Chapter 13: Albus

Friday, 5 December 2025

Albus sat in a private stand that was reserved for the press, the match commentator and ministry officials from the Department of Magical Games and Sports. His Self-Writing Quill was set and charmed to take all the notes spoken by the commentator, while Albus would be making other notes into a separate notepad. After the game, he would go back to the office to put together a report for the next day's paper. Albus knew he could be facing a long night in the office, as the game was going to start at two in the afternoon, and there was always the possibility that it took several hours.

However, it was a routine now, after reporting so many games during the past year. The only thing that was bothering him somewhat, was the fact that his brother was going to play, and that Albus was expected to write an impartial report about the game. Previously, it hadn't been a problem, since James's team usually won their games and Albus rarely reported the Magpies' games in the first place. But now, the Magpies had lost two games in a row, and Albus knew it was partly because James had lost his touch. And if the Magpies lost again because James was playing poorly, how was Albus expected to report the game without writing his brother in a bad light?

It was something Albus had wanted to talk with Hugo earlier that week, knowing that his cousin usually had logical solutions to other people's problems. Albus had been sure that Hugo would know how Albus should prepare himself for his job. Perhaps they would've had time to chat about it if Albus hadn't brought up Rose and her date – a topic that seemed to make Hugo close up and send Albus away before he could say another word.

Albus sighed and thought about the previous Saturday, when he and Scorpius had met Rose and Nick at the pub. They had both looked somewhat surprised to see Albus and Scorpius, and it was obvious that Rose had wanted to leave because of them. After the couple had left, Scorpius had remained quiet and distant the rest of the night, and Albus hadn't needed to ask the reason for his friend's changed behaviour. He knew Scorpius still had feelings for Rose, and Albus had hoped for some time now that Scorpius would pull his head out of his arse and do something about it.

Albus wondered if it was too late now. He wondered, if Rose and Nick were a thing now, and if Nick was actually serious about Albus's cousin. Albus had never been close to Nick, but had known him through James – and had been in his company enough to know that Nick didn't really date anyone seriously, and instead had always seemed to want to keep himself open and free for possibilities. No, Albus didn't think that Nick had mislead anyone before and reckoned the bloke had always been clear from the beginning about his expectations.

But when it came to Rose, Nick already had history with her. The events of James's party from the end of the summer last year flickered to the forefront of his mind.

"…James – shit – are you fucking kidding me?!" Albus hissed at his brother as he managed to pull him to the darkened hallway.

Albus knew that no one paid them any attention, as their words were covered by the loud chatter, laughter and music that came from the sitting room, but he still looked around them quickly to check that they were alone.

"Are you high?" He whispered as James tried to pull away from him. Albus gripped his arm tighter.

James huffed. "Stop patronising me, mum." He said pointedly and squinted at Albus.

Albus cursed under his breath as he saw the state of his brother's pupils. "You realise if any of this comes out, your bloody career is at stake?" Albus asked, or growled, more like.

"Live a little, little brother," James said and then grinned.

As Albus gritted his teeth, James placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Relax, brother. No one's gonna rat me out to the press. I trust everyone here," he said airily. "And besides, aren't you the brand-new reporter – I'm sure you can make any gossip disappear like that!" he said and snapped his fingers but then lost his footing and leaned heavily against Albus.

James pushed back a bit and saw the exasperation in Albus's expression. "I'm fine, I promise. I'll stay home with all these incredibly amusing people and you don't have to worry about me tainting your last name," James said through a smile that looked as forced as his words sounded.

Albus sighed and stared at his brother. "James, you're not – "

"POTTER!" Chuck yelled from the sitting room, interrupting Albus.

James used the moment to pull away from his brother and gave him a meaningful look as he backed towards the sitting room. "Chill, brother. I intend to."

Albus swore inwardly. Bloody James. He knew there was nothing he could do about it, since James was an adult and made his own decisions, and – well – as long as James stayed home and could trust his friends and family, there was no danger of his behaviour leaking to the press.

