At Al's owled request, James Apparated into Hogsmeade early Sunday afternoon, and the two met out front of The Hog's Head at noon. As the two brothers sat in a corner table away from the light and laughter closer to the long bar, waiting for their Hot Buttered Rums to cool, they got down to it.

"What's this all about, then?" Jamie asked, a sly smile crossing his perpetual five o'clock shadow. "Finally figuring out that babes don't come from storks?"

Al took a sip of his drink and glanced at his brother over the rim of his glass. James was four-years his senior, and he had always looked up to the guy; he was charismatic and open, a prankster, but good-hearted. He'd been the sole Gryffindor of the Potter children, with Lily ending up in Slytherin, and Al, of course, sorted a Hufflepuff. Physically, the man's facial features were more like their mother than any of the three siblings. His dark brown hair gleamed with hints of her auburn in the sunlight and he had an big, honest smile, proving that the Weasley traits bred strong in him.

Al had always felt that he and his older brother couldn't be more dissimilar, like they'd been born to different parents on different continents (and Lily was on a whole other planet from him, as far as he was concerned). Albus Severus was the serious one of the Potter brood – the one who rarely joked, who was solemn in fulfilling his responsibilities, with his father's green eyes and coal black hair… and with the weight of living up to Harry Potter's reputation a heavy burden upon his shoulders.

Now he wondered, as he stared into eyes the same nut-brown colour of their mother's, if James was really as different from him as he'd always believed.

"I've heard some things around," he began, getting the ball rolling, "about your time here at school. Things you did."

James was a legend around Hogwarts for the hijinks he'd pulled while a student there and he knew from the grin that bloomed across his face that his brother misunderstood, thinking this was Al's meaning.

"Things you did with men," he clarified.

The grin fell. Jamie's cheeks turned bright red. His suddenly blooming aura matched. He took a long sip of his alcoholic drink, presumably for courage. "It was a phase, that's all," he admitted in a very low tone. "I'm into witches now."

Al turned his glass mug around in his hands, feeling its warmth seep into his bones, staring into the rich, dark depths of his amber-yellow drink. "I'm gay," he blurted, terrified at making the confession, but needing to get this weighty secret off his chest. If he couldn't trust his big brother with such a thing, who could he trust? "I'm not bisexual. I only like men. Well, actually, I like one man in particular. But, I've never… um… That's why I called you here. I need your advice on what to do."

James' jaw fell open. He seemed to need a moment to collect his wits, and to come up with an appropriate response, so he took another chug of his drink.

Albus decided to just throw it all out there and see where the chips would lie. He fully unburdened himself in one long declaration, starting with his strange abilities, moving on to Malcolm's unrequited feelings for him, and ending with the Skulls and his complicated relationship with Scorpius Malfoy. In between, he covered his struggle to meet their father's expectations, and his despair at his own lack of self-confidence coupled with his shyness, especially as it pertained to sex. James didn't say a word. He listened with solid attention instead, for once taking something seriously.

When he was done, Al's Hot Buttered Rum had gone cold, and an hour had passed, and now his throat was a bit sore from talking so much. But his heart and his shoulders felt a little lighter.

Jamie tossed back the last swig of his drink, and stood up, signalling Al to follow. They threw some money down on the table and left the pub, making their way back through town, towards the castle carriages. They walked with a purposefully slow gait and avoided clusters of people, talking in low voices.

"Listen, little brother, you're going to explode holding so much in all the time," James put it to him. "The world does not rest on your shoulders. You need to learn to relax, to find out what you like – not what you think others expect you to like." He poked Al in the shoulder. "And you need to just put yourself out there and stop letting fear or other people's expectations dictate your actions… and your future."

Al kicked at the snow as they walked.

That's exactly what Hugo had done last night with Malcolm – put his heart, body, and mind out there. It seemed to have worked out for him, too. He'd gotten what he'd wanted, and no one had been hurt in the exchange. The thought of doing such a thing with Scorpius, however, terrified Al. It was one thing to fantasize about slipping Malfoy the tongue, but another thing entirely to step up and take the chance for real. "Easy for you to say. You were the most popular boy in school. You've always had a handle on who you were and what you wanted. You were never shy."

"I was just as shy as you are when I was younger," Jamie countered. "I just decided at some point that I didn't like anyone telling me what to do or how to think. That's stubbornness, not confidence. Besides, it's not like I'm a model citizen. Mum and Dad would love for me to take less after Uncle George, and be more like you." He scuffed Al's hair in fondness. "Maybe if I had, I'd be in a different place in life, rather than working at the WWW in The Alley."

