Albus (A Next Generation Harry Potter Fanfiction)

The Common Room

A/N: ohhhh myyyy goodness it's been so long!! I've completely neglected Wattpad in any shape or form, I've just found other things to do (sorry). I can't say I'm back for certain now because I'm on holiday and will be for another couple of weeks or so, so there won't be updates. Hopefully after I get back I'll put away some more time and get this book finished.

I'll be surprised if any of my readers are still here and wanting this chapter, but here it is anyway! <3 (don't forget me pls)

"Hey, um, I..."

Matilda looked at him expectantly as he stumbled over the apology that didn't seem to be forming. Al cringed from the sofa a small distance away, wishing he hadn't been forced to accompany Scorpius to do this.

"Sorry about calling you a Mudblood," Scor mumbled, staring hard at the floor like he wanted to be swallowed up by it.

To Al's relief, Matilda's face broke into a big grin. She could see it was finally genuine, and evidently realised this was a major step to getting Scor to speak and act like a normal person. Scor's face was bright red, and he hadn't even noticed she'd accepted it. He was too busy wishing himself elsewhere. "It's okay," Matilda replied. "Thanks for apologising." And with that, they were done with it.

Al had a very smug smile on his face for the rest of the evening, the same as both Scor and Matilda as they got to discuss everything they hadn't discussed during their little feud. There was always someone doing something they shouldn't in Slytherin, so they were going through the main events of when she'd been ill before, chatting in the common room like it was completely normal, and smiles were everywhere until a rather unwanted topic was brought up.

"When are your parents divorcing, Scor?" Matilda asked, fairly oblivious to the effect it was having on Scor. His expression went blank, his already pale cheeks losing the little colour they had left.

"Uh, soon. They got everything moved forward because Dad has so much money," he answered quietly. Al winced. Matilda didn't know the whole story, about Scor's sister and the fact his mother lied about her blood. Al decided to take the time later to fill her in, even if Scor didn't want him to. She should know, so that she wouldn't say anything heartless by accident.

"The court case is today, though," he said dully.

Al raised his eyebrows surprised. He'd known it was this week, but today? Surely that was a lot sooner than Scor had anticipated? Strangely, though, he wasn't too grumpy, or at least he hadn't been when they'd brought it up. That was huge development, Al thought. He'd been preparing himself for grumpy Scorpius all week.

"Mum's sending a letter tonight, so I know who I get to live with," he continued. The room had gone into a deathly silence which was partly surprise on Al's part, considering Scor never ever just said things like that, especially not to Matilda. If it had been just Al in the room, he would have understood it, but Matilda was a new presence and a new output to the situation, which was in a way refreshing.

"We'll all come with you later, to go get it," Matilda said very sympathetically. What was going on? Everyone was being so touchy-feely, and it was weirding Al out. Emotions weren't usually openly shared in Slytherin.

He stood up, registering the silver clock face on the eerily lit wall. "Come on, let's go to dinner," he said sharply. Matilda and Scor looked up at him with wide eyes and expressions that Al couldn't really in the green-tinted light. They were being so nice to each other for a change that Al would have been less surprised if they'd been holding hands.

Eventually their little moment ended, and Scor stood up off the sofa with his usual passively determined nature, ready to go. His expression hardening towards Al, he motioned down for Matilda to come. Albus suddenly felt a small pang of jealousy. He'd known about Scor's parents all this time, and Scor had never had that look on his face when Al had tried to console him. Then Matilda waltzes in and suddenly he's all melting and mushy.