Author's Note: [07/03/2012] This chapter has been edited. Some parts of it might have been changed. Thank you all so much for sticking with this story! If you find mistakes, feel free to tell me in a PM or in a review. Thank you and happy reading!

Chapter 6

"So, It's 'Albus' Now?"

December 11, 2031

"Albus! Hey, wait up!" Albus' eyes widened when he heard the familiar voice coming from down the hall. But it was impossible: there was no way he could here. Turning around, Albus gawked.

"J-James? What on Earth are you doing here?" He asked suddenly, taking a few steps towards his brother.

"I thought it would be obvious," James said as he grinned. Shifting the cloth-covered boxed he had been holding over to one arm, he threw his other one around Albus, giving him a tight hug. "We're here to visit you."

"We?"

James nodded his head. "There's me; Lily and dad are down by the entrance talking to the headmaster of this place; and then Madam Hope took Uncle Ron, Uncle George and Aunt Hermione to the dining hall," he rattled off before shoving the boxes into his brother's arms.

"And what are all these? It's a little early for Christmas, isn't it?" Albus asked curiously, walking over to one of the large windows. Setting the boxes down on the window sill, he unwrapped one and then the others. His stomach began to grumble as he saw that each one was filled with food.

"Well, it's because the trip was so sudden, not everyone was able to come, but they all send their love. And gifts. Especially mum," James explained as he walked over to Albus, reaching into one of the boxes and stealing a cookie, shoving it completely into his mouth.

"Mum always worries about me," Albus agreed with a distracted nod as he started picking at the food, some potatoes here, some sausages there. He could hardly stifle the moan as he ate. He had missed his mother's cooking and it was still warm, almost as if it were just off the stove.

"That's true. She had missed your letters because she was in Bulgaria covering a Quidditch marathon. Then, about two days ago, one of the other writers got hurt so now Mum's in France covering the Quiberon Quafflepunchers' qualifying match," James said, his mouth stuffed with food by that point.

"I understand. Mum's a busy woman. I told everyone that I did not want them to worry about getting back to me," Albus said after he swallowed his mouthful of potatoes before going through the other boxes to see what was inside.

"This is mum we're talking about," James said, huffing when Albus slapped his hand away, before continuing, "She was so upset that she couldn't visit you that she cooked you a banquet and made Lily, Dad and I vow to make sure we would deliver it to you with her love."

"That sounds like mum, doesn't it? But I do love her cooking."

"Oh yeah, that much is obvious."

Albus stopped eating as he glared over at his brother. "What is that supposed to mean?"

James was quiet for a few moments, clearly thinking how to best phrase his next words as the look on Albus's face was clearing warning him that those words might very well be his last. "Well, remember just before you were about to graduate from Hogwarts? I told you to find your own place quickly, but you said that you wanted to stay with mum and dad until you could get a job. Remember that?"

"Yes," Albus all but growled. He did not like where this was going.

"Yes, well, you got a little chubby from staying with mum and dad. No offense."

"What!" Chubby? Albus was never chubby a day in his life!

"Hey, it's true. Normally you've always been on the scrawny side, but you got a little soft around the edges staying at home for so long. People kept asking me if I had two younger brothers because no one believed you had already graduated. Not with that baby face."

Albus flushed. Alright, so there was a rather brief time in his life when he might have been a little on the chubbier side. It wasn't his fault. Between his mother and his grandmother and his aunts, it was hard to go a whole day without someone trying to get him to eat so he wasn't "so painfully skinny". "They couldn't have said that for long, though. I moved out a few years ago!"

"And became a twig for a while," James added, looking over at Albus, worry clear on his face. Albus hated it when James looked at him like that. "We are all really worried about you when you're on your own, you know. You have a habit of getting lost in your ... projects or what not. You don't take care of yourself."

"James..." Albus hated this conversation.

Now that James was on the topic, he did not seem willing to bow to his younger brother's obvious wishes. "I know being a teacher isn't exactly the fastest way of be a billionaire, but if you ever need some money, you know you could always ask me or dad, or anyone really."

"James," Albus said, his tone making it clear that his patience was running thin, "We are not having this conversation right now."

"Albus, it's just-"

"Change the subject, right now, before I get rather upset with you." James stopped trying to force the conversation as he looked over at Albus, the younger man having taken off his glasses and was wiping them clean quite vigorously. It was a clear sign that Albus had had enough.

"Fine, fine," James muttered with a sigh, covering up the food he had been eating. "But we have to talk about this eventually and you can't keep running away from it forever."

Albus visibly tensed and James was almost sure he had seen a look of fear cross his expression, but it was gone so soon James could not be sure. Albus shook his head a bit as he turned to rest back against the window sill. "I know. I am sorry I snapped at you. I just... this term has been a bit of a roller coaster for me."

"Is it Malfoy?"

That startled Albus. "W...what? Why would you even bring him up?" Albus tried to think back to the letters he had been sending his family since he arrived in California. He knew they generally were not interested in the Malfoys so he was almost certain that he had yet to mention Scorpius to them.

Albus' face looked so serious that James couldn't help but snicker. Reaching out, he ruffled his brother's naturally messy hair. "I know what you're thinking and, no, you hadn't mentioned he was here. I gathered as much only because his parents showed out of the blue before we were about to get on the plane."

"Is everything alright?" For the Malfoys to willingly visit his family something had to be very wrong with the fundamental workings of the universe.

James just shrugged. Unlike Albus, who had a vested interest in Scorpius, James didn't seem to care. "No idea. Dad and Mr. Malfoy talked about something in his study. Mrs. Malfoy asked if I would be so kind as to deliver something to her son. Scorpius might be a prat, but his mum is a nice lady." Crossing his arms, he shook his head, "He has no right to do what he's doing to his family."

Furrowing his brows, Albus looked at James, giving the story his full, undivided attention now. "What is it that he's been doing exactly?"

James answered with a huff. He always disliked Scorpius and he seemed particularly adverse to him now. "He's been ignoring them the last few weeks. He's got the audacity to just return every letter and gift they send him, completely unopened. His parents are worried sick about him, but he's being a complete bastard."

Albus winced at James' words. Scorpius must really be in more trouble than he had initially thought if he is actually ignoring his own family. Albus had been hurt when Scorpius had brushed him off so casually, but for a Malfoy to just ignore his parents like how Scorpius was doing, that was a clear sign of the danger Scorpius faced. Albus was sure of it. "He probably has good reason," Albus offered half-heartedly.

James always prided himself on being pretty perceptive when it came to reading his younger brother. As far as he was concerned, Albus might as well have been an open book. He was trying to hide something form him and James would wheedle it out of him. "What would you know about it?" Albus reached up for his glasses once more. "Look, I won't force you to tell me right now, but if you think Malfoy might be involved in something, you really should tell dad." James might have been able to read his brother's mannerisms, but that didn't mean he didn't have to tread lightly. Albus was prone to quick mood swings when he was feeling cornered.

