Chapter Notes: I have an apology to make. I am sorry that I failed in the implied contract I have with everyone of you to update in a timely manner. I have lost readers along the way and that is my fault. To make up for it I have made a commitment that by the time we hit Christmas this year I will be at Christmas in this story. Like I said this installment is more involved and complicated but won't let that stop me from putting out quality. I was reading the Wiki-fanon page and was amazed at the love and detail that someone put into that and if someone I have never met can love my characters that much then I need to make a greater commitment to this process.
I have a few twists coming up but also writing some good old fashioned Albus madness and fun...so I hope some of the people I have distanced through my negligence find their way back...and for those who have hung in there you have my gratitude and apologies.
Stay tuned and interested!
Bart
Be sure to Read and Review because that's my fuel!
Albus Potter and the Black Badger Society
Chapter 10: Late, Better Than Never...
The Medical Wing of Hogwarts was alive with the sounds of squabbling Weasley's.
Madam Pomfrey had banished anyone that was not family, all except Dom's boyfriend who refused to leave her side.
A sad looking Scorpius had his arm mended and he left, head down without another word to Rose or Albus. Before he retreated, he rested Dom's battered broom against her bedpost.
Fred restrained James from going after him.
Rose and James were nose to nose in an argument, Roxy and Molly were in deep discussion while alternately brushing Dominique's hair, Fred sat comforting his friend Grayson who was still white enough to give the Gray Lady pause, Albus and Lucy just watched the mayhem off to the side.
"He didn't mean to do it, James, he wouldn't have collided with Dom on purpose," Rose bellowed. James scoffed. "He's a Malfoy who plays for the second best team from last year, and he took out one of our starting Chasers, are you really that naive?" "Just because it's something that you would do, doesn't mean that Scorpius would do it!" she returned her glare showing that she was about to get really nasty.
"It..." came a raspy voice from the bed. They all got quiet and saw that Dom's eyes were open. "It...wasss...my fault," Dom managed with a tired smile.
Roxy brushed a lock of her hair over an ear. "Are you sure? I mean he was being dangerous flying that broom, he's not going to get away with it."
Dom managed to shake her head weakly. "He was coming up backwards and couldn't see me. I was crying about something stupid, I heard the warnings but I didn't move. It's my fault."
Grayson gently moved the cousins aside and took her hand. "No...it's my fault, I'm so sorry, Nique."
She took his hand and pressed it to her cheek.
"It's time we gave them some privacy," Molly announced, her twin agreeing, arms crossed with a glare for any who opposed.
They walked away from the bed, with Rose and James still quarrelling under their breaths.
Fred put a burly arm around Albus's shoulders. "Did he mean to do it, Albus, if you tell me no, I'll believe it."
Albus shook his head in his most adamant manner. "Absolutely not, Scorpius is all twisted up about this, he helped me save her, and he did it with a broken arm!"
Rose overheard, she turned to them her face flushed. "Of course he didn't mean it! He's a Malfoy in name only; James is more devious than he is!"
James glowered at her. "Well I don't care what Albus says, I'm going to make that little git pay!"
Fred's voice was low and threatening as he said, "Let it go, Jimbo."
James gave them all a defiant glare. "I don't care what the rest of you think, Scorpius is going to pay as soon as I find him!"
Albus put off by his brother's behaviour; he knew that James and Dom were not close, but for his brother to lose his temper to this degree was certainly telling.
Molly and Lucy stepped up before Rose could get over her sputtering anger. "James, this situation is bad enough without you getting into it, let the professors sort it," Roxy stated lining up with the sisters, her arms crossed dangerously.
"I'm warning you!" Rose called, her wand already out.
"You might not care about someone hurting the family, but I'm not going to let it stand!" James growled, "You can't stop me and you know it, Rose!"
"CARNIVRO CANARIUS!" Rose shouted as dozens of little crimson canaries sprouted out of her wand and launched at James.
James yelped as he was pecked and scratched mercilessly, then the spell dissipated.
"What is the meaning of this?" Madam Pomfrey demanded as she bustled up, her iron gray hair wisping around her head.
She tutted over James and sent him over to be patched. "Leave, before you give me anymore work!" She demanded pointing to the door in a manner that allowed no protest.
"How did you get the canaries to turn red, your mum's canaries were yellow when she sicced them on Uncle Ron last New Years?" Molly asked conversationally as they made the hallway, everyone knew red was her favourite colour.
"I don't know, that's the first time I got it to work!" Rose admitted with a shy smile.
Fred chuckled, "We're friends, right Rose?"
She smirked. "For now."
He feigned terror.
"Oh, there you are," said an insouciant voice from behind them in the hallway.
