A/N: Hi, everyone! Yeah, big mix-up with Chapter four including slight unintended incest and internet problems on the road. Thanks to a few reviewers, a really important error including Rose/James love was pointed out.

So, I deleted the fourth chapter, planning on reposting it in its corrected version. Unfortunately, this laptop's guest account is unable to save documents and keep them once the guest has logged out. Yeah, Ch. 4 got deleted! I had to re-write the whole thing, thus the lack of update. I suppose that's alright, because I looked back and really wasn't satisfied with the chapter in its entirety anyways.

THIS IS IMPORTANT WHETHER YOU READ THESE AUTHOR'S NOTES OR NOT:

If you previously read Chapter Four, it was mistakenly deleted permanently, and the new Chapter Four is very much different from the earlier one. Chapter five will not make sense to you if you just go by what you read before.

I really am sorry for the mix-up, but if you've been reading consistently you'll be happy to know that this chapter is longer and better than the first. Also, I'm sitting in an Embassy hotel as I type, ready to be home in less than 24 hours, so I'll have my computer back and won't have to save things directly to document editor. No more saving mess-ups and more time to edit things rather than typing it up and throwing it onto fan fiction.

Happy reading!

-------

The hum of students drifted in and about the Hogwarts library, a flaming shade of sundown making the place all the much more comforting to Albus. The library was one of his favorite places. Unsurprisingly, it was one of Rose's favorite places, too; and the both of them sat together, spending the hour with their noses in a good book- or five.

Without so much as glancing up, Rose shut one book and opened another.

"You're done already?" Albus gaped at the redhead. She tore through books like a madwoman, but Albus took his time and enjoyed the things. After all- what good was a good book without time to savor its goodness? It was like art. Something that deserved- after all the time and effort the creator had put into it- to be taken in slowly and appreciatively.

"Mhm." Was all she could reply, Albus rolling his eyes. Rose Weasley was lost to the world when she had a book.

Then, from the library's entrance, a familiar blonde Slytherin waved Albus over. It had been three months since Albus had cast his short life down on the chopping block, laying so many things on the line when he kissed Scorpius Malfoy –

Amazing. The phrase still was impossible to get used to. Kissing Scorpius Malfoy.

It still wasn't real in his mind. Like he was watching, from the outside, some Hollywood film- or circus train crash, he wasn't quite sure which- as only a spectator while two very convincing actors went on with the plot.

He also never thought of Scorpius as a boyfriend. That. Was. Disgusting. Albus could hardly even bring himself to admit he was even slightly… (he hated the word, he really did)… gay, much less that he had a 'lover'. Ugh, the most loathsome taste came into his mouth when he imagined himself with metro-boy haircuts, manicured nails, and pants tight enough to fit his sister.

Scorpius was just a good friend he happened to be... snogging?

'Not now' he mouthed, shooing Scorpius away.

Apparently he had to get used to it, because Malfoy had no intention of going away any time soon.

In fact, not only did Scorpius not leave, he waved with both arms now, frantically, picking up a few stares from passer-bys as he was doing it. Making a specimen of himself was one of Scorpius's expertises, and Albus hardly believed in God, but thanked him (or her! Power to the ladies!) for letting Rose be across from him, her back to the entrance.

"Rose, could you watch my things? I'll- er- I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" She asked as the flustered boy stood up and reluctantly tore through the library and towards the entrance. He responded with nothing, and hurried away. He'd been acting so different, lately. At least, to Rose he was. For one split second, she was enticed to follow and see what he was up to…

It passed, and she went back to her reading gleefully.

Albus stopped in mid step and turned on his heel to face Malfoy. "What?!"

"Glad to see you, too." Scorpius sneered.

"No, what do you want-" That prick- he knew what Albus meant!

"Come on." Before Albus could ask, Scorpius turned and ran, leaving answers only to be found if he followed. He left a radiant smirk behind for Albus to ponder about while he chased his roommate away from the library.

"Scorpius, I just left Rose there-"

"Good!" His friend laughed.

Again. Prick.

