Disclaimer: I don't own the universe of Harry Potter or any of the next generation characters: Joanne Rowling does. All rights reserved & no copy right is intended. I only own my Ocs and the plotline.

Author's Note: Please review, it would mean the world to me! - El xx

Albus Potter's POV.

Letters to My Brown Eyed Beauty

Chapter Eighteen

Albus was seated on his bed, beside Scorpius. The boys were chatting amongst themselves about how it was OWL year and their girlfriends wouldn't stop complaining to them about all the work they had to do.

"My girlfriend does double what all of yours does and she never complains," Spencer commented, glaring at Bryson and Thorssen.

"They won't stop complaining. What do we do?"

"Well, Goyle," Spencer started, "It's only OWLs, tell them to grow a pair for Merlin's sake."

Bryson pretended to look offended before laughing.

Mycale raised an eyebrow, "OWLs are important you know."

"I bet your girl is cheating on you because you never want to do anything other than studying, eating and sleeping," commented Thorssen, rather harshly as he gestured to the fact Spencer had a book in his hand. Spencer always had one in his hand, Albus noted to himself. He preferred the company of books over other people any day.

Spencer had promptly closed his book before shutting his curtains and going to sleep. He didn't dignify the assumption with a response.

"I think its time you two go back to your own dormitory," Scorpius suggested, raising an eyebrow at Thorssen and Bryson, glaring daggers at the former. Albus looked over at his alarm clock, reading the time: 1:22.

It was rather late at night and they needed their sleep.

"That was actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be," Trayton commented more to himself. Bryson rolled his eyes, "You had a hot girl on your arm and you came back to hang out with the boys."

"You did too," Trayton fired back. "Plus, that's not me."

"I know you enjoy the company of nobody," Thorssen said. Bryson shrugged, "Unlike the both of you I think I might just go see Tallulah. Goodnight boys."

"Better with that brat than us anyway," Scorpius said, gesturing for the boys to leave their dormitory.

"I think I might go see Ophelia too," Mycale piped up before following Bryson out of the dormitory. Nobody paid them much mind.

Tate hadn't come back to the dormitory at all, really.

It was now only filled with Scorpius, Albus, Spencer and Trayton.

"I guess it's just us if you want to crash here tonight as well," Albus suggested, shrugging. Trayton shrugged in response and slumped down on Mycale's bed.

"Sure, but I'm still awake so let's postpone sleep for a little while," Trayton suggested, causing Scorpius and Albus to quirk an eyebrow at him. They decided not to question how awake their friend was and suggested Exploding Snap. Spencer had peaked through his curtains at this point, asking if he could play too. The boys agreed.

Half an hour later, they were enthralled with Wizard Chess. The reigning champion of that game was always Trayton. Scorpius hated it. He groaned, half way through the game.

"I give up!"

"You can't give up, I've almost won," Trayton begged, unhappy. "I guess I could take over," Spencer suggested. He'd never played Wizard Chess with the boys before but judging by the glint in his eyes, he was good.

"Nah, I think I'm good," Trayton laughed.

They decided to play a different game but as time went on, they had all fallen asleep.

Trayton was lying vertically on Spencer's bed and Spencer was laying on his stomach as a pillow. They had both discarded Spencer's actual pillow on the floor half an hour ago.

Scorpius had fallen asleep sitting up against Albus' bed. Albus had fallen asleep on Scorpius' bed, lying the correct way with a pillow under his head. He was the last to doze off as well.

Three hours later the rest of the boys had barged through the doors, waking the other boys up with their voices.

"I knew they were asleep," Bryson said, causing Albus to crack one eye open. He was wrapped in Scorpius' blankets, ignoring Bryson the best he could. Bryson's blue eyes looked red from exhaustion and alcoholic intake. He was surveying the room. His brown hair was a complete mess.

"We can just wake them up," Thorssen suggested, his hazel eyes watching the four boys with amusement. He enjoyed the site he was seeing thoroughly. He ruffled his dark, brown hair as he walked towards Scorpius.

Mycale and Tate shrugged, walking towards their respective beds and plopping down on them. "Did any of you guys notice that are beds are much comfier than the girls?"

