Chapter Two: Albus Potter

"Okay, here's the plan." Albus unfolded the Marauder's Map that he had (sneakily) "borrowed" from his dad, which was surprising given how loud and clumsy he was. Albus delved into the depths of the map until he found what he was looking for; a single broom cupboard that looked quite ordinary, but was also Filch's favorite place to keep his things.

"See this here?" Albus pointed to a tiny set of footprints that had Professor Slughorn's name stamped right beside it. "We'll have to get past the old potion's master, and then somehow avoid Peeves…" He looked at Scorpious to see how this was working out in his mind. Scorpious' eyes were glinting in such a way that made Albus want to hug him and stay away at the same time.

Scorpious took out a handful of black looking crystals from his pocket. "We can use these midnights to distract him. They are very useful. It'll create a huge puff of black ink so that we can escape unseen. They won't know what hit them!"

"Brilliant!" Albus cheered. "After we get past those two, we shouldn't have any problem getting into the cupboard."

And such was the bad habit that both these boys had developed. Even Scorpious, Gryffindor Prefect, was involved in all of these pranks since the day they started at Hogwarts, and had a knack for not being seen or heard. He had never been caught once. Albus, on the other hand, was clumsy and uncoordinated, but usually came up with good plans. He was the one who got detentions frequently and was known as a prankster.

The plan was to get into Filch's cupboard and rig the door so that when it opened, stink bombs would go off like fireworks at the world's biggest Quidditch match. It was simple, classic, and old, but Albus was bored. He had to do something to pass the time.

Albus walked down the hallway, the map tucked safely in his pocket, when he was blocked by a tall sixth year with dark brown hair and muscled arms. Albus tried to pass, but he wouldn't let him. Finally, James turned around and ruffled Albus' hair. Albus hated when people ruffled his hair; especially his older Pratt brother, who amused himself by making Albus miserable.

"James." Albus grumbled curtly, sticking his chin out. James, acting surprised, tucked his chin in and crossed his arms.

"Albus." He said in a mock high voice. Albus shoved his way past his older brother and continued down the hallway, rolling his eyes at the laughter that echoed along with him.

Albus was used to being absolutely adored. He was a smooth-talking, master pranking, ladies' man. He didn't have a bad mind, either, and passed with good marks. But, James, well, he was better at smooth talking, prank pulling, and passing his classes. And James was better looking too; he was Harry Potter's hunk son.

Albus thanked the Lord that James wasn't his twin.

The hallway began to clear out for lunch. Albus' stomach growled as he peered inside the Great Hall and he saw all his friends eating. Rose, his cousin, was working on some sort of assignment while eating, which surprised Albus, because she never waited to do her assignments. Rose was anything but a procrastinator.

Albus decided that he'd better hurry up so he could eat something. Quickly and quietly, he made his way to the dark meeting spot Scor and him had chosen and waited. Unfortunately, the abandoned corner was sticky and damp, and by the time Scorpious arrived, he had sweated two stains into the armpits of his white shirt.

"Where've you been, mate? Did you want me to sweat to death?" Albus muttered, taking a handful of midnights from Scorpious.

"Sorry, I just had to do something really quick. Now come on!" Scor replied.

They both ran down the corridor and snuck around the corner. Albus pulled out the map and looked at it. Slughorn was just around the bend, talking to Amelia Dugwood. Albus and Scor looked at each other, nodded, and watched as the midnights went sailing through the air and crashed down onto the floor.

Albus watched in wonder as they exploded on impact, sending shocks of inky smoke into the air around Slughorn. They tiptoed across the area and left Slughorn coughing in the black puff behind them.

And then they heard Peeves. He came gallivanting down the hallway shouting and cackling. Albus let out a shout as Scorpious pulled him into an empty classroom and was immediately repentant. Peeves turned towards the classroom and started creeping around, searching for the source of the noise. Scorpious kept his hand over Albus' mouth, motioning for him to stay calm and still. After what seemed like a lifetime, Peeves finally turned back towards the ink, which was still puffing strong.

Seeing their chance, both the boys snuck away as quickly and quietly as possible, and made their way around the bend. They had done it! The cupboard was right there, innocent and ready to be rigged.

Albus, who was a master at placing stink bombs, expertly connected the bombs to a long strand of thin, clear fishing line, and tied it to the door handle. Scorpious placed a few more bombs on the ground, for when Filch would step into the cupboard. Albus couldn't help snooping a bit and was searching the precarious piles of belongings (in which he found a thong, adult diapers, and a book that was labeled "diary") when he saw something flash in the corner of his eye.

But it was too late.

Peeves, in his devilish way, had pulled the string attached to the doorknob. Stink bombs started going off everywhere, pouring their wet, sticky smell all over Albus and Scorpious. In a startled confusion, Scorpious had stepped on two of the five stink bombs on the floor, which went off also, and Albus, in all his clumsy glory, stepped on the other three. By the time all the bombs had finished, Filch's closet was covered, all right, but so were Albus and Scorpious.

It looked like they had done the job too well.

They could barely take a step before Headmistress McGonagall, Filch, and a very unhappy Slughorn were standing before them. And to make things worse, Vera Quimby had just happened to be walking by and saw the whole explosion. She was now standing behind them with a shocked expression on her face.

Normally, Albus preferred brunettes, but Vera's blond locks drove him crazy. And he loved how brutally honest she was. The fact that she was seeing this; him all stinky and dirty with sweat stains at his armpits, was not a good thing. In fact, Albus was mortified.

However, mortification turned to absolute humiliation when Filch took both him and Scorpious by the scruffs of their necks and dragged them to McGonagall's office. When he risked a glance at her, she was laughing.

There went his chance of ever impressing the beautiful Vera Quimby.