Chapter 6
"I'm convinced that Scorpius has a crush on me!" Rose's voice was loud, echoing in the corridor.
Lily stopped abruptly and James almost bumped into her. Lily turned around and brushed strands of hair from her face. "What makes you think that? You don't talk to each other and he doesn't really pay attention to you."
James quickly pushed past Lily before following three of his friends.
Rose sighed. "I have a feeling. I've caught him staring at me a lot lately."
Lily opened her mouth. "But-"
"And he's probably talking about me."
"Rose, I wouldn't imagine anything. You hate him, he doesn't like you. Or maybe he does, I don't know. But I'm sure he's not in love with you." Lily frowned.
"Then why was he staring at me?"
"Maybe he was lost in thought. Maybe he didn't even notice, Rosie." Lily crossed her arms. "You don't like him, do you?"
"I don't like him," Rose explained, her voice very serious. Lily shrugged her shoulders. "Then you shouldn't worry about it."
♡
Albus was sitting in the owlery, waiting for a letter. In November he usually always got a letter from his mother.
Ginny.
Albus immediately looked up when he recognized the sound of Ginny's owl.
He stood up quickly, the wind ruffling his hair even more than it already was.
The letter had the Potter seal on it. He took a deep breath before a slight feeling of nausea took over and he quickly opened the letter.
Hey, Albus.
I have to tell you something. Your father was in Hogsmeade a few days ago and he told me that he thought he saw you. Apparently you were in the Three Broomsticks, but you weren't alone.
Unfortunately he didn't recognize who was with you - that's why Harry and I wanted to ask you if you would like to invite the person to stay with us during the winter holidays?
We've never met friends of yours. James says you don't have any.
But it seems you do and we would really like to meet the person.
Love,
Your mom Ginny.
Albus' eyes flicked over the letter twice more before he exhaled loudly, crumpling the letter in anger. But he knew he would have to write back soon.
They would never want to meet the person if they knew it was Scorpius Malfoy.
Albus' hand started to hurt and when his gaze wandered there, he was startled and took a few steps back. His heart was racing.
The letter had burst into fire.
Without him saying a spell.
Without him using his wand.
His eyes wandered to his right hand, which was not injured. It only hurt a little, that was it.
Normally he would have suffered a slight burn.
Albus' heart began to race more.
What was that?
He leaned against the wall, out of breath, and slowly slid to the floor. There he let his head fall onto his arms.
He absolutely had to find out why this fire had started.
Talking to Scorpius about it would be a good idea. But Albus thought he still had time for that.
♡
Keeping the secret about Scorpius from his entire family was even more difficult for Albus in his sixth year than in previous years.
James stressed him out because he just didn't like such a secret and inside he just wanted to protect his brother - but he was doing this completely wrong.
Albus really tried not to be angry with James and to make up with him, but he just couldn't manage it.
Maybe he didn't want to.
Lily stayed out of it all as best she could.
Albus was really grateful to her for that.
"Albus, are you even listening?" Annoyed, James snapped his fingers in front of Albus' face. "It was hard enough getting you anywhere without Malfoy." James shook his head and Lily slapped him on the arm.
Albus sighed loudly. "What did you say before?"
"I said we'd get this weekend off because we're going home for this weekend. Professor McGonagall took a while to be persuaded by Dad anyway." Lily and James laughed for a moment.
Albus frowned in confusion. "And why?"
James tilted his head. "Are you even listening?"
"Sometimes he does," Lily said, smiling innocently at Albus.
Albus managed a small smile at Lily.
"Bill and Fleur are coming back from their vacation in France, and Grandma and Grandpa really wanted our family together this weekend because of it," Lily explained calmly before she started jumping up and down. "Bill and Fleur are coming back!"
Albus felt a brief moment of happiness before immediately thinking of Scorpius and their secret.
He swallowed before smiling slightly and nodding slowly. "Okay, Friday or Saturday?"
"We're leaving Saturday, first thing in the morning," James replied, running his hand through his hair and putting an arm around Lily. Lily slowly turned her head towards him and James noticed this, coughed twice and removed his arm from Lily.
Typical siblings.
"Does Albus know?" Rose came around the corner and looked at the three Potter siblings one after the other.
Lily nodded eagerly.
"Yes, Rose," Albus replied in a slightly deeper voice. "Can't you just get along?" asked Hugo, who had suddenly appeared next to Rose. "What happened between you?"
"Apparently something that none of us knows about," James replied and Lily slapped him on the arm again.