The press had been awfully interested about James, ever since the previous summer, after he had had a very successful year with the Magpies. Albus knew that during the previous summer, everything had been different, and that James had been different. He had been more focused on the game, even during the holidays, and had been…proud of being one of the star players in the team. He had wanted to be praised by his family. He had wanted to look good in public. Now, Albus felt like James was expecting everyone to be disappointed at him, and like he didn't care anymore if his behaviour was frowned upon. It was as if he thought it was expected of a Quidditch celebrity.

During the summer, James had been in the headlines due to his questionable affairs with several different women and unexpected stunts, like for instance: disappearing without notice and appearing in France, where he had been on a display in the wizarding news and pictured obviously drunk at least in seven different bars. And Albus had already suspected that his brother had included recreational potions into his repertoire, but witnessing it was something of an eye opener.

Albus was worried for James, but he didn't know what to do about it. He could only hope that the upcoming season would force his brother back in line, and make James quit all the stupidity he had been up to for the past two months.

As Albus returned to the sitting room, he wasn't really surprised to see his brother lounging lazily in an armchair with Jess – one of his teammate's friends – on his lap, laughing with his friends who were sitting around them on the sofa and conjured chairs in mixed states of inebriation.

Albus walked past the group as they started to recount some of the 'hilarious' exploits one of them had encountered during the summer, and made his way to the kitchen where his sister and most of his cousins were.

It was a bit quieter in the kitchen without the music blaring in the room, but there was plenty of laughter and chatter instead. Hugo, Lucy and Lily were in a deep discussion at the other end of the table, while Dominique, Roxanne and Molly were talking – or grilling, more like – Scorpius's new girlfriend Mary at the other, closer to the kitchen door.

"Where's Scor?" Albus asked as he sat down next to Mary and opposite to Dominique and Roxanne.

He didn't really know Mary, but had met her several times during the summer, after she and Scorpius had started dating. Scorpius's fling with their classmate Brittany had ended soon after their graduation, and a week later, Mary had walked into the picture.

Mary was a year younger than them, and would return back to Hogwarts with Hugo, Lucy, Lily and Louis in the beginning of next month. Mary, Hugo and Lucy were returning there for their last year, while Lily and Louis would start their sixth year.

Mary gave him a small smile. "He went to the loo – I'm sure he'll be back in a bit..."

Dominique waved her hand, "Never mind him, I want to know more about you – has your mother worked long for the Wizengamot?" She asked with a glint in her eyes that Albus knew meant an unbearable need to gossip. Roxanne nodded eagerly next to Dominique, while Albus detected Molly actually rolling her eyes subtly at her cousins from Mary's other side.

It was just the way his cousins were – mostly Dominique and Roxanne. Albus thought Dominique felt pressured by her parents who were famous and admired, and her sister who had done well after her graduation, and because of that Dominique was now desperate to make a name for herself. Albus thought Roxanne was merely following her cousin's example. He knew Roxanne's parents were more down to earth, but in the end, there was no way of knowing what was the reason for any of their behaviour, as Albus, his siblings and his cousins were all more or less entitled to feel pressured by their famous war-hero-parents and the expectations that came with their fame.

However, Albus knew not all of his relatives were social climbers like Dominique, Roxanne and even Rose. For example, Hugo, who Albus thought was a decent bloke, trustworthy, funny and well-balanced, and –

"What the bloody hell I'm seeing?" Albus yelled sharply, his thoughts hitting a snag after witnessing his well-balanced and trustworthy cousin handing Albus's sixteen-year-old baby sister a drink of Firewhiskey.

Everyone looked from Albus to Hugo, Lucy and Lily, who were staring back, two of them slightly red with embarrassment, and one scowling determinedly.

Hugo grimaced. "Yeah, I told you," he said to Lily, who huffed and turned to Albus.

"Al, please," she said with an eyeroll in her voice. "I'm sixteen, not a two-year-old. It's only a one drink – I'm sure you too have had your fair share of liquor before turning seventeen. Am I wrong?" She asked, her tone sharp and slightly menacing.

Albus narrowed his eyes briefly at Roxanne, Dominique and Molly, who were all trying – and failing – to suppress their smirks and snorts. He arched a brow at his cousin at the other end of the table.

Hugo lifted up his hands after seeing the warning in Albus's gaze. "Mate, she insisted. I'm sorry." He said quickly, and snatched the drink back from between Lily's fingers.

