Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.

Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. There is also mild reference to racial bigotry. Feel free to back out if need be.

Author's Note: Have a quiet slice of life for Al/Scorp.

Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Ministry (Winter Year 1); RAVEN (2023); MC4A (Winter Year 5)
Individual Challenges: Old Shoes (Y); Bucket Listing (Y); Two Cakes (Y); Eating Cake (Y); In a Flash; Zed Era; Ship Sails
Ministry Challenges: RRD [Day 27] (Albus Severus/Scorpius)
RAVEN Challenges: Settings [29](Classroom); Items [47](Eyeglasses); Colors [155](Yam)
Other MC4A Challenges: Ship (Platform Love)[n/a]; Chim [Rick]("Louder than Words" – Tick, Tick, Boom; Life/Death);Fire [x3](Community); Hang [Phrase 4] (n/a); Soup [E](Eyeglasses); Swap [Accessories (Neon Orange Tie)]
Representation(s): Desi Albus Severus Potter/Scorpius Malfoy
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Sweetest Burn
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: Share (Ameliorate)
Word Count: 509 words

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Study Moment
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Al had always struggled a bit with Potions. He wasn't like his mother or grandmother who excelled at the subject. By the few stories that his father was able to share about the other side of his family, his grandmother on that side had also been rather good at Potions, too. Al knew that his father was better than he claimed, but then his father didn't often mention his own achievements, especially if no one else did.

Luckily, Al had become fast friends with another boy in his own year who was smashing at Potions. Scorpius Malfoy was a bit of a spaz when it came to everything else (much like Al himself was), but get him behind a cauldron and that all melted away like morning fog as the sun rose. Even before they had started dating, Scorpius had been willing to do whatever it took to help Al get a good grade in the class.

The two of them were currently in the empty Potions classroom after dinner. The stated reason was to study for their upcoming exam. The unstated reason was clearly to make Al's brain explode with complex instructions on how to neutralize love potions.

The clock ticked steadily as they worked, each tiny sound echoing like a jackhammer through Al's aching skull. Al had been diligently reading the textbook for the past hour, trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible. His eyes were heavy, but he refused to let himself rest. He was determined to achieve a high mark on the exam, and he was willing to put in the extra work to make it possible.

Al took off his glasses to press the balls of his palms to his eyes. Then he loosened his neon orange tie (Rose had gotten it for him, as a laugh last Hogsmeade weekend), feeling like it was starting to strangle him more than just a bit. He was approaching the point where he was willing to pretend that he mysteriously only spoke Hindi like some bigots at the school did.

Meanwhile, Scorpius was pacing back and forth around the classroom, talking to himself as he worked on their potion sample. He would occasionally head to the blackboard to write out the equations bubbling in his mind just like the simmering liquid in the cauldron. (Al diligently ignored how the yam-color of it was making him hungry.) He was trying to build a mental picture of the concepts he had been learning in the past few weeks. He was already quite comfortable with the material, but he knew that he needed to go the extra mile to make sure he understood it all.

The silence in the classroom was broken periodically when Al and Scorpius would pause to ask questions or discuss some of the more confusing topics. Al would explain the concepts to Scorpius using analogies from everyday life, and Scorpius would provide insights and clarify misunderstandings. Together, they worked through the material, slowly but surely making sure that they were both prepared for the exam.