James POV

"Damn it i'm so late!" I cursed to myself, a slice of toast stuck comically in my mouth as I slipped my arms through the sleeves of my wrinkled robe. 'It's your first day James! Come on! Get it together!'

I weaved through hall after hall, finally vaulting over the railing of a set of stairs on the first floor of the castle. My acrobatics came alongside the vocal protestations and audible huffing of the magical portraits.

"Why I never!"

"Can you believe that's Harry Potter's son! The nerve on him!"

"Slow down lad, you'll kill someone like that!"

I gasped as a chill ran through my body as the transparent shape of Nearly Headleass Nick collided with me from around the next corner.

"Sorry Sir Nicholas!" I mumbled, barely slowing my speed as I looked back over my shoulder.

'The good thing about being late is that there aren't any students congesting the passageways' I thought as I navigated my way to class.

As if fate had sought to contradict me herself, I rounded a corner at breakneck speed only to collide head long with another student, causing his books and notes to spill to the floor.

"Pardon—"

"—Oy, watch where you're going Malfoy" I spat when I recognized him.

Before I knew it, my face suddenly grew hot, my heart beginning to race as I watched his soft features readjust themselves. 'He's wearing Hufflepuff robes' I noted dumbly, still feeling the heat stinging my cheeks.

I gulped nervously, unsure why the sight of a Scorpius lookalike would have such an affect on me. First a snooty Japanese royal girl, now a boy? Was I afflicted with something?' I asked myself, shaking my head.

"You're not Scorpius at all…" I realized, leaning down to help the pretty boy pick up his books. He reddened too, fixing a few strands of platinum hair behind his ears. 'He's slightly softer looking than Malfoy' I noted the longer I observed him. 'Delicate like…'

"No… but Scor is my cousin. Hi, I'm Cyril. I just arrived this morning with my brother and sister… Attendez (wait), you are Ally's brother, non?" The boy asked, cradling his effects in his arms as though they were in danger of falling again.

'He's really, really cute' I caught myself stupidly, a weird emotion bubbling up inside of me. Something about his pheromones was causing me to react to him… 'he smells so fucking delicious'

My sense returned to me at the mention of my brothers name.

"You know Albus?" I asked curiously, returning the remaining folder and papers to the blond. He nodded timidly and my eyes fell to a glowing gold necklace barely visible beneath the collar of his shirt. My attention caught on the line of one of his clavicles, just barely visible where the buttons of the white cotton were undone. I felt myself gulp again at the sight.

"Mhm. He's so nice, ton frère that is, and so is Lily. My father hosted them over the summer. We invited you as well... but I guess you were otherwise engaged… A shame you couldn't make it. It's James right?" He asked, still red-faced. "I'm sorry, I would shake your hand but mine are quite full."

A sickening darkness crept into my stomach as the name 'Valois' dripped like poison through my mind. I realized just who this demon princeling was who stood before me.

He smiled once more, tilting his head boyishly at me. Just then, for the second time in as many minutes, the sight of his yellow robes won out.

"James, yes. Nice to meet you Cyril. I can shake your hand another time. Rather, don't you french go in more for kisses?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him. I realized how flirtatious the line was and I almost punched the wall for my stupidity.

Cyril blushed again and made that same motion of trying to fix a strand of hair behind his ear, balancing his mountain of belongings in the other hand. The tower of objects wobbled precariously in the attempt.

Except this time no hair had actually been out of place. He'd moved out of habit.

"Bon d'accord. (Sure then, that works too?)" He shot, leaning in to either side of my face to graze his cheeks against mine. I had meant it as a joke but I almost stepped back when the smell of his hair reached me, his soft skin ghosting like silk along mine.

"—You're in Gryffindor n'est-ce pas?"

'He has the social thing down, even though I can tell he's beyond nervous right now.' I noted to myself even as his blush refused to dissipate. The red tinge of embarrassment clung to him like the scent of whatever expensive cologne he'd applied.

"Yeah, most of my family have been lions until Al and Lily. You know, Hufflepuffs are the kindest and most loyal people in the world right? You should feel honored to be part of that house."

