✓ | STRANGE, albus severus potter

02 ── let me teach you

CHAPTER TWO

For three years, the Malfoy twins' experiences at Hogwarts had been marked by relentless bullying due to their families' past association with the Dark Lord. Despite their efforts to ignore the insults and negative attention, the constant comments and attacks had begun to take a toll on their self-worth.

The twins, had grown weary of being seen as nothing more than a walking reminder of their grandfather's crimes.

The worst part about it was that they were already struggling to cope with the grief of losing their mother to an ancient family blood curse the previous year. Their already stormy situation was made even more difficult as they started the new school year.

The likelihood of Nova inheriting the curse was 50%, according to their Aunt Daphne and her grandparents. However, none of them could provide a definitive answer until she grew older.

As the thought of her possibly short life weighed heavily on Nova, she remained silent, lost in her thoughts. The uncertainty of her future hung like a dark cloud over her.

The twins entered their fourth year at Hogwarts with a renewed sense of determination, vowing that they would not tolerate any more bullying, especially anything that compared them to even being spawns of Voldemort.

They had already lost their mother to an ancient family blood curse and were tired of being blamed for scandals they had nothing to do with. The rumours and gossip that spread about their family only added to their grief, making their time at school unbearable.

Nova and Scorpius were lost in their own thoughts sitting across from each other, gazing out the window as the scenery flew by. The anticipation of returning to their second home was tinged with the longing to stay at home with their father. They didn't bother to glance up when they heard the compartment door slide open, already aware of who it was—Albus, Naya, and Rose.

Nova couldn't suppress a chuckle seeing her brother's flushed face upon seeing the Weasley sitting next to her.

"Hey, Nova," Rose greeted warmly.

"Hi, Rose," Nova acknowledged with a nod.

Nova and Rose had become close friends from the first day of Hogwarts. They often spent time together, sometimes at the Malfoy Manor, and other times at the Potter residence, forming a strong bond despite the initial disapproval from their families. The children had faced challenges due to their families' complex history, but as time went on, their friendship prevailed.

Albus and Naya chatted animatedly with Nova's brother while the latter's attention was fixated on his longtime crush, Rose, who remained unaware of his constant gaze. Meanwhile, Nova found her eyes drifting towards her brother occasionally.

Nova entertained the idea of being a matchmaker for the pair, but with knowing Rose's feelings for someone else, gave her brother's lack of a chance. She couldn't help but look at Naya, believing that her brother was much better off with someone like her.

Meanwhile, she frowned at the idea of her grandfather attempting to set her brother up with some haughty, snobbish, and wealthy girl.

Rose smiled and elbowed Nova, saying, "He's there again." The blonde sighed and turned her head to see her not-so-secret admirer. The other three in the compartment fell silent, and her brother spoke, asking, "Who is he?"

Nova groaned and huffed before answering, "Tobias Nott," she started.

Naya couldn't help but laugh as she covered her mouth, followed by Rose's shaking head.

"Oh my," Naya giggled, causing Nova to hide her face with her hands, while the boys seemed to be completely oblivious to the discussion. Albus knew while Scorpius was the most uninformed.

"Don't even bother," Nova muttered, turning her gaze to her twin who as going to ask and then slowly toward Albus, hoping he had an inkling of the situation. She harboured a silent hope that the Potter would have some reaction, yet he appeared just as clueless as the rest of the group.

As the compartment door slid open, Tobias poked his head inside, greeting Nova warmly, "Nova, my darling starlight, it's so good to see you!"

"And it begins," Rose remarked beneath her breath, while Nova put on her usual false smile.

"Hello Nott," Nova managed to greet him, holding back her annoyance by clasping her hands together. It was one of the lessons her mother taught her, being polite despite the situation. Meanwhile, Scorpius observed her closely, noting the irritation in her eyes. She didn't need to say anything; he already had a good idea of what was going through her mind.

"Hey Al, can you and my sister grab some things from the trolley?" He interjected, prompting Nova to glance at him along with Albus, who had a similar realization of the situation. Albus and her both stood up abruptly, nodding in response before stepping out.

Once they were away from Tobias' earshot, Nova took the chance to comment, "Scorp always seems to know when to come to my rescue."

"Why don't you just tell him that you're not interested?" Albus suggested, causing Nova to halt her stride. Her surprise at his unexpected insight surprised her, and she realized that he was far more aware than she had assumed.

She took a deep breath as she began, "My mother taught me never to direct anger at someone who doesn't deserve it."

Albus flinched at her words, aware of the recent loss in the Malfoy family. "Let him down gently," he advised.

"I'm not my brother Potter," Nova retorted angrily, "I have no idea how to be gentle."

Albus blurted out, "Then allow me to teach you."

Nova stared at him in surprise and then laughed.

Nova responded with a sigh, "Alright if you truly believe you can assist me."

"I don't think," Albus declared, "I know." With a confident smile, he walked ahead of her, causing her heart to skip a beat.

The moment Nova processed the fact that she would be spending time with Albus, she found her body reacting involuntarily. The sight of his confident smirk had a profound effect on her, causing her heart to flutter. Her pulse quickened, betraying her secret emotions, and her mind raced.

She took a moment to steady herself, trying to push away the feelings she had developed toward Albus for a while now. Spending time with him meant navigating uncharted territory, and the thought both excited and terrified her.