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“Albus come fast!” Scorpius shouts hurriedly over the warning whistle. You’re going to miss the train and so I’ll have to get down with you and I swear to god if we miss the train because of you, I’ll-” he abruptly stops. Albus is running towards the train at a speed of million kilometres per second, and grabs the handle and climbs in, just as the train starts to move.
“Calm down, will you? It’s not like I didn’t make it on time.” smirks Albus, with his hair dark and messy and flushed cheeks due to running so fast. His eyes look brighter than usual, and he looks back to where Hagrid is standing. He gives a large smile and waves, and to Scorpius’ surprise, Albus waves back.
As they make their way to the cabin, they always sit in towards the end of the train, “I thought you didn’t like Hagrid.” Scorpius frowns.
“He’s not bad. I have to get over the fact that not all people my father interact with are terrible.” Albus replies absently.
“I guess that’s true,” Scorpius admits collapsing onto the berth, “You seem to be growing up.”
Before Albus begins to think Scorpius is calling him immature (which he is definitely not), he swiftly changes the topic to something completely unrelated. Albus doesn’t seem to notice or at least doesn’t call him out on it, and seems to be completely interested in indulging Scorpius, giving him a smile as if he knows what Scorpius just did.
They’re going back home at the end of the fourth year. After everything that has happened, Scorpius Malfoy just wants to go home. What he doesn’t want though, is to leave Albus. He wishes to take him with himself to the Malfoy Manor. He doubts it’d be possible, but he appreciates the thought of him and Albus, showing him around the Manor, a light in the forlorn castle of the night. He immediately glances at Albus wondering if he could tell that Scorpius just zoned out and hasn’t paid attention to a word, he’s said in the past seven minutes.
Albus frowns, and is about to say something, but Scorpius would never find out, as at that exact moment, Rose Weasley barges into their cabin. Albus and Scorpius immediately look up at the intrusion, and Scorpius would have been glad for another distraction but it’s Rose Weasley, and oh no, not again.
Scorpius Malfoy’s favourite thing to do, except for hanging out with Albus Potter, is to ask out Rose Weasley. It’s not like he harbours deep emotions towards her, but it’s more of a routine. He’s been asking her out over and over for the past two years. The thing with Scorpius asking Rose over and over again, was he felt it was interesting. It was interesting to see how Al would take it, as his reactions always seem to excite Scorpius. This year too, he asked her to go to Hogsmeade, yet now there was a problem. Rose Weasley actually said yes. It was a fun drill for Scorpius every year, to be rejected over and over again, but this year Rose had sort of ruined it. Ruined their vibe.
Albus was shocked on finding out Rose said yes, but everyone’s been a little different for the past few months. They know how Albus, and Scorpius did something adventurous and have been summoned to the Headmistress’ office for it. Their parents have been called uncountable times to school now, and it is a kind of big deal when Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy walk the hallways together. Of course, students also get excited by the prospect of Ginny Weasley, an ex-seeker of the Holyhead Harpies. Though they don’t know what exactly it is that they did, they are ecstatic to know. But these past few months have been hectic and taken a toll on their lives.
They’re dealing with it as after all, if they deal with Voldemort’s daughter, then they can deal with meagre school work of course. It’s just the matter of principle, having to attend detention for the whole year, and people discussing behind their backs what is it they did, to suffer such a terrible fate according to the people. It doesn’t bother the both of them much though, because they don’t go to Hogsmeade anyway, as Albus didn’t want to (tore the form and all). Scorpius wonders if Albus wants to tell the story, and if he doesn’t why he has not told anyone yet.
Albus doesn’t mind the attention, as far as Scorpius can tell, because for the first time in his life, it’s because of something he did, and not his father. It’s been great as not many people are calling him Voldemort’s Son, or Albus being known as ‘The Slytherin Squib’. Now when they come back for their fifth year, Scorpius has a date booked with Rose Weasley and he’s not sure he wants to do. He obviously cannot deny now, he’ll come off as crazy, and the idea of Scorpius getting a date for some reason seems extremely unbelievable to Albus.
It was the time of Christmas vacation and Scorpius and Albus weren't allowed to go as Professor McGonagall had banned them, due to the ‘activities’ they did, the whole year. Albus having waved to everyone, went to the library for once, and Scorpius decided it would be a good idea to go talk to Rose. He thought it was a good idea to be on good terms, with his best friend’s worst cousin. At least Albus used to think that. He was trying to come on terms with how Rose Weasley had ignored them for years, and was sorry for what she had done.