I almost added 'my last girlfriend was in Hufflepuff' but refrained from mentioning it.

"My brother Acelin and sister Appoline have already made fun of me for failing to sort emerald like them. The hat barely touched their heads before spitting out the word Slytherin in the headmistresses study."

"Not surprising. Even Al cannot stand your siblings." I smirked as I spoke the words. "I'm sorry, was that rude?" I asked, peering over his arms to examine the schedule that lay on the top of his heap of study material.

"It's ok. Many and more say how awful Acelin behaves. If you promise not to repeat this… I would say I tend to agree with the many."

"Where are you headed for your first class? Maybe I could show you where you need to go? If you're not sure that is?" I offered, before suddenly remembering how rushed i was mere moments ago.

'You're late enough as it is James! You'll lose points if you don't hurry!' My internal monologue protested vehemently.

"You have time to be ferrying around a fourth year transfer on your first day? Nous sommes deja en retard. (we are already fairly late)" He added, looking at his wrist. A shadow crossed my face at the sight of the trinket there. His watch was a Patek Phillipe… even I recognized the muggle brand. One could buy a large house with that timepiece.

"Astronomy." I read on his paper, nearly groaning. I had potions all the way down in the dungeons. I'd never make it if I had to take him to the seventh floor observatory at the opposite end of the castle.

"Is it far from where you have class? I admit i'm completely lost. Would you mind terribly showing me James?" He pleaded politely, his eyes fixed on mine.

"Sure, but we have to hurry. Can you run?" I asked, grabbing his heavy pile of books in my strong arms. He nodded and we raced off towards the astronomy tower together.

I finally reached the dungeons, a full twenty minutes late for class. Professor Slughorn and the other students startled at my arrival, seeing me sweaty and disheveled. My sprinting through the corridors had me nearly soaked.

"Um… emergency." I explained to the expectant faces.

"Well, just sit down mr. Potter. Tell me what delayed you after class. For today's lesson you can follow along with your brother." The Slytherin Professor motioned, spreading his hand to point to a potions table.

I caught sight of Al and Scorpius… and moved to sit beside them. 'for fucks sake, they're always glued together…'

"I forgot you're up a year in potions Al. So it's Slytherins and Gryffindors for this term I guess?"

"Obviously… better question is… why do you look like you just took a swim in the black lake? You run a marathon or something?" The blond asked me pointedly, crinkling his nose at my sweaty appearance.

"Oh be quiet Malfoy."

"Good to see you in the regular potions section for a change Albus… erm that is your highness. Oh my, but why haven't you and mr Malfoy begun your assignment?" Professor Slughorn interrupted, checking our progress when he saw none of us were moving any longer. "Merlin's beard! You've already finished your potions?"

"No offense Professor, but Al taught me to brew felicitous ferra over a year ago. It's not uncomplicated... but it's brewing time is laughable."

"Well then Mr. Malfoy, you won't mind if I just test this." The aged man mused, dipping a long yellow rod into the potion and marveling as it emerged as a clear and polished silver. "Herpo's Bones, this is perfect. Ooh I rather think you could sell this… well done boys. Five points for Slytherin! Maybe you'll repeat the process for your brother, give him some pointers?"

"Delighted professor, you can have the remainder of what we brew too! We hardly need this much for Magical Engineering class." Al smiled, bribing the professor with a gift of the expensive substance.

'He's always on everyones good side' I thought, watching Al carefully. Slytherin snake…

"Very kind, very kind your Highness."

The words struck me like a lash.

Your Highness…

What silly words to hear about Al.

Finally the professor moved on and Al dropped his enormous smile like a sack of rice, rolling his eyes and bringing out his cauldron to begin the draught anew. Scorpius tipped the contents of his cauldron into a large glass beaker and stoppered it with his naked—

"Careful!" I cursed, grabbing a napkin and the blonds hand to wipe the drops that had accidentally gotten on his skin.

Malfoy withdrew himself in disdain, eyeing me as though i'd gone insane.

