GOSSIP
"I can't believe the way he looks at you!" Louis shot as I unlocked the door to my London townhouse. "To think you never shared how madly he was chasing after you? Where was I for this, under a rock? And you two kissed? Details man, I need details."
"Don't be silly. He was the one who kissed me. I told him I'm not interested in him like that. Besides, you're one to talk! Do you see how he looks at you too!"
Our laughter chimed like precious bells through the foyer as we entered 12 Grimmauld place. My mum and dad were reading ministerial documents at the breakfast table, the smell of the elves cooking wafting through the entire room as they prepared dinner in the neighboring kitchen. For as long as I can remember my dad rarely ever used the Black family study. He instead found himself sharing notes and advice with his wife at the round table that should have served as morning meeting place for the family. The mountains of paperwork had not deterred us Potters from its use, however. Blotchy coffee stains and cereal bowl rings marred the surfaces of the manilla colored folders and red envelopes that rested disheveled in strewn lopsided heaps all over.
"What's this now? I feel a stroke coming on." My dad shot, dropping his briefs out of shock. "Who's kissed who?"
"Raven Greengrass it turns out, is a shameless flirt, and a notorious cad." Lou gossiped as he walked over to kiss his aunt and uncle on the cheeks in the french fashion.
"Salut neveu" My mother smiled, never failing to be charmed by her favorite nephew.
"Your son here, it seems, has everyone chasing after him. Ever since the Carnival of the moon Al has become the talk of the magical world. Boys, Girls, even Animals can't keep away."
"Oh stop it Lou, this all started well before the carnival. Now that someone leaked that I'm the ASP the attention is only going to get worse."
"Care to expound?" My mother inquired.
"Not if it's going to give Al's father a stroke." Louis teased.
"Alexander has a little crush on me that's all. Had a crush on me really. He… was rather forward when he tried to get me to go out with him."
"Al means that he snogged your son shamelessly." Louis laughed, pulling a chair out at the table to sit himself down. An elf brought over a glass of water for Louis, balancing it on a stack of amazon packages that had yet to be opened. My parents exchanged a glance of shock before their attention returned to me.
"I told him I was flattered but not interested in him like that. Besides I think he's more your speed cousin."
I laughed, addressing the french blond.
"Wait, you're gay Louis?" My mom asked, voicing her complete shock.
"Peut être, qui peut vraiment dire à mon âge." (Maybe, who can really say at my age.)
"I hear my brother and favorite cousin giggling like cretins. I want in on whatever drama is for dinner." My sister exclaimed, coming from her room to join us around the cluttered table. My dad looked dizzy as he tried to digest his political briefs. There was little chance of any more work getting done now.
"We're discussing Louis's boy drama which I had no idea was a thing he even worried about." My mother explained to her daughter.
"Oooooh I love boy drama."
Louis and I swiveled our heads right at her as if to say 'you're one to talk'
She squinted her eyes menacingly, daring us to go there in front of our parents.
"You have boy drama of your own I believe, cousin. Rumors are spreading about you among certain circles, if you know who to ask. Gossip to rival Al's some say."
That did get my parents attention.
"Tututututut" Lily shushed, drawing her hand in a nixing motion in front of her throat.
"What what now?" Dad sputtered. "Rumors? What Rumors?"
"Lily?" Mom joined in.
"He's too old for you as well." I added, getting up to pull some snacks out from the fridge. I placed some slices of cheese, some crackers and some sliced meats and olives on a board, bringing it to the table for Lou to munch on. He thanked me in french before nibbling slowly at a piece of cheese.
"I'm going to murder you both as soon as I can. Mark me boys. Dead."
"Lily Luna Potter, explain yourself this instance."
"Louis?" Harry asked crossly, as though ready to interrogate him over what he knew. My cousin turned and made a grimace to Lily, nodding his head to himself in amusement.
"Yeah, definitely too old for you." Lou agreed. "No offense to his highness the prince."