"Bloody hell, Al," Lily seethed.

Albus lifted his brows at his sister. "You'll stay out of alcohol, or you go home," he said simply. "That was the deal, Lily."

One inebriated sibling was enough for the night.

Lily clenched her jaw and leaned back on her chair, her gaze at the table and her arms crossed against her chest. "Fine." She huffed.

"Thank you for your cooperation, sister." Albus said with a honeyed tone.

Lily sent him a glare. "No need to be a prick, Al." She huffed and then turned to Hugo, who was slightly cowering under her stare. "And you –" she huffed. "At least I know now who you're loyal to…"

Albus rolled his eyes at the scene: his sister wasn't being serious and they all knew that, but Hugo still took the lecture like a champion and apologised her more than once.

"…And that is exactly why I told Louis he couldn't come," Dominique said with a hint of exasperation to no one specific, before resuming to talk about Ministry business with Mary.

Albus had started to think if he ought to return to the sitting room since Ministry gossip didn't really interest him the slightest, when his best friend walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Scor," Albus said as Scorpius took a seat at the end of the table, between Roxanne and Albus.

Scorpius nodded at Albus, but Albus thought that there was something amiss with his friend as he took a glass of Firewhiskey from the table and downed it in one gulp, glaring at the table as he put the glass back.

The others were too focused on the story Mary was telling, about some Ministry official fraud or something of the sort, to notice Scorpius's ministrations.

"You okay?" Albus asked quietly, leaning closer to his friend.

Scorpius gave Albus a dark look. "I'm fine."

Albus nodded slowly, thinking that there could only be one reason for his friend's changed mood. Or one person, specifically. "You seen Rose?"

Scorpius's jaw tightened. Albus sighed inwardly, taking his friend's reaction as a yes.

"So? What's going on?" Albus asked with a slight frown.

When Scorpius didn't answer, but proceeded to pour himself another drink, Albus stood up from his seat and left the kitchen, deciding that he would ask about it from his cousin himself. Rose had obviously said something or done something to affect Scorpius's mood like that.

He glanced at the sitting room and saw it still occupied by the same group: James and Jess in the armchair, Charlie, Zach, Chuck and Kara on the sofa, while Sam, Dylan, Mason, Blake and Fred sat on the chairs around them.

Albus went to check the broom closet and the loo on the ground floor, but when he didn't see Rose, he quickly made his way upstairs.

The upstairs guest bedroom was empty, as was the bathroom. Earlier in the evening Albus had seen Rose and Nick in the sitting room downstairs playing a drinking game mostly by themselves, and now that neither of them was nowhere to be seen, Albus had an inkling where to find them and what they were in the midst of. He sighed wearily as he walked towards James's room and pushed the door open.

It was definitely not what he had been expecting to see.

Rose was there, sitting on James's bed, accompanied by Nick, in midst of emptying her stomach on James's bedroom floor.

"Bloody hell, Rose!" Albus shouted in surprise as his cousin puked her guts out.

Nick grimaced at Albus and then at the floor.

"What the hell is this?" Albus yelled, drawing up his wand and vanishing the disgusting puddle from the floor. "You know there's a bloody bathroom ten feet away!"

Rose swayed and drew her gaze up to meet Albus's. "Hey, Al," She croaked weakly.

Albus gritted his teeth. "A word, mate," Albus said to Nick, who looked something between nauseated and drunk.

Nick staggered up and walked to the doorway. "Alright, mate," He slurred.

"Seen Scorpius around?" Albus asked from Nick with a blank voice. His gaze flickered to Rose to make sure she was okay, before he looked at Nick again. The bloke was positively pissed.

Nick belched. "Nah," he said and grabbed Albus's shoulder in order to steady himself. "Look. Rose and I – we were just havin' a bit of fun, is all," He said, peering into Albus's eyes, before his face slowly twisted with nausea.

Albus groaned inwardly, and practically pushed Nick towards the bathroom. "Do not fucking make a mess!" Albus growled as Nick stumbled into the bathroom and slammed the door shut, before violent sounds of retching echoed in the upstairs hallway.

