Must Have Done Something Right / Scorbus

Chapter 29 / Some Sort of Man-to-Man Brotherly Chat

Albus should have known that finding peace and quiet at Hogwarts was a near impossible thing.
"Lady problems?"
Albus swivelled his torso around and did a double take—James, his older brother, was walking across the Quidditch pitch towards him. The notion that James would willingly take time out of his day to approach Albus for a conversation was so astonishing, Albus hardly knew what to say.
"What are you doing?" he inquired of his older brother, eyebrows dipping down, caution bells ringing in his head. "Is something wrong?" For only an emergency could bring James to him. The pair of them got along about as well as chalk and cheese.
"Nope. Just wanted to spend some quality time with my little brother," was his remarkable response. He finished his declaration by sitting down beside Albus on the grassy pitch, close enough so their shoulders were nearly touching.
Albus blinked at him. "Are you feeling okay?"
James grinned and reached to slap his upper back with force. "Yes, you idiot. Just shut up and enjoy my company."
Thinking it best to stay quiet, Albus said nothing, awaiting further clues as to why James was there. He had no reason to be. It was a sunny afternoon and Albus had a free period. After bidding farewell to Scorpius—who had hurried off to Arithmancy—Albus had decided to spend his hour alone on the Quidditch pitch to get some serious thinking done. James, as far as Albus knew, usually spent his free time with his stupid Gryffindor friends doing Merlin-knows-what.
James finally spoke again. "You never answered my question."
"What question?"
James nudged him painfully with his elbow and Albus felt himself begin to tip over. "You look like you're doing far more thinking than I've ever seen you do, so I assumed it could only be a woman to induce such a thoughtful expression on your face, O moronic younger brother of mine."
How James managed to turn every sentence directed at him into an insult was beyond Albus. "Piss off. I've got nothing on my mind."
"Truer words have never been spoken."
Albus sent him a frustrated glare. "Seriously, James, what on earth are you doing here? I was under the impression that our agreement to never speak to or be seen with each other at school still stood."
"Never is an awfully absolute word," James replied, staring off into the distant mountains. "Besides, I had a free period and I was bored."
"So you decided to spend it with me?" asked Albus in a sceptical tone. "How did you even know I was here?"
James waved his hand absent-mindedly. "That's neither here nor there. My question remains, what's up with you and Mel?"
"Mel?" Albus repeated, utterly confused at the change in pace.
"You know, I'm beginning to think that confusion is your default facial expression," he remarked. Then, proceeding to clarify, he said, "You know, Mel: medium height, brown hair, Gryffindor, your wife."
"I know who she is, you moron," Albus retorted grouchily, remembering why he never got on well with James. "And she's not my wife." Far, far from it.
"Really? Because last year you two crazy lovebirds were all over each other."
"I would prefer if it you didn't talk about her and me that way," Albus butted in quickly, not wanting to picture in his mind what James was saying. He and Mel still hadn't properly spoken since the Halloween Party four days ago, which meant that her ultimatum was still unanswered. What's more, Albus had no clue what he could say to her. "Why don't we talk about your love life?" Albus suggested, wanting desperately to forget his conundrum with Mel. Any further dwelling was bound to give him a headache.
"Because I have none, and yours is intricate enough to have a story written about it," James said. Then he screwed up his face and added as an afterthought, "Though which twisted author would endeavour such a task, I have no idea."
Albus stared at his brother. "Who told you that? My love life is just as boring." It was a lie, but James didn't need to know that.
"So why aren't you and Mel talking if everything's so peachy?"
"Why do you bloody care so much?" Albus blurted. "You never have before!—oh, I get it ..." Albus stared at James, understanding dawning on him. "Lily sent you, didn't she?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." One of the few things he shared with his brother was their inability to tell a convincing lie, and Albus could spot James' overcompensated off-handedness from a kilometer away.
"Why else would you be talking to me?"
"Albus, Albus," James said, wrapping his closer arm around his younger brother. "We share DNA, parents, terrible hair, and a passion for the world's greatest sport—what other reason would you need for this conversation?"
