shy ↳ Scorpius Malfoy

Chapter Twenty Three

Albus finally enters Hermione's office after the real Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are way out of range. When Albus enters as Ron, he looks exhausted.

"This is all too weird," he says. Alice cracks a smile.

"You did good, Albus," she compliments.

"Yes, good blocking action," Delphi agrees.

"I don't know whether to high-five you or frown at you for kissing your aunt about five hundred times!" Scorpius says, causing Alice to grin wider. She tries to hide it for Albus's sake.

"Ron's an affectionate guy," Albus argues. "I was trying to distract her, Scorpius. I did distract her."

"And then there's what your dad said..." Scorpius says.

"Boys... Alice," Delphi interrupts. "She will be back— we don't have long."

"You heard that?" Scorpius says to Albus, still on the subject of the conversation between Albus and his father.

"Right," Alice agrees. "But where would Hermione hide a Time-Turner?" The girls look around the room. Alice notices the bookcases. "Oy, the bookcases. Search the bookcases."

But the boys are not finished with their discussion yet. "Why didn't you tell me?" Scorpius asks Albus, concerned. Alice and Delphi search the bookcases, looking for the Time-Turner. They allow the two friends to have their conversation.

"My dad says he wishes I weren't his son," Albus says to Scorpius, still in Ron's voice. Alice's movements stop for a moment, hand hovering over the spine of a book. She feels like she should say something to make him feel better, but she doesn't want to interrupt their conversation. Also, she knows it's not her place to comment on Albus's personal life anyways.

"I know the— Voldemort thing isn't true and— you know— but sometimes, I think I can see my dad thinking: How did I produce this?" Scorpius says to Albus.

Alice tries to ignore them, but it's hard when they are only a few feet away from her.

"Still better than my dad," Albus interjects. "I'm pretty sure he spends most of his time thinking: How can I give him back?"

Alice stops her search again as she watches Delphi pulling Scorpius towards the shelf to help. "Maybe if we could concentrate on the matter at hand," she says.

"My point is, there's a reason we're friends, Albus— a reason we found each other, you know?" Scorpius keeps talking to Albus, basically ignoring Delphi's request. "And whatever this— adventure — is about..."

Scorpius stops talking as he notices the books on the shelf. "Have you seen the books on these shelves? There are some serious books here. Banned books. Cursed books." 

"How to distract Scorpius from difficult emotional issues: take him to a library," Albus says. Alice tilts her head to the side and grins at Scorpius. He notices and blushes a little.

"All the books from the Restricted Section And then some," Scorpius says. "Magick Moste Evile. Fifteenth-Century Friends. Sonnets of a Sorcerer— that's not even allowed at Hogwarts!"

Albus begins reading from the shelf as well. "Shadows and Spirits. The Nightshade Guide to Necromancy."

"They are quite something, aren't they..." Delphi says.

"The True History of the Opal Fire. The Imperius Curse and How to Abuse It," Albus reads some more titles.