Warpaint

6 months later

Bee

I had been waiting for this moment for about nine months now and I couldn't believe that it was nearly here. How hadn't he noticed?

I wondered if those around us had. The group was now looking on in interest. We were by the lake. It was just another sunny July day with the gang but I hoped today marked the reign of a new type of queen. 

"Checkmate, Albus Potter," 

I think finally beating Albus now made me the chess queen? Am I right? Tammi's celebrations would suggest that I had won the chess world championship and not beaten my boyfriend, who was frustratingly good at chess, for the first time but perhaps I should enter. Then again, maybe this was the high point in my chess career and I should just retire on the spot. Realistically, it didn't get better than this.

"No! No! No! No! How?"

Albus is such a drama queen. I love it. I love him. 

"I guess she just outsmarted you. You know, I think this feels like a sweet victory for me too. You know how many years I played Albus unsuccessfully?" Scorpius said, slapping Albus on the back in a half gloating, half sympathetic way.

"About as many years as I failed at gobstones?" Albus grumbled back. I had to admit that I admired Albus' bravery on that one. Tammi had tried to get me to play gobstones, like, a bunch of times. As much as I now enjoyed the geekier pursuits in life, gobstones were never going to be for me.

Everyone seemed to have gone back to doing what they were doing now. My moment in the sun was over. Perhaps the look on Albus' face was enough to keep me glowing for a bit longer. I knew he was secretly really quite proud of me. I knew once he calmed down and realized it was his teaching that brought about his defeat, he would look at it a bit differently. 

Our attention was drawn towards Mel walking towards the group with a face like thunder. I wondered what happened to her. It turned out that Tammi was rather popular so my new group of friends that I had slotted in with was much larger. I was rarely the focus anymore. Tammi told me afterwards that she was friendly with a lot of people but she didn't really have that best friend. In a way, I think she knew how I felt all that time when I was so lonely. She had just been friends with far less toxic people though. 

"Why is Professor Mount such a sociopath? Who gives a quiz on the last lesson of the year?" she raged. "I have other responsibilities!" 

So Mel is a quidditch fueled Ravenclaw, co-captain and prefect. She has a raging temper sometimes. I think that fire helped her be so good at sports. Her occasional outbursts were mainly reserved for the Quidditch pitch. Albus and I had returned to watching Quidditch matches through our friendship with her. We've mainly been avoiding it like the plague since we've been together. I missed the empty castle but it was important to her. 

"I'll help you revise for it if you like," I said warmly as she planted herself next to me. "Courtney and I are going over some stuff in our free period after lunch so you don't have to miss Quidditch practice."

"You don't even take Runes. How are you so good at everything?"

I love Runes. I wish I had taken it back in third year but I couldn't go back. My knowledge of Runes was based on personal study. I was good at it. I asked to take it as an extra subject for next year so I could get my NEWT in it. McGonagall was still considering it since I hadn't gotten an OWL. 

"If you've ever seen me in divination then you would know I'm really not," I snorted. "I can tell a good story on occasion though,"

"How did I ever help you with your homework?" Mel laughed as she handed over her Runes book for me to look at.

"I think we're all pretty happy that my villain arc is over," I quipped. 

Mel's comment was meant in the most light hearted way. Those little comments always are and I tried to pretend they didn't bother me..There were fewer comments over time though - and I felt less and less guilty. I always had to remember that there were plenty of people that still remembered what it was like before. It wasn't going to go away. Time was a great healer though. I never believed that until I lived through it. 

The aftermath had been pretty shit though. I didn't regret going public with Albus at all but it was rocky. The whispers at school, the articles from the media. It sucked. Dad and I decided to go public with my mother's death shortly afterwards. I think we both realized that she needed to be remembered and celebrated. Her memory couldn't just be buried in our grief. Dad got involved in a legal case against a newspaper who suggested my mother's death was murder and cover up. Madi's mother represented him.

It was a whole thing but I've got to repair a bit of my friendship with Madi over that time. It proved that the good and the bad just come together sometimes. I took her to muggle London and we went vintage store shopping. It took my mind off the legal case when it was at its height. 

I felt Albus squeeze my hand a little. Our little thing we did to make sure we were okay without words. I squeezed back then leant my head into his chest. 

"I love you," he whispered in my ear. 

*

It was a low-key morning at breakfast. A smaller group than normal sitting around the Slytherin table getting ready for the day. Courtney and Allie sat across the table from us, being the cutest couple ever. They're even cuter than Albus and I. 

Albus and I are adorable when we want to be.

"Bee, why are you so short this morning?"

"Excuse me?"

"We've been dating for six months and this is the first time I've been taller than you, Are those trainers?" Albus asked in mock horror. 