"I can't, "Albus said mournfully, as he slumped back against the window.

"Albus," James said, reaching out to put his arm around Albus' shoulders, pulling him close, "hiding things won't save Scorpius if he needs help." Normally, Albus would have squirmed out of the touch by then, but instead, he just stayed where he was, James' arm around him.

Slowly, he looked up at James, looking like a child who had just been caught trying to pilfer sweets before dinner. "I was just hoping I could do this by myself."

James was shocked to hear such an honest and sincere answer from his brother. He had thought for years that Albus was a natural Slytherin. He was sly and clever, unlike James who tended to stumble into situations head first. Albus was supposed to be the smart one; he was supposed to be the strategist. James was almost proud that Albus was still capable of doing such a prideful thing. "You really are an idiot."

"You are too," Albus said as he tried to push James away from him, suddenly realizing how close they were, a light blush on his cheeks. He had revealed a lot more about himself to James than he normally would. It was a little embarrassing.

"Tell you what," James said, mercifully letting Albus out of the hug after letting him struggle for a few moments, "After I give him the present from his parents, I'll deck him one. Maybe two. One because he made his mum cry and another one because he made you cry," he explained, reaching out to pinch Albus' pink cheek.

Albus pulled away, looking unamused. "I'm not crying, James."

"Not right now, no. But I know you, Albus," James said triumphantly. If there was anyone in the world who did understand Albus, chances were it really was James. "You take a lot of stress, but when you get too frustrated, you explode. You cry when you get really mad."

"D-do not," Albus defended meekly, even though he knew that James was right, probably more than James realized.

"You need to learn to get in touch with your emotional side more, young Albus Severus," James said, attempting to sound like he were dispensing sage advice. "You know, show your frustration a little bit at a time instead of all at once."

Albus opened his mouth several times to offer some kind of argument, but he finally just closed his mouth. He had no argument to offer. For someone who was normally pig headed and stubborn, James had just said something rather insightful. "You have a point," Albus finally said, all at once, almost in a rush. If he didn't say it quickly, he might not have the will to say it at all.

"All I'm saying is-"James paused, Albus' words finally registering, "wait, did you just say I had a point? You...never say that." James glanced at his brother incredulously, almost as if Albus were playing a trick on him. He wouldn't put it past Albus, despite how unassuming he looked.

Albus, however, just shrugged. "Well, in this particular instance, you've got a good point, James," he clarified. He knew that too much praise from him would smack of insincerity, so for James' sake, he would have to reign it in.

There was silence between the two brothers before James finally spoke. "Huh. Alright." Silence fell on them once more, this time a little longer. "Not to, you know, sound like I don't believe you, but how exactly do I have a good point?"

Now Albus looked uncomfortable. He wanted to tell James, but he hated how the story made him seem like a child. "I'm beginning to think I have a bad temper. Scorpius and I have had some...disagreements the last couple of times I saw him."

"And what did you do?"

Albus sighed. He got embarrassed just thinking about what had happened, but he knew that if he were going to get it off his chest, he would actually have to tell his brother. "The first time I got mad, I might have thrown wine in his face. Expensive wine, probably." James was gawking at him with large eyes now, but Albus continued. "Then the second time, I got so upset with him that I slapped him. He's just been so intolerable lately."

James threw his head back and laughed at Albus's last comment. Now that was something the two of them could see eye-to-eye. "I'd have thought you'd be used to the Slytherin Prince's antics by now."

"That's the problem," Albus said quickly, almost as if he just realized something, "If he were more Slytherin, I'd never be frustrated with him. It's the fact his Gryffindor side is showing that is really beginning to bother me," Albus muttered, glancing accusingly at his brother, as if it were James' fault that Scorpius had taken to acting oddly.

"Gryffindor side?" Disbelief was all over James' face. Scorpius had many sides, most of which annoyed James to no end, but a Gryffindor side? The sun had a greater chance of having a dark side than Scorpius had of having a light side.

"Courage, selflessness...blind stupidity"

James puffed out his chest at that. Even if it were true, he still had to defend his pride. "Hey! I take offense to that!"

"Take offense all you want James, but it's true," Albus commented with a sly smile now. A part of him liked fighting with his brother. He had missed it since he had moved to California. "Scorpius of all people is doing such stupid things. I don't even know what to make of it." Albus' smile faced as he reached up, rubbing at his forehead before adjusting his glasses. "He's pushing me away at a time when the logical thing would be to gather as many allies as he can. Why can't he just...think?"

James opened his mouth to say one of the many Malfoy-related insults he had been thinking about, probably for years, but instead, he just grinned impishly. "I'll ask him that. After I punch his lights out for making you sad. No one gets to make my little brother feel worthless," he declared, throwing his arms around Albus once more, bringing him in close for a bone-crushing embrace.

"Except you," Albus corrected as he tried to wiggle out of the hug.

James nodded his head in agreement, not allowing Albus to move away from him this time. "Except me. But, we're family, so it's alright." Albus just rolled his eyes, thankful that James couldn't see his face.

The three siblings had wandered the halls talking for nearly two hours before Albus heard James's and Lily's stomachs growling. He was still full from earlier, but he knew that if his brother and sister didn't eat sometime soon, they would complain loudly and often. If he took after their Aunt, the two of them definitely took after their Uncles. Leading them outside to the Quidditch field, Albus set out the food. Despite the time of year, the weather was incredibly nice. It was practically summer weather back where they were from.

James and Lily ate ravenously, as if they had never seen food, but Albus wasn't too shocked. They always ate like that. He was sure some people would find that an endearing quality about them, but Albus just felt like their behavior made him seem like a mother hen in comparison. James, you're spilling all over yourself. Lily, don't talk with your mouthful. Both of you learn to chew properly. Do you want to choke on such a nice day? Albus probably should have been annoyed, and he certainly tried to pretend he was, but in reality, he had missed spending time like this with his brother and sister. They hadn't really been so carefree around each other in years. It felt like they were children once again, before any of them had started to go to Hogwarts.

Once they finished eating, James and Lily looked over at Albus expectantly. They didn't even need to ask for what they wanted, Albus already knew. Getting them a pair of older brooms from the Quidditch supply room, he laid down on the grass as he watched his brother and sister take off into the air. He enjoyed flying, but his brother and sister were too competitive for him. He preferred just flying around leisurely, enjoying the feel of the breeze through his hair, but James and Lily were constantly coming up with racing ideas and would make fun of him if he ever said he wasn't interested in participating. But it didn't matter. He liked watching them fly around, attentions completely devoted to their little races. Albus was always surprised how creatively the two of them could be when it came to cheating.

