Author's notes:
#1 This story is a sequel to "Of Hats and Girls" and "Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw? Ravenclaw!". Both are based on chapter "Nineteen Years Later" of DH. However, I ignored most pieces of additional information (e.g. the Weasley family tree or the retirement of Minerva McGonagall) that Mrs Rowling gave in interviews. What is not in the books is not canon.
#2 Hogwarts castle has always been subject to change. It is famous for its staircases with vanishing steps, solid walls pretending to be doors and doors pretending to be solid walls, its moving rooms, hidden chambers, and corridors that lead the unwary around in circles. It is believed that those strange features are brought about by the intrinsic magic of the building itself.
Some changes, however, have been caused by people. In the Battle of Hogwarts, facilities that had benefited students for a millennium were destroyed. The Hufflepuff quarters were damaged beyond repair. During the following summer, new ones were established in one of the hitherto unused towers.
#3 Special thanks go to my beta-readers duj and Gogol.
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Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
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Of Boys and Spells
chapter 1: The Stolen Essay
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"Your brother takes after his grandfather, and I'm sure I can't decide which one," Professor Flitwick said. Albus didn't dare to look into the man's face. True, James got into trouble every so often. But this time, he wasn't to blame. "There is no need for you, Mr Potter, to follow in his footsteps, let alone to assist him with his practical jokes."
Albus didn't know how to reply. They were waist-deep in Dragon droppings.
"It was my idea," Scorpius said in a low voice.
"I beg your pardon?" Professor Flitwick said sharply.
"It was my plan," Scorpius repeated more loudly. "At least, mainly my plan."
"And why would you devise plans for entering girls' dormitories, may I ask?"
"Nancy Donovan stole Rose's Transfiguration essay!" Albus answered in Scorpius's place. "We wanted to get it back."
Professor Flitwick looked genuinely surprised. "Is that true, Mr Potter?"
"Yes, it is. She must have taken it during the Herbology lesson. But Rose didn't notice that it was missing until she wanted to make a few revisions. By then, it was about eight thirty, and the essay is due tomorrow morning."
"Theft is a serious matter," Professor Flitwick said sternly. "Didn't the idea occur to you to notify a teacher of your suspicion?"
"That's what Rose wanted to do at first," Scorpius said. "But then she figured – and Al and I had to agree with her – Donovan would rather destroy the essay than allow herself to be caught with it."
"If she intended to destroy it, she would have had plenty of time to do so," Professor Flitwick observed.
"Well, you see, we think what she really wanted to do was to copy it," Albus said. "I'm sure she spent the whole afternoon on it. Her essay might now be the longest. And that would be really unfair."
"I'm sure," Professor Flitwick said, leaning back, "that Professor McGonagall will notice if students copy their homework."
"She might, eventually. She is very competent," Scorpius said. "But by then, Rose would have suffered all the humiliation."
"What are you suggesting, Mr Malfoy?" The little man sat up straight again. "I am convinced Professor McGonagall would have taken a reasonable approach if Miss Weasley had explained matters to her."
"That's not the point," Albus mumbled.
"And what would be the point, Mr Potter?" Professor Flitwick asked, stifling a sigh.
"There... there is a bet on who will write the longest essay for Transfiguration-
"The most comprehensive one," Scorpius amended. "Length alone isn't enough. There has to be substance, too. Professor McGonagall wouldn't accept an 'essay' that is only babble, spread over five feet of parchment."
"Rose had a fair chance of winning," Albus went on. "She wrote ten feet, actually. Professor McGonagall had said three, which was a piece of cake. That's why the girls made the bet. Or rather, the challenge."
"When Al and I were done with our three feet we helped Rose research more facts. We used the books in the common room and went also to the library several times."
"Right," Albus said. "That conceited Flint girl needed to be shown her place."
"Miss Bathsheba Flint?" Professor Flitwick asked. "Of Slytherin?"
"Yes, her," Scorpius confirmed. "She started the whole thing. Donovan joined in later."
"She bragged even more than Flint. And when Rose took what she believed was her homework out of her bag tonight, she found Donovan's notes for Muggle Studies."
