Constellations

Chapter 17

Albus's POV

It was the first day of break and my parents asked me to see them in dad's office for a 'talk.' The first day and I was already going to have to face my parents because they no doubt heard from someone at Hogwarts because they have friends everywhere. I sat down across from my parents, my dad sitting in his chair and mum standing beside him, and rubbed my sweaty hands on my jeans. Dad looked as if he was about to speak but I cut him off.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," I blurted. "I was afraid to tell anyone to be honest because it felt so good to be with him that I didn't want anyone to take that away by disapproving but then the whole wolf thing happened and—"

"Whoa, slow down, son," Dad cut me off. "What are you talking about?"

My heart dropped as I stared at my parents' confused faces. "What were you going to say?"

"We just wanted to talk to you about being an Animagus," Mum explained. "Minerva talked to us about it before she agreed to help you but we had hoped that you would talk to us about it before the break."

"We understand that you did this for Scorpius because of the attack that turned him into a werewolf," Dad said and I nodded, not daring to speak after the outburst I just had. "My dad and his friends did the same thing for their friend. It was very brave and kind of you."

I swallowed and looked down at my hands. "He is my best friend but I also felt responsible for what happened."

"Why? Jennifer and Draco told us that you two were planning to meet up when the attack happened. What aren't you telling us?" Mum asked.

There was no use hiding it now. I had practically told them already. "Scorpius and I aren't just friends." I couldn't say it. The words were lodged in my throat and I could feel their eyes on me and it just made the words thicker in my mouth.

"Honey," I felt Mum's hand on my shoulder. "You should know that you can tell us anything. We would never judge you."

I looked up and my eyes met an identical set. The scorn or disappointment wasn't there though which shouldn't have surprised me. My dad had given me no reason to believe that he would ever stop loving me because of who I was. I just thought, after so many failed expectations, that he would give up on me.

"Scorp and I are dating." I let the words flow out, not daring to stop in case I was to lose my nerve. "We have been since practically the beginning of the year. The night that Scorp was attacked was the night that we decided to meet up. We had been meeting up for weeks to be able to actually be a couple but after he got attacked, I realized that it wasn't worth it. I was afraid to be who I was and it almost got Scorp killed. I came out in front of the entire school but was afraid to tell you two."

"The entire school knew before you told us?" Dad asked and I flinched.

"Harry," Mum snapped. "He didn't mean it like that."

"It's fine," I said and looked up at my dad. I thought about how brave and confident Scorp was facing his parents and knew that if he could do it then so could I. "I didn't tell you because I had already failed so many times living up to the expectation of being your son. James is the perfect example of what everyone thought Harry Potter's son would be and I am the opposite. Being gay shouldn't be considered a flaw but that's what I thought until Scorpius taught me otherwise. He taught me to be brave and I'm done hiding."