Al merely chuckled at the sight. "It's not toxic Jamie. Scor would have used gloves if it had been dangerous…"

"Oh…"

"Although it's good to know you no longer despise me." Scorpius teased, an obnoxious grin on his face.

'He's not the same at all…' I realized, thinking of the cousin Cyril.

"Nope, still despise you… for a second I got confused… I just dropped off your doppelgänger over in astronomy so i'm a bit disoriented. He's far nicer than you, hence my mistake in treating you kindly." I spat.

"What are you on about now?" Al asked, placing all of the necessary ingredients for the potion in a row beside his burner. He set the flame to 'medium' and placed the cauldron over it even though the instructions read 'very low simmer' on the page.

I almost laughed. 'I guess the textbook is wrong' I thought to myself.

"Cyril right? He's in Hufflepuff now. Super nice bloke if you ask me." I explained. "He is your cousin right Malfoy? Or did I get that wrong?"

The two boys looked at each other and their mouths fell open in catastrophic shock.

"Cyril is here? At Hogwarts? What's this? You mean now?"

"Yes now, all three of the Valois kids transferred in this morning. I'm guessing word of yesterday's royals switching schools from every corner of the world made the news. Maybe they wanted to do the same? I don't know. I thought you'd have heard by now since Cyril's brother and sister sorted Slytherin with you guys."

"Ashera preserve me! I fucking hate the bastards!" Al cursed, causing a few students to stare up at us from their neighboring stations.

"They must be in fourth year Potions right now with Professor Marbo. That's why we didn't know." Malfoy explained, wiping the metallic colored potion from his hand.

I stared at him for a long moment and he caught me in the process.

"Do we look that similar? My cousin and I?" The blond boy asked, his emotions inscrutable beneath his emotionless mask. Both of them had experienced hardship… but this one is cold and defensive… while Cyr is warm…

"No. Now that I see you up close. Not really." I lied. In truth they could have passed for clones.

APOV

'Excuse me everyone… I know we are all in class… but has anyone else been informed that the VALOIS have suddenly infiltrated the school?' I asked, projecting my thoughts into the minds of those of my friends who were in the order.

'MERLIN! I'm fucking tending a flying injury from Madam Hooch's careless first years! Can you cut me out of this feed please?' Victoire complained irritably, almost shouting into our thoughts. I felt irritation from many of my Rabbits suddenly at my glaring intrusion into their minds. They were all trying to concentrate on their assignments.

'Maybe i need to rethink butting into their heads at random whenever I feel like it…' I thought to myself...

'We know… we're in class next door with them right now' Izanami and Aurora spat from Marbo's fourth year classroom next door. 'Aurora is stuck as Appoline's partner and she looks like she wants to strangle someone already.'

'Yes, well, Marcus, Melody and I are in astronomy with Cyril and he's an absolute delight!' Louis shot. A strange emotion slipped into the communication and it felt like someone's irritation again.

'Alex…' I realized, cutting off the emotions we all shared when i caught Raven's jealously from across the chamber. His eyes flitted to mine for a brief second before darting away. He was Jealous of Louis's compliments...

'Only thoughts… It has to stay as just thoughts…' I told myself as I adjusted the spell to filter out our feelings.

A twisted understanding of just how incestuous our little group might become, hit me then, if we all started to share emotions over the course of the next several years. Scor and I already shared emotions at times and we had no control over the experience.

It seemed nobody but I had realized who's jealousy it had been.

'Cyril is always a delight. He is not the problem. It's my other cousins that concern me.' Scorpius chimed in, his powerful mind straining the link I had established for everyone.

'How does James know Cyr exactly?' Lou asked curiously all of a sudden, ignoring discussion of the two evil siblings out of continued interest in the angelic one.

Scor and I exchanged a glance.

'Why do you ask?'

'Oh… Cyr was gushing about him earlier… he was hopelessly lost and James offered to show him to his class… in the astronomy tower. He blushed furiously when Max and Melody explained the dungeons were nowhere near our own classroom. 'Mais vous voulez dire, qu'il s'est mis en retard juste pour m'aider? (You mean he made himself late just to help me out?)'

