The Augurey Guard

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Harry Potter and if I did I probably wouldn't write fanfiction because I'd be very very rich

Warning: Contains spoilers for The Cursed Child!

ALBUS

The darkness was overwhelming. It suffocated Albus Potter', consumed him, smothered him like a murderer. However the darkness wasn't as cruel as the creature circling above him, its eyes glinting with bloodlust and crying out for the promise of death. The Augurey.

The thin mournful bird was enchanting and terrifying all at the same time. Greenish black feathers rippled and the beak was sharper than a dagger. Despite the birds small and underfed appearance it managed to freeze Albus Potter. He tried to run, scream for help, reach for his wand to challenge the foul creature but all he could do was stand helpless as the messenger of death was hunting for its prey.

Before he could raise his hands to defend himself, sharp pain shot across Albus' forehead. Blood trickled down his gaunt pale face threatening to enter his bright green eyes. The wound burned like a raging fire. The Augurey was playing with Albus, delighting in making him suffer and a high pitched female laugh echoed in the distance.

The creature faced albus and Albus swore if birds could ever sneer the Augurey definitely was. Albus could see his reflection in those onyx depthless eyes and the mark on his forehead mirrored one he had seen many times before. A lightning bolt -

"ALBUS BREAKFAST IS READY!"

Albus blinked once. Twice. The late summer morning sun shimmered through the gap on his curtain. He tried to calm down his pants, supress the memory of the disturbing dream and continue with everyday life. First things first; breakfast.

The Potter's kitchen was always lively and today was no exception. His little sister Lily was chasing James around the kitchen screaming bloody murder at her eldest brother. Albus was no prophet but he assumed it had something to do with the fact that Lily's hair was coated in something that suspiciously looked like strawberry jam. His brother was laughing at her reddening face and her attempts to tackle him.

Albus wasn't entirely sure if his father had noticed if anything was wrong. Either was the famous Harry Potter was completely oblivious or he decided it was probably best not to interfere and if Lily did manage to get even with James he probably deserved it. Probably the latter.

"I leave you alone with the kids for two minutes Harry really?" Ginny Potter rolled her eyes as she strolled her way in to the kitchen with a selection of letters. "Letters from Hogwarts have arrived by the way."

While his siblings were quick to run to their letters Albus hesitated a little. Things had drastically improved in Hogwarts after the chaotic events at the beginning of his fourth year yet he still didn't have the feeling of the wizarding school being a second home like the others. The only real highlight was Scorpius Malfoy.

Albus hadn't seen his best friend in a month; Scorpius was travelling South American magic sites with his dad no doubt practically drooling at all the educational opportunities it offered him. The little nerd. It felt as if Albus had lost a limb and felt a little off balance. He had to restrain himself from making side comments as he realised Scorpius wasn't standing next to him. He knew Scorpius would say exactly the right thing about the dreams that kept on occurring recently. Scorpius always knew how to make him feel better.

His brother's laugh echoed across the kitchen snapping Albus out of his trance. Aside from the dark messy hair, most people couldn't tell Albus and James were brothers, plus it didn't really help that only last year James stopped denying they were related. James towered over Albus and was even taller than his father and unlike them he was broad shouldered, muscular and well developed – he could thank his vigorous Quidditch training. Whereas Albus had his father's eyes James had his mother's – big bright brown eyes that promised mischief. Plus while Albus got ignored by most girls, almost every female was throwing themselves at James Sirius Potter, Harry Potter's the saviour of the wizarding world firstborn.

Albus raised an eyebrow "What's so funny?"

For once James Potter kept his mouth shut and instead twirled around a crimson and gold badge with two words Albus dreaded the most etched on – Head Boy.

Brilliant.

For the first time ever the Potter kitchen was silent. Sure Albus' brother was an intelligent student; annoyingly he barely had to try to get good grades, and he led the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory last year but he didn't quite strike as Head Boy material. James had an affinity for pranks, disregarded consequences, had a reputation with girls and could be a complete arrogant arse at times.

Breaking the silence Albus' parents congratulated their eldest child embracing him in loving hugs telling them how proud they were that their firstborn was made head boy following his namesake. Whenever Harry's father's name got mentioned in the past few months Albus felt sick to his stomach remembering October 31st 1981.

"I wonder what Hogwarts has done to deserve this," Lily murmured crossing her arms trying to look as menacing as a 13 year old could look with jam on her head.

Ever since the time turner incident last year Albus' relationship with his little sister had strengthened greatly. When she was little she looked at James and her parents like they were her heroes – all Gryffindor Quidditch heroes and powerful magic wielders. Lily had started looking at Albus with the same respect.

"Five galleons that the schools going to crash and burn," Albus replied.

"I give it three months."

"Two," Albus shook his sister's hand, the deal was on.

Diagon Alley was erupting with life. Witches and wizards bustled across the hectic high street full of colour and wonder. Albus didn't mind the amount of people, in some ways he preferred bigger crowds so he could shrink away from the limelight and observe people however it was exceedingly annoying when he was looking for his best friend.

A dark bird soared past and Albus felt his heart stop. It's just a crow his voice of reason reminded him but it didn't stop his hands feeling clammy and thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Al," a familiar voice shouted amongst the crowd. "Al I'm over here!"

Sure enough a fair-haired boy ambled towards Albus. Despite being in South America for a month Scorpius looked as pale as ever his creamy complexion reflecting the August sunlight. He's grown, Albus noted, where they usually were the same height there was a noticeable difference between the two boys.

"You look like you've seen a ghost is everything alright?" Scorpius murmured.

