through his brain. "D'you reckon that's where she lived?"

"It must be! She was killed in Bristol, wasn't she?" Rose turned to Albus, "Quick, jot that down, it could be helpful."

Whilst Albus didn't like being bossed around, he did as he was told before chiming in, "I remember my dad said she was killed on her way back from the shops. So it must have been near there."

His mind started racing with ideas of travelling to the spot where she was to investigate. But the big question was how? They could sneak some brooms from the Quidditch supply closet, but Albus didn't trust himself flying such a long distance on a broom. And surely someone would notice they were missing during the time it would take to get there. They could try Floo powdering to the address except they ran the risk on tumbling through the fireplace of a family who moved in after the Professor's death--which could very well be Muggles. Albus didn't want to cause that much of a disturbance and get the ministry officials on his tail. Portkey? Except he had no idea how to make one. But what other options were there?

Scorpius noticed Albus getting a far off look in his eye and decided to speak up, "Perhaps we should write down everything we already know about the murders before we get too far ahead of ourselves." He seemed to be able to sense that Albus was already too far forward in the plan.

"I can go search for the copies of the Prophet in the archives that reported on them." Before either of them could answer, Rose spun around, rushing off to the other side of the library.

Scorpius took his seat across from Albus, who waited for him to prompt him to write down more details.

"Well?" Albus questioned, pen at the ready to write. "Are you going to order me around as well?" There was a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Part of him was thankful Rose had taken charge, as Albus felt a bit clueless as he was out of his element; Researching was never his strong suit. But part of him couldn't help but feel as if he was being treated more like the butt of a joke rather than a team member--not to mention that he was the one who came up with the idea in the first place. But perhaps he was being too prideful--the sting of his siblings calling him selfish still hitting him when it crossed his mind.

"Of course not," Scorpius shook his head, "In fact, I was going to ask you what to do next."

"You were?" Albus couldn't help but feel a bit surprised, as so far he felt like he had little to contribute. His friends were far smarter and superior to Albus.

"Well yeah, you know more than me. Your family must have talked about it. All I know is what's been in the papers."

Albus hadn't looked at it that way. Much of the information was current and couldn't be found in books, which was more Scorpius and Rose's speciality. Albus, on the other hand, had a greater knowledge of what had taken place, as his father was the one working the cases.

He drummed his fingers on the table, thinking back to what he'd overheard at home before he'd left. His parents always seemed to be discussing something work-related. For once, Albus started to wish he hadn't spent so much time alone in his room.

Before he could write anything down, Scorpius shifted awkwardly in his seat, chewing at his lip, "I hope you don't think Rose and I are trying to take over. I-I just get excited about researching, that's all. I'm not trying to make you feel left out or anything." Scorpius glanced at Albus, looking apologetic.

Whilst Albus had been feeling a little worthless in the trio, he decided to shrug it off, not wanting his friend to feel bad for being enthusiastic about something he loved, "It's alright, really. I just wish there was something more I could do to help, that's all. I don't want to be holding you both back." He admitted.

"You aren't holding us back!" Scorpius protested. "You're the reason we are here, after all. You're the one who got us started."

Scorpius reached out, placing a reassuring hand over Albus', which rested on the corner on the parchment. Albus' stomach jumped slightly at Scorpius' touch.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Albus. We need you here," Scorpius gave him a soft smile, looking at Albus with compassion radiating in his eyes.

Albus' lips parted, trying to ignore the weight of Scorpius' hand on his. He hoped Scorpius didn't notice Albus' hand was clammy as he thought it felt. Albus looked from Scorpius' hand and back to his face.

Scorpius seemed to notice Albus suddenly stiffen and he quickly pulled his hand away, as if he'd overstayed his welcome.

Albus' swallowed, "Thanks," his voice slightly squeaky. He grabbed the quill from the ink with his other hand, "I guess I should start writing."

Scorpius nodded briskly, letting out a soft, somewhat forced, laugh, "Oh yeah, right." His shoulders tensed up as he looked out the window beside them.

By the time Rose returned, Albus had already noted down almost all that he knew about each of the victims. He organised the information into three columns, listing the facts under a header of the victims' names.

Kristoffer Parr: killed in Hogsmeade.

Septima Vector: killed in Bristol.

Terry Boot: killed in Liverpool.

Under each name and location were bullet points of everything Albus had either overheard or read about. Where each person was going, how old they were, where they worked, and anything else about the situation that might come in handy. Rose and Scorpius looked over the information, hoping to connect some dots between them.

"So all three of them were killed near their homes?" Scorpius confirmed with a shutter.

"Yep," Rose nodded, "And there were no witnesses."

"None that remember anything, at least," Albus chimed in. "My father mentioned that some of the neighbours had shown signs of obliviation."

Rose' brow furrowed in thought, "Someone must be trying real hard not to be seen then. It's got to be the same person committing the murders then, right? It just seems too eerily similar..."

"The Ministry claims they were all separate cases but I think they are just saying that to make people less concerned that there could be a connection between them all. Three similarly murdered wizards in such a short time just can't be a coincidence," Albus agreed with Rose.

Scorpius' face twisted, unsettled by it all, but let out a small sigh of relief, "At least we know we only have to go after one person and not try to find three completely different people." He tried to look at the positive side--at least as positive as it could get when talking about murder.

"It may be one person but it's one serial killer. That makes them more dangerous," Rose somehow seemed more fired up by the increased risk.

Scorpius, on the other hand, grew paler.

"Well..." Albus hesitated to give them the bad news, "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

They looked his way, waiting for him to give more details with anticipation.

"It's just that," He started, "I heard a rumour that it might be a group of people, not just one. Someone told me that Terry Boot might have gotten himself in trouble with some bad wizards. It's possible everyone else could have been involved in some way too which is why they were all found dead around in similar conditions."

Scorpius' eyes widened, "Bad wizards? So like a wizard gang?"

Albus frowned, "Well it sounds a bit silly when you put it that way, but yes, like a wizard gang." Albus pictured a group of burly men in spiked leather jackets with long hair and beards holding wands, that looked like chopsticks clenched in their meaty fists.

Unlike Scorpius and Albus, Rose didn't look so convinced, "Who told you that?" Her voice filled with scepticism.

"Err, well Magnolia mentioned it to me."

Rose immediately scrunched her face, recoiling, "And you're going to believe her? The biggest gossip in the school? I doubt half of what comes out of her mouth is ever true!"

"Ah well," Albus' face reddened, having not really thought about her credibility, "I guess I didn't think..."

"When did you guys even talk about this?" Scorpius tilted his head.

"It was in Potions earlier. We started talking about the murders and--" Albus suddenly froze, letting out a gasp.

Practically leaping out of his chair, Scorpius' gripped his wand as his eyes dated in every direction as if the murderer was going to jump out from one of the bookcases.

"What?" Rose asked sharply, alerted but not frightened.

"Sorry, sorry," Albus shook his head, scrambling to gather his things, "I just remembered something."

Realising they weren't in imminent danger, Scorpius relaxed, the tips of his ears turning bright red. He put his wand away, looking to Albus for an explanation of his sudden rush.

"Professor Amatori asked me to tutor some fifth years in potions. We are supposed to meet after lunch during my free period." Albus had almost forgotten completely. If he hadn't thought about Magnolia and his discussion in potions that morning, he might have completely let Professor Amatori down--not the impression he wanted to make after being trusted with a responsibility.

Rose's expression went from shocked to impressed, "A professor asked YOU to tutor? Never thought I'd see the day..."

"Yeah, yeah," Albus rolled his eyes at his cousin's teasing. "We can meet again later, right?"

"Unless you've got other plans," Scorpius seemed to be half-joking but half-unsure. They always spent their free time after lessons together but Albus being preoccupied today seemed to take him by surprise.

"No, why would I?"

Scorpius shrugged, rubbing his arm, "I dunno..."

"I've got quidditch practice, and Dumbledore knows your brother would kill me if I missed one. We've got our first match coming up," Rose said and Albus didn't doubt her, knowing how serious James took quidditch. "How about tomorrow at lunch, again? I'll just tell my friends I'm revising."

"You're ditching your friends for us?" Albus raised an eyebrow, surprised Rose would choose to spend her free time with them over her group of best friends.

"Well you guys are my friends too," Rose said like it was obvious, "Plus, this is time-sensitive. We've got to work on this if we want to get answers before someone else is killed."

Scorpius gulped at the reality that someone else could get hurt, "Tomorrow at lunch it is then."

"Right," Albus affirmed. "See you then," He gave his friends a wave before running off in the direction of the dungeons.

---

The ticking clock on the wall seemed to echo throughout the empty potions classroom. Slumping against the table, Albus leaned his face into his hand, watching the minutes pass by. It was already ten past the hour but no fifth years had come to revise yet.

"We'll just wait a few more moments to see if anyone shows," Professor Amatori told him, glancing up at the clock from her desk chair.

Albus nodded but secretly hoped that no one would come to the revision session so he could go back to his friends in the library. As much as he loved potions and wouldn't mind the extra practice, he'd much prefer working on the research with Rose and Scorpius. It was probably the only time Albus had ever enjoyed research in the library.

To occupy the time, he gazed around at the assortment of objects the professor used to decorate the classroom. His eyes fell upon a set of clear crystals dangling from a metal wire in the form of a chandelier if it were made for mice. While there was no natural sunlight in the dungeons, the crystals caught the light from Professor Amatori's desk lamp. Little rainbows danced on the shelf below the crystal hanging as the crystals glinted in the artificial light.

Albus enjoyed the calm of the empty classroom. When there were no students, he could really take in the room and marvel at the oddities that covered every inch of shelf and surface space. There were many jars of all shapes and sizes filled with potion ingredients, some recognizable like cinnamon sticks and peacock feathers; others not so much, the jars being filled with unidentified liquids or multi-coloured powders.

Aside from potion ingredients, there were many little plants and succulents placed around the room, making the dungeon air not so dank and stuffy. Some bloomed bright and colourful flowers while others spouted tendrils that snaked up from the potting soil. The professor must have kept them alive and thriving through magic, as the plants couldn't have seen natural sunlight since she began teaching at Hogwarts.

Professor Amatori also adorned her classroom with an assortment of what she considered to be collectables. The students always enjoyed when she'd go off on tangents about these special objects, telling the stories of how she came to acquire them throughout her travels. She had painted skulls from Mexico (which she never confirmed nor denied if they were real skulls or not), a Russian nesting doll painted with the likenesses of great wizards throughout history (the largest doll of them being the famed Merlin), a traditional mask from Mali that Scorpius refused to look at directly (it gave him the creeps), and a large conch shell from the West Indies that Albus swore he saw move on a few occasions. Most students liked the fact that they didn't need to do any work if the professor was away with the fairies, recounting old memories, but Albus truly appreciated the tales. It made him want to break away from his miserable old life and travel the world to experience everything just as Professor Amatori had. He admired her curiosity and spirit of adventure, wishing he had the same positive outlook on the world.

Caught up in his daydreams of exploring distant lands, Albus almost fell off his stool when the door swung open and a girl rushed in.

"I'm so sorry I'm late!" She announced in a fluster. "I was with my friend Amanda trying to help her and I just lost track of time. I'm so sorry!" She apologized again, speaking in a rushed voice. She tried to straighten out her hair and robes after running to the dungeons.

"Ah, no need to worry," Professor Amatori reassured her. "It was very kind of you to be supporting our dear Amanda, as I'm sure she is in need of a good friend at the moment. We completely understand." She placed a hand over her heart with a saddened look.

The girl let out a sigh of relief, the tension falling from her shoulders before she looked around the room to realize almost no one was there. "Oh, where is everyone? Did I miss the revision session?" Her voice filled with worry on the last sentence.

Professor Amatori stood up from her desk chair, "Ah no, I'm afraid this is it," She said with a flourish to the many empty desks.

"So it's just me?" The girl asked. She was fairly short and curvy, with rounded features and full cheeks that dimpled when she spoke. Her blonde hair and bright blue eyes gave her a sunny appearance that she radiated with pride, despite the circumstances.

"That would be correct. But not to worry, we are early in the year. As the fright from exams draws in closer, more students will come but by that time you'll be far ahead of them. Best to start on revisions as early as possible if you want to get top marks on your O.W.L.s!" The professor assured her, motioning for the girl to take a seat by Albus.

As she took the stool next to Albus, he noticed the glint of a badge pinned on her robe just below her collar bone, reading 'prefect' in silver against a green background. She gave Albus a friendly smile before placing her own cauldron and potions textbook onto the table.

"Albus," Professor Amatori began to introduce them, "This is Ophelia. Ophelia, this is Albus. He's a sixth year who will be helping tutor you for your exams. He passed with flying colours last year so I'm sure he will be happy to answer any questions you may have, isn't that right Albus?"

"Yes, Miss," He answered with a polite nod.

Although he still wasn't thrilled to have to be tutoring instead of working with his friends, he was thankful it was only with one student, rather than a large group. He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing and he much prefered to work one on one instead of trying to keep the attention of a bunch of rowdy fifth years.

"Great," Professor Amatori clapped her hands together, "I have a few things I need to get done, so I will leave you two to it." She spun on her heel, her long floral detailed robes fluttering behind her as she headed for the door.

Ophelia turned to Albus, "It's nice to meet you! Not that I wasn't aware of who you were before this. But it's good to be formally introduced."

For a moment, Albus was confused as to how Ophelia knew who he was until he quickly remembered that, despite being an outcast, he was still an easily recognised figure due to his family's appearances in the news and books. Albus had seen the golden-haired girl in the Slytherin common room and around the corridors from time to time, but never knew her name before, let alone anything about her.

Before Albus could say anything more, Ophelia launched into an apology, "Again, I'm so sorry I kept you waiting. I told Professor Amatori I'd be here but then there was this whole thing with Amanda..."

Albus leaned forward in his seat, "Amanda, as in Amanda Boot? You're friends with her?"

Ophelia nodded, hanging her head slightly, "I'm sure you heard what happened to her. Poor thing..."

"That must be hard for her." Albus tried to sympathise but his mind drifted to his work with Rose and Scorpius regarding her father.

"I wish I knew the right thing to say," Ophelia frowned. "I can't imagine losing one of my parents. I'm really close with them. Even being away at Hogwarts most of the year is hard for me."

"Wish I could relate," Albus muttered, not really meaning to say it out loud.

There were times he did miss his parents, he supposed, his mum in particular. But for the most part, he couldn't wait to finish at Hogwarts and live on his own. But the idea of actually losing his father or mother--especially in a way as tragic as Amanda had--had never really crossed his mind. After his parents survived so much as children, he almost began to think of them as invincible. He spent so much time trying to distance himself from them, it never occurred to him how he might feel if they were gone forever.

"Are you not close with your family?" Ophelia asked, hesitating slightly. He could tell she was trying not to be nosy but it was hard to resist hearing any sort of gossip about the Potter family--especially straight from the source.

Albus shrugged, not really wanting to start monologuing to the girl, who he'd only just met, "It's complicated."

Ophelia nodded, not wanting to push him to reveal more, "I understand. I've read the articles but I wasn't sure how much of it was true. You know how The Prophet tends to exaggerate some things...I never know what to trust anymore."

Albus knew that there was a lot of truth to the articles about him and his dad but everything always seemed to get bent and twisted to fit the bias of the writer. Lorelei Lacero, in particular, seemed to harbour some judgment against Harry more so than Albus--or perhaps it was because he was still underaged and it would seem wrong to publically denounce a teenager, no matter what his parentage. Either way, it was never the full truth. There was no way an outsider could understand everything that went on in their lives.

"Anyway, I've had enough negativity for one day, what with all the news and rumours about Amanda," Ophelia rubbed her hands together before reaching for her potions' book, "Shall we get revising?"

The hour of revision went by more painlessly than Albus thought. He expected to be working with some delinquent, who couldn't even manage to throw together first-year level potions but Ophelia seemed to have a pretty good grasp on what she was doing. Albus almost wished she had been his potions partner this year, as opposed to Magnolia. Ophelia was much easier to work with and Albus didn't even mind chatting with her as he guided her through the potion and answered her questions.

Of all the people he met and worked with at Hogwarts, she was one of the few who didn't seem to be interested in him only for his family's famous name. In fact, she didn't mention one word about his father or even his mum. Instead, she asked about himself, wanting to get to know Albus for Albus and not just as a Potter.

As they cleaned up after their revision session, she asked him, "So why did you decide to tutor potions?"

Albus bit his lip, "To be fair, I didn't really decide to. Professor Amatori asked me to. I would have said no but she insisted she wanted me to do it."

"I can see why," Ophelia said, rinsing out her cauldron. "You seem to really know what you're doing."

Albus' mouth twitched into a small smile, "Thanks."

"Have you always been interested in the subject?"

Albus had to think back, trying to remember his first year at Hogwarts (a time which is so often wished to forget), "I dunno. I guess I just started to like when I started taking lessons and realised I wasn't actually rubbish."

Potions was the one subject he always looked forward to every year. In his first year, he quickly realised it was the one lesson he never made a huge fool of himself. He didn't mess up any complicated spells, like in Transfiguration; he didn't need to rely on any athletic ability, like in Flying; and he wasn't expected to be as good as his father, like he was in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

In fact, it was the one subject his father complained about the most. From the sounds of it, Potions was something he never excelled in. Albus' mum claimed it was due to their professor, whom Albus had been named after despite his mother seeming to dislike the man. But Albus liked to think it was one thing that he was better at than his dad, which made him even more determined to do well in his lessons.

It also helped that he had Scorpius in his lessons every year. When Scorpius was working with him, Albus always wanted to try harder and do well. Maybe it was to keep up with Scorpius' academic ability, or perhaps part of Albus just wanted to impress his best friend. He couldn't understand why exactly, but being with Scorpius made him want to be better.

"I think Professor Amatori is an excellent teacher," Ophelia said as she finished gathering her supplies and putting them back in her cauldron. "It sounds a bit silly, but she's sort of an inspiration for me. She doesn't sacrifice her personality just to be respected in the academic world and she'd so accomplished in her field."

It was true. Whilst many wizards and potioneers doubted her ability based on her whimsical demeanour and flouncy way of dressing, she always was able to prove herself in her subject. Throughout her childhood, he'd heard his mother and aunt singing her praises, excited when they found out she would be the professor teaching their children. Professor Amatori had a bright personality that she never hid away from judgemental eyes. Instead, she was unapologetically herself, which was something Albus always found admirable.

"I don't find that silly at all." In fact, if it weren't for Professor Amatori, he probably wouldn't love Potions as much as he did. He owed much of his success to her. She always encouraged him and never pressured him to be more like his father. He did well on his own accord and not just because he was the son of Harry Potter.

Albus followed Ophelia out into the corridor, not minding the pleasant conversation.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you in Potions revision? You seem pretty capable of doing well without a tutor," Albus asked out of genuine curiosity.

Ophelia smiled at Albus vague compliment, "I suppose it isn't necessary but I want to do well on my O.W.Ls. I'd be revising for potions anyway, but I like the company of revising with others."

Albus could relate to some degree; doing homework and revisions with Scorpius always seemed to make the dull task a little less boring.

"Isn't it a bit early to be worrying about exams?" The term just started. Albus hadn't started revisions until after Valentines Day last year. Perhaps if he'd started at the same time as Ophelia, he could have gotten better marks...

"I just want to do my best. I need high marks on both my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s for my career and I figure starting early will only benefit me." It was an answer that reminded Albus very much of Rose.

"What career is that?" Albus asked. He expected her to say something along the lines of a healer or a professor due to her compassionate and hardworking nature. It shocked him that she wasn't sorted into Hufflepuff, just in the hour he spent getting to know her. She seemed to exhibit qualities of the house and even reminded him a lot of Professor Amatori, a Hufflepuff herself.

"I want to be an Auror," She answered with confidence and a bright smile that didn't seem to fit the dark job description.

Albus was taken by surprise. He hadn't expected the small girl with such a sunny disposition to want one of the toughest and most dangerous Ministry jobs.

Ophelia must have noticed his reaction, "I know, I know, it sounds crazy." Her smile faltered.

"No, no!" Albus quickly shook his head, trying to backtrack, "I think that's wicked. I just didn't expect you to say that..."

"I get that a lot," She let out a soft hum of a laugh, that expressed some disappointment, "But it's something I've been dreaming of for a long time."

Albus had to admit he was impressed. It was a dangerous job, not to mention a challenge to even be considered for. Even if Albus wanted to be an Auror, there was no way the Ministry would ever even give him a second look after they saw his marks--even as the son of Harry Potter.

"Don't you need, like, four N.E.W.T.s with at least an E?" He asked, knowing he could never achieve something like that.

"Five, actually," Ophelia corrected him. "Which is why I've got to get revising early."

Albus rolled his eyes with a small snort of a laugh, "Unless you're my father..." His father always liked to bring up the fact that he got away without taking his exams or even completing his final year at Hogwarts. It was always in a joking manner and their mum would quickly remind the kids that it wasn't an option for them before scolding their father for mentioning it. She'd insist that it was because of the war and that was the only reason there was an exception before reminding them about how important school was.

Ophelia's eyes widened, "Oh gosh, I hope you don't think I'm saying this just because your father is, you know..." She clutched her books tighter to her chest. It was as if she'd completely forgotten that Albus' father was the department head and in charge of the Auror's until Albus had mentioned him.

"It's fine," He reassured her. He couldn't lie and say the thought hadn't crossed his mind. She was a Slytherin after all and it was a cunning move to try and use him to get on good terms with his father.

"No, no, it's just that," Ophelia started, taking a deep breath, "If I'm going to be an Auror, I want to earn it on my own merit."

It was a respectable answer and she seemed to truly mean it. Albus could see the flicker of determination in her eyes.

They stopped outside the portrait into the Slytherin common room. Ophelia gave the password and the door opened.

She stepped inside the passage, holding the door for Albus, "You coming in?"

Albus shook his head, pointing down the corridor, "I've got a lesson."

Ophelia nodded, "Okay, well it was nice to meet you, Albus. See you next week, then."

She gave him a little wave before shutting the door behind her.

Chapter Text

The corridors were always packed with students between lessons. Students filtered through, being nudged and bumped around as others tried to weave in and out to get to their next destination. First years scuttled through, trying not to get lost in the sea of robes or trampled by the older students. The elder students paraded in packs through the corridors as if they owned them, many of them claiming to know every twist and turn of the complicated castle (which was highly unlikely without the help of the Mauraders Map, which James kept safe in his possession).

The chatter blended together into a clamour of voices the carried up into the rafters of the high ceilings. The footsteps of hard-soled school shoes clopped like hooves against the stone floors, creating a rumble of students as if a storm was rolling in through the school. The occasional spark would shoot out from somewhere as a spell was cast, causing a small crack, like lightning. Laughter would rise above the din as friends joked and jostled around with each other.

Prefects would stand watch along with professors, supervising the mass movement of students, stepping in when required. Usually, they were just there to scold preteen boys who were roughhousing or remind the students to hurry along to class and not dawdle. On the off chance of a fight, they'd part their way through the gathering crowd, wand at the ready, to break it up and dish out detentions.

There were many times throughout his years at Hogwarts that this would happen to Albus and Scorpius--although they were never the ones who started it. But more often than not, there were no authority figures around when the bullies came to prey on Albus and Scorpius leaving them to fend for themselves.

"Aye, if it isn't Peewee Potter!" Matthias would exclaim, backed up by the jeering looks of his popular friends. It was a common occurrence when he was targetted in the corridor. "And his little friend, Scorpius, a sorry excuse for a Slytherin, if you ask me." He elbowed Ryker with a laugh.

Normally, Albus would have ignored their pestering, continuing to walk the other way. But on this particular day, back in their fifth year, Albus couldn't just walk past.

Silas stepped forward, grabbing Matthias' shoulder in mock concern, "Watch out, Matthias! His Deatheater parents might come and hex you!" Silas then turned his head to look at Scorpius with a smirk, his voice filling with patronizing venom, "Oh wait...His daddy's too busy crying over his mummy's grave. Lost his two greatest loves, the Dark Lord and his minger of a wife! Boohoo!"

Scorpius froze, the colour draining from his face as Silas' harsh words ripped into his skin.

It was one thing to bully Albus and Scorpius themselves, but to attack Scorpius' parents--his mother especially--that's where Albus drew the line. He whipped out his wand as he turned on his heel to face Silas and his friends.

Albus marched up to Silas, sticking his wand right under his chin, bearing his teeth as he looked up at the boy who had at least four inches on him. But Albus didn't have time to think about how unbalanced the fight was, too distracted by the fire burning in the pit of his stomach. Every curse and hex that he'd ever heard of ran through his mind as he tried to find the best one to use on the cocky bastard.

"Take it back, Silas," Albus hissed, his jaw clenched, "Or I'll--"

"--Or you'll what?" Silas sniggered at Albus' attempt at intimidation, crossing his arms in front of him. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by the threat, which infuriated Albus even more. He held no remorse for what he said

Silas' posse of friends, on the other hand, seemed a bit more cautious, taking a few steps back to avoid the scrap. Ryker and Matthias exchanged a look, appearing to think that their friend might have taken things too far, even by their standards. Among them, watching the standoff was Tristian Gainesley, a rough-looking beater from Gryffindor; and a few of the popular girls in his year, including Magnolia and her best friends Margot Creevy, a Gryffindor, and Georgia Sharpe, a fellow Slytherin. Whilst they all looked unsettled, none of them dared to step in and put a stop it.

Silas was a thin and lanky kid but no less intimidating. He walked with an air of entitlement, as he came from a wealthy pureblooded family. Although he was considered popular as he hung around students like Magnolia and Matthias, it was hard to find someone who actually thought he was pleasant to be around. His favourite hobby appeared to be talking down to people and acting as if he knew everything about magic. Albus couldn't understand how Silas managed to have any friends at all; there were few redeeming qualities about him

Silas' thin lips curled into a sickening smile, dark eyes glinting like he found it amusing. He stuck his chin out further as if encouraging Albus to do his worst.

"G'on then!" He urged in his harsh Scouse accent, not even bothering to take out his own wand, "What're you gon' do? Jinx me? Hex me? Show me what you've got, Potter."

Albus glanced over Silas' shoulder at his entourage waiting in expectation for someone to make a move. He caught Magnolia's eye, who stared at him intently to see what he'd do.

"Albus, don't," Scorpius' quivering voice spoke out to him, not wanting to escalate the situation further.

No matter how terrible the insult, he always advocated for peace, not wanting to cause any trouble. Or perhaps he was more worried about Albus' spell backfiring, as that was a likely conclusion that would end up with Albus embarrassing himself and further worsening the teasing.

Albus bit his cheek, stopping a flurry of insults from pouring out of his mouth. With eyes like slits, Albus slowly lowered his wand, starting to turn the other cheek and return to Scorpius' side. He didn't get very far before Silas cackled in triumph.

"Gotta listen to your cry-baby boyfriend, right? Always knew you two were poofs," He sneered. "You can't scare me, Potter. You're rubbish at magic, you Slytherin squi--"

Silas didn't have the chance to finish his sentence before Albus had spun back around, swinging his clenched fist out, slamming into Silas' jaw.

"Arghph!" A grunting noise escaped Silas lips as he stumbled backwards, reaching up to grab his sore face.

One of the girls let out a shrill squeal and Albus heard Scorpius gasp behind him.

Ryker leapt out in Silas' defence, shoving Albus to the floor. He went to grab him to beat him further but Matthias grabbed him by his robes to stop him.

"Let's go," Matthias grunted, dragging Ryker away.

The girls surrounded Silas, ushering him off with Matthias, Ryker and Tristain right behind them.

Silas, still clutching his jaw, turned his head to yell back, "Screw you, ya poofs!" He shouted before wincing in pain, giving Albus some satisfaction.

Scorpius scrambled over to help his friend up, "For Merlin's sake, Albus!" His voice squeaked in the way it always did when his emotions were running high. "Why did you--how did--what was that?!"

Even with his throbbing fist, Albus was still seething with rage, "He can't say that rubbish about you--about your mum! I couldn't let him."

Scorpius bit his lip, knowing Albus was acting out of defence for him, "I know, it's fine, I'm fine!" He spoke quickly, helping Albus to his feet.

"That prick can't get away with it!" Albus balled up his fists again, watching Silas and his friends as the disappeared from view, itching to go run after them and give him another blow.

"Albus Potter, you just punched Silas Walker in the face, I think you showed him plenty!" Scorpius eyes darted around in a frenzy as he tried to process everything that took place.

Albus spat out another expletive that his nan definitely wouldn't have approved of before he allowed Scorpius to lead him off in the other direction.

They continued walking down the corridor in silence, Scorpius head bowed as he clutched his books tight against his chest. Albus took long strides, fists still balled but head held high.

Finally, Scorpius broke the silence, shaking his head in disbelief, "Blimey, Albus, that was impressive!"

Albus often wondered what would have happened in that moment had a professor walked by and saw them. Would they have scolded Silas for what he said or would Albus have been punished harder for taking physical action? It was a disciplinary grey area where a professor might side one way or another depending on who they saw at fault.

Although fights like that were rare, especially ones where Albus won, he was used to being heckled in the corridors between lessons. He'd earned a variety of nicknames and heard them shouted at him on the daily from students of almost every house or year. They seemed to love to have someone they could take out their frustrations on and band together to laugh at.

To avoid confrontation and the teasing as much as possible, Albus prefered to travel the school when there were fewer people around. Usually a few minutes after lessons were scheduled to begin or a little bit before they would get out. It often got him in trouble for being tardy but he prefered it to being harassed.

He chose one of these times, right after lessons were set to begin, to walk briskly from the library to his next class in the greenhouses.

Every lunch period for the last week and a half he'd spent working with Rose and Scorpius in the library. They'd compiled quite the amount of information on the murder scenes, based off news stories in the magazines and papers from across the country. They even checked Muggle papers to see what they had to say about the mysterious people found dead on the street. Many took the claim that they'd died from heart attacks or natural causes. None seemed to suspect Wizardry was at play--and why would they? Muggle papers probably weren't the most reliable source of information on the killings of wizards but Rose insisted they read and take notes on everything, just in case there was some new details to be found.

Other than the general scenes of the crime, which anyone could read about, they'd been trying to dig deeper to find out the who and the why. That was where things were starting to get tricky. Scorpius had managed to scrounge up a fair amount of information on Professor Vector to figure out who she was, but it still didn't give them a good reason for why she was killed.

From the sounds of it, she was an upstanding citizen. She taught for many years and--besides being strict and doling out an abundance of homework--she seemed to be a fair and respected professor, not the type of person someone would hold a grudge against. She'd fought bravely in the war and still returned after her year off to teach again.

Unfortunately for book-worms Rose and Scorpius, there wasn't much more they managed to find out through the library. Everything was too old to help them in an ongoing murder case.

Albus' mind was bogged down by names, facts, and dates all surrounding the professor, almost none of it of use to him. He tried to clear his mind, trying to remember if he did his Herbology homework as he rounded a corner and almost ran smack into someone.

"Oof!" Albus exclaimed, stopping short to avoid slamming into a couple, who were snogging up against a wall, "Do you mind?" He grimaced at the sight, starting to walk around them.

"Sod off," the bloke grumbled in an all too familiar tone as he separated from his girlfriend.

"Ugh, James?" Albus spoke without thinking, immediately wishing that he'd continued on past them and tried to erase the image of his brother snogging a girl from his mind.

He hadn't seen his older brother since the morning almost two weeks ago when he and Lily had confronted him in The Great Hall. Albus wasn't sure if they were still mad at him or not and just wanted to avoid them altogether. But, of course, he never got his way.

"Huh?" James blinked, looking to see who it was that bumped into him, "Oh, Albus!" When he saw who it was, his face filled with relief, brightening up somewhat.

Albus was surprised to see that James looked almost happy to see him, which immediately put him on guard. He took a step back, raising his eyebrow.

"Hey, I didn't realise it was you. This is good actually! I wanted to talk to you." James said, not seeming to mind that his little brother caught him in a precarious position with a girl.

"Um, okay?" Albus paused, teetering anxiously on the balls of his feet, wishing James had caught him at a better time. He was already late enough to Herbology as it was.

"You can be really hard to find, you know that? I keep looking for you in The Great Hall at lunch but you're never there. Do you ever leave your room? It's just like at home." James started before catching Albus' eyes darting between him and the girl who stood beside him.

"Oh, yeah," James said as if he just remembered she was there too, "This is Tabitha, my girlfriend." He introduced her casually.

It was very like James to not put too much pressure on anything. If Albus was anxious and tense, James was the exact opposite, almost too relaxed to a fault. He had a habit of not taking life too seriously, opting to joke around and cause trouble with friends. Yet despite his easygoing attitude, he still managed to focus hard on the things that meant most to him, such as quidditch or his school work.

Tabitha stood tall with her hands on her hips, not too thrilled that Albus had interrupted whatever they had going on against the wall. Albus supposed she was pretty, with a notably symmetrical face, a thin bridged nose, and high cheekbones. Her pink lipstick was somewhat stained around her lips and Albus tried to ignore the fact that James seemed to be wearing some of the rosy colour too. She wore her black hair at her shoulders with a bit of whispy fringe across her forehead.

"Uh, hi," Albus greeted her awkwardly, "I'm Albus. James' brother."

"I know," She said stiffly, crossing her arms in front of her. Judging by the blue detailing on her school jumper, she was the same Ravenclaw girl James had been writing sappy love letters to all summer holiday. Albus assumed he would have found her much more appealing had she not been scowling at him the whole time.

"Great," James said, not sensing the tension, "Now that you've met, I gotta talk to you, Al." He pulled Albus aside.

"Listen," Albus started, not wanting to get into a scrap with his brother right now, "I'm kind of late for Herbology right now so I can't really--"

James rolled his eyes, "It's Neville, Albus. He's not going to expel you for being late to a lesson. Just give me a minute to talk to you."

With a huff, Albus stopped trying to find a way to escape the conversation, "Fine, just get it over with." He crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently

"Geez, Al. Don't look so sour," James raised his hands up in defence. "I'm trying to apologise."

"Huh?" Albus' face twisted in confusion, letting his guard down a little, "Apologise?"

Like any brothers, James and Albus got into many squabbles growing up. As the little brother, he had to deal with a lot of teasing as James found it enjoyable to poke fun and rile up Albus. Usually, their parents would force James to mutter a short 'sorry' that never held much meaning in it and then they'd move on from it. But never had James formally apologised to Albus for something he did.

"Well yeah, we kinda blew up at you last week. It wasn't cool," James admitted.

The word 'cool' was a very fitting word for James. James and 'cool' were almost synonymous. He was popular, well-liked amongst students and staff. He was always a star chaser on the Gryffindor quidditch team and now a well-respected captain. He never failed to make people laugh and he radiated charisma that made everyone want to gravitate towards him. He never struggled to make friends or find people to talk to. James was cool, plain and simple.

Albus had never once been described as cool, people preferring to describe him-- if they were putting it nicely--as awkward, peculiar, or independent, which usually meant something more along the lines of stubborn and anti-social. He didn't inherit any of the cool that James and Lily seemed to have an abundance of.

Albus couldn't argue with James, "It definitely wasn't the highlight of my day..." He said with a hint of sarcasm.

"We were just upset. We know how you and dad can be and it just gets on our nerves sometimes, you realise that, right? I know you've got your own issues with dad and Hogwarts, whatever, that's fine. Go ahead and be an angsty teen for all I care. I just want you to know how Lily and I feel sometimes. Especially when dad is the one taking the hit for you in the paper and all that."

Albus didn't respond for a moment, trying to think about his words carefully. It wasn't often that he did that; he was regularly quick to lash out. Maybe if he stopped to think things through more often, he wouldn't have had so many arguments with his father.

But talking to James felt different. Perhaps because he wasn't their father, Albus could relate more to his own brother, after growing up beside him in their parents' shadow. Sure, some parts of him resented the fact that James had inherited all the good parts of both his mum and dad, but that didn't mean he resented his brother.

"Okay...well how do you feel then?" Albus asked, genuinely curious about how his siblings viewed him. He never stopped to consider how all his spats with their father might affect them.

James shrugged, trying to find someplace to start, treading lightly, "I suppose it just seems like it the Albus show all the time. Mum and dad's attention is always on what to do about Albus."

"You think I want that?" Scoffed Albus, knowing he'd rather his parents just mind their own business.

"Well no, you've proven that to us. But it doesn't change the fact that they focus on you and whatever scene you've caused and Lily and I feel like we get pushed to the wayside to make room for 'Albus's Issues'" He used air quotes. "Dad came to Hogwarts for you Albus. It was only for you. Don't you think that we would have liked to see dad too? I've been here for almost seven years now and have never gotten more than a letter. And, of course, you don't even appreciate the time and effort he puts in for you because you're too bust being angry at him for some reason that I still don't understand. There always seems to be some drama your stirring up because of this thing with dad. You might think you're getting some sort of--I dunno, revenge?--on dad for whatever you think he's done to you, but it affects the rest of us too."

"Like when you ran away," He continued, his voice calm, not meaning to provoke Albus but get through to him instead, "It might have seemed like a brilliant idea to run off to freak dad out after you guys fought but you didn't just scare dad. All of us were freaked, Al. We were just trying to have a nice family meal before the school year started and you ruined it for all of us with your little stunt. Mum was worried sick. Lils, Rose, and I all thought something might have happened to you. And with all the murders going on, dad and Hermione started jumping to conclusions which just made everything worse."

It had never really occurred to him that the rest of his family had been disturbed by his disappearance. Albus just assumed they had gone on without him or completely forgotten about him. No one seemed to chase after him until the morning on the platform, where his dad yelled at him before he boarded the train off to Hogwarts. He hadn't gotten to see his mum, or aunt and uncle to assure them that he was fine. All this time, he assumed that no one really cared about him or what he was going through. The attention always seemed negative to Albus and he didn't realise that his siblings might feel as if they were being pushed aside in order to focus on whatever he'd done, instead.

Albus started to feel like he swallowed a stone that was now sitting painfully in the bottom of his stomach. The thought of his mother being petrified about him going missing whilst he was having a grand old time with the Malfoys made him feel a bit sick. He never meant to hurt them like that.

"And listen, I'm not trying to blame you. I don't think you meant to scare us all like that, I just don't think you thought much about it at all." Albus avoided James' eye as he continued. "I'm worried about you, Al. You've obviously got some crap going on in your head that's been getting you down all these years. I don't want that to escalate even more to where totally despise us all or something. You're going to be leaving Hogwarts soon and I'm worried that once these two years are over, I'm never going to see you again."

Albus swallowed, trying to digest everything, finally finding some courage to speak, "What do you mean, never see me again? Like I'd--" He cut himself off.

James sighed, "I dunno, Al. You seem pretty keen on running away. Like you'd rather be a part of the Malfoy family than ours. You may be a nudge and a bit of a nuisance but you're still my little brother. And--" James started to add with a little bit of an awkward struggle, "And--I love you..." He scratched the back of his neck, not used to sounding so soft and vulnerable with his little brother.

Caught with his mouth open, Albus struggled to find the right words to say. He still was trying to process everything his brother had told him, his head spinning with all of the information.

James' seriousness didn't last long as he cracked one of his signature grins, "I know you're shocked that I just professed my love for you but you gotta say something. Don't leave a guy hanging!"

Albus tried to shake off the shock that was settling over him, "S-sorry, I just don't know what to say to all that."

James shrugged, "Well you could say you love me back, or give me a hug, or tell me how marvellous you've always found me and apologise for every wrongdoing you've ever done out of jealousy." He chuckled before adding, "That last one was a joke, by the way. In case you didn't get it."

Albus rolled his eyes, lips cracking a hint of a smile, "Yeah, I got it. I do have a sense of humour, despite what you might think."

James feigned a gasp, putting a hand over his heart, "What? Albus Potter knows how to laugh? I'm shocked. I don't believe it."

"Har-har," Albus' voice laced with playful sarcasm, "You're so clever."

James beamed and before he could protest, James pulled him into a smuggling hug, "Come here, Alby," He cooed, ruffling Albus' hair with his knuckles.

"Oh, piss off, you git," Albus struggled with a laugh. It had been many years since James and Albus had horsed around playfully. Normally, if James tried to so much as touch him, Albus would snap at him.

"Not until you tell me how much you love me," James teased, squeezing him tighter.

"You're suffocating me!"

"Suffocating you with LOVE!"

"Fine, fine," Albus caved, "Iloveyou," he muttered.

"What was that?" James teased, cupping a hand to his ear, still holding onto Albus with his other arm.

"I said, I love you," Albus said louder, satisfying James.

He released Albus with a smirk, "Now was that so hard?"

"Yes!" Albus grinned.

Their brotherly love was finally interrupted by a soft, "Ah-hem" from the other side of the corridor.

Tabitha tapped her foot while she waited for them to finish their moment, "C'mon, James. We're supposed to be in Charms."

"Wait," Albus blinked at his brother, taking a step back, "You're supposed to be in lesson right now?" Whilst it didn't surprise him that his older brother would be snogging a bird in the corridors, it did surprise him that he'd be missing a lesson for it.

"Yeah, and so are you, so we both ought to get going before mum gets word sends us a howler," James took Tabitha's hand, using his other to wave goodbye to Albus, "See you around."

Albus was left alone in the corridor. He debated going to his lesson at, all not wanting to draw everyone's attention by waltzing in a quarter of the way through.

He stared out the window at the sprawling Hogwarts grounds, the grass now flecked with fallen autumn leaves, blown over from the Forbidden Forest. Soon enough, the trees would be bare, making the Forest look even creepier, as the dark branches snaked up into the sky, spotted with spikes of green where the pine trees towered.

As his eyes scanned along the treeline of the forest, they fell upon a stream of smoke coming from the chimney of a little stone hut at the edge of the grounds where a familiar bearded man resided.

The sight of the hut sparked an idea in Albus' head. He turned and started walking in the opposite direction than in Herbology class.

It was time to pay a visit to an old friend.

Chapter Text

Stumbling down the hilly Hogwarts grounds, Albus was reminded of how long it had been since he'd last visited the hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He didn't remember the trek being so difficult as a child when he used to visit more frequently, able to nimbly navigate down the hillside with ease. Now he hiked down the steep terrain carefully, nearly twisting his ankle a few times on the rocks that jutted out of the grassy slope. The momentum carried Albus down to the flat ground, his feet hitting the ground with a thud that vibrated through his whole body. He let out a puffing breath, relieved to be on a more gentle plane.

He paused to look ahead at the hut, nestled amongst a little garden where plump pumpkins and warty gourds popped up, entangled in long leafy vines that reminded Albus of the snakes that decorated his common room. It was only early October but Albus knew the pumpkins would soon decorate The Great Hall, faces carved into their thick orange skin, light flickering in their triangular eyes as they floated above the long tables.

The pumpkins were a clear sign that Autumn had officially arrived at Hogwarts. Vivid leaves scattered over the grounds, crunching underneath students' feet as if they had tied packets of crisps to the soles of their shoes. The air grew cooler with a chilly breeze but just warm enough that Albus felt comfortable with just his school robes on. No need for his heavy winter cloak yet. The Autumn also brought rain, leaving patches of slick mud just waiting for an unsuspecting student to step in and ruin their shoes.

If it weren't for the fact that Autumn meant the start of school and living at Hogwarts, perhaps Albus could enjoy the season. But his preference would always be winter, the cold gloom and slushy snows giving him a great excuse to stay indoors, cuddled up by the fire in a thick woollen jumper.

Albus could smell the comforting scent of firewood, as smoke billowed up from the stone chimney of the hut. A fire in the hearth meant that someone must have been home to tend to it so Albus continued his approach up to the front stoop. Reaching up his hand to knock, he paused with hesitation, wondering if it hadn't been such a good idea to come at all. He wasn't even fully sure what had convinced him to pay a visit, only a small spark of an idea that might not even pay off in the end.

Albus glanced back at the castle, towering on the rocky hill behind him. He didn't want to have walked all this way for nothing and not even attempt to say a quick hello. With a sigh, he turned back to the door, rapping his fist against the splintery old wood.

Inside, Albus could hear the muffled creaks of heavy footsteps on old wood as they approached the other side of the door, the hinges creaking as it opened. A large figure towered over him, having to bow his head slightly to poke it outside the door frame. It took him a moment to see Albus, the large man having to look downwards to see Albus' much smaller stature.

"Uh hello, Hagrid," Albus greeted, a sudden feeling of timidness washing over him in the presence of the man.

"Blimey! If it isn't Albus Potter! Come in, come in!" Hagrid's face lit up as he stepped aside, making room for Albus to enter the old hut.

"Yer in luck! Just put the kettle on," Hagrid lumbered over to the hearth, gesturing to the cast-iron kettle hanging above the fire.

Albus stood in the centre of the cluttered hut, teetering on the balls of his feet. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Although Hagrid was a familiar face, he couldn't help but feel out of place in the hut--it having been so long since he last came for tea and a chat with the old family friend.

"Well don' jus' stand there, take a seat. Yeh look like yeh've never bin in a house before!" Hagrid chortled, waving Albus over to a wooden chair at his kitchen table.

Albus obeyed, lifting himself into the half-giant-sized chair, which made him feel even smaller than usual. His feet dangled over the edge, not able to reach the floor.

"Hey Archie! Come see who it is!" Hagrid called to the other side of the hut.

Albus looked over to see who he was calling but instead was greeted by the narrowed gaze of what seemed to be a terrier. The dog peered around the corner a cupboard, staring at Albus with dark eyes as it slowly slinked towards him. As the dog approached, Albus began to realize that it wasn't a dog at all. While it resembled a Jack-Russell from face to paws, with its floppy ears and patched fur, it's tail gave away it's magical nature, forking in two directions instead of one as if someone had horrifically messed up in a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-terrier.

The crup, as he knew it to be called from the magical creature picture books his mum and dad used to read to him, eyed Albus suspiciously as it made a circle around the bottom of his chair, sniffing his legs. After a moment of studying him, eyeing him over as if to see if Albus was worthy, the crup's eyes widened with approval, dangling his tongue out as it's mouth curled into a sort of smile. The dog-like creature began to jump up against Albus' shins, vying for his affection.

Albus hesitated, uneased by the creature's sudden change in mood. He worried this was some sort of show and once he would reach down to pet it, he'd get his hand chewed off. He wouldn't put it past some of the creatures Hagrid kept--they may look cute but could rip you to shreds if they wanted to.

"Oh don' be shy," Hagrid assured him about the crup, which wasn't always the most comforting coming from him, "See? He likes yeh!"

Carefully, Albus reached out, giving Archie's head a scratch. The crup wagged its tails, trying to lick Albus' hand while he was patting it. Albus found himself smiling down at the crup, giggling softly at the feeling of its slobbery tongue on his hand. Rearing on its hind legs, the crup leapt up onto Albus' lap, curling up in his robes. Albus couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort from the creature's warm presence.

Hagrid moseyed about, pulling out two teacups from the cupboard having to blow the dust off of them, "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He started, setting down the cups on the table before Albus "It's been a while since yeh paid me a visit. Course I see yer sister plenty in and out of lessons an' yer brother comes down once in a while. But I feel like I 'aven't seen yeh in ages!" Hagrid took his seat across from Albus, eager to catch up.

"Oh, sorry. I've just been...busy," Albus shrugged, shying away from Hagrid's eyes. He didn't really have a good explanation for not visiting his old friend.

"O' course, O' course. Yer a big ol' sixth year now! I remember when yeh was just a lil'un comin' 'ere with yer father durin' summer holidays," Hagrid nodded wistfully, his cheeks bunching in a smile, "Oh yes, time flies. Look at yeh! Practically a man now."

Albus vaguely recalled taking trips with his father to Hogwarts as a child, way before James even started at school. During the Holidays the grounds were always empty and Harry would hoist Albus up onto his shoulder as they walked along the lake, admiring the view of the castle. Albus and James always begged their parents to send them off to Hogwarts early, wanting to see that same view of the majestic castle every day. If only Albus still had the same appreciation for it now, over ten years later.

After their walks, his dad would catch up with Hagrid over tea and rock cakes. Hagrid would offer Albus and his brother the cakes as well, which his father would quickly thank Hagrid for his offer but claim he was cutting the kids' sugar intake. But Harry always accepted one of the cakes, nibbling on it politely. Albus never understood until he was older and actually tried Hagrid's baked goods. He supposed it was nice of his dad to spare them from eating them whilst protecting Hagrid's feelings.

After tea, their mum would bring Lily outside to visit with whichever magical creature was currently in Hagrid's care. Although only a baby, she always seemed to enjoy it, which was probably where her love for the subject came from. Inside, Hagrid would let Albus sit on his lap as he told him stories about his experiences with all sorts of creatures, from getting his hair singed from dragons to a tricky encounter with a kniffler hiding in the pockets of his large coat.

At just around 4 years old, Albus remembered believing that Hagrid was actually Father Christmas. With his bushy white beard and hearty laugh that shook his stomach, it seemed only fitting that this large magical man was in charge of Christmas and spent his summer holidays at the castle instead of the North Pole. Albus even recalled looking around the hut for any signs of flying reindeer, which even now, Albus wouldn't be surprised to find in Hagrid's possession.

The whistle of the kettle brought Albus' thoughts back to the present as Hagrid slipped his hands into the largest floral oven mitts Albus had ever seen. He removed the kettle from where it hung over the fire, steam swelling out of the spout as the boiling water started to cool in the room temperature air.

"Miss seein' yeh in care for magical creatures lessons, I do," Hagrid noted as he poured some hot water into Albus' teacup. "Any reason yeh decided not teh continue? Always though yeh had a knack for it."

Albus shrugged, stirring his steeping tea with a little spoon, "I just didn't want to overload my timetable." It seemed like the more polite way to say that he just wanted to take the least amount of N.E.W.T.s possible. While he didn't mind learning about magical creatures, it didn't have the same appeal to him as it did to his sister. A career with creatures never really caught his fancy--he preferred to keep his limbs intact.

"Is that so?" Hagrid seemed sceptical of Albus' vague answer, "From yer dad's letters it sounds like he was a little disappointed in yer pickin's this year."

'Figures', Albus thought, not surprised that his father would be sending letters to Hagrid complaining about him. "Albus Potter, the disappointment' He mocked himself mentally in the same tone his classmates used against him.

"He thought you had more potential than jus' four N.E.W.T.s, is all," Hagrid finished with a nod.

Albus blinked, not used to hearing anyone say he had potential, "My father said that about me?" He questioned, wondering if Hagrid had got him confused with one of his siblings.

"Course! Don' look so shocked. He thinks yer a bright kid," Hagrid appeared puzzled by Albus' exclamation. "What? Yeh don' think so?"

"My father has never mentioned that to me. Everyone else seems to have the opposite opinion."

Hagrid squinted, "Whatta yeh mean by that?" His bushy eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Not wanted to spout all of his problems onto Hagrid, Albus didn't respond for a moment, stalling by taking a sip of his tea. He flinched as the still too-hot liquid hit his tongue, burning it slightly.

Hagrid didn't wait for Albus' answer, prying deeper for an understanding, "Have the other kids bin unkind teh yeh? Is that it?"

Averting his eyes, Albus, focused on running his hands through the crup's fur, Archie now asleep on his lap, "Perhaps a bit," Albus mumbled, feeling rather uncomfortable about admitting it.

Hagrid's face twisted in displeasure, slamming a fist on the table which startled Archie awake from his nap, "Oh those lousy gits are jus' jealous. Jealous o' you and yer father cos' yer famous. They can't be yeh so they tease yeh instead."

It became clear to Albus that Hagrid didn't have the full extent of his story. Albus had always gotten fairly good marks in Care for Magical Creatures, which meant, in Hagrid's eyes, Albus was just as good of a student as his brother and sister--or even his father. Isolated in his hut by the forest, Hagrid was far from the gossip and the teasing that took place inside the castle corridors

"I don't think it's that exactly. It's more....Er--its just that I'm," Albus struggled to find a good way to put it. "Well, I'm rubbish at magic." He finally said bluntly.

Hagrid looked bewildered by the statement, "Rubbish? Albus, the son o' Harry Potter, rubbish? I don' buy that."

Frowning, Albus clutched his teacup tighter in his hand, "More like Albus Potter, the Slytherin Squib," He grumbled.

"Squib?" Hagrid's face fell, his voice softening. "Now who's bin sayin' that teh yeh?"

Putting his cup of tea down on the table, Albus slumped back in his chair, which was more difficult than it seemed, being that the chair was half-giant sized, "Some of the kids in my year. They've been calling me that since first year..." Albus admitted, crossing his arms across his chest.

Besides Scorpius, he'd never really talked about the cruel nickname to anyone else. Over the course of his years at Hogwarts, he'd learned to ignore the insult but that didn't stop it from bothering him.

It had started as just a snicker from the back of the classroom one day in Charms towards the end of his first year. Snickers turned to jeers and jeers grew to taunts until Albus Potter and Slytherin Squib became synonymous. He remembered being twelve and wondering if what they said was true--that he wasn't a wizard after all. That Hogwarts had made a mistake, or worse--his father had somehow bribed him into Hogwarts. Scorpius insisted that it was impossible, that Albus was just as magical as everyone else at school, but Albus was never fully convinced. The thought still kept him up at night to this day.

Over time, Albus' sadness turned to anger. He wanted to prove himself--and prove everyone wrong. He tried harder in his lessons, put more effort into studying, and even did finished all his homework. But somehow when it came to working with his wand, this always seemed to go awry. Spells would backfire, objects would break, or only a few dull sparks would fly out--that is, if anything happened at all. Finally, Albus just had to accept that no matter how hard he tried, he'd always be the Slytherin Squib.

Hagrid let out a sigh, shaking his head, "Now that ain' right. That ain' right at all..."

"Sometimes I wonder," Albus continued, stroking the sleeping crup on his lap for comfort, "if maybe it's true. Maybe I just wasn't meant to do magic."

"No," Hagrid said firmly, "I don' wanna hear none of that. Yer just as much a wizard as your father was, I'll tell yeh that." He waved his finger at Albus, "An' you wanna know how I know?" Hagrid pointed to where Albus sat.

Albus looked down at the dog-like creature curled up on his lap, sleeping peacefully as if he'd known Albus all his life.

"Archie there is a crup. Now them crups don' take well teh the non-magical folk, they don'. May not look it, but ferocious creatures they become when approached by muggles. But Archie likes yeh. That's how I know yeh've got magic runnin' through yer veins. Strong magic, at that."

Running his fingers slowly through the fur of the crup, Albus couldn't find the words to respond to Hagrid. He kept facing down at Archie, processing the information and trying to swallow the lump in his throat as he bit his cheek, hoping that Hagrid wouldn't see the tears welling in his eyes. He'd wanted and wished for a sign all these years--a sign he was meant to be here after all. Something to show him that he had the potential to be a good wizard and that his name-calling peers were wrong about him. And here it was, in the form of an innocent-looking terrier.

"I know how hard it can be, not bein' able teh do magic as yer s'posed to," Hagrid glanced over to the pink umbrella propped up by the fireplace, "But what's important is that yeh got people who believe in yeh. I had Albus Dumbledore, bless him. And yeh? Yeh got yer dad--an' me o' course. An' I can't forget your little friend Malfoy. With a bit o' faith, yeh can do great things, Albus, I'm sure o' it." Hagrid reached out across the table to give Albus a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Hagrid," Albus spoke in a wobbly voice, "I needed that."

A smile spread across Hagrid's face, "Anytime, Albus. Kids'll say the nastiest of things sometimes. I remembered yer aunt coming teh me after being called that ruddy muggle-born slur. Believe it was actually yer friend's father." He noted with pursed lips.

Albus knew that his family had a bad past with Draco and the Malfoy family, but hearing that he called his aunt such a horrible word put a bad taste in his mouth. Sure, Draco has changed for the better but that didn't cancel out all his mistakes. Albus had a lot of respect for Mr. Malfoy but there were times when he could understand why his father distrusted him so strongly.

"How is he, by the way? Yer mate Scorpius? He's always bin a good kid. Splendid student, he is. Not at all like his weasel of a father, that's fer sure."

The mention of his best friend reminded Albus why he'd come to Hagrid's in the first place. The cogs in his mind started revolving again as he concocted what to say to Hagrid, "Scorpius is good. Spends a lot of his time reading. He's gotten into reading The Daily Prophet recently," Albus told Hagrid, starting to spin a tale. If he was going to do this properly, he couldn't have Hagrid growing suspicious of his intentions.

"Oh?" Hagrid raised an eyebrow, sipping his tea.

"He's considering going into journalism. Investigative journalism, to be specific," Albus lied. Part of him felt bad about lying to Hagrid but he saw it more as a means to an end, rather than cruel dishonesty.

"Really? Doesn' seem like the sort teh be into that sort o' thing."

Albus shrugged, sticking to his story, "Just an interest he developed recently. Especially after reading so much about the murders. Truly fascinating stuff."

Hagrid grimaced, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "Rather grim, don' yeh think?" He didn't sound eager to talk about it.

"Of course! But he's mostly interested in the people themselves. As in, why they might haven been chosen."

"Chosen! I don' think anyone chose teh be killed!" He scoffed.

Albus bit his lip, trying to rephrase, "No, no, not like that. As in why they could have been targetted."

"Yeh think they were targetted?"

Albus grew worried that Hagrid might be catching on--that there was more behind the story--so he started to hurry along to his point.

"I dunno, it's possible," Albus shrugged, moving on, "He was most sad to hear about Septima Vector. He heard she was a well respected Hogwarts professor. Real shame what happened." Albus sipped his now lukewarm tea trying to act natural. He didn't want to sound like he was interrogating.

Hagrid's face fell and Albus began to feel bad for prying. He wasn't trying to be malicious. He just wanted to hear what another professor might have to say about the former Hogwarts teacher. Any insight could be of use when trying to figure out a motive.

"Did you know her?" Albus asked, with a hint of hesitance.

With a sigh, Hagrid's eyes drifted out the window, looking over the grounds, "Course I knew her. Brilliant witch, she was. Dumbledore spoke highly o' her." Hagrid folded his hands as his gaze became more solemn, "But the war took a real toll on her. Wasn't really the same after. Took a year off teh recover but still had teh retire early."

"She fought bravely, she did," Hagrid nodded with respect. "Almost lost her life tryin' teh save many o' the students/ But..." His voices faded out as he bowed his head, his face getting lost in his beard.

Albus leaned forward, "But?"

Hagrid heaved a hefty sigh before finishing, "But she couldn' save 'em all."

"You mean...?" Albus didn't need to finish as Hagrid nodded.

"Think that was what hurt her the most. Comin' back to Hogwarts was hard fer her. I s'pose she must've remembered all that were lost. I know we all did."

"But," Albus thought back to what he'd learned about the war in History of Magic lessons, "I didn't hear about a lot of students dying." He knew of a few, which his dad had mentioned, a girl named Lavender and a boy named Collin, both having significance to him. But his father didn't talk about the war much when he could help it, and most textbooks left out the names of the dead, focusing on the major events instead.

"Well yeh must've heard 'bout the Fallen Fifty? Rekon 'bout half of 'em were students," Hagrid's voice grew softer and he sniffed, sounding on the verge of tears.

Immediately, Albus felt a pang in his chest, feeling horrible for bringing Hagrid to the edge of tears. The half-giant always seemed like such a cheery fellow, Albus didn't stop to think of how the death of his colleague or the memories of the war might have affected him. Albus decided it was time to stop prying but he felt as if he'd dug himself into a ditch. He needed a way out but he couldn't just leave Hagrid in such a sombre mood.

On his lap, Archie stirred, letting out a little snore as he adjusted his sleeping position. Albus scratched the crup's ear softly, looking down at the creature for an idea.

"So..." Albus awkwardly tried to change the subject, "Why don't you tell me more about crups?"

Hagrid's head perked up slightly, "What do yeh want teh know 'bout 'em?"

"Um," Albus' eyes fell on the twin tails of the creature, "Why does it have two tails?"

Hagrid seemed more upbeat as he began to share some of his expertise, distracted from thoughts of the war, "Ah, well yeh can't tell no one but it actually ain't s'posed teh. Ministry requires owners teh remove the second one teh blend in with the muggle dogs. But I jus' couldn' do that teh Archie here. That's what makes the crup special."

After a while of listening to Hagrid explain the origin of crups, their dietary needs, and a rather gruesome tale of a muggle getting attacked by what he believed was his lost pet, Albus decided it was time to get going. He'd already missed his Herbology lesson and he knew Scorpius would give him a lecture if he found out Albus had been late to Charms as well.

"Well it was sure nice teh see yeh again, Albus," Hagrid smiled as he wished him off at the doorstep.

"You too, Hagrid. Thank you for the tea--and the company," He added. While he'd only decided to visit the hut in hopes of getting more information on Professor Vector, Albus couldn't help but feel thankful he'd gotten to catch up with Hagrid. He'd always felt much more like family than just an old friend--like the second grandfather that he didn't have.

"An' don' let those kids bring yeh down, Albus. Yer a strong wizard, just like yeh parents were. Remember that." Hagrid gave Albus a reassuring wink.

Albus' lips tweaked into a smile as he started his trek back up to the school, turning back to give Hagrid one last wave before he returned to a much less welcoming place.

Chapter Text

"That's all he said?" Rose hung on to every word Albus whispered to her in their Charms lesson. Her eyes darted to the side, trying to analyze the information she was told.

They sat next to each other, pretending to focus on the spell they were supposed to be practising. Rose was able to flick her wand about, casting the spell with little effort as her brain was elsewhere, thinking about Septima Vector and the case. Albus, on the other hand, didn't even bother to lift his wand, instead, sitting with an open textbook that he didn't even glance at.

He nodded, "Yep, just that she felt horrible about the loss of students in the war. That's why she took the year off before she returned to teach."

Rose's lips pursed in displeasure, "Well that's not very helpful. We already figured that much out ourselves. You should have asked him more about the recent years before she retired! Or perhaps if she had any relation to Terry Boot."

Albus huffed with a roll of his eyes, "Well sorry I didn't come prepared to give a proper interrogation." It seemed like the only way to please Rose would be to come with the case already solved. "He seemed upset, I didn't want to pry further."

"It will have to do. Perhaps I can owl my mother...maybe she will have some information," Rose thought aloud.

"Won't she suspect something?"

Rose shrugged, "I don't think she'd got the time to be suspicious. Besides, she's used to my questions by now. My dad always says I inherited her curiosity. She probably won't bat an eye."

They stifled their voices as they noticed professor Flitwick's eye on them from where he stood, observing the class.

"Staying on task, are we, Mr Potter and Miss Granger-Weasley?" His eyebrow quirked up at them.

Rose nodded, putting on a most innocent smile, "Of course, Professor."

Professor Flitwick wasn't convinced as his weighted gaze fell upon Albus, "Mr Potter, you do understand that this charm does, in fact, require a wand--unless you've suddenly mastered the ability of wandless magic. Then, of course, I stand corrected and would be impressed by the advanced skill you seem to have obtained."

Albus' face reddened as he picked up his wand to begin an attempt at the spell. He heard someone snickering a few seats over and was unsurprised to see Matthias and Tristian, entertained by his embarrassment. Next to them, Magnolia caught his eye and gave Albus an apologetic look before turning back to her own work.

Albus picked up his textbook, propping it up so it stood up to cover his shame and the fact that he had no intention of practising the spell. He knew he'd never be able to replicate it the way Rose could.

"In the meantime," Rose spoke in an even softer whisper, her eyes trained on her textbook to avoid getting called out by Flitwick again. "I think it's time we move on from Professor Vector and start focusing on the other victims. Maybe we can find out how they are all linked."

Albus nodded, "Sure. Hopefully, we can find some more on them."

"There's got to be something. Some sort of string that will tie them all together. It just can't be random."

Albus glanced back over to Magnolia, where she was chatting with Margot Creevy. He recalled what she said about the group of bad wizards that might be behind the death of Terry Boot. Perhaps he could ask her more about it--although Rose would surely protest getting any sort of help from Magnolia.

Albus let out a sudden gasp as an idea struck him. The surrounding students jumped slightly, glaring at him before returning to their work.

"What is it?" Rose implored.

"I know how we might be able to get some information about Terry Boot."

"Oh? Do tell," Rose urged him on, momentarily forgetting that she was supposed to be doing her charms work. Albus' realisation was far more important.

"The girl I tutor in Potions is friends with Amanda. She'll surely know something, right?" So far, Albus had only had two revision sessions with Ophelia but he already felt comfortable with her--almost as if they could become friends. With another tutoring session or two, he might be able to work up the courage to inquire about her friend.

Rose smiled, excited that their investigation was back on track, "Perfect. You get on that and I will start looking into Kristoffer Parr."

They agreed to meet later as Professor Flitwick dismissed the lesson. As they started down the corridor, Albus heard the patter of footsteps behind him then a soft tap on his shoulder.

"Huh?" He and Rose turned to see Magnolia, greeting them with her usual pearly smile. Rose's face twisted as if she'd caught a whiff of a skunk.

"Sorry, I don't mean to disturb you," Magnolia eyes furrowed at Rose's reaction before she returned her attention to Albus, "I just noticed you were having some trouble back there in Charms."

"Oh, er...right," Albus bit his lip. It was obvious that Charms wasn't his strong suit. He considered it pure luck that he'd even gotten a high enough O.W.L. mark to take the subject at a N.E.W.T. level. He'd only continued the subject because of his mum's insistence that Charms would be an important subject to have when looking for a future career.

"Well," Magnolia clutched her textbooks tighter to her chest as she swayed slightly as she spoke, "My offer to help you revise still stands. After all you do to help me in Potions, its the least I can do."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Rose cross her arms, visibly displeased with Magnolia's advances.

Albus ignored his cousin, not sensing anything wrong with Magnolia offering to help him. He didn't understand the grudge he had against Magnolia; she was perfectly pleasant, if not a bit daft at times. The only fault Albus could see was the friends she chose to associate with.

He caught sight of the group of them waiting for Magnolia. Matthias' stare burned into Albus, and he quickly looked away.

Part of him wanted to refuse Magnolia's offer, knowing their two different levels of popularity seemed to mix like oil and water. But the other part of him saw the potential benefits involved--a better knowledge of Charms could come in handy when working the case.

The latter part of him won, "I'd like that," He said to Rose's disgust. Magnolia's face brightened.

"I could help you with Charms just as well," Rose piped us, trying to rescue him. But Albus didn't need saving.

Magnolia shot Rose a quick glare before she composed herself and spoke in an overly sweetened tone, "That's so kind of you Rose, but it's really no trouble. I'm sure you're busy with Quidditch and being a Prefect and all."

Albus sensed the tension between the two of them and quickly decided to step in, not wanting to end up in the middle of their catfight.

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Rose. It's fine. Really," He tried to reassure her. She pursed her lips but stepped down, not wanting to escalate things further.

"Wonderful," Magnolia grabbed his arm, tugging him forward, "We were just headed to the library now!"

"Now?" Albus gulped, stumbling forward as she pulled him away from Rose.

Magnolia paused, "If that's alright with you of course."

Albus bit his lip, "Uh, yeah sure." He shot Rose an apologetic look as Magnolia began to move him in the direction of where her friends waited.

Albus thought he heard Rose mutter something about "boys..." with a roll of her eyes before turning on her heel to storm off in the other direction.

"Right then," Magnolia beamed at her friends, who were giving Albus quizzical looks, glancing between him and her. "Shall we be off?"

---

The revising session didn't end up being as helpful as Albus hoped--but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy it.

At first, his stomach had begun to tumble about inside him, his skin crawling at the thought of having to spend time with the very group of students who seemed to want to make his entire existence at Hogwarts miserable. But he quickly realised that none of them--even Ryker and Matthias--would dare make any jabs at Albus while Magnolia was there next to him. Although, he still never felt truly at ease, catching a Matthias' sharp glare every time he looked in his direction, clearly unhappy with the new bond Magnolia seemed to be growing with Albus.

Albus tried to keep his distance from Matthias, choosing the furthest seat away from him when they reached the library, instead, sitting between Magnolia and Margot. Soon after they arrived, they were joined by more of their friends, Georgia, Tristian, and a Ravenclaw girl called Hollie.

Their library session began with them opening their Charms textbooks but that seemed to be the only time they touched them. The conversation quickly moved from drought charms to what couple at Hogwarts just broke up.

Albus listened in as they went on about teachers they disliked, gossiped about other students, and told stories from their summer holidays.

Although he didn't contribute, he didn't mind sitting in on their conversation. He found himself enjoying the chat, chuckling at the banter as they teased each other and made sarcastic comments. He'd never had a group of friends before--only Scorpius. The new dynamic was fun and, for once, he felt included in something more. He never knew was it was like and never expected that he would actually have a good time.

Every so often, Magnolia would glance over at him, as if she was checking that he was having a good time. He'd return her glance with a small smile to indicate that he was still comfortable. That seemed to give her relief and she would go back to enthusiastically chatting with her friends.

Albus watched as her face lit up when she told them about the trip she took to Spain, using wide hand gestures to emphasise her points. When she laughed, her eyes squeezed shut as she leaned back in her chair, taking in the moment. When she was listening intently, she'd stare at the speaker, absentmindedly twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. Every so often she'd give a small nod or "mhmm" as she absorbed the conversation.

Maybe Magnolia wasn't so bad after all. Albus didn't understand why he'd felt so opposed to her in the first place. Or why Rose seemed to have such a deep hatred toward her.

The more he got to know her, the more he began to feel comfortable. Maybe he even liked her. Whether it was in a platonic or romantic way, he couldn't be sure. He'd never really understood girls. He knew Magnolia was pretty--everyone said so. But Albus had never any strong feelings towards her, at least not in the way the other boys at school seemed to.

Albus shrugged off the thoughts, for now, focusing in on the current conversation. Listening to Magnolia's friend's conversations felt like watching a game of Quidditch. The ball was passed back and forth so quickly as people chimed in to give their take on the story. He struggled to keep up with all the names in their stories, feeling like he was overhearing a conversation between James and their mum about certain Quidditch players. But Albus found the drama far more interesting than any sports match, so he tried his best to keep up.

Magnolia and her friends were so engrossed in their discussion of an argument that had taken place between a seventh year and Professor Sinestra, atop the astronomy tower, that they hadn't noticed someone walking up behind them.

There was a soft clearing of someone's throat as a girl murmured, "Excuse me."

All eyes turned to the girl, her round cheeks turning pink as she teetered back and forth on the balls of her feet.

Magnolia let out a groan, uncharacteristic for her, who always seemed to maintain a perky attitude, "What do you want, Ophelia?"

In the little time that Albus had known Ophelia through their revision sessions, he'd never seen her look so shy. Normally bubbly and talkative, now Ophelia seemed to shrink back lightly, her fingers playing with her hair as if she was nervous. Despite this, she still spoke strongly, her chin jutted out slightly to appear more confident than she seemed to be projecting otherwise.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be a bother, but--"

"Can't you see we are trying to have a conversation here?" Magnolia's brows lowered at the fifth-year, cutting her off sharply.

Jarred by the sudden shift in mood, Albus couldn't figure out why Magnolia had turned so cold--especially to sweet Ophelia. Even with Rose, who clearly disliked her, Magnolia managed to maintain her smile with. He'd never seen either girl act like this before. Perhaps he didn't know them as well as he thought he did.

Ophelia placed her hands on her hips, regaining some of the determined attitude Albus knew her to have.

"Well, perhaps if you didn't leave every time I tried to talk to you in the common room, I wouldn't have had to interrupt, would I?"

Albus glanced around at the faces of Magnolia's friends, who all seemed to share her bitterness towards Ophelia. Hollie leaned over to whisper something to Tristian who sniggered. Albus clearly was missing out on a critical piece of information about what was happening between the two girls.

"Right, well get on with it then," Magnolia huffed with a wave of her hand.

Ophelia looked pleased with her little victory, finally getting the time to speak, "Dad's wondering why you haven't returned any of his letters."

Albus' eyes darted between the two girls and he couldn't help but blurt, "Wait, you two are--?"

Ophelia smiled when she noticed Albus sitting by Magnolia, but her smiled quickly faltered as she glanced around at who he was with, "Sisters," She confirmed.

"Half-sisters," Magnolia corrected sourly and thinks started to click into place for Albus. He suddenly recalled the conversation he had with Magnolia about her father leaving her mother just before her birth. But he never expected Ophelia to have any relation to Magnolia.

They looked nothing alike. Magnolia's features much more sharp and sultry, her dark brown hair notably straighter than Ophelia's golden waves. Ophelia's face reminded Albus of a cherub's, soft and round, whereas Magnolia's cheekbones were far more defined on her diamond-shaped face. The only quality they seemed to share was the blueness of their eyes--a striking sky blue, rimmed with a much darker tone that seemed to make the colour pop even more, a detail Albus never would have noticed had the familial relation never been revealed to him.

"Tell your father to stop wasting his time. I don't need him to write me letters like I'm some homesick first year." Magnolia crossed her arms against her chest, shifting in her chair so Ophelia spoke to the side of her face.

"He's only trying to be nice. He cares about you and wants to know how you are." Ophelia tried to reason with her.

"Oh please, he didn't care enough to be there for my own birth!"

Albus was no longer feeling so comfortable, starting to wonder if this is what he sounded like to his siblings when he was bickering with their dad. Magnolia's friends were clearly sharing Albus' feelings, sitting awkwardly as they watched the show.

Of all people, Albus was surprised to see Matthias step up to try and ease the tension, "Okay, I feel like this discussion would be better suited for the common room before Madame Pince pounces on us."

Ophelia looked as if she wasn't finished with what she had to say but she shut her mouth, lifting her chin higher in the air, "Fine, I will see you later then, Magnolia."

"Just leave us alone," Magnolia grumbled.

Ophelia sighed, unaccomplished, but trudged off towards the door.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Magnolia took a deep breath, shutting her eyes before her lips curled into her more usual smile.

"Sorry, you had to witness that, Albus," Magnolia finally broke the silence.

He didn't quite know how to respond, feeling sorry for having put his siblings through such similar situations. He started to understand their frustration. Being around that kind of familial tension was uncomfortable.

"We're used to it by now," Georgia addressed Albus for the first time.

"The audacity," Margot shook her head, "Just walking over and interrupting us like that."

"So rude," Hollie agreed, teaming up to side with Magnolia.

Albus felt torn. He didn't know Ophelia all that well--or Magnolia for that matter--but she always seemed so pleasant and likeable. Part of him could understand why Magnolia harboured resentment towards her half-sister, but the other part thought she could have handled the situation a lot better. Her dad obviously wanted to talk to Magnolia and maybe he was trying to make things right.

A bitter taste filled Albus' mouth as he was struck with his own memories of his dad trying to apologise to him. All the post he ignored or tore up without bothering to read them. They'd all been from his parents just trying to reach out to him. Maybe he'd been acting irrationally. Perhaps he should have sympathised more when his father came to visit him at Hogwarts rather than seeing it just as another way to torment him.

Or maybe Magnolia had a point? Albus reckoned she had good reason to ignore her father after he abandoned his family. Could Albus' father's treatment of him justify Albus' actions?

The ugly feeling of guilt started to creep up his back. Albus stood up suddenly, trying to shake the feeling.

"I should really get going." He gathered his books, knowing Matthias and Ryker would probably find some satisfaction in him leaving.

"So soon?" Magnolia frowned.

"Yeah, sorry, I just--there's something I gotta do." Albus hurried away before she could protest.

"See ya, Peewee Potter," Ryker called out as he left, only to recieve a harsh shushing from Madame Pince as she whisked by him, with a smack upside the head.

Normally that would have given Albus some satisfaction, but he had too much on his mind. He'd made it out into the corridor, heading in the direction of the staircase to the dungeons when someone grabbed his arm.

"Wait, Albus!" Magnolia stopped him, spinning him to face her. Sympathy filled her blue eyes--ones that Albus couldn't help but associate with Ophelia now.

"Sorry, I just felt bad. I hope I didn't scare you off."

Albus shook his head, "No, it's fine really." It was a small fib. It had made him slightly more wary of Magnolia. He wasn't sure who to side with, knowing that both girls otherwise seemed so nice. It was a side of Magnolia that he'd never seen before--harsh and bitter.

Magnolia gave him a weak smile, knowing he wasn't being fully truthful.

She paused before saying, "Are you heading back to the common room? Mind if I tag along?"

Albus shrugged, wishing he could be by himself but not wanting to further upset Magnolia. They walked in silence for a small while before she finally spoke up, her tone soft, eyes staring off ahead of her.

"I told you about how I don't get along with my father." It was a statement, not a question. She continued, "But I never mentioned Ophelia. Do you know her?"

"Only a little," He decided to leave out the fact that they met weekly and that he almost considered her a friend. He was starting to wonder if he'd been right all these years to keep his walls up and not make a lot of friends at Hogwarts. It seemed like you could never truly know someone. The only person who he ever really felt close to was Scorpius. He held no secrets from him and neither did Scorpius--at least as far as Albus was aware.

"Ah, well you obviously didn't realise we were related," Magnolia said with a nod.

"To be fair, I never knew her surname or anything like that."

"I try not to be associated with her. Most people never know unless they hear our name. Unfortunately, that's the one thing I can't avoid." Magnolia waved her hand through the air, as if swatting a fly--a nuisance that was beyond her control.

Albus could relate the feeling of not wanting people to know his surname. Although, he didn't have the benefit that Magnolia and Ophelia had of looking nothing alike. He'd always considered his own appearance a curse--he could never get away from being associated with Harry Potter when his own face was a dead giveaway.

"Truth is," Magnolia sighed, "Ophelia is the reason my father left my mother and I. He was having an affair and left my mother just before my own birth to be with the woman he knocked up. If it hadn't been for Ophelia, I might have had a father. And my mother wouldn't have been so heartbroken."

At a loss for words, Albus just nodded. He didn't think he had the right to speak. He had his own family issues but this situation was far more complicated than he felt comfortable giving input on.

Luckily, Magnolia didn't seem to need a response from him, "I don't care about my father and that he left. It's my poor mother who never really recovered. She's lost a lot in her life and she's never really been the same since she lost him too. She tells me that a lot. We are really close, you see. I know everything that happened."

"Does Ophelia?" Albus finally spoke, asking with hesitance.

"Oh, I'm sure she believes whatever lies he told her," Magnolia rolled her eyes. "He tried to make us play together when we were little. He tried to tell me that she was my sister. But I knew better. She was never my sister, just like that man was never my father."

Albus nodded solemnly. They finished the rest of the walk in silence until they reached the common room and Albus gave the password. The common room was mostly empty besides a few second-years playing wizard's chess and a fourth-year reading by the window. Albus noticed Scorpius, sitting on the couch by the hearth, his eyes scanning over a textbook, only to be torn away by the slamming of the door behind Albus.

When he saw Albus, Scorpius perked up, but his smile faltered slightly when he was Magnolia beside him. Albus started to head in Scorpius' direction when Magnolia place a hand on his shoulder to stop him for a moment.

"Thanks for listening, Albus," She spoke softly, "I feel like you're one of the few people I can really trust."

Before he could react, she leaned in slightly to give him a peck on the cheek, which quickly flushed red. His eyes darted to Scorpius, who wore an expression that Albus couldn't quite identify: part confused, part surprised, and a twinge of disappointment that seemed to flicker in his eye. Scorpius wasn't like Rose who blatantly showed her distrust of Magnolia, but he didn't seem to love the friendship that seemed to be forming between them. Albus couldn't understand why, as Scorpius was the one who let her be his partner in potions in the first place. If anything, it was his fault.

"Thanks again, Albus," Magnolia said before she skipped off towards the dormitories, giving Scorpius a little wave as she passed.

Scorpius returned the gesture with a slightly frightened expression, not used to any attention from girls--or any of their peers for that matter.

Albus stayed in his place for a moment, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Never in a million years would he have ever guessed at the start of term that he and Magnolia would ever even speak, let alone grow close enough that she'd kiss him on the cheek. Perhaps Rose was right after all about Magnolia fancying him. But Albus still found it hard to believe that any girl--especially a girl as popular and pretty as Magnolia--would like him in a romantic way. Albus didn't know how to feel about it. Part of him felt like he should be flattered but the other part couldn't help but feel discomforted by the thought.

He finally was able to unfreeze himself, making his way slowly over to Scorpius, trying to shake the weird feeling he had. Something about the kiss didn't sit right with him--and he could tell Scorpius felt the same.

"So uhh..." Scorpius swallowed, slightly paler than usual, "Magnolia?"

Albus shook his head, taking the seat next to his friend, "It's nothing. I--uh--I don't know why she did that."

Scorpius scratched the back of his neck, "I mean, that's cool, right? She's really pretty. And nice, I s'ppose." The whole conversation felt awkward, not like their usual easygoing chats and banter, or even their more serious conversations. They all seemed to flow naturally, both comfortable in each other's company. But this one felt disjointed and strange, it was new territory for them.

Sure they had talked about girls before--especially when Scorpius fostered a massive crush on Rose in their fourth year. But it wasn't a frequent conversation or something they ever took too seriously. Albus was under the impression that no one at Hogwarts like him period, let alone romantically. He couldn't even be sure he'd ever had a proper crush on anyone.

