Chapter 9 : The Rift
The Quidditch Pitch
The wind was growing violent, and the sky was heavy with threatening clouds—a perfect autumn afternoon where a storm could break out at any moment. Scorpius and Albus were seated in the stands, which they shared with a few students who had come to cheer for their team and the future players. Most were from Gryffindor and didn't particularly appreciate the arrival of the Slytherin captain in the stands, but Albus ignored them, simply enjoying the company of the boy beside him. He was there for Scorpius, and that was all that mattered.
His brother stood in the middle of the field, deep in conversation with his goalkeeper, Ross Finnigan. Albus watched him give the last recommendations. It was his first year as captain, and even though he would never admit it, he had a lot of admiration for his brother, who was accomplished in this role. However, in this game, he feared James' impartiality and was curious to see how he would handle the recruitment match.
"Look, here come your gigglers!" Scorpius murmured, pointing to a group of girls who were whispering and giggling foolishly while looking at Albus, fresh-faced and blushing.
"The number of members in your fan club is growing alarmingly, and they're getting younger and younger. You should seriously consider hiring someone to sort through your fan mail."
"Shut up!" Albus replied affectionately, wrapping his arm around Scorpius' shoulders.
A rumbling noise filled the sky, and the players entered the field through the air, proud on their brooms. The group headed towards the center of the stadium, where the team captain was standing, but one player broke away from the team and flew to the stands where Scorpius and Albus were sitting.
Scorpius stood up, recognizing Nott as he flew towards him. He smiled when he noticed Dorian's scarlet uniform, giving him a warrior-like appearance that suited him perfectly. The damp air had soaked the strands of his hair, making them stick to his face.
He flew up to Scorpius, grabbed his hand, kissed the silver ring he wore on his finger, and murmured, "Wish me luck."
Scorpius shook his head, playfully bumped Dorian's forehead with the palm of his hand, and replied, "If you do your best, you won't need it."
Dorian smiled before winking at him. He then nodded briskly to greet Albus and headed towards the center of the field.
The first whistle blew, and the candidates soared into the air. For the tryouts, two teams had been formed to compete against each other. At the end of the match, the new goalkeeper, two beaters, three chasers, and the seeker would be chosen.
"Nott has to score against Finnigan's goalposts," Albus observed, shaking his head as he watched the teams formed by the captain.
Scorpius said nothing but nervously bit his lip as he watched the players take their positions. Everyone knew what an excellent goalkeeper Ross Finnigan was. James was clearly putting Dorian in a tough spot for this first encounter.
Finnigan positioned himself in front of the three golden hoops that marked the goals. He was also going through the tryouts like everyone else, but no one had the talent to challenge his position. Ross was a force of nature, with a robust build and broad shoulders. Straddling his broom, it seemed that nothing could shake him.
The second whistle blew, and James tossed the Quaffle into the air while two assistants from the team released the Bludgers and the Golden Snitch. The players crowded the sky above the field, darting around so quickly that their movements left red trails. The spectators in the stands began to cheer, urging on their favorites.
After the first minute of the match, Dorian had seized the Quaffle, followed closely by two chasers determined to take it from him. Pressed hard, he dove towards the ground before performing a spin that left one of his pursuers sprawled on the ground. He then shot straight up towards the golden hoops, but just as he was about to score, two Bludgers struck him, causing him to lose his balance.
In the stands, Scorpius suddenly stood up, letting out an indignant cry. Clenching his fists, he was about to head down to the field, but Albus held him back.
"He's fine, look!"
Scorpius turned towards the field and saw that Dorian had regained control of his broom before hitting the ground and was chasing after the player who had snatched the Quaffle from him.
"Are the beaters allowed to do that?" he asked Albus. "Sending two Bludgers at the same player?"
Albus hesitated, still holding his hand, forcing him to sit back down next to him.
"It's not fair play, and we usually avoid doing it," he finally said. "But it's not against the rules."
Scorpius nodded, but Albus could see how disgusted the young boy was by the players' behavior. He himself didn't approve of such tactics. Feeling Scorpius' fingers tighten around his own, he returned his gaze to the match.
A sharp elbow to the ribs allowed Dorian to retrieve the Quaffle from his opponent's hands. With the Quaffle securely tucked under his arm, he sped towards the goals where Finnigan awaited. Just as he was about to score through the central hoop, he caught sight of a Bludger out of the corner of his eye and twisted, avoiding the impact. He took advantage of Finnigan's disappointment to score through the right hoop.
