Penitence Part Five
May. 26th, 2009 07:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dysonrulesNo forgetfulness today. WOOT!
Pious buried himself in a comfy chair in a dark corner of the common room and hid behind a scroll until Albus Potter fled the dormitory, looking preoccupied. He did not seem to notice Pious, who waited until Potter had gone before seeking out Bleys.
The dark-skinned boy sat on the end of Potter’s bed. Pious grinned at him.
“Well?” he asked.
Bleys nodded. “He took the bait like a Grindylow snatching a wounded fish. He even agreed to the non-disclosure caveat.”
“He won’t tell anyone?”
“Not even Hell.”
Pious drew in a surprised breath. “You’re brilliant, Bleys. Damn, that was easier than I expected, actually. How did you get him to agree?”
“I promised him something he wants very badly,” Bleys said with a wicked smirk. For a moment Pious felt an odd lurch in his midsection.
“Which is?”
“You can’t touch him.”
Pious burst out laughing. “That’s it?”
“That’s all Potter wants. From now on, he’s mine. Hands off, Pious.” Bleys rose from the bed and walked toward him with the saunter that caused girls to flock to his side with fluttering lashes and nervous giggles. “That means hands off me, too. You’re going to have to play the jilted lover if you want this to work."
Pious pursed his lips and drew his hand over Bleys’s smooth jaw. “I’ll live. It’s only temporary. It will be worth it once Potter is gone for good.”
Bleys smacked his lips in an air kiss and moved toward the door. “I hope so. I’m off to find my new boyfriend. Remember, you owe me for this, Pious.”
“I’m certain you won’t let me forget,” Pious muttered as Bleys left. He already missed his friend and hoped his plan showed speedy fruition. The sooner things were back to normal—sans Potter—the better.
~~- oOo -~~
Al ignored the whispers that followed him as he walked through the halls and took the stairs to Ravenclaw Tower. There was only one person who could help him now. James was going to go utterly explosive and Al had to determine a way to defuse his brother without giving away his duplicity.
Rose Weasley looked up from her latest mechanical puzzle when Al walked in. One thing nice about having relatives and friends in every House—Al knew all the passwords. Her hands froze on the metal links and she blinked at him. Al looked at the twisted nightmare and shook his head. Rose was a puzzle-obsessed fiend; she was constantly tinkering with wooden or metal puzzles, or working out numeric or word puzzles with parchment and quill.
“Albus! What brings you here? Need help with an assignment?”
Al threw himself on the couch next to her and sighed. “I guess I beat the gossip upstairs. You’ll probably hear a howl from Gryffindor Tower as soon as the news gets to James.”
Rose set the puzzle aside with a worried expression. “What have you done now? Did you prank Malfoy again? I knew it was only a matter of time. I told Lily you were plotting something.”
Al wrinkled his forehead. “I was plotting something, actually, but that did not work out. The potion was ruined. Anyway, this is not about Malfoy. I’m… going out with Bleys Zabini.” He could not look at her and kept his gaze on the Celtic pattern woven into the blue carpet. The silence drew out so long that he finally looked at her curiously.
“Why?” she asked.
Leave it to a Ravenclaw to ask the one question to which Al did not have a prepared answer. He supposed he should have thought of it on the way upstairs. James was likely to ask even worse questions.
“Um… Bleys is… cute. And I’ve sort of been through all the girls already.” At least the last part was true. Albus had snogged nearly every girl over the age of thirteen.
Her brown eyes pierced him. “And this has nothing to do with Pious Malfoy?”
Al flushed. “Well, maybe it won’t hurt that Malfoy will be hacked off about it. But that’s not the reason. I… like Bleys.” Okay, maybe that was a bit of a lie. But Al could tolerate him and that was semi-close to liking him.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Al? I realize you dated a ridiculous number of girls, but I don’t think working your way through the boys is going to satisfy you any better. What are you looking for, anyway?”
Al raked a hand through his hair, thinking that talking to Rose had not been such a good idea after all. He was not in the mood for psychoanalysis; he merely wanted help with James. Al had already asked himself the same question a dozen times. He had no idea what he was looking for in a girlfriend; he only knew he hadn’t found it yet.
“Actually, I’m just here to get some advice about James.”
Rose winced. “James is going to give birth to Bludgers.”
“I know. Should I just hide from him until this… blows over?”
“You think your relationship with Bleys will be over in the next day or two?” she asked dryly.
Al shrugged. “You know my track record.” For once he was glad of his short-lived flings.
“That might actually work in your favour, at least as far as James is concerned. You realize this is very bad timing, don’t you? Can’t you postpone your… experimentation?”
“Too late. Emily Champlain caught us in a… compromising position.”