For a very strong, moving moment, Albus wondered why on Earth he was following Scorpius, anyway. It would only lead to trouble. He knew that. Still, as the dashed through the endless walkways, he kept up and didn't complain.

-------

"Where were you?" Rose furrowed her eyebrows, watching a semi-panting Albus return.

'Come on! God, you're slow!' Scorpius Malfoy rounded the corner in one of Hogwarts' eldest and most abandoned hallways.

'I'm not going to just leave Rose there because you-' Albus lowered his voice, '-because you feel like snogging!'

"Bathroom." He replied stiffly.

"It takes you ten minutes to go to the bathroom?"

Scorpius just laughed in response. If Albus had really cared, he wouldn't have followed him all the way to the corners of Merlin-knows-where in that empty wing of Hogwarts. Then- and Scorpius did this quite a lot- he turned to stare Albus in the eyes just so he could see his friend shiver at the idea of being studied so well.

What was he doing? Scorpius's father was right, he could be so stupid sometimes…

"I drank bad pumpkin juice- don't ask for the details." Albus slunk down into his seat, attempting to hide in a book. It wasn't a very good cover, really, but just being out of her crisp and all-knowing sight made him feel a little inkling of safety.

With poise and grace, Albus's tie was grabbed and pulled towards Malfoy. Yeah, it kind of hurt, you people try getting your neck being ripped at by a guy as hormone-crazed as Scorpius. It was worth it, though, as Albus was kept in a very short, endlessly explanatory embrace before being shoved up against a wall; and the makeout fest began.

"You had to undo your tie to go to the bathroom in ten minutes because you drank…bad pumpkin juice?" The story could've fooled Hugo, but not his sharp-as-tacks sister. Without the faintest shred of belief in her eyes, the girl turned over Albus's tall-tale in her mind. Nope, it was fake. She wasn't tricked by anything. Ever.

Straightening out his tie, Albus replied, "Just don't ask, alright?"

Albus Potter really had to get some common sense and let this whole fling die out.

"Fine. But you've been acting so strangely, lately. You know I'll find out whatever it is you're hiding, don't you?" Cue the 'Rose Weasley look'. It was the same as her mother's. It was full of knowledge, a dash of superiority, and the mad feeling that she was picking at his brain's darkest and deepest corners with one sharp stare.

Or, perhaps one has to actually be there to realize the feeling of being looked at that way. It's almost terrifying, when one has a secret like Albus did.

"Nothing to hide here." Albus's nose buried deeper into his text, and that was that.

-------

As the Christmas of fourth year neared, a school clamoring with the voices of anticipated witches and wizards began preparing for its massive feast before the holidays. Children of all ages (at least, eleven through seventeen) lined the house tables, drooling over their blank plates that would soon erupt with mounds of gourmet food.

Nothing could keep Albus from grinning. Christmas at Hogwarts was his single favorite time of year, much like his father. Harry had loved the holidays. Who could even have the tiniest sliver of sadness in him with all these smiling faces around, thousands of candles lighting the warm room, everything alive? Harry had had a family all year long with the Weasleys and Hermione present, but Christmas just made it so much more realistic to him; and Albus loved that time of year for just the same reason.

"I'll be right back." Albus announced to his Slytherin friends. He was off to visit the Gryffindor table, a line of teachers watching him curiously as the green-donned boy went over to the sea of redheads waiting for him.

"Oi, Albus!" Hugo scooted over to leave him a seat. It wasn't exactly surprising that the Weasley boy was beaming with happiness. He did love good food.

"Thank God you're here." Leaning in, Ed Matton, a friend of James's, smirked to Albus.

"Yeah, we hoped you'd come and watch." James and Lily both shared the same grin. A giggle escaped Rose, who covered her mouth as to not distract her brother.

"Watch what?" The group pointed to Hugo, and Albus smiled.

"Oi, Carmen! Happy Christmas!"

"He's having a bloody field day." James said. Again, Rose laughed a bit, mostly at the fact that Hugo hardly noticed the quartet was talking about him. "He greets most everyone that walks by."