Albus walked back into the room and sat next to Rose, who looked like she was now half asleep, her eyelids drooping. "What were you doing in here? What did you say to Scorpius?"

Rose blinked slowly at him, and then shook her head sluggishly. "No – not – I was with…with Nick," she mumbled and hiccoughed. "…Should…should go home," she added and yawned. "Where's my wand…" She slurred and started to look around her.

Albus sighed and stood up, knowing there was no use to start demanding answers from Rose when she was at that state. "Come on. I'll take you home."

He had a good suspicion what had happened before he had barged into the room, and if neither Rose nor Nick had even seen Scorpius, it could mean only one thing. They had been otherwise occupied.

Albus was angry at his cousin, for being so bloody reckless, for being so…inconsiderate. Hadn't Scorpius been through enough? And what was she thinking, drinking like that and jumping at the first available wizard?

He took his cousin home and barely spoke to her on the way there, before returning back to the party, only to find out that Scorpius too had disappeared, and had left Mary there by herself. He hadn't even told her he had left home.

Albus hadn't really wanted to be in Rose's company for a while after the incident. He knew Rose had been hurt by Scorpius bringing Mary to the party, and Albus had assumed she had only wanted to make him jealous by hooking up with Nick. Albus had talked with Scorpius some weeks after the party, and his friend had confessed that at the party, seeing Rose with someone else, Scorpius had realised that he wasn't going to get back together with Rose, and that he hadn't known what to think then – and thus had bailed on everyone.

Later on, Albus had wondered if he had been wrong about the night – that Rose hadn't been trying to shove Nick on Scorpius's face, and that, perhaps, Rose hadn't really thought about Scorpius when she had spent time with Nick. He had wondered, if Rose had been equally hurt by seeing Scorpius with another woman than Scorpius evidently had been when he had seen Rose and Nick.

Albus hadn't really spoken to Rose about his thoughts, or apologised for that matter that he had basically taken his best friend's side without a second thought and had taken some distance to her, but it seemed that Rose had accepted him back to her life without a doubt when Albus had started to get closer to her again.

"If it isn't my favourite nephew!" Albus's uncle Ron called from behind him, pulling Albus back to present from his thoughts.

Albus turned on his seat and stood up to greet his uncle and mother, before gesturing at the two free seats next to him. His uncle was dressed from head to toe in bright orange – the Chudley Cannons' colours. He had a spring in his step and a wide grin on his face even though it was rather certain his favourite team was going to finish bottom of the year's league – which would happen even if they won the game against the Magpies.

Albus's mother was dressed like most of the crowd – in black and white. He wondered, if she had missed any of James's games during his three-year career with the Magpies. He reckoned not.

They chatted a bit before the game started, and Albus was glad to hear that his father was doing better. He made a mental note to go see him on the weekend and spend some time with him. His uncle told him about the latest tricks and about Jasmine, Albus's youngest cousin. He knew it was too long since the last time he had seen the girl, and knew he ought to visit them sometime soon.

"Quite the game, eh?" Albus's uncle said when Albus returned back to his mother and uncle after having a quick chat with the Daily Prophet photographer.

He had viewed some of the photos and pre-selected a few for his article, and agreed to meet with him at the office later on.

Albus hummed in agreement at his uncle as he glanced over the pitch – most of the crowd had already left – and felt his phone vibrate for what felt like the hundredth time during the past thirty minutes.

The Magpies had won – barely, thanks to their Seeker and their lousy opponents – but it hadn't been something that Albus had had any pleasure to watch. James hadn't scored any goals, and hadn't been able to hold the Quaffle for more than ten seconds each time the other Chasers served him. Which, in Albus's opinion, hadn't happened more than three times during the whole two-hour game. There was definitely something going on between the Chasers, and Albus wondered if it was something to do with the party last month, where James, Chuck and Oliver had had a sort of falling out at the end of the night.

He let out a sigh and flicked his wand to gather his notes and quills before shoving them into his bag, and dug up his phone from his pocket.

"What's up, Gin?" Ron asked suddenly, the concern in his voice drawing Albus's attention to his mother.

Albus's mother was staring at a letter that had been delivered to her by a small white owl only moments before. He glanced at his phone as it buzzed again, in order to shut it, but a message in the screen made him blink at the device.

