Albus had gotten accustomed to sleeping with his stuffed bear. Puddles was his favorite cuddle buddy when Cain wasn't there. So when he realized he got him on his bed back at school, he slept terribly for the first two nights.
He had owled Cain and told him of his misfortune. He replied back just as sad and told Albus that if he was able to, he'd apparate to him in a heartbeat and be his Puddles replacement.
"Albus, you look like shit." James mentioned Christmas morning at the table. "Do you really need that bear?"
"Shut up James." He hissed. "And yes, I've slept with the bear every night for the past few months and now my arms are empty. It feels weird and I want it back." He pouted.
"Why don't you just ask for your childhood toys? I'm sure mum has them put away somewhere." James suggested and Albus sneered.
"No I want Puddles." He pouted and James rolled his eyes.
"Who is hungry?" Ginny walked into the dining room with plates full of food. Harry traveled behind her with some coffee and juice. She placed them down and sat as everyone started to fill their plate. "How did you all sleep?" Ginny grinned and then looked at Albus. "Obviously not very well."
"I can give you some sleeping draught if you're having trouble." Harry proposed.
"No." Albus shook his head. "I just want my bear." He pouted and Harry smiled.
"Ah young love." He smiled and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Albus, eat up and then we can open gifts. Maybe you'll be able to sneak in a nap before we got to Grandmas." She said and Albus sighed. He took a few bites of the French toast not feeling all the hungry.
Finally after everyone was fed, they sat in front of the tree. Lily received more books, some new quills and even a new bag for her books. James got something small that could go towards getting a flat because he still lived with his parents. He knew it wasn't their way of kicking him out but a chance at freedom. Albus got a new broom, some candy from Honeydukes and a new bag just like Lily. His was black and leather which he absolutely loved.
It was only ten in the morning and their grandmum was expecting them to arrive at one so he had three hours to kill, he deiced that nap was a good idea. He had just crawled into bed someone knocked on the door. Harry walked in holding something behind his back.
"What?" Albus groaned and Harry smirked.
"This just came for you." He walked over to his son and handed him the black bear that was behind his back.
"Puddles! Where did you get him?" Albus squealed like a child.
"It just came by owl. This was with it." He handed Albus the note.
Angel,
Joanna stayed at school for the holiday so I got her to sneak into the Slytherin room. She sent it to me and I'm sending it to you.
I love you a ton
Happy Christmas.
"Cain sent it. He got someone to get it for me." Albus grinned hugging the bear close.
"Some boyfriend you got there. You should invite him over for dinner one day this week so we could meet him." Harry grinned and Albus nodded.
"I'll owl him later. I'm sure he'll love to come over." Albus told his father who nodded.
"I'm sure he will. Get some rest now before you have to deal with everyone." Harry laughed causing Albus to smile. He left his son's room allowing him to sleep peacefully.
When he woke up, he changed quickly and then floo to his grandparents with his family. Much to his luck, Rose and her family were not there yet. His uncle Fred and his family were there with Uncle George and his family.
"Hi mum." Ginny greeted Molly. "Happy Christmas."
"Hi there dearies." The plump, now gray haired witched smiled. She hugged her daughter, then Harry and then the children. "Albus dear, I hear you have a boyfriend."
"Yeah. Cain, he's in his seventh year." Albus grinned. "He's in Gryffindor."
"Sounds like he's a good young man." She told Albus whose smile dropped ever so slightly.
"He tries to be." Albus then went on to hug his uncles. Fred was still in a wheelchair and his little two year old girl, Georgia, was in his lap. He and George had met the love of their many years after Hogwarts. In addition, they started families with them not long after their marriages.
"Hi Uncle Fred."
"Hiya Albus." Albus leaned down so he could hug him. He smiled when Georgia gave him a kiss. He gently picked his cousin up and swung her on his hip. She squealed and giggled. "So I heard about your little tiff with Rose." He mentioned and Albus frowned.
"Yeah. She never apologized though."
"She didn't?" Fred gasped. "I would have guessed they'd make her." Albus just shrugged.
"She didn't." He murmured frowning.
"Abus." Georgia spoke. "Why sad?" She questioned and Albus grinned.
"I'm not sad G." He told her. "Was Santa good to you this year?" He asked and her face lit up.
"Yeah! Dollies!" She told Albus.
"You got dollies? Can I play with you?"
"Yes." She grinned.
"Okay. We can play."
"They're over in the other room." Fred informed Albus who nodded. He walked off with his cousin into the other room. He placed her down and played with her a bit. He didn't like crowds so he was happy to be playing with his little cousin.
He was actually having a good time. A few of his other younger cousins like George's son Fred and Percy's daughter and son. The good time lasted until he heard their voices.
"Oh he's in here." The female voice said.
"Hey Albus, playing dolls?" Albus looked up and saw Scorpius smiling cheekily. He was holding Rose's hand.
"What are you doing here?" Albus got up from his position on the ground.
"Your grandmum invited my father and me here. He's in there with your folks. Happy Christmas." He smiled.
"Happy Christmas." Albus mumbled. He felt hurt that his friend would be here after telling Rose the distance would be good. He felt betrayed that she called him such a horrid name that she would even consider coming near him.
"Happy Christmas Albus." Rose spoke softly. "I-I just want to apologize for what I said. It was really wrong of me and I'm sorry." She finished. Albus looked her over once before shaking his head and walking passed her without a word. He walked into the kitchen where most of the adults were.
"Aw Albus come on, don't be like that." Scorpius followed him. Rose had stayed behind with the kids.
"Be like what?" Albus mumbled.
"She apologized." Scorpius said. "She's trying."
"She's only apologizing because my aunt and uncle are making her." He muttered and walked outside of the house.