James whistled and raised his hand towards Dorian, signaling the acceptance of the first goal. Scorpius, delighted, clapped his hands sharply and watched with relish as Finnigan's furious face stomped violently on the stirrup of his broom, casting a dark look at Dorian.
"Anger makes him even uglier," he heard Albus say as he, too, observed the fuming goalkeeper.
"I thought he was a friend of your family," Scorpius said, taking Albus' hand again as if the tension of the match made this contact essential.
"The son of a family friend," Albus corrected gently, watching Malfoy's fingers intertwine with his.
Scorpius blushed and let go of his hand.
"Sorry if it bothers you…
- No," Albus said quickly, taking his hand back in his. "No, not at all."
Scorpius blushed even more and smiled before turning his eyes back to the match. After half an hour of play, Scorpius wanted nothing more than to strangle Ross Finnigan with his own hands. The scores were tight, and the group of Hufflepuff girls giggling at Albus only irritated him further.
"Sorry I'm late, so what's the score?"
Scorpius turned to Nicholas, his cousin, who had just sat down beside him, but as irritated as he was, he preferred not to answer him.
The young brown-haired boy sighed before extending his hand to Albus, who shook it.
"Dorian has scored two goals," Potter explained, "just like two of the other chasers. But Finnigan tends to let the Quaffles of the other players pass more easily."
"He's cheating to help the others succeed in the tryouts?" Nicholas exclaimed.
"It's not cheating since these are just tryouts," Albus explained, ignoring the disdainful sound that came from Scorpius' throat. "It's not uncommon for a player to favor a friend, even unconsciously. It's up to the captain to be fair."
"So everything depends on James' decision," sighed young Greengrass, disheartened.
The final whistle blew, and the players left the sky to gather in the center of the field. Albus and Scorpius waited for the results. The scores were close for the chasers, and there were six candidates in the running, including Dorian. After a moment, voices rose among the players. James and Ross had moved aside and seemed to be arguing.
Albus frowned. It was the first time he had seen his brother quarrel with Finnigan.
"What's going on?" Scorpius asked.
"Let's go see," said Albus, grabbing Scorpius' arm and motioning for Nicholas to follow them. They quickly made their way down to the stadium and approached the players. Scorpius went to congratulate Dorian, but his attention quickly shifted to Potter and Finnigan.
"You're completely out of your mind, James!" Ross was shouting. "Taking Nott is the worst decision you've made as captain.
- I have to pick the best to form this team," James replied, perfectly calm, unlike his friend, whose face was flushed a sickly red. "Dorian is among the three selected because he performed better in the tryouts than the others.
- He scored the same as the other candidates!" Ross said, grabbing his arm and forcing him to face him.
Although they were about the same height, Finnigan was more muscular and stockier, but Potter didn't seem frightened at all.
"Indeed," James said, his gaze dark, ignoring the painful pressure his friend was exerting on his arm. "He scored the same as the players you let win. You're lucky to be the best, Ross, otherwise, I would have kicked you off my team for sabotaging my tryouts."
Finnigan exhaled sharply, then lowered his head and released his friend.
James turned to his team and announced the names of the new members. When he mentioned Dorian's name, Scorpius expected rejection from the other players. He was surprised when they shook Dorian's hand and congratulated him on the match.
"Sorry about the Bludgers, but you handled them well," said a blond-haired boy, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
Feeling a strange melancholy tighten around his heart, Scorpius stepped back, letting Dorian enjoy the company of his new teammates, and returned to Albus, who stood apart, his eyes fixed on his brother with a concerned expression. He broke off his contemplation when he felt Scorpius rest his head on his shoulder.
He glanced over at Nott, still surrounded by the team members. He wrapped his arm around Scorpius and murmured:
"Just because he has new friends doesn't mean he'll forget you, you know?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Malfoy replied, snuggling closer to the young Potter.
"Yeah, sure," he said with a smile. "They'll probably celebrate forming the team in their common room. I'd like to drop by."
"Which means you want me to come along."
"Obviously."
Gryffindor Common Room
The Gryffindor common room was truly pleasant. Unlike the Slytherin common room, which always had a certain greenish glow because it was located just beneath the lake, the Gryffindor room featured warm and comforting colors. Heavy tapestries covered the walls, and a large fireplace kept the room heated, fostering a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
If this room didn't remind him so much of the decor of the Room of Requirement where James had taken him that morning, Scorpius would have felt much more at ease. He was seated on the large sofa facing the fireplace, surrounded by Albus and his cousin, a butterbeer in hand.
