Family Feuds

Al's POV

Scorp didn't want me. I couldn't get out of bed for anything even if the OWLs were coming up. I just didn't understand why Scorp didn't like me, Rose had said he had and he told me that he loved me. Then he had just completely rejected me, so I had to go away. It wasn't fair, then neither was life. Still, why did all the bad things in life happen to me? First I was put in Slytherin which Uncle Ron had gone mad about, then Scorp didn't even like me. The only person who knew something about relationships was James, my older brother so I was going to see him. I didn't know how to contact him but I just sent my snowy owl, Hedwig II out with a letter saying:

James,

I need your help. Meet me by the tree, next to the Quidditch grounds at 11 O'clock. You know the one that you crashed in to. Don't be late as per usual and come alone. And before you start wondering this isn't some wild prank or an ambush.

Your little bro, Al.

I hoped he'd come; we weren't that close thanks to the house rivalries and our differences but he was my older brother all the same. He was two years above me and was taking him his NEWTs this year. In the mean time I just sat on my bed with a Potions textbook out. I decided I should revise for at least one subject and as Potions was by far my worst it should be that. I tried but it was so hard with Scorp constantly on my mind. I heard someone come in though I chose to ignore it. As it was nearing eleven I went down out to the tree.

I was used to James being late so I had a shock when I saw him already waiting for me. "Finally Al, I mean I thought you were the one who came early to everything. I've been waiting for seconds!"

"Ha ha, I'm really laughing my arse off." I said to his pathetic joke.

"Glad you liked it. Anyway what the hell do you want?" James asked me.

"I've been having some relationship problems. I've been seeing someone but they don't want to you know. But I do, though I don't want to lose them." I said.

He analysed the situation before saying, "Dump her Al, nothing else for it. No point wasting your time on some bird who 'aint going to give you anything, unless that is you want to die a virgin." James said.

"But James I love them. You wouldn't understand…" I said.

"I do understand, I'm not just a loser like you. I just moved on from her. But anyway who's the bird?" James said.

"Not telling." I smirked to annoy him and I would never really tell him.

"Go on Al, I'll rate them on who fit they are. If it's over seven there worth it. If it's less I can always set you up with some other girl who will give you what you want."

"I'm not telling!" I said.

"Go on, I'm your brother. I swear I won't laugh. You can tell me, I know we haven't always been on good terms, but we can just put it all behind us." James said sympathetically.

I decided I could trust him; after all he was my brother. "It's Scorp." I muttered.

For a moment James looked at me sternly before cracking up in fits of laughter. "Oh, Al." he said in-between the laughs, "You had me for a minute. Scorp? Honestly don't so that again though, it nearly made me sick."

"James, I'm not having a laugh. I'm being serious." I said. He grimaced at me and I swallowed hard. I couldn't believe he thought it was a joke.

"You're not joking, are you? Get away from me you freak! You're not my brother. And by the way I'm telling dad about what you want to do with Scorp, perve. But I knew you were strange all the time. Even before you were put into Slytherin, why do you think I've been keeping Lily away from you for all these years?" James said spitting at me. He turned away and left me, standing there. I burst into tears then started punching the tree. I wanted it to hurt, to replace the ache I felt after my own brother had said all those things to me. That he'd been keeping Lily away from me. That I was a perve. The blood was streaming down my knuckles. I had to keep punching though. I needed to forget it.

"Al?" I heard Scorp ask. It just made it even worse I punched even harder but he pulled me off the tree.

"Get off me freak! You did this to me! You made me queer. Get your dirty hands of me!" I cried, still in tears. Through the blurriness I saw a piece of bark sticking out of my hand. I felt so angry and crappy.

"Al, I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing, just come with me." Scorp said calmly. The pain seared through my body so I just decided to let him take me. Madam Pomfrey came immediately and saw to my hand, yet I didn't notice because I was so annoyed and upset. She gave me some potion that made my eyes grow heavy…

Scorp's POV

"Hey you queer, your boyfriend is by the tree. But get the fuck of him. Freak." James said shoving me to the side. What was that all about? It just made me worried and I ran over to the tree where Al apparently was.

It was scary. Al was repeatedly punching the tree, I couldn't understand why. I pulled him away and he screamed, "Get off me freak! You did this to me! You made me queer. Get your dirty hands of me!"

I take it that meant we weren't going out anymore. It felt like crying but I saw that the skin of his knuckle was punctured with a piece or bark and there was blood pouring out by the gallon. "Al, I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing, just come with me." I said as calmly as I could without breaking down. I led him to the Hospital Wing, my arms on his back. I got there and Madam Pomfrey quickly rushed to where we were standing. She rushed him over and I stood there, numb. I loved him but he didn't love me back. He called me a freak and a queer then called me dirty. What James had said also made my stomach twist and I had a feeling that James had something to do why Al had randomly been punching a tree.

I looked over to see Madam Pomfrey close the curtains of a sleeping Al. She came over and asked me, "Do you know what happened?"

"Not really. I found him in tears punching a tree, then his brother had been past before. I think he may have said something." I just replied.

"Ok, so has anything happened that may have worried him or his brother?" she said.

"Erm, I'm not sure that I'm in the position to say." I mumbled.

"No dear, you must. I need to know why so I can help him." Madam Pomfrey said.

Wreck my relationship with him, or help him. Seeming as though the former was already ruined there was only one option. "He's just come out. Not many people know, I do, I'm pretty sure Rose Weasley his cousin knows but I don't know about James. Maybe Al told James and James went mad…" I pondered over this idea.

"Thank you for that. It was very brave. He should be alright by this evening, you can pop back to see him in the afternoon, when he's awake." She said patronisingly.

I took this as my cue to leave and went on a mission to find James Potter to see if my theory was correct. But I realised he wouldn't speak to me; I needed someone to, someone who knew this, possibly a family member…