"Merlin!" Albus's mother said quietly.

Albus and Ron both looked at her.

She lifted her gaze up from the parchment, grinning widely.

"Well?" Albus's uncle asked impatiently, looking between the letter and his sister's face. "What is it?"

Albus stared at his mother, and then looked at his phone, presuming both of them had been given the same news. "Molly's had a baby."

Albus's mother nodded and let out an excited laugh, while Albus's uncle grinned and muttered, "Blimey!"

As his mother and uncle started to chat about the addition to the family, Albus quickly went through the messages he had received from his different family members. It appeared that some of them were already in the hospital, waiting to meet Molly, John and their baby. Rose in particular, seemed very excited about the matter.

"…Al?" His mother inquired.

Albus blinked at her, realising he had missed something she had said. "Yeah?"

"I said, could you go and get James? And ask him to come to the hospital with us?" She asked, chewing the corner of her lips. She looked hesitant, as if she wasn't sure if James would even agree to come.

"Yeah. Sure," Albus muttered and took his belongings before leaving the stand, his mother and uncle following his example.

On the ground level, they agreed that Albus's mother and uncle would already leave towards the hospital, and that Albus and James would meet them there. As Albus made his way to the building where he knew the team's lockers were, he couldn't stop wondering what was going on between his mother and brother, and why had his mother practically run away and asked Albus to communicate with James.

After reaching his destination and nodding at the assistant manager guarding the doors, Albus walked inside and along the hallway before stopping in the middle of it, in front of the men's locker room. He was about to call for his brother, hoping he was still there considering it was already some time after the game had ended, when he heard heatedly spoken words through the door.

"…that's a bit too late, isn't it James?"

Albus frowned and looked around him. The hallway was empty, and he didn't hear any other voices. He wondered if everyone else had already left.

"Oliver, please…" James said quietly, and Albus thought he sounded a bit…desperate.

Albus licked his lips, wondering if he ought to leave and wait outside, when Dean – one of the beaters – barged into the hallway from outside and ran towards the locker room.

"Hey, mate." He greeted, panting slightly. "Forgot my bag…" He said and pushed the locker room door open, revealing James and Oliver in the middle of the room, staring at the incomer.

James and Oliver both nodded at Dean, and then noticed Albus, as the door had been left wide open by Dean.

"Al?" James asked, a frown forming between his brows.

Oliver cleared his throat and proceeded to grab his bag and walked away from the locker room, nodding at Albus as he walked past him.

"It's Molly," Albus said. Dean slammed his locker closed and gave a nod to both James and Al before rushing away along the hallway.

James's brows lifted up. "What about her?"

"She's had a baby. Mum asked me to get you… to the hospital." Albus said and took in James's features. "You okay?" He added.

James looked tired and disappointed. "Is everything all right with, um, Wright?" Albus asked hesitantly.

"Everything's fine." James said forcefully. "I'm really not in the mood, brother…I'd rather go home." he grumbled and went further in the room to throw his things into his bag.

Albus stepped inside the locker room and frowned at his brother. "Can you forget your sodding arse for thirty minutes and see your bloody cousin and then go home to sulk?" Albus asked airily.

James scowled at him.

"Hey, just a suggestion." Albus said and pushed his hands to his pockets. "And, you know… It would mean a lot to other people."

James clenched his jaw and briskly closed his bag. He took in a steadying breath. "Fine." He said wearily, not looking at Albus. "I'll make an appearance."

Most of Albus's extended family was there, waiting in the reception area on the sixth floor – the Magical maternity and Ancient remedies department – where they were divided into groups. His mother and Fleur were sitting in the corner with Albus's grandparents in mid-discussion. Albus's uncles Ron, Bill and George were standing close to the door that lead to the ward, laughing quietly, while Rose, Dominique, Roxanne and Fred were sitting at a couple of round tables opposite to what looked like a secretary's counter in the middle of the room.

Behind the counter there was a grumpy looking witch, who was watching the crowd warily. Albus briefly wondered if all of them would even be let in to see Molly, and why all of them even had to be there – it was as if they didn't see the baby now, they would, what, lose the chance forever?