In fact, it was his third glass. He had ignored the disapproving look from Albus when he poured the last one. He listened to Rose talk about the school's management issues, a conversation that Scorpius only half-heard while he watched the lovely lips of the girl move with enthusiasm.
She was very pretty, and he hadn't hesitated to tell her so. She had smiled at him, and he had loved the way her cheeks turned red. He liked the young Weasley a lot. Aside from Albus, she was the one who inspired the most sympathy in him. She was very affectionate towards him but never tried to smother him with motherly advice. Just meeting her eyes in the hallway and seeing her smile reassured him greatly. She accepted him without expecting anything in return and never asked anything of him. She was simply there if he needed something.
The rest of the Potter-Weasley clan made him uncomfortable. Hugo and Lily looked at him as if he were the living proof of their parents' gossip. The past between the Malfoys and the Weasleys was too heavy. His own grandfather was never stingy with denigrating remarks about the redheads, and he suspected that the Weasley-Potters were just as talkative. It was only natural that the younger ones avoided him.
As for James…
Scorpius didn't know what the other family members thought, but he knew that Albus had never spoken about him to his parents, and he didn't expect Rose to do so either. Albus preferred to keep their "relationship" secret from his family. He hadn't gone into detail, but he made it clear to Scorpius that aside from his father, the members of his family didn't understand him, and he had no desire "to explain to them what they couldn't understand."
Scorpius didn't insist. He himself hadn't mentioned his friendship with young Potter to his father, even though he wrote to him regularly several times a week. He didn't want to hide anything from him; it was just that he didn't know who Albus was to him.
"It's night and day between them," said Albus, nodding towards something.
Scorpius turned to the direction he had indicated and saw Dorian in deep conversation with his "Captain." Scorpius felt nausea rise in his throat at the sight of the two men exchanging pleasantries. He couldn't tell which of the two was more hypocritical… or maybe it was himself?
Albus watched the exchange between the two men closely. He had questioned his brother about his motivations earlier in the evening, but James remained vague, saying that Nott "was really talented" and that he was being "impartial," just as Albus had advised when they discussed Nott before starting their year at Hogwarts.
But Albus still didn't understand how such a change had taken place in his brother. He was the one who had warned him that bringing Nott onto his team would likely have disastrous consequences, who had said that it would be a shame for their family if Albus allowed Dorian to join…
"Yes, it's quite strange," said Rose, observing the duo. "But James loves winning, so maybe he put aside his anger for the good of the team?"
Scorpius ignored the conversation and focused on his large glass of butterbeer, determined to finish it. He noticed with disappointment that the alcohol was disappearing too quickly. No matter, the Gryffindor common room was full of liquid treasures.
Suddenly, he felt the glass leave his lips and slip from his hands. He raised blurry eyes to the boy who had taken his drink.
"Don't drink too fast," Dorian said disapprovingly. "You know you can't handle alcohol."
And he downed the rest of the glass in one long gulp. Scorpius looked at the young man before him, this man he knew so well and yet seemed so far away today. He didn't recognize the contented look in his eyes, this simple joy that Dorian now felt as he was accepted by the other Gryffindors, a joy that was slowly distancing him from him…
The noise in the room became unbearable. He looked at all the students having fun around them, all these people who had rejected them, those who had hurt them, whom they had avoided for years. How could Dorian forget so quickly, just to experience the relief that comes with normality? He exchanged friendly gestures with the other students, smiled at the advances of girls who wouldn't have dared approach him before…
But what hurt even more was that Dorian was happy, and he was not. On the contrary, he felt himself sinking further and further. A bitter taste numbed his mouth, a taste of defilement and abandonment. Scorpius had never felt so alone. He had thought that if Dorian were happy, he himself would feel better.
But no, Dorian's happiness depended on what he had done and what he had to do. He owed him that happiness, so why couldn't he have it too? And it was unfair!
"You're the one who can't handle alcohol," Scorpius retorted in a hoarse and hateful voice. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be so sweet with the Great James Sirius Potter. I didn't think you'd forget so quickly what those dogs did to you. But if I were you, I'd keep an eye out before one of those bastards slashes your face again."
Dorian slowly lost his smile. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. Beside Scorpius, Albus and Rose had frozen, as had the people who heard Malfoy's words, creating a sudden discomfort in the common room.