"Rose was frantic," Scorpius said slowly. "Rewriting just the required homework wouldn't have been a big deal. But Al and I had already told everybody about the ten feet masterpiece. Handing in anything less tomorrow morning would have been a complete disaster... You see, it was our fault altogether. So, we had to do something about it."
Albus nodded to Scorpius's words. Ten feet in ten hours – even Rose couldn't do that, especially because all the facts that went beyond their actual lessons were pretty complicated. Nevertheless, she had started to scribble feverishly, tears in her eyes. Scorpius had been no more able to stand the sight of Rose crying than he had.
"And so you came up with your plan, Mr Malfoy?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"It seemed easy," Scorpius said, going slightly pink. "Fly up to the window, climb in, grab the essay, and get out."
"I see. What went wrong?"
"Somebody came in. My memory ceases there," Scorpius said. "When I woke up, I was lying on the lawn."
"She Stunned him," Albus said. "An older student; I don't know her name. She ran out to fetch help, and I climbed in and dragged Scorpius to the window as fast as I could. When James tried to hoist him onto his broom he accidentally let go of mine, and it zipped away. He had Scorpius, though. He flew him down, and I waited for him to fetch me. But Professor Jones was faster. She came in along with at least ten other Hufflepuffs. They all looked rather confused because they had thought to find Scorpius and had me instead."
"Well, I know the rest," Professor Flitwick said. "Just one more question, Mr Potter-"
There was a knock at the door, and a split second later, Edward Blancmange, Runes teacher and House Head of Gryffindor, stormed in with Professor Jones trailing along in his wake.
Professor Flitwick motioned for the boys to stay seated and offered chairs to his colleagues. Whereas Jones accepted gracefully, Blancmange remained standing.
"So, Filius, what did the two culprits confess?" he demanded without preliminaries.
"They claim that Miss Donovan stole Rose Weasley's Transfiguration essay and that they attempted to retrieve it."
"A likely story," Professor Blancmange scoffed.
Professor Jones, however, looked worried. "Do we have any conclusive evidence? Or is it only the word of your students against that of mine?"
"Nonsense," Blancmange declared, his eyes fixedly on Albus, "You should be truly ashamed to sully your father's great name like this. Your brother owned up, and here is what really happened: You beseeched him to provide an opportunity for seeing girls in a state of, ahem, un-clothedness."
Albus sucked in a breath and forgot to exhale. He felt his cheeks going hot. How could James tell stories like that!
"That's not true," Scorpius said bluntly.
"Oh, it isn't?" Blancmange retorted coldly. "I even understand you fainted from the sight of an, ahem, undressed girl."
"I did not!" Scorpius shot to his feet. "I have two sisters, sir. I have seen them without clothes on more than once. I assure you. And peeping would absolutely be below my standard!"
"I have no intention whatsoever of discussing your family's standards," Blancmange replied, his tone icy.
Albus reached for his friend's hand and pulled him back onto the chair. There was no need to annoy their Head of House any further. Professor Flitwick generally felt more comfortable if everyone around him sat so that the difference in heights was less obvious. He especially preferred his students to be seated at all times. It was a tricky thing to tell somebody off whose head was three feet above yours.
Scorpius gave him a look in which outrage mingled with gratefulness.
Blancmange abruptly changed the topic. "What is that about an essay, anyway?" he asked. "Where is it?"
The utter silence that ensued seemed to last for hours.
"Well, that is a reasonable question," Professor Jones broke it at length. "If there ever was a piece of homework involved, where is it now?"
"When I came round we were surrounded by teachers," Scorpius said meekly. "So, I didn't dare asking James where it had gone..."
Albus's heart skipped a beat. The essay was gone? Where? When? How? That couldn't, no, that mustn't be true!
Blancmange, bristling, bore down on Scorpius, "Mr Malfoy, are you now accusing a Gryffindor student of theft?"
Scorpius shook his head, avoiding eye contact.
"Doesn't James have it?" Albus whispered, hoping against hope.
"Obviously not," Blancmange's tone was only marginally less hostile than it had been with Scorpius.
