Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in.

Step Twelve

Hugo wasn't exactly surprised to spot his father in full Chudley Cannons regalia when they arrived at the Quidditch stadium. As far as he knew his dad hadn't originally planned to attend this particular match, but it wasn't hard to score tickets to a Cannons' game these days after the beyond miserable seasons they'd had the last two years. There were even whispers that the team's owner paid people to pretend to be fans so that their side of the pitch wouldn't be empty save for the diehard fans who were getting crazier every year as they were disappointed again and again. Hugo wasn't sure if that was true or not, but either way it probably hadn't been difficult for his aunt to score his father a seat given her connections and willingness to do her brother a favor so that he would stop nagging her about it.

"Your father is wearing face paint."

"Yes. Yes he is."

"Thank Merlin he isn't cheering for my team."

Amused by the statement Hugo gave Alexei's hand another squeeze while raising his other in greeting since his aunt had spotted him. Her return wave tipped his father off and Hugo gave the older man his most winning smile while wishing that there was someone to babysit his father during the match. Unless he was sitting with them too…that would actually be most likely, Hugo realized, suddenly seeing his plan to enjoy being able to cheer for Alexei openly for once being overshadowed by possible hours of listening to his father rant about his relationship with the Slytherin seeker.

That was going to be enjoyable.

Resigned to his fate, there were just some things you couldn't get out of, Hugo asked Alexei if he wanted to head in without him for his team meeting or come with him to say hi to Aunt Ginny and his father. He genuinely didn't know which the other man would prefer since Alexei didn't like talking to his relatives but would possibly see leaving as a move that could be interpreted as cowardly.

Alexei had to think about that and weigh his options for a minute before deciding that he'd greet the other two and then go. He only had a few minutes reserved to chat before he had to go in anyway.

To show his support Hugo brought their joined hands up to his lips to place a kiss on the back of Alexei's before letting their hands drop back between them, still joined. And their hands were still interlocked when they reached Hugo's subtly amused aunt and very perturbed father.

"Hello, Dad. Aunt Ginny. Hope I didn't keep you waiting. You all know Alexei Dolohov, right?"

Lips twitching, the whole situation so very bizarre, Ginny nodded her head in the seeker's direction. "Dolohov."

"Mrs. Potter. Mr. Weasley." Alexei tacked on, no one really surprised when the other man scowled at him and bit off Alexei's last name like it was a vile kind of foot fungus.

"So are you ready for today's game?" Ginny asked Alexei to try and cover for her idiot brother a little since Hugo was obviously gone on the notoriously bad tempered but extremely skilled seeker. It was the least she could do after all, especially since she'd been the one to accidentally spill the beans that Hugo was coming to this game to cheer against the Cannons in the first place. As it was she still hadn't decided whether Ron was more upset about Hugo's taste in men or the fact that Hugo would be cheering against her brother's favorite team.

"This isn't the sort of match that requires a great deal of preparation."

In one corner of her brain Ginny knew that she could probably get a good pre-game quote for the Prophet while she had him here, he tended to give good ones, but for the sake of all involved she held back.

Also sensing how quickly this could degenerate on them Hugo turned to Alexei and pretended to just remember that the other man really should be getting inside for his pre-game meeting with the rest of his team. He wouldn't want to get Alexei in trouble after all.

Taking the out since he didn't consider Ron Weasley a worthy or rational adversary when it came to discussing the skill of the various Quidditch teams currently playing, Alexei nodded his head, very coolly but politely bidding Hugo's relatives good bye before turning his attention to his lover. This time his tone was warmer as he confirmed that they'd be meeting up here after the match as planned.

Nodding his head Hugo sent up a silent prayer that what he wasn't about to do wouldn't give his father a heart attack since Rosie and their mum would be super mad at him if that happened. Not to mention how bad he'd feel too.

Slipping his arms loosely around Alexei's waist Hugo surprised the Slytherin by lowering his head and giving him a sweet, loving kiss that had Alexei sighing with pleasure in spite of himself when Hugo's pulled away again, the smile on the Gryffindor's face inviting Alexei to smile back. "Good luck."

Ignoring the choking noises coming from Hugo's father Alexei's lips curved in a pleased smile without a thought to hide it. "One doesn't need luck to beat the Cannons. They need patience not to do England a favor and eliminate them permanently."

And on that note Alexei quickly brushed his lips over Hugo's again and then off he went to head on inside, a definite strut in his stride.

)

Ginny's insistence that she was going to sit between the two of them during the match had Hugo giving her thankful looks and Ron loudly complaining that he couldn't properly yell at his son with her between them, which was the point of course. Not that the older man didn't give the yelling his best shot, using Hugo's full name six times before they'd even reached their seats as he lectured his youngest about how he and Rosie were obviously trying to send him to an early grave by hooking up with two of the most Slytherin Slytherins he'd ever had the misfortune to meet. And on top of that cheering against the Cannons…the depth of that betrayal wasn't something he was going to get over any time soon, just so Hugo knew.

"Mum couldn't come with you?" Hugo asked when his father had to pause for breath, all the yelling obviously catching up to the man.