Albus was so lost in thought watching his siblings zip around in the sky above that he hardly noticed when someone took a seat beside him on the grass. It was only when he heard a familiar voice say, "Hello, Albus," did Albus sit up with a start.

Looking over at his father, he reached up to nervously adjust his own glasses. "Hi, dad," he muttered quickly before clearing his throat. "Er, how are you doing?"

"Rather well, thank you," Harry said pleasantly as he looked up, watching as James and Lily flew through the air, completely unaware of the two men on the grass. "Though I must admit, the plane ride was certainly a lot longer than I thought. It was pleasant, though."

"I was hoping you would like it," Albus said with a light smile. His father always did like new experiences and as far as he knew, Harry Potter had never been on a plane before.

"Ron was out of his mind with worry," his dad said with a chuckle, "Every time we would hit a little turbulence, he would start flailing around, crying out that we were going to all die. Hermione was certainly enjoying herself."

Albus laughed as well. His Uncle Ron was certainly an animated person. He could practically imagine his fear of being on an airplane. "So, she was enjoying herself watching Uncle Ron panic?"

"She tends to do that."

"I noticed." A comfortable silence now fell between father and son. It wasn't anything new. Many times, attempts at having a conversation between the two of them often ended up in silence. Luckily, Albus never seemed to mind, and if Harry did, he made no comment on the matter. In the silence, Albus had some space to think. He had been thinking about many things lately, but it seemed like it was never enough. Looking over at his father, Albus smiled lightly, "Ah, dad?"

"Yes?" Harry was looking over at his son, now. That was a quality of his father Albus would always respect. No matter how busy he was, no matter how otherwise distracted, if any one of his children wanted his attention, Harry would give it to them fully.

"Your advice the other day, thank you. It really helped to clear things for me." Albus looked away as soon as he said those words. He hoped his father didn't think he was being childish. When he felt his father ruffling his hair, he looked back to the older man in confusion.

"Of course, Albus. It's nice thinking that there are still things I can teach you," he said with a kind smile on his face.

This confused Albus. His father was constantly helping him with things. "What do you mean?"

For a few moments, Harry Potter was silent, trying to thinking of the best way to phrase when it was he wanted to say. He knew his son. One would have to phrase things very carefully or else Albus would over think things. "You aren't like your brother or sister. You're always very quiet and to yourself. You try to figure everything out on your own."

"Is...that not good?"

"Oh, no, don't get me wrong, Al," Harry said with his characteristic grin, "As a father, I'm thrilled that I was able to raise a son that can solve problems on his own logically and calmly." Seeing that the cloud of confusion didn't clear from Albus' face, he continued. "But as your father, sometimes I'm sad that you being so logical and capable means there's less for me to do to help you."

Albus was so shocked by his father's words that he laughed a lot louder than he had meant to initially. It was just a strange thought for his father to have. At least, in Albus' opinion it was. "Don't worry, dad. With how things have been going for me, I could use all the help I can get."

From the look on Harry's face, it was obvious that he wanted to question his son about many things. Albus was sure that Mr. Malfoy had probably said something to his father about Scorpius. After years of being an Auror, Harry was rather talented at reading people and Albus was hardly a closed book around his family. If Albus had been in his father's shoes, he knew full well that he would have become an inquisitor and would have grilled him for answers, wanting to know everything. He was surprised when his father didn't. "How have your classes been, Albus?" he asked instead, "I hope your students aren't being too terrible."

"Oh, no, they're pretty good," Albus blurted out, the change of topics having been sudden and rather unexpected. "They're just so energetic. I don't remember being like them when I was their age."

"I was," Harry said with a playful smirk. When Albus looked at him in surprise, he just laughed, "What? Believe me, I was quite the trouble maker when I was their age."

Thinking back, Albus supposed he had always figured as much. Over the years he had heard stories of all the trouble his father, aunt and uncle had gotten themselves into. It didn't mean it was any easier to accept that the savior of the world was anything other than saint-like his whole life. "Makes sense," he said lightly before he smiled over at his father," After all, James had to have gotten it from somewhere."

"Too right," Harry concurred as he patted Albus on the back, "I just thank Merlin you didn't turn out like me. I'd have gone completely gray years ago if I had three rambunctious children to deal with."

Albus chuckled. His father was already rather gray from all the stress over the years. If he had two James to deal with, he probably would have had a full head of white. "Well, in that case, you're welcome."

Harry just chuckled as he shook his head. He adored James, he always had, but raising someone so head strong and energetic had not been easy, even with a large group of adults willing to help. Come to think of it, even Lily had been just as difficult to raise. Compared to his oldest and his youngest children, Albus practically raised himself save for the occasional heart-to-heart in Harry's study. "So, Mr. Rutherford tells me that you're in charge of a dueling team?"

"Huh- oh yes!" Albus was smiling wider than Harry had ever seen him. It was obvious to Harry just how much pride his son had in his team. "We've been practicing a bit for the last few weeks. I think we've got a strong team. I've actually got practice with my team later this afternoon, if you'd like to come watch," Albus offered, looking over at his father hopefully.

It was now Harry's turn to look surprised. Albus was normally the first to insist he do everything on his own. He rarely wanted Harry involved with what he was doing, wanting to do everything by himself. "If that's alright with you, I'd love to."

Albus had seen the momentary look of surprise on his father's face, so he quickly explained, "It doesn't hurt to have a little insurance. With the great Potters teaching them, there's no wayKingstonwill beat them this weekend." That was mostly true, anyway. After learning how his father wished to be more involved with his life, inviting his father to dueling practice only seemed logical. A part of him was excited to actually let his dad see the good things in his life, not just his problems. "Oh! Dad, you will still be in town then, right? You have to come to the competition if you are. It's...amazing! This city really knows how to hold a proper tournament. It's nothing like Hogwarts."

Harry couldn't help but laugh as he saw just how excited his son was becoming. The younger man was practically beaming as he spoke of the tournament. He had been a little apprehensive about his son going abroad to work, but it seemed like his worries were certainly changed his son for the better, it seemed. "That sounds great! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures for your mother. She'll probably hex me if I don't."

"Sounds about right for mum," Albus said, nodding his head. Ginny Potter was not a woman one often wanted to cross.

Early on the in the semester, Albus had had the students duel against each other and he had named the strongest the captain of the team. The students ranged from first to seventh year, so Albus had been a little surprised when Lucas had come out on top. Granted, the title of captain certainly did seem to fit the short fourth year. He was very approachable and loved to help the other students with their form and technique, often times teaching the younger students how to do advanced spells. He planned to win that year and it seemed he would do everything save for barefacedly cheating. Lucas planned to win and he planned to do so in the most dramatic way possible. Albus had tried telling him that there was no need to be so theatrical when dueling, but Lucas had promptly ignored him after that. It seemed it was the theatrics that kept Lucas confident, even against a more powerful opponent, so Albus finally relented.

