Chapter 32 – How Hugo made sure

"Delphi wrote a letter to meet up at Hogsmeade and I'll sneak out next weekend, before we head home for Christmas." Albus told Scorpius on their way to breakfast, after making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation.

His best friend had been a goofball until his mother had died a year ago. Since then he had grown a lot more gloomy and silent, which had worsened since Rose relationship with the Gryffindor Captain's coming out. They didn't really hide it that much was sure. His cousin was holding hands with the dude, smiling at him, but at least she wasn't making a public spectacle out of their intimacies. He had yet to see them snog again in public like they had after the game.

Scorpius refused unwaveringly to talk about it at all since the game. It's what made Albus stop talking about Delphi until now, because if what Scorpius had to say about his girl had been bad before, it was even worse now. He had waited a few days already to bring the letter he got up, but now he was running out of time.

To leave alone was always an opinion, but he knew they would have a better chance of sneaking out and in again, without being noticed, if they worked together.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Scorpius was looking at Alb tiredly and they both knew why. He had no problem with breaking a rule or two, but a whole bunch of problems that came along with Delphi. Albus could go on all day if he was to be asked what kind of problems Scorpius had with his girl. Starting with her look, her tone, her pleas, her behaviour, and it could go on and on. It's what made his answer so curt.

"I'm not telling you to comment, only to give you the choice to accompany me. Leave it or take it."

Sometimes he wasn't sure if Scorpius was really anxious or just didn't like for him to be happy. That thought occurred more and more the last weeks, but then he saw the concern in his best friend's eyes and knew he was an idiot for even thinking about it. He would never leave Scorpius behind, not because of a girl or a row and his friend was the same.

Nonetheless Albus wanted to see Delphi before he had to join his family for the holidays. He dreaded them nearly as much as he did the summer break. Not taking her invitation to Hogsmeade wasn't an option for him.

Christmas at Grimmauld Place would be awful. Everyone would be joking around, smiling and live the perfect family life. Then his father would try to talk to him because he treasured their father-son time. They would quarrel like so many times before, because his dad didn't know when to shut up and his mom would look at them with sad eyes afterwards and hug him even tighter at his department. It would end with a reassurance from her that his dad meant well and a curt nod from him. Maybe she'd even tell him how similar he and Harry were, and he would have to keep from rolling his eyes again. His perfect dad with his perfect family and poor Slytherin Albus.

He was so pissed off by it all, just thinking about the holidays.

XxX

The knock on her door was faint, but it interrupted Hermione's concentration. She stood up from her small table and stretched her aching body. Sitting in the same position for too long left her hurting, but once she was engrossed in her studies she couldn't help herself.

The book on the table tried to explain the different concepts of time travel and their outcome. It was old, partial and rather vague in most of its answers. All in all it gave Hermione a headache but no help.

Opening the door she was greeted by a small boy with a tuff of short brown wild hair, wearing a blue Ravenclaw uniform and carrying a lot of books on his arm. He watched her reaction to him and frowned just like Ron would when she didn't show anything.

"Hi." he whispered and tried to look into the room behind her. He was rather insecure after he had heard the story from his sister more than a month ago. Then there was the letter from his Dad shortly after, telling him that he and his mother would divorce.

Just his mother never approached him at all. He had seen her in the library quite often, but she never took notice of him. To be fair he had always hidden as soon as he saw her. His sister was the bossy one and directed him. If she told him to stay away from the imposter he did. But he had watched his mother many times. There were things different about her, but he knew her little tell tales. An imposter wouldn't be able to know them all. So he was quite sure this woman was his mother and something awful had happened. Debating with himself he had decided to ignore his sister this once and investigate himself. After asking Rose a few questions until she snapped he knew his sister took it worse than she let on. So he was here now, standing in front of his mother, smiling sheepishly and carrying book on amnesia and magical accidents.

Since I haven't said it this year yet: No rights on the characters belong to me (beside Aquila!)

We are back on track, problems were solved and everything is betaed by our lovely Eva again.

As we continue it gets more and more complex so I'm counting on you guys to tell me if I mess something up. Should you find nothing I bodged I would feel very happy to hear from you anyway.