Hi guys, I know im slow with the updates, but they're getting longer so I hope thats some consolation!

I'd love to know what you guys think of the fic in the comments/reviews (is anyone even reading this, or am I just typing into the void? haha).

Stay safe all! - HLW xx

When Albus returned, the house was silent. He'd walked back to the house after his time at the café with renewed… something. He wouldn't quite call it hope, but it was more than he'd had for the past few weeks. He plodded into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Myra had helped him to work out that he had 195 school days remaining until he graduated. About 90 of those would be school holidays, where he could come home and work in the café.

She told him that if he came to work on those days, they would pay him to help give him a head start, and then if it worked out he could move into the flat above the café, which they were currently using as an air bnb.

Al had asked her several times why she would do this for him – but she simply said she was 'paying it forward'. That someone had helped her out once and now it was her turn. She made him swear never to steal from them, but otherwise put him to work straight away.

He was happy for the distraction- but after a full and busy day, he was actually tired for once. Letting the water run over him, he realised he felt a little lighter – a little closer to the surface. He still didn't know why Myra was helping him, but as long as she got him one step closer to being away from Harry, he'd take whatever she was offering.

He stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. Heading back into his bedroom, he flopped down on the bed. 19:00 – time for sleep.

If any of his family noticed that Al was leaving in the early hours of the morning every day and not returning until evening, they didn't say a word. They never really said anything to him anymore. James was stepping into the real world, and Lilly was… Lilly.

With only a few days left until he'd return to Hogwarts, Al had left work early at Myra's behest and gone shopping for his school essentials. He'd half expected to run into his mother flitting about the shops in Diagon Alley, or his sister sitting on the couch when he returned – but no. They were nowhere to be found.

Thanking the gods for his good graces, he slipped into his bedroom and closed the door with a quiet click. He walked over to the memory crystal he'd bought for Scorp that was left on his dresser, and just like he did every night he thought of the other boy.

Memories of their time together played out in front of his eyes and Al longed to be back with his friend. He was lonely. Albus had closed himself off from everyone and he needed Scorpius now more than ever. Only a few more days, then Al could find him at school and they could get on with their lives without his parents and relatives screwing everything up. Just a few more days, and he'd finally be able to breathe again.

This was his final year at school, and he wanted nothing more than to spend it with the only person he actually cared about. Setting the orb back on his dresser, he unpacked his shopping and loaded it into his school trunk.

He'd convinced Myra to let him work double shifts until he left on Monday – with the exception of today. He figured it was better than sitting around here and besides, working kept his mind busy. When he wasn't working, his mind would wonder – slip into the quiet places, where only sadness and misery could find him. Where thoughts of the friend he had hurt almost consumed him to the point of paralysis and all other interactions seemed meaningless and trite.

Al stripped off his clothes and tied a towel around his waist, before heading to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and stepped inside, letting the warm water wash over him. He sighed, the jets of hot liquid beating down over his face and neck. Grabbing his razor from the side of the shower, he made quick work of the few errant hairs sprouting on his chest and made washed his hair- his thoughts moved slowly now – work…. His father… Scorpius…. Work… Moving out… Hogwarts… Graduation… Scorpius… His father… Scorpius… His father… something in his chest constricted, replacing the empty hollow ache that had been there for weeks. Stepping out the shower, he plodded back to his room and slipped into his nightclothes. Lying atop his bed, the ache tightness in his chest remained, a focused contraction, like a leviathan ensnaring its pray. Al put a hand to his chest and focused on breathing- something was very wrong.

A soft knock at his door interrupted his thoughts and he sat up slightly, before the pain behind his rib cage caused him to wince and sit with his back pressed against the wall for support. "Yeah?" he managed to all but wheaze.

The door opened and Harry slipped into the room, "Hey Al. The shops in Diagon Alley are open late tonight and tomorrow, we need to go pick up your school equipment. Get dressed." Albus regarded the man before him – an aging hero. Harry would barely look at him- choosing instead to keep his eyes focused on the wall, or on one of the trinkets Al had dotted around his room. Al shook his head,

"I already went and got everything I need." He nodded in the direction of a flourish and blots bag on the floor and several other packages wrapped neatly beside it.

