Assignment 12: Ancient Studies: write a story that spans an entire year, with a scene each year.

Trope: rivals to friends to lovers

James ii/Scorpius my babies (hearts all around) (slight Scorbus, and if you squint you can see Albus/Teddy)

Warning for bad language, slight mentions to sexual activity, homophobia, (slash if you don't like that :( )

Non-canon compliant according to TCC

(okay i looked up insults I don't insult people lol)

James Sirius is only one year older than Scorpius. It starts in Scorpius' fifth year. Albus and scorpius are above the legal age (UK, 16) in the reference, btw.

Word Count: 2084

January

"Wanker."

"Prick."

Names whispered as you pass him in the corridor.

"Self-centred asshole."

"Captain skinny-dick."

A repetitive cycle. One name after the next. There is never a winner.

"Assbutt."

"Fucklord."

Just one name each per passing. One name a day.

"Deadshit."

"Douchebag."

It thrills you. Excites you.

"Bastard."

"Git."

Creativity is a wonderful thing.

"Blond peacock."

"Special little snowflake."

It's just innocent name-calling. Nothing more.

February

"Furnucula."

It turns into something worse when he finds out you've kissed his little brother. Simple insults turn into complicated curses and it becomes a game of who will hex the other first.

"Locomotor Mortis."

A detention is the winners prize, yet you look forward to it. You want to win. To rub it in his face. To hold it over his head.

"Rictumsempra."

You know he enjoys it as well.

"Tarantallegra."

It becomes a game. A game you have to win. To lose is to face embarrassment. To lose is to find your boyfriend's worried face hovering above you in the Hospital Wing.

"Densaugeo."

You forget what you were even fighting about in the first place.

March

"Do you fucking mind?"

"Sorry, I have a setting in my brain that stops me from seeing the ignorant. I didn't mean to walk into you."

Early March is when he catches you sleeping with his brother. He doesn't seem to like it, so the fighting matches start.

"You faggot, you couldn't keep your hands off my brother for a second, could you?"

"At least I don't sleep with any girl in the school that's desperate enough to have me."

Some of his words sting you. You find out that your boyfriend's brother is very homophobic. But you also have claws, so you fight back.

"Disgusting homosexual. Don't come near me, I might catch a disease."

"I won't be surprised if you don't already have an STD, though. What more of a disease can one have?"

It's no longer a game. It's a battle of brains, a competition of mind. You remember why you two are battling. You know. You also know you will win.

April

"I'm sorry."

It's late April, and you hear the last thing you expect to hear whilst sitting on a sink. Especially from him, of all people.

"Why?"

Snot is running down your nose because you've been crying. You must look a mess. Yet you try to act natural.

"It appears I was wrong about a few things."

Is he finally maturing? you wonder.

"How my brother dumped you… it was awful."

So, he had heard about that. Well, who hadn't, really? The whole school had heard the Howler telling him he was dumped. They hadn't heard why he was, though, which is fine by him.

"I'm fine."

You're not fine. Snot bubbled out of your nose as you said that. But you will not admit your weakness to him.

"I wasn't questioning that, mate."

Since when were you his mate? Well, you aren't going to complain now. Not when he's seeing you at your lowest.

"Look, friends?"

Friends. That's a bit of a change. He must feel really sorry for your red-rimmed eyes and snot-covered nose.

"Friends."

You shake his hand, as if sealing a deal. A deal to sell your soul to him. A deal that you'll never be able to leave.

May

"Come on, Scorpius! It'll be fun!"

"I don't think getting bitten by a snake will be fun."

You did not realise that being his friend would require so much energy. So much danger. So much life.

"It's not that cold!"

"I'm not swimming in the lake!"

The boy a year older than you made it clear to the world that he is your friend. You don't know why. To get back at his brother? You always thought they were close, once.

"Just one pair?"

"I am not stealing Professor Longbottom's underpants, James!"

One prank after the other. The amount of detentions you get brings you back to the month of February.

"Sneak out to Hogsmeade with me, Scorpius."

"Fine."

It's a laugh. You enjoy yourself, at least. You forget.

June

"Have you ever wanted to just disappear?"

The conversation turns deep in the second month of friendship. He trusts you more, definitely. You don't know why.

"Occasionally, I guess."

More is shared between you and him. You start to trust him. You don't know why.

"Why… why did you and my brother break up?"

Maybe you tell him more than you should.

"He said I'm too possessive. He said he was fucking someone else. Someone older. He said he was much better at fucking than me."

You remember that, although it doesn't hurt you as much as it did before. Things have changed. Your ex-boyfriend's brother has filled the hole in your heart; in a platonic way of course. There is no other way he would have been able to. Not at all.

"Do you ever wish you had any siblings?"

Questions are asked, answers are exchanged. You believe you know him more than you've ever known anyone.

July

"Have a good holiday."

"And you."

Early July, Hogwarts breaks up for the Summer holidays. You hate it. You hate going home to the near-empty house, where the stench of alcohol hits you like a wave. You hate the fact that your father barely acknowledges you, too overcome with emotions that wash up from your mother's death.

"I'll see you sometime in the holiday, Scorp. Promise."

"I'll hold you to that."

He's gone on holiday for the first two weeks. You thought you would be able to handle being away from your only friend. You thought wrong.