Albus greeted everyone who glanced at him and James with a collective nod, before making his way towards his cousins in the middle of the room.

"Quite the turnout," Albus said lightly as he sat next to Rose.

James took a seat opposite to him, between Fred and Dominique. Roxanne sat across Dominique, on Rose's other side.

Rose hummed in agreement. "I know… I'm glad mum and Hugo are popping by later – I mean, Molly must be exhausted… I hope she has the strength to see us all."

Albus looked around the waiting room, wondering if his father was going to make an appearance or not.

"I bloody well hope she'll see us, after being dragged in here," Dominique muttered and gave a withering look towards her mother and then looked at the others, her features softening a bit, "Of course I want to see Molly and the baby, but I could've come to see them, say, tomorrow? Next week? Like Vic and Ted were allowed to do," She said and sighed.

Roxanne shrugged. "Well, Uncle Percy, Audrey, Lucy and John's parents and his sister are there now, so I assume we'll know soon enough. And besides, Vic probably wants to ask all the gruesome details about the labour, and she's too courteous to do that in front of us," Roxanne added, sniggering slightly.

Albus grimaced. He hadn't really needed the information that gruesome was a word that could be used when describing giving birth.

Rose huffed a laugh and elbowed him. "Relax, Al… I promise not to ask any gruesome details about the labour as long as you're in the room. Anything to preserve your innocence." she said teasingly.

The others around the table laughed.

Albus narrowed his eyes at her. "How's it going with Nick?" He asked pointedly, knowing that his cousins would grab that piece of gossip like a drowning man would grab at a dangling rope.

Dominique's eyes widened. "Nick?!" She whispered urgently, quickly leaning closer towards Rose.

" – When did that happen?" Roxanne asked a second after her cousin, mirroring her as she too leaned towards Rose.

"What now?" James asked sharply, a deep frown between his brows as he looked between Albus and Rose.

Albus cringed inwardly. Apparently James hadn't known that one of his best mates was dating his cousin.

Rose seethed, glaring at Albus. "Thanks for that!" She whispered furiously, before looking at the others with a strained look.

"Um. Yeah. We're dating," Rose said tightly.

"Since when?" James asked bluntly.

Fred sniggered, "Really, Rosie?"

" – How did you and Nick become a thing?" Asked Dominique with a wide smirk on her lips.

Rose gave her a blank stare.

"What is that supposed to mean?" James asked from her, looking between Dominique and Rose.

Rose let out a frustrated sigh and looked around the waiting room. Albus too looked: his mother and Rose's father were both watching their table with curious expressions.

"I'm not saying another thing!" Rose hissed as she turned back to their table, crossing her arms against her chest. She scowled at Albus. "And I'll remember this, Al," She practically growled.

Both James and Dominique opened their mouths to argue, but then the door to the ward opened.

"It's a healthy boy!" Percy exclaimed, looking happy beyond recognition. "I'm a grandfather!" He added excitedly before he was pulled into a bear-hug by his brother George.

Rose's relationship gossip was soon forgotten as everyone watched the proud new grandparents being congratulated.

Lucy rushed towards their table. "Oh Godric, you should see him!" She squealed, smiling widely. "He's so precious! Can you believe it?! I'm an aunt!"

They listened to Lucy ramble on about the baby and her sister, before John came to see everyone in the ward and asked if Rose and Molly's other cousins could come and meet the baby next. Apparently they weren't all allowed to barge into the small room, which only made sense to Albus.

A half an hour later, Albus slipped away from the hospital room with James and Fred after giving their last congratulations to John and Molly, while Roxanne and Dominique were still swooning over the baby, who was being held by his godmother Rose.

"You're leaving already?" Albus's mother asked as they stepped back into the waiting room.

Fred went to talk to his father, where the rest of their relatives were gathered into a large group.

Albus shrugged. "Yeah. I have, uh, work," he said and glanced at James who was standing next to him.

Their mother eyed James for a moment before she spoke. "James? We'll still see you on Sunday, right?"

Albus's brows lifted slightly as he looked between his mother and brother.

"Yeah, sure."

She smiled at him and then at Albus, "You're always welcome too, Al."

Albus nodded, "Yeah, no, I actually have plans…"

She looked a bit disappointed but smiled all the same.