Leon Sloan strolled up, his Head Boy pin shining as if freshly polished.
"Albus Potter, you are needed in the Headmaster's Office. Get going," he said jerking his thumb in the direction he had just come, one of his perpetual sneers plastered on his face.
Fred walked up to Leon, looming over the smaller boy with his muscular arms crossed. "Say please."
Leon glared up at him his eyes showing a flash of fear realizing that he was just rude to a member of the largest family at Hogwarts without his entourage to back him up. "I am Head Boy, I don't have to say please," he replied with a bit of squeak in his voice.
Molly and Lucy, closed in on the left while Roxy and Rose took her brother's right.
"Being Head Boy does not exclude you from being polite, there is no rule that says that it does," Lucy declared in a fussy tone that would have made her father proud.
Leon looked as if he were chewing an unripe persimmon when he glared at Albus and said, "If you don't mind, Professor Shacklebolt has requested your presence, please."
Albus nodded, and started to walk off until Rose grabbed his arm. "I suggest we take a different path from the one Leon wants you to go, and we are to go nowhere on our own, remember what Professor Bast said?"
Albus felt his cheeks flush from embarrassment, he glanced at Leon Sloan to see disappointment in his eyes, and suddenly he realized where the boy's entourage might be.
He waved goodbye to his cousins and followed Rose up another corridor, if anyone could find their way to the Headmaster's via an alternative route it was his cousin.
"See ya, Albus!" Fred called, putting an arm around Sloan's shoulders hard enough to make the small boy's legs buckle a bit. "Since I have your attention, during my time as a Prefect, I have seen some problems I think need to be addressed..."
They turned the corner and Rose chuckled, "I almost feel sorry for Sloan."
Albus told her about what he saw in Sloan's expression.
Her eyes narrowed but she kept her comments to herself for once. A fact Albus felt alarming.
---
They picked their way carefully up the the Headmaster's Tower, avoiding any students in Ravenclaw, Gryffindor or Slytherin robes just in case. Albus at one point pulled Rose back from what turned out to be a Growltooth snare. They heard flapping footsteps making the rounds up the South corridor so they adjusted and took another route.
Rose soon got a panicky look in her eyes that Albus recognized. She only got this way when she thought they might be lost.
He saw a stairway he had never taken off to their left, he thought it might take them up to the next level; he tugged on Rose's sleeve and indicated it.
She was biting her lip but she managed to nod.
They were disappointed to find a door at the top, they tried it and found it locked and were turning to go when it opened.
The visiting artist, Chrys Euryale stuck her head out.
Albus lost all ability to think, if she was beautiful at a distance, up close she was overwhelming.
"Yes?" she asked politely, her voice a sweet and pure in person as Albus remembered from the dais at the feast.
Rose nudged him forcefully. "Breathe, you idiot."
Albus sucked in a breath. "We are trying to find the Headmaster's, I think we took a wrong turn.'
She got a thoughtful look on her face. "Indeed you have, go back up the corridor and take the next two lefts and you'll find a stairway leading you up, you'll know where you are from there, watch for that Goblin!"
She smiled and the dimples in her cheeks were devastating.
Rose gave his shin a kick.
He hissed in pain. "Ttth-hank you m-Missus Euryale," he stammered.
She gave him a pout. "Oh, none of that Missus rubbish, call me Chrys."
Rose gave Albus a tug. "Thanks, Chrys!" She commented tugging Albus with her. Albus managed to wave. Chrys shut the door with a musical chuckle.
"You're worse than Scorpius," Rose complained in a huff.
"You're the one that got us lost!" Albus shot back.
She stuck her tongue out in a mature retort, which Albus answered just as rudely.
They found the right corridor soon enough and approached some familiar Gargoyles.
Albus was happy to see that it was Felix and Felicis, the two bickering pieces of statuary had been a thorn in Shacklebolt's side and he had threatened to replace them, but there they were arguing under their breath, if they breathed that is.
"Albus Potter, and little Rosie, my Felix, look how they've grown!" said the friendlier of the two.
"Password?" the other grunted.
Felicis rolled its eyes in irritation. "Oh don't mind that old grump, Mozambique is the password."
"Felicis, do I need to explain the concept of security to you again?" Felix whined.
"Mozambique," Albus called.
Felicis jumped out of the way revealing the winding moving staircase, giving them a short bow waving them on with an elegant gesture, Felix stepped out of the way turned his winged back crossed his arms and grumbled.
Albus returned Felicis's wink with one of his own as they went past.
They reached the landing in front of a large elaborate wooden door and clanked the brass knocker.
"Enter," replied Shacklebolt's magically enhanced voice.
