I don't own these characters, they belong to the amazing JK Rowling. No copyright infringement intended! Hope you enjoy! :)


Quidditch practice had just ended. The team, captained by none other than Albus Potter, was making their way back to the school.

"Oi, Al, remember what you had said about trying to raise money for new school broomsticks?" Zenneth, a beater on the team and Al's good friend and dorm-mate spoke up as the boys turned the corridor and walked towards their changeroom.

"Yeah, got an idea?" Al replied, absentmindedly holding the change room door open for his teammates.

All the boys in the change room were peeling their sweaty clothes off but listening now. A few weeks prior, the headmaster had approached the Quidditch Captains about trying to raise money for new broomsticks for the school. The flying instructor and first years had been complaining about the lack of proper equipment for a few years. Although Hogwarts could afford to buy new equipment, they could not afford to buy good quality new equipment. The Headmaster Bones had asked the captains to try and think of ways the Quidditch teams could help raise money to purchase high quality supplies.

When Albus had spoken to his team about it, everyone was excited. Glorifying Quidditch wasn't something they would pass up on, and ideas started flying immediately. Up until now however, no one had come up with a suitable or doable means of acquiring the money.

"I got this idea from my brother and I think it has a real shot. As you all know, I'm muggle-born and my brother isn't a wizard. Basically, his rugby team did this and they managed to raise enough money for new uniforms for the whole team. They made a calendar!"

Albus grinned at his friend; he could see potential in the idea. A lot of the other guys were looking confused, so Zenneth continued.

"Calendars are more common in the muggle world, I know, but I really think this could work! Every month has a different picture, right? So, we could make a Gryffindor House Team Calendar! And sell them in school. For every month, we could have a different team member, or a team pose. Maybe throw in an action shot or two?"

Zenneth's excitement was contagious. Most of the boys were nodding and mirroring Albus' grin as they thought of the poses they could be doing.

"I think it's a great idea Zen! This could be the one! Let's pitch it to the girls in the common room and see what they think, yeah?" Albus said, thumping his friend on the back.

The boys finished ridding themselves of their practice gear and were chatting excitedly about what poses they could do.

...

After talking briefly with the girls, who immediately were on board with the idea, Albus and Zenneth retired to their dorm room quite happily, still talking about the calendar.

"I'll ask Bones if the idea is alright tomorrow at breakfast. And if it is, then we can go right ahead!" Albus said, pushing the door to their room open.

"This could be so cool Al, plus since the pictures move in the Wizarding world it'll be so much better than my brother's!"

They had entered their dorm room and saw that Parker and Max were on their respective beds and Scorpius' bed was empty. Max was reading and Parker was writing on some parchment, textbooks strewn all over his bead. Both boys looked up when they heard the door.

"How'd practice go?" Max asked, greeting them both with a smile.

Albus and Zenneth quickly filled their friends in on the calendar plan.

"That's going to sell really well, I reckon." Parker said "Have you worked out the poses?"

"Nah, we're going to work on that after practice tomorrow, if Bones is okay with the idea." Al said, flopping onto his bed and picking up his potions textbook.

"I don't see why she wouldn't be, that's brilliant" Max said, "As long as Al takes his shirt off for one of the months, the sales will be amazing"

The boys burst out laughing and Albus blushed slightly and threw his pillow at Max in retaliation.

"Hey, uh, where's Scorpius? I want to tell him about the idea" Albus said, hoping to change the subject. He hadn't seen Scorpius in the common room, and knew he wouldn't be at the library.

"With Renzo, I think. It's his birthday or something so they're going to celebrate" Max said casually.

"Oh, okay. Know when he'll get back in?" Albus felt his heart sink. He didn't like that his best friend was with Lorenzo. He hated the guy's guts, mostly because he was with Scorpius, but once he saw him drop a bit of ink on the ground of the potions classroom and not bother to clean it up.

