A/N: J.K. Rowling owns anything and anyone that you recognise as canon.
Joyce had been more than clear when she had warned Al to not interfere with Morgan. And although Al didn't see what her problem was, decided it was best to leave her be. So Al stayed away from Morgan respectfully.
However, the same could not be said for the Gryffindor boy.
Ever since Al had told him that he could grow up to work with dragons, the boy did two things. The first was to work as hard as could to keep ahead of his magical education, so he could further into studying dragons. There was nothing Al could do about this. But it was the other thing Morgan started doing was what made Hogwarts difficult for Al. Morgan started to seek Al out, so he could hear stories about his uncle Charlie working with dragons and so he could tell Morgan what else he needed to do if he wanted to work with the dragons.
Thankfully, Rose and Scorpius had been too preoccupied in other matters to notice the eager first-year always trying to find Al.
The first Friday that came, James sought out Al and sat him down. As Al expected, James asked where he, Rosie and number three were during the Sorting. Al updated James on everything about AVOE since the last time he had heard this story, including the carriage ride, the parchment that his gut trusted but he left out the part about Scor's grandmother. To this, James ruffled his hair as his way of saying that he was glad they were alive.
James updated Al on all the new kids at Hogwarts. Molly II went to Ravenclaw, about which she and Rose were probably excited about. Roxanne joined the Idiot Trio in Gryffindor, which she was pumped for. Frank, however, went to Hufflepuff. Neville wasn't disappointed though and Ally tried her hardest to convince Frank that it was great.
"And Luke?" Al asked, wondering what had happened to the elder Dursley boy.
"Luke came." James replied, "And he's in Gryffindor."
Al didn't know how to react. So James changed the subject to by voicing his fear of Al, Rose and Scor dealing with this "AVOE" on their own. Al didn't know how to answer that but as it turned out, an answer wasn't what James was looking for.
"I kind of may have told Fred and Lor about your whole …" James searched for a word, "um, adventure."
"You did what?"
"Okay but hear me out!" James pleaded, "It's just the three of you but this way the three of us will keep an eye out too; six heads are better than three, no?"
Al couldn't argue with that, but Rose probably could.
Oh, Merlin.
"Rosie's going to kill me when she finds out!" Al complained.
"When has that stopped you before?" James asked. He made a good point.
Al smiled; this was the kind of Marauder like encouragement Al could have used last year, the kind only James could provide.
Remembering the parchment, James asked if Al and his trio were actually going to go after AVOE.
"We don't have a choice." Al replied, remembering Scorpius talking about his grandmother. "We may never get an opportunity like this again."
"What if it's a trap?" James voiced.
"It's not." Al replied, "At least, my gut doesn't seem to think so."
The two sat in a silence of sorts.
"So you won't be coming for Christmas again?" James asked.
"We can't." Al replied, knowing Scorpius would stay again, to let people vent out on him, "Sorry."
"Alright." James leaned back on his hands, "but I guess you'll need a cover story for everyone back home. Mum's going to get suspicious, y'know."
Al groaned, proving to James that he was indeed right in believing that Al had forgotten about this.
"And you'll need the Invisibility Cloak."
Al's eyes shot up.
"And … ?" Al asked, trying to lower his hopes.
"Yeah, I'll cover for you," James replied, "and you can have the Invisibility Cloak."
"But … ?" Al waited, knowing there was a catch. James upheld Marauder-legacy; there was always a catch.
"But I keep the map." James answered. "Also, you three better accept our help. And by our, I mean all of us; every Weasley, Potter, Scamander and Longbottom child you know."
Al looked on hesitantly and unsure.
"We're a family, Al." James stated firmly. "You three can't do this alone. Mum, Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron couldn't do it alone either. You need all the help you can get: you're outnumbered and they're a lot stronger than you probably even know. You need us. All of us."
"But Rosie …" Al groaned, "Okay, fine, deal. Everyone will know by the end of the year."
