Scorpius. Albus. A Letter. An Aftermath

Healing

Scorpius

5th December – 2:30am

He was back in the dungeon and the screaming was constant. Scorpius didn't bother peering through the bars of the cell. He knew who the screaming was now, he didn't need to waste what little energy he had left. He fell back to the floor and stopped fighting. The memories smothered him; the screaming continued. He would be here until he died, night after night, wouldn't he? No, he thought desperately, this was a dream. They'd won. They'd won. They'd won. This was a dream. He could change it. He closed his eyes and the scene dissolved around him. He reappeared in Laura's kitchen. Laura wasn't in the house, he realized, as Daisy bounded up to him. Scorpius scratched her huge ears, and, after a moment, they perked up, as if she'd heard something. Scorpius heard it too. The screaming wasn't gone. It wasn't part of the dream. He shook himself awake and sat up, trying to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. Yes, the screaming was still there, muffled, but there. Scorpius glanced at Albus' bed – it was empty. He grabbed his wand and hurried to the door, surprised to find Michael Fawley behind him.
"That's Albus yelling and I'm coming to help," Michael gave Scorpius a small smile, "I've spent three years being horrible to both of you and I was wrong, so I'm coming to help." Scorpius smiled gratefully and the two of them hurried down the corridor to the Common Room. Albus lay in front of the dying fire, shouting and tossing and turning. Scorpius hurtled over to where he lay. He had obviously been writing and had fallen asleep. Ink soaked the carpet but had, mercifully, managed to miss his books. Albus' eyes were wide but glazed. Scorpius shook him and tried to wake him up, it didn't help, Albus just lay there, stuck in whatever hell his mind had trapped him in. Scorpius fumbled for his wand, panicked.
"Enervate," he whispered frantically and Albus woke. He tried to sit up breathing heavily, pure, true terror haunting his eyes.
"Scorpius," he muttered, terrified, "It...I couldn't...," Albus stopped speaking as Scorpius hugged him.
"I know," he murmured gently, "I know."
"I dreamt about it," Albus mumbled, "I thought I was in the maze. I..." his voice trailed off. There were footsteps from the corridor that led to the dormitories and a tired, irritable looking prefect, Jonathon, appeared, wondering what was going on. Michael moved in front of where Albus and Scorpius sat. The prefect stared at the three of them.
"What?" asked Michael pointedly.
"What was that noise?" Jonathon asked, staring at Albus.
"It doesn't matter, we've sorted everything out," said Michael icily.
"It does matter, thank you," Jonathon glared at him, "This concerns me because I am a prefect and in-charge of this house at the moment. You may have woken every dormitory by now and, therefore, I have a right to know."
"Jonathon, go back to bed, I can sort this out," Professor McGonagall stood by the door of the Common Room wearing her tartan dressing gown and carrying a candle. Jonathon glared at Michael again but retreated to his dormitory, "What happened?" she asked Michael worriedly.
"I'm not sure," he answered truthfully, "We heard screaming, so we came in and Albus was lying there, I think he was asleep." McGonagall walked over to Albus and kneeled beside him and Scorpius. Scorpius stopped hugging Albus and looked mildly embarrassed. She didn't comment and waved her wand.
"Evanesco," she murmured, and the ink vanished from the carpet.
"Professor," Albus said quietly, "Why am I getting flashbacks now? I was fine before. But now I'm scared and..."
"Albus," Professor McGonagall smiled, "Part of me wanted to ban you from coming back to school until I was sure you would be okay. It was incredibly strong of you to come back only three days after that fight. I expected there to be a toll on you, but I couldn't make that decision for you or your parents. You experienced an awful event, there is nothing wrong with you. You are coping better than many people would." Albus nodded, still unsure. McGonagall stood and placed at small vial on the table next to them, "A dreamless sleep potion," she explained, "I asked Professor Slughorn for one a few days ago."
"Thank you," Albus smiled, he looked relieved. She smiled back and turned to leave. Scorpius picked up the potion and helped Albus to his feet. The pair began to walk back to the dormitory but Albus turned to Scorpius, "Scorpius, McGonagall said there's nothing wrong with me, but you recovered. Really quickly."
"Albus," Scorpius turned to his him, "There are differences between us. I didn't come back for a month. And I did have flashbacks when I was sleeping. I had them every night and I'd wake up screaming, terrified."
"But you went through a lot more than I did," Albus interrupted, "I didn't go through any of it and I'm still struggling."
"Albus Severus Potter, I went through some things that you didn't in the other reality, but you suffered in that maze during the Third Task. I had to watch you being tortured and I suffered because of it – I understand how you feel and you have every right to be going through this," Scorpius said, almost sternly, "Now come on, it might be Saturday tomorrow but you're still getting some sleep." Albus nodded. The pair went into the dormitory and Albus had a small sip of the sleep potion. Scorpius watched, promising himself that this would be the only time he would let Albus use the potion.