"Well, considering it's his birthday and stuff, I reckon it wouldn't be until quite late" Parker said, looking up at Albus with questioning eyes.

Only Zenneth knew about Albus' crush on his best friend and after seeing Albus looking so uncomfortable, he quickly changed the subject. The boys talked a little longer then each of them went about their business. Albus was periodically checking the door all the way until the lights were out, and even then, he was listening for Scorpius to come back. He tried to focus on the Quidditch Calendar, and how much fun he was going to have making it with the team, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Scorpius. He fell asleep uneasily, tossing and turning.

"Al. Albus? Can I open the curtains?"

It was Scorpius' voice. Al could hear it from somewhere far off, but he knew something was very wrong. He opened his eyes slowly, then realizing the voice was coming from just outside his bed curtains, he tossed them open, suddenly wide awake.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Albus was sitting up in bed and trying to see Scorpius, though the moonlight wasn't giving him much detail.

"Uh. No. I'm not, not so much…"

"What happened?" Albus muttered lumos, then muffliato, "Here, sit on my bed." He moved over to make room for Scorpius. It was a much tighter fit now than it had been when they were 11, but they made it work. Albus flicked his wand and the curtains closed. He turned his attention to Scorpius, who was sitting beside him, looking downcast.

"Okay, tell me what happened. Why did you get in so late?"

"I was with Renzo" Scorpius whispered "We were going to," Scorpius swallowed, "we had big plans for tonight. It's his birthday, you know? And I was going to give him my vir…"

"Oh! Oh. Okay, I understand. Continue" Albus clenched his fists. He didn't know why, but the thought of Scorpius in bed with some guy who didn't deserve him set him on edge. He just felt that Scorpius could do so much better. That and Lorenzo was an ink-spiller, the prat, no regard for the house-elves whatsoever.

"I know you don't like him, but I thought you were wrong, you know? I thought…well, I thought I knew him."

Albus' mind was racing. He hurt Scorpius, he didn't love him like he was supposed to. He…

"I was going down to the dungeons, to Slytherin. Anyway, on my way down there I bumped into him. And he was making out with Kieran."

"What!? With Kieran? He…"

"Yeah, he cheated on me. And he saw me and all he said was 'Sorry mate, I was going to tell you tonight, you know?' and then," Scorpius choked a little here and Albus could see that he was crying. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, "…then he took Kieran's hand and led him down the corridor. At least Kieran had the decency to look ashamed." Scorpius wiped his eyes furtively.

"That dick. That fucking bastard. I'm gonna kill him Scor, I will. I'll destroy…"Socprius put his hand on Albus' arm, as if to make him stop. Albus quieted down but was worked up. A very small part of him was rejoicing at the fact that Scorpius didn't give himself fully to Lorenzo, but most of him was focusing on how he could kill Lorenzo and make it look like a mistake.

"It hurts so bad Al. It really does" Scorpius leaned into Albus, who quickly put an arm around him.

"I'm so sorry Scorpius" he murmured against Scorpius' hair.

"I thought…I didn't…I thought that we were okay, that things were going well. I mean, we were going to…just…fuck." Scorpius' voice broke and he was sobbing now, softly.

Albus just held him, wrapping both arms around his friend, and let him cry. Albus wasn't really quite sure what the protocol was for best friends comforting their best friends about a guy. All Albus knew was that he didn't want to see Scorpius hurt, and if that meant staying up all night and holding him until he stopped crying, then so be it.

He didn't know how long they stayed like that. But Scorpius' sobs were turning into sniffles and his breathing evened out after some time.

"Hey Al?" he whispered, his voice thick.

"Yeah Scor?"

"Should I go back to my bed now?"

"Nah Scor, sleep here. It's okay."

"But the guys…"

"I'll take care of it, okay?"

"Al?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You don't need to thank me for doing something I'd do in a heartbeat Scorpius. Now please, get some sleep? You need some rest, okay?"

"Yeah, okay Al."

"Night."

"Night."