“Hi Rose.” he breathed. “Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me next year? As a date? Like I cannot do it this year. We’re actually banned from Hogsmeade. You know it’s...” he trailed off. Rose knew bits of the story but not the whole one. Only the Headmistress and their parents knew the whole story. He wasn't sure if he should tell her not knowing if Albus would mind it or not.
Rose walked towards him, a smile playing off her lips. She smirked, and said “Sure, Scorpion King. I’d love to.” At that moment the warning whistle blew, and Rose boarded the train, and the train started to move. Scorpius just stood there even ten minutes after the train left dumbstruck and wondering what kind of mess he was put in due to his own stupidity. He seemed to realize, there was a reason he was not put in Ravenclaw.
“I asked out Rose.” Scorpius muttered walking in the library, sitting opposite to Albus. It was midday and there weren’t any people in the library, as everyone was assembled in The Great Hall for the back-to-school feast. Albus upon hearing his friend’s gloomy sigh tried to console him.
“It’s fine Scor. Don’t be sad, you’re too good for her anyway. Why should you date her anyway?” Scorpius tries to stop him, but Albus is in one of his rant moods. Albus started walking towards him, and sat on the chair next to Scorpius. “You should find someone stable who you can actually hold a conversation with anyway. There’s also how-”
Scorpius shook his shoulders harshly to make him stop, pausing his deafening tirade, which as annoying as it was, made something jump in Scorpius’ chest.
“Albus. Albus, listen. She said yes.” Scorpius said in a sulky tone. But he still wasn't able to understand Albus’ irritated tone.
“She did, what?” Albus hissed. He got up immediately, running his palm through his messy hair. Scorpius guessed he just didn’t want his best friend and his cousin dating. Not to jump forward, as dating is obviously a mile away, but Scorpius just doesn’t know why she would accept.
“I’m so sorry. I thought she would just decline as usual. I didn’t actually expect her to say yes. It’s like you know our thing. I ask her out, and she rejects me. I mean why did she say yes? Now I actually have to go out with her. What if she hates it? What if she hates me? I don’t even know what to-” Scorpius trailed off, as on a narrow glance he found Albus pacing the library.
“No, but why would she say yes?” Albus fumed. “She’ll probably just break your heart. Does she even like you? Or is she just doing this to annoy me?”
This to Scorpius was quite offensive. He didn’t understand why it was so unbelievable to Albus that Rose had accepted. Scorpius didn’t actually want to go on the date, but that is far from the point. Did Albus consider Scorpius that bad of a prospect, that no one would want to go out with him? Scorpius had looked at himself quite a few times in the mirror. His hair was blond and he had curls which he tried to keep in shape properly, quite the opposite of Albus, and his eyes were pale grey which supposedly are considered pretty. He assumed that he definitely didn’t look bad, which could be justified by Polly Chapman’s crush on him, in another reality, but regardless didn’t excuse it.
“Why are you so shocked by the prospect of someone asking me out? In this reality I mean.” Scorpius asked in a casual tone, meaning the words more seriously than they sounded.
“I didn’t- I obviously mean, didn’t she hate you? I mean as soon as she found out something about you being the Scorpion King, she’s suddenly interested in you.” Albus said as he sat again in the chair beside him. He seemed to be boring into Scorpius’ eyes, as his pupils scan over his face, trying to gauge a reaction from Malfoy The Unanxious.
“Oh. I thought, you thought, I’m so undesirable, no one would ever say yes to me.” Scorpius said giving an embarrassed laugh, as he averted his gaze towards a random magazine, kept on the table, grabbed it and started reading from a random page. To his horror on that specific page was an advertisement for Ron and George’s Wizard Wheezes’ love potions.
“I’m mean to my father, Scorpius. Never to you.” Albus said in a comforting tone. Scorpius could feel him trying to meet his eyes, but Scorpius just didn’t want to see the pity in his eyes, so he started to read the ‘zine out loud.
“Anyways, look at this book. Amortentia is the most powerful love potion of all time. Make someone fall in love with you for at least two weeks guaranteed. They’d be falling at your feet, and whispering your name, and you’d be all they can think of. Come to Wizard Wheezes, and make them fall in love.”
“Did you know, Amortentia supposed smells like something you’re attracted to?” Scorpius spoke in a casual manner finally meeting Albus’ eyes.
