Lovely (a Scorbus story)

Part 31

Albus hurried deeper into the woods, Max at his side. Behind them, Aurélie trailed, seemingly clueless as to where they were going.

The Forest Forbidden, you'll find it there
Your final clue in the place where
History first came to be
The Boy Who Lived for eternity.

And Albus knew exactly where that was—the place his father had gone to meet Voldemort at midnight during the Battle of Hogwarts. The place Voldemort had tried to kill him, and failed. The place where it ended and began.

Max, however, was blindly following Albus. A muttered spell had reinstated her wings, but they were useless in the forest.

"Where are we going?" Aurélie hissed fearfully. "Max...Albus..."

But Albus said nothing, plunging forwards, methodically stepping over roots and branches, winding glistening unicorn hair around his wrist.

"Albus," Max whispered, her wings unfolding and fluttering behind her. "Albus, are you okay?"

Albus didn't respond.

Step. Crack. Step. Crack. 

The forest played a rhythm around him. The arrows singing through the air from the centaurs in the distance, the scuttling acromantulas at his feet, the beat of thestral wings in a clearing far to the right. Albus focused on every step.

"Albus." Max sounded alarmed. "Albus, look at me. Look at me."

Albus didn't, couldn't—

A wing whacked him in the side of the head. He stumbled, gasping, regaining awareness.

"What the hell was that?" he shouted.

"Something had you in a trance." The frightened look didn't leave Max's eyes. "Albus, where are we going?"

Albus took stock of his surroundings.

"The wrong way," he answered. "Come on..."

And he hurried forward.

Max breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Albus turned left, and the three continued on.

They'd been walking for maybe fifteen minutes when Aurélie got fed up.

"Listen, you Albus Severus," she said harshly, jabbing the point of her wand into Albus's chest. "I do not know where you are taking us, and I suggest you tell us, s'il vous plaît, before I feed you to les sombrals."

"Les what?" Albus mouthed to Max.

"Thestrals," Max whispered.

Albus turned back to Aurélie.

"Can you trust me?" Someow, Albus found he couldn't bring himself to say where they were going. "Just please, trust me."

"How long will it take us to get there?" Aurélie pressed waspishly.

Albus glanced around. "About another five minutes."

They walked in silence.

The Boy Who Lived.

It's always him. Even when it's me, it's always about him.

In fact, Albus could almost swear he could see his father now, silent in the trees. Two people stood on either side of him.

Aurélie shrieked. Max gasped. They dashed over to the clearing.

It was Harry. It was really Harry.

"Dad?"

"Albus."

Albus stopped, shell-shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm so proud of you, Albus."

And suddenly, a jet of green light shot through the trees and hit Harry directly in the back.

He slumped to the ground. Dead.

And Albus understood. It was never Scorpius, the person he would miss the most. It was his father.

"What was that?" Aurélie drew her wand dramatically, "SPEAK, creature of the forest—"

"That's no creature," Max said quietly. "That's her."

She turned to Albus. "I'll hold her off as long as I can, but this is going to end badly for me. Run. And tell Scorpius I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Albus shouted, but Max was off, skimming the treetops as she flew.

The boy next to Max stared after her.

"Who are you?" Albus asked. Without waiting for a reply, he continued, "Come on, we have to run."

"What about him?" Aurélie shrieked, pointing at Harry's lifeless figure.

"We can't save him," Albus said hollowly. "He's dead, Aurélie. We have to go."

She nodded, translating quickly for the horrified girl next to her, and the four of them ran.

When they emerged from the forest, there was cheering, which quickly evaporated upon seeing their expressions.

"Where's Max?" someone from the Ilvermorny side called. Her sister, Albus remembered, Avalyn. "Max?"

"Harry?" Ginny shouted. "Albus, where is he?"

Scorpius stood up, quickly hurrying down from the stands and towards Albus. McGonagall was making her way across the pitch, looking worried.

"What does she mean, where's Harry?" he asked, taking in Albus's expression. "Where's Max? What happened?"

"My father is dead," Albus said stiffly. "She killed him."

Scorpius went pale.

"No."

"He was hit with a Killing Curse," Albus said tonelessly. "Right in front of me."

"Albus..."

"Oh, and Max says she's sorry," Albus remembered. "What's she sorry for?"

If Scorpius could get any paler, he definitely did.

"She's been figured out," he said. "Albus, she's going to know I'm a traitor, too. And since I didn't kill Harry anyway, she's going to kill me."

Ginny hurried up to Albus and Scorpius. "Albus, what is going on? Where's your father? He was supposed to be there."

Albus closed his eyes, not wanting to deliver the news.

"I—" Scorpius stammered, as Professor McGonagall approached. "I—Albus..."

"He's dead," Albus snapped. "The fucking Augurey killed him."

And he stormed away, towards the castle.