"Do you...er, like her?" Scorpius asked, with a slight cough in the middle, as if he'd become parched suddenly.

Albus shrugged, "I dunno. Should I?" He couldn't determine how he felt about Magnolia, everything inside him felt a bit muddled and confused at the moment. He didn't have many friendships to compare it to. He and Rose were cousins, so there was nothing more than that in their friendship, but she was his only real female friend. As for his friendship with Scorpius? Albus was sure nothing would feel the same as that. The feeling of glee that filled him when they hung out or the way his heart pounded when he saw his face after a long summer apart. Scorpius was the only real friend he ever had. Nothing he had with Magnolia could compare to what he had with Scorpius.

"I don't think you need my approval on that," Scorpius let out a squeaky laugh.

Albus tried to shake his confused thoughts of Magnolia and Scorpius out of his head, "I came here to do something," he thought aloud.

Scorpius looked around as if he could somehow help in finding Albus' lost train of thought.

"Oh, right!" It struck him as he thought back to the scene between the two sisters. "Scorpius, can I borrow your quill?"

"Go ahead," Scorpius said, gesturing to the feather sitting in the pot of ink where Scorpius had been taking notes.

Albus pulled a piece of parchment from his bag, grabbing the quill to scribble out a heading.

"Dear Mum and Dad," He wrote.

He paused to think of exactly what to say. There was so much on his mind. He didn't know how to condense it all into one letter. Instead, he settled on two little words that summarized it all.

"I'm sorry."

Chapter Text

Every footstep echoed against the empty corridor walls as Albus darted around the twists and turns of the Hogwarts dungeons. Breathing heavily, Albus' ears were flooded by the whoosh of the air passing by him and the thudding of his pounding heart. It wasn't until he came to a skidding halt in the potions classroom--almost slamming into one of the tables--that he finally got the chance to catch his breath.

Ophelia jumped at his sudden entrance, her eyes widening as she dropped the vial she was holding. With sharp reflexes, she managed to catch the glass vial before it rolled off the table, saving it from the impending fate of shattering on the floor.

"Sorry. I'm. Late." Albus puffed out between breaths. He'd run all the way from the library when he realised he was late for the revision session. Once again, he'd be caught up in his research sessions with Rose and Scorpius. They hadn't progressed much since he'd spoken with Hagrid, but Albus kept holding out hope for a breakthrough. Plus, he enjoyed spending the time with his friends in the library. It distracted him from the other problems in his life--he hardly ever thought about his troubles with his father or the relentless teasing from his peers when he was with Scorpius and Rose. It was as if had formed their own little bubble shielding them from the outside world.

Sure, Albus and Scorpius were still targeted for teasing but their new association with Rose gave them more power and protection. No one gave them a hard time in the corridors if Rose was with them. And it didn't feel like the sudden immunity Albus had when he was with Magnolia and her friends--that still felt awkward and uncomfortable, as if he could still feel the hostile tension around them even when nothing was said. One wrong move and everyone might turn against him. But with Rose, Albus felt welcomed--comfortable even.

It was easy for him to get caught up in that feeling, using their bubble to block out the real world. But doing that was dangerous, as the real world around them didn't stop. Their research would have to be pushed aside to focus on their real responsibilities, which was difficult for Albus to accept. All too often he found himself jotting down theories while his mind wandered to the case instead of doing his homework. Or he'd entirely lose track of time, leading him to almost miss his revision session with Ophelia

Ophelia had already gotten started, continuing the revision session despite Albus' absence. After his frantic entrance, she immediately went back to work, stirring the potion that bubbled over the flame. She stared intently into the cauldron, avoiding looking in his direction.

Albus sensed something was wrong when Ophelia didn't greet him, her perkiness no longer present. He took his seat next to Ophelia and peered over her shoulder to see what page of the textbook she was on. As Albus leaned closer, Ophelia tensed up.

"Sorry again for being late," Albus rubbed the back of his neck, wondering it his tardiness had irritated Ophelia that much.

"It's fine," She muttered softly, not looking up. Something was definitely wrong.

In the three short weeks Albus had known Ophelia, he'd never know her to be meek. Even when she confronted Magnolia in front of her friends, she had stood her ground. Normally, Ophelia was full of life, happy to spend the hour-long session chatting with Albus whilst they worked. Albus had even grown to enjoy the time. Potions was always enjoyable for him, especially when he had a friend.

Albus wanted to know what had gotten to Ophelia to dampen her mood so much. Unfortunately for him, he was bad at confrontation.

"So uh...what're you working on?" He said awkwardly.

She turned the textbook in his direction so he could see the recipe, "Draught of peace," she told him flatly.

"Ah, that's a tough one..." Albus' voice felt weak as the silence seemed to grow louder around them.

Albus nodded as he scanned over the page, his eyes flickering up every so often to gage Ophelia's mood. Her usually bright eyes were shadowed by the waves of hair that framed her face, hiding behind it like a curtain.

Ophelia must have felt Albus' gaze as she let out a breathy sigh, sitting up straight as she set down the wooden spoon she'd been using to stir the potion. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she turned to face Albus but still couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye.

"I didn't realise you were friends with Magnolia..." She said in a quiet voice but Albus could hear a hint of bitterness.

Albus was thrown off by the statement. He'd never really considered himself to be friends with Magnolia--acquaintances maybe but friends, no.

"Magnolia? No, no. We're not friends. At least, I don't think we are? I mean...Well, it's complicated." Albus scratched his head, fumbling with his sentences. Even he wasn't sure entirely what their relationship was. He'd never seen himself being friends with Magnolia but when she kissed him on his cheek the other day, his understanding of their relationship seemed to get confused.

Ophelia's lips pursed slightly, "Oh? When I saw you with her friends in the library I just assumed."

The pieces started fitting together for Albus, "Ah, right. I reckon that would send the wrong message..." He went on to clarify, "Magnolia and I work together in Potions--her idea, really. Then she invited me to the library to revise for Charms. Except there wasn't a lot of revising. I was just sort of, there. You know?" Albus bit his lip, realising just how terrible he was at explaining things. He didn't mind spending the time with Magnolia and her friends as much as he thought he would, but he certainly didn't qualify that time as being with friends.

"So...you're not friends with my sister?" Ophelia raised an eyebrow, trying to follow along with what he was getting at.

"No," Albus answered firmly before second-guessing himself--maybe he shouldn't be so confident about not being friends with her sister. "Well, not exactly."

Ophelia's lips hinted at a smile before she turned back to her potion, sprinkling in some iridescent powder that changed the potion's colour.

"I can't say I'm not relieved," She finally said, putting down the jar of powder.

Albus cocked his head, "Why?" He knew the relationship between the sisters was strained but Ophelia didn't seem like the type to judge his choice in friends.

She shook her head whilst trying to go back to focusing on the potion, "I really shouldn't get into it. It's my own drama to deal with, I don't want to unload it onto you."

But Albus' curiosity was piqued. He'd heard Magnolia's side of the story but never Ophelia's. Magnolia had explained her complicated relationship with her absent father but Ophelia had a completely different perspective.

"I don't mind," Albus said, trying not to sound like he was prying.

Ophelia let out another soft sigh, "I shouldn't have judged you for being around my sister. I know you're better than that--at least I think you are." Nervously, she drummed her fingers on the tin lid of the jar, creating a soft metallic beat. She spoke to Albus but her voice seemed distant, her eyes gazing off to the rafters as she travelled somewhere far off in her mind.

"Better than what?"

Ophelia bit her lip as she tried to think of the right way to phrase it, "From what I understand, Magnolia and her friends can be rather...mean? Judgmental, perhaps? I dunno, they give me a bad feeling. But I don't get that with you. You seem genuine."

Albus didn't have the chance to respond to what he assumed was a compliment as Ophelia went on.

"And I should have expected that you might be friends, you being Harry Potter's kid and all and Magnolia being--well, Magnolia." She spoke aloud but more to herself than to Albus.

"Huh?" Albus wasn't following. What did his father have to do with him knowing Magnolia?

Ophelia tried to clarify her thoughts for him, "Well, you know my sister. She beautiful, confident, sociable. Everyone seems to love her. I know she's rather popular in your year. And you being related to Harry Potter must make you pretty cool as well so I'm sure she wants to be around you. She's selective with her friends. But I suppose most of us Slytherins are."

Albus let out a snort, backtracking slightly, "Me? Cool?" He couldn't help but let out a laugh but felt bad after seeing Ophelia's look of confusion.

"Sorry," Albus composed himself. Perhaps since Ophelia was in the year below, she didn't know how far from the truth she was. "But I don't think anyone at Hogwarts would consider me cool. I'm pretty much the least popular kid in Slytherin, and that's putting it lightly."

Ophelia's eyebrows furrowed, "I can't see why. I mean, I've heard rumours but when I met you I figured that's all they were. Just rumours."

"You think?" Albus was surprised he gave off that impression on Ophelia. He wasn't known for good first impressions--or good impressions at all for that matter.

"Of course! You're nice and funny. Not to mention amazing at potions. None of what I heard about you reflects that. I'd say you're cool, even if that makes me the only one."

He couldn't help but smile, it wasn't often that people referred to him with positive attributes, and when they did it was usually just to make him feel better. But Ophelia seemed to genuinely believe what she said.

"I try not to judge people's character on what I hear about them. There's no way to know what they are like until you actually get to know them." Ophelia told him. "Which is why I feel like a hypocrite for assuming the worst when I saw you with Magnolia."

"The worst? What made you assume that?" He didn't know why being friend's with Magnolia would cause Ophelia's opinion of him to change so dramatically. It wasn't as if he'd done anything more than sit at the same table as them. He hadn't even contributed to their conversation let alone considered any of them to be his friends.

"Magnolia is a totally different person at Hogwarts than she ever was growing up. My sister and I...well you've seen how we get on. It's always been like that. I've tried so hard to be her friend and make things right between us--what happened was between our parents and not us--but she never budges. I've seen the worst of her. And her friends? They've never taken too kindly to me. They've done nothing but torment me since I came to Hogwarts. They take what Magnolia says as the truth and never bother to hear my side of things." Ophelia's usual grin had long since disappeared, replaced by an out of character frown that seemed to bring the whole mood of the room down with it. "That's why I was so afraid to see you with them. I thought you might be like them and start poking fun at me too."

Albus felt his shoulder's droop with the weight in Ophelia's voice. His own memories of being bullied by Magnolia's friends flooded his conscience, knowing just how Ophelia felt. It had been so easy to repress it all when Magnolia invited him to the library as they all seemed to happy and he'd felt so good to be included. But that didn't mean he'd forgotten about the past.

"I get it," Albus nodded after a moment's silence. "Her friends can be bloody awful. I can't tell you all the horrible things they've said to my friend Scorpius and I," Albus held in a shutter.

Ophelia looked up to him with wide eyes, "They've done it to you too?"

Albus nodded, biting his lip to prevent himself from telling her more about all the times they'd picked on him. They weren't the only students at Hogwarts to pick him and Scorpius as targets, but they were some of the most prominent.

"Matthias and his friends live in my dormitory. You wouldn't believe the rubbish I've had to put up with."

Ophelia bit back a chuckle, "Heh, I can imagine." But her lips quickly twisted in perplexity, "So, why do you spend time with them?"

It was a good question. One that Albus himself hadn't thought too much about. It was never his intention to become friends with Magnolia or spend time with her friends--usually, he did everything to avoid them. But things seemed to change when she'd taken a sudden interest in him and wanted to partner up for Potions. Everything since then had been a domino effect, one thing happening after another without Albus being able to control it. But unlike in a chain of dominos, Albus could have stepped away and stopped it at any point. He could have said no to going to the library with her. Or he could have asked Professor Amatori to change seats and work with someone else. But he'd let it happen despite his impulse to say no. Perhaps it was some laziness, but it was more likely that he'd just not hated spending time with Magnolia.

"I suppose, the more time I spent with Magnolia, the more I realised she wasn't so bad. Don't get me wrong," Albus quickly added, "I can't forgive her friends for what they've said and done, but I also can't blame Magnolia for that. She's only ever been nice to me. And like you said, we should judge people without getting to know them first."

Ophelia nodded thoughtfully, "I understand. I wish things could be different between my sister and me but I think it's probably too late now. That doesn't mean you shouldn't be friends with her. I mean, as long as you're not going to start being mean to me, of course. I happen to really like these revision sessions." Ophelia brightened as she smiled at him.

Albus cracked a grin, "That will never happen, I can tell you that." He could never imagine stooping down to the level of Ryker or Matthias.

"Good," Ophelia sat up straighter as if a weight had been lifted from her back. The mood had shifted, making the air around them to seem lighter and the room to feel brighter.

Albus felt more at ease knowing that things had settled and gone back to normal between them. It felt good to blow off some steam and have a deep conversation with someone other than Scorpius for once. Although he and Ophelia had different perspectives on things, he could really relate to what she'd spoken about. Even with little details, Albus could empathise with not being liked by Magnolia's group of friends. But he was glad they could talk through it and ease the tension. He'd have hated if Ophelia thought of him as being one of them.

His train of thought was lost when he caught a whiff of a rotten odour, bringing him back into the potions classroom. His nose scrunched up as he looked into the cauldron that was now emitting the smelly bluish steam.

"I think you might have over boiled the peace draught," Albus brought Ophelia's attention back to the potion she was supposed to be practising.

Ophelia's face twisted as she noticed, quickly taking the cauldron off the flame to dispose of the spoiled potion.

Despite the failure, she let out a laugh, "I reckon we'll need to revise this one again next week, you think?."

Chapter Text

The chill of the coming winter began to roll over the grounds as November arrived at Hogwarts. The air became brisker and the wind harsher as grey clouds overhead threatened snow. Despite the cold, the clouds had yet to deliver snowfall, usually settling on an icy rain that was much more miserable than any snowstorm would have been.

Albus pulled his cloak tighter around him, nuzzling his face into the folds of his green and silver scarf as he trudged back to the castle from the greenhouses. Once inside, his shivers quickly faded with help from the flickering torches that not only provided light in the corridors but heated the stone interior of the school.

Herbology marked his last lesson on the day so Albus decided to retreat to his dormitory to strip his heavy winter layers in favour of a cosy jumper. He was relieved to find the room empty when he arrived--always thankful for the moments where he was free of Matthias and his cronies. They weren't often in the dormitory, favouring the common room or other spots around the grounds to chill with friends, but that didn't stop the ball of fear from forming in Albus' stomach every time he opened the door to their dormitory. He always worried that he'd step inside only to be face to face with Silas' ugly mug or Ryker's snide grin.

On a few occasions as younger students, Scorpius and Albus had returned to find their blankets ripped from their beds, their trunks tampered with, and toilet roll thrown across their space. The first time it happened, Scorpius ran to tell their headteacher in hopes that it would put an end to their meddling. Oh, how cruelly naive of them...

Instead of solving their problem, it only made it worse. Getting them in trouble only provoked Silas, Ryker, and Mattias more, leading to teasing Scorpius for being a telltale and Albus, a wimp who can't take a joke. And when Slytherin lost house points due to the incident, the other students placed the blame on Albus and Scorpius for going to the headteacher instead of dealing with it themselves.

After the first time when they were eleven, Albus and Scorpius stopped trying to get help from professors, in fear that somehow the blame would end up on them again. Just another thing to pick on poor Albus Potter for. Professors were never much help when it came to the bullying and Albus had to quickly grow thicker skin or else he'd never have made it this far into his schooling at Hogwarts.

But the empty dormitory posed no threat to him, making it the perfect place for him to shut himself out from the rest of the world for some peace and quiet. As Albus flopped onto his bed, the old wooden boards creaked under the sudden shift in weight. He kicked off his shoes and threw his robe across the mattress.

Leaning over the foot of his bed, he dug in his trunk for one of his winter jumpers and quickly swapped his uniform for day clothes. Before closing his trunk, he pulled out his old potions textbook from fifth-year to do some brushing up for his next revision session with Ophelia.

Lying flat on his stomach, he flipped to a random page on pepperup potions and began his reading from there. Soon enough, he was engrossed in the world of potions, his mind swirling with his own concoction of information covering everything from the properties of moonstone to brewing erumpent potion without it exploding in your face.

Potions was the one subject that Albus ever truly felt emersed in. He'd always wonder how Scorpius and Rose managed to be the top of almost every class when Albus was barely able to stay awake during them. Somehow they always seemed so motivated to learn and could absorb new information with no issue. Albus never felt so lucky--except with Potions. Potions was the one course he couldn't get enough of. Whether it was reading recipes, listening to Professor Amatori's lectures, or making the potions himself, it never felt like a chore. School was dreadful but Potions helped him get through the day.

Almost entirely focused on the book, Albus nearly didn't hear the faint creak of dormitory door opening opposite him.

"Albus Potter?" Someone gasped, "Reading a book?"

Albus didn't need to look up to see who it was, his fluctuating tone of voice being a dead giveaway.

"Very funny, Scorpius." Albus rolled his eyes, not even bothering to look up from the page, although he was no longer focused on reading.

"I never thought I'd see the day!" Scorpius exclaimed with a tease that Albus would only accept from his best friend.

Albus had never really stopped to think about Scorpius' voice. It was something so small but yet made up so much of Scorpius' character. It was a voice that could take you by surprise as it didn't seem to suit his tall thin frame or meek disposition. But it certainly embodied Scorpius' awkward nature, as it never flowed smoothly from his mouth. It bobbed around, cresting, coasting, and peaking at varied points throughout words or sentences. Sometimes it came out as barely a whisper and other times it seemed as if he were shouting for the whole world to hear. With a coarseness to it, like gravel, some would find it unpleasant when initially hearing it and it took some getting used to. Albus grew to love the quirkiness of his best friend's voice as it was truly Scorpius-y.

He couldn't describe it as high or low because it wavered in tone. When something excited Scorpius, he'd emit small squeaks that could easily be confused with his strained high-pitched quivering voice that took over when he was nervous or worked up. Contradicting the high points, Scorpius' voice dropped to a low, almost toneless, resonance when he was sad. That was the hardest for Albus to hear. The first time Albus heard Scorpius voice fall that low was their third year after Astoria passed away. Albus felt as if someone else had possessed his friend, replacing his energetic voice with something practically lifeless. But more often, Scorpius' voice sat somewhere in the middle, on the liminal space between his high and low registers, free to jump and dive in a staggering wave as Scorpius expressed himself. You could explore Scorpius' whole range of emotions just through his voice alone.

"What're you reading?" Scorpius hummed curiously as he planted himself on the bed next to Albus.

Albus sat up beside Scorpius as he looked over Albus' shoulder to look over the page he was on. Albus tried not to flinch at the warmth of Scorpius' breath against his neck, raising goosebumps up his arms even under the wool of his jumper.

"Brewing the Deflating Draught," Scorpius read the heading. "What's this for? Planning on resitting the O.W.L.s or something? You know there is no mark higher than the O you got, right?" He gave Albus a playful poke to his side, his grin widening.

"Ha, as if I'd want to put myself through that again," Albus said, closing the book and shifting his position to face him. "No, it's for my revision sessions with Ophelia."

Scorpius nodded in clarity, "Ah yes, I knew you wouldn't read for fun!"

"Oh shut up, you git," Albus lightly hit his friend's arm with the book causing Scorpius to laugh.

"Only kidding," Scorpius reassured him with a cheeky smile. "How is that going for you, by the way? You always rush off to them when we're in the library but you've never said all that much about them."

Albus shrugged, setting the book down on the bed, "They've been good. I'm glad it's just Ophelia so far. She's nice."

"That's good to hear!" He genuinely seemed to mean it, happy that his best friend found something that he enjoyed--or at least didn't hate. That was progress for the normally so pessimistic Albus.

"I always thought you'd make a good Potions professor," Scorpius admitted.

Albus blinked in surprise, "Me? A professor?" That was just about the last thing he'd ever considered. Having to stay at Hogwarts the rest of his life? It sounded like his worst nightmare--no, his worst nightmare would be dying at Hogwarts and being stuck there as a ghost. Now that would be his personal hell.

"Yeah! Why not?" Scorpius insisted. "You've got the skills for it. If I didn't have you beside me during Potions all those years, I reckon I wouldn't be doing nearly as well as I am now."

Although Albus still disagreed with the thought of himself as any sort of teacher, he felt flattered that Scorpius felt that way. But Albus knew Scorpius was more than capable of passing the class without his help.

"Oh, don't be stupid. You're doing well in Potions even without my help."

Scorpius gave a humble shrug, "Fair enough, but I did better with you there. Rose just isn't as good of a partner." He gritted his teeth, glancing around as if she could be listening and pop out of nowhere to come tell him off.

Albus chuckled under his breath as he recalled the many times he'd heard them bickering at the bench behind his.

"Well that's your own fault for making me work with Magnolia this year. Plus, I thought you, of all people, would want to work with Rose," Albus added with a teasing smirk, nudging Scorpius' shoulder.

Scorpius hid his face in his hands, "Stop! I got over that crush ages ago." He whined.

Albus let out a laugh although he was secretly glad Scorpius didn't fancy Rose anymore. In their fourth year, he'd heard enough of his lovesick rambling to last a lifetime. The crush never sat right with him. Most likely because it was his own cousin he was talking about or that Rose never reciprocated his interest. But the thought of them together was discomforting to him for a reason he couldn't completely comprehend.

"But hey," Scorpius said, directing the banter back at him, "If anything, you should be thanking me for setting you up."

"For what?" Albus didn't grasp what he was insinuating.

Scorpius shrugged, directing his gaze downwards as he picked at a string fraying off from a seam in Albus' duvet, "Well, if you ask me, Magnolia seems to fancy you."

"Oh Merlin, has Rose got you on that too?" Albus' face twisted with repellence. His cousin also seemed convinced that Magnolia was interested in him. She often pestered him about it behind her back after Potions which drove Albus mad.

"Maybe a little..."

Albus huffed, knowing there was no way that was true. Why would someone as beautiful and as popular as Magnolia want anything to do with Albus romantically?

"I mean, she kissed you, Albus," Scorpius' voice grew softer, bringing up the time they walked back to the common room together.

"On the cheek," Albus continued to deny that there was anything to it. "That doesn't mean anything!"

Scorpius rolled his eyes, pulling his knees to his chest, "You can be so oblivious sometimes, Al."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Scorpius just shook his head running his hand through his hair.

"I'll have you know that I am very observant," Albus said matter-of-factly. "They call me Albus, the eagle-eyed."

"Who has ever referred to you as that?" Scorpius let out a laugh, his mood lightening.

"Uh, all of my friends," Albus jested, acting as if it was an obvious fact. He bit his lip to stifle his laughter.

"You mean me and Rose?" Scorpius' eyebrow quirked upwards. Albus gave him a soft shove to his chest, only causing him to laugh more.

"Obviously you're the one with bad eyesight if you can't see how many friends I've got."

"Oh sure," Scorpius drawled, unconvinced.

As their chuckling died down, they sat facing each other with cheeky grins until Scorpius decided to speak up again.

"I missed this," He said, leaning back against Albus' headboard. Albus, too, sat back against the post at the foot of his bed so they sat opposite each other, legs spread out in front of them, almost brushing against each other.

"What?"

"Being with you like this. Uh...I mean the two of us. As friends." Scorpius rubbed the back of his neck, trying hard not to get tongue-tied.

Albus tilted his head, not understanding what he meant by that, "Aren't we always together? As friends?" He added.

"Right," Scorpius replied, slightly flustered as he seemed to be trying to put his feeling into words, "Well, like outside of lessons. Or doing homework. Or researching the murders in the library. I missed spending time together and just having fun like we used to."

If he was being honest, Albus had been too busy to notice that they hadn't had much time lately for them just to relax and goof about. Every year previous, it was always just him and Scorpius. But this year had already been different. It seemed as if Albus couldn't escape the drama at the start of term with his father, then came Rose and Magnolia, and researching the murders, plus Albus' tutoring. All of the time Albus got to spend with Scorpius seemed to be filled with homework or looking further into the cases. It didn't strike him as off until Scorpius mentioned it but now Albus felt as if he had been missing something for a while.

"I supposed I've just been preoccupied recently," Albus noted. "But I've missed this too."

"We-ell," Scorpius' pitch rose and fell as he dragged out the word.

Tensing, Albus sensed that this would be leading into something, "What?"

Scorpius began to speak quickly, his words almost blending into one another, "I know you don't really like it but there's a trip to Hogsmeade this weekend and I wanted to go and I want you to come with me but like only if you want."

Albus held up a hand to stop him, "Woah, slow down there. Hogsmeade?"

Albus hadn't been to Hogsmeade in at least a year--possibly two. He tried to avoid the weekend trips if he could After he'd burned his initial permission form at the start of third-year, his father had owled in a new one to Headmistress McGonagall in hopes that Albus would go and find it enjoyable. And even then, Albus had only begrudgingly agreed to go when Scorpius had begged and dragged him along. It had been almost exactly what Albus had expected: a cramped old village overrun with Hogwarts students. He saw enough of the students during the week in the castle, he didn't need to see them outside the school grounds too.

"I really want to go before the Christmas holidays and before it gets too cold. I need to buy my dad a gift for Christmas and I'm almost out of sweets that I brought from home so I have to go to Honeydukes. We don't have to stay long if you don't want to but just for an hour or two." Scorpius gave Albus his pleading puppy-dog eyes that he was ever so good at.

Although Albus still wasn't thrilled about taking a trip to the village, he supposed he could muster up the effort to go with his friend for just a short visit, "Yeah, alright," Albus sighed. "I'll go."

Scorpius blinked, "Wait, really?" It wasn't like stubborn Albus to give in so fast.

Albus shrugged, leaning his head back against the bedpost, "It's been a while. I reckon I can bear it for a bit if I'm with you."

Scorpius smile grew like a child on Christmas, "Blimey, that was much easier than I expected. I thought I'd have to bribe you with my last package of Jelly Slugs." From his robe pocket, Scorpius produced a packet of Albus's favourite sweet.

Albus leaned forward, eyeing the packet, "Jelly Slugs, eh?" He raised his eyebrows with intrigue. "On second thought, I don't know if I'm really in the mood to go to Hogsmeade. I think I need a little more incentive..." He smirked as he rubbed his chin, pretending to ponder his decision.

Scorpius let out a chuckle, "Oh no, you committed. Can't go back now. These slugs are mine." He held the sweets up over his head, teasing Albus like he was his cat with a string.

Albus lunged to grab them but Scorpius pulled them down as he dodged, falling across the bed. Laughing, Albus landed across from him but still managed to reach out and snatch the sweets. Sitting up, Albus held the package up in triumph only for second before Scorpius tackled him. He pinned Albus' wrists down hovering over him while he squirmed to break free. Out of breath from wrestling and laughing, Albus finally gave up trying to escape Scorpius' grip.

Their grins lingered as they stared at each other, face to face. Albus suddenly became aware of just how close Scorpius was to him, only a hands-width apart from him. He couldn't be sure if he'd ever been this close to his best mate and the moment seemed to linger as if they seconds were drawn out to minutes.

Albus couldn't help but take in Scorpius' face up close. He found himself focusing on his eyes, which were a colour, unlike any other eyes he'd seen before. Not grey--they sparkled far too much--but silvery, with the tiniest flecks of blue towards the centre of his iris. The thin bridge of his nose was slightly crooked as it led down his face: one of the many little characteristics that made Scorpius who he was. Lastly, Albus' gaze found it's way onto his lips, slightly parted as Scorpius caught his breath. The corner of his lips tweaked up with a lingering smile, his cheeks each creased with a thin curved line from years of toothy, beaming grins--something Scorpius was known for.

The moment was fleeting, lasting less than 30 seconds in total. But during that time, Albus completely forgot about the sweets in his hand.

Swiftly, Scorpius let go of Albus' wrists, sitting upright as he cleared his throat, "Alright, you win."

Albus scrambled to sit straight again, throwing his legs over the side of the bed so he wasn't facing his friend directly. Peering over quickly, he swore he saw the faintest tinge of pink on Scorpius' pale cheeks. Albus looked away, trying to convince himself that it had just been the result of the wrestling or even just a figment of his imagination.

Albus became suddenly aware of the warmth of his own face and of his heart thumping harder in his chest. He turned his head further to the side, hoping his friend wouldn't notice.

"Great, thanks," He spoke with little enthusiasm in his voice. He felt no satisfaction in winning the sweets now.

There was a moment of silence where every second seemed to drag painfully in Albus' mind as he fiddled with the ridged corner of the Jelly Slugs packet.

"I uh--" Albus finally broke the silence that was eating away at him inside, "I just remembered," He stood up sharply, beginning to concoct a quick lie in his head. "I told James I'd meet him. To, um, give him something."

"Oh?" Scorpius tilted his head, chewing on his lower lip as he watched Albus walk to the foot of the bed.

Albus began to fish through his trunk, trying to find anything that could aid his excuse. He ended up pulling out a random piece of clothing.

"A shirt?" Scorpius questioned.

"He asked to borrow it."

"But isn't James a larger size than you?" Albus mentally cursed Scorpius' logical thinking.

"It's a big shirt."

Before Scorpius could ask any more questions, Albus turned on his heel to leave. "I better get this to him," He said, opening the door and quickly shutting it behind him. He couldn't help but cringe as he heard the door slam, realising what a right fool he must have seemed. So much for an inconspicuous excuse...

He ditched the shirt in a large stately vase in the common room before briskly heading for the exit. The stale dungeon air seemed to grow heavier around him. He needed to leave the dungeons. He needed to take a walk. He needed to get as far away from that moment as he could.

Chapter Text

Albus needed to clear his head. Aimlessly, he wandered about the castle, finding himself roaming down corridors and up various sets of stairs. Without realising it, Albus had made his way to the highest point of the castle, forcing himself to come to a stop. Instead of turning around, Albus decided to avoid facing reality for a little while longer. He wasn't ready to go back to his dorm and see Scorpius again.

The arches of the tower provided a vast and stunning view of the Hogwarts grounds during the day. But as dusk fell over the castle, the rolling hills started to hide under the cover of darkness as flecks of light started spotting in the sky. Mirroring the stars, specks of light flickered on from Hogsmeade as torches and candles lit up the village homes.

Wind whistled through the openings of stone that blurred the lines between interior and exterior. Albus shivered but did his best to ignore the chill, trying to numb his body the same way he'd numbed his brain from the thoughts and worries that flooded it.

As much as he tried to silence his mind, he couldn't stop hearing his name.

Scorpius.

It echoed around as Albus attempted to block out the image of his best mate and the way his long fingers combed back through his fine touseled hair, and how the skin by his eyes creased when he laughed with that sparkling smile of his, and of course his high regal cheekbones that built his face like a Roman god.

He'd suspected it for a while now. But like the rest of his anxieties, he'd repressed it as far away from his conscious that he could. That was until he'd been only inches from his best friend's face, lying on a bed together, practically intertwined. Then the wound opened again, fresh as the day Albus first was struck. Now everything was flooding back to him like a tidal wave that he no longer could shelter himself from.

Albus looked up towards the stars, his eyes scanning for constellations. Scorpius loved listing off the constellations--it was the only reason why Albus managed to pass his Astronomy O.W.L. He knew that up there somewhere was Scorpius' own constellation, the grouping of stars for which his name came from. It was Scorpius who taught Albus that formation. He recalled standing on the platform the summer before their fourth year, saying his goodbyes to his best friends. Scorpius could sense Albus' misery but assured him that they would never be too far as long as the Scorpius constellation was in the sky--all Albus needed to do was look up.

Now, Albus wasn't sure if he wanted to be reminded of his best friend. It only served as a painful reminder that Scorpius was out of reach, just as the stars were above him. He could admire their beauty but only from afar.

As he'd claimed many a time, Albus had never had a crush. He'd accepted that as fact, even when he became uncertain if that it was true. The doubts began in his third year, as puberty hit him full force. James discovered girls long before and would often talk Albus' ear off about which girl at Hogwarts he'd most want to date and what girls he thought might be into him. Albus always wondered why James came to him about that sort of thing--he'd barely talked to any girls in his year let alone fancied any of them. James expected Albus to relate but Albus never could.

Albus always suspected he was different than James in that way--how he always seemed to prefer sneaking peeks at the photos of the Brazilian chaser, Gonçalo Flores, in his mum's Quidditch magazines instead of any of the posters of witches that James plastered on his walls once he hit puberty. But that didn't stop Albus from denying any of his feelings. Surely he just needed to meet the right person. He didn't have many friends, let alone anyone he'd ever be interested in being in a relationship with. Perhaps he just never knew what it felt like to actually fancy someone.

Whilst Albus grew older, so did his realisation that he may be wrong. And tonight confirmed that.

He did fancy someone. And he had for a while--perhaps always had. It explained the longing he felt for his friend over the long summer months. Or the desire to be physically close to him, to touch him or pull him into an embrace. Or the warm feeling in his chest that spread when he saw him smile or laugh.

Albus fancied Scorpius.

But Scorpius only saw him as a friend. Scorpius preferred Rose. Scorpius wasn't into blokes.

As Albus leaned against the railing, he shut his eyes and let the cold air hit his face, prickling his skin. Taking a few deep breaths, he tried his best to steady his heart rate although he knew that as soon as he caught sight of a wisp of pale blond hair, it would only peak again.

Although it crushed him inside, maybe it was for the best that he knew Scorpius would never return his feelings. Albus faced enough torment on his own without the whole world knowing that he was...

Albus swallowed sharply, his eyes shooting open as he came to a realisation. All his years of denial could have been for his protection. As soon as his peers or even the press got word, he'd never hear the end of it. He'd hear whispers from his peers or be the object of stares on the street. With his luck, he'd be reading an article on it in the papers and every gossip magazine. He could see the headline in Witch Weekly already.

Albus cursed at himself--why did he have to be the odd one out all the time? How come he couldn't have been a good Gryffindor child with loads of friends with even just the slightest sprinkling of magical talent like his brother and sister were?

He was already Albus Potter, the disappointing Slytherin son of Harry Potter. Just wait until everyone found out he was Albus Potter, the disappointing, gay, Slytherin son of Harry Potter.

And only to add to his misery, he'd fallen for the straight son of his father's former enemy.

Just another thing to add to the troubling life of Albus Severus Potter.

---

Time had no meaning as Albus hid away in the Astronomy Tower. He had no idea how long he'd been up there, only that his fingers had long since numbed before he'd stuck them in the pockets of his robes. The growling in his stomach indicated that he'd long since missed dinner.

Finally, Albus decided to descend the stairs, hoping it was late enough that Scorpius would have gone to bed. He always fell asleep much earlier than Albus did, much more of an early riser than a night owl. But Albus made sure to walk slowly to give him more time, just in case.

The corridors were clear of students, Albus noticed as he worked his way down towards the dungeons. He was beginning to wonder if he was out after curfew; was it 10 pm already? Albus kept his guard up as he crept around corners and pattered softly down the stairs. Although he didn't care much if he lost house points, he wasn't in the mood to deal with Filtch or serve detention so he tried his best not to stay hidden.

As Albus descended into the dungeons, nearing safety, the sound of footsteps caused him to panic. He looked around for somewhere to hide but was only met with bare stone walls, not so much as a suit of armour to hide behind. Oh, how he wished he had James' invisibility cloak at a time like this.

Albus braced himself as the footsteps rounded the corner.

"Albus? What are you doing out here?"

Albus did a double-take. In front of him stood Magnolia and Georgia, equally as shocked to see him.

"I--uh..." Albus stammered in a loud whisper. "I just went for a walk. Lost track of time."

"Oh," Magnolia nodded. They stood in silence for a moment, neither party knowing exactly what to do or say after running into each other after hours.

Albus tried to ignore the glare from Georgia as he asked, "What are you both doing out?" They were headed in the opposite direction of the common room.

"None of your business," Georgia hissed.

Magnolia put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "It's okay, Georgia. We can trust him, right Albus?" She turned to him with a sparkle in her eye.

"Oh um," He swallowed. Trust him with what? "Of course."

Magnolia started on past him down the corridor, waving him to come along, and put a finger to her lips instructing them to keep quiet. Against his better judgement, Albus began to follow. Georgia pushed past him, shooting him a look as she marched with arms crossed and head held high.

Soon they stopped in front of a large tapestry depicting a woven scene of a knight on horseback, riding away from a village. As Albus looked closer at the fine details of the threading, he noticed that the village houses were alight with flames of red, orange, and gold string. Shuttering, Albus pulled his eyes away from the tapestry to watch Magnolia as she pulled out her wand.

"Revelio," Magnolia whispered, pointing at the tapestry.

As if being sucked in by a hoover in the wall behind it, the tapestry suddenly twisted in a quick swirling fashion as a dark wooden door seemed to take its place.

Albus didn't have time to process what happened before Magnolia opened the door and he followed her and Georgia inside.

The room was fairly small, no larger than his bedroom at home. The walls were lined with stacks of wooden chairs, dusty old tables that were like the ones used in the classrooms, and a few tattered armchairs which had a few tears in the fabric but seemed otherwise usable. Despite the storage room looking as if it had long been forgotten by the Hogwarts staff, the wall torches were alight with flame and a circle of various chairs had been set up in the centre of the floor.

"Ugh, who dragged along that twit?" Albus heard an all too familiar voice groan.

"I did, Silas. Be nice," Magnolia instructed, walking towards the arrangement of chairs closely. She sank down into the only armchair of the assortment, pulling her knees in to sit cross-legged with her arms on the armrests. Georgia followed her lead, taking the wooden chair next to her. On the other side of the circle, Tristian, Silas, Margot, and Hollie had already gathered.

"Go on, have a seat," Magnolia nodded at Albus. There were only a few open spots to chose from and Albus awkwardly sat between Tristian and Margot. Tristian ignored him but Margot slipped him a small smile.

"What is this place?" Albus asked, trying not to feel uncomfortable with the whole situation. Why did they gather in an abandoned room after curfew? And why had Magnolia invited him along?

The group looked to Magnolia to explain.

"I suppose you could call this our secret little hideaway. It's not much but we make do." She glanced around, gesturing at the old furniture. "You see, we like to get together after hours sometimes but can't always do that since some of us are in different houses. Think of it as a common room, but just for close friends." As she finished, she shot Albus a small wink, causing Albus to tense up.

Acting as casual as possible, he nodded trying to pretend like this all made sense to him. Did Magnolia consider him a close friend?

"Right," Silas spoke up, "So tell me again why you thought it was a good idea to bring the squib along?" He pointed an outstretched arm at Albus as if he was just an object that couldn't be spoken to on his own.

"Because," Magnolia explained, "I ran into him in the corridor and thought this might be a good way to get to know him a little better."

"Yeah? Why would I want to get to know that boring git any better? I already share a dorm with him, I don't need to see him any more often than I do." He gave Albus a dirty look which Albus pretended not to see, focusing on his very captivating shoelaces.

Magnolia shot Silas a glare before returning to her usual poise expression, "Well, he's the son of Harry Potter, I'm sure he has many fascinating stories to tell."

This time, Albus spoke up, a hint of bitterness in his voice, "If you just brought me here to talk about my dad, then you're wasting your time. You can read plenty about him in books. I've got nothing good to say." The last thing he wanted to do was talk about his father. Something didn't sit right with him. He recalled what Ophelia said about Magnolia being popular and that she'd be interested in being friends with Albus due to his legacy as Harry Potter's son. It was a typical Slytherin move to befriend someone with a connection to power. He'd just never expected it from Magnolia.

"You don't like your father?" Hollie questioned with a quirk of her eyebrow.

Albus shrugged, not wanting to get into this conversation with Magnolia's friends, "It's a complicated relationship."

"Haven't you read the Prophet? Poor Potter's got daddy issues..." Silas snickered only to receive another look from Magnolia, ceasing his laugher.

"Well, I for one, know how you feel, Albus," Magnolia said. "But it must be worse with a famous father. Seeing him in the press every day and all that. People sure can't get enough of the Chosen One."

Margot nodded vigorously, "Oh yeah, my dad always said how his brother was the biggest fan of Harry's. They were friends you know. Colin Creevy's his name."

"My dad's never mentioned him," Albus admitted, not remembering if he'd ever met a friend of his dad's named Colin. "Do they still speak with each other?"

Margot shook her head with a small frown, "No, no. My uncle died years ago. In the Battle of Hogwarts, actually."

With a bit of a pout, Magnolia looked at Albus, "Sort of a shame Harry Potter never speaks about his fallen friends. So many people died for his cause. You'd think someone like him ought to honour them."

Albus couldn't help but feel defensive, even if it was concerning his father, "Well what reason does he have telling me about all his dead friends? Don't think he wants to talk about that sort of thing often. And besides, it's not as if I can do anything about it."

Magnolia quickly shook her head, "Oh no! I'm not trying to blame you for not knowing, Albus. I was just saying..."

"A lot of us had family die in the war," Tristian finally broke his silence, still determined not to acknowledge Albus. "It would just be nice if more people remembered them and their legacy, you know?" Silas, Hollie and Margot nodded along.

Albus let out a sigh, shifting uncomfortably in the stiff wooden chair, "I suppose you're right. Everyone talks about how great my father was. But he made mistakes. Some big mistakes...and he still does." He bit his lip, all of their most recent arguments playing back in his head. So many things his father said to him but he always seemed to regret them right afterwards. Those were mistakes. And maybe it was time that Albus recognized them as such.

He glanced up to see the whole group staring at him, as if they could see the revelation he was having. When she caught his glance, Magnolia's lips twisted into a smile, a gleam in her eye.

Albus suddenly realised just how suffocating the old storage room felt. Perhaps it was the dust or just the tightness of the space, but he found himself wanted to escape the room in search of fresh air. Earlier, he'd been so determined not to return to his dormitory but now it was all he could think about.

"Listen," Albus spoke up, not wanting to stick around much longer. "I appreciate you inviting me here--" He really didn't, "--but I'm awfully tired. I've had a long day. I think it's best if I just head back to the common room." He stood up not wanting to wait for permission to leave.

"Oh, of course," Magnolia jumped out of her chair, leading Albus to the door. She opened it for him, stepping out into the corridor after him. She shut the door gently to avoid making a loud sound.

"Sorry to have dragged you along without asking."

Albus shrugged, glancing up and down the corridors cautiously, "It's fine. I'm just exhausted." It wasn't that far from the truth, although Albus knew that all of his thoughts would come flooding back to him once his head hit the pillow. At least going with Magnolia provided him with a little distraction.

"Just make sure you keep this secret between us," Magnolia said, glancing back at the concealed room. "We are rather fond of the place and wouldn't want people discovering it."

"Right, of course." Albus nodded.

Before Albus could turn to leave, Magnolia took his wrist in her hand, stopping him.

"I've been meaning to ask," She started, her blue eyes twinkling even in the dim light. Her pink lips curved upwards in a soft smile that even Albus couldn't help but feel slightly comforted by.

She brushed her long brown hair behind her ear and spoke with a flutter of her eyelashes, "Would you be interested in spending some time in Hogsmeade with me this weekend? Just the two of us. You won't have to deal with Silas', I promise." She let out a light giggle, knowing that her friend could be a rather pestering.

Albus' mouth hung ajar, mind suddenly going blank. Was this a date? Had Rose and Scorpius been right? Albus stood stiffly, unsure of how to react.

"So, what do you think?" Magnolia prompted.

"Sure," The word slipped out of Albus' mouth without him intending to say it. It was as if something washed over him, compelling him to say yes.

"Wonderful!' Magnolia beamed. "I will see you then!" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before ducking back into the storage room where her friends waited.

Still frozen, Albus tried to process what happened, his stomach filling with dread as he realised what he'd just done.

Had Magnolia just asked him out on a date? In Hogsmeade? The very same Hogsmeade he hated and only agreed to visit with Scorpius because he was...well, Scorpius? Something felt off. It all felt so out of character. How would he explain to Scorpius that he had to meet up with Magnolia for a little while, putting a damper in their plans? Albus didn't look forward to that conversation.

Well on the bright side, at least that would squash any rumours about his sexuality...

Chapter Text

The corridors of Hogwarts were always bustling with people between lessons, yet Albus felt completely alone. His fourth year at Hogwarts hadn't proved better than any of the other previous years, and he'd started giving up hope that they'd ever improve.

Keeping his head down, he hugged his books close to his chest, his robes billowing behind him as he walked as fast as he could. There were some perks to being shorter than average fourth year, which included his ability to slip through crowds unnoticed.

Usually unnoticed.

As he crossed the courtyard, someone blocked his path. Albus found himself in the shadow of a much larger Slytherin student.

Matthias towered over him, his hands on his hips as he sneered down at the much smaller, 14-year-old Albus. Fresh from the quidditch pitch, Matthias sported his Slytherin uniforms, now spotted with dirt and grass stains. Beside him, Ryker and Silas back him up, eager to cause a little chaos.

"If it isn't Peewee Potter, the failure of the Slytherin house."

Albus tried to ignore their heckling and push past them but they weren't letting him get away that easy. Ryker slammed into Albus' shoulder, blocking his way.

With a huff, Albus tried again, to no avail. Matthias whipped out his wand and with a flick, Albus' feet were torn from the solid ground. Flung back through the air, Albus hit the ground hard on his back, knocking the air from his lungs.

Matthias and his friends cackled as Albus lay helpless in the grass. The students around the courtyard whispered and stared but no one bothered to intervene.

Sore, Albus sat up, a shooting pain in his lower back. There'd be a bruise forming soon enough. As he tried to stand, SIlas knocking him down again with a wave of his wand.

"What? Not gonna fight back like your father?" Matthias sniggered, "Oh wait... you don't know how to..."

With the mention of his father, something dark and fiery ignited in his stomach. Albus jumped up, pulling out his wand from his robe pocket and striding right up to Matthias, the tip aimed at his face.

"Oooh I'm petrified," He said with sarcasm, not intimidated in the slightest.

Something in Albus snapped and he shouted "Locomotor Mortis!" Slashing his wand through the air, Albus expected - or at least hoped - that Matthias' legs would lock up, giving Albus the chance to escape.

But instead, only a few dull sparks fell from the tip of his wand and it emitted a soft whimper. Albus' heart dropped into his stomach as he stood frozen in front of Matthias' athletic frame--utterly defenceless.

Next to him, Silas burst out laughing, almost to the point of tears, "You've got to be joking. Peewee Potter can't even manage a first-year spell? Pathetic!"

Bracing himself, Albus watched as Silas raised his wand to cast another spell aimed at him. Albus was helpless, unable to rely on magic. All he could do was bear through the pain and humiliation.

"Expelliarmus!" He heard someone shout. But it wasn't Silas's snide voice, nor Matthias or Ryker's.

The bully's wand was flung from his clenched fist, knocked to the ground. Shocked by the unexpected disarming, Silas and his friends stepped back.

Albus glanced back to see who had cast the spell and was overcome with relief when he saw the familiar face of Scorpius. Even Scorpius looked stunned by his own power, his eyes wide with a mix of wonder and fear. Before they could do anything to stop him, Scorpius grabbed Albus' arm pulling him off the ground and taking off running out of the courtyard.

"You okay, mate? He asked when they finally stopped running, resting safely in an empty classroom.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine," Albus responded, slumping back against the wall. His wand still rested in his hands and he was overcome with the urge to just snap it in half. But instead, he looked back over to Scorpius, who sat next to him. "Thanks for saving my arse back there, Scorp."

Scorpius smiled, looking down with a slight rouge on his cheeks, "It was nothing. I've always got your back. No matter what."

---

"Where did you disappear to last night?"

Albus barely had the chance to take his usual seat at the breakfast table beside Scorpius before he was faced with the question.

"I told you, I had to meet James." Albus didn't look Scorpius in the eye, instead staring down at his bowl of porridge.

"For that long? I was getting worried."

Albus just shrugged, causing Scorpius to frown. They ate in silence for a while. Albus tried to ignore the tension between them. Scorpius must have known something was up with Albus but seemed confused as to why he'd suddenly gone so cold. Albus longed for everything to go back to normal again but he wasn't sure how long it would take for him to get over his feelings. He couldn't bear to look Scorpius int the eyes. His heart was already beating twice as fast as normal.

Albus only looked up from his breakfast when he felt the presence of someone standing across from him. He braced himself, expecting to suddenly be berated by one of his fellow students.

But, instead, he was met with a smile.

"Hiya, Albus!" Magnolia greeted him, standing above him with her books clutched to her chest. She swayed slightly as she beamed at him, the fabric of her skirt sweeping against her thighs.

"Oh, hey," Albus said far less enthusiasm.

"So, I was thinking we would meet at the Three Broomsticks at around half past 11? Sound good to you?" Magnolia asked, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.

Albus bit his lip, catching Scorpius' eyes darting back and forth between him and Magnolia from the corner of his eye. He hadn't gotten a chance to tell him what happened last night between him and Magnolia. When Albus arrived back to the common room, Scorpius was already sprawled out in his bed, fast asleep. Albus planned on telling him this morning but Magnolia had beaten him to it.

"Right, okay."

Magnolia somehow managed to smile even brighter, "Brill, see you tomorrow, then!" She skipped off to join her friends further down the table.

Albus braced himself as he turned back around, glancing at Scorpius. His silver eyes were wide with hurt, his lips parted slightly as he tried to comprehend what just happened. Seeing the pain in his eyes sent a sharp stabbing pain into Albus' chest.

"Y-you're going to Hogsmeade with Magnolia?" His voice quivered slightly, falling into a lower register.

"Well I--uh," Albus started to explain but Scorpius cut him off

"When did she even ask you? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Just last night, so I couldn't of--"

"Last night? You said you were with James last night."

Albus felt his head starting to spin, entangling himself further into his own lie, "I...I was but then I ran into Magnolia and--"

"And you said yes even after you agreed to go with me?" Scorpius was starting to raise his voice, emitting little squeaks as he was flooded with emotions. "You hate Hogsmeade! It's hard enough getting you to come with me but you say yes immediately to Magnolia? I had plans, Albus! Did you even want to go with me at all?"

Albus' stomach was in knots. He never wanted to go to Hogsmeade with Magnolia but in the moment it'd just slipped. He hadn't intended to break his promise to Scorpius. It just...happened.

"It wasn't like that!" Albus started to argue but Scorpius didn't want to hear it.

"You picked a girl over your best friend. Glad I can finally see what your priorities are Albus," He huffed, the corner of his eye glistening as he fought back tears. "You're a terrible--no, the most terrible friend."

With that, Scorpius slammed his hands on the table, rattling the cutlery and attracting the attention of the nearby students. Scorpius pushed himself up from the table and stormed off with a swish of his robes.

Albus sat there in shock, unsure of how the little quarrel had escalated so fast. In the past, Scorpius and Albus had had small squabbles but nothing ever lasted too long--their friendship too strong to be torn apart by simple misunderstandings. But never had Scorpius been so close to tears or ever accused Albus of something in public.

Albus felt a flurry of emotions inside of him. Pained that Scorpius had been so hurt. Cross with him for not listening to his side of the story. And confused as to why he reacted so poorly.

"Aww," Albus heard a mocking tone from behind him. "Did you and your little boyfriend just break up?"

With a fire igniting inside him, Albus got to his feet, confronting Silas who was ever so pleased to get a reaction out of him.

"Shut up, Silas," Albus hissed, gripping his wand at his side. He was tired of Silas' mockery. Out of all of his friends, Silas was the worst of the lot, always taking things to the next level when the others held back. Albus had had enough.

"Ha!" He puffed, his hands on his hips as he towered over Albus, "I'm not scared of you, you little fag--"

"STUPEFY!" Albus shouted before he could finish the word, slashing his wand at Silas. Seething with a rage he'd very rarely felt, a tingle flowed down his right arm to the tips of his fingers as a stream of red light blasted from his wand, hitting Silas directly in the chest.

Taken by surprise, Silas was hit by the spell full force, barely able to yelp before he was flung back off his feet. His back hit the stone wall before he came crashing to the ground, face frozen in shock as he lay in a pile on the ground, completely stunned.

Albus stepped back, almost just as stunned that the spell had actually worked. He gaped down at his wand before looking up to see almost everyone in the Great Hall wide-eyed as the witnessed the commotion. He immediately shrunk back wanting nothing more than to run away.

But he didn't get the chance to as someone grabbed him by his robe. Dressed in pastel yellow robes, Professor Amatori's disposition was the opposite of sunny, her usual chipper expression replaced with a lowered brow.

"Someone take Mr Walker to the hospital wing," Professor Amatori snapped in a tone Albus had never heard from her before. She turned her attention back to Albus, "Mr Potter, my office."

Matthias and Georgia ran to Silas' aid as Albus was pulled away by his favourite professor. His stomach filled with dread at the coming punishment. He looked up to his Potions professor and would hate to lose her respect. What if she banned him from tutoring? What if she lowered his marks in class? Albus was unable to celebrate his victory over Silas due to the fear of his coming fate.

Professor Amatori closed the door behind them as they entered the Potions classroom. She dropped Albus' arm, striding over to her desk. She conjured up her usual fluffy beanbag chair in front of her desk and pointed at it.

"Sit," She instructed before walking around the desk to take her own seat.

Albus scurried over, following her orders. It felt silly to face punishment in a pink ball of fluff but he wasn't about to cause any more trouble.

"I can explain, Professor--" Albus started, wanting her to know that he wasn't the one that started it.

She held up a hand to stop him, "No need. I witnessed the whole scene."

Albus shut his mouth, biting at his cheek as his heart thudded inside him. He was surely in deep trouble for using a duelling spell on another student. Especially in the plain view of all the students and staff.

"Now, you know full well that the use of violence is never permitted here at Hogwarts. There is no need to use magic to start any sort of fights in any circumstances, am I clear?" Her voice was stern, a tone she rarely used.

"Yes, Professor," Albus bowed his head although he disagreed with her; Silas deserved everything he got.

"That being said, Hogwarts also does not condone bullying of any sort, magic or not."

Albus held in a laugh. It hardly seemed like anyone had bothered to care before. No one had ever stepped in when he'd been bullied over the past five years at the school.

"And I want to make it known, that what Mr Walker said was in no way, shape, or form, appropriate on any grounds. Which is why I have decided not to punish you."

Albus' head shot up, "W-what?"

The expression on her face had mellowed, replaced by one of compassion as she addressed Albus, "I know you're not a troublemaker, Albus. And honestly, I can't say I wouldn't have reacted the same way in that situation."

Albus couldn't believe what he was hearing. A professor was letting him get away with fighting another student. There was a pause, as Albus took a few deep breaths to calm down. Relief washed over him as he settled on the idea that he would not be getting in trouble.

"How are you feeling Albus? Is everything alright?" She said with the care only a former Hufflepuff could provide. She flicked her wand and a kettle floated over from one of the shelves, already steaming with hot water as it poured a cup on its own. Professor Amatori offered Albus the cup of tea, which he gladly accepted, before she poured another cup for herself.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Albus lied. "Silas has said a lot worse..."

Professor Amatori nodded thoughtfully, seeing right through his guise, "To you?"

Albus nodded, "And Scorpius," He added, remembering the multiple times Silas had brought up Scorpius' parents to use against him.

Professor Amatori frowned, taking a sip of tea before saying, "Poor dear. Such a sweet boy Scorpius is. Is everything alright between the two of you? I couldn't help but notice you seemed to get into a little quarrel. And then what Silas said--"

Albus shook his head a little too quickly, interrupting her on accident, "No, no. What Silas said isn't true. We didn't break up!" Albus winced, realising what that might imply. "Well, err we couldn't have because we're definitely not dating. No. Just a little misunderstanding, that's all." He clarified, having to catch his breath after all his fumbling.

"Ah," Professor Amatori hummed, "Well, I hope you know not to take what Silas says to heart. No one deserves to hear such a thing."

Albus bit his lip, "Right, of course."

Although Albus tried not to show it, he'd be lying if he said that what Silas said didn't sting. It wasn't the first time he'd mocked their close friendship and called them some variation of a gay-related insult. It had always dug under his skin, striking him harder than any other name-calling or curse word did. At first, Albus always thought it was because of the sheer embarrassment of it all. He didn't like the idea of people thinking he was something he was not--he had to deal with plenty of that already with comparisons to his father.

The more Albus heard, the worse it made him feel. Already in a state of denial, Albus only repressed his feelings further, not wanting to give Silas the satisfaction that he was right. But now that Albus was sure of his attraction to his best mate, the slur made him lash out in a way he'd never had before. Albus' spells were hardly ever successful and never had he felt such a rush of power than when he cast the stunning spell with a surge of emotion. It felt good. Real good.

But even a successful show of magic wasn't enough to heal the sting of Silas' words.

Albus felt his professor's eyes on him as he stared down at his reflection in his teacup. She glanced back at the wall behind her desk, where she had framed photographs hung up for decoration. Her fingernails drummed softly on her desk before she turned back to look at Albus.

"Have I ever mentioned my wife to you?"

Albus' head shot up with a flurry of blinks in surprise, "N-no!" He hadn't even known his professor was married in the first place.

Professor Amatori stood, reaching up to remove one of the photographs from her wall. She held it out for Albus to see the moving photo of two women. Standing amongst a large crowd of people, Albus recognized one of the photo's subjects as Amatori--a few years younger but just as bright and smiley. Absent of her usual pastel robes, she wore a flowy purple muggle dress, her neck laden with plastic beads of green, yellow, and purple. Her eyes shut as she let out a laugh as the second woman in the picture came up behind her, resting her chin on Amatori's shoulder and wrapping her arms around her waist as she smiled for the camera.

Had Albus merely glanced at the photo with no context, he would have assumed she was just a close friend. He always felt a tad bit jealous at how much closer female friendships could be. No one judged girls if they cuddled or commented on each other's beauty. But for boys it was different. Even with his purely platonic relationship with Scorpius, they were still called gay just for showing any sort of emotional bond.

"That's Zoia and I at the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans back when we were still just dating," Professor Amatori told Albus, smiling fondly at the photograph as if she were reminiscing on the moment. "After we left Hogwarts, we took to travelling the world together during which we fell in love. This was the day I decided I wanted to marry her someday."

Sitting back down across from Albus, Professor Amatori set down the frame on her desk, folding her hands in front of her as her expression grew more earnest, "I'm not usually one to share many details of my home life with my students," She began explaining to Albus. "But this encounter with Mr Walker today reminded me of my own experiences as a young adult, not much older than you. The Wizarding World can be, mmm..." She hummed as she searched for the right wording, "...rather traditional. Some witches and wizards don't take too kindly to those who stray from what they establish as the norm. My wife and I have heard many an insult but we never let what others think define us. Do you know why?"

Albus shook his head, waiting for the answer. If anyone had ever said he'd be listening to romantic advice from his professor, he would have laughed in their face. But now, Albus could help but take in every word. Despite having not said anything, Albus could tell that Professor Amatori knew more about him than she let on. Perhaps it had been all the years of seeing his friendship with Scorpius blossom or the way he blushed when his name was brought up in conversation. Somehow, Albus could tell that Professor Amatori could see right through him.

"Because for every one person who ever said something mean or insulting to me or Zoia, there have been dozens more who loved and supported us. Some people take pleasure in bringing people down, but it's the ones who lift you up that matter the most."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Albus bit back the flood of emotions the rose up in his chest, threatening to spill out from the corner of his eyes. Everything he'd tried to hold back for so many years was now overcoming him, almost past his point of control. Quickly he bowed his head, hoping that the professor wouldn't notice that he was on the verge of crying.

He'd never really known any of else like him. Maybe if he had, he'd have come to terms with his sexuality years ago. Sure, there was the occasional celebrity or important figure who came out or was known to be some form of queer, but no one Albus ever knew personally. No one he could ever talk to.

"And, Albus," Professor Amatori continued, in a soothing tone that reminded Albus of the way his mother would calm him after a bad day. "I hope that you see me as one of those people. I will always be here if you want to talk or need someone to support you."

The dam that held in Albus' repressed feelings broke open and Albus could no longer hold back the tears in his eyes. A few drops of water fell down his cheeks, ripping the now-cold surface of his tea as they dripped down into the cup.

"T-thanks," Albus croaked, feeling terribly foolish at his own emotional state. He hated when people saw him cry but he felt no judgment from Amatori. For once in his life, Albus felt like he could release his emotions freely with no shame in breaking down. It was a good cry. A cry that had needed to be let out for far too long.

With a flick of her wand, she conjured a box of tissues, holding them out for Albus which he gladly accepted.

After taken a moment to compose himself, Albus finally got the courage to speak, "I'm gay." His voice came out far more soft and timid than he expected. With a cringe, looked his professor in her eyes and added, "S-sorry. I've never said it, like, out loud before. I just needed to tell someone."

"No need to apologise, Albus," Professor Amatori showed not even the least bit of surprise at his confessor but, instead, offered him a reassuring smile. "That's perfectly alright. It's a very brave thing for you to say."

All of the dread and fear that had been pent up in his chest lifted off of his shoulders. He'd said it out loud and the world hadn't ended. No one had laughed at him. And no spell had been lifted to reveal an audience of onlookers to mock him. Everything was fine. Perfectly and wonderfully fine.

Professor Amatori stood, stepping aside from her desk with her arms outstretched, "Come here," She beckoned him over. Albus obliged, accepting her comforting embrace. Normally, he'd have felt incredibly uncomfortable hugging a professor but now more than ever he was in need of a supportive embrace.

Pulling away, Professor Amatori held onto his shoulders, looking him directly with glistening eyes, "I'm so proud of you, Albus. It isn't easy but I know you'll be able to make it through. You can tell people in your own time, no need to rush. But if Mr Walker or any of the other students give you a hard time, you are most certainly welcome to come to me and I will handle it."

Albus nodded, swallowing back the lump in his throat. He wiped the tears off his cheeks with the sleeve of his robes whilst he worked on steadying his breathing.

"Just no more stunning students in the Great Hall, you understand me?" She added with a twinkle in her eye, a grin spreading across her lips.

Albus let out a laugh as he nodded. Oh, it felt so good to laugh after the miserable morning he had.

After collecting himself, Albus left the Potions room with a weight lifted off his shoulders. Admitting his feelings didn't solve all his problems or fix his relationship with Scorpius, but it had helped him feel leagues better. With newfound energy in his gait, he started off down the corridor to his first lesson with a touch more optimism in his otherwise gloomy existence.

Chapter Text

The cold air bit at his hands and Albus cursed at himself for not wearing gloves as he trekked his way down the hilly path from Hogwarts to the village below. Snow had yet to fall but that didn't stop the weather from making it seem as though winter had already arrived. Bundled in his warmest cloak, layered on top of a jumper, Albus still shivered as he watched his breath plume out in front of him. Although he knew walking faster would get his blood pumping and keep his body temperature up, Albus kept his stride purposely slow, wanting the journey to take up as much time as possible.

It took everything in him to leave the warm cosy common room for the walk to Hogsmeade. He regretted ever agreeing to take the trip in the first place. Had he been with Scorpius, maybe he would have felt differently but he and Scorpius still weren't on speaking terms.

The day previous, Scorpius had spent avoiding Albus. In the few lessons they had together, Scorpius had picked a set furthest away from him, avoiding every one of Albus' pleading glances. He'd swiftly disappeared in the corridors afterwards, not letting Albus catch up to him, even when he just wanted to apologise for the morning's argument.

Despite his uplifting exchange with Professor Amatori, Albus' mood was brought down again by Scorpius' unwillingness to even address him. When Albus came back to the dormitory in the evening, he'd found Scorpius sat on his bed reading, his cat curled up on his lap. Before Albus could even open his mouth, Scorpius flicked his wand, drawing the curtains around his bed closed then cast a muffliato charm so he wouldn't be able to hear Albus try to talk to him.

Defeated, Albus tried to go to sleep early but ended up spending the majority of the night turning recklessly over in his sheets, his mind racing with the events of the day. He wanted so desperately to speak to his best friend again, to explain everything. It pained him to be ignored by someone who had always had his back.

Saturday morning came and all Albus wanted was to stay in bed all day. But it was no use staying there with the cruel reminder that Scorpius wanted nothing to do with him. He needed to distract himself. Finally, he decided it was in his best interest to drag himself out of bed and keep his promise to meet Magnolia in Hogsmeade. He'd already let down one of his friends by not keeping his word, he wasn't about to do it again.

Albus paused as he reached the door to The Three Broomsticks, already brimming with Hogwarts students looking to get their fix of fresh butterbeer or stop in for a hearty lunch. With a deep breath, Albus braced himself, stepping inside.

He was greeted by a burst of hot air, immediately helping to defrost his frigid body. Despite not visiting the old inn in quite some time, Albus had no trouble remembering the place. The musty smell of the old wooden floors, the crackle over the fire just barely audible over the chatter of patrons, and the maze-like layout of tables, almost all full of students and villagers alike.

Albus glanced around the crowded pub, secretly hoping Magnolia wouldn't even bother to show up. Perhaps it had all been a cruel joke on him and Magnolia never had the intention of actually meeting with him. At least then Albus could go back and sulk around in the castle instead of forcing himself to spend time in Hogsmeade.

"Albus, over here!" Someone called out.

He looked over to see Magnolia sat at a corner table by the window, waving her hand for him to see.

Knowing his fantasy had been too good to be true, he wormed his way through the busy pub floor to where Magnolia waited eagerly. She smiled brightly, motioning to the seat across from her for him to sit. He obliged, shedding his cloak as he did so.

"Thanks again for coming," Magnolia beamed, "I already ordered us some butterbeer. Hope that's alright."

Albus nodded although he was beginning to wish for a pint of firewhiskey to help get him through this day.

All night, he'd tried to devise a plan to make Magnolia lose interest in him. He still wondered how his personality alone hadn't scared her off already. It didn't seem right to be rude to her, after all, she'd been nothing but kind to him. And he'd definitely decided that coming out to her was not an option. The best option he'd been able to come up with was to just try and show that he wasn't interested in her romantically and hope she got the hint. It was a rubbish plan, Albus was sure Scorpius would have told him, but he didn't have anything better.

The butterbeers soon arrived, almost overflowing with froth, just as Albus recalled. Taking a sip, his tongue was soon met with the familiar sweetness that had filled his childhood years. The drink was even better than he remembered when it came fresh from the pub. The storebought kind that his father kept stocked at home didn't do the drink justice.

"Wow, it's been so long since I've had a butterbeer here," Albus said, taking another drink from the tall glass.

Magnolia looked surprised, "Really? You've been missing out."

Albus agreed, wiping the foam from his upper lip, "I don't visit Hogsmeade often," He admitted.

"Well, I'm glad you decided to come with me then!"

Albus backtracked, not wanting to lead Magnolia on, "Ah, well I was planning on visiting with Scorpius this weekend anyways. Have some things to buy..." He trailed off, wishing he was drinking butterbeers with him instead. Now that would have been much more enjoyable.

"Oh," She frowned slightly but didn't let the comment dampen her mood, "How is Scorpius by the way? I haven't seen him since breakfast yesterday morning. Seems you two had a fight."

"Oh, he's fine. We're fine." Albus lied, not wishing to be reminded of what happened. He came to Hogsmeade to get away from the drama with Scorpius.

"You know," Magnolia brought up, waving her finger around, "I always found it funny that you two are such close mates. After everything I've heard about your fathers' childhood rivalry and all."

Albus shrugged, "We aren't our fathers," He stated simply before adding with a curious tilt of his head, "Where did you hear about them?" He wondered, not sure if the Potter-Malfoy schoolboy rivalry was common knowledge. It was well known that the Malfoys were on the opposing side of Harry during the war but what went on between him and Draco when his father was a boy at Hogwarts was much lesser-known.

"My mother attended Hogwarts at the same time as them. She was two years below but she still heard about it from all the students," Magnolia explained with a light chuckle, "She'd told me all about the drama from her schooldays."

"Oh, was she in Slytherin with Mr Malfoy too?" Albus assumed as many of the Slytherin students came from a legacy, just as the majority of the Potter-Weasley clan did in Gryffindor.

"No," Magnolia shook her head, "My mum was a Ravenclaw. I guess I didn't inherit her brains." She joked airily.

"And your father?" Albus asked trepidly, knowing the subject of her dad could be a sore subject. "You and Ophelia are both in Slytherin so I'd assume he might have been as well."

Magnolia lowered her eyes at the thought of her father, "No, he was a lousy Hufflepuff," She told him, jutting out her chin. "I reckon my rotten half-sister was only placed in Slytherin just to irritate me."

Albus decided not to press the matter more. He wanted Magnolia to lose romantic interest in him, not to outright hate him.

"You ought to know something about being placed in a different house than your family, though," She mentioned, nodding out the window.

Albus glanced over to see a gaggle of Gryffindor students, many of them related to him in some way. James led the pack, hand-in-hand with Tabitha--the only one wearing a blue scarf in the sea of red and gold. A handful of the Gryffindor Quidditch team members walked beside him, Albus not knowing them by name but just by their general magnetism to their captain, James. Also among the group, Albus also noticed a few of his cousins, including Fred, Roxanne, Molly. Finally, Hugo and Lily trailed behind slightly laughing at something as they passed by.

Watching the group outside only further reminded Albus of how distant he felt from the rest of his family. Sure, he wasn't the only non-Gryffindor student of the large Potter-Weasley bunch. Teddy had been a Hufflepuff (no blood relation but just as good as family), Victorie and Louis both residing in Ravenclaw, and finally, Uncle Percy's daughter, Lucy, who'd recently been sorted into Hufflepuff. But Albus was the lone Slytherin and the only one who didn't remain close with any of his family members. Other than a friendly wave in the corridors, his cousins didn't associate much with him. It was Albus' own fault and he knew that, after all the years of pushing himself away from the Potter-Weasley name.

"Fair enough," Albus finally responded, tearing his eye away from the group as they split into differing directions.

"Anyways," Magnolia hummed, changing the subject, "Have you heard any more news on the murders?"

Albus froze before promptly recollecting himself, trying to act normal, "No, of course not. Why would I know anything?" He said, far too fast. Did Magnolia find out that he and his friends were working the case?

Magnolia quirked her eyebrow, noticing his sudden weirdness, "Because it's your father's department, isn't it? I was just curious."

Albus breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, right yeah. No, he hasn't told me anything. We don't exactly talk often..."

"Ah," Magnolia seemed slightly bummed, "Well perhaps you'll hear some more news over the Christmas holidays. Will you be going home?"

Although Albus would have loved the spend the holidays in the almost empty castle, his parents didn't give him a choice in the matter, "Unfortunately, yes."

"Oh, come on," Magnolia said with a playful grin, "It can't be that bad. It must be nice to have such a large family."

"Too large..." Albus muttered. "Don't you have other relatives?"

She shook her head, "It's just me and my mum."

"Ah well, at least half of Hogwarts isn't related to you."

With a slightly exaggerated laugh, Magnolia reach out and put her hand ontop on Albus' which rested on the table, "You're too funny, Albus," She fluttered her eyelashes at him with a gleam in her eyes.

Albus flinched, the weight of Magnolia's hand feeling heavier and heavier as he tried to think of a way to move it without seeming rude. Turning his head to look for a distraction of some sort, he noticed a familiar head of golden hair.

"Don't look now," Albus warned Magnolia, although he was secretly glad he spotted her, "It's Ophelia."

Magnolia recoiled, pulling her hand away. Albus immediately moved his to wave to his friend.

Noticing him, Ophelia smiled, starting to skip over from where she was sitting with friends but hesitated when she saw him sitting with Magnolia. Albus looked at her with pleading eyes, hoping to send some sort of telepathic signal to her that he needed rescuing. It seemed to work, as Ophelia continued over to greet him, much more tentativeness in her step as she eyed Magnolia cautiously.

"Hiya, Albus," Ophelia greeted him warmly before acknowledging her sister with a stiff nod, "Magnolia," She gulped.

"Come to lecture me about how much your poor daddy misses me and wants me over for Christmas?" Magnolia raised her nose in the air, crossing her arms, "Because you can tell him to stop getting his hopes up."

Ophelia glared at her, "No. Actually I came to speak with Albus about Potions. He tutors me, you know."

She rolled her eyes, "As if you need it. You're already a massive geek."

Ophelia ignored her comment, "Mind if I borrow him for a moment?"

"Actually I do--"

"--No, that's alright," Albus spoke over Magnolia. She huffed, but waved them away, sitting back indignantly in her seat.

"Oh you're so kind," Ophelia said sarcastically, pulling Albus away until they were out of earshot.

As soon as they were far enough away, Ophelia crossed her arms, "Not to judge but I do remember you telling me that you weren't friends."

Albus sighed, "We're not. At least, I'm not trying to be. She invited me here. I reckon she might think its a date. Which is why I needed your help."

Ophelia unfolded her arms, "That makes a lot more sense, knowing my sister." She sounded as if she was implying something, as she glanced over to where her sister twirled her hair around her finger. A few Ravenclaw boys at the table nearby gaped at her from afar but she didn't seem to notice.

"What do you mean?"

"Albus, before you fall head-over-heels for her like most of the boys around here do, there's something you should know about Magnolia..." Ophelia started, twiddling her thumbs as if a sudden feeling of nervousness had washed over her.

"What?"

She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by someone walked up behind Albus, throwing a heavy arm over his shoulder.

"It can't be!" The intruder exclaimed in a jovial tone, causing Albus to immediately groan. "My little brother? In Hogsmeade of all places? Just wait until I tell dad!"

Albus shoved James off of him. Of course, his pestering brother had to barge in at the most inopportune time.

"Speaking of troublesome siblings," Albus muttered.

James noticed Ophelia and his eyes widened , "Ooh, sorry, did I interrupt something?" He stuck out his hand, "Hi, I'm James. Don't think we've had the pleasure of properly meeting."

"No," Ophelia accepted his hand, "But I'm well aware of who you are, James." She glanced him up and down before returning her gaze to Albus. "I should rejoin my friends. But we'll talk more later, yeah?"

Albus frowned but agreed, "Later is fine." Although his mind was racing with all the possibilities of what Ophelia had to say about Magnolia.

"Nice going, James," Albus shoved his brother as soon as Ophelia had gone, "I was trying to have a conversation,"

James raised up his hands in defence, "Sorry, bro. I was just shocked to see you here." He motioned around at the busy pub. After the tantrum Albus had thrown when he was going into third year that ended in the burning of his permission form, it had become a well-known fact in the Potter family that Albus hated Hogsmeade.

"Yeah, well surprise. I'm only here because she asked me." Albus motioned vaguely behind him, referencing Magnolia.

"Well blimey, Albus," James stared passed him with a hint of jealousy. "How'd you manage to score a trip to Hogsmeade with her? Didn't realise you had friends other than good ol' Scorpius."

Albus shrugged, "Dunno, she just asked me the other day."

"Asked you, as in like...a date?" James elbowed him softly in the ribs, wiggling his eyebrows.

Cheeks heating up, Albus let out a groan, "I'm still trying to work that out."

James smiled impishly, "Oooo," he drawled, "Alby's got a date with Ophelia!"

"W-what?" Albus blinked, catching on to what James thought they were talking about, "No! I came with Magnolia. I thought you meant Magnolia!" He pointed to where she was still waiting on him. She gave the boys a small wave with an impatient look.

"Bloody hell," James said, wide-eyed, "She's fit. I didn't think you could pull someone like her!"

It was one of the few times James had ever been impressed by Albus so he decided not to ruin the moment by telling him he wasn't actually into her. Or into girls at all for that matter...

"Yeah well, surprise." Albus shrugged. "Ophelia's just a friend. How do you know her anyways?" He questioned. It seemed unlikely of James to keep tabs on Slytherin fifth years.

James rubbed his temple as if Albus had said something incredibly stupid, "Blimey Albus, are you really that thick?"

Raising his palms, Albus indicated that he still had no idea what James was talking about.

James went on to explain, motioning to Ophelia with wild enthusiasm, "She only, like, the best chaser at Hogwarts! Merlin, I'd give anything for her to be in Gryffindor," He added with a longing gaze in her direction. Quidditch really was James' first love.

With a double-take, Albus glanced back at Ophelia, "She plays Quidditch?"

"You really don't know anything, do you?" James clapped his brother on the shoulder with a pitiful shake of his head.

Before Albus could respond, someone hovered over James' shoulder, "Babe, our food is ready. Oh..." Tabitha's eyes fell on Albus, looking him up and down with a twisted face as if she'd just gotten a whiff of spoiled milk.

"Okay, love," James didn't notice his girlfriend's sour look as he pecked her on the cheek, "Be right there." He turned back to Albus, "Gotta go, little bro. But I am definitely going to tell dad you went to Hogsmeade," He smirked mischievously, giving him a slap on the back.

"You're a prat," Albus rolled his eyes at his brother who just laughed it off with a little wave before returning to his girlfriend's side, leaving Albus alone in the middle of the crowded pub.

Letting out a small sigh, Albus knew he had to go back to Magnolia, who stared at him expectantly.

"Sorry about that," He apologised as he reached the table.

"It's fine," Magnolia said with a little huff, indicating that it was in fact not as fine as she said. "Why don't we take a walk instead? Go somewhere a little less crowded?" She didn't wait for him to respond before collecting her things from the chair beside her. Albus glanced at her bag, noticing a familiar copy of Witch Weekly tucked away with her things. Albus had seen Magnolia carrying around the same issue before. He reckoned she must really admire Bastien Rozario if she always had his magazine cover with her. Albus couldn't blame her, the dark-haired singer was rather fit.

After throwing on her mauve-coloured cloak, Magnolia took his hand in hers and pulling him towards the exit. Grabbing his cloak with his free hand, Albus' stomach dropped as if he'd swallowed a tonne of lead, dragging his feet slightly as he was pulled back out into the cold. His instinct was to pull his hand away but he knew that could come across as rude so he limply allowed her to hold his hand.

"Merlin, have mercy, "He muttered under his breath, not wanting to be alone with Magnolia. Dumbledore knows what stunt she might try to pull. What if she tried to kiss him? That would certainly lead to an awkward conversation...

But by some miracle, they didn't get very far before they were stopped by someone else.

"Albus, I've been looking all over for you!"

With an indignant sniff, Magnolia turned around to see who else had the nerve to interrupt their trip.

Before them, Rose was practically bounding with energy, her eyes alight as she caught their attention. Albus had never been so happy to see his cousin before.

In her excitement, Rose was able to overlook Magnolia's dissatisfied glare, "You need to come with me right now!"

Albus felt Magnolia's grip on his hand tighten, "We're actually in the middle of something here." She no longer tried to hide her annoyance, a bitterness slithering into her normally chipper voice.

Only now did Rose seem to notice Albus' hand in hers and she pursed her lips before staring Magnolia down with her hands firmly planted on her hips, "This is far more important, I assure you." She looked back to Albus with an encouraging nod, "Come on, Al!"

More than glad to escape the unwanted date, Albus gave Magnolia an apologetic look, "Sorry..." He shrugged as if he had no choice.

With a huff, she dropped his hand, crossing her arms in front of her, "Whatever. I will see you around, Albus." She turned on her heel and stormed off.

"What was that all about?" Rose interrogated, watching her march away with her nose in the air,

Albus shook his head, not wanting to get into it, "Nothing," He said, "Now what's so important?"

A smile grew on Rose's face, "Come with me. I have a huge surprise! You'll thank me later.

With that, Albus found himself being dragged again down the streets of Hogsmeade, this time, happy to go.

Chapter Text

Perhaps if the small wizarding village hadn't been so closely associated with Hogwarts and it's students, Albus could have grown to appreciate Hogsmeade. A certain charm emanated from the grey stone houses with their peaked rooves resembling the pointed witch hats that many of the villagers were adorned with. Soon, the pointed eaves would be adorned with twinkling Christmas lights, with garland and wreaths spreading a pine scent reminiscent of the holidays.

Albus couldn't help but want to spend time admiring the Christmas decorated village with Scorpius. He knew he'd appreciate it, the sparkling strings of light reflected in his awestruck glassy eyes. Maybe they could go together once December arrived so that Albus could make up for being such a lousy friend this time. Albus hoped Scorpius would forgive him soon. It had only been two and a half days but he was already heartbroken by the lack of his best friend by his side. Albus had been shunned and ignored by many of his peers before, even his own family, but being blocked out by Scorpius stung in a way Albus had never felt before. All he wanted was Scorpius to smile at him again. It had been two days too many.

"This way," Rose directed, as if Albus had much of a choice than to go with her as she still gripped his wrist. She pulled him down a side lane off of the high street, her bushy hair bouncing as she practically skipped around the corner. Meanwhile, Albus struggled not to trip over the unevenly cobbled streets, trying not to fall flat on his face.

The lane was far quieter than high street and Albus reckoned the only Hogwarts students to ever step foot on this side of the village had only been lost on their way to the Shrieking Shack. The road was quiet, only a few magpies pecking at the dirt between the cobblestones. The houses off of the main stretch of the village were far more tired looking, the peaked rooves sinking slightly, wooden shutters crooked and about ready to fall, and hedges untrimmed with tendrils sticking out in odd directions. It was far from dilapidated but it definitely showed its wear. For being around thousands of years, it was quite likely that magic was the only reason these houses had survived the brutal Scottish weather, several wizarding wars and uprisings, and all the other natural damage the old village encountered.

