ass_tea | [LOG] The First Morning

n3xt-in-line.livejournal.com posting in

Where: Slytherin Dormitories/Hogwarts Courtyard
When: Sunday, November 28, 2021 (fifth year)

Alby woke slowly, feeling oddly content, followed shortly by slight confusion as he realized there was a warm mass in the bed beside him. He briefly wondered if Lily had somehow crawled into bed with him, like she used to at home when she'd had a bad dream, but as soon as he had that thought it dispelled - the person beside him was too warm and too large to be Lily. Alby blinked in the greenish darkness of the enclosed bed, waking further and realizing that this wasn't his bed - and suddenly remembering it was Scorp's. And the person beside him was none other than Scorpius Malfoy himself - Alby's best friend and, if he hadn't made up what he remembered of last night, now his boyfriend.

Memories of last night came flooding back and Alby couldn't help it - a wide grin split his face as he disentangled himself carefully from the bedsheets and looked up at the bed's other occupant. Despite the fact that Alby had obviously moved and gotten a bit tangled in the bedclothes throughout the night, Scorp seemed to be lying in mostly the same position he'd been when they'd fallen asleep - on his back, but now his head was pillowed on folded arms and despite the fact that his eyes were closed, his glasses were perched on his nose, though a bit farther down than usual. Alby chuckled silently and, feeling a bit giddy, slipped up to lean over the blonde and simultaneously slid the glasses properly up his nose and leaned down for a soft, lingering kiss.

"You're already up, aren't you?" he murmured, barely suppressing the urge to run fingers through Scorp's hair and just collapse onto the other and wrap arms around him and never let go. Something about waking up like this made him happier than he'd ever felt, and the thought that it was only the beginning seemed almost too exciting to bear.

[OOC: I was going to have them start with waking up and heading over to get lunch, but then I was thinking we can skip through the meal and get them out to the courtyard so James can be his stupid self. :D; I'm also assuming Scorp is likely just dozing, since there is no way Alby woke up before him? Let me know if that wouldn't be the case and I'll rewrite, though!]

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Alby didn't quite know where Scorp had appeared from but, as gloves, hat, and scarf were placed into his hands, he found he didn't care. Just having Scorp at his back made things better - though only momentarily, as Scorp saw fit to answer James before Alby could get another word out. Which was, he realized belatedly, perhaps not the best way to deal with his somewhat enraged brother.

"The hell I do!" James roared, his cheeks growing even more red as he stared down at Scorp now as well, though Scorpius was not budging, one hand on Alby's shoulder and that comfort was what allowed him to finally find his voice, taking one step forward and glaring up at James now, his face feeling rather devoid of blood but trying not to show his worry as he spoke.

"Well it's true, so bugger off!"

James actually backed up a miniscule step - he obviously hadn't expected Alby to confirm the rumors, and one could almost see the wheels turning behind his wide brown eyes. Silence fell again for a moment, and Alby almost didn't dare hope that James would leave it be at that, and go off to simmer somewhere else and leave them alone.

It was then that James Potter did the worst thing he could possibly do. He took a swing at Scorpius Malfoy.

Alby watched in horror as Scorp sidestepped the blow without blinking - but while Scorpius could defend himself just fine, Alby did not want his brother and his boyfriend to come to blows. James was rounding on Scorp again, obviously angry that his first swing hadn't connected, and almost without thinking Alby dropped his things and lunged for James.

"Stop it! You idiot, stop it!"

He was pushed aside by a wide swipe from James and went stumbling into Rachel, who exclaimed and half-caught him before he could hit the ground. One hand clasped Alby's right arm tightly as they - and the rest of the courtyard - looked on with abject horror at the scene unfolding before them.

[OOC: XD This (http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/) is a wonderful, wonderful site~ That expression was too hilarious not to use. |D Also, Alby's not out of things just yet, but probably next tag I can have James actually knock his lights out. XD;]

From:

of-gunmetalgrey.livejournal.com

Scorpius saw James Potter's strike coming from a mile away, and sidestepped it easily. He could have returned and landed a blow if he wanted to, but James was so ungainly with his fighting that it hardly seemed fair. Scorpius also didn't want to hurt his boyfriend's big brother in front of the everyone gathered at the courtyard, including James's girlfriend.

"Get out of the way!" Scorpius shouted when Alby rushed forward. He hoped that James had more sense in him than to do something to Alby, he wasn't going to count on it. He barely had enough time to register that Alby had been swept to the side and stumbled into James's girlfriend before the next blow came. Scorpius barely dodged that one, turning to the side as James tried again, with no time to take a step back until James had missed already.

