Albus walked up to the recently dyed platinum haired boy, and greeted him with a small inclination of his head. Scorpius didn't acknowledge his greeting, because his eyes were focused on a group of students down the hallway. There was only three of them. All loud, obnoxious. But there was someone missing from the group. The leader of the pack. And the leader was a current novelty of Scorpius's. Something had happened, and this leader of this very feared and renown Hogwarts clique was suddenly on his own. Startlingly after the news of Albus Potter being gay- and rising to the top of the social food chain- had gone around the school. Daniel seemed to have taken his place at the bottom of the title rank.
And Daniel no longer had his bullying goons to follow him around like a pack of wolves. Someone had replaced him as alpha. Scorpius was studying the group to find out which one was the new leader. After all, the pack was borderline gangsters. Scorpius tends to disagree with most people; and they're the only known individuals who would go as far as throwing a punch. Malfoy preferred to know his enemies better than his friends. Which was rather easy considering he had no friends but countless enemies.
"You thinking about telling Daniel about his father?" Albus asked, getting his attention. Malfoy looked over at him, took in the neatly groomed appearance of the Potter. He preferred the brunette hair more messy, covering his forehead and curling around his ears. But Albus had started wearing it the way Luke likes it. With product, and a fine tooth comb. Scorpius's hair was messy, in a stylish 'I woke up like this' way. It looked particularly bright and platinum today since it had been respelled recently. Hiding his brown roots before they were noticeable.
"No. That's just speculation. There's more than one Daniel in Slytherin. Plus, he's got enough on his plate." Scorpius returns his eyes to the group, who was now walking away and down the halls to class.
"What are you talking about?" Albus followed his gaze.
"His friends turned on him. You haven't noticed?" His blue eyes met emerald ones. Albus shook his head.
"Out of sight, out of mind." He replies, then narrows his eyes suspiciously. "Why are you stalking Daniel and his ex-friends anyways?"
"I've got nothing else to do. You're constantly surrounded with people now, joining my twin sister in the spotlight. And thank Merlin for that, I've gotten a break from the social life because of your rise to power." Scorpius explains. "In fact, I'm surprised you aren't surrounded by people now. Where's that posse of females who follow you around?" Albus smirked at his question, his eyes crinkling at the sides with amusement.
"No one approaches me when I'm talking to you. I don't think anyone would dare." Potter crosses his arms over his chest. Scorpius leaned against the stone Column, making it look like he was a couple inches shorter- Albus's height. He had no books or anything in his arms, no backpack on. Potter carries his bag with his books, clearly on the way to class when he stopped to converse with Malfoy. "I needed a break from people asking me to be their GBF." Albus continues. Scorpius sends him a questionable look and he breaks down the acronym. "Gay Best Friend."
"I didn't think that was actually a thing." Malfoy retorts. "I'm case you didn't get the memo, Potter- people fear me. That means they won't interrupt a conversation with me. Or stand within a few feet." His eyes follow a pair of students as they walk past Scorpius in a wide arch. As though standing too close might wake the beast. "It's exciting. Having people walk on eggshells around me, worried I'll snap. It's like I'm Voldemort." Scorpius grins wide, and Albus gives him a black look. A look that said he shouldn't like the joke because it was in bad taste, but still had to prevent the corners of his lips from lifting in mirth.
"Did you get a new phone?" He asked. Scorpius had called his father from Raven's phone, having to take ownership of his actions. Which he did, but then Draco seemed to have a problem with his arrogance and attitude, refusing to buy him a new phone until he graduated Hogwarts. Scorpius told him something along the lines of, at least I won't be succumbed to answering your calls every week. That started a whole other argument. Draco only checked in every week because that's what their mother use to do. Astoria Malfoy actually seemed to like her children, and miss them when they were at school.
After she died, Draco picked up the role of weekly calls. Difference was Scorpius had no relationship with his father, at all. He was a mama's boy, through and through. Or at least, was.
"No. I'll have to pass notes the old fashioned way." Scorpius tells him. Albus didn't fully know about their strained relationship, but Raven has filled him in on brief family backstory. Potter probably put the rest together himself. Bad Boy= Daddy Issues. It's not exactly quantum physics. "Don't look so glum, I can survive without a phone. I don't have any obligations like Twitter." Scorpius lightens the mood, cracking a hubristic smirk. He looks past Albus, seeing Luke and his bestie Olivia head this way. "Your boyfriend is on his way. Probably to come and steal you away from my bad judgement and influence." Scorpius gestures.