"Where are we going, Rose?" Albus questioned, trying to take in the unfamiliar street. Rose was often flooded with spurts of crazed energy or hyper fixated on grand ideas, and Albus was beginning to wonder if she had gone truly mad this time.

"Here," Rose came to a sudden halt, almost sending Albus crashing into her.

As soon as Albus collected himself, straitening out his cloak and hair, he looked at where Rose had brought him. It looked just like any ordinary Hogsmeade home, two-stories built of stone, nestled tightly between its neighbours with not so much as a front garden for itself. Nothing about it seemed unique of out of the ordinary which made Albus wonder what exactly he was supposed to be looking at.

Luckily for him, Rose could sense his confusion, helping him by pointing to the postbox next to the door. Inscribed in golden paint against the black metal read the name "Parr".

Parr. Parr. Albus tried to figure out where he knew that name.

"Wait, Parr as in, Kristoffer Parr? That man who was murdered?" Albus jerked his head to look at Rose, his eyes widening as he was reminded of the case they were working. The first of the three murders had been a Hogsmeade man. Albus should have known why Rose had wanted to see him so urgently.

"Precisely!" Rose said, all too excited to be at the home of a dead man. She clasped her hands together, rubbing them together as if an idea was formulating in her head. An almost mischevious look glinted in her eye causing Albus to grow nervous.

"Right..." Albus said slowly, almost hesitant to ask. "So, why exactly have you dragged me here? Just to show me where he lived?"

She scrunched up her nose at the ridiculous suggestion, "No, of course not! We're here for information."

"Information? The murder was back in July, it's not as if there's any evidence left for us to find." He gestured around at the calm and empty lane, not a trace of anything suspicious. Even if there had been any evidence, surely Albus' father would have collected it far before they ever would have gotten a chance to.

"Not evidence, stupid. Information. We're here to talk to Mrs Parr!" Rose explained with growing frustration as if Albus was to blame for not automatically knowing what she was thinking.

"His widow? Rose, you can't be serious..." Albus shifted uncomfortably, not sure this was an appropriate move to make. It didn't seem right to bombard the woman about her dead husband.

"Well, how else are we supposed to find out more about him? It's not as if there are any books in the Hogwarts library on him. And who else better to hear from than the person he was most close to!"

Albus could understand where she was coming from, his curiosity piquing but trying to remain level headed, "Okay, but why would his wife want to talk to us? We're just kids!" He reasoned, implementing logic that reminded Albus of Scorpius. Perhaps more of Scorpius rubbed off on him than he thought. Not that it was such a bad thing... Albus needed Scorpius to balance himself out sometimes.

Rose's grin was unsettling as her eyes narrowed sneakily, "That's where you come in, my dear cousin Al..." She poked him in the chest, indicating that he was the key to her plan.

"Dumbledore..." Albus cursed rubbing the bridge of his nose to thwart the oncoming headache Rose's idea would surely bring.

"You're dad's working the case! Plus he's Harry bloody Potter! Who could refuse?"

Albus stared at his cousin incredulously, "Rose, have you forgotten that I'm also a 16-year-old loser? I've got no authority just because I'm his son! She's never going to want to speak to me."

"Welllll..." Rose dragged out, her voice rising in pitch as she smiled wider with a flutter of her eyelashes, trying to give herself an innocent look.

Albus' heart sunk, "Rose, what have you done?"

"She's actually expecting you," She admitted, throwing her arm over his shoulder to guide him to the door.

Albus stiffened but allowed her to lead him towards the house, "Come again?"

"To be fair, it wasn't my idea. I was thinking of dressing you up in fancy robes with round glasses and drawing a scar on your forehead to pass you off as uncle Harry. But he said that was a rubbish idea. You're far too short anyways."

"Hey!" Albus nudged her, although he knew it was true.

"So we settled on just bending the truth. She thinks you work for your dad. We told her it was an apprenticeship of sorts. I can't believe she actually bought it. He certainly has a way with words he does. Cunning bloke, really," Rose jabbered, lowering her voice as she opened the front door, stepping inside as if she owned the place.

As his cousin guiding him towards the lounge where the widow of Kristoffer Parr was waiting, Albus furrowed his brows asking, "Wait, who's we?"

But before she got the chance to tell him, Albus found his answer as he stepped through the doorframe of the lounge.

There, sitting in a wicker chair with a cup of tea cradled in his hands, was Scorpius looking as poised as ever.

Albus paled as his eyes met Scorpius' briefly before they both averted their gaze. Scorpius' smile faltered, shifting on the floral padded cushion he sat on, before bringing his attention back to what the woman sitting across from him was telling him about her garden upkeep.

"Ahem," Rose cleared her throat, trying to get the attention of the woman, who sat with her back towards the doorframe, "Mrs Parr, Albus is here. Albus Potter." She emphasized his last name as Albus tried not to tense at the sound. He always hated when people referred to him using his last name. It not only closely associated him with his father, but also brought up all the bad memories of oncoming scoldings from his parents or pestering from his peers.

Although he wished he could deny it, the Potter name did come in handy every so often. Upon hearing his name, the old woman craned her neck to see him, her face brightening slightly before returning to a softer melancholy smile, "Ah yes, do come in." She waved her hand, pointing to the remaining sofa beside her.

Albus and Rose did their best to walk with dignity, chins jutted out with shoulders held back, trying to make their lie more believable. They weren't just kids anymore, they were ministry apprentices--or at least they were trying to be. Albus felt his heart beating faster than usual, trying to formulate what he would say to her. How would he know what to ask? He'd never interviewed anyone before nor did he have any idea of how to bring up the subject of someone's dead husband in the most gentle way possible.

Albus quickly chose the spot closest to Mrs Parr, just diagonal to her, forcing Rose to sit nearer to Scorpius. He tried to ignore Scorpius' eyes on him, instead, focusing on Mrs Parr. He extended his hand out to her, trying to act as formal as possible.

On the few trips he'd taken to the Ministry for Magic to visit his dad's office, he'd picked up a few tidbits on how his father acted at work. Whereas he was much more jovial and lighthearted at home, at work his dad came across as much more formal with a hint of seriousness but just enough amiability as to not appear too stoic or harsh.

"How do you do, Mrs Parr?" Albus mimicked his father, even added a more heightened pronunciation to his words by accident. Cringing at his attempt at formality, he gave Mrs Parr's hand a firm shake, at least trying to stay in this insufferable character he created of himself. He felt far too much like his father which rubbed against Albus' skin like salt against a wound.

Somehow, despite how awkward he thought he sounded, Mrs Parr seemed charmed by him, "Oh please, call me Genevieve. My! You look just like your father, you do." Her hand flew to her heart as she scanned him up and down.

Albus forced a smile, "So I've heard."

Genevieve Parr seemed no different than your average old witch--grey wiry hair collected into a bun, face wrinkled from many years of emotions, and a long floral dress that seemed as dated as her wallpaper. She seemed like the caring nan type, already welcoming you with a fresh batch of baked goods and hot tea whenever you came round to visit. Albus felt terrible about having to lie to her in order to get information about her dead husband--but not terrible enough to leave. They could get some valuable information out of her.

There was a brief pause as Albus wracked his brain, trying desperately to come up with something to say. Of course, in the most crucial moment, all of the facts and leads they'd spent weeks researching as slipped from his mind, probably lost somewhere on the streets of Hogsmeade.

Thankfully, Rose took the lead in the conversation, "Mrs Parr, we were so terribly saddened to hear about your husband's passing. I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you. So you can imagine why we--er, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement--are so keen on trying to figure out what happened."

Genevieve nodded, placing a hand on her heart, "Of course, Kris was such a kind soul. When you get to my age, you know that time is ticking and Kris and I knew the day we would be split apart would inevitably come. But I never expected him to be taken from me so soon and it such a horrid way."

"No one deserves to go through such a thing, " Scorpius spoke, bowing his head to look into his tea. Albus snuck a glance his way, a pang in his heart knowing Scorpius inevitably was thinking of his own mother.

"Which is why I am happy to help the Aurors with the case wherever I can," the old woman nodded, her wrinkled old face hardening with determination, "Whatever I can do to be of service to hopefully stop whoever is connected to the deaths."

"We really appreciate your cooperation, Mrs Parr," Rose spoke comfortingly, reminding Albus so much of his aunt Hermione. "Don't we, Albus?" She added with some grit, shooting him a look that told him to speak up.

"Of course!" Albus straightened out his back, still collecting his thoughts. "You'll have to forgive us if we happen to, uh, repeat any questions you might have been asked before. We are just trying to get a better idea of what took place."

"Whatever details you can remember, we'd be interested in hearing. We are trying to be as thorough as we can," Rose said, leaning in with expectation, all too excited to hear what took place. She was as excited as she got about researching in the library--maybe even more so, as this time her source was live and in the room and not just faded ink on an old dusty page.

'Ah, well, I 'm afraid I know little about what happed," Genevieve noted somberly, "The last thing I remember before finding my dear Kris, was folding the laundry in our bedroom. I must have gone downstairs and into the study where he was, but I don't recall doing so. Whoever killed my poor darling must have wiped my memories. Which means I probably saw who he or she was, but as I told your father, Mr Potter, I couldn't tell you anything about them."

Out of the corner of his eye, Albus noticed Scorpius jotting down notes. Of course, it was just like Scorpius, notetaking as if he was in a lecture. Although it was usually something Albus would tease him for, he couldn't help but feel grateful for his diligence. Knowing Albus, he'd forget everything by the time they stepped foot out of the house.

"Do you happen to remember what he was doing in the study?" Albus asked, wanting to know more than just what happened. He wanted to understand Kristoffer Parr better. If he knew the man, perhaps he could connect it to the other two murders and find the underlying theme between them. Why would someone go so far as to kill these three people? What did they all have in common?

The elderly woman shrugged, "It could have been a number of things. Even at our old age, Kris never gave up his work. He adored it so much. It would be hard to break his focus when I would call him for tea." Mrs Parr looked distantly, a soft smile emerging on her lips as she remembered back.

"What did your husband do for work?" Scorpius asked, glancing up from his parchment. He'd been writing down his notes with an everlasting ink quill that Albus got him for Christmas two years prior. He never went anywhere without it. Not since he'd spilt a whole jar of ink in the pocket of his favourite cloak...

"Oh, he was a historian. Quite a good one, at that. He could get lost in his books and writings. He kept a thorough archive for Hogwarts. Many of the previous Headmaster's looked to him for his bookkeeping skills." Genevieve told him, radiating with pride.

The mention of Hogwarts sparked something in Albus' mind, his face lightening up with wonder. If Kristoffer Parr had kept archives for Hogwarts, that made him the second of the three murders to work in some way for the school.

"What kind of archival work did he do for Hogwarts?" Albus asked, trying to strengthen this new tie between Professor Vector and the Hogsmeade man.

Mrs Parr waved her hand through the air in a wide gesture, "Oh, many things. Student record books, restoring old books and artefacts, and preserving important relics for the school to keep."

"Would you mind if we took a look around the study?" Albus asked, suddenly feeling much more comfortable with this whole investigating thing.

"Not at all," Genevieve said, pushing herself up from her chair with quivering arms. The three of them followed the old lady down the hall to a door, which remained firmly closed.

"I'm afraid I haven't been to this part of the house much since his passing. It saddens me too much. But you should find everything as it was left, aside from what the ministry collected from the floor around his body, which I'm sure you know about. They weren't able to find much from what they told me." With a low creak, she pushed the door open, allowing them to go inside as she waited in the door frame.

Albus wasn't sure what he'd expected to find upon the door opening to the study. From a simple glance, everything seemed perfectly average, nothing indicating that a murder took place there. A large mahogany desk with many drawers of all shapes and sizes took up most of the far wall, centred between two windows. One of the walls wall lines with bookcases, each shelf arranged neatly with books that looked as if they could be even older than Genevieve herself. File cabinets and tables with stacks of folders and loose leaves of parchment scattered about them filled in the rest of the space, indicating that Kristoffer Parr had been in the middle of working when he was killed.

Albus and his friends began poking around the room, not entirely sure what they were looking for. Deep down, he hoped for something--anything--that would give him some sort of clue or push in the right direction. Even so much as a hair or a fingerprint that could somehow indicate who might have been in the room with Kristoffer when he died.

"Was anything found to be missing?" Rose asked, unravelling a parchment scroll that had been left on the desk.

"Nothing that I know of," Mrs Parr answered as she leaned against the doorframe for support. "Everything in the room looked otherwise untouched."

"Then what could have been the motivation to break into the study?" Rose questioned in a whisper, leaning over to Albus.

"That's what I'm hoping to find out," Albus responded, thumbing through a stack of folders on top of one of the filing cabinets

On the other side of the room, Scorpius let out a croaking sneeze muffled by the sleeve of his jumper. Brushing off the dust, he poked around the books on the bookshelf, "Wow, this student record book dates all the way back to the founders of Hogwarts!" He exclaimed, sniffling as he delicately flipped through the fragile pages of the book.

"Nows not the time to geek out, Scorpius," Rose told him.

But Genevieve didn't seem to mind his interest in the old books, "Oh yes! Kris came into possession of many old records like that. He was a pioneer for restoration and preservation charms."

Albus ignored his friend's conversation about old books, focusing on the spread in front of him. His eyes scanned over the side of the room he'd been scouring, hoping to find something that stuck out to him. Nothing looked as if it had been touched or tampered with, just an average looking office space as if someone was still at work in it.

Albus was about to give up, turning around to see if Rose was having better luck when his eyes fell upon something shiny on the floor hidden in the thin gap between two filing cabinets. Leaning down, Albus squeezed his hand into the slot, picking up the metallic object. He held the object in his palm, the silver circle no bigger than a sickle. Flipping it over, Albus realised what it was. A jagged slot cut into the middle indicated where a key was meant to be inserted.

Albus looked up at the filing cabinets in front of where he kelt. Each drawer had an identical silver keyhole that locked the drawer except for one. The second drawer on the right cabinet had a little hole where the lock was meant to be, ringed in dark dust. Standing to get a better look, Albus pressed his finger against the dark ring, the powder smudging his skin. Looking closer, Albus noticed how the metal had curved inwards, the edges uneven, as if it had been melted. Suddenly, everything clicked.

Albus let out a gasp, attracting his friends' attentions. Rose immediately turned, hovering right over his shoulder to peer at what he was looking at.

"The lock to the drawer," Albus held up the silver lock he'd found on the floor, "It was blasted off." He pointed to the hole, holding the lock above it to show that it was a perfect fit. Scorpius joined him by his side, taking a look at what he'd discovered.

"Well open it!" Rose encouraged impatiently, "what's inside?"

Albus gripped the handle, pulling it open to find a very basic looking collection of hanging folders holding neatly pressed pieces of parchment. Nothing looked tampered with or out of place.

"Oh dear," Mrs Parr slowly entered the room, her face creasing with worry as she joined them to look in the drawer, "Those cabinets hold some of Kris' most important works. The cabinets are enchanted to keep old parchment preserved for storage before Kris got the chance to work on them."

Scorpius exchanged a look with his friends, "Mrs Parr--er Genevieve--do you notice if anything is missing that he might have been working on? Perhaps taken from this drawer."

"I'm not so sure," She said, stepping forward to flip through the files. Suddenly she stopped, coming upon a realisation, "Wait, wasn't it...?" She muttered to herself taking the time to look through the drawer again.

"What is it?" Rose asked, trying to see what she was so concerned about.

The old woman turned back to the children, his brow creased in confusion, "It seems as if only one thing is missing from my husband's files but I can't come to understand why it would have been taken. Certainly, it wouldn't be worth his life over!"

"What was taken?" Albus asked this time. The three of them leaned in, anxious to hear what could blow the case wide open.

"The only thing that appears to be missing was given to him recently by Hogwarts to preserve for their archives," Genevieve's eyes fell upon Albus, "It was the original list of names from Dumbledore's Army, started by your father, Harry Potter."

---

"Of all things, why just that list?" Rose pondered aloud as they congregated outside of the Parr residence after saying their goodbyes to Genevieve. "Surely the names have to be recorded somewhere in a book! Why steal it?"

Orange light broke through the gaps in the clouds above them as the sun sank lower in the sky. Lights started to flicker on in the windows of the houses, indicating that it was time for the Hogwarts students to start the journey back to the castle before it got too dark to find their way on the long path up the hill. Albus and his friends would soon be joining them, hoping to be back in time for dinner in the Great Hall.

"Seems rather silly to me," Scorpius said, shifting awkwardly as he tried to avoid looking in Albus' direction, which was incredibly difficult for him as they stood so close together. Scorpius had opted for staring over his head which was likely the easiest as his eye line was already much higher than Albus'.

"I don't understand the motive!" Rose exclaimed in frustration. "A sheet of parchment isn't important enough to kill someone over!" With a sharp exhale, she started to storm off in the direction of the high street.

Albus and Scorpius scurried to follow her, flanking her on either side, determined to keep some distance between them. It felt ridiculous acting like such children over one petty fight. Their friendship had always been stronger than that. Albus ached inside, sneaking glances over to Scorpius. He wanted to say something but was unable to get into it with Rose right there.

Albus was temporarily distracted by a flash of light from the corner of his eye. He jumped, his head snapping to the direction of the light, hand wrapping around his wand. Rose and Scorpius glanced over, far less concerned with the light than they were with Albus' sudden skittishness.

"What was that?" Albus' brow furrowed, peering around to see what could have been the cause.

Rose shrugged, "Probably just the light from someone's window. It's getting dark if you haven't noticed." She gestured around them, stating the obvious for Albus' benefit.

She was probably right, Albus thought, hesitantly turning his head to face front again. The whole talk of murder seemed to have unsettled him, making him far too jumpy.

They continued their walk in silence down the empty road, not running into anyone until they had almost reached the high street when someone emitted a squealing noise.

Startling Albus, a woman he hadn't noticed before ran out from the shadows of some houses beside them, her eyes bulging with excitement, "Merlin's Beard! It can't be," She clutched her chest, making a beeline straight for Albus, who immediately tensed. Rose stepped in front of him slightly, trying to put herself between him and the strange woman bombarding them.

"A Potter? Incredible! It's such an honour, Mr Potter. Truly an honour," She stopped in front of Albus, who was immediately drawn to the striking blue of her eyes that seemed to sparkle like sunlight reflecting on the Black Lake. In fact, her whole presence seemed to glow slightly, as if her skin was lit up by the golden rays of the setting sun behind her.

She stuck out her hand, taking Albus' in hers with a vigorous shake, "You're the youngest son, aren't you? The one in the Daily Prophet. I've read about you. I know all about you." There was a gleam in her eye that made Albus want to shutter.

Albus pulled his hand away while Rose stared daggers at the women, increasingly suspicious. He didn't like the way she addressed him, staring straight into his soul with those piercing eyes.

Scorpius, on the other hand, had a far different reaction to the woman. Focused on the woman, his mouth fell slightly askew as if captured by her beauty and almost drooling over her. Although it hadn't been his first thought, seeing how his romantic ideals veered the opposite way, Albus could see that the woman was quite stunning. Thin facial features framed by long blonde--almost white--hair that flowed effortlessly in the soft breeze. Her pale blue robes complimented her airiness, cinched at the waist to show off her figure. Although she couldn't have been any younger than 35, she hardly showed it, with flawless pale skin radiating with a youthful glow.

Scorpius seemed enamoured in a way that Albus hadn't even seen him with Rose when he'd had a horrible crush on her. Seeing his best friend this way made Albus repulsed by the woman, already irritated by the sudden unwanted attention from her.

"Sorry Miss, if you don't mind, my friends and I are actually trying to get somewhere," Albus told her, moving past her, quickly tailed by Rose. Scorpius lingered, not wanting to pull his gaze away from the woman until Rose gave him a sharp tug on his arm.

"Oh yes, of course. Great meeting you, Mr Potter. I can't wait to tell my daughter! She will be positively thrilled that I ran into you." The woman called, waving them off as they left.

"That was weird," Rose grumbled as Scorpius jogged to catch up with them.

"Weird? That woman was far from weird. She was wonderful!" Scorpius swooned, gazing far off as if in a daze.

She raised a quizzical eyebrow at him, "And now you're acting weird too. That woman was far from wonderful. She was a right nuisance, bringing up the Daily Prophet and all that rubbish. Don't listen to her Al. She's just one crazy witch who pays too much attention to the gossip."

Albus kept his pace quick, his head bowed. He hated anyone recognizing him in connection with his father. He despised the stares he got all the way through his entire life, his every movement being watched and judged since the moment he was born. But as much as he hated that she'd connected him with the rubbish stories written about him in the paper, that wasn't what had upset him the most--it was Scorpius' reaction to her.

"Daily Prophet?" Scorpius questioned, his brow furrowing, "When did she say that?"

Rose let out an exasperated sigh, "Honestly, Scorpius, did you pay attention to a word?"

He pursed his lips trying to recall what happened, "No, not really..." He bit his lip. Albus felt him glance over at him but he kept his mouth shut, an awkward tension still lingering between them.

Albus snapped, fed up with the silent treatment, "That's rich coming from you after you accused me of paying more attention to girls than my best friend." His voice filled with a harshness that was usually reserved for comebacks at his brother or spats with his father. Never had he used that voice with Scorpius before.

Scorpius was taken aback. Even Rose seemed shocked, her eyes darting back and forth between them

"W-well, I didn't--I just meant..." Scorpius started, stuttering as he tried to organise his thoughts, clutching his head. "I had a reason! I-I needed to tell you something--something important actually but then you--"

"Save it, Malfoy," Albus crossed his arms, picking up his pace, "I don't want to hear your excuses." He would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit curious as to what Scorpius wanted to tell him but he was far too heated to listen to him now. If it had really been that important, he could have told him yesterday instead of ignoring him entirely.

Rose's face scrunched up, trying to understand what was happening. She'd never seen Scorpius and Albus argue before, especially not like that.

"Wait, hold on," She turned her head between them to address them both, "Did something happen that I've completely missed? Are you two in a...fight?"

Neither boy answered. In truth, Albus didn't want to confirm it, although he knew it was true. Admitting it was a fight put it into existence whereas Albus would rather ignore it completely, much like the other problems in his life. He couldn't bear to be officially in a fight with Scorpius.

A look of realisation spread across Rose's face, "T-this is about Magnolia, isn't it?" She took the silence as her answer. "I wondered why you seemed so off earlier, Scorpius! And you were alone. It all makes sense now..." She blinked rapidly as she connected the dots.

"Right," Albus said with a huff, wanting to change the subject, "well we better get going back before--"

Albus was cut off by an ear-piercing scream. A flash of green light could be seen over the rooftops. The high street was suddenly flooded with movement as everyone tried to figure out where the commotion was coming from and what happened.

Albus, Rose, and Scorpius exchanged a look, putting aside the quarrel as they took off running, pushing through the sea of people that were rushing the other way. Ducking down the side street, Albus managed to catch just a glimpse of the scene from between the gaps in the crowd.

He saw a figure lying on the cobbled street.

Then everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Albus felt as if he'd been violently thrust forward, almost stumbling over his own feet as his vision became clear once more. Immediately, he was overwhelmed with confusion, a dizzying feeling filling his head as he tried to figure out just where he was.

Rubbing his temples trying to rid himself of the sharp pain that had suddenly struck him, he glanced upwards, faced with an up-close view of the Hogwarts castle, towering above him as he walked through the gates, in a river of students streaming onto the grounds.

He'd only just blinked. How did he end up all the way back atop the Hogwarts hill? The last thing Albus remembered seeing was a body sprawled on the ground. He didn't get a good look at the details before his eyes shut for only a second—hardly a blink. But now his surroundings were completely different.

Albus looked around at the other students, everyone wearing a similar lost expression. Their voices grew to a dull roar as everyone asked around, trying to figure out what had happened. Turning around, Albus looked for his friends to question them about what he'd seen but Rose and Scorpius were no longer beside him.

"Everyone, inside! Into the Great Hall immediately. No wandering off!" Neville's voice called above the din of the students, using an amplifying charm to cast his voice out as he ushered the masses inside. The students filed through the doors of the castle and were herded by the professors like sheep into the Great Hall.

The long tables of the Great Hall had vanished, revealing the vast stone floor where the school gathered to stand in front of the podium. The first and seconds years who were too young for Hogsmeade trips, as well as students who didn't leave the castle that day had already gathered in the front of the hall as everyone filled in.

Someone grabbed Albus' arm, rattling him even more than he already was. With a yelp, he turned to see Rose, who looked similarly startled. Behind her, Scorpius face paled with worry as he looked around at the crowd gathering in the Hall.

"Where did you go, Albus?" Rose began to speak at a frantic pace, "All I remember was walking from the Parr's house and then--poof--suddenly we were back at Hogwarts and you were gone. What happened?"

Albus had no clearer of an idea, "I don't know! But there was a body on the ground. Did you see the body?"

Scorpius' eyes grew wider at the mention of a body and he opened his mouth to speak but he was cut off by the sound of Professor McGonagall's voice from the podium.

"Silence!" She called out, casting a hush upon the crowd. Everyone waited on edge for an explanation. No one even knew how much time had passed since they'd blacked out in Hogsmeade and no one knew why. They looked to McGonagall for answers but Albus could tell by the look in her eye, she wasn't so sure herself.

She took a deep breath, the sound echoing off the walls as the students remained in dead silence, staring up at her, "I know..." She started slowly, enunciating every word carefully, "that you all are concerned about what took place down in Hogsmeade village, not long ago. Many of you, I'm sure, may have no recollection of your travels back to the school, and for that, I think you will be grateful."

Grateful? Why would they be grateful for losing their memories of what happened?

"I regret to inform you, that one of our own was killed in Hogsmeade this evening," the Headmistress announced. Gasps rang out through the hall and a chatter arose as everyone began to react, turning to their neighbours to see if they had any more knowledge. A sick feeling washed over Albus. The flash of green light...the person on the ground...it all began to click.

"Silence!" Professor McGonagall called out again as the commotion died down again. "I know this might come as a shock to many of you. And I'm afraid we do not have much information for you at this moment. But I assure you that the Aurors and Department of Magical Law Inforcement will work tirelessly to find the culprit and work out what took place."

"You mean they didn't catch who did it?" Someone behind Albus exclaimed. Worried murmurs spread throughout the Hall as they realised the culprit was still at large.

Someone being killed, the murderer getting away, and everyone in the area forgetting what took place? It all sounded eerily too familiar to Albus. One glance at his friends and he knew that they were feeling the same way. The killer had struck again and this time it was far too close to home.

Professor McGonagall continued to talk over the whispers, knowing that rumours would soon spread if things weren't cleared up soon, "What we do know is that a powerful obliviation spell was cast over every person in the vicinity, leading many of you to have forgotten events leading up to or after the murder took place. Madame Pomfrey would like me to remind you that Draught of Peace will be available in the hospital wing for anyone who may feel upset or disturbed by this news. And until further notice and approval from the Aurors, all Hogsmeade trips will be cancelled from here on. But I assure you, that Hogwarts remains the safest place and that security enchantments will be tightened to make sure everyone inside the school grounds is completely protected. Should you have any concerns, do not hesitate to speak to your head of house."

"Finally," Professor McGonagall's voice wavered slightly. She paused to collect herself before continuing, "I'd ask you to take some time to remember a beloved Hufflepuff student, who we tragically lost this evening. Please keep Harper Finch-Fletchley in your thoughts, you're memories, and your hearts as Hogwarts mourns the loss of this bright young woman."

A moment of silence fell over the Hall, the only sounds being the crackle of the torches and the sniffles of student's who'd lost a classmate. With some final words, Professor McGonagall dismissed the students back to their respective common rooms, instructing everyone to stay there for the night, no visiting the library or wandering the corridors. The students shuffled out of the Great Hall, a dismal mood dulling the spirits of the normally energetic lot.

As Albus followed the crowd, he scanned around for his siblings and family members to make sure they were okay. He spotted Lily's bright red hair easily, finding her comforting Hugo, who looked particularly disheartened. Molly and Roxanne walked side by side talking to some of their fellow Gryffindors with worried expressions. As Albus looked around, he found himself wondering what happened to Magnolia after he left to go off with Rose. He hoped she'd gotten back safely. But he wasn't able to find her in the crowd.

Peering over at a small group of Slytherin students off to the side of the hall, Albus was able to find Ophelia from her bright golden hair. Only Ophelia wasn't her usual cheerful self, her face stained with tears, cheeks red and blotchy. One of her friends pulled her into a hug, giving her a shoulder to cry on. Behind her, Albus was shocked to see Matthias step forward, rubbing her back and speaking to her as if offering words of comfort. He'd never seen Matthias act so gently before nor had he expected Ophelia to be friends with him. But knowing Ophelia was a star player on the Slytherin Quidditch team made the connection far less surprising. Her friends huddled around her, offering support as they led her out of the Great Hall.

"She was friends with Harper," Rose spoke up beside Albus, noticing his gaze, "I saw them together in the village earlier. They were in the same year."

Before today, Albus had never heard Harper Finch-Fletchley's name before. But now the image her body on the ground was burned into his memories.

"I saw her," Albus turned to Rose and Scorpius as the exited the Great Hall. "Before everything went black. I saw her body lying on the road. I didn't know who it was at the time but it must have been her. It was exactly where we saw the green flash."

Rose blinked and Scorpius looked equally lost.

"What green flash?" Scorpius asked slowly. "I didn't see a green flash."

Albus was sure of it, "Yes you did. There was a scream too and then we all ran over. That's when I saw the body."

"We ran over? To where she died?" Rose questioned, scratching her head.

Albus stopped in the corridor, "You don't remember that? It wasn't long after we ran into that weird woman," He tried to jog their memories. If Albus still remembered it, surely they would have had to. Why would Albus' memory have cut off at a different time if the obliviation spell had affected all of them?

"What weird woman, Albus?" Rose started to look at him as if he'd gone mad--and maybe he had.

"You know, the woman! The one Scorpius was all keen on."

Scorpius' cheeks reddened, "I'm sorry?"

"Albus we don't know who you're talking about," Rose told him. "Are you sure that really happened?"

"Yes!" Albus insisted.

"The last thing I remember was talking outside of Mrs Parr's house," Scorpius admitted softly.

"Me too," Rose agreed.

Albus tried to wrap his head around the events of the night, "Seriously? But what about--"

"Hey, quit dawdling and go back to your common rooms like the Headmistress said," A Ravenclaw Prefect ordered them as the corridor emptied out.

Rose huffed at the Prefect, pointed to her own badge pinned to her blouse. He rolled his eyes but let them alone.

"We'll talk more about this tomorrow then, yeah?" Rose said more as a statement than a question. "Meet in the library at the usual time. We've got our work cut out for us."

With that, Rose turned, running to catch up with the rest of the Gryffindors on their way back to their tower.

Albus and Scorpius started the walk back to the dungeons in silence. Even though Scorpius hadn't remembered their most recent argument after encountering the weird woman in Hogsmeade, that didn't make anything between them less awkward.

Albus' heart ached, knowing that falling for his straight best mate would only cause him pain, but not as much pain as losing him as a friend all together would. So he sucked up his pride, taking a deep breath before stopping him in the empty corridor.

"All things considered, seeing how anyone of us could have been killed tonight, not talking because of a petty fight seems rather ridiculous, don't you think?" Albus could see a wave of relief washing over Scorpius, his shoulders losing the tension he'd held them tight with.

He nodded enthusiastically, "Agreed. It was a stupid thing to get so worked up about. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible friend. I should have supported you when Magnolia asked you out. Of course, you'd want to go with her!" Scorpius rambled.

Albus held up his hand to stop him, "No, no, no. I should be the one apologising to you. I never should have said yes to Magnolia when I already said I'd go with you. I don't know why I even agreed." Part of him wanted to ask what Scorpius had meant earlier when he'd argued that he'd planned to tell Albus something important in Hogsmeade but he wasn't sure if now was the best moment to bring it up.

"To be fair, Magnolia is far cooler than I will ever be," Scorpius chuckled with a hint of self-deprecation.

"Untrue," Albus affirmed with a firm shake of his head, "You, Scorpius Malfoy, are the coolest, geekiest, and the all around greatest person I know."

Scorpius fought back a beaming smile, bowing his head slightly as a faint blush creeped on his cheeks, "That's nice--that's a nice thing to say..."

"Not having you around made me realise how much better I am of a person with you, Scorpius. You make me better. You balance me out. You make me laugh. Y-you make me happy," Albus found himself gushing. He bit his lip to hold himself back. If he didn't stop himself, he might find himself admitting his crush on Scorpius, which was not something he wanted to get into on a night like tonight. There was already enough racing through his head.

"...I didn't like my life much without you either," Scorpius admitted.

"So, with that rubbish behind us," Albus stuck out his hand in a truce, "Friends?" Albus tried to ignore the fluttering in his heart as Scorpius took his hand in his to shake.

"Always."

Chapter Text

When Albus awoke the next morning, Scorpius wasn't in his bed. It wasn't out of the ordinary for Albus to wake up in his dormitory alone, particularly on weekends. He had a habit of sleeping late, whereas Scorpius prefered to be up early. Most mornings, Albus would meet him in the Great Hall, already finished breakfast whilst Albus just started.

This morning seemed no different. As he made his way to the Great Hall, his mind wandered to the events of the day previous. So much had taken place in such a short period of time. It was just his luck, honestly. The one time he decides to take a trip to the Hogsmeade and someone gets murdered...

The image of the fallen body of the Hufflepuff girl flashed in his mind. The memory was hazy but considerably clearer than the time after that which had been wiped away. Albus wished he could make out the details of who was with Harper and who might have killed her but there were too many people in front of him blocking his view. All he saw were the legs of someone lying on the ground. He hadn't even realised they were dead.

As Albus approached the Great Hall, he was surprised to see Rose and Scorpius waiting outside by the doors. When they spotted him, they immediately rushed over.

"Morning, Albus," Scorpius greeted with tension in his voice, forcing a smile as he took hold of his shoulders and spun him around.

"I've decided we should go library for breakfast this morning and get straight into working," Rose told him, her voice suspiciously high as if she was not telling him the whole truth.

"Huh?" Albus found himself being led in the opposite direction of the Great Hall, where most of the students would already have gathered to eat. "Why? What's going on?" He could tell that something was up between them.

"Nothing!" Rose and Scorpius spoke in unison, not easing Albus in the slightest.

Dragging his heels on the floor, Albus pulled away from his friends, forcing them to come to a stop.

"C'mon, Albus," Rose urged him on, waving him forward. In her hand, he noticed she clutched a roll of what looked like newsprint.

"No," Albus spoke stubbornly, not liking being kept in the dark. "Not until you tell me what you're hiding."

"What?" Rose let out a 'pfft' noise, "We're not hiding anything!"

Scorpius' face told another story, playing with his hands as he glanced at Rose with pleading eyes. She gave him a stern look back but he didn't seem to care.

"Oh, can we just get it over with?" He begged Rose, not able to hold back what they were hiding from him.

Rose huffed, "Fine." She grabbed Albus' arm, pulling him into the nearest empty classroom with Scorpius closing the door behind them.

"Albus, you might want to sit down," Rose said, exchanging a tentative look with Scorpius.

Pulling out a chair, Albus couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy from at the hidden messages Scorpius and Rose seemed to be exchanging with their eyes. Part of him felt left out among his friends but the other half worried more about what they were about to tell him.

"So, what is it?" Albus sat back in the chair, crossing his arms and bracing for whatever they had to tell him.

"Well, it seems we were spotted yesterday..." Rose began, "Unfortunately, whoever did the spotting must have gotten the wrong idea."

Rose unfurled the roll in her hand, revealing the latest issue of the Daily Prophet, causing Albus' heart to immediately drop into his stomach.

The front page spouted in bold letters, 'HOGWARTS STUDENT MURDERED IN HOGSMEADE. KILLER STILL AT LARGE.'

Albus wasn't immediately put off, not sure what that had to do with him. He already knew what took place in Hogsmeade last night, he'd been there.

But as soon as Rose flipped to the second page, Albus realised the trouble they were in.

'ARE POTTER AND FRIENDS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF FELLOW STUDENT: CALL FOR KIDS TO BE INVESTIGATED IN MURDER CASE - Written by Lorelei Lacero'

Below the headline was a photo of Rose and Scorpius being led out of the Parr house by none other than Albus. As the photo moved, it captured him glancing up and down the street as if he were looking to see if anyone spotted them leaving. In reality, Albus had just been trying to figure out which was led back to the high street but in the context of the photo, he could admit it looked rather suspicious.

Albus let out a sputtering noise, trying to find what to say. It all seemed unreal to him. He knew the truth but now everybody else might suspect something else.

"T-they can't possibly think we had anything to do with that!" Albus exclaimed. "We weren't even near the murder when it happened."

Rose bit her lip, "That's not what the article wants people to think." She pointed to a smaller photograph embedded amongst the text.

Viewing the photo, Albus felt as if he was having an out of body experience. Albus' memory stopped after only a second long glance at the person lying dead on the ground. Everything after that had been completely wiped clean, obliviated past the point of ever recalling. But the photo showed a scene completely unfamiliar to Albus.

In the middle of the gathering crowd, he stood only a metre away from where Harper was found dead on the street. His arm was outstretched, wand pointed out in defence at something--or someone--out of frame. He was yelling something, his mouth moving wordlessly in the photo. Scorpius and Rose were nowhere to be seen but behind him, someone cowered, curled up into a ball. Albus immediately recognised her by the tartan overcoat he'd seen her in earlier: Ophelia.

Albus cursed under his breath, "I don't remember any of this!" he exclaimed to his friends, pointing furiously at the photograph.

Scorpius rubbed his arm nervously, "Neither do we..."

Doubling over, Albus put his face in his hands, trying to make some sense of the picture. It wasn't like Albus to get involved in anything that dangerous, particularly if it required the use of wand magic. But seeing Ophelia in the background, fallen to the ground clutching her face in her hands, shaking with a mix of fear and sobs, Albus wondered if he'd jumped in to help her. Unfortunately, not much could be determined from the photo, and to someone who didn't know the situation, Albus looked a lot more threatening.

"What does the article say about it?" Albus was almost afraid to get an answer, looking up weakly at his friends.

"It only suggests that we looked suspicious. They don't have any real proof, obviously. Just that it appeared strange that we were in the house of a previous murder victim right before another person was killed...which we were coincidently spotted at the scene too."

"It's utter rubbish and lies," Scorpius grumbled. "D'you know what she said about me? She wrote that we might have ties to the Deatheaters. That we were working for my father and trying to make the world pureblooded again. Of course, she used the only thing she knew about me against me--my name."

Albus let out a groan, "That's ridiculous! You're the least murderous person at Hogwarts!"

"I know!" Scorpius agreed, practically raising his voice to a shout, which might have been funny in other circumstances but Albus wasn't in the mood for laughing.

"What about you, Rose?" Albus looked to his cousin, surprised to not hear her ranting about her name being smeared in the press. "What rubbish did she write about you?"

Biting her lip, "That's the thing...she didn't." She pointed to the photograph, where Rose was the last to emerge from the door, just her curls visible as she turned to shut the door behind her. "I'm sure whoever took the photo must have seen me. But Lacero was at least smart enough not to write any lies about the minister's kid in the paper. If my mum got word of it, Lacero would be out of a job in--" she clicked her fingers together demonstrating the instantaneity.

"Lucky you..." Albus muttered. "Why does everything bad happen to us? For once, I'd like the world to be against someone other than just Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy."

"You can say that again," Scorpius let out a whimpering sigh. His face fell into the palm of his hand with a defeated sigh as he raked his fingers through his hair.

Rose attempted to cheer them up, "I'm sure it will all blow over soon enough. You know how rumours are at Hogwarts: They're huge one moment and gone the next. By the Christmas Holidays, no one will even remember!"

"That's with rumours about who's dating who or who played a prank on a common room, not rumours about someone murdering another student!" Albus shot back.

A knot of anger twisted up in his chest, a bitter taste filling his mouth. He directed his eyes towards the floor, not wanting to look at his cousin right now. Rose was the perfect daughter of the Minister. Even when she'd gotten herself tangled into the same mess as Albus and Scorpius, she still emerged with her glistening reputation. She never had to be put under the same scrutiny that they had and she didn't know how much it had taken a toll on them.

"I don't know what else we can do but wait, Albus," Scorpius sided with Rose, his voice softer, trying to calm him down. "We know we didn't do anything wrong. Anyone who knows anything about us will realise it too."

Albus sighed, knowing Scorpius was right. But this extended past Hogwarts now. The whole country could have read that article and now might blame Albus for the murder. He had to clear his name. And he knew exactly how to do that.

Now more than ever before, Albus knew he had to solve the murders.

And he was going to start with the only other person he knew that might have a clue to what took place: Ophelia.

---

It hadn't been hard to find Ophelia. He spotted her as soon as he and Scorpius stepped into the common room. Curled up on the sofa by the fire with a steaming cup of tea, Ophelia was surrounded by a small group of her friends, presumably ones she knew from Quidditch, as he noticed Matthias among them.

Normally, his social anxiety would have gotten the better of him and he would have avoided the confrontation and sought out Ophelia later on her own. But this time, Albus couldn't wait. He had to know what happened and Ophelia might be the only one who could tell him.

Albus tentatively approached the group with Scorpius following behind. As soon as they got near, Matthias stood up and spread out his arms, blocking them from getting any closer to Ophelia.

"No way," He towered over Albus, narrowing his eyes, "No way are we letting the murderers over here." He snarled, his Scottish accent sounding even more threatening.

Albus ignored the comment, not in the mood to put up with Matthias' attitude today, "I just need to speak to Ophelia." He leaned so he could peer through the gap under Matthias' arms.

Upon hearing her name, Ophelia pulled herself off the couch, softly pushing Matthias aside so she could see Albus.

"You can't possibly think Albus and Scorpius are capable of hurting anyone," She said, her voice heavy with tiredness and lacking her usual pluckiness.

"He stunned Silas the other and sent him to the hospital wing. That counts as hurting someone," He tried to reason with her.

Scorpius' eye bulged out at Albus, "Sorry, you did what?"

Albus dismissed the question with a wave of his hand, "Long story..." The last couple days had been so hectic he'd almost forgotten about the incident in the Great Hall.

"Matthias, it's fine. I trust, Albus," Ophelia insisted.

Matthias huffed but allowed her to go, taking his seat again on the sofa with the other members of the Quidditch team, who looked like they wanted to beat Albus upside the head with their broomsticks.

Ophelia motioned for them to follow her over to the opposite corner of the room by a window looking out into the Black Lake. She chose an armchair for herself, pulling her legs in to curl underneath her. Albus and Scorpius pulled over two more chairs so they could sit facing her.

"Uh, I'm Scorpius, by the way, but it seems you knew that already..." he introduced himself with a hint of awkwardness.

Ophelia giggled softly, "Yeah, Albus might have mentioned you a few times in our revision sessions." Albus tried to hide the blush that crept up his cheeks as Ophelia continued, "Plus almost all of my professors have mentioned you before. I must say, I've gotten a few comparisons. Both blonde-haired-Slytherins with a love for schoolwork. I wondered when I'd get the chance to properly meet you."

Scorpius seemed surprised that someone knew who he was--other than assuming anything to do with the Malfoy name, that is. It wasn't often people recognised him for his academic achievements over his family's past.

He bit back a smile, "Well--wow--okay. It's good to meet you too. Although, I wish it was under better conditions..."

Ophelia sighed, taking an interest in rubbing her fingers over the velvet armrests, "I suppose you're here to ask about last night...Oh, and don't worry. Unlike Matthias over there, I don't believe any of that rubbish article. I know you had nothing to do with it."

Albus felt relieved that she didn't blame them, "Sorry to bring it up so soon. I know she was your friend." Albus bit his lip, treading lightly around the subject

Ophelia nodded, her eyes wandering towards the windows looking into the murky lake water, "Harper and I weren't all that close. More mutual friends if anything." She swallowed before she spoke again, "But she gave her life to save mine, which is something I will never be able to repay her for." She finished her sentence with a shake in her voice.

Albus couldn't imagine what she'd gone through. Even the loss of someone you weren't close with had to take a toll on someone. It was even more of a reason for Albus to find out who was behind the mayhem--it needed to come to an end. Albus needed answers.

"Not to pry, or anything," Albus said slowly, "But what actually happened? I remembered joining the crowd but then it all went dark..."

He wasn't sure if Ophelia would remember either--what with the memory charm that had overcome everyone in the area--but she was the only chance Albus had at knowing what actually took place. Perhaps she could provide some clarity to his hazy memories.

"It's all a blur to me as well," Ophelia started, gazing off as she tried to remember the details, "I don't think the memory spell affected me--at least not properly. But whatever it was, it was powerful. Everyone was hit by it just a few seconds before whoever...k-killed Harper disapparated."

"So you don't know who it was either?" Scorpius asked timidly.

Ophelia shook her head, "I wish I could tell you or the Aurors. But I didn't see her face. Or possibly that part of my memory was obliviated. I can't be sure. All I know is that I was walking with a few of my friends and I had my back turned. I heard Harper gasp right as a woman shouted the killing curse. Harper screamed, jumping in front of me, I saw the green light from the corner of my eye, and that was it. When I finally turned around, Harper was dead and the woman was gone. But I think the spell was aimed at me. That's why I'm so unsettled by it all. Harper was killed by a spell meant for me."

There was a pause as Albus and Scorpius tried to process it all. Ophelia began to sniffle, fighting back tears. With a flick of his wand, Scorpius summoned a box of tissues and she thanked him.

"Are you sure you want to keep talking about it?" Scorpius spoke, sympathising with her. He knew what it felt like to mourn. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

But Ophelia shook her head, wanting to press on, "If I ever want to be an Auror, this is the sort of topics I will have to talk about," She gave Scorpius a thankful smile, "But I appreciate you asking."

"So, you know for sure whoever tried to kill you was a woman?" Albus asked, trying to hide his surprise. All this time he'd been picturing a man in his head. He knew women were capable of bad things just as much as men--he'd heard all about Bellatrix Lestrange--but he'd only ever expected a man.

"Positive. After I turned and realised what happened, I collapsed. That' where you jumped in Albus. You saw me, ran over, and immediately pulled out your wand but she was long gone by then. You were the one who helped me up. You stayed with me until the Aurors first arrived. They kept me for a little while to ask some questions and you went back to the castle with everyone else."

Hearing what actually happened put Albus at ease. He'd only been trying to help his friend. In fact, his own bravery came as a surprise to him. He couldn't remember what he had been thinking but there certainly had to be some risk involved, jumping into a possible line of fire after someone had just been killed.

"I can't believe that article would lie so blatantly," she continued, her face twisting in distaste. "Anyone who saw what happened would know that it was completely untrue."

"Only everyone who saw what happened was obliviated," Albus muttered to which Ophelia acknowledged.

"Well, if anyone gives you any trouble, I will be there to vouch for you, Albus. Just like you were there for me that evening," She smiled at him, regaining some of her usual self.

"And me too!" Scorpius spoke up to add. "I mean, I don't remember anything after leaving the Parr house, but I will still stick up for you."

Albus found himself smiling, feeling surrounded by the comfort of friends--a feeling that came rarely to him. Before this year, he'd only ever had one friend. Now he had more than he could have envisioned.

"Which reminds me," Ophelia's eyebrows scrunched together slightly, "Why were you at the house of Kristoffer Parr? Again, I know the article was a lie but it had me curious."

Scorpius looked nervously at Albus as if he needed permission to say anything. But Albus trusted Ophelia.

He took a deep breath as he lowered his voice to make sure no one else could hear, "You can't let anyone else know, okay?"

Ophelia made a crossing motion over her lips, leaning in to hear what he had to say.

"For a little while now, Scorpius, Rose, and I have been trying to solve the murder cases on our own." He admitted to her, her eyes widening as he spoke.

"But why?"

Albus tried to condense it all, as best he could. It would have taken far too long to explain his tricky relationship with his dad, his desire to make a name for himself, and now his need to find an answer to who could have been trying to kill Ophelia.

"My father's department hasn't been able to work it out. People keep dying and something needs to be done about it. If we can somehow put an end to it, maybe people will stop thinking of us as a Deatheater's son or the failed kid of Harry Potter." Albus realised how mental he probably sounded, "I know it's crazy but--"

Ophelia shook her head, her face hardening with determination, "I want in."

"Y-you want to help?" Scorpius looked surprised but Albus was less so. It all made sense to him.

With a confident nod, Ophelia reaffirmed her statement, "Yes. First, it was one of my best friend's fathers. This time, it could have been me but Harper saved me. It seems only fair that I have some part in finding out who's been doing it. Not to mention it would look great on my CV when I apply to be an Auror!"

Albus glanced at Scorpius, who nodded with agreement.

A grin spread across Albus' face as he outstretched his hand to Ophelia, "Welcome to the team."

Chapter Text

There was no words that could properly describe Harry's feeling upon opening Sunday morning's Daily Prophet. Shocked would be far too mundane. Flabbergasted was too silly. Flummoxed sounded like some odd health condition. And dumbfounded seemed too degrading.

Harry was used to seeing his face all over the papers and magazines. It came as quite a shock to him as a kid after growing up practically ignored by the Dursley's. The wizarding world was interested in him, the poor little boy who'd grown up living in a cupboard under the stairs? But now he didn't glance twice when he saw his image splashed across a page. In fact, he'd grown rather tired of seeing his ugly mug everywhere he turned. It just reminded him of how much older he was getting every time he sported a new wrinkle or noticed a fleck of grey hair.

But never did he enjoy the sight of his own children in the press. Especially when he'd tried so hard to keep them out of the madness of it all. Unfortunately for him, the kids were growing older and far beyond his control when they were away at Hogwarts. There was no way to shelter them forever and that was something Harry was coming to accept.

Despite that, it didn't make him any less startled by the sight of his youngest son's face in the paper that morning in his office. It has been one hell of a night after Harry had been called into Hogsmeade to investigate yet another suspicious murder where the witch or wizard responsible escaped before the arrival of the Aurors, leaving everyone around under a powerful memory charm. The charm was unlike one he or any of his staff of Aurors has ever seen. It spread like a plague, affected all within a certain radius rather than cast upon one individual. It was the work of a witch or wizard who knew exactly what they were doing with it, an idea which disturbed Harry, although he'd never admit it to his staff.

The entire night he'd spent on the scene, trying to find any sliver of evidence that could point them in the right direction: strands of hair, clothing fibres, traces of magic, or dirt that just didn't quite belong. But, like each time before, they seemed to come back empty-handed, causing Harry many sleepless nights and coffee-fueled mornings.

This murder hurt even more than the last three. Everyone else had been an adult, no less tragic but at least they were grown and lived a life--perhaps there was even a motive behind the deaths. But this fourth one didn't follow the same pattern as the others. The murder was senseless. This was a kid--a Hufflepuff no less. What kind of monster could cast a killing curse on someone so young and innocent? It was hard to stop Harry's thoughts from wandering back to Voldemort, a man so wicked he'd taken no remorse when trying to kill Harry multiple times as a child. Harry knew it was impossible that these recent murders had anything to do with Voldemort but it didn't stop the thought from briefly crossing his mind.

The murder was seemingly random, as well. Half of the school had been wandering Hogsmeade that day without any worry or warning to the tragedy that would take place that evening. It could have been any of the kids.

It could have been Harry's kids.

The thought of it sent a shiver throughout his body. He quickly brushed the thought aside, not wanting it to linger as he thanked whatever powers that may be or fate that was at play, that his kids were safe.

He'd finally stumbled into his ministry at quarter past seven in the morning, almost splinching off a fingernail in his exhaustion as he apparated into his office. He found the prophet tied in a bundle amongst his other ministry post and decided it would be the perfect thing to browse as he took the weight off his feet since the first time he arrived on the scene the previous evening.

Reclining in his desk chair with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, as strong as he could make it, Harry decided to skip the front page, knowing it would most certainly be all about the murder. He needed to step away from his job just for a moment before he was driven absolutely mad.

But Harry wasn't given that break that he so desired when he was immediately met with the face of his own son printed in black in white on the second page.

Reading the headline, Harry's stomach filled with dread. 'Are Potter and Friends Responsible for Death of Fellow Student?' What had Albus gotten himself into this time?

Harry knew they'd used just his surname to catch attention. Readers who just glanced at the page would be drawn into the title, expecting to read a story about Harry Potter himself. Of course, they'd quickly come to realise that this was the youngest Potter boy, rather than the Boy Who Lived, but by that time, they'd already be hooked. It was a cruel ploy for attention--something Harry had seen used all too many times if he even had the slightest involvement with anything.

It didn't take long for him to realize that there was no truth whatsoever to the story. Knowing his son, there was no way he could have been present for any of the other murders. Over the summer, Albus has hardly left his room, leaving no time for him to find his way to two different cities across the country to find Septima Vector or Kristoffer Parr. And Harry had been with Al in person at Hogwarts during the time Terry Boot was killed. Not to mention that, whilst Harry had the utmost belief that his son was capable of great things, he also knew that Albus' charms marks didn't exactly qualify him as able to cast such a strong obliviation spell.

Although he knew the article claiming his son was affiliated with Deatheaters was nonsense, Harry still couldn't explain the photo taken of him leaving the Parr house. Harry looked closer at the everlasting loop of the picture. Behind Albus was--predictably--Scorpius. But there was one more person, blurry and turned away from the camera but still visibly moving. Even the article couldn't identify her. But with one glance of the ever so familiar bushy hair, Harry realised that it was his own niece, Rose.

That confused him even further. Rose and Albus hadn't been friends since before he went to Hogwarts. Now they were seen spending time together at the house of a murdered man? Something didn't add up to Harry.

Something was dubious about the whole article--as many of the most recent articles about his son had been. Harry didn't even need to glance at the author credit to know who wrote the article, his intuition strong enough to make the assumption himself.

Lorelei Lacero, a woman who just couldn't seem to leave the Potter family alone. He was tired of seeing her name at the top of every article that seemed to tell only the most blatant of lies. Why did she take such a keen interest in smearing his name? And why did Albus always seem to be involved?

Harry had suspected it for some time now, but this latest article crossed the line. It was time to pay someone a visit...

---

Operating with no sleep and just a cup of coffee in his system, Harry began to wish he'd gone home to freshen up before apparating to the front door of the Malfoy Manor. But Harry was fired up on his anger and needed to clear his head before he could return to his investigative work at the ministry. In this case, he needed to put his family first, or else they would keep getting hurt. He couldn't have that. Albus didn't deserve that.

Rapping on the front door, Harry waited with his arms cross, feet firmly planted on the front stoop, ready to face whatever was coming. Malfoy didn't scare him. They weren't children anymore. They would handle this like adults.

Instead of his former enemy's sneering face, a much friendlier looking elf opened the door. Harry's expression softened slightly as he addressed the house elf.

"Uh, hello. I'm looking to speak with Mr Malfoy."

The elf nodded, shutting the door again while he ran off to get his master. Harry wasn't surprised to see that elf labour was still being used at the Malfoy Manor. Yes, Draco had apparently changed in many ways after his family became disgraced with the fall of Voldemort, but not all of his traditional pureblooded ways had completely disappeared.

The second time to door opened, Harry was met by an all too familiar face.

"Harry Potter. Aren't you looking awfully tired these days?" Draco raised an eyebrow at his dishevelled appearance. Of course, even in the early hours of the morning, Draco was adorned in finely pressed robes with his hair freshly slicked back, looking as if he was expecting much finer company that and overtired Harry Potter showing up on his doorstep.

"Nice to see you too, Malfoy," Harry grumbled, not having the energy to put up with any antics.

"To what do I owe the displeasure of your presence?"

Harry puffed out his chest, trying to appear more imposing although Malfoy had always been taller than him, "I'm here to discuss important matters with you about my son and the Daily Prophet's sudden interest in his doings."

Draco's sneer faltered, showing the slightest gleam of concern before regaining his usual pompous appearance, "I understand you've read this morning's paper." Draco sighed before stepping aside, opening the door wider to allow Harry to enter.

Stepping foot into the front hall of the manor brought back unpleasant memories for Harry, who'd mind flashed back to the manor's time as Deatheater Headquarters. Now that the war had ended and the Deatheaters were long gone, the manor seemed considerable lighter inside, with more sunlight streaming in, fresh flowers displayed on the centre table, and the subtle scent of cinnamon in the air. Despite the changes, Harry couldn't help but feel the lingering presence of dark magic that stained the walls of the old building.

The door shut behind Harry on its own with a slam that rattled the crystal chandelier as he followed Draco to another room. As Harry passed through the house, he gazed around at what the Malfoy family had called home for centuries. Even with the increased sunlight streaming through the grand windows that were almost two stories high, the front hall still seemed cold, framed by white marble with faded green rugs covering the stone floors. As they moved deeper into the manor, the light dimmed and candles cast flickering shadows on the green and silver wallpaper. Grand portraits sneered down at Harry as he walked by, many of them whispering to each other, noses upturned at him as they deemed him unfit to be in their presence.

Harry couldn't understand why Albus found the old manor to be a refuge. It gave Harry the creeps, haunted by the empty halls with every little creak of the house settling causing him to jump.

After what felt like far too long of a walk (had it been Harry's house, they would have been halfway into his neighbour's kitchen by now), Draco turned into what appeared to be a sitting room. With a flick of his wand, the fireplace roared to life as the torches on the walls lit up the room. Two elegant velvet sofas faced each other, perpendicular to the grand stone hearth. An assortment of oddities and artefacts decorated the room, from a silver and blue globe mapping the stars on the bookshelf to a display rack of old wands mounted to the wall.

Harry couldn't help but notice the number of astronomical decorations and devices around the room with a row of books on one of the shelves dedicated to the galaxies, a start char posted on a wall, and even a large ornate telescope directed out of the large bay window.

Draco noticed him staring, "Scorpius is rather fond of the stargazing. Suppose that's the result of being named after a constellation." He explained, gesturing from Harry to sit on the sofa opposite him. "But I suppose by that logic, your son should be the next headmaster of Hogwarts."

Harry wasn't sure if that was meant to be a joke or a jab at his son, "Very funny," He responded without a hint of a smile. He was here on business, not for banter.

Taking a seat, Harry straightened his back, not wanting to get too comfortable. He hoped this conversation wouldn't take too long. He intended on getting Malfoy to admit to his meddling, presenting the articles as evidence. It all made sense as to why Scorpius had become such close friends with his son, building up his trust to use it against him. When he got something good against the Potters, he'd tell his father who'd sell it to Lorelei Lacero, knowing the public would eat it up. Malfoy had no job and never seemed like one to have hobbies other than provoking Harry Potter, of course, he'd be bitter enough to continue that into their adulthood.

"You should consider yourself lucky that I'm even willing to hear you out, Potter, after our last interaction on the train platform. If this didn't involve my own son, I would have hexed you right when I saw your old mug on the doorstep," Draco's eyes bore into him, still resenting Harry's outburst on Platform 9 3/4.

"We're the same age, Malfoy," He responded flatly.

Draco smirked, straightening his robes, "I wear it better."

Even though it was his rival, Harry couldn't help but regret what he'd said. He'd been far too heated from his argument with Al that he had no filter to stop the harsh words from slipping out. It was no excuse but he had to deal with the consequences of his actions.

Harry huffed before he began, "I do apologise for what I said on the platform about your wife, I recognise that it was uncalled for. But that does not give you the right to take it out on my son."

Draco's eyes narrowed, "What are you on about, Potter?"

Crossing his arms, Harry returned the glare, "You know exactly why I'm here, Malfoy. The articles about my son. The Prophet can write whatever rubbish they want about me but I draw the line when it comes to my kids. You need to put an end to this."

"And what authority would I have to do such a thing? You're the Ministry man, not me. Surely you or your mate, Granger, would have far more sway than I ever would."

Harry couldn't believe the nerve of Malfoy, acting as if he hadn't been puppeteering this whole scheme, "Don't play games with me, Draco. I know what's going on here. Whatever satisfaction you think you're going to get from publishing dirt on me isn't worth the consequences. I ask you to stand down now or I will take action," Harry threatened.

To his surprise, Draco only let out an amused laugh, "You think I'm involved in this? Some childish plot to exact revenge on you by revealing your family drama? Have all the years of fame really gotten that far to your head, Potter?"

Harry's brows furrowed but he didn't give in to his taunting, "I know you have connections, Malfoy. Whatever you've got going on with that Lacero woman has been hurting my son and slandering our name with nothing but lies. I know your son Scorpius is involved. You've got him coaxing information from my son to use against us, haven't you? He's the one my son trusts more than anyone else, of course, you'd be cruel enough to use that to your advantage."

"Watch yourself, Potter," Draco warned, his face darkening as he pointed an accusatory finger at him. "I don't know what delusions you're operating on but my Scorpius has nothing to do with this nor do I have any connection to that so-called journalist, Lacero. In case you haven't noticed, those articles are just as much hurting my son as they are yours. Just because the Malfoy name isn't in the headline doesn't mean Scorpius doesn't take the fall."

Harry blinked, trying to figure out if this was some kind of trick but Malfoy's emotions sounded genuine, "You mean to say that this isn't your doing?"

He rolled his eyes in response, "Obviously not. Do you think I'd ever allow articles to be published claiming my son is a Deatheater? I've never wanted Scorpius to be associated with any of that. My mistakes and the mistakes of our family should not be reflected on him when he has no business with any of it."

Although he was ashamed to admit it, Malfoy had a point. Harry had been so focused on how the articles painted his son that he never took the time to realise that Scorpius hadn't been mentioned in the best light either. A feeling of guilt flooded Harry's body, sending goosebumps up and down his arms. Not only had he accused Malfoy of something terribly incorrect but if Draco hadn't been involved, that meant that Lacero had been writing in her own self-interest. And if he didn't put a stop to it directly, the articles would keep coming.

"I--" Harry sought the words which were incredibly difficult to say to his rival, "--I apologise, Draco. I'm afraid I've had a lapse in my judgement."

"Yes," Malfoy tutted, leaning back in his seat. "I'm afraid you have. I've received numerous owls from my son describing how dreadful those bloody articles make him feel. The students stare at him. There are whispers he's involved in some dark arts scheme. It bothers my son just as much as it does yours, as I'm sure you've had many complaints from Albus."

He frowned, his gaze wandering, "I haven't heard at all from Albus from this term..." He admitted, his voice growing quiet as it struck him. Besides there brief and quarrelsome conversation at the start of term when Harry paid a visit to Hogwarts, he hadn't heard any reaction from Albus regarding the articles.

Knowing his son, Harry had only assumed they bothered Albus just as much as they bothered him. But not once did Albus ever write to him expressing concern or even so much as writing at all besides one brief apology note. Perhaps this whole time, he'd had only been projecting his frustration about the articles onto his son without really hearing how he felt.

"I can't imagine why not," Draco's sarcasm grated against Harry's skin.

"Well if you know my son so well, they why don't you tell me what wrong with him?" Harry snapped. He meant for the question to be rhetorical but Draco answered regardless

"Albus is lonely, Harry," Draco addressed him by his name for the first time that day. "And from what I've seen and what Scorpius tells me, Albus doesn't feel as if you listen to him."

Harry wanted to scoff, thinking that he could say the same thing about Albus. But he refrained, trying to lower his pride and see things from his son's perspectives. Despite their shouting matches, neither one of them seemed to actually be heard.

"When your son came here this summer, I could sense something was wrong from the moment I saw him. And you know how I could recognise it? It's because I could see myself in Albus--a lonely boy who feels as if he has to live up to his father's legacy."

"I've never asked that of Albus--or any of my children!" Harry sputtered. "I only want the best for Albus. And to keep him safe."

Malfoy nodded as if Harry's justification only further proved his point, "My father thought he was protecting me. I did so much to impress my father and made many stupid decisions because of it. Truthfully, I never wanted a life like my father's--he seemed miserable. But I felt as if I had to be like him to make him proud because making him proud gave me the slimmest bit of satisfaction and approval that I so desperately wanted as a boy."

"Satisfaction? Didn't the whole of Slytherin house worship you?" Harry questioned, surprised to hear Draco describe his boyhood in this way. He always knew he was a suck-up to his father but he never saw it in this light.

Draco heaved a bitter laugh, "They worshipped me for my name. Every Deatheater's kid wanted to be friends with a Malfoy. But it was never real friendship. As much as this pains me to admit to your face, Potter--and know that I only do this for the sake of your son, Albus--but I always envied you and your friendship with Weasley and Granger. I had--"

"Crabbe and Goyle," Harry interjected.

"Those idiots could hardly be considered friends--two cronies that I only kept around for company. Because at that point in my life, I felt like I had no one. Because when you've learnt to hate your parent and you have no friends...then you're all alone. And being alone -- that's so hard. I was alone. And it sent me to a truly dark place. Without Scorpius, I fear Albus might fall victim to the same crippling desires that I did."

"No," Harry was in denial, "Albus would never. He'd too good. He's too kind. You--you had your parents and the connection to Voldemort. Albus wouldn't have turned evil." He couldn't bear the thought of Albus feeling so unhappy, he'd turn to dark magic to cope.

Surprisingly, Malfoy didn't seem angered by Harry's accusations, more so determined to prove him wrong, "Do you really think I wanted to be evil? That I set out to achieve that goal? No, that was never my reasoning to join the Deatheaters. No, mainly I wanted to fit in--to be a part of something greater. And to a naive boy who faced nothing but pressure from his parents to conform to their ideals, this," He forced up the left sleeve of his cloak to reveal the faded scar of where his dark mark once branded him, "seemed like that answer. And in the same situation, Albus might have made a similar decision. Think about it, Harry. Had you not had the guidance of Dumbledore and the encouragement of your multitude of friends, don't you think you might have been tempted by the dark arts?"

Harry didn't even need to consider the question. It had been something that had caused him turmoil for many years, believing that in some way, shape, or form, he might have dark magic inside of him. And he'd later be proven correct when he found out about the piece of Voldemort inside of him. Had Harry been alone to his own devices, the horcrux inside of him might have had more power over his actions.

Malfoy sat back with his arms crossed, not needing an answer other than the look on Harry's face, "I'm afraid we're a lot more alike then you'd like to believe Potter. The connotation of our names is what separated us so greatly. And unfortunately, that same judgement has been passed down to our kids. In case you've forgotten, Malfoy is just as powerful as a name as Potter--just with far worse associations. You may think your life is so difficult just because a few people like to hate on the Chosen One for not living up to their unrealistic expectations, but I can tell you, it's far worse when they hate you for being on the opposite side of it all. Those are ties that can't be severed just by making a few changes. The horrors will follow my name forever just as the glory will follow yours. And unfortunately, that's a reality my son will have to face too."

Malfoy looked over to the mantle above the fireplace, where a framed photograph was displaced. The presence of his wife Astoria dated the picture, Scorpius a foot shorter than he was now, sitting next to his mother with an over-exaggerated smile. Astoria's eyes flicked to her son's expression with fondness as she leaned against him, pulling him closer to her. Draco sat on the other side of his son, much more composed but with a hint of a smile crossing his face. He'd never been fond of photographs, but this one was an exception.

Closing his eyes for a moment as he took a deep breath, Draco turned his attention back to Harry, "Your other two seem capable of handling the weight the Potter name brings. They're both Gryffindors, correct? It seems as if you have little trouble with them. But Albus...Albus is another story. Now tell me, Potter, what is so bad about your son being in Slytherin?"

"Nothing!" Harry responded quickly. "I mean, I can't say I wasn't the slightest bit surprised but it's just a house. It changes nothing about my son."

Malfoy nodded in approval, "That's correct. But you're forgetting one glaring thing. Being in Slytherin makes Albus different. And you may think that's okay, but there will always be a part of him that wonders why he doesn't fit in. Scorpius has told me a lot about your son--he talks about him far too often, if you ask me. But I'm thankful for that. Because if they have each other to lean upon, it means neither of them will be alone. Scorpius has told me how Albus is under the impression that he is completely different than you. He can't keep up in the footsteps you've left. And the more Albus feels different, the more blame he will place on you for that."

Harry furrowed his brow, "Blame? What have I got to do with that? I have never expected Albus to be like me. I'd never wish that upon any of my kids." He'd been through far too much as a child, forced to grow up too soon. All he ever wanted for his children is for them to be able to be kids and be able to enjoy their adolescence, free of any danger.

"There's nothing you could have done. Albus needs to displace the anger he feels so it doesn't fall upon his own shoulders so he puts it upon you. Quite frankly, I find that's the better option of the two. I, for one, was someone who felt that every little mistake I made was my own failure. When I struggled to earn the respect of Lord Voldemort, I took it out on myself because I thought that I needed to become a Deatheater in order to fulfil a purpose--a standard set by my upbringing. But I shouldn't have blamed myself when it wasn't a cause I truly supported in the first place--it was my father's. When Albus sees himself in the paper, the only reason it's there is because he's your son. Because he's a Potter. So he blames you for the backlash he receives from it because your fame is what brought the attention upon him."

"It's not as if I can change my name or decide not to be famous anymore," Harry rubbed his temples, fighting off a throbbing headache. "Believe me, I wish I could."

"Of course not," Draco got off the sofa, striding over to pick a crumpled ball of paper up from the floor in front of the fireplace, where it had hastily been thrown in frustration. "Which is why we need to do something about this." He tapped his wand on the ball, which immediately unfurled and flattened to show Harry the that morning's article on his son.

Harry stood up as well, his first clenching firmly as his eyes narrowed upon the name of the writer, Lorelei Lacero. She was to blame for all of this turmoil she'd caused for him and his kids--not Draco. He'd been foolish for trying to assume it was his old enemy. But if it wasn't Scorpius or Draco, it didn't explain where she'd gotten all her information and photographs. There was something afoot at Hogwarts, and Harry wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"I very rarely agree with you, Malfoy," Harry began, adjusting his glasses, "But this is one of those times where I believe that we are on the same page and fighting for the same side."

"Good," A sly grin spread across Draco's face, "because, as I've learned, it's never a good idea to fight your battles alone."

Chapter Text

The majority of November had unfortunately been filled with mock exams and revision. Albus would have much prefered to work on the case instead of rereading his Charms textbook but he'd been outnumbered by his three other, far more studious, team members. Albus seemed to see far less of Rose and Scorpius, both of whom had loaded their timetables with more subjects than Albus had, eating up almost all of their free time. Even Ophelia was around less, revising for her O.W.L mocks, but still consistently meeting for their weekly revision sessions.

But with the looming terror over the realisation that exams were nearing, more people started to attend Albus' potions tutoring sessions. The first time he was met with more students than just Ophelia, he started off feeling rather uneasy. The fifth-year students initially took to him coldly, the rumour that he killed their classmate, Harper Finch-Fletchley still circulating despite the statement put out by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement that Albus and Scorpius had nothing to do with it (But his father his the head of that department!--Some students still complained).

After a rocky start, Ophelia was there to encourage him, always paying attention and sticking up for him when some of the other students made a snide remark. Soon, he'd gained confidence tutoring the subject, able to feel a lot more comfortable in the classroom and even gaining the respect of some of the fifth-years.

Of course, the month hadn't been without drama. The first few weeks after the murder was a terribly uncomfortable time at Hogwarts. A sombre mood had settled over the students, the cold weather and grey skies not helping the fact. Albus had felt awfully unwelcome at the memorial for Harper, feeling the eyes of the students who blamed him, their memories of what actually took place completely erased. (He couldn't even attempt cast a proper memory charm, let alone one of that strength!--Rose had defended him although putting it that way didn't make him feel much better). Upon leaving the memorial, Albus felt his anxiety bubbling up within him, suddenly losing his ability to breath properly. Tears streamed down his face and every breath came with a sharp gasp. Pulling him aside and sitting him down, Scorpius was able to coax him out of it, grounding him in the way only Scorpius could.

Not helping the matter at school, he'd received multiple owls from his father, all questioning him about his involvement in the murder and why he'd been to the Parr home. All of the posts from his father went into the fire right after reading them. Harry Potter had yet to show up to the school to "have a conversation" with Albus again, so Albus tried to ignore it the best he could. He supposed his father was far too busy at the Ministry to pay Albus a visit now, especially after what happened the last time.

There was one letter he'd spared from a fiery fate. It arrived in a pastel blue envelope with silver trim and Albus immediately recognised the lettering on the outside as his mother's--it was much neater than anything his father scribbled out. Inside, she'd written a sweet message, checking in to see if he was alright after the mess in Hogsmeade and telling him that she looked forward to having him home for the Holidays. Albus actually almost wrote a letter in response to that one, although he decided not to. He'd only written one letter to them all year--his simple worded apology--and that, he decided, was the only satisfaction he was going to give them that term.

Finally, he'd made amends with Magnolia after their disaster date. Things had started out awkward between them when he saw her around the common room or in Charms lessons. She'd acted cold towards him or ignored him completely, but never stooped to the level of Silas by making fun of him--although she easily had the power over him. But he finally got the chance to apologise when she took her seat next to him in Potions the following week.

She sat down with a small huff, jutting her nose in the air with no so much as a smile. She immediately opened her book, appearing to be very intrigued by one of the recipes--he knew easily that she was pretending as they'd mastered that potion in the second year and there was nothing interesting about it other than throwing in a few sprigs and powders and voilà, you're done.

Knowing he had to say something, he shifted on his stool to face her, "Magnolia, I just wanted to apologise for what happened in Hogsmeade."

She acted as if she couldn't hear him, but her quick glances in his direction told him otherwise.

"It was really--" Albus tried to find a way to phrase it properly, "For lack of a better word, uncool, of me to ditch you like that. I shouldn't have done it."

Albus paused, hoping she'd accept his apology or say something at the very least. He noticed Matthias glaring back at him from his table at the front of the room and Albus wondered if she'd told him about what happened. Albus had heard how much Matthias fancied Magnolia and could help but smirk at the thought of how thrilled he must have been when he found out that Magnolia's date with him had gone horrible. He was jealous but he had no reason to be, as Albus posed no threat to his dating prospects.

'Just wait until he gets word that I'm gay,' Albus thought, holding in a chuckle--although he never planned on there ever being a day that Matthias McPhearson would know about Albus' sexuality.

When Magnolia still refused to acknowledge him, Albus added, "If I'm being fully honest, I just don't think I'm looking to date right now. Nothing against you!" He added quickly, as to not offend her. "It's just, I've got a lot going on right now..." He neglected to mention that he just had no interest in dating any girl whatsoever.

After a moment's consideration, Magnolia let out a sigh, "Well you could have just told me that in the first place before you made me feel like a fool."

Albus scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, you've got a point there..."

"Well, you're forgiven," Magnolia said with a slight stiffness, "But don't go thinking that what you did was justified. Many girls wouldn't be nearly as kind as me."

"Right, of course," Albus was partially surprised that Magnolia didn't get up and go back to sit with her usual friends, now that Albus had expressed that he didn't return her romantic feelings.

But she stayed put, slipping him a hint of a smile, "Besides, I still need you as my friend. Otherwise, I wouldn't have a chance at passing my Potions N.E.W.T."

After the lesson finished and Magnolia waved goodbye, running off to rejoin her friends, Rose and Scorpius came over to him, looking impressed.

"We overheard what you said to Magnolia," Rose started with no shame in admitting they were eavesdropping behind him--he expected no less from them. "I'm shocked that you would turn down someone like Magnolia but I can't say I'm not proud. Seems your not so brainless after all." She snickered, touseling his already messy curls.

"Am I supposed to thank you for that horrible attempt at a compliment?"

Rose rolled her eyes but cracked a grin, "That's one of the highest compliments you can be awarded from Rose Granger-Weasley."

She skipped on ahead of them beckoning for the two boys to hurry up. That was Rose for you, always wanting to be one step ahead.

Scorpius lingered as Albus finished throwing his book and quills into his cauldron.

"So..." He started in a low voice, "You're not upset that it didn't work out with Magnolia?"

"Nope," Albus popped the 'P' as he shook his head, not feeling even the slightest bit of disappointment. He knew what he wanted--and that was something Magnolia couldn't provide.

"Never liked her all that much to begin with," Albus said, not admitting the whole truth, but it was a start. "My type is uh...rather different than Magnolia." Part of him wanted to blurt it out to Scorpius that he was gay. He was his best mate, after all, there were very few secrets they kept from each other.

But Albus wasn't ready. Maybe after he got over his crush on Scorpius, to avoid any awkwardness between them. Although he knew Scorpius would accept him, the tiniest part of him still worried about the admission going poorly. Scorpius did come from a strictly traditional line of pureblooded wizards--there was always the possibility that Scorpius might still hold hostile beliefs. It was unlikely, but Albus didn't want to chance it. Not until he was good and ready.

"Oh!" Scorpius turned to face forward as they headed for the door. "Well, that's good, then. Very good. Ehrm...what is your type, exactly?" He asked before rushing to add, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm just curious, that's all. We don't talk about this uh...love, stuff much at all."

Albus took a second to consider the question but didn't know exactly how to respond. It would have been easy--and a bit comical--to give a curt answer of "boys" and leave it at that. But Albus had never been that bold.

Instead, he stuck to something far less specific, "I dunno. I guess it's just whoever I feel is right."

"Ah," Scorpius said breathily. "Well, I'm sure you'll find someone right for you someday." He glanced over to slip Albus a small smile before turning away again.

Albus's eyes lingered on Scorpius for a moment longer, wishing he could tell him that truth--that he was his type. Funny, excitable, painfully awkward at times but no less adorable, and, of course, a massive geek. Magnolia may have been beautiful and popular but she had nothing on Scorpius.

---

Most students seemed to find the week before the Christmas Holidays to be an exciting time of year. The castle was alive with Christmas cheer, the students desperate for something to raise their spirits after all the death and exams that clouded their November. The younger students waited impatiently, the week before going home to see their families and getting presents seeming to drag on. The older student looked forward to the break from academics more than anything else.

Once again, Albus was an outlier amongst his peers. He'd never enjoyed going home for the holidays. All that meant was two weeks drowning in the abundance of his extended family, counting down the hours until he could see Scorpius again.

For their first two years at Hogwarts, Scorpius had been antsy, awaiting the holidays with an eagerness Albus just couldn't match. He talked his past Christmases with wide gestures, describing the impossibly large Christmas tree they got special to fit in the high ceilinged manor. Growing up, he had loved to watch his mother decorate the house, using magic to lift sparkling glass baubles up to even the highest branches of the towering tree. And when it came time to put the star on, his father let Scorpius hold on to the edge of his wand as he guided the topper up to the peak of the pine, to make Scorpius feel as if he was doing the magic himself.

Albus had been jealous, thinking back on it, wishing he could feel as cheerful as Scorpius was around Christmas. But everything changed all too soon after Astoria passed away. Christmas wasn't the same without her presence. In their third year, the thought of Christmas without his mum brought Scorpius into a misery. He didn't even go home that year, electing to stay at Hogwarts, not wanting to face the empty house. Draco had tried to convince him otherwise but allowed it in the end. Scorpius later admitted to Albus that he regretted leaving his father completely alone that year on Christmas but he'd still needed the break to grieve at his own pace. The following years, Scorpius seemed to fare better, but his spirit was never quite the same as it was when they were kids.

With only a few days left in the term, most lessons had begun winding down, even the professors waiting in anticipation for the holidays to begin. Albus and Scorpius were on their way back from a Potions lesson, where Professor Amatori assigned them the festive project of brewing their own Pepper Imps sweets--which were surprisingly similar to fire breathing potions, with much more sugar and peppermint. Albus had been successful at creating sweets that were at least edible, although not nearly as tasty as the ones from Honeydukes. Upon leaving the classroom, both Albus and Scorpius became aware that they both smelled as if they'd been doused in a vat of peppermint oil.

"I suppose there are worse things to smell of," Scorpius chuckled as they strode down the corridor.

"Scorpius! Albus!" Someone called out to them as they passed by the Slytherin common room in the direction of the Great Hall for lunch. Ophelia jogged over to join them, matching their strides, "Great timing, I was just about to come looking for the two of you."

Ophelia's mood had considerably lightened since the incident in Hogsmeade, back to her usual bubbly demeanour. Ever since Albus told her about their plan to find the murderer, she'd joined them during the research sessions. Rose was hesitant to let a new member join their group so quickly but after she got to talking with Ophelia, they became fast friends, sharing their lofty ambitions with each other. She'd proved to be a valuable member of the team, sharing everything she knew about the murder. Progress was slow, especially during the long break they took during mock exams, but it was steady and morale remained strong.

"Why's that?" Scorpius asked.

"Where are you off to? Hopefully not a lesson. I have something more important planned."

"We were just going for lunch. What did you have in mind?" Albus wondered, hoping it had something to do with the case.

Ophelia glanced up and down the corridor, "What about Rose."

"She went to Transfiguration," Scorpius said.

"Ah well," Ophelia shrugged, not too disappointed, "We can catch her up to speed after. For now, you two will do just fine."

"Where are we going?" Curiosity was still biting at Albus.

Ophelia finally began to explain, "You know how I'm close friends with Amanda, right?"

