Scorbus/Jeddy

Unhelpful Advice

"Silver," Scorpius said. "Very good Mr Malfoy!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed. "One point to Ravenclaw," Slughorn added. "Alright, I'm sure you've all taken sufficient notes, it's time to make a potion!" Slughorn exclaimed, flicking his wand and making writing appear on the board.

"Pick your partners," Slughorn added and Albus rushed over to Scorpius. "Usual?" Scorpius asked. "Usual," Albus confirmed, and Scorpius went off to get the ingredients for the potion while he set up their workspace.

"Oh god I had to touch a bottle of armadillo bile and I think I'm scarred for life," Scorpius groaned, placing it delicately on the table. Albus rolled his eyes. "It's in a bottle," he said. "Oh yeah, do you want to touch it?" Scorpius challenged. "Not particularly," Albus replied, but he grabbed it anyways and poured it into the cauldron.

"May I ask where you were last afternoon?" Albus asked as he diced Angel's Trumpet into a fine powder. "I was at Quidditch practice...? I told you this...?" Scorpius said. "Oh sorry for accusing," Albus said, chagrined. "Don't be, I might not have actually told you. It's just that Erica is kind of incompetent and she couldn't figure out a schedule if her life depended on it," Scorpius said, rolling his eyes.

"Well the study group missed you," Albus teased, taking a pinch of the Angel's Trumpet and sprinkling it into the potion. It turned a light teal like it was supposed to. "You're all smarter than me anyways," Scorpius shrugged. "It's not like you need me to help others."

"Okay that's just rude," Albus sighed, elbowing him. "What?!" Scorpius exclaimed. "Bragging without bragging is still bragging," Albus said. "That made no sense," Albus added, laughing. "No it did, and I wasn't trying to brag," Scorpius sighed, rolling his eyes again. "Mhm that's what they all say," Albus replied and Scorpius elbowed him, rolling his eyes a third time.

"One day your eyes are going to fall out," Albus added as he unceremoniously dumped their assisting solution into the main potion. It turned a pale yellow, so they were still on track. "I'm starting to think I should just...quit Quidditch," Scorpius mused.

"Why??" Albus asked, stopping work on the potion and turning to look at him. "All my friends are doing amazing in school and you and Emma are in clubs and everyone's doing so well and ever since I started Quidditch that has kind of disappeared," Scorpius said.

"Thanks for letting me whine to you by the way," he added. "I love it when people rant to me," Albus replied, smirking. "First of all, getting an E, A, or P is not bad." Albus said. "P literally stands for poor but okay," Scorpius laughed, stirring their potion slowly.

"Secondly, if you apply for a ministry job I highly doubt they'll care whether or not you were in clubs at Hogwarts. I'm thinking about applying for jobs in the muggle world where they'll see I was a part of clubs in 'high school.'"

"I can't wait until winter break!" Scorpius exclaimed randomly. "We're still on for that skiing trip right?" he asked. "It's the highlight of the year of course we're still on," Albus grinned. "But stop trying to distract me!" Albus exclaimed.

"Also, I completely agree that you should quit Quidditch and I've been saying it since last year but it's a stupid sport and it has the dumbest rules in human history," Albus smirked.

"I know the seeker is a stupid rule but silence yourself or I shall silence you....permanently," Scorpius said darkly. "Was that your attempt at a threat?" Albus asked. "Pretty good, right?" Scorpius grinned. "Not at all but I'm glad you are confident in your own abilities," Albus said, patting him on the back.

They finished their potion one minute before class finished, but it didn't matter since theirs was the best in the class. Leaving, Albus followed Scorpius to the library for a few moments before remembering something.

"It's James's birthday, I gotta go," Albus said apologetically. "Oh it's fine," Scorpius said. "I'll tell the study group that you'll be late," he added. "Thanks," Albus replied.

Hurrying up towards the Gryffindor tower, he spoke the password "Bowtruckle." Albus walked briskly through the common room that way he wouldn't be caught trespassing in another house's common room. Though he had taken off his tie he still looked as though he was in Ravenclaw since the badge was attached. Not only that, but as a fifth year he was expected to know the rules and would face Filch's full wrath. Somehow Filch was still alive.

Albus walked up the staircase of the boys dormitories until he reached the 7th floor, pulling out his gift to James along the way. He had almost forgotten James's birthday until the day before, when Thomas had asked Albus how old James was.

There was a red sticky note on the door for some reason with nothing written on it, so he just opened the door regardless, only to hear moans from inside the room. Eyes wide, Albus stood there awkwardly as he saw James on top of Teddy Lupin, shirtless and clearly having a good time. Albus backed away right as James looked towards the source of the noise. Albus slammed the door shut and fled down the staircase.

Shit shit shit shit shit Albus thought, realizing that he had probably just ruined James' birthday instead of making it better. He buried his face in his hands and stopped in the middle of the stairway. If he just left the common room, then it would be far less embarrassing for him, but who knows how James would feel for the next few days until he finally managed to explain to Albus what had happened.

The dilemma was solved for him though, when James jogged down the stairs, struggling to pull his shirt over his head.

"Hi" Albus said meekly.

"Okay so first of all, don't tell Mom and Dad or I will literally smite you, and second of all, that's Teddy Lupin, yes, the one we know, but it's fine since he's only a year ahead of me and we're not actually related or anything," James said rapidly, pushing his tousled hair out of his face.

"Well now I know why you don't go insane at family gatherings," Albus chuckled. James grinned awkwardly. "I won't tell Mom or Dad, I just genuinely thought you were straight," he said, trying not to let his confusion carry into his voice.

"It's not that confusing, is it Al?"

Damn it.

"Jenna was just a platonic girlfriend that helped me figure some things out. Turns out I mostly liked her because she reminded me a lot of Teddy," James shrugged.

"Cool, cool! I have another question. How exactly did you get a boyfriend?" Albus asked hopefully.

"I was hot, and not intolerable."

"Better answer?"

"Um...I guess I was just confident? I was willing to talk to my crush and get him to like me and then tell him how I felt," James said slowly.

"And how long have you guys been dating?"

"Two years."

Albus's eyebrows skyrocketed. "WHAT?!?"

"There was no reason to tell anyone in the family, which, no offense, included you."

Albus nodded. "Okay, well, here's your gift, and I hope you can return to what you were doing before I interrupted," he said, smiling as he handed James the poorly wrapped gift.

"Oh and just to clarify, your advice is to just be confident?" Albus said, before James could return to his room.

"Pretty much," James said.

**************************************************************

"I really, really like you," Albus said, staring at Scorpius as he got ready for bed.

"Thanks! You're pretty cool too," Scorpius said cheerfully, before lying back down and closing the curtains.

That's it?

He wasn't expecting a beautiful declaration of requited love, but that was certainly underwhelming.

I guess I'll try again tomorrow.