Chapter 11: The Necessary

Voughan was very pleased to learn that Scorpius was leaving, handing the leadership of the clan over to him. When Scorpius told him, he nodded earnestly, and then swept off looking distinctly pleased with himself, as if he had done something great.

They woke Elsa from her faint with a Rennervate. She was still very pale, and shaky on her feet, but she was able to stand. She looked around, blinking in confusion. She started to ask Albus what had happened, but he shook his head, promising to explain later.

They took the walk back up the corridor to sunlight as quickly as they could, given Elsa's current state. It was with a sigh of relief that Albus stepped out onto grass, hearing the wind in the trees and feeling the afternoon sun on his face.

They Disapparated back to Klaus' house immediately, and took their leave with many thanks from Elsa and Albus to the kindly old wizard. He told them to stop by if they were ever in the neighborhood again, and that he would receive them with open arms.

"What are we going to do?" asked Elsa, once they had arrived back at the apartment. She stood behind the ugly orange armchair, resting her arms along the back. She was doing remarkably well, considering how much blood she had lost just a couple of hours earlier.

Scorpius and Albus were both sitting on the leather couch, at opposite ends from each other. Archimedes had arrived back from being out just after they had, and he now sat on Albus' lap, as Albus stroked his feathers fondly.

Albus exchanged a look with Scorpius. "I'll talk to her," he said, pushing Archimedes onto the couch beside him (with an indignant hoot from the owl) and rising to his feet.

"What is that supposed to mean?" demanded Elsa.

"Come on, Elsa, we're going out," said Albus.

"But I haven't had the chance to talk to Scorpius other than exchanging a few words, can't I—" but she broke off when she looked over at Scorpius, who merely shook his head at her sadly. Closing her mouth firmly, she said, "Okay, where are we going?"

"You'll see shortly," said Albus. That expression of concentration flew across his face briefly, and the city lights and the buzz of Muggle traffic were gone a moment later. Albus strode to the blank wall, as the door appeared in its face, and pulled it opened, beckoning for Elsa to step through.

Night had fallen at last, and at first Elsa wasn't sure where they were. When realization dawned on her she whirled on Albus, "No, you can't—" but the door had already vanished.

They stood in a narrow country lane of dirt, bounded by two low brick walls. Fields of wildflowers could be seen over the walls, stretching off and out of sight on one side while eventually turning into a dark forest on the other. At the end of the lane was a cottage, with warm lights spilling out of the windows. The cottage belonged to Elsa's grandmother, her only living relative.

"What are you doing?" demanded Elsa. Her words were fierce, but Albus could see the hurt in her eyes.

"Walk with me," he said quietly, taking off down the lane, away from the house. Elsa was about to refuse, but seeing that it probably wouldn't do her any good, she went after him.

"Elsa," Albus began, "Scorpius didn't leave the vampires to come back to England. He faces punishment for murder, and I for thievery. There is no place for us here, at least for now. We're going to go, travel places, and see things for a while. Both of us have to get away."

"Yeah, I understand that," said Elsa. "And I'll come with you. It'll be the three of us, like always." She looked up at Albus as they walked side-by-side, watching his face to see what she could there. His face was reserved, but his eyes were bright.

"No, Elsa," he whispered. "You can't. Things are different. I keep telling you that, Elsa, and you must see it yourself. Scorpius is damaged, Elsa. Very damaged. And he's not the only one." Suddenly, with a flash of insight, Elsa knew what Albus was going to say next, and she didn't want to hear it.

"No," she said, shaking her head fiercely, sending her glossy black hair flying around her and blinking back tears. "Don't say it, Albus."

Albus stopped walking, forcing Elsa to stop as well, but he didn't look at her. His gaze was ahead, on the narrow dirt road and the pebbles resting in the dust. "Elsa, I'm not the same as I was, either. Ever since—ever since that night. I know you don't want to hear it, but you must. I love you, Elsa. I love you with all I am. But we can't be together, at least—at least not yet. Until I'm whole again, or have achieved some semblance of health, it just can't be."

Elsa's had turned towards Albus, but her gaze rested downwards, on the heavy dragon-hide boots he wore. She was losing the battle with her tears, and they were starting to course out of the corner of her eyes and down her face, collecting on the end of her nose and chin.