"Amanda Boot?" Scorpius squeaked.

"That's the one!" Ophelia continued, "Well, it took little convincing, but she'd finally agreed to talk to us about her dad and what happened."

Albus almost dropped the cauldron he was holding, "Really?"

"She's waiting for us up in the Divination classroom. Her lesson should have just let out," Ophelia hurried them along, up multiple floors of the castle until the reached the ladder that leads to the Divination classroom.

As Albus' head poke through the trap door, he was immediately hit with the overwhelming scent of black tea and incense. It had been a while since he'd taken--or suffered through--Divination. Albus supposed he could have enjoyed the subject, as it didn't require a wand, but the loony old Professor Trelawny made the subject seem like nothing but a joke. She was far past her prime and so were her textbooks, which looked as if they were older than his dad.

The classroom was just how Albus remembered it, laid out in a semicircle with clothed round tables and frilly cushions to sit upon. The number of rugs, fabric, and drapery that seemed to cover the walls and floor made the room constantly stuffy and made everything sound dense and muffled. It probably wasn't the best place to have such an important conversation but at least it was cosy.

The fair-haired Ravenclaw girl waited at the very last table, tapping a crystal ball with her fingernail, emitting a soft pinging noise. Her eyes appeared just as glassy as the ball as she seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

Ophelia stepped forward, breaking her daze, "Amanda?"

She looked up, giving a gentle smile to her friend before looking at who she'd brought with her. Upon seeing Albus, her eyes narrowed.

"What's he doing here?" She glared at Albus, who was, by now, used to this kind of reaction from people.

"Albus is my friend," Ophelia explained calmly, "He came to hear what you have to say."

Amanda crossed her arms, "I don't want to talk to them. I read about them in the Prophet. I can't trust them when they are the ones being investigated for the murders, including my dad's."

Ophelia sighed, seemingly expecting that she'd encounter this problem, "They were cleared of all that. It was a rubbish story. Albus was there to help me in Hogsmeade that night. He and Scorpius only want to help you too. And maybe we can find out what really happened to your dad."

Clearing his throat, Scorpius stepped forward timidly, "Hi Amanda. Er...I know how hard it can be to talk about this kind of subject. I don't blame you for feeling that way. My mom passed away when I was thirteen so I know what you're going through. It's had to be the worst feeling in the world. But talking to my friends--uh, friend," he corrected himself, glancing back at Albus, "--really helped me get through it. Maybe it could be some help to you too."

Amanda pursed her lips, letting Scorpius' words sink in. Finally, she made up her mind, straightening her back as she addressed them.

"Fine," She said with a sigh, "I will talk to Ophelia and you there," she pointed to Scorpius, who seemed pleased with his little speech and Albus knew he meant every word. "But I'm not talking to the Potter boy."

Albus opened his mouth to protest but Ophelia put a hand up to stop him, approving the negotiation.

"Thank you, Amanda," Scorpius gave her an empathetic smile.

"Sorry, Albus," Ophelia whispered to him with an apologetic look. He sighed but didn't argue, trying not to trip over his own feet as he descended the ladder.

Albus paced below the trap door for what felt like an eternity as he waited for their conversation to finish. Every so often, he'd climb the first rung of the ladder, trying to catch a word of what they were saying through the old wood of the trapdoor but everything that came through was indistinct and muffled.

Finally, the door creaked open, and the three students climbed down the ladder. At the bottom, Amanda, whose cheeks glistened with tear stains and eyes were ringed with red, gave Ophelia a hug. Afterwards, she pulled Scorpius in for a hug too, much to his surprise. Then, with a wave, she began her journey back to the Ravenclaw tower.

"How'd it go?" Albus jumped forward, ready to question them about the conversation.

"Well, I think," Scorpius had a tiny quiver in his voice and Albus noticed with a pang in his chest, that his eyes were also bloodshot from crying.

Ophelia gave Scorpius a comforting squeeze on his arm, "He was amazing. I hardly said a word. They connected so effortlessly."

Albus shared a smile with Scorpius, who seemed as if his spirits had also been lifted by the conversation, "It felt good to talk to someone who's been through something similar. Especially around the holidays, which can be especially hard."

Albus had a sudden urge to pull Scorpius into a tight squeeze, wanting to let him rest his head on his shoulder and grace his hand down his back until the pain went away. But Albus resisted, settling on an understanding nod instead.

"Amanda didn't have any reasoning into why her dad was killed," Ophelia began to explain what they'd learned from the talk. "She said he was always a good father and worked hard at his job at Gringotts. Nothing seemed unusual about him."

"And she didn't think her dad had any affiliation to bad wizards," Scorpius added, addressing their earlier hunch, "The only group her dad had ever been a part of was with you father in their school years, Dumbledore's Army."

The mention of Dumbledore's Army caught Albus' attention, "Dumbledore's Army? The same Dumbledore's Army whose original roster list was stolen from the home of Kristoffer Parr?"

"Well yeah, Albus. I don't think there are any other Dumbledore's--" Scorpius finally caught up with what Albus had been implying. "Ooh...you mean--"

"Do you think the murders have something to do with Dumbledore's Army?" Ophelia spoke up excitedly.

"Think about it, the list of Dumbledore's Army members goes missing after the historian keeping it was killed. The DA fought for Hogwarts during the war, just like Septima Vector did. And now Terry Boot was killed, the only thing remarkably unique about him being that he has connections to the Army." Albus listed off the facts. "It all makes so much sense!"

"Woah, woah, woah. Not so fast." Ophelia put out her hands to calm him down from his ramble. "That doesn't explain why the murderer would have gone after me."

Albus' shoulders drooped, "Oh, you're right."

"Unless," Scorpius spoke up, "perhaps your parents were members too?"

Ophelia considered it, "Well my mum's a muggle, so that's impossible."

"Oh!" Albus didn't mean to sound so surprised. "I didn't know that."

Ophelia shrugged, "Why would you? I always liked growing up in a half-blooded home. You get all the simplicity of the muggle world but all the comfort of magic."

Scorpius cocked his head, looking intrigued by the idea of living so closely with muggles, "So did you have muggle friends growing up? Did you get to watch--oh what was it called?--the 'tee-lee?' How do mobile telephones work without magic?"

Laughing, she tried to process the rapid-fire questions, "We can talk all about that later. For now, we have to figure out what to do next."

Albus agreed, "We should try to get more work done of the holidays if that okay with you both."

They nodded in agreement, filled with energy from the new prospects.

"Fine with me. I can talk to my dad and see if he knew about the DA when he went to Hogwarts." Ophelia offered.

"Rose and I can look into the DA when we go home too. After all, our parents led the whole resistance. They've got to have some information." Albus told them.

"What about me?" Scorpius asked. "I don't have any connections like you the rest of you. Well, I mean my dad was around at the time but he wasn't exactly on the same side..."

"I'm sure we'll think of something," Albus gave his friend a pat on the back.

"Right, exactly," Ophelia nodded. "And if not, you're assignment can be to just have a relaxing Christmas. Merlin knows we need it after the term we've had."

Scorpius couldn't deny that.

"Come on," Albus said, taking the lead to finally go back downstairs, "Let's get some lunch. I'm starved."

Scorpius looked up, hungrily, "I hope there's pudding!"

Chapter Text

Just as they had almost every year previous, Albus and Scorpius waited until nearly the last possible moment to step off the train onto platform 9 3/4. It had become something of a tradition, born out of Albus' dread of returning home for the holidays and Scorpius' desire to keep him company. It was there last moment together, just the two of them, before they had to spend a fortnight apart.

They'd said their goodbyes to Rose and Ophelia on the Hogsmeade platform earlier that morning, vowing to stay in touch if they made any discoveries about the murders or Dumbledore's Army. Rose and Ophelia elected to sit in the Prefect car together whilst Albus and Scorpius boarded further down the back of the train, searching for an empty compartment to spend the long journey in together--undisturbed by the other students.

As the rest of the train cleared out, the London platform filling with the students as they hopped off and greeted their families with excitement, Albus and Scorpius stayed in their little compartment savouring what little time together they had left.

"It's only two weeks," Scorpius tried to encourage Albus, who stared out the window, chewing at the inside of his cheek. "And at least you've got Rose to keep you company this time. All I've got is my dad. And Balthazar of course." He patted the top of his cat's crate. Balthazar mewed in displeasure, woken up from his nap by the rattling of his carrier.

When Albus' didn't respond, still glued to view outside the window of happy families reuniting, Scorpius sighed, "Hey," he spoke gently, bowing his head to get a better look at him.

Albus felt the cool brush of Scorpius' skin as he reached out, slipping his hands into Albus', picking them up from where they rested on the edge of the seat. That got Albus' attention, his head spinning to face Scorpius. He prayed his best friend didn't notice the steady blush rising in Albus' cheeks as his heart began to beat faster with every second Scorpius' hands were wrapped around his.

With a comforting squeeze, Scorpius continued, bowing his head to look him in the eyes, "If you can run into the middle of an active crime scene, you're brave enough to survive a fortnight with your family. Slightly stupid, I'll admit, but brave none the less." He added with a smirk.

Albus let out a little laugh, releasing some of the air that he'd been holding in--afraid even just the slightest twitch of a breath would somehow reveal just how head-over-heels Albus was for Scorpius. Every second lingered as Albus' hands grew warmer in the embrace and tingling with a mix of nervous excitement, not entirely sure how to react.

As close friends, their relationship was filled with little platonic touches that made Albus' heart flutter. Playful punches and pokes as they teased each other, slinging an arm over one another's shoulders when they leaned on each other for support as they burst into laughter, brushing hands as they reached for the same biscuit at dinner. But never had Scorpius touched him so deliberately in a way that felt so much closer than the rest.

Albus' eyes fluttered to get a glance of Scorpius' fair hands wrapped around his before flickering back to meet Scorpius' gaze. Something flashed in Scorpius' eyes and all too soon, the moment was broken as he let go of Albus' hands, letting them fall back to his side.

"S-sorry," He stammered, shoving his hands in the pockets of his robe to hide them from view, "My mum used to do that to comfort me. Old habit..." His voice teetered off.

Still flustered, Albus shook his head, the curls of his fringe falling over his eyes, "No, no, it's fine! It helped. It really did." Albus meant it.

Scorpius still looked mortified, turning his head to look out the window onto the platform for a distraction. Albus watched in curiosity as Scorpius' expression went from embarrassed to shocked within seconds. He craned his neck forward, squinting his eyes to make sure he was seeing things correctly.

"What?" Albus question, heart picking up speed again--this time for a completely different reason.

"Is...Is that your dad with mine?" Scorpius pointed out into the crowded platform.

"It can't be!" Albus tried to find where he was looking, in denial that their fathers would ever be seen together. But sure enough, Scorpius was right. There, standing with a considerable gap between them, were Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

"They're talking...to each other!" Albus gasped at the unlikely sight. Both men looked uncomfortable with the association but were nonetheless exchanging words.

"That can't be good!" Scorpius worried, jumping up from his seat to collect his things. Grabbing Bathazar's crate, the cat cried out with the jolt of movement as Scorpius threw open the compartment door with Albus following, not far behind.

Jumping off the train, their pace only slowed upon reaching their fathers, surprised to find them talking civilly, no shouting or name-calling to be heard.

"Ah," Draco looked relieved by his son's arrival, "There they are."

"Albus!" His dad exclaimed and Albus braced himself, "It's so great to see you! How was your trip home?"

Albus' face twisted even further, puzzled by his reaction. He'd expected his father to immediately launch into an interrogation of why he hadn't responded to his letters or about what he'd been doing at the Parr house in Hogsmeade the day of the murder. But instead, his father seemed genuinely pleased to see him.

"It was fine," Albus said slowly, trying to figure out if this was really his father or just someone transfigured to look like him.

"Well, I'm sure both you boys are eager to get home after such a long journey," Draco stated, pulling his winter cloak tighter around himself. "Say your goodbyes and we best be off. I'm sure Hodgey will have tea waiting."

"Oh," Scorpius bit his lip, turning to Albus, "Goodbye, Albus." He gave an awkward wave which Albus returned, not exactly sure how to give a proper goodbye with their dads staring at them.

"Right, then," Harry said, eager to hurry him along, "Your mum is waiting with James and Lily outside. Let's not keep them too long." He turned to Draco with a curt nod in farewell. "Malfoy."

Draco returned the nod, "Potter. Suppose we will be seeing you here again in two weeks time." The conversation was uncomfortably formal, each word sounding more painful than the next.

"Correct." Harry motioned to Albus to follow him towards the exit, "Come along, Al."

With one final exchanged look, Albus and Scorpius shared an expression of confusion before going their separate ways for the Christmas holidays.

---

Albus' room was just how he'd left it the night he ran away before the start of term--albeit cleaner, as his mother had removed the dirty laundry left on his floor which was now neatly folded on his bed.

Coming home for break never felt like a relief to Albus but he was always able to appreciate the comfort and privacy of his own room. It was small and not too interesting but it was his escape whenever his father got to be too much for him. Although he knew he wouldn't be able to savour the quiet for too long, as the Weasley family tradition required everyone to spend Christmas at The Burrow. Packing the whole extended family into one house was no easy feat, leaving them feeling cramped and stumbling over each other. Their patience soon grew thin as they were forced to share rooms and given very little privacy, save for the toilets. Albus would find himself taking extra long showers and baths, trying to get as much peace as he could--which would never last too long as someone would always be pounding on the door for him to hurry up so they could have a turn.

But at least for a couple of days before the 23rd arrived, he'd have the comfort of his own room to look forward to.

Setting down his trunk--which he'd be living out of for the two weeks ahead, saving himself the chore of unpacking and reloading--he hopped onto his bed, happy to stretch out his legs after being in the tight compartment all day. He could smell their evening meal cooking downstairs, his father always taking the evening off to make them something special for their first evening home. Albus closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself decompress after a stress-filled month leading up to the holiday.

A knock at the door caused Albus to pry his eyes open, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"Yes?"

The door pushed open slowly, "Hi Albus," His dad greeted him, surprisingly trepidatiously. Normally his father burst into his room with bravado, his justification being that he owned this house and didn't need to wait for permission to enter.

"Dad." Albus nodded.

"Almost tea time. Your mum is just laying out the table now," he told him.

"Okay, thanks," Albus said, hoping his dad would leave but he only stepped further into the room.

"Nice to be back in your own room?" He asked, resting his hands on his hips as he glanced around the bedroom. Even when it was daylight, Albus kept his room dark. With curtains drawn, the dark grey painted walls offered no brightness. For winter evenings, such as tonight, he kept his bedside table light on, dimly lighting the rest of the bedroom. Colour was used sparingly, usually just a few red or green shirts or jumpers lying on the wood floor or a picture or two on the wall. But for the most part, Albus' room was strikingly empty--he'd had much of an interest in a lot of things, seeing it mostly as clutter.

"It's nice to not live with four other obnoxious boys," Albus half agreed with his father's question. "Except for Scorpius of course."

"And how are those other roommates of yours? Not too much trouble, are they?" Harry asked. He' never taken much of an interest in the other boys he shared a room with before.

Albus didn't feel like launching into a full-blown explanation of all the bullying and torment Silas, Matthias, and Ryker had put him through over the years, "Nothing I can't handle."

His father narrowed his eyes, "Are they around often? When you talk to Scorpius, for example, are they there or possibly overhearing?"

Albus found the question to be slightly prying, "Not usually...what are you trying to get at here, dad?" He was getting frustrated with his dad's games. "Because you can just tell me straight up instead of trying to ask me all these vague questions and hoping you find what you're looking for."

Harry thought he'd been subtle but Albus caught on too quickly, "Alright then," He planted himself on the bed across from Albus. "I suppose you should know. You're old enough now that I don't need to be keeping secrets from you."

Albus furrowed his brow wondering where his father's sudden desire to be open and honest with him came from. Normally he claimed that keeping things from him was "for his own good", which of course, it never was. Whenever his dad claimed that, he knew it was just code for him saying that he didn't think Albus was mature enough to know.

"I've decided to look into this Lorelei Lacero woman and where she'd been getting her information."

"You're department is investigating me?!" Albus suddenly felt betrayed. After the article had been released calling for the investigation into Albus and Scorpius in connection to the murders, the Department of Magical Law Inforcement had been quick to deny that it was necessary. But now, it sounded as if his father didn't trust that he had no involvement after all--as if Lorelei Lacero had some truth to her articles.

"No, no, no," His dad jumped in to stop him from thinking that, waving his hands out in front of him, "My department is not involved in this. It's just me--actually, Malfoy has decided to help as well. We're trying to find out where she's been getting the information on you and Scorpius and getting the photos."

His father's reassurance surprisingly calmed Albus, "You mean it's got nothing to do with me or Scorpius being involved with the murders? Because I assure you we had nothing--"

"I believe you, Albus." He reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "You're my son. I know you'd never do such a thing. And I know a thing or two about being in the wrong place at the wrong time," He let out a chuckle.

Albus conveniently neglected to tell him that he and his friends were, in fact, involved with an investigation into the murders. But that wasn't his concern. As long as he knew that Albus didn't have any hand in actually killing anyone, Albus was content.

"So what about my roommates then?" Albus asked, circling back to where this began. Did his father think one of them had something to do with the articles?

"Well, since there was an article with a photograph of the two of us in Hogwarts, it leads me to believe that it's possible that one of your classmates has a connection with the Prophet."

Albus had never considered that. He never really wondered about the origins of the articles, always more concerned with the aftermath and how it would affect him. But now that his father had mentioned it, it did seem odd that the writer had such access to his life. Albus assumed she was like any reporter, hungry for a story to do with the Potter family. That didn't explain how she could have infiltrated Hogwarts grounds to take that photograph unless someone had done it for her...

"You don't happen to know someone by the surname of Lacero, do you?" Harry asked

"No." Albus would have made the connection by now.

"Hmm," His dad frowned, "I thought it was possible that it could have been a parent."

Albus shrugged, never having thought too hard about it. He didn't know any more than his dad did.

"Well there's always the chance of there being another source or the photograph could have been bought..." Harry wondered aloud then shook the thoughts from his head. "Don't you worry about it, Albus. Your mum is going to ask around her office at the Prophet about her and Draco and I will keep working on it. We'll handle it. You and Scorpius just focus on your schoolwork." His dad stood up, heading for the door.

Albus was surprised to hear him mention his friendship with Scorpius so casually. Usually, his name was accompanied by some grumblings or an uncomfortable shift, his father always a little uneasy with Albus' choice of companion.

In fact, this conversation had gone far smoother than Albus expected, surprised no one had raised their voice. Albus even felt included in his dad's plan, for once not feeling like such an outsider. It was a good change. Nothing too major but still positive nonetheless. Albus appreciated that, although he'd never admit it out loud.

"See you in a few minutes for tea, then?" His dad checked from the door frame.

"Yeah," Albus nodded, "I will join you in a few."

Harry smiled at his son before shutting the door behind him.

Chapter Text

It had only been two days at the Burrow but Albus already wanted to jump on a broomstick and fly all the way home, even if that meant dodging the oncoming snow. There was never a moment of quiet in his mum's childhood home, the shabby home filled to the brim with aunts, uncles, cousins, and various others.

Even in the middle of the night, Albus couldn't get any comfort of silence as Hugo snored in the bunk above his, the two of them crammed in a room with the other younger boys of the family, James, Louis, and Fred in a triple bunk next to theirs and lucky Teddy in a cot of his own--"It's because I'm the oldest of you lot!"

Albus had to refrain himself from kicking Hugo's mattress in hopes startling him awake would stop his snoring. If he hadn't been underaged, he would have cast a silencing charm around his head. But for now, a pillow over his ear would have to do.

Despite the massive amount of visitors to their home, his nan and grandad always made things work, making sure everyone fit and had a bed. The children were separated by boys and girls. The boys got one room and the girls got two.

James had moaned about how it was, "unfair that the girls get more space"

"There's more of us than you," Lily had reminded him.

"Yeah, by one!"

With the exception of Uncle Charlie, who took up residence on the sofa in the lounge, all the adults shared a room with their significant other.

Victoire and Teddy had tried to raise a fuss about that, "Why can't we get our own room? We're adults and we're a couple--"

"Not until you're married, you're not!" Uncle Bill had argued back.

Spirits were generally higher during the day, most of the family happy to reunite for the holiday. And--although Albus wouldn't admit it to any of his family--this Christmas had already been considerably better than the last few, now that he had Rose as a friend again.

"It's so good to see you two getting along again," His nan chirped, passing by with a tray of mince pies as Rose and Albus faced each other in a game of Wizard's chess.

"Knight to E4" Rose announced as Albus' eyes followed his nan until she was out of earshot.

"Okay, we're clear," Albus spoke in a hushed voice, indicating that no one was around to hear their discussion.

Truthfully, Albus was terrible at Wizard's chess and wouldn't have agreed to play. But Rose insisted that it was the perfect cover for them to talk more about their case without looking too suspicious. Tucked into the corner of the kitchen, away from the rest of the family, they tried their best to keep their act up, although Albus wasn't paying attention to the game.

"So I asked my mum about the DA. I said I'd see in mentioned in a book and got curious," Rose continued as she moved a pawn forward.

"And?"

"Well first of all, did you know it was my mum's idea? Not your fathers. She deserves more credit there," She told him, matter-of-factly.

"That's interesting and all but I already know Aunt Hermione is brilliant. Did you find out anything helpful?" He urged her on, sliding a rook to a random square.

"No, Albus," Rose stopped him, "That's my rook. You're the black pieces, remember?"

"We're not actually playing Rose," Albus sighed moving the piece back to move his own rook this time.

"Speak for yourself," She said, "Checkmate. I win!" She threw her hands up in celebration.

Albus blinked, looking down at the board, "I wasn't even trying to beat you. Stop celebrating."

"Still won. Plus, it's more believable this way," She grinned as the pieces reset themselves.

"Just get on with it," Albus pleaded.

"Fine," Rose took fun in pestering him. "Mum just explained to me what the DA did. They met in the Room of Requirement and Uncle Harry ran Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons for them because the ministry refused to let them actually learn anything useful."

Albus nodded for her to continue, "Right, we all knew that. They teach that in History of Magic." He'd found that lecture rather uncomfortable to sit through, as all the eyes in the class fell on him.

"She didn't give me too much more information to work with. But my big takeaway was that they all went on to fight with Harry in the Battle of Hogwarts. When the school was run by Deatheaters, your mum, Luna and Neville kept the DA going and sheltered people in the Room of Requirement." Despite not seeming to have any information related to the case she was somehow still beaming with eagerness.

"That's not all that helpful to us, though," Albus said. "So what are you still so excited about?"

Rose grinned, glad he asked, "Well as mum was talking about it, my dad came in and overheard us. And you know what he said? He made a comment about how it was Justin Finch-Fletchley's daughter who was recently killed in Hogsmeade."

"So? Who's he?" He wished Rose would just come out and say it rather than making him wait as if it was some grand reveal.

"An original member of the DA of course! Don't you think it's a little odd that the next person killed was related to a DA member?" She seemed far too excited about this information.

"But the spell was aimed at Ophelia," Albus reminded her.

"Okay, perhaps. But," She raised her finger up, ready to spout her conspiracy, "She had her back turned. Maybe it was meant of Harper after all."

Albus shrugged, "I suppose it's possible. But we have no way of knowing for sure."

Realising that Albus wasn't going to share in her excitement, Rose slumped back in her chair with a grunt, "When did you decide to become all logical?"

"When I realised that it's the only way we are going to actually get anything done--and done correctly," Albus told her, laughing inwardly at the role reversal that just took place. All too often it was Rose who was the voice of reason whilst Albus went on about the possibilities.

"Well, now you're no fun," She teased him. "At least I actually got some information. What have you done?"

In truth, Albus hadn't done much since arriving home a few days ago. For the most part, he'd spent his time catching up on sleep and trying not to worry about the oncoming term. It had been nice to relax for a few days before he arrived at the Burrow.

"I just haven't found the right time yet to talk to my dad," Albus defended himself, which wasn't far from the truth. "He's been acting all...strange lately."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Strange? How so?"

"Just...overly nice? We haven't fought at all and he's been smiling way too much when I'm around," Albus explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "Don't get me wrong, it's a better alternative to fighting but it just creeps me out."

Rose shrugged her shoulders, "I don't see what's so bad about that. It sounds like he wants to make things right with you."

"Well, I think he's trying a little too hard. I wish he'd just act normal around me."

"Maybe tell him that, then," Rose told him, getting up from her seat. "Now, if you don't mind, I want to go find Hugo and Lily to see what they're up to. It's Christmas Eve and you're kind of bumming me out, right now."

"Some offence taken," Albus watched her stick out her tongue playfully then skip away to see what the rest of the family were doing.

Left alone. Albus was somewhat relieved he didn't have to keep up the guise of playing chess. He cleaned up the set before sitting back in his chair, closing his eyes, thankful for the moment of peace.

But the peace never lasted long in a house full of Weasleys.

"Alllbuuuusss!" He heard the sing-songy voice of his brother calling him from the lounge.

Albus groaned, opening his eyes. He didn't want to get up. Maybe if he just ignored him, he'd go away.

But James' voice just grew louder, "Oh Allbuuuusssss! You've got a letter!"

James had gotten Albus' attention this time. Maybe it was from Scorpius! Albus was already missing his best friend and wanted to hear from him so desperately. A letter wouldn't be the same as talking to him in person but it would do for now.

Albus jumped up from his seat, briskly making his way into the lounge to find James surrounded by his cousins on the sofa. The window behind them was wide open where the owl had presumably flown in, but now it was just letting the cold air in. The kids on the sofa didn't seem to care though, as the climbed around James' trying to get a look at what had been delivered.

"Ooh it's pink!" Lucy exclaimed with a squeal.

"Who's it from?" Fred attempted to crawl over the back of the sofa to get a good look at the letter in James' hands.

"D'you think it's a love letter?" Dominique clasped her hands together, faking a swoon.

"Why don't you lot mind your own business?" Albus spoke, turning their attention from the letter to him.

With a pink envelope in his hand, James raised his arm up, waving the letter through the air for with an impish grin. Albus snatched it from him, getting a good look at the printing on the envelope. With one look at the handwriting, Albus' hopes fell. It wasn't Scorpius' elegant scrawl, but instead, just some neat curly lettering addressing the letter to Albus. He should have known it wasn't from Scorpius. Scorpius' owl knew him by heart and wouldn't have given up the post to anyone but Albus himself.

He recalled one time when Albus had gone to Diagon Alley for a new uniform with his mother and Scorpius' owl swooped in when only his father was home. Harry had tried to take the letter himself but ended up with a nasty scratch on his hand. The owl waited on the kitchen window sill all afternoon until Albus arrived home to collect it.

All eyes were on Albus as he slid his finger under the fold, tearing the seal open to pull out a piece of matching pink stationery. Written in the same curly handwriting was a brief note that read:

'Hiya Albus!

Hope your holiday has been good so far. I was hoping to talk to you soon. Floo at midnight? Make sure you're alone!

Happy Christmas Eve,

Ophelia XX'

"Ooooh, who's Ophelia?" A teasing voice came up behind Albus, causing him to jump. He swatted at Molly, who'd come up behind him to try and read the letter. She only giggled, happy to have gotten a reaction out of him.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Dominique asked excitedly running over to try and see the letter with little Lucy on her heels.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Albus protested, his cheeks beginning to heat up from his family's teasing.

"Ooooh, look at him blushing!" Fred cooed cheekily, "Al's got himself a girlfriend!"

"I do not!"

"Let's give it a read, shall we?" Molly grinned, beginning to read the note over his shoulder in an overly sultry tone, "Hiya Albus! Hope your--"

Albus spun away from her, shielding the note from his cousin's sight.

"Oh come on, Albus. What's in there that you're hiding from us?" She continued to pester him, making loud smooching noises.

"Nothing!" Trying to dodge his younger cousins, Albus crumpled the letter into a ball, raising it above his head to make it harder to reach before pointing his wand at it with his other hand, shouting, "Reducto!"

Lucy gasped as the parchment rained down from Albus' hand, reduced to ash.

"Well, you're no fun!" Molly crossed her arms stubbornly, losing interest in him now that the letter was gone and she'd lost.

"Albus!" This time the voice wasn't coming from his pestering cousins and sounded much more irritated.

Albus winced, glancing at James who gave him a look saying 'good luck'. Slowly, Albus turned to see his mother storming over from the other end of the lounge were the adults had recently been talking. The flash of light and sound of a spell had caught their attention, only now noticing the commotion from the kids. Of course, just a few moments too late for Albus' good.

"You know there's no magic allowed outside of school!" Ginny scolded with her arms crossed, tapping her foot. Normally, Albus' mum would be rather lenient about the no magic rule. Coming from a pureblood family and surrounded by older brothers performing spells on the daily, a little bit of rule-breaking wasn't uncommon. The trace of underage magic was hardly noticeable when surrounded by of-age witches and wizards.

"You realise that your aunt, the Minister for Magic, is sitting right there, don't you?" She pointed to Hermione, who just sipped her tea, staring off as to not get involved. What she didn't see she didn't need to reprimand.

"But mum, they were trying to--" Albus attempted to reason with her, explaining that his cousins had been trying to meddle with him.

"No 'buts', Albus. You're sixteen and should know better than that. Look at the example you're setting for your cousins." She gestured to Molly, Dominique, and Lucy who all smiled innocently, acting like perfect angels. Albus glared at them, especially Molly, who smiled smugly back at him.

Albus wanted to argue back but fighting with his mum was like arguing with a brick wall--she was far too strong-willed and stubborn to budge. Very much dissimilar to his father, who would only be further provoked by any attitude Albus gave him.

"Yes, mum," Albus grumbled, shoving his wand back into his pocket.

"Ah-ah-ah," Ginny, wagged her finger before laying her palm out in front of her, motioning for Albus to give her his wand. "You've lost your wand privileges."

"Muuum," Albus moaned, gripping his wand tighter. Taking a wizard's wand was like taking a piece of his identity.

But she didn't move her hand, "You shouldn't need to use it since you're not at school."

With an irritated grumble, Albus thrust his wand into his mother's awaiting hand, "How come I'm always the one getting in trouble," Albus spat, fed up with the treatment from his family. "But when it's Fred or Molly, no one seems to care!" It was always, 'no Albus' this, or 'Albus that's wrong' that. No one ever seemed to mention anything when it was his other cousins.

With that, Albus stomped his foot, leaving his family in an uncomfortable silence--the only silence they'd have all day. Storming off, Albus marched up the stairs, which creaked loudly under every slam of his foot against the old wood.

He burst into his shared bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He was thankful to find it empty. It was hard to find any room in this house that didn't have at least one of his family member's in it. All too many times, he'd stumbled into Teddy and Victorie snogging when he was just looking for an empty room to lie down in.

"I wish I could just apparate away," Albus muttered out loud, flopping on his bottom bunk. Staring up at the mattress board above him, Albus wished he could run off to Scorpius' right now. The Malfoy Manor was sure to be quiet. Even when Draco's parents came to visit for Christmas, there was always an abundance of empty rooms to escape to. Scorpius had even joked about how his house was so big that every so often he'd stumble upon a room he didn't even know existed.

That was Albus' dream. In his house and especially at his nan and grandad's, there was never anywhere he could hideaway for too long. Even in his own bedroom, he wasn't free of disturbances, as his dad came barging in or siblings came knocking. Sometimes Albus just wished he could disappear for a few hours to a place where no one could find him.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been lying there, lost in a daydream about living on his own far away from his family, when the squeak of the door hinges broke through his daze.

'Oh great,' Albus thought with a roll of his eyes, expecting to see one of his cousins there to intrude. But when he saw up, he was met with the concerned brown eyes of his mother, standing in the doorway.

"There you are, Albus," Her voice was considerably more gentle than it had been downstairs when she was telling him off. "Mind if I have a word?"

"I'm not going to apologise, if that's what you're after," Albus said bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest.

With a faint smile, Ginny shook her head, "No, no. I won't make you." She sat on the edge of his bed, patting the spot next to her for him to sit beside her. Reluctantly, he did so, refusing to look at her, electing to look straight ahead to the far wall.

No one spoke for a long moment, as his mum's eyes traced the room--the layout had changed considerably from what she was used to growing up.

"You know, this used to be your Uncle Percy's room," She finally spoke to Albus, her voice smooth with a nostalgic twinge. Her frustration with Albus had faded but he wasn't ready to let his guard down just yet.

"He always begged me to switch rooms with him. He hated living next to Fred and George in the room over," She pointed across the way. "They had a tendency to be rather--well, you know your Uncle George and his tricks. Living next to the twins couldn't have been easy. Which is exactly why I refused to switch, even when he bribed me with sweets. I knew it was an unfair trade." She let out a soft chuckle.

Albus wasn't sure why she was telling him this. The room was unremarkable. Any trace that uncle Percy had lived there for eighteen years was long gone. No leftover posters or forgotten memorabilia. Although, knowing his uncle, he wouldn't be surprised if his room had always looked like this. Percy always struck him as being rather...bland. Which wasn't always a bad thing. Sometimes Albus prefered his Uncle Percy since he was the least likely to force Albus into a conversation and the least chaotic of the bunch.

"I looked up to Fred and George immensely. They always seemed to have so much fun, never caring if they got too wild or rowdy. Which is exactly why I knew I'd hate living so close to them." She explained further. "I could never stand when people were too loud all the time. It drives me mad. I need to have time set aside where I can just get away from it all and have some quiet--which I'm sure you can imagine was hard with six brothers."

Albus found it hard dealing with just two siblings. He couldn't imagine being in a house with six. Well, he could actually, as the few days he spent with all his cousins was his own personal nightmare.

"I'm afraid that something I've passed along to you, Albus. Unlike your brother and sister or even your father, we can't be around people for all that long without going mad. We're introverts, you and I. We get our energy from the quieter times instead of from others. Wouldn't you say so?"

"Yeah," Albus agreed in a low voice.

"I think the holidays are a time where we can both be driven to our wit's end, what with all of the family crowded into one place. I didn't mean to snap at you in front of everyone or embarrass you. I love my family but they are exhausting to be around all day and I don't blame you for getting irritated because I feel the same way."

"And," She added, "If your cousins ever give you trouble, you a certainly welcome to come to me and I will make up an excuse to help you escape." She grinned, knowing that a resource she would have loved to have had growing up.

Albus managed a weak smile, "Thanks, mum."

Although his relationship with his family--his father especially--was unsteady at times, things with his mother seemed different. She was so often the stability that he needed to keep grounded, calming him down after a hard day, checking in on his wellbeing often, and speaking up for him when his father and siblings got on his nerves. His mum always looked out for him, even when he wanted nothing to do with his family.

When Scorpius lost his mum, Albus couldn't help but feel his pain, knowing that--even though he sometimes took her for granted--he couldn't handle not having his mum to lean on. Albus wouldn't know what to do without her.

"So..." His mum finally spoke again, a twinkle of curiosity in her eye, "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to. But as your mother, you know I have to ask."

Albus dreaded what he knew was coming. She had that nosy look about her, leaning in slightly, her eyebrows raised with a curious gleam in her eye.

"Who's this girlfriend I overheard about?" She nudged him with her knees, holding back a smile.

Albus' face flushed bright red, "Muuuum..." He moaned, wishing his cousins hadn't been teasing him so loudly.

Amused by his reaction, she raised her hands up as if she had no other choice but to have asked, "Sorry Albus, but you know it's my job to embarrass you."

He buried his face in his hands, hunching over so his elbows balanced on his knees, "She's my friend," he spoke through the gaps of his fingers.

"Oh? I didn't know you had any female friends," She chuckled. "What's her name? Is she in your year? Is she pretty?" She questioned him like a child, getting a kick out of teasing him.

As much as the teasing would normally annoy him, had it come from his cousins or siblings, with his mum, it felt lighter. More friendly and heartfelt than actually trying to rile him up. He knew she was only gleeful at the prospect of him finding love.

"Her name's Ophelia. She's a year below. And I suppose so? But I don't like her in that way! We're just good friends." Albus told her, peeling his hands away from his reddened face.

"Well, you know your father and I started as good friends. But then in our sixth year--well, your age actually--things started to change. So you never know..." She hummed, trying to give him encouragement.

Albus knew she meant well. She had no way of knowing just how little interest he actually had in Ophelia. As far as girls went, she was lovely and perhaps in an alternative life, their relationship could have been something more than friends--although Albus had a slim belief that it would ever be the case in any other world. Fancying Ophelia, or Magnolia, or even any girl at Hogwarts would certainly have made his life a lot less complicated...

Glancing at his mum, Albus bit his lip. The urge to tell her stirred around in his chest like a potion, boiling and ready to spill. He fought it back, not sure if he was ready or how she'd react. Of all the people in this world, he loved his mum the most and he hated to risk their bond. What if she saw him in a different light? What if it hurt their relationship? Or worst of all--what if she completely disowned him?

He knew that was highly unlikely--impossible even. His mother always saw the best in people and was one of the most tolerable people he knew. Even when she found out about his close friendship with Scorpius Malfoy, son of a Deatheater and a member of the family that had caused her so much trouble as a child, she barely seemed to bat an eye. Whenever she wrote to him, she always asked how Scorpius was and never seemed to have any qualms with their friendship even when his father seemed weary.

But how would she feel if she knew that Albus desired to be more than just friends with Scorpius? He needed to know. He didn't think he could hold his secret from her much longer and not boil over.

"Mum," Albus' voice cracked slightly, causing him to wince. "Can I tell you something?"

She seemed to notice his unease, "What is it, Albus?" She tilted her head, eyes filling with concern.

Albus tried to meet her gaze but couldn't bring himself to do it. Gripping the wooden frame of the bed with his head bent down to face the floor Albus felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest.

"I--" Albus began, his voice barely above a whisper as he tried to find a way to phrase it casually, "I'm actually..." He never thought it would be this hard to get the words out.

Finally, he squeezed his eyes shut, digging his nails into the bed frame and blurted, "Mum, I like boys!" His voice squeaked a little at the end. Clearing his throat, he clarified in a more steady voice, "I mean...I'm gay."

In the second it took for her to react, Albus had a million thoughts racing through his head, each describing a different scenario of what could happen next. A heavy weight pressed down on his back and Albus wasn't sure how much longer he could support it before he went crashing through the floorboards.

Peeking one eye open to look at his mother, he was met with a soft smile spreading across her lips.

"Why that's perfectly alright, Albus," She spoke tenderly, reaching over to give him a firm squeeze to the knee.

"It--it is?" Albus stuttered lifting his head up slightly. The weight of the world slowly eased off his shoulders.

"Of course," There was a twinkle in her eye as she spoke to him, "Although, it would have been nice to know before I made all those jokes about that girl," She chuckled.

Hearing her laugh lightened the air in the room, Albus feeling as if he could breathe freely again, "Right, well sorry about that."

"You don't need to be sorry about anything, Al. Thank you for telling me." She outstretched her arms, "Come here." She pulled him into a tight squeeze, cuddling him close.

His mother's warmth spread across him like a blanket, a cosy feeling of security settling over him. Albus wondered why he'd ever been so worried.

"Just don't tell dad," He finally said when she released him. "Or anyone for that matter."

Ginny drew a line across her lips, as if sealing them, "That's not my business to tell anyone."

"Thanks," Albus smiled, thankful that at least one of his family members knew but not ready to have the whole Weasley clan aware.

"Does anyone else know?" She tilted her head in the direction of the door, indicating the rest of the family.

He shook his head, "No. I haven't actually come around to do that just yet."

She nodded, understandingly, "And Scorpius...?"

Albus winced, "I haven't told him either..." He rubbed the back of his neck, not sure when he'd feel comfortable admitting it to his best mate.

There was a subtle hint of a frown on his mum's face as she said, "Ah. I just thought maybe--" She quickly shook her head, "No, nevermind."

"Thought what?" Albus inquired, his brow raising.

"Oh it's silly," She waved a hand through the air. "I just thought that maybe, since you two were so close--"

Albus didn't need to hear the rest, "Noooo. We're not--He's not--" He felt the returning creep of a blush, the tips of his ears warming up.

"No need to explain," She stopped him, not wanting to make him any more flustered.

"He likes Rose, actually," Albus found himself admitting, the words spilling out. "Er--uh, liked, he claims," He coughed in correction.

Ginny scrunched her nose, her freckles getting lost in the folds of her skin, "I can't picture those two together. Scorpius would be very overshadowed. Your cousin is absolutely lovely but from what I understand, Scorpius is a rather timid boy and Rose is quite the opposite."

Albus wholeheartedly agreed, "My thoughts exactly."

The thought of Rose and Scorpius together seemed funny to Albus' mum as a giggle escaped her lips, followed by a steady chuckle. Albus found himself joining in and soon they were both lost control of themselves, in a fit of giggles.

As troubling as that afternoon had been for Albus, this moment made it all worthwhile, the stress of the day melting away. The moment of glee shared with his mother made him feel leagues better than he'd felt since arriving at The Burrow and he'd never felt closer to his mother.

"Uh...what's so funny?" A voice came from across the room.

Albus looked up to see James standing in the doorway with his eyebrow quirked at the unusual sight. Albus was hardly ever seen smiling amongst his family, and laughing was an even more rare occasion.

"Oh, just something you're brother said," Their mum brushed it off, pulling herself together. "Well, I should be going back downstairs before your father gets worried and sends a search party. But this was a nice chat, Albus." She laid a gentle kiss on his temple before standing up.

"Oh!" She remembered, turning back to Albus, "Before I forget..." She produced his wand from her pocket, handing it back to Albus. "Just be careful with it, promise?"

Albus smiled upon receiving his wand back, "Promise," He affirmed.

With that, Ginny left the room, giving her eldest son a squeeze on the shoulder as she passed and disappeared out the door.

James still appeared to be lost, his eyes flickering from his mother and back to Albus, "What was that all about?"

Albus bowed his head, holding back a smile, "Oh, nothing..."

Chapter Text

By half-past eleven on Christmas Eve, the occupants of the Burrow had all finally nestled themselves into bed for a good nights rest before the exciting day to come. Although Albus and the other children had been sent up to their rooms at 10 pm sharp--a rule his nan stuck by despite that they were now all too old to believe in Father Christmas--but the adults mingled for a short while after, merry on mulled wine and full of mince pies.

Lying awake in his bed, Albus counted the footsteps on the creaky stairs, counting the number of family members who were heading to bed. As time ticked closer to midnight, when his arranged meeting with Ophelia would be, Albus got more nervous. Voices from the lounge below still carried upwards, muffled by the floorboards but still partially recognizable. His dad and his Uncle Ron and George were the last ones to make their way upstairs to their respective rooms, finally settling in for the night, filling Albus with relief. He imagined his father would have been taken by surprise if a random girl's head suddenly poked through the fire whilst he was enjoying his final mince pie of the night.

When the time was right, Albus rolled out of bed, careful not to shake the bunk to wake Hugo. Sliding his feet into his slippers to muffle the sound of his footsteps, he crept across the room, cringing with every subtle creak of the floorboards. Cracking the door open ever so slightly, the hall light shone through, creating a thin bright line across the triple bunk bed in the centre of the room. Albus ducked out the door, closing it as fast as he could without making noise. He hoped that if any of his family members had been awake to see him, they would assume he'd just gone to the toilet and they'd go back to sleep.

Rose was already waiting, sat on top of the steps in her white Christmas pyjamas decorated with little images of jingle bells and holly. Her bushy had been tied up in a bun, rogue curls popping out in random spots not wanting to be tamed by her scrunchy.

Albus couldn't help but chuckle, "Love the look," He whispered.

She shot him a glare, eyeing his own look, which was nothing more than a faded pair of flannel trousers and a grey shirt, "At least I'm festive," She whispered back then pushed a finger up to her lips to tell him to keep quiet as the descended the stairs.

Following in Rose's footsteps, he placed the balls of his feet down on the edges of the wooden steps, trying his hardest to shift his weight slowly to avoid making a loud sound. Half-way down, Albus misstepped, causing the step to emit a shrill squeak. Rose shot him a murderous glare but there was nothing Albus could do. They paused for a moment to listen for any stirring but there was none.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Albus let out a sigh of relief that he'd made it past the hardest part. They trodded into the kitchen, where the largest fireplace was connected to the Floor network. Rose pulled out two mismatched chairs to face the fireplace then they watched the clock.

"You're sure the note said midnight tonight?" Rose checked, keeping her voice low still in case anyone were to hear.

"Positive," Albus affirmed. He had told Rose about the note shortly after the conversation with his mum. He figured she would want to be included in the late-night chat to hear what Ophelia had to say.

As both the hour and minute hand hit the 12, overlapping each other, a chime rang throughout the room, indicating the new hour. Albus and Rose kept their eyes trained on the logs laying in a pile of ash in the fireplace, knowing it could spark up at any second.

With a small flicker, then a bright flash, a fire sprung to life. As Albus' eyes adjusted to the new light, he slowly started to make out a face, formed in the coals and embers.

"Hellooo," Ophelia's voice greeted them from her fiery imagine, far too loud for Rose and Albus' comfort.

"Shhh!" Albus and Rose both motioned for her to lower her voice.

"Ooh, sorry!" She apologised, her voice falling to a whisper. "My parents are both asleep upstairs. Are you two alone?" She asked, her head turning to try and get a look at their surroundings.

Rose nodded, "Yes, but if anyone of our family members hears talking, they're sure to come down and investigate, so we have to keep this quick." She clicked her fingers, worried eyes flickering to the staircase every few seconds.

"Got it," Ophelia started her explanation right away, as to not keep them waiting--far less showy and suspenseful than Rose's presentation of her information earlier that day. "I figured talking through Floo would be safer than an owl. You never know who might read them."

Albus had a suspicion that Molly would have wanted to get her hands on any secretive letters that were addressed to him, so he was thankful for Ophelia's smart thinking.

"I talked to my dad about the DA. He was in the year below Harry and everyone, so I thought it could be likely he had some knowledge or something to do with it. But he told me he'd had no idea it existed at the time. The first time he heard of it was reading a magazine article on Harry Potter long after the war had ended." Ophelia frowned, "So that seems to rule out him being connected to the DA..." She seemed disappointed in her findings.

Rose straightened out in her seat, her turn to report, " As I told Albus this morning, I discovered that Harper Finch-Fletchley's father was a member of the DA. Which leads me to wonder if whomever it was that cast the spell was aiming for you."

Ophelia considered it for a moment, closing her eyes as if reliving the moment. She shuttered before quickly opening them again, looking far more uncomfortable than she had just seconds before. Thinking about that night in Hogsmeade was obviously still incredibly difficult for her and Albus greatly appreciated that she was still willing to try if it meant helping the cause.

"I won't deny that it's possible. It all happened so fast and it's a bit of a blur. But I remember Harper being by my side then jumping behind me as I heard the spell being cast," Ophelia looked down, her image appearing as if she was staring into the coals. Albus heard a small sniffle emitted from the fire.

"It's okay, Ophelia," He piped up, trying to use the same soothing voice he used when Scorpius brought up his mother. "We know that you don't know exactly what happened. You don't have to keep talking about it if you don't want to." He elbowed Rose to get her to back him up.

"Oh, right. Of course," She agreed. "What you've told us so far is already enough to help."

Ophelia sniffled again, her hand appearing in the flames to wipe her eyes, "Sorry, I keep trying to be strong and not think about it. But I just keep seeing that green light and hearing her scream. If I had just done something different, maybe she would still be alive right now. Or if I had turned more quickly, I could have seen who did it. At least then we'd have some justice."

"We'll figure this out," Albus' voice filled with determination, hating to see Ophelia so torn down by the memories. "We'll keep working until we know what happened."

In the flames, Ophelia nodded, breathing deeply to try and compose herself. Even though the flickering firelight, Albus could see just how tired and broken she looked. Now that she had so much free time, away from lessons and her friends at Hogwarts, there were no distractions to keep her from reliving the memories of that evening. Albus knew that feeling all too well--certainly not with anything on the scale of murder but with words bullies had spat at him or the occasional trip in the corridor and jinxes cast on him as he walked by. The more time he had to stop and think, the more the bad thoughts plagued his brain.

"Cheer up, hun," Rose cooed, softening her usually hard exterior, "Christmas is no time to be so upset."

A smile peeked out on Ophelia's lips, "Oh right, I almost completely forgot! Happy Christmas, you two. Sorry, I'm not Father Christmas coming down the chimney with gifts," She chuckled softly.

Albus and Rose chuckled when something popped into Albus' head. He recalled back to Hogsmeade when Ophelia wanted to tell him something about Magnolia. If it hadn't been for the murder causing a rather large distraction, he would have asked the next time he saw her. But with the topic of the case aside, Albus decided it was the perfect time to ask.

"Ophelia?"

Her head turned to Albus, waiting for his question.

But Albus didn't even get the chance to open his mouth before a voice from the doorway startled him, almost causing him to fall off his chair.

"Oooh, I'm so telling mum and dad," A taunting whisper caused Rose and Albus' heads to whip over in the direction of the door.

"James!" Rose exclaimed as best as she could without raising her voice too loud.

Stepping into the kitchen with a devilish grin, James strode over to them looking pleased with himself for catching them off guard, "Waiting for Father Christmas?" He teased.

"How much did you hear?" Albus asked, glaring at his brother for interrupting him yet again but also worried by what he might have overheard.

"Everything," He eyed their frightened faced, getting a kick out of their reaction, "Just wait till everyone hears what you've been up to..."

Rose and Albus exchanged fearful glances, trying to work out a way to spin it so that James wouldn't be so suspicious.

"James, don't be a prick," Rose scolded him which wouldn't have been Albus' idea for getting him to keep quiet--he would have gone for the begging for mercy route. "If you tell anyone, it will just ruin everything."

James quirked an eyebrow, crossing his arms, "Oh? Will it?"

Albus butt in, not able to stand his brother's antagonising, "Please James, just do us this one favour and don't tell dad. If he knew we were looking into the murders he'd--"

The mischievous smirk was wiped right off of James' face as he stopped him, holding his hands up, "Sorry, what?" He shook his head with wide eyes as if he'd just been spun around too quickly and needed to adjust, "You've been looking into the murders? That's what you're doing down here? I was just trying to wind you up for sneaking out of bed!" His voice started to rise higher with his shock, forcing Rose to have to shush him.

A look of panic crossed her face as she realised James had only been joking around, "You mean you weren't listening to our conversation with Ophelia?"

"No! I only just--wait," He paused, backtracking, "Ophelia?"

"Hi, James," Ophelia's voice rose from the fire, smiling weakly after being caught.

James jumped at the sound of her voice, spinning around to find out where it was coming from. Finally, his eyes landed on her in the fire, and he winced, glancing down at his shirtless torso and candy cane striped pyjama bottoms with embarrassment.

"Oh, uh hello," He looked flustered as he tried to adjust his hair and fix his wild case of bedhead. He shot Albus a glare, speaking in a whisper through gritted teeth, "I didn't realise we had company."

Ophelia giggled at his flustered state, all too used to seeing James as an overconfident quidditch rival and never caught so off-guard before, "Happy Christmas to you too, James."

James ignored the comment, trying to sort the whole situation out in his brain and get the conversation back on track, "Wait, so what's all this about the murders? And what's she got to do with it?" He pointed to Ophelia.

"It's uhh," Albus looked to Rose for help but she was far too focused on her own thinking to notice his plea, "Nothing. We were just kidding with you," Albus lied, rather unconvincingly.

James was far too clever to believe him, "No, no, you were serious. Now you've got to explain." He demanded, his expression turning from shocked to serious.

Albus wasn't sure what to say. He'd tried so hard to keep everything about the case a secret, not wanting anyone to get suspicious--or even worse--having his dad hear about it. Now, blabbermouth James had to come and ruin everything for him. It was too late to lie and pretend it never happened and Albus didn't have the magical skills to wipe his memory or make him think it was a dream. But he didn't know if he could risk telling James everything in fear that he'd tell their father, putting an end to their investigating team.

Luckily for Albus, he didn't need to make the final decision on handling the situation as Ophelia began to speak, their attention turning back to the fire.

"It was my idea," She told James, trying to cover for Albus and Rose. "It was my friend, Harper, that was killed in Hogsmeade that day and it could have been me. I know your dad and Rose's mum work for the ministry and I thought that maybe we could use what we knew to find out who's behind it."

Although it wasn't a total lie, Albus was thankful for Ophelia twisting the story around to take the blame off him. If he had less involvement, then that would mean disappointing his father far less.

James processed what she said, furrowing his brow, his eyes jumping from Ophelia to Albus to Rose then back to Ophelia in a dizzying circle. Albus tried to puzzle out what he might be thinking but his expression was too hard to read. Finally, he heaved a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck with a softened expression.

"Merlin, Ophelia, I'm sorry that happened to you," He finally spoke, his voice filling with genuine concern.

Ophelia gave him a grateful smile as everyone waited for him to say more. The fire crackled, the clock ticked, and the house creaked as it settled--the minor sounds echoing loudly in Albus' head as he waited for James to tell him off for meddling or run to get their father. But James stayed silent, rocking on the balls of his feet while he chewed on his lip. Albus had never seen his brother, normally so bold and brash, be at a loss for words. He always had a quippy comeback or a joke on hand. James was the one to start conversations but never the one to finish them.

The silence was getting to Albus, his heartbeat now adding to the repetitive symphony of noises that filled his head driving him mad until he couldn't help but blurt out, "That's it?!"

To Albus' confusion, James simply shrugged, "Did you want something more?"

The truth was, yes, yes he did. He'd expected his brother to have plenty to say, just like he always did. James always got on his nerves, pushing him over the edge and never shutting up when Albus needed him to. But James falling quiet was even worse. Albus had been waiting, watching James' like a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the moment he' be set off. But when nothing happened, there was an unsettling stillness in the air. Albus wanted to know what was going on in James' head. Was he upset? Mad? Or just in disbelief?

Or had Albus worked up this whole investigation up in his head to be a much bigger deal than it was? That couldn't be it. Albus was never the type to get himself tied up intro anything much bigger than himself. James was the troublemaker, not Albus. Not that Albus never got himself into trouble but that was always little fights with his dad or drama with school bullies. Never something that Albus really had no business sticking his nose in other than to make a name for himself.

But James didn't know that. James just thought they were helping Ophelia. He still had no idea.

"I just thought you'd make more of a fuss, that's all..." Albus admitted, his voice falling. He hated feeling everyone's eyes on him, even if it was just close friends and family. Every stare he got seemed to weigh him down until he felt as if he was sinking into the floor. As Harry Potter's son, he got a lot of stares--good and bad--but he never once wanted them. There were many times he wished he could sneak the invisibility cloak from James' trunk and hide under it whenever he left his room.

People who stared at him were watching, thinking, and judging him. Despite Albus never knowing their thoughts, he always assumed they were bad. No one ever seemed to have anything nice to say to Harry Potter's Slytherin Squib son.

Thankfully, Rose piped up, detracting the attention from Albus for a short while, "Well, I for one, am glad he's got nothing to say. And," She pointed a finger at James, narrowing her eyes threateningly, "If he does decide to say anything to anyone, he's got a stream of hexes coming his way."

Despite the threat, James cracked a smile, raising his hands up in defence, "Relax. I won't say anything. I don't care what you three do in your free time as long as you're not getting into anything too dangerous. But--" He added, directing the message more towards Ophelia, "If you do find yourself in danger, I better be the first one you call."

"I feel like the Aurors would be the first people we would want to call," Ophelia shot back, lightheartedly, her image glistening as the fire sparked up.

James made a show of thinking about that, "Okay, well second then," he finally agreed with a cheeky wink.

Ophelia laughed with a shake of her head, "Whatever you say, Potter."

James seemed satisfied and started to back out of the room with a yawn, exaggeratingly stretching his arms in the air, "Now that's settled, you lot better get to bed. That's enough scheming for one night. Plus," He added with a grin, "Don't you know that Father Christmas won't come if you're out of bed?" With that, he turned on his heel and let them be, sneaking up the stairs back to his room.

With a heavy exhale, Rose sunk back in her chair, seemingly flushed with relief, "Thanks for covering our arses there, Ophelia."

Albus wished he could share that feeling, still tense after the interruption. Whilst his brother seemed surprisingly calm about the whole situation, he still didn't trust him fully not to give them up. Even if it was just a slip of the tongue, they weren't safe now that someone outside of their circle knew what was going on.

The girls didn't share this fear, apparently, as they went back to chatting as if nothing had changed.

"Not a problem," Ophelia shrugged it off, "I imagine you're hiding it from your family for a reason. I know how that feels. I still haven't told my parents that it was me that was almost killed...I'd hate for them to worry," She admitted with a frown.

"Did they not recognise you in the paper?" Rose questioned, surprised that she could get away with not telling her parents something so major. Knowing his cousin, Albus bet that if she'd almost been killed, she would tell everyone--not for pitty but more as a brag to say she survived certain death. She had a flair for dramatics if it meant she got attention, which was essentially the opposite of how Albus would react.

"No, my parents don't subscribe to the Prophet. My dad thinks it's a load of rubbish and my mom doesn't keep up with wizard news."

It took a moment for Rose to comprehend what she meant, "Wait, you're mum's not a witch?"

"Is that so shocking?" Ophelia giggled at her befuddled expression.

"I-I just assumed all Slytherin's were pureblooded."

Albus shot his cousin a confused look, "Rose, I'm not even pureblood. You know that. My grandmother was muggleborn."

"Right well, that was a while ago, I just meant--" Rose tried to explain before stopping herself. "Sorry, it was a stupid thing to assume." She pulled her knees to her chest, looking slightly ashamed of herself for even saying anything.

But Ophelia didn't seem to take offence--or if she did, she was very good at hiding it, "You wouldn't be the first to say that to me. And you definitely won't be the last." She went on to give a brief explanation, "There aren't many of us. Or maybe the other's just don't bring it up. But I know of a few muggleborns and halfbloods in Slytherin." She started to list some off the top of her head as examples, "Me--obviously--Ella Greenwood, Ruthie Keane, Matthias MacPherson--"

This time it was Albus who interrupted in confusion, "Huh? Matthias? You mean the big-buff-Quidditch-star, Matthias?"

"Yes..." Ophelia said slowly as if he was having trouble understanding, "Are there any other Slytherins named Matthias?" It was a rhetorical question.

"I just never would have thought he was...?"

"A muggleborn?" Ophelia filled in the blank. "He hides it well, I suppose."

Of all people to be muggleborn in Slytherin, Albus never suspected Matthias. The same Matthias who seemed to embody all things wizardry--from making it on the Quidditch team as a beater in his second year to being mates with the kids from some of the most powerful pureblooded families, like Silas and Ryker. Never once did Albus suspect he came from anywhere but at wizarding family.

"Is that a problem for you, Albus?" Rose questioned as if she herself wasn't in the same position a minute ago.

Albus rolled his eyes at his cousin's blatant hypocrisy, "Obviously not. I just was surprised, that's all."

"I don't blame you," Ophelia chimed up in their defence, "Slytherin has a certain reputation for having pureblooded students. That's what Salazar Slytherin wanted after all. But that was centuries ago. Slytherin is so much more than intolerance and evil but people just choose not to see beyond that."

Albus knew that for a fact. It had taken his father far too long to warm up to Albus' house after resenting it for so long. He'd struggled with the stereotypes for six years now and he still did every time someone made an assumption about him being in Slytherin or when the Lorelei Lacero used Slytherin as a way to convince people that Albus could be some new form of Deatheater. It was all lies and rubbish. The more people insulted his house, the more strongly he wanted to defend it. Even though he'd always wished to be put in Gryffindor like the rest of his family, maybe he was more proud of being Slytherin than he thought...

The chime of the clock broke Albus' attention away from his thoughts. As it hit the half-hour, the clock rang out twice before the incessant ticking continued as it got further and further into the night. As if on cue, Rose let out a yawn as if just realising how tired she actually was.

Ophelia noted this, deciding to wrap up their conversation for the night, "I think I should get going. But I'm glad we got the chance to talk."

Rose nodded in agreement, moving to the edge of the chair so she could head to bed as soon as Ophelia left, "Let us know if you find anything else that could help. We'll keep tabs on James, but I trust him not to say anything."

"You do?!" Albus couldn't hide his disbelief.

Rose proceeded to ignore him, "It will be harder to reach the both of us once we go home but you can always send an owl and hope no one gets a hold of it. Perhaps we could come up with a secret code!" She pitched her idea excitedly.

Ophelia chuckled although didn't seem convinced, "I will just make sure it's not too obvious what we are discussing. Oh, I wish you wizarding kids used phones. It would be so much easier to call."

"I have a mobile!" Albus piped up, remembering the brick-like device his father had gotten for all the kids despite his mum's confusion as to why they'd need them. It was fo emergencies but Albus only ever used it to call Scorpius over summer holidays--and even that was rare as Scorpius never understood how to use his phone and almost never topped it up so that it could actually receive calls.

"You do?" Ophelia perked up, "What's your number?"

"Uhh..." Albus had no idea. He couldn't understand how muggles memorised all those random digits like it was their name.

Ophelia caught on quickly, "Why don't you find out and send me an owl?" She offered, holding back a giggle at just how useless wizards were with muggle technology.

"Will do," He agreed.

"I will keep an eye out for it. But for now, enjoy your holiday! And have a goodnight!" Ophelia wished them well.

"Happy Christmas," Rose and Albus chirped in unison.

With a flicker of light, Ophelia's face was gone and the fire went out with a swoosh, like someone blowing out a candle. Rose and Albus were left in the dark, the warmth from the flames already fading. Without a word, they made the silent journey back up the stairs only pausing to give each other a small wave in goodnight before they parted, returning to their respective rooms.

Albus tip-toed into the room, eyes immediately falling on James' bunk, who appeared already to be fast asleep, sprawled out with his arm falling off the edge. Shuffling back to his own bed, Albus tucked himself into a warm cocoon, sinking into the mattress as the weight of his sleepiness hit him all of a sudden. He had so much to think about after the conversation with Ophelia and the confrontation with James but his body seemed to have other plans. Soon, Albus drifted off with visions of sugarplums dancing in his head.

Chapter Text

Christmas morning at the Burrow always teetered on the verge of chaos--the house filled to the brim with red-haired family members and a bunch of children running about. Albus recalled one time as a child, spending thirty minutes with Rose trying to find her father amongst all the jumper-clad Weasleys.

Jolly chatter filled the sitting room as the whole family gathered Christmas morning, mingling amongst each other. The fireplace was alight and crackling, Christmas carols played from old muggle records their grandad collected, and the kettle whistled from the kitchen as many cups of tea were passed around. Every so often, a cracker would explode with a loud bang, showering gifts upon the players. The scent of roasting beef wafted in from the kitchen where his nan was already bustling about, preparing the Christmas dinner with help from Harry and Fleur who both enjoyed cooking, unlike any of the Weasley children, who--to their mum's disappointment--didn't inherit her cooking talents.

With a cup of coffee in hand, Albus sat on the floor off to the side near the Christmas tree, surrounded by crumpled piles of discarded red, green, and gold wrapping paper. He watched as his grandad walked to the centre of the room with a rubbish bin tucked under his arm. With one swish of his wand, all the wrapping paper rose from the ground and flew into the bin. Albus couldn't help but chuckle as he watched one of the wrapping paper balls smack his cousin Molly upside the head before bouncing into the bin. She shot Albus a glare for laughing but he didn't care, giving her a cheeky wave in response as he took a sip of his coffee.

He was thankful that all of the kids in the family were older now, meaning they didn't have to be woken up at the crack of dawn by bouncing little primary schoolers, all too eager for the wee morning hours to see what Father Christmas brought. Although Lucy, at only eleven years old, still begged them to get up earlier, everyone agreed that sleeping in would be perfectly acceptable--especially for the older teens. Albus wasn't sure he could have woken up any earlier than he did after the late-night he'd had. The dark circles under his eyes were a staple of his morning look at this point but it would have been far worse had he been woken up by one of his younger cousins at sunrise. The coffee settling into his veins would at least last him until evening as he'd need all the energy he could muster to make it through the long day of family socialisation.

Besides gift opening, when all the adults took joy in watching the kids tear into the mound of wrapped parcels by the tree, Albus was able to go mostly unnoticed. Itching at where the wool of his jumper--which were always some shade of green with a large A on the front--he didn't notice someone approaching until their shadow fell over him.

"Cracker? How 'bout it?"

Albus glanced up to see his father standing over him, extending the colourfully wrapped tube toward him. Albus rolled his eyes at the offer but obliged for the sake of Christmas spirit. With a tug on either end, the cracker let out a cloud of glittering blue smoke and a bang as loud as a cannon. When the smoke cleared, Albus looked to see the longer end of the tube in his hand, the gifts falling onto the floor in front of him.

"You win," His dad smiled, squatting down to take a look at what was inside. He picked up the hat--a blue oversized top hat covered with silver stars--and popped it onto Albus' head before he got to protest.

"Dad," Albus whined, unamused, knowing he looked exceptionally silly, although he didn't try to remove it.

Harry chuckled, not used to seeing his son in such eye-catching clothing, "I think it's a good look for you, Al."

"If you like it so much, why don't you wear it," He pulled it off his head, placing it on his father's.

Harry posed dramatically, showing off his new look. Albus bit back a laugh, entertained by the show.

Picking up the piece of paper on the floor, Harry read out the joke, "Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?"

With a roll of his eyes, Albus responded, "Who?"

"A mince-spy!" Harry gave him an exaggerated smile at the lame joke. "Get it? Mince pie. But spelt s-p-y."

"Yeah, dad. I got it," Albus fought an oncoming smile, the joke so bad it was laughable.

"I see you trying not to smile there, Albus," His father teased, "Come on now, don't be shy." He reached out to give him a loving pinch on the cheek right above his dimple.

Albus swatted his hand away but could no longer resist his impulse to smile, "Da-ad, stop..."

"There it is!" Harry cheered in victory, "Look at that handsome smile. It's been a while since I've seen that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Albus muttered, although he was secretly relieved at his father's recent change in tactics when talking to him. Despite leaving things on such a sour note at the start of term, things seemed to be looking up in their relationship, although Albus still acted begrudgingly--he never let up too easily, inheriting his mother's stubbornness.

"Well, lucky for you, I didn't come here just to tease you," Harry admitted, taking a seat on the floor across from his son, which was far more uncomfortable at his age. "I actually hoped we could talk."

"If you're looking to have a serious conversation, you might want to take off the hat first," Albus reminded him, pointing atop his head.

"Oh right, yes," Harry chuckled under his breath, removing the silly top hat before continuing. "I thought you'd like to know that Malfoy--er Draco," Using his first name felt uncomfortable on his tongue, "--and I have decided to take a trip to the prophet to speak to this Lorelei Lacero woman."

"Oh?" Albus was surprised to hear about his father working together with Mr Malfoy. He must have felt it was something quite important if he was willing to put their feud aside for the betterment of their name in the press.

"And I thought that maybe," Harry continued, "Whilst we're gone, you'd like to get together with Scorpius?"

Albus' breath hitched, "Get together?" He croaked, trying to figure out what his dad was implying.

"You know, like, spend the day at his house," Harry clarified, not catching onto Albus' sudden flustered look. "The two of you hardly ever see each other outside of Hogwarts, I thought you might like the chance to visit."

"Oh," Albus said again, this time with a sigh of relief. "I would like that a lot, actually." He slipped his father an appreciative look. Only once, other than the time he'd run away over the summer holiday, had his father let him visit the Malfoy Manor over a break. It was a delightful change that Albus had no qualms with. For once, it seemed as if his father might actually not be trying to make his life completely miserable.

"Good," Harry beamed at Albus' positive reaction to the suggestion, then took a deep breath, his voice turning more serious, "Listen, Al..."

"Albus," He reminded his father, far less harsh than he had in the past.

"--Albus," Harry corrected. "I know I haven't responded very warmly to your friendship with Scorpius."

"That's putting it mildly."

Harry ignored the comment, not wanting to start anything, "But recently, I've realised that I might have been harsh in my assumptions about the boy. He's stuck by your side all these years now and clearly makes you happy. It would be foolish of me to think he has any ill intent at this point."

Surprised by his sudden change of heart, Albus took a moment to process his father's words, wondering if he heard him correctly. Maybe he'd had one too many cups of mulled wine last night? Or Albus' mum forced him to make amends? But the look on Harry's face seemed genuine, trying to make up for his past behaviour and lasting grudge against the Malfoys.

"I mean, you're a few years late on that realisation," Albus said, never making it easy for his father. "But I appreciate that. Scorpius is my best mate and I can assure you that he doesn't have an evil bone in his body. And I know that's hard for you to believe based on your past with his family but he's one of the kindest, gentlest, and geekiest wizards there is. He supports me in ways you'd probably never understand. He's really just...the best." Albus found himself gushing, coming to recognise just how much he missed his friend even after just a few days apart. He hoped he hadn't made his crush on his best friend too obvious but Harry didn't seem to catch on. Sometimes Albus was thankful for his father's oblivious nature.

Instead, he nodded understandingly, "I think I was so caught up on his name, I refused to see him for who he actually was. I, of all people, should know that there is more to someone than just their name. I'm happy you have Scorpius as your friends. We all need friends to get by. I'm sure you know by now that without--"

"Ron and Hermione, you wouldn't have survived Hogwarts?" Albus finished, "Yeah, I know."

Harry chuckled softly at his own predictability, "That's correct. And my other friends as well. They all were there to fight beside me when I needed them most. Those are how you know who your true friends are--those who stay by your side even during the most difficult of times."

Albus bit his lip, not sure if he should say what was on his mind, but decided to take the risk, "Like the members of Dumbledore's Army?"

Taken aback by the surprising response, Harry furrowed his brow, agreeing slowly, "Yes...exactly like that I suppose. What's got you thinking about that?"

He played it off, casually shrugging, "No reason. Just what I remembered from History of Magic revisions."

Still perplexed, Harry decided not to push the matter further, "I know your Hogwarts experience had been incredibly different to mine and that was hard for me to understand for a while. But I want you to know that I'm proud of what you've accomplished thus far despite the difficulties you've faced."

Albus had heard secondhand from his mum and Hagrid about his father's pride but he'd never said it to his face before. He found himself smiling, a true and unforced smile.

"Thanks, dad. That means a lot," Albus admitted in a small voice, lowering his head to hide his bashful blush. His father reached out, giving him a squeeze on his shoulder. They lingered in silence for a moment before his father let his arm fall.

"Alright," His father stood, groaning slightly as he picked himself up off the floor, "Up! Come here," He ordered, spreading out his arms.

"Really?" Albus cocked his head at the cheesy gesture.

"Yes really." He motioned for him to stand.

With an overexaggerated sigh, Albus obeyed, standing up so that his father could pull him into a hug.

"I love you, Albus."

"...I love you too, dad."

Chapter Text

The overwhelming smell of wet ink and parchment flooded Harry's senses as soon as he stepped foot through the door of the Daily Prophet.

"Well?" Malfoy tapped his foot impatiently as if he was expecting Harry to know exactly what to do and where to go.

Of course, he'd visited the Daily Prophet many times before to see his wife during her lunch hour but that hardly meant he was familiar with the building enough to navigate the maze of cubicles, long corridors of offices, and the clamorous rooms of printing presses.

Instead of responding to Malfoy, Harry approached the wall, where an office directory was posted, listing all of the room numbers and staff member's offices. He ran his finger down the list of names until he found the one he was looking for.

"Lorelei Lacero, room 435," he read aloud, immediately heading in the direction of the lifts with long firm strides. He didn't even pause to see if Malfoy was following, merely waving him along. He was set on his mission now and nothing was going to slow him down.

The visit to the Daily Prophet was long overdue. Years he'd sustained Lacero's gossip articles that seemed so set on tearing him down. He'd become accustomed to them throughout his youth and he knew the Daily Prophet often lacked merit. With all the rubbish he dealt with when Rita Skeeter was reporting, very little phased him--that was until his children became involved.

Harry cursed at himself every time he saw the name of one of his children in a Lacero article. He should have put a stop to it as soon as it started. Perhaps if he had, Albus wouldn't have gotten so hurt in the process. But something always got in the way, including his own mindset. He thought it would all blow over--either no one would care or Lacero would soon grow bored of targetting his family. But when was Harry Potter ever that lucky?

When the articles didn't cease and the slander increased, Harry's thoughts became entrapped in a battle between wanting to intervein to protect his family but not wanting to give her any more reason to speak poorly of him. So he didn't speak up, not wanting her wrath to grow stronger, twisting the story to make it as if Harry was the antagonist, trying to prevent free speech to keep a pristine image.

It was cowardice, he knew that now. Which is why he needed to put his foot down now--before anyone else got hurt.

"Are you sure you know where you're going, Potter?" Malfoy's voice felt like a splinter in his side. An irritating reminder that they needed to work together. As much as it bothered him to be making this journey with Draco, he needed to remind himself that they were on the same side here.

And in truth, Harry didn't know exactly where he was headed. But he knew if he lingered or admitted to himself that he was lost, the confidence that has built up in his chest was sure to dissipate. So he kept turning down corridors and ducking beneath the paper aeroplanes that darted above his head, sending messages around the building, until he reached the office he was looking for.

Room 435.

A golden inscription on the warped privacy glass read:

'Lorelei Lacero

Reporter & Opinions Editor'

This was it. Harry took a deep breath in. Reaching out, he grabbed the doorknob with a firm grip. But he couldn't bring himself to turn it.

For the first time that morning, Harry paused. Everything that had happened so far that day seemed like a blur but it all began to catch up with him.

From arriving at the Malfoy Manor with Albus in tow to apparating to the front entrance of the Daily Prophet, Harry had had a fire burning in his chest. The vile words of every Lacero article about him stirred up in his mind, interlacing with the ones he was sure to spout at her when he finally got the chance. He'd been planning his speech for months now--possibly even years. There was so much he had to be angry for. And this was the moment

But now that he was standing outside her door, the fire instead him felt as if it had been smothered, a cool feeling of dread causing goosebumps to prickle his skin. Everything he'd wanted to say seemed to vanish from his brain, leaving an empty shell of worry.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Malfoy whispered impatiently.

Harry swallowed his pride for a moment, allowing himself to admit, "I'm not sure. I don't think I know what to say."

Draco rolled his eyes, "You're the Chosen One. Aren't you always supposed to have some grand plan to enact? Don't tell me you've picked now to screw up."

"I can assure you that my life has never once gone according to plan," Harry glared at Malfoy, letting his hand fall from the door handle.

"Well, then the lack of a plan shouldn't stop you now," He huffed, reaching out for the doorknob himself.

"Wait," Harry grabbed his wrist to stop him, "We don't know how she'll react. If we are going to confront her, we at least need something to say." Harry knew that there was the risk that whatever words came out of his mouth in that office could appear in the newspaper that next morning. He couldn't go in unprepared.

But Malfoy's eyes darkened, his grip tightening on the door, "Oh I know what I'm going to say. This woman has hurt my son and I will not stand for it any longer. I'm going to give her a piece of my mind, whether you're ready or not."

Draco shook Harry's hand from his arm, pushing past him and bursting into the office. Not wanting to be upstaged by Malfoy, Harry quickly strode in after him.

"Lacero," Draco's voice boomed as they entered, ready to face whatever was to come.

But there was no response.

Harry's heart fell as he quickly realised the room was empty. He slammed the door behind him in frustration.

"She's not here," He said through clenched teeth. As nervous as he'd been to confront her, the lack of her presence was defeating.

"I'm not blind, Potter," Draco's eyes scanned the room.

The office was a comfortable size with a large window on the far wall, overlooking Diagon Alley. Inside, the office was strikingly neat--the desk clear of clutter, stacks of folders organised particularly, and the bookshelves perfectly arranged. Harry was far too used to Ginny's office, which seemed to be arranged in an organised chaos that only she understood, with parchment and broken quills littering her desk, and old articles and quidditch photos posted across every wall. Harry wasn't even sure what the colour of his wife's office was but he could clearly see Lorelei's blue-painted walls where only a few framed photos were hung.

"Revelio."

Harry turned to see Draco with his wand pointed out at the desk but nothing even slightly shifted with the spell.

"What was that for?"

Draco glanced down at his wand, disappointed by the lack of results but proceeding to approach the desk and poke around the files of parchment, "Lacero must be hiding something. She needs to have some way to get the information about Albus and Scorpius from Hogwarts. Perhaps secret cameras or enchanted books to spy on them..."

As crazy as it seemed, Harry knew Draco was right. There had to be some way Lacero was getting the details on his son and his whereabouts. And if Lacero wasn't there herself to give them the answers, they would have to search for them.

"Lumos." Harry lit the tip of his wand to get a better look as he traced the room. He eyed the bookshelves, feeling for any subtle draft that could indicate a hidden door to a secret room. Years of working as an Auror gave him the skills to search for any magical secrets Lacero might be hiding.

Harry knew that intruding on Lacero's office without a permit or permission could result in his termination from his position at the Ministry. Perhaps, if his best friend hadn't been the Minister, he would have been more worried. But they'd come this far and he wasn't about to leave without any answers.

As Draco unlocked the filing cabinets against the wall, Harry directed his attention to the desk, feeling around for any hint of a secret hinge or button. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He stepped back with his hands on his hips, heaving a sigh. There had to be something in the office that could shed some light on Lacero.

Glancing over at the side of the room, he found his eyes falling on the picture frames, two photos looking out over the office on the otherwise bare wall. With the light of his wand pointed out at them, he picked the first one off of its hook, getting a good look at the two figures.

Judging by the faded colours, the photograph was on the older side. He reckoned the two girls in the photo would be grown by now. Dressed in Hogwarts robes, two girls posed together, making silly faces at the camera then laughing. They shared many similarities, from their long blonde hair to the sparkle of their smiles. They even wore the same blue and bronze Ravenclaw ties tucked under their grey jumpers. The photo looked to be taken on a train platform, perhaps a first-day-of-school photo taken by their mother or father--Harry had to assume they were sisters, their resemblance too uncanny.

"Take a look at this," Harry said, handing off the photo to Malfoy.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "An old school picture? What's so important about this?"

Harry directed his wand light at the photo so he could get a better look, "The girls. Do either of them look familiar to you? One of them must be Lorelei."

Squinting at the photo, Draco shrugged, "Perhaps they look vaguely like people we might have gone to school with. But so does anyone in a Hogwarts uniform." He shoved the photo back into Harry's hand. "I didn't pay much attention to Ravenclaws anyway."

Harry sighed, his eyes lingering on the taller of the two girls. Something about her seemed far too familiar. He shook the thought from his head as he hung the frame back on the wall. Draco had a point; Harry could just be recalling the girls falsely. He had no way of knowing exactly who they were or what year the photo was taken. Not that it would be much help to them now anyway. Even if it was a younger Lorelei in the photo, it didn't provide the answers to where she was now.

Moving his attention to the second framed photo, Harry didn't recognise the girl pictured. Her hair was far darker than the fair blonde girls in the other but she shared their natural poise and beauty. She seemed too young to be Lacero herself, the quality of the photo showing that it was much more recent. The dark-haired girl gave the camera a closed-lipped smile from where she sat in front of a tree blooming with white flowers. A few petals fell gently, fluttering softly in the breeze around her. If he had to guess, she was somewhere around his kid's age, between Albus and Lily.

Something in Harry's head clicked. He turned to Draco with a swish of his cloak.

"What? Have you found something?" He asked with a hint of urgency in his voice.

"This girl," Harry pointed to the photo, "She's around Hogwarts age, yes?"

Draco rolled his eyes, turning his back to Harry to continue to flip through a drawer of files, "What is your fascination with those bloody photos?"

Harry huffed, wanting Draco to get his point, "If Lacero has this girl's photo on her wall, I reckon she must be important. She must be related to her--her daughter or niece or something. And if she goes to Hogwarts, then--"

Draco finally seemed to be catching on, his head slowly lifting as he finished Harry's sentence, "--Then she could be the one giving Lacero the information on Scorpius and Albus..." He turned his head to face Harry, sharing a look of understanding. "We must warn the boys. Maybe they will know who she is."

Harry opened his mouth to respond when the muffled sound of voices paired with the click of heels faintly grew louder as they seemed to be approaching. Clamping his mouth shut, Harry returned the photo to the wall, waving his wand through the air as everything they'd touched returned to how it had been when they'd arrived.

The drawer in front of Malfoy slammed shut, almost catching his fingers, "What are you doing, Potter?" He spoke in a forceful whisper. "If that's Lacero, this is our chance to confront her!"

But something didn't sit right with Harry, a discomfort growing in the pit of his stomach. Being caught in the office could lose him his job but something else about the situation told him that he needed to leave. The footsteps drew closer and he could start to see the outline of blurred movement through the privacy glass. They needed to get out of there, fast.

"Not now," Harry stated with a firm look. Without asking for permission, Harry grabbed Draco's arm and disapparated, the office flashing out of view.

As Harry's feet hit solid ground, Draco jerked his arm away, stumbling as he landed.

"What was that for, Potter?" His voice rose, echoing off the walls of the manor. "You could have gotten me spinched! We were so close to Lacero. Why would you leave?"