The portrait hole opened to disclose a harried-looking Lily Potter. She rushed to the couch and caught Al’s arm.
“There you are, Al,” she said, panting. “James is looking for you. The most atrocious rumour is floating around the school. It’s about you and Bleys Zabini.”
Al quailed inwardly, but he said calmly, “It’s true.”
Lily stared at him and then shared a glance with Rose. “Bloody hell, Al, have you gone daft? James will take you up on a broom and drop you over the lake. He already attacked Hell, who claimed to have no clue whatsoever. That’s why I hoped it was a joke started by Malfoy.”
Al felt a pang of guilt for not seeking out Hell first, if only to warn him about the potential threat from James. Hell was going to be livid at being the last to know.
“I’d better go find Hell. And face the music from James. Please remember to bury me in Slytherin colours if I don’t survive.”
Al went straight to Gryffindor Tower to face his executioner.
James was not in attendance, so Al waited. He preferred not to have this particular conversation with an audience. News of Al’s whereabouts must have reached his brother quickly, for James burst through the portrait hole before Al had a chance to get bored. Three of his brother’s minions were in tow, but James gestured sharply and they peeled off as though intent on their own business. Al leaped away from the couch at the sight of James’s face and quickly moved to keep the couch between them.
James yanked out his wand and cast a Silencing Charm around them, for which Al was suddenly grateful.
“Tell me this is some fucking joke of yours, Albus,” James gritted.
Al opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He would like nothing better than to spill his guts to his enraged sibling, but his promise to Bleys kept the words from spilling forth. He shrugged instead, striving for nonchalance.
“It’s not that big a deal, James,” he said.
James lurched forward and one hand clawed at Al, but years of practice allowed him to evade the manoeuvre. It was the wand Al was more worried about, although he avoided looking at it to keep from giving James ideas.
“You can’t possibly tell me you have feelings for Bleys Zabini!” James shouted.
Al raised his chin at that. “So what if I do?” he asked angrily. “It is not up to you to tell me who I can and cannot care about!”
James looked almost apoplectic, but Al refused to back down. The conversation had taken an abrupt shift and no longer had anything to do with Zabini. “Are you trying to make me hate you, Albus?”
Al sucked in a surprised breath. “You would hate me merely for liking a bloke?” Another thought occurred to him and he took a step forward. He put a hand on the back of the couch and his gaze held his brother’s evenly. “Bloody hell, James, are you saying you actually hate—?”
“Don’t even go there,” James warned. “I will not have this conversation with you.”
“No, James, you prefer to bury your head in the sand and ignore anything that does not fit with your idealistic Gryffindor view of how things should be!” Al yelled. His brother reacted as if slapped.
“Fuck you, Albus!” James raised his wand then and Albus did the same. A shape suddenly hurtled into Al and knocked him out of the path of whatever hex James had hurled. Al’s elbow slammed painfully into the ground and he twisted angrily to see Lily’s face.
“Stop it, both of you!” she said as she climbed to her feet and glared at James. Their brother’s face was still angry, but he seemed somewhat dazed. “James, if mother or father finds out you tried to hex Al, you’ll be grounded for life. And believe me, if you try it again, they will find out.”
“Stay out of this, Lil.”
“No, I will not. You need to back down on this, James.”
Angry blue eyes met angry blue eyes and Albus nearly choked on remorse. He had not meant to set James and Lily against each other. They had always gotten on well, especially after Lily was Sorted into Gryffindor. Al had been the outcast.
“I thought you were on my side, Lily!” James protested.
“I was. Now I’m not so sure.”
James drew in a shaky breath and his face turned ugly. “Fine! Do what you want, Albus. From now on, you’re no brother of mine.”
With that, James cast Finite Incantatum and stalked out, followed by his friends. Al let his head drop to the floor in despair. His brother’s words had cut far deeper than expected.
“He doesn’t mean it, Albus,” Lily said, but her tone was worried.
“He means it,” Al said flatly. “Why does he have to be such a stubborn bastard?”
His sister reached out a hand and Al allowed her to help him to his feet.
“He doesn’t like change.”
“Yeah, well he had better get used to it because things change all the time,” Al snapped. Lily grinned wryly.
“They certainly do. I’m not sure what you’re up to, Al, but I hope it’s worth this.” She gestured at the empty air and Al sighed. His plan for revenge against Pious Malfoy suddenly seemed foolish and empty.
Al’s confrontation with Hell was nearly as bad. He located his friend near the lake, where the Hufflepuffs usually gathered. They were a placid lot with an odd combination of the traits of other houses. Hell moved away from them when he spotted Al.
“I don’t believe it,” Hell said flatly. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Look, maybe I just want to try something new,” Al said lamely. He started to walk on the dock that jutted into the lake, anchoring the boats that brought the first years to Hogwarts. Hell followed.