Scowl deepening even more Ron muttered that she and Rosie were going shopping today. For baby clothes. Knowing his luck Sev would insist on buying a baby jersey for Dolohov's team.

"You need to get over this, Ron, seriously."

"You have no idea how big a betrayal this is, Ginny." Ron charged, pointed a finger in his sister's direction. "I raised them to be good Gryffindors. Good, cheer for the Cannons no matter how bad a season they've had Gryffindors. I spent hours, years, explaining the game to them and bought them their first jerseys and souvenirs and this is how they repay me? My wife went through seventeen hours of labor to bring Hugo into this world, and now he's not only turned into a Slytherin lover, but worse…a fecking Tornadoes fan!"

"I think Hermione is the only one who gets to play the labor card. In fact, as a mother of three I state unequivocally that that is a mother's only argument."

Looking a little intimidated by the glare he was getting, Ginny was a Weasley too after all, Ron feebly charged that he'd been in pain too. Hermione had about broken all his fingers with Rosie.

"Right, because a few squeezed fingers is the same as pushing a bloody baby out of your-"

"She has a point, Dad." Hugo gave his aunt an apologetic look for interrupting, but this was not a topic he wanted to go into. It could get very ugly very fast.

"Quiet, Betrayer."

Reaching out Ginny smacked Ron upside the head and told him to get a grip already or she was going to borrow a Beater's bat and use it on him. For Merlin's sake his son was just dating a Slytherin who played for a team other than the Cannons. There were parents who would kill to have children whose only flaw was dating someone who wasn't a Chudley Cannons fan. In fact, most parents probably preferred their children not to date people who still cheered for a team that stunk as bad as the Cannons.

"Harpy."

"And proud of it." Ginny shot back smugly. Unlike her brother's team hers actually won with some frequency.

"Oh yeah, and would you be so proud if one of your kids hooked up with a Slytherin?" Ron shot back, desperately trying to regain some ground. "In fact I hope that happens. Nothing would make me happier than you walking in on James or Albus snogging the daylights out of-out of Draco Malfoy's evil spawn! Naked! In bed! Together!"

"Wait…what?"

"James! Albus! Wotcher, Frankie!" Delighted, Hugo craned his neck back to watch his two cousins and family friend Frankie Longbottom coming up the aisle behind them. Or they had been, Ron's statement shocking them enough that all three had stopped in their tracks. Other than James's croaked out request for clarification the three young men seemed struck dumb at the moment. Not that Hugo could blame them.

"Relax my darlings, ignore your Uncle Ron. Seeing Hugo in a Tornados jersey has driven him mad."

"And Malfoy Junior has what to do with this?" James wanted to know warily, though he started moving again so that he could take his seat directly behind Hugo.

"He's also upset that I'm dating a Slytherin. He wishes the same on one of you so your mum will understand his pain."

"Ah." Dropping into his seat behind Ginny Frankie forced aside the horrific mental images he'd just had shoved into his mind and instead concentrated on his manners, saying hi to the other three while Albus gingerly took the seat behind Ron, not terribly happy to be situated so close to the currently crazy relative.

Turning in her seat Ginny reached out and gave her youngest a reassuring pat on his knee. "Good to see you too. I didn't know you boys were coming to the game."

"Well we weren't planning to but Aunt Hermione dropped us a line asking us to come in case Hugo needed backup. Lily had plans so we wrangled Frankie into coming with us instead." James explained with a smirk. "She paid for the tickets and this is the Cannons' side of the pitch. Not like it was hard to get these particular seats."

"Insults! Nothing but bloody insults!"

"The match is starting, Ron. Focus on that."

Needless to say it took a little while, but everyone was thankful when he did.

)

The fates were at least a little kind, in that the Cannons lost of course, but it wasn't a horrifically awesome failure like their last game against Puddlemere United. That the match was won by Alexei catching the snitch was something Ron would have normally complained about, but he'd strained his voice yelling at Hugo and Ginny earlier, and then finished it off completely by cheering as loudly for his team as he could until his voice gave out completely. Naturally everyone else thought that that was probably for the best, but no one said so as they slowly made their way down the stands towards the nearest exit.

They were back on the ground floor when it happened, James teasing Albus about how much better he was at Quidditch than his brother, which was mainly because he was willing to take risks and Albus was not. For his part Albus was used to this and appreciated the others scolding James to lay off him, not that that would ever stop him for long. James took his role as annoying older brother very seriously. But fate was with him, Albus happening to catch sight of a very familiar figure standing at the other side of the room thanks to the distinctiveness of said man's hair.

"So, in conclusion, you're saying that you're braver and more daring than I am, right, James?"

"I'm saying you need to take risks more off, Kid." Was James's response, the ruffling he gave Albus's already messy hair highlighting the fact that he still saw Albus as his kid brother.

"But you think you're more of a risk taker than me, right?"

"Obviously."

"Well then…there's Malfoy Junior right over there. Why don't you make Uncle Ron happy again by laying one on him?" When James just gaped at him Albus grinned like a Cheshire cat. "In fact, I double dare you to go over there and snog him. You do and you can have bragging rights for the rest of our lives together about how tough you really are."