The rest of the team comprised of first-year Zoe Lopez; third-year Rika Yamamoto; her older brother, sixth-year Yousuke Yamamoto; seventh year Wisteria Johnson; and finally, Matthew. Albus had been a little surprised that Logan had not also joined the team, as the three of them were hardly ever seen apart. He had secretly been worried that the three of them had had a falling out as a result of Matthew and Lucas' growing relationship, but Lucas assured him that wasn't the case. Logan was actually the captain of the Potioneering team and couldn't really divert his attention across Potions, Quidditch and Dueling.

The six members of the dueling team were always rather excited about their practices, though it might have just been from the fact that they got the afternoon off in order to practice during the practices leading up to competitions. Albus knew for a fact that Potions was Lucas' least favorite class, so he would do just about anything to be allowed out of Harwood's class without repercussions. The students seemed particularly excited when Albus told them that his father, the head of the Auror's Office in the British Ministry of Magic would be leading that week's practices. All of the students, it seemed, except for Lucas.

While Harry would go from one pair to another, making sure that they were all keeping proper forms and holding up their defenses, Lucas took every opportunity to glare daggers into Albus. He made sure to be full of smiles whenever Harry looked his way, but as soon as his back was turned, Lucas was looking back at Albus, a deep set scowl on his face. Unable to take Lucas' intense gaze any longer, Albus and asked his father to take Lucas' place as Yousuke's partner. Harry readily agreed watching out of the corner of his eyes as Albus took Lucas to the side, speaking quietly with him.

"Er, what's the matter, Lucas?" Albus asked, not wanting to bother beating around the bush when it came to Lucas. "You've been glaring at me all practice."

Lucas, who had his arms crossed the whole time, suddenly let them drop to his side as he looked up at Albus. The expression on his face could only be described as an impudent pout. "Mr. Weasley is here and you didn't even tell me."

Albus laughed at that. He had been sure that he had done something to deeply hurt Lucas from the way the young boy was glaring at him for the last hour. "You mean my Uncle George?" Lucas nodded quickly. "Is that all? I thought I'd done something terrible!" Albus has glad to have the old Lucas back. He had not liked what the Boggart lesson had turned him into.

"You have!" Lucas practically shouted, looking much more upset now than he had before, "You know full well how much I've wanted to meet him in person, and now that he's here to visit you, you haven't even told me! I had to find out through the grape vine!"

Slowly, Albus stopped his laughter, though his smile remained across his face. "Actually, you're right. I do know," he said before he pulled a small envelope out of the breast pocket of his vest, handing it to Lucas. "That's why he's asked me to give you this."

Lucas looked at him in confusion for a moment before slowly opening the envelope, for a moment convinced it would explode in his face. Taking out a green piece of paper, he read through it quickly, his eyes widening. "Holy...shit!"

"Yes, I suppose that does sum it up," Albus said with a nod. He couldn't help but laugh as Lucas threw his arms around him and gave him a tight hug. "He's very interested in talking to you, Matthew and Logan about your inventions. I recommended a rather nice little cafe for your business meeting."

"You did?" Lucas asked, looking up at Albus, awe-struck. Albus was happy to see that Lucas was so easy to please.

"If you work hard the rest of the practice, I promise I'll let everyone out early so you can prepare for your meeting."

"Thank you!" Lucas practically screamed as he ran over to where Yousuke was, tucking the envelope into his back pocket. He thanked Harry for taking over, but he insisted on being Yousuke's partner once more. With Lucas being so excited about his meeting later that evening with George, poor Yousuke didn't stand a chance.

Harry walked over to Albus' side, both men watching the eager students dueling each other, none of them holding anything back. "You've got quite the way with these students, Albus," Harry said softly, reaching out to his a hand on Albus' shoulder. Albus reached up and nervously adjusted his glasses, able to feel as his cheeks warmed.

"It's nothing."

"You can't be serious," Scorpius sneered as he turned around, seeing James Potter of all people walking towards him, a box in his hands, covered in green wrapping paper. It figured. Scorpius felt the weakest he had in years. Why not throw his least favorite Potter into his life at that very moment? Why the bloody hell not? "Why is it I get rid of one Potter just to have another one of you people pop up out of now where? You're like weeds."

"Shut up, Malfoy," James snapped. Scorpius had not seen James since the older man graduated from Hogwarts, but it seemed that he had changed little over the years. "We need to talk. In private." It was nice to know that some people never changed.

"Fine. Come on." Scorpius could have complained. He could have threatened to call security or anything else, but in truth, he didn't want to deal with his broken supplies at the moment. He was sure James could provide a much needed distraction if nothing else. Turning on his heels, he walked away from the main school building towards the Quidditch field and into a large room by the equipment shed. Going over to a set of benches, he sat down, shoulders slumping forward.

"The Quidditch locker rooms?" James asked as he looked around, arching a brow. He didn't sit. Instead, he moved to stand close to Scorpius.

"You said you wanted privacy," Scorpius said, shrugging one shoulder, resting his injured hand on his lap. "Classes are in session now, but practices won't start for another four hours. I'm not about to take a strange man into my quarters. The students here do so love to gossip."

James just nodded his head as the conversation between them died. Scorpius couldn't say that he was particularly surprised. Even assuming James was capable of carrying a conversation, something Scorpius very much doubted, it wasn't as if either of them had much to say. In fact, why James would bother to come see him at all was confusing. Scorpius' gaze eventually landed on the box in his hands. He figured it had something to do with that box. James eventually caught the look from Scorpius and held the box out for him. "Here. It's from your mum."

Taking the box, Scorpius muttered a soft "Thank you." He set the box beside him. He would probably just send it back later.

"Oh, and this is for you too." Before Scorpius could say anything, James drew his fist back. If Scorpius' good arm had not been hunt, he would have moved faster to defend himself. As it were, James' fist connected with his face so hard that he flew back off of the benches, landing hard against the lockers, sliding to the ground, his long legs still over the metal bench. Scorpius was groaning as his head swam. James reached over and grabbed him by the shirt collar, pulling him back to his seat, making a dramatic show of dusting Scorpius off, even as blood leaked out of his nose. "But that one is all from me."

"The hell was that for!" Scorpius choked out as he put his hand in his robes, digging for is wand. Remembering that he no longer had his wand, he withdrew his hand and gently brought the sleeve of his robes up to his face, wiping at the blood. He would go to the infirmary later. A part of him wanted to give James a matching black eye, but he almost instantly thought against it. Unlike James, he was wandless and the years had been much kinder to James than they had been to Scorpius. He was taller now and all those years post-Hogwarts he had stayed with Quidditch showed. Just by looking at James, Scorpius knew he should consider himself lucky. That punch had practically been a love tap. If James actually put his full strength behind it, he could have shattered Scorpius' nose.