We all heard Lily burst out laughing at that. Always the fondest of drama is my little sister…

'Someone tell him my troll brother has a girlfriend before he gets his hopes up.' Lils added as an afterthought. 'Although let's do cut the idle banter on day one. Al, I think we'll be seeing enough of each other as is without the need to have a secret telepathic group chat running during every class... don't you?'

'Alright everyone. Maybe at lunch…' I offered, dejected at myself for my mistake. It was stupid to run so quickly to my friends. I should go to Scor first… not bother the others…or at least not intrude so quickly into their minds unless it was for an emergency.

For some reason I resisted the urge to retreat to Scor first…

Then I heard a dark voice taunting 'Because he doesn't love you the way you do'

It came from my heart this time. Not my head. I knew who had dared comment.

A hand came out angrily to stop mine and I realized it was Scorpius who had saved me from adding giant's nail filings to the cauldron. Where did I pick up giant's toenail filings?

"What are you doing Al? Want to kill us?!"

"Oh… I was distracted… maybe Lils is right about the whole group chat thing…" I mused somberly.

"Group chat? What group chat? Merlin you know how weird you guys are? Your conversations are like… I don't know. You talk like you already know half of what the other is about to say. Like you're telepathic or something…"

I squinted and stared straight into my brothers eyes before snapping my fingers at him. I pointed down at the cauldron.

"You, pay attention, never mind our weird telepathy. Did you learn your potion yet or not?"

"How could I? It's been like five minutes! Besides, you've done steps four and five out of order and you've completely skipped the salts of fafnium?"

I waved my hand dismissively in his face, as if I were swatting at a persistent fly. I simply flipped the textbook to the front page.

"See the publishers?"

James peered at the tiny name in Italics. "Selwyn Family publishing. Yeah and?"

"Scor, would you mind pulling up our records for our potions suppliers at Weasley's Wizarding Weazes?"

Scor already had his MacBook out and was looking through its files. 'How's that for telepathy James' i mocked to myself silently.

"Professor? Aren't you going to reprimand them? They're not even working!" Zabini the fifth year objected, tattling like a rat when he noticed the muggle computer was out on the desk next to our cauldron.

"For what? Finishing a perfect potion with half the class left to spare? The fourth years did it before all of you! Have you even gotten a quarter through yours yet Ember?" Slughorn replied, threatening to get up from his seat to go check on the boys abysmal progress. His potion was a horrid mud brown already.

"As I was saying… What is this company here called?"

"Selwyn distributions."

"Yes, and if we look at ministry tax business records, what is the number one potions ingredient that Selwyn Distributions produces?"

James looked down the list of records to an item Scor had highlighted with his cursor.

"Holy fuck Al… Salts of fafnium. So the textbook publishers, what, added a useless ingredient to a potions textbook so all of the next generation of students would need to order salts of fafnium from them when they wanted to make this potion for the industry?"

"Genius right?" Scorpius asked.

"No, It's awful. Fraud arguably! Does that affect the potion at all?"

"It reduces the effectiveness of the finished product yes… by ten to fifteen percent… and makes brewing it a longer and more time consuming process. Not to mention it then requires more of ingredients two and eight, which, many of the Selwyn's in-laws happen to have farms of."

"You're like a total genius Al. A freak. But a mad genius." Jamie exclaimed, balking at my explanation. He clapped his hand on my shoulder and I had to put my own over my mouth to cover the fangs that extended from every one of my teeth in anger. I looked away so that my slytherin eyes wouldn't show. I had wanted to tear into him the moment he had uttered that horrible word to me.

"You alright Albus?"

"He's fine James. Sometimes brewing this potion can give off fumes that make Al lightheaded. He'll be alright in a minute." Scorpius explained, drawing my brothers attention away from me long enough for my composure to return. I suppressed the fangs and my eyes as quickly as I could.

"And Voila. Your little bro has taught you how to make Felicitous Ferra. Which is good for stripping industrial metals for manufacturing… but also in an Auror kit to disarm explosive traps. It will definitely be on an Auror exam."