The office within, decorated in tan and gold, had tropical plants growing from pots in the corners. Albus recognized several antique Dark-Art detection devices featured on pedestals, the odd fake magic eye rotated and focused on the intruders. They passed a large ornate Foe-Glass, and a gold and jewel encrusted Sneakoscope as they made their across a carpet of soft reeds to the large desk. Portraits of former headmasters and mistresses, some sleeping, surrounded it. Albus got a wave from the portrait of Dumbledore, a kindly bearded man with half moon spectacles, which he returned, the greasy haired sallow man to his immediate right gave the two a curt nod.
"We are over here," Shacklebolt called.
There, sitting in the chairs by the fireplace was Professors Longbottom and Bast, Scorpius looking small, penitent and scared. Professor Shacklebolt was standing impatiently.
"Did you two get lost?" he asked.
They nodded; he accepted the excuse and indicated for them to take two of the seats.
"I wish to commend you three for staying out of my office for nearly a month this time, now tell me what happened." Shacklebolt stated with an ironic smile.
Albus and Rose both blushed at that. Albus told the events trying to paint his friend in the best light possible, unfortunately he was not able to help him much.
"Is Dominique alright?" Uncle Neville asked with a note of concern.
"She was awake, alert and talking when we left," Rose replied, and then added, "she said it was an accident and that Scorpius could not have seen her."
Scorpius shot her a look that revealed that he had no idea she was going to take his side.
She wrinkled her nose cutely at him causing him to smirk.
Professor Bast sighed. "There is still a grave matter before us; if we let this pass then it will encourage others to take dangerous chances on their brooms."
Professor Shacklebolt nodded agreement. "I know you are extraordinary on a broom, Scorpius, but the manoeuvre you attempted is so dangerous the man who actually invented it has condemned it himself!"
Scorpius nodded, his face flushed with shame.
Uncle Neville's face was kind. "I realize that some of my House were encouraging you, peer pressure is such a powerful force, but you are an accomplished young man with two amazing friends here, why were you trying to impress people who barely know you?"
Professor Bast nodded agreement, her eyes curious.
Scorpius shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't thinking."
Rose let out a snort of derision, which caused Albus and Scorpius both to shoot her a look.
Shacklebolt was quiet, his hands behind his back as he stood deep in thought.
"I am suspending you for the first Quidditch game of the season, Scorpius, bring your broom to Professor Longbottom for safe keeping, you are forbidden from practicing as well until after that first match, fifteen points from Hufflepuff.
Scorpius winced. For someone who loved to fly as he did, banishment from his broom was a fearsome punishment indeed.
Professor Bast agreed with weary resignation, her face showing the realization of how her House Cup hopes had taken a downward turn. "I'm just glad no one was hurt, you three need to get to bed."
Shacklebolt agreed nodding to the door.
They left in silence.
They walked without conversation, but Albus knew that Rose was literally bursting at the seams to question Scorpius, Albus was proud of her restraint.
"They had a good point you know, what did that lot offer you that Albus and I don't? We have a right to know," Rose demanded sullenly.
Albus slapped a hand to his forehead in frustration. Okay maybe not so proud!
Scorpius walked a few steps away; he refused to meet their eyes. "I'm just trying to make my Dad proud of me. You don't know how it is."
"Oh really, yeah me and Albus don't know what it's like carrying a last name that everyone knows and all the baggage that comes with it!" Rose remarked angrily with her arms crossed.
Albus decided to get in on it. "She's right, I'm a Potter, son of the saviour of the Wizard world, and her mum happens to have written most of the major laws that we all have been living by for the last fifteen years or so, what would we know about the burden of parental expectation?"
Scorpius glared at them. "Your parents are different and you know it. All my Dad cares about is our reputation, our influence, I just wanted to do my part and make him proud."
"And if proving yourself to your evil dad means making yourself into something you're not and losing the friends who were there from the beginning even when you were outcast? Is it worth it?" Rose demanded.
Scorpius glared at them both. "If we are such good friends then why didn't Albus get me a birthday present? His was the one I had been looking forward to, he's supposed to be my best mate!'
Rose turned and punched Albus on the arm hard enough to knock him a few steps. "I told you that you were being mental!"
He rubbed his shoulder glaring at her. "Ow!"
Scorpius watched them his curiosity peaked. "What is she talking about?"
Albus felt ashamed. "I'm sorry. I had your present, but when you got that SkyBolt I hid it in Rose's bag. I thought you might find it a bit...lame."
Scorpius looked confused. "It was your gift, Albus, there's no way I would think it lame."
Rose punched Albus on his other arm. "See!"
Albus yanked his wand out of his robes and pointed it at her. "I'll give it to him, now, stop hitting me!"
