Hogwarts - The Next Gen.

Chapter 18. Sacrifice

A week after the exhilarating festivities of New Year's Eve, all students returned to Hogwarts. As the Hogwarts Express chugged its way through the countryside, Scorpius Malfoy and y/n sat together in one of the cozy compartments, their conversation filled with excitement and anticipation for the days ahead. The train journey was a blur of laughter and shared stories as they caught up with friends, eager to hear about everyone's holiday adventures. They tried to hide their little secret while trying to caught a glimps of each others eyes.

When class started Lilly and Y/n were still inseparable, but Y/n dared not share her secret. Albus remained uncomfortable in Y/n's presence and his awkwardness grew as she paid less attention to him.

Rose was still in love with Scorpius, but his gaze was increasingly distant. After one week, a heated argument erupted. Rose ran away crying and Scorpius sat defeated on the windowsill. It was over. Things were getting too akward between them, as if he was just pawns in a game. He didn't want to play along and started to have feelings for someone els. This made Rose very angry. She forced her other friends to keep an eye on Scorpius. She wanted to know who it was.

Scorpius and Y/n found a way to fool Rose. They found it amusing to tease and challenge each other, though their feelings were deeply hidden. Eventually, they decided to pretend to dislike each other so that it wouldn't seem suspicious.

One day, Albus brought a note to Y/n. She read it and became frustrated. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she asked, her voice filled with emotion. Albus blushed. "I was afraid." he confessed. Y/n felt a mix of sadness, relief and irritation. "So... you left me feeling like an idiot. Well thanks..." She tore up the letter and set it on fire. Albus tried to grab her hand, but she slapped it away. "Piss off, Potter. Do you really think this set things right between us?" she snarled irritably and walked away to join Lilly, her faithful companion.

2 months passed, Scorpius and y/n met in secret and enjoyed each other's company away from prying eyes. They even got together when there was a Quidditch match.

When Lilly invited Y/n for the upcoming spring break, she faced a dilemma. What if she found out by accident? Y/n looked for an excuse to get out of it.

Scorpius actually seemed to spend more time with Albus during this period when Y/n was out with Lilly, which gave them both the opportunity to focus on other things. It was almost self-explanatory for Y/n to think about it. Y/n smiled at them while they we're passing by. Scorpius smiled back and greeted her. While Albus started to blushed and didn't dared to look at her.

At the end of the week during an in-between hour, Y/n decided to go alone to the gardens by herself and finally touch her book, which she had neglected for months. Sunk in thought, she thought she heard a whisper but ignored it, convinced it had something vaguely to do with her past and no longer of now.

When Scorpius snatched her book as usual, she leaned back for a kiss. To her surprise, she saw Albus standing there. Confused, she greeted him "What do you want Potter?" She asked. Albus replied irritably. He wanted to be just friends again, without the awkward and ignored stuff.

Y/n sighed after hearing it. She saw Scorpius standing behind Albus and looked at him. "I already told him you're not intressed." He said as he walked up to her, grabbed her hand and kissed it. She was caught by suprised. While Scorpius winked and whispers "I told him about us." Her mouth fell open. "You've what...?" Albus seemed both saddened and relieved. Y/n quickly asked "Is he the only one who knows?" And turned just red like a tomato.

Scorpius smiled and nodded.
Y/n wanted more explanation. Albus rubbed his neck. "Well you know we share the same room?" Y/n looked at them silently, waiting for a follow-up. "Well...." Albus looked to Scorpius for help. "Apparently I talk in my sleep." Scorpius added. Y/n didn't make the link and was visibly confused "What does that have to do with me .... oh" she suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence and blushed. She found out he was dreaming about her. "And Albus thought our behaviour towards each other was weird.
He understood your reaction to him, but why you were so cold to me he didn't understand. After I broke up with Rose, he also noticed I was quite distracted. Not in a negative way, but more cheerful. Like when we had had our moment together.
I also kept coming back later and later and I was running out of excuses. So I had some explaining to do." He added.

Albus coughed "At first I wanted to throw him outside the window. I didn't understand why he would kept this a secret. But the first time when he explained, i needed time. But you know he's my best friend. And i wasn't ready for any relationship at all." He rubbed behind his neck again. Y/n blushed and gasp as she realised Albus had discovered their relationship.

Albus smiled "I'm glad that you guys told me. Cause now i can focus on other things." Y/n appreciated it this time and thanked Albus with a hug. Albus looked at her "So, no more burning notes?" Y/n burst out laughing.

Suddenly, she heard whispers again. "Do you guys hear that too?" she asked worriedly. Albus and Scorpius looked at each other. "What do you hear?" they asked. Y/n looked anxious. "Whispers, as if coming from inside the school."

As Scorpius Malfoy, Albus Severus Potter and Y/N ventured through the corridors of the castle. They were determined to solve the mystery surrounding the murky whispers that had recently passed through the corridors.

Suddenly, they heard soft voices in the distance. They got deeper and deeper into the castle near the forbidden rooms. With bated breath and with their wands at the ready, the trio crept closer. There, in the shadows of a deserted corridor, they saw Hugo Weasley, Ron and Hermione's son, quickly pushing something away under his cloak. "Is that Hugo?" whispered Albus, frowning. Y/N nodded gravely. But what was he doing? And what was that sound that stopped when he pushed something away?

Scorpius, always the sober one of the party, took a deep breath. "Let's follow him and find out."

With their curiosity piqued, they followed Hugo further through the corridors of Hogwarts. Eventually, he led them to a secluded room in the deepest caverns of the castle.

The room was filled with dusty bookshelves and old artefacts. In the middle was a table covered with newspaper clippings and mysterious objects. Hugo looked up startled when he saw the trio enter. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice trembling with nervousness. "We heard you talking and saw you hiding something." said Albus, pointing at the table. "What's going on here, cousin?"

Hugo sighed deeply and then looked them straight in the eye. "I can't hide it any longer. Strange things are happening, I think I know why." He walked over to the table and picked up an old diary. With trembling hands, he flipped through the pages, recounting his discoveries and suspicions. The diary revealed an ancient secret about time travel and spells. It turned out that there had to be a balance between time travel. If one wanted to be in the past, the other should go to the future. Scorpius looked at Y/N who turned pale.

Scorpius and Y/n told Albus and Hugo about what they had recently discovered. Hugo was startled and weaved his finger.

"So you are the object of the past. But then what goes to the past?" He said aloud to himself. He browsed further in the diary and saw that it had been signed by one of the professors.

The diary appeared to be signed... Professor Sinestra.