Slytherins Do It Better - A Scorbus Story

Chapter 7: Working Hard, But Not Hard Enough

With the first half of the term nearing a close, and the winter holidays coming closer, the students of Hogwarts are scrambling to finishing all their homework. Same goes for Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter. However being in their DADA class with Professor Granger-Weasley learning about how to identify a vampire and how to keep them form biting.

Throughout the weeks Albus has been spreading himself thin. With the constant Quidditch practicing to get better to make sure he doesn't lose again. Trying to keep up with all his homework and doing it well enough that he doesn't fail. All while still trying to spend time with Scorpius and the Notts, meaning the boy hasn't had much sleep, some night he had to pull all nighters to just do all his work. Which sometimes causes him to fall asleep in his classes. So far he hasn't had any more dreams of that mysterious black bird. But he's planned on asking Hagrid, just hasn't had the time too. Albus knows that the care of magical creatures Professor would have some ideas to lead him the right direction for figuring out these dreams, he hasn't given up completely.

"Albus..." He hears pulling him out of a trance.

"Yeah?" He says unsure. When he looks up to see his aunt looking at him like she's waiting for something.

Albus was falling asleep in the class and not paying attention to his aunt teach. So when Scorpius nudged him that's when Hermione called on him. She goes back teaching them about vampires, and this time Albus tries to stay awake. Once class is over Albus decides to skip lunch and go down to see Hagrid. Scorpius has a his muggle studies after lunch anyway. But by doing that he'll just have to work later into the night to do his school work. And he'll have to skip a day of practicing.

So he makes his way out of the castle and across the lawns to his hut on the edge of the forest. He reaches the front door and knocks three times. The booming barking of Fang, the borehound is heard and the heavy footsteps getting louder just as the door swings open.

"Ah, if it ain't Albus Potter, wha could I do fo yer taday" Hagrid asks.

"Hi Hagrid I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?" Albus asks the half giant.

"O curse yer could, would ya like a cup o tea" the half giant asks the boy.

"Sure Hagrid" Albus then enters his hut and sits down at a large wooden table. Hagrid pours him the cup of tea and then the half giant sits across from him. Under the bush of hair and beard he's smiling down at Harry's son, Hagrid always thought of Albus as the most like Harry beside the fact of their houses and the whole Voldemort thing. Even though he gets along better with James and Lily who visit more of often than Albus.

"So I came to ask you what you know about large black birds around here? Cause I've had these dreams and they all revolve around this large black bird and I can't find much so I thought I'd ask you being the professor who deals with creatures" Albus says.

"A large black bird yer say, well deres not many 'round dese parts of da country, ye 'ave yer crows an ravens" Hagrid thinks.

"Those are too small anything bigger?" Albus wonders.

"Vultures, but 'hey ain't to common 'round 'ere" Hagrid says.

"And that's all?"

"'Fraid so Albus" Hagrid says regrettably.

"Well are there any that would make a person follow them?" Albus asks. The half giant thinks for moment.

"Well not sure bout tha' but I do know dat crows have facial recognition if dats of any help" Hagrid states.

"Well not really but what about eagles? Are they around here?"

"Sure dere are but dey ain't common just like dem other large black birds" Hagrid tells him.

"Well are there any magical or mythical creature that look like large black birds?" Albus asks hoping for something.

"Well I 'ave heard o some but non' dat are of dat size yer lookin for" Hagrid says disappointing the boy by not helping all that much.

"Thanks anyway Hagrid, I better be getting to my next class now see ya" and with that Albus leaves the hut and walks up to the school annoyed that he's no where closer, and that Hagrid was not really of any help like he thought. (sorry writing Hagrid's lines are hard to do)

So Albus went to the library to work on some homework. After a few minutes he decides to wait and look around for more about that bird. Only he didn't find anything worthwhile so he packs up and leaves to go to herbology. Meeting up again with Scorpius, and Albus felt his heart beat quicken with the other boy near. Professor Longbottom has been teaching them about Tantacullas, for the last couple weeks.

"Hey Scorp, I went to see if Hagrid knew anything about large black birds in the area and he didn't, doesn't that seem weird about these dreams" Albus asks.

"I guess, but Al didn't we agree that they're just dreams and that's it, they don't have to mean anything" Scorpius says.

"But Scorp, these aren't like normal dreams I'm sure of it, I know they have to mean something" Albus says.

"If you say so, but I don't know what to tell you" Scorpius says.

"Albus, Scorpius less chatter you two" Neville says to the boys, who go back to work on their tantaculla plants.

When the boys leave herbology they go to the great hall for dinner. They sit down and enjoy the evening. That's when Albus remembers he has loads of work to do and that he didn't practice his Quidditch. But he can't find the motivation to do any of that at the moment. He just wants to spend time with his best friend. When he remembers that tomorrow is the last Hogsmead visit before the holidays. So he figures that he'll take tomorrow off from everything school to spend time with Scorpius. So for tonight the other boy helps Albus with the rest of his astronomy homework, plotting Saturns moons and the essay for Slughorn. Slughorn has them writing about the the effects and uses of bezoars. It's only a single roll of parchment but it's still has to be done.

Once they finish the work they all get ready for bed. Scorpius and Albus talk a bit before bed about going to Hogsmead tomorrow. Once they see everyone else sleeping they do too.