Phase 5: Snatch the opportunity

Albus Severus Potter soon learned that with your older brother and your best friend mad at you, school can pass very slowly. It took Albus a month to get James to even give him a small hello, six weeks for the malicious glare to go away, and it wasn't until Christmas break that James actually had a conversation with Albus.

Albus was –like many other students- waiting for the Hogwarts Express to arrive when James spoke to him.

"Disgusting isn't it." James said.

"What?" Albus asked.

"Scorpius and Catherine."

Albus turned to see two of his old friends. Catherine was currently in between a wall and Scorpius. Scorpius was fiercely kissing her and it didn't seem like the two planned to stop any time soon.

"Yeah, pretty gross." Albus said.

James looked his brother straight in the eye. "Why were you trying to get Lily and Scorpius to date?" James asked.

Albus sighed and saw the train arrive. "Not out here, too many wandering ears."

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Lily looked around for her friends. Kila, she knew, was staying at Hogwarts since her parents were going to Italy and Kila had no want to return since her fiasco involving a dictionary, a quill, and a rubber duck. Jasmine was going to spend a week at Lily's.

"Lily!" Lily turned at the sound of her name.

Catherine Longbottom smiled as Lily turned around and began walking towards her. Behind Catherine, Lily could see a wide-eyed Scorpius.

"Hey Lily, I haven't talked to you in a while." Catherine said.

Lily nodded, in shock. "Sorry about that. I've had a lot on my mind."

Catherine smiled. "It's okay; hey, Alice is throwing a Christmas bash, you should come, tell James and Albus they're welcome too." Catherine said.

"Okay." Lily said in a big grin of a fake smile.

"Bye Lily." Catherine said as she tugged Scorpius onto the train.

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"Okay Al, we're alone, now will you tell me?" James whined.

"You're really impatient, do you know that?" Albus asked as he put his owl up.

"I don't care, I would more like to know why my brother was trying to hook our little sister up with his player best friend," James was cut off.

"Scorpius asked me to." Albus said. "I really didn't want Scorpius to date her. This was back when I was in fourth year. It was Lily's thirteenth birthday and Scorpius kind of took a liking to her. I spent all of last year getting those two closer, and then back at the beginning of the year, he sees you hex some kid for flirting with Lily and starts dating Catherine."

James stared at his brother. "Does he still like Lily?"

Albus shrugged. "Probably, I haven't really asked lately seeing as he walks off when I try to talk to him."

"Why?" James asked.

"He's over-protective of Jasmine. He doesn't want me to do anything to her. This reminds me, you're so freakin lucky that he was scared because you found out, otherwise he might've beaten the crap out of you."

"I doubt it." James cockily said.

"Have you ever actually wrestled Scorpius? It's hell." Albus said.

James and Albus sat in silence. "How are you going to get Jasmine?"

"That's why I helped Lily." Albus said.

James understood. "Lily would help you if you got her with Scorpius," James paused, "And Scorpius wouldn't beat you up because he was dating your actual little sister."

Albus nodded.

"In that case, I'm going to help you get Lily and Scorpius, and you and Jasmine together." James said.

"Why?" Albus asked.

"Because I can't wait to see dad's face." James grinned.

"Real answer please." Albus asked.

"Because then I have a logical explanation to beat the crap out of Scorpius." James said.

"You never were logical."

"No, I wasn't, but I always did know better than to tell my brother my intentions."

"Promise you don't beat the stuffing out of Scorpius." Albus extended his hand.

James shook his head. "Some promised just can't be made." Albus rolled his eyes.

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Scorpius Malfoy was quite perturbed, first of all, his best friend was mad at him, said best friend had a malicious older brother who would be happy to kill him, said best friend and brother flirted with his cousin, and, his girlfriend was starting to annoy him. Catherine Longbottom was sweet, attentive, and soothing. The perfect girlfriend. Scorpius was beginning to realize that perfection didn't bode well with him, neither did Alice. Though, he would have to find a soothing was to rid himself of perfection, since he really couldn't afford to fail Herbology since it was necessary towards is desired career of studying plants –the name of which he always forgot and hoped he could have his mother write it down for him one day, or maybe he could do it himself. All Scorpius Malfoy currently understood was that from muggle studies, that J.T. kid was right, oatmeal has always been there for you, it's reliable, and a meatball sub tends to get boring, no matter how perfect it is.

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AN: Anyone recognize this 'J.T. kid?' I couldn't resist the reference. Oh, and there will only be a few more chapters, I have no desire to make this a full-fledged novel, I have enough of those. Also, I will try to update soon, but I honestly have an inability to even try posting before Saturday or Sunday, you see, I have a field trip the day after tomorrow. Basically, I get to go to the Big Island (of Hawaii, I live on O'ahu myself) for Science (volcano studies) and I have to finish packing Monday (tomorrow) and I leave Tuesday and come back Friday late in the afternoon, and then, I will have homework to finish from the Science trip, which apparently is my final. So, I hope to update when I can, but I am almost done with school, so hurray for that! Review?

-silverdrama