James was seething, his face red, his breath misting in front of his face as he stopped to gather himself. The entire courtyard was silent, every eye watching the fight unfold between Scorpius Malfoy and James Potter.

It wasn't much of a fight really, Scorpius thought, if he wasn't going to fight back. His only hope was that James would wear himself out before he did, or that someone would go tell a teacher and break up the fight before things got too ugly. Scorpius didn't know how much longer he could out just defending himself--the hand-to-hand combat he'd been willing to learn from his mum and dad had been rather limited to blocks and counterattacks, if not straight out attacks, and the last thing he wanted to was to send James to the hospital wing because his instinct had kicked in.

From:

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Alby was too stunned for a moment to do much other than watch as Scorp continued to sidestep every one of his brother's blows, dancing out of the way before anything could connect and only making James angrier in the process. A low buzzing had begun to fill the courtyard, as students asked each other what was going on or who might win or whether they ought to run and get a teacher.

Rachel's fingers were still digging into his arm when Alby finally came to his senses - this couldn't go on, not on account of him or Scorp or anything, because it was only making things worse. James had to listen to him, he couldn't just try to beat up Scorp because he didn't like the situation. Alby tugged his arm against Rachel's grip - though it had seemed firm, the motion surprised her into letting go and he took a step away from her even as she grabbed again in his direction.

"Alby, stop, you can't -" she began, but he was already running towards the fight, arms out to grab James and try to pull him away from Scorp.

"I said stop it!" Alby grasped at James' arm, tugging it back and trying to render it unusable, throwing all of his weight into the motion. "James, you git, stop making a f-"

"And I said stay out of it, Alby!" James yelled down at him, not even looking away from Scorpius as he tugged his arm free of Alby's grip and swung back to sweep Alby away once more. His elbow connected solidly with Alby's chest, knocking the breath out of him and sending the world sideways as Alby half-stumbled and half-flew back a few feet and went over, his head hitting the ground with a dull crack! that exploded fireworks before his vision and set his ears ringing fiercely. He could only blink dumbly for a moment, wondering what had happened to make his eyes and ears stop working properly, because everything was dark and slow and silent, before the darkness swallowed him whole.

[OOC: I'd say after your tag, we can skip ahead and continue from the medical wing, where they've probably revived Alby? :D;; Or they can do it right there in the courtyard, if whoever shows up would be able to wake him up~]

From:

of-gunmetalgrey.livejournal.com

"Alby!"

Scorpius watched, helpless, too far away to make it in time to Alby as he fell to the ground, landing on his back and cracking the back of his head against the stone.

"Alby!" Scorpius rushed forward, shoving James out of the way as he knelt beside his boyfriend. A crowd gathered around him as he shook Alby gently. "Alby! Alby!"

Scorpius's stomach plummeted, Alby was out like a light, and he had no idea what to do. James was standing a long way off in the crowd, staring at his brother on the ground, stunned, holding his hands up and trying to explain to his girlfriend that it had been an accident. Suddenly the crowd parted and there was Professor Longbottom and Professor Dixon.

"Is he all right? What happened?" Professor Longbottom asked, taking Alby from Scorpius's arms as Professor Dixon cleared a space around them in the crowd.

"He got hit, and fell and hit his head on the ground," Scorpius replied, breathless. "I think he's still breathing," Scorpius managed, which was at most what he'd been able to gather.

"I'll take him to the hospital wing," Professor Longbottom said, scooping Alby up in his arms. "You," he said, nodding toward the closest student to him, a third year Hufflepuff girl, "go tell Madame Goodkind there's been an injury."

The young Hufflepuff girl nodded and skittered off in the direction of the castle.

Professor Longbottom lifted Alby up and made his way after her, the crowd parting dutifully before him. Feeling rather helpless again, Scorpius followed the Herbology professor back into the castle and to the hospital wing, Professor Dixon and James Potter trailing after them.

[OOC: Yup, let's skip ahead to the medical wing!]

From:

n3xt-in-line.livejournal.com

The first thing Alby felt as he drifted back to consciousness was a slight throbbing at the base of his skull - his head hurt, but it wasn't unbearable, and his body felt stiff but otherwise all right. He was lying on a bed, and he could hear people shifting and talking not far from where he lay.

He could hear Lily scolding James, a long, drawn-out angry string of words drifting over to him that involved his brother's name and a list of shortcomings. He could hear Madame Goodkind and Professor Longbottom, talking in quiet voices, though he couldn't quite make out their words, as they must be farther away. He also felt a warm presence just beside him, and as he opened eyes that were a bit slow to focus, he realized it was Scorpius, standing over him and looking more than a little concerned.