"Don't let Slughorn hear that you four were with girls, in their beds," said Spencer, half awake now. He had one eye open and was looking sleepily around. He flushed with how he had fallen asleep on Trayton. He'd never done that before. He glared at the boys for waking him up. He grabbed his pillow before laying back down.

Thorssen took a seat on the ground, leaning on Tate's bed. He closed his eyes, feeling extremely tired. Bryson took a seat at the end of Mycale's bed and fell asleep quickly. Exhaustion taking over his body.

"Hey Spence," he whispered. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry," he whispered, quietly and Spencer only nodded back. Everybody else had fallen back asleep, not hearing him at all.

It wasn't until three days later had Thorssen apologised again, in front of everybody, explaining that he was drunk and exhausted. Spencer had shook his head, saying 'all is already forgiven you prat'.

"Hey, what took you boys so long," asked Tallulah, as she fell in step with Bryson. He shrugged back, "We have another idiot for Defence again. Potter was better, I have to hand it to him," he commented.

Albus nodded, "He only helps out once a year for a week," he said. "I prefer it that way."

"Yeah, but he is still a better teacher than Flooksworth," Amy commented, rolling her eyes. For once she agreed with the boys.

"Amy, c'mon, you know that he loves his job – you can't make fun of him, he likes it, and I think we should let him have it."

"I bet it's just going to change next year," stated Susannah. "They're just going to get a new teacher – because they either 'can't handle' it, or they complain about 'too much to mark', or you remember two years ago, Tobin, had said, 'They are incapable of anything – they will never amount to anything, they're the people who were called the stupidest were given O's the following year. Not because they pushed the hardest to be better, no. It was because they were smart. Tobin destroyed their self-confidence."

Everybody nodded in agreement. Tory Tobin was the worst Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher that the boys had ever seen. They shuddered when remembering it.

"Well I can say for all of us – I hate Tobin, we hate him, McGonagall better never hire him again," Albus said, and everyone seemed to agree. Amy nodded and added, "Flooksworth is still an idiot in my opinion-"

"Sorry, am I interrupting?"

Vivian Carlsson glared at Amy, almost looking lethal.

"Hey Al," she added, sitting on Albus' lap. He shifted uncomfortably with the intrusion. He quickly went to kiss her cheek, but she moved her head, so they could kiss full on the lips. The boys cheered. Scorpius even whistled which he never does.

"Okay, time out," Scorpius then said, "Quidditch time!"

Albus had promised him that they'd practice today. They couldn't be the star team if they didn't practice.

Albus pulled away, a little thankful for Scorpius' interruption, "Do you want to come watch?"

All the boys groaned, not pleased to have a game come watch while they were trying to focus.

Vivian beamed. "I'd love that," she said.

Scorpius was a fantastic chaser, just like Mycale. Trayton was a great Keeper, he never let the ball get passed him. Thorssen and Bryson were Beaters. Tate and Albus were the seekers. The truth is not all the boys were on the team. Just Scorpius, Thorssen, Bryson and Albus. Their chaser was a seventh year.

Spencer hated Qudditch and preferred to watch and keep quiet. He was uncomfortable with Vivian sitting so close to him. They hardly spoke. He also hated flying it made him queasy.

They practiced for a short while before heading off to lunch in the Great Hall and then Potions afterwards. The boys all sat beside each other in class.

Vivian had been pissed Albus wouldn't skip class with her.

Albus noticed that today was with the Hufflepuffs. He didn't mind. He noticed a short boy with black hair come in, his name was Frank Bluetwig. He reminded him a lot of Luna Lovegood. Albus had a few classes with him. He was a nice kid. He also loved his friends a lot.

"Hello everyone!"

Albus and Scorpius rolled their eyes, snickering, at the voice of Slughorn. He was always so happy.

"Today students, we will be making the potion called Amortentia. You know the drill, time to get into pairs."

Everybody shuffled into their quick pairs.

"Okay, let's get started," Slughorn said, clapping his hands.

Albus flicked to the page in his textbook that was about Amortentia.

"Powerful infatuations can be induced by the skilful potioneer, but never yet has anyone managed to create the truly unbreakable, eternal, unconditional attachment that alone can be called love."