“I’m not buying this for one moment, Albus. For one thing, it’s too sudden. You’re doing this because of the potion, aren’t you?”
Al flushed. He had never even tried to keep a secret from Hell, not since they were children. At Al’s silence, the Hufflepuff sighed in satisfaction.
“All right, then. You must have your reasons for keeping me in the dark. I’ll back you up, Al, because I owe you one. But there had better be a damned good explanation coming.”
Al favoured him with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Hell.”
His friend grinned ruefully and punched him on the shoulder. “Whatever. I think your new boyfriend is looking for you.”
He jerked a thumb back toward the shore. Al glanced over to see Bleys standing near the pier. Zabini raised a hand in greeting. Al sighed and waved back reluctantly. Hell smiled knowingly at the exchange.
“If you’ve fallen for Bleys Zabini, I’m going to marry a Blast-ended Skrewt,” Hell said and departed. He passed Bleys partway down the pier and gave him a good-natured punch on the shoulder. Hell leaned close to Zabini and said something before continuing back to the gaggle of Hufflepuffs. Bleys joined Al, who looked at him curiously. Bleys slid an arm around Al’s shoulder and pulled him close. Al tried not to tense, but there were no other students close by.
“Pious is watching,” Bleys said just as Al caught sight of the platinum-haired git lounging against a tree. A few of Malfoy’s Slytherin underlings stood nearby, trying not to look like they were lurking, and failing. One of the shortcomings of being Slytherin, Al thought, was that they always looked like they were up to something even when they weren’t.
“What did Hell say?” Al asked and put his arm around Zabini’s waist, trying to make it look natural. It was nothing like putting his arm around a girl—Bleys was not at all soft and cuddly. Bleys nuzzled Al’s neck and it took all of his willpower to stand still and not shove the boy into the lake. Bleys chuckled.
“Damn, Al, if you were any tenser, you’d be a statue.”
“I’ll get over it,” Al snapped.
“Hell told me if I hurt you he would hex me into pieces and feed me to the Thestrals.”
“You know about Thestrals?” Al asked. He wanted to keep Zabini talking, because then he could not gnaw on Al’s neck quite so easily.
“I can see them,” Bleys admitted. Malfoy smirked suddenly and Al narrowed his eyes at the blond. He turned and wrapped his other arm around Bleys’s neck. The embrace was awkward, but felt less so when Al rested his chin on Zabini’s shoulder because it meant he could no longer see Malfoy.
“Sorry about your brother, Al,” Bleys said quietly. Al tensed again, not realizing until then that he had relaxed slightly.
“What?”
“It’s all over the school that James freaked.”
“Yeah, well, don’t worry about it,” Al said. “He’ll get over it once our little charade blows over. Can you see Malfoy?”
Bleys chuckled. “Yes, he just stormed back to the school.”
“So I can let go now?”
“Only if you want to.”
Al stepped back so quickly he nearly went off the edge of the dock. Zabini caught Al’s wrist and hauled him back. “Merlin, Potter, you really don’t like to be touched, do you? Are you sure you can do this?”
“I’ll manage,” Al said and Bleys fell into step beside him as they traversed the pier back toward Hogwarts. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s open season on Pious Malfoy.”
~~- oOo -~~
Pious was disturbed. Not only had James Potter failed to lash out in a suitably heinous fashion, but also watching Bleys fawning all over Al had provoked an unexpected response. He had smirked when Bleys first approached Potter. The black-haired boy’s discomfort had been obvious even from Pious’s vantage. However, Potter had quickly turned and wrapped Bleys in an amorous embrace and Pious had felt the breath catch in his throat. Potter had never reacted that way when Pious touched him. Pious knew it was an act, but that realization did not seem to quell the increasingly irritated voice that yammered in his chest.
Unable to watch, Pious spun on a heel and stalked back to the school, playing into the rumour mill without even trying. He admitted to himself that he had secretly hoped James Potter’s explosion would have gotten both Potters in severe trouble. Apparently, Lily had halted the row. Pious should have done something to keep their sister out of the way, a definite miscalculation on his part.
Pious paced in the Slytherin common room, thinking furiously. There had to be a way to push James Potter into doing something stupid. After all, stupidity was a Gryffindor trait.
Pious was still thinking when Bleys and Potter strode into the common room sometime later, holding hands. Pious nearly saw red. Holding hands! Merlin’s beard, but Pious had expected the bastard to fight harder. He seemed to be more than willing to succumb to Bleys and his obvious charm. Pious schooled his features into an expressionless mask and took a calming breath. It was an act. Just a bloody act on Potter’s part. He did not want Bleys Zabini!
Al and Bleys went to the dorm, but they returned before anything untoward could be suggested. Al had his broom in hand.