"Happy Christmas, Natalie!" Hugo waved with a petite Hufflepuff girl hurrying to her place before the meal began.

"Oh, actually, I'm Jewish." She corrected so politely with a sheepish smile. Hufflepuffs did always seem to be the most mannered house. Albus had never met a Hufflepuff he couldn't get along with.

"Well, then Happy Kwanzaa!" The girl frowned, nodded, and left. "Wonder what's got her up in a bunch."

"Can't imagine." Lily shrugged convincingly. And the rest looked away to avoid Hugo's gaze, doing their best to control the snickers and laughs.

"Albus, you should stay with us for the dinner." With a hand on his brother's shoulder, James looked Albus in the eyes. He wasn't demanding it, but highly suggesting it, and Albus could tell the much taller fifteen-year-old sibling of his really did want him to stay. This wasn't a matter of over protectiveness, it was just that…

"Your family's over here." Hugo added. Angrily, Rose narrowed her eyes at her younger brother as if to say, 'Shut up, you're not helping'.

Biting his lip nervously, Albus turned to glance at the Slytherin table where Scorpius laughed about something seemingly downright hilarious with his friends.

"I don't have a plate here or anything." Albus brought up a good point, and it was shot down with ease.

"You can share with me." His sister offered. "I never finish, and you never eat much at meals."

"Though you might want to think about it." James prodded Albus's thin, lanky frame, receiving a scowl in return.

Ignoring James's comment, Albus argued, "Doesn't it seem a bit un-traditional for me to sit at a different table? Am I even allowed to?"

"Will they even notice?"

For moments of breathless silence, Albus thought, the others waiting patiently for his response. Really, this whole thing should've been no contest. They were his family. To blow them off for Scorpius Malfoy would've been such a terrible insult to the Gryffindors around him…

"Alright, I'll stay." Cheers met his decision, and Albus glanced back one more time at the Slytherin table with a painful twinge of guilt.

-------

To Albus's surprise, Scorpius hadn't brought up the meal afterwards. He, his blonde co-partner in crime just arrived shortly after he did, brought up small chat, and the two went to sleep along with their other roommates. If Albus hadn't known any better, he would've thought the Malfoy heir had forgotten all about the ordeal, and that he was free to go.

But he did know better, and Albus knew the Gryffindor-Slytherin tension was completely inevitable.

Well, at least he could salvage a good night's sleep before he woke up the next morning to be badgered by Scorpius with endless reasons why he should've had dinner with the Slytherin house rather than with his 'completely mental selfish git brother of his'. Sighing, he pulled his comforting covers around him, falling peacefully into a night full of dreams.

Until about twelve at night, when a sudden rush of cold air met him, his blanket being cast on the floor by some very rude insomniac who felt if he couldn't sleep- neither should Albus.

"I must be dreaming." Albus groaned, his voice hushed by his pillow.

"I can't believe you just ditched me like that!"

"What time is it?" Scorpius was kneeling next to his bedside, hissing in a barely audible whisper.

"Twelve o'clock, about." Was he bloody mad? Yes, yes he was. He was Malfoy, and leave it to Malfoy to think himself away for three hours before finally acting on his anger. Leave it to the King of Spontaneity to ruin his good eight hour rest!

"Listen, I'm sorry I never came back." But he'd rather keep his sanity. "But I need sleep."

"Why can't you just see how big of a mental, selfish git your brother is? He only kept you over there to make me cross." Yes, he'd lost his mind.

"Scorpius- he's my brother. I stayed because he's my family."

"You could've at least said something." Scorpius being defensive…it was very similar to a child throwing an angry pout. Reason was blown out of the water, logic dead and six feet under. Malfoy just wanted to argue and argue until he was magically right about everything.

"And I'm sorry. Good night." Albus rolled over, and heard faintly the shuffle of Scorpius rounding his bed. Good God, he would never give this up.