"Hunh?" Alby croaked, his voice taking a moment to form the words he was thinking. "What - why'm I here?" He thought he remembered a fight - James and Scorp were fighting, that had been it - and he'd tried to do something, but it hadn't worked... and he'd hit his head? That sounded (and felt) about right.

"Ah, you're awake!" Madame Goodkind exclaimed, breaking off her conversation with Professor Longbottom and hurrying over to his bedside. "How do you feel? That was a nasty bump on the head, but you'll be all right."

"Mn," Alby groaned, trying to sit up a little. "My head hurts."

"Yes, yes, it will for a while," the nurse said, fussing over him as she felt the lump at the base of his skull with nimble fingers. Alby winced.

"Alby, you..." James began; Lily elbowed him in the ribs and he paused, looking like he was trying to look apologetic, though he was obviously still angry - angry, right, because of him and Scorp...

Alby glanced to Scorpius, hoping that he hadn't been hurt while he'd been unconscious.

From:

of-gunmetalgrey.livejournal.com

Scorpius made way for Madame Goodkind as she bent over Alby, fussing over him good-naturedly. He'd learned long ago from one of his mother's old friends never to get in the way of a Healer and her patient.

"Hey," Scorpius said as Alby looked at him. He reached for Alby's hand and held it both of his own. "I'm so sorry, Alby." Scorpius did his best to pretend that James was not in the room, and that he wasn't still looking angry. As if it had been his fault that Alby had been knocked on the floor! Fighting with James here would only make Alby more upset, so Scorpius did his best in tolerating the presence of his boyfriend's older brother.

"Well," Madame Goodkind said as she got up, giving both boys a severe look, "you'll be all right in a few days, Albus Potter, but do make sure that your..." she glanced at Scorpius Malfoy, not quite sure what to make of him. "...friend and your brother don't get into any more fights."

Scorpius had the good grace to look like that he at least shared part of the blame for Alby's injury. If only he'd kept himself on between Alby and James and not on the other side, Alby might have been able to avoid that nasty bump to his head.

"If you still have a headache after dinner I have a few potions that will take care of that for you," Madame Goodkind said. "But other than that, you're free to leave whenever you like."

"Thank you," Scorpius said in earnest.

Madame Goodkind smiled at Scorpius. "Of course, darling. It's what I do." she replied before stepping aside to give Alby, Scorpius, and the rest of the people gathered in the infirmary some space.

There was a long moment of silence as Scorpius scooted closer to Alby and eyed James warily, not entirely trusting what he was going to do or say not that the school nurse was gone.

A cough from Professor Longbottom broke the silence. "Well," he said cheerfully, "now that that's over with, there's still another matter." He looked from Scorpius to James. "Detention, boys."

From:

n3xt-in-line.livejournal.com

Alby frowned - sure, Scorp probably felt bad, but it hadn't been his fault. The look on James' face only confirmed that - angry or not, his brother looked decidedly guilty, and Alby was pretty sure that his while his memory might be a bit foggy, it wasn't wrong.

"Yeah," Alby said quietly, in response to Madame Goodkind's instructions. He would certainly do his best to make sure no more fistfights broke out - not if he had to give James a piece of his mind like he'd never done before. Now that he wasn't standing in the courtyard with his brother looming over him, Alby felt a bit more bold - and angry - than he had before. James had no right taking swings at Scorp just because he didn't want to accept the fact that he was going to have to deal with his brother being gay. If Lily could deal with it, then so could James.

He squeezed the hands holding his as the nurse stepped away from his bed, giving Scorp his best "I know it wasn't your fault, my brother's a git" look - but it immediately transformed into a frown as Professor Longbottom announced quite clearly that both James and Scorp would be receiving detentions for this.

"But - wait, it was my fault too!" Alby protested, though he could see his sister making faces at him. "You can't just give them detention - besides, Scorp never even threw a punch!"

Professor Longbottom looked at him with understanding, but there was an undercurrent of firmness when he spoke. "Albus, I don't see how any of this could've been your fault. I clearly saw your brother and Mr. Malfoy fighting, and they need to be punished accordingly, to ensure," cue pointed looks at James and Scorpius, "that it doesn't happen again. If you have differences to resolve, boys, I suggest you do it by some other means, please."

"Well I wouldn'tve done anything if Alby would just tell me the truth!" James put in, frowning nearly as deeply as Alby, who stared at his brother and felt his cheeks begin to grow warm.

"Well I tried," he insisted, feeling very much like he didn't want to have this conversation in front of Professor Longbottom. "And so did Scorp."