Harry couldn't explain the feeling and if he did, Draco surely would have laughed in his face, "It wasn't the right time. You're going to have to trust me."

Draco grumbled something under his breath that Harry couldn't make out but he was sure he didn't want to hear it.

"Dad?" A voice emerged from the corridor just as Scorpius head poked into the room, Albus not far behind. "What happened? How did it go?" He asked, squirming slightly as if he had something crawling in his shoes.

Harry had always perceived Scorpius as an awkward boy--his limbs just a little too long for his body, his voice always a little too squeaky, and his movements always a little too uncoordinated. But standing there in front of him, Scorpius seemed even more uncomfortable than Harry had come to understand. He teetered on the balls of his feet, fiddling with the hem of his shirt and his eyes blinking like mad. He wondered how someone as slick as Malfoy parented someone as graceless as Scorpius.

"She wasn't there and Potter whisked us away before she arrived," Draco explained simply, shooting a subtle glare in his direction.

"You mean, she's still going to continue writing those bloody articles on me?" Albus' voice hit Harry like a slap--not because it was belligerent in tone, like it so often was directed at Harry, but because of how it wavered. Harry didn't often hear his son speak with such vulnerability.

Albus' face fell, his shoulder's sagging and eyes directed at the floor. In that moment, Harry wished he could turn around and march back into that office. His son's expression hurt Harry far more than losing his Ministry job would have.

"I'm sorry, Al. I wanted to help but--" Harry ignored the presence of Draco and Scorpius, stepping forward to try and explain to his son.

Albus shook his head in defeat, turning around to leave, "Whatever, dad. Let's just go."

Harry glanced back at the Malfoys, giving them an apologetic glance. But Scorpius didn't seem to notice, his gaze set on Albus with his eyes wide with concern and mouth parted as if he wanted to say something. But he shut it slowly, his head tilting downwards to look at the floor.

Seeing the expression of the boys, the creeping feeling of failure crawled across his skin. He wished he could solve all of his son's problems with the wave of a wand and make him happy again. But not everything could be fixed with magic. Harry wished there was more he could have done but for now, all he could do was follow his son in defeat.

Chapter Text

Albus had messed up.

Severely messed up.

Everything had been going so well all morning and for a moment Albus thought maybe, just maybe--

But he read the situation all wrong. And he might have ruined everything because of it.

With his back flat on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, dreading having to go back to Hogwarts in two days. He didn't know how he'd face Scorpius again after what he'd done that morning.

Almost done.

"Scorpius!" He'd greeted him in excitement, still warm from Floo travelling as they embraced each other in a hug. Albus hadn't been sure who initiated it.

Albus had been looking forward to visiting Scorpius since his dad had mentioned it on Christmas. It was his favourite gift from that Christmas even though he didn't unwrap it beneath the tree. The anticipation of seeing his best friend ever outweighed Albus' curiosity of what his father might find out from visiting the Daily Prophet.

Seeing Scorpius again--even after just a week and a half without him--felt like taking in a breath of fresh air after swimming underwater. Although over the break, he'd had the company of Rose, his mum, and even Ophelia through Floo powder, nothing compared to how he felt when he spent time with Scorpius.

After their fathers left, Scorpius had pulled Albus into the sitting room to show him his new telescope--a Christmas gift from his father. Other than his basic knowledge from his years in Astronomy lessons, Albus had little understanding of how telescopes worked and never really found them to be all that interesting. But hearing Scorpius describe all the different parts, lenses, and what he'd been able to see fascinated Albus. The enthusiasm that Scorpius radiated was enough to make Albus want to listen to him talk about the stars all day.

They'd moved to sit in the alcove of the bay window that offered a view of the frosted-over back garden. The glass panes had been cold against his back but Albus didn't feel it, paying more attention to the warmth that spread in his chest as he sat shoulder to shoulder with Scorpius in the alcove.

Chatting peacefully about their holidays, Albus felt completely at ease. After all the tension from his busy Christmas with his family and the trouble with Tabitha, being with Scorpius seemed to settle him, repairing all his frayed nerves.

"Can you believe that this time next year, we will be about to start our final term at Hogwarts?" Scorpius pondered out loud, leaning his head back against the glass.

"That can't come soon enough," Albus responded, dreaming of the day he'd finally be free from school.

"But then we will have to take our N.E.W.T.s soon."

Albus cringed slightly, "Oh, well I'm not so much looking forward to that."

"What do you think you'll do? After Hogwarts I mean?" Scorpius turned his head towards Albus, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.

"We've talked about this before..."

"I know," He sat up slightly, his arm brushing against Albus' shoulder, "But humour me."

Albus shrugged. Not much had changed since the beginning of the school year, still unclear about his future.

"Something to do with potions, I suppose," He answered, although he was no more confident in his answer than he had been last time.

"Okay, but what about the rest of your life? I mean, not just your career. But, like, where do you want to live? Near your family? Or further? Would you ever leave England?"

Albus had thought about moving out of his family home--looking forward to it for years now. He'd dreamed about leaving Hogwarts and everyone he knew there behind, looking forward to making a future for himself. But he'd never really gone beyond that. Never exploring the details of where or when or even how.

"I dunno. I haven't really thought that far ahead," He turned to look at Scorpius, who stared off as if lost in the bright images of his future. "Have you?"

"I'd like to move to the countryside and live somewhere much smaller than here. Like a cottage or something. Somewhere in the countryside so I can look up at night and see all the stars. And then I'd like to get married. A little wedding outside with lots of flowers and good food. And I think after a while I'd like a kid. Just one. Or maybe two," His lips tweaked into a soft smile which made Albus' heart flutter. He wished he could press his lips against his.

Instead, he said, "You've thought a lot about it, haven't you?"

Scorpius nodded at Albus with a bashful smile, "A little too much, yeah. But don't you ever picture it? Don't you ever wonder what you're wedding will look like or who you'll grow up to be? Do you want to get married?"

Although he knew it was just a general question and not a proposal, Albus' heart skipped a beat, "Maybe. If it was to the right person." He glanced over to meet Scorpius' eyes.

Scorpius nodded thoughtfully, his silver eyes gazing right into Albus' green. He couldn't help but think of how their eyes matched their house colours. It was just one of the many things that seemed to connect them to each other. Albus couldn't help but wonder if fate had any play in their lives. Had meeting Scorpius just been a coincidence? Or were they always fated to be best friends? Like soulmates...only more platonic. No one had ever expected the sons of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy to be able to stand each other--let alone be best friends. But here they were and Albus couldn't picture anyone else by his side.

Staring at Scorpius in that moment left Albus breathless. Maybe the lack of oxygen had affected his brain, causing his better judgement to shut down completely as he felt himself leaning in towards his friend.

His eyes flickered down to Scorpius' lips, tug in his chest that seemed to be drawing him in closer and closer. Albus expected Scorpius to jump back or a look of confusion to spread across his face but he'd remained still, eyes fixed on Albus. For a moment, everything felt as if it was in slow motion as Albus drew closer to Scorpius, their noses almost brushing. He could feel Scorpius' warm breath against his cheek, sending a tingling feeling down his spine. Their lips were only mere centimetres apart. He could already imagine how they might feel against his.

Albus might have done it.

Albus might have kissed Scorpius.

Albus would have kissed Scorpius if the noise from the other room hadn't startled them apart.

"What was that for, Potter?" The raised voice of Mr Malfoy broke through whatever had possessed Albus to act on his fantasies.

He glanced over to gauge Scorpius' expression but he was already on his feet, walking towards the source of his father's voice. Albus jumped up to follow behind him, a part of him shattering on the inside.

As soon as Albus got home, he'd shut himself away in his room, cursing himself for being so stupid. How could he have thought that would work? Scorpius didn't like him--not in that way. And now Scorpus might not even like him as a friend.

"Albus," His father's voice was accompanied by a soft knock on the door.

"I don't want to talk," The hollowness of Albus' voice surprised even himself. His words sounded as empty as he felt inside.

The whole visit to the Malfoy's had been a disaster. Not only had Albus ruined his friendship but his father wasn't even able to put an end to the rubbish articles about Albus in the Prophet. At least now that Scorpius wouldn't want to be friends anymore, Albus could be rid of the Deatheater suspicions--partially. Albus still couldn't be rid of the Slytherin stigma no matter how hard he tried.

"I'm sorry, Albus. I really am," His dad's voice came through muffled by the door but Albus could tell that he meant it, "But there's something I wanted to ask you about what I saw in Lacero's office. Something that might help us stop the articles."

Albus heaved a sigh, pushing himself to sit up. He wiped the sleeve of his shirt across his face to dry his tear-stained cheeks before he finally called to his father.

"Okay, you can come in."

The door creaked open slowly, his father entering with a worried expression that hadn't seemed to leave his face all morning. His wrinkles would surely be deeper by the morning if his mood didn't improve soon.

"Here we are again," He said calmly as he walked in, gazing around the dim room. "We seem to be having a lot of conversations like this lately, haven't we?"

Albus shrugged, keeping his head low, "Well, I never leave my room, remember?" It was as close to a joke as he could manage right now.

Harry's frown lifted ever so slightly before returning to its gloomy state, "I suppose you want me to get on with it so I can leave you alone again."

"That would be appreciated," Albus nodded, pulling his knees to his chest. His voice still wobbled slightly, as if he lingered at the edge of tears, ready to fall at any moment.

"I keep it short then," Harry gently sat himself on the bed to be on the same eye level as Albus, but Albus quickly looked away. "I'll be honest with you. We didn't find much. But there was one thing that stuck out to me. Something I need you to help me with." His father had never asked him to help with any of his investigations before. His work had always been off-limits to Albus. But now that it concerned him, he was the only one who could make a difference.

"There was a photo on the wall of a girl around your age," Harry began to explain. "If she's related to Lacero in some way, then we might have an idea of who has been getting the information on us and the photographs for the Prophet."

The concept intrigued Albus, although he doubted it would work out in the way they planned. There was no way to know for sure if it was a Hogwarts student giving Lacero information--and if there was, Albus wasn't positive he would even be able to identify them.

But Albus was willing to try anything, "Go on, then. What did she look like?"

Harry began to describe the photo of a girl in front of a flowering tree, "--and thick dark hair. Brown, I think. With light skin and high cheekbones. And she had these eyes--very vibrant eyes. Blue eyes."

The dread in Albus stomach grew as the puzzle pieces seemed to be clicking together, forming an all too clear image in his head. He wanted to deny it. To shove the thought way deep down inside the back of his brain and assure himself that it couldn't possibly be who he was thinking of.

But it had to be. There was no mistaking it. Everything suddenly made sense.

She'd been there on the train platform on Septemeber 1st when Albus had gotten into the massive argument with his dad. Perhaps even her mother--or whoever Lacero was to her--was there as well.

She'd been there the day Harry visited Albus at school when they'd taken a walk down the corridors of Hogwarts together. She'd been the first person he'd run into after. And the first person he'd opened up to and told about his dad coming to talk to him.

She'd been there in Hogsmeade and must not have left after Albus went off to the Parr house with Rose. She must have followed him when he left. And she'd been there to take the photo after the murder had taken place.

Magnolia.

Magnolia.

It all made sense now.

She never liked Albus after all. Never wanted to get close to him because of a silly crush. Never wanted to actually date him. She'd wanted information. She wanted him to trust her so she could get all the details about him and his father.

Albus' head began to spin, wanting to just forget what his dad told him and pretend he'd never been so stupid to fall for her tricks. He'd actually trusted her and thought she trusted him too. How much of her story about her father had been a lie? How much did Ophelia know? Could Albus even trust Ophelia anymore? She already knew so much.

"You know who it is, don't you?" Harry finally spoke, eyeing Albus' wide-eyed expression. "I'm sorry if it came as a shock to you." He reached out, rubbing his back comfortingly.

All the events of the day pressed further and further down on Albus' back. He might have ruined everything with his best friend. He might not be able to trust Ophelia--Magnolia's sister--anymore. And he was naive enough to think a popular girl would have any interest in him other than his famous family. How could Albus be so stupid?

A sob escaped his lips and he couldn't hold back his emotions any longer, the dam breaking inside of him as tears began to rush out. Every breath became more of a gasp as he struggled to take in air.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

The word raced through his head over and over, taking over his brain. He choked on his sobs, feeling as if his whole body was plummeting into a deep dark pit. He tried to hold on, clutching the edge of his bed, but even that sensation seemed to be slipping away.

"Albus, Al, it's alright!" His father's voice filled with concern. "Breath, you're going to be okay. Just breath."

His father's arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a comforting embrace. Albus buried his head in his dad's shoulder, soaking his shirt with his tears. He normally would have recoiled at such an embrace from his father but now Albus leaned on him for support.

In one day, Albus had lost all of his friends--even Scorpius. His family was all he had left.

Chapter Text

For the first time since his first year, Albus couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts. Not because he was excited but because there was something he needed to do.

He needed to confront Magnolia. He needed answers.

The last few days of the break had been torturous. Although Albus was used to being lonely, this was the first time in his life he'd ever felt completely alone. Isolated in his room, he couldn't bear the thought of showing his face in front of his family. Not after what he'd put them through. What he thought was a budding friendship with Magnolia--and an opportunity to gain some respect amongst his peers--turned out to be a plot to use him for information. Why else would someone like Magnolia ever be interested in Albus for more than his family name?

And now knowing about Magnolia's connection to Lacero, his entire new social life was thrown into question. Ophelia was Magnolia's half-sister. Could he even trust her anymore? After all they'd told her? All she knew? Their whole investigation was at stake. Had Ophelia cared about him at all? Or perhaps she'd just been using him too, just like her sister. Using him to get on his father's good side. She wanted to be an Auror after all--it was the perfect plan. Perhaps Slytherins were just as slimy as everyone stereotyped them to be. There was no telling what was genuine and what was a cunning attempt to get their way.

Albus felt so stupid to think that he could have changed his reputation at the school. After six years at the school, why would everything have turned now? He'd never be popular. He'd never fit in. He was destined to remain a loser for his entire life.

And now his foolishness could have cost him his best--and only--friend. He'd been too confident, ego soaring after his successful first term. Just because he'd been able to make a few more friends and thought that the most popular girl at Hogwarts liked him, didn't mean he was unstoppable. And he'd learned that the hard way when everything came crashing down.

He'd tried to kiss Scorpius. And there was no taking that back.

Would Scorpius ever speak to him again? Or Rose? When she found out how royally he'd mucked up by trusting Magnolia after her warnings, she'd surely realise her mistake in befriending him again. She was too clever to be around someone so stupid.

The day before returning to Hogwarts, Albus had been curled up in his bed--his refuge since returning from the Malfoy Manor. He'd been tearing himself down, berating himself for all his mistakes. He'd just wanted to make things right--change the way the world saw him. But the world had been right about him: Albus Potter was nothing but a failure.

Soon, he'd have to board the train back to school and face the student who'd scorned him since he was eleven. He'd tried to make a difference but he'd only ended up making this worse for himself.

In his attempt to fix the way the world viewed him, he'd only managed to give them more reason to shun him. All the articles that portrayed him as an outcast or potential Death Eater had been his fault for trusting too easily. His fault for losing his temper too quickly. And his fault for believing he could be anything but Albus Potter, the Slytherin Squib. He'd lost his friends, gotten his family into trouble, and was no closer to solving the murders.

Albus' fists clenched, his despair turning into rage. He let out an anguished cry, throwing off his duvet and slamming his feet on the ground. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he put his face in his hands, wishing he could silence the rushing river of anguished thoughts that ran rapid through his brain.

He couldn't stay sitting any longer. Restless, he began pacing across his room, his footsteps matching the beat of his pounding heart.

Albus was tired. He was tired of the way he was viewed. At school, in the papers, and in the world. He'd never asked to be Harry Potter's son. He never tried to get any extra attention. He didn't want to be so poor at magic or ask to be in Slytherin. None of it had been his fault. Perhaps he'd made a series of bad choices but the opportunities had only presented themselves due to his circumstances--far beyond his control.

No one had the right to label him but himself. The world shouldn't get to decide who he was--or wasn't. The only person who should be able to determine who Albus Potter was should be Albus Potter himself.

And there was still time for that.

The world might have felt like it was over for Albus, but it wasn't. He didn't have to listen to what everyone said about him, whether it was his classmates, his family, or the Prophet. They shouldn't get to decide how he felt about himself. For too long, he'd let them control his emotions, string him along like their puppet.

Albus Potter may have been the child of Harry Potter but that didn't need to determine his fate. Albus was more than just a famous son or a rubbish wizard. He was determined, ambitious, and more clever than people gave him credit for. He was a Slytherin but a proud one. He wasn't evil but he wasn't going to be the saviour of the Wizarding World. He had the right to step out of his father's shadow and make something more out of his life.

Even if no one stood by his side, he was going to solve the murders. Losing his friends didn't mean he needed to lose his ambition and everything he'd worked for. And he knew exactly where to start...

He was Albus Potter. Troubled, anxious, and a sorry excuse for a wizard. But he was ready to finally take control of his own life: live on his own terms.

And he was ready to go back to Hogwarts.

---

The commotion of the train station surrounding Albus passed by in a blur as he pushed through Kings Cross. Hands gripping his trolley, he set his gaze upon the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, not letting any the bustling station goers distract him. Full of determination, there was only one thing on his mind: getting on that train and finding Magnolia.

For the first time ever, Albus crossed through the barrier onto Platform 9 3/4 before the rest of his family. There wasn't any time to waste. He would have run straight onto the train if it hadn't been for his mother putting a hand on his trolley to stop him.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in such a hurry to get on the train," She noted. "But don't think you can get away without saying goodbye." She pulled him into an engulfing hug, cradling the back of his head against her shoulder.

"Sorry, mum," He said, his voice slightly muffled by the fabric of her cloak where he burrowed his head, "There's just someone I've got to see."

She pulled away and Albus noticed a glimmer in her eyes, "Oh?" Her lips tweaked up into a smile. "I won't keep you too long then." She finished with a secretive wink.

Albus knew what she was implying but he didn't want to waste time correcting her. If the thought of Albus being excited to see someone made her happy, then so be it. He didn't want to bring her down with the darker reality. Now wasn't the time to get into that.

Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to Albus' temple, lingering a moment to whisper, "You're very brave, Albus. More than you know."

Albus' rigid expression broke for a moment as he allowed himself to smile, "Thanks, mum."

Straightening up, she gave him one last comforting squeeze to his shoulder, "Have a good term. Do write this time, won't you."

"I can't make any promises," Albus said with a hint of cheekiness, only pausing a moment before adding, "Only joking. I will. " He meant it.

With one last exchanged smile with his mum, Albus turned to his father, who was just finishing his goodbyes to James and Lily. Noticing Albus, he waved him aside as James and Lily went to hug Ginny. Albus glanced back at the train, anxious to board, but he obliged, following his father.

Moving just out of earshot from his Ginny and the kids, Harry turned to face Albus, "I just wanted to have a quick word with you. After everything that's happened, I wanted to make sure you're alright."

"I'm fine," Albus shrugged, not wanting to delve deeper into the feelings that had overcome him just the day previous. There was a time and a place to discuss how Albus felt, but just before leaving for Hogwarts on Platform 9 3/4 was neither of those.

Albus could tell his dad was sceptical, his eyes scanning over Albus trying to read his expression, "A lot has happened since the summer--" His father didn't know the half of it... "-- and I want you to know that you can talk to me. About anything."

Albus scratched at the back of his neck, shifting uncomfortably and hoping no one around could hear them over the clamour of the platform, "I know, dad." Albus hated heart-to-hearts with his father. No matter how many times his dad reassured him, it would never make them less painfully awkward.

Having conversations that didn't consist of either of them blowing up at each other was still new territory for Albus and his father. Just a few months ago on the very same platform, they had partaken in the clash of a century that had started the stream of nasty Lacero articles. Now, Albus felt as if he was in a completely different headspace. And while he still far from feeling completely comfortable opening up to his dad, they'd made progress. And that was something.

Just as discomfort by the serious tone, Harry cleared his throat, loosening the tension in his shoulders, "Ah, yes, good. I'm glad. Well, then...have a good term."

"Right. Will do," Albus responded with a nod, arms firmly by his side. Neither of them seemed to know how to approach a proper goodbye. It had been a long time since Albus had left for Hogwarts on good terms with his father. In fact, Albus couldn't even remember the last time he'd given his dad a genuine farewell--not one that that felt like a formality forced out begrudgingly.

They stood a good distance across from each other, silent for a moment before Harry caved in.

"Oh, come here," He huffed, stepping forward with his arms outspread. "We can hug, can't we?"

Albus shrugged, "I s'pose..."

Harry closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around Albus to give him a firm but loving squeeze. Albus stiffened at first before he eased into his father's embrace, letting himself be enveloped by the comforting warmth.

For a moment, the noise of the Platform 9 3/4 faded away and all Albus could hear was the beating of his father's heart. For a flash of a second, he felt like a child again. The age when he felt like his father's arms could protect him from anything--from nightmares that woke him up in the night to the bullies that teased him in primary school. He was Harry Potter, and Albus thought that his father was invincible.

Only he wasn't. Albus had realised that by now. His father was only human--with the same emotions and vulnerability as Albus. But just for that moment, the troubled thoughts about Magnolia, Lacero, and returning to Hogwarts drifted to the back of his mind and Albus felt safe again.

But moments like those never lasted too long.

The whistle of the train snapped him back into reality, the chaos of the platform flooding his senses once again. He quickly tore away from his dad, realising the moment had lasted far too long. Glancing around to make sure no one he knew had witnessed his brief moment of vulnerability, he let out a breath of relief when he saw that most of the students were too focused on their own goodbyes to notice.

"Too old to be seen hugging your old man, eh?" Harry jested noticing his reaction.

"I, uh--"

"Relax," Harry clapped him on the arm, "I'm only teasing. Now you better get going. I'm sure Scorpius will be waiting for you." He added, likely one of the first times he'd ever spoken about their friendship so casually.

Albus bit his lip, not wanting to think of how his first encounter with Scorpius since the 'incident' would go. But he forced a grateful smile, giving his dad a small wave before turning to return to his trolley.

He'd only made it a few steps when he froze, turning back around to face his father, "Oh and dad?"

"Yes?" He answered with a slightly confused expression.

Albus took a deep breath, building up the courage to spit it out, "I'm sorry." The two simple words somehow managed to take so much effort. "I'm sorry for last time. For what I said. And for running away."

The concern in his father's face faded, turning into an appreciative smile, "I'm sorry too, Albus."

A weight lifted from Albus' chest and he breathed a sigh of relief. The argument that had taken place four months ago but still managed to linger on Albus' mind all this time. What had felt like a fresh wound for so long now seemed to finally be healing.

His father continued, "I shouldn't have lost my temper. If I'd known the rubbish Lacero tale Lacero would spin, I never would have said anything at all. No matter how upset I was, none of it was worth the public humiliation I put you through. I hope you know that was never my intention."

Albus tried not to think of the troubling sequence of events that followed that argument, "I know."

"And don't worry about Lacero or her daughter," Harry lowered his voice so only Albus could hear, "I don't want you getting involved further. Leave that to us."

"Of course, dad," Albus forced a smile, knowing he had no intention of keeping his word.

Albus knew his father couldn't protect him from everything and this was a matter Albus was taking into his own hands.

Chapter Text

Goodbyes out of the way, Albus was finally able to board the train, his firey determination still burning hot inside him. He followed his brother and sister onto one of the train carriages. But one into the carriage corridor sent his heart falling into his stomach, almost dousing his flame.

Students squeezed down the skinny corridor, ducking into compartments to eagerly join their friends. Lily ran down towards the entrance of the next carriage, squealing with excitement as she jumped into the arms of her best friend, Millie. Also quick to disappear, James made his way down the opposite end of the train peering into each compartment, undoubtedly looking for his friends and girlfriend.

Normally, Albus wouldn't have even boarded the train without Scorpius by his side. They'd find an empty compartment in the last carriage of the train. While the rest of the train filled up, they made themselves comfortable, knowing that no one ever wanted to share a compartment with them. But stepping onto the train alone, Albus was struck with the uncertainty of where he would sit. The compartments were already starting to fill up and there was little chance of being able to find one empty. The thought of asking to sit with other students made him feel sick to his stomach.

With his head beginning to spin a little, he staggered down the corridor in the hopes that maybe there'd be one open. The sound of the whistle and screech of the wheels soon dashed his hopes as he stumbled, trying not to fall as the train jolted to a start.

Wandering aimlessly down the row of carriage, Albus could see the end of the train nearing. Swallowing his dread, he knew he'd need to face the inevitable and find a compartment to sit in with others. Perhaps he could find his sister--but just the thought of sitting with a group of jabbering third years for eight hours already gave him a headache. James' friends would at least be more bearable but he didn't want to deal with the passive-aggressive glares from Tabitha the whole journey. With Rose and Ophelia in the Prefect carriage, that left very few options for Albus to chose from.

Caught up in his own worries, he didn't realise he'd reached the end of the train until he almost walked into the wall of the final carriage. Shutting his eyes tight, he tried to muster up the courage to make the trip down the train in the opposite direction when a voice called out from behind him.

"Albus?"

He didn't need to turn to know who it was.

"Are you okay? Why are you staring at the wall?"

A hand touched his arm and he flinched, shaking it off as he spun to face Scorpius.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Albus avoided looking Scorpius in his eyes, which were rounded with concern.

"Where were you?" Scorpius started, a slight squeak in his voice, "I waited on the platform until the final call but you never came. I thought you might not be coming back to school or you missed the train or--"

Albus cut off Scorpius' worried ramble, "No, no. I got on with James and Lily. I just thought--"

'I just thought you might not want to see me after I tried to kiss you'

"--You just thought what?"

Albus shook his head, "Nothing. Nevermind." He hadn't expected Scorpius to want to see him again--at least not so soon. They hadn't discussed what had happened at the manor. They hadn't even exchanged owls about what their fathers had discovered about Lacero. Did Scorpius know about Magnolia?

"Albus, are you sure you're okay?" Scorpius tilted his head, apparently oblivious to what had caused Albus so much strife over the last few days.

"I've just had a lot on my mind," Albus sighed. It wasn't a lie. "About Lacero and the investigation..."

"Oh," Scorpius' eyes darted to the side, "Right. All of that." He nodded, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

Albus' glanced up for merely a second, just long enough for his eyes to meet Scorpius' before frantically looking away again. The train chuffed along, the floor rattling underneath them as they faced each other awkwardly in the corridor. Albus couldn't be sure what Scorpius was thinking--if the almost kiss was on his mind at all or if he'd managed to forget what happened altogether. Perhaps it had meant nothing to him at all. Somehow, that idea felt even worse to Albus: for something so monumental to him to mean absolutely nothing to Scorpius.

"Why don't we go sit?" Scorpius offered, trying to ease the tension. "I've got a compartment just there. You walked right past." He pointed over his shoulder.

"Let's do that," Albus agreed, following Scorpius to the empty compartment where he collapsed in the seat. He thought he'd be able to relax once he found a compartment, but somehow this felt worse. He couldn't bring himself to look at Scorpius, unable to find the words to say.

Normally, their train journey would be filled with chatter as they caught up with each other after the holidays. But now, a stiff silence had fallen upon them, neither of them able to find the courage to shatter it.

Resting his head against the wall, Albus stared out the window at the houses and trees passing by in a blur as the train sped out of London. On the opposite side of the compartment, Scorpius examined his fingernails while he bounced his leg awkwardly.

Finally, Albus sighed, turning his focus away from the view outside. He'd been so determined the whole morning leading up to the train ride, he couldn't let that motivation be replaced by fear. His moments of bravery were like the sand in an hourglass: the sand would trickle out into the bottom over time until it had emptied, waiting for the spark that would eventually flip it again. The longer he waited, the harder it would be to work up the courage again.

"Do you know?" He asked Scorpius in a more hushed tone, although it was unlikely that they could be heard outside of the compartment.

Scorpius tensed, his leg falling still as he gripped the edge of the seat, "Do I know what?"

"About Magnolia?"

Scorpius' shoulders fell as he breathed out, "Oh. Err, no...? What about Magnolia?" Draco must not have told him. Albus would need to break the news, feeling rather foolish about the whole situation. She'd had him all tied up in her game and Albus had been too stupid to realise it.

"That she's Lacero's daughter or something. That must be how she got her information from inside Hogwarts."

Scorpius mouth fell open as he blinked in surprised, "She's what? My father definitely neglected to inform me of that!" His voice came out sounding strained. "That's absolutely mad."

Crossing his arms, Albus slumped in his seat, "I know. Not only was she using me for good marks in Potions but she also wanted to sell me and my family out to the Prophet. I should have known something was up..."

"What do you mean? How could you have known?"

Albus had to prevent himself from laughing as if this was all some elaborate self-deprecating joke, "Obviously someone like Magnolia would never actually fancy me."

Scorpius' eyebrows scrunched together, "Why not? You're far more likeable than any of the lousy friends she's got. Like Tristian or Matthias?" He scrunched his nose and tutted, "They may be fit but they are just a bunch of gits."

Albus ignored the slight fluttering in his chest, "You're only saying that because you're my friend."

Scorpius frowned, sticking his finger up to protest but Albus didn't let him.

"It's fine. I'm over it. I didn't fancy her to begin with," He huffed.

"Albus..."

"No, really. I want to be done with all this Magnolia and Lacero drama." He slammed his hands against the seat cushion. "I'm going to talk to her, face to face. Tell her that I know everything. And if she doesn't tell her mum to stop writing about me, I'll get Aunt Hermione to have her fired from the Prophet."

"Can she do that?"

Albus shrugged, "I dunno. But it sounds threatening enough." There were some perks to having your aunt be the head of the government.

Scorpius sat back against his seat, tilting his head back to take everything in. Whereas Albus had days to contemplate everything and come up with a plan, Scorpius was only just getting to unpack the information. After a moment, he sighed, looking Albus firmly in the eyes.

"I think you should do it."

Albus managed to crack a smile, "Well good because I was going to even without your permission."

"Of course you would have," Scorpius let out a breathy laugh as he shook his head, "Because there's no stopping Albus Potter when he sets his mind on something."

Albus shared a smile with his friend--meek at first, but growing as he settled back into their typical dynamic. The almost-kiss still lingered in the back of his mind but Scorpius hardly seemed bothered. And even if Albus felt incredibly awkward, he wasn't about to let go of his best friend.

"Have you spoken to Rose?" Scorpius asked after a moment's silence.

"No," Albus felt his heart plummet at Scorpius' mention of his cousin, "She'll probably just brag about how she was right to dislike Magnolia all along."

Scorpius shook his head with a tilted grin, "That sounds like Rose, alright."

Although he felt guilty for thinking it, Albus hated seeing Scorpius smile over Rose. For years, he'd put up with Scorpius lovesick ramblings about how amazing and beautiful Rose was. Hearing him gush about her twisted knots in Albus' stomach. He'd been too young and naive to realise why the thought of his best friend dating Rose made him feel so uncomfortable--assuming it was just because of his cousin. But now, Albus knew exactly why he hated the thought and felt selfish for it even crossing his mind.

In every way, Rose was a better fit for Scorpius. Not just because she was a girl and he'd always been head-over-heels for her but because Rose was...well, Rose. One of the brightest students in their year, not to mention popular and an excellent Quidditch player. She had it all. Scorpius deserved someone who could match his intelligence and love for books and academics. He may not have been sporty but he could be the most supportive boyfriend, cheering from the stands out of dedication. And Scorpius deserved to be seen as someone more than Draco Malfoy's son, the descendent of Death Eaters. With Rose by his side, she'd never let anyone say anything bad of him and soon they'd come to realise he wasn't at all like they expected him to be.

Albus couldn't offer any of that. Just by being his friend, Albus already thought he held Scorpius back--back from having more friends or even just spending more time in the library. Who could Scorpius have been if he didn't have Albus dragging him down?

"--And Ophelia?" Scorpius' voice broke through Albus' thoughts.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shake the thoughts of Rose and Scorpius dating and focus back on the problem at hand, "Sorry?"

"Have you spoken to Ophelia about it at all?" Scorpius restated.

"Oh, no, I haven't." Albus bowed his head, "And I don't think I should."

With a quirk of his head, Scorpius asked, "Why not?"

"She's Magnolia's sister, Scorpius," He said like it was obvious but Scorpius didn't seem to be following his lead.

"So?"

"So she must have known that Magnolia and Lacero are related. And she never told us. How do we know she isn't selling us out as well?"

With a sigh, Scorpius' eyes wandered to the ceiling as if he was puzzling something out in his head. After a moment, he sat straight again, ready to explain his thinking.

"All this time, you've told me how much you wish people would stop assuming you're like your family. How you want to be seen as your own person and not have people assume who you are just from your surname. We've both agreed on that."

"Okay, and...?"

"Don't you think that applies to Ophelia too? She's given us no reason to distrust her before, why would she turn on us now? Like you always say, we are not our family. Shouldn't that apply to Ophelia too?"

Albus huffed, knowing he made a good point. Both Magnolia and Ophelia seemed to keep their distance from each other--the family tension clear between them. But Albus didn't know who to trust. He'd been wrong once before and it likely wouldn't be the last time. Why hadn't Ophelia ever mentioned Magnolia's mother? Surely she had to know. Unless...

With a gasp, Albus' head shot up, causing Scorpius to jump.

"What?" His silver eyes grew wide with a mix of concern and intrigue.

"Ophelia. I just remembered!" Albus spoke rapidly, "She'd been trying to tell me something. Something about Magnolia."

"Do you think she was trying to warn you?"

"Only one way to find out!" Albus was already on his feet.

"Wait!" Scorpius stood, stepping out in front of him before Albus ran off. "She's in the Prefect carriage. We aren't allowed in there."

Albus frowned but only for a moment before another idea popped in his head, "Come with me!"

Waving Scorpius to follow, Albus scurried into the corridor to where he'd stored his trunk under a stack of other trunks and cases. He gripped the handle, shimmying it out whilst trying not to topple the whole stack.

Scorpius watched on with a quirked eyebrow as Albus dug through his trunk. He felt underneath his clothes until his hand brushed something plastic. Pulling it out, he held up the object in triumph.

"Is that your mobile?" Scorpius examined the device. "Why'd you pack that?"

Albus shrugged, "In case it came in handy. Which it did, thank you very much!"

Scorpius nodded, slightly impressed, then leaned over Albus' shoulder as he flipped it open. Fumbling slightly, Albus figured out how to compose a message and began punching the keys.

9. 4, 4. 2. 8. Space. 3. 4, 4, 4.

Albus let out a huff in frustration, "How do muggles worship these blasted things?" He kept searching for the letters he needed, pounding the buttons until he was able to finish his message.

'What did you want to tell me about Magnolia'

Albus hadn't figured out how to get a question mark. He hit send and the message disappeared.

"And Ophelia will see that? She's got a phone?" Scorpius asked, eyeing the device curiously.

"Her mum is a muggle, remember?" Albus couldn't tear his eyes off the screen of the flip phone, praying Ophelia might have hers on her. He needed an answer. "We exchanged numbers over the holiday."

After a minute of staring at a dark screen, the phone let out a 'ding!' The screen lit up with a new message. Scorpius leaned closer to get a better view. Albus could feel his chest brushing his shoulder but he was too focused on the phone to care.

"It's like magic!" Scorpius hummed with fascination.

Albus read the message aloud, "Oh right! It's a lot to explain over text. Why don't we meet at school? Tomorrow after lessons?"

He didn't want to wait but Albus couldn't bear trying to type out a long message on the phone. He wrote back a quick 'ok' then threw the phone back in his trunk.

"Guess we'll have to wait to find out," Scorpius shrugged, helping Albus lift his trunk back onto the pile.

"I don't think I can wait," Albus stated, knowing the fire in his chest could only burn so long before his anxiety took over and it fizzled out.

"Albus Potter, get that strange look out of your eye," Scorpius warned.

But his decision was already cemented in his mind, taking up his whole head as he couldn't think of anything else. His heart thudded, his fingers tingling, and his feet rearing to move. It was now or never.

"Wait for me in the compartment," Albus instructed, "There's something I need to take care of."

"What is it, Albus?"

If he told Scorpius, he'd want to come along. And this was something Albus needed to do alone.

"Don't worry, I will be back soon." He started off in the opposite direction before Scorpius could argue with him.

"Merlin, Al. Don't do anything stupid." He called after him, but Albus was already about to pass through to the next carriage.

Peering into every compartment that he passed, Albus travelled up the train searching for Magnolia. All the words he wanted to say to her raced through his head--most of them unfit for his nan to hear. Students gave him strange looks as he darted by, most likely looking rather frenzied--but for once, Albus didn't care what people thought of him.

Albus had almost made it to the front of the train before he was forced to come to a halt.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?"

Impatiently, Albus found himself stuck behind the trolley witch, slowly peddling her way through the corridor. As he searched for a way to squeeze by, a familiar voice caught his attention, distracting him from the mission he'd set out on.

"Ugh, he's just so childish. He's literally giving me a headache. Honestly, I don't know how I've put up with it this long." The hushed voice carried just far enough that Albus could hear.

At the end of the carriage, James' girlfriend, Tabitha, leaned against the corridor window with another Ravenclaw girl Albus assumed was her friend. Not wanting them to notice him, he ducked behind the trolley witch, mirroring her steps. For the first time, Albus actually felt grateful to be short.

"Then why are you still with him?" The other girl asked.

Tabitha scoffed like it was ridiculous to even ask, "Because he's James Potter, obviously." Albus froze, hearing his brother's name. "Do you know how good I'd have it if we got married after Hogwarts? His family's filthy rich, not to mention he's probably going to play Quidditch professionally which will make him even more famous--and me by default. With any luck, I'll be on the cover of Witch Weekly before I turn twenty. He's already talking about introducing me to his family so it's only a matter of time."

Hearing her smug voice made Albus' blood boil--fueling the fire inside him, but for a different cause. He wanted to jump out right then and hex the smirk right off her face. But knowing Albus, it would likely just backfire. He had to wait for the right moment to make his presence known.

"Wouldn't you rather be with someone you actually fancy, though?" Her friend tried to be the voice of reason.

"Who says I don't fancy him? He'd bloody fit--he's just annoying as hell. If he wasn't the son of Harry Potter, I would have broken up with him ages ago. But, sacrifices have to be made if I want to be well off in the future. I'll just slap on a fake smile for his parents, put up with his emo brother and pesky little sister and I'm golden."

Albus couldn't take it any longer. He pushed past the trolley while the witch served a compartment and stormed over to Tabitha.

"How dare you talk about my family that way," He growled, practically steaming at the ears from the rage bubbling up inside of him.

Tabitha jumped and her friend went pale. Her friend shrunk back, eyes dating between them. But Tabitha soon collected herself, crossing her arms to face off against him.

"Always getting in the way, aren't you? Such a snake..." She tutted at him with cool confidence that rubbed Albus the wrong way. He wanted to see her scared. He wanted to ruin her life for what she said about his brother. James was head over heels for her while she walked all over him. Albus wouldn't allow that.

"Yeah? Well, you're a lying bitch," Albus winced at his lack for a better insult. His hand gripped at his wand in his pocket.

Tabitha laughed in his face, "You really think you can intimidate me? Everyone knows you're useless at magic."

"I'll tell my brother! I'll tell James everything you said," Albus threatened.

"Is that so? Why don't you? He's right in there." She pointed to the compartment a few steps behind her, the door shut, preventing them from overhearing. "Why not tell him right now? Who do you think he'll believe? The rotten little Slytherin or me, his sweet innocent girlfriend?" She pouted her lips, fluttering her eyelashes with feigned innocence.

Albus clenched his wand, giving it an ever-so-subtle flick, muttering a spell through clenched teeth. With all his heart, he begged the spell to work. In the corner of his eye, behind Tabitha's looming figure, he swore he saw a flicker of movement by the compartment door.

"I think I know him far better than you by now. You're a shut away. He'd told me all about how you never speak to anyone but you're little boyfriend, Malfoy. No wonder you've got daddy issues. What father would want to have a little freak like you?"

The words struck Albus like a whip as Tabitha loomed closer, forcing him to back away. Tears began to well up in the corner of his eyes, a mix of frustration and hurt. He tried to fight them back, not wanting to seem weaker than he already felt.

"Uh, Tabitha," Her friend squeaked, running over to try and get her attention but she wasn't done with her tirade.

"I've read the Prophet. I know what you're up to. No wonder your father hates you. Suppose that's what happens when you get sorted into Slytherin and make friends with that baby Deatheater boyfriend of yours. Such a disa--"

"Impedimenta!"

The spell hit Tabitha square in the back causing her to freeze for a moment, almost falling over. Regaining her balance, she swiftly turned on her heel, pulling her wand out only to almost immediately drop it back to her side.

"James! Hi love!" Her voice became light and airy again. She flicked her hair over her shoulder, trying to pretend as if nothing happened.

Standing outside his compartment, James' face darkened more than Albus had ever seen before, his fists and jaw clenched. Tabitha's friend cowered, caught between the standoff whilst the rest of James' friends peered out through the compartment door that was now wide open. Albus wasn't in the mood to celebrate the success of his spell, trying to regain his composure, hands shaking.

"Don't, 'hi love', me," James hissed, "Get away from my brother."

Tabitha rushed forward to try and apologise but with another wave of James wand, Tabitha was pushed aside by an unseen force. James stormed past her to stand between her and Albus, who stood frozen, watching the whole scene go down.

She let out a whine, "But babe, you don't understand. He came after me!"

James didn't want to hear it, "Nothing gives you the right to talk to my family that way."

"Babe..." She drawled, pleadingly. Albus could see the fear in her eyes, providing him with the slightest bit of cruel satisfaction.

"Save it. We're beyond through," James glared. "And don't you even think about coming near Albus ever again."

Tabitha stomped her foot, opening and closing her mouth as if she was trying to find an argument but couldn't. Instead, she grabbed her friend's hand, pulling her down the corridor, in a flurry.

As she passed, Albus couldn't resist muttering, "Not so golden now."

She shot him a deadly glare before disappearing into another carriage. When the door rattled shut, James lowered his wand, arms falling limp at his side. Albus reached out, hesitantly placing a hand on his arm.

"James, are you okay?"

The whole compartment watched him, afraid to move a muscle. A heavy tension lingered in the air. Finally, James heaved a sigh.

"Are you?" He dodged the question, turning to look over Albus for any signs of harm.

"I'm fine," The pain Albus felt wasn't anything James would be able to see. It lingered in his chest, heavy and twisting as it dragged him down. The hourglass of confidence that had been so full this morning had no shattered into pieces.

But Albus tried not to concentrate on his own feelings. Tabitha's words echoed in his head, every sentence feeling like a lash against his skin, burning into him like scars. Albus tried to push them out, pulling his focus to his brother.

There were very few times Albus could recall seeing James upset--most of them back when they were children. Every so often when something didn't go his way, there'd be a moment of weakness before he shrugged it off, regaining his usual boisterous confidence. But Albus could tell this time was different by the way his shoulders sagged, as if he lacked the strength to hold them up. His expression was steely, void of emotion. Normally so full of radiant energy, the light in James' eyes seemed to have been doused.

"T-thanks, for that..." Albus didn't know what to say. "I'm, uh, sorry. Sorry that happened."

"Rubbish. What she said about you was rubbish. I hope you know that." James seemed insistent to not talk about himself.

"I know."

"Dad loves you. Mum does too."

"I know," Albus repeated, trying to assure him.

James shook his head, his blank expression beginning to crack, "I can't believe she'd say that--," His voice cracked and Albus could see tears beginning to well in the corner of his eyes.

For a moment, Albus forgot why he'd even set out to the end of the train. Nothing about Magnolia or Lacero mattered anymore. All that mattered now was James.

In an uncharacteristic move, Albus suddenly felt compelled to throw his arms around his brother. He pulled James into a hug without protest. As soon as James rested his head on Albus' shoulder, he let out a gasping sob--as if he'd been holding his breath and could only now let it out.

Albus watched James' friends exchange worried glances before retreating into their compartment to give the brothers privacy. They knew James would hate to have an audience during his moment of vulnerability.

Not entirely sure of how best to comfort him, Albus took his mother's approach, rubbing James' back in slow circles. It felt rather odd to be in this position--so often it was Albus who needed the comforting. Albus had always admired--and been jealous of--James strength. He never seemed bothered, moving forward through life with his head held high. Every obstacle was just a slight setback that he'd work around eventually. He never let the little things bother him. Albus always thought he'd taken both their shares of emotions whilst James had gotten all the confidence. Seeing James breakdown was never on Albus' radar screen--he never thought it possible.

Once he caught his breath, choking on his words a bit, James muttered into Albus' shoulder, "I loved her, Al. That's the worst part..."

The pain in James' voice felt like a stab in Albus' chest. For once in his life, Albus missed James' teasing and wisecracks. He missed his cheeky smirk and constant jokes. He just wanted to get the old James back, hating the idea of his brother feeling hurt.

"We can't help who we love," Albus found himself mumbling, his voice coming out in a soothing tone he hadn't heard since Scorpius' mother passed away. Before he could think better of it, Albus continued, adding with a hint of a laugh, "I mean, look at me: I'm in love with my best friend. Not exactly the ideal situation..." Albus finished, biting at his lip as he waited for his brother's response.

James pulled away sharply, squinting his red-rimmed eyes, "You're in love with...Ophelia?"

Albus almost laughed, "Not Ophelia."

James' eyes widened, "Bloody hell, Al, please don't tell me it's Rose or I will--"

"NO!" Albus gagged at the thought, "That's disgusting, James, she's our cousin!"

His brother looked relieved, "Well when you said it wasn't ideal I wasn't sure what you might be implying and, besides, they're your only girl frie--" James cut himself off, freezing with a look of realisation. "Ooh...you mean..."

With a slow nod, Albus added, "Sorry, this probably wasn't the best time to come out but--"

Before Albus could finish, James pulled him into a hug, embracing him with a tight squeeze. A laugh escaped Albus' lips, never receiving such a fierce form of affection before--especially not from his brother.

"Watch it, you're going to suffocate me!" Albus squirmed, trying to relieve himself of some of the pressure. He'd never admit it aloud, but he was thankful for his brother's warm embrace. A hug meant acceptance and that's all Albus ever wanted.

"Sorry," James released him but kept his hands planted on Albus' shoulders, speaking fast with a new burst of energy, "It's just that--or well I s'pose I'm just happy you feel comfortable enough to tell me that. I know that sounds lame but...I dunno, I just worried about you. You've always been so closed off I wasn't sure if we--if you even really liked me all that much. Which I wouldn't blame you with how much I tease you but--"

"Shut up, James," Albus said, not even a hint of harshness in his words. "You talk too much sometimes, you know that?"

The sight of his brother's smile returning felt like a wave of relief washing over Albus. As if he'd been lugging around a massive sandbag that he could finally let go of, no longer dragged down by the weight.

"Yeah? Well someone's gotta do the talking around here, right?" James teasing nature seeped through his sorrow. Even in the most troubling of times, James was never too far from a joke.

The mood felt considerably lighter. James' tears had dried, although his shoulders still drooped, a weariness in his eyes. A smile ever lingered on his lips for a moment before it faded into a more serious expression, his eyes darting off to the side.

"Listen Albus," James sighed, "All that stuff I said to..." He struggled to choke out her name.

"She-who-must-not-be-named?" Albus offered.

"She-who-must-not-be-named," James repeated, sparing him a brief but grateful smile, "About you being closed off and not talking to us? I never meant that in a bad way--well not exactly. It was because I was concerned. I talked to her when I felt like I couldn't talk to you, when I'm really worried. Especially when you ran away. There..." He paused to take a breath, lowering his voice, "There have been times when you shut yourself away for so long that I've wondered if I've seen you for the last time."

Albus opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He couldn't find the words to express how he felt but luckily he didn't need to as James continued.

"I don't want that ever to be the case, you hear me, Albus? Because no matter what Tab--that bitch--said, we love you. All of us do. I hope you know that."

"I know." Albus swallowed the lump in his throat. "I love you too."

Although he managed to crack a smile, Albus could see water gathering in the corner of his brother's eyes, as he reached out to tousel Albus' dark curls, "Good. And hey--for what it's worth--there's gonna be some guy out there that will love you too. Even if it's not Scorpius, you're going to find someone."

"Thanks, James. You will too. Someone much better, I hope."

James nodded in agreement, "We both will. How could we not? I mean, we're James and Albus Potter, for Merlin's sake. We got our pick of the lot!" He threw an arm over Albus' shoulders, gesturing out widely with the other.

"Speak for yourself," Albus chuckled, lightly pushing into his brother.

"Think about it! I've got the girls, you'll get the guys, and together we'll conquer the world."

"I think your calculations are a bit off there," Albus noted, thinking about all the people James left out.

James shrugged, "Well I haven't taken maths since primary school, so that's the best we're gonna get. So what do you say, little brother? Shall we take on the world together?" He extended his hand to Albus.

Rolling his eyes, Albus feigned indifference before taking his brother's hand with a firm shake, "Okay, let's do it."

Chapter Text

Albus explained everything to Scorpius once he returned to their compartment--minus the part where he came out to James. He wasn't quite ready to share that information with his best friend yet. Not for a while at least. He was waiting for just the right moment after their almost-kiss had hopefully been forgotten. He didn't want Scorpius to feel uncomfortable realising that Albus had a crush on him. Hopefully, by the time Albus worked up the courage to confess to Scorpius that he was gay, he'd have a crush on someone else.

With his family, it was easier--at least, as easy as it could be. Albus knew his family would be accepting and they loved him no matter what. They would always be connected by their familial bond. Once Albus came around to tell the rest of his large extended family, he was sure his sexuality wouldn't be an issue. And he'd be forever thankful for that, knowing not everybody was so lucky. It would take some time to work up the courage, but he knew it would be okay in the end.

But things were different with Scorpius. Even with how close they were as friends, Scorpius could always leave him whenever he felt like it. No matter how many times he tried to reassure himself, there was always a part of Albus that thought Scorpius would leave him, even before Albus realised he fancied him. Albus always thought Scorpius could do better than him--he could make other friends who were smarter, funnier, and more outgoing. Every new term, he would wonder if it was the one Scorpius would finally come to his senses and realise Albus just dragged him down--that Albus was the cause of their strife in school. But years passed and Scorpius never strayed too far from Albus' side for too long--even after the few arguments that they'd have. They were best friends and Albus never wanted that to change.

Even when Albus thought he'd be returning to school this term with no friends, he knew he couldn't last long on his own. He may have tried to feign confidence but he couldn't have been more relieved when Scorpius found him on the train. Scorpius might be able to get on fine without Albus but Albus didn't know how he could survive Hogwarts without Scorpius.

Albus couldn't lose his best friend. Not again. And if that meant withholding his secret for a little while longer? So be it.

So Scorpius received the abridged version of the story: James caught Tabitha making fun of him, they broke up, and Albus comforted him. After the whole ordeal, Albus had lost the firey burst of confidence he needed to confront Magnolia--and he was in great need of a nap. After he updated Scorpius, he decided to curl up and try to sleep away a few hours of the train journey.

Apparently, Albus needed sleep more than he thought. Now that his mind had settled down considerably for the first time since he'd left the Malfoy Manor, he soon slipped into a dreamless slumber. What was meant to be a quick rest, ended up taking up the entire journey to Hogwarts. Soon after Albus awoke, the train pulled into the Hogsmeade station and the students dispersed into the thestral-drawn carriages.

The entire evening, Albus was on the lookout for Magnolia. He'd caught glimpse of her in the Great Hall but didn't want to risk going up to her in front of all her friends. He could only imagine the reactions from Silas or Hollie if he'd accused her in the middle of the feast. Albus didn't let his guard down until he was in the comfort of his dorm, having not run into her in the common room. As much as he's wanted to walk right up and hex her the first minute he got to school, he supposed he could wait another day to try and calm his frayed nerves.

Monday morning, things at Hogwarts returned to their normal routine. For Albus, his day was anything but normal. Throughout his first couple lessons that day, he sat straight and attentive, his foot tapping rhythmically, trying to release some of his pent up energy. His body buzzed with electricity that sent tingles from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Every few moments, Scorpius shot him worried glances, seemingly unable to focus on his own schoolwork which was particularly out of character for Scorpius.

"Albus, I think you need to settle down a bit," Scorpius finally said as they left their Herbology lesson together. "I don't want you to have another anxiety attack..."

Albus drummed his fingers against his leg as he walked, his eyes darting around the crowded corridors. Every time he saw even the slightest glimpse of long dark hair, he jumped slightly, as if he were about to pounce into action. He needed to be ready at any moment in case they crossed paths.

"Do you need me to ask Madame Pomfrey for a Draught of Peace?" Scorpius asked, clearly not comfortable with Albus so on edge.

But Albus shook his head, knowing he'd need this nervous energy if he ever wanted to be able to face Magnolia, "No," He spoke firmly, trying to steady himself. "I just need to find her before Potions and then I'll be fine."

Albus wasn't sure what he'd do if he didn't get to Magnolia before their Potions lesson. He couldn't bear the thought of sitting next to her and pretending as if everything was normal as they went throughout the lesson. Of course, he didn't think that Professor Amatori would approve of him confronting her in the middle of the classroom either. So Albus was determined to meet her outside of the classroom before the lesson started. But time was running out.

"If she gets there before us, you can just sit next to me. No one will suspect a thing," Scorpius offered as they left the Great Hall after lunch and began to make their way to the Dungeons.

"Oh, Rose will be thrilled to have to work with Magnolia," Albus rolled his eyes, before continuing to scan every corridor and staircase for her.

"She can deal with it."

"I dunno, Scorp. I think if I even see her smug face, I'll lose it," Albus had never felt so strongly compelled to confront someone.

Albus had never been betrayed before. He'd been through years of merciless bullying, where people bluntly hurled insults at him straight to his face. He'd been whispered and gossiped about on the daily. But somehow, having someone pretend to be his friend only to sell him out behind his back felt so much worse. He trusted Magnolia. He thought they were friends. But she'd only been hurting him and his family all along--and Scorpius. And Albus could never forgive her for that.

Scorpius came to a sudden halt, causing Albus' heart to pound even harder. He whipped his head around to try and figure out why he'd stopped. Had he spotted Magnolia?

"Albus, look at me," Scorpius reached out to grip Albus by the shoulders, steadying his jittery body. He stared deep into Albus' eyes, taking his focus away from finding Magnolia just for a moment. "You're making me nervous. I need you to take some deep breaths or something. What Magnolia did was wrong, yes. Very wrong. But you're better than that. What Lacero wrote means nothing. Because that's not who you are and I know that. Anyone halfway decent would know that too. If it the articles that have gotten you this worked up then--"

Albus shook his head firmly, "No, it's more than that. I need to do this. Not just for me, but for my family. Lacero and Magnolia hurt my family. My dad...those bloody articles made him seem like a horrible father or that he wasn't doing his job properly. I know I complain about him relentlessly, but he's still a good dad and I can't have the world thinking otherwise because I said some rubbish to Magnolia."

Pausing a moment to take a deep breath, Albus forced his eyes shut, breaking away from Scorpius' gaze. His heart pounded in his chest so loud he was surprised the whole corridor couldn't hear it. Even as he tried to block out the rest of the world, the weight of Scorpius' hands still pressed gently on his shoulders kept him grounded.

All these years, no matter what Albus went through at home or faced at Hogwarts, Scorpius was always there for him. Through all the rants and tears and anxiety attacks, Scorpius knew just how to listen to him and keep him steady until his mind cleared up again. Albus didn't know how he could have made it this far without his best friend.

"And you, Scorpius..." Albus heaved a sigh, opening his eyes just enough to stare at his shoes, "What was written about you..."

All his life, the Malfoy name hung over his head as he faced judgements from everyone he met. The preconceived notions of what a Malfoy should be never fit who Scorpius actually was, but people never took the time to know the real Scorpius. Just like Albus, people assumed Scorpius was just like his father, or his grandfather before him. They never went a week without someone viciously whispering snide remarks about Scorpius being a Deatheater--in fact, it was the favoured nickname of students like Silas and Ryker. Scorpius didn't need any more negative attention, in or out of the school. And with the articles perpetuating the ongoing rumour about his alliances, Albus couldn't help but feel like he was the cause. Scorpius didn't deserve that. Scorpius deserved better than that--deserved better than him.

Scorpius made life better for Albus, but perhaps Albus hadn't made life better for Scorpius.

"I'm sorry, Scorp," Albus' voice broke, opening his eyes just enough to stare at his shoes, "I got you tangled in all of this rubbish with Lacero and Magnolia. I'm a bloody idiot who thought that being friends with Magnolia might make me more popular--Make people realise I'm more than just the son of Harry Potter. But if I'd know that would only end up hurting you then I never would have done that. I don't even understand why you're still friends with me after all these years. I've only made your life worse."

Even trough the tears blurring his eyes, Albus could see Scorpius' jaw fall slack as he glanced up to see his reaction. He furiously tried to wipe away the water gathering in his eyes, not wanting any of his classmates to catch him crying in the corridors. Noticing his pain, Scorpius' grip tightened on his shoulders.

"Albus, you could never make my life worse!" Scorpius finally spoke, an airiness to his voice, as if he was verging on a laugh--the statement complete ludicrous to him. "My whole childhood, I was so lonely. I was alone in the manor with just my parents as company. I ended up trying to befriend the house elves or creating an imaginary friend--Hector," Scorpius cringed slightly at the admission but continued on. "I kept waiting for the day my letter would arrive. All I ever wanted to do was go to Hogwarts and have a mate to get up to mayhem with. Just like Harry Potter." Scorpius smile grew as he locked eyes with Albus. "And I got his son. How crazily fortunate is that?"

Albus opened his mouth to say something--wanting to disagree but not sure exactly how. Albus was hardly someone people felt excited to be around. He had so little good to offer. How could that compare to being friends with Harry Potter?

As if knowing exactly what Albus was thinking, Scorpius continued, "And I know you're nothing like your father and that's fine. You're better. You're my best friend, Albus. With you, I finally feel like I have a place in this world--that I'm not just the geeky son of a former Deatheater. I can be myself with you and not have to worry about getting made fun of. You're the reason I truly look forward to Hogwarts outside of lessons. You could never make my life worse. More challenging? Sometimes, yes," He said with a jesting grin, "But never worse."

As he finished, Albus once again found himself speechless. As if a dementor had come about to suck out all the words from his mouth, leaving him nothing but an empty shell with a heavily beating heart.

Unable to get his brain to function properly, Albus did the next best thing in response. He threw his arms around Scorpius, practically leaping as he did so. Part of Albus wished he hadn't--it might be too soon after the almost-kiss to initiate close contact. He didn't want to make things awkward but he couldn't resist. If ever he needed a hug from Scorpius, it was now.

Trying not to topple over, Scorpius let out a laugh but swiftly returned the motion, wrapping his arms behind his neck. Albus immediately felt more at ease than he had all day, the tension melting from his body.

Albus could have stayed in Scorpius' arms all day, but he had something more important to do--and he was running out of time. As he pulled away, Albus' expression set into one more serious, reading to take on whatever was to come.

Scorpius took note of Albus' determined expression, not even having to question it, "Off to find Magnolia then, eh?" He didn't even wait for a response as they set off through the dimly lit dungeon corridors at a brisk pace.

As the neared the Potions classroom, Albus was beginning to give up hope that he'd find Magnolia before their lesson started. He'd hoped she'd emerge from the Slytherin common room as they passed, but no one had, meaning she could already be in the classroom. If that was the case, Albus wasn't sure he'd be even able to walk through the door. He could always explain to Professor Amatori later why he'd missed the first lesson of the new term. Perhaps she'd understand if he told her the truth--or he could always make up an excuse. A little white lie wouldn't hurt anyone. And it wouldn't be too far from the truth if he said he had an anxiety attack before the lesson and had to go to the hospital wing.

Albus had almost settled on that idea when he turned the corner to the corridor to the Potions classroom. A small crowd of students gathered by the door at the other end of the corridor, waiting to be let in by Amatori. He scanned over the faces but didn't find Magnolia amongst them. Only Rose seemed to notice them approaching, giving them a wave as she stepped away from her friends to talk to them.

As they got closer, Rose's face twisted as she looked Albus up and down, "Who broke, Al?" She pointed at him, aiming the question at Scorpius. "He looked like he's just come back from seeing a clan of vampires in the Forbidden Forest or something."

Albus hadn't realised how much he'd been fidgetting since he'd started walking again, his mind wandering too far off as he thought of everything he could say to Magnolia--and everything that could go wrong. His eyes darted around as he imagined scenarios and his jaw clenched as he could taste the vile words he wanted to spit out at her. Even his hands were balled into fists, shaking slightly before Albus released the tension he hadn't noticed he'd been holding.

"Seriously, you're looking rather pale," Rose noted, reaching to feel his forehead with the back of her hand, "Are you sure you don't need to see Madame Pomfrey?"

Albus swatted her hand away, "I'm fine, Rose." He turned to face away from the Potions door, eyes set on the end of the corridor. As soon as Magnolia turned the corner, Albus would be ready--he hoped.

"I find that very hard to believe," Rose peered past him to see what he might be looking at, only to be greeted by an empty corridor. With a huff, she directed her attention back to Scorpius, "How are you so comfortable with this?"

"You'll get used to it." He shrugged.

Albus turned his head just enough to catch a knowing glance from Scorpius as Rose returned to her friend's with a baffled shake of her head. Albus held Scorpius' gaze just long enough that his concern about Magnolia started to take a back seat in his brain. Suddenly, his main worry wasn't the confrontation but, rather, the rapidly forming butterflies in his stomach.

But Scorpius' smile soon faded, his eyes widening he caught sight of something seemingly unpleasant behind Albus. Suddenly, everything he'd been worried about struck him again, like a bolt of lightning, his whole body tensing up again. The butterflies in his stomach turned to bats, suddenly feeling as if insides began twisting and writhing about. As much as he claimed to hate a lot of things--Quidditch, Hogsmeade, any of his numerous childhood bullies--Albus had never experienced the feeling of true hate until he turned to see Magnolia approaching.

The pure adrenaline that he'd be storing up for days now took control of his body, his vision tunnelling to only focus on the dark-haired girl walking beside Georgia. His feet took off, storming in her direction with clenched fists and fire in his eyes.

"Magnolia," He roared, catching the attention of the students waiting by the door. Albus hardly paid attention to Georgia, who stepped forward defensively hand hovering over her wand. He only had a vague awareness of Scorpius trailing him, standing a few steps behind as Albus came to a stop in front Magnolia.

Despite Albus' stormy approach, Magnolia smiled as if nothing was wrong, "Hiya, Albus." She chirped, her voice sounding like a song, "How was your holiday?"

For a moment, Albus was thrown off, his mind suddenly blanking on what he'd marched up to her for. Caught off guard by her cheeriness, Albus anger faded for a fraction of a second before he snapped out of the daze, everything boiling back up in him again.

"This whole time! This whole time you've only been pretending to want to be my friend just so you can sell me out to the Daily Prophet, is that it?" He accused, trying to refrain himself from yelling too loud and attracting the attention of nearby professors.

Magnolia frowned, placing a hand over her heart, "Now Albus, why would I do such a thing?" She spoke sweetly, rocking back and forth on her heels ever so slightly. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she gave him wide innocent eyes.

But Magnolia wasn't going to be able to use her looks to distract him. It might work on other guys but not him.

"Lorelei Lacero. She's related to you, isn't she? You always said you hated your father but you never spoke about your mother. I bet that's why. Lacero is your mother. And you've been trying to use me to get material for those rubbish articles against my dad!"

This time, it was Georgia who stepped forward, "Watch yourself, Potter," She hissed, pointing threateningly at him. Scorpius stepped up, ready to counter her but Magnolia waved for her to stand down.

Taking a step closer, Magnolia didn't show a hint of worry, her blue eyes sparkling as bright as ever, "You must be mistaken. I'd never try to hurt you, Albus." She reached out a hand, brushing his cheek gently as she leaned forward, speaking hardly above a whisper, "We're friends, aren't we?"

Albus flinched at her touch, smacking her hand aside, "Like hell we are," Magnolia pursed her lips, showing the first sign of doubt before regaining her cool as Albus continued his accusations. "My father knows. He went to the Prophet. Your photo was in her office. You were the only other person who knew when my father came to the school. And you were there with me in Hogsmeade before our photo was taken. That's the only reason you ever wanted to get closer to me."

She let out an airy laugh, "Oh Albus, don't be so daft. Do I really have to say it?"

Albus narrowed his eyes, "Say what?" He awaited an admission of guilt. Then his real threats could begin.

She glanced back at Georgia with a sly smile before returning her gaze to Albus, "Oh fine, if I must. Obviously, the reason I wanted to get close to you was because I fancy you, silly!"

Rolling his eyes, Albus wasn't the slightest bit knocked back by her confession. He wasn't going to fall for her games.

Magnolia raised her eyebrows, "You don't believe me?" She tutted. "Well, how's this for proof?"

Before Albus could process what was happened, Magnolia had swooped forward, taking both sides of his face in her hands and pressing her lips to his. Startled by the kiss, Albus froze, lips pressed tight--just about as responsive as kissing a statue. Eyes wide, he shoved Magnolia off of him, snapping into his right mind again.

Magnolia stumbled backwards just as the sound of a cauldron hitting stone clattered, echoing off the dungeon walls. Albus tore his attention away from Magnolia for only a second to see Matthias, having just turned the corner with his jaw dropped and belongings littered across the floor. But Albus didn't have time to care about what Matthias would think, concentrating back on Magnolia.

"What was that for?" Albus face scrunched up in disgusted.

For the first time, Magnolia no longer looked so confident, a growing worry behind her eyes. She cast an astonished look at Georgia who shrugged in response before eyeing Albus up and down with bewilderment.

Narrowing her eyes, Magnolia changed her tone, "You're loony, Potter. You speak a lot of rubbish."

"Or perhaps, you're just afraid of the truth?" Albus countered, "And I know the truth. You can't play me anymore."

"Why you little..." Magnolia muttered balling her fists, the blue of her eyes darkening like a raging sea. Albus had never seen her lose her cool like this before. Clearly, Matthias hadn't either, eyes wide with a mix of shock and awe. Even Georgia seemed startled as she tried to take her friend's arm to pull her away.

But Magnolia wasn't done just yet, "You could have helped us, Potter. I know you hate your dad. You could have had it good with us. And we could have helped you. But you ruined it," She pointed a finger sharply at his chest, "You're just like your father--ruining everything with no remorse. But you'll see. Soon you'll know what it's like to lose everything, just like us!"

With that, Georgia gave her a sharp tug on her arm, indicating that they needed to leave. Magnolia glared at Albus turning on her heel with a swish of her skirt and starting to run off in the opposite direction of the classroom.

"Magnolia, what's goin--" Matthias tried to reach out to his friend to figure out what happened but she shoved him out of the way.

"Sod off, you stupid mudblood," She spat at Matthias as she rounded the corner past him, "As if I'd ever actually like you."

Matthias went pale, his eyes darting from Albus and Scorpius to the stunned crowd of onlookers by the door. He swallowed heavily, water glistening at the corner of his eyes, his usual confidence long gone.

"You didn't hear that," He said in a shaky voice before shouting, eyes darting over to the other students, "None of you heard that!" Matthias turned, tearing the opposite way down the corridor, in the direction of the Slytherin common room. All his books and supplies still laid strewn out across the floor.

The corridor fell silent as Matthias' footsteps faded from earshot. No one dare spoke a word, left speechless by the scene. Albus slowly turned to face his classmates, their eyes wide as if they'd been hit by a stunning spell. Only Rose dared to move, running up to her cousin's side and grabbing his arm.

"What in Dumbledore's name was that?!" She spoke in a concerned whisper, trying to process what she'd just heard.

But Albus didn't get the chance to answer as the door to the Potion's classroom swung open with a creak. Professor Amatori stepped out with a smile, having no idea what took place. As she looked across the unsettled expressions of the students, her smile quickly faded. The students began to file past her, trying to go about their business as usual but the whispering had already started.

Shifting uncomfortably, Scorpius finally spoke up, "Albus, are you okay?"

He turned to his best friend sharply, mind already racing, "Lose everything? What did she mean by lose everything?"

Scorpius didn't know how to answer, glancing nervously towards where Professor Amatori looked at them curiously.

"Al, come on, she's waiting," Rose nudged him on.

He finally got the strength to lift his feet but his head was elsewhere as he followed his friends to the classroom. What had Magnolia meant by his father ruining everything? What had Magnolia and Lacero lost?

"Are you feeling okay, you three?" Professor Amatori stopped them as the reached the door. "Did something happen?" She tried to read their expressions but ended up looking more puzzled.

"Everything's fine, Professor!" Rose smiled, pushing the boys forward. Amatori wasn't convinced but motioned for them to take their seats.

The classroom was anything but settled. Normally alive with chatter as students took out their Potions supplies and set up with their friends, the classroom was now filled with hushed whispers. Albus was used to attracting stares as he passed but this was on a new level. But for once, the eyes showed more concern than judgment. Taking his usual place, Magnolia's seat felt strikingly empty, a constant reminder of what had happened.

Rose must have noticed Albus' distressed expression as she got up from where she usual sat next to Scorpius, "Here, Al, you can take my place," She helped move his stuff to her countertop before taking her seat where Albus was. He could tell she was dying to ask questions but forced herself to refrain.

Taking his seat next to Scorpius, Albus couldn't help but wish it had been this way from the start. If Scorpius had only refused to let Magnolia sit next to Albus that term. Or perhaps, Albus should have stood up for himself, not wanting to leave his friend's side. Would he have been spared the trouble? Or would Magnolia have found another way? She seemed like the tricky sort--no surprise she'd been sorted into Slytherin.

"Has anyone seen Georgia, Magnolia, or Matthias?" Professor Amatori's voice broke through his thoughts with the mention of Magnolia. Everyone peered over at the empty seats but didn't dare speak up.

"Anyone?" She asked again to no avail. Shaking her head, she marked them off on the list before continuing, "Today we will discuss the properties of pearl dust..."

Albus hardly paid attention to the lesson--a rare occurrence for him in Potions. He could feel the professors troubled glances from the front of the room but Albus was too lost in thought to care. His blood still coursed through his veins, thumping loudly in his head. He couldn't have concentrated if he tried.

Noticing his laboured breathing, Scorpius cast him a sideways glance, biting his lip. Subtly, he let his hand fall beside Albus', their skin brushing against each other. When Albus didn't retract his hand, Scorpius left his wrap around Albus', giving it a comforting squeeze. No one else noticed them holding hands beneath the table and Albus was thankful to be sitting in the back of the room so no one could see the growing blush across his cheeks.

Taking notes with one hand, Scorpius held Albus’ with his other, not letting his hand go until the end of the lecture. Neither of them said a word about it as they packed away their things into their cauldrons as the room cleared out.

A few students looked back at Albus as if they wanted to say something or ask about Magnolia, but thought better of it, shuffling off whispering with their friends. Only Professor Amatori had the courage to approach the three of them before they were able to run off.

"I apologise if I sound like I'm prying," She began with a tilt of her head, "But did something happen before the lesson? I couldn't help but notice that everyone seemed a bit off today."

The three of them exchanged glances, no one knowing exactly what to say. Should they tell the truth? It seemed like too much to explain, especially to a professor.

Finally, Albus worked up the courage to speak up, "Magnolia and I, uh..." He swallowed heavily, "We had a bit of a falling out."

"Ah," Amatori nodded slowly, giving Albus a good long stare as if she was trying to read his mind. "I'm sorry to hear that. I presume you'd prefer to work with Scorpius this term?" She quirked an eyebrow, trying not to seem like she knew too much.

"Er, yes that's correct."

"Well, I'll have that sorted. Rose would you be willing to pair up with Mag--"

Rose didn't let her finish as she let out a huff, "I suppose if I have to." She elbowed Albus playfully, "Don't say I never did anything for you."

Albus managed a grateful smile. Their friendship had come a long way since the start of the year but now, Albus was thankful to have his cousin back on his side--even if that meant she'd need to put up with Magnolia for him. It was good to know his family had his back.

"Lovely," Amatori confirmed. "You're free to go." She stepped aside to let them leave but hesitated slightly as they walked by.

"Albus?" She called before he could make it to the door.

"Mhm?" He hummed, turning to hear what she had to say. Scorpius and Rose waiting by the door for him.

Amatori tried to sound casual but gave him a serious look, her eyes meeting his, "If you happen to need anything from the potions storeroom for any reason, do not hesitate to ask..." Something glimmered in her eye, a sparkling suspicion that Albus didn't quite understand.

But instead of questioning her, Albus nodded, "Yes, Professor. Thank you, Professor."

Amatori always seemed to know more than she claimed. But her intuition had never failed Albus before...

Chapter Text

"I knew it!" Rose pumped her fist in victory. Noticing Albus and Scorpius' weary looks, she cleared her through, straightening herself out to take the matter more seriously, "I mean...I'm terribly sorry that happened and all...But, I was right about not trusting her!" She wagged her finger, taking pride in her intuition.

The three of them travelled together through the corridors after lessons, catching Rose up with the whole story about Magnolia. Although she'd reacted similarly to how Albus expected, that didn't stop him from being frustrated.

"You didn't trust her only because you didn't like her. Not because you knew anything about Lacero," Albus reminded her.

She shrugged, still taking it as a win, "I had my suspicions about her intentions and they turned out to be true, I see no fault in my logic."

"Okay, well you also thought she fancied me," Albus rolled his eyes.

"Well, she did kiss you, Albus..." Scorpius spoke in a small voice, bowing his head to get a good look at his shoes.

The feeling of Magnolia's lips on his still lingered in his memory causing him to shudder at the thought. If he needed any more proof that he didn't like girls, that was certainly it. The kiss seemed entirely uncalled for. Did Magnolia expect him to forget everything that had happened and fall for her just like that?

"Don't remind me," Albus muttered with a grimace.

"That was beyond weird!" Rose wrinkled her nose. "She had no right to do that. So unnecessary."

Albus' thoughts were still bogged down with the events of that afternoon. Magnolia's words rang through his head constantly, her sultry sweet tone echoing about. He hadn't known what to expect from the confrontation: An apology was the best-case scenario or at least some recognition that what she did was wrong. But Magnolia seemed to show no remorse--only regretting the fact that she got caught. The break in character was something Albus certainly hadn't anticipated, never seeing Magnolia so vicious--not even that harsh around her sister.

Her sister!

Albus froze, letting out a gasp. Rose and Scorpius came to a sudden stop, looking around to see if he'd spotted Magnolia. Rose's hand immediately went to her wand but she eased up as she saw no one in the corridor around them

"Ophelia!" Albus exclaimed. In the craziness of the day, he'd almost forgotten that he'd planned to meet Ophelia. Before getting off the train the day previous, he'd received another text message from her asking him to meet in the greenhouses after lessons.

"Come with me!" Albus swiftly turned in the other direction, taking large strides with his friends on his heel.

"What is it?" Rose questioned impatiently although she didn't hesitate to go with them.

"We planned to meet!" He told her. "I hope we're not too late."

The greenhouses had cleared out not too long after lessons, most students heading back to the castle to revise or meet friends in the common room. After the short walk outside in the bitter January air, the humid atmosphere of the greenhouse felt like a warm hug as they stepped through the glass door.

Amongst the rows of potted plants of various shapes, sizes, and colours, Albus spotted a familiar glimpse of golden waves amongst the foliage. Leading his friends down to the other end of the glass building, he froze when he saw another figure sat on a stack of bagged potting soil.

"What's he doing here?" Albus questioned aloud, his voice coming off in an accusatory tone.

Matthias looked up, from where he hunched over with his elbows propped on his knees. The whites of his eyes were laced with threads of red, his skinny blotchy and hair askew. Nothing like the bold confident Matthias MacPhearson Albus grew up sharing a dormitory with. Not the same one that smiled cruelly, getting a kick out of teasing him in front of his friends. Or the one who stood by Silas' side as he sent hexes Albus' way, only laughing in response. No, this was well and truly a different Matthias. A side that Albus had never seen before.

Jumping slightly, Ophelia whipped her head around, greeting her friends with a rosy-cheeked smile, "Oh hi! You startled me. I thought you might have forgotten!"

Albus wasn't focused on her, stepping closer with trepidation as he kept his eyes trained on Matthias, as if he was a lit firecracker that could explode with insults and hexes at any moment. But Matthias didn't seem to be in the mood to put up a fight, desperately trying to hide his tear-stained face from view.

Ignoring the obvious tension between them, Ophelia continued, "I hope you don't mind," She motioned to Matthias, "I've been keeping him company since...well, you know what happened."

"Since Magnolia called him a you-know-what?" Rose raised her eyebrows, giving Matthias a look of pity. Although Rose never had to put up with bullying from Matthias and his gang, she still had a fierce rivalry with him as opposing Quidditch players--a rivalry that lingered off the pitch as well. But that didn't stop her from having a heart after hearing similar stories about what her mother went through.

With a nod, Ophelia's smile twisted into a frown, "Wish I could say that's the first time I've heard her use that word..."

"Y-you mean--?" Scorpius looked surprised. With his family's past, Scorpius had heard the word Mudblood quite a bit from his grandparents. He'd even told Albus a few times that his father had let it slip. But his mother had always instilled in him that it was wrong and Scorpius carried that with him through life, appalled by the thought of using such a cruel insult.

Ophelia smiled weakly, trying not to lower their spirits too much, "Let's just say Magnolia wasn't too fond of having a sister with a muggle for a mum. Although, this is the first I've heard of her saying it at school. I thought she might be better than that."

As if Albus needed any more reasons to hate Magnolia. He may not have been best mates with Matthias--not even close--but he still sympathised with him.

"I actually fancied her. I thought we were friends," Matthias finally spoke, his deep Scottish voice coming out with a whimper. He buried his face in his hands.

"Apparently, she leads a lot of people to think that," Albus let out a dry laugh. Whilst the situation presented no humour, he couldn't help but let some steam off after the dramatic events of the day.

"That's actually what I needed to talk to you about," Ophelia fiddled with the hem of her Slytherin jumper. "I probably should have to you sooner--both of you," She looked at Matthias and Albus. "But my father forbid me to tell anyone. He didn't want it getting out because he knew it would only hurt Magnolia in the end. That's the Hufflepuff in my father I s'pose: always looking out for a daughter that wants nothing to do with him."

Albus edged closer, anxious to hear what she had to say. They gathered around where she sat on the Herbology work table, legs hanging over the edge. Even Matthias looked up to listen.

"Is it about Lacero?" Rose asked, unable to wait.

Ophelia tilted her head, "Lacero?"

"Lorelei Lacero," Albus furrowed his eyebrows at her reaction. "Her mother--or whatever. The one who's been writing the slander about me and my father in the Prophet. Isn't that what you wanted to tell me?" He thought for sure that's what she'd been hiding. Although, he didn't understand why her father wouldn't allow her to talk about it.

But judging by Ophelia's wide-eyed expression, this was the first she was hearing about her sister's relation to Lacero, "Is that true?"

"She's your sister. Wouldn't you know?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

With a slow shake of her head, Ophelia responded, "I never knew her mum's name. My father refuses to talk about her."

A rush of confusion spread over Albus' body, stepping closer in anticipation. He fully expected to have his suspicions confirmed by Ophelia even though Magnolia had already made it pretty clear earlier that afternoon that his father had been right. What he hadn't expected was Ophelia to have no idea whatsoever about her half-sister's other side of the family.

"Wait, if it wasn't that, then what did you want to tell me all this time?"

She took a deep breath, obviously uncomfortable with breaking her father's rules, "I don't know if you've noticed the effect Magnolia has on people. She's charismatic, yes, but she's got this knack for charming people. I always felt a little jealous of her because of how easily she made friends or got her way--especially with boys. Particularly with boys, in fact. I was upset about it one day and I confided in my father and he told me--well I really shouldn't say but all things considered..." Her eyes darted off to the side, inspecting a bright blue flower blossoming in one of the nearby terracotta pots.

Albus wanted to shout, 'Get on with it!' He never did like being held in anticipation--the limbo near to driving him mad. But Ophelia was clearly struggling, not one to break a promise. Finally, she sat up straight, looking forward again as she built up her courage.

"He told me that Magnolia is part Veela," She finally admitted, slightly ashamed to do so. "A quarter, I believe. That's why my father never talks about Magnolia's mum. I think she charmed him into a relationship. But he made me swear to never tell--something about how there is prejudice against half-breeds. And he didn't want people to assume things based on her abilities. But he doesn't know my sister like I do. Magnolia was using them to hurt people and I can't let her lead people on anymore."

Matthias let out a loud groan, running his hands through his hair in his anguish. Meanwhile, Rose, Scorpius, and Albus exchanged looks, finding the news unexpected yet not too surprising. Magnolia did have a knack for getting her way.

