Chapter 15
"Entering Hogsmeade is strictly prohibited until the winter holidays," McGonagall began her speech in the Great Hall and murmurs wandered through the room. "What?" Albus kept his voice low and spoke to Scorpius, who shrugged his shoulders.
The two of them actually wanted to go to Hogsmeade together this weekend.
For Albus, it was a date in his head. But of course he didn't say that, they were only going as best friends.
"Houses and shops were attacked. There were no deaths, but a few were injured." McGonagall folded her hands, the professors behind her had adopted a stern posture.
"Death Eaters?"
"There are almost no Death Eaters left. But maybe there were some who had the same intentions. If so, then they don't have a name yet."
"It could have been former Death Eaters. Just because they officially aren't anymore doesn't mean they're not continuing their work."
The students' eyes wandered over to the Slytherin table.
McGonagall noticed this immediately. "There will be no convictions just because someone is in Slytherin. Understood?" Her voice was stern. It would be stupid not to listen to her.
"Idiots," Albus muttered so that only Scorpius could hear. Scorpius laughed quietly.
"But Albus?" Scorpius looked at him and Albus nodded in response. "Um, I forgot, sorry." Scorpius immediately looked away from Albus and Albus didn't believe him one bit.
"And that's why the Ministry of Magic invited Harry Potter to give a speech today. He should be coming in any second." McGonagall's eyes quickly wandered to Albus and Scorpius. She had said the last sentence to let them know.
She wanted to save them both from even more trouble.
Albus and Scorpius were still sitting next to each other, as there was no other seat available, but they moved a little apart.
Alaric, Jareth and Lily watched this with an expression of pity on their faces.
Albus played nervously with his hands under the table until he suddenly felt a hand gently on his.
Scorpius.
A few butterflies rumbled around in his stomach.
Scorpius' hand was so gentle on his hand that it was almost like a breath of wind. But Albus felt it.
And it calmed him down a little.
Scorpius noticed this too.
The doors opened and Harry Potter entered the room. He immediately wandered over to the desk, where McGonagall nodded to him and made room for him.
Harry's Eyes scanned the entire room for a moment. With his children, his gaze became softer.
He cleared his throat. "Hello everyone. Let's get straight to the point, I've been given a whole speech by the Ministry of Magic." He folded his hands on the desk, just as McGonagall had done earlier.
"You've all heard about the attack in Hogsmeade. So, the Ministry of Magic believes that we need to take stricter measures if things get worse. This could also lead to a short school suspension. But don't worry, there won't be a permanent closure. Hogwarts is important after all. But so are the lives of the students and professors. Some of these measures may seem frightening to most people at first, but they'll get used to them. One measure would be that all former Death Eater families would be put under surveillance. Not the students at Hogwarts, only those outside would be. But there's no need to worry about that yet. It can happen, yes, but the risk isn't high yet." Harry took a breath. "If things get worse and the measures are taken, everyone in the magical world will get a letter with all the measures in it. It will also be in the dailyprophet and the Minister for Magic will give a speech. Then you will also hear all the other measures. Nevertheless, we have to wait and see what happens. But a personal request from me, be ready. We don’t know what this growing dark group is planning or what they are planning next. But we assure you that we'll get through it."
When Harry finished his speech, the Great Hall was silent for a few seconds before the students and professors started clapping.
All of them nervous, worried and scared.
McGonagall and Harry left the Great Hall together.
"Shit..." Alaric muttered and leaned his mouth against his hands. Jareth grimaced in concern.
Scorpius tightened his grip on Albus' hand a little.
They did not intertwine their fingers.
For the rest of the evening, the great hall was quieter than ever.
♡
"Do you think it's going to get worse?" Scorpius asked and picked up a shirt. Albus was standing in front of the mirror next to the door and was fixing his hair. "Honestly, I have no idea. I hope not."
Albus turned to Scorpius, whose back he could only see. Scorpius was just changing his shirt.
Albus swallowed and his gaze lingered on Scorpius' bare back, not even a single thought was in his head.
Then he quickly shook his head and turned around. He didn't want to stare.
"You can stare, you know that, right?" Scorpius' voice echoed through the room and Albus' heart began to race. "You noticed?"
"I almost always notice, Al." Scorpius had a shirt on again and turned around. Albus did the same.
"And it doesn't bother me."
"Why?"
Scorpius shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It's just like that." He moved to his bed. Then he hesitated briefly. "Um... do you want to sleep with me in the same bed tonight?"
Now Albus was sure that his heart would jump out.
"Sure." His voice was a little shaky. Scorpius nodded and got into his bed. Albus quickly changed before moving a little more slowly to Scorpius' bed. There he lay down gently next to him, his heart racing.
"Do you promise me that we will always stick together? No matter what happens? Even if a wizarding war breaks out?" Albus asked this with an uncertain undertone in his voice.
He felt Scorpius move and lay on his side. "Albus, look at me."
Albus also lay on his side and looked Scorpius in the eyes.
Those beautiful eyes.
"I will always stick by you. We will stay together. Especially if a wizarding war breaks out. I don't want to lose you, you are the most important person in my life, Al. And you always will be."
A smile formed on both faces. Very slowly, Scorpius' hand searched for Albus' hand and found it immediately.
Gently and hesitantly, the two intertwined their fingers.
They fell asleep. Together.
♡
"I'm worried," Harry said, standing next to Ginny, who was standing by the sink. She turned to Harry. "About what?"
"I don't want our children to have to experience the same thing we did. You should have seen the fear in Lily's eyes in the Great Hall today, darling. I wanted to curse all the Death Eaters," Harry explained and Ron swallowed, who was sitting at the dinner table - together with Hermione, Fleur, Ted, Victoire, Molly, Arthur, Bill, Percy and George.
"We can only try to protect our children. We can't do more than that," Hermione said, but she wanted to be able to do more than that.
"I'm most worried about Albus..."
"Why?" Victoire tilted her head. "He's in Slytherin, yes, but that doesn't mean anything. We know him."
"He lied to us," Harry said and everyone else looked at him in confusion.
"Lying to how?" Ginny asked, crossing her arms. "I'd be interested to know," said Ron, and Ted had a slight suspicion.
This would also explain the strange behavior of Albus and his siblings.
"How did he lie to us, Harry?" asked George, raising his eyebrows.
"He... He shares the same dorm with Malfoy's son. I found out two weeks ago when I was at Hogwarts."
There was complete silence in the room.
"What?"
"Never."
"Why didn't he tell us?"
"It's much easier to get a dorm change in the first year. I could have done something."
Harry grabbed his glasses. "But they don't talk to each other. And I also made it clear that I don't want the two of them to spend time together or become friends."
Ginny's eyes wandered to the floor.
Was that why Albus was distancing himself?
"That was a good thing, Harry. Malfoy's son Scorpius is not to be trusted," Ron said, and Hermione's lips were pressed into a line.
"Is Albus okay? Did he say anything else?"
"That Malfoy's son is hurting him somehow?"
Harry shook his head. "Albus didn't."
Bill put his hands over his mouth, Fleur crossed her arm with his. Arthur put an arm around Molly's shoulder, who immediately leaned against him.
Percy shook his head. "That can't be true."
Ted and Victoire just sat there stiffly.
Was that why the teenagers were so weird that weekend a few weeks ago?
"Have you spoken to Draco about it?" Hermione asked and Harry nodded. "He's just as unamused as I am."
"He didn't know either?"
"No. He found out a few minutes before me. He told me."
Now everyone was talking loudly at the same time. Except for one person. Ginny.
She stood there with her arms folded, frowning. Her brain was racing.
She absolutely had to talk to Albus during the holidays.