There were rules to being friends with Albus Potter or any of the Potter-Weasley clan for that matter. It made sense for the cousins to be friends with one another (and only one another). It also made sense that they were all sorted into Gryffindor, despite it being more likely for Hugo to be put in Hufflepuff or Rose to be in Ravenclaw. There was too much weight behind their names and it was far easier to trust family than to take chances with new friends. That wasn't to say that none of them socialized with other classmates but at the end of the day their loyalty remained with the same people they'd grown up with — the same people that knew their parents beyond what was reported about them in The Prophet and for this reason, amongst others, never asked any questions.

Because of this, Scorpius felt rather special being invited to the Potter home. While it was true that he technically was the only true friend that existed outside of the family it was still an honor to bare witness to what was, for all intents and purposes, a normal house on a normal street in the middle of Knightsbridge. All other gatherings, including a rather disastrous attempt at a birthday party that was meant to make Albus seem normal but actually did quite the opposite, were held at The Burrow. It was safe and existed completely away from muggles. There was the ability to relax but the home also had a welcoming feel that dissuaded guests from thinking about much else than Mrs. Weasley's cooking or the old but extensive quidditch pitch.

Two weeks into summer vacation, after an exhaustingly boring trip to Paris and back, Scorpius received an owl from Albus demanding his best mate's presence on an otherwise mundane Tuesday afternoon. It was casual, just as all of Scorpius' visits had been but he beamed thinking about the likelihood that the friends would spend much of the time before dinner playing muggle video games. It was more risky than sex or firewhiskey, mostly because it was a topic he'd never even dare to mention to his mother or father.

He apparated with his mother who placed a kiss to his begrudging cheek before disapparating to her parent's home in Richmond. It was only a two block walk to the Potter residence from the nearby apparition point and Scorpius wore a smile for all of the journey, allowing his grin to fade when he turned the corner onto Albus' street and saw it was not just his best friend waiting for him, but all of the Potter-Weasley clan. Hugo was absent but Scorpius didn't ask questions. He was far too busy taking in the other outsider: a well-dressed Wyatt Brennan who was currently making Rose and Lily Luna laugh as he leaned against the iron fence leading up to the home.

Everyone looked to Scorpius as he arrived. Rose even stood, encouraging his smile to return until he saw her approaching, not to give him a hug but instead to introduce Wyatt. The couple stood waiting as Albus and Scorpius shared a hushed conversation. This was a normal occurrence, one that reminded even strangers how in-sync the pair was and always had been. Scorpius, while just as awkward as Albus, was much better at hiding his insecurities and Albus' family welcomed Scorpius' presence because it allowed their brother or cousin to proudly be himself.

Finally Scorpius looked over taking in Wyatt and how, thankfully, Rose was no longer holding the boy's hand. It made the handshake the teens shared seem more natural. They gave their names as if neither had even met; as if there hadn't always been an animosity toward the men, caused by Wyatt's misplaced judgement of Scorpius' family and the retaliating nature of Scorpius' quidditch prowess.

The handshake Wyatt and Scorpius shared caused Scorpius' confidence to fade. He didn't reach out for Rose in the way he wanted to. In fact, he was barely able to look to her and before she could ask him about Paris, Scorpius nudged at Albus as if to ask that they begin walking. They planned a day in muggle London and now all Scorpius wanted was for that part of their day to end so they could retire to a room in the Potter house where he didn't have to hear laughter from Rose he for once was not the cause of.

"How is he?"

Albus looked to Scorpius, cocking his head as he studied his best friend's features for the question he really wished to ask. "Who? Wyatt?"

"Yeah."

"He's...he's nice."

"Nice?"

Albus nodded. "Yeah...nice."

"Does he...has he been around a lot?"

"No," Albus denied quickly, sensing Scorpius was just as annoyed by Wyatt's presence as he was, though for different reasons. Albus couldn't relax in the company of strangers and with Wyatt around he felt like Rose was just his cousin not his best friend. "Rose asked my mum if he could come and didn't even tell me. I mean...I don't care. I just—"

Scorpius smirked. "You care."

"He's nice though, really…"

He chuckled. "Right. Nice."

Albus paused. "I don't know—"

"Does she like him?"

Albus shrugged. "I don't know," he repeated, now as an answer instead of an explanation. "Do you not like him?"

"I don't know him."

"Neither do I," Albus conceded, almost defending the answers he didn't have.

"Is she happy?"

Albus paused. "Why don't you ask her?"

"I don't...she can make up her own mind. I'd assume she's happy or else she'd get out of it."

"I'd assume she's happy if she invited him over to my bloody house," Albus grumbled.

Scorpius smirked, hiding the pressure he felt in his throat, constraining his breathing. "What do your mum and dad think?"

"They don't know him either—"

"But they've let him into their home."

"He actually hasn't been inside yet and he's not staying for dinner."