"You can still accept the apology." Scorpius pointed out. Albus whipped around and looked at Scorpius.
"How would you like it if you were called a pussy or a fucking wanker?" Albus growled. "I bet you wouldn't like it, huh?" He yelled. "And you want me to move on because she called me a faggot? Do you know much that hurts Scorpius? My own cousin! I get enough from the other kids at school being called a squib and all but now it's my own family turning on me Scorpius. And that hurts more than anything. I have no one now. No one!" He felt his eyes welling up and he cursed himself. "So don't go around telling me she's trying because it shouldn't have happened in the first place." He spat. Scorpius was very surprised by Albus' outburst and even more surprised to see that no tears were falling. He sounded on edge but he kept himself together.
"Alb-"
"Don't." Albus stopped him and then stormed back into the house. He saw James and begged him to take him home. James didn't ask why, instead he just took his brother to another room with the floo and took him home. Albus immediately went up to his room and lied on his bed finally letting the tears fall freely.
"Albus." James knocked on the door. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No." Albus hugged Puddles to his chest. James entered the room anyway and sat on the edge of his bed.
"He upset you by coming didn't he?" James asked. "It's not fair that you can't spend your holiday with Cain but Rose can be with Scorpius, your first love. She tried apologizing right?" He asked and Albus nodded. "She was looking for you. Aunt Hermione told her to go find you to apologize so she did. I don't blame you for being upset and you have every right not to accept her apology."
"He said she was trying." Albus told his brother.
"I get that she is." James told Albus. "But you're hurt." Albus sniffled and nodded.
"She also called me a squib that night." Albus told James who shook his head.
"You're not a squib." He told his younger brother. "She was just piling it on you wasn't she?" James questioned gently and Albus shrugged. James pulled Albus into his lap and gently hugged him. "She's in the wrong here Albus and you have every right to be angry with her. You don't have to talk to her but don't let it get between you and Scorpius." James told him.
"T-tell him that." Albus sniffled and James hugged Albus tightly.
"He'll come around Albus. I promise you he will." James promised and Albus just snuggled into his brother's embrace wishing that he was never in love with his best friend.
~~~
Albus was getting ready for his boyfriend's arrival when the doorbell rang. It was four days after Christmas and within that time he received a letter from Scorpius apologizing to him. He confessed that he didn't think Albus was all that upset about the altercation but should have thought twice about the situation. Albus owled back telling Scorpius that he was just a bit sleep deprived which led him to lash out at him. He also explained that he would not be talking to Rose anytime soon and hoped that he could understand.
"Albus, Cain is here." Ginny called up. He took a deep breath and walked downstairs to meet his boyfriend. Cain was sitting on the sofa chatting with Harry about quidditch when Albus walked over to them. Cain was dressed in very nice dressed robes as Albus stuck to his fancy muggle clothes. Cain smiled when he saw Albus and stood up to greet him.
"Hi angel." He dropped a kiss on Albus' forehead. "You had a rough Christmas?"
"I don't want to talk about it. Can we just focus on us?" Albus asked and Cain grinned.
"Yes of course." He wrapped and arm around Albus' body. They started walking to the couch.
"Dinner will be ready shortly." Ginny told them. "Cain, Albus tells me you like duck so I've made some, is that okay?"
"That's perfect ma'am thank you." Cain grinned widely. "Oh I almost forgot." He pulled something out of his pocket and enlarged it. He handed it to Harry. "It's wine. Thank you for having me over."
"Oh thank you for this and thank you for coming over." Harry grinned and Cain smiled nodding.
They waited until dinner was ready to get into any deep conversations. They kept it light talking about Cain's Christmas which was very pleasant. The four of the sat at the table, Albus and Cain one side, his parents on the other. James was working overtime and Lily was at her friend's house so they could properly get to know Cain. Ginny and Harry served the two and then themselves before sitting down. Everyone, including Albus, was served the wine Cain brought, although wine isn't Albus' favorite he drank some anyway.
"So Cain, what are you planning on doing after Hogwarts?" Ginny asked cutting her duck.
"I'm very interested in Herbology. Professor Longbottom tells me I'm one of the best students he's ever had so I'm thinking of something with that." Cain answered.
"Do you want to teach?" Harry asked. He took a sip of his wine as Cain shook his head.
"Oh no. I'm not the teaching type. I want to travel and search for new types of plants or herbs that can help with potions or help healers in some way." Cain explained and then turned to Albus. "Albus is pretty good at transfiguration."
"You are?" Ginny asked and Albus blushed.
"Yeah I guess." He mumbled.
"I often wonder why people call him a squib because he's so good at it and it takes time to master." Cain spoke and then looked at Albus' parents. They were frowning as Albus was looking down at his plate. "Did I misspeak?"
"No." Harry shook his head. "We just didn't know that Albus was still being called a squib."
"Oh." Cain swallowed and put his hand on Albus' thigh under the table. He squeezed gently and Albus looked up.
"It was Rose." He admitted. "She called me a squib that night along with the other thing." He rushed out and the older couple shook their heads.
"I don't know what is wrong with that girl." Ginny shook her head. "You know you're not a squib." She told him.
"His magic has gotten stronger." Cain grinned looking over to her. "It's cool really. He just needed to build the confidence." Harry smiled at Cain.
"Thank you for helping him."
"Oh but of course." Cain kissed Albus' head. "The meal is delicious Misses Potter, thank you." Ginny smiled at the compliment.
"Thank you Cain. I'm glad you're enjoying it. The wine is just delicious." She told him and Cain smiled.
"Thank you." Cain grinned. Albus smiled at his boyfriend and his parents. They seemed to be getting along and that made Albus happier than anything. The last thing he wanted was for his parents not to like his boyfriend. The one, regardless of what happens, that he loved dearly.