"Well, I'll need cute shoes for Manila," I said defensively. "We'll probably be doing a lot of walking, that's how we'll see the best parts."

They were trainers. Albus is right though. I haven't taken my heels off since we've been dating. I'm 5'8 but added at least 3 inches everyday, which makes a difference. I didn't think anyone would notice that much. I should have known that he would notice though. He sees everything.

Manila is something that Albus and I started talking about a few months ago. When we announced Mum's death to the media suddenly it seemed like there were so many things that I didn't know about. She had grown up in the Philippines until she met my dad anyway. I didn't know anything about Asia, I don't think that I had considered myself half Asian. I knew things about myself but it felt like an unexplored hole in me.

Albus encouraged me to speak to my dad in the interest of not bottling up emotions anymore. My dad was more open than I ever imagined about Mum's past. I was thrilled when he suggested a holiday there. He said that he hadn't met her in her native country but in Japan where she had gone to school and was still working over there at the time. 

 "Don't worry, the shoes are cute but I don't know how I'm going to know where you are without the heels though."

Albus seemed to be the shoe whisperer since we've been going out, he seemed to know the make of shoes by the click-clack on the stone floor. If you ask me, he spent too much time focusing on my shoes. I think that's just his eye for detail though. There is something about the way that he knows me that melted my heart. The way that when I walked into a room that he was always looking at me like I was the only person in it.

Just as I was thrilled to be near him, he still gave me that dizzy rush everyday. Like I fall in love with him again and again each day. I couldn't help thinking about how lucky I am to be with him. He was my person. My person who was learning Tagalog for our holiday. To encourage me to feel more connection to my roots.  

"If we get out early then, we'll have the good spot by the Lake," I said. "I think sunshine increases brain function, good for learning language."

"saan ang palikuran?" 

"kung lalabas ka sa mga pangunahing pinto pagkatapos ay ikatlong pinto sa iyong kanan." 

"I have no idea what you just said," Albus said.

"Well, still learning," I smiled.

It was a Saturday hence our smaller breakfast group. Hufflepuffs liked to sleep in apparently. I was still an early bird but the Hufflepuff way was starting to make a lot more sense to me these days otherwise. 

"Allie and I will come down to the lake in like an hour, save us a place!" Courtney says brightly as she leads Ellie away. 

*

I paced up and down. There was something comforting about hearing the sound of my heels underneath me so it didn't quite create the same sound as those stone steps at Hogwarts. I wasn't a nervous person but this was probably the biggest thing that I had done in my life up until that point. I looked out over sunny London from my glass tower. There was something magical about seeing how the light hit the Thames so it sparkled. 

It started at Easter, when I turned seventeen. I wanted to do something meaningful so I brought my dad into my idea - my dream. There was a lot of talking involved then some action. Today was the day to announce it all. 

"Stop pacing," my father told me, "you're making people nervous." 

"No te confiara con mi empresa si no creía en tú," my father assured me.

"Quiero que a Mamá se enorgullecer," I replied.

I received a text at that moment from Albus: So proud of you today! Go get them! Love you - Albus, Scor and Tam x

I could just picture Tammi hanging over Albus' shoulder as he wrote that. I smiled then I looked up and my dad was gone. He marched himself onto the stage. I could see why he was the face of the company. He held the audience's attention like they were transfixed by his presence on stage. He beamed and before long I heard my name being said and I knew it was my turn. I took a deep breath and walked out onto the stage as my dad walked off still clapping his hands to welcome me. He winked at me as he exited. I felt tension disappearing. I was ready.

 "I'm here to launch an exciting and important new division for F&F Communications. I think you know that our family has been touched by the loss of my beautiful mother. She was taken from us far too soon. It was something that personally I struggled with."

Understatement of the century. 

I looked out at the people, so many people. A camera flashed in my eyes and that's when I saw her. She smiled at me. I knew that there was no way that she was real. My mother was standing in the audience with a warm smile. Everything about her was the way I remembered her. My angel. My imagination. It occurred to me that maybe my father smiled so much on stage because he saw her too. Once upon a time as a flesh and blood version, now one captured in his memory. The woman he loved, always by his side. I smiled at the audience and I knew that I belonged on this stage. I could do it too. 

"I went to my father when I turned seventeen, to ask what we could do to honour her. F&F Communications are committed to their new charity venture. The new charity foundation will use company profits as well as fundraising to further research into diseases, and we'll be partnering with St Mungo's to fund new methods and techniques to improve our understanding of these diseases to help find cures. Healer Helena Ray will be here shortly to talk to you more about their plans. I'm entering my final year at Hogwarts in September and after my graduation, I'll be taking a position in the foundation myself. I'm hugely proud of this which brings me to my next introduction. I'm delighted to announce that Lavender Finnigan-Brown will be taking the role as director of the Marisol Reyes Forestieri Foundation."