"Oh?"

"Rose made that clear."

"Oh," Scorpius settled in contrast.

"I don't think she's used to the attention."

"Why not?"

"Because he's the only bloke who has been brave enough to approach her, must less ask her out and actually be successful."

"She may not be used to it but that doesn't mean she doesn't like the attention," Scorpius guessed.

Albus gave a breath of pause. "I thought she knew her own mind and could get out of it if she wanted?"

"She can. But maybe she's still figuring it out."

"Well don't make her sound pathetic."

"No, never," Scorpius dismissed with a laugh. "I just...I don't...Rose is great. I just don't want her to think she's not worth it just because some random toff finally plucked up the courage to ask her out." Albus said nothing so Scorpius leaned in. "No?"

"I don't disagree. I don't know what you want me to say."

Scorpius looked away, focusing on the park they were passing and how they'd made their way into muggle London without incident. Glancing back to Albus he shrugged once more. "You don't need to say anything. I just—"

"She said she wrote to you and you didn't write her back."

"I didn't get it until right before we left Paris. I figured it wasn't worth it to write back because I knew I'd see her today."

"And yet you're walking with me instead of talking to her."

Scorpius groaned. "I can talk to her later."

"When Wyatt's not around?"

"Well sure. He doesn't need to know about my trip."

"Would it hurt if he did?"

"Alright let me rephrase that: I don't care for him to know about my trip."

"If he's her boyfriend—"

"Is he?"

Albus twisted his mouth to show his indifference. "I don't know, Scorp—"

"Do they snog?"

"Not in front of me...but you know how private Rose is. I'm sure they do," he assumed, "but she'd never do it with an audience."

"He better not be taking advantage of her…"

"Again, it's Rose...I'm sure she wouldn't allow that. You know she wouldn't allow that." Albus released a steady exhale. "I know this is new to you but it's worth noting that Rose doesn't worry about who you shag. Don't you think you should be giving her the same courtesy?"

"Well I'm sure they're not shagging," he said, forcing a laugh. His voice was slow, as if waiting for Albus to input a rebuttal. "You don't think they're shagging, do you?"

Albus could only manage a chuckle in disbelief. He said nothing and his silence was deafening. Terrified and also a bit confused, Scorpius deserted the conversation, moving on to more amenable topics like how Albus' quidditch skills were quickly improving or the steak and ale pie Albus' mum was preparing for dinner that night.

~!~

There were many reasons Scorpius liked going to Albus's home. All of these things — the noise and the laughter and the warmth — were foreign in his own Mayfair brownstone. It was inevitable, especially considering most nights were spent eating dinner alone with his mother while his father remained at the office late or even away on business altogether. Scorpius knew how hard his father worked but he was also of the age now where he could recognize a man running from his own demons. When Draco was home he was quiet but happy and watching the love shared between his mother and father was something that Scorpius never minded in the way Albus or his siblings did with their own parents. Perhaps it was because such a thing would surprise most and Scorpius was honored that he saw his world as it was meant to be viewed, not through the warped lenses of a grudge baring world.

This night the pair sat across from one another at a cream colored table meant for eight. When Draco was home, Astoria would assume her seat at the head of the table opposite her husband. With the Malfoy patriarch gone she felt closer to her son sitting like this. It was also easier for the two to pass serving dishes back and forth after their house elf, Dagwood, set the items down. Draco's absence encouraged the House elf to excuse himself after serving the family. It also made the muggle sweatshirt Scorpius wore or Astoria's bare feet seem commonplace in the otherwise pristine estate.

"How was Albus'? I'm sorry I missed you coming in last night…"

"It's fine," he assured before biting at a piece of asparagus and beginning to chew. He swallowed and did his best not to slump in his seat, a lazy habit he'd had since he was a little boy and one he'd been reprimanded for many times over. Tonight, however, his mother didn't seem to mind. Perhaps she was giving him temporary reprieve from the scrutiny her son would surely receive once her husband did return home.

Long ago Astoria learned how to pretend. Such a talent was honed when she spent time with her in-laws or now when she was doing her best to let her son be a teenage boy while also showing she cared. The two objectives were almost always exclusive of one another.

"Everything okay?"

"What?" Scorpius perked up. "Yeah," he tried. "M'fine. Tired."

"Those muggle video games take a lot out of you?" She smirked. When Scorpius said nothing she shook her head playfully. "I won't tell your father."

"Tell him. I don't care."

Astoria paused. "Are you sure there's nothing you want to discuss?"

Scorpius shook his head. "No. I'm fine. I'm sorry, I just...I don't feel well."