When Albus shot him a deadpan look, James dropped the act as well as his arm. "Look," the older Potter said. "Lily sent me to try and unravel your crazy mind and have some sort of man-to-man, brotherly chat."
"And you couldn't say no? She is fifteen, not to mention about half the size of you."
"She's been pestering me for weeks now, and the girl can be really persistent," James explained. Albus, at least, could agree on that. Lily had their mother's stubbornness. James sighed. "She wants me to give you some sort of advice to help you out."
"Well, forget it, because I don't need help. I'm fine," Albus said. He crossed his arms across his chest as a show of solidarity.
"Normally, I'd pretend that were true and run with it, but I can tell that something really is bothering you. And ... I know we're not close or anything, but ... I suppose I am your older brother ..." his voice trailed off, in the expectation that Albus would continue on his offer. When Albus didn't say a word, James grudgingly continued. "You've been hanging around with that Malfoy kid a lot lately." The comment was delivered nonchalantly, as if he had just commented that the Cannons had lost their weekend match, in an attempt to spark Albus into conversation.
Albus turned his head. "That Malfoy kid?" he repeated. "His name's Scorpius."
"Eh, Scorpius, Schmorpius," James said with a casual shrug. "Either way, he's a Malfoy."
"No, that has nothing to do with it," Albus said, a little irritated. "Just like my surname has no part to play in our friendship. God, why does everyone think that we can't be friends just because of our families, or the people we hang out with, or the way we dress, or whether we like girls or boys?"
"You like boys?"
"That's not what I meant!" Albus snapped.
"But Scorpius does."
"So?"
"And he likes you."
Albus' heart skipped a beat like it always did whenever we dwelled on that thought. "Yeah..."
James prodded further: "And that doesn't freak you out?"
"Not really."
James nodded solemnly. "Hmmm," he mumbled.
Albus could almost hear his brain ticking. "What?"
"Nothing. Just thought a hmmm was necessary."
"Git." Albus punched his brother in the shoulder.
After a minute, James piped up again. "So let me get this straight—excuse my choice of words—" (Albus rolled his eyes, and couldn't help the smirk that lifted a corner of his mouth)—"you've had a bit of a falling out with Mel, yes?"
"I suppose so."
"Why?"
Albus internally winced. Did he really want to go into all of this with James? It would be giving an awful lot of ammunition to James, who could easily tease him for the rest of his life. But something in James was different, and Albus felt like he could really talk to him.
"She's not too happy about my friendship with Scorp," he said, trimming off all the excess bits of how both he and Mel had betrayed each other. The sentence that remained was a massive understatement.
"And you're not willing to give that up," he stated, prompting Albus to confirm.
"No way," he answered swiftly. "Scorp ... Scorp's my best mate."
"Despite the fact that he ..."
"He what?" Albus challenged, narrowing his eyes a little.
"...Is romantically inclined towards you?" James finished.
Albus shifted around on the grass. "Yeah ..." he said somewhat lamely.
James expelled a deep breath and rounded on Albus. "At the risk of sounding like Aunt Hermione, how do you feel about that?"
Albus shrugged uneasily. "I—I don't know. I feel like I haven't had time to think about it yet. But Mel's expecting me to make my choice soon and ... well ... she's already pissed off at me."
"You can't be with Mel and stay friends with Scorpius?" James asked.
Albus groaned. "Nope, because my life's just not that simple! She wants me to choose." He flopped down on the grass and straightened his legs out. He scrunched his eyes at the brightness of a blue sky.
"Why would she make you choose?"
"Because she hates Scorpius," Albus muttered. "If I decide to keep being friends with Scorp, she'll break up with me." He groaned aloud.
James seemed to be mulling over Albus' situation for a moment because he remained quiet, leaving Albus to his own thoughts for a time.
He had had a huge crush on Mel for years before gathering the nerve to ask her on a Hogsmeade date in March of that year. He still remembered the incredulous expression on her face, one that asked; You want to go out with me? as if someone of Albus' reputation would never associate with someone like her. They went out the following weekend, and he immediately fell in love with her shy and compassionate self.
The changes she had been through in the last few weeks, however, transformed her into someone he barely recognised. He had the sense now, though, to know it was because of him and his own choices. Ending his friendship with Matt and starting one with Scorpius had been the trigger. Evidently, she didn't understand what would convince him to make such a decision.