“See you after Quidditch, darling,” Al said loudly and made a kissing sound in Bleys’s direction before leaving with a jaunty wave. Bleys threw himself on the couch across from the chair Pious occupied.
“Are you going to Quidditch practice?” Bleys asked. Pious watched as several Slytherins went out after Potter.
“In a minute,” Pious said and threw a glare at the two remaining students, who wisely took the hint and fled. Bleys laughed when he was alone with his blond friend.
“This is the best idea you’ve ever had, Pious,” Bleys said admiringly. “Potter is really cute. So reluctant. No wonder you put your hands on him all the time. And that mess he calls hair—it’s so soft. I always thought it would feel like a handful of dried grass.”
Pious clenched his teeth. He knew perfectly well what Albus Potter’s hair felt like. He certainly did not need Bleys Zabini recapping the sensation for him. He bit back a snarl and managed a somewhat normal tone. “You like girls, remember?”
Bleys shrugged. “Maybe I should keep my options open. At any rate, it will be fun playing with Potter. Shouldn’t you get to Quidditch practice?”
Pious clamped his jaw shut on a comment guaranteed to draw an unwelcome response from Bleys. He got to his feet and strove for calm. “Are you going to come watch your boy toy?” Oh shit, that had sounded decidedly bitter.
“Are you referring to Potter or yourself?” Bleys asked. Pious decided to leave before the urge to punch his best friend became too strong to contain.
Quidditch practice was torture. Potter was in prime form, looking like some god of the air on his broom. He dodged the Bludgers Pious sent his way with ease and waved happily at Bleys, who watched from the stands like some sort of adoring fanboy. Pious began to question the wisdom of his own plan, especially when a Bludger nearly knocked him from his broom while he glared at Bleys. He sent the ball back to Potter, who executed a barrel roll and laughed at Pious and gifted him with a rude gesture.
Pious lingered over his shower while Potter raced through his, probably in his excitement to get back to Bleys, who waited by the locker room door. The rest of the Slytherin team hurriedly cleared out, most likely sensing the tension and wanting no part of the escalating Malfoy/Potter war. Pious walked back to the castle alone and fumed when he caught sight of Potter and Bleys nearing the gate. Bleys had his arm companionably around Al’s shoulder. I just miss Bleys, Pious rationalized. That’s all.
Pious went to his room to study until dinner, even though the words blended together uselessly. He was glad Bleys and Potter had not returned to the Slytherin dorms, even while he wondered where the hell they had gone. He remembered Bleys’s words. Was he really attracted to Albus Potter? Was he off somewhere snogging the black-haired menace right now?
The thought made Pious throw his books aside angrily and seek out sustenance. As luck would have it, James Potter was just exiting the Great Hall when Pious approached the entrance.
“Hey there, Potter,” Pious called companionably. “Is Bleys in there, or is he still out shagging your brother?”
Pious regretted his words almost instantly as James launched himself forward with a cry of rage, knocking them both to the ground. Pious could hardly breathe from the weight of the Gryffindor. James jammed his wand into Pious’s throat.
“I’ll fucking kill you, Malfoy! Did you engineer this with your poncy boyfriend?”
“James!” The voice belonged to Rose Weasley. She tugged ineffectually at Potter’s arm. Pious hoped she could remove the madman, but he could not resist one more barb.
“You like being on top of me, don’t you, Potter? I think being poncy runs in your family.”
James bellowed a curse that might have taken off the top of Pious’s head. Luckily, someone stronger than Rose Weasley yanked away the arm holding the wand, and the hex blasted a chunk out of the marble floor instead. Pious laughed shakily until a booted foot slammed into his hipbone—James had gotten in a lucky shot as he was dragged bodily from Pious.
“I’ll kill you, Malfoy!” Potter shrieked and Pious looked innocently at Professor Flitwick, who had exited the Great Hall just in time to catch that choice phrase. Madam Pomfrey accompanied him. Pious felt like he’d just been handed a gift.
“Keep him away from me, Professors!” Pious cried. “He’s gone completely mad! Did you see what he did?” Pious clutched his hip and writhed convincingly. Madam Pomfrey knelt at his side solicitously.
“James Potter! Go to the office of the Headmistress immediately! Mr. Malfoy, what started this ruckus?”
“I don’t know,” Pious gasped. “I merely asked if he had seen Bleys in the Great Hall.”
“Fucking liar!” James yelled.
“Now, Mr. Potter!” Flitwick ordered. The Gryffindors surrounding James wisely escorted him away.
“Come, Mr. Malfoy. Let’s get you to the hospital wing where I can properly examine you,” said Madam Pomfrey.