"As soon as I come back, we can go to Diagon."

"To the broom shop?"

You can't wait for August. You've felt so alone so far. No contact with anyone but your owl is starting to get to you. Badly.

August

"Why are you so pale?"

He's caught a tan; well, his dark skin looks darker. You've spent so much time indoors that the slight tan you had caught at school has disappeared.

"That's what happens when you never go outside, James."

You are short with him. He's asked you to sleep round his for a few weeks, but you really don't want to see Albus. You haven't looked at him since he broke up with you, even though you share the same dorm.

"Please come, Scorp. It'll be fun!"

You say yes, just to please him. Even though he's an annoying piece of shit most of the time.

"Let's go flying!"

James is very excited about you being at his. His favourite cousin, Rose, joins you on your adventures around the house. She's a Hufflepuff in your year that Albus sometimes talked to. It is almost a good time. Until it happens.

"I have to go, James. I'm sorry."

You are in the kitchen one of the days when someone new walks in. Someone with colourful hair and a bright smile. Someone who stole your ex-boyfriend away from you. You freeze up, heart stopping for a moment. Then, you make your way to James' room. You tell him you're leaving. You have to. You can't deal with it anymore.

"Why?"

You can't tell him. You can't tell him that his brother and someone that he views as a brother are fucking. You can't do that to him.

"I'm sorry."

Your holidays go back to what they always were. Boring. Alcohol-filled. A depressed father drinking his life away and an owl who you talk to too much. This time, you cry.

September

"Why did you go?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

You're once again sitting in a sink, after a particularly bad day at school. He somehow finds you. This must be about what happened at his house.

"Don't you like me anymore?"

"It's not you."

You fear you depend on him too much. You need to distance yourself from him. Yes, that's a good plan, actually. You might just do that. You don't know why these thoughts have surfaced, but you agree with them.

"What is it, then? Come on, Scorpius, you can talk to me!"

"I can't right now, James. I have to get back to lesson."

It works. For a week, at least. Then you can't take the hurt stares anymore and confront him.

"You didn't even like me five months ago. What's the matter with you?"

"I've gotten to know you now, Scorpius. Please, talk to me."

You can't. You can't because thoughts will resurface and your life will go to shit and everything will go wrong and you'll end up like your dad. Alone. An alcoholic. Only spurred on by the next bottle and the occasional need to piss, shit or eat.

"I can't, James."

"Why?"

You can't go through the pain again. The heartbreak. You fear you may be falling for your ex's brother. You know that won't end well. For anyone.

"I fear… I fear I may be falling for you."

"Really?"

He sounds so hopeful at your new revelation (new to even you). It's so different from the homophobe he was before. Then his lips smash against yours, and you forget everything.

October

"Nobody has to know."

You want to keep it a secret. Your relationship, that is. On the outside, you and him appear like normal friends. To keep the predators away. To keep everything nice and safe.

"Why not?"

He disagrees. He wants to show you off to the world. As his. Only his. He doesn't seem to realise how bad that will be.

"They will be jealous that I have you."

Sweet words keep him satisfied, but not for long. Then you have to work wonders with your lips. You can't let him win this one.

November

"I think I love you."

"I think I love you too, James."

Words first whispered by the light of a bonfire, only two others around. You've allowed him to tell two people: the Hufflepuff cousin and his little sister, a Gryffindor like him. You all have gathered in the cool November night to celebrate Guy Fawkes day.

"I won't hurt you."

"I believe you."

You snuggle into his side, an arm loosely wrapped around his shoulder. His sister rolls her eyes at your closeness, throwing more wood into the fire. His cousin just coos at them, saying things about how cute they are.

"Just follow me."

"Don't kill me."

He leads you through the castle one day. You don't know why, beyond the fact that he is taking you to a room somewhere inside the castle.

"Please tell me where we're going."

"It'll ruin the surprise."

You end up outside an unsuspecting wall. James walks you up and down the corridor three times, and the third time a door appears. He takes you inside to show a gorgeous room, full of things that you love.

"This room is called the Room of Requirement…"

"I love it."

It's your first time together, and you enjoy it much more than you did with Albus.

December

"Merry Christmas!"

Once again, you are at his house for Christmas, although this time it's for James. Ginny and Harry don't even blink an eye as you join their entire family. You sit next to his sister, trying not to look at James for the fear of giving everything away.

"I wanted to give you your gift in private…"

At this, you think he's going to give you his body. Instead, he pulls out a small box, which you find to contain a bracelet.

"It's beautiful."

You let him help you put it on, before kissing him passionately. He locks the door and casts a silencing charm before he's all yours.

"We can… well, show them we're together."

It's New Year's eve. You mean that you should kiss as the New Year starts. He understands, although he does waggle his eyebrows.

"Ten."

You can't believe your actually going to do this.

"Nine."

You have to.

"Eight."

It's what James always wanted you two to do.

"Seven."

To tell people you're together.

"Six."

What will Albus think?

"Five."

What will his parents think?

"Four."

You can't do this, you can't.

"Three."

He glances at you with so much love.

"Two."

You can.

"One."

Almost there.

January

"Happy New Year!"

"Have a good one."

You meet in the middle. He pulls you closer to him before placing his lips on yours. Slowly. Gently. To show the world you're his, and only his.