"I won't cut you completely out, as I did before, I promise. Unless that is what you want. Scorpius and I will stop by, at least once a season. For a couple of days perhaps. We'll see. I'm not sure—I'm not really sure of anything anymore."

Elsa struggled to say something, anything, but she wasn't convinced she'd be able to make any sound come out if she tried—it would most likely just be a stifled sob.

Suddenly Albus had turned towards her. He reached out, pinching her chin between his forefinger and thumb, and raised her face to look at his. He wasn't crying, like her, but his eyes were very sad, and she saw that his face was twisted in a grimace, as if he was fighting some emotion inside him that was trying to break free.

Albus opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment the storm clouds that had been collecting above them, unseen by either, let their heavy bellies break loose, pouring a torrent down over everything below.

Elsa was grateful for the downfall, for it mingled with her tears and washed them away. It also soaked her to the skin instantly, bringing the cold with it, helping her to forget the hurt she felt.

Albus' long hair was plastered to his face, the long dark locks looking almost like the black digits of a hand against his white features.

Their gazes met, and Albus said quietly, only just heard over the pounding of the rain, "Your eyes are so beautiful it hurts to look into them for very long." His fingers slid from Elsa's chin to her cheek, touching her so lightly it almost felt like feathers being brushed across her cheekbones.

For a moment, Elsa thought that Albus was going to kiss her. But the next thing she knew he had whirled away from her and was pounding off back the way they had come, sending up sheets of rainwater in his wake.

Helplessly, Elsa stumbled over to the wall, sliding down to sit in the gathering mud and water as she felt the hard brick pressing into her back. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around herself and buried her head within them. Welcoming the numbness brought on by the cold, and the sting of the rainfall, and the pain, Elsa retreated into her head.

How could I have regained him, after all these years, to just lose him again the instant I turned around?

. . . . . .

Scorpius looked up from inspecting the sword of Gryffindor as Albus came staggering through the door. His friend was soaking wet, half-covered in mud, and looked completely miserable.

"How did it go?" asked Scorpius.

"Terrible," said Albus, slumping into the orange armchair, heedless to the water and mud that was going everywhere. He leaned forward, pressing his fingers to his eyes.

"She didn't take it well, I assume?"

"She didn't take it well?" echoed Albus, almost stupidly. "I suppose not. I think I was too consumed with how damn hard it was on myself. And I almost choked, right at the last."

"I guess you don't—"

"Want to talk about it?" interrupted Albus, taking his fingers away from his eyes. "No, I don't want to talk about it. I know what you'll do. You'll tell me I'm in love, and should go after her, and leave you, and that that's the only way I'll be happy."

"No, actually," said Scorpius, surprise evident on his face, as if he couldn't believe that that was what Albus would, indeed, think. "I know nothing of romantic love, you know that, and wouldn't say anything of the sort. I have no idea if there would be any fulfillment there. Besides, I must say, Albus, despite the fact that it is so bloody selfish, that I couldn't tell you to leave me if I wanted to. I've been so miserable without you and am in such a dreadful state that I have absolutely no ability to survive without you whatsoever. I suppose it's not a very healthy spot to find oneself in, but I right now I don't think I bloody well care."

Albus stared at his friend for several good minutes after this speech, before his face slowly split into a grin. "Damn, I've missed you."

Scorpius quirked an eyebrow at Albus. "I'm not going to say 'I've missed you, too,' because that is effectively what I just said, albeit in a very roundabout way. Now, my question is, where are we going to first? America? Or maybe Australia? I hear Taiwan is nice this time of year. South Korea, perhaps? Yeah, how about South Korea? I've heard great things about that country. Not to mention I'd love to try me some Kimchi."

"I have no objection," said Albus, with a crooked smile. "South Korea it is."

Closing his eyes, an expression of concentration worked its way onto Albus' face. The next instant, the apartment was flying through space.

Author's Note:
Hope you guys enjoyed it. I know this story definitely has its flaws…but I hope you were able to get something out of it anyways. Please, please, PLEASE drop a review telling me what you thought, even if it's just to say that you were very dissatisfied. I'll take anything.

~ThaniMag