James looked from Alby to Scorp as though he were trying to envision what that really meant, but he didn't look any happier about it. Alby swung his legs over the side of the bed, trying to hide a small grimace at the way his head still felt. It did seem to be fading, at least, but the back of his skull still twinged painfully when he moved too fast.

From:

of-gunmetalgrey.livejournal.com

Scorpius frowned at the news of detention. He'd never gotten detention before, and he was sure that if he was going to be doing it with James Potter, it was going to be rather unpleasant. He didn't want to admit it, but the fight had partly been his fault, even though he hadn't fought back, a small part of him had wanted to provoke Alby's brother.

"It's okay," Scorpius said when Alby protested, "I'll just do the detention."

Scorpius decided that keeping silent was the best way that he was going to get along with James Potter in front of Alby was to ignore him. He helped Alby out of bed, offering him his hand and hovering a nearby to catch him case he stumbled.

"Let's go back to the Dungeons," Scorpius suggested quietly. "It's been a long day."

[OOC: So uh, where should we finish this, cause I have no idea where I'm going here. XD]

From:

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"Yeah, that sounds good." Alby honestly kind of wanted to go back to bed - maybe then he could pretend this whole thing had never happened. Or, at the very least, he wanted to collapse somewhere comfortable with Scorp and doze, so if they didn't make it past the common room, he wouldn't really mind.

He shot James another glare that his brother did his best to pretend to be oblivious to, but a look from his sister left Alby secure in the fact that James was going to get an earful from her. It was a little silly, he felt, relying on his sister to deal with James like that, but obviously now was not the time for Alby to do it.

He resolved, as he and Scorp made their way out of the medical wing under the watchful eye of Madame Goodkind and Professor Longbottom, that he would track James down soon and give him a good talking-to, himself. Because avoiding the problem, when James was the problem, was only going to make it worse.

[OOC: I guess we can finish it about here? :D; If Alby talks to James, it'll be in private, so I'll probably write that up with just the two of them~]

From:

of-gunmetalgrey.livejournal.com

Scorpius and Alby slowly made their way back to the Slytherin Dungeons, ignoring all the pairs of eyes that turned as they passed, on their way down to their dormitory.

Most of Slytherin House had gathered in the common room, looking up from their books, games, and conversations as they entered, Scorpius with his arm around Alby's shoulders. Joe and Alex almost leapt off the couch to greet them, both with worried expressions.

"We heard what happened," Joe said gravely, "but Professor Dixon wouldn't let us into the infirmary."

"Are you okay, Alby?" Alex asked. "I heard it was a pretty nasty fall you took there. God, your brother's such a twat. Why didn't you just beat him up, Scorp?"

"Has it ever occurred to you that beating my boyfriend's big brother is not the best way to win approval from his family?" replied Scorpius acerbicly.

"Huh, I suppose," Alex said, as if he'd just considered that for the first time. "I'd've just beaten him up anyway."

Suppressing a sigh, Scorpius guided Alby toward their room. "We're going back to bed," he said, waving off any further questions. "This has not been the best day."

Scorpius and Alby undressed quickly, and with little fanfare they climbed back into Scorpius's bed and shut the curtains to block out the light. Scorpius wrapped Alby in his arms and pulled the blankets over them, burying his nose in Alby's hair.

"I hope tomorrow's better," he said, because he definitely thought it couldn't be worse.

[OOC: We can end here, or if you want to do one more tag go for it! But yeah, write up Alby's talk with James! He totally deserves to be wrung out by Alby! :3]

From:

n3xt-in-line.livejournal.com

Alby fielded Alex's question with a quiet, "I'm fine," and let Scorp do most of the talking - he didn't protest in the least as Scorpius announced that they were going back to bed - that sounded like a rather wonderful idea right now, and Alby followed as eagerly as he could as they retreated into the dormitory, changing and crawling into Scorpius's bed, which seemed the only really safe place for the moment. Alby happily snuggled back up against Scorpius's chest, unable to help the small, if unexplainable, smile that crept over his lips.

"It had better be," he agreed, already feeling better now that they were safe within the confines of Scorp's bed, and he was warm and comfortable and tomorrow seemed a long way off. "But right now seems pretty good," he insisted, bumping his nose up against the other's pyjama'd chest and smiling once more, before his eyes slipped shut and he decided that maybe just a little nap wouldn't be so bad.

[OOC: And end! :D Yeah, I need to write them up, I have it pretty much down in my head, but it's just a matter of compelling myself to type it up~ I have half of a "Ginny and Harry get letters from their children" scene written already, so I'll try to finish that one too~ XD]