Found In the Past

20

Albus POV:

I exit the moving staircase, tripping slightly on my long robes. Some Slytherin fifth years coming into the corridor eye me warily and I wonder if it's just a normal stare or if that nargle rumor has spread. I look behind me again to see if they're still watching me, but instead I see my cousin glaring daggers at the green-robed students. Rose rolls her eyes as the Slytherins hurry away and then jogs to catch up to me.

"I didn't need that," I tell her, smiling sadly. Rose gives me a look and I change tactics. "Okay. Fine. I did need that, but you don't need to be watching me... have you heard that I may turn into a nargle?" She snorts and I can't stop a tiny grin from forming at my rubbish attempt at a joke. Everything seems a little forced now that Scorp is gone.

"Okay then? I'll remember that for next time I'm defending you. Note to self: check whether the nargle ears have sprouted before jumping in to help my cousin," She mimics investigating my ears and I swat her away with a laugh.

"Do they look bigger?" I pretend to worry, feeling the tips of them with my fingers.

"Hmmm.... nope your ears are just naturally big," Rose shrugs and I stick my lip out in a fake pout. She grins but our banter instantly fades into stifling silence. We always seem to lapse into our own thoughts when we walk together, but it's very obvious my cousin detests it. "Prepare yourself to face the devil's subject," She breaks the silence and wiggles her eyebrows menacingly.

"Well, my Divination exam is in an hour," I tell her lamely. She looks at me, stupefied.

"You have a test today, Albus?!? You have to study now. BEFORE breakfast," she tells me pointedly, sounding so much like Aunt 'Mione that it's scary. It's times like these that remind me of how different we are, even though we share genes. It also reminds me of how stupidly easy it was for us to turn against each other because of Scorpius's family name. If she ever finds out our biggest similarity is falling for the exact same grey-eyed boy, I don't know what would happen to our relationship.

"You see.... I don't really study in the mornings," I comment, settling in for another long argument I don't want to have. Or at all, I'm dying to add, just to see the look on her face.

"Hullo!" A voice interrupts Rose before she can start scolding me and I sigh in relief, turning to grin at Rowle. "Al," she greets me with a smile, but I wince at the casual mention of Scorpius's nickname for me. I can tell Paige notices but she doesn't say anything. "Rose!" She turns to look at my red-headed cousin.

"Help me convince Albus that he needs to study in the mornings," Rose doesn't waste anytime with small talk. She shoots me a 'how can you even live like this?' look and I roll my eyes.

"You need to study in the mornings," Rowle repeats back to me in monotone. She's been trying to convince me to do things like that for three weeks now, and it hasn't worked. I'm not about to give in now.

"I erm have to go," I mutter, trying to dodge the fight I know is about to happen. The owls come in through the Great Hall and I need to be there if Scorpius has responded. The girls protest, but I walk quickly into the Great Hall and awkwardly sit at the end of the green and silver table. People once again get up and move away from me since that will never get old. Now, I'm the Slytherin NARGLE kid who messed up with a time turner, accidentally brought back Voldemort, and deleted himself from existence. Isn't it wonderful to be popular?

Rose shoots a glare at me from across the room, mentally indicating that we're not done with this whole studying talk stuff. The one time she sat down at my table, she lost Gryffindor fifty points, so she's not eager to repeat that mistake. Thankfully that means she's left with only little glares and hand movements to intimidate me. Losing Gryffindor fifty points was the most help I've ever been to Slytherin actually. I even got a high-five from a random Slytherin that day...

The breakfast owls come and go but there's nothing for me. I try not to let my bitter disappointment show on my face, but I can barely eat anything, appetite suddenly lost. I can't believe I ended my letter with 'Love, Albus," I mean could I be anymore obvious??? I probably ruined everything. I almost didn't send the letter, but I had this sudden stroke of bravery. Maybe Rose's stupid Gryffindor courage that I apparently lack is wearing off on me.

"You really should take a look at your books before your exam, stupid as the class is," Rowle laughs, bringing me out of my head. I look over to see her standing next to the table, lips twisted up in a grin.

"I-I'm sorry... I've been distracted," I try to find an excuse for my behavior that doesn't involve Scorpius but I can't create a decent one. I feel like I owe her an explanation, but I can't exactly tell her the truth. If I did, she'd find some way to tell Scorpius and then everything in this world would never be okay again.

"This is about Scorpius, isn't it," she questions and I blink fast, shock registered on my face.

"Why would you think that?" I feel like James as I give her a very Potter-like half shrug.

"You have this look on your face whenever you're thinking about him," she tells me drily. I consciously force my face to change back to neutral. "Wistful expression, idiotic smile, obviously flustered..." she starts to list out on her fingers my cheeks heat up. Maybe my poker face is worse than I thought, or maybe it's only this bad when it comes to Scorp.

"You're clearly crazy," I loop my finger around my apparently-large ears in the universal crazy symbol muggles use.

"Well I didn't come here to poke my nose in your business. I want to show you something so come on," Rowle pulls me out of my seat and starts to rush down the Great Hall. I follow her, confused. Rowle veers right and enters a familiar hallway. She pushes on a tile in the wall and motions me to follow her down the revealed staircase I'd explored with James.

I walk in slowly behind her, trying desperately not to look in the Mirror. Rowle's eyes become fixed to it quickly and I accidentally glance at it again, only to find most of the previous image is gone now, leaving only my best friend smiling back at me. The sight of Scorpius, real or not, pulls at my heart. It seems my greatest desire changed after going a month without him.

"You've got that look in your eyes again," Rowle states with a half-hearted wink at me. I force my eyes away from the mirror. "Do you know what this is?" She motions to the magical object.

"It keeps the Mirror of, uhm, Erised... it shows what you desire most," I explain to her softly Paige gets an odd look in her eyes as she looks back at the glass. She shakes her head rapidly as if to snap out of it.

"Well now I know it's true," she informs me with a sad sort of smile, "You're in love... with Scorpius."

A tiny gasp comes from the middle of the room and we both whirl around. My hand goes to my wand, though I know I'd end up hurting myself instead of the attacker if I have to use it. Footsteps back up quickly but I can't see anyone. The invisibility cloak, I realize with a step back, James? I run outside the room just in time to see a flash of red hair among the crowd. Oh god.... Rose.