James didn't even notice Scorpius' unusual actions, not that he was ever the most perceptive when it came to people who weren't a part of his immediate family. He just crossed his arms as he glared down at Scorpius. "It's for the fact you've been acting like an ass to everyone around you and you know it."

Scorpius just sighed. The blood was already reduced to a trickle. His nose was sensitive and he flinched whenever he touched it, but it didn't feel broken at least. "First your brother slaps me and now you punch me? What, do I have a target on my face?" he muttered, shoulders slumping forward. Scorpius suddenly felt more exhausted than he had in a week.

"What can I say? You just have one of those faces," James said with a grin, flopping down on the bench beside Scorpius. Grabbing the box, he opened up the wrapping paper. Scorpius figured he couldn't send it back now. Inside, there were some rather expensive handmade chocolates. James whistled a bit as he opened the box and popped one of the chocolates into his mouth. Scorpius had not planned to eat the chocolates himself, but the fact that James was eating them, uninvited, still annoyed him.

"You're a bastard," Scorpius growled, reaching to grab the box away from James, but the other man was quicker. He pulled the box away, but put a single chocolate in Scorpius' hand. Not wanting to just hold the chocolate until it melted, yet not being able to bear throwing something his parents got for him away, he eventually put it in his mouth. It tasted lightly of raspberries. He loved it. He hated how it made him feel. He hated all the happy memories it brought. Slumping forward, Scorpius put his face in his hands, the last of chocolate lingering in his mouth, a sweet reminder of the mess in which he found himself.

"So who's the woman?" James asked, breaking the silence.

The question had taken Scorpius by such surprise that he just turned his head a bit, looking up at James as if the man had grown an additional head. He had to have misheard. "What?"

"In my experience, whenever someone starts lashing out at his mates and his family, it's almost always because of a woman." James flashed Scorpius a lewd smile now. "What's her name?"

James really was as stupid as Scorpius had thought. He had to be. There was no other explanation for why James would suddenly show up out of the blue after several years, deliver some expensive chocolates from his mum, punch him in the face, and then ask if Scorpius was suffering from lady troubles. Hell, Scorpius had been present for the entirety, but the moment seemed more like a sick joke than reality. "None of your bloody business, Potter."

"Oh, so there is a woman," James reasoned triumphantly. "Should I tell your mum to be expecting a happy invitation sometime soon?"

"Shut up, Potter. It's not like that," Scorpius groaned. He was starting to miss Albus now more than ever. The younger Potter might have looked at him with naive eyes, but he at least knew the healing properties of blissful silence. James on the other hand...

"What's she like?" ...Had no idea when to just shut up.

And instead of finding that to be an insufferable quality, Scorpius found himself opening up to his former enemy. It might have something to do with the fact that he was sure that James' circle and his own would never mingle or that James would be returning home soon enough, but Scorpius didn't feel like being particularly as well guarded as he normally was. Then again, it might have more to do with the fact that his nose was smashed and something in his hand was definitely broken. "Can I be honest?"

"If you think you can be without bursting into flames, then yes." Scorpius actually laughed with James at that. Yes, Scorpius was definitely on the verge of psychosis.

"She's a complete bitch," Scorpius said, voice almost a whisper, leaning closer to James as he reached out, sneaking another chocolate. That one tasted like oranges and crème. He instantly regretted sending back all the other sweets his parents had sent him over the last few weeks. One of their best qualities was being excellent judges of the quality of sweets.

"Well...that's incredibly honest," James said, looking surprised for a moment. He had been sure that Scorpius had found his future Mrs. Malfoy and that had been the reason he had been blowing off his parents and Albus. "So I take it she's not a girlfriend?"

Scorpius just snorted as he grabbed another piece of chocolate. "I'd rather sleep with a troll," he huffed, licking at the sprinkles before biting into it. It tasted a lot like coffee, but it had the slight aftertaste of ...some kind of alcohol. What the hell was in that? Kahlua?

While Scorpius was busy trying to pinpoint the flavor of the chocolate, James continued. "So dump her and move on! What's the problem?"

"That's what I hate about you," he said, annoyed, before tossing the remainder of the chocolate into his mouth. He tried to go for another piece, but James pulled the boxy away from him, effectively cutting him off from his own present. "You over simplify things."

"No, you just over-complicate things," he corrected before handing the box over to Scorpius. He never struck James as someone with a sweet tooth. It was always the person one would least suspect, James supposed. While Scorpius debated which piece to have next, James continued. "Just break things up with her like you obviously want to, go beg Albus for his forgiveness, and then send your parents a sodding owl thanking them for putting up with your stupid antics."

Slowly, Scorpius sighed. Taking the box lid, he slipped it back over the chocolates, setting the box between them. "You have a point."

"...Come again." James could hardly believe his ears. The two people in the world least likely to ever concede a point to him had done so, both, in the same day. Either James was on an incredible winning streak that day, or it was a terrible sign that the world was not as it should be.

"I said 'you have a point'," Scorpius repeated before he stood up, stretching slightly, his body sore from hitting the lockers so hard just a few minutes prior. "Look at me. I'm an adult, but I've been acting like some teenager. Maybe things won't be bad if I just face the consequences."

"It has to be better than what you're going through now, right?"

"There is that," Scorpius said thoughtfully as he turned, looking out of the window, out towards the school. James looked up at him the whole while, unable to look away as he watched the worry lines disappear from Scorpius's expression. Without all of the tension and worry on his face, Scorpius actually looked quite handsome. Feeling James' gaze on him, Scorpius turned to look at him in confusion," What? Why are you staring at me?"

James flushed. He hadn't realized he had been staring so hard at Scorpius. "Can...I ask you something?"

Scorpius just shrugged, giving James a grin. "If you think you can manage to string the sentence together, then yes."

"Haha, very funny," James muttered, rolling his eyes. Scorpius did always love to be witty. With a sigh, he continued. He felt stupid bringing up such an old topic, but it was something that had been bothering him for years. "Do you ever think about the last time we saw each other?"

Scorpius looked back towards the Quidditch field. The last time they had seen each other? When exactly had that been? Suddenly, memories flooded back to him and his face flushed despite himself. "What, you mean after your last Quidditch game back at school?"

"Yeah," James muttered, not even bothering to meet Scorpius' gaze.

"Not really," he answered quickly, shrugging. It wasn't a complete lie. He almost never thought about it.

"But, we-"

"We were teenagers who had been at each other's throats for years," Scorpius was quick to interject. "Something like that was bound to happen. So no, I had pretty much forgotten about it as soon as it happened." Except for a handful of times through the years.