In the end, it came down to who meant more to him. He knew that he would never break his promise to Scorpius. His mission now was to convince Mel to continue their relationship in light of this. But was it worth it? Would Mel ever revert back to the person he fell in love with? He hadn't forgotten was she used to be; and he was sure that if the old Mel came back, he would be just as in love with her as always. But that wasn't a guarantee.
James finally spoke, as if he had finished sorting through his thoughts and had come up with a conclusion. "In the end, it comes down to who means more to you, Al."
Albus stared at him in shock, and rewound the last few seconds to verify that James really did say exactly what Albus was thinking.
"What?" James asked, seeing his brother's astonished face.
Albus shook his head. "Nothing ... it's just ... we're more alike than I thought."
"Scary, that." James grinned. "Now, who means more to you?"
"You can't just spring that question on me!" Albus protested, sitting up again. His answer required hours of thought, not a spontaneous decision.
"Sure I can. Come on, who do you spend more time with?"
"Er ... lately, Scorp."
"Who makes you laugh more?"
Albus raked his fingers in his hair. "Scorp. But again, this is only since I've really known him."
"... Which is from the beginning of the school year," James continued. "So up to now, he's had a 100% success rate in the time he's been your friend."
"I guess." He had a point.
"Who's better looking?"
Albus blanched. "I don't know! That's a stupid question. Next."
"It's not a stupid question," James defended himself. "Don't you think it's a rather telling statement that you didn't say Mel's name outright?"
Albus fumbled all over his words. "Well ... I was going to ... er ... of course, I'd say Mel!" he blurted. Because what did it mean if he decided that Scorpius was more attractive than Mel?
"Are you sure?" James's brown eyes were twinkling with mirth.
"Positive."
Really, Albus?
Albus looked at James angrily, "And why are you having so much fun watching me flail?"
James held up his hands in innocence. "Hey, I'm just taking Lily's advice. If that means to point you in the right direction, then ..."
"What direction? You want me to choose Scorpius?"
"I never said that. I want you to pick the person you can't imagine your life without."
Who is that person, Al?
"I don't know." Albus dropped back down on the grass.
Yes you do.
"I think you do," James replied, looking down at his younger brother. "But maybe you're not ready to take that step."
Albus squinted up at the silhouette of James' head against the blue sky. "Where's the James I know?"
James grinned. "Ah, he's still here. I change depending on what my little brother—or sister—needs at the time. Someone's gotta look out for you and Lils."
Albus had never appreciated James
before. In fact, he had always
somewhat resented him for being the
first born and the older one. He always thought that James only saw him as his stupid little brother. But right now,
Albus knew that the familial bond
between them meant something to
James, and although he may not say it
in so many words, he had always been
there for Lily and Albus, even amongst the teasing and the fights.
"Don't get too sentimental, James, someone might see," Albus quirked, allowing one of his lop-sided smiles to develop. "But thanks."
"I would say 'anytime', but that's probably not true." At least he was honest, Albus thought wryly. "Just ... I've got your back. If you feel like you need someone to talk to, you know. Oh and ... if that stupid Keeper of yours tries anything on you, well ... you know where I am. Though I'm pretty sure you're man enough to take him on."
Albus smiled and felt pride well up within him. He doubted he would ever call on James for help in a fight, but it was nice to know he was willing.
"Now," James said suddenly, changing the topic and mood of conversation as quick as a Snitch changing direction. "We have a Quidditch match coming up, brother. Our first as Captains, if I'm not mistaken." A wild and crazy grin grew on James' face, like it always did at the prospect of their favourite sport. "Prepare to die."
Albus adopted the same fanatical expression and joined in to the rant easily. "Please, your Seeker couldn't catch the Snitch if it were frozen still in front of her!"
"Scoff all you will, Slytherin! In two weeks time, you'll get a mighty big slap in the face when you see the scoreboard."
"Ha! You wish!"
The game promised to be a thriller.

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Next Chapter: Eamon's been left in the dark for too long, and Scorpius finally concedes to shed some light.