Maybe people had tried, however, but none have succeeded yet. Albus knew that love shouldn't be cheated.

"Amortentia doesn't create actual love. That would be impossible. Despite the fact people have tried," Slughorn stated, "It does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. For that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room."

Albus tuned the rest of it out because he already knew what he was doing. He'd read ahead on the holidays when he was bored. He collected the ingredients he needed and together he and Scorpius brewed it.

Slughorn had come over to check if they had done it right, then nodded. Albus smirked alongside Scorpius.

'We are the best in the class.'

"Well done, first one to complete: ten points each to Slytherin!"

"Mr Potter, would you mind telling us what you smell in the Amortentia," Slughorn asked, gesturing to the cauldron. Albus shrugged. It didn't seem like a massive deal. He leaned in, taking a smell.

"I smell, grandma's cooking," he murmured, "I smell parchment."

"And the third thing," prompted Slughorn. Albus blushed bright red, "Roses," he said, feeling embarrassed.

Scorpius stared at him, looking extremely confused.

"You know, the smell of rose petals," Albus quickly supplied, feeling more like an idiot as time went on.

"And you, Mr Malfoy?"

Scorpius shrugged, "I guess I could go," he said, leaning in, taking a whiff of the potion.

"I smell parchment from my Father's office," he said, ignoring all the eyes on him. "I smell the familiar scent of Top-deck Chocolate," he said, feeling the heat radiate from his chest. "And the smell of something I can't quite put a name to."

But judging by his face, Albus knew, he knew exactly what it was.

Albus was sitting in the owlery, feeling nervous to open Lyra's letter. He didn't know what he'd find in there. He was still avoiding her questions and he knew it. He wasn't ready to give up his name just yet. That made him feel awful, like he was lying to her too. He never wanted to lie to anybody, but his life had become tangled in all of the lies and he wasn't sure what to do about it.

He fiddled with her letter before deciding to muster up enough courage to open it.

'Dear Green Eyed Boy,

I have missed writing to you. Things have been hectic at home. I wish there were enough apologies in the world to say to you, but there just isn't. I'm worried about the end of year approaching. About Christmas too.

Things were going by so fast, I can hardly catch up.

I can feel my entire world spiralling out of control. The secrets that surround my life are becoming a problem. My mother still won't talk about my dad, no matter how much I ask. No amount of begging will change her mind. She won't tell me anything.

My granddad is on my mother's side. He believes the farther I am away from my father and the world he lives in, the better.

But that's just it.

I want to be apart of his world. I want to know what he was like growing up and how my parents met and fell in love.

Why must everything be a secret?

I get it's to protect the life we live, and mum doesn't want me to get caught up in anything, but I think I'm old enough to understand now.

What do you think, Green?

Until next time,

Lyra, the girl whose frustrated at her family.'

Albus frowned, he understood too. Secrets engulfed his entire world too. He was beginning to walk on egg shells around everybody, even Scorpius. He wanted things to be over with too. He felt bad that she had an interest in learning about her father and yet her mother wouldn't let her.

That's kind of sad to Albus. Everybody deserves their family around and if they're not, they deserve to know about them at least.

"James," Albus asked, alerting his older brother of his presence. They were sitting in the Main Yard. James looked up, smiling half-heartedly. It didn't reach his eyes. Something was wrong. He couldn't quite put his finger on just what exactly.

They had fought a lot less this year which Albus was grateful for. He knew James had grown up a lot over summer and if Cleo's response to the Halloween Ball was anything to go by, she definitely thought so too.

"What's wrong," the boy prompted his brother. Albus closed his eyes before opening them again, realising what he'd said. "Don't answer that," he said quickly. "What happened, that surelyyou can answer."

James looked back at Albus, ruffling his unruly, black hair. The same hair that stuck up at the back of his head, just like Albus'. James took a couple breaths before he decided carefully what to say.

The silence almost engulfed the two boys completely. It wasn't awkward, the silence, but it was worrying. If something was truly awful, the two boys knew they could always come to each other. It was an unspoken rule. They would never turn the other away.

James' eyes moved side to side, in a fast and worried motion. He then opened his mouth and said slowly in a quiet voice, "Cleo will be moving to Italy when we graduate."