A/N: Albus gets a little bit of help from his best friend, Scorpius, during their first Charms class. My first next-gen fic. I hope you enjoy. RxR. FxF.

Submission for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Charms Assignment #3 - write about someone in their First Charms Lesson. Prompts: quill, "Are you going to reply any time today?", Scorpius Malfoy

Hogwarts Fair 2014 Challenge/Competition: Refreshments

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Albus chewed the end of his quill nervously as he stared at the chalkboard at the front of the room. It was his first Charms class and he wanted to make a good impression, or at least he didn't want to make a fool of himself. He turned to his right looked into Scorpius' cool face. His arm was draped lazily on the back of his chair, the front of his school robe was slightly open and he was looking about the room in disinterest. Nothing worried him and Albus wished he had his confidence.

A small door behind the chalkboard opened and all the students stopped their idle chatter. Professor Flitwick walked up to his podium and tapped his wand on its edge twice. "Good afternoon class and welcome to Charms. We will have good time getting to know each other and learn many fun and useful spells during the course of this school year. Today, our first charm will be an easy one, the levitating charm. Please pull out your parchment and quills and we will begin by taking notes."

There was the crinkling of parchment and the thud of ink pots on wooden desks as the students dove into their bookbags. Albus had already set up his desk and his quill was held at the ready, the tip blackened by ink, and poised above the blank parchment.

"Are you going to reply any time today?" Scorpius drawled from his right.

"What?" Albus asked, not noticing the large drop that fell onto the pristine page. He had been so preoccupied with being prepared, he had tuned out the noise around him.

Scorpius sighed dramatically. "I asked you like three times if you had a quill I could borrow. I think I left all mine in the dorm this morning," Scorpius explained. He grabbed Albus' bag and began riffling through it without Albus' permission. Albus said nothing. He knew better than to try and stop his friend from taking what wasn't his. That's just how their friendship worked. He turned back to his parchment and frowned at the large spot there. Already a bad start.

Professor Flitwick began writing, making additional remarks as he detailed the wand movements and pronunciation of the charm, Wingardium Leviosa. Scorpius yawned and stretched, drawing Albus' attention to him once more. His arm was once again draped on the back of his chair and his parchment was blank. He gave Albus a lopsided grin and mimicked Albus' note-writing. If he wasn't even going to take notes, why did he take the quill?

"Alright class, let's begin. Please place your quills down on the desk and pull out your wands," Professor Flitwick said, stepping off the podium. There was a large cushion on a desk at the front of the room. Professor Flitwick pointed his wand at the pillow, enunciated the incantation and waved his wand. The pillow floated at his request, following the motion of his wand, going higher and higher, flying about the room before the small man dropped back to its original position. "Now remember your pronunciation and you should do splendidly."

Albus took a deep breath and focused on his quill laying at the end of the desk. He aimed his wand, mimicked his professor's wand movements and said the incantation and... nothing! Albus tried again. And again. And again. Nothing.

Other students' quills were floating, some rising wobbly, some zooming straight up before clattering to the floor or on someone's head. Martha Thorn screamed when Jack Grant made his quill fly straight into her eye. Scorpius', which was actually his, floated by his nose and around his head before landing smoothly back on his desk. "What's the matter, Albus?" Scorpius smirked.

Albus glared at his friend and then back to his quill. Again! Again! Albus was getting angry. It just wasn't working for him. He was doing everything right. He held his wand at the right angle, moved it with such precision, and pronounced the spell slowly and nothing. Time was running out and he knew if he didn't get it before Professor Flitwick came by to examine his work, he would never get this spell. He was a very scared first year.

"Oh come on! Here, let me help," Scorpius said, finally fed up with his friend's inadequacy. He came around Albus' desk and held Albus' hand in his own, moving them together while pronouncing the spell over and over. 'Watch my mouth,' and Albus did. After he finally felt as if Albus would get it, Scorpius let go and said, "Now, go."

Albus moved his hand as Scorpius had done, his lips curling as he had seen the blonde's and then... the feather zoomed about the room like a paper airplane, executing twists and turns and loops before landing expertly in Professor Flitwick's hand.

The professor jumped in surprise and looked about the room for seeing the small boy looking at him in shock and wonder, and the blonde boy beside him. "Ah, Mr Potter. That was excellent. 10 points to Slytherin," the little man chirped.

Albus smiled and thanked his friend, the gratitude evident on his face. He was proud of himself for finally getting it and Professor Flitwick had even awarded him points. Scorpius shrugged as if it was no big deal, will secretly pocketing his own wand behind his back before returning to his seat. What Albus didn't know wouldn't hurt him.