PART SIX
Author's Note: (My apologies to poor James; I have since discovered that he is a lovely, darling and I have henceforth stopped making him evil in my fics. *grin*)
Pious buried himself in a comfy chair in a dark corner of the common room and hid behind a scroll until Albus Potter fled the dormitory, looking preoccupied. He did not seem to notice Pious, who waited until Potter had gone before seeking out Bleys.
The dark-skinned boy sat on the end of Potter’s bed. Pious grinned at him.
“Well?” he asked.
Bleys nodded. “He took the bait like a Grindylow snatching a wounded fish. He even agreed to the non-disclosure caveat.”
“He won’t tell anyone?”
“Not even Hell.”
Pious drew in a surprised breath. “You’re brilliant, Bleys. Damn, that was easier than I expected, actually. How did you get him to agree?”
“I promised him something he wants very badly,” Bleys said with a wicked smirk. For a moment Pious felt an odd lurch in his midsection.
“Which is?”
“You can’t touch him.”
Pious burst out laughing. “That’s it?”
“That’s all Potter wants. From now on, he’s mine. Hands off, Pious.” Bleys rose from the bed and walked toward him with the saunter that caused girls to flock to his side with fluttering lashes and nervous giggles. “That means hands off me, too. You’re going to have to play the jilted lover if you want this to work."
Pious pursed his lips and drew his hand over Bleys’s smooth jaw. “I’ll live. It’s only temporary. It will be worth it once Potter is gone for good.”
Bleys smacked his lips in an air kiss and moved toward the door. “I hope so. I’m off to find my new boyfriend. Remember, you owe me for this, Pious.”
“I’m certain you won’t let me forget,” Pious muttered as Bleys left. He already missed his friend and hoped his plan showed speedy fruition. The sooner things were back to normal—sans Potter—the better.
~~- oOo -~~
Al ignored the whispers that followed him as he walked through the halls and took the stairs to Ravenclaw Tower. There was only one person who could help him now. James was going to go utterly explosive and Al had to determine a way to defuse his brother without giving away his duplicity.
Rose Weasley looked up from her latest mechanical puzzle when Al walked in. One thing nice about having relatives and friends in every House—Al knew all the passwords. Her hands froze on the metal links and she blinked at him. Al looked at the twisted nightmare and shook his head. Rose was a puzzle-obsessed fiend; she was constantly tinkering with wooden or metal puzzles, or working out numeric or word puzzles with parchment and quill.
“Albus! What brings you here? Need help with an assignment?”
Al threw himself on the couch next to her and sighed. “I guess I beat the gossip upstairs. You’ll probably hear a howl from Gryffindor Tower as soon as the news gets to James.”
Rose set the puzzle aside with a worried expression. “What have you done now? Did you prank Malfoy again? I knew it was only a matter of time. I told Lily you were plotting something.”
Al wrinkled his forehead. “I was plotting something, actually, but that did not work out. The potion was ruined. Anyway, this is not about Malfoy. I’m… going out with Bleys Zabini.” He could not look at her and kept his gaze on the Celtic pattern woven into the blue carpet. The silence drew out so long that he finally looked at her curiously.
“Why?” she asked.
Leave it to a Ravenclaw to ask the one question to which Al did not have a prepared answer. He supposed he should have thought of it on the way upstairs. James was likely to ask even worse questions.
“Um… Bleys is… cute. And I’ve sort of been through all the girls already.” At least the last part was true. Albus had snogged nearly every girl over the age of thirteen.
Her brown eyes pierced him. “And this has nothing to do with Pious Malfoy?”
Al flushed. “Well, maybe it won’t hurt that Malfoy will be hacked off about it. But that’s not the reason. I… like Bleys.” Okay, maybe that was a bit of a lie. But Al could tolerate him and that was semi-close to liking him.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Al? I realize you dated a ridiculous number of girls, but I don’t think working your way through the boys is going to satisfy you any better. What are you looking for, anyway?”
Al raked a hand through his hair, thinking that talking to Rose had not been such a good idea after all. He was not in the mood for psychoanalysis; he merely wanted help with James. Al had already asked himself the same question a dozen times. He had no idea what he was looking for in a girlfriend; he only knew he hadn’t found it yet.
“Actually, I’m just here to get some advice about James.”
Rose winced. “James is going to give birth to Bludgers.”
“I know. Should I just hide from him until this… blows over?”
“You think your relationship with Bleys will be over in the next day or two?” she asked dryly.
Al shrugged. “You know my track record.” For once he was glad of his short-lived flings.
“That might actually work in your favour, at least as far as James is concerned. You realize this is very bad timing, don’t you? Can’t you postpone your… experimentation?”
“Too late. Emily Champlain caught us in a… compromising position.”
The portrait hole opened to disclose a harried-looking Lily Potter. She rushed to the couch and caught Al’s arm.
