Glory |A. Potter|

Fifty-Nine

After Halloween ended and November arrived, Albus thought his mood would remain stable, most likely lean to the happy spectrum, until Christmas when he would have to return back home. He woke up the first morning of November pleased, a bit earlier than usual but still feeling well-rested. He headed to the Great Hall, met with his friends and had breakfast, left later to head to his classes. It wasn't until a couple of hours later he realised something wasn't quite right.

People seemed to murmur when he was around, eyes following after him whenever he went. He thought nothing of it, it wouldn't be the first time someone had started rumours about him, but when he heard during dinner Jane had been subject to similar targeting, he thought twice about the whole ordeal. It wasn't until the next morning they managed to figure out what the rumour was about, though.

"Apparently, the two of you are together."

Jane and Albus stared at Antonio, eyes wide at his nonchalant answer. Ramona and Scorpius, on the other hand, only shared a smile before they turned back to their breakfast.

"That's all?" Jane asked softly.

"There's some more," Antonio admitted, still nonchalant as ever. "Apparently, they've caught you sneaking around the school. That was the initial rumour but based on it people have started to make speculations and..."

At his pause and the frown on his face, Jane prompted him to continue. "And what?"

Antonio sighed. "They've been saying you've somehow managed to convince father you are his daughter and now you're considered a Zabini and all, you've moved on to the Potter family."

Jane frowned slightly and almost at once, Ramona's and Scorpius's conversation stopped as they no longer pretended like they weren't listening in. Albus's eyes narrowed.

"That's not true. You know it's not true."

Antonio nodded at once, gaze jumping from Jane to Albus and back. "Of course we don't believe any of such things. We know better than that. Jane is my sister and she's not your friend because of your family. We all know that."

"We've gotten through this before," Scorpius spoke up, gaze on Jane's face. "It's not the first time someone has accused you of being friends with us because of our family in the past."

"This isn't quite the same," she  muttered, gaze on the table. Her friends remained quiet, expected her next words, but she didn't speak again. With a last look at her, they turned away, spoke of different things.

Albus thought she would bounce back to her usual self in the next few hours but when he saw her again during class, she still seemed absentminded. He didn't push the matter and the same could be said for the rest of their friends, although when Jane wasn't looking, he didn't miss the looks Ramona and Scorpius stole at her or the looks they exchanged. After dinner, when each of them returned to their dormitory, Scorpius headed to Albus's side.

"What happened with Jane?"

Albus glanced at Philip and Marcus talking among each other on one side of the bed before he turned back to Scorpius, his voice barely a whisper. "She wouldn't say. I don't know."

Scorpius's expression soured. "Ramona will ask her."

"I don't think she will say anything," he shook his head, brows furrowed. "I don't get it. She seemed fine before Antonio spoke."

"Yeah," he murmured before he shook his head, "I hope she speaks to Ramona."

Albus hoped for the same thing, although he was fairly certain she wouldn't say a word.

The next morning, they realised Jane had indeed not said a word to Ramona. They realized as much when Ramona was getting in the room a while after Jane and upon catching Scorpius's gaze, shook her head with a frown. It felt as if Albus was walking on eggshells as he made small talk with Jane, tried to include her in their conversation.