POV Scorpius
I did not catch up with Albus on the stairs last night and in addition I fell and twisted my ankle. It went quickly, but I could not help but cry, rage and pain.
Why is he attacking me? It's not my fault ! It's only because I told him about it?
Or because I knew it before him? I would have preferred to see nothing, to know nothing.
Maybe I should have lied to him, or told him I did not know anything.
But if you have to lie all the time ...
I understand it, though. I understand that he is upset, because it's true that it was not easy to accept, as an idea.
Especially because we are so close, Albus and me. If our fathers sleep together, then it puts us in a weird, almost incestuous situation.
Like brothers who would live a forbidden love. But we are not brothers, even though we exchanged our blood.
And Albus is so naïve at times ... I think he'll need a little bit of time to take the shock off, but I hope he does not mind that.
When I imagine that he may continue to run away, my heart sinks.
We were so good, both of us, just before ... so happy.
All these days together, our discussions, our secrets, our kisses.
Every kiss I feel a little more connected to him, a little more in love.
A little more intoxicated by his green eyes, his soft skin, the smell of his neck ... every time I want a little more. Another kiss, another caress. Go further...
But he hesitates, is reluctant, I feel it. He does not want to go too far, for now. Our kisses, our furtive caresses are enough for him.
I think his mother scared him too much, warned him too much against this ... perversion.
So discovering that his father and mine ... it has plunged him into an abyss of perplexity, and perhaps shame, too.
Shame of what?
My parents never told me anything, warned against nothing, yet I come from a very classic family, even strict.
Or is the motto of my family, beyond the "never explain, never complain", is: "not seen, not taken"? It would look pretty like my father, I think. And as we hate scandals, here we prefer to act as if nothing happened.
Do not see anything to break anything.
So my parents can not judge me badly since they know nothing.
So my mother does not leave my father since she does not know anything.
Love or indifference?
oooooOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOOooooooooooo
This morning Albus is not in class at 8am. I'm worried: where did he run last night?
Was he so upset that he got sick, or did he leave?
I hardly listen to the class because of my worry. Already I barely slept.
Where is Albus?
At 9 o'clock it finally appears and I see immediately that something is wrong. He does not look at me, and he looks angry. Against me ?
In the next class he changes squarely and I want to cry.
Why am I paying for the bullshit of our parents? He had sworn to me yesterday, however, that he would not be angry if I told him the truth about our fathers.
Of course everyone looks at us with curiosity, and I swallow my tears to remain dignified.
I will manage to talk to him, to convince him to forget this story. What matters is us, not our fathers.
At 14h I am in the process of potion with my father and I see that he is not on his plate either. He looks completely downcast, and is mistaken in his demonstration. Albus has a frankly hostile attitude and refuses to answer his questions.
I think his father left this morning. He did a lot of damage, apparently. I wish he'd never come back, disappear forever.
I know it will take some time for everything to become normal again between Albus and me, but I wonder how I will be able to continue to live, breathe a minute more without him.
At 17h, I'm desperate, and I meet Lily on the stairs, which makes me a wink accomplice. His little smile hides something, but what?
I go to the library to work.
Alone, for the first time.
Without even a glance at me in the glass of the library.
oooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOoooooo
The next day, Ms. Mc Gonagall brings us all together and tells us that Harry Potter will be returning to DCFM from the following week. Exclamations fuse in the audience.
I take a look at Albus, who looks dark and withdrawn. And I meet Lily's gaze, which makes me wink. Is it because his father is going to be a teacher, like mine?
At recess, she comes to see me and says:
- So, it's great, we're almost siblings now?
- What?
- Yeah, did not your father tell you? My father will go live at your place during the holidays ...
- How?
- Well, ask your father ... he never tells you anything?
I look so stunned that she pats me gently on the shoulder:
- Maybe he wanted to surprise you ... Anyway, I'm glad we're having a vacation together soon, she adds with a dazzling smile.
She begins to move away. I recall it:
- Wait, Lily! Who told you ?
- Ben, my father ...
When?
- Yesterday.
- And ... Albus, what does he think?
She shrugs:
- He does not look happy ... He does not talk to you anymore? Are you angry?
- ...Yes.
- Why ?
In my turn to shrug:
- I think I taught him something that I should not have said.
- It's true he's strange right now. It's stupid, for you ... you have to feel lonely. See you soon maybe...
She gives me a sorry little smile, and walks away.
oooOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOO
I go back to the library, quite angry with these revelations. Why did not my father tell me anything about vacations? What is this story ? I am too small to be informed?
I decide to go ask him the question directly, after class. I have been too quiet for too long.
I knock softly on the door and I do not hear an answer. I open the door and catch my father and Harry Potter kissing passionately near the window.
Stunned, I close it quickly and I leave again. I hear the door opening:
- Scorpius! Wait, come back ... said my father.
I have ears on fire and not really want to have a detailed account of their relationship. However, I turn around and I enter the office again, head down. It's them who kiss and I'm ashamed ... anything. This time, I will not let myself go. I have already suffered too much from this situation ... fool. I'm ready to face my father.
