"I need to talk to you," Lily said, grabbing her brother by the arm. He was deep in conversation with a kindly looking man.
"Not now Lily," Albus said, out of the corner of his mouth. "I'm talking to this gentleman."
"Yes now," Lily said firmly. "There's a family crisis." Out of the corner of her eye she could see James making his way toward his wife and felt her stomach fall.
"I'm sure it's not that important," Albus said, crossly.
"Oh I wish it wasn't," Lily said. "I'm so sorry sir. I just need to borrow my brother for a second."
"Oh don't worry about it," the round smiling gentleman said. "I'll talk to you another time Mr. Potter."
"He was going to give half a million galleons to Scorpius," Albus said, after Lily had dragged him away. "Now what's this family crisis?"
Lily just whacked him over the head. "You," she said. "You're the family crisis."
"Lily what are you talking about?" Albus asked, befuddled.
"You and your inability to keep your dick in your pants," Lily snapped. "That's the family crisis."
"Lily," Albus said turning pale.
"I don't want to know when you decided that the best course of action you could possibly take was to screw your only brother's wife," Lily said, her expression flinty. "But I do want to know what you're going to do about now that he knows."
"He knows?" Albus asked, aghast. "How-"
"Well he doesn't exactly know," Lily amended. "But he will soon. So get your story straight."
"Merlin he's going to kill her," Albus groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"I'd be more worried about you," Lily said. "And I am more worried about you right now. Because you know he loves you far more than he loves her."
"I know," Albus said, anguished.
"Why on earth would you do it?" Lily asked, softening a little. "He's James. He's never hurt anyone."
"He's hurt her plenty," Albus snapped.
"Yeah all the shoes he buys her must really make her sad," Lily said sarcastically.
"You wouldn't understand," Albus said.
"You're right I absolutely don't understand," Lily said. "And even if what you're saying is true then she could literally cheat on him with anyone. Merlin knows he hasn't been faithful. I wouldn't even hold it against her. But why would you-"
"I know, I know," Albus said. "I'm a terrible person."
"And you also always manage to sleep with the most inappropriate people," Lily said. "I mean how do you even do that? Lillian Svenson?"
"How do you know about Lillian?" Albus asked.
"Everyone knows about Lillian," Lily said. "But you know this is worse. So much worse."
"He's going to kill her," Albus said.
"He's going to kill you," Lily said. "And I'm thinking of letting him. Are you entirely unaware of what you've done?"
"Trust me I am totally and completely aware of what I've done," Albus said.
"Good then I think its time," Lily said.
"What you want me to talk to him here?" Albus asked. "In the middle of Scorpius' very important fundraiser?"
"Well since they've been arguing over there for about five minutes now I'd say you had better go and figure your life out before there's a brutal double murder," Lily said, grabbing him by the arm. "Come on."
She dragged him toward the fighting couple.
"Just tell me who it is," James said, not worrying about how loud he was being.
"It's none of your business," Sophie hissed, but then she noticed Al approaching and she couldn't help but send him an impassioned glance.
James whipped around and found himself staring at his two siblings, and suddenly everything fell into place.
"No," he said, anger and disbelief practically pouring out of him. "No."
"James," Sophie began.
"You can't," James said. "You wouldn't. He wouldn't."
"James," Albus said, awkwardly putting his hand on his brother's arm. "I'm so sorry."
"Really Al?" James asked quietly. "You're sorry?"
"James," Sophie said, looking uncharacteristically upset. "We never meant-"
"Shut up!" James shouted. "You're disgusting."
"As are you," Sophie said, fired up.
"I would never…" James said, unable to finish his sentence.
"You would never what James?" Sophie asked. "Do you think I don't know that you've been in love with someone else for three years?"
"Is this what it was about?" James said angrily. "Ariana?"
"Yes!" Sophie said, her eyes glittering dangerously. "Yes! It was about your stupid Longbottom."
"So you think seducing my brother is a good idea?" James asked incredulously.
"She didn't seduce me," Albus said, moving to stand in front of Sophie as if protecting her from his brother's onslaught.
"I'm sure she didn't," James said with a bitter laugh. "Always want what you can't have don't you Al?"
"If you're angry with anyone it should be me," Albus said resolutely. "This is my fault."
"Oh I know it's your fault," James snapped. "And trust me, I'm fucking angry."
"What the hell is going on here?" Rose asked, striding purposefully toward the Potters.
"My faithful wife and loyal brother have been fucking each other," James snapped, his voice so full of venom Rose took an involuntary step back.
"James," Lily hissed. "Keep it down."
"I don't give a fuck anymore," James said, raising his voice. "Hello there you mindless parasites. Yes you." He gestured to the members of the press hovering around the scene, attempting to be discreet. "Let me write the headline for you."
"James, stop throwing a tantrum," Lily said, grabbing his arm. "We can do this somewhere else."
"Always said she was a whore didn't you Lily," James said spitefully. "I guess I should've listened to you."
"I never said that," Lily said, her voice trembling. "You know I never said that."
The crowd gathering around the Potters was getting larger and larger. James glared at them.
"Come to watch have you?" he asked, as if unable to stop spewing vitriol. "Come to watch the Chosen One's children squabble?"
"That's enough," James' father said, stepping into the melee. "All of you, go find something else to do." He shooed away the crowd, which seemed rather annoyed to be deprived of fresh drama.
"We're all going home," Ginny Potter said. "And we're going to sort this out in a civilized manner."
"Nothing to sort out," James said, his shoulders slumping. He looked entirely defeated. "We're done."
"James," Sophie said.
"You heard me," James said. "I want your stuff out of my house by the end of the day, because we are through."
He turned around and walked away from his brother and his wife. Lily made to follow him but her mother just shook her head.
Sophie had started crying, and Al had his arms around her. Lily suddenly felt sick to her stomach.
"He's right," she said, her voice hard. "You two are disgusting."
a/n: So that's another chapter. I'm going to definitely try and finish this before I lose steam. I think we're about half-way there so maybe fifteen or so chapters more? Anyway I hope you liked it. And please do tell me what you think. :)