Title: The Situation With Al
Author: Annie Dolnar
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T
Genre: Romance/Drama
Originally Written: 12-17-2011
AN: This one is just pitiful. I'm sorry.
The Situation with Al
Albus, Rose, Scorpius. These three are the New Generation of Marauders, the new generation of friends; the group that defies tradition and befriends one another.
"Scorp… Who is that?"
Scorpius laughed. "Albus, you prick, you don't recognize her?"
"Not really."
"She's Sam's baby sister."
"Oh… Well, the Longbottoms have a lot of kids. Every time we visit, some of them are either not there or busy or, well, you know…"
"Yeah, yeah, Al."
"Her eyes are like pearls…"
Scorpius smirked at him. "You pedophile. She's only a first year."
"So?"
"So Sam and Professor Longbottom and all the rest of her big brothers, and maybe even a few sisters, will kill you and serve your guts at the next feast. Don't go doing stupid stuff, Al."
Albus turned around to glare at him. "And making out with my cousin in front of her over-protective father was smart, was it?"
Shrugging, Scorpius simply said, "Never said it was; definetly wouldn't advise it though."
"I don't think anyone would advise that," Albus muttered. "How long did it take for that rash to go away again?"
"Ten months."
"Damn…"
"Yeah. But it wasn't so bad, especially compared to what my own father did to me."
"What was that?"
"Long row with a few hexes and curses mixed in, and Mum was out so there wasn't anyone to restrain him."
"Whoa…"
"Are you still staring at Sam's kid sister?"
"Er…"
"She's four years younger than you. Let it go; I have a feeling your own Dad won't be too pleased either."
"She's so beautiful…"
"Hey," said Scorpius irritatedly, snapping his fingers in front of his friend's face. "Wake up, Potter. It'll never happen."
Albus looked at him abruptly with sad eyes. Scorpius frowned. "Aw, damn. I know that look."
Albus kept staring with his sad, sad eyes. Scorpius just plopped down into the grass and said, "whatever floats your boat, mate. I'm out."
Still Albus stared. Scorpius glanced at him a few times before finally sighing in defeat. "Fine, I'll help you, you lovesick git. But if Sam asks, I have NOTHING to do with it. Agreed?"
"Sure, sure," Albus said, grinning.
Later, in the Gryffindor Common Room,
Albus glanced around the common room nervously, searching for the first year he had seen earlier that day. He was still searching when his sister, Lily, sat down beside him on the couch.
"Whatcha lookin for?" she asked, sounding slightly concerned. "You look like you're on the lookout for the ice-cream man."
Albus scoffed at her reference to muggle things. "None of your business," he muttered, and continued to glance nervously around him.
"Looking for Bluebell?"
He stared at her. "Bluebell?"
"You know, the first year you're so in love with."
Glaring, now. "How did you know that?"
"Scorpius told Rose, Rose told me."
Al swore. "He was supposed to keep that a secret."
Lily leaned back in her seat. "Not from his girlfriend."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that couples shouldn't keep things from each other, you moron, and you wouldn't understand anyway; you've never had a girlfriend."
"Shows what you know."
"I know a lot."
"Well, girlfriends should keep things to themselves then."
"Al, I'm your sister and Rose's best girlfriend. Duh I'm going to have to know."
"Well, she didn't have to tell you."
"She wouldn't have if she didn't know I could help."
Albus froze. "Help?"
"Who do you think set up Scorp and Rosie?"
"Lily, I don't think-"
"Just trust me, Al. We'll be able to do this smoothly if you just follow my plan."
"You already have a plan?"
"Don't you know me already?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Okay, here's what we're going to do: Right now, Bluebell is out practicing flying with her cousin Sarah, who's five years older. Go down to the Quidditch pitch with your broomstick and act like you're surprised to see them. If Sarah says something that sounds like she's coaching Bluebell, ask them if you can help- you're famous in Quidditch, they should go for it. I'll leave it to you from there."
"But, Lily,"
"Go," she said, pushing him out of the common room without his broomstick or robes that could be worn when flying. Realizing that Lily would not allow him back inside until Bluebell had gone inside, he went on down to the Quidditch pitch; he figured he could at least watch and smile.
When he reached the pitch, he saw her- flying high above his head on Sarah Abbot's broomstick and doing rather well at it. In fact, Al was awestruck. Here was a first year girl, swooping and swishing and flying so gracefully and so easily that he wondered if perhaps she had been working at it since a very young age. The brunette girl on the ground, Sarah, was watching her proudly. Al took a seat and watched the younger of the two practice.
Bluebell caught everything Sarah threw and everything she threw herself; Al, who was a keeper, felt that she must be heaven-sent. His own father was the youngest player in a century, and Al felt that the next young player was on her way to the top. He made a silent note that he would ask the Headmistress to make an exception if Bluebell wanted to go for the team.
It was at that moment that he caught her eye, and she grinned at him from high above and Al had a sudden feeling that his insides had tied themselves in knots; no girl had ever grinned at him before (except Rose and Lily and other family members, but they didn't count)- they all seemed to assume he was gay (because of one stupid rumor about him and Scorp, which was, in fact, untrue. It was the last thing Rita Skeeter wrote before Al's aunt turned her in. Something along the lines of al turning out to be just like his namesake).
Al was suddenly glad that Bell (he decided he would secretly call her that; it would be her nickname) was Sam's sister. She would have been told he wasn't gay, that he was definitely single and definitely straight, straight as an arrow. His stomach clenched as he remembered the talk he had had with his father later; he had tried to "understand" Al's "decision" and be "supportive" of his youngest son. Al had turned bright green and explained that he was not, in fact, gay, and definitely not in love with Scorpius, and that he was sorry his own father would think such things.
Sarah was staring at him, he noticed- she had followed Bell's eyes to Al's place in the stands. She frowned suspiciously but Albus smiled; it was likely that the entire family was protective of little Bell, and he didn't want to give them reason to suspect him of anything just yet.