"Hey!" Al protested and slapped his brother's hand away.

Jamie gave a warm, rich laugh, but a beat later, he grew serious once more. "Really, Al, you just need to become more comfortable in your own skin. Part of that is exploring these new abilities you have. Find a creative way to use them to your benefit instead of resenting them so much. They're cool. I wish I could know how people were really thinking and feeling. It'd save me a load of headaches later. And who knows? Maybe these gifts you've been blessed with are the key to figuring everything out for you."

Albus glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. "And… Scorpius?"

His brother's lips pursed together and he blew a heavy breath through them. "Everyone has to face that moment when they make a big decision that changes everything. Maybe it's time you and Malfoy had it out. Just lay it all out for him like you did with me. Ask him how he feels about you."

"I… I don't think I have the confidence to do that," Al admitted. "What if he mocks my feelings? I'd be crushed."

"And what if he returns them instead?" Jamie shrugged, and a sly grin worked its way up his cheek. "You could be together right now, happily snogging out, instead of out here in the cold, whinging on about it to me."

Al stopped in the middle of the path, and threw his head back, looking up at the darkening sky above. It was getting later in the day, and even though sunset was creeping closer to six o'clock as the days passed, the cloud cover above made it seem like nightfall would be upon them very shortly. "But, Malcolm… it would hurt him if Scor and I… if things worked out there. I don't want that."

James sighed. "Malcolm's going to hurt no matter what so long as you don't return his affections. You're not responsible for his feelings, Albus, and you can't give up your own happiness for his."

He was right, of course. Albus knew that in his heart. Still, he hurt for Mac, knowing that a broken heart was a horrible thing. "What about this thing with the Skulls? I want in, but what if Dad's right and they're up to no good? I'd have to turn them all in."

His brother shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and began walking again. Al hurried to catch up. "My advice is this: listen to your own instincts as far as the Skulls are concerned. Do you trust Malcolm's judgment? You said he's in the group, right? If so, then you can bet he wouldn't do anything to put you in danger, especially since he has feelings for you that run deep. If you have doubts, though, you should talk to him about it. He might not be able to reveal club secrets or anything like that, but maybe he can ease your doubts."

Al flushed with that familiar sinking shame every time he thought about the task his father had asked him to undertake. "I feel almost like… like a dirty cheat, or something. Playing this game. Ratting on my friends." Clenching his fists at his sides, his anger gripped him hard and shook him. "I feel so trapped by Dad and his expectations! I hate it!"

His brother stopped them again with pressure on Al's shoulder. "Is it Dad's expectations that are weighing you down, Albus, or your own?" James gave him a contemplative, narrowed-eye stare. "Sounds to me like you're the one still worried about what he thinks of you."

Al felt his heart stutter at that, the truth hitting him hard.

"Dad loves you for who you are, bro, and he'll love you even if you tell him you can't do this thing he wants anymore, and the reason why." Jamie slapped him hard on the shoulder twice and tugged on his arm to get them walking again. "Trust me. I've told him things that have nearly turned his hair gray on the spot, and he's always forgiven me."

Al tweaked an eyebrow at that. "Like what?"

His brother gave him a wicked smirk. "Let's just say that Mum and Dad nearly became grandparents at too young an age more than once. I've been a randy bastard since puberty."

Al tsk'd. "But, I'm gay. I'm not going to have to worry about that kind of thing." He slowed as a new thought occurred to him, turning his stomach over at the same time. "Shite, how am I going to explain liking guys to him? Dad's accepting of a lot of things, but this… I'm afraid he'll be really disappointed. You'll be the only one left who can carry on the Potter name."

Jamie laughed. "You worry about all the wrong things, little brother. It's telling Gran that's going to be the hard part. You know how it's been at The Burrow since Uncle Charlie told her he wasn't interested in getting married or having kids. Unless you adopt or find a surrogate, you're going to have to break the news to her about no grandbabies either. I don't envy you that conversation."

Albus winced. Yeah, there was the whole coming out to the rest of the family to look forward to as well. Eventually, he'd have to do that. He only hoped they were all as accepting as Jamie seemed. "So, you're really not… put off… that your brother's into blokes?" he asked, as they resumed walking towards their destination, the train platform visible in the distance.

"Nah," Jamie offered, settling that point with an easy roll of his shoulders "You've got to be who you are, even if the world doesn't approve."

And that attitude suited James Sirius Potter to a tee: ever the courageous Gryffindor, unafraid of all his tomorrows. If only he could borrow an ounce of that courage for himself, Albus thought he'd be a much better man overall.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Notes:

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