"When did you… How could you afford to go back to school shopping? I would've bought them for you." Harry's brow furrowed and he stepped further into the room.

"As I said, no need. I found a way." Harry nodded,

"Right, of course you did…" The tightness in Al's chest felt like it was going to snap him in two. He clenched his jaw and lifted his chin to meet his father's eyes. Wincing in pain, he lifted himself off the bed and lifted himself to his full height.

"Get out."

"This is my house, Al – you can't tell me to get out."

"I don't care."

"What's going on with you lately? I don't…"

"Don't lie to yourself, Harry" he spat the last word as if it were an insult. For his part, hearing his child call him by his first name seemed to unsettle the older man who growled in response

"Albus…"

"Tell me." Silence. "Tell me what you did to him." More silence. "In two days I'll be back at school and I will ask Scorpius myself what you did to him. I can see the shame on your face, so please just tell me". Al's voice cracked under the pressure of staying upright, but Harry didn't even seem to notice – he was hardly looking at his child anymore- "Tell me now and maybe we can move past this. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise, what?" Harry lifted his eyes, his words barely more than a whisper.

"Otherwise you will always be Harry to me." Harry seemed to think for a moment, several emotions flashing in front of his eyes before he shoved them all down and stepped backwards.

"Enough of his nonsense. You're just making things up in your mind, Al. Maybe you should get some rest, you look… Worse for wear. Will you be coming with us to Diagon Alley or not?" Al shook his head and moved back to sit on his bed.

"Not."

"Right then."

"And I'll make my own way to the train station. No point in pretending anymore, is there?"

"Pretending what?" Albus calculated his response carefully. If he expended much more effort, he worried his chest may burst and leave tiny pieces of himself splattered along the walls of his bedroom.

"That you're still my father." Albus lay down on the bed and turned his back on the other man – the tightness easing as he felt the other man walk to the door and quietly click the latch behind him as he left. As soon as the door closed, Albus' world turned black.

Albus promised to message Myra every week and she promised him that her flat would be kept free for his Easter break in February. He'd told her he was talking the train from Kings Cross and she'd insisted on driving him. Dropping him off at the station, she pulled him into a hug.

"You be good now, and make sure to text me when you arrive!" He nodded and returned the embrace,

"Thank you, Myra. I don't know what I would've done without you these past few weeks." He felt an apple start to rise in his throat- his time with her had been the only time he hadn't felt completely alone and isolated. She's been his lifeline and only link to something good since that night. Tears stung his eyes "I… I don't know how to thank you enough". She sniffed and put her had on his cheek,

"You just be a good lad and get through it the best you can. We'll still be here when you're back." He nodded and hugged her once more before grabbing his trunk from the boot of the car and walking towards the station,

"Ohh and tell Harold not to burn the hash browns without me!" Myra nodded and smiled, waving to the boy as he disappeared into the crowds.

"Who was that woman you arrived with?" asked Lilly, entering the cart Al had taken towards the front of the train, hoping to be undisturbed.

"A friend."

"A friend older than mum? And why was she driving you, is she a muggle?" Al simply nodded,

"Yeah – she is."

"Wow, first Scorpius – now older woman, you really do get around." She smirked and pulled a chocolate frog from her pocket- throwing it at Al. "Mum started crying when she saw you hug her." Al didn't respond. He didn't really know what to say – he didn't want to make his mother cry, but at the same he hadn't really done anything wrong. "OK, so I've tried to give you as much space as I could after… everything, but will you just talk to me? What's going on with you?"