Hopping down from the table, Ophelia put a comforting hand on Matthias' shoulder, "I'm sorry, Matthias. If I'd known how you felt about her, I wouldn't have let it go on so long." She gave his shoulder a squeeze before turning to Albus with apologetic eyes, "And you too. I know you said you didn't really like her much, but I could have said more before all this happened," She motioned broadly. "And I swear, I didn't know anything about the articles or I would have told you. That's all I ever knew about her mother."

Processing everything, the cogs in Albus' head stirred to life, spinning and started to align. Everything began to click into place as he thought about everything that had happened with Magnolia.

"It all makes so much sense!" He exclaimed, practically jumping in place, his words coming out in a rushed pace, hardly stopping to even take a breath, "Why Scorpius said yes to her when she asked to partner with me in Potions," He continued to think aloud, overcome with clarity, "Why I said yes to going with her to the library or to Hogsmeade. And Merlin! No wonder she was so flirty when she tried to convince me she had nothing to do with the articles! But obviously kissing me didn't work the way she wanted because I'm bloody gay!" Albus blurted out before he could stop to realise what was coming out of his mouth.

Everyone's head whipped in his direction, silent as they took in what he said. Albus cursed under his breath, his face reddening. That was not at all how he'd wanted to come out--especially not in front of Matthias, who looked just as stunned as the rest of them.

"W-what?" Scorpius squeaked, looking paler than usual.

"I--I just mean--well that I--I thought that--" Albus couldn't find the words to form a sentence, his mind racing as he struggled to find something to say. There was no covering what he said. No way to play it off. He was out now and there was no going back.

Rose was the first to break into a smile, "That's quite a way to reveal that," she chuckled, giving him a playful nudge.

Ophelia soon followed, a sly grin spreading across her lips, "Wow, I would have loved to see my sister's reaction when you didn't fall for her. She deserves to be put in her place for once. Sorry, you had to be put through that, Albus." She reached out to give his hand a squeeze.

A warmth spread across his chest, although he wasn't sure if that was just from the rapid rate of his heart pounding. Their acceptance meant more to him than they'd ever know. After all these years of feeling rejected by his peers, to finally feel like he had a place was a euphoric feeling.

Although he wasn't quite there yet. The two boys still had yet to say anything...

After an awkward silence, Matthias let out a grunt, "Uh, good for you." He shrugged, which was as much of an approval as Albus had ever gotten from his roommate. He took it better than Albus thought, as he'd spent so many years bullying him for everything, at least his sexuality wasn't going to be one of them.

Albus couldn't bring himself to look at Scorpius, feeling dizzy at just the thought. The silence was suffocating, so much so that Albus couldn't even fully appreciate the comforting smiles from the girls. Clenching his fists, Albus actively had to keep himself upright, feeling as if he could pass out at any moment. The blood rushed through his body like a rapid river and Albus felt as if he was trying to cross through the rapids on a dingey, threatening to overturn at any moment.

"I--uh, wow! I didn't--I hadn't--I mean, that's wonderful!" Scorpius finally sputtered, "Er well, wonderful for you I mean!" He added quickly, clearly panicking for the right thing to say.

Albus finally felt like he could breathe again. He picked up his chin just enough to catch Scorpius beaming at him, shining like the sun. A bright light that Albus desperately needed. The rushing noise started to fade as the greenhouse stopped swaying. A torrent of emotions swirled through him--not sure if he should laugh, cry, or both. For a while, he was able to completely forget about Magnolia, focusing on the pride radiating through him.

He'd come out to his friends. Accidentally, yes, but he'd done it! And it hadn't gone horribly wrong. Even one of his childhood bullies had been okay with the matter. No one had cruelly rejected him. And Scorpius was still there, smiling like an idiot. He still had Scorpius and that was all that mattered.

"Well," Albus finally breathed out breaking the silence. Although he greatly appreciated the supportive gazes from his friends, their unwavering eyes were starting to make him a little uncomfortable. "Today has certainly been a whirlwind of emotions."

"That it has," Ophelia agreed with a soft chuckle, "May I propose we all take a break from the seriousness and go get some dinner? I'm starved!"

"I'm with you there," Rose perked up, raising her hand to second the motion.

"Lovely!" Ophelia linked arms with Rose, skipping off to the greenhouse door. She paused as she opened the glassdoor, letting some of the cold air in as she looked over her shoulder at the boys, "Come on!" She waved encouragingly before skipping off ahead with Rose, Matthias rushing to catch up.

Albus started to follow their lead but noticed Scorpius lingering behind, "Aren't you coming?" He asked, turning to his friend. Scorpius hadn't moved from his spot, rocking on the balls of his feet, his eyes tracing the vines crawling up the dirt-stained glass walls of the greenhouse. Albus cocked his head, taking a step closer, "Is everything okay?" He could tell when Scorpius had something bothering him.

"Everything's fine," Scorpius claimed, his voice rising in pitch with the obvious lie. With one look at Albus' face, Scorpius sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get away with it.

With another step forward, Albus stood face to face with his best friend, barely half a metre between them. After everything that had happened that day, Albus' head was still spinning, struggling to process everything from Magnolia to coming out. But somehow, despite the haziness of his mind, Scorpius stood out clearly before him--as if the whole world around him blurred but his image remained clear and untouched by his troubled thoughts. Perhaps Scorpius was the only thing that could clear Albus' mind and make him feel like the whole world wasn't going to collapse on top of him. Scorpius was the clarity in his mess of a life.

"Do you remember when I got rather cross with you about going to Hogsmeade with Magnolia? Er well, it was more than cross--It was close to a fallout, I'd say. Which was not pleasant for me in the slightest, I should have you know." Scorpius always seemed to ramble when he was nervous with the utmost formality that could only be achieved by the awkward Malfoy heir.

"I remember," Albus nodded, the corners of his mouth falling as he recalled. The night in Hogsmeade might have been erased from his mind but he could never forget their argument. They very seldom got into an argument that spanned that many days. Albus thought he'd almost ruined their friendship.

Scorpius' neck bobbled as he swallowed heavily, "Well, I reckon I blew up a bit because I thought you were leaving me to be with Magnolia--and I know now that you weren't and you didn't actually fancy her the whole time and that she probably used some Veela power to coerce you but--" He paused to take a breath, tugging at the sleeves of his jumper. "--But that really hurt me because I had planned a whole day for us and I rarely get to spend time with you outside of Hogwarts and I thought it would be the perfect time to tell you..." His voice trailed off as he shuffled his feet, rolling the sole of his shoe against some of the dirt built up on the greenhouse floor.

"Tell me what?"

"I've been meaning to tell you, I really have! But then the murder sort of felt like a sign to me that I shouldn't say anything. But I decided I wanted to wait until the right moment and maybe now's not the time but I just thought since you brought it up--" Scorpius gasped for air.

"Breath, Scorp, or you're going to faint," Albus said half-jokingly.

Reached out, he placed his hands on Scorpius arms in the way he did for him when he needed grounding. That apparently did the trick as Scorpius took a deep breath. He stiffened, clenching his hands into fists as he squeezed his eyes tightly shut before finally sputtering out:

"I'm bi, Albus." He cracked his eyes open slightly to gauge Albus reaction before his words continued to tumble out at a hundred miles per hour, "As in bisexual! Not bye like goodbye. I'm not saying bye! But I'm bi as in b-i not b-y-e," He spelt out before emitting a loud sigh, "What I mean to say is I fancy boys as well as girls." He finished with a squeak, shutting his eyes again as if he was bracing himself.

Even though his mind was racing with thoughts darting every which way in his brain, Albus couldn't form one coherent sentence, his mouth open but no words coming out. His arms fell to his sides. Stunned, he felt frozen in place with only the pounding in his chest to remind him that he wasn't dreaming. Had that really just happened? Did Albus hear that correctly? Or had he truly gone mad and imagined the whole thing

"Uh," Scorpius croaked, poking one eye open as if he needed to make sure Albus was still there, "Albus? Are you--are you going to say anything?"

Scorpius' tentative voice broke through his muddled thoughts, finally snapping out of his shock. Slowly, a cheeky grin spread across his face as he held back a nervous laugh. He could feel tears brimming in his eyes--joyful tears. Tears of excitement. Tears of relief. Tears that reminded Albus that he wasn't alone with his feelings. The emotions he'd held back for so many years could finally be seen, released into the world and understood by his friend--his best friend. Scorpius.

"Leave it to you to come out in the most awkward way possible," Albus couldn't hold back the laugh anymore, his nervous energy pouring out of him like steam from a boiling kettle

Breaking out into a smile, Scorpius joined with a timid chuckle. His shoulders relaxed as relief washed over him, his eyes creasing as he beamed, "I've been planning what to say for two years now but that was definitely not what I had in mind..."

"Two years?!"

Scorpius' faced flushed a soft shade of pink, his hand reaching up to rub his forehead, "Blimey I thought I'd made it so obvious sometimes! I can't believe you hadn't figured it out already! I thought for sure when I'd almost tried to kiss you that had been a dead giveaway but then--"

Choking on a gasp, Albus coughed out, "You tried to kiss me? When?!" He wasn't sure how he'd managed to miss that. All this time Albus had been convinced Scorpius was straight and still in love with Rose.

"At the Manor," Scorpius' skin grew a deeper shade of red, "Just a few days ago. Did you really not even notice?"

"You tried to kiss me?" Albus gawked, "I thought I'd tried to kiss you! But then our dads interrupted and you ran off so I thought I'd scared you off and I--"

With a vigorous shake of his head, Scorpius cut him off, "I thought I made you uncomfortable! Then you didn't write or meet me on the platform and I thought I'd really mucked everything up between us and that you weren't into blokes at all but then you said you were gay and I was shocked--awestruck really--and I know that doesn't necessarily you fancy me but--"

Albus had never felt his heart feet so fast before, his whole body tingling with elation, "Are you kidding me? By Dumbledore, Scorpius I am so into you."

With a giddy squirming motion, Scorpius' eyebrows shot up, a child-like grin on his face, "Are you serious?"

Albus didn't bother answering, instead, doing something he'd been wanting to do for a while now but never thought he'd be able to. Throwing his arms over Scorpius' shoulders, he drew him down to his height, pressing his lips to Scorpius' much too forcefully at first. With an awkward chuckle, Albus eased up, trying to steady himself as Scorpius returned the kiss with a much more gentle timidness.

With growing courage, Scorpius deepened the kiss, only pausing for a moment to mumble, "Where do I--Where should I put my hands?" He swung his arms awkwardly as if touching Albus was some complicated potion that could explode if he did something wrong.

Albus smiled against Scorpius' lips, letting out a soft laugh, "Anywhere, you twit. I don't care." Just touch me, Albus thought.

Tentatively, Scorpius brushed his fingers over the waist of Albus' trousers before settling on his hips. Their lips worked with each other's, finding a rhythm as they explored the feeling. Albus almost lost his footing as he tried to balance the tips of his toes to reach Scorpius, who was already bent over to meet him halfway.

Eyes still pressed shut, Albus swayed them in the direction of the Herbology workbench. His hand fumbled over the plants and pots trying to find and open space to perch himself. Not wanting to disconnect from Scorpius, he used one hand to hop up on the table, sitting so that he could match Scorpius' height without him having to bend. Scorpius slot himself between Albus' knees, placing his hands on top of his thighs.

Scorpius' touch sent a warm feeling shooting throughout Albus' body. Reality seemed to melt away, the only thing that mattered now was the feeling of Scorpius' warm breath against his skin and that subtle sweetness of his lips. For once in his life, Albus felt weightless, no troubles dragging him down. His chest felt as if it was lit up with fireworks, a rush of euphoria washing over him.

Scorpius was bi. Scorpius fancied him. Scorpius was snogging him in the Herbology greenhouse.

And Albus couldn't have been happier. He'd never thought he'd experience a feeling so overwhelmingly strong. A spark of light flowed through him until every centimetre of his body felt as it was glowing with a warm light--from the tips of his fingers to the heel of his foot. Once he had Scorpius in his arms, he never wanted to let him go. Despite the odd events of the day, everything felt perfect. Albus didn't want anything to change.

Gradually, the kiss began to slow as Albus became aware of their heavy breathing. Scorpius' hot breath danced across his lower lip as he finally let them go. Albus pressed one last peck on his mouth before allowing Scorpius to retract his head to get a good look at him. His hands still lingered on his thighs as Albus kept his hands placed on the back on his neck, not ready to part just yet.

"I--uh, wow..." Scorpius breathed, a smiled crossing his flushed cheeks.

"Long overdue, if you ask me," Albus chuckled in a hushed tone. "Two years? You've really known for two years? All this time I'd thought you still liked Rose..."

"I did, for a while," Scorpius admitted, "But I knew she didn't reciprocate my feelings. After fourth-year, my crush on her faded but I still had those feelings, trapped up in my chest. But they weren't for Rose. They were for you." He gave Albus' thigh a gentle squeeze, the pressure of his fingers sending shock waves through his leg. "It confused me for a while. I thought I felt so strongly because you're my best friend--there's no one quite like you. But I didn't just want to be your friend, I wanted to hug you--kiss you--just like I'd wanted to with Rose. There was no denying it after that. I, Scorpius Malfoy, am a bisexual disaster who fancies his best mate." He gave Albus a lopsided smile.

Albus' felt a fluttering in his chest, "I can't believe neither of us realised we fancied each other...I mean, I only really accepted the fact I'm gay a few months ago but I think I would have come to terms a lot sooner if I'd only known," Albus' gaze stayed locked on Scorpius' his silver eyes sparkling with glee, "I don't blame you though. I honestly hadn't expected to come out so soon, myself. I just got so caught up with everything clicking together about Magnolia that it just slipped."

"Well, I'm glad it did," Scorpius kissed Albus' cheek, sending a tingle from his face down to his toes. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of that feeling.

Albus shook his head in disbelief, still trying to get a proper understanding of it all, "After everything that happened, even after we almost kissed, I was so convinced you were straight. I mean, you obviously liked Rose and then there was that weird lady in Hogsmeade who you were so keen on, although I know you don't remember because your memory was--"

Freezing, Albus' mouth felt open, stunned by a realisation. He wracked his brain for the hazy details of that evening in Hogsmeade, just before the murder had taken place. Rose and Scorpius hadn't remembered a moment past leaving the Parr house, but Albus did. Albus was the only one who remembered the woman that had approached them, so focused on meeting him. Scorpius had been practically drooling over her, despite hardly hearing a word she said. But Albus had felt nothing although he'd recognised that she was beautiful--fair blonde hair, blue eyes, and dewy skin. A sort of glimmer to her all over. There had been something particularly striking about her.

"Albus?" Scorpius blinked with a tilt of his head. He waved his hand in front of his face but Albus was too far gone in his thoughts.

It all made sense. Why Scorpius had been so taken by her. How photos had been taken of them emerging from the Parr's house. How quickly she disappeared into the shadows only for the murder to follow just minutes later. The mention of her daughter...

With increasing alarm, Albus began to spout his theory aloud, making the connections as he spoke with wide gestures, "That woman! That woman was a Veela or partially at least. That's why you were so enamoured. She mentioned the prophet and all those rubbish articles about me before she disappeared. And then Harper was killed by a woman--Ophelia was sure of it. But she was aiming for Ophelia. Why? Because she's the daughter of her ex-husband!"

Albus snapped his head to face Scorpius, looking him dead in the eye, a quiver in his voice "Scorpius...I think the murderer is Magnolia's mum."

Chapter Text

"I--I'm sorry?"

Scorpius blinked at him with a face paled with shock. He couldn't have looked more surprised, even if Albus had suddenly confessed a hidden love for dance and broke out into an enthusiastic Irish jig.

"Lacero is the one we've been looking for! She's the murderer!" Albus restated, not losing any of his initial gusto.

Even with very minimal evidence, Albus has already confirmed his theory in his mind. He wasn't someone who often got gut feelings--and seldom trusted his judgment to begin with--but this was different. He was convinced. The others didn't remember that night the way he did. He still didn't have a good explanation as to why his memory hadn't been wiped in the same way as his friends' but there had to be a reason. Perhaps the killer--Lacero--wanted him to remember it as some sort of tease. There was little reasoning for his theory, but, for once in his life, he had to trust himself.

But Scorpius--often so trusting in Albus' ideas--didn't seem so convinced this time, "Isn't that a bit of a stretch, Albus?"

He was on his feet now, shaking his head as he stood firm, "Our photo was taken outside of the Parr house--we saw it in the Prophet the next day. And just mere minutes after, this weird lady, who just so happens to perfectly fit the textbook description of a Veela and makes you go all wonky, appears out of seemingly nowhere and starts talking to us. About the articles in the Prophet no less! That had to be Lacero! Then right after the lady disappears, Ophelia is almost killed on the next street over. It's too much of a coincidence!" Albus insisted.

"But," Scorpius still seemed sceptical, especially as he had no memory of the woman, "Even if the Veela lady was Lacero, that doesn't mean she's a serial murderer! Don't get me wrong, she's not a nice person--her articles have proven that--but going so far as to say she would kill people? What reason would she have?"

"Ophelia is the daughter of her ex-husband! Magnolia hates her so clearly her mom must have something against her as well," Albus explained his theory. "As for the other murders...I still haven't worked that one out yet, but I'm sure there's a reason behind it."

Rubbing his arm, Scorpius shifted his weight with uncertainty. He glanced at Albus, taking in his stubborn expression, knowing well enough by now that Albus had already set his mind on his idea and it would be hard to convince him otherwise.

"I dunno, Albus," Scorpius sighed.

But Albus was determined to convince him, wracking his brain for any other shreds of evidence that might lead to the so-called journalist. He recalled everything he knew about Lacero, trying to think of anything Magnolia might have mentioned that could be useful to him. Of course, it was difficult to discern what she'd been telling him truthfully and what had been manipulation. She'd always tried to dig deeper into how Albus felt about his father--bringing up her own absent dad as a way to gain his trust. Whilst he knew that much was true, confirmed by Ophelia, it all had been a ploy to get secrets for her mother to publish in the Daily Prophet.

The articles in the Prophet...they'd been trying to claim Albus as having connections to Deatheaters or call out his father for being a bad father to Albus. Why did Lacero seem so keen on slandering the Potter family? For attention, surely. But why mention their fight on the train platform on the first of September? Or claim his dad was neglecting his duties at the Ministry when he came to Hogwarts to talk to Albus? Or publish an article about Scorpius and Albus visiting the Parr house? Surely the murders that took place the day of--or just before--would take priority. If Lacero wanted more attention to her articles, it seemed like a poor idea to publish them at the same time as the murders made headlines, as they'd likely struggle to outshine each other. Unless...

"That's it!" Albus exclaimed, startling Scorpius yet another time that day. If Albus didn't stop with the surprises, he was going to end up giving Scorpius heart trouble in the future. "She was trying to distract everyone! The articles always came around the same time as a murder. She wanted people to focus less on the murders to cover her trail. And what's the best way to get the attention of the wizarding world?" He didn't give Scorpius the chance to answer, "Write something about the Great Potter family, of course!"

Albus was practically bouncing up and down like the Hopping Pot his mum had read him about as a child. Somehow, despite all the events of the day, Albus had more energy than ever. He needed to tell someone--he wanted to shout it to the world. He'd done it! He'd solved the murders! He'd done something good for once in his life--the first success amongst his long record of failures. Finally, people would know that Albus Potter was more than just a Slytherin Squib. He could do something big--just like his father.

The look Scorpius gave him immediately knocked Albus' pride down a peg. He bit his lip, clearly trying to not tear Albus down too much. Scorpius had always been the more reasonable of the two--the only one who could counter Albus' stubbornness in his ideas.

"It's certainly possible, I supposed," Scorpius started, lightening the blow, "But I just don't think the Ministry could make an arrest over a series of possible connections..."

Albus frowned, wishing he had Scorpius' support, "I really think I could be on to something, Scorp."

Scorpius winced as if Albus' disappointment hurt him physically, "It's a great theory!" He tried to sound more encouraging.

But Albus knew he was right. He knew how his father's department ran. The Aurors wouldn't act unless they knew for sure.

"Well," Albus sighed, trying to muster up his enthusiasm again, "That just means we've got more work to do."

This time, Scorpius cracked a smile, seemingly enjoying Albus' commitment, "I think that's a great idea."

Scorpius stepped forward, timidly reading for Albus' hand. He'd done this before but this time it felt different--there was something new between them Something that filled Albus with warmth and increased his ambition further.

"Whatever help you need, I'm here for you," Scorpius spoke in a gentle voice, "I'm sorry if I discouraged you. But I trust you. If you think that Lacero did it, then I reckon you're onto something. We just need a way to prove it."

Albus grinned, quirking an eyebrow, "To the library then?"

A giddy smile spread over Scorpius' face, "You don't need to ask me twice!"

---

The library was quieter than usual, most students eating dinner in the Great Hall or enjoying their first day of term with their friends before they had too much coursework to drag them down. Albus and Scorpius had chosen a table tucked between two towering bookshelves, far away from Madame Pince's desk to avoid her watchful eye.

Scorpius had disappeared in the maze of shelves, returning a few minutes later with a large stack of books and newspapers--everything from the history of the Daily Prophet to an archive of great journalists in wizarding history.

Whilst Scorpius cracked open the books, searching for any bit of information on Lorelei Lacero, Albus found himself getting distracted. He wanted to be able to focus on the newsprint in his hand, knowing that they could lead him to useful information, but his eyes kept wandering from the pictures to Scorpius across from him.

He thumbed through the books, intently scanning the pages with a focus Albus could only dream of achieving. Every so often, Scorpius would take in a sharp breath, as if he'd been so invested in his readings that he'd forgotten to breathe properly. When something seemed to intrigue him on the page, his nostrils would flare, his eyebrows perking up ever so slightly. Albus had been best friends with him for six years but there were so many little mannerisms that he'd never noticed. But now, Albus wanted to see them all--to explore every bit of what made Scorpius so uniquely beautiful.

"What?" Scorpius noticed Albus staring as he glanced up from his book with a lopsided smile.

Shaking his head, Albus could feel a blush rising on his cheeks, "Nothing," he said instinctively. But things were different now. Scorpius knew about Albus' feelings and--by some miracle that Albus didn't think he'd ever be able to wrap his head around--Scorpius shared those feelings. He took a deep breath before admitting, "You just look nice when you read. Very, uh, peaceful."

"Oh," Scorpius lowered his head slightly, trying to hide his own blush. He cleared his throat, trying to sound more confident, "Well, I'm afraid I haven't found much. Only that she started working for the Prophet shortly after she left Hogwarts, starting as just a secretary but she must have worked her way up. Her first real article wasn't published until a couple of years ago."

Although he'd hoped for more, he knew they wouldn't be able to rely on the library alone. They could find the basic facts but it was much harder to find out more about a person who was alive with very few accomplishments that would be worthy of a biography.

"What about any connection to Dumbledore's Army?" Albus questioned, "All of the victims had connections to the DA. Do you reckon she was a member?"

Scorpius shook his head, "I checked the list printed in one of your father's biographies, but there was no mention of anyone named Lorelei." He picked up a thick leather-bound book that didn't appear to have a title and placed it in the centre of the table so that Albus could look on as well. "It's a student record book from the 90s. I thought we might be able to find record of when she was at Hogwarts. I had to ask Madame Pince for it since they keep it locked in the archives. I told her I was writing an essay on Harry Potter and wanted to get all my facts right. I don't think he believed me but luckily I'm here often enough that she seems to trust me a bit more than the others."

Brushing off the dust, Scorpius opened the book and was immediately met with handwritten pages of names and dates. Arranged into three columns with full names, year, and house, each student was listed alphabetically by their surname. Turning to the section of the book dedicated to the year 1995--the year the DA was formed--Scorpius rifled through the pages until he reached the names starting with L. Using his finger, he scanned down the list of names until he saw what he was looking for.

"There!" He tapped his finger against the parchment, where an all too familiar name was scribbled in black ink, "Lacero, Lorelei. Year three. Ravenclaw." He read aloud.

Albus frowned, "That's two years below dad. But he didn't know her. He or my mum would have said something by now."

"Perhaps she knew people who were members? Wasn't you mum's friend Luna a Ravenclaw?"

"Oh, you're right! I'm not sure what year she was in though." Albus leaned forward to get a better look at the book, "Luna Lovegood! She's bound to be somewhere on this page."

But he didn't get far down the list of names before he paused again, squinting at the cursive writing to make sure he was reading it correctly. Right below Lorelei's name was another Lacero.

"Marina Lacero?" Albus spoke the name aloud as if saying it would help him find a connection.

Scorpius found what he was looking at, finishing reading the listed information, "Year four. Ravenclaw." He looked up at Albus, "They must be related?"

Albus shrugged, "Magnolia said she didn't have any other family besides her mum." He specifically recalled her mentioning that on their Hogsmeade "date."

"Not a lot of Wizarding families share surnames, like that. It would be rather rare for two unrelated witches to attend Hogwarts at the same time with the same name."

"I'm not sure, then. Perhaps Magnolia was lying and didn't mention an aunt?" Albus wouldn't put it past her. But she'd seemed rather genuine when they'd been comparing Albus' large family to hers. Then again, she'd seemed genuine about a lot of things that he'd realised were untrue--fancying him for a start...

"Or they don't get along. If Lacero's on bad terms with her ex-husband then who knows about her sister," Scorpius offered as an idea.

"Should we ask Ophelia? Her dad must know something. Perhaps we could talk to him!" Albus sat up with excitement, realising they had an amazing untapped resource at their disposal. Mr Richelieu may not be keen on talking to Ophelia about his ex-wife but perhaps they could convince him otherwise if lives were at stake.

Scorpius seemed to be in agreement, waving his wand over the table so that all the books took off as if carried by a gust of wind guiding them back to their proper shelves. Making his way to Albus' side, they started out of the library in the direction of the Slytherin common room.

As they walked, Albus became increasingly aware of Scorpius arm by his side, swinging so closely to his own. A large part of him wanted so badly to reach out and intertwine their fingers together, joining them together as they walked. Tearing his gaze away, he couldn't quite work up the courage to do so. Not yet.

He knew Scorpius wouldn't be opposed to holding his hand--they'd done so earlier in their Potions lesson which now seemed as if it was weeks ago instead of mere hours. But never had they taken each other's hand to hold so casually or publically. Albus wasn't sure if he was ready to be out that far just yet. And he had no idea how Scorpius would feel about showing affection publically at Hogwarts. Was he even out to anyone but Albus? Would he feel uncomfortable or be worried about being bullied?

Albus knew it was bound to happen. They'd been pestered enough by their peers calling them 'boyfriends' before they were even able to recognise their feelings for each other. Albus didn't even want to imagine Silas' reaction to finding out he'd been right all along with his slurs. Part of Albus didn't want to give him the satisfaction but the other part wanting to shove it down Silas' throat. If he owned his sexuality and was proud of the fact that he and Scorpius were--well were something--then Silas could no longer twist it to use it against him. Albus would have the power. But he wasn't there. Not yet.

Giving the password, Scorpius stepped aside to let Albus enter the common room first. He immediately scanned the dimly lit room tinted with an eerie a green-hue from the moonlight reflecting through the lake water. Even with his eyes adjusted to the low lighting, Albus couldn't spot Ophelia's golden hair anywhere amongst the mingling Slytherin students.

But he did spot one not-so-friendly-face splayed out in an armchair staring out into the dark lake water.

"Should we ask Matthias?" Albus nodded in the direction of their roommate. They usually tried to avoid him at all costs but if anyone was to know where Ophelia had gone after dinner, it was him.

Scorpius tugged on his sleeves, eyeing the boy cautiously, "I supposed if we have to..."

Conjuring up as much false confidence as he could convincingly manage to show, Albus marched across the common room with Scorpius by his side.

Matthias hardly seemed to notice their approach, eyes glued to the window with a spacey look, somewhere far off in his head. It was peculiar to find Matthias on his own, almost always flanked by Ryker and Silas or a number of the Slytherin Quidditch players. But Albus was thankful to talk to him without the threat of anyone else. With Scorpius behind him, Matthias was outnumbered. That had to count for at least something against the bully.

"Matthias," Albus addressed him sternly.

He'd expected some sort of snarky response; Matthias always had some rubbish nickname to pester him with. But instead, Matthias flinched slightly, his focus breaking from the window as he turned to Scorpius and Albus.

"Oh. Hey," He muttered flatly, lacking the harshness he usually addressed them with.

Scorpius and Albus exchanged a glance, neither of them set at ease. In fact, the dormant version of Matthias was even more uncomfortable to approach. It was hard to confront someone when they didn't share his energy. In fact, Matthias hardly seemed to be bothered at all by them speaking to him.

"I, uh, wanted to ask," Albus started, trying to regain his train of thought, "Do you know where Ophelia is?"

Matthias gestured with a limp arm across the room in the direction of the door, "She went on a walk. Something about finding her sister but she wouldn't let me come along." He shrugged lifelessly.

Without his friends, Matthias seemed like he'd lost his spark--which might have been a good thing in Albus' case. But seeing Matthias so dull didn't feel that much better. Part of Albus wanted to ask him if he was alright but the stubborn part of Albus refused to let him show sympathy to someone who never gave any to him. If anything, he should be thrilled that Matthias was finally getting what he deserved. But he couldn't escape the twinge of sympathy.

Albus knew what if felt like to be alone: to be rejected by those closest to you. No one deserved to feel that way. Even Matthias. Especially not just for being a muggle-born.

"Oh, okay. Thanks anyway," Albus started to turn, ready to discuss their next steps with Scorpius in the privacy of their dorm when Matthias called out for them to wait. When Albus faced him again, he'd mustered up the energy to get to his feet and take a step towards them.

Instinctively, Scorpius cowered back. Albus braced himself, immediately side stepping so that half his body was in front of Scorpius'. He may not be tall enough to protect him fully, but he'd put up a good fight if Matthias pulled any stunts. All the times Matthias and his friends had teased him or cast hexes in their direction flooded his memories. He couldn't remember one pleasant interaction with Matthias aside from when they first met as first years in their dorm.

It was a hazy memory but Albus could just make out a much smaller, chubby-cheeked image of eleven-year-old Matthias. He'd been practically bouncing up and down as he reached out to shake Albus' hand, exclaiming: "I read about you! I read about you!" To Albus, Matthias was just another student who would expect him to be just like his father.

The older, sharp-jawed Matthias posed much more of a threat now than he had as a kid. He'd lost his baby face years ago, becoming much more broad and muscular from his years in Quidditch. And his enthusiasm has been long since replaced by the abundance of tough and outgoing energy he displayed. But that confidence that Albus had grown so used to had considerably faded since that afternoon.

Noticing their reaction, Matthias stepped back again with a frown, "No! Don't worry, I'm not going to--" He sighed a flicker of remorse in his eyes as he raised his hands to show that he was unarmed, "--I'm gonna--I just..." He struggled for the words, "I wanted to say I'm sorry, and all that," He muttered the last bit, unable to look them in the eyes.

"Oh!" Scorpius exhaled, taken aback. Albus eased only slightly. "I, um..." Scorpius started to respond but Matthias didn't let him.

"Aye, no you don't got to say anything. I've been an arsehole to you both. I know..." He rubbed the back of his neck.

Albus wasn't about to argue with him there. It was putting it mildly at best but it felt good to hear him admit it.

Matthias continued, "When I was sorted into Slytherin, I didn't realise there was this whole pureblood reputation or whatever. I mean, that's not exactly something you'd read in Hogwarts: A History. But then I met Silas and Ryker and, well...I already felt so out of place at Hogwarts and wanted so desperately to fit in I just went along with them. I was afraid that they'd find out I was a muggle-born and stop being friends with me...I just didn't want to be alone. So when they started picking on you both, I joined in too and just never stopped, I s'pose. And I know that's no excuse for what I said and did but I reckoned you ought to know." He gave them an apologetic glance.

"I never meant to be mean. I mean, I did but I didn't mean it to actually harm you," He added. "It's sort of easy to forget that what you say and do might actually be bad when you're friends are telling you the opposite. We thought it was fun. I mean, you're the son of Harry Potter," He nodded at Albus, "I think we thought we were, I dunno...clever? For having some power over you. Stupid really...And," He took a deep breath his eyes flickering off to the side as if contemplating whether or not to admit something, "And I got some pleasure out of it too. Something about my childish grudge from first year when you didn't want to be my friend."

"Huh?" Albus heard Scorpius behind him say, "You never wanted to be friends with us."

The thoughts of their first day at Hogwarts all those years ago resurfaced in Albus' mind as he tried to remember more about meeting Matthias. He'd gotten so used to Matthias bullying him alongside Silas and Ryker that he forgot that there was a time before they were friends that moved in a pack. Back when they were young and innocent.

Matthias shook his head, his eyes widening with insistence, "I did. At least, I tried to but--"

"But then I turned my back," Albus spoke up, hit with clarity.

"What?" Scorpius blinked in surprise, unaware of what had happened.

He'd shoved the memory so far back, he'd never been able to retrieve it without Matthias bringing it up. But suddenly, there Albus was again as a stubborn little eleven-year-old standing in front of the chubby-cheeked boy who smiled with a missing front tooth.

"I read about you! I read about you! You're Harry Potter's son," He'd been so excited to meet him, "I'm Matthias. I can't believe we're roommates!"

But Albus hadn't shared his enthusiasm. His day had already been filled with people staring and whispering about him. All the eyes of the entire Great Hall had been on him just an hour before when he'd been sorted into Slytherin. The thought of his father's reaction weighed on his mind to the point where he'd already decided to despise anything associated with his new house or anyone who compared him to his father. A Slytherin couldn't be anything like Harry Potter.

Instead of responding, Albus had glared, turning on his heel to retreat to his own corner of the room, leaving Matthias standing there without knowing what he'd done wrong. At the time, Albus thought it was obvious. He'd been so caught up in his head thinking that everyone must have assumed the worst of him when he was sorted into Slytherin. But Matthias had no concept of that. All he knew about Harry Potter and Hogwarts had come from books. He knew nothing about the house rivalries or how the stereotypes of Slytherin. Matthias had only been trying to be friendly and Albus had given him the cold shoulder. It was no wonder he held a grudge; Albus would have done the same.

"I--I didn't realise you actually wanted to be friends. I was bitter about being sorted and took it out on you." Albus hadn't realised what his small action had caused.

Matthias gave him the slightest of smiles in recognition, "You still didn't deserve how I treated you. Neither of you did. I was afraid of being alone in this weird magic world, and I made some bad decisions--including the friends I chose. I thought I could make it through by trying to be someone I'm not--some cool pureblood wizard like the rest of that lot. And it worked for a while but look at me now." He gestured to the lack of his friends' presence around him. "Once Magnolia let it slip...well, it looks like they weren't too keen on sticking around. I reckon I deserve it a bit for being a prick--and being an absolute idiot for trusting Magnolia. But that's beside the point. What I've been trying to get at is that I'm sorry." He took in a deep breath, replenishing his lungs after the long-winded apology.

Even without pulling out his wand, Matthias had managed to leave Albus stunned. After all these years, he'd never once expected there to be something so human deep down in Matthias--that he feared the same thing that Albus did. Loneliness. Matthias never had a Scorpius; someone he could always lean upon and trust. And that had caused him to make some wrong choices. But he'd taken ownership of them, fessing up to what he'd done. That was far more than Silas, Ryker, or even Magnolia had ever done.

There was still the lingering feeling of resentment deep in his stomach, knowing no amount of sorry's could make up for everything that Matthias and his friends had said and done. But the more he thought about it, the more times he remembered when Matthias had been the one to stop or hold back the others when they got too cruel--at least sometimes. Perhaps there had always been a part of him that felt bad. Was it enough to forgive him, though? Albus wasn't sure if he was ready for that.

Scorpius, on the other hand, seemed a lot more decisive, "Apology accepted," He stated with a nod. Albus gave him a sceptical glance to which he continued, addressing Albus indirectly, "I know what it's like to feel alone--to feel desperate. I can't say that was the right way to go about things but...but there's no use in holding a grudge."

The corners Matthias' lips tweaked up, "Thanks, Malf--er, Scorpius." Even the slightest change showed some effort.

Albus sighed, not wanting to forget everything so easily. What Matthias did was still wrong and caused him years of grief that one little apology couldn't fix. But if Scorpius was willing to accept it, maybe Albus could too. At least it might help him move on.

"I suppose, I accept it as well. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry I wasn't more friendly as a kid. I was more focused on my own issues and didn't consider anyone else's really." He shrugged, wondering if he'd been a bit nicer as a child if things would have been different. "But--" He added, pointing a finger at Matthias, "--this doesn't make us friends."

Matthias seemed to find that amusing, "That's understandable. But at the very least, can I at least start addressing you by your real name, Albus?"

"You mean I don't get to hear you yell Peewee Potter to the entire Great Hall ever again? I'm gutted," He moaned sarcastically.

"Right," Matthias tugged on his jumper, "Sorry about that..."

"What about Silas and all them?" Scorpius hesitated to bring it up.

"Ah, well," Matthias frowned again, "Knowing that lot, I reckon they won't ever talk to me again now that they know, so I'm afraid I won't have much control over what they do. But if anyone from the Quidditch team gives you a hard time, they'll have to deal with me," He slammed his fist into his palm.

Scorpius and Albus exchanged satisfied glances. For once, they weren't on the losing end of a confrontation with Matthias. Things were starting to look up for them at Hogwarts, at least slightly.

"And, uhh--" Matthias spoke up again, shifting his weight awkwardly as his eyes flickered between them, "I'm sorry for anything Silas said about, you two being, you know..." He coughed slightly. "I uh, I'm sure he had no idea, to be fair. He was just being a twat since you've always been close friends and...well I'm not even sure if you're actually together or whatever but--"

Not having much time to process, Matthias' insinuations, Albus felt the brush of Scorpius' soft skin brush against his as his hand slid into place with his.

Intertwining their fingers, Scorpius spoke up with a glowing bit of pride Albus so rarely got to hear in his voice, "We are."

Instantly, Albus felt a rush of blood to his face. He tried to ease his expression to appear more casual but he knew he must be bright as a tomato, with eyes round enough to match. Matthias started to speak again but Albus could hardly hear him over the pounding in his chest.

They were together.

He and Scorpius were together.

As in a couple-together. More-than-friends-together. It was all Albus could have ever wanted but he'd never expected to hear the words.

"Ah," Matthias grunted, "Right then. Well, sorry again, for Silas. More power to you, I say!" He gave them an awkward lopsided grin. If Albus hadn't been so full of adrenaline, focused solely on the feeling of Scorpius' hand in his, he might have managed a chuckle.

"Thanks, Matthias." Scorpius smiled, giving Albus' hand a squeeze that caused the pressure in his chest to grow stronger, "That means a lot."

Matthias smiled back--something Albus never thought he'd see directed at him and Scorpius, "Glad we got to talk. I'll be in the common room a bit longer. But if you're headed to the dormitory I'll uhhh...I'll knock before I come in." If Albus' face wasn't entirely red before, it certainly was now. "Oh, and I'll let Ophelia know you were looking for her if I happen to see her."

In the midst of everything that happened, Albus had completely forgotten that they'd been looking for Ophelia in the first place. As Matthias returned to curl up in his armchair, Scorpius turned to Albus to go over what to do next.

"I don't know about you, but after all the, er, excitement today, I'm absolutely knackered. Do you think we can wait to talk to Ophelia about her father tomorrow?"

Albus nodded, unsure if he could get any words out of his choked-up throat. Scorpius' hand was still in his--the state of them being together still unaddressed. Scorpius kept hold of his hand as they crossed the common room, their fingers interlaced as if it was an ever so casual occurrence. Albus wanted to play it cool as best he could but his heart was still racing at the thought. He wondered if Scorpius felt the same.

When the reached their dormitory, Scorpius finally released his hand. Immediately, the lack of his warmth felt as if he'd lost something that should have been a part of him all along. Trying to hide his disappointment, Albus watched as Scorpius kneeled down to rifle through his trunk for his nightclothes.

Even after just a few moments of silence, Albus couldn't bear it any longer, anticipation eating away at him, "So, uh," He cleared his throat, "When you said we're together did you mean...?" He fiddled awkwardly with his fingers.

Scorpius redded slightly, not lifting his eyes from his trunk, "Sorry, I hope that didn't make you uncomfortable. I wasn't sure if it was too soon but it felt right so it just sort of came out," he spoke with a hint of frenzy.

With a quick shake of his head, Albus reassured him, "No, no! It's fine. Good, actually. Very good. I liked it. The thought of us being together, I mean." He swallowed heavily, hoping he didn't sound too desperate. The last thing he wanted was to freak Scorpius out by being too desperate.

This whole relationship thing was so new to him. Before a few months ago, he hadn't ever set his sights on anyone really--not in this way. Never before had he felt so strongly about someone. And even if he had, he'd never had expected them to fancy him back. But there Scorpius was, right in front of him looking like a dream, talking about how they might be together. Together-together.

Scorpius got to his feet again, throwing his nightclothes on his bed before turning to Albus with pursed lips, as if he was holding himself back from a beaming smile, "I like it too. A lot."

"So uh...boyfriends?" He squeaked the word out.

With a growing grin, Scorpius nodded excitedly before adding, "As long as you don't think it's too soon?"

For the second time that day, Albus found himself launching himself at his best friend. Taking Scorpius' face in his hands, he pulled him down to his height to press their lips together. Scorpius eagerly returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around Albus' waist to bring him in closer, closing the gap between them. The feeling of Scorpius pressed against his spread a warmth throughout his entire body.

Scorpius was his boyfriend.

Albus was kissing his boyfriend.

Before today, that seemed like something that might never happen. Facing his sexuality and relationships seemed like a challenge he wouldn't deal with until long after Hogwarts. A boyfriend seemed out of the question until he was at least moved out of his parent's house--if he was even able to find anyone at all. There had always been a lurking suspicion in the back of his mind that he might end up entirely alone. And not in the way his Uncle Charlie was--happy to be single and focus his life on his work with dragons. But in the way Albus' life always seemed to go--lonely based on his circumstances, not by choice.

He never chose to be Harry Potter's son or a Slytherin just as he hadn't chosen to be gay. They were all things that had been forced upon him that seemed like nightmares at the time. But in the end, they had turned out to be gifts in disguise. He struggled to bear them for a while but now he was almost 17--approaching adulthood--and he realised that, perhaps, they weren't as horrible as he thought. Perhaps his life wasn't as bad as he made it seem.

After all, he had Scorpius. And for right now, that was all Albus could ever need.

"Believe me," Albus breathed against his boyfriend's lips in between kisses, "being together with you could never be soon enough."

Chapter Text

Even the dim Slytherin dormitory seemed a little bit brighter when Albus woke up the next morning after he'd kissed Scorpius.

As he'd come to that morning, before he'd opened his eyes, there was a moment when he'd thought it all had been a dream. It wouldn't have been the first time his dreams had tantalised him with the thought of kissing Scorpius only to wake up in disappointment when nothing had changed between them--the feeling of pining for his best friend causing his chest to tighten every time he'd look at him the rest of the day.

But yesterday had felt so real. Between everything that happened with Magnolia and Matthias, he couldn't have made that up, right? A rush of adrenaline had shot through Albus' body at the idea that the entire day might have been a figment of his imagination.

He'd shot up out of his slumber, clutching his duvet against his chest in a panic as his eyes adjusted to the light of the dormitory.

"Albus, are you okay?" Scorpius' voice had been filled with concern when he'd noticed Albus wake up with a start from across the room where he was in the middle of doing up his tie. But the tie was immediately forgotten as he shuffled to Albus' bedside.

In his head, Albus had still been trying to piece together whether the day before had actually happened or not. He scanned Scorpius up and down, trying to tell if there was anything different about him--anything that might indicate the change in their relationship. But Scorpius just looked like Scorpius: alight with energy at even at the earliest morning hours.

Albus had assured Scorpius that he was fine. Just a nightmare, he'd claimed. Scorpius had gone back to assembling his uniform as Albus pulled himself out of bed--his head still spinning.

He hadn't gotten his answer until Scorpius had trotted up behind him, throwing his arms over Albus' shoulders and resting his chin on his head. His touch still caused Albus to jump, not used to early morning affection.

"Haven't changed your mind, have you?" Scorpius had said in a slightly joking manner but Albus could hear the hint of insecurity behind it.

It hadn't been a dream. Scorpius was Albus' boyfriend and the world felt right again. The sunlight that streamed into the room through the brackish lake water seemed to brighten up the room more than usual, filling Albus with an uncommon amount of enthusiasm for this early on a school day.

"Of course not," Albus eased into Scorpius' embrace. He spun around to give him a peck on a cheek--something so simple but yet it still sent the butterflies in his stomach hurdling in all directions throughout his body.

As soon as he did, a rush of horror replaced the good feeling in his body as he whipped his head around to check that no one had seen. But to his relief, the other three beds were empty with their roommates nowhere in sight.

"Don't worry," Scorpius assured him, noticing his distress. "They're not here. Must have gone to breakfast."

"They're going to find out eventually," Albus muttered, going through his trunk to pull out his school robes.

Scorpius nodded, "I think that's inevitable...How do you feel about that?" He asked tentatively.

As Albus buttoned his shirt, he thought about the potential reactions from his peers when they realised he was gay and dating Scorpius. He suspected it would be mild, for the most part. There had been plenty of gay couples at Hogwarts before--it wasn't as if it was unheard of. Of course, being the outcast son of Harry Potter didn't make things easier for Albus, in particular. And Scorpius still struggled with the assumptions of his family's dark past and general geekiness. Albus could already hear the sharp crackle of Silas when he discovered the truth. But apart from him and his friends, Albus had hope that there wouldn't be too much backlash.

He tried to think of the positive examples that he knew of. Professor Amatori came to mind first, with all the comforting encouragement she'd given him when he'd come out. Then there was his godbrother Teddy, who'd never bothered to hide his non-binary identity to please anyone, both in their family and at Hogwarts. Their family had accepted him with no limitations to the love they already gave him. Same went for his cousin Victorie when she came out as pansexual. She'd only been fifteen at the time, a year younger than him, but with bravery beyond her years. He'd seen a few gay couples sneaking kisses or holding hands in the corridors. Very few students seemed to cast them a second glance. For them, it seemed so effortless, although Albus knew better than to think there was no hesitation involved. There must have been a time when they felt like they were in a situation just like his--wondering how much of their identity they should show and how people would react.

If Albus had started dating anyone else but Scorpius, he might have felt differently. He might have shied away from the public a bit more until he felt more situated in the relationship. But being with Scorpius felt different. They'd been inseparable for years, sneaking glances and subtle touches that would go unnoticed by both their peers and even themselves sometimes. Very little had changed. If anything, being boyfriends just added another layer to their already close relationship--one that allowed them to be even closer than before. Albus was already so comfortable with Scorpius by his side and no matter what his peers said or did, nothing could change that. After everything they'd been through as friends over their school years at Hogwarts, they'd made it out closer than ever. Not even the worst of Silas' insults could change how Albus felt about his best friend.

Together, they could conquer anything the world threw at them.

Albus shrugged, throwing on his robe, finally coming to a decision, "I say, let them find out. If finding out is inevitable, why hide? We shouldn't have to pretend we're something we're not just because some kids are intolerant pricks. I don't want to live in fear of what they might say or do and let that stop me from enjoying my relationship, you know? I'm tired of having people dictate my life and how it should be or how I should feel. I'm not going to let Silas or Ryker or anyone stop me from being myself anymore."

For six years Albus had lived in fear of his bullies. He'd taken everything they said to heart, making him believe that he was a failure, a squib, or a generally dislikable person. He'd internalized everything so deeply that it blocked his judgement, preventing him from accepting himself for who he was. But in the past few months, so many things had changed within him. Not only had he come to terms with his house and who he loved, but he'd also come to find the good within himself. All the positive traits he thought he'd lacked for so many years because they told him he was never enough. But Albus was capable of so much more and he was ready to show that.

With a smile, Scorpius seemed to like that idea, "That's a very brave thing to say."

"I may not be a Gryffindor like the rest of my family, but that doesn't mean I'm a coward." He stood by that point.

"I never believed you were. I always admired your courage," Scorpius approached him as Albus started to knot his tie. With Scorpius' presence so near to him, Albus' hands started trembling, his mind no longer focused on the knot but instead on how creases in Scorpius' face when he smiled and the way a few strands of hair fell over his brow as he walked.

"You always pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and do things I never could have done on my own," Scorpius continued, making Albus' heart go crazy. He'd completely forgotten how to do up his tie at this point, Scorpius reaching out to take over. His slender fingers delicately tied the green and silver fabric into the perfect little knot, pulling it up so it hung at the base of Albus' throat.

Albus' eyes hadn't faltered from Scorpius' face, watching his boyfriend's face twist with focus as he worked before easing up again as he continued to talk, "That's why I need you by my side, Albus. Especially right now because, I'll be honest--I'm a tad bit scared."

"Scared?" Albus blinked. To him, Scorpius always seemed so much more outgoing than him. He'd always been so talkative about his crush on Rose, making bold moved despite her constant rejections. Albeit, he certainly had an awkward way of going about it, but he never shied away from speaking up in class to answer questions or defending Albus when he needed it. In his mind, Scorpius was the one who made him braver, instead of the other way around.

Scorpius shrugged, "Believe me, I'm beyond thrilled to call you my boyfriend but..." His voice trailed off as if he wasn't too sure of exactly what made him nervous.

"Scorpius...are you out to anyone? Besides me, of course. And Matthias, now..." A thought struck Albus as he spoke, nervously adding, "Is--is it your father your worried about?"

The Malfoys were notoriously traditional by wizarding standards. Perhaps Draco slightly moved past the bloody purity standard set by his Deatheater parents, but that didn't mean they were clear of all of their lingering sentiments. If Draco still desired a long and powerful family line, then the fate of the Malfoy family future rested in Scorpius' hands. And it was possible that his father might not accept Scorpius risking their fate by ending up with a man.

"No!" Scorpius shook his head quickly, "It's not that. My dad was--well he shockingly took it rather well, all things considered. I told him I was bi and he just kind of smiled then asked me what I wanted for dinner. Not quite the father-son bonding moment I'd hoped for but it's better than the alternative, I suppose. He doesn't know about us, of course," Scorpius hesitated, his face scrunching up as he rethought that statement, "Well, okay, I'm sure he suspects something since I told him shortly after you left over the holidays. I had to get it out as I was having a bit of a nervous breakdown because we'd almost kissed and I thought you might hate me for it and--well that's all in the past now and I'm getting off track. The point is, I'm not scared about my father. It's the other students that worry me more. So far, only you, Matthias, and my father know. It's all been positive so far but...I still worry about how people will react." He finally finished, taking in a deep breath as he hung his head slightly as if his fear was something to be ashamed on.

But he had nothing to be ashamed of. Albus nodded slowly, processing everything as he searched his mind for the right thing to say. Truth was, he also felt nervous about it all. The relationship, his sexuality, his peers, everything. There were still so many people he had to tell, including his own father who might not take to well to the idea of him dating a Malfoy--it had taken him long enough just to come to terms with their friendship.

But then he remembered something Professor Amatori had told him at one of his lowest moments.

"Some people take pleasure in bringing people down, but it's the ones who lift you up that matter the most," Albus quoted the words he'd taken to heart since that November morning.

Scorpius lifted his head to meet his eyes, "Wow that's...poetic. Did you just come up with that?"

Albus let out a small chuckle, knowing he couldn't take credit for it, "Nope, just the words of a very wise witch. But thank you for thinking I might actually be that clever."

His boyfriend smiled gently, "Either way, it's lovely. Especially coming from you. I don't think anything's going to make it less intimidating but it's a nice thing to keep in mind."

"And you've always got me," Albus added for some extra encouragement. "We're in this together. Right?" He held out his hand.

Scorpius accepted it, wrapping their hands together, "Right."

"So, are you ready to brave the world and get some breakfast?" Albus nudged him with his shoulder, feeling a growl in his stomach.

Scorpius took a deep breath, "As ready as I'll ever be!"

Hand-in-hand, they took their first few steps into the world as a public couple. Crossing the common room, Albus kept his eyes trained straight ahead, trying to avoid catching any wandering eyes from his housemates. He'd gotten used to that over the years, trying to cope with the attention of being Harry Potter's son. It was a childish tactic--if you can't see them they can't see you. He knew it wasn't the case, but it at least stopped his mind from jumping to conclusions when he caught someone's eyes accidentally.

The corridors were another challenge, as people came from straight on, wandering in packs. Albus started mentally mapping out the castle, trying to figure out a route where they'd pass the least amount of people. Sure, it had been his decision to be public with his relationship but that didn't mean he wanted the attention.

Albus didn't get too far in his plans before someone ran up to them as they neared the staircase out of the dungeons. Coming to a halt in front of them, Albus and Scorpius leapt back to avoid smashing into the short girl who'd come darting out of seemingly nowhere.

"I've been waiting for you all morning!" Margot Creevy stood in front of them, teetering on the balls of her feet, her eyes wide as they darted between them.

"Us?" Scorpius squeaked, having very few interactions with Margot before. There seemed to be no reasonable explanation for why she'd ever go looking for them.

Even Albus could count the times he'd spoked to Margot on one hand. She'd been a part of Magnolia's friend group for years now but always the meekest of the bunch. She'd never bullied them--at least not directly--but she'd never stood up for them either, just watching as a spectator. Aside from the few times Albus had spent with Magnolia and her friends, Albus never really crossed paths with the Gryffindor all that much.

"Yes!" Margot spoke rapidly, something clearly bothering her. "It's about Magnolia."

The name immediately got Albus' attention, "What about her?" He leaned forward, hoping Margot would give something that would help his case.

"Well not just her but everyone! They're...They're gone!"

"Who's gone?" Scorpius questioned.

She chewed on her lip, eyeing a group of passing students. She waved them aside, ducking behind a suit of armour to hide them slightly from anyone who might overhear.

"All of them! Hollie, Georgia, Silas, Ryker, and Tristain. I think they went with her. I think something bad is going to happen." Her fingers instinctively went to one of her plaits, fiddling with it nervously.

"Bad? What do you mean bad?" Albus wished he didn't have to keep prompting her. He wanted the information and didn't want to be held in suspense.

"They left last night. She told me to come too but I was too scared so I never followed and I'm just really worried that someone's going to get hurt." The words spilt out of her at a frantic pace, not taking a pause to even breath.

Scorpius raised his hand, "Woah, slow down. We need to know everything. Start to finish."

Margot took a deep breath, still playing with her hair, "Magnolia told us everything that happened yesterday with you, Albus. She knows you know about her mum and that she works for the Prophet. But you don't know the whole story. Her mum..." Margot looked to be on the verge of tears, now struggling to get the words out, "Her mum's..."

Albus took the opportunity to test his theory, "...Her mum's the one who'd been killing the wizards, isn't she?"

Scorpius shot him a glare as if he shouldn't have brought that up. He still wasn't convinced by the theory but it was Albus' chance to get the truth. To their surprise, Margot's eyes grew even wider, her hands freezing, holding her hair limply.

"You--you know about that?"

"So it's true!" There was a moment where Albus felt a flush of pride that his theory had been correct but it was quickly washed away by the creeping feeling of dread spreading its cold tendrils throughout his body. Lacero was the murderer. A cold-blooded killer still on the loose.

And they were the only ones that knew the truth.

"I only just realised," Albus started to explain, "but I wasn't sure--wait..." He paused, staring at the mousy girl in front of him, "You knew?! You knew Lacero was the murderer and you didn't tell anyone? How long have you known? We could have stopped her by now! We could have--" He started to raise his voice but Margot held a finger to her lips, looking around nervously to make sure no one heard.

"That's why I needed to find you. I--I didn't realise what I was getting involved in. Please don't think bad of me! They're my friends. I thought they were good people. I thought we were doing the right thing but now I'm not so sure."

"What did you do, Margot?" Scorpius finally spoke up, his voice falling with seriousness as his hand gripped Albus' tighter than ever. Albus almost forgot he'd been holding his hand, now just an extension of him, used for support.

She sighed, her voice heavy with shame, "We formed a group a few years ago. All of us had relatives lost in the Battle of Hogwarts so Magnolia gathered us together. She lost her aunt in the war just like I lost my uncle. It started off so mundane and we all became really close, sharing how our families have dealt with the grief. Then Magnolia told us about her mother's plans and the way she put it just sounded so tempting--So uplifting. We thought we were doing the right thing, avenging the Fallen Fifty. I was so captivated, I hadn't realised how dark it was," Margot explained with fearful eyes. "She blamed Harry Potter. Everyone talks about how great he was but we'd all lost someone because of him. They called them heroes but barely anyone remembers their names if they weren't directly related to Harry Potter. I got so sick of hearing about how he saved the wizarding world but he couldn't save my sixteen-year-old uncle. She convinced me that we were doing the right thing and that by gathering dirt on Harry Potter, we'd hurt his reputation a bit. And then she started killing people associated with him and I thought, good, finally, we'd show the world how the losses impacted our families. Harry Potter would feel what we have felt and they would see how he's not so perfect after all. I know it's wrong but you have to believe me when I say that she had us so convinced that we were doing something right. I gave her information, things that my father told me or information about the DA that I got from my uncle's belongings that my father kept. We all gave her information and she used that to target people."

Albus' head was racing, trying to take in every word she said. He'd assumed it was Magnolia and her mother only. Never did he expect it to run so deep through the school itself. There was far more to the case than he ever could have expected. But thinking back, things starting to piece together. The secret room hidden by the tapestry that Magnolia had taken him to the night he agreed to go to Hogsmeade with her. It hadn't been just a fun place to spend time with friends. It must have been where they met. They'd all been there and they'd all tried to get him to talk about his dad. What had they wanted to get out of him? Had he been helping them all along?

He glanced over at Scorpius, who's jaw was hanging open. Caught up in Margot's story, he didn't even seem to notices Albus' eyes on him.

"Lorelei used the articles to turn people against Harry. Make it seem as if he wasn't doing his job properly. He couldn't protect everyone in the Battle of Hogwarts just like he can't now. But then you found out about Magnolia's mum, Albus, and that set the whole plan into action much sooner than we planned. We were all supposed to leave last night. Meet Lorelei for The Retribution. But I--I couldn't do it." Her lower lip started trembling.

Albus' heart was racing, a pit of dread opening up in his stomach. The Retribution? What could that even mean? A chill ran down his spine causing him to visibly shiver.

Whatever it was, Albus got a lurking feeling that it wasn't going to be pleasant. More deaths may be on the horizon. And his father could be trouble this time...

"Margot. We need to know what this...event is. Any information you have, we need it. We have to tell my dad so he can stop it!" Albus ordered, trying his hardest to restrain himself from reaching out and grabbing her shoulder to shake the information out of her.

She gulped, her voice falling quieter as she stared at her laces, "Thursday evening. Lorelei has a meeting set up with your father to discuss the articles. But it's a trap. They are going to surround him and kill him."

The floor began to shift beneath Albus, threatening to topple him over. Margot was no longer standing in place in front of him but now there were three of her crossing his vision as if he was in a room of mirrors. He felt ill. Only of the feeling of Scorpius' hand kept him from feeling as if he'd left his body completely.

"Albus? Albus?" Scorpius' voice sounded distant as he turned to him. He dropped his hand, instead, planting both his hands on Albus' shoulders, trying to get him to look him in the eye. "We're going to do something about this. We aren't going to let that happen. We can't!"

"We have to warn him!" Albus finally spoke, trying not to feel as if he was going to pass out. He was no use if he was a lifeless heap on the ground. "Send a letter! Floo him! Anything!"

"Yes," Margot agreed, "I can help you explain!" She nodded encouragingly. "We can go to the owlery right now!"

To their surprise, Albus shook his head, "No. I need to find Rose first. She can tell Hermione. The more people that know, the better."

Scorpius chimed in, "And I can write my dad as well."

Margot bit her lip, "Okay, right. Let's do that then."

She'd hardly finished her sentence before Albus took off at a brisk pace. The corridors still swayed beneath him as if he was on a pitching boat in an angry ocean but he was determined to make it to the Great Hall. As if guided by magic himself, he didn't even need to think about any of the twists and turns, ending up outside the towering doors of the Great Hall in record time.

Not caring about the attention they would attract, Albus, Scorpius, and Margot came flying through the doors of the Great Hall, practically stumbling over each other as the rounded the corner in the direction of the Slytherin table. Spotting Ophelia and Rose sitting with Matthias, peacefully enjoying their breakfast, Albus scrambled towards them, the others on his heel.

Albus slammed his hands on the table causing the three of them to jump, their cutlery rattling. A few nearby students shot him dirty looks before turning back to their own meals.

"Bloody hell, Potter," Matthias coughed, almost choking on his porridge.

Catching his breath, Albus looked at Rose and Ophelia with alarm, "We know--" He spoke in a fierce whisper so the other students wouldn't overhear, "--We know who the murderer is."

Without question, Rose and Ophelia's eyes widened as they sprang from the bench, abandoning their unfinished plates.

"I'm sorry, what? Murd--"

Ophelia swiftly clapped a hand over Matthias' mouth to shut him up, forcing a finger to her lips, "Shhh! I'll explain later. Just stay here!"

He looked as if he wanted to protest but didn't fight Ophelia's orders. With a grumble, he turned back to his plate, shoving a spoonful of porridge into his mouth, forcefully.

Waving his friends along, Albus darted out of the Great Hall, ducking down the nearest empty corridor for privacy. They huddled around him in anticipation.

Not bothering for any build-up, Albus blurted, "Lorelei Lacero is the murderer. Magnolia, Silas, and a bunch of others are working for her. They've left the school and they are going to lure my father into meeting on Thursday with Lacero so she can kill him."

The girls paled, struggling to wrap their heads around the very condensed version of the story. Rose swore loudly, her eyes darting around rapidly as she muttered under her breath, trying to piece everything together.

"Excuse me, what?!" Ophelia sounded panicked.

"It sounds crazy, I know," Albus said.

Margot piped up timidly, "It's true. She told me everything."

"That's utterly mad. We've got to do something about this!" Rose stomped her foot, looking as if she was ready to run all the way to London to warn her mum at the Ministry.

"We're off the Owlery right now to warn everyone we can," Scorpius explained.

There was no hesitation in the girls as Rose took the lead, running off towards the doors that led out onto the grounds, Margot explaining the story to the girls as they hurried along. They didn't even bother to get their winter cloaks, bearing the cold January winds with just their adrenaline to keep them warm. Not even Scorpius complained that they would be late for their first lessons. This definitely took precedence over Charms work.

Trekking up to the Owlery tower, Scorpius fell in line with Albus, reaching out for his hand again. But this time it wasn't just a gentle affectionate gesture. It was one of support. Of solidarity. The least Scorpius could do to try and keep Albus calm and stable. Right now, they both needed the comfort, not caring to explain to whoever saw.

As soon at they reached the Owlery, Rose flung the door open causing it to slam against the wall on the other side. The tower filled with the flutter wings and discontented hoo's, startled by the loud bang. The group rushed in as Ophelia pulled out her wand, conjuring parchment and quills.

Disregarding the feathers and droppings that littered the floor, Albus laid out the parchment, readying his quill to write. The ink dripped, leaving a dark splotch at the top of the page as Albus tried to find the words to explain. How do you tell your father that he'd at risk of dying yet again?

He glanced over to the others, who were already busy jotting down warnings to whomever they could think of that might help. Albus shut his eyes, trying to slow his thoughts down. He wouldn't be able to write anything if he couldn't for a coherent sentence.

Breathe, he reminded himself, trying to clear his head so that he could focus.

Finally, he set the quill to paper and began to write.

'Dad and mum,

I don't know how best to explain this in a letter so I will make it quick. Lorelei Lacero is the murderer. Don't ask me how I know but you have to trust me. And she is going to try to kill you, dad.

Don't meet with her on Thursday, it's a trap. Get the Aurors to go. Lots of them. She's not alone. There are kids from my year working for her. They want revenge and they are powerful.

Whatever you do, don't go to meet her!

Owl me back as soon as you get this.'

Scribbling out his signature, Albus blew on the ink to get it to dry faster. When it was ready, he folded it up, shoving it into an envelope and sealing it as the others did the same.

"I wrote to my mum, telling her to alert the ministry," Rose told them, waving for her family owl to collect the letter.

"And I wrote to my father," Ophelia said, giving her envelope to a barn owl perched in one of the alcoves, "I thought he might be able to help since he knew her for so long."

"Good," Albus nodded in approval, feeling his heart rate start to steady. The more warnings sent out, the better off they would be.

They all looked to Margot, who stood with them, empty-handed.

"Oh!" She began to meddle with her plait again, which was starting to fray with hairs sticking out in odd places from her touching it too much, "I didn't have anyone I could write to. I hope that okay. I'd hate for Lorelei or Magnolia to find out I help you alert the Aurors, you know."

Rose frowned but nodded, "Okay, that makes sense. Although, I'm sure the ministry will send people to protect you. You helped us, I'm sure they won't let her touch you." Margot gave her a small but grateful smile.

Albus made his way partially up the twisting stone staircase of the owlery tower, relieved to find his sister's owl, Luella, resting with her head tucked below her wing. She'd know the way to his house better than any other owl--faster too. With an agitated coo, she was stirred from her sleep, sticking out her talons to collect the letter.

Rejoining his friends, they sent off their owls before retreating out of the tower to return to the warmth of the castle. Albus hadn't realised how cold he was until a gust of wind almost froze him to the stone stairs that led up to the tower.

Noticing his chill, Scorpius stepped closer, throwing his arm over his shoulder and wrapping him in the long fabric of his robe. Albus wasn't sure if it was the extra layer of the robe or Scorpius' body brushing up against him, but Albus instantly felt warmer.

Rubbing her arms as they walked down the stairs, Ophelia glanced back at them, opening her mouth to say something but stopping when she realised something, "Wait, where's Margot?"

"Right here!" The Gryffindor's voice called from behind them. She galloped down the stairs to catch up with them. "Sorry," She puffed when she regrouped with them, "I was just checking on my owl." She shivered as she wrapped her school robes tighter around her body.

"Anyway," Ophelia's eyes lingered on her for a moment before returning to address the group, "I was going to say, what an odd twenty-four hours it's been." She remarked with a click of her tongue.

"You're telling me..." Albus muttered. Only Scorpius heard, giving him a little squeeze. Albus glanced up at him, managing a small smile. He was never so grateful to have Scorpius by his side. Their relationship had changed so much in less than a day but it felt so right. As if it should have always been this way. And possibly would have been if either of them had come to their senses sooner and confessed their interest. But whatever the case, Albus was thankful to have him by his side right now more than ever.

"I don't know how I'm going to concentrate on lessons with all this on my mind," Rose rubbed her temples, "If anyone gets a letter back, tell me right away! Or I won't be able to sleep."

They agreed as they reached the warmth of the torchlit castle corridors. They lingered together, no one knowing what to do next. How were they supposed to move on after finding out a murder conspiracy? About Albus' father no less...

If Albus could apparate, he'd be on his parent's doorstep in a second. But there was nothing he could do. No way for him to leave the castle discreetly and make his way across the country by himself. He had no idea how to make it home on muggle transport alone. If he even tried, he'd only get miserably lost and never make it home in time. He had to trust that Luella and his friends' owls would deliver their letters and the responses would arrive by breakfast the next morning. They had so little time already. Just one day in between--such a small window to alert Harry and the Ministry. But Albus had faith in their owls. They'd never failed him before.

"I suppose we should get to lessons," Ophelia finally suggested, recognising they would need to proceed with their daily lives as usual, at least to pass the time. "Will you be alright, Albus?" Her eyes fell on him, where Scorpius was still holding him close. No one had even questioned their proximity, much to Albus' surprise.

"I think so," He nodded, trying to give them a reassuring smile which was more difficult than he thought it would be.

"We'll meet again at lunch, yeah?" Rose confirmed. They already had made the plans without having to say it. It was just implied. After everything they'd worked for, they couldn't bear to be apart for too long now that everything was finally coming to a point.

With final confirmations, the group split, starting off in their own directions. But Albus and Scorpius lingered, not ready to go their separate ways. He pulled him into a tight embrace, allowing Albus to rest his head against his chest. He relished in the peaceful moment, letting himself focus on just the beating of Scorpius' heart. It was faster than it should have been, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. Albus felt the own pounding in his chest to match. But for the moment, he let himself breathe, trying not to let his worries overcome him. In Scorpius' arms, he felt safe.

His father could handle this. He was Harry Potter after all. He'd defeated plenty of dark dark wizards in his day. With the whole Department of Magical Law Enforcement behind him now, Lacero stood no chance. Albus should have cause for worry. Once his letter arrives, everything would be handled.

"Are you sure you're alright, Albus?" Scorpius stepped back, slowly releasing Albus from the embrace.

Albus met Scorpius' silvery eyes, shaded with concern, "Yeah. I'm good."

It was the first lie he told his new boyfriend.

Chapter Text

Albus couldn't focus in any of his lessons. Not that that was unusual for him but this time his mind was in a completely different place. Instead of being empty, occupied mostly on trying not to fall asleep, this time it was racing with thoughts. Flitting with images of Magnolia fluttering her eyelashes, Lacero smiling wickedly, and a flash of sickening green light. Albus had seen that light once before and it sent a crawling feeling up his spine. He never wanted to see that spell again. No matter how many rows he had with his father, Albus would never wish him dead.

The fate of his father was resting on Albus' shoulders. Or, more so on Luella's shoulders--if owls even had shoulders. On a normal day, Albus would have leaned over to Scorpius to see if he had an answer to the random question--he was always overflowing with seemingly useless knowledge--but Albus didn't think it seemed like the right time. Owl shoulders didn't seem important enough to bother him about with everything else going on in their lives right now.

Every time he entered the Great Hall for a meal, he couldn't take his eyes off of the enchanted ceiling, praying for an owl to fly overhead. He could hardly stand the thought of touching his food, only going to the Hall to wait with his friends, who all seemed equally on edge. Whilst the rest of the school seemed to be as cheerful and chatty as usual, mealtimes were anything but pleasant to Albus and his friends.

Even Matthias, who'd taken to sitting with them now that his friends were gone, was starting to catch on. Not only had he been alerted by the overwhelmingly anxious aura they gave off but he'd quickly noticed the absence of his old friend group. He soon became frustrated when they refused to tell him what was going on. Albus didn't trust him enough. He may have apologised but he still wasn't in the clear. He'd still been friends with Silas and Ryker, now gone missing, which made him suspicious--even if he seemed completely clueless himself.

And Matthias wasn't the only one catching on to their uneasiness.

"No Magnolia again?" Professor Amatori had tutted, noticing her empty seat as she handed back marked papers to the class Tuesday afternoon. She hadn't said anything more but Albus swore he saw a flicker of worry when he met her eyes.

The hours dragged by with still no post for any of them in sight.

"We only just sent them off this morning, the owls might not have even delivered the letters yet," Rose had tried to be the voice of reason at dinner that night.

But when nothing had shown by Wednesday evening, the night before the said Retribution, panic started to set in.

"My dad's going to die and it's going to be all my fault," Albus choked on a sob, feeling as if his empty dormitory was starting to spin around him. The rushing of his blood filled his ears, so loud that he almost couldn't hear Scorpius trying to comfort him from where he sat across from him on his bed.

"Don't say that," Scorpius' lip quivered but he managed to put on a brave face. Neither of them would be much use if they were both blubbering. "He's not going to die! And none of this was your fault. It's Lacero's. She's the only one to blame." He wrapped Albus in a tight embrace, letting him cry into his shoulder.

"But I knew. I could have prevented this all."

"And you don't know for sure that you haven't! Perhaps Harry just hasn't responded to the letter. Or it will arrive with the post tomorrow morning," He suggested although he didn't sound entirely convinced. "For all we know, Lacero could have been caught by the Aurors already."

Albus shook his head against the fabric of his boyfriend's jumper, "No, we would have heard back by now. Or read it in the Prophet. Or something." Albus just wanted a sign. Some slight confirmation that his father was going to be okay and that Lacero would be stopped. But as the countdown to The Retribution began, Albus was swiftly losing confidence.

Scorpius' hand travelled down the back of his head, trying to comfort him, "You're father could take her, right? He's an Auror. He fought Voldemort. Surely he can handle a dark witch and some teenagers," Albus could hear the worry growing in his voice as if he was trying to reason with himself out loud. He began to play with Albus' hair, wrapping a curl around his finger.

Everything in Albus' heart wanted to say yes. He wanted to believe that his dad could defeat anyone--that Lorelei Lacero was no match for Harry Potter. But Albus also knew his dad as more than just a hero. He was human as well and he could make mistakes--he'd made quite a few. Caught by off guard or enchanted by Lacero's Veela abilities, even Harry Potter could fall victim. And whilst dark witches and wizards seemed to have no remorse when fighting teenagers--as the Deatheaters proved during the Battle of Hogwarts--his father would have much more difficulty going up against kids in Albus' year. Albus knew he wouldn't want to do any harm to them despite them wanting to hurt him. They were using his father's weakness against him: his own heart and morals.

"I'm scared, Scorpius," Albus' voice came out like a croak, his throat dry. "What if nothing comes in the post tomorrow? What if something happens to my dad?"

Scorpius didn't speak for a moment, trying to find something to say but only able to settle on, "I'm scared too."

For the first time in the past couple of days, there was silence. Albus heard nothing, save for his occasional sniffle and the beating of his heart. Tears continued to drip soundlessly down his cheek, soaking into Scorpius' jumper before he finally lifted his head to face his boyfriend with watering eyes.

Albus' shaking voice finally broke the silence, "I don't know how I'm supposed to get any sleep tonight knowing that tomorrow...tomorrow could be..." He couldn't finish the sentence. Although his energy was drained from the sleepless night before and his constant fretting, the thought of actually being able to drift to sleep seemed impossible. He'd never be able to shut his eyes without seeing the flash of green light from Hogsmeade the day Harper was killed.

Albus could tell by the dark patches underneath Scorpius' eyes that he hadn't been able to get much rest either. His silver eyes, normally so bright and sparkling, had darkened to look more like stormclouds heavy with rain. Albus hated the thought of Scorpius feeling sad. More often than not, Albus felt like a burden to him with the amount he cried or complained to Scorpius ever since their first year together. Scorpius always managed to stay so chipper and enthusiastic despite all the bad treatment from their peers over the years. He was the only one that could ever lift Albus' spirits when they got too low. But Albus knew Scorpius had struggles of his own, pent up inside him. He so rarely admitted them, unlike Albus who had no trouble vocalising his problems to his best friend.

Keeping everything tightly locked inside seemed like a miserable existence when sometimes shouting it out to the world was the best way to relieve the tension. Albus worried about the day Scorpius might crack, his emotions finally getting the best of him. But that day still hadn't come and Scorpius remained calm and collected. Although Albus wished he had that ability, he also wished Scorpius would share a little more sometimes. There was nothing wrong with vulnerability. Albus wanted to be able to hear Scorpius' worries and to offer him help and support, just like he'd given him all these years.

Albus reached out to place his hand on top of his boyfriend's--he loved being able to call Scorpius his boyfriend--giving him a concerned look, "Are you okay, Scorp? Everyone always asks if I am but had anyone asked you?"

Something flickered behind Scorpius' eyes, water welling up around the rim of his lower lip. He tried to manage a small smile with trembling lips, as if he was trying to not let everything spill out at once.

"I--I've been thinking about my mum a lot recently," His voice wobbled as he tried to keep it steady--tried so hard to keep himself from falling apart. "And I know it's not the time because this is about your dad and a murderer and I must be selfish for making this about me but--"

Albus cut him off, scrambling to move closer to him on the bed, "No! That could never be selfish. Scorpius, you're the most unselfish person at Hogwarts--in the entirety of Britain even. You could never be selfish for missing your mum."

A few tears leaked out from the corner of his eyes with the subtle crinkle of his skin as he tried to smile again before the corners of his lips fell, "With all this talk about death and dying I keep thinking back to the summer before third year...we knew what was going to happen. We all knew. Even her. But," He sniffled, taking in a deep breath to be able to continue, "But I didn't want to accept it. She was so pallid and frail...so young but looked so old at the same time. I don't like remembering her that way but the image of her looking so sickly is stuck with me. But even when she was dying, she never stopped smiling which made me smile. She told me that, even the worst of times, just the smallest of smiles was something to look forward to. Something that could brighten a whole day. So that's what I try to do--I try to find something small to smile about every day no matter what. But sometimes," His voice cracked, "Sometimes that's incredibly hard to do."

Seeing Scorpius cry only made Albus want to cry more but he had to restrain himself or they'd both soon be puddles on their dormitory floor. He could only ever picture Astoria the way she'd been when he'd met her the one time Albus had been given permission to visit the Manor before her death. Radiant--so full of life despite the ongoing battle with the blood malediction. As soon as she saw Albus, she'd greeted him with a smile and Albus immediately felt welcomed in their home. It was scary to think of how she'd succumb to her illness just one year later. How something could change so much in such a short period of time--leaving Scorpius without a mother.

The feeling of dread returned to Albus' stomach, not long forgotten. If he didn't act soon, his father could suffer a similar fate--gone in a matter of seconds. The whole world would shift at the loss of Harry Potter. His world especially.

"I wonder if she was scared," Scorpius finally continued, able to take in another breath without sobbing, "It's one thing to be taken by surprise but she knew what was coming and she had to lie through it and wait for it. We all knew our time with her was limited even despite our best hopes. I suppose it's not unlike how we feel now. For her sake, I hope she wasn't too miserable. She always did seem so brave." He used his sleeves to wipe his tear-stained cheeks although the effort was futile as they would soon be wet again.

"Scorpius, I--" Albus opened his mouth trying to find something to say--anything that could make his tears disappear and to see the grin on his face again. But scrounging for something positive when the world felt as if it was crumbling around you proved to be incredibly difficult. "--I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do to fix this. To make you feel better."

But Scorpius only shook his head, "It's okay. I've had my time to mourn. I've learned how to continue with my life and find joy. There's no way to fix it but there is a way to move on. Like being with you. You've always been my reason to smile again." As if proving his point, the corner of his lips tweaked up ever so slightly.

Surprisingly, Albus found the courage to smile back, a fire burning in his chest. Scorpius meant the world to Albus. Neither of them would get on as well without each other. They needed each other, plain and simple.

"Which is why," Scorpius cleared his throat, trying to steady himself, "I won't let you go through the same thing I had to. I can't see you hurting like that. So we will prevent this mess. We will save your dad. We have to."

Albus nodded in firm agreement, "We will. No matter what it takes." He snuggled up to Scorpius, letting his legs tangled up between him much longer limbs as his arms pulled him closer. They stayed like that for a while, Scorpius' head resting atop his own mess of curls.

"Stay with me tonight?" Scorpius whispered.

"Of course." Albus had no plans to move from the bed, caught up in Scorpius' warmth. So much had changed in so little time, but this was good. Albus wouldn't give this up for anything. The closer he was to Scorpius the closer he felt to home. Intertwined with Scorpius--his boyfriend, Scorpius--was just what he needed.

Scorpius let out a soft sigh, "And thank you for being my light in the darkness."

A smiled crossed Albus' lips and for the first time in a long while he was able to sleep soundly.

---

"We don't have any more time to wait. If nothing comes before dinner it will be too late!" Rose declared at breakfast when still no post arrived. She'd slammed her fork down on the table, hardly touching the food in front of her.

Albus had been chewing more on his lip than any of the food that lined the Slytherin table.

"Should we tell professor McGonagall?" Scorpius offered, glancing at the headmistress who was deep in conversation with professor Flitwick over their porridge bowls.

"I don't think she'd ever believe us," Ophelia noted, slumping over, her cheek pressed into her fist as she moved her cereal around with her spoon aimlessly.

Matthias let out a groan, "Will someone please explain what's going on?" He pressed a hand to his forehead, rubbing his temples, "You're making me stressed and I don't even know what it is you're on about."

Rose and Ophelia shot Albus a look across the table as if waiting for his approval. Albus just shrugged from where he slumped over his untouched plate. At this point, it didn't much matter who knew. If nothing could be done by that evening then the whole world would know soon enough. The next morning's Prophet would be headlining the story--'BOY WHO LIVED FOUND DEAD'-- probably written by Lacero herself, no less.

"I'll explain later," Ophelia promised Matthias with a pat on his arm. It was clear from Albus' sullen mood that he wouldn't want to hear the story. Matthias grumbled but went back to his breakfast.

"The owls should have been there by now!" Rose chewed at her nails, an old habit Albus reckoned had only resurfaced recently as he hadn't seen her do it since they were kids. "We should have heard back from at least one of them. It just doesn't add up."

She was right. If their owls had been delivered, they would have gotten a response by now. Time was ticking down until their meeting and Albus had no way to contact his father from Hogwarts. By now, sending more owls would be useless as they'd never reach them in time. They had no access to Floo powder and Albus wasn't even sure if any Floo lines were open to the Hogwarts fireplaces--at least the ones accessible to students. Part of him was tempted to make a break for it on foot but he wouldn't be able to make it much further than Hogsmeade--he was horribly unathletic and definitely couldn't run hundreds of miles to find his dad to warn him.

