Glory |A. Potter|

Fifty-Eight

Jane's relation to Antonio was by no means a secret, almost a month and a half into the school year, still, students would stare whenever the two of them passed by each other and stopped to talk or when they just sat next to each other at meals or in the common room. The two siblings didn't spend all that much time together, with both of them running in different circles, but it was evident to anyone watching their exchanges they were close.

Antonio was completely at ease with Jane, that much was evident to Scorpius the moment he entered the common room after having excused himself to change into his nightclothes to see that Antonio had joined his usual company. He was sitting right next to Jane, his head resting against her shoulder as he talked, practically glued against her. For once, Jane didn't seem to mind having someone so close to her, and the sight did make Scorpius take a second look. He blinked, rather bewildered and his gaze almost at once turned to Ramona for assurance. She only smiled in response, and so he had no choice but to sit down beside her, opposite the couch Albus, Jane and Antonio were occupying.

"What did I miss?"

"Antonio has been telling us about a girl," Ramona explained softly. "She's a Hufflepuff in his year named Hana and he's liked her for a couple of months now. He tried asking her out today to find out she likes girls."

"Oh," Scorpius's eyes widened in realisation as he stole a look at Antonio and Jane, the boy's eyes closed with a small frown as he kept on talking, Jane's expression understanding. She was attempting to comfort him. "What did he do?"

"Backed off," Ramona smiled slightly, "then he apologized."

Scorpius mirrored her small smile, "Good."

It was then Albus leaned forward in his seat to look over Jane at Antonio, and the movement cut Scorpius's and Ramona's conversation short. "You did the right thing, you know. Maybe you can be friends after this."

"I really liked her, though," he sighed, his voice small and if possible, he hid his head even further into Jane's neck. "I don't know if I can be friends. I need time."

Albus and Jane exchanged a look, a silent communication passing through them before she softly cleared her throat. "You can still be friends with the one you like. It's your choice, though."

"Yeah," he mumbled, "I'll send a letter to dad. He might suggest something else."

Jane doubted Blaise could come up with anything Antonio or she hadn't voiced already, still, she hummed her reply and leaned against Antonio in return, a hand raising to his head to run her fingers through his hair. Albus smiled at the sight and looked away in an effort to give them privacy. He turned around, the smile dying on his lips.

A few ways away, Annabeth and Charlotte sat, the two of them talking among each other in hushed tones, glances falling on his company once in a while. The moment Annabeth realized he was watching, she stopped talking. Albus's gaze turned cold, a glare he was famous for taking over. He didn't look away until they were unnerved enough to leave their place. With them away, he turned back to Scorpius and Ramona, and as if nothing had ever happened, started a conversation.

-

Halloween came sooner than those in the castle thought. Almost in no time at all, the halls were decorated with webs and bats and as it was expected, Albus's mood soured the morning of Halloween when he received the annual letter from his father. No one in the group protested when he rolled his eyes and started tearing the letter, except from Antonio who happened to sit close to them on that day. A glance from Jane was enough to make him not speak up, though, and once the apple pie from his mother arrived both to him and Jane, he was too focused on giving it away to bother with Albus. Jane, however, didn't forget.