Lily kicked out at Lou's shin under the table but he had seen the blow coming and mostly avoided it.
"Lily you see, has caught the eye of our newly minted Prince of the font of Order." I explained for my parents finally.
"Markus? Marius's nephew?" Ginny shot. Her alarm was palpable. "He's Seventeen!" She barked, mortified at her daughter.
"He's sixteen mum and there's no drama to speak of. We're just friends and that's it."
"You're thirteen! He might as well be a hundred. You're not to be dating anyone yet Lily, you hear me?" Mom scolded, causing me to laugh.
"I said I'm not! We're just friends! And what are you chuckling at pea brain? When are you and Malfoy going to stop sleeping in the same bed hmmmm? You've been at it since the first day at Hogwarts. Maybe we should discuss your boy drama?"
Louis sprayed water out of his mouth, unable to contain his laughter.
I resisted the sudden urge to fling something at my sister. I had to act cool or the tempo would be back in Lily's hands. She was in the hot seat for a change. I needed to keep it that way.
My parents did spin my way at her accusation though.
"Oh please, we've been doing that since we were kids, nothing going on there but wholesome cuddling. Mom knows I still like to cuddle, she's caught Scor in my bed loads of times."
My dad looked like he was going to collapse at the mental image of a Potter and a Malfoy snuggling up under the covers of a Hogwarts bed.
"Relax dad. Louis and Lily and Aurora Parkinson too. I said cuddling, not raucous sex."
This time my mom burst out laughing at the sight of her husband's embarrassment. That was when we heard the door close behind us in the entryway. I turned to observe James Potter and Katie Holt stroll through the foyer and into the breakfast room.
"If it isn't the prodigal son, returned at last. How was the Knoxas concert you jammie bastard?" I asked, smiling at James. He startled at my good mood, really that I had addressed him at all. "I can't believe you got to ditch the Carnival altogether, you saw what a mess it was right?" I continued as James deposited his keys and took Katie's jean jacket off for her.
"Hello everyone. I'm Katie Holt." The girl offered, introducing herself.
"Miranda's daughter?" Harry asked, rising to go and shake her hand.
James came over to pull out another chair while Lily looked mercifully relieved that her brother's arrival might have spared her further scrutiny over her friendship with Marcus.
"It was actually pretty amazing twerp. Compared to that stuffy waltzing you were up to." James teased. My mom introduced herself next and all of a sudden Katie was standing timidly next to me.
"Albus right? I'm Katie." She sounded a little nervous addressing me. I wondered why…
"Yeah… I know… I am literally in your potions class remember. I sit just beside you. We've been partners on lab work like a dozen times" I chuckled. Lily chuckled too in that mocking Slytherin way, and just like that James was mad at me again.
"She's just being polite. She's nervous because she knows you're the ASP. Don't be such a dick."
"No, I'm sorry. That was rude of me. Nice to meet you, officially."
"I cannot explain how beautiful your song was at the Carnival. Did you get to see it up close Louis?" Katie asked giddily. 'My first fan?' I thought humorously.
"Yeah it was like a dream. Al and Scor were amazing."
"Probably because they share the same bed every nig— owe!" Lily yowled as I kicked out at her this time. She had not managed to dodge the blow like Louis had, feeling my shoe connect painfully with her shin.
"At least I'm not involved with a seventeen year old." I teased, and just like that our household had devolved back into madness. Katie had come in, trying to be polite, but I knew she was a trouble maker, like James and Connor. She'd be fine in the hail of live fire that was the Potter dinner table.
"What did I miss?" James asked of Louis, placing his hand to his forehead.
"Lily is accusing Al of sleeping with Malfoy, Al is accusing Lily of being involved with a sixteen year old Italian Prince, and well, we were arguing about whether Alex Greengrass likes Al or me."
James took one look around the table and grabbed Katie's hand to drag her up the stairs to his room. Nobody protested or even noticed.