The side of the room he was now facing was darker, and Malfoy was just an angry dark silhouette in the corner; and just when he was ready to be scolded more, a hand reached from the shadows, snaked around his neck, and pulled his lips to Scorpius's in an unexpected kiss.

Then he jumped, moving back in fear, "Are you insane?!" Albus did his best to whisper, and it was difficult. Honestly, other boys were in the room. If they'd seen anything-

Albus shuddered from the thought.

With surprising force, Albus gripped Scorpius's arm, dragging him out of the room and into the dark Hogwarts night. Gee, this was uncannily similar to a certain night his third year. That night he'd ended up spending a few hours in his underwear tied to a statue.

Oh, and their Headmistress was the one to find them. The Headmistress Witwikki herself- though Albus never knew why she'd happened to be in the halls so late at night (or early in the morning, depending on whether one sees the glass half full or empty).

"First, don't ever do that with other guys around. Ever." As soon as the door to their room had shut, Albus was ranting. "Second, what was- you know-"

He touched his lips lightly "-that for?"

"Dunno." Coolly, Scorpius strutted past him and leaned against a wall.

"You…don't…know?" Scorpius laughed at him. He really did enjoy messing with Albus. He loved the look on his friend's face when he went from being outraged and offended to looking like a little girl who'd just been snogged for the first time.

Not to mention, he really didn't know. It was twelve at night! One minute he'd been laying in bed, thinking and thinking on and on about how much he loathed Gryffindors, the next he was picking a fight with Albus just to let off some steam (and perhaps to see what he'd actually do in response), the next they were kissing and now they were out in the hallway and freezing cold.

"Are you throwing a fit because you're actually angry or just for fun?" Second question, same answer!

"Dunno."

Groaning in frustration, Albus decided it was best to stop playing Malfoy mind games and just go back to bed. "Well, come on."

But when he put one cold hand on the doorknob, it didn't open. He shook it, turned it, and pulled it, be the damn door just wouldn't open.

"What? What is it?" Scorpius looked over his shoulder, his soft breath touching Albus's neck, briefly distracting him.

"It's locked."

"No way. Don't mess with me, Albus." Wide eyed, Scorpius tried to open the jammed door. No luck.

"This is completely your fault!"

"This is completely your fault!"

They both yelled to each other simultaneously, both cowering back as they remembered to be quieter. Fantastically, footsteps slowly made their way towards the two.

"You're kidding." Scorpius responded to the footsteps, taking him and pulling the two around the nearest corner.

"Who the blazes-" Malfoy's hand wrapped around his mouth, silencing him immediately. In a haze of darkness, the footsteps echoing in his mind, he was soon hugged close to Scorpius, hiding in the darkest possible location, a suit of armor concealing them well.

And then the Headmistress strolled past.

In the boys' dorm? Albus felt the hand slowly removed from his lips, and he squirmed closer to his friend as the ancient Mr. Filch trailed behind her like a decrepit animal following its master.

"You sure you heard someone, Madam?" Filch croaked, the old told, looking around with one squinted eye. Of course he saw nothing, he appeared to be almost completely blind.

"Yes." The Headmistress droned slowly, taking her time as she walked. Soon she stopped before their room. Her long, aged fingers slowly ran over their locked door, tracing the names of its inhabitants. "Gordon, O'Reilly, Potter and….Malfoy."

James said her name with less loathing than she did. The tall, thin woman had said Malfoy even more terribly than his brother, who said it as if Malfoy were a dirty annoyance that just needed to go away. Witwikki had said it as if Malfoy were a thing that deserved to be shot and dragged into a shallow grave.

Scorpius's fingers wrapped around Albus's in an act of fear that Albus had never before seen from the fearless boy. His breathing was shallow and hushed, and he gripped Albus as closely as he could, wanting nothing more than to stay eons away from the woman and her henchman.

"Ah, yes, the Malfoy boy." Mr. Filch joined her to admire- or hate- the name. "Heard 'is father was the one that nearly killed Albus Dumbledore when he was just about his son's age."

The breathing stopped. Scorpius's hand grew slack, and Albus took it upon himself to grab them back to his and hold it tight, hold his hand in his own and keep them away from Scorpius.

