SPOV
Albus was definitely far more intelligent than most of the ministry officials I had met. Sure we played and talked about random quidditch players and tossed every flavored beens at each other, but there was something intense he was struggling to hide. Something he had already revealed in to me in the Dom.
Al stumbled sometimes, or misused a word here or there, but it was his eyes that gave him away. Al was good-hearted and fun, but the way his eyes moved so piercingly deliberate over me, made me realize that he was far older in spirit than he let on.
In fact I'm certain his slip ups were intentional. I found myself wondering what it would have been like to grow up with someone so smart around. I doubted that his family was able to understand that spaced-out stare that I saw as I passed his compartment earlier.
We were about to change to wizards chess when the frizzle haired girl he had called Rosie and the delicate blond he had called Lou came into the compartment.
"Scorpius, these are my two favorite cousins! The genius Rose and the adorable Louis" Al jumped in with a smile, to which the blond blushed and the redhead huffed. "Louis has a sensitive ego… and Rosie resents that her mom thinks I'm smarter than her…" Al whispered mischievously into my ear. "But we love each other to death" he added light heartedly.
APOV
"I saw your sisters on the cover of 'La Jeune Sorcière' they looked stunning, I can't believe how similar you and Victoire look. And weren't you Ms. Weasley cited as assisting your mother on that lyncathropy project she worked on during her break from the Ministry this summer. Quite impressive research. Its very nice to meet both of you." Scorpius said with flawless charm, to which both my cousins erupted into beautiful scarlet blushes. He had quite literally already solidified friendships with both my cousins in what had seemed to be only a handful of words and some whispered insight on my part. Impressive. I was worried that James had turned them both against Scorpius but...
"YOU read that article? Nobody our age with the exception of Albus and I even know that journal exists! I tried to explain it to Lou but even he with all his natural talent hadn't the slightest idea what I was talking about!" Rosie broke in clearly abashed yet obviously excited at the prospect of someone to talk to.
"We were just about to play wizards chess Rosie. Why don't you and Scor play each other?" I offered optimistically. I was leaning over curiously as the match began while Louis merely pulled out a fashion magazine (That actually had Domi and Vic on the cover) and lay lazily down with his head in my lap.
"Hey al? Do I really look like Vicki?" Lou asked quietly up at me. I nodded downwards with a smile.
"Louis may be an adorable half Delacour like his gorgeous sisters but never underestimate him." I offered to Scor while stroking Lou's hair. "He's more intelligent than both Victoire and Dominique combined and nearly twice as dangerous because he's too lazy to display his prowess regularly." I added. Louis merely smirked and closed his magazine staring intently at the match unfolding.
"Rosie he's forgetting how spectacular my hair is." Louis added with a fake pout and a smile that clearly was designed to irk Rose about her frizzled mess of a head. "Your wrong on one account Al, no one is more dangerous than Weasley women." Louis continued shuddering at the glare that Rosie had given him.
I was simply amazed at how well the four of us were getting along. That was until Scor and Rose stopped talking and Lou and I realized to our horror that Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was actually pushing Rosie back. Louis can beat anyone in our family at wizards chess except for Myself, Rose and her Father. Aunt Hermione with all her genius never mastered the subtlety of the game, which is what makes my uncle Ron's freak skill all the more perplexing. I'm the only one that can beat Rose and her Father. Yet here was Scor decisively forcing…
"Al… Al… do you see what I'm seeing" Louis asked, interrupting my chain of thought with hushed whispers and some not so inconspicuous sleeve tugging.
Scor… please oh please let her win… I prayed silently to myself. Please don't...
"Check-mate" called Scorpius gleefully. "Great game Rose, I haven't played like that in ages… we should do that again sometime."
"Rose?" I asked carefully, watching as shadows consumed her frozen eyes. She looked at me, then at Scor and finally did the unthinkable.
"Why don't the two of you play?" She countered with a terrifyingly Lily like smirk.
SPOV
I had obviously missed much of the family based unspoken communication that was being tossed around with goodnatured humor, yet I found I didn't mind at all. I was having real fun with these two. They seemed to trust Al who appeared so at ease around me that they couldn't help but be genuinely kind and warm.
"Sure why not?" I asked resetting the board automatically much to my regret. Al noticed immediately that I hadn't used a wand. "I…"
I stammered as Rosie and Lou had both clearly noticed.
"Hey don't you guys just love my new chess set? Normally you have to reset the board with a spell, but aunt Hermione taught me how to enchant the set so that it does it automatically. Just like one of those fancy ones in the antique shops." Al chimed in. Wordless and wandless magic is a rare gift especially for an eleven year old. Rosie looked skeptically at Al who just smiled. Then suddenly the tension eased.
"Damn Al, why does mom have to teach you all the cool spells. We're not even at school yet and already you know more than most second years." Rose whined seeming to believe Al's lie. I was thankful yet surprised how quickly Al had come up with that story… It was almost as if he'd been put in a position like that before.
"So Scor, think you can beat me?" Al asked smugly, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Challenge accepted." I countered.
Neither of us realized how much of the train ride we spent in heated combat. Nobody had ever challenged me like this. I had been kind to Rose when we played making several mistakes on purpose, but this… I couldn't afford any mistakes. No way…
"Its over" Al said as he placed his piece.
"What?" queried Lou. "but its Scors turn and he's not in check… oh…" Louis finished with disbelief.
"Stalemate" Al shot resignedly. I couldn't believe it, I thought Al was going for the win in four moves which I would have countered and instead he had forced me into a stalemate.
"NO WAY!" Shrieked Rosie a little too loudly for someone not in serious pain.
"Rose … are you turning into grandma Mols with the volume control issues." Al asked wincing.
"Albus has never lost a game"… Rosie said bewildered.
"But its a draw Rosie." corrected Lou who was also a little surprised. Rosie shook her head staring at me as though I were an alien.
"Lou, the only time Al has ever tied with anyone was his first game, that time my Dad taught him the rules. Al was 8 and he only tied then because dad forgot to explain what a stalemate was." She added quietly.
"No…" I whispered equally as quietly. "He knew I thought he was going for the pincer in the next four moves. If he wanted to he could have mislead me and won in five." I looked solemnly up to Al, watching as grinned.
"You overestimate me Scor. I saw no other options so I figured a draw was better than a loss. Amazing game. I've never played anyone like that. Ever… " Al finished more seriously, but still smiling.
