Something unexpected

Chapter two

The greenhouse was empty and professor Longbottm wasn't present while Albus waits outside for it to be unlocked. He sat on the wet grass waiting for the lock to open after trying alohamora for about five minutes. The sweet fall breeze made goosebumps form up and down his pale arms. Nikoli walked up to the greenhouse and frowned. Albus noticed new wounds on his neck and some now on his sun kissed face. Albus tried hard to keep himself from making a confused face and continued to look through the photography magazine as he waited.
"Professor Longbottm isn't here?" Nikoli asked Albus.
Albus shook his head and continued to read. "Okay,"Nikoli shrugged his shoulders and walked off taking off his dress shirt revealing a band t-shirt under it.
"Where are you going? class is going to start." Albus exclaims while watching Nikoli walk away.
"I've got concert tickets," he smiles,"actually lucky for you I've got two," he smiles and waits for Albus to follow him. For a moment Albus entertains the idea of forgetting about school and going into the city. He smiles at the thought of it and quickly realizes he's not that kind of guy.
"We can't just skip school,"Albus says surprised.
"Do you want to go today?" Nikoli asks walking back toward Albus.
"Well...no,"Albus almost mumbles to him.
"Good then," Nikoli's deep blue eyes gleam with happiness as he waits for Albus to get up.
"I have to though. We have to," Albus protests,"you've got to pass...I've got to."
"There's a difference between have to and want to," Nikoli says,"skipping for a day won't hurt you Albie." Albus keeps quiet and thinks for a bit of his decision. "Do you want to come with me?"
Hesitating only a little bit, Albus nods his head before following Nikoli to his port key.
"Where are we going?" Albus asks as they reach the beaten up boot.
"London," Nikoli smiles.
"I've only got two galleons,"Albus says worried.
"Brilliant I've got one,"he smiles,"all we need is two."
"Two?" Albus questions Nikoli.
"Two."
Nikoli motions to the boot and Albus holds on to it and watches as the scenery changes from the eerie fog from the forbidden to the busy train station.

The train was packed with different people and Nikoli quickly opened his grey book bag and smiled as he took out a black marker and a white sheet of paper. "What are you doing?" Albus asks as Nikoli almost pulls him to the bathroom door.
"Being cheap," he laughs at himself and writes very neatly: out of order. He tapes the sign to the door and slides himself in before pulling Albus in with him.
"This is illegal," Albus protests,"its quite brilliant though."
Nikoli smirks while raising and eyebrow and sits on the bathroom counter top,"it's what I like to call the train two for one special."
Albus rolls his eyes and looks around the dirty train bathroom and then up and down Nikoli. His sandy blonde hair shines in the sunlight from above and Albus can't help but wonder how soft his hair is and what it would feel like to run his own hands through it.
"Who's concert are we seeing?" Albus breaks the welcomed silence between them.
"His name is Ezekiel Elliott," Nikoli says with a glimmer in his eye,"he's kind of a one man band...he only uses his guitar and occasionally someone will play the drums but that doesn't usually happen. He's great."
Albus smiles at the way Nikoli's face lights up when he talks of the musician and he smiles gently.Nikoli smiles wide showing his pearly white teeth once he realizes how much he was talking of Ezekiel Elliot. He swiftly jumps out of the bathroom and then out of the train car with Albus slowly following behind him.

Albus had been to London before but never alone never like this. He takes off his green tie and puts it in his pocket as he follows Nikoli through the ocean of people. "How did you learn how to do that?" Albus asks him once they get to a small park.
"You're book smart and I'm street smart. Together we make the perfect team," he tells Albus as he shows the man his tickets.
The stage was small but the crowd was large and full of different kinds of people Albus has never seen before. Many people sat on blankets waiting for the popular musician to arrive. Albus looks around expecting people his age to be there but he was surprised to find that there were many people of different ages. A couple sat on a blanket with their daughter who looked the age of about four. Ezekiel Elliot entered the stage and for a moment Albus thought he was a woman because of his long hair however, he had on knee length shorts and a pink shirt saying pride. Ezekiel started to talk of all the hardships he went through and looking around Albus could see the crowd of people suddenly feel like they weren't alone. Nikoli watched the performer in wonder and Albus smiled gently as he watched Nikoli start to sing along softly to the songs he played.
Swaying to the beat, Albus looked around and watched as two guys held hands and looked at each other longingly when the song changed to a slower beat. Nikoli's demeanor changed and he looked off in the distance now mumbling the words to himself and to himself only. Feeling Albus's green eyes on him, Nikoli turned around and smiled reassuring him that he's alright. Once the concert ended the crowd tried hard to keep him on stage. Many shouted 'I love you' and one guy even asked him to marry him.
"I'm so very sorry guys but if I stayed you'd all never let me leave," Ezekiel Elliot waved a farewell at the audience and they all begged for him to stay.
Quickly the crowd begin to disperse and a couple consisting of two guys start to kiss. Albus watches the couple not even noticing Nikoli behind him. "Yeah Ezekiel is a homo," Nikoli tells Albus,"so naturally a lot of faggots listen to him."
Albus looks at him wide eyed and grits his teeth at what he says. He shakes his head and walks away from him astounded with what he had just said.
"There's an art museum just across the pavement," Nikoli says with a smile on his face,"we've still got two more galleons."
"I've had enough I'm...," Albus gathers up the courage to say,"I'm leaving."
"What?" Nikoli makes a confused face and tries to keep up with Albus. He trails behind Albus quietly following him to the dirty pee smelling train station.

