Unspoken Love

43: FLASHBACKS

First Year: The Hogwarts Express

     Eleven year old Albus was still standing in the doorway of the compartment, grinning, as his cousin could be seen stomping away down the train hallway behind him. Probably on the search for more "appropriate" students to make friends with. Scorpius's feelings had only been slightly hurt by Rose Weasley's display of disdain for him as a potential friend, because of course she had heard the rumors about him. And so had everyone, well everyone except Albus, apparently.

     But Scorpius was sure that once he had explained to Albus that his father had been a death eater, and that there were whispers that he was actually Voldemort's son, that Albus would probably leave too. But to Scorpius's surprise, and glee, Albus took a seat beside him in the compartment and tried some of the sweets that Astoria insisted Scorpius bring along with him for the journey to Hogwarts. "To help you make friends," she had said before she sent him onto the train with a kiss to the forehead. 

"Do you prefer Albus or Al?" Scorpius asked curiously, while examining his new friend.

      He of course knew what everyone else knew about Albus Potter. His family. His dad. But he wanted to know him. Especially because Albus had evidently taken a chance on him by ditching his cousin, Rose, but she did seem quite bossy after all and Scorpius hoped he would prove to be better company than her at least.

"Albus," The brunette said quickly, "But erm...I dunno I also like Al." he mumbled in thought.

     Scorpius smiled amusedly, already noting that the boy had a very nice thinking face, well a very nice face in general...stop looking at his face! Scorpius thought rapidly as he tore his eyes away to redirect them to his hands. He had felt this way before, a few years ago about a boy in primary school. He didn't really know what he felt exactly. It was confusing. It was also wrong, probably.

"What about you," Albus's voice interrupted Scorpius's fervent thoughts, "Scorpius or....does anybody ever call you Scorp?" Albus smiled and Scorpius couldn't help but admire his slightly crooked smile. 

"Erm, my mum and dad have called me that, once or twice maybe. Like, in a rush. But nobody's really given me that nickname before." Scorpius thought about it, making friends was stressful. Especially this time, with this boy, he didn't want to say the wrong thing. "I like both. But, maybe just you call me Scorp, seeing as you're my first friend and all." Scorpius said before he could stop himself.

"Erm, I mean-" He scrambled, trying not to look pathetic, "I-I have friends I just-"

"You're my first friend too." Albus said kindly. 

"Oh," Scorpius paused, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, "Um, so what are you most excited for? At Hogwarts I mean?" 

"Well," Albus sighed and his face fell slightly. Scorpius's hands began to sweat, dreading the thought that he had somehow ruined the conversation, "I dunno. I've been stressing about where I'm going to be sorted actually. And I haven't time to think about what I was excited for yet." 

Scorpius smiled reassuringly, "Don't stress about that, mate. All of the houses are bloody cool from what I've heard. Even Slytherin!" he said enthusiastically. He knew the stigma, that all Slytherins were mean or evil or bad. But he had to believe that it wasn't the case. He had to because he knew that's where he'd be sorted anyways and he refused to be categorized that way. His parents had also been in Slytherin and they were his favorite people in the whole world. He sort of felt like he knew Albus would be sorted into Gryffindor...which made him sad.

"Really?" Albus asked, looking up from where he'd been staring at his chewed up fingernails. 

"Really, and maybe we'll be sorted together!" Scorpius said, knowing that they probably wouldn't be, "And in that case, none of the houses will seem so bad." Scorpius shrugged and his heart soared as he earned a genuine grin from his new friend.