"Albus Severus Potter!" shouted someone. Al was so startled that he dropped his broom. He turned around.
"Oh, hi Rosie. Merlin! You scared me out." Al cleared his throat.
"What are you doing here all alone?"
"Don t you dare Rosie, me, Al! I m the one who supposed to ask you why you are here. I'm a prefect, in case that you have forgotten." Al threw his hands on the air.
"Who could forget that? You bragged it all summer! Hearing that, Rosie was livid. Al groaned inwardly. Wrong sentence, Al, he thought to himself.
"I never brag! It was that silly Hugo who teased me all the time that I needed to threaten him by using my badge to disqualify him from our house team. Forget about that. Now, tell me, what are you doing out here late at night? Rose demanded.
"I was just going to the Quidditch field, Rose. Tomorrow s your house team s turn, so I wouldn't be able to use it. I have asked Professor Zabini a permission to use the field tonight, and he said yes.
"But the Slytherins have used the field this afternoon, right? I thought that you were practicing with your team today." Rose was puzzled.
Al just grumbled. He picked up his broom and walked irately toward the field.
"I need more practice. He said rather grumpily. He didn't wish it, but Rose was still tailing his back.
"More? I think you played very well, Al."
"In case that you didn't notice, James has taunted me all the freaking time last holiday. Ok, Slytherins has lost last winter. But it won't happen again. Not now, when I become the main seeker. Back then, I was just a backup. This year, I'm the main team. It won't matter if this year James your captain. We ll win the Quidditch cup for sure."
"Phew, Al. Me, of all of the family besides Uncle Harry, is the only person who always accepts you being a Slytherin. I do because I know how hard you work to get your ambitions. But I never saw you this determined." Rose sighed. "Is it that important to beat James?" Al whirled around.
"You don't know how it feels, Rose! It is not only about beating James and your house team. It's about the pride of being a Slytherin! It's about wanting something so bad and fulfilling it, however, and whatever it takes!" Rose's eyes widened at his statement.
"Wanting to beat James? I don t like this, Al. It s as if you hate James so much." Rose was in the brink of tears.
"Nah... I never hate him." Al groaned. "He s my brother, for Merlin sake!" He turned around and started walking again. "Listen," he continued, "James is a great brother. He's brave and protective toward me and Lily. But sometimes he's a real pain in the a...in the neck." Al rephrased. "As mom always says, he likes a laugh. Everyone loves him. He s smart. He s the spirit of the party. The teachers favor him. The girls fancy him. Our uncles and aunts liked him, especially Uncle George. Mum and dad are proud of his achievements and even Little Lily adores him."
"We love you too, Al." Rose's voice sounded hurt. "Thought you knew." Al sighed.
"Hey! I know. Really, I do!" Al hastily continued, "It's just that I need to prove to myself that I can do something on my own. That I am not only the second son of the Famous Auror of All Time-Harry Potter. Not the second son of the Holyhead Harpies Legendary Captain- Ginny Weasley. Nor the brother of James Sirius Potter- the most brilliant head boy." That smothered Rose's protest.
They walked in silence until they got to the field. The lamps were already lit.
"Thought you'd never shown up, Potter!" An upset bark echoed from the opposite goal posts. A dark figure swooshed toward them. Instinctively, Rose's fingers searched for her wand.
"No," Al touched her hand gently. "In your dream, Malfoy!" Al shouted back and snorted; yet, Rose kept alarmed. The approaching figure chuckled, and threw his cloak hood back, revealing Scorpius Malfoy s face.
"Oh, you bring a company?" Scorpius Malfoy jumped from his broom. "Well, well, well, If it's not Miss Rose Weasley. " Scorpius smirked. "Does James ask you to spy on our practice, Miz Weasley? Or is it your concern that I might hurt your precious cousin here?" Rose folded her hands in front of her chest, and readied her retorts.
"Stop it, Scorp." Al interrupted. "I met her accidentally on my way here." Al got himself prepared with his practice gear. "Cut your sharp tongue and let's start our practice."
"With her watching?" Scorpius sounded annoyed. Rose couldn't stand it anymore.
"As much as I want Hugo to beat the Bludgers toward your arse over those goal posts, Mr. Malfoy, I still respect Al here. I never wish any harm to him, so no, I m not going to spy on your strategies." With that, Rose hurled back to the castle. Al laughed watching the heated exchanges between his favorite cousin and his best friend.
"What's wrong with her? I was just kidding!" Scorpius spat furiously watching Rose haughty strides.
"A Weasley has a distinctive temper and a Gryffindor has a different kind of humor, didn't I tell you that? Combine that with Aunt Hermione's brainy diplomacy and you'll get the Thorny Rose. Don't say that I haven't warned you." Al rode his broom, still laughing gleefully. "Come on, where's the Quaffles? Get your little behind in front of the goal posts and let me throw Quaffles on your guard. Let's see how many you can save. And later, we can improve my time record in catching the snitch." He waited until Scorpius sat on his broom and started to float.
"I don't know, Al." Scorpius doubted. "I'm practically blind in this condition. I wouldn't know if you're really throwing Quaffles or merely making mocking maneuvers. I wouldn't know either if you're really catching the snitch or not. Not in the night this dark." He shrugged.
"Giving up, Malfoy?" Scorpius snorted hearing that. "Don't get grumpy, old fellow. You can wear your glasses now. Come on. Nobody would see. It would be only me and you here." With that, Albus soared easily.
If there's one thing James ever be jealous of, it was that how Al inherited Harry's and Ginny's seeker qualities. Al could learn how to fly merely seconds after Madam Hooch's started his first flying lessons. That, and Al's swiftness and attentiveness in following the movements of the golden snitch.
"Come on!" Al yelled passionately. Scorpius sighed and searched in his cloak pocket for his glasses.
He's hidden it for several months now, and he hadn't been able to pluck up courage to wear it in public. It's a sign of a weakness, and a Malfoy shouldn't show any of his, or at least, that's what grandfather Lucius told him all the time. He almost had a heart attack when he first saw Scorpius wearing the glasses given by his Scorpius's dad, Draco. Grandfather Lucius smashed the first pair of glasses and had an intense argument with his dad. Draco insisted Scorpius to wear the glasses so that he could study and play Quidditch better. But Lucius had a different opinion about it. He considered it taboo to wear glasses, something that was made by Muggles and thus, it showed weaknesses. Draco always tried to give the best for Scorpius, and, as Daphne Scorpius's mom would playfully say Draco had Scorpius spoilt rotten.
However, Though he adored his parents equally, Scorpius didn t want his dad to fight with his grandfather. Because, Scorpius knew that however Draco hated Lucius, it always hurt Draco when Lucius got mad with him.
So it was. Scorpius never wore the glasses in other company but people he could trust. That means three people. His dad, Draco, his mum, Daphne, and his best friend, Al. That was why he was horrified with the idea of Rose Weasley watching him practicing. He didn t want to show his weaknesses in front of anyone else. Not a Weasley. Especially not a Rose Weasley.
With a sigh, Scorpius put on his glassess and followed Al to the goal post.
AN: like it? hate it? Is it a need to continue? let me know.