“Of course, as I said, potions are kind of my thing, if you may.” Albus replied pulling out a chocolate frog out of his pocket, offering it to Scorpius.
“No thank you. What do you think it’d smell like to you? Voldemort’s daughter?” Scorpius laughed, leaning his head against the chair.
“Please don’t remind me. I had pushed that into a corner of my mind, I don’t have an intention of revisiting ever again.” Albus said letting out a sigh. “And what do you think, it'd smell like to you? My cousin sister?” Albus rolled his eyes and got up exiting the library, and looking quite done with this conversation. For some reason he really didn’t like talking about Rose. Or at least Scorpius and Rose.
“I’m sure, to her the potion smells like me.” On turning back and looking at Albus’ face he laughed. “I'm kidding. But it’s there in the course to be covered for next year. I guess we’ll find out next year, huh?”
But truly, Scorpius didn’t think it’d smell like Rose at all. Rose was great. Rose was like bread. But she hated them originally, and now that she knew bits and pieces of what they did, she appeared fascinated. Scorpius thought Albus was right about that prospect after all. She did seem a little...superficial.
Albus reached the gate, turned back, and answered softly, “I guess we will.” And then he left moving out of Scorpius’ line of vision leaving him staring at the door, long after his departure.
Back to the present, Scorpius is now terrified, as Rose Weasley enters the cabin. He fears she might ask him something about the date, for the fifth, and oh god, he really doesn’t want to answer that. Luckily, there’s a few other people behind her, and he doubts she’s going to ruin her reputation in front of the others right there.
“Hi Scorpius. Hi Albus.” Melody Selwyn says greeting them in with a friendly smile, moving from behind Rose’s back. Albus raises an eyebrow, and Scorpius thinks it’s because he much be wondering why she’s referring to them, by their first names, as if she knows them. Scorpius’ has never really spoken to her. She’s in the same year as them, and in Ravenclaw. As she’s not in their rival house there’s no sort of issues between them, not that they particularly believe in creating idiotic rivalries anyway. But still, they do have some sort of loyalty to their house, especially Albus, who loves to repeat to his family time and again, how he's in Slytherin, and how they should deal with it. They don’t mind it much now, but it had taken time, for them to come onto terms with it.
Scorpius obviously knows about the Selwyn’s, them being part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. As much as his father, does not talk about his pureblood heritage, there’s not much a man can do deflecting from his roots. The way people are raised, even on running away from what they are supposed to be, there’s a lot of abstract concepts involved, one cannot help but to run back to what he knows. He tries his best, and has raised Scorpius not caring about it, but sometimes he just can't help running back to his roots.
He supposes Melody Selwyn though wouldn’t be that bad of a nut, because if she were a pureblood fanatic, she’d be with the Slytherins (she’s Ravenclaw), as people like to think all Slytherins are. They’re not, but well, he doesn’t really have the conviction to convince them all. Scorpius might be biased, because the Slytherins have recently been warming up to Scorpius and Albus, due to them getting detention for a whole year. He assumes it’s because they feel pity for them. And well, for Scorpius, pity’s always a start.
Scorpius being the lovely person he considers himself to be, greets her back, “Selwyn. Hello. What brings you here to our humble...” He pauses, and after a moment of thought continues, “ ...compartment?” as to being confused as to why she’d come to them, as they always sit in the cabin alone, with just each other for company. But it’s not just her. It’s her, and Carter Farley from Hufflepuff, and of course, Rose Weasley. A representative of each house except theirs.
Albus rolls his eyes, the way he’s used to whenever he comes into contact with Rose Weasley. Scorpius sometimes thinks he’d push her off a train if he could. It might be past resentment from her ditching him for the past so many years. He wants to run away, anything than face this interaction. What if she asks about the date? Scorpius stomach feels like it’s doing backflips and it’s definitely not in a good way. He gives a flicker of a smile, and a light wave.
Rose smiles back, and wow okay, this is new. She sits next to Scorpius, and the others take a seat on either side of Albus. Then Rose speaks, “Well we all know you all did something ‘bad’ this term,” making the universal sign of air quotes, “And we haven’t been given all the details, but like we have to know, what you guys did. I mean for a whole year of detention; you must have done something bad. Like terribly bad. The way it’s been treated, it’s like you all tried to raise Voldemort or something.”
Scorpius is somewhat mortified by how close that statement hits to home, ignoring their honourable though rather stupid intentions, of course.