A burst of enthusiastic applause rang through the audience. 

"Members of the press, I ask you to direct your questions to Mrs Finnigan-Brown at this time. She'll be hosting a small Q&A now,"

Lavender entered the stage as I exited.

"Lo hiciste maravillosa, querida," my father hugged me so tight. I let a few tears fall from my eyes as we embraced.  

I know Mum would be proud of me too if she were here. I finally felt like I was becoming the person I wanted to be. For myself, for my mother, for Albus. 

*

Albus

It had been Astrid's idea that we start doing some smaller group therapy sessions. In the beginning, I was nervous about the idea. James and I didn't have much in common but McGonagall allowed us to use her office in our matching free period. We had been doing this for about four months now. In the beginning, it had just been awkward. It was mainly James just explaining Quidditch to me and recounting last week's games but it beat the silence we had been faced with.

James let me teach him chess, it was slow progress but we had made some. We were finally in a place when we could talk a bit more about what was going on in our life. We touched on tougher subjects than previously we had. 

"How are you feeling?" I asked as I checked one of James' pawns. We ignored the dramatic and violent demise of the fallen pawn.

"Better," he stated. James looked deep in thought before continuing "It's been tough but being friends with Lou is so much easier. It works better for us than we imagined. I guess I feel like I have a purpose. It's nice.  How's things with Bee?"

Things with Bee were great. We were happier than ever. I was happier than ever. I think James was more interested in Bee than my relationship with Bee. They don't really communicate with each other but I get the occasional fishing question from one of them about the other. That's fine by me. Things made more sense now that I knew they had been friends once. Maybe one day again.

"She's really good," I answered. "After everything died down, she is doing great. She still misses her mum but we're really excited about Manila in the summer."

After Bee and I went public, there were a few nasty incidents and a couple of painful articles coming out. We were able to talk them through at the time but I know they hurt a little more than she wanted to let on. Manila was going to be amazing. It was something that Bee really needed and I was excited to share the journey with her. Despite my efforts to learn Tagalog, I hadn't gotten that far with it. Languages are something that came far more easily to Bee. I might have to stick to pointing at things for the month we are there.

"I can't believe that I'm going straight into training after I've finished here," he said. James had gained a contract with a Quidditch reserve team. "Still planning to be able to make it to the south of France later in the summer though."

It was a Potter family holiday planned for late in August. I was nervous about that but it should be alright really. My mum and dad had some private individual therapy which seems to be going well. The family therapy was way better but it started to feel helpful rather than just exhausting. I liked that. I was starting to look forward to the holiday despite my nerves feeling a little on edge.

"Wait until Mum sees Lily's tattoo," James grinned. I don't know who's going to be more in trouble, Lily or Molly. Mum is going to regret thinking that Lily should get to know Molly more in the Easter holiday. I don't think matching tattoos is what she had in mind. 

"Can't wait."

That's a silly family drama that I can get on board with. 

*

"I'm so excited!"

"It's not a big deal or anything," I said bashfully. 

It was a big deal. I was really excited about it. I won a short story competition. It was going to be in a magazine. I thought about changing my name to see if it would make any difference. In the end, I wanted to keep my own name though. It was my work after all. I was always going to be Harry Potter's son. I was allowed to be talented away from my father too. It took a while and Bee's devoted support to decide to go for it. She had put up with my grumpy arse while I finished the story. Somewhere along the way I forgot how to write and had to relearn. I think this version of me is even better though. 

"Albus Potter, you're a published author!" Bee was practically bouncing up and down, waiting for the post. I think spending all that time with Tammi was starting to rub off on her. "I'm so proud of you,"

"You're the one who pushed me into that competition," I said. 

"I'm not taking credit for your genius!" 

"Did someone give you too much coffee this morning?" I said, laughing at her. I was not so secretly beaming at her. She was my muse after all. Arielle was a hero and not so subtly sharing some of Bee's characteristics. Write what you know, right?

I can't deny that there is something nice about being surrounded by people who were also really excited about something that I had done. Tammi and Bee had made pretty much everyone we knew order a copy. Courtney, Shaza, Emily, Catherine and Emma were all waiting patiently at the Hufflepuff table with us. Mel and Noelle had just joined us. I wondered if the other students were wondering why on earth a bunch of us were just staring at the sky.

"Your story is getting quite the buzz around school," Tammi informed me happily. I think that just meant she had been telling anyone who would listen about my story. Tammi was a bit like that. 

"Mate, I think this is the first ever Albus Potter fan club meeting," Scorpius looked around at the gaggle of us all standing around waiting for the publication. 

"I'll join," Shaza declared.

"I'm in!" Emma eagerly said from next to Shaza. 

"I call president!" Tammi called louder than anyone. 