James seemed satisfied but carried on.
"Whoa, hold on!" Al interrupted, "Why are there so many conditions?"
"Al." James said, "I'm giving you the Cloak, covering for you and letting you go through with this. That's three favours and three conditions. It's only fair; an eye for an eye."
Al sighed but allowed James to carry on.
"Don't worry; you'll like this condition."
James stood up, ready to leave.
"When you make that Slytherin Quidditch Team …" James started, "… you better play with everything you've got."
Al knew the motto.
"Play like my life's on the line," Al grinned, "right?"
James grinned back before leaving. Al once again took a moment to appreciate that he and his brother had reconciled.
Rose was kept busy by her school-work, and any extra work she could. She was also itching to find out the identity of the person who gave them the advice for when to seek out AVOE. However, Al didn't give her the parchment in question, nor did he give her the badge. Rose had also taken on the role of a mentor towards Molly Weasley II.
Rose had been ecstatic at having a relative in the same House as her, even if it was just one.
Al couldn't say the same. He hadn't seen Roxanne much, mostly because she was either always with Molly II, or at the Quidditch field. And in any case, when it came to the first years, Lucas Dursley was who Al was worried about the most.
He hadn't seen Lucas at all. And that worried him. James hadn't seen him either. Neither of them knew how Lucas was. Al wanted to see his cousin, to know how he was. Were his parents okay? How did Great Uncle Vernon take it? How did Great Aunt Petunia take it? How did Tristan take it? What allowed him to come?
And although they had told Lucas about Hogwarts, only Al could guide him now. Yeah, James had also experienced Hogwarts, but Al was closer to him in age. That, and James had a Quidditch Team to lead.
"Did you ask your brother about the Cloak?" Scorpius asked him when he too got tired of Rose's relentless attempts to find something in a history textbook that would help.
"Yeah." Al replied, "But, there's some conditions …"
That caught Rose's attention.
"What conditions?" Rose asked, surprising Scorpius (who thought she was still into her textbook).
"We have to include everyone into," Al made an incomprehensible gesture, "whatever this is."
"What does he mean by," Scorpius leaned forward, "everyone?"
"Everyone." Al answered, "Lily, Hugo, Roxanne, Molly, Lucy, the Idiot Trio, Lysander, Domi, Ally, Frank, Vic, Teddy, everyone."
"He's kidding!"
"Yeah but in all fairness Rosie," Al continued, "he's giving us the Cloak but he's also covering for us since we're obviously not going home for Christmas. Again."
Rose dropped the textbook on the table and held her head in her hands.
"Oh Merlin." Rose groaned.
"But we have until the end of the school year to tell everyone," Al added, "if that helps?"
"Wait a minute." Scorpius caught on, "You told your brother about all of this?"
Rose sat up again, and Al wished for the ground to open up and swallow him again.
When the Slytherin didn't answer, his two best friends took his silence as a yes.
Thankfully, Rose didn't question him. This lack of reaction from the Ravenclaw surprised Scorpius, but he kept his mouth shut.
"This is ridiculous." Rose commentated, supporting her chin in her hands, "Maybe we should just give this up."
"What?" Al asked, "Why would we give up?"
"If James doesn't want to hand over the Cloak without everyone knowing, then I want to give up this whole thing." Rose answered, "There's no way we can get everyone involved, Al. We can't risk their lives along with ours."
No one had any argument against that.
Al turned to Scorpius.
"You glad you don't have so much family yet?" Al asked in the same exasperated tone Rose had spoken in just before.
"A little bit."
He then turned to Rose.
"Is that it then?" Al asked, "No more mysteries for us?"
No one spoke.
Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Was that─
"Luke!" Al called, causing the blond Muggle-born to turn around.
Al waved and ran up to his cousin, glad he finally found him.
"Where've you been hiding?" Al asked, "None of us can find you!"
