I know this is starting out slow, but I promise, the action is starting soon.
Thank you a347bridge for reviewing the last chapter. I would also like to thank everyone who has put this on Story Alert or added it to their Favorites. I would like to ask you though, to please review!
Albus gulped, and quickly shoved the letter back in the bag, though he knew it was too late for that.
Scorpius stood in front of them, his eyes narrowed. His mouth was so thin it could rival Professor McGonagall's.
"What is going on?" he repeated. "Why do you have my bag? What are you doing with that letter?"
"Scorpius—" Albus began, but he was interrupted.
"You're supposed to be my friends! Friends don't steal someone's stuff. Friends don't read someone's personal letter. Excuse me for saying this, but it seems as though you aren't my friends at all!" Scorpius paced in front of them, growing more agitated by the second. Rose took the opportunity to cut in.
"Look, I'm really sorry, but Anderson and his stupid friend Cooper took your bag. Albus and I went to get it back, and the letter fell out. I know we shouldn't have read it, but we saw it was from your grandfather and we know you don't like him and we got curious and—"
"You read it." Scorpius finished for her.
"Scorpius, we only read that because we care about you."
"That's a funny way of showing it," Scorpius snapped. There was a moment of silence between the three. Rose and Albus were looking down at their feet. Scorpius finally broke it.
"So I guess you know that my family's disappointed I'm in Gryffindor? And that I'm not supposed to be friends with you two?"
Albus and Rose nodded, though neither one said a word.
Though he still looked angry, Scorpius had lost some of the fire in his eyes. He looked depressed as he snatched back his letter and bag. He wouldn't meet either of their eyes, and quickly stuffed the letter back in his bag.
"Scorp….." Albus trailed off, trying to find the right words.
"Don't call me that." Scorpius retorted sharply. "I'm not happy with you two at the moment."
Rose and Albus shared a glance, but neither made a move to talk to him again. The three made their way back to the oak tree, though none of them made a move to sit. Scorpius refused to look at either of them, choosing to stare out at the lake again.
He picked up a stone, then stood up and skipped it.
"I'm sorry," Albus said quietly. "We shouldn't have read your letter like that. It was dumb, and I wish we hadn't done it. But we did, and I apologize for that."
Scorpius didn't respond, though his shoulders relaxed a little. He reached for another stone, and proceeded to skip it four times across the water. Albus bent down and snatched up a few pebbles, and proceeded to attempt to skip. He only managed two, but that was better than Rose who flung her stone into the water where with a plop it sank into the murky depths.
Albus snorted, and Scorpius grinned. Rose glared half-heartedly but soon she was smiling too. All three of them burst into laughter, collapsing onto the ground in a fit of giggles. It was a show of how tense they we're that they cracked up over such a small thing.
"How can I stay mad after that pitiful attempt?" Scorpius said through his chuckles.
Rose shoved him, still smiling. "Come on, it wasn't that bad," she told him.
"I've seen monkeys do better!"
Rose ripped up a handful of grass, then dumped it on Scorpius's head. "Take that!" she cried.
"It's on!" Scorpius threw grass at Rose, but ended up hitting Albus instead. Needless to say, it went on to a full-out grass war.
Later that night, as Albus lay awake in bed, he heard a soft whisper.
"Albus?" Albus immediately recognized Scorpius's voice.
"Yeah," he hissed back, trying not to wake the other two boys in the room. Alex and Daniel seemed like pretty cool guys, and from the moment they met all four boys became friends. Still, Albus had a feeling this was supposed to be private.
"I never said thanks for standing up to me and getting my bag back. I owe you one."
Albus rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid, of course you don't owe me. I'm glad to do it, free of charge. And you're welcome."
They fell into a comfortable silence. Albus thought Scorpius was asleep when he spoke again.
"Why do you think Anderson and Cooper pick on me? What have I done that's so wrong?"
Albus gritted his teeth. Not only had the two idiots messed with Scorpius, they were now making him feel bad about himself.
"Listen to me," he said as quietly as he could manage. "There is nothing wrong with you. Sure, you're always way too happy in the morning, and you constantly take my food, but aside from that, you're a great person. Those two are idiots who don't know a thing they're talking about. Come on, you're really gonna let Anderson and Cooper bring you down like that?"
Scorpius was quiet for a moment. "Thanks, Albus," he finally said. "Goodnight."
Albus replied in turn, then closed his eyes. He fell asleep instantly.
"Rose, I'm worried about Scorpius," Albus said the moment Scorpius had left them alone. The three were in their usual spot by the lake, having just finished classes for the day.