Albus turns. "He's not my boyfriend." Potter gives Luke a smile and to Scorpius's light surprise, Luke and Olivia pass without as much as a 'Hello'. Scorpius rose his dark eyebrows.
"Why didn't he come over here?"
"Oh I don't know, maybe because you're here." Potter says like it was obvious.
"Come on, Luke isn't scared of me." Scorpius laughs, looking after the blonde model. Albus met his eyes.
"Of course he is." Albus's words made Malfoy roll his eyes. "I'm serious, we've talked about it." Albus offers as collateral. Scorpius studies the boy for a moment, measuring his next words carefully.
"And how often do you two find yourselves talking about me?" Scorpius tilted his head slightly, casually linking his arms together across his chest. Albus readjusts the bag on his shoulder and shifts his weight to the other leg. His eyes glance away for a moment and then he replies.
"It's not like we have long and meaningful conversations, Malfoy. It's not like that between us. He asked if we were friends, and I said yes. He said that you intimidated him, and you seemed a bit scary at your perch." Albus explains, seeming a little uncomfortable under the scrutiny.
"'My perch'?" Scorpius repeats. Albus takes two steps back, gesturing to the stone column where Scorpius leaned, at one side of the busiest outdoors hallway in Hogwarts. It's where students went into the courtyard and mingled. He snorts. "What compelled you to say we were friends?"
"Oh I don't know. Maybe breaking into Slughorn's office, discovering some secret conspiracy about a mutual enemy and your father, and sitting together everyday at lunch and detention gave me the absurd impression we were friends." Albus met his eyes daringly. Leaving out the part where Malfoy protected him from Daniel's wrath. As though to provoke Scorpius into disputing the term altogether and call him stupid. Malfoy didn't do that though. He didn't even add in the part where he saved his bacon. Instead he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah okay." And Albus didn't seem upset at the words, so they stood in silence, watching as students walked by. Some stopped to whisper about them before continuing on with their day. "Imagine being so obsessed with someone else's life where your own is consumed by gossiping about them." Scorpius mutters.
"A month ago I was just some nerd who tried to hide in the hallways, and now people actually like me. They want to be around me. I'm not saying that the attention isn't overwhelming, after all- I'm here talking to you in order to avoid everyone. But it beats being kicked while everyone video tapes it." Albus responds.
"Remember the same people who video taped you being abused, are now trying to persuade you to be their GBF." Scorpius snottily points out. Potter lets out a heavy sigh, clearly not liking his words. But he needed to hear it; it's the truth after all.
"People can change." Albus says quietly, his optimism somewhat blurred by the low volume.
"You're naive, Potter." The platinum boy says, not looking at him as he addresses him. "It doesn't matter if people can change, because when you want them to, they don't. And when they do, it's never the way you wanted. It's easier to have no expectations of anyone, to always assume they won't or can't stand by your side when the time comes. Because if you have no expectations, you'll never be disappointed."
"Maybe you're right-"
"I always am-"
"But that's still a lonely existence." Albus pauses. "To never trust anyone, have faith in anyone.. no one wants to live that way." Scorpius turned to face him, about to contradict his words, when Albus stopped that. "I know you're going to say that you'd be fine with that life. But I know better. Even if you'd never admit it, you trust your sister. You have faith in her. And you have faith in a bullied gay kid who was being kicked down." Albus met his eyes, and then started off in the other direction. "I'll see you in class."
—-
Scorpius plopped into his seat in the classroom, putting his feet up on the desk and leaning back in the chair. He set down his typed paper complete with Venn diagrams and charts to organize his thoughts to compare and contrast magic, like expected in the prompt. It was due today. And there was a guest speaker from the ministry itself, an Auror. The school was buzzing with it since class started this morning, and it was hard for Scorpius not to hear about it. He didn't know it was going to be the celebrity Harry Potter himself until right before he entered the classroom. And neither did he care.
Albus entered with a couple groupies, and gave them a departing wave as he sat beside Scorpius in his normal seat. "You can sit with them if you want." Malfoy offers. "You certainly don't need my permission."