"Al," said James, appearing behind Dorian. "I think you should take Malfoy back to your house before he says something else he might regret."
Albus grabbed Scorpius and gently pulled him from the couch, but he violently pulled away, his eyes still fixed on Dorian.
Dorian hadn't moved, and his face showed no emotion. He grabbed Scorpius's arm in turn and dragged him across the common room to the spiral staircase leading to the boys' dormitory. Ensuring they were alone, he pinned Scorpius against the wall.
"What's going on? What are you trying to tell me?" he asked, scrutinizing Scorpius. He seemed to struggle to keep his calm.
"I said what I needed to say," the boy replied, meeting his friend's questioning gaze.
"No. You just tried to hurt me," he insisted forcefully. "What are you really trying to say?"
Scorpius opened his mouth, but the words died in his throat. Troubled, he looked away.
He wanted to pour out words of hate and reproach. Tell him that if he was accepted today, it was thanks to him and that in return, he had nothing but a friend who was drifting away from him. But those words felt false.
Nott had earned his place on the team, and if he hadn't been beaten up for a while thanks to his escapades with Potter, Malfoy wasn't sure that James hadn't selected him for his talent since he had played an incredible match. And then, this situation was his choice… He had selfishly blamed him for his own decisions. Dorian hadn't pushed him into James's bed.
"That's what I thought," Dorian said disdainfully at Malfoy's silence. "You're incapable of telling me what's really going on. You just know how to keep quiet. And you throw out hurtful phrases containing clues about your discomfort, and it's up to me to decode what's going on in your damn head!"
Nott hit the wall next to Scorpius's head, making him flinch. He felt tears welling up in his eyes.
"You can't keep doing this," Dorian continued. "If you have something to say, say it! But those hurtful phrases, I never want to hear them again!"
Scorpius trembled. He felt more of a pleading request in Nott's words than a threat.
"I'm just jealous," he finally said, tears streaming down his cheeks. "And I'm afraid of losing you."
"I don't want to hear those kinds of phrases either," Dorian said, pressing his lips to his forehead.
His voice was lighter now, almost tender. Scorpius smiled and closed his eyes, soothed by Dorian's familiar warmth. They stayed together for a moment, savoring the comfort they knew so well how to provide each other. Then Malfoy felt Nott's lips leave his face.
"You should return to your house," he finally said, stepping away.
Scorpius nodded and let his friend lead him back to the common room. They both ignored the stares directed at them, and Dorian approached the couch where Rose and Albus were still sitting.
"Can you take him back?" he asked Albus.
The young Potter put down his glass, and after wishing Rose a good night, found himself in the isolated corridors of the castle with Scorpius.
On their way back to the dormitory, Albus hadn't said a single word. At first, Scorpius wasn't concerned, as he himself didn't really feel like talking. But now that they were nearing the Slytherin dorm, the silence was becoming downright unpleasant. He watched the young Potter walk ahead, head down, focused on his steps, with his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans.
Even though Scorpius respected his friend's need for quiet, he had no desire to watch him brood the entire way.
"Are you going to talk to me, or do you plan to sulk until you crawl into bed?"
Albus stopped dead in his tracks, looking up at Scorpius, who was startled by such a sudden reaction.
"So, we're bastards now?" Potter asked, eyeing Scorpius up and down.
Scorpius's eyes widened. For a moment, he had no idea what Albus was talking about. Then he remembered his words in the Gryffindor common room.
"That wasn't meant for you," he said, placing a hand on Albus's shoulder, but Albus brushed it off carelessly.
"Yeah, sure, it was meant for everyone except me," he said with irony.
He leaned back against the wall, still keeping his hands in his pockets. He looked tired.
"You insulted members of my family and the people who welcomed you to this school, and you think you can get away with it because of your angelic face. Oh, wipe that indignant look off your face! You talk about your looks like they're a disadvantage, but the fact that half the school wants to jump you suits you just fine. Only it doesn't always work that way. And I'm sick of being the one who picks up the pieces every time you mess up. I feel like that's all I'm good for."
"You've got some nerve saying that to me," Scorpius retorted. "Okay, I'm not easy to live with, and I act selfishly. I realize that and I'm sorry, but you can't say all you do is help me out when I'm in trouble. Since we've known each other, you've learned more about me than Dorian has in several years."