"And why is that?" Rose asked, not lifting her eyes from her book.
"Anderson and Cooper are bringing him down. Last night he asked me if there was something wrong with him."
Rose looked up at him, pain and annoyance in her eyes. "What an idiot!"
"I know, Anderson is such a prat."
"No, not him. Scorpius," Rose snapped her book shut. "How dare he ask if there was something wrong with him? Of course there isn't."
"Try telling him that."
"Telling who what?" Scorpius sat himself next to Albus.
"Try telling Binns that he's too old to work here," Rose lied with ease.
Scorpius sighed in exasperation. "Why can't the old coot just leave?"
"I was just going to ask you that."
None of the trio had noticed Anderson and his sidekick sneak over behind them. At Anderson's words, Scorpius stood up, followed by Albus. The four boys faced each other, glaring at the opposite side. Rose sat, rolling her eyes at the hostile stances they had all took.
"Try saying that again, Anderson." Albus jutted his chin out, his bright green gaze focusing intently on the tall boy.
"Fine," Anderson drawled. "I was just asking when the Death Eater was going to leave."
Albus walked up to Anderson, and shoved him as hard as he could.
Anderson stumbled back, then shared a glance with Cooper. Neither Scorpius nor Albus had noticed that they had gotten closer and closer to the edge of the lake. Anderson and Cooper pushed them, causing them to splash into the lake.
"H-hey!" Albus came up, sputtering. Anderson and Cooper were howling with laughter, clutching their stomachs and pointing at the seaweed-covered boys. Rose helped the two up, and then turned to face the other boys.
"What's your problem?" She shouted at them.
Anderson and Cooper glanced at each other, then burst into a new round of chuckles. "We don't h-have one" Cooper said through his laughter. "We just thought—thought he might wanna try to wash off his Dark Mark."
"And precious little Potter was just in the way." Anderson high-fived his comrade, then grinned maliciously at Scorpius. "Did you see Deathy's face? I've never seen anything uglier.
The two, still laughing, turned and strode confidently away.
"You know the sad thing about you two?" Albus yelled after them. "Is that pushing us into the lake is going to be the biggest accomplishment of your lives!"
Anderson stopped, and turned around. "What did you say?"
Albus stepped out of the lake. Anger was coursing through him, making it impossible to stop taunting them. "I said, you're never gonna get anywhere in life because you two are pathetic, rotten, low-life bullies."
"Oh yeah?" Cooper shouted at him. "You really think you're better then us, don't you, Potter?"
"Of course not," Albus replied. "I know I'm better than you."
"Then prove it!" Anderson yelled at him, and got right up in Albus's face. "Let's make a bet. If I win, you have to go up in front of the whole school and tell them that I'm better than you, and that you wish you were me."
Albus narrowed his eyes. " Fine, but if I win, you have to leave Scorpius alone this year and next year."
"Fine, but don't count on winning." Anderson scoffed. "So I say we have a little scavenger hunt. The first one to collect a phoenix feather, a mermaid amulet and a centaur arrow wins. Do we have ourselves a deal?"
Albus replied without hesitation. "Deal, but I think we should make an Unbreakable Vow to ensure the loser does their part."
Ignoring Rose's hiss at him to stop, Albus gripped Anderson's hand and looked him dead in the eye. Neither boy wavered as Cooper did the honors, and the deal was sealed.
"I hope you're ready to lose, Potter." Anderson gave him one last glare, then turned and walked away. Cooper scurried after him, leaving the three friends alone.
The moment they left Rose and Scorpius turned on him angrily.
"What were you thinking, Albus?" Rose scolded him. "You prat! How are you gonna get all those things?"
"Cause you're gonna help me, of course." Albus said calmly. "We never specified the rules, so I reckon it's alright if I have two brilliant, clever friends help me. Please?" he adopted a puppy-dog face.
Rose ran her hands through her hair, and made a sound. "Fine! I'll help you, but only because I know you'll fail without me." The two turned to Scorpius.
"Albus, this is a really bad idea. This bet is dangerous, and dumb, and—"
"I know it is. I wasn't thinking straight when I made it, but now that I have, I need all the help I can get."
Scorpius sighed. "You'll be the death of me, kid." He paced a little, Albus watching him with hopeful eyes. "Alright, fine! I'm in."
Albus whooped and hugged his two friends.
"So where do we start?" he asked.
Rose rolled her eyes. "I have an idea," she said, and the other two leaned in.
Okay, I have terrible news. There is this disease going around, called Lack-of-Motivation-itis. Sadly, I have caught it. If you want to cure me, please press the little "Review" button...