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It was dark. And the lake was cold. Of course it had been cold before, but as Scorpius kicked up to the surface this time, something about it seemed icy. Dangerous. His head broke the surface and he took a big gasp of air, shaking his blond fringe out of his face, blinking the water from his eyes.
“Albus?” He asked, still slightly gasping, treading water. He looked around, diving back under for a second but it was pointless. The lake, along with the world around him, was pitch black. “Albus!” He shouted, slightly more concerned. He spun this way and that, but couldn’t see his best friend anywhere. He kicked over to the shore, thinking maybe he had already gotten out of the lake.
Scorpius really couldn’t see a thing in the darkness. It shouldn’t have been this inky black. There wasn’t a moon. Not a single star shone above him. His best friend wasn’t at his side. “Albus!” He yelled, voice breaking.
Something terrible had happened.
Scorpius threw his blanket over his body, convulsing. He was hiding from his roommates, but he soon realised he didn’t need to. His now four poster bed took up half of what had been one of Slytherin boys dorms. Now it appeared it belonged simply to the Scorpion King. To him. To the version of him that would have been, had everything been completely different.
He sobbed into his pillow and didn’t sleep at all.
A few days passed, and he began to convince his school mates that he was back to normal. He didn’t think Polly Chapman or Karl Jenkins believed him though. They seemed to be this version of himself’s closest friends. He soon heard from whisperings from other students desperate to get on his good side that the two of them had tossed a coin to see who would get to ask him to the Blood Ball, and Polly had won.
It was odd, being fought over. It brought up feelings he didn’t particularly know how to deal with. He was used to Polly whispering and pointing at him; and Karl charming his books closed, falling into fits of laughter as Scorpius sat there bewildered.
Girls blushed when they looked at him and boys winked. Scorpius had no idea what was going on. He hated every second of it, but a part of him…No. He refused to acknowledge that part of him.
It was the kids who glanced away. The kids who’s heads fell to the ground. The kids who winced. They were the ones that stayed with him. The ones he refused to let himself forget. He would not get swept up in this dark place.
This world was terrible. This version of himself was dreadful. He had to figure out a way to fix everything.
Throughout everything, there was one thought he couldn’t push out. One name that coursed through his mind, whether he was waking or sleeping.
He had to figure out a way to get Albus back.
A week passed. He woke up for the first time knowing exactly where he was. Until now, his mind had woken up in a world where, even when he saw that Albus wasn’t lying next to him, he knew he was just across the castle. Across the castle, in the wrong dorm, wearing the wrong colours. It woke up in a world where, even if Albus was ignoring him, he existed.
But then, a few seconds would pass. He would notice the absence of other beds and the vastness of his own. He would notice the darkness outside, even though the sun should have been scorching the earth, and he would remember. Remember that Albus was gone. Remember that the world that he was in was one corrupted by the most evil force imaginable.
Today he woke up with no hope whatsoever.
Lessons started up for Scorpius as normal today. Umbridge was finally happy that there was nothing wrong with him. He convinced her that he had eaten something that left him feeling ill, and winced when he heard that the house elves that had prepared the food would be receiving a fitting punishment for the damage they did to the Scorpion King. But he couldn’t protest. He couldn’t risk being found out.
When he heard that Snape was a professor still, that Snape was still alive, for the first time in a week of absolute darkness, a tiny sliver of light burst in his mind.
He took some convincing, but the man his best friend was named for came around. Snape in person was everything like the man Scorpius had read about Scorpius had read about. Albus hadn’t told his father, but him and Scorpius had once spent hours reading about both headmasters of Hogwarts. It didn’t particularly ease the weight Albus had felt, but it did come in handy now.
Ron and Hermione felt like a gift from above. They weren’t the same as the ones that he knew, but they were close enough. They were real, and they were good. It took all Scorpius had not to run over and envelop them both in a hug there and then. It broke his heart to see them apart, but his heart had been breaking every second of every day the whole time he had been in this wretched place, so he hardly felt it anymore.
The Dementors were cold. Scorpius’ eyes were open and yet he saw nothing. He felt utter misery, and heard his mother calling. His mother! His mother’s arms would be safe, they would be warm. They would heal the pain he felt in every inch of his bones.
But then a clearer voice broke through to him. A clearer voice spoke a clearer name.
“Albus.” Severus Snape said to him. “You’re giving up your kingdom for Albus.”
Suddenly, he could see him. He could see his bright smile. A smile that was rare, but when it appeared make Scorpius’ heart soar. He heard him laugh, heard him muttering nonsense about not being good at Charms. Scorpius could feel his own hands guiding Albus through different incantations and wand movements. He swatted away from Albus as he tried to steal the book from under his nose. He giggled as he felt him tickle his side so he could grab the packet of sweets that always lingered in Scorpius’ pockets. Albus’ leg pressed against his own in the Great Hall. Albus’ hug on the train platform. Albus’ hug in the library. Albus telling him he was kind. Albus telling him they’d be friends, best friends, for life. Albus. Albus. Albus.
Albus helped Scorpius save the world.
It was dark. But there was movement. And there was a bright moon. And so many stars. And someone swimming next to him.
“ALBUS!” Scorpius didn’t care if they drowned then and there. He hugged his best friend with everything he had. He gripped onto his shoulders, felt his cheek rest in the crook of his neck. He felt the warmth of his hands on his back, heard the struggle in voice as he playfully tried to escape Scorpius’ hug.
They were together. They were home. Scorpius let himself smile for the first time in a week.
This is love, a voice told him in the back of his head when Scorpius couldn’t sleep. Not out of fear, not out of pain, he was just looking over at his best friend as he slept. This is what love feels like, it came to him like a wave crashes over a shore. Maybe he had always felt it, since Albus said he would stay. Since he did as he promised. Since he kept his promise every day.
He had always felt it, but he didn’t have the words until now.
They stood together on the stairs. They had both changed. They hugged now, they were people who hugged. Scorpius was glad.
“I think I’m content with being her friend.” Scorpius found himself saying. Albus’ eyes went wide.
“I didn’t think I’d ever hear such a thing, Scorp,” the easy nickname, the roll of the eyes, the playful hand on the shoulder. It made Scorpius’ heart soar. When the hand lingered, he was imbued with confidence. Scorpius the Un-Anxious, he thought to himself.
“You see, it’s only because I’m obsessed with someone else.” Scorpius met Albus’ stare, his breath hitched slightly. Albus looked around. Their staircase was deserted. “I have been for a while now, actually.” His voice had dropped. Albus’ hand fell from Scorpius shoulder, his fingers now clutching Scorpius’ sleeve.
Scorpius knew his best friend well. He had been flustered around Delphi, and Scorpius could see hints of that now. He wanted to laugh, but he could never laugh at Albus. Not when Albus was looking at him like that. With his face on that he only got when he was really scared that he could ruin everything.
“Does this person know?” Albus asked him, cheeks growing red.
“If they don’t, well,” Scorpius leant forwards slightly, “they’re a bit of an idiot.”
“Well, maybe you should let them know in a way that makes it absolutely clear.” Albus was staring at Scorpius’ lips, but Scorpius could hardly tell, because he was staring at Albus’. “Because…” but Albus couldn’t finish his sentence.
Scorpius closed the gap between them. Neither them really knew what they were doing But that seemed to be how they went out everything. It was warm and messy and built on smiles.
They broke apart. Their hands intertwined. Brown hair mixed with blond as they rested their foreheads together.