“There you are, Al,” she said, panting. “James is looking for you. The most atrocious rumour is floating around the school. It’s about you and Bleys Zabini.”
Al quailed inwardly, but he said calmly, “It’s true.”
Lily stared at him and then shared a glance with Rose. “Bloody hell, Al, have you gone daft? James will take you up on a broom and drop you over the lake. He already attacked Hell, who claimed to have no clue whatsoever. That’s why I hoped it was a joke started by Malfoy.”
Al felt a pang of guilt for not seeking out Hell first, if only to warn him about the potential threat from James. Hell was going to be livid at being the last to know.
“I’d better go find Hell. And face the music from James. Please remember to bury me in Slytherin colours if I don’t survive.”
Al went straight to Gryffindor Tower to face his executioner.
James was not in attendance, so Al waited. He preferred not to have this particular conversation with an audience. News of Al’s whereabouts must have reached his brother quickly, for James burst through the portrait hole before Al had a chance to get bored. Three of his brother’s minions were in tow, but James gestured sharply and they peeled off as though intent on their own business. Al leaped away from the couch at the sight of James’s face and quickly moved to keep the couch between them.
James yanked out his wand and cast a Silencing Charm around them, for which Al was suddenly grateful.
“Tell me this is some fucking joke of yours, Albus,” James gritted.
Al opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He would like nothing better than to spill his guts to his enraged sibling, but his promise to Bleys kept the words from spilling forth. He shrugged instead, striving for nonchalance.
“It’s not that big a deal, James,” he said.
James lurched forward and one hand clawed at Al, but years of practice allowed him to evade the manoeuvre. It was the wand Al was more worried about, although he avoided looking at it to keep from giving James ideas.
“You can’t possibly tell me you have feelings for Bleys Zabini!” James shouted.
Al raised his chin at that. “So what if I do?” he asked angrily. “It is not up to you to tell me who I can and cannot care about!”
James looked almost apoplectic, but Al refused to back down. The conversation had taken an abrupt shift and no longer had anything to do with Zabini. “Are you trying to make me hate you, Albus?”
Al sucked in a surprised breath. “You would hate me merely for liking a bloke?” Another thought occurred to him and he took a step forward. He put a hand on the back of the couch and his gaze held his brother’s evenly. “Bloody hell, James, are you saying you actually hate—?”
“Don’t even go there,” James warned. “I will not have this conversation with you.”
“No, James, you prefer to bury your head in the sand and ignore anything that does not fit with your idealistic Gryffindor view of how things should be!” Al yelled. His brother reacted as if slapped.
“Fuck you, Albus!” James raised his wand then and Albus did the same. A shape suddenly hurtled into Al and knocked him out of the path of whatever hex James had hurled. Al’s elbow slammed painfully into the ground and he twisted angrily to see Lily’s face.
“Stop it, both of you!” she said as she climbed to her feet and glared at James. Their brother’s face was still angry, but he seemed somewhat dazed. “James, if mother or father finds out you tried to hex Al, you’ll be grounded for life. And believe me, if you try it again, they will find out.”
“Stay out of this, Lil.”
“No, I will not. You need to back down on this, James.”
Angry blue eyes met angry blue eyes and Albus nearly choked on remorse. He had not meant to set James and Lily against each other. They had always gotten on well, especially after Lily was Sorted into Gryffindor. Al had been the outcast.
“I thought you were on my side, Lily!” James protested.
“I was. Now I’m not so sure.”
James drew in a shaky breath and his face turned ugly. “Fine! Do what you want, Albus. From now on, you’re no brother of mine.”
With that, James cast Finite Incantatum and stalked out, followed by his friends. Al let his head drop to the floor in despair. His brother’s words had cut far deeper than expected.
“He doesn’t mean it, Albus,” Lily said, but her tone was worried.
“He means it,” Al said flatly. “Why does he have to be such a stubborn bastard?”
His sister reached out a hand and Al allowed her to help him to his feet.
“He doesn’t like change.”
“Yeah, well he had better get used to it because things change all the time,” Al snapped. Lily grinned wryly.
“They certainly do. I’m not sure what you’re up to, Al, but I hope it’s worth this.” She gestured at the empty air and Al sighed. His plan for revenge against Pious Malfoy suddenly seemed foolish and empty.
Al’s confrontation with Hell was nearly as bad. He located his friend near the lake, where the Hufflepuffs usually gathered. They were a placid lot with an odd combination of the traits of other houses. Hell moved away from them when he spotted Al.
“I don’t believe it,” Hell said flatly. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Look, maybe I just want to try something new,” Al said lamely. He started to walk on the dock that jutted into the lake, anchoring the boats that brought the first years to Hogwarts. Hell followed.