There was no way to get a message to his father in time. Not from inside the walls of Hogwarts, that is. It was time to take matters into their own hands...

Suddenly, it hit him. Albus' head shot up with a gasp, startling his friends.

His eyes darted between Rose and Ophelia, "You both have access to the cupboard where the Quidditch brooms are stored, yes?"

"Right," Ophelia nodded, her eyes lighting up as if she was catching on to his idea, "Are you suggesting we--"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting," He cut her off, filled with a newfound energy that was just what he needed when operating under the clock. "I have an idea and you need to trust me on this. We'll meet in the corridor by the broom cupboard around..." He estimated the time he would need in his head. "Half-past twelve. Got it?"

He didn't even wait for them to answer, grabbing his boyfriend's hand and hauling him to his feet.

"Woah!" Scorpius exclaimed as Albus took off, pulling him along behind.

Caught up in the moment, he didn't even notice the sound of a second pair of footsteps jogging up behind him, "Wait!"

They'd just made it out the doors of the Great Hall when Rose's voice called out for them. Albus stopped for only a moment, almost causing Scorpius to collide into him.

"Where are you going? You seriously can't expect me to go to lessons this morning like everything's normal! I'm coming along."

Albus didn't argue, starting to explain his idea breathlessly as his footsteps echoed off the walls of the corridors as he made his way into the dungeons, "I just remembered something I read in my Potions book when I was revising before mock exams. It's advanced and we aren't even meant to cover it for N.E.W.T.s so I'd only skimmed the page. I never thought I'd need it until now!"

He came bursting through the door to the Potions classroom with his friends on his tail. From her desk, Professor Amatori dropped the quill she'd been writing with.

"Albus?" She questioned, using a tissue to try and blot up the drops of ink that had splattered on her desk.

"Sorry to barge in professor but we need some ingredients!"

With one look at Albus' intense expression, she waved a hand over to the potion ingredient stores, "By all means."

Without any more hesitation, Albus began to scour the shelves for what he needed, trying to pull the recipe from his memory. He feel his arms with jars of various coloured powders, liquids, and other unspecified sources.

"Rose, grab a spare copy of Advanced Potion Making," He ordered his cousin, "And Scorpius, see if you can find any Wiggentree twigs."

With everything was collected in an old cauldron, they rushed towards the door before the classroom would begin to fill with students for their first lesson.

Before he ran out, Albus paused a moment to acknowledge Professor Amatori, "Thank you, professor!"

She gave them a nod of approval, "Whatever you're up to, keep yourself safe."

Albus couldn't make any promises.

With the jars and vials clattering inside the pewter cauldron at every turn, Albus darted down the corridors, trying to remember the right direction. It was so easy to get lost in the sprawling corridors of the castle.

"Where are we going?" Scorpius asked but Albus was too caught up in his own head to answer.

Finally, he came to a halt in front of a familiar tapestry. The depiction of the knight riding away from the burning village sent a chill down his spine now that he knew what lied behind it and what it was used to conceal. Albus tried not to chide himself for not noticing the signs earlier. Of course Magnolia and her friends had been up to something!

"Revlio!" Albus whipped his wand at the tapestry. To his utter surprise, the spell worked on the first try. With a whoosh of fabric, the tapestry was whisked away, replaced by a door.

"Why was this room hidden?" Scorpius questioned as Albus set his potion supplies on the floor in the middle of the room. The chairs sat empty in the same circular arrangement, most likely from the last time Magnolia and everyone had met here. "It just looks like an old storage room."

"It's where they held their meetings. Magnolia took me here once. I still can't explain why she'd been so willing to let me in on the secret but at least no one will find us here," Albus filled them in as he began to flit through the beat-up copy of Advanced Potion Making that Rose had found in a cupboard.

"Ah-ha!" Albus exclaimed, slamming a finger down on the right page, "This is it! An enchantment prevention potion! Just a few sips makes the drinker impenetrable to even the strongest enchantments," He began to read off what the book listed, "Including any protection enchantments, enchanting enchantments, and even Veela enchantments!" He emphasised looking up at his friends excitedly. "A Veela's power will be completely useless with this!"

"Albus, you're brilliant!" Scorpius cheered, beaming at him. A blush rose on Albus' cheeks but he tried his best to ignore it. Now wasn't the time to get distracted by his feelings for his boyfriend.

"Don't say anything just yet. Let's see if I can brew it first."

Unlike his spellwork, Albus had much more faith in his potioning abilities. The Anti-Enchant potion wasn't much unlike a Love Potion Antidote which he'd successfully brewed before. He sat over the simmering cauldron building up a sweat as the humidity built up in the tight room. After a couple of hours of meticulous mixing and adding dashes of ingredients here and there, his legs were starting to cramp up from his cross-legged potion on the floor.

Rose and Scorpius had started out watching him as the cauldron began to bubble, having casual conversations to keep themselves busy. After a while, they'd broken out into a match of Gobstones when Scorpius produced a little satchel containing the game from the pocket of his robes. At one point, Rose disappeared to grab some lunch for them to eat in the dungeon storage room. The whole time, Albus kept busy on his potion, not breaking his focus even as Scorpius popped grapes in his mouth, one at a time, to make sure he was eating.

He needed to get this exactly right. One misstep and it could all go wrong. He only had one chance. There wouldn't be enough time to brew another batch. He needed to do this for his dad.

Adding just a pinch of pearl dust, the potion changed from a rosy red to a deep indigo colour as described in the textbook. With one final stir, Albus put out the flame and got to his feet brushing the various powders off his fingers and onto the fabric of his trousers.

"It's finished," Albus let out a breath he felt as if he'd been holding for the whole three hours. He stretched out his stiff muscles, trying to regain the feeling in his legs.

Distracting them from whatever number match of Gobstones they were on, Rose and Scorpius scrambled to their feet, looking into the bubbling liquid in the cauldron.

"Did you do it? Is it correct?" Rose gripped Albus' arm in anticipation.

"The colour's right but there's only one way to know for sure," He picked the textbook off the floor to read it out, "The finished potion should smell of plums and a hint of mint."

In unison, the three leaned over the cauldron, taking in a big whiff of the steam that floated up from the pot. Instantly, Albus nose hairs were tickled by a hearty fruity scent with a fresh toothpastey note.

Scorpius sprang upright, practically jumping for joy, "Albus, that's perfect! You're perfect!" He blurted with excitement. He grabbed Albus by the biceps, pulling him in to plant a kiss on his mouth. Albus allowed himself the one distraction, finding himself smiling as they pulled apart.

Not wanting to take his eyes off his boyfriend, Albus only turned when he remembered his cousin's presence in the room. Her dropped jaw soon spread into a wide grin.

"So you two finally worked it out?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Worked what out?" Scorpius questioned.

"That you two fancied each other, of course!"

Albus and Scorpius exchanged surprised glances.

"You knew?" Albus gave her a bewildered look. Had she really been able to work it out before he had?

She shrugged, "Well it was pretty obvious if you ask me. It took me a little while longer to see it in Al, being the gloomy git he is," She reached out to pitch his cheek to which he tried to swat her hand away, "But Scorpius was never all that subtle."

A bright red flush spread across Scorpius' cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears, "Was I that bad at hiding it?"

Rose let out a laugh, the first genuine laugh any of them had been able to produce all day, "You seem to be forgetting that you fancied me for quite some time. I knew the signs well enough that it seemed clear."

With a scratch of his neck, Scorpius shrugged at Albus who could only smile at the dorkiness of his boyfriend and at how oblivious he had been to his crush. Perhaps Al took after his father more than he thought.

"Well, what are you two lovebirds waiting for?" Rose reminded them of the task at hand, motioning to the cauldron, "Let's bottle this up and get on with it!"

Chapter Text

With pockets filled with glass vials--enough for all of them and then some--Albus returned the extra supplies to the Potions room before hurrying off to meet Ophelia by the broom cupboard. But, to Albus' surprise, she wasn't alone.

"I told him everything and he insisted on coming. I reckoned we could use a little extra brawn on our side," She nodded at Matthias next to her, looking a giant in comparison.

She made a fair point and Albus wasn't in the mood to argue, "Okay, fine. We'll need experienced flyers anyway. Dumbledore knows Scorpius and I can't last five minutes on a broomstick."

"Hey!" Scorpius protested, "I'm not that bad. I'll have you know, my father was the Slytherin seeker in his day. Flying runs in my blood."

Albus rolled his eyes, "My dad was a seeker too and my mum played Quidditch professionally. Believe me, flying is not genetic."

"Fair enough," Scorpius reconsidered his argument. Although Albus had no doubt that Scorpius would be a better flyer than he was, he also knew his best friend was a notorious clutz.

"So we're flying all the way to...where exactly?" Ophelia raised an eyebrow, waiting to be filled in on the plan.

Albus opened his mouth to answer but froze. The thought hadn't struck him until that very moment that he had no idea where they were meant to fly to exactly. In the midst of planning the potion and transportation, he'd never stopped to think about where the meeting would take place.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Rose spoke up, "Albus please tell me you know where we are supposed to go?"

"I uh..." He felt a warmth rising in his cheeks and crawling up his ears as a new idea took shape in his mind, "I don't. But! I know who will."

---

The delicately painted eyes of the Fat Lady bore into the small gaggle of Slytherins as Rose stepped up in front of her, unphased by the portrait she encountered on the daily, "Fizzing Wizzbees." She gave the password, forcing the portrait to stubbornly open a crack. Rose went to open the way into the Gryffindor common room for her friends to enter.

"Ah-hem?" The Fat Lady eyed the Slytherins with disapproval as they neared the entryway, "Need I remind you that this is the Gryffindor common room?"

Rose brushed off the comment, not worried about what painting had to say, "They're with me. We won't be long." She ushered them inside, the portrait shutting the passage behind them.

"She better be here," Albus muttered under his breath as he took his first steps into the Gryffindor common room.

Much of his childhood was spent dreaming of the time he'd first be able to step foot into the Gryffindor common room. Finally getting to do so (six years later than he'd expected), Albus found the experience particularly underwhelming. Whereas the Slytherin common room was spacious and with an air of grandeur, the Gryffindor come was much more homely. His father had built up the room to be this wonderful place to spend time cosied up by the fire or studying late into the night--a place where'd he'd made long-lasting memories with his friends and enjoyed spending time in during his school days. From the sound of it, Albus expected a lot more than just a stuffy and cluttered circular room. It was no wonder the Gryffindors were all so wild--seeing that much red all the time was sure to drive someone mad.

Whilst a few students lingered about the common room, shooting glares in the direction of the green-jumpered Slytherins that so clearly clashed with the decor, the room was mostly empty. Albus had almost forgotten it was a weekday and they were meant to be in lessons.

"I don't see her," Scorpius noted, scanning the common room for any sign of Margot.

"I will check the girl's dormitories. Why don't some of you go off to see if she's in a lesson?" Rose instructed before running off in the direction of the stairs.

"I will," Matthias offered with a raise of his hand, "I remember her subjects and I have a vague idea of her timetable."

"I can help," Scorpius nodded, "We can cover more ground if we split up."

"Meet us back at the broom cupboard at half-past, yeah?" Ophelia confirmed with them.

Albus watched them as they disappeared out the portrait hole. It was an entirely weird feeling seeing Matthias and Scorpius work together. But at this point, Albus would accept any help he could get. They were on the same side now and that's all that mattered.

"So, this whole 'flying to wherever' plan," Ophelia turned to him with a concerned look, "Do you think it will work. Even brooms only travel so fast."

Albus didn't want to doubt himself, knowing it would only lead to more anxiety but he couldn't lie either, "I don't know for sure. But I have to at least try."

"Do you think we'll be able to make it out of the castle?" Her face scrunched with worry. "I reckon we'd look rather suspicious if we move in a pack with the school's broomsticks when we're supposed to be in lessons."

He tried to come up with the good excuse, "We um...say we're having a sporadic Quidditch match" It was a horrible excuse but as Albus caught sight of a familiar figure emerging from the staircase to the dormitory, he got a better idea, "Or, we don't have to make an excuse at all!"

Without further question, Ophelia followed Albus as he darted over to the stairs. Albus leapt in front of the person coming down the stairs to stop him.

"Bloody hell, what are you little snakes doing up here?" James stumbled, almost tripping over the last step in surprise. He appeared to do a double-take, not sure if he was seeing things correctly. "The Gryffindor common room is the last place I'd expect to find you, Albie."

James tried to give him a playful punch to the shoulder but Albus managed to dodge it. He rolled his eyes at the childish nickname. It was only ever used by his family when they wanted to tease him.

"And Ophelia, what a pleasant surprise," He planted his hands on his hips, eyeing her up and down with a quirk of his eyebrow, "Finally come to your senses and realised you want to join the superior house Quidditch team?"

Ophelia let out a laugh, crossing her arms with a defiant smirk, "You wish, Potter. But I'm a Slytherin, through and through. And we're planning on taking the cup this year and breaking the tie." She quipped back, making a swiping motion with her hand like she was stealing the Quidditch cup from him. Albus may not have attended any matches but that didn't stop him from having to hear about the constant rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin who'd been fighting each other back and forth for the cup for the past four years.

"Oh yeah? Well, we'll see if you change your mind when we face-off in our match come February."

"I wouldn't place your bets too high," Ophelia shot back.

Throwing his hands out in frustration, Albus interrupted, "Okay, there are more important things to worry about than Quidditch right now."

"What could be more important that Quidditch?" He asked in a typical James fashion.

"Um, perhaps our dad's life?" Albus' voice came out more harshly than he'd intended. He winced at the reality of the situation. He'd hardly taken the time to process that this was actually happening and so few people were aware.

The jesting smile was quickly wiped from James' face, "Is that meant to be some sort of joke? Because it's not very funny, Al."

"I wish it was."

Ophelia stepped forward to explain, all hint of playfulness disappearing from her voice, "We have reason to believe your father might be in some--er, life-threatening danger. We've sent letters out in warning but haven't gotten any answer so we are preparing to find a way to save him ourselves."

James paled, "Life-threatening danger? And you're only just now bothering to tell me now?"

"I wouldn't have said anything at all but we might need your help." Albus hadn't wanted to get more people involved. The fewer people that knew, the fewer Albus would be putting in danger. Especially not his brother, who'd be worried sick knowing his family was in danger. "We need to sneak out of the castle unseen. We need to borrow your invisibility cloak."

"You have an invisibility cloak?" Ophelia lit up with excitement, temporarily distracted.

"It was our father's, yes," James answered Ophelia before addressing his little brother with a deeply furrowed brow, "Why is dad in danger? What are you doing? Who else knows?" He interrogated him like a concerned parent.

"Remember when we told you we were looking into the murders?" Ophelia reminded him back to their Floo conversation barely over a week ago. It felt like so much had happened since then and now, the whole situation escalating beyond Albus' control--if he'd ever had it under control at all. "Well, we think we know who's behind it and she's out to get Harry next. It's your brother and me, Rose, Scorpius, and Matthias. And we're on the lookout for Margot Creevy as well. She was the one that gave us the tip."

James' eyes bugged out as he tried to get a grasp on the situation, "You're planning on trying to stop dad from getting murdered? Merlin's beard! That's incredibly dangerous. Do you know what you're doing?"

With a shuffle of his feet, Albus admitted, "We're uh...sort of figuring it out as we go. But we're starting with flying to meet dad ourselves. Which is why we need your cloak to sneak out of the school without being caught."

"You're attempting to fly across the country to reach dad in time?" James let out an incredulous huff, "You need more than just my cloak--you need me! You can't honestly think it's the best choice to fly. That could take hours! You need to apparate. And I'm the only one of you lot who can do that."

It had been less than a year ago that James had gotten his licence to apparate and he hadn't shut up about it since. But now, Albus couldn't feel more relieved to hear him bring it up again. Once they knew where they were headed, they'd spare precious hours by apparating over flying.

"So you'll help?" Ophelia perked up.

He pointed a finger at her, quirking an eyebrow, "I thought we agreed that if you're in danger, I'd be the first one you'd call." Even in the most serious of times, James never struggled to add a dash of his signature banter.

Pushing his hand down, Ophelia managed a smug smile, "Second, actually. And technically, you are the second."

He raising his hands in surrender, "Fine. Well, whatever the order, I'm in this with you now. Let me get my cloak."

Moments later, James and Rose emerged from the dormitories at the same time, meeting Ophelia and Albus at the bottom of the stairs.

"She wasn't in our dormitory so she must be in lessons. Let's hope Scorpius and Matthias have better luck." Rose informed them before noticing James with a quirk of her head, "Oh, James, are you coming too?"

"Yep! Thank Dumbledore you ran into me. Not sure how you'd ever get by without me," James said proudly.

Rose crossed her arms, rolling her eyes at his pride in this situation, "Seriously, James?"

"No, it's James Sirius!" He responded, beaming far too wide.

"James, don't make me have to cast a silencing spell on you," Rose huffed before starting towards the door. "Let's stop wasting time."

The Fat Lady seemed pleased to see Ophelia and Albus leave, her common room cleansed of infiltrators. They followed Rose to the staircases, waiting on the ledge for the right set of stairs to slot back into place so they could return to the first floor.

As the stairs rotated slowly, coming to a halt in front of them, they were met with by a familiar face, who didn't look so thrilled to see them all together.

"What are you lot up to?" Lily stared at them with suspicion glinting in her narrowed brown eyes, marching up the last few steps to face them on the ledge.

"What makes you assume we're up to something, Lils?" James plastered an innocent smile on his face, stepping forward to ruffle her hair.

But Lily was far too smart to fall for that, "Well you've got dad's invisibility cloak for one," She pointed to the shimmering velvety fabric bunched up in James' arms. "And nothing good ever comes when you've got the cloak with you."

She wasn't wrong. Albus often wondered why his dad thought it would be a good idea to give James the invisibility cloak. He got into enough mischief as it was, the cloak just made it easier for him to get away with it.

James did his best to hide the cloak under his robes as if it wasn't obvious, "I don't know what you're talking about. We're just a group of friends spending time together, that's all."

Lily rolled her eyes, "I'm not an idiot James. And, I'm fairly certain you and Al have never spent time together at Hogwarts 'just for fun'. No offence, Al." She added, glancing at him. It was true, he and James hardly ever spent time with each other at school--James much too preoccupied with Quidditch and his own large group of friends. And Albus, on the other hand, had never really wanted to be seen with James when he didn't have to be, at least, not until recently. With all the comparisons between the brothers and their father, he found it best to keep his distance when there were other Hogwarts students around.

With a sigh, Albus stepped forward to talk to his sister--she'd never let them go if she didn't get an explanation and they didn't have enough time to keep playing games, "Lily, we don't want you to worry," He prefaced, which didn't seem to do much good as a look of worry spread across her face as he spoke, "But dad might be in some sort of trouble concerning Lorelei Lacero. We're leaving the school to help him."

Standing silent for a moment as she processed everything, Lily placed her hands on her hips, "Well, I'm coming with you then."

"No!" James protested, "Lils, it's much too dangerous."

Rose nodded, "James is right. You don't know what you're getting into. We don't want to risk you getting hurt."

"I'm not a child!" Lily balled her fists, her voice raising to combat them, "I'm perfectly capable of helping."

Even though it was most likely true, as Lily's magic often surpassed Albus' at her younger age, Albus still couldn't risk being responsible if something happened to his little sister--he'd never be able to forgive himself, "You're fourteen. The rest of us are older and we've had more time to prepare." Albus tried to reason with his stubborn sister.

"But she gets to go?" She pointed a finger at Ophelia, who'd been trying not to get involved in family business, "She's like, what? A year older than me? And she's not even a member of our family!"

"I'm 16, actually," Ophelia admitted quietly, "Not to mention Lacero is sort of part of my own family--er, well ex part of my family, I should say."

Rose flashed her younger cousin a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry, Lily. We can't let you come." She started to step around her, trying to catch the stairs before they moved again.

"I can't believe you're just going to leave me here," Lily shot one last pleading look to her brothers. As much as Albus wanted to include her, he knew it was for her own safety. That way, if something happened to them, their mum would at least have one child left. He couldn't leave her completely alone, without a husband or kids.

Not arguing anymore, Albus followed James and Ophelia, leaping over the gap as the stairs were already in motion. With one last glance over his shoulder at his sister, he felt a pang in his heart but he knew it was for the best.

Watching them leave with tears glistening in her eyes, Lily stomped her foot, "He's my dad too, you know." Her voice cracked, echoing against the castle walls as she was left on the landing by herself.

---

Scorpius was already waiting for them in the corridor outside the broom cupboard.

"I checked Charms, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, and even the library but couldn't find her," Scorpius informed them, nervously tugging at the hem of his jumper.

The fate of their mission--and quite possibly Albus' father--depended on finding Margot. Only she'd be able to tell them exactly where to go. Otherwise, they'd be stuck wasting precious time trying to find where this meeting was supposed to go down.

Waiting anxiously, they all breathed out a collective sigh of relief when Matthias appeared at the end of the corridor with Margot by his side.

"She was at the top of the Astronomy tower of all places," Matthias told them. "I almost didn't look. It's usually locked."

"Margot," Albus approached her with desperation in his eyes, "We need to know where this meeting with Lacero is going to be."

The Gryffindor bit her lip, "I, um, I don't know for sure. All I know is that Magnolia wanted us to meet her in her mother's office at the Prophet..."

James let out a groan, "Is that all you know? We could have guessed that ourselves."

"Well, I can name a few other places to try if that isn't right but--"

"You'll just have to come with us then," Albus stated, not wanting to waste any more time.

Margot stood frozen, "Me?" Her hand went back to fidgeting with one of her usual plaits, "I don't know if that's such a good idea." She let out a nervous chuckle that sounded more like a whimper.

Stepping forward, Rose disagreed, "You're our only chance at finding Lacero before Harry does."

With all eyes on her, Margot seemed to realise there was no getting out of this mess, "Fine. I'll go."

"Great," Ophelia rubbed her hands together, putting her game face on, "James and I came up with a plan on how to get us out of here with the least amount of suspicion if we encounter any professors." She pointed at each other them as she assigned roles, "Albus, Scorpius, and James, you'll be under the invisibility cloak. It's hardly big enough to fit the three people but that should just cover you. Rose and I are Prefects, so we can walk outside with Matthias and Margot. If anyone questions why we aren't in class, Rose and I will say we caught them skiving off lessons and we're bringing them back. Got it?"

Impressed with the small girl's sudden ability to take charge, James nodded, nothing else to add, "Right. What she said."

With the cloak thrown over them, just barely managing to hide Scorpius' ankles when he ducked down, they were on the move. Fortunately for them, they encountered very little opposition, only a few sideways glances from students in the corridors who seemed to be wondering why the four visible group members were walking at such an odd pace. Unable to see the three under the cloak, they shuffled along much slower than they'd like to, trying to make sure that the cloaked members could keep up.

Walking under the cloak was a different story. Albus was glad he couldn't be seen as his stumbling and fumbling gait from his cramped spot between his brother and boyfriend was laughable.

"Ow," Albus hissed through gritted teeth, "James, you just elbowed me!"

"I know. That was for stepping on my heel."

"Shut it, you two," Rose whispered harshly, "There's no use in you being invisible if you're going to talk and give yourself away."

Making it through the entrance hall and out of the castle, the stuffy cloak was immediately filled with a breath of fresh air that Albus so desperately needed. But the rocky trail down to the front gates presented a different challenge as Albus attempted to navigate the terrain whilst not tripping over his brother's feet.

A hand suddenly clasped on to Albus' waist as Scorpius caught himself from tumbling over. Being invisible had another perk as no one would be able to see how much he was blushing being so close to Scorpius. He tried to ignore the feeling of their bodies rubbing up against each other to focus on the mission but that was a challenge within itself.

"Once we're out of the gates, you'll be able to be visible again," Ophelia reminded them as the large iron gates came into view. The stone hogs atop the pillars stared down guarding over the exit and judging those who passed. Albus always found they gave him the creeps.

Reaching the gates, Rose kept watch as Matthias attempted to push them open. When they didn't budge, he tried again, this time throwing his whole weight against the bars with little effect.

"It's no use. They're shut tight." He stepped back, rubbing the shoulder that had taken most of the impact.

"Let me," Ophelia pulled out her wand, spreading her arms out to make sure everyone was behind her, "Watch your heads." With a forceful jab, she shouted, "Bombarda!"

With a large burst of dust and that propelled rocks and dirt out in front of them, the heavy gate doors flew open with a loud shrill shriek from the old hinges. The blast was so strong, even the invisibility cloak lifted slightly from the breeze it picked up. Ophelia stepped back, putting her wand away as if it was nothing.

"Wicked!" James said aloud, seemingly forgetting that they were meant to be invisible. Not that it mattered much now, the spell creating a loud enough noise on its own.

"Hurry," Rose rushed them along, "Someone's sure to notice the gate's been tampered with if they haven't heard us already."

"If we can reach the road to Hogsmeade, then I can apparate us away from here," James said, no longer bothering to stay silent. "That should be far enough to not be affected by the anti-apparation charm on the school."

If Albus thought walking under the cloak was difficult, trying to run was far worse. Thankfully, they made it to the bottom on the hill without a scratch or a broken bone. Even clumsy Scorpius managed to stay on his feet, which was the real miracle.

"Get this bloody thing off me," Albus wrestled with the heavy fabric once they were at a safe distance.

"Wow, it feels so good to breathe again," Scorpius exclaimed, spreading out his long limbs like a star now that he could move freely again.

"Well don't get used to it, apparating with feel like the air's getting sucked out of your lungs," James told him before extending his arms to let them take hold, "I've never apparated with this many people so we'll have to go in trips. Two of you at a time."

Albus was first to take his brother's arm, latching on tight as Rose jumped on the other side.

"Ready?"

Before Albus could respond, he felt his body being lifted as if sucked in some great wind tunnel before landing forcefully on hard ground again.

"See you in a sec," James dropped his arms before he disappeared, popping in a few moments later with Scorpius and Margot.

In the meantime, Albus got his bearings. He stepped back to take a look at the large building in front of them. A wooden sign hung out above the door that labelled the building of the Daily Prophet. It wasn't Albus' first trip, as he'd been there many times as a kid to stop at his mother's office. But suddenly the familiar building took on a much more intimidating form as he knew there was a chance that Lacero was within.

With one final whip-like crack, James reappeared again, with Matthias on one arm and Ophelia on the other.

"Argh!" He let out a small yelp, stumbling forward. His hand flew up to his forehead as he grimaced.

"Did you get splinched?" Rose jumped in alarm, rushing over to get a good look at him.

Removing his hand tentatively to let them look, James braced himself, "Please don't tell me I lost an eyebrow. I cannot go into a battle with only one eyebrow. I'd look ridiculous. Anyone I tried to fight would die of laughter first."

Albus rolled his eyes, examining James' forehead. His eyebrow was mostly intact but a new gash now striped the side of his usually bushy brow. A small trickle of blood seeped out from the wound, staining the side right side of his face. With a few taps from Rose's wand, the cut was already starting to look totally healed, a fresh layer of bare skin marking his eyebrow.

"Relax, it's just a small scar," Albus reassured his brother. It looked more like he'd deliberately waxed a small stripe into his brow as some sort of fashion statement rather than the result of an injury. Leave it to James to manage to make his mistakes look cool.

"I thought you might have lost an eyeball!" Matthias shuttered, "I read that could happen after my first trip to Flourish and Blotts and the idea of learning to apparate has freaked me out ever since. I don't think the magic world will ever feel completely normal to me." He rubbed his arm up and down. Albus still wasn't used to seeing this version of Matthias--not nearly as gruff and tough as he'd made himself seem all these years.

James hadn't seemed to be listening, preoccupied with touching his eyebrow, trying to feel out the new scar.

"An eyebrow is the least of our worries," Ophelia reminded him, trying to swat his hand away from his face so he'd focus, "Besides, it kind of suits you."

"You think?" James asked, squinting to try and get a look at himself in the glass window that looked into the lobby of the Prophet. "I suppose it would be kind of cool to say I have a battle scar."

"Don't be so full of yourself, James," Rose huffed, turning back to face the building before them, "You only got it from being careless when you were apparating. That's hardly a 'battle' scar."

"Call it what you want..." James' usual proud smile spread across his face again. Even with a potentially dangerous injury, James couldn't stay serious for long.

"Can we just get on with the mission?" Scorpius spoke up with a squeak, falling in line with Albus to take his hand. He trembled ever so slightly which made Albus want to wrap him up in his arms for comfort. But there was no time for that now.

"Right," Albus agreed, not wanting to waste any more time. Using his free hand, he dug into his pockets to pull out the little vials of thick purple liquid, "Here, everyone take one. It will prevent Lacero from being able to use her Veela powers against you."

"Lacero's a Veela?" James' eyes widened reminding Albus of just how little he knew.

Rose rubbed her head, clearly wondering why they'd decided to take him along, "I'll catch you up on the way to her office."

Each of them took a vial. Rose and Ophelia downed theirs with no hesitance. Much more sceptical, Matthias tried to swirl the potion around in the glass but it moved more like porridge than liquid. Raising the vial to his lips, he grimaced before gulping it down.

Popping the cork, James took a sniff before shrugging and throwing it back, "Oh," He scrunched his nose, smacking his mouth as he processed the flavour, "That's certainly an interesting one."

Albus didn't find that very reassuring as he opened his own vial to drink. He noticed Scorpius' eyes on him watching him with curiosity.

"I thought the Veelas didn't have an effect on you?"

If he was honest, Albus actually had very little idea of how much influence a Veela could have over him. No fancying girls certainly weakened the temptation, as it had in Hogsmeade when Scorpius had been strongly affected. But Magnolia had still managed to get him to agree to things he'd never would have said yes to in the right mind--and her mother was bound to be stronger.

"It's better safe than sorry." Albus shrugged before raising the vial like a toast, "Together?"

Scorpius swallowed heavily before raising the vial to click the glass against Albus', "Cheers!"

Eyes locked as the raised the vial to their mouths, Albus and Scorpius downed the potion at the same time, each shuttering after they swallowed. Thick like treacle, it coated his throat with a waxy feeling that caused him to pull a face. It hadn't been the worst potion he'd tasted--it at least had a minty aftertaste--but it was certainly the strange feeling. He could only compare it to the feeling of swallowing a large and gooey slug--a feeling that had been described to him one too many times by his uncle Ron.

Still holding the vial between her fingers, Margot eyed it suspiciously, "Are you sure this will work?"

If the potion had brewed the way the textbook laid out, then it should kick in quickly and work as intended. But a seed of worry began to sprout in the back of his mind, it's creeping tendrils threatening to ensnare him with doubt. He wanted to trust in his potion skills--he'd done everything just as the book said--but his previous record of magical mishaps considerably lowers his odds, and confidence. Glancing over himself as the potion settled in his stomach, he couldn't see any visible differences and nothing felt off. He wondered if the potion would have any effect at all.

"Only one way to find out," He bit his lip, looking up at the windows dotting the five-story building. Through one of those windows could be Lacero herself. And possibly his father...

Pulling out his wand, Albus narrowed his eyes on the door to the Prophet, "I'm ready." For once, he pushed past the fear that normally clogged his mind. His need to save his father overtook any anxiety that would usually take control.

With a shaking hand, Margot swallowed the Potion before following behind them as they moved into the building. The welcome witch knew Albus and James well enough by know, only casting a short sceptical glance at his friends before waving them through.

They travelled as a pack with their wands, readied at their sides to raise and strike at any moment. For the few workers that passed by with arms filled with newsprint and parchment, they acted casual but kept their pace quick. Margot gave them directions as they passed through the corridors, making twists and turns around cubicles and up a few flights of stairs until they could see the door to Lorelei Lacero's office.

"That's it," Margot pointed out as if they couldn't already tell from Lacero's name printed in golden letters on the privacy glass.

Rose turned to Albus for further in instruction, lowering her voice in case anyone happened to overhear, "What's the plan?"

Plan? Albus had no plan. The role of leader never suited him like it did Rose, Ophelia, or even James. He'd never been confident enough in his skills to believe he could ever make it far enough to be successful. For all Albus knew, Lacero wouldn't even be in there and they'd hit a dead end. All of Albus' preparations may have been for nothing and his dad would still be in danger.

His dad...

What would his dad do?

Despite Albus never living up to the Potter name, there had to be a little bit of his dad's bravery somewhere deep inside him. Or even his mum's courage could carry him through. This wasn't about Albus' reputation anymore--this was about saving his father. And perhaps to do that, he'd need to think like his father for once.

Without a word, his idea cemented in his mind, Albus started to march forward towards the door.

"Oh, we're moving," Scorpius squeaked but followed suit, hand still in Albus', never letting go.

Albus hardly noticed the encouraging squeeze his boyfriend gave him but it must have helped at he continued forward with no hesitation. Backed by his friends--both new and old--perhaps Albus was capable of more than he thought.

Throwing the office door open, Albus was ready to face whatever lied ahead.

Chapter Text

The door slammed into the wall, rattling the glass panel as Albus burst in, his friends pouring in after him.

Albus hadn't known what to expect but it wasn't what he got.

In his head, he'd pictured his father, mid-battle with a red stream of magic shooting out from his wand. In the dishevelled office, Lacero would counter him, standing on to of her desk as she let out an evil cackle. Papers would be flying through the air, caught on fire from sparks shot from either wand. Shelves would fall as dodged spell blasted the walls. Everything would be consumed by chaos.

But instead, Albus was met with quiet.

And somehow, the quiet was worse.

At first, his heart fell into his stomach assuming he'd find the orderly office empty--his dad's whereabouts still unknown. But there was a heavy weight bearing into him that Albus recognised all too well by--the eyes of another. Someone was staring at him.

"Lacero," He whipped his body around, wand aimed at the figure sitting behind the desk.

The fair-haired witch didn't flinch. Instead, a tight smile spread across her lips--a smile that Albus should had recognised before when they'd first run into the beautiful but strange witch in Hogsmeade. It was the same smile he saw thrice a week in Potions lessons. Magnolia's full pink lips that curled in a sickly-sweet grin.

Perhaps the Veela influences had blurred his images of her but under the potion's effects, he could see her clearly now. No more glimmering aura of beauty and innocence for her to hide her hideous intentions behind.

"Ah, lovely." Her voice carried her words out like a song that made Albus' stomach churn, "You're here!" She unfolded her hands, standing to slowly walk around to the front of her desk.

"Where is my father?" Albus' voice came out with a fierce power behind it. For once in his life, he felt no fear, only rock-solid determination. His wand didn't waver from where it was pointed at her throat following her every move.

But Lacero wasn't looking at Albus, her brilliant blue eyes falling instead on Margot, cowering at the back of the group, "I was beginning to suspect you wouldn't hold up your end of the bargain. But Magnolia told me to trust you, despite my doubts. I'm so glad you've decided to stay and fight for our cause with us." She extended her hand in the direction of the mousy girl.

Behind Albus, Rose's jaw fell, "Margot! You--you lied to us?" She exclaimed with disbelief.

Paler than before, Margot shrunk under the weight of everyone's eyes, "I--" She started to say something but couldn't get the words out. Her eyes began to well with tears.

"Come now, dear," Lacero beckoned her over, "You've done us a great service. You'll be safe with me."

Hesitantly, her eyes flickering back on the group, Margot stepped forward. Lacero took her hand gently, guiding her to stand behind her by the desk.

In shock, Albus stood frozen staring at the two women as he tried to piece together what had happened. Had everything Margot told them been a ploy for them fall right into Lacero's grasp? Was Albus' father in trouble at all? How could Albus be so stupid as to fall for another set of lies?

"Albus," Scorpius' whisper broke through to him, tugging on his hand, "We need to leave, now." Albus had never seen such fear in his boyfriend's eyes--building like a flame, a flicker that swelled into a blaze of panic.

This wasn't just a bully coming to taunt them or the swell of anxiety in a crowd. This was danger. Real and serious danger. And all of Albus' friends were in harm's way. He couldn't let them get hurt on his behalf because of his stupid decisions. This wasn't their fight.

As if sensing their next movement, Lacero whipped out her wand with an agile grace Albus' eyes almost didn't comprehend. With a swift arm motion, the door slammed shut behind them before she shouted, "Immobulus!"

A forceful wave of magic flowed out from the tip of her wand. Shutting his eyes, Albus braced himself for his body to freeze up but felt nothing. He wiggled his fingers but felt no resistance. Instead, he heard his friends cry out in discomfort behind him. Opening his eyes, he saw them fall to the floor, their thuds muffled--a quieting spell Lacero must have cast before they arrived. No one in the office would be able to hear them. No one would know they needed help.

Lacero followed with another wave of expelliarmus, somehow able to send the spell shooting out over them as a group instead of individually. Falling out of their frozen hands, their wands clattered to the floor. Only Scorpius and Albus remained armed and standing. Her magic spread in ways he'd never seen--as if she could pick and choose who her spells effected. But, despite feeling no effects from her spells, Albus got the feeling that he was Lacero's real target.

The sight of his fallen friends filled Albus with a boiling rage that began to overflow as he thrust his own wand in Lacero's direction, "Stupefy!" The spell came out with more of a hiss through his clenched teeth.

A stream of red light shot out of Albus' wand with an intensity unmatched by anything he'd ever managed in class. His hands buzzed with a powerful energy--or perhaps it was just adrenaline. For once, Albus had complete faith in his spellwork. But Lacero hardly flinched, flicking her wand to send the spell ricocheting as if protected by a magical shield. The spell bounced back, hitting the wall and collapsing a shelf above Albus. The books came tumbling down, narrowly missing his head as he ducked out of the way.

Clutching his wand in his left and Albus' hand in his right, Scorpius showed no hesitation to jump into the fight, launching a spell in her direction, "Brachiabindo!"

Caught just a second too late, Scorpius' spell hit Lacero square in the chest. Tight bounds starting to enwrap her, winding around her like a snake around its prey, but she managed to move her hand just enough as she muttered through constricted lungs, "Emancipare!" Her binds fizzled away, allowing her to whip her wand back in the direction of the boys, "Fulgari!"

Scorpius' hand was ripped away from Albus'. Both of Albus' wrists were pulled together by an invisible force. His wrists knocked together forcefully, shooting a sharp pain up his arm as a glowing pair of cuffs locked his hands together, immobilizing him from spellcasting.

"Well," Lacero huffed, slipping her wand into the pocket of the silky white robe she wore over her fitted lavender dress--outfitted more for a Witch Weekly fashion shoot than a fight, "The unwanted guests were a bit of an inconvenience," She shot Margot a brief but piercing glare as she motioned to the frozen group of Albus' friends as if they were nothing but a pile of rubbish on the ground, "But, I supposed you fulfilled my request for the two boys all the same."

His mind racing with all the curses and swears he wanted to shout, all Albus could manage to spit out was a strangled, "We trusted you!"

Margot's terrified eyes met Albus' just long enough for her to mouth, 'I'm sorry' before she shut her eyes, gripping the desk for support.

"Oh, chin up, chick," Lacero rubbed her thumb over Margot's cheek, wiping away her tears, "You've been so very brave. Especially to come along with them after Magnolia offered you the task as a way out of the final Retribution. It's so very admirable." Her voice flowed smoothly like satin, comforting and heavy with a false sense of security. Like a fire that gives off warmth but burns when you get too close. Without the effects potion coursing through his body, even Albus might have felt reassured by her sugary tone. But now, every word she spoke sounded like the sharpening of a knife and Albus winced preparing for the blade to lash his skin.

"Now that the spares are taken care of," Lacero turned her attention back to the group of intruders, striding over toward Albus and Scorpius sharp clicks of her heels against the wood floor, "We can continue as planned." She stepped between the boys, taking one of their wrists in each hand. "In fact, leaving them here might serve us well in the future, if we need more...shall we say," She flourished her hand, "convincing? And I know just what to do with you, vile little blondie." She grinned wickedly at Ophelia, whose face had frozen in the middle of a gasp as her body became immobilized. Only her eyes could continue to follow the action. Even in their frozen state, Albus could see the life behind their eyes--and the fear. Part of Albus wished they were unconscious so they wouldn't have to be trapped helplessly in their horror.

"No!" Albus protested, trying to pull free of Lacero's grip. "Let them go!" Her nails only dug deeper into his skin, ignoring his cries.

"Take my arm now, Margot," Lacero nodded to the quivering girl who hadn't moved from her spot, "The others are waiting."

With a few shaky steps, Margot obeyed approaching Lacero from behind to place a hand on her shoulder. Not a second later, Lacero disapparated, dragging the three students along with her. The wind was sucked from Albus' lungs as he felt his body being unwillingly pressed and pulled in strange directions before his feet hit solid ground again.

An orange ball of light almost blinded him as they'd appeared in a new location. A spread of warm colours splayed out above a pointed dark horizon--no redoubtably a sunset that seemed to all bleed together in a burning blur as Albus' eyes adjusted.

Every muscle in Albus' body wanted him to take off running but the effort would be futile--Lacero would catch him with the simple wave of her wand. Even with his wand tucked safely back in his robes, Albus was useless without the use of his hands to cast a spell. Not to mention he had no idea where he would run to, his surroundings entirely unfamiliar now.

"Why don't you join the others," Lacero told Margot more as an order than a suggestion, "They are waiting in the parlour." Cocking his head over his shoulder, Albus watched Margot dart off, seeming to know her whereabouts exactly.

They'd landed in the shadow of a rather stately brick home. Perhaps it had been beautiful once, but now the faded red bricks were overgrown with dry ivy vines and a few of the windows seemed to have been broken only to be hastily fixed by boarding them up. The windows that were still intact were in desperate need of a cleaning, dark and dusty by the looks of it, the wooden frames sagging and splintering. The house on a whole looked quite sad on the vast grounds it sat on that must have once made up a beautiful garden. In front of him, the grass was patchy and warn with overgrown landscaping and some long-forgotten lawn ornaments. A small gazebo rested in the back corner by the treeline, unfit to for someone to walk on--the roof looked ready to cave in at any moment, trapping whatever lied beneath it.

Surrounding the grounds of the manor, trees spread out as far as he could see. There must not have been any neighbours around for miles, secluded in a wooden area. As dusk settled over the crown of pines, shadows cloaked the forest below, making it impossible to see deeper through the trees. Vaguely reminding him of the woods that surrounded Hogwarts, Albus would have given anything to be in the middle of the Forbidden Forest than here in the clutches of a murderer.

"I must say," Lacero began, getting a good look at the sunset, her perfectly carved features illuminated in the warm-toned light. Even Albus could admit she was beautiful, but the sight of her made him feel ill. "I was hoping to do this in warmer conditions but alas, I will take what I can get," She spoke with a hum.

"My dad," Albus had no desire to hear her wishful thoughts of what conditions she'd rather kill them in, "Where's my dad?"

Starting to drag them across the garden towards the gazebo, she shrugged, "Oh most likely gallivanting off somewhere trying to solve one of the cases that I set up for him. To no use of course. I know how to cover my steps."

"But Margot said--"

"Said I wanted to kill the Great Harry Potter?" She let out an airy laugh--far too pleasant for the situation, "Oh no, dear. That would be such a simple task. I could have taken care of him years ago, easily. But where's the fun in that?"

"What do you want with us?" Scorpius voice came out with an edge that Albus so rarely heard--if he'd ever heard it at all. Albus wanted so much to hug his boyfriend--take him away from all of this. Scorpius didn't deserve to be involved. This was all Albus' fault.

"Ah, it's less of what I want with you than what I want from you," She corrected him, "You see, I don't want to kill Harry Potter. What good would that do? He wouldn't be able to learn from his mistakes." A grim smile spread across her lips, her beautiful eyes sparkling, appearing to Albus as deeply disturbed, "Oh no, dears. I want to torture him."

A chill like no other ran down Albus' spine--one that wasn't caused by the nippy January air that sank into his skin through his robes. No, this chill travelled all the way to his core, sending a sharp jolt to his chest, his heart beginning to pound faster than before. He met Scorpius' eyes for a moment and Albus' heart fell deeper into the pit in his stomach. He was even paler than usual, his breathing quick and shallow judging by the frequent but tiny puffs of breath that clouded out from his lips. The fearful fire still blazed behind the silver of his eyes.

Coming to a halt, Lacero dropped their wrists, forcing the boys out in front of her to face a large white tone pitched out of the ground. A headstone of sorts, made from a smooth marble etches with a swirling pattern that looked like ocean waves tumbling over one another.

Inscribed on the white stone, Albus immediately recognised the name from just a few days prior:

'Marina Lacero

1982-1998

A Girl as Fierce as the Sea'

A bundle of flowers lay on the dirt in front of the stone, placed there recently judging by the vibrant blue colour of the petals.

Lacero's eyes scanned the grave, emotions still effected despite the familiar sight, "You see, boys, this was my childhood home--and current home ever since my parents passed on. I could tell they didn' have much time left. I believe my sister's passing had taken the life from them as well. Things never were the same at home. Even the house has lost the life and beauty it once had," She gazed at the brick house before turning back to the headstone.

"Marina Lacero," Scorpius voice sounded hollow as he began to think aloud, not breaking old habits even in the presence of such a frightening witch, "She was in the record book. 1998. That's the year of--"

"The Battle of Hogwarts?" Lacero finished for him, "Magnolia told me you were well-read, Mr Malfoy. Not that the date is an obscure one to any witch or wizard these days. But you'd be surprised at how many people forget. The pain, the fear, the loss. The Fallen Fifty might as well be the Forgotten Fifty by now. Tell me, Albus, has your father ever mentioned the name Marina Lacero to you?"

"My father doesn't talk about the war," Albus admitted stubbornly, not wanting to play her games. But she found a way to twist his words regardless.

"Exactly," Lacero nodded with darkening eyes, "Because he's too busy basking in the glory of his victory to recognise those who fell in service to him."

"You know nothing about what my father went through!" Albus' words echoed his father's very own from their fight before the autumn term. For the first time, Albus actually understood the meaning behind them. "Just because he doesn't unload all his grievances onto his children, doesn't mean he doesn't mourn. Or perhaps you wouldn't understand what that concept since you've got you own daughter under your thumb and wrapped up in your twisted plot for revenge."

Mere seconds after the words left him mouth, Lacero stepped forward, raising her hand to strike him across the face. The sharp edge of her ring broke through the skin, slicing a shallow cut across his cheek. Albus stumbled back, wincing as he reached up to feel his stinging wound. The warm trickle of blood wet the tips of his fingers. But what stung worse than the cut was the sound of his boyfriend's scream.

Scorpius tried to dash over to Albus' side but Lacero stuck out her arm, holding him back, "My daughter is doing what best for us--for our family," She spat at Albus, losing her elegance for the first time. Her features no longer seemed so beautiful, her true self revealed. "She has done wonders for our cause to honour the Fallen Fifty. More than your father could ever dream of doing!"

"Honour?" Scorpius choked on the word, biting back tears, "How can you call any of this honourable? Writing rubbish articles, kidnapping two kids, killing people?!" His voice had grown more frantic, unable to pull his worried gaze away from Albus, who attempted to use his sleeve to clean his cut. Without the use of his hands, which were still locked together, Albus had to make do with rubbing the cheek against his shoulder, bloodying the fabric of his school robes. The minor cut could easily be healed with magic but neither Scorpius nor Albus could move their hands enough to cast a spell.

Lacero pursed her lips, "Sometimes proper recognition requires risks and sacrifice. Marina was murdered in cold blood at the Battle of Hogwarts. She was killed just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time--for trying to fight on Potter's side." She spoke his name like a curse word. "I kill to send a message--they are not senseless deaths. These are the people that should have died in the war--not my sister. I'd rather have a few lives on my hands than continue living knowing that my sister's sacrifice meant nothing to the world. She was 16--a child, just like you boys. She shouldn't have been fighting at all but she defied the school's orders because she believed that Harry Potter would save them all. But he couldn't. And no one holds him accountable for his faults. But I will."

"A child?" Albus' rage was building up inside him, his voice coming out strained, "What about Harper Finch-Fletchly? She was fifteen. You killed a girl who had nothing to do with the war. Do you honestly think that is doing justice to your sister?"

Raising her wand on him, Lacero's voice grew sharp, trying to justify her own hypocrisy, "If the stupid little girl hadn't gotten in the way of my curse, she wouldn't have been killed. That spell was never meant for her."

Albus didn't cower under the threat of her wand, "...Ophelia," his voice fell, thinking of his friend who'd been so convinced she was meant to have been the one killed that day, "You were trying to kill Ophelia. What's she got to do with all of this? She had no involvement in the Battle of Hogwarts. Everyone else has been affiliated in someway--Kristoffer Parr was a historian for Hogwarts, Septima Vector was a professor, and Terry Boot was a DA member. But Ophelia's just--Ophelia."

"You have done your research, haven't you? Magnolia hadn't informed me of this..." There was a hint of a wicked smile of Lacero's face that was soon erased as she explained, "But that vile creature, Ophelia," She scowled at the name, "is the cause for all this harm."

Impossible. Ophelia radiated charm and cheeriness. Not once had she shown malicious intent. Albus couldn't believe she had anything to do with the murders--he wouldn't believe it. In just a fortnight past, Albus had been betrayed by two people he'd believed and put trust in and he didn't want Ophelia to be another.

"I was happy once. I thought I could move on from all of this." She spread her arms out, gesturing widely, "I may have lost my sister, but I had someone to lean upon--to love. A bloody Hufflepuff of all people but he'd been there for me after the Battle. He was the one boy who seemed to care about my emotions more than my looks. Because, although everyone seems to wish they had a Veela's beauty," She approached Scorpius, lifting his chin with her thumb to look her in the eye. "They don't know how much of a curse it is." She forcefully flicked his head back. Albus let out a gasp as he saw his boyfriend stumbled slightly but he kept on his feet, stretching his neck and jaw until he felt right again.

Lacero continued with a far off look but her wand still in a readied position, "When I got married, it was the happiest day of my life but it brought back memories of my sister and how we'd dreamed of our wedding days since we were little girls. I'd promised to make her my maid of honour and I would be hers. But her seat was empty at my wedding." She sighed easing back into reality as she stared down at the blue bouquet on the grave.

"I suspect he started to catch on at the wedding when he saw my family. The blonde hair is enough of a clue but the dancing...the dancing was what really gives us away. Dancing is, of course, an important part of Veela culture and I should have known better to let him see. I didn't want him to realise who I was. He questioned me but I denied it but I could see his worry building. I thought having a baby would show him my love was serious--and fill the hole that my sister left in me. It seemed like the perfect plan until that bloody Healer revealed that the baby had inherited my Veela genes. He accused me of lying, of using him, enchanting him to love me because his family had money--all untrue of course but men are," She made an undignified sound, "Ugh...He left me for that muggle slag who worked at his favourite pub. Seeing her the whole time, I suspect. Because that little gremlin was born just mere months after my beautiful Magnolia." Her eyes darkened, "That's when things changed. Nothing in this world was going to get better if I let my life get ruined by men. Harry Potter was the worst of them all, then Solomon Richelieu. Too many have hurt me. Taken advantage of me. Underestimated me. If I ever want to make the world a better place for my daughter, I need to teach them a lesson."

"By murdering people?" Even with the backstory, Albus couldn't find a link from the motive to the despicable deed. He'd been wrong himself--made fun of, bullied, and hurt by the opinions of the wizarding world but he'd never wish death upon them. Death was irreversible. Death solved no problems; It only created more.

Lacero tutted at his generalization, "By showing Harry Potter the pain he caused me and countless other families like the students Magnolia befriended. Only then can he realise his mistakes."

"But what has that got to do with me and Scorpius?" Albus did his best to stand tall, not wanting to show any sign of weakness. But the soft quiver in his voice threatened to reveal his act.

"Oh? Well, you're the icing on the cake, you see. I'd planned to work my way up through the ranks of Dumbledore's Army and those who fought alongside him--make the world realise that Harry Potter truly is useless at his job. But that was taking far too long and little weasels like you were beginning to catch on too quickly. Don't worry," Her lips curled in a way that was not at all reassuring, "Tt's for the best that I have you here now. Because killing the DA wasn't enough to give Harry the same impact losing Marina gave to me. No, I need to hit him where it really hurts. And that's where you come into play, my dear Albus."

Albus winced as she ran her hand over his hair like he was a dog--dehumanising him entirely. It took all his willpower to restrain himself from knocking her arm away from him. But he knew better than to stop her now. The longer she talked, the more time he had to try and come up with a plan of escape--and the more information he could draw out of her. Even though it pained him to hear, he kept all his focus on her, hoping for any sliver of information that he could use against her.

With a flutter of her eyelashes, Lacero leaned in close to where Albus could feel the warmth of her breath gracing his ear, "You can help us, my dear," Her voice fell heavier, with a hypnotic lull that pulled the listener in for more, "You can make this whole problem go away and you can join us." She stepped back, holding her hand out delicately, urging him to take like a tantalizing golden apple that beckoned to be picked, "Join us, Albus. And don't you worry about your dear friend, Scorpius. Magnolia has told me all about the two of you. Where you go, he goes. Join us, and you and your friend will be safe. Protected. Just like your classmates inside."

"No, Albus," Scorpius cried out, "Don't do it."

Lacero turned to address him with a tilt of her head, not lifting her enchanting tone, "Oh? Is that so?"

Even with a trembling frame, Scorpius managed to keep his eyes on Lacero, not letting her sultry voice affect him, "I'd rather die than join your lot."

Side-eyeing him suspiciously, she let out an indignant 'humph' before turning her attention back to Albus--her real prey, "Bold. But I'm sure you'd disagree, right Albus? Join us and Scorpius keeps his life. It's a tempting deal, is it not?"

"What's in it for me?"

Albus heard Scorpius gasp in reaction to his response, his jaw falling in disbelief, "Albus, what are you doing? Albus don't you dare..."

Lacero, on the other hand, looked pleased, "Magnolia has told me all about your troubles with your father. A poor Slytherin child stuck in the shadow of the Great Harry Potter--surely you understand our cause? Don't you want to tell the world the truth? My articles for the prophet may be exaggerated but I was there for the argument on the train platform. You wish to never see your father again? We can arrange that. You'll become part of my family. Where you truly fit in. And once we have our way, you'll see glory beyond your wildest dreams--a clever Slytherin like yourself must find that tempting. So what do you say? Get the revenge on your father that you've always dreamed of and fight for a cause that is right?" She extended her hand once again, with a wicked grin believing that her offer was too good for him to pass up.

"Albus. Albus, please. Listen to me. Focus on me, not her. She's trying to trick you. Please, Albus. Trust me." Scorpius pleaded tears in his eyes.

Albus tried not to look at him, keeping his eyes focused on Lacero instead. This time, it was his turn to smile.

"A tempting offer, I must admit," Albus started. "You know me so well. Magnolia must have told you all about me."

"Oh yes, of course. Only the best about you, Albus. Only the best," She nodded, her hand still lingering in the air for him to shake.

"Oh, so I'm sure she's mentioned that I'm quite skilled with potions," He prompted her.

"Why, certainly. Paired up in lessons, are you not? You two have become wonderfully close. I'm sure she'll be entirely thrilled to have you behind our cause."

"Right. Well, I've done a lot of reading about Potions--it's the one subject I actually read about for fun. And I've come across a potion you might find particularly interesting."

Lacero was growing impatient, "Yes?"

"A certain, Anti-Enchantment potion. Forgive me for assuming, but surely, as someone who is part-Veela, you are aware of its effects?" For the first time that day, Albus' lips spread into a beaming smile.

Lacero's smile dropped along with her act. All hints of shimmering beauty washed away as her arm snapped back to her side, "You nasty little weasel," She muttered viciously, her voice emptied of the Veela enchantment.

Albus felt rather pleased with himself, "You really thought you had me there. You'll have to try a lot harder than that if you want me to give in to whatever you're planning." He managed a deep chuckle, letting out some of his nervous energy. "You'll have to use imperio to get anything out of me."

Lacero regained her poise, "No, your father will see right through the act." Albus knew that all too well by now. As a highly skilled Auror, Harry knew the signs of the imperious curse--and he'd be able to tell when his own son was not acting right within seconds. Whatever Lacero wanted with him, there was no way to force him with magic.

"I'm afraid I will have to resort to other means," Lacero jutted her wand out at him"

Albus' smile faltered but he didn't let up, maintaining his smirk--a last-ditch effort to look more confident than he felt, "Do your worst."

He could take it. Whatever the pain. Whatever the curse. He could take anything as long as it kept his father safe and alive. Even death. He'd be willing to die if it meant protecting his family. His father would never give up the investigation until it led him right to Lacero. If dying meant stopping Lacero, then Albus would go happily.

Much to Albus' dismay, Lacero's lips curled into a smile, "Oh, I will."

Wand still pointed out straight, ready to strike, she ever so slowly began to pivot. With every degree turned, Albus' confidence level fell lower and lower until all hints of bravery were buried under the dirt beneath his feet.

Lacero came to a halt, wand pointed firmly at Scorpius.

"No!"

With a cackling laugh, Lacero spoke with glee, "Ah-ha! This seems to scare you more."

"Don't touch him!" Albus tried to launch himself at Lacero, throwing his whole body weight at her.

"Flipendo!" She whipped her wand back at Albus before facing back to Scorpius again. With a hard blow to the chest, the spell launched Albus backwards. He crashed onto the hard ground, landing painfully on his shoulder.

"Albus!" Scorpius cried out, somehow more worried about Albus' safety than his own.

"There's a reason I asked for Margot to bring you both here. If I'm honest, I couldn't care less if the Malfoy spawn helps us or not. But Magnolia told me about how close you are. You wouldn't let anything happy to your best mate, now, would you Potter?" She pouted with a taunting voice.

Albus managed to push himself to his feet. If he could just get out of the magical bindings around his wrists, he could pull out his wand. But he couldn't escape the cuffs without his wand in the first place.

"I can take it. Whatever she does, I can take it." Scorpius shouted desperately, trying to assure him. He didn't want Albus to give in to anything she said, no matter the cost.

"Is that so?" Lacero snickered before thrusting her wand out towards him with a ferocious cry, "CRUCIO!"

"NO!" Albus' wail was washed out by Scorpius' brutal scream.

Pain wracked Albus' body, every inch of his skin pricking as he fell to his knees at the sight of his boyfriend suspended in the air, back curled in a sickening arched formation. Every wail struck Albus' like a lash against his skin. The world started to teeter unsteadily, like a ship in a storm, threatening to pitch Albus off the deck. Screams filled his ears--no longer able to tell Scorpius' apart from his own. Tears blurred his vision, unable to focus on anything but the terror field shrieks of pain.

Seconds felt like hours and the suffering seemed ceaseless. Not a touch of magic graced Albus' skin but the torture felt as if it was directed at him. He wished it was. He'd give anything to take the pain instead of Scorpius. Scorpius didn't deserve the pain. Albus did. He'd caused this mess. He'd dragged his friends in the middle of it. That should be him, not Scorpius.

At last, Scorpius' body fell limply to the ground. Somehow, Abus managed to find the strength deep inside him to leap to his feet, darting to his boyfriend's side. Scorpius lied still, eyes rolled back, foam built up at the corner of his lips.

"Scorpius," Albus' voice felt like sandpaper against his throat. "Scorpius!" He threw his hand over his chest. He was met with the rapid beating of a heart but it provided little relief.

Albus threw himself at his boyfriend, pulling him closer than ever before, "I can't lose you. I can't lose you," He said, barely above a whisper. "I love you, Scorpius." The words slipped out of his lips before he could stop them.

Scorpius' eyes shut before reopening slowly, weary but in focus. His hand shook as he lifted it gently, wiping the spit from his mouth.

"Albus," He managed to croak, pushing himself into a sitting position. His eyes widened in shock but didn't get the chance to process what he'd said as Lacero let out a delighted howl.

"Oh, well, this I wasn't aware of! Magnolia hadn't informed me that you two might be--ahem--closer than mates. This makes things much more interesting." Her lips curls as she narrowed her eyes on them. She readied her wand on Scorpius again.

"No!" Albus shoved Scorpius behind his body, trying to shield him from Lacero's wrath. "Don't touch him! I'll do it. I'll do what you want just don't hurt Scorpius."

"Albus no!" Scorpius gripped his arm, his voice filled with desperation."Don't. I'm not worth it. I'm not."

Albus let his eyes fall away from Lacero for a moment to get a good look at Scorpius--perhaps for the last time. Tears welled in his eyes, making the silver of his eyes glimmer with a watery sheen. His usually neat hair now parted in arbitrary directions, skewed by the events of the day. Dirt stained his pale skin from where he'd landed on the ground. But somehow, even with his trembling hands and blotchy cheeks, he still looked beautiful to Albus.

He couldn't let anything happen to his boyfriend. He'd do whatever it took to keep him alive and out of Lacero's clutches. Even if it meant joining her. He'd never stay compliant. He'd take them down from the inside. Whatever it took, he'd keep his friends and family safe.

Lacero extended her hand once more and this time, Albus took it. He winced at Scorpius' manged sob from behind him.

"Glad you've come to your senses, Potter." She helped him to his feet, pulling him over to her side. "You'll be a valuable resource to us. You'll help us bring down your father once and for all. Together, we'll tear him down rung by rung until the world sees Harry Potter for who he truly is. A washed-up hero celebrating on the graves of the ones who fought for him. Not to mention, a horrible father to her poor lonely son," She squeezed Albus on his shoulder, the skin of his arm prickling at her touch.

With shaking limbs, Scorpius managed to get to his feet, tears falling from his pleading eyes, "Albus, please. It doesn't have to be like this. We can find another way."

Albus swallowed hard, trying to keep from breaking down himself, "This is the only way, Scorpius."

Alone, unable to get to their wands, without the ability to contact anyone, they were completely helpless.

"You'll keep him safe, right?" Albus narrowed his eyes on Lacero, "I need your word that he'll be okay."

"And you have it. We won't harm a little hair on his head as long as you keep in line." She started to lead him away in the direction of the house, her nails digging into his shoulder.

As the house drew closer and Scorpius' muffled sobs more distant, he could see the faces of his classmates peering through the lower floor windows. The backdoor creaked open and a blonde-haired girl emerged.

At first, Albus didn't recognize her and it took him a moment to process the eerily familiar features of her face. It was the bright blue eyes that finally connected the dots. For a split second, he thought it was Ophelia, but the girl's features were too sharp and her hair wasn't the same golden blonde as Ophelias. Instead, it matched Lacero's pale blonde--her mother's pale blonde.

Magnolia.

"Darling, will you take the Malfoy boy inside? We have much to do," Lacero said sweetly to her daughter, showing none of the hostility Albus has grown used to.

With a nod, Magnolia strode out into the back garden. Magnolia had always exuded confidence but at her own home, free from her weighty school robes, her head appeared to be held even higher than usual.

"Funny what a little hair dying charm can do, isn't it?" Lacero mused. "No once suspects a Veela with dark hair."

Magnolia had shed her entire disguise now that she was away from Hogwarts. Albus could see who she really was, on the outside as well as the in. Similar to her mother, Magnolia looked perfectly posh and polished, her navy blue robes pristine and her makeup delicately applied. Albus suspected they'd never anticipated much of a fight. Perhaps he'd given in too easily. Or he'd made the wrong decision once again.

Doubt clouded his brain as he looked back at Scorpius being forcibly lead along by Magnolia. Her talon-like nails clutched his arms, like a bird of prey. Even in his weakened state, wandless and vulnerable, Scorpius hadn't stopped fighting. Dragging his heels through the dirt, he squirmed and spat at Magnolia. She kept her lips pursed, kicking at the tendon in his ankles until he stumbled with a wince of pain.

Albus couldn't let himself be so easily captured. He'd done that far too many times today. This time, he wouldn't go without a fight. If Scorpius was brave enough to fight back, then perhaps he could be as well.

Clasping his bound hands together, he threw his weight to the side, breaking out of Lacero's grasp. Twisting aground, he locked his arms, twisting so his clasped hands hit her across the face with a heavy impact.

Caught off guard, Lacero let out a yelp. Stumbling back, she gripped her face in her hand. Albus took her moment of confusion to launch into a run towards Scorpius.

"Mum!" Magnolia exclaimed at the sight of her mother in pain. Her eyes fell on Albus, charging at her. She aimed her wand at Albus with a slash through the air, "Stupefy!"

There was a loud crack of magic. A wispy white light came shooting straight for him and he braced himself to be knocked unconscious.

"Potego!" A deep voice shouted.

Albus opened his eyes just in time to see a figure leap out in front of him, a shield of magic ricocheting Magnolia's spell. He heard Scorpius emit a yelp, but this time, it sounded like an exclamation of joy.

The mysterious figure threw an arm back to shove Albus behind him, putting himself between the Lacero girls and Albus.

"Stay away from my son!"

Chapter Text

"Dad?"

Never had Albus been so thrilled to see the familiar mess of black hair and rounded-glasses. He practically jumped for joy, his heart soaring. They weren't alone in the fight anymore.

"Harry Potter!" Lacero cooed as if amused by his arrival, "How funny! We were just talking about you." She was the only one laughing.

Despite the fear that raced through him, he couldn't look away. One sudden movement and his father could be dead in an instant--Albus couldn't let that happen. He was prepared to intervene if necessary, even without the use of his wand.

In his focus, Albus didn't notice the two hands reaching out to grab him. With a yelp, he attempted to swat away his attacker.

"Albus! Albus, sweetheart, it's just me!"

He blinked a few times, trying to figure out if the red-haired figure in front of him was actually his mother or just some hopeful illusion. Or perhaps an elaborate trick devised by Lacero to lull him into a false sense of security. But the look in her eyes was unmistakable. No one could replicate the fierceness in which Ginny Potter loved.

"Mum," Albus' voice broke as he sank into the arms of his mother. He buried his head into the crook oh her shoulder as she cuddled him close. His eyes stung as he choked back sobs. Every bit of him wanted to break down crying but the adrenaline held him back. The fight wasn't over. Not yet.

"Albus, are you hurt? Did she do anything to you?" His mum verged on shouting, frantic as she held him out in front of her to scan him over for injuries. He winced as her hand brushed the cut on his cheek. The bleeding had stopped but it still stung.

He pushed her hand away, reassuring her that he didn't need the attention right now, "It's fine. I'm fine. But Scorpius--" He didn't get to finish his sentence as he heard a roar from across the garden.

"FLIPPENDO," The sound of Draco's thunderous cry caused birds to scatter from the nearby treeline with startled squawking. Magnolia hadn't even had the time to think of a protective spell before she was struck. Her body flew back a few metres through the air, hitting the ground with an earth-shaking thud.

A whimper escaped Lacero's mouth as she watched her daughter's face contract with pain. She flinched, wanting to move or lash out, but stopped herself. There was little she could do without causing Harry to strike. Instead, she narrowed her eyes on Draco, shooting a vengeful glare in his direction.

Out of Magnolia's clutches, Scorpius made a break for it. Draco and Scorpius ran at full speed towards one another, almost slamming into each other in the middle. Scorpius collapsed into his father's embrace. One arm outstretched with his wand pointed at Lacero, Draco grabbed hold of Scorpius with the other, holding on to his son for dear life.

A loud crack startled Albus, his head twisting in the direction of where his father had appeared from. Hermione emerged out of thin air, her wand already outstretched. With another crack, Ron apparated by her side, landing far less gracefully.

"By request of the Ministry," Hermione marched forward to stand beside Harry, her voice serious in a way Albus had never heard from his aunt, "I order you to stand down and surrender yourself peacefully. We do not wish to fight."

Lacero's eyes flickered across the new opponents gathered in front of her, appearing to size them up. Her confidence faltered slightly before her lips thinned into a sly grin. Her wand remained raised by her side.

"Oh that's too bad because that's exactly what I want," She said, far too cheerfully. "You've come all this way, stop and stay awhile!"

Spinning with a flourish, a beam of red light shot out from her wand, in the opposite direction of Harry and Hermione. Instead, the spell hit the back door of her house. The door swung open with a loud bang as it hit the opposite wall.

"Oh, children!" Lacero called in a song-like manner, "It's time to play!"

Ron, Hermione, and Harry exchanged perplexed looks as Lacero turned back to face them. Restless, Harry couldn't stand still any longer.

"Expelliarmus!" He launched his signature spell at Lacero.

"Protego!" Lacero swung her arm in a wide circle, creating a barrier between her and the spell. "Expelliarmus? Really?" She tutted, shaking her head. "I expected more from you, Potter."

As she spoke, figures began to emerge from the house. Albus' heart fell as he saw the faces of his classmates, included two of the boys he'd shared a room with for the last six years; They'd slept mere metres apart and now they threatened the lives of him and his family. He knew Silas and Ryker weren't the kindest but he'd never thought they'd stoop this low. Behind them came Tristian, Hollie, Georgia, and two younger students--a boy and a girl--Albus didn't recognize. Lastly, Margot stepped out, her head hung as she followed, keeping a sizable distance between her and the others.

The flanked Lacero on either side, outnumbering those on Harry's side. Their wands extended out in front of them, eyes steely with confidence like Albus had never seen. They were ready to fight beside Lacero, defending their cause at any cost. They looked far too prepared, like an army approaching battle. Albus shuttered, thinking of how much training and brainwashing they'd received under everyone's noses. Lacero's poisonous roots extended much further than the Daily Prophet and had infected impressionable Hogwarts students.

"You wouldn't hurt children, would you Minister?" Lacero pouted mockingly, the sickly sweet tone resurfacing in her voice.

Harry began to lower his wand ever so slightly, his eyes glancing downwards as if he was rethinking his decision. Ron face twisted in confusion, fingers drumming on the wood of his wand nervously. Even Hermione seemed slightly put off.

Albus quickly realised what was going on. Digging into the pocket of his robes as best he could with bound hands, he pulled out the remaining vials of anti-enchant.

"Dad!" With an underhand swing, he pitched a vial to his father.

Harry caught the vial, staring at it curiously. Albus proceeded to throw a vial to Hermione and Ron, then handed his mother one of her own. He pocketed the last vial for Mr Malfoy once he got close enough to pass it to him.

"Lacero's a Veela. Drink it or she'll--" Albus instructed as quickly as he could before she got a chance to protest.

"No!" Lacero's voice cut through the air sharply.

Ginny, Hermione, and Ron managed to down their potions in time with little hesitation, but Harry froze. The vial rested on his lower lip in hesitated, caught in Lacero's spell.

"Harry, the potion! Do it now!" Ginny ordered.

"No Harry!" Lacero spoke hypnotically, feigning emotions, "It's a trap. Your son is working with us. It's poison, he's poisoned you all!"

Harry's face fell, lowering the vial, "Is that true, Al?"

All eyes turned against Albus. The potion had yet to kick in for those who drank, giving Lacero the upper hand. Albus cowered back, the looks from his family like a vision from his worst nightmare. Hurt, wrath, betrayal, concern. Every vicious emotion mixed together, staring Albus down. He wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear. He shut his eyes to block out the images of disappointment that bore like daggers into his skin.

But he couldn't give up that easily.

'It's not real,' He had to remind himself. 'They're enchanted. They don't know any better.' In a few moments, as the potion seeped into their system, they'd return to their senses. Albus needed to focus. He needed to get his father to drink the potion.

He shook his head, tears welling in his eyes, "No! Dad, she's lying. Please, drink it and you'll see! Trust me. Please! Trust your son."

Harry glanced from Albus to the vial, to Lacero, and back to his son in a dizzying circle. Albus felt powerless. How could he get him to trust his word over the influence of a Veela? It was an impossible task.

"Don't listen to him, Harry! He never truly loved you as a father. He only wants you dead."

"No!" Albus let out a guttural scream, unable to endure Lacero's lies. Unlike any other enemy, there was nothing that could take down words. He couldn't access his wand to silence her. He could even punch the vibrations in the air away. There was only his word against Lacero's.

Harry blinked, confusion crossing his face, "Albus?" He examined his son, expression falling into disbelief as he turned back to Lacero, "No..." He spoke slowly before gaining more confidence. "No. I don't believe you. My son would never."

In one fell swoop, Harry threw back the vial, swallowing its contents. Albus leapt, letting out a cheer, unable to contain his joy in the victory. The potion would need a few minutes to take effect but then Lacero's powers would be useless.

Lacero let out a frustrated growl, "Fine!" She rolled up the sleeves of her cloak, "We'll do this the hard way. We've still got you outnumbered. You'll be no match."

She was right. The people on her side may be students but they still had an advantage. It would be difficult to fend them all off at once. Especially if Albus and Scorpius were still unable to use their wands.

"Mum," He turned to her, extending his arms to show her the glowing cuffs, "Can you get these things off of me?"

Her eyes widened, not hesitating as she tapped her wand on his wrists, "Emancipare!"

His binds faded away, freeing his arms again. He twisted his wrists around a few times, trying to regain proper feeling before he grabbed his wand. With his magical abilities, he wasn't sure how much help he would be but he was ready to give the fight all he had.

Firstly, he needed to get to the Malfoys. He set his sights on Scorpius, still wrapped in his father's arm for protection. Before anyone could stop him, Albus darted out from behind the protective wall of his family and into the open grass.

"Locomotor mortis!" Georgia's shrill voice shouted out.

Without pausing to look at the direction of the spell, Albus ducked into a roll. The stream of light soared over his head. The first shot had been fired. The battle had begun.

The back garden filled with a chorus of spellcasting from either side. Sparks of all colours and vibrancies painted the sky in dazzling lights. People scattered across the garden, the orderly sides now mixing into a jumbled flurry of movement.

Narrowly avoiding a mouthful of dirt, Albus stumbled back to his feet. He ran at a crouched level until he reached Scorpius, sat on the ground. Draco had stepped out in front of him, shielding his son from the spells flying in their direction. He countered everything Magnolia fired at him, now on her feet with only a slight limp as she advanced closer.

"Albus," Scorpius voice flushed with a strange mix of worry and relief, "What have we done?"

Albus wished he had a clear answer, "Doesn't matter now. We have to get you out of these." Delicately, he lifted his boyfriend's cuffed hands. Bracing himself for the likelihood of failure, Albus mimicked his mother's spell, "Emancipare!"

Much to his surprise, the cuff's around Scorpius's wrists faded away. Scorpius' face lit up as he instinctively flung his arms around Albus's neck, pulling him into a kiss. For a moment, the chaos of the battle faded away and Albus felt safe in his boyfriend's arms. But he couldn't let the peace last too long, forcing himself to pull away.

"As much as I'd love to stay here with you, there is, in fact, a battle going on right now." Albus managed a small grin, his forehead pressed against Scorpius. It felt so good to have him in his arms again.

Scorpius emitted an awkward squeak of a chuckle, "Right, right, of course."

Albus took his hands, helping him to his feet, "Will you be alright to continue?" Albus asked carefully, not wanting to bring up the torture specifically. He knew it took much longer to recover mentally from such a spell than it did physically.

Scorpius swallowed heavily, brushing himself off, "I think so. But, Albus?" He teetered on his feet slightly. Albus tilted his head, his brow furrowing in concern. "I just wanted to--I needed to tell you that...that I love you too." He started to speak at a rapid pace, "And I'm sorry I didn't say that back earlier but all things considered I was in quite a bit of shock and you know how long I take to process things sometimes and, of course, I know we've only been together--as in, together-together--for a few days but..." He slowed down to catch his breath, "But I do love you. I know that for sure. I have for a while."

Albus felt a warmth spreading across his chest at the same rate as the smile on his face. He wasn't sure if the pounding in his chest was due to adrenaline or the sound of his boyfriend's words--both, was probably the more likely answer.

"I love you," Scorpius repeated with a firmness that showed he meant it, "And I had to tell you that in case I never get the chance to again." His eyes darted out to the makeshift battlefield in front of them.

"Don't say that!" Albus shook his head, "I mean, do say that but not like--I mean don't say that this is the last time. I love you too and I intend to keep saying that to you, so you've got to stay safe."

Scorpius nodded, "You too. And this is some mess we've caused but we've got to set things right. But, hey, if I had to choose a companion to be at the return of eternal darkness with, I'd choose you."

Albus engulfed Scorpius into one last embrace before they parted ways. Before he stepped away, he dug into his pocket to pull out a potion vial.

He placed the vial securely in Scorpius' hands, "Give this to your dad." He instructed. "And don't get hurt. Please."

With a salute, Scorpius said, "I'll try my best."

With that, Albus forced himself to turn. He had to trust that Scorpius had his wits about him. Of course, he knew he did. Scorpius was never anything but wits. Today alone, he'd demonstrated strength and courage Albus could only dream of. If anyone was at risk of being hurt, it was Albus over Scorpius.

Naturally, with his Potter genes guiding the way, Albus ignored the risk. He charged into the battle right away. With a swift look around, he got his bearings. Hermione led the charge, facing off against Lacero herself. Both women fought silently but somehow managed to know exactly the right moves to make and countercurses to use. Their fight became somewhat of a dance, moving effortlessly with graceful motions.

Ginny and Harry were not too far behind, fighting against Ryker, Silas, and Tristian. Most of the spells his parents cast seemed to be defensive, not wanting to harm the kids if possible. Silas and Ryker's spells ricochetted off of magical barriers, much to Silas' frustration.

"Fight back you cowards!" He yelled, launching another spell in Harry's direction that fizzled out against an invisible wall.

Glancing back, Albus noticed that Scorpius was now beside his father, fending off Magnolia. Georgia had taken her spot beside her best friend, advancing in on Scorpius. Each duo worked seamlessly as a pair, having each other's backs.

In the middle of the garden, Ron took on the younger boy and girl as well as Hollie. The younger students showed signs of struggle, not too accustomed to fighting. Hollie shouted orders at them all whilst directing spells at Ron, herself.

After his initial scan, Albus realised something was off. He took a tally of the numbers again and noticed someone was missing amongst the ranks. Margot was nowhere to be seen in the battle. Albus started to look for her but determined it would be no use. Without eyes on her, he'd only be wasting time when he could be helping his family.

With hardly enough time to calculate his next move, Albus jumped in beside his Uncle Ron, "Expelliarmus!"

The younger girl's wand slipped out of her grip, soaring back and landing straight up in the dirt. She let out a shriek, ducking and covering her head as she ran to retrieve it.

"Nice one, mate!" Ron gave him a pat on the back as he simultaneously blocked Hollie's spell.

Albus stuck to the simpler spells--ones he knew he had a better grasp on. In the heat of the battle, the adrenaline coursing through him, he found himself more successful at spellwork than he'd ever been at school.

'Where was all this potential when I almost failed my Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.' Albus wondered to himself.

Of course, Albus shouldn't have let himself feel too proud so soon as the younger boy shot a spell straight for him.

"Prote--" Albus didn't manage to get the word out in time before the wind got knocked out of him. He stumbled back, clutching his abdomen, which felt like it had been punched with the force of the Knight Bus at full speed.

"Al, you okay?" Ron glanced back for a fraction of a second, only to be knocked off his feet by Hollie.

Thrown through the air, Ron came crashing down into Ginny. They toppled over, leaving Harry undefended on one side.

"Yes!" Silas cheered as his spell struck him. Harry managed to remain on his feet, double-over slightly but still fighting.

Emitting a groan, Albus pushed himself back to his feet. He raised his wand to block any more spells that came his way but suddenly became aware of the eery quiet that had settled in the garden. Stepping around in a circle to get a good look around, Albus realized why the fighting had stopped.

Lacero tittered with childlike glee at the sight of Hermione in wrapped in constructive bounds of magic. The other had enclosed Albus and everyone in a ring, leaving them vulnerable on all sides, huddled together in the centre.

Standing proudly across from her mother, Magnolia spoke up, "Would you look at that? We have you surrounded. How convenient." Her lips curled in a carbon copy of her mother's sly grin.

"What do you want Lacero?" Harry's voice boomed. Albus had never seen his dad look so darkly at someone, hair askew and falling into his eyes with sweat glistening his skin. He heaved heavy breaths but gripped his wand tightly, not ready to give up. "Do you want me dead? Is that it?"

Lacero flicked her wand, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Harry's body was hoisted into the air, guided by Lacero's wand. She giggled in amusement, bouncing him around like a marionette before answering his question.

"Quite frankly, I haven't decided just what I want to do with you lot. None of this has gone according to plan but yet, somehow it's worked out so...perfectly! Not only do I have you, Harry, but I'm in the presence of the Minister for Magic, herself!" She waggled her fingers in Hermione's direction.

"We won't let you get away with--with whatever it is you intend to do with us," Hermione spoke through gritted teeth, squirming against her binds.

Ron moved to free his wife but wasn't fast enough. Tristian disarmed him before he could get the chance. Ron raised his hands, defenceless.

"Where should I start?" Lacero wondered aloud, twirling her hair with her free hand. "Perhaps with a public proclamation denouncing Harry's actions in the Battle of Hogwarts? Or, even better, a nice stay in Askaban for the murders of innocent lives."

"Oi! You're the murderer here, not Harry!" Ron shouted.

"Oh shut it, Weasle-bee!" Silas rolled his eyes, "Silencio!"

Ron's lips sealed shut. He raised his fist, making raging and ranting motions but emitting no sounds.