Carter doesn’t seem to care though, but that’s more because he doesn’t know. He gives a musical laugh, which is funny considering, Melody is next to them. Melody should be musical. Because you know. Melody.
“I fail to comprehend how it’s any of your business, Rose.” The tone of his voice was one which could not be mistook as friendly in any way.
It doesn’t seem to bother Rose. After all, she didn’t care for four years, it doesn’t make much of a difference now. The only reason she was trying to be better at the beginning of fourth year was because Harry Potter was feeling bad for his son, and owled the Weasleys. which as per Albus, was stupidly humiliating. This courtesy though Scorpius doesn’t think would be extended to himself, and if Rose agreed to go on a date with him, it’s probably of his own accord. He just isn’t sure about how much he appreciates it.
“It isn’t. But it’s fun. And some people love to have fun, Albus. Not that you would know what it means.” Rose shoots back, turning to Albus, making eye contact, and looking completely unbothered about it, as if he were not Albus, but gum stuck on the bottom of her shoe.
But the thing about gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe, is that it quite obviously, sticks. It cannot be removed unless you physically dirty your hands, and take it off, or be stuck with a shoe that keeps sticking to the ground. So Albus eyes give a spark, as if he waiting for this moment, and responds with what Rose has always assumed he is. Gum on the shoe.
“You really should know that we saved your life. I mean, if it weren’t for us, you would probably never even be born, you know.” He pauses, for impact, moving on as he shifts around on his seat and continues, “Actually no. To be honest, I wouldn’t have minded if you didn’t exist.” He leans back, and propels his legs on the opposite berth right between Rose and Scorpius, “Because the truth of the matter remains, you’re quite inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. But well. I guess, you should be grateful to Scorpius.” as he raises his hand in a delicate movement and gestures to Scorpius.
“It was his idea to save you after all, because for all I care,” He gives a nonchalant shrug. “I reckon it doesn’t matter after all. But you do want to know what happened right? I figure I should tell you after all.” It’s a lie. Scorpius didn’t want to go back and rescue Rose Weasley, Albus did. He’s knows why he’s lying, and he wonders whether he should set things straight, but he’s not about to say anything right now. It’s something, he’s learned lately, and that is not involve one’s self in other people’s business. However, it is a little unsettling to watch the conflict. He’s not much of a drama enjoeyer. He did know Albus didn’t like Rose Weasley, but to be so rude, was what in muggle speech they called a tad, dramatic. He looks down to where Albus’ feet are kept gently, but surely in between Rose and him.
He spares a glance at Rose and she’s never one to back down. “I have literally no idea, what the fuck you’re going on about. It would help, if there’s a semblance of a context, which I know will require you to lose your idiocy, and actually speak in coherent sentences.” She scoffs, tying her hair back into a knot.
Melody is swivelling her head around, looking like a fucking pendulum whose speed doesn’t reduce, trying to not miss any dialogue, just gawping at the scene unfolding around them. Oh my god, Albus why, Scorpius wonders. Carter’s just trying to hold in his laughter, and he seems a second away from bursting out laughing. So much for being a kind Hufflepuff.
Albus laughs, but there’s no humour in it, and then “It so funny, how I am idiotic, yet you are a Gryffindor. Isn’t your house literally known, for your stupidity?”
At this Carter chortles, and upon Melody and Scorpius, glaring at him, he morphs it into a cough. Rose doesn’t pay attention to it though and decides to provoke him further.
“Are you sure that’s not jealousy you're projecting Al, because you want to be a Gryffindor instead?” she taunts giving him a wicked smile.
It is truly a wonder, seeing these two argue, they’re really cousins, though Scorpius doubts, the rest, despise each this much. They’re constantly fighting yet there’s no genuine expression, on any of their faces, and that is a talent of its own. But as much as Melody is revelling in the drama, and Carter is about to cheer at them to fight, Scorpius’ has got to take hold of the condition.
“First of all, do not call me Al, everyone knows I don’t like to be called-,” Albus replies harshly, and Scorpius decides to finally intervene.
“Guys! Stop. Calm down. I’ll tell you everything that happened.” He says getting up in a flash, keeping his hand on his best friend’s shoulder, giving him a hard stare, and trying to mentally communicate how he needs to calm down. Albus seems to understand, and the darkness goes out of his eyes, as a sense of sweeping calm brushes over him, and he stops the demonic weird laugh thing he was doing.
Moving on to Rose, he would keep his palm over her shoulder too, but he doubts that’d be appreciated. She’s sitting at the same place glaring daggers, at Albus.