"Then why are you giving it?" Albus prodded, and he rolled his eyes. "Anyways, I want to sit here." He opens his bag and pulls out his project, setting it on the table in front of him before sitting down. "Where's your bag?" He asked Scorpius after a moment, realizing all the boy had was the printed project in front of him and his wand sticking far out of his pocket. Malfoy gave a short grunt, running fingers through his messy hair. Seeming to not be concerned about his wand falling out, not having any books with him.
"In the dorms where I left it." His reply was honest, and he couldn't tell if Albus was amused or annoyed at the lack of responsibility. In his defense, usually he just carried a single notebook anyways. And recently he hasn't even been using that. It was like this year academics were breezing by him. Scorpius's eyes are caught by movement and he watches Daniel come into the classroom, looking at the ground in front of him as he does. "You're going to hate me for this, but I'm testing something." Scorpius tells Albus, who followed his gaze to the door.
"No, no, no, Scorpius don't-"
"Hey Daniel! Come sit here!" Malfoy waves him over. Daniel looked a bit startled that Scorpius was yelling at him across the room like that. And the Professor sent the platinum boy a glare. Daniel seemed to think about it a moment, but then slowly sulk over. "Relax, I'll be sitting between you two." Scorpius reassures Albus, who groans. Maybe his stalking has gone a little too far. But just the fact that Daniel takes the bait and sits down on the other side of Scorpius raised his suspicions.
Either the Dark haired Slytherin boy had gone and grown a conscious, or he was as terrified of Scorpius as everyone else. Merlin forbid if he denied the Malfoy prince a personalized invitation. That's like being invited to the Malfoy Manor and mistaking it as an optional event. No one said no to the Malfoy's. Well, except Albus Potter. Apparently he's been an exception. But as shown from the scene unfolding before them, his objections hold absolutely no weight over what Scorpius does.
"Hi." Daniel nervously greets, taking a seat and sitting at the edge of his chair, clearly about to live a nightmare. Scorpius gives him a short nod of acknowledgment.
"Are you kidding?" Albus hissed under his breath so that only Scorpius could hear him.
"Calm down. Your father is about to walk into this classroom at any time, you don't want to seem riddled with anxiety." He tells the stressed youth, who's eyes widen. Apparently the last part was news to him. "Oh, no one told you? Surprise." Scorpius was being a bit of a dick at this point, but he grew a sadistic pleasure from the discomfort it brought. He threw his hands up behind his head, reclining in the chair like this was his day off. On both sides of him were two Slytherin boys, wracked with unease. He's never felt more at home. In fact, Scorpius couldn't wipe the smirk off his face.
And then the professor comes in, Harry Potter following behind him. Dressed in all black, hair neat. Scorpius could see the resemblance. Of course, he's seen Harry Potter before at work gatherings and parties that Draco Malfoy threw. They do work together, after all. But before now he hadn't really interacted at all with Albus, it felt different. It wasn't just Harry Potter now. It was Albus's dad. The Professor introduces Harry, tells the students to turn in our projects after the speech and before class ends, and then gives the floor to the celebrity.
"Thank you, Mr. Mendez." Dad Potter™️ thanks the Professor and then turns to the class. "As most of you know already, I'm Harry Potter. I work as an Auror at the Ministry of Magic. Today I'm here to speak to you all about the differences between dark magic used out in the real world. From what I understand, you all just completed a project on this?" There's a collective of 'yeah's from the mass of students.
"Yeah right, half the students in here didn't even do it." Scorpius snorts under his breath, and Albus stifles a laugh beside him, biting his bottom lip.
"I didn't do it." Daniel confesses, seeming to have relaxed a bit now, and he seemed less worried about Dad Potter™️ hearing his words. Which is why Harry's gaze went back to the three of them, at first just seeing Daniel and Scorpius- but this his son. And it seemed that he didn't like the words he heard.
"Please stand, Daniel, isn't it?" Harry Potter requests. "Since you seem to not care much about the project, perhaps you can tell me what the three general main categories of Dark Magic are?" Daniel stood up awkwardly, clicking his tongue to think a moment. Scorpius felt a pity for the dark haired boy beside him. Daniel was a lot of things, and being an avid reader of the textbook wasn't one of them. So he felt an obligation to step in.
Scratch that, Scorpius was just in a mood to rock the boat. It's what he's good at.