Harry Potter stood by the window, looking bored. He meets my father's gaze, passes in front of me, without saying anything, and goes out.
My father waits a few moments and said to me in a soft voice:
- I'm sorry you saw that, Scorpius ...
- Oh ... it's nothing, I say in a deliberately clear tone.
What if I told him that I saw a lot worse, at home, in the bathroom?
I look at it without looking down, this time. To him to be embarrassed.
He is, obviously.
He approaches the window, and, without turning to me, says:
- You know, Harry will become a teacher here.
- Yes.
- And, as you have seen, we are very ... close. Sorry that learned it like that.
- I already knew that, actually.
- How?
- Let's say I suspected it ...
He gives me a sharp, surprised look.
I do not know exactly why, but I feel in a situation of strength, at once.
I continue :
- It seems he will come to live with us?
My father is stunned:
- How do you know that ?
- Lily told me ...
- Lily? not Albus?
- No. I'm not very close to Albus since his father came back.
- Oh? Why ?
- Guess...
And there, my father looks at me with real interest, for the first time. As if at last I existed for him, and he speaks to me as an equal.
I continue :
- And mom ?
- How?
- Are you going to leave her? You are going to divorce?
- No ... he said hesitantly. Why ?
- Because Harry Potter divorced him ...
I do not dare go on and tell him what I think of his attitude towards my mother. How is he going to save appearances this time?
He closed his eyes for a moment and replied:
- I think your mother will understand ... he will occupy a guest room at home. Like when Albus comes, during the holidays.
- When Albus comes over the holidays, dad, he sleeps in my room.
And there he becomes scarlet.
- Scorpius, it's not an easy situation for me. But I think I have to explain it with your mother, not with you.
I shrug my shoulders ironically. Easy...
He adds in a cool tone:
- And I do not think I have to give you an account ...
- You're right, Dad. I just hope my mother will accept the situation better than Albus, because if you want to know, since he knows about your little ... arrangement, he does not want to talk to me anymore.
- Really ? Why ?
- Because the situation is a little shocking for him, I guess. And still, he did not surprise you, like me, I add in a disgusted tone.
- Scorpius, I do not recognize you anymore ... how are you talking to me?
- Yes, it's new, it's true. Because the person I love the most in the world just left me by your fault, and by that of your ... friend ... so I'm a little ... pissed, you see.
He approaches me:
- Listen, I do not want things to go wrong between us. I know I have not always been an irreproachable father, but if you're in trouble, you can come and talk to me about it ... I understand that this is a bit of a nuisance for Albus, but I think you'll soon be reconciled ...
- I'm less sure than you ... and you expected to tell me when, this story?
- But ... uh ... I do not know. Soon.
- Because Harry Potter spoke to his children yesterday, and he asked them for their opinion. Me, you do not tell me anything ... And you'll talk to mom when?
- Scorpius, that's enough. The discussion is closed.
We watch each other coldly and go out.
I am upset but not unhappy to have finally spoken to my father. Really. Without being afraid.
ooooOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOO
I see Albus on a bench, alone, low shoulders.
Without hesitation, I sit next to him and say to him:
- Damn, you were right, they really exaggerate!
- How? he says defensively.
- Our fathers ... they exaggerate. Especially mine ... Just imagine that he's going to receive your father during the school holidays, and I'm sure he did not even talk to my mother about it. That revolts me !
He does not say anything, but I know he's listening to me.
- How can they be so selfish? You realize, your parents have divorced, and now they are going to spend their holidays together, quietly! and they hope we'll find that awesome ... Anything.
- You're right...
- And the worst thing is that my mother knows nothing, or worse, will act as if she knew nothing ... You do not find that abject?
- Yes...
- When I think they wanted to separate us, for much less than that! Do you remember ?
He nods sadly.
- And we, we just have to say amen ... And again, you your father asked you what you thought about it, me he would not have even spoken to me. Good example!
- Did not he tell you? he asks, suddenly interested.
- You speak ... it's your sister!
- My sister ? What is she getting herself into ?
- Well ... she's kind of nice to have warned me, otherwise I do not know who would have done ..., I say glancing at him from below.
He puts his chin in his hands, sulkily. I continue :
- Oh, it's going to be fun, life with them ... if we fall on them kissing each time we open a door!
- Stop, what a horror ...
- You know what ? I come to regret the time when they were not teachers at Hogwarts. We were much quieter.
- That is true...
- It's really disgusting, it disgusts me ...
- You too ? he tells me, full of hope
- Absolutely. In any case, I hope it's not going to be known, it would be too much shame. Do you imagine?
- Stopped...
- No, but really, they are swollen anyway, at their age, you do not find?
And there we look at each other and we laugh out loud.
- Do you think we can ask to go to another college?
- Yes, this college, it really becomes anything, he said smiling.
We are silent. We remain motionless on our bench, side by side ...
I know he's thinking, I know maybe I have a chance ...
19 h. It's time for a meal. We get up, and we go to the refectory.
In the dark hallway, Albus slips his hand into mine. I suppress a smile.
I know that tonight, in a nook that we know well, I will feel Albus heart beat against my chest, and that I will feel my heart explode with happiness ...
To be continued....