Chapter 3
It had been a week since James and Albus argued about it. Albus was not happy that he and James passed each other in the corridors without looking at each other, but he was still kind of glad that he had peace for a while.
But it was clear that the peace would not last forever.
Albus is currently sitting with Scorpius in the Great Hall. Headmistress McGonagall had announced a speech, which meant that all students had to stay in the Great Hall longer.
Louis and Roxanne looked at Albus and then back at James. James was the first to notice this and shook his head to signal to the two of them that he would not talk to Albus first. He was stubborn.
Albus noticed it too. Roxanne looked at him bitterly, but Albus shook his head just the same.
Scorpius didn't even look at the Gryffindor table, he didn't want to make things worse.
"Can we please go?" Albus' gaze fell on Scorpius, who immediately tilted his head, slightly confused.
"McGonagall hasn't given her speech yet. If we leave now, we'll probably have to stay in detention every evening for a week, Albus." Scorpius explained, then quickly looked over to the Gryffindor table - James, Rose, Lily, Louis, Roxanne and Hugo were all looking at Albus and Scorpius. Lily hoping that Albus would talk to James. James hoped so too. He had too big an ego to apologize first. Even though James felt the same way as Albus. He just wanted to protect Albus. Was he really doing it so wrong?
"I'm going." Albus stood up quietly so that he didn't get any attention from the professors or the students.
That worked without any problems.
"I'm coming with you." Scorpius gave albus a soft smile, which Albus returned.
Lily furrowed her eyebrows suspiciously. There was something wrong with the eye contact. She found that the eye contact between the two had been different in the years before.
Albus and Scorpius managed to get out of the Great Hall without attracting attention.
"Why are you with me now?" Albus asked, keeping his gaze directed forward.
"Because it's you. I can't let you have to stay in detention without me?" Scorpius and Albus laugh briefly.
There was something to that. Scorpius would do anything with Albus.
The two sit down on a step of the stairs.
"We are not good role models. Everyone is in the Great Hall except we two." Albus gently nudged Scorpius and grinned.
Scorpius' gaze wandered to Albus. He grinned, looked away again, and then giggled briefly.
He ran his hand through his blonde hair and Albus watched this scene almost as if he were hypnotized.
Albus could look at Scorpius for the rest of his life. Albus thought he was beautiful.
Hogwarts was the only place for Albus and Scorpius where they could like each other without having to think about the consequences if their families found out.
The last years, it was easy. But that would not stay like this.
♡
It was strange.
Albus had received a letter from Harry asking how he was doing at Hogwarts for the third time – in the last six years, Harry had only written one letter to Albus in a school year.
He simply crumpled the letter and threw it away.
He felt betrayed.
Why is Harry suddenly so interested in him? Out of nowhere? Albus didn't want to have a great deal of interest. He didn't had it since he was sorted into slytherin and accordingly he didn't want it now either.
Coldness crept up his arms and gave Albus goose bumps.
Although it was only the end of September, the cold in the Owlery was unbearable after a while.
"Hey..."
Albus turned around immediately and spotted Lily, who was standing next to a pillar and leaning slightly against it.
"Hey." Albus looked around for James, but he was nowhere to be seen. Irritating.
"Whose letter did you throw away?" asked Lily, her red hair torn by the approaching wind. "Dad's."
Lily furrowed her eyebrows. "Why? He always writes to us at least every three months."
Albus' heart clenched painfully. His mouth tasted dry.
He didn't want to believe these words. He didn't want to believe Lily's words. He simply didn't want to believe that his father wrote Lily and James a letter regularly and that he was the only one who wasn't used to it.
He always suspected that he was a disappointment to his family, but this realization hit him hard at the moment.
Lily noticed Albus' sudden change in emotions and gasped slightly. "Did...did Dad never write to you?"
"I have to go." Albus started to storm down the stairs, but Lily took his arm. Her eyebrows were drawn together and her eyes had a slight gleam of concern.
"Albus...I'm so sorry."
Albus shook his head, tore himself out of Lily's grip and stormed down the stairs. He had to be careful not to accidentally knock over a few students. His heart raced.
He just wanted to be alone.