After boarding the train Nikoli writes an out of order sign again and opens the door quickly for Albus and then slides watching the ticket man come by. "Albie why are you acting like wanker mate?" Nikoli asks Albus as he sits on the powder room counter.
"You're the wanker," Albus says,"I don't associate myself with someone who calls people faggots."
"What-no," Nikoli hops off the little counter,"Albie when a person is part of a group...take the N-word for example-"
"It's not right for you to say that word either Nikoli," Albus says to him trying to keep his voice steady.
"Brilliant exactly," Nikoli agrees. "But you see African American boys and girls calling each other that yeah?"
"Yes but that's their word. It's an insult that they turned to something almost I guess empowering," Albus tells him strongly.
"I couldn't have said it better myself, Albie," Nikoli smiles,"that's why I can say it."
Albus squints his emerald green eyes,"that would mean you're...-"
"Gay. I'm gay," Nikoli practically shouts in the small bathroom,"sorry mate I thought you knew."
"Oh," was all Albus could manage to say. He didn't mind he just never had a gay friend. Its not like he cares. Did he?
"Do you...do you mind?" Nikoli asks as he messes with his dirty blonde hair.
"No,"Albus says truthfully,"I just...I didn't know and I..."
"You did what was right,"Nikoli smiles but this time it was different. His blue eyes smiled as well and that made Albus stomach knot.
"I try hard not to say anything but I-I can't help it," Albus tells him.
"It takes guts," Nikoli smirks at him,"that's what I like about you. You do what's right Al." Albus nods his head agreeing and Nikoli then asks,"today...did you feel like you made the right choice?"
Albus pretended to think for a moment and made a thinking pose causing Nikoli to playfully punch him in the arm,"I think I did."

***

"There he is!" Scorpius says to Rose as they practically have in up to him. Scorpius' platinum blonde hair is messy which is quite unusual for him. He drags Rose behind him as they both run down the great hall.
"Where were you?! Teddy and I were looking everywhere for you," Rose asks as she takes some of Albus's chicken.
"I went to a concert," he simply says while turning red a bit.
"A...-"
"Concert?" Scorpius finishes Rose's sentence as he sits right next to her.
Albus nods his head and then smiles a bit feeling his face go pink in his cheeks a bit,"Nikoli and I went."
"Nikoli...Nikoli Wood? Nikoli Wood as in Hufflepuffs most valuable quittditch player? As in soon to be professional quittditch player...took you to a concert?" Scorpius asks astonished.
Albus simply nods his head and sees Teddy's midnight blue hair and leaves the table to go to Teddy. Victorie puts her light blue mug to her plump red lips as she sits on Teddy's lap. "Teddy," Albus comes up to him pretending to not notice his cousin with Teddy,"I've got to uh...talk to you." Victorie ruffles Albus's black untamed hair as he sits down next to the pair,"Nikoli," he then states,"is he...do you know...he's..-"
"Stupid? Fashionable? Gay?" Teddy guesses and then nods his head,"yeah mate. Just...look at him," he motions to his best friend and Albus watches as the blonde boy laughs with his friends,"I mean who wears yellow socks that exactly match his tie?"
"Gay guys," Victorie finally answers while sighing and Teddy laughs,"is there something you need Al?"
"No...I...I don't know," Albus shakes his head as he leaves the great hall a bit confused. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him. Teddy shrugs his shoulders and continues to eat his chicken and Victorie scoffs annoyed with her 'secret' boyfriend and catches up to Albus.
"He's a good guy if that's what's bothering you. No one really cares who he loves...," she continues to walk beside Albus and smiles a bit,"Albus," she says getting his attention,"it doesn't quite matter who anyone loves or what someone looks like as long as they have a kind heart."