Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

Chapter 12: Diagon Alley

Harry had looked forward to Saturday all week. The boys had gotten their Hogwarts letters a couple weeks before, but this was the first day he and Ginny had found time together to take them to Diagon Alley. Teddy and Victoire joined them for the day.

James and Albus started fighting the moment they woke up, with James making cruel comments about Scorpius and Albus attacking him physically. What Albus lacked in size and strength, Harry decided before his headache demanded that he send the boys flying apart, the boy made up for in determination. Ron had once commented that in war, Albus would be the better warrior. Harry did not doubt that.

A moment after Harry's magic sent the boys onto the floor about ten feet apart, James jumped up and immediately advanced on his brother. Harry hit him with a body bind. "James!" His eldest son's eyes flickered between him and Albus. Harry raised his wand again. "Finite!"

James crumpled to the ground, but still managed a glare at Harry. "Bloody hell, Dad! What was that for?"

"Language, James. I don't care how this fight began. I do care that you deliberately provoked Albus. Why do you insist on insulting his best friend?"

James mumbled over his father's voice, "Boyfriend, you mean. Bloody pansies."

Ginny turned abruptly at those words. "James Potter! How dare you use that language in my house? You will apologize to your brother right now!"

"I won't!" James shouted back.

"Fine," Harry said calmly, "then no trips to Hogsmeade this year and absolutely no Quidditch."

"What? But I'm top choice for the new chaser! Alex-"

"Will have to find someone else. I don't know what has gotten into you, James, but I am sick of it. Until you learn some respect, both for your parents and for your brother, I will not give permission for you to do anything at Hogwarts aside from studying. Now finish getting dressed."

James shot another angry look toward Albus, who had not moved since he fell, then stormed off to his room. Ginny knelt by her younger son. "Albus? Are you okay?"

Albus shook his head and looked at the ground. "He hates me, Mum. Why does he hate me?"

Teddy joined them on the floor and handed Albus a glass of juice. "He's jealous, mate."

"Of what? I'm rubbish at Quidditch, Rose is smarter than us both, and James has loads more friends than me. And he's in Gryffindor."

Teddy smiled. "James is a lot flashier, but you have better friends and people just gravitate toward you. Slytherin or not, all of your yearmates and professors seem to like you no matter what your marks and he resents that. He resents that he gets noticed for doing well at something, but you get noticed just for being there, at least as he sees it. It wasn't really a problem before Hogwarts because you were usually together, but now that you have separate friends and interests, he hates it. Now drink your juice."

"How do you know this, Teddy?" Ginny asked.

"I've still got a few friends at Hogwarts, and I wrote to Professor Longbottom to ask about the boys. Victoire helped me figure it out, too."

Albus sipped his juice as they talked. When Harry turned to leave, he called, "Dad, do I have to go back to Hogwarts?"

Harry turned back toward Albus. "Don't you want to go to Hogwarts?"

"No, not without Scorpius. It will be lonely and boring and James will be horrible. Please, can I go to the muggle school with Lily?"

"You belong at Hogwarts, Albus," Ginny said gently. Albus started to protest, but she spoke over him. "Go finish your breakfast. We're leaving in ten minutes."

"Yes, Mum." Albus joined Lily quietly and Harry thought as he watched him that the boy looked completely defeated. Lily leaned over to her brother and whispered something in his ear. He gave her a weak smile and took the toast she offered him.

Harry left to find James, who was sulking in his room. "Get ready to go, James," he said quietly.

James glared up at him. "Why? You only care about bloody Albus anyway."

Harry sat beside his son. "James, I love you both very much. I always will. And I worry about you both. Albus doesn't have your confidence and natural talents. He has to work hard for everything. I think you have always taken for granted how easy school is for you. Just for a year, I want you to share Albus' experience. He can't go to Hogsmeade this year and we both know he will never be a Quidditch player. Spend the year finding new interests."

"You make it sound like it isn't a punishment."

Harry smiled. "It is a punishment, James, but not a pointless one. As long as you're good this year, I will let you do whatever you want next year."

"Albus will just make up something to keep me in trouble."

"No, I suspect he'll be too busy moping about Scorpius to pay much attention to you. Besides, I'm more concerned about what your teachers have to say. Now let's go."

The moment they reached Diagon Alley, James forgot about sulking and took off for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Harry started to call him back, but Ginny said quietly, "Let him go. He won't get into much trouble with George watching him. We can fetch him again when we are finished shopping."

Albus followed his parents obediently and did what he was told with neither enthusiasm nor complaint. Lily was excited enough for both of them, however, and her excuse of the day for everything she wanted to do was, "Maybe it will cheer up Albus." In the end, nothing cheered up Albus, not even ice cream at Fortescue's before they headed back home.

After dinner, Albus darted toward his room and journal. Harry watched him silently until he set down his quill and put out the light. "Goodnight, Al," he whispered into the dark. Albus did not respond.

~O~

23 August 2018

Diagon Alley was boring. Remember how we always talked about meeting up there to shop together? I kept looking for you. At Gringotts, I think I saw your dad, but he disappeared in the crowd before I could be sure. Lily and I visited the owl shoppe and I saw an owl that looked exactly like yours. I miss seeing your owl deliver random little packages from your dad at breakfast, with Daisy begging you to share the sweets inside with her. She fancies you, you know. Even Rose says so. I was just thinking about her because we saw her at the apothecary and she asked about you. I'm really glad James wasn't with us then. He'd have tormented her terribly.

Now I've got all the supplies I need, and extra if you don't have time to shop yourself. We can share books.

James is in trouble, as if that matters. Dad's banned him from Hogsmeade and Quidditch and I'm sure he'll just take it out on us now. Dad's watching me, so I can't write as much as I'd like. I'm going to bed early tonight.

Sleep well, Scorpius.

Love, Albus

PS. Still no new messages on the coin, but I check constantly. I've been changing the messages too, so you know I'm there, even if you can't respond.

Author's Note: Thank you again for all the reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.