Rose smiled and gave him a wink. "See, you can be reasonable."
They got back to The Cellar shortly thereafter.
Scorpius waited while Rose went into the girl's tunnel and returned with her bag. She nearly had to reach her entire upper body into the thing as she rummaged, but from deep inside the cavernous hold, she said. "Ah here it is."
She pulled out the haphazardly wrapped long cylindrical package and pointedly handed it to Albus. Her eyes narrowed and she nodded toward Scorpius. He glowered at her and handed to his friend.
Scorpius paused a moment before tearing into it.
There were some students milling about staring at them curiously, they started when Scorpius let out a whoop of delight.
It did not look like much, scorched and a lot of the black finish was off, but Scorpius traced the lines lovingly. "You got me a Firebolt? How?"
Albus shrugged, feeling like an even bigger idiot when he saw his friend's reaction. "When you flew dad's I saw how suited you are to a 'bolts capabilities, so I checked around. They were scarce before, but since your little stunt in the finals last year, they've become collector's items and impossible to find."
Scorpius nodded his eyes never leaving the broom. "I know, Dad wanted to replace your Dad's broom, but he couldn't find one even with his connections!"
"Well your Dad's powerful, but he's no Uncle George," Rose remarked happily.
Albus nodded agreement. "I asked Uncle George to find one, he's got connections all over, some of them not exactly legal between us, and if it exists George Weasley can find it!"
Scorpius grinned. "I believe it, but how?"
Albus sighed. "He wouldn't tell me everything in case I got questioned later, but I think he went all the way to Ireland because the 1994 World Cup winning Irish team all had Firebolts, so he checked the former players and found that the Seeker from that year..."
"Aidan Lynch," Scorpius supplied awe in his voice.
Albus nodded, "Yes, Aidan Lynch, lost his 'bolt in a game of Exploding Snap to a Goblin called Gunthorn, who then traded it to a wealthy Wizard for a Goblin made tea set, that Wizard ran into some financial difficulties and sold off his valuables to an business interest..."
"Get to the bottom line, geez Albus you're as bad as Grand Weasley," Rose interjected.
Albus scowed at her then remarked, "He found it at an estate auction in Dunsmore, it was part of a fire sale, literally, there was an explosion and fire when this absentminded alchemist mistook Dragon's bladder for Erumpet scrapings. It was scorched and the twigs burned away, I don't know if it can be mended, but it is genuine, it has the original markings and serial number."
Scorpius found it with his finger. "Model No. 188 of 300 made, this broom flew in the actual Quidditch World Cup! I can't believe it!"
Rose rolled her eyes. "I told him he was being daft." She gave Albus a light slap on the back of his head. "Stop that!" he groused.
"Team Meeting, Now!" a familiar voice bellowed.
They looked up to see Diana stroll over with Corny in tow, both looked upset, Violet and Valencia were a few steps off, but they did not look happy. They stood to the side with their bulging muscular forearms crossed; knowing what those two were capable of, the display was intimidating to say the least.
Albus gulped audibly, Rose quietly excused herself.
"I...I'm sorry guys," Scorpius began. Diana cut him off with a flicking gesture. "What's done is done; we need to figure out what to do about it."
Corny spoke up, "Well, I'll switch back to Seeker, for one game."
She glowered at him. "You had two years to prove that you were a Seeker, last year you played better than I have ever seen you play, I need you at Chaser."
"We don't have anyone else capable enough; you told me that the tryouts last year were not even close!" Cornelius insisted.
She was staring at Albus curiously. "You helped Scorpius prepare last year, you caught the Snitch ahead of him more than once."
Albus shook his head adamantly. "That was because I had a better broom."
She smiled; it sent chills down Albus's spine. "Your brother is the best Seeker at Hogwarts by some people's reckoning, your Father might be the best to ever mount a broom from some accounts I've read, your mum won the House Cup at Seeker the year your dad was suspended, and your Uncle Charlie was the standard before him, you've got Seeker blood and instincts in you somewhere." She remarked, deep in thought.
Albus gaped at her. "I'm a Chaser!"
Diana nodded, "Yes you are, there is no doubt you are, Albus, but you know our first opponent better than anyone else here."
Albus suddenly felt like vomiting. "Oh no..."
Her smile was radiant in the firelight, "Yes, you got it; you are playing Seeker against James Sirius Potter.
Albus placed his head in his hands.
Not good!
Thought of the Day: Why do we let petty things come between us, why do we doubt our importance to those we care about most? Why do we risk relationships established for people who hardly know us?
(I could point a finger at myself for how I've neglected this series and it's awesome fanbase. Slaps the back of my own head)
Why are we such idiots?
Bart