“I’m not buying this for one moment, Albus. For one thing, it’s too sudden. You’re doing this because of the potion, aren’t you?”
Al flushed. He had never even tried to keep a secret from Hell, not since they were children. At Al’s silence, the Hufflepuff sighed in satisfaction.
“All right, then. You must have your reasons for keeping me in the dark. I’ll back you up, Al, because I owe you one. But there had better be a damned good explanation coming.”
Al favoured him with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Hell.”
His friend grinned ruefully and punched him on the shoulder. “Whatever. I think your new boyfriend is looking for you.”
He jerked a thumb back toward the shore. Al glanced over to see Bleys standing near the pier. Zabini raised a hand in greeting. Al sighed and waved back reluctantly. Hell smiled knowingly at the exchange.
“If you’ve fallen for Bleys Zabini, I’m going to marry a Blast-ended Skrewt,” Hell said and departed. He passed Bleys partway down the pier and gave him a good-natured punch on the shoulder. Hell leaned close to Zabini and said something before continuing back to the gaggle of Hufflepuffs. Bleys joined Al, who looked at him curiously. Bleys slid an arm around Al’s shoulder and pulled him close. Al tried not to tense, but there were no other students close by.
“Pious is watching,” Bleys said just as Al caught sight of the platinum-haired git lounging against a tree. A few of Malfoy’s Slytherin underlings stood nearby, trying not to look like they were lurking, and failing. One of the shortcomings of being Slytherin, Al thought, was that they always looked like they were up to something even when they weren’t.
“What did Hell say?” Al asked and put his arm around Zabini’s waist, trying to make it look natural. It was nothing like putting his arm around a girl—Bleys was not at all soft and cuddly. Bleys nuzzled Al’s neck and it took all of his willpower to stand still and not shove the boy into the lake. Bleys chuckled.
“Damn, Al, if you were any tenser, you’d be a statue.”
“I’ll get over it,” Al snapped.
“Hell told me if I hurt you he would hex me into pieces and feed me to the Thestrals.”
“You know about Thestrals?” Al asked. He wanted to keep Zabini talking, because then he could not gnaw on Al’s neck quite so easily.
“I can see them,” Bleys admitted. Malfoy smirked suddenly and Al narrowed his eyes at the blond. He turned and wrapped his other arm around Bleys’s neck. The embrace was awkward, but felt less so when Al rested his chin on Zabini’s shoulder because it meant he could no longer see Malfoy.
“Sorry about your brother, Al,” Bleys said quietly. Al tensed again, not realizing until then that he had relaxed slightly.
“What?”
“It’s all over the school that James freaked.”
“Yeah, well, don’t worry about it,” Al said. “He’ll get over it once our little charade blows over. Can you see Malfoy?”
Bleys chuckled. “Yes, he just stormed back to the school.”
“So I can let go now?”
“Only if you want to.”
Al stepped back so quickly he nearly went off the edge of the dock. Zabini caught Al’s wrist and hauled him back. “Merlin, Potter, you really don’t like to be touched, do you? Are you sure you can do this?”
“I’ll manage,” Al said and Bleys fell into step beside him as they traversed the pier back toward Hogwarts. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s open season on Pious Malfoy.”
~~- oOo -~~
Pious was disturbed. Not only had James Potter failed to lash out in a suitably heinous fashion, but also watching Bleys fawning all over Al had provoked an unexpected response. He had smirked when Bleys first approached Potter. The black-haired boy’s discomfort had been obvious even from Pious’s vantage. However, Potter had quickly turned and wrapped Bleys in an amorous embrace and Pious had felt the breath catch in his throat. Potter had never reacted that way when Pious touched him. Pious knew it was an act, but that realization did not seem to quell the increasingly irritated voice that yammered in his chest.
Unable to watch, Pious spun on a heel and stalked back to the school, playing into the rumour mill without even trying. He admitted to himself that he had secretly hoped James Potter’s explosion would have gotten both Potters in severe trouble. Apparently, Lily had halted the row. Pious should have done something to keep their sister out of the way, a definite miscalculation on his part.
Pious paced in the Slytherin common room, thinking furiously. There had to be a way to push James Potter into doing something stupid. After all, stupidity was a Gryffindor trait.
Pious was still thinking when Bleys and Potter strode into the common room sometime later, holding hands. Pious nearly saw red. Holding hands! Merlin’s beard, but Pious had expected the bastard to fight harder. He seemed to be more than willing to succumb to Bleys and his obvious charm. Pious schooled his features into an expressionless mask and took a calming breath. It was an act. Just a bloody act on Potter’s part. He did not want Bleys Zabini!
Al and Bleys went to the dorm, but they returned before anything untoward could be suggested. Al had his broom in hand.