Albus

5th December – 10:30am

Albus woke late the next morning. He dressed and walked to the Common Room. Scorpius sat looking edgy and nervous. He tried to smile as Albus walked through the door and he stood. 
"I thought there was a Quidditch Match this morning?" Albus said. Scorpius nodded.
"There is, but I need to talk to you in private without anyone overhearing us," he bit his lip, anxious.
"Why are you so worried?" asked Albus, confused.
"I've got something to tell you and I think you're going to be angry," Scorpius muttered. Albus smiled, placing his hand on Scorpius' shoulder.
"I'll try not to be," he said. Scorpius smiled gratefully and sighed.
"I wasn't ready to come back to Hogwarts," he said quietly, "I had recovered but I wasn't confident that it would stay that way. But then I got the letter. It changed everything. Everything. I came back because I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell someone who wouldn't take it and use it for some legal stuff."
"Who was the letter from?" Albus cut in sharply.
"Delphi," Scorpius murmured, "But it explained everything. It explained what happened and why it happened and, well, it changed something in my head." Albus fought to keep a picture of calm on his face. Scorpius stopped speaking.
"So," Albus tried to be casual, "Where is this letter?"
"I wanted to tell you when I got back. I wanted you to know immediately but I saw you were struggling with the weight of what happened. I didn't want you to fall over the edge, so I didn't tell you. I thought I could tell you once you were doing all right, but I decided to show you now. I thought...," Scorpius stopped and Albus interrupted before he could continue.
"You've forgiven her, haven't you?" his anger threatened to overflow, "After everything she did to you, you forgave her," Albus stared, shocked, at Scorpius. Scorpius stood, trying to convince his friend.
"Sort of, I have, but, please," he said, "Read the letter." Scorpius took the envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Albus. Albus took it and read. When he finished, he looked at Scorpius, a look of utter disgust and anger on his face, "It explains everything, doesn't it?" Scorpius tried to smile. Albus just stared, anger spilling out. The hand holding the letter drifted towards the fire and Scorpius jumped to stop him. Albus stared, shocked.
"You were wrong," he muttered. Scorpius frowned, confused, "You said you understood some of what I was going through because you saw her torture me, but you don't. When you saw her torture me, there was nothing you could do to stop her without endangering all of us, which you wouldn't – couldn't – do, so you just had to watch. When I watched her torture you, there was something I could do. It was entirely in my power to stop her. And I didn't. I didn't, not because I didn't want to hurt others, but because I didn't want to die. I sat by and watched her torture you. Because I am a coward. If I'd done what she'd said, she wouldn't have kept hurting you," Albus collapsed, tears flowing in torrents, by the fire.
"Albus, I..." Scorpius started to speak softly but Albus interrupted.
"And now you've forgiven her," he muttered, his voice dangerously quiet.
"Albus, I didn't know, I..." Scorpius looked at his friend with pain in his eyes, "Albus I had no idea. I'm sorry."
"I know," Albus murmured, "I know I shouldn't complain. I didn't have it as bad as you. I don't have the problems that others do, but I was scared. I was terrified. And I know it was my fault. All of it."
"Albus," Scorpius began sternly, "You aren't responsible for any of this. And you have a right to complain."
"I don't think this is going to work now," Albus interrupted.
"You don't think what is going to work?" Scorpius asked, worried.
"This friendship. Not if you've forgiven her," Albus turned away. Pain shone Scorpius' eyes.
"Albus, please," he stepped towards his best friend but Albus stepped back.
"You said you didn't tell me because I was 'struggling'?" Scorpius nodded, "WHAT DID YOU THINK I WAS GOING TO DO?" Albus found himself yelling, "WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE IF I WAS 'PUSHED OVER THE EDGE'?" Albus was fuming, then muttering, "I am not a drawback. Never."
"Albus, I didn't understand. Isn't that clear?" Scorpius tried – and failed – to hold back tears.
"Yes, it's clear. You didn't understand. You still don't. So, not now. Not ever again. You've got plenty of friends now. I'll see you around, Malfoy," Albus walked out the Common Room, leaving Scorpius with tears cascading down his face.