"I'm afraid there was no essay," Professor Jones seconded. "James Potter and Mr Malfoy were thoroughly frisked because the girl who surprised the latter thought she saw him stuffing something into his robes."
Albus felt like crying. The whole effort, all the trouble they had got themselves into, had been in vain. If James didn't have the essay... Well, his brother would tell tall stories. He would try to pull one over on him and Scorpius, but he would not harm Rose. James quite adored her, although he wouldn't admit it.
"Asking Miss Weasley might be the best course of action," Professor Flitwick said. "However, that will have to wait till tomorrow. I won't have a first-year dragged from her bed at this time of the night unless there is an emergency."
"That is fine with me," Professor Jones said smoothly before Blancmange could open his mouth. "Have you already decided on a punishment?"
"Detention, of course," Professor Flitwick answered. "And I will have to deduct ten points for each boy, even if it hurts so close to the end of term."
"I think that will be acceptable," she said.
"Regrettably, Hufflepuff might lose more points should Miss Donovan indeed be found guilty of theft," Professor Flitwick remarked conversationally. Turning to the Head of Gryffindor, he asked, "What about you, Edward?"
Blancmange looked distinctly miffed. "Potter will have to serve detention next Saturday. With Inutilia Selwyn."
"And aren't you going to take a few points off?" Professor Flitwick asked mildly.
Albus carefully kept his head down. His brother had lost Gryffindor more points with his antics during the past year than he had gained with three won Quidditch matches.
"Very well, ten," Blancmange conceded grudgingly as his colleagues continued to stare at him.
"Make that twenty in case James Potter's version turns out to be the correct one," Professor Jones said. She got up, bid everyone good night, and left.
Blancmange made as if to follow her, but turned back, his hand on the door-handle.
"Albus Potter," he said in his deep, rumbling voice, "which version is true?"
"Ours, sir," Albus said. "This was about getting my cousin's homework back, not about seeing naked girls."
"We needed brooms. That's why-" Scorpius started, yet Blancmange cut across him.
"I didn't ask you. Mr Potter, continue."
"We needed brooms," Albus repeated. "That's why we asked James for help. When he heard what we were going to do he insisted on coming along."
"I can imagine," the old wizard muttered on his way out. "And, obviously, he can't stand the fact that, for once, he hasn't been the mastermind."
Professor Flitwick waited until the door was firmly closed.
"Well, Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy," he then asked. "Who else was in on the adventure?"
Albus and Scorpius exchanged a surreptitious glance. Knowing exactly that they were about to break approximately one hundred school rules, they had been careful not to tell anyone. They hadn't even told Rose.
"Nobody besides Al's brother," Scorpius said.
"All right, I put my question differently," Professor Flitwick said. "Why isn't Miss Weasley in the common room anymore, re-writing her essay?"
The boys exchanged another glance.
"I do not know," Albus said, trying not to let a sudden hope colour his voice.
Flitwick nodded slowly, the shadow of a smile playing around his lips.
Albus wasn't sure what to make of this. "May we go now?" he asked tentatively.
"Yes, you may. And should you happen to discover the person who took the essay from unconscious Mr Malfoy and delivered it to Miss Weasley, tell him or her to see me tomorrow morning. Of course, he or she will have to serve detention along with you and your brother, but I like students who have a backbone."
-
Groaning, Scorpius slumped against the wall outside Flitwick's office. "Do you think he'll write to our parents?" he asked.
Albus shrugged. Of all the questions milling around in his head this was the one that bothered him least. James had committed more and worse mischief, and he'd always been forgiven.
"Dad would be so upset..." Scorpius trailed off, looking wretched.
"The most important question is: Does have Rose her essay back?" Albus said more impatiently than he had intended.
"She has," a girl said. She wore a long, bluish nightdress. Long, wavy hair cascaded down to her waist. She was Rose's tutor, Miranda Corner. "Persephone Ackerley and the Austrian boy brought it quite some time ago."
Scorpius sighed with relief. The gloomy expression stayed on his face, however.
"Where is Rose?" Albus asked.