"So… see you," James muttered to them both before starting to make his leave.

Albus's mother stared at James's retreating back while she chewed the inside of her cheek. She let out a sigh and turned her focus on Albus. "How are you, dear?" She asked, pulling a smile to her lips. It was a bit strained around the edges. "We didn't get to chat much during the game."

"Why is James coming on Sunday?" Albus asked, forgoing subtlety. "And why didn't you ask him to the hospital yourself?"

His mother blinked at him, before her shoulders sagged a bit. "I asked him to come by… to talk to your father. And – after the game, I was just – well – trying to give him some space."

"Oh." Albus said and nodded slowly. "Well, that's good, isn't it? I mean, that he's coming by?"

She eyed Albus quietly before she spoke. "I hope so. Has he said anything to you? Have you talked with him?"

Albus shook his head. "No. Not since my birthday. I suppose he's having some issues in the team, but I dunno for sure…" He said, his voice trailing off as he thought about the incident between Wright and James at the bar, and how stiff their interactions had been on and off the pitch.

His mother sighed wearily. "I wish he'd talk to us. I'm sure we could help him somehow…"

"Mum," Albus said placatingly. "He'll come around, he always has. There's only one game left and then he'll have a break. Perhaps that'll help."

At least, that was what Albus hoped would do the trick. He wondered, if he ought to have a chat with James, to see what really was going on with his brother, and decided that if James didn't agree to spend time with Albus before the next week's match, he wouldn't take no for an answer after the game.

As his mother's worry seemed to decrease a bit by Albus's words, he cleared his throat and nodded at the door to the ward. "You should go see Molly," he said with a small smile. "I'm afraid I have to go to work."

She smiled at him and pulled him into a warm embrace. "Oh, Al. Never change, will you?" She said quietly against his neck.

Albus smiled and waved at her before leaving the waiting room and entering the staircase.

As soon as he closed the door to the staircase behind him, someone spoke.

"Well, hello there."

Albus whirled around to look behind him. "Oh! Hey."

It was Scarlett. Albus gave her a once over. She was wearing pink robes with the familiar emblem embroidered on her chest: a wand and bone, crossed.

"Are you working today –"

" – What are you doing in here?"

They had both spoken at the same time. Scarlett smirked.

"Oh, no. I'm just stealing some robes. I reckon I look rather fetching in these," She said airily, clutching a pair of clipboards between her fingers.

Albus huffed in amusement, knowing she was evidently taking the piss. "I you say so," he said. "My cousin had a baby."

Scarlett blinked at him. "Oh? Already? I thought – well, it is December already, so it was expected," She rambled and shrugged. "Is Rose still here?" She asked and then let out a mocking sniff. "The bloody witch didn't say anything even though she knew I'd be here the whole day."

Albus nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Shame on her to think of someone else than you."

Scarlett let out a quiet laughter. Albus smiled at her.

He glanced at the timepiece on his wrist. Bloody hell, it was already half eight in the evening, and he still had to write the report for the next day's paper.

"I should go. Work," Albus said with a small lift of his brows.

Scarlett gave him an understanding look. "Yeah, same." She said and brandished the clipboards in the air. "I'm actually heading down, so…" She said and made a beeline towards the stairs.

"Oh. Yeah." Albus said slowly and followed her lead.

They were silent for a while as they descended the stairs. "I thought you worked only Tuesdays and Thursdays?" Albus asked, remembering that Rose had mentioned the bit of information more than once.

"And Monday nights." Scarlett added and grimaced. "It's a bit… understaffed in here, so I'm taking an extra shift…"

"Yeah? You seen Hugo around?" Albus asked as they reached the landing.

Scarlett shook her head. "Weirdly, no. I do visit the Emergency sometimes, but I assume he's always been with a patient. And, well, I suppose he rarely takes breaks, so there's that…"

Albus listened silently and wondered, not for the first time, if his cousin was all right. It seemed that Hugo worked long days in the hospital, and perhaps even more than necessary.

"Well, I'm off here," Scarlett said as they reached the fourth floor, and the door that said Permanent Spell Damage and Blood Curses department. "Later!"

Albus gave her a smile and a wave, before taking off.