Chapter 16

Dear Scorpius,

We're glad to hear from you. We are both doing fine.

Albus Potter? We didn't think you would be friends, but we're glad you two can get along.

As for your question: we want you to come home for Christmas. Not that we don't trust Albus, but we just aren't ready to spend Christmas without you. Well, actually your father isn't, but he won't admit that.

We are looking forward to seeing you when you come home!

Love,

Mom and Dad

"They want me to stay home," Scorpius said to Albus sadly, showing him the letter at breakfast, two days before they would leave for Christmas Break.

"Merlin, that sucks. I would've loved for you to come!"

"That makes two of us..."

Ricky had gotten his letter back, saying he could of course be staying at the Potter's. Since Rose and Albus would obviously be there, Scorpius would be only one not able to come.

Scorpius was trying to hold back tears. It was dumb to be crying about something stupid like this, but he wouldn't see Albus and his other friends for two weeks. It kind of sucked.

"Hey Scorp, what's that?" Ricky said, pointing at a half-covered bruise on Scorpius's arm.

He quickly pulled down his sleeves over his hands. "Oh, nothing. Well, we're gonna be late for Defense, let's go." He got up and walked out of the Great Hall.

"He's hiding something; we still have fifteen minutes to get to DADA," Albus said suspiciously.

Merlin, they almost had you, Scorpius. You stupid ass motherfucker. You should have immediately let that bruise vanish! he thought.

He got out his wand, pointing it at his arm and muttering a quick spell, making the bruise vanish like it had never been there. He rolled down his sleeve and decided to go to his Defense class. He didn't feel like answering any questions.

When Rose, Ricky and Albus came to the classroom right before the bell rang, they shot Scorpius suspicious looks but didn't ask any questions. He figured Albus and Ricky must've told Rose about the little incident.

Professor Kellington came strolling in, closing the door behind him and walking up to the front of the class.

"I've just been told by Professor Vector that your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. will be covering these subjects." He wrote a few things down on the blackboard behind him. "We have till the end of the year to refresh your memory on some of these subjects and to teach you a few new things. Now, we will start with the spell to defeat a Boggart. Who remembers this spell?"

Rose's hand shot up in the air at once, like always. But Professor Kellington turned to Damon, who was sitting on the other side of the classroom, writing something down and obviously not paying attention. "Do you know what spell to use, Mr. Paul?"

He looked up. "Uhm… No?"

"I figured. It might be a good idea to start paying attention. If you fail your O.W.L.s you won't go on into Sixth Year. Care to share what you've written down to the class?"

The class laughed at Damon's scared look. Damon, however, turned his attention to Scorpius and the others. "Think this is funny, do you? You filthy fags."

"PAUL! Detention! Come see me after class. It is inappropriate to make comments like that! Give me that note."

Damon hesitantly handed over the note.

"Read it to the class professor!" Catherin Williams shouted.

"Hold on, Miss Williams." His eyes widened when he read the note. He got out his wand and burned the note. "Extra detention, Paul. And I will inform the Headmaster of this. T-This is unacceptable. I've never read something like this."

Albus and Scorpius looked at each other questioningly. What would be so bad that even Professor Kellington, who was normally very calm and collected, would look surprised and even a little scared?

The rest of the lesson went by fairly quiet, except for the fact that Professor Kellington would glance at Damon once every ten minutes.

When the bell signaling the end of class rang, Professor Kellington said: "Mr. Potter, could I speak to you after I'm done with Mr. Paul?"

"Uhm, sure Professor…" he answered uncertainly.

After Professor Kellington was done yelling at Damon and had send him off to his next class, he directed his attention to Albus.

"Mr. Potter, I would like to warn you for Mr. Paul. If I interpreted his note correctly and Mr. Malfoy is the, and I quote, "Filthy Fag that Needs to Die", he is in serious danger. I know there is a lack of evidence, but I know for sure that Paul is responsible for putting Malfoy in the Hospital Wing – I believe you – and in his note, he wrote down." He paused for a second. "Different ways to kill Malfoy. I do truly care about each of the students in my House and I am utterly disgusted by the way Paul treats you all and I hate how this situation is handled by Professor Vector, but I can tell you this: if Paul is like I think he is, Malfoy could be in grave danger."

Albus's eyes had widened in shock. Kill Scorpius? He was thinking about killing Scorpius?

He was speechless.

"I will go to the Headmaster right this instant, and I would like to ask you to not tell Scorpius about this. I don't want his happiness to be ruined by anything. Not now that is finally happy."

Albus got up and walked all the way to Hagrid's cabin, still thinking about what Professor Kellington had told him.

Surely Damon wouldn't kill Scorpius, right? Right?

When he saw Scorpius, he took a deep breath and walked over to him.

"Hey."

"Hey. What did Kellington want?"

"Oh, school stuff, you know. I need to pay more attention." Wow, that came out smoothly.

-o-O-o-

After Care of Magical Creatures, all students clambered up through the snow towards the castle, freezing cold and unable to move their hands.

Albus, Scorpius, Rose and Ricky had just entered the Entrance Hall, when they heard yelling from a hallway next to the marble staircase.

"How could you possibly be so calm, Septima?" a voice, unmistakably Professor Kellington's, yelled.

"There is no point in going crazy about this, Jonathan," the Headmaster's answered.

All students in the Entrance Hall had crowded together at the beginning of the hallway. The Professors didn't seem to care, though.

"How is there not?" Professor Kellington raged. "A student has been threatened!"

"Not directly," Professor Vector said, still calm.

"That doesn't matter! They're both in my House! I know them like they're my children! He is capable of harming others! We've seen that before, haven't we?"

"There is no proof for that. We don't know if he did it. We only have Potter's word for it."

"Potter's very detailed story and a nearly-dead Malfoy in the Hospital Wing! Isn't that enough evidence? We have to act before this gets out of hand!"

"We won't do anything and that's my final decision," Professor Vector said, walking off.

Professor Kellington rubbed his eyes and turned around. "Don't you all have to go eat or something?"

Albus turned around. Scorpius looked at him questioningly. "That was about us. I have a feeling you're not being completely honest with me, Al."

"Why not?"

"Kellington wants to talk to you in private and next thing we know he is fighting with the Headmaster. This clearly has something to do with us and Damon. What, Albus? You know, I know you do."

"I can't tell you, Scorp… I'm sorry, but I want to keep you happy."

"So you don't think I can handle the truth? I know I'm weak, but I won't break and relapse as soon as one negative thing reaches my ears." He turned on his heel and walked away, angry.

"Dude, you've fucked up," Ricky said.

"I know…" Albus said.

-o-O-o-

"Well, I'll see you three in two weeks," Scorpius sighed. "Merlin, I can't take two weeks without you." He laughed to cover up his sadness.

"We'll write you, though! Two weeks will be over in no time!" Rose said cheerily.

"Scorpius, you coming?" his mom yelled.

"That's my cue. See you guys," he said, hugging them all, Albus a little longer than he was supposed to. He was still a little pissed at Albus for not telling him what Kellington told him, but he figured Albus didn't for Scorpius's own sake.

When walking away, he had only one thought crossing his mind:

Christmas Break is gonna be Hell.

Sorry this is short! :/

I listened to Lorde's Everybody wants to Rule the World on repeat all throughout this chap XD