“Finally, someone sensible,” Melody says, flipping her long brown hair back, “I don’t have time for your prolonged drama.” Scorpius scoffs, like what is he supposed to say? Why is she sitting here then? God, he wants to push Melody off the train. He mentally hits himself, ugh, this spectacle is giving him a headache, and it seems to destroy the intricacies of Scorpius’ mind.
Scorpius lays his eyes on Albus, for an affirmation that Albus is fine with him proceeding, and he just nods. He’s still sitting in the weird position though with his legs between Rose and Scorpius.
So, Scorpius tells them. He tells them everything starting from the Polyjuice Potion, moving along to Delphi, all about travelling in time, and everyone just looks shocked, and he hasn’t even mentioned who Delphi is yet. He tells them about the reality where Ron marries Padma Patil, where Rose doesn’t exist, and about the darkest world when Albus Potter didn’t exist, and Voldemort ruled, and they were all servants of the dark. His voice breaks at this part, and Albus looks sympathetic, but he speaks because he’s never learned how to stop. He’s desperate to get the story out, till his words fail, till he tells them over and over, how it wasn’t their intention, how what could have happened. He leaves out the part about how in all realities his mother was dead. There are some things which are just meant for him after all.
He also includes how it was Albus’ idea to rescue Rose. He isn’t the type to take credit for something he didn’t do. Albus chips in between and starts continuing the story from 1981, from the time he knows it, about the kid who died. Sometime in between Rose has had switched positions with Melody and sat next to Albus. Rose seems to have forgotten about her feud with Albus, and so she rests her hand on his shoulder. He appears to not notice, but Scorpius is sure he did. God, these cousins. And so, Albus keeps talking, and it feels like hours before he stops, but eventually he does, playing the last trump card, revealing the identity of Delphi Riddle.
“She’s who, now?!” Carter’s finally showing a reaction instead of laughing like a maniac. Melody appears to be traumatised in the blatant sense of the word and is sitting forward with her face between her palms.
“I know! It was so shocking, and we also saw Voldemort, he was right in front of us! We saw him kill Lily and James Potter, like I mean the original ones, and there was literally nothing we could do about it! Even Harry Potter couldn’t do anything, it was absolutely horrible.” Scorpius cuts in between, his curls falling on his forehead. He’s mirroring their equally horrified expressions.
They’re exchanging glances between Scorpius and Albus, and Scorpius is unsure what to make of it. It’s an expression, which they haven’t seen on others’ faces upon seeing them. Scorpius makes eye contact with Albus, and he shrugs like he doesn’t know either.
Rose seems to ponder about looks at each of them and says, “I mean, you just put the whole world in trouble for your enjoyment, or at least the wizard entirety of London,” she pauses and even Albus looks ready for the severity she’s going to shout with, but then she speaks and it’s so unexpected, “But I’ve got to admire your bravery, even though you are Slytherins. But guys, what the fuck?”
“Mate, I’m not sure about Gryffindor being the dumbest house. This is a snatching the Idiocy Cup kind of thing.” Melody states truthfully. “Wow. I mean. Wow.” as she sits dumbfounded.
At this point everyone laughs, including Albus and Rose and it’s so heart-warming when Scorpius sees them laugh, because he loves the connection between the cousins, him not having any siblings of his own. Something clicks inside his head and he finally understand the expression on other’s faces, and it just works, because it just is, and its respect, and it’s more than anything they have ever been given at Hogwarts.
Maybe it’s something about the moment, maybe it’s a faithful delusion of acceptance, but he sees Albus smiling, and he hasn’t seen that in far too long, but he missed it, and now he’s content. In some time, when the train reaches London, and everyone meets their parents, Scorpius waves back at Albus, and he always feels bad leaving Albus, but for the first time in their lives when they leave for home, they are excited by the prospect of coming back.
Albus pulls him in for a hug, and whispers in his ear, “Don’t miss me too much.”
“This is the fourth time, we did this.” Scorpius grins.
“Are you going to say this every time?” Albus questions pleasantly. “Because it could get too much later for you to keep count.”
But before Scorpius can comprehend his words Albus pulls himself away and runs towards his family. With Rose. When he turns, his father’s standing right behind him, and he launches into a tale as they apparate off the platform and reach the Manor, about everything new and everyone new. At night when he sleeps, he dreams about Hogwarts, and for once in long, it’s not a nightmare.