Al shrugged and began unwrapping the frog "Every time I close my eyes, I see him lying there covered in blood. I see him screaming in pain with glass sicking out of his chest and abdomen. I hear the blood dripping from his mouth as he screams and splutters for someone to help him, and it's all my fault…." He looked back up at his sister, "That's what's wrong with me." Lilly swallowed,

"I get that. I've had nightmares about it almost every night. I've never so much blood before, it stained the floor. Every mum's most powerful cleaning spell can't get it out." Al bit his lip,

"I just miss him so much. Every day since it happened all I can think about is making sure he's OK. I've tried owls, e-mails, texts, fire calls, missives- even howlers. Nothing gets through to him. They're all returned undelivered and I just need to know he's OK. He's my person, Lil".

"Your person?" Al nodded,

"Yeah, like… the person I go to if things are tough, or I'm sad or happy or mad. He's my person and I let him down." Lilly shook her head,

"You're being too hard on yourself. It's not like you stabbed him!"

"No, but remember me telling you he didn't want to be left alone with Harry?" She nodded, clearly confused by his choice of words, "Well, think about it. Scorp was fine until your dad took him into the kitchen and then all of a sudden he was telling me he needed to leave straight away and literally dragging me upstairs. Teddy basically confirmed that something happened, but wouldn't tell me what- and Harry won't even look at me when I ask him." He set the chocolate frog aside and rested his head in his hands, "He asked me not to leave him alone with dad - He even shook his head at me just before he went into the kitchen but I was too focused on Teddy's stupid video to understand."

Lilly moved to his side and stroked his arm "You dan no way of knowing. I don't know what dad did – but I do know that none of this is your fault. And besides, I'm sure once you two see each other it'll all be back to normal. Did you see him at the station?"

Al shook his head and rubbed his eyes, "No. But I guess he'll be performing at the assembly or something". Lilly rested her head against his arm,

"It'll be OK, Al. Promise."

Al's eyes kept wondering over to the Slytherin table throughout dinner. Scorpius wasn't there. It wasn't unusual, he supposed – especially if the other boy was going to perform later on in the evening, but the end of dinner was quickly approaching and he'd heard hide nor hair of the blonde.

Rose made her way over to Al. She had been talking a Ravenclaw girl who Al didn't recognise, but the look on her face made Albus keenly aware that she was about to deliver some bad news.

"Why are you so glum?" She grimaced and book a seat across from Al.

"So, I just spoke with Ethel Mirmud – we're in the same advanced transfiguration classes and we both tutor a pool of students… along with Scorpius." Al nodded,

"Cool." Rose looked at Lilly who seemed to read her mind and put her hand on Al's shoulder,

"Ohh…"

"Yeah." Al furrowed his brow,

"What are you two talking about?" Rose picked up an apple from the centre of the table and began fiddling with it.

"I've been asked to take on some more students, as has Ethel. It seems we'll be one tutor down this year." Al rolled his eyes –

"Rose, I'm pants at transfiguration and I need a potions tutor myself. Don't think I'm going to be able to help you with that one." Lilly sighed beside him.

"No, Al… What she's trying to say is she's been asked to take on more students because Scorpius can't." Al shrugged,

"Yeah well it's his final year. He's probably busy." Rose groaned,

"For the love of Merlin- he's not here. He's not coming back. Scorpius is gone, he quit. Apparently his family are hiring a private examination tutor to have him sit he NEWTS early and he will be completing them from his house in Italy." Albus barely registered what she was saying… Scorp couldn't just quit.

"He… No. No, you've got to be mistaken, there's no way."

"Al, I…"

"No, Rose!" Said Al, slightly louder than was strictly necessary. Lilly shushed him and rubbed his shoulder "He… he wouldn't just leave me here all alone, would he?" Al's words caught in his throat, and tears began to sting his eyes.

"Oh, Al. I'm so sorry. Did you not think this may happen after what…" she stopped herself, "well – y'know."

"He didn't even say goodbye…"

"Well, he did get stabbed in the chest." Lilly removed her hand from Al's shoulder "What, too soon?" Al abruptly stood and pushed himself away from the table

"Excuse me." Lilly and Rose were left in his wake awkwardly picking at their food,

"Dunno why he's mad with me- it was your dad who stabbed him."