Albus' Behaviors
It’s after they arrive at Hogwarts that Scorpius starts to experience the full extent of Albus’ odd behaviors.
At dinner he notices Albus is quiet as he picks at his food, hardly eating. Then after the return to the Slytherin dorms Albus gets changed and closes his bed curtains. Scorpius tries not to be deterred or saddened by this as he gets ready for bed himself.
Scorpius waits patient and hopeful after curfew just in case Albus sneaks over onto his bed to chat like usual. His heartbeat races in anticipation of being able to be close to his friend and talk about any future adventures or where they see themselves after Hogwarts.
When the moment never comes and there is no shift in Albus’s curtains Scorpius tries and fails to not be disappointed. Still, he excuses his friend’s behavior for being tired from the train ride and the stress of classes. Reassuring himself that everything will be back to normal in the morning he eventually rolls over and falls asleep himself.
When he wakes up his stomach sinks. Albus’s curtains are still drawn shut. thinking that he could actually still be sleeping, Scorpius gets out of bed slowly, and quietly so as not to disturb him as he starts to get ready like everyone else.
“See you later Albus,” Scorpius says, the disappointment evident in his tone of voice as he heads up to the Great Hall for breakfast alone.
When Albus finally does arrive Scorpius is finished eating. Instead of sitting beside his friend he takes a seat across from him which makes Scorpius shoot him an odd look.
“Trying something different,” Albus says with a dismissive shrug as Scorpius looks down at his plate with a glum expression, he doesn’t like “different”
Class goes pretty much the same with Albus keeping distance and seeming very spacy. No notes are passed since Albus seems to have thrown himself into his studies. Usually Scorpius wouldn’t mind this, but he misses having to remind both Albus and himself to pay attention.
He wishes would at least kick him under the desk or nudge him to also focus on class. Maybe then he’d stop having anxiety over Albus’s weird behaviors.