It wasn't a lie but it certainly wasn't the full truth. In all honesty he didn't want to discuss his day. He spent most of it realizing his best friend was happy, all before acknowledging that he selfishly wished that wasn't the case. Wyatt was, as Albus had said, very nice. He could hold a steady conversation and wasn't as arrogant as Scorpius had imagined he'd be. He was calm in muggle London and polite to all of Rose's extended family. They all seemed to enjoy his company, giving Scorpius little room disagree. Confronted with these truths Scorpius walked home deciding that the only thing worse than having a reason to hate someone was hating them for no reason at all. Scorpius's animosity would have been more fairly placed inward. There was a cause of his self-loathing and he deserved the way he felt, far more than Wyatt deserved his empty judgement.

"Rose has a boyfriend," he released. Slowly Scorpius looked up. The look he wore told his mother that it was likely his own admission shocked him.

Astoria smirked. "Oh?"

"I don't know why I said that…"

This time she let out a full laugh. "Well why is that so bad?"

"It's...it's not, I guess," he explained, straightening his posture. "She's just...never had a boyfriend before. It's weird, s'all."

"You've never had a girlfriend," Astoria pointed out. Her statement was accurate but it depleted all of the available oxygen from the room. His mother had no knowledge of his sexual history but should that have not been the case it still wouldn't have made her observation a false once.

"No," Scorpius attempted with a dry swallow of thick air. "I haven't."

~!~

"Move over, you tosser!"

"Rose!"

Ignoring his mother Hugo shoved his sister back, bumping his hip into hers as he grabbed yet another dish off the counter. It was Sunday and with the Auror Academy on a weeklong recess Ron was home. This meant he had spent the past two hours preparing dinner for the family, using the time in between to snog his wife as she sat on their countertop. As was so often the case, Hermione couldn't help but to beam with her husband home. She had always done such a wonderful job hiding her sorrow from her children when it came to her husband's absences but it was lost on no one that her mood was drastically altered everytime he was returned home to her.

The table was nearly set now, a fact punctuated by the loud way both Rose and Hugo took a seat. Their movements made it seem like such a task could have been a competition. Only their parents realized their energy came from a similar elation at having their father home and their family whole once more.

Sitting down they began passing plates quickly. It was an easy rhythm to fall into, and soon all dishes were placed back on the tabletop while everyone began to eat.

"How was your time with Wyatt yesterday, Rose?"

Ron looked up from the food he piled on his fork. "Who's Wyatt?" he asked quickly, with eyes that bounced between his wife and daughter.

"A friend," Rose muttered quickly.

Ron wasn't convinced, shown in the way he set his utensil down and leaned back in his chair. "Wyatt who?"

"Brennan," Hugo said simply.

Rose tossed a rather nasty glance her brother's way. "Did we ask you?"

Hugo rolled his eyes and continued to eat. Hermione looked to Ron, then back to her daughter, unsure of how to continue. "Rose–"

"Why is this a secret?" Ron asked calmly. "Rosie?"

"It's not that big of a deal. It's not like we were alone," she shrugged. "He's just a friend."

"I don't snog my friends," Hugo added before sipping at his pumpkin juice.

"Hugo!" Rose shrieked, only causing her brother to let out a loud cackle of laughter as he set his glass down once more. "You don't snog anyone, twerp!" she followed once she was able to regain her mental footing.

"Speak for yourself," he spat, before returning to his quickly dwindling meal.

Hermione sighed. "Rose, I didn't…" Her daughter's eyes darkened, asking her mother to stop talking.

Ron exhaled too. He remained separated from his plate and as Hermione studied his features she performed a warming charm on his food, causing steam to rise from it again. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"No," Rose chuckled. "He's really not."

"So just a boy you're snogging?"

"I...we didn't…it was a snog. A single snog. No one was there so I don't know how Hugo even knows…" She exhaled, relieved to be rid of the air in her lungs. "We're not dating. He's a friend."

"Is this a new thing you're trying out?" Ron drawled. "Snogging friends?"

Rose's gaze narrowed. She sat back too. "Maybe." Before her father could continue she lost her bravery and looked away, forcing a lopsided smile to dismiss her discomfort. "No. Obviously not." She exhaled. "It was a snog! Why can't I snog someone?"

Hermione sighed. "You can snog someone, darling. I think what your father is saying is that he didn't know about Wyatt and you don't seem to be interested in him enough to date him—"

"And I've waited this long to snog someone so why not wait a bit longer?"

"Well is that it then?" Hermione persisted, clearly in search of the most logical explanation.

"No, Mum!" Rose shrieked. "Can we please change the subject?"

The room got quiet as Hugo and Rose watched their parents hold a wordless conversation. The couple looked away at the exact same moment, both reaching for their silverware simultaneously.

Ron gave a steady inhale. "Hugo, chess tonight?"


There were a lot of little things I needed this chapter to reveal and I hope it worked. Let me know what you thought?

I know I said it two chapters ago but this really is the last exposition (and therefore slightly slow moving) chapter. We're truly thrust into the present with the next chapter and all those that follow.

Thanks for reading!

x. Elle