"Us?"
"James told all our cousins to keep an eye out for you."
"Why?" Lucas asked.
"Eh." Al shrugged, "Tradition. You're still family, Luke."
The first year smiled a small smile.
"So?" Al grinned. "How is it?"
Lucas' eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Everything you lot said! And it's not even been that long since I came!" Lucas exclaimed, "Still getting used to the ghosts, the walking armours, the talking portraits and the moving staircases, though."
"Ah well, don't worry about it." Al reassured, "By the time exams come around, you'll know those moving staircases by the back of your hand. Plus, I know some portraits that are willing to help if you can't understand something in class."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'll show you sometime." Al continued, "But wait ─ till you see your first ever Quidditch match."
"No way!" Lucas grinned, "When is it? Can I try out?"
"November is the first match." Al replied, "You can try out ─ but only in your second year."
"Wait." the Dursley boy caught on, "Are you going to try out?"
"Tch." Al scoffed, feeling a bit smug, "Obviously."
"Don't worry, Al." Lucas put a hand on his shoulder, "I'll be there with snacks when you don't make the team."
"Shut up!" Al replied as he failed to hit Lucas with his book.
The two boys laughed.
Scorpius watched on lazily as Al picked at his breakfast.
"This is stupid." Al broke the silence, "It's so boring now. There's nothing to look forward to."
"Not even Quidditch?" Rose asked as she joined the two boys.
"You know what I mean." Al replied, still picking at his food.
"Rose is right though." Scorpius commented, "You can't involve everyone. It's too dangerous."
Al sat up, not taking his eyes off his food.
"I guess I'll tell James to keep the Cloak." Al added, "Since there's no need for it."
The other two agreed in low, discouraged voices.
"What's up with you lot?" Ally asked as she and Domi joined the trio, Domi sitting next to Al and Ally next to Rose, "You look like your grandmother banned you from playing Quidditch or something."
"It's nothing." Rose answered politely.
"Not anymore it isn't." Al muttered under his breath.
"Come on." Domi nudged Al, "Chin up Al! I thought you were going to try out for the Quidditch team!"
"Yeah," Al replied, "whatever."
"Whatever?" Ally asked as if she had been personally offended, "Did you just whatever Quidditch?"
None of the trio replied, too disappointed to answer.
"Hey, seriously," Domi poked Al, "what is up with you lot?"
"It's nothing," Rose restated, "he's just moody, is all."
Ally raised an eyebrow. Rose gave an assuring stare.
"Well, if you say so." Ally relented hesitantly.
"But, hey," Domi ruffled Al's already messy hair, "if you lot need any help or anything, come find us, alright?"
"This isn't the kind of thing you can help with." Al muttered as Domi and Ally left.
"She's right Al." Rose said, "You'll attract attention if you don't stop making that face."
Al scoffed and stopped playing with his food, satisfied with just staring it down instead.
"Look at it this way." Scorpius suggested, "You'll have more time to focus on Quidditch, and your Muggle-born cousin. And you can pull up your D.A.D.A. grade as well."
Rose agreed with Scorpius, but Al didn't say anything.
Instead, he picked up his stuff and left.
When Al was out of sight, Rose sighed and let her head collapse onto the table, in the same position Al was a minute ago.
"Don't tell me you're going to be just as moody as him?" Scorpius broke the silence.
"Leave me alone." Rose muffled into the table, "I hate everything."
"I don't understand why you're both so beaten up by this." Scorpius voiced, "It is the wisest choice."
Rose looked up at him.
"But does that make it the right choice?" Rose asked, her blue eyes ─ that had never looked so deep than right now ─ searching his own for an answer.
Scorpius failed to understand. "What do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is," Rose sat up, "and I'm only concluding this based on the reactions of the Swan and Sis ─ but we seem to be the only ones who know about AVOE."
"Yeah …" Scorpius agreed. It did seem that way.
