Sex Education // Scorbus

Chapter 9 - Rumor Has It

It was well past midnight and Harry was working away, writing up a report on his latest case when suddenly his office door burst open. Harry's youngest son ran in, tears streaming down his face.

"What's wrong, Al?" Harry turned his chair and held open his arms as his fifteen year old collapsed into his chest, sobbing.

"No one even likes me because I'm gay," he cried, his tears wetting his dad's shirt. Harry comfortingly ran a hand up and down his son's back. His heart broke for Albus. He knew it must be hard being openly gay in a community where it wasn't widely accepted, especially at such a young age.

"That's not true, what makes you think that?" Harry asked.

Albus' breath shook as he tried to calm down enough to reply, "On the train back home, someone threw a dung bomb into my carriage and locked the door," he sobbed, "I almost passed out until Rose found me and helped me push the window open. Dad it was awful, it took her three different spells just to get the smell out if my robes."

Harry held his son close, "I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me? Do people always treat you like this at school?"

Albus sniffled and shrugged, "Sometimes."

His dad knew he was lying but didn't want to pry. "Can you tell me their names?"

"It's mostly Alec Zabini and his squad," Al answered quietly.

Harry frowned, "And who is all in his 'squad'?"

The fifteen year old fiddled with his fingers, "Like Avery Lee... Jax Nott... Delaney Carrow... Gavin Flint..."

"Ah," Harry sighed, "I know those names. Their mothers and fathers were just the same."

Albus' voice shook and cracked, "I just don't understand what they get from pushing me around like that."

"They think they're superior to everyone and it's how they show their dominance. You just can't show them any weakness. Because I know you're not Albus, you're strong and you fight for what you want. I want you to fight for this, show them you're proud of being who you are and that no amount of bullying will change you."

Albus stayed silent for a while, "It's not that easy, dad. It's hard to stand up for yourself when the whole school laughs at me when Zabini switches all my trousers for skirts and calls me a fairy in front of the whole class."

"He did what now?" Harry suddenly became way more defensive.

"He hung all my trousers in the Great Hall and filled my drawers with skirts. Said I 'might as well wear a skirt too if I'm gonna be kissing boys like a little girl.'" Albus explained, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Al, this is awful, did you report this to anyone?"

"Well, Greenwood just barked at me to leave his class and not come back until I could find some pants that fit dress code when I showed up in my pajamas. So I left and didn't come back that day because I was so embarrassed."

Harry rested his head in his head and pinched his temples in stress and tiredness. How could a teacher care so little about a student just because of his identity? Shouldn't the fact that he's a Potter make up for it at least? Harry thought selfishly.

"It's just really hard to be proud of myself when I feel like such an oddball out. Why do I feel like the first gay person ever on this planet? Can't I just be normal?" Albus ranted, his sadness turning into anger.

Harry paused for a moment and let his son get everything off his chest.

"Do you know who else was gay?" He asked softly.