Laughing in delight Frankie slapped the completely stupefied James on the shoulder, while Hugo patted his own father's shoulder, since the older man was making noises in his throat that said he desperately wanted to comment on the situation but couldn't.

"I think he's staying with us, Al." Amusement on her face Ginny couldn't resist getting some back for her baby boy, who so rarely got one up on her oldest son. "Poor James isn't brave enough for that. Malfoy would kill him."

That statement from his mother was enough to jolt James into speaking again, his words sputtered and basically gibberish at first before James realized that fact and finally got his elocution under control, stating that it wasn't a matter of bravery but of mental competence. He'd sooner snog the back end of a troll than Scorpius Malfoy and that was that. And for that matter who was Albus to talk, really? He'd seen his brother back down from kissing girls he actually liked, much less the likes of Malfoy, who actually posed a danger.

"I still say you're chicken."

Eyes flashing dangerously, there were few things he hated more than to be called a coward, James rashly spoke before he thought everything through in true Weasley male fashion. "Yeah? Well go on then, you snog him if you're so brave. In fact, I will bet you twenty galleons that you don't have the guts to go over there and even just try to lay one on him. Hell, I will say you're braver and tougher than me for the rest of our bloody lives together on command if you snog him here in now, in front of all these people. I triple dare you!"

Face utterly unreadable Albus grabbed the hand James had been using to point in his direction and changing the grip shook his brother's hand. "It's a deal then."

"Al…" Frankie said very slowly, uneasy dawning as he watched the two hands fall away.

But Albus didn't answer him, he was too busy starting to weave his way through the crowd, his trajectory suggesting that he was heading straight for Scorpius Malfoy.

James. "Oh shit."

Frankie. "Oh damn Malfoy is going to kill him if he actually…"

Hugo. "Well given that this is a public place I'd imagine this particular Malfoy will wait and attack when there are less witnesses around. He's the 'revenge is best served cold' type, I think."

Ginny. "James Sirius Potter, if he hurts your little brother I am going to take it out on your hide!"

Ron. A lot of sound effects none of them could understand but which conveyed to them his worry that Albus was about to do something incredibly stupid.

)

The unsuspecting Slytherin stood out of the way of surging foot traffic, in no serious hurry to be somewhere else and having absolutely no desire to join the rest in their lemming like desperation to leave. That aside he'd rather not have to listen to the Cannons fans whine and complain about their pathetic team's recent loss, or worse, listen to them exclaim with the unshakable and childlike belief of the mentally incompetent or insane that next time their team would win for sure. So he was waiting the fools out, passing the time by keeping an eye out for the more laughable fans who dressed up like complete fools in support of their teams.

It didn't surprise Scorpius to see that Ron Weasley was one of those fools, though the way the man was looking in his direction was…a little off-putting. Especially when he realized that the members of the Potter family and Longbottom, who were apparently with Ron Weasley, were all staring at him with the oddest looks on their faces. Like they expected something horrible to happen and yet were powerless to stop him.

Thinking that they thought for some stupid reason that he meant to do something Death Eater-ish, and please, that was so last century, Scorpius gave them dark looks in return that made it hopefully clear he did not appreciate the stares they were giving him.

Noticing belatedly that some of the members were alternating between staring at him and someone or something between them Scorpius tried to figure out who was sharing their ire, eventually picking out Hugo Weasley in the crowded great room due to the younger man's height. And he…ah. Spotting who Weasley appeared to be trying to follow through the crowd Scorpius watched Albus Potter making his way towards him with a very determined look in his eyes.

What…Potter was coming over to pick a fight with him? That was odd. That was usually the idiot's even more idiotic brother's thing.

Since the younger Potter didn't know nearly as many people as Hugo Weasley Scorpius wasn't surprised that the former got through the crowds so much easier, the Slytherin straightening to his full height as his former classmate finally slipped free of the crowds and strolled over to him without anything or anyone getting in the way.

"Help you with something, Potter?"

"As a matter of fact…"

Opening his mouth to ask what that something was Scorpius made a sound perilously close to a squeak as he suddenly found himself being grabbed and dipped like something out of a stupid witch's romance novel, his long white blond hair nearly brushing the floor. And then Potter was pressing their lips together and Scorpius froze like he'd just been stupefied, eyes huge as they stared into the Gryffindor's.

Snogging well enough that both had the other's taste in their mouths when Albus put Scorpius back on his feet, the two looking dazed though Malfoy a great deal more so, the absolute silence around them was telling after it had been so loud and noisy before.

Several heartbeats and then Albus spoke, a hint of color riding up his cheekbones.

"Well…thanks. I better fly now before you kill me."

And on that note Albus turned into him Animagi form and went flying up into the air and out the nearest window, the sound of Malfoy's yelling out Albus's last name in fury following him out and into the open air.

Wisely melting back into the crowd Hugo could only shake his head over the whole thing.

Alexei was going to be sorry he'd missed it.