"And they killed your grandmother," Rose continued, not making eye contact when she mentioned his late grandmother, "so what if she's not the only person they've killed?"
Rose sat up straighter.
"I mean you saw what that badge did." Rose explained, "It controlled a Thestral. The Swan had a Thestral. Someone rescued her from here with a Thestral. Why do they need Thestrals? Why are they killing people?"
She paused.
"They're up to something." Rose continued in a lower voice, "And whatever it is, I have a feeling it's something Dad and Uncle Harry would want to know about."
"But if you told them," Scorpius countered, "There's no way they'd believe you."
"We'd be in loads of trouble even if they did." Rose winced, "But in the end, we're the only ones who about any of it ─ at all."
The two sat in silence, contemplating whether what they had done was for the best.
Rose gave a frustrated groan and looked up to the ceiling, raising her arms towards the ceiling as well.
"Why is this so difficult?!" Rose called to the heavens, "I'm only eleven years old! This is not the kind of thing I should be worrying about!"
Scorpius made no comment, lost in his own thoughts.
Albus headed towards Gryffindor Tower, in search of his brother. But Scorpius caught him on his way.
"What do you think you're doing?" Scorpius asked impartially.
"Telling James we don't need the Cloak." Al replied.
"You know what I mean." Scorpius cut off. "Do you actually expect me to believe that you're going to give up this easily?"
Times like these, Al hated how observant Scorpius was.
Al shoved his hands into the pockets of his robes.
"Well," Al started, "what can we do?"
"Go without taking the Cloak." Scorpius replied without hesitation.
The two boys stared each other down, until Al broke the gaze.
"Alright, fine," Al relented, "maybe I was considering the idea."
"I guess the tables have turned, then." Scorpius muttered.
Al gave his best friend a confused look.
Scorpius gave him what Al could call a Marauder grin.
"What makes you think you're going to do this by yourself?"
"You can keep the Cloak." Al said, "We won't need it."
"So I take it you're not going then?"
"We're going." Al said, "We're just not going to put everyone's lives at risk just for the Cloak."
James paused, letting the information sink in. Then spoke.
"Still need me to cover for you?"
"No." Al declined, "We'll come up with something on our own. We've got Rosie."
James stared his brother down. Al didn't back away, which was a first. Al must be really serious about this.
James broke eye contact with his brother to scour through his belongings. Having found what he was looking for, James tossed it to his brother.
Al caught it instinctively, then stared at the object in his hands in disbelief before looking up at his brother.
"It's noble of you lot to not put the others at risk," James explained, "but that's no reason to be careless with your own lives."
"Are you saying … ?"
"Keep it." James finalised, "You lot will probably need it a lot more than us."
Us being the Idiot Trio.
Al thanked his brother and began to leave the fourth year Gryffindor boys' dormitory when James called him one last time.
"No one else practices Quidditch at home like we do, Al." James said, "Remember that."
Al found Rose and Scorpius talking in the back of the library. Rose looked really tense. As he approached his two best friends, he did hear Rose mutter something along the lines of not even safe and could very well be the most reckless and stupid thing I've ever agreed to.
"So I take it we're still on for this?" Al asked, joining his two friends.
"I swear to Merlin," Rose flipped a page, "we could win an award for the sheer amount of stupidity we are about to commit."
Scorpius smiled like he wanted to say something, but remained silent.
"I mean, they're murderers! And us?" Rose asked, not tearing her eyes off the book on the table, "We're trusting a piece of parchment from someone we don't even know! And what are we equipping ourselves with? A stubborn mind-set and the magical abilities of a first year at Hogwarts!"
"That's not all we're equipping ourselves with." Al added.
Both Rose and Scorpius looked up at him.
"The Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain left us a gift." Al dumped the Cloak onto the table, "To try and increase our chances of making it back alive."
Rose looked like Christmas had come early.
A/N: Eh. Could be better. Thoughts?