"With all due respect, Sir, Daniel couldn't find the boys dormitories if he was given a map and gps to guide him. Much less find the correct page in the book to answer your question even if it was in front of him." Scorpius's voice was sarcastic, with a tone of defiance, and he paused dramatically for affect. "Which, it clearly ain't." Albus covered his mouth with his hand to stop any laughter, but the way his eyes crinkled up told Malfoy that he was enjoying this. The rest of the classroom seemed to think he was a comedian. Probably because he was publicly demoralizing Daniel, who was at the bottom of the food chain. However, Daniel seemed grateful for the interruption, and gave Scorpius a sideways glance of thanks as he sat down.
Harry waited until the class had silenced before continuing. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy. By all means, give us the answer." Papa Potter seemed to be sure of himself, as though not expecting Scorpius to know the answer. Where really, it was one of the easier questions. Albus looked over at Malfoy as he pulled his feet off the desk and stood up, addressing the classroom.
"Well, The three General categories would be curses, potions, and creatures. Of course, there's certain creatures and spells that are diverse. Depending on the bearer and wielder, they wouldn't be considered Dark Magic at all." Scorpius explains, and students turn from him to the guest speaker, seeming to look for his approval. Harry Potter seemed a bit surprised that he actually knew the answer- and then some. But the last comment seemed to give him pause.
"I'd say that generally speaking, Magic is either Dark or it isn't, Malfoy. But thank you for your input." Potter dismisses him. But he wasn't done.
"Actually, according to the Dark Wizard Bestselling author, Atticus Michell, Dark Magic is rarely so black and white. There's a massive grey area prone to judgement of different biases because people are biased. For example," Scorpius gets up on his chair, catching everyone's attention. Harry Potter didn't seem all that excited that a teenager was taking over his guest speech. But the Malfoy prince had already begun his coup, and there was no stopping him.
"It's only been twenty years, give or take, since the Ministry stopped using the Cruciatus Curse to extract information out of Dark Wizards and witches. But that's categorized as Dark Magic. Which means that the Ministry encouraged the use of so called Dark Magic when it served their purpose." Scorpius scratched his chin thoughtfully, fixating his blue eyes on Dad Potter. "Additionally, Dementors are creatures of Dark Magic. Atticus writes an entire book on these guys. Their nasty." Scorpius snickers, and theres a few giggles. "But here the Ministry comes, once again. They can use them; just no one else."
"Sounds like an abuse of power, when you put it like that." Daniel speaks up, and Scorpius nods at him.
"It does, doesn't it? And what about immortality? Horcruxes are evil by means of achieving it. But not all horcruxes. In fact, they can be created by killing a cat... a dog. Another animal. Compared to our ancestor's voodoo, sacrificing animals isn't a sin at all. Even though," He chuckles lightly, looking around at the students. Some were video taping now. They were growing restless. His words seeming to almost ignite a kind of collective rebellion in them. "Us Millennials tend to frown upon animal sacrifice. But really, why is immortality painted as evil, when there's other ways to achieve it than murder? Take Nicholas Flammel. He's certainly not known as a villain. The Ministry of Magic doesn't want us to know what Atticus Michell has to say."
"Atticus Michell was a dark wizard, Mr. Malfoy. The Ministry controls Dark Magic and creatures in a secure environment-" Papa Potter begins.
"The Ministry of Magic is corrupt." Scorpius cuts him off. Harry Potter seemed upset now. Especially since the other students were actually listening to Scorpius. Whether it be because his last name or because they actually agreed- he didn't know. But the crowd was receiving him well. "Let's revisit some people of interest, shall we? The Minister of Magic, Barty Crouch Senior authorized Aurors to murder witches and wizards who were suspected of following Lord Voldemort." Scorpius seemed to drop a bomb in the room when he deadpanned the blunt argument. Most students didn't even know this information. Scorpius just likes reading. "Aurors were tasked with murder instead of capture and trial. When did the ministry become Black ops?" And he was met with a chorus of agreement from the other students.
"That's enough, Malfoy. Get off the chair." The Professor orders, trying to tell students to stop recording.
"I'm not finished, Professor Mendez. I haven't even talked about Crouch Junior. Or might I remind everyone of Dolores Umbridge? We may have not lived during the times where these figures were at large; but we're the next generation. We have to do better. And with a corrupt system at the center, there won't be room for improvement." Scorpius Malfoy tells them in a grave voice. A spell is casted from the front of the classroom, pulling the chair out from underneath him. The boy crashes down onto the floor, hitting his head hard and driving the breath from his lungs.
