All eyes snapped towards us as we entered the astronomy towers divination classroom. Everyone broke into hushed whispers as I led Albus down the steps and towards a cluster of empty pillows and tables. "Sorry for the disruption professor. We had some difficulty navigating the tower."
"Welcome Albus, welcome Scorpius. Please grab your seats." The centaur replied, motioning for us to sit. "We were just reviewing the art of advanced forecasting."
"Thank you professor" Albus offered meekly. He looked as though he were trying to disappear into the background. Albus knew everyones attention would be on him for his first class back since the 'incident' involving a reaper in the forest. Rumors and theories had begun to circulate, each growing more far fetched than the last.
"Silence please, I'll not have unkind remarks or idle gossip disrupt my classroom." Firenze commanded firmly, trying to get back to the lesson.
We took our seats and I opened a textbook for myself. Albus merely sat motionless on his pillow. It was all he could really do.
"Tea readings, runes, candle whispering, dragon knuckle plotting... alone these parlor tricks have some usefulness…" Firenze began, pointing to an image of each subjects symbol on the board as he spoke it. "But together a witch or wizard can build a far more extensive profile on events that have yet to unfold. More often than not the future is unreadable. However… occasionally… riddles of the future's course can be heard echoing back to us. Like ripples."
Albus listened intently while I took notes for the both of us. As the lesson continued it finally came time to begin our own attempt at a comprehensive prediction. The first of the subjects in the forecast was a tea reading.
As soon as i had finished slicing tea leaves for myself and the brunette, Albus began fumbling around for the ceremonial athame that I had used to cut them with. He nonchalantly brought it to his hand and pricked the head of his thumb with the point of the blade. He squeezed a couple times, releasing a drop of ruby liquid into the steaming brew on his side of the table.
"The textbook doesn't call for that Al." I whispered quietly, a little taken aback by the casual ease with which he had injured himself.
"From what I know of blood magic and the dark arts, this can't hurt our reading." Al returned at normal volume rolling his eyes at me. "This isn't my speciality mind you... it's merely that blood or injury can often amplify a spell's power."
I watched the drop of ruby liquid cloud and roil in the tea, changing its color to a muddier brown. I drained out tea with a spell and waited for the last of the brew to vanish.
"Well Scorpius? What do the leaves reveal." Al joked, chuckling to himself.
I peered into the cups surprised by the clarity of his reading. The images were fairly clear in his cup.
"Your primary sign is unmistakably a crescent moon" I offered aloud.
"And yours?" Al inquired curiously. I stared down at the image trying to discern its shape.
"It kind of... well it looks like a water droplet but also a feather."
"Well... which is it?"
"I'm not sure exactly. Professor? What symbol would you say this is?" I inquired as the centaur strode passed other tables examining everyone's results as he went.
"A yes a feathered droplet! Phoenix tears my boy, it represents healing and renewal. What of your secondary signs boys. Did you notice these? Your side image here, these three small dots represent a triari. They symbolize trial and hardship." He mused. "What of yours Potter?" Firenze asked, quickly realizing his mistake. Al was gracious however.
"Well professor, I'm told by Scorpio's that mine is a crescent moon. Which if memory serves can symbolize any one of a myriad of meanings."
Firenze leaned down to contemplate the contents of the cup. He scowled when he noticed the color of the blood tingeing the leaves. "You have two smaller symbols as well. Here scorpius, do you see? This is called a pikorua. It is the mark for friendship, companions, joint venture, partnership. This one one next to the pikorua that resembles a check mark. It represents secrecy or secrets." The professor finished. "It isn't a check mark but rather a thumb and index finger held up in front of sealed lips"
"Hmmmm"
There was a pause before the centaur spoke again.
"You have some idea of what either of your readings might mean Scorpius?" I looked at the professor in confusion before I realized that I had made the noise to which he was responding.
"Erm… Al... do you think... no I don't believe that could possibly be it" I had stopped myself halfway, intent on not looking like a fool in front of either the professor or Al.
"Do not fear a wrong reading young one. I will assess your attempt at interpretation whether it seems plausible or not, but you should trust in your instinct if your instinct calls you to suspect the meaning of these signs."
"Ok... then the pikorua leads me to believe our readings are meant to be interpreted together… if that's possible? what if the crescent moon could mean the lunar lotus we found in the forbidden forest? Pikorua and Phoenix tears and triari. 'Hardship' through 'joint venture' and 'trial' may lead to the 'secrets' of advanced 'healing and renewal'" I offered, suggesting not for the first time that we might figure out a way to cure Albus of his dark magic inflicted blindness.
"That is a good reading Scorpius. These signs are good omens all told. Whatever their meaning. Although I would not go around mentioning a lunar lotus… even we professors had not been told you had located one…"
"Or it could just mean i cut myself and my nursemaid 'companion' will be applying a 'healing' band aid on it after the 'hardship' of enduring divination class with an ill tempered blind boy full of 'secrets'." Al tossed sarcastically. He didn't want to trust in hope, nor did he put much stock in divination it seemed.
"Do not make light of these signs. The pikorua is a powerful symbol... there is no doubt that drawing it in your fortune refers to this steadfast Gryffindor who sits voluntarily beside you. His loyalty and sense of duty brought it forth in your cup. Of that i am certain. As for the healing tear, it is also a supremely potent portent. Take this fortune for granted at your own risk Albus Potter." Firenze offered placing a hand on the brunettes right arm, as if to impress upon Al the severity of what he was saying. The boy merely blushed at the mention of my loyalty.