My… father? Something left Scorpius, something that left with all his warmth. If Albus hadn't been there, he was sure the lonely cold would have turned him to stone. Having Albus there was all that kept him sane, and he wrapped a free arm around the only boy- the only person- that knew him so well.

He almost killed his headmaster? When he was my age?

"The Killing Curse." Witwikki added a 'tsk'. "He may have come straight from death eaters, but a mere boy could rarely use such a thing."

Straight from Death Eaters…

"Think his boy's dabbled in the Dark Arts?" Filch questioned, scratching his greasy nose with an oily hand.

"Most likely." The Headmistress said calmly. "But not for much longer. Soon this school won't have any more threats like him running around to taint my students."

"Parents will riot."

"Not when they see the Death Eaters have returned. Then they'll all worship me for ridding Hogwarts of things like Malfoy." Turning, Witwikki nodded to Filch. She added viciously, "They will worship me."

After a pause, "Let's keep moving."

Albus's heart raced. It was impossible. His father would know, of all people. If they had returned, the Order would know. Albus would know. James would know, Lily would know!

"There's no way they're back." The old keeper of the school coughed, shaking a finger to her confidently. "You have no proof."

"Maybe not, but I will." She mumbled in response, and their voices were lost as they traveled away. Soon, even their footsteps were lost in the endlessness of the hallways.

Immediately, Albus jumped up, turning to Scorpius. Pale and lost, his friend looked up to him with big, ruined blue eyes. He looked miserable, like something once great and beautiful crushed under Albus's weight.

"Scorpius. Don't…" Words hadn't needed to be exchanged. Albus shook his head, green eyes pleading Malfoy not to think the awful things he knew he was thinking about his family.

He couldn't speak. Scorpius just moaned, as if wounded, and buried his face in his hands. It was no wonder his father had been acting so strangely, keeping him in the house at all times, not allowing him to see friends. Was his dad like them? Was he a murderer? Was he the son of a murderer?

"Scorpius…" Albus was far away from him, but he was glad to feel his touch so near.

'Is father was the one that nearly killed Albus Dumbledore when he was just about his son's age…

Hot tears welled behind his eyes, but he held them back. For some reason, he was always ashamed of crying, and wouldn't let even Albus see when they finally fell into his hands. It was a bit obvious, though, the way he shook and sniveled every time he gasped for air.

"I can't believe that fucker." And now the anger came.

"Listen, Scorpius, we don't even know yet-"Albus started, but was cut off.

"No, Albus." The teen's bottom lip quivered as he looked up, eyes locked on an invisible target ahead. "For all I know, he'd one of them, too-"

"You don't know that." Death Eaters returning to the face of the planet was incredibly unlikely. Over twenty years later, appearing out of thin air after absolutely no activity for more than two decades…it was an absurd idea to Albus. He was right, too. It had to be something else stirring up trouble somewhere out there in the magical world, it was something else.

"I just…" His own father had almost used the Killing Curse against the man Albus was named after. A sudden painful clenching of his heart came as he envisioned himself murdering Albus in cold blood, just as Draco had almost done to Dumbledore…

Draco Malfoy.

"…I just don't know…" Another tear fell, and it was wiped away instantly.

"Come on." Albus said softly, helping his friend up and leading them both back towards the room. They would either knock or bang on the door until their roommates woke or…most likely…sit out there all night. "We'll send my mum and dad an owl first thing tomorrow. They'll help, they'll get everything straightened out."

"Mhm." Was all Scorpius could offer as an answer, making sure Albus was never too far away from his side as the darkness around him crept closer and closer, the moon climbing higher and higher into the night sky.

-------

A/N: Don't worry, this isn't going to be an angst fic :P That does suck for Malfoy though, huh?
Thanks for reading!

Oh, and if you reviewed on the previous Chapter 4, I think I'll leave your first reviews unless you happen to comment on the new Chapter 4. I'll delete the old ones then, otherwise I'll assume you think the same as last time. O.o