"Well, thanks," James sighed. He should have known. It had been something that bothered him since it happened, but he figured Scorpius wasn't the type of person to let something so insignificant haunt him. He was happy that Scorpius hadn't been agonizing over what had happened, even though sometimes he himself did. It was just that he hadn't realized until then that a part of him was disappointed that Scorpius didn't think of that day. "You know just what to say."

"Sorry. I don't make it a habit to lie just to spare someone's feelings," Scorpius said easily, as he reached out to grab the box of chocolates, intending to leave soon. "Kissing you was like kissing a first year Hufflepmmphhh-" Scorpius managed to mumble out from behind James' hand. At the mention of kissing, James had jumped to his feet like a shot and covered Scorpius' mouth, a fearful look on his face. Scorpius, uncomfortable with James' sudden closeness pushed him away with his good arm. "What's the big idea?" he spat out, glaring at James now, ready to jump away if James decided to rush him again.

"Don't say it so loud," James begged, desperation heavy in his voice as he glanced around, "That we..."

Realizing now just what had made James react so violently, Scorpius groaned. What was it with the Potter family? "Kissed? Oh god, all you Potters really are the same," he muttered, under his breath as he shook his head. Albus always liked to pretend he and James were so different, but Scorpius was beginning to realize just how similar they really were.

"What's that supposed to mean?" James as, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Scorpius. Even though he didn't openly accuse Scorpius of doing anything, he didn't have to. Scorpius could read it on his face.

And it was a conversation he was not about to have with James Potter in the middle of a Quidditch locker room, after being manhandled. "Forget about it. Look, I have to go," he said, adjusting his robes as he regained his normal composure. He glanced at one of the mirrors out of the corner of his face. He had a rather nice bruise forming on his eye. "I trust you can find your way back to Peppertongue," he said quickly as he moved to walk past James, towards the door.

James reached out to grab a hold of Scorpius' left arm. When the younger man gasped and brought his bandaged arm up to his chest, James let go, taking a step back. He had been so angry with Scorpius earlier that he hadn't even noticed how he was cradling his arm the whole time. "You are going to be fine, right?" He asked softly, looking at him apologetically. It was not an expression he had ever worn around Scorpius before and it was unsettling to the blond.

"Yes," Scorpius said, trying to appear unfazed regardless of how unnerved he was actually feeling. "I'll end ..." he trailed off for a moment, struggling to find the appropriate words, but failing, "whatever it is I have with her. Hopefully Albus won't want to punch me as well if I ask for his forgiveness."

James nodded his head approvingly before he gave Scorpius a wry smile. "So, it's 'Albus' now?"

Scorpius tensed for a moment before he chuckled. Albus had always been 'Albus' in his mind. Thinking about it now, he did always seem to call him 'Potter' as if they were strangers, ever since he saw him again. Albus had never corrected him and Scorpius hadn't even realized what he was doing. "It always was," he said nonchalantly, returning the smile before he turned to walk out of the locker rooms, box of expensive chocolates in hand. He could think of Albus later. At that moment, Scorpius had to decide his next move.

Speaking with James made Scorpius realize just how much of a toxic figure Belrose was in his life, but getting rid of her was easier said than done. But he had to do it. He was sick and tired of being her lap dog. Whatever the consequences, they had to be better than what the life he was living.

"Of course, Logan," Lucas said with a wide grin. Reaching out, he snatched Matthew's glasses, slipping them on in order to seem more credible. "This is our stuff you're talking about. Considering how many hours we've put into it, can you blame him? Hell, we amaze me sometimes," he snickered.

Matthew just chuckled as he rolled his eyes, letting Lucas wear his glasses. He had taken to stealing them since finding out they weren't actually prescription. Lucas had declared it punishment for making him thinking that Matthew was practically blind with how protective the older boy used to be with them. "You're only saying that because you've got quite the ego, Lucas," Matthew said with a light shrug.

"Hohoho, perhaps you have a point, Mr. Matthew," Lucas conceded, mimicking Albus in tone and mannerism as he pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose. That earned a laugh from Logan and Matthew. Their Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor was quickly becoming their favorite teacher and as a result, he was often imitated privately in the group. It was all good-natured ribbing.

"Ah, crap!"Logan suddenly called out as he stopped dead in his tracks, shoving his hands in his pockets, trying to look for something. "I forgot something at the cafe."

"What did you forget?" Matthew asked, looking over at his friend worriedly.

"...my Remembrall,"Logan muttered, his cheeks turning pink.

"Oh god, are you serious?" Lucas groaned as he grabbed a hold ofLogan's arms, turning him around and pushing him back towards Dragons Camp. "Go. We'll meet up with you for Practice," he insisted, waving as he watched Logan running down the hill. "Logan, I swear to god," he said with a sigh, shaking his head. "It's amazing how good he can be in his studies but still be so..."

"Lucas, you're one to talk," Matthew said with a laugh, pushing at Lucas lightly before the two boys walked towards the top of the hill, walking side-by-side.

"Guess you're right," Lucas agreed with a snicker as he rubbed the back of his head. For a long while, the two of them walked in silence, either having anything to say, but both enjoying to relaxing silence. Lucas turned his head to ask Matthew if he still had his notes from his fourth year potions class when he noticed that Matthew had been watching him rather than the road in front of them. "What? You're looking at me all weird..."

Realizing that he had been staring, Matthew blushed as he looked away. "It's just...I've been meaning to ask you something."

Lucas smirked. Reaching out, he slipped his arms around Matthew's. Leaning up, he practically purred against the nape of the older boy's neck. "Are you going to ask me to do something illegal?"

Matthew shuddered for a moment, feeling Lucas' warm breath against his neck, before he looked at him sharply, shock on his face. "What? No! Lucas, you're a pervert sometimes. God."

"Heh, sorry," Lucas snickered as he let go of Matthew, walking a few steps ahead now, letting his companion try to catch up to him. "I think I'm starting to pick up on this 'love' thing. Also, you are just really fun to mess with. What is it you wanted to ask?"

Matthew's steps slowed down at the question. Lucas knew that stance. He was starting to lose his nerves. "We leave for Christmas break next week. Would you," his voice becoming just a little louder than a whisper, "like to come visit at some point?"

Now it was Lucas' turn to look shocked. In all the years he had been coming to Peppertongue, no one had ever invited him for the holidays. In fact, no one had ever invited him for the holidays even before he attended Peppertongue, though that was more understandable. Lucas wasn't sure how to respond. "R...really? You wouldn't mind it?" He smiled nervously before shaking his head when he realized his own words, "No, that's stupid. Of course you wouldn't. This is you we're talking about."

"I just figured, you know, since we're..." Matthew trailed off, trying to figure out the right word, "together now, it would be nice to spend some time together... outside of school."