"In her dorm; it's after curfew," Miranda said. "She was worried about you, though. That's why I'm here. So, what happened?"
"We got caught. We have detention with Selwyn on Saturday," Albus said. "You can tell Rose we're are sorry about that."
Miranda's eyes bore into his. "What about house points?"
"He took off twenty," Scorpius muttered.
"But Hufflepuff will lose more because Donovan is a thief," Albus said defiantly.
"What will leave Gryffindor in the lead," Miranda said, pulling a face. "Splendid, just splendid."
"My brother lost ten points, too," Albus said, now feeling thoroughly embarrassed. Why was it that people set such great store by this old-fashioned house competition? "We had to help Rose!"
"Well, I hope she will earn a few extra points with that essay so the score will even out in the end," Miranda said sternly. "Now, be off to bed lest you get into trouble again."
-
Joseph, Aidan and Cedric sat on their beds, eagerly awaiting a report of tonight's events. Albus and Scorpius took turns delivering the details.
"Professor Flitwick wants dat... that I own up a confession?" Joseph asked in the end.
"He said so, yes." Albus nodded. "It's sort of a logical conclusion that there was somebody else involved. He will want to know, who."
"Okay, I'll go," Joseph decided. "But we do not tell Sepho, yes?"
"Rather not," Scorpius agreed. "It doesn't take more than one person to carry ten feet of parchment, so one person taking the blame will be enough. Besides, you'll have to serve detention along with us, Joseph."
Joseph shrugged.
"And points?" Aidan asked. "Will he dock more points?"
"Because if he does," his twin brother joined in, "Persephone had really better keep her mouth shut."
"He didn't say anything about docking more points," Albus said with a sigh. "But Sepho should keep quiet, just to be on the safe side."
"He won't take points away," Joseph said confidently. "He wants dat... that our house wins."
The twins nodded their agreement; Scorpius looked pensive.
"Joseph, how come you and Sepho knew what we were up to?" Albus asked.
"You know her. She is always curious. She listened in to you. She has Extension Ears."
"Extendable Ears," Albus corrected automatically. Of course. Uncle George loved to boast about Extendable Ears still being top sellers after twenty years.
"Yes, dat... that is de name," Joseph said brightly. "She listened in to you when you made your plan. Den, she told me, and we followed you."
"Thanks for helping us, Joseph," Scorpius said.
"Yes, thanks," said Albus, following suit. He felt tired; it was about one in the morning. "Let's hit the sack."
"Oh, by the way, did you take pictures, Albus?" Aidan suddenly asked.
"Yeah, because we hear we really missed a show," Cedric added, smirking.
"What're you talking about?" Albus asked, completely at sea.
Cedric's grin grew wider. "We're talking about our Scorpius, unconscious on a broom."
"Yeah, fancy that," Aidan laughed. "He's a fairly rotten flyer when he's conscious-"
"-and now", Cedric went on, "imagine him dangling from James Potter's broom like a wet towel."
"Just shut it," Scorpius muttered, and left for the bathroom.
Joseph glowered at the twins until they stopped sniggering.
"Oh honestly," Aidan exclaimed, "we were only joking!"
"Yeah," Cedric fell in with his brother, "trying to lighten the atmosphere."
"Anyway, why's Scorpius pissed up like that?" Aidan asked.
"Let me see," Albus said, holding up a hand to count on his fingers. "We have detention, on Saturday, with Selwyn. My brother goes and spreads off-colour stories about us. We lost our house twenty points and won't be very popular in the common room for a while. And Professor Flitwick might write to our parents. Is that enough?"
"Well, you see, that is the trouble with you two," Cedric answered. "You take everything seriously but the one thing that is serious."
"Which would be Quidditch," Aidan added gravely.
"Oh, just shut it," Albus growled. However, he couldn't help laughing a bit, too.
-
Half an hour later, finally in their beds, Scorpius said softly, "Al?"
"Yeah?"
"There's something else that worries me. Why is Donovan acting like this? Bragging? Cheating? Stealing? We know her from Herbology, and she's always been a nice girl."
Scorpius seemed to have a point, but Albus felt too exhausted to give the matter any thought.