The professor moved on to assist other students with their fortunes and I turned to scrutinize Al. His expression remained unreadable.
"Why are you doing this?" Al began softly. "Why are you binding yourself to me? I don't understand it. You could have a normal life. Go on to play quidditch and hang out with James. You know... your best friend... who you've no doubt alienated in all this. It cannot be a sense of duty alone."
"I don't know Al... there was something about you the other night... the way you taught me my first potions lesson... I can't really explain it... I thought we might actually become friends. On the boat, before you told me about the dark magic, I was watching you. I thought what a shame we had never done more than argue or ignore each other. Then there was what happened with the reaper. I didn't want that tragedy to be the reason we couldn't still know each other..." I offered honestly, stuttering slightly at the admission.
He was blushing again. The faintest tinge of pink dusted his flawless skin. Then he looked straight up at me. I almost broke eye contact until I remembered he couldn't see me. A slytherin smirk crept onto my face. I could drink in the sight of him as greedily and often as I liked and he wouldn't know.
"I want a comprehensive report from all of you on your readings. Next class will be on runes. Thank you all." The professor shot as students began to file out of the room.
Before I could reach out for Albus, his hand found mine instead. I watched as he intertwined our fingers. He blushed again for the briefest moment before I pulled him up and led us back to his room to do homework.
That night I read to him again from the golden compass. We chatted some more about logistics and mapping out his room and equipment before we brushed our teeth and readied ourselves for bed.
"You'll... stay upstairs with me again?" Al asked finally after we had both changed into our pajama tops. Neither of us slept with pants over our underwear. Again i noticed he wore the same fitted microfiber trunks i did. The only difference was his were emerald green like his eyes and mine were black. "I can put some pillows in between us if you mind?" He asked shyly.
"I don't mind at all." I returned. "But if you don't mind I'm going to go speak with my dad for a minute. I'll be back shortly."
Albus looked like he might've asked me what I had to speak to father about, but then thought better of prying.
I went through the door to fathers suite and climbed the stairs from his storeroom to his main apartment. I knocked firmly before the telltale "enter" came echoing from beyond the heavy wooden doors. I pushed and felt the old wood creak and groan beneath the force of my arms.
"Scorpius." Father noted. This time he did stop grading his papers to look up at me. "How are you managing with Albus?" He inquired carefully.
"It's not harder than I thought it would be… but then again I had assumed it would be grueling so no surprises there."
He nodded. "If anything that makes you wiser than I thought." Fathered commented.
After a moment of silence I spoke again.
"I feel beyond terrible that this happened. It was my fault you know. I expect Harry has said as much. I really don't see how they can forgive me for this. I'm sure the Potters will hate me now. If I hadn't moved… if I had just trusted Al like he'd asked then none of this would have ever happened."
Water was forming in my eyes then as i made the admission. How could i ever make up for this mistake?
At that my father froze and an expression of horror grew on his face. He rose from his desk and came over to me in a couple swift strides... and for the first time in years I found myself in his arms.
"Scorpius. My son... Do you honestly blame yourself for this? For failing to withstand the magical assault of a blood reaper? One of the darkest beings on the face of this earth?" He squeezed me. "Gryffindors are so bloody stupid. Do NOT ever blame yourself for this. Nobody else does. Not harry, not I and certainly not Albus. I swear it."
"He said as much?" I asked, pulling back slightly from my father's embrace.
"Yes, he did. He shares much with me you know." Again a pang of strangeness struck at a chord in my chest at the idea that my new friend and father had shared so much. Was I jealous? "You two seem to be getting along better than before. I trust you will let us know if this begins to prove too difficult? For either of you." Father asked, changing the subject.
"Of course I will."
I watched my father turn his back to me, returning to the papers at his desk.
"He's more fragile than you think Scorpius... so please... be careful with him..." he offered almost as an afterthought.
"I will. I genuinely have grown fond of him over the last few days. Who knew we'd get along so well. Despite the difficulty of the situation we've found ourselves in."
The expression on his face read as skeptical. He was questioning something but what i couldn't tell.
"Do what you feel is right… but don't get too close either Scorpius. He's a special boy. You shouldn't misle—" my father stopped at that, not allowing himself to finish the statement. "Never mind... just be careful not to hurt him."
"Why would I hurt him? I want to help him. Actually that's why I came up here. I may be terrible at potions but I'm as gifted at charms as Albus is with those damned concoctions of yours—" I offered, starting my thought.
"—No you are not" he returned honestly. There was no malice in his words, merely disbelief. "Almost as gifted maybe... but not as..."
"Almost is good enough for what I intend to try" I answered firmly rolling my eyes the way albus tended to. "I wasn't boasting you know. I think I can figure out the charm to reveal an ingredients web charting. I think if I can do that you and Al might devise a potion with unparalleled healing abilities... I think we could cure him."
"Harry and Flitwick say you are the best student they've seen in years. Honestly... you think you can achieve what you suggest?"
"I do father, and I aim to try either way." With that I turned and left the room, closing the door shut behind me.
I came back to find Albus asleep in bed. For the first time I thought how nice it was to slip into bed next to a handsome boy.
'Be careful with him' my fathers words echoed in my head.
When Albus failed to stir I dared to extend a leg to brush against his. Again I marveled at how soft he felt. He let out a soft hum like a purr.
"I will not stop until I fix this." I whispered to myself before blowing out the last candle.