Lucas could feel his pulse quicken. Were his cheeks getting warmer? He was fairly sure they were. It was a strange feeling, but not entirely unwelcome. Willing his body to relax, he gave Matthew the most relaxed smile he could manage. "This isn't a trick to get me to meet your parents, is it?"

Matthew just laughed as he held up his hand defensively. "Yup. You got me."

"Good," Lucas said approvingly. "I'd love to be able to finally meet them in person. I should definitely try my best to impress them."

"Just be yourself," Matthew assured him, "they'll love you."

"I'll trust that you'll make sure they love me," Lucas added as he took a step towards Matthew. Taking off the glasses he had been wearing, he leaned forward to slip the glasses back onto Matthew.

Reaching out, Matthew took advantage of the closeness and slipped his arms around Lucas' waist, pulling him a bit closer. "I promise," he assured him. Lucas looked up at Matthew, grey eyes meeting Matthew's brown ones. Lucas thought Matthew would kiss him. Matthew wondered if he should. Instead, Matthew turned his head to the side as he asked, "So, are you going to be staying with Rutherford again?"

Lucas could almost feel a twinge of disappointment, but that soon faded as his smile returned. "Nope! My mom's taking me with her on her trip! It's been years since we last spent time together. Oh, but don't worry," he assured, seeing Matthew's smile falter, "I'll get away for a few days to meet up with you."

"Are you sure?" Matthew asked worriedly, moving his arm away from Lucas. "I know how rare it is for your mom to spend time with you. If you want, we don't have to meet during the break."

"No, I want to. Don't act so meek, it doesn't suit you," he said softly. Matthew had been like that for as long as Lucas had known him. He always backed down too easily. "Come on, if we don't hurry up, we might miss curfew," he said with a laugh. Matthew opened his mouth to say something, but Lucas reached out and took a hold of his hand. That effectively made Matthew forget what it was he was about to say and just smile instead. For a few minutes, Lucas was practically leading Matthew up the hill, pulling his arm, but eventually, he slowed into a more leisurely pace.

Side-by-side the two boys walked, their clasped hands swinging slightly between them.

Since the fiasco with Albus several weeks ago, Belrose had gone out of her way to make sure Scorpius knew just where he stood with her. When her verbal threats were not enough, she had her "associates" clear up any misunderstandings Scorpius might have had. In fact, it was the bald man who stood to her left that had so graciously broken Scorpius's hand in two places just two days prior. He had refused to see the doctor about it, not wanting to explain why there were bruises in the shape of finger marks on his arm.

It wouldn't have been too bad if Belrose hadn't also taken away his wand. Almost as if to tease him, she had casually set his wand in the middle of the table. It had no wards on it, no traps, but he didn't dare reach for it. There was no magic preventing him from reclaiming what was his, but he knew that if he dared to move out of turn, she would not hesitate to administer the "appropriate punishment".

Taking a sip of her red wine, Belrose leaned forward as she smiled sweetly. Reaching out, she stroke down Scorpius' pale cheek. "Scorpius, you've hardly touched your meal," she said, her voice filled with faux-concern. Scorpius doubted the woman was even capable of being sincerely worried for another person. "You look so sickly. You used to be so handsome," she murmured, running her thumb along his bottom lip. When she pressed against the bloodied split in his lip, he winced, but did not pull away. He had forgotten to pull out her chair for her earlier and the brunette who stood to her right had delivered a swift blow to his face before he even realized what he had forgotten to do.

The constant punishment was beginning to show on Scorpius, no matter how much he had tried to hide it. Belrose used to deliver punishments herself. She used to take quite a lot of joy in doing so. But ever since Albus made his dislike for her known, she had delegated Scorpius' "education" to her associates. She would always stay close by, just to make sure they didn't go over-board and actually kill him, he laughed at the idea, but she let him know that she didn't think he was worthy of her personal attention any longer.

Scorpius couldn't wait for her to go back to the capital. She had been in Dragons Camp, checking up on the three schools for the last few weeks and having her constantly around was wreaking havoc on Scorpius' nerves. But he would only need to put up with it for a little longer. That was her last night in town. She would be leaving soon. She couldn't stay longer. She actually had other obligations besides making Scorpius wish he were dead.

"If you want to ignore me, fine," she said lightly, moving her hand away, holding it out for the bald man beside her to wipe the blood from it. "Won't you at least tell me who left that beautiful bruise on your face? I should get them to work for me. I like their work. "

Scorpius froze at that, his eyes moving down to his own food. He was starving, but he knew better than to eat anything the woman gave to him. He had learned that after the first time the two of them had had dinner years ago. She had such offense to the fact he was left handed that she had upturned the table, suddenly flying into an uncontrollable rage. Before Scorpius even had a chance to reach for his wand, she had hexed him into submission. She had tortured him so badly that he had emptied the contents of his stomach all over her dining room floor before dissolving into broken sobs.

She had saved his life in Siberia, but he was beginning to regard that as more of a curse than a blessing as of late. He took a steady, deep breath, closing his eyes. He had to steel himself for what he was about to do. James's words were ringing in his ears and Albus's face was flashing before his eyes. Being around those two, as insufferable as it felt at time, made him remember just how sweet freedom tasted. He had promised himself he wouldn't see Albus again until he was free of Belrose and be was already beginning to miss his only friend.

"Casandra," he said, voice trembling, fingers grasping at the table cloth as the woman looked at him in surprise, long slender fingers stroking the red jewel than always hung around her neck. As she cocked her head, he continued, "I think we need to talk."

To celebrate his family's first night inCalifornia, Albus had taken them out to the local pub, inviting the other teachers to join as well. The whole group had spent the whole night eating, drinking and dancing: Albus was thrilled to have his family so close to him again, his relatives were excited about experiencing a new country and the teachers were always looking for an excuse to party. None of them seemed to care that the following morning was still technically a school day. Granted, it was an abbreviated class schedule due to the fact it would be the Friday before a large inter-school competition, but there would still be some classes. It didn't seem to matter to most of the other teacher, who all assured Albus that had taught their fair share of classes completely hung over in the past.

Albus had done his best to not drink too much, knowing full well how horrendous his hangovers were the last few times he had had a little too much to drink, but after Huerta assured him he had a perfect cure for handovers, Albus forgot his worries. After around Albus' seventh shot of bourbon, Huerta had confessed that there was no such cure, but by then, Albus was far too drunk to really care. Instead, he had ordered another round of drinks.

It was nearly four in the morning before the whole group, stumbled back to the school. Albus had said goodnight to his family, and returned to his bedroom only when his aunt Hermione, ever the responsible adult, promised to help his drunken father and uncles to their own rooms. James, used to drinking like he would never get another chance to do so, managed to stagger towards the guest room he was sharing with Lily.