I'm not going to lie. I'm half embarrassed but half secretly flattered by the direction the conversation has taken here. Shouldn't the post be here by now? I looked at my sad discarded toast that I had forgotten about. Tam's insistence at calling president didn't even surprise me. She's everyone's biggest fan. 

"So I'm the vice president of my own boyfriend's fan club?"

"Who said anything about the vice president, I was here first!" Shaza grinned. Bee didn't keep up her mock indignation for long. While still being a sarcastic cynic, Bee laughed an awful lot too.

"Oh, I'll be the secretary then!" Catherine joined in.

"Roll up, Roll up, here is your chance to join the Albus Potter fan cl-" Scorpius was stopped in his tracks.

Just then the post flew into the Great Hall. It was an odd sight as some of the owls were seemingly struggling slightly with the clearly rolled up magazines in their claws. One in particular looked like he was about to run out of puff as they came zooming towards the Hufflepuff table. A glass of pumpkin juice went flying over the table as the older owl dropped its package early. Noelle went to grab the owl worriedly. 

"He's okay!" Noelle announced happily as she gently stroked the owl. 

A loud cheer erupted from the group which made onlookers stare. Rose was coming towards me holding the magazine in her hand. I felt a little rush seeing that she had also ordered it too. Rose and I were doing pretty well. She hung out with us sometimes but generally was not part of our main group.  

The last month or so, she spent a lot of her time with her new boyfriend, Jude James, JJ to his friends. He had barely said two words to me but Bee described him as the ‘strong silent' type but basically the chillest guy ever. Apparently, that's not a bad thing. Rose seemed very happy so it's all I can ask for. 

"Well done!" Rose grinned at me.  "You're such a super star!"

"Thanks, Ro."

I really hope people liked the story. 

*

The school year was finally over. We were on the train back to London. I felt a mixture of excitement and plain nervousness, if I'm honest. Our parents were meeting us off the train, I was meeting Bee's dad for the first time. Bee was meeting my parents as my girlfriend. I didn't really know what to expect. 

"Don't worry, Santi is the nicest!"

I think somehow Tammi had a radar for anxiety and had her mission to make things better. Bee and I suspected that Tammi had occlumency powers but I think it was really just high emotional intelligence. 

"Did you just call my dad, Santi?" Bee laughed. "She met him over Easter holidays and he loved her," she explained to the rest of the group.

"The guy is worth billions, he could send a hit man off to kill me," I said dramatically

 I think I'm joking. I'm not sure though. He is a billionaire, that part is true. Capable of murder, that seemed a lot less likely. 

"Are you kidding?" Bee asked, raising her eyebrows. 

"Bee should be terrified! Your mother is Ginny Potter, she's a total badass," Scorpius injected into the conversation. The thought had occurred to me that Mum's first impression had been when I was accused of cheating on my potions exam. She didn't seem like Bee's biggest fan then.

"I guess Mum can be a bit scary, yeah," I admitted. 

"My father has literally been waiting for me to meet someone like you," Bee said sweetly. I did feel a bit better I guess.

"I'm flattered anyway, maybe Tammi should be concerned about meeting Scor's parents," I deflected. She had literally nothing to worry about, I think Astoria was in love with her already based on Scorpius' description alone. 

Tammi and Scorpius had been dating for around four months but spent the best part of three months dancing around the fact that they fancied the pants off each other. They had liked each other when Bee and I had generally been too dumb to notice it ourselves. ‘Cute hufflepuff gobstones girl' as she was nicknamed back then. 

"Draco is rather sexy," Bee said, cottoning onto my distraction. Time to have some fun.

"Bee! Did you honestly just say that about my dad?"

"For an older guy, he's got it going on!" 

I could tell Bee was enjoying teasing Scorpius. Scor and Bee had become fast friends considering how different they were. One of their favourite activities was winding each other up. Bee had just helped Scorpius compile the whole Quidditch season's statistics though. I thought she was joking when she said she would help. Apparently not.

"You're officially banned from talking to my father, ever."

"Scor, just needs to be careful that he doesn't get too excited at Tammi's parents and scream in their faces or something," I laughed.

"I'm not going to do that, I've been practicing," Scorpius said, turning a bit pink.

Tammi's parents are muggles. Scorpius may love Tammi's parents more than he loves Tammi. I know he's been super excited about meeting them.

"Scor, that's so cute that you've been practicing," Tammi smiled. She looked genuinely delighted that Scorpius had been practicing not being crazy for her. 

"The moment he sees a muggle radio in real life he's going to go off the rails." 

"Your parents own a radio!?!"

"Well yes..." 

I roared with laughter. This school year has been crazy but I'm so happy to find that I was looking forward to 7th year more than I could have ever imagined possible. This was the beginning of the rest of my life.