"Oh yeah?" Albus replied, deeply disillusioned. "Well, Dorian must not know much, because I don't know anything about you. You don't understand your own reactions, I don't know your tastes. You don't tell me anything, and every touch from you feels like manipulation. You don't feel anything for anyone; you just possess people, nothing more. To know your past, I'd have to break through your shell, and I'm starting to think I'm incapable of that. I thought we were starting to build something strong... And then you just freak out because Dorian is starting to feel better, as if you want to keep him in the same state of sadness that you wallow in. And during those moments, I didn't even exist anymore."
He looked up at Scorpius, who hadn't moved, his eyes fixed on the floor, and Albus smiled sadly.
"I'm always wrong with you, always. And I try—I'm such an idiot that I keep trying. But what's the point if you don't see any of it?"
Silence fell between them like a sentence, but Scorpius felt like Potter's words were still echoing off the walls—or maybe just in his head. He couldn't process what Albus had just said to him. Was he trying to declare something? Scorpius knew their relationship was intense, but he had thought it was more of a dependency than a real emotional connection.
And now, Albus…
"Why are you doing all this? What do you expect from me?" Scorpius asked after a moment of silence.
"If you're asking, then you haven't understood anything."
"No, I really haven't!" Scorpius exploded, and Albus suddenly straightened up, surprised. Scorpius stepped toward him. He raised his hands to his face, rubbing his eyelids as if trying to clear his thoughts while also pushing away the fatigue that weighed on him.
"I don't understand," he finally said. "I don't understand why you're saying all this or even what you're trying to tell me. You're spouting words that don't make any sense. You say we started to build something strong? But I haven't built anything! Whatever's happening between us came out of nowhere. I never sought your presence, nor your help, nor your affection. Before you spoke to me the weekend before we left, I never imagined we could be this close. You're the one who came to me, who offered me everything, and who created this dependence in me. You suddenly burst into my life, taking up as much space as possible, and now you blame me for not reciprocating feelings that I know nothing about!"
"To hear you talk, I've orchestrated everything," Albus said dryly.
"I'm not saying that either..."
"I just wanted to meet you," Albus interrupted. "I didn't plan for what happened next."
Scorpius looked at him for a long time, surprised.
"You wanted to meet me... but why?"
Albus started to laugh, a deep, bitter laugh.
"I don't even know anymore," he finally said. "Look, I'm not talking about love or anything like that. I'm just saying there's something strong between us, and I'd like to know if I'm the only one who thinks so. Because with you, it feels like you don't feel anything!"
Albus was exhausted. He felt like only the wall behind him was keeping him upright.
Scorpius's words echoed in his head and squeezed his heart. He was right—Malfoy hadn't demanded anything from him; it was Albus who had triggered everything.
He looked at the boy in front of him, who was now staring at the floor. He had wrapped his arms around himself, as if to protect himself from the cold or from his own demons.
Albus noticed he was biting his lip, a reflex he always had when he wanted to say something, but he always ended up staying silent.
Al cursed that silence; he was sick of it—he wanted Scorpius to speak!
"Yes, whatever is happening between us is very strong," Scorpius finally said.
His voice was very soft, almost a whisper. He nervously ran his hands over his face before sliding his fingers through his hair, pulling it back.
"But I don't know what it is. And to be honest, I find it frightening that it's so intense when we've known each other for such a short time. Even you don't know how to define our 'relationship.' It's too early, and maybe it's just not the right time yet."
Scorpius saw Albus nod, but he still didn't seem convinced. He watched him run his hand through his messy brown hair, a familiar nervous tic that made Scorpius smile.
"And what about Dorian? How do you feel about him?" Albus asked, dreading the answer he would get.
"Dorian is almost like a brother to me," Scorpius replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice, clearly unhappy with the turn the conversation had taken.
"And you two have never...?"
"No."
"But he must have wanted to…"
"It doesn't matter what he wanted or not; it never happened! But damn it... how did we get to this conversation?"
"I need to know who I am to you."
Scorpius hesitated and stepped closer to Potter to hug him, but Albus stopped him, grabbing him by the shoulders. He wanted Scorpius to talk to him. He was tired of the silent embraces where he had to guess what Malfoy was trying to say.
The young boy looked away, troubled by the intensity of Potter's gaze. He hesitated, then murmured:
"You're important, and I care about you. Can you be satisfied with that for now?"
Albus sighed and nodded before wrapping his arms around the boy.
End of Chapter 9