"After that," Lacero continued on, not addressing the disturbance. "I ought to have you step down from your role as Minister in aid to conspiracy. Of course, I can't outright nominate myself for the job. That would be far too suspicious. But perhaps with the backing--and funds--of the Malfoy family, I'd have a little more...ahem...influence, shall we say?"

"Your plan is absolutely ridiculous, Lacero," Ginny piped up, fuming at the allegations against her husband. "No one is going to believe Harry was the cause for any deaths. He has only ever fought for what is right, unlike you and your ludicrous scheme. Look," She made a wide motion, "You've dragged kids into harm's way for this plot of yours."

Albus stepped up beside his mother, "You're putting kids at risk. Children the same age as Marina was. If one of them was hurt--or killed--because you forced them into this fight, who's fault would that be?"

"I never wanted people to die for me," Harry spoke, still dangling in the air. "I never asked anyone to fight. If you believe I never think of all the people who fought and died on my behalf, you're mental. Not a day goes by when I don't wish things had been different."

There was a moment of silence. No one on either side stirred. All eyes landed on Lacero, who appeared deep in thought.

The clearing of a throat broke the silence, calling the attention to Draco, "A word, if I may?"

The question felt rhetorical but no one protested regardless.

Draco continued, his chin raised with poise despite the situation, "The war disgraced my family. All respect was lost for the Malfoy name. My son still deals with the consequences even though he had no involvement. There is nothing but shame cast upon my family. But do I blame Harry for my plight?" His voice remained calm and collected. "As much as I've wished I could, just to have a scapegoat--anything to ease the pain and humiliation I felt--I never could. Because I know now that Harry was never at fault for any of this. He was merely a pawn in Voldemort's game--a game he'd come to lose. If it wasn't Harry, it would have been someone else who brought Voldemort's reign to its end. And if my family came crumbling down with him, then that is the punishment we receive for our actions. I don't know what happened to this--what was it? Mariana?"

"Marina" Scorpius corrected.

"--Marina. But there comes a time when you have to move on because there's no use arguing with the past. There's only accepting what has become and making a better future from it. For me. For..." He choked up on his words slightly, "...For my wife. And especially, for my son." He stepped forward to place his hands proudly on Scorpius' shoulders.

For the first time that evening, Lacero was silenced. Albus followed her gaze as her eyes drifted. She stopped on the stone marking of Marina Lacero's grave. After a lengthy pause, she locked eyes with Harry again, her determination returning.

"This is me making a better future for myself. And in order to do that, I need to take you down, Harry Potter." Her eyes darkened, as she hoisted Harry further into the air.

A loud crack rang out across the garden.

"Oi! What d'you think you're doing with my dad?"

In a flurry of movement, a figure jumped out from nowhere, tackling Lacero to the ground. She screamed as she fell, her wand slipping out of her fingers and rolling across the grass. Harry came toppling down, no longer supported by Lacero's spell. Albus hardly had time to register what happened before the figure stood up, wiping the dirt off the knees of his trousers.

James looked out across the circle of people with an eyebrow raised, "Bloody hell...What did we miss?"

"James!" Ginny's maternal instinct kicked in, crossing her arms with a stern glare, "We told you to stay put!"

Another person stepped out beside James, "Yeah, well you took too long."

Albus couldn't believe his eyes, "Lily?"

Her eyes flickered to him, giving her brother a satisfied grin to rub in her victory before facing her mother again, "We got worried. Reckoned you could use some backup."

Everyone turned to see the small group that stepped up behind them, wands at the ready. Albus's lips spread into a smile as he saw the faces of all his friends staring back at him, completely unfrozen and ready to fight. Scorpius let out a howl of a cheer before clamping his hand over his mouth in embarrassment. Ginny's expression softened. Even Draco managed a closed-lipped grin. They weren't outnumbered anymore.

Lacero scrambled to her feet, a flicker of concern crossing her face for the first time that night. Ignoring the dirt stains on her white cloak, her eyes traced over the gaggle of new arrivals, darkening as the came to a halt over a figure Albus didn't recognize.

"How dare you show your face here!" Lacero growled at the man, who stepped up in front of the students to cover them, his wand directed at Lacero. "Wand!" Lacero ordered sharply, pointing to wear her wand had landed.

Ryker scurried to retrieve it for her, placing it delicately in her hand. Albus' fist tightened over his own wand. She called the army of brainwashed students her family but they were merely her servants. Just pieces in her game. She didn't care about them or their wellbeing. All she cared about was their obedience and winning. This was not a family; It was a cult. For the first time, Albus actually felt some pity for the student caught up in her cause. How much of their involvement was due to her hypnotic enchantments? How much of them actually believed they were fighting for what was right?

"Lorelei," The man spoke surprisingly gently, stepping closer to her. "You've got to call this fight off and let them go. This isn't the way to fix things. This is not what Marina would have wanted."

Albus examined the man, trying to identify him. He looked similar in age to Lacero, with a few more grey hairs scattered throughout his golden-brown curls. The deep lines in his cheeks suggested he'd lived a relatively happy life, wrinkled from years of laughter and smiles. With his Muggle overcoat and mustard yellow sweater, Albus might have assumed he was a muggle if it weren't for the intricately carved wooden wand in his left hand.

But what really stood out about the man was his eyes. Deep cerulean blue that glimmered even in the dim light of the stars. The same eyes that connected Magnolia to her sister, Ophelia. Suddenly, everything clicked together for Albus.

"Keep my sister's name out of your filthy Muggle-loving mouth," Lacero hissed, not lowering her wand. "You know damn well you could have prevented all this, Solomon. You're as much to blame as Harry Potter." Her wand holding hand quivered at each step he took towards her.

Albus' eyes wandered to his friends, who watched the confrontation carefully. Ophelia looked solemn, keeping her eyes locked on every movement. Matthias stood by her size, placing a protective hand on her shoulder--whether it was to provide her comfort or hold her back, Albus couldn't be sure. On her other side, Rose slipped her hand in hers, intertwining their fingers with a squeeze. If there was anything Albus learned in the past few days, it was the importance of having good friends by your side. Tonight had proved that multiple times. Having friends that had his back made him feel ten times stronger, braver, and better than he'd ever felt alone.

Solomon Richelieu sighed but didn't back down, "No amount of apologising will erase what I did but no amount of pain or death will fix anything either. Marina died fighting for a cause she believed in. She died a hero. Nothing you do now will bring her back."

With a furious scream, Lacero lost it, "Furnunculus!"

The spell blasted out of the tip of her wand but was swiftly blocked by Solomon. The spell rebounded off to the side, hitting Tristain in the shoulder. He let out a groan in pain as he fell backwards. His cries grew more panicked as he reached to his face, feeling large boils swell up all over his skin. Hollie flew to his side to help.

"Oi!" Silas charged at Solomon, who was in the midst of blocking another spell from Lacero. Lily jumped in front of him, shooting a stream of light that sent Silas flying. Albus' friends jumped into action, sparks whizzing through the air in swarms from either side.

Whilst the students were distracted, Ron seized the opportunity to retrieve his wand. Harry brushed off his bruised backside, wincing as he stumbled to Hermione's side. With a flick of his wand, the ropes that restrained flew open before disintegrating into thin air. He helped her to her feet then wasted no more time to rejoin the battle. Albus overheard Ron murmur, 'just like old times', with a growing grin as he ran in to join them by their side.

From the corner of his eye, Albus saw the flutter of black robes as Draco ran forth into the fight. Not far behind, Scorpius followed, pausing as he passed Albus.

"Are you coming?" He held out his hand which Albus accepted. They held hands as they charged into battle, unsure of how this mess would end or even if they'd make it out alive. But with Scorpius by his side, Albus wasn't so afraid.

As the reached the crowd, Albus let his fingers slip from Scorpius' as they parted ways. Even the brief touch was enough to fuel the fire in his stomach. Albus wasn't just fighting for his own sake anymore. He wasn't fighting to prove himself or even for any glory; he was fighting for those he loved. Aunt, uncle, parents, siblings, friends--boyfriend. They were what cause the flames to roar up into his chest, sparking up adrenaline with every movement. His mind had never felt so clear, so set on the cause.

"Holding hands, are we now?" Silas sneered as he directed a spell Albus' way, "Guess I was right about you all along. You two have reached a new level of loser!"

The spell missed Albus as he jumped out of the way. Scorpius fired back but Silas countered it. By Silas' side, Ryker sent a stream of sparks towards Albus', just barely grazing the skin of his left arm. Albus winced but didn't have time to examine the wound. After everything these two had done, Albus was determined to take them down.

It felt like the climax for a battle that had been raging on since they first started at Hogwarts. Years of bullying, name-calling, and torment had all led up to this moment. Never would a fight like this have been allowed on Hogwarts grounds but the school was far away now. There was nothing to limit their magic now, no professors to hold them back or rules to abide by. The tension that had been building up for years was now going to be resolved once and for all.

Spellwork had never felt this natural to Albus before. His mind was empty, void of thoughts or noise, but each of his senses felt heightened. His eyes saw in slow motion, his ears tracked every nearby sound, and the hairs on his arms stood on end. Inside, he felt nothing except the tingling of magic coursing through his body at the same speed as his rushing blood.

Every spare moment he got, Albus would sneak a sideways glance in Scorpius' direction to check that he was okay. He blocked every spell sent his way, even hitting Silas and Ryker with a few good ones himself but Albus could tell something was off with him. His grey eyes seemed hazy, movements more sluggish than usual. He flinched at every bright flash of colourful light that dotted the night sky. Albus wished he could read his thoughts. He worried the cruciatus curse affected Scorpius more than he could see...

"Expelliarmus!" Scorpius' spell whizzed over Silas' shoulder.

"Nice shot, Malfoy," Silas jeered, whipping his own wand back in his direction, "Confringo!"

The firey blast shot straight towards Scorpius. He raised his wand for a counterspell but he wasn't quick enough.

Without thinking, Albus leapt into the line of fire. He tackled his boyfriend to the ground but wasn't nearly fast enough as Silas' spell seared across his bicep, like the slice of a burning knife. With a howl of pain, Albus rolled off of Scorpius and onto his back, gripping the charred skin of his arm.

"Albus!" Scorpius cried, scrambling to see if he was okay.

Albus wanted to yell that he was fine--tell Scorpius to pay attention to the fight, not him--but he couldn't manage to form the words through his gritted teeth. Only a strained moan escaped his lips as he writhed in agony, wishing for anything that could relieve the pain. With Scorpius distracted, Silas and Ryker could easily overtake them and they would be finished.

"Cruci--" Silas' curse was cut off by his scream and a heavy thud.

Albus managed to lift an eyelid to see a tall figure shielding him. Silas lay sprawled on the ground across from them.

"Take care of Albus," Matthias spoke to Scorpius over his shoulder before turning back to Silas and Ryker, "I'll cover you." Matthias marched forward, turning his wand on his old friends.

As Scorpius went to work on Albus' arm with healing spells, Albus kept his eye on the drama unfolding before him.

"You know, I really thought we were friends," Matthias spoke gruffly as he slung a spell in their direction which Silas' immediately blocked.

"Should have mentioned you were a mudblood from the start," Silas shot back, "Would have saved us all the trouble."

"Aye, s'pose so," Matthias responded with the cock of his head, "But how does it make you feel to know you're about to get your arse beat by this mudblood?"

With a powerful blast of light, Silas' body was thrown backwards, his wand sent flying out of his hand.

"I'll be taking that!" Matthias leapt forward, swinging his arm through the air like he was hitting a bludger to snatch Silas' wand. He twirled it through his fingers like a drumstick before shoving it in his robe pocket.

Silas' face went red, the incredulous anger boiling up inside him. He looked at Ryker, who held out his wand but had yet to strike.

"Well do something, you twit!" Silas roared at his friend.

Ryker bit his lip, eyes darting from Matthias to his wand, "I-I don't think I can..." He lowered his wand ever so slightly and looked at Silas nervously, "He's our friend, Silas."

Silas let out a disgusted noise, scrambling to his feet, "Give me that if you're too coward." Silas jerked Ryker's wand from his hand. "Petrificus totalus!"

Instead of the spell launching out towards Matthias, Ryker's wand backfired on Silas. A flash of white light hit him with a shock, his body tensing as he fell to the ground like a brick. From his spot on the ground, Albus sat forward, letting off a victorious whoop then winced as pain shot up his arm.

"Stay down!" Scorpius ordered, "I'm almost done."

Ryker stared open-mouthed at Silas' immobilized body as Matthias approached him. With a short exchange of apologies, Matthias tapped Ryker's wrists, putting him in the same cuff that had entrapped Scorpius and Albus earlier. Ryker didn't seem to argue, sitting in a cross-legged slump next to Silas' body.

"There!" Scorpius sat back on his knees, wiping the sweat from his forehead, "How do you feel?"

Whilst everything unfolded before him, Albus had almost forgotten the burn on his arm. He moved it around a bit, feeling very little resistance. Only a small reddish mark remained where the blast had struck him.

"Scorp, you're amazing! It's like nothing even touched me!"

A smile spread across Scorpius' face, "Thanks. Never had to use those spells before." He stood, offering his hand to help Albus up. "Just go easy on it, will you?"

Albus glanced at the battle, which was very much still raging on, "I'm not sure I can make that promise."

Looking out across the garden, Albus searched for his father. He quickly found him fighting against Lacero beside Hermione and Solomon. They seemed a bit scratched and bruised but remained in one piece. Ginny was not far behind, casting defensive spells whilst monitoring James and Lily's safety as they went up against Hollie, Georgia, and the younger boy. The younger girl, on the other hand, seemed much more worse for wear, lying on the ground in tears. Ron and Rose were at work bandaging her wounds. Although they were on opposing sides, Albus' family would never let any student die by their hands. Even Draco was taking it easy on Tristian, who seemed determined to do quite the opposite. Scorpius's eyes focused on his father, watching him shield himself from every forceful blast.

He got to his feet, pointing in their direction, "I should go help. I don't know how well he's handling all this after..." Scorpius's eyes flickered to the ground with a half-hearted shrug, "You know..."

Albus nodded not needed any more information. Although not nearly on the same scale, this battle mirrored Draco's own struggle when he was their age. Pressured by his family to join a deadly cause, he'd not been on the winning side that time. Albus had never put much thought into what Mr Malfoy had been through. He'd only ever known him as Scorpius' father, reserved but caring. Not once had Mr Malfoy shown any signs of being evil. If Albus didn't know any better, he'd never expect Mr Malfoy to have once been a Deatheater. It wasn't the Draco Malfoy Albus trusted or the Draco Malfoy Scorpius loved. It gave Albus hope that people could change. Perhaps the students Lacero recruited could too if given a second chance. Draco was young once and made a costly decision but that didn't mean he was an evil man. Even as much as Albus despised Silas and Magnolia for what they'd done to him, he'd never wish death upon them. They deserved as much of a second chance as Mr Malfoy did.

"Be safe," Albus called as Scorpius ran off, every inch of him meaning the words he said. Whilst his family wouldn't kill, he wasn't sure what levels Lacero's side would go to if pushed to the edge. The battle would surely be won by now if Albus's family weren't going so easy on the students. But he couldn't blame them. He didn't want anyone seriously injured if he could help it.

There were only two people left unaccounted in the midst of everything. Albus scanned over the battle one more time until his eyes landed on the golden curls he grown so familiar with. Across from her, Albus was far less accustomed to the sight of the shocking blonde hair. As he locked eyes with Magnolia, he knew what he had to do.

"Need a hand?" Albus ran up behind Ophelia, who didn't even flinch.

"Please," Ophelia nodded as her spell bounced off of Magnolia's protective barrier. "She's a feisty one. Didn't know she had it in her. I suspect her mother had something to do with it."

"Peewee Potter, here to save the day?" Magnolia laughed sharply, as she caught sight of Albus. "Stupify!" A jet of red light surged straight at him from Magnolia's wand. But Albus was ready. Without having to even think, Albus instinctively blocked it. Another torrent of light came streaming towards him only for Albus to counter it again.

With every spell he blocked, Ophelia shot another one back at her sister. They worked seamlessly as a team, neither one of them hit with so much as a spark from Magnolia's wand.

As Magnolia struggled to keep up with them, her frustration grew stronger, "Can't even fight your own battles, Potter?" She slashed her wand out at him again only for him to send the spell flying up in the air instead. "Too coward? Or are you just not capable of producing a proper offensive spell?" She spoke through gritted teeth as if she hoped her words would cause as much damage as her missed spells.

Not this time. Albus wasn't about to let Magnolia manipulate him anymore. He knew better now.

As much as he wanted to hex her for everything she'd done to him and his family, Albus wasn't even sure if Magnolia could be truly at fault. Could he blame her for wanted to live up to her mother's ideals and expectations? If that was all she'd known growing up, how much of her actions were her fault over her mother's who raised her? If morals were shaped and created during childhood, had Magnolia been corrupted during her upbringing or did she truly believe in her mother's cause?

The questions writhed around in his brain. Nothing sat right with him about the situation. Albus knew what it was like to grow up under the expectation that he'd be exactly like his parents. He'd struggled under his father's legacy for years. Desperate to carve a name for himself, he'd made utterly terrible mistakes that led him here and put his family and friends in danger. Perhaps Magnolia had been forced into a similar situation.

Of course, that didn't stop the feeling of satisfaction that tingled in Albus' chest when he saw her hit the ground. When she didn't move, the satisfaction turned to a flicker of worry.

"I...it was just a stunning spell!" Ophelia said, startled by even her own magic. She couldn't seem to pull her eyes off her sister's limp body, a look of guilt creeping across her face.

"Powerful one, at that," Albus noted, afraid to approach her, knowing she could stir at any moment.

But Magnolia was motionless and as things seemed to calm down around the garden, people started to take notice.

"Magnolia?" Georgia's concerned voice called out, temporarily distracted from her fight. The spell James has cast hit her dead on, her wand flying out of her hand, landing crooked in the dirt a few metres back. She started to move for it but Ginny's scolding voice stopped her.

"Don't move!" Ginny kept her wand aimed at Georgia as she slowly worked her way around her to retrieve the wand herself. With a huff, Georgia put her hands up in surrender, falling to her knees. Knowing defeat was imminent, Hollie followed suit under Lily's watchful eye. The younger boy gave one final attempted before James hit him with a jelly-legs jinx and he plunged to the ground. Even Tristian had been taken down by the Malfoy's, now nursing a wounded knee.

Only Lacero was left standing, surrounded by some of the most powerful witches and wizards alive. Albus didn't want to celebrate too early but he couldn't hold back the smirk spreading across his face.

"My daughter!" Lacero let out a wail, catching sight of Magnolia's fallen frame, "What have you done to my daughter?" She rushed out towards her but Ron and Harry blocked her way.

Hermione gave Magnolia a quick once-over to be sure she was alright, "Relax. She's breathing steadily. She can be easily revived. We won't let anything happen to her."

"I've had enough of these games!" Lacero let out a shrill exclamation, thrusting her body forwards. Harry thrust out his wand to counter her attack but she disappeared from sight with a crack.

The second after her disappearance dragged with the silent tension that lingered in the air. Everyone froze with building anticipation. No one knew what came next.

The second crack sounded louder this time. Closer. Albus hardly got the chance to turn his head before he felt something wrap around his stomach. An arm--Lacero's arm--pulled him back, digging deep just below his rib cage. The sudden constriction around his diaphragm knocked the wind from his chest, limiting his scream.

"I never wanted it to come to this but this is my last resort," Lacero hissed.

The sound of her voice called everyone's attention to Albus' direction. He tried to squirm out of her grasp she had the upper hand, gripping him tightly. No matter how much he writhed about, he couldn't shake her grasp.

"Let him go!" Ginny called out with alarm. She and Harry launched forward, practically stumbling over each other in their fever.

Something sharply jabbed into his temple. Albus' parents froze with paled faced. Albus knew what it meant before he even got the chance to see for himself. From the corner of his eye, Albus could just make out Lacero's white wood wand. Albus took in a sharp inhale. As much as he wanted to thrash about, he forced himself to a stop. One wrong move. All it took was one wrong move. Fighting back was futile when she could take his life with the brief uttering of an incantation.

With Albus' body as a shield, neither of his parents' spells could touch her without hurting him. And even if they tried...Albus had a feeling that wouldn't end well for him either.

"Albus!" Scorpius emitted something between a squeal and a whimper. He started to make a break for him but Draco held him back. With clenched fists, Scorpius' face twisted, fighting back tears of anger and helplessness.

"If you even try anything, the boy will die," Lacero spoke in a crazed frenzy, spit launching from her mouth like a rabid dog foaming from the mouth, "You hurt my daughter, I hurt your son. I've played nice, but I am through! Meet my demands or your son dies. Then you'll truly realise that these deaths are on your hands. You could prevent this just like the rest of those you let die in for your name."

"No," Harry hardly spoke above a raspy whisper, "You wouldn't..."

Seeing the fear in his eyes, Lacero cackled, "Watch me. My sister died because of you. And now my daughter is hurt. If killing the great Harry Potter's son is what it comes down to, I'd do it with a smile knowing the pain it will cause you. You don't know what lengths I will go for my family."

Harry took a bold step forward, his expression hardened, "And you don't know what I'd do for mine."

"Dad!" Albus let out a strangled cry. "Please, it's not worth it!" The last thing Albus wanted was for his father to get hurt. If he behaved rashly, everything could come crumbling down on top of them. Something needed to be done but it had to be thought through first.

If Harry gave into Lacero's wishes, his family would be disgraced. Harry would lose everything. Hermione would have to surrender her job to Lacero. With Lacero in charge, the whole Wizarding World was in danger. Albus' life wasn't worth the bringing of eternal darkness.

He stared out across the back garden, examining the fearful faces staring back at him. James clutched Lily close. Ron squeezed Rose's hand. Ophelia cuddled into her father. And Scorpius...Albus forced himself to look into his boyfriend's tearful eyes despite the growing lump in his throat. It could be the last time he saw the glitter of his boyfriend's silver eyes. Albus wanted those eyes to be the last thing he saw before life left his own.

With his closest friends and family around him, Albus accepted death looming on the horizon. All he'd wanted for so many years was recognition but he'd never realised just what that meant. He'd thought it would be through glory or praise. But it wasn't the attention that he craved; It was the love. He wanted to feel seen as something more than a failure of a wizard. He wanted to make friends who enjoyed spending time with him. He wanted to feel as if he had a place in his family. Years he'd spent lonely, feeling sorry for himself. But he'd had what he was searching for all along. It took the threat of death to realise, perhaps, he'd been looking at the world the wrong way. He was cared for. He was appreciated. And, above it all, he was loved. Truly loved. At least he could go knowing he was surrounded by those that loved him--and those he loved in return.

With a deep breath, Albus let his eyes shut--possibly for the last time. For once, he decided to accept fate without lashing out against it.

The shout of a spell. A flash of light. The feeling of Lacero's grasp was ripped away from him.

But Albus still felt the ground beneath his feet. He still heard the thunder of his heart and felt the winter breeze against his icy cheeks. If this was death, it certainly wasn't what he expected. Slowly, he pried his eyelids open to see the world very much alive around him. He examined his hands to make sure he was still there and not some ghastly illusion. But everything felt fine. Eerily fine.

Turning to see how he was freed, he saw Lacero knocked aside in the grass with no spellcaster in sight. Albus' eyes caught sight of a rustle in the bushes. Squinting, he spotted a stick protruding out of the shrubbery, aimed right in his direction. Slowly, the greenery parted, revealing a trembling Margot. She stepped out from her hiding spot, with dirtied knees and stray leaves caught in the twists of her plaits. Both hands wrapped around her wand which she kept pointed at Lacero.

Seizing the opportunity, Harry rushed forward, wrapping his arms around his son. Once again, the air was temporarily dislodged from Albus' lungs. This time, he didn't mind, melting into his father's embrace. In the warmth of his father's arms, Albus knew he was alive and protected--at least for the time being.

With pursed lips and eyes narrowed like a cat about to pounce, Lacero gathered her dignity as she got to her feet, "Margot, dear, how disappointing," She tutted, shaking her head disapprovingly, "After all I've done for you. I've only ever wanted to help you reclaim your uncle Colin's legacy."

Margot chewed on her lip but didn't falter, "I joined you because I thought you'd help me. I thought you'd make things better for my family--for my dad. But this isn't what he'd want. My dad never harboured anger towards Harry Potter. Ruining his life wouldn't fix the fact that my uncle died." She took slow steps towards Lacero, gaining confidence. "I was blinded by your charm but I can see through that now. You're nothing but a madwoman and I won't let you get away with it anymore. No one else deserves to die because of this--because of us."

Lacero sighed, "So naive, child. You don't realise what you're losing. Turning against me will be your downfall." She raised her wand slowly as if purposefully giving her time to change her mind.

But Margot had made up her mind, "I didn't want to lead them here in the first place. I could have prevented this but I was too scared. But I'm going to fix it. I'm not afraid anymore!" She slashed her wand through the air, "Expelliarmus!"

Seeing Lacero counter Margot's spell, Scorpius broke away from his father to shoot a spell at Lacero's side.

Albus met eyes with Scorpius for only a second when something passed between them. He knew what he had to do. Wordlessly, Albus wormed his way out of his father's arms to send another spell hurtling Lacero's way.

"Albus! What are you--?" His father started before he caught on to the plan. He stepped up beside his son, shouting in Lacero's direction, "Flippendo!"

Soon, everyone on Albus' side joined in. Lacero couldn't possibly block all of their spells. She struggled to utter her countercurses in time, unable to prevent the spells coming at her from every direction. Her smirk had long since fallen, her eyes flickering in dizzying circles as she tried to follow where each beam of light was coming from. Knocked to her feet, she tried to keep up. She winced as each cursed and hexed touched her skin. Finally, the frustration seemed to reach a boiling point.

"That's ENOUGH!" She flung her wand arm out in a large arch, "Impedimenta!"

The spell shot out of Lacero's wand like a rolling ocean wave with a power behind it, unlike anything Albus had ever seen. Margot took the full force of the spell, first hit by the barrelling surge of magic. She flew back as if hit by a battering ram, landing flat on her back.

The spell passed over everyone to varying results. Albus and his father were knocked down to their knees as if receiving a hard kick to the shin. Scorpius did a little twirl before dizzily stumbling over his feet. Hemione started to move at a sloths pace, trying to react but unable to move quickly enough. Turquoise light flooded the garden, covering every centimetre of land until everyone but Lacero had been impeded by the spell.

As the bluish haze cleared, Albus lifted his head to see Lacero collapse in a heap. As soon as the effects of the spell wore off of him, he scrambled to his feet, dashing in her direction.

"Incarcerous!" Albus shouted in precaution before he even reached her body. A thick rope emerged from thin air, snaking around her limp figure restricting her from any movement.

Albus slowed to a walk as he reached her. Still breathing but eyelids heavy, she teetered at the edge of consciousness. Her skin drained and pallid, the force of the widespread spell seemed to have exhausted her of her energy, rendering her nothing more than a shell of her once confident self.

Albus felt the presence of people running up behind him. Over his shoulder, he glanced to see his father and aunt examining Lacero.

"I've never seen anything like that!" Harry's brows furrowed, trying to wrap his head around the blast of magic that had managed to spread over them all. Power like that was unheard of. Duelling spells were meant for one target--maybe two if you're lucky--but never over a whole crowd like that.

"It must have been how she managed to obliviate everyone surrounding the murders," Hermione spoke solemnly, voicing her ideas as they came to her, "But it must take a lot out of her."

"Hence why she must need the kids as backup," Harry added on, their brains working in tandem, "She casts the spell and they bring her to safety until she's well again."

The gaps in Albus' investigation suddenly started to be filled as he thought back over the last few months. How the murders had taken place over the summer holiday or weekends when Lacero's students weren't in lessons. How she'd managed to erase the memories of everyone in Hogsmeade but escaped so swiftly. How she'd been able to cover her tracks so effortlessly because she had never been working alone.

"Hey!" A shout distracted Albus from his thoughts, "Help! We need help over here!"

Albus' head shot in the direction to see Scorpius waving his arms frantically. Forgetting about Lacero entirely, Albus ran to his boyfriend.

"She was hit badly. She must have taken the brunt of the spell. I don't know what to do," Scorpius spoke frantically as Albus kneeled beside him.

Margot lay on her back, face twisted in agony. Sweat beaded on her brow as she clutched her abdomen, each rattling breath causing another twinge of pain to shutter across her body.

Draco was already at work. He muttered healing spells under his breath whilst waving his wand over her body in slow repetitive motions. Scorpius joined in, trying the same spells that worked to help Albus' arm. But this felt different. It wasn't a simple burn or cut that could be healed with only a scar to show for it. This spell struck Margot all the way to her core.

With little knowledge on healing spells, Albus didn't want to risk making things worse with poorly produced magic. Instead, he helped elevate Margot's head, trying to ease her worries with soothing words. Albus had never been too good at comforting others but at the moment, that didn't seem to matter. He just wanted to help in some form.

"You're going to be okay," He sounded more strained than he intended, "They're going to help you. You'll be okay." It was hard to sound reassuring when even he wasn't confident in his words.

"Albus," Margot's voice was hushed, tears leaking from her eyes as she looked up at him from where her head was cradled in his hands, "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to bring you here but--" She coughed, pausing as another fit of pain racked her body, "--But Lorelei told me I could be free of all this if I did. I should have realised sooner what she was doing. I could have stopped this."

"No," Albus shook his head, "It wasn't your fault. We won! We ended this because of you. You saved me. More lives would have been if it weren't for what you did."

Margot managed a meagre smile, "This is never what I wanted. I just wanted to help my family. For my uncle's sake."

"I know, I know. We make rash choices if when it comes to those we love. If this night has proved anything to me, its that love blinds us." The words flowed out from deep inside him, no longer needed to put on a comforting act. He knew exactly what he was talking about. "You were only doing what you thought was right."

"Will you--" Margot's voice fell softer, hardly above a wheeze, "--Will you tell my parents I love them? And that I'm sorry."

"You'll be able to tell them that yourself," Albus fought back the tears in his eyes, trying to keep a confident face, "When you're better, you can tell them yourself."

But Margot shook her head, managing an eerily peaceful smile, "No. I need you to. Tell them I'll be with uncle Colin. I'll say hi for them."

"Margot," Albus' voice cracked.

She didn't respond. She slipped him one last meagre grin, her watery eyes glimmering up at him before the light faded. Her head rested lifelessly in his hands.

Scorpius noticed her stillness, continuing to chant his spells in a rampant frenzy. Across from him, Draco sat back, lowering his wand.

"Dad," Scorpius choked on his words, "Dad what are you doing? We can't give up!"

Draco hung his head, unable to look the boys in the eye, "We did everything we could."

"No!" Scorpius protested in disbelief, "No! We can't--she can't die. We can't let her die!"

"Scorpius," Draco's spoke sternly, "Scorpius there's nothing more we can do. I'm sorry."

Albus lowered Margot's head, softly resting it in the grass. He closed her eyelids. With the gentle smile still spread across her lips, she almost looked at if she was deep in tranquil slumber.

Crawling over to Scorpius, he cuddled close to him. His boyfriend collapsed into the crook of his shoulder, shaking with his sobs. Tears escaped Albus' own eyes. He'd suspected he'd been holding them back all night. But, safe in Scorpius' arms, Albus could finally allow his emotional dam to crack.

They'd won but at what cost?

Chapter Text

Albus struggled in Lacero's clutches, writing to try and break free. Her talon-like nails dug into him, her wand pointed unwaveringly at his temple. Her teeth glinted with a vicious smile, stretching wider when she met Harry's eyes. Everything seemed to play on in slow motion as if the Impervious spell never faded away and they were trapped in a slow and painful existence--the world wanted to drag out their suffering.

A flash of green light.

Albus fought no longer.

Lacero let his body crumble to the ground. There was no more light in his eyes. His beautiful green eyes. Harry's mother's beautiful green eyes.

His son. His beautiful son.

A vicious smile crossed her lips--red like blood or the anger that boiled up inside Harry. She'd stolen his life with no remorse for her actions. She wanted Harry to feel pain. Numbing pain that Harry would never recover from. He'd dealt with copious amounts of grief from a far too young of an age but never had a death hurt with such a ferocious pain like this. It ate away at his insides until he was hollow. A shell of a man--empty without his son.

"Did you manage to sleep at all last night?"

Hermione's slow allaying tone snapped him out the imaginary scene that flashed before his eyes. She must have been able to see him slipping into a weary daze. Or perhaps the bags under his eyes and his unshaven face gave it away.

He was at the Ministry, not at the Lacero Estate. The battle was over. He was safe in the cosy firelight of Hermione's office and, most importantly, his son was alive. All three of Harry kids where safe at home with Ginny, only a few cuts and bruises to show from the night before.

Hermione sat on the edge of her desk, fiddling with a muggle trinket Harry recognised from his childhood. Five metallic marbles suspended by a thin wire. A Newton's Cradle. The metal spheres clacked against each other after each swing outwards. A persistent beat that never seemed to stop repeating. Even without Hermione's touch, the spheres continuously swung--as if kept in motion by magic. Sometimes the science of their world mystified him more than magic itself.

Although he supposed she knew the answer to her question already, Harry rubbed his aching head as he responded, "Got in few winks, at best. I don't recall ever feeling so sore after our battles when we were younger. My bloody shoulder kept me up half the night."

He rolled his shoulder back in a circular motion, trying to ease the tension in his joint. He'd been cooped in his office for far too long now and not on the scene in the centre of the action with the Aurors where he used to be. His promotion to Head of Magical Law Enforcement had only enforced in him that he was ageing. He hated to admit he’d gotten a little rusty.

Hermione chuckled softly, her eyes filled with understanding, "We took being young for granted back then.” She leaned back with a far off look in her eyes, “At that age, you think you're the oldest you'll ever be. The wisest you'll ever become. The future can be difficult to picture. You think you're on top of the world until you realise you're at risk of it crumbling beneath you."

‘Is that how Albus felt?’ Harry thought to himself, ‘Had his son inherited that mindset from him?’

He'd spent hours that night trying to understand Albus--although it seemed that many of his hours lately had been occupied by the same thoughts. But this time was different. This time, Albus' life had been on the line. He looked so ready to give it all up for them. Ready to sacrifice himself for the cause. Harry saw a little too much of himself in Albus at that moment than he cared to admit.

Harry shook the thought away, trying to remain present in Hermione's office. Letting his mind wander too far would only be more detrimental in the end.

He heaved a sigh, lifting his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose where a dull pain gathered, "Shouldn't complain, I s'pose. I reckon Albus had it worse."

Albus had fallen to sleep far easier than either Harry or Ginny, drained by the day's events. But he never managed to stay asleep long, waking up in fits of terror, doused in a cold sweat and jumping at every movement until he got his bearings. The scene felt far too familiar to Harry--although it frightened him even more being on the other side of things. How many nights had he startled his roommates with his fits?

He'd spent the night in their room. Harry hadn't thought it wise for him, to return to the school just yet, and Albus hadn't argued--or any of his kids. For their sake--as well as Harry's and Ginny's--they felt better together. A reminder that they were all still there. That they all had each other and they were safe. Albus still had his parents and Harry still had him.

With a few soothing words and gentle reminders that he was okay, Albus could drift away again but Harry feared what might be replaying in the boy's head. Harry's own mind was tormented by flashing images of the evenings--many of which had been concocted by his own deeply ingrained anxieties. Visions of his friends and family laying injured or dead. Lacero's words rung throughout his head all throughout the night as Harry tossed and turned, trying to silence his mind. It was no use, of course. He'd continually been plagued by his doubts.

Did her words hold any truth? What more could he have done to protect those who fought for him? How much of their blood was on his hands? Were there others who resented him for the losses they faced? The questions kept him up all night and now distracted him from his day.

Hermione hummed, knowingly, "It's a lot for a child to go through." She flicked her hand to summon a teacup her way. The steaming kettle followed not far behind, floating daintily to pour a stream of hot water into her cup. She motioned to Harry, offering him some tea but he refused. The kettle lazily floated back to its shelf.

Although Hermione's office was a friendly room that Harry frequented, it provided little comfort now. The Ministry wasn't the place he wanted to be on a day like today. He wanted to be with his family at home. He wanted to relish in the security of knowing all three of his children were out of harm's way. He wanted to help aid their worries and alleviate their trauma. Unfortunately, his job required his presence for the exact events like the night previous.

Harry rubbed his temples, "I've been through worse yet this felt far more severe. When I was Albus' age, I was willing to die for the cause. I was so bold and thought I knew what the world was like. I was used to stirring up a mess wherever I went. But Albus..." he sighed, as guilt weighed down on his chest, threatening to suffocate him, "Albus seems so young. Too young and innocent to be faced with darkness like that." He looked to Hermione his head shaking with disbelief. She’d been beside him all those years and here she was now, just like old time. Yet everything felt so different.

"How did we do it?" He looked to his best friend for guidance although he knew she wouldn't have a clear answer. "We were children. By all odds, we shouldn't be alive right now."

"Fate seems to work in mysterious ways. Some have fortune on their side. Others do not." Hermione stirred her tea slowly, her gaze wandering.

"Like the girl. Dennis' daughter, Margot," Harry's voice fell. He tried his best to shake the image of the dying girl from his mind. Death wasn’t an unfamiliar sight to him but he hardly welcomed the thoughts.

Hermione took in a sharp breath, her teaspoon clinked against the china as her stirring halted. Bowing her head, she resumed stirring, staring deeply into the swirl of her drink.

"The Creevey's haven't had it easy but you know Dennis has never once blamed you for his brother. And he won't for this either. He's far stronger of a person that I will ever be. More forgiving too. Why, if it were my Hugo or Rose I'd..." Hermione stopped herself, shutting her eyes tight as she took a deep breath to keep her composure. "But we can't afford to think like that. I wish things could have gone differently, I really do."

Harry gripped the velvet armrests of his chair as he attempted to fight back the sting of oncoming tears, "That could have been my son. In a matter of seconds, I could have lost my son to that vile woman. I don't think I could have ever forgiven myself for that."

"None of this was our doing, Harry, and you know that. No matter what Lacero said, I know you're a good man. You've only ever fought for what's right."

"But we made mistakes, Hermione--I made mistakes. And now I can't help but feel I've passed that down to my son. Am I not the least bit to blame?" Harry couldn't stay seated any longer. He took to his feet, pacing across the office floor. "His whole life he's had to look up to me. I'm not someone who should be idolised. I'm not someone to live up to. I never wanted to be a hero. I had no choice. I did what I had to do but I wouldn't wish a fate like mine on anyone. Especially not my children."

"Neither would I. But I'm sure Albus has learned his lesson. He's never been one to look for trouble, you know. Like you, I think he just was unfortunate enough to have stumbled upon it."

"The curse of being a Potter," Harry muttered.

It seemed as if everyone the bore his name dealt with a tricky fate. He’d hoped things would have been different for his kids but maybe he’d been too hopeful--too naive. With Harry and Ginny’s genes and a knack for getting themself into sticky situations, it was only a matter of time before their kids wound up in trouble.

Hermione set her tea down, still untouched. She stepped in front of him to stop his anxious pacing. Taking one of his hands, she gave it a squeeze of comfort.

A wave of ease spread over him for a fraction of a second as he was reminded of those days when they were young. Hermione had been his rock on their trek for Horcruxes. Even on his worst days in that ruddy tent, she could calm him down. He was forever grateful to call her one of his best friends. He didn't know what he'd do without her. He most likely wouldn't be alive at all without her.

"Have you spoken to him?" She asked, letting go of his hand.

"Albus?" Harry bit his lip, "I haven't had the time."

Besides a short exchange of 'thank Merlin you're not hurt' and 'let's get you home,' Harry hadn't been able to properly speak to his son. Ginny had taken the kids home but Harry's work hadn’t finished for the night. After processing some initial paperwork on Lacero at the Ministry, he'd returned home in the wee hours of the night to find his wife as curled up with her son in her arms asleep in their bed. But shortly after waking the next morning, he was back to the office. There was too much to be done to stop and chat, despite Harry's need to process the previous night's events.

"Go home, Harry," Hermione's voice turned firm, "That's an order from the minister." She started pushing him towards the fireplace.

"But, my work--"

Hermione brushed her hand through the air, "We have plenty of capable Aurors who can take care of it but your son only has one father. Right now he needs you more than we do. " She placed a jar of Floo powder in his hands, urging him on. "Go talk to him."

Harry didn't need to be convinced. With a burst of powder and a flush of warmth, he was whisked away from Hermione's office. Soon he stumbled out into the comforting surroundings of his own home. But he didn't have time to settle in. He kept moving until he stood outside the closed door of his middle child's room.

It was a far too familiar sight. The dark glossy wood speckled with a few identifying stickers that Harry had come to memorise over the years. A purple cartoon pigmy puff. A Slytherin crest. A golden snitch that had hastily been attempted to be peeled off, leaving a snitch-shaped residue of torn paper. Then in the centre, silvery letters spelt out his name. Each letter slightly askew in a slightly bumpy attempt at a straight line.

For years, Harry had felt blocked out by the door. Albus always kept it shut, dividing himself from the rest of the house. In a way, the door served as a reminder to Harry that he was an outsider in his son's life. Although Harry yearned to say he knew his son better than anyone, he knew it was untrue. There was so much to the boy that Harry could never see--or perhaps, Albus didn't want him to see. If Harry had known his son better, could he have prevented the mess Albus had gotten tried up in? He could have seen his struggle and helped him through it. He could have made things right.

Parenting had never come easy to the boy who'd never had parents of his own. Harry tried his best but wondered if he’d ever be enough. With James and Lily, it came so much easier. He'd never had trouble with them. But Albus was different. When Albus lashed out, Harry was quick to blame himself. Guilt would overcome him as he deemed himself a failure.

With their fights at the start of the school year, Harry thought he'd failed his son for good. There was no fixing the rift he'd created between them. But Harry had learned from his mistakes. He wanted to listen to his son, not just shut him down, because, although Harry still viewed him as his little boy, Albus was growing into a young man. A young man with his own thoughts, values, and dreams. A young man who wanted to be heard by his father, be seen by his father. And Harry was determined to be the father Albus wanted--needed. There was still time to fix their relationship. Harry wouldn't let anything get in between them again. Harry had almost lost him and he wouldn't let that happen again.

Harry knocked on the door. A muffled response allowed him to enter. He stepped in to see Albus curled up in a cocoon of blankets. The dark patched under his eyes matched Harry's. In fact, too much of his son's image reminded Harry of the face he'd seen in the reflection all those years ago. The torment behind the blank expression took an experienced eye to recognise but Harry could see it deep within his son's eyes.

"Oh, you're not mum," Albus stated in a hushed voice.

Harry resisted the urge to crack a joke; Now didn't seem to be the right time, "Did you want me to be?"

Albus managed a small shrug from under his blankets, "It's fine. I just thought you were at the Ministry."

Harry approached slowly, "I was but," he settled himself at the foot of the bed, "it didn't feel right for me to be there right now."

Albus sat up slightly, alarm flickering in his eyes, "But what about--?"

"Lacero?" Albus flinched at the name. "Don't worry. She's in Azkaban. Her magic is powerful--unlike anything I’ve ever seen--but that blast used up all her energy. She could hardly put up a fight when the Aurors collected her."

Albus eased back down onto his pillow, his eyes drifting far off, "She'll only blame you more for what you've done to her. You know that right?"

Harry nodded, "I suppose so. But she won't be able to hurt any more people."

Albus was quiet for a moment, his gaze lost out the window. Finally, he took a deep breath, turning his focus back to Harry.

"And Magnolia?" He asked quietly. "Where's she gone?"

The previous night had been filled with arrangements for the students. Then that morning there'd been even more work to determine how the punishments should be handled. They were kids caught up in a movement--possibly under the enchantments of a Veela. They're cases needed to be treated with care.

"She's with her father, at least until the trials begin." Harry couldn't sugarcoat anything. Albus would want the truth. He deserved the truth. He wasn't a child anymore, not after last night.

"And the rest?"

"Home with their parents. I assume they'll have their own reprimands to dole out." Harry had little control over their situations outside of the Ministry justice system. Merlin knows what Harry would have done if it was his own kid in that situation. "They won't be returning to Hogwarts if that's what you're worried about. At least, not for a while."

Surprisingly, Albus didn't seem reassured by the news, "What do you think will happen to them? After the trials?"

Harry shrugged, wishing he had more answers, "I suppose that depends on what comes out. The hearings will determine how involved they were and what happens next."

Albus frowned, pushing himself into a sitting position, "Dad, will you please make sure nothing bad happens to them? They messed up but Lacero...Lacero has a way of convincing you to think a certain way. I don't know how many of them meant to do what they did and how many of them were like," He chewed on his lip, struggling with his words, "Were like Margot."

Harry lowed his head to face his lap, "I know. Lacero's abilities will be taken into account. Many of them are still underaged. The judge might be more forgiving." Pushing up his glasses to the bridge of his nose, Harry looked across to his son again, "Did Lacero...Did she try anything on you? Try to convince you to do anything?"

Albus fiddled with the edge of his duvet, "No. Well not really. She tried but I was under the effects of the potion so it didn't really work."

He managed a small smile in response, "Stellar potion work, by the way. That's not an easy one to brew successfully."

The corner of Albus' lips twitched, "Thanks. At least there's one thing I know I can do well."

“There’s plenty of things you can do well, Albus.” Harry meant it will his whole heart.

For a moment, there was a flicker of light behind Albus’ tired eyes but his smile soon faltered.

He glanced downwards before meeting his eyes again, "Dad, I ought to tell you in case it comes out at the hearings..."

Harry tilted his head curiously, urging for him to continue. Whatever it was, Harry could handle it. He vowed to himself that he wouldn't get mad, whatever it was. If Albus was ready to confide in him, Harry needed to be willing to listen without lashing out, or it may never happen again.

"When I was there--when it was just me, her and Scorpius--she tried to get me to join her. I think she thought I'd want some revenge on you," His hands fidgeted, his eyes flickering to and away from Harry as he spoke slowly, "I think that's why they targetted me, over James and Lily. They thought I might be able to help them out of...I don't know. Spite or something? But I just want you to know that I wouldn't do that. I'd never do that."

The tension Harry had been holding lifted, "That's..." He tried to think of the right words, "...That's nice to hear. I didn't think you would but," He sighed, "I can't say I would blame you for being cross with me. After what I've done to you. It takes strength to resist something like that."

"I never said I wasn't cross," Albus said with a hint of a tease, "But I would never be upset enough to join a cause that wants to bring you down like that. Despite everything, you're still my father and I still love you. Remarkably, I should add." This time, he managed a small smile, pulling his knees up against his chest.

"That's good because, unfortunately, you're stuck with me."

Silence lingered in the air for a moment but there was no tension between them. For once, the silence felt comfortable. They were welcome in the presence of each other. There was no argument to divide them or disagreement that stole their words. Only a moment for reflection as they tried to find the right words to say.

Even with the newfound ease between them, Harry still proceeded cautiously. He didn’t want to wreck what they’d accomplished nor did he want to make Al feel any worse. But the question ate away at him inside. He didn’t know if he could be kept in anticipation of the answer. He’s mind would only jump to conclusions or try to fill in the blanks with the little information he had. He wanted to hear Al’s side of the story before he assumed anything himself.

“Albus?”

Al tilted his head to look at his father. His green eyes still seemed so full of innocence despite all he’d seen. Or perhaps that’s only what Harry perceived. He wondered if he’d ever be able to see his son as anything but the beautiful baby boy he’d been blessed with almost seventeen years ago.

“Why did you do it?” Harry asked, his voice concerned rather than accusatory. “How did you know what Lacero had been doing? Why didn’t you come to me?” These were just a few of the questions that Harry hadn’t been able to get off his mind.

Albus bowed his head, “How much do you know already?” He asked quietly.

There had been such little time to get his bearing that night. He’d been rushing from place to place, more worried about his son than getting the full picture.

“Lily went to McGonagall after you told her you were going after Lacero,” Harry started to walk him through the events of the night, “Something about me being in danger. She and Minerva flooed to my office where I was very much safe and unaware of anything that was going on. Minerva went back to search the Hogwarts grounds for you but Lily suspected you might have already left. If it wasn’t for your sister, we might never have found you at all.”

“We thought it would be too dangerous for her to come,” Albus explained.

‘It was too dangerous for any of you,’ Harry wanted to say, but he silenced the thought and continued his story.

“Your mother and I alerted Malfoy in case he knew of anything--we assumed that wherever you were, Scorpius wouldn’t be far behind.” Harry noticed a soft smile across his lips at the mention of his best friend. “With Lacero targeting you and Scorpius in the Prophet, it wasn’t unlikely he’d be involved as well. We apparated to her office where we found James, Rose and all your friends. Once we reversed the body bind curses, they filled us in on what they could--all at once, I might add,” Harry chuckled, reminded of the chaos of everyone talking over each other. “You’ve got a real supportive group of mates, there Albus. Not everyone would follow your lead into a situation like that.” Harry knew that better than anyone.

“I do, don’t I,” Albus mused in a hushed voice as if it was only just occurring to him as well.

Harry was aware of his son’s struggles to make friends at Hogwarts. He’d only known of Scorpius until the office that night. It warmed his heart to know so many others had Albus’ back. Harry would be where he was now without his friends and he suspected Albus felt the same.

“That girl with the blonde hair--Ophelia?” Harry recollected, “She brought us to her father’s house. He knew just where Lacero would be. And you know the rest of the story, of course.” He finished, looking for Al to fill in the gaps.

Albus nodded slowly, he eyes focused somewhere far off as if he was replaying everything in his head to find where to start.

“I never meant for any of this to happen, I need you to know that,” Albus sounded defensive at first but Harry could tell there was tentativeness in his voice--as if he wasn’t sure whether to let his walls down or not.

Harry nodded with understanding, “I do.”

“You do?”

“I can’t imagine why you would have wished for any of the events of last night to take place. But I do need to know why they did.”

Albus sighed before admitting, “We were trying to solve the murders. We have been for a while now. Everything led to Lacero and Magnolia so we were determined to stop it."

“Who is ‘we’?” Albus’ admission should have caught Harry by surprise but Harry was past the point of surprise. He just wanted answers, no matter how shocking.

“It started as just me Rose and Scorpius. Then Ophelia joined after the whole incident in Hogsmeade. James, Lily, and Matthias didn’t know anything about it until this week.”

“And Margot?” The girl’s name felt heavy on his tongue.

Albus flinched, “She was the one who told us about the plans. She was Magnolia’s mate. It was meant to be a trap but I don’t think she truly meant to hurt anyone. I think she was forced. Or, rather, coerced by Lacero and Magnolia.” He clenched his blanket in his fist, his voice breaking as he spoke, “She didn’t deserve to die, dad.”

Harry lowered his head, “No one deserves to die. No matter what side they’re on.” He reached out to rub his son’s arm--a small but comforting gesture. “I know exactly what you’re going through. The pain. The guilt. It can eat you alive. But you need to understand that you are not responsible for this.”

Albus sniffled, shutting his eyes to hold back his tears, “I brought them there dad. I started all of this. If--if someone had died, it would have been my fault.”

“No,” He said firmly, “It’s not. Lacero started this. If it weren’t for you and what you did, we might not have caught her so soon. She might have gone on to kill more people--or worse.”

“But Margot was killed. And Scorpius was hurt. And I almost ruined everything for you.”

Harry gave Albus’ arm a squeeze, “I would have gladly lived the rest of my life as a disgraced man than lose you.”

Albus’ eyes drifted towards the window. He didn’t respond, slipping deeper into his thoughts. Harry gave him a moment to reflect before trying to pry anything more out of him.

“What was that about Scorpius?” He asked hesitantly. From what he’d seen before Draco prompt whisked him away, the boy seemed unscathed. Physically, at least. Scorpius had been clearly distraught, as was Albus.

Albus opened and closed his mouth a few times, his breaths quickening. He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head as if he was trying to shake the memories away.

“Albus?” Harry tried to speak soothingly, not wanting to make things worse, “It’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it if you’re not ready.”

Albus opened his eyes but didn’t meet Harry’s gaze, “She tortured him, dad. She tried to make me comply by torturing him.”

The pain in his son’s voice felt like a punch to the stomach.

“You mean she…”

“The cruciatus curse,” Albus finished for him. “I don’t know if I can ever forgive myself for putting him through that.”

No matter how many times he told him otherwise, Harry believed there would always be a part of Al that thought it was all his fault. There was in himself, as well. When Lacero blamed him for all the wrongs done to her, there was a moment when he thought she might be true. How much of the blame for what took place in the War could be placed upon him? How much of last night also stemmed from his own actions?

If he hadn’t yelled at Albus at the start of the term or if he hadn’t visited Hogwarts when he did, could the story be different? Would Margot still be alive? Or would everything have come to the same climax regardless of his part?

He would never be free of the questions that had no answers. All he could do was shove them aside and focus on the present. Right now, Albus’ feelings mattered more than his own.

“Scorpius is strong,” Harry spoke slowly, careful not to say the wrong thing.

His conversations with Albus about Scorpius had hardly ever gone right. When it came to his best friend, Albus always had his defences up and Harry always managed to say the wrong thing.

“Even stronger is the bond you two have,” Harry told him. “Scorpius followed you because he believed in you. No one enters a situation like that without a substantial amount of trust. Ron and Hermione fought with me--got hurt with me--but they remained at my side to this day. I’m sure Scorpius will be the same.”

That seemed to reassure Albus in part, at least. He sat quietly for a lingering moment, chewing at his lower lip in thought. Harry reckoned the next few days would be filled without pensive moments like this. Processing trauma often required a great about of thought.

“I expected you to be angry,” Albus finally spoke.

“Angry?” Harry cocked his head.

“For everything. It just seems that you’ve always got a reason to be mad at me. I thought I really did it this time.”

“It would be rather hypocritical for me to be mad at you for something like this, wouldn’t it?” There was a hint of humour in his voice.

With all that had happened in his school years, it was a miracle this was the only almost-catastrophic event that one of his children happened to get involved in. He more expected it to be James or Lily who wound themselves up into trouble than Albus. Hopefully, this would be the first and last major event on their hands--for the sake of his and Ginny’s sanity.

Albus lifted his eyes to peer over at him, “So you don’t hate me?”

“Albus, I could never hate you.” Harry almost laughed at the thought. “What you did was courageous. Albeit, incredibly dangerous and you better not do anything like that again. But you fought with incredible bravery. Maybe there’s a little more Gryffindor blood in you after all.” He poked his side playfully.

Albus managed a chuckle, “Sorry dad, but I’m one hundred per cent Slytherin.”

Harry smiled gently, “And that’s wonderful. I’m proud of you, Albus. I always have been.”

“Really?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Don’t look so surprised!” Harry chuckled.

“But,” Albus sat up straighter to face him fully, “All I’ve ever done is muck things up. I’m still terrible at school and spells. It seems the only thing I’m good at is making trouble for you.”

Harry couldn’t understand why Albus spoke so poorly of himself. He couldn’t understand Albus’ disappointment in himself. He couldn’t understand why Albus couldn’t see himself the way he did. Albus had always been such a bright boy with so many hopes and dreams. Even when his mood turned sour upon entering his teen years, that impression of his son never left Harry. He may have tried to hide it behind his stoic expressions, dark clothes, and mop of black hair, but Harry always saw the same clever boy deep down inside him.

“Albus, last night you proved yourself to be quite the young wizard,” Harry affirmed. “Yes, you may not excel in a school environment but that doesn’t make you any less of a wizard. I’ve always admired how strong you are emotionally. You lead with your heart and you set your mind on a task with such passion behind it. Last night showed me how powerful you can be when your whole heart is in it. I’ve always thought you were a great wizard but I think it’s time you realise that as well.”

With a flurry of limbs and blankets, Harry was almost tackled as Albus threw his arms around him in a hug. After his initial shock, he clutched his son close to his chest with a comforting squeeze. He wasn’t sure who needed the hug more.

Harry closed his eyes and for a moment, he felt as if Albus was a child again. Comforting embraces had been a staple of Albus’ childhood. He’d been the clingiest of his siblings, always wanting to be picked up or hold hands. In almost every family portrait before the age of eight, Albus was supported by the arms of his mother or father, his head buried in the crook of their shoulder.

When Albus entered Hogwarts, he grew more distant from his family. Harry tried to brush it off as a phase but with every ignored attempt at a start of term hug goodbye, his arms grew more and more heavy at his sides. Since then, their hugs had been few and far between. But with Albus in his arms again, Harry felt young again and the weight of their troubles lifted from his shoulders for a few seconds. He was safe and loved and that was all that mattered right now.

For once, all truly was well.

Chapter Text

The gates of Hogwarts loomed before Albus. It was a familiar sight--one he'd passed through for five years previous. Approaching the gates was never a task that Albus found particularly exciting. The walk was monotonous, at best. Each trek up the beaten path to the castle felt no different than the last. Perhaps he grew a little bit taller each year, but nothing else seemed to change upon each arrival at Hogwarts.

Except for this time. This time felt different. This time felt brand new.

For one, his family was beside him--or, at least, they had been. He'd since fallen behind, lingering before the arched iron gate that had opened shortly after they'd apparated just outside of the school grounds.

Just a few days prior, he'd stood before the gate on the opposite side--enclosed by the bars and brick. Now, the open gates welcomed him. Adrenaline had coursed through his veins as he and his mates had snuck out of the school. Now, he had a similar thundering heart and sweaty palms for an entirely different reason. Last time he'd stood behind these gates, his life was entirely normal--or as normal as it could be for a Potter. Now, he was entering Hogwarts changed: a new version of Albus Potter. For better or for worse...

The beady stone eyes of the hog statues that guarded the entrance Hogwarts stared down at him from atop their pillars. The winged creatures watched every student that passed through, all the way back to the very founding of the school. They'd seen wizards who'd grown up to do great things--some wonderful, others terrible, but great nonetheless.

Compared to them, Albus felt insignificant. He'd always be shadowed by the actions of his father. He'd never reach the same level of recognition as his namesakes. He wouldn't go down in history as one of the Greats.

But yet, for once, Albus was okay with that.

News had spread quickly about the events at the Lacero Estate, no matter how hard Harry and Hermione tried to keep in under wraps. Albus expected that the whole school would know what happened by now. Many of the details were sure to be lost as word travelled so Albus didn't know what to expect upon stepping onto Hogwarts grounds again after his weekend at home. He was sure to be the subject of many a whisper but, for once, perhaps they wouldn't be too bad.

In fact, there was a small tingle of pride that tickled the back of his chest. Buried beneath all the trauma that he'd spent the weekend trying to sort out, something within him caused him to smile. He'd accomplished what he'd set out to do after all--albeit, not in the glorious way he'd expected. But maybe accomplishments such as these weren't meant to be glorious. Sure, the history books like to make it seem that way as Albus had learned as a child seeing his own father on the covers but the more he spoke to his dad, the less he believed the shiny tales. Battles were dirty--full of bloodshed, sweat, and tears. No one emerges unscathed. Even if not physically wounded, there would always be the deepest emotions that would well up, sometimes causing more pain than the former. Albus had only experienced a fraction of what his father had been through at his age, and that was plenty enough.

Albus didn't need to be a hero. He just needed to not be a loser.

And for the first time since he first crossed onto Hogwarts grounds, Albus felt capable of that. He wasn't the same Albus Potter that left Hogwarts that afternoon, set out to prove himself. In a way, he had accomplished his goal but that wasn't what he felt most proud of. He felt most proud of what he'd learned about himself in the process. He felt proud of his strength, his resilience, and--most importantly--the friends that had his back throughout the ordeal. He wasn't returning to Hogwarts as a hero, but he was returning with a new sense of determination. If he could defeat and evil witch and save himself and his family, Hogwarts bullies would certainly be no match for him anymore.

And now, he wouldn't be alone.

"Not trying to run away again, are you?"

Albus tore his eyes away from the winged statues to see James standing ahead of him with his arms crossed, a watchful eye on him. A cheeky smirk soon broke through his stern expression, signalling to Albus that he was only teasing. The rest of his family were already a few steps ahead, growing smaller under the towering image of the castle atop the hill. With a deep breath, Albus straightened out his back as he marched through the gates and began to pick up his pace to meet his brother. They continued the walk, side by side in silence, lingering behind the rest of their family.

For once in his 17 years of life, James didn't seem to be full of cheer. Normally, he'd be bouncing off the walls, brimming with energy at just the idea of returning to Hogwarts. The school was his home, filled with friends, food, and enough opportunities for mischief. James thrived in the walls of Hogwarts--a fact Albus had always been jealous of. He'd spent his entire schooling thus far wondering why the castle never welcomed him the same way it had James, Lily, or their father.

But James didn't seem to be alight with the same enthusiasm he'd had every year previous. Certainly, matters were different this time, as they weren't returning from a typical holiday. But after the weekend in a sombre house with just his family, surely James would be thrilled by the prospect of returning to the castle to be with his friends.

Yet there he was, approaching the school without so much as a word. James kicked at a pebble, his hands shoved in the pockets of his winter cloak for warmth. Despite the quiet, Albus felt comfortable next to his brother. It reminded him that he wasn't alone this time. It had been some time since they'd spent time together without James' banter or Albus' griping.

"You know, this very well may be my last trip up this hill," James finally spoke, watching the pebble he'd been kicking roll away from the path.

It took a moment for James' statement to hit Albus, his head swinging in James' direction with widening eyes, "Are you serious?"

Albus immediately regretted his choice of words as he recognised the twinkle in James' eyes as he tilted his head in Albus' direction, a grin spreading across his lips. He looked as though he was about to repeat his infamous pun but seemed to think better of it, giving his head a light shake.

"Last term of seventh year," James said, taking in a deep breath as his eyes gazed up to the castle the grew larger on the horizon as they approached. "Honestly, never thought the day would come when I'd have to leave this old place."

Albus couldn't relate to that; he'd been picturing his final day since his first year. The day he'd finally be free. Of course, now that he could see the end looming in the distance, just over a year away, perhaps he could start to understand James' feelings. This castle had been their second-home for so much of their adolescence. Whether he liked it or not, many of his core memories were formed on Hogwarts grounds. He also had the school to thank for introducing him to his best friend--his boyfriend--the person he loved most. He never thought he'd admit it, but there was a part of him that was thankful for his time here.

"Are you scared?" Albus felt the words leave his lips before he fully understood them himself.

James thought for a moment before answering, "I suppose a little. Scared of the unknown, more than anything."

Albus had never thought his brother to be scared of anything. James was the embodiment of Gryffindor house--brave, bold, and boisterous. There didn't seem to be anything that could intimidate him. Albus had always been the opposite. He'd wondered how it was possible for James to feel so confident all the time. But perhaps it had only been what James wanted people to think.

If he'd learned anything this year at Hogwarts, it was that people weren't always who they seemed to be. For Magnolia and Lacero, their underlying personalities had come out clearly when they were caught. It was almost comical how their two sides differed from each other. Revealing who they really were was like taking off a mask to show someone entirely different underneath. But that wasn't the case for everyone. Most people were more nuanced, composed of layers that took time and effort to reveal what was underneath.

On the surface, James came across as untouchable--never fearful, never embarrassed, never ashamed to put himself out there. But this weekend at home, Albus saw a new side to him. He'd grown quieter and more pensive as he processed the events of that night at the estate. He never seemed to want to be alone, keeping in close proximity to one of his family members at all times, whether it was sitting in silence on the sofa as Lily read a book, or leaning against the kitchen counter observing their father cook dinner. In the wake of death and danger, James' vulnerability came to light and Albus realised James did have at least one fear: being alone.

Their father was no different. Albus had spent years believing Harry was just the hero he read about his history books. He could never understand what Albus was going through at Hogwarts and that he embarked on his childhood adventures for the fame of it all. Now, Albus realised he had a lot more to learn about his father. And now that he'd been given another chance at life, he intended to make use of it. Getting to know his father better wouldn't solve all of their problems, but it was a start.

Perhaps clearest of all his realisations, Albus saw another side to himself this weekend. One that was brave like James, loyal like Lily, determined like his mum, and even heroic like his father. Albus had lived by his loser label ever since the ridicule started at Hogwarts when he was only eleven. The teasing had affected his own view of himself, believing every word they said against him until he made it his truth. Bound by the expectations set upon him, Albus couldn't break free until he blocked out the noise and finally believed in himself. There was so much more to him than his label as the "loser son of Harry Potter." Knowing that made returning to Hogwarts a whole lot easier--he'd only wished he'd discovered it sooner.

As the doors of Hogwarts came into view, Albus didn't feel the usual pit of dread in his stomach as he had in previous years. What lied behind those doors had been bullies, anxiety attacks, and feeling like he'd never live up to the legacy his father left behind when he'd crossed through these doors for the last time. But what Albus had failed to recognise were the positive opportunities that these doors presented. Hogwarts had been an escape: a place where he could be independent of his family and grow on his own. Returning to school meant returning to Scorpius, the one person Albus could truly be himself around. Perhaps, sometimes the good outweighed the bad.

Behind the doors would be a totally different Hogwarts--at least to Albus. He didn't quite know what that meant. How would people react when they saw him? Would new bullies emerge to fill the gaps left by Silas and Ryker? Or would he finally be left alone? Now that he knew what he was capable of, would that make his lessons any better? Or would everything go back to the way it was as if the whole ordeal with Lacero never happened?

Albus could linger on the hypotheticals all day if he tried. But no matter how much he theorised or how many scenarios he came up with, there would never be anyway to know for sure without moving forward.

As they caught up with the rest of their family waiting for them by the doors, Albus turned his head towards James, "I think we're all a little afraid of the unknown. But that's what makes life exciting, right?"

James eyed Albus up and down, whipping out his wand to point it at him, "Who are you and where's the gloomy little Albus I know?"

Albus gave his brother a shove but cracked a smile, "You're a git."

Soon the smile grew into a chuckle, then a full laugh, joined by James. It was a simple moment--hardly even that funny or out of the ordinary. But after the past few days filled with gloom, they needed the laugh more than ever. To release the tension in their chests at the very least.

"What's so funny?" Lily asked them as they rejoined their family outside the Hogwarts doors.

"Nothing," James smirked, not even needing to lie. He threw his arm around Albus' shoulders, pulling him in with a squeeze as they crossed the threshold into the familiar flame-lit corridors of the castle.

Lily rolled her eyes, "I thought you would have learned your lesson by now about leaving me out." The corner of her lips tweaked up a bit to show her comment didn't hold hostility.

"Oh, Lils, what would we have done without you?" Albus used his free arm to pull his sister in, the three siblings walking side by side. The rhetorical question was meant to be endearing. He shuddered to think of the real possibility of what would have happened if Lily hadn't gone to McGonagall.

Albus had properly thanked her that weekend after he'd finally emerged from his room. He'd poked his head into her room, expecting to only be there for a few minutes but soon turned into two hours sat across each other on the carpet, immersed in deep conversation. It had been too long since they'd had a proper chat--that was definitely Albus' own fault--but it felt good to reconnect.

The past few days had been miserable, filled with a heavy-weight of grief that Albus wasn't sure he'd ever be able to shake. But if there was any upside to the time at home, it was the new bond he'd formed with his family. Despite his best attempts to sever his ties to the Potter name throughout his adolescence, Albus found himself feeling grateful to have them around. He felt closer to them than ever now, and that wasn't such a bad thing as he'd expected.

"Oh? What do we have here?" Harry's voice caught Albus' attention.

He hadn't even realised his parents had stopped and were now turned to face them. Their mum beamed--the first cheerful smile he'd seen from her all weekend.

"Don't see that too often," Harry mused. "Is this a group hug?"

Without waiting for an invitation, his father stepped forward, followed by his mum, flanking either side of the siblings to squeeze them together in a forced embrace.

"Dad," Albus groaned, trying not to suffocate in the middle of his siblings and parents, "stooop." He tried to break free, hoping no one was around to see the mushy scene.

"Oh, am I embarrassing you?" His father said with glee, "I almost never get the chance to embarrass you all anymore since you've been away at school."

"You're getting far too much pleasure out of this," James grunted, trying to bite back his grin.

"Okay, okay," their mum stepped back, releasing her hold on her children, "that's enough torture for now."

Albus was thankful for the fresh air but--although he'd never admit it--he hadn't minded the warmth of his family's embrace. It wasn't often they were all together like this. In fact, other than the time Harry dropped in for a surprise visit, Albus didn't think he'd ever seen his parents inside Hogwarts. His two worlds were suddenly colliding in a strange turn of events.

He couldn't help but think of how different this homecoming could have been had the battle at the Lacero Estate not gone their way. If things had been different, Albus might not have been so lucky to return to Hogwarts with his family at all. Not everyone had been so lucky. He couldn't imagine the pain the Creevy family was going through right now. That had almost been his family--possibly Scorpius' as well.

"Is everything alright, love?"

Albus' mother's voice broke through the darkening haze around him. She stepped off to the side to address him away from the rest of the family. She must have sensed him slipping into troubled thoughts--she had a knack for recognising that.

Albus saw no sense in lying to his mother, she'd undoubtedly work it out for herself anyway, "Everything just kind of hits me sometimes," He admitted quietly.

Ginny nodded understandingly, "It takes time. Even then, the pain never truly goes away, but it fades. We learn and we grow from every experience."

"And the guilt?"

His mum sighed, lowering her head as if she was thinking back on something. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as she raised her eyes to meet his again.

"Albus, what you did is nothing to be guilty for. Would I have encouraged it? Certainly not. But what happens, happens for a reason. You had no idea what you were getting into and you cannot let yourself take the blame for actions beyond your control. What's important now is that you're here and you're safe."

She raised her hands to delicately brush a stray curl behind his ear before continuing with a softened tone, "I know what you're feeling. When I was young, someone manipulated me into doing something I never would have done otherwise. I almost caused something bad to happen--really bad. I carried that guilt inside of me for years. But there comes a time where you need to accept what happened and leave it in the past or you will never forgive yourself." She stood up straight, picking up both his hands and rubbing his knuckle gently with her thumb. "I don't expect you to reach that point anytime soon but it comes with time. And if you ever need anyone to talk to, know that I'm just an owl away." With that, she pulled him in, placing a kiss on his temple.

In his mother's arms, Albus managed a meagre smile, "Thanks, mum."

Ginny kept one hand on his shoulder as they turned to join the rejoin the rest of the family when the creak of the large wooden doors caught their attention. Rose strode in first, closely trailed by Hugo and Hermione. Ron stepped in last, adorned in a rather tattered looking robe.

"We truly cannot take my dad anywhere," Rose announced loudly upon seeing her cousins.

"What happened to you?" Harry chuckled as he got a better look at Ron, who's cloak was scorched from the bottom up, with random holes edged with soot. A thin trail of smoke followed him as he crossed the hall to join them, which he attempted to pat out.

Hermione sighed looking at her husband with an expression somewhere between exasperation and adoration, "We thought we'd have a nice visit with Hagrid whilst we were all here. We found him outside his hut preparing for a lesson on fire crabs and my dear husband wanted to get a better look at their shells and--"

"--Seems fire crabs don't take too well to strangers in their personal space," Ron finished, scratching at the back of his neck with a bashful grin.

"Fire crabs are very protective of their shells," Lily piped up, her eyes alight at the opportunity to chime in on her favourite subject. "They're highly valuable for their jewels. They'll blast anyone who looks like a threat."

"Right," Ron nodded, patting out a smoking string of fabric, "There you have it. I'm a threat." He puffed out his chest, trying to regain his pride.

"Perhaps if you'd paid better attention in Care of Magical Creatures..." Ginny snickered at her brother's expense, reminding Albus far too much of James and him. Age didn't seem to have an effect on sibling dynamics.

"Oi, that was...what?" He stopped for a moment to think, tapping on his fingers as he did the maths, "Twenty-five years ago!" His eyes widened as soon as the words left his mouth, "Blimey, am I really that old?"

Harry clapped his best friend on the back, "'Fraid so, mate."

As the adults went on with their chatting, Albus felt a soft tap on his shoulder. Behind him, Hugo smiled at him with a tilt of his head.

"You alright, Albus?" He posed it as a greeting but the glimmer in his dark eyes showed that there was more behind the question. That was Hugo: always managing to say so much with so few words. Albus always wondered how his cousin ended up in Gryffindor rather than Hufflepuff.

"Been better," Albus nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Understandable," he nodded, "McGonagall let me go home for the weekend after we heard what happened. Sounds bloody mental. Rose said you were incredibly brave."

As if on cue, Rose popped in beside him, slinging an arm around Albus' shoulder, "Oh, he was! Never seen anything like it from little ol' Al before." Albus swatted at her as she ruffled his hair.

Hugo let out a low chuckle, "I'm sure you had to do enough talking about it by now. But I wanted to at least say thank you for not inviting me on your little--er--adventure. I don't think I would have stood up in the pressure well." He ran his fingers through his coily hair.

Albus smiled appreciatively, thankful that Hugo wasn't about to push the matter. He could already hear Molly and Fred whining about not being able to go along to the battle, craving the action more than anything. Hugo, on the other hand, had always been more of the bookish sort. It amazed him that ever-talkative Rose hadn't driven her soft-spoken brother mad by now. Somehow they never seemed at odds, like Albus and his siblings often were.

"Well, I can reassure you that there won't be any more 'adventures' like this in the near future--or ever for that matter," Albus needed nothing more than a good rest and to enjoy the rest of his childhood in peace. That was enough heroics for one lifetime.

"Probably for the best," Hugo gave him a small grin, patting him on the back.

"As lovely as this family reunion is," Uncle Ron's voice echoed off the corridor wall as he looked around over his shoulders, "What are we all standing around here for? If I'm back on my old stomping grounds, there's a few places I'd like to revisit." He rubbed his hands together, gazing around the centuries-old corridor, "Take a little trip down memory lane, if you will."

"I can assure you, Weasley," A Scottish accent entered the conversation from the direction of the staircase, "The Quidditch pitch looks no different than when you left it." Professor McGonagall approached, hands folded in front of her.

"Ah, Headmistress," Ron stepped back, rubbing the nape of his neck like he was a schoolboy again, caught by his professor, "Lovely to see you again."

"Yes," McGonagall nodded curtly, "Lovely to see you all in one piece," Her eyes scanned over them, pausing on Ron's tattered robes, "Well...mostly."

Harry stepped forward, teetering with slight restless energy, "Not to rush you along, Professor, but on Ron's point of taking a trip down memory lane..."

"Nearly 25 years since you've left my instruction at this school and the one thing you've still neglected to learn in patience, Potter." Although McGonagall retained her firm composure, there was a lighthearted glimmer behind her eyes. "You've all had an incredibly taxing weekend, let's let everyone catch their breaths for a moment before rushing about."

"Right, right, of course," Harry conceded, taking a step back to place his hands on Lily's shoulders.

"In a few moments I will allow you to accompany your children back to their dorms and then you may take a stroll around the castle if you wish--just try not to stir up too much attention. The students have been restless enough this weekend as it is."

"With all due respect, Headmistress," Ginny spoke up with a hint of a chuckle, "I don't think this lot is capable of avoiding attention."

McGonagall sighed, a trace of a smile on her lips, "Yes, it would seem so. I'm afraid it appears that your children have also inherited that gene." She looked across at the second generation of Weasley-Potters. Albus looked sheepish, but Rose and James looked proud to live up to that reputation. Perhaps, in that way, Albus was more like his father than he thought.

All his life Albus had struggled with the notion of being "like his father". As a child, it had been something he strived towards--wanting to be just as resilient, courageous, and admired as him. Of course, when he struggled to live up to that reputation, he began to detest any similarity to his father. His mop of black hair and bright green eyes never helped him stray away from the Harry Potter legacy that loomed over him. Between those two periods of his life, he'd learned to hate not only what made him like his father, but also what he lacked to be like him--thus making him hate himself entirely.

Albus hardly ever stopped to think about what made himself unique in the first place. He wasn't his father and he never would be, nor did he want to be. But he'd been so caught up in the constant comparisons, he'd never been able to appreciate what made him himself in the first place. The only person who ever truly appreciated Albus for who he was--entirely separate from his father or the Potter family as a whole--was Scorpius. He was perfectly "Albus-y", as Scorpius would remark. Maybe it was time to explore that side of himself rather than remaining caught up in the shadow of his family name.

Perhaps that was the new Albus that had arrived at Hogwarts that day. This was his opportunity to finally be himself, not just the Slytherin son of Harry Potter that the media and his peers were so eager to label him as. He was so much more than that. He was the son of Harry Potter, yes, and he was indeed a Slytherin, but he was also loyal, sarcastic, clever, determined and--dare he say it--perhaps even a little bit brave. There was so much more to discover about himself that didn't fit into the Harry-shaped box he'd been determined to fill. He didn't fit that mould, and that was okay. The first step in learning to love himself was coming to accept that--and spending time with the people who did, like Scorpius.

As if on cue, summoned by his thoughts, the front doors creaked open, revealing two figures in the entranceway. Albus' heart soared as the Malfoys stepped into the golden glow of the firelight.

Scorpius' eyes lit up brighter than the torches on the wall as he spotted his best friend across the way, "Albus!"

Without hesitance, the two ran towards each other as if they hadn't seen each other in ages. It might have well been, as that weekend had felt like years, the days dragging without each other. So much had happened and they'd had so little time to process it together. Albus needed Scorpius' comfort more than ever, just as Scorpius needed his.

Relief flooded Albus, as he collapsed into Scorpius' tight embrace, burying his head into his shoulder. In his arms, he knew he was safe--they were together again and Albus never wanted to let him go. Scorpius meant everything to him, no one understood him quite like him. They understood each other. Perhaps that was why they worked so well.

With a flurry of racing thoughts and a sudden rush of passion--and even a dash of impulsive bravery--Albus scooped Scorpius' face in his palms, pulling him down to press his lips against his. Scorpius had been taken by surprise at first, but quickly reciprocated. They didn't linger too long (although Albus could have stayed in his arms all day), becoming aware of the eyes on them as their attention was pulled back to reality.

"Albus," Scorpius pressed his forehead against Albus', speaking in a whisper, "Your family." He tilted his head slightly in their direction.

Albus shrugged, his worries not overcoming his feelings for Scorpius, "Let them see. I don't care anymore. It's a part of this whole, 'being me' thing I've got going."

Scorpius chuckled, like music to Albus' ears, his smile bright like the stars. With some timidness, he reached down to take Albus' hand. Albus' gave it a loving squeeze.

With a glance behind Scorpius, Albus snuck a look at Draco to see his reaction. From the faint smile on his face, he could tell he was already aware--or, at least, their affection hadn't come to a surprise for him. Albus' family, on the other hand...He wasn't sure what to expect when he turned around.

Facing them, Albus studied their expressions as they stood in a cluster, watching in various degrees of curiosity.

McGonagall tried to appear as if she had not seen anything, appearing as if this was just some everyday occurrence. James elbowed Rose, beaming with knowing glances. Hugo looked on with amusement, his mother behind him watching with an affectionate look. A smile spread across Ginny's face, a twinkle of pride in her eyes--something told Albus that she knew it was only a matter of time before they got together. Next to her, Uncle Ron's eyebrows were furrowed with perplexion, chin tilted up as if he were trying to work out a tricky maths problem. Realisation spread across his face as he finally connected the dots in his head. Albus had to refrain from laughing, knowing his Uncle would have been one of the last to catch on.

Finally, Albus worked up the courage to let his eyes drift to his father. His mouth slightly ajar, a puzzled look similar to Ron's. There was no hostility to the expression, only a vague mix of confusion and surprise.

"It's about bloody time if you ask me," Lily finally exclaimed, releasing the awkward tension. A hum of giggles filled the corridor, everyone seeming to relax. The tension Albus had been holding in his shoulders dissipated, releasing himself of the fear that he hadn't realised had been pent up tightly in his chest.

He glanced up to Scorpius with a grin and his silver eyes sparkled back with his dorky little lopsided smile.

"Well, um," Harry cleared his throat as the boys approached the group. "This is new. Not-not that that's a bad thing by any means! I just didn't realise..." He added quickly.

"Oh please," Ginny brushed her husband's shoulder, "You really didn't see it coming?"

"I--" Harry adjusted his glasses, "I didn't--wait, did you?"

Albus scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, "Dad, I think you're the only one who hasn't worked it out by now." He let out a deep-rooted laugh, finding his father's confusion more endearing than anything. He knew it would take his father some getting used to his son dating a Malfoy, but it was a far improvement than when he'd rejected their friendship all those years previous. A lot had changed over the last few months, and Albus hoped things kept changing for the better.

"I must say, it's a nice change to know something before the Great Harry Potter for once," Malfoy chuckled.

Ginny pat her husband on the arm, "Well he is notoriously oblivious," She joined in the titter of laughter.

"What?" Harry said in disbelief, "I am not!"

Hermione shook her head, exchanging a glance with Ginny, "Oh, Harry..."

Hand-in-hand with his boyfriend, surrounded by his family in the safety of Hogwarts, Albus let a wide smile cross his face. A bright, genuine smile. A smile he hadn't smiled in a long time.

And for once, that happiness felt as if it was here to stay.