“See you after Quidditch, darling,” Al said loudly and made a kissing sound in Bleys’s direction before leaving with a jaunty wave. Bleys threw himself on the couch across from the chair Pious occupied.
“Are you going to Quidditch practice?” Bleys asked. Pious watched as several Slytherins went out after Potter.
“In a minute,” Pious said and threw a glare at the two remaining students, who wisely took the hint and fled. Bleys laughed when he was alone with his blond friend.
“This is the best idea you’ve ever had, Pious,” Bleys said admiringly. “Potter is really cute. So reluctant. No wonder you put your hands on him all the time. And that mess he calls hair—it’s so soft. I always thought it would feel like a handful of dried grass.”
Pious clenched his teeth. He knew perfectly well what Albus Potter’s hair felt like. He certainly did not need Bleys Zabini recapping the sensation for him. He bit back a snarl and managed a somewhat normal tone. “You like girls, remember?”
Bleys shrugged. “Maybe I should keep my options open. At any rate, it will be fun playing with Potter. Shouldn’t you get to Quidditch practice?”
Pious clamped his jaw shut on a comment guaranteed to draw an unwelcome response from Bleys. He got to his feet and strove for calm. “Are you going to come watch your boy toy?” Oh shit, that had sounded decidedly bitter.
“Are you referring to Potter or yourself?” Bleys asked. Pious decided to leave before the urge to punch his best friend became too strong to contain.
Quidditch practice was torture. Potter was in prime form, looking like some god of the air on his broom. He dodged the Bludgers Pious sent his way with ease and waved happily at Bleys, who watched from the stands like some sort of adoring fanboy. Pious began to question the wisdom of his own plan, especially when a Bludger nearly knocked him from his broom while he glared at Bleys. He sent the ball back to Potter, who executed a barrel roll and laughed at Pious and gifted him with a rude gesture.
Pious lingered over his shower while Potter raced through his, probably in his excitement to get back to Bleys, who waited by the locker room door. The rest of the Slytherin team hurriedly cleared out, most likely sensing the tension and wanting no part of the escalating Malfoy/Potter war. Pious walked back to the castle alone and fumed when he caught sight of Potter and Bleys nearing the gate. Bleys had his arm companionably around Al’s shoulder. I just miss Bleys, Pious rationalized. That’s all.
Pious went to his room to study until dinner, even though the words blended together uselessly. He was glad Bleys and Potter had not returned to the Slytherin dorms, even while he wondered where the hell they had gone. He remembered Bleys’s words. Was he really attracted to Albus Potter? Was he off somewhere snogging the black-haired menace right now?
The thought made Pious throw his books aside angrily and seek out sustenance. As luck would have it, James Potter was just exiting the Great Hall when Pious approached the entrance.
“Hey there, Potter,” Pious called companionably. “Is Bleys in there, or is he still out shagging your brother?”
Pious regretted his words almost instantly as James launched himself forward with a cry of rage, knocking them both to the ground. Pious could hardly breathe from the weight of the Gryffindor. James jammed his wand into Pious’s throat.
“I’ll fucking kill you, Malfoy! Did you engineer this with your poncy boyfriend?”
“James!” The voice belonged to Rose Weasley. She tugged ineffectually at Potter’s arm. Pious hoped she could remove the madman, but he could not resist one more barb.
“You like being on top of me, don’t you, Potter? I think being poncy runs in your family.”
James bellowed a curse that might have taken off the top of Pious’s head. Luckily, someone stronger than Rose Weasley yanked away the arm holding the wand, and the hex blasted a chunk out of the marble floor instead. Pious laughed shakily until a booted foot slammed into his hipbone—James had gotten in a lucky shot as he was dragged bodily from Pious.
“I’ll kill you, Malfoy!” Potter shrieked and Pious looked innocently at Professor Flitwick, who had exited the Great Hall just in time to catch that choice phrase. Madam Pomfrey accompanied him. Pious felt like he’d just been handed a gift.
“Keep him away from me, Professors!” Pious cried. “He’s gone completely mad! Did you see what he did?” Pious clutched his hip and writhed convincingly. Madam Pomfrey knelt at his side solicitously.
“James Potter! Go to the office of the Headmistress immediately! Mr. Malfoy, what started this ruckus?”
“I don’t know,” Pious gasped. “I merely asked if he had seen Bleys in the Great Hall.”
“Fucking liar!” James yelled.
“Now, Mr. Potter!” Flitwick ordered. The Gryffindors surrounding James wisely escorted him away.
“Come, Mr. Malfoy. Let’s get you to the hospital wing where I can properly examine you,” said Madam Pomfrey.
PART SIX
Author's Note: (My apologies to poor James; I have since discovered that he is a lovely, darling and I have henceforth stopped making him evil in my fics. *grin*)