A light knocking on his door woke him up the next day, at around seven in the morning. He groaned out what he hoped sounded like "give me a second" in some kind of human language as he hoisted himself out of his bed. He didn't yet have a hangover which meant that he was probably still a little drunk. He was thankful that classes wouldn't start until noon. Quickly slipping on a shirt, he went over to the door, half expecting to see Lucas, Matthew and Logan. The three boys had joked about waking him up bright and early after they found out that he would be out with his friends and family the previous night.

The scathing remarks that were forming fizzled when Albus opened the door and was greeted by a blond, just not the one he had been expecting. "What in Merlin's name happened to you?" Scorpius stood in front of Albus, looking very much like he had been mauled by a Hippogriff. He was sporting two black eyes and his nose was bandaged. Scorpius' lip was split in three places and he had bandages wrapped around his head. He had a horrible gash on the side of his head, the gauze slightly pink. The horrified look on Albus' face only grew as he continued to look at Scorpius. His left arm hung in a sling and his right hand was wrapped up. He wore only a thin, sleeveless shirt, white bandages just barely visibly underneath, wrapped around his chest. He had been able to drape a jacket around his shoulders to try and retain some semblance of dignity, but he still looked like he had been hit by a train.

"Hello to you, too," Scorpius croaked out with the best facsimile of a laugh he could manage. He acted as if standing before Albus, after several weeks of ignoring him, covered in injuries was the most normal thing in the world. "I would have been here a lot earlier, but that doctor who works here, what's his name, Huerta, he dragged me to his office as soon as I walked into the building. Does he manhandle every patient?" He asked before Albus suddenly grabbed a hold of one of his upper arms and dragged him into his room.

Scorpius was far too exhausted to protest. He half expected Albus to punch him or to at least laugh at him. He had been absolutely horrible to him the past few months. He kept his gaze on the floor as Albus took him over to his desk and sat him down in his chair. Albus looking him over like his mother used to do after he would get a little scraped up from playing in the gardens. Scorpius had just started to say he was sorry for how he had treated Albus when Albus suddenly threw his arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as he dared to, being mindful of Scorpius' injuries. "I'm so happy to see you Scorpius."

Rather than pull away, Scorpius just sighed softly as he rested his cheek against Albus, moving his free arm to lightly snake around him. "What, in bandages?" he asked, trying his best to lighten the mood. Very little was said between them, but Scorpius could hear the solemnity in Albus' voice.

Pulling away from the hug, Albus shook his head, giving a shaky laugh. "J-just, at all," he said, looking down at Scorpius, a miserable expression hiding just behind his forced smile. Scorpius felt his shoulders slump as he looked up at Albus, watching as the man tried his best to fight back against the tears that were forming. It was the first time Scorpius had ever seen Albus brought to tears for any reason other than frustration. He hated that he had been the cause.

He had been so blind. Scorpius had honestly thought that he could keep Albus happy if Scorpius could just make Albus hate him. He saw now that all he managed to do was make Albus worry unnecessarily for his sake. Reaching out, he softly ruffled Albus' hair before moving his bandaged hand down, gently cupping his cheek. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting. I've been a total idiot. You would have thought I would have learned the first time." Scorpius had been alone for so long, it seemed he had forgotten what it meant to have a friend.

"Yes, you have," Albus agreed, blinking away the tears as he regained his composure. He made no effort to move away from Scorpius' touch. A part of him worried he was still sleeping. Having Scorpius back seemed too good to be true, even if he looked like he had been beaten within an inch of his life.

"I just, I just got in over my head," he assured, drawing his hand away. "I just needed some time to think of what I could do to get myself some help."

"Are you going to be alright?" Albus finally asked. He had wanted to ask that since he first saw Scorpius at his door, but he had been too afraid to do so.

"Yes. I look worse than I actually am."

"Did she..." he trailed off when his voice cracked, "Did she do this to you?"

Scorpius momentarily debated whether or not to speak the truth. Finally he nodded. "All things considered, I think I got off pretty light," he said, intentionally keeping his explanations vague. He didn't want to burden Albus more than he already was. "Though, she left to return to the State Council a few hours ago. Thank god she's gone, but once she gets there, she'll probably start making trouble for me."

"Trouble?" Albus asked curiously. The woman was as dangerous as a viper. He assumed everything about her was trouble from the moment he met her.

"She's on the board of trustees for Zenbazi," Scorpius explained, "It'll only be a matter of time before she gets me fired."

"But how?"

"It doesn't matter. I wouldn't have to worry if only I had a Potter's natural charm," Scorpius said as he smiled up at him.

Albus could tell that Scorpius was deflecting his question, but he blushed anyway at the compliment. "I'm hardly charming, but... I think I've got an idea for you."

"Oh, really?" Scorpius asked curiously. He had mostly come to just apologize to Albus before going back to Zenbazi and waiting for his termination notice.

"Harwood."

"You're doing that thing again..."

Albus blushed even brighter. He really did need to remember to not blurt ideas without the proper context. He just looked mad when he did so. "Professor Harwood. He teaches potions here. He's retiring as soon as the school can find a replacement," he said before he flashed Scorpius a wide grin, "Why don't you just quit before they can fire you, then work here?"

"That's..."Scorpius had stated to tell Albus that the idea was impossible, but he stopped. Why exactly was it impossible? For the life of him, Scorpius couldn't think of a reason why it wouldn't work. Peppertongue, being a public school, didn't have a governing committee and while Belrose might have sway, it certainly wasn't enough to get the whole of the Education Council on her side. After all, Scorpius was more than a well-qualified professor. For him to actually choose to work at Peppertongue with his credentials, the school would practically beg to keep him. Then there was the fact he practically owned the school now. That was something that Scorpius had almost completely forgotten. "...actually a good idea."

Albus practically smirked. "I know. That's why I suggested it."

"Goodness, Potter, I leave you alone for a few weeks and suddenly you're all grown up," Scorpius teased as he reached out, pinching at Albus' side. Albus laughed as he swatted at his hand, going over to the bathroom to change quickly.

Returning a few minutes later, having changed out of his pajamas into his casual clothes, he went over to Scorpius, helping him out of the chair. He led him out of the room, still holding his arm. "Come on, Scorpius," he said when Scorpius started falling behind.

"Where are we going?" Scorpius asked, voice full of apprehension. It was still early morning and most of the students were still sleeping in their dorms, but Scorpius didn't like the idea of walking all over campus looking like he had lost a fight rather badly.

"To talk to Mr. Rutherford," Albus said plainly, looking over his shoulder to give Scorpius an actual smirk, "For now, pretend that you have, what was it that you called it, 'a Potter's natural charm'. This is probably going to be your job interview."

TBC