Albus wanted to cry with relief right there. Since the Hogwarts letters had arrived Albus had the same bloodcurdling dream for the past week. He'd put on a brave face with his family and they all seemed to accept it but of course Scorpius could see through his mask. He always did.

"Can we go somewhere more private?" Albus asked. He knew he didn't have to as soon as Scorpius had asked the question he gestured to somewhere quitter.

The boys walked in silence surrounded by life and colours until they reached the infamous dark Knockturn Alley. In comparison Knockturn Alley was eerily quiet, only the odd witch or wizard trundled through the unnerving alley usually covering themselves up as much as possible.

Scorpius nodded towards a building, "Shouldn't be that many people at The White Wyvern this time of day. We can easily find somewhere to talk here."

The pub was dingy, dark and had a strange damp smell. Aside from the barmaid there were only 3 other people in the pub two men in their 30s laughing with the girl behind the bar and a woman in the corner muttering Dumbledore knows what to herself. Albus made a mental note to avoid that corner.

"What can I get you boys?" The girl asked acknowledging Albus and Scorpius.

Albus knew that face the girl was in his house the same year as his older brother. She was tall and gangly with more freckles on her face than most of Albus' Weasley cousins. Her mousy brown hair was cut pixie like and framed her rather pointed face; Greta Higgs. She was known for being the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team and being part of the most troublesome quartet in Hogwarts. She wouldn't usually pay any attention to Albus and Scorpius on any normal day but Albus guessed having a job required the employee to notice the customer.

"Two butterbeers please," Scorpius asked tensing a little. He, like Albus, probably presumed she was seconds away from pulling a prank on them.

"Coming right up," Greta grabbed a couple of glasses, "I hear you're interested in trying out for the Quidditch team Malfoy."

Scorpius blinked, "Yeah I've been doing some training since last year, I might try out for the seeker."

"He's gotten pretty good," Albus added for his best friend.

Greta smiled at the two. She wasn't necessarily pretty but there was warmth behind the smile, "Looking forward to it I plan to bury Gryffindor this year."

Albus paid for the drinks thanked her and settled himself in a corner of the pub. Albus had done some brave things recently that any Gryffindor would be proud of but he wasn't bold enough to sit at the same corner as the crazy lady who had now started waving her hands about.

"How was South America?" Albus swished his glass of butterbeer around, taking one large gulp and feeling the warmth of the liquid flow down his throat. He hadn't noticed how cold he'd been.

Scorpius grinned "You wouldn't believe it Al. We watched the Tarapoto Tree-Skimmers play a Quidditch game and they won 590-30. We visited where Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder is mined. Machu Picchu was great… The Amazon rainforest is definitely the best bit the amount of magical creatures was amazing – the Amazonian Salamander, the Fire slug – wait you're distracting me from what you really want to say aren't you?"

Albus put his hands up, "Guilty."

Albus explained everything to his best friend. The nightmares of the Augurey stalking him, scratching him and leaving a scar identical to his dad's, that he couldn't see a dark bird without flinching and that most of the time he'd rather feel the pain of being awake for days on end than experience that dream again. Scorpius – kind, considerate, smart Scorpius nodded not interrupting Albus until he was finished.

"Do you think it means something?" Scorpius asked.

"I don't know. Maybe because it's the holidays I've just had more time to focus on it," Albus sighed hastily adding "It probably isn't anything."

"Didn't your dad have dreams," Scorpius lowered his voice, "About Voldemort? Maybe its history repeating itself."

Scorpius always had outlandish theories. For starters he seemed to think that he had a chance with Albus' cousin Rose; she usually avoided all unnecessary contact with him. But this was a new level of improbable.

Thankfully Albus didn't have to say anything as the calm and quiet aura was interrupted by something. Three rather loud bawdy somethings. It seemed Greta's friends had arrived.

Perhaps the most popular students in Slytherin walked into the sullen pub: Mazi Zabini, Jackson Flint and Arielle Beauchene. Zabini and Flint were Greta's fellow Quidditch team mates – a chaser and a beater respectively. Albus couldn't help but feel a little jealous watching them, he wished he belonged in a friendship group like that.

But he had Scorpius. Scorpius was more than enough.

"We should probably start getting stuff for school," Albus stood up. "Plus Uncle George has some new Weasley products he wanted to show us."

Scorpius raised an eyebrow. He was perceptive but patient enough to know Albus really didn't want to delve deeper into his dream's meaning and he'd wait for when his friend was ready to share.

"Thanks for the drink," Scorpius nodded at Greta, "See you at the Quidditch try outs."

Greta murmured something like 'See you there' but Albus couldn't be sure because she was occupied in pouring shots of firewhisky for herself and friends. He swore he could hear something about celebrating.

"Cheers to the new Head Girl of Hogwarts," Greta yelled, "The narcissistic beauty Arielle Beauchene. May the school crash and burn in your reign while you admire yourself in the mirror."

The four of them downed the whisky and Albus was positive it wasn't the first time they've had it. No one in the pub seemed to react to four underage kids having shots in the middle of the day but then again it was in Knockturn Alley.

As Albus and Scorpius left the dingy pub Albus felt a little comforted. Every nerve was telling him he'd have a hellish year at Hogwarts and the Augurey would come back and haunt him, but it seemed like his brother would suffer too this year with his Head Girl.

Author's note: Decided to get back into writing after watching the Cursed Child be performed and reading it! It left a lot of unanswered questions for me and I couldn't wait to start and put my own twist on what happens yet. And yes I do ship Scorbus a lot and they will be an eventual pairing