Scorpius lays there a moment, sucking air into his lungs as there's a mass of angry voices. Students and adults together. Albus crouches down beside him, and Scorpius waves off his concern, raising his hand to his head.
—-
"You nearly started a riot in the Classroom, Mr. Malfoy. What do you have to say for yourself? Headmistress McGonnagall demands, more angry than the platinum boy had ever seen her in his entire life here at Hogwarts. Scorpius looked from her to Harry Potter, who stood at her side. And then the three ministry officials who stood a few feet away. His father had already been called, and Draco was 'on the way', or at least that's what he'd been told.
"Can I get a glass of water?" Scorpius asked, ignoring McGonagall's words altogether. She scoffed incredulously. He fought back a smirk.
"I don't think you realize you're facing an expulsion." McGonagall tells him, willing him to take this seriously for once in his life. Scorpius crosses his arms over his chest, straightening his stance.
"Then do so, knowing that the entire school will understand by morning that the Headmistress doesn't want her students to know the truth, or our history." Scorpius Malfoy antagonizes.
"Just stop talking, Scorpius." Albus mutters beside him, looking down at his feet. All three of them; Scorpius, Albus, and Daniel were in the office. They were seen as the starters of the upheaval. Primarily Scorpius, considering his monologue.
"It's not the truth Scorpius, it's the idealism of a madman and the speculation of a teenager. That's not fact, that's manipulation." Harry Potter stresses, seeming to want to help but unable to get through to the boy.
"Don't call me by my first name as if we are familiars." Scorpius requests. At that moment his father, Draco Malfoy, accompanied by the Minister of Magic. Hermione Granger. Albus seemed to brighten a bit at her appearance, even though he was facing consequences as well. Draco fixes his son with a hard look, expressing five years of disappointment in those eyes. It actually made the boy look away in shame.
Draco says a few words to Harry, and then McGonagall. The three other ministry officials guide Albus and Daniel into another part of McGonagall's office, closing the wall between them.
Finally Draco turns to address his son. Despite the hair color and blue grey eyes, they didn't look much alike. Scorpius's face structure was firmer, his shoulders more broad and less lanky. Draco's appearance was more put together, neat business suit and combed hair. Scorpius was ragged from his fall. "What exactly did you hope to gain from that stunt?" Draco asked, walking over until he was a couple feet away from his son. His jaw clenching in silent rage.
"Entertainment?" Scorpius says like it was a question. That wasn't the answer his father wanted. Scorpius figures he'd be grounded for the rest of his life.
"The written work of Atticus Michell is illegal to own, as of last year. Where's the book?" Draco demands.
"I won't give them to you." Scorpius retorts, making Draco flinch as if his son had slapped him with the words. The boy looks from the Minister, to Harry Potter, the Headmistress, and then back to his father. They'd be the ones to decide what to do with him. "Mum gave me those books because the Greengrass line is descended from the Michell's. Dark magic or not, that's my blood." Scorpius reveals, and Draco winces.
He clearly hadn't realized that his son knew about that, or that Astoria had given them to him. Taking them away now would be devastating to him. Draco didn't seem to know what to do, so he turned and looked at Hermione. The Minister for magic walked towards Scorpius, looking a lot more approachable than the other adults. "Scorpius, it's very important that you don't publicly threaten the Ministry of Magic. What you did today posed a security threat. If you were anyone else, you would've been detained for a trial. You could've faced prison for something like this." She explains.
He bites the insides of his cheeks, clearly not having thought about that. "Since I know your family, and your father is loyal to the Ministry, I'm willing to let this go. But next time I might not be so forgiving." Hermione Granger tells him, and Scorpius dips his head lightly in respect. Hermione steps up to Draco, sets a reassuring hand on his arm, and then leaves. She probably had other business to conduct.
"In light of the Minister's judgement, I'll suspend you for five days. After that, you are to return to detention, and you won't be going to any dances or formal events this year. Is that clear?" Headmistress McGonagall decides. Scorpius gives a curt nod, knowing running his mouth would only make it worse. When their finished, Draco tells his son that he's disappointed in his actions, and then he's gone like it never happened.
——
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