I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN THAT SERIES BECAUSE THEY ALL BELONG TO J.K. ROWLING!

-Chapter Fifteen-

Albus was wiping his nose for the last time. After Rose found him after Hugo couldn’t and she found him in the owl room on the balcony she fixed his nose. She found a cloth and helped him to get all of the blood off of his face. His nose really did break and there was blood all over his face and all over the front of his pajama shirt.

After his face was cleaned up he took off his pajama shirt to clean up the blood on his chest. Once that was done Rose asked him again if he felt nauseous, but he said no. Now, Albus stood bare chested as he leaned on the railing of the balcony and looked at the view around him. Rose was standing beside him.

Both had been silent for a couple of minutes. Albus was still furious with his sister and what she did, but he was trying to calm down in the warm night air.

It was Rose who had to break the silence first.

“You didn’t mean that did you?” Rose asked.

“Mean what?” Albus asked her.

“About what you said to Lily about her being there.” Rose answered.

Albus sighed and said, “a little. Actually…a lot.”

Rose rolled her eyes, “your just saying that because you are angry.”

“I’m not! If you are going to deny what I say then why in the world did you ask!” Albus roared at her.

Rose actually stepped back and widened her eyes in fear. Albus turned around to look at her. When Albus saw his cousin’s face he was taken back. He then realized that this was the first time that he had ever yelled at Rose. Rose rarely yelled at Albus, but this was the first time that he had ever yelled at her.

Albus took a step forward and said, “Rose…Rosie I’m so sorry.”

“You’ve never yelled at me before.” Rose whispered.

“I know. Rose I’m so sorry.” Albus said.

Rose looked at the ground. When Albus touched her shoulder she shook it off and looked at the ground. Albus could see the hurt in her eyes. All of his anger was gone now. All he felt was guilt.

“I’m so sorry Rosie. I never meant to yell at you. I was just angry about Lily and how James and my mom are missing.” Albus said.

“I should leave you alone then.” Rose said still looking at the ground.

“Rose I’m so sorry.” Albus said.

“I know, but you need to be alone to think. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Rose said and before Albus could stop her she turned around and walked off the balcony.

Though Albus wanted to go after her and try to talk her into staying he knew that it wouldn’t be useful. Rose was upset and Albus felt too guilty to try and do something nice again. Albus felt as if he was going to be sick and he then leaned against the railing again and stared out at the world.

Albus in the end of everything did love Lily, but he loved his parents more. He hated to see his parents in pain every time they went past Lily/Alice’s room. They still had the chair at the kitchen table that was always empty because it was Lily’s chair. That’s where she has always sat. My parents figured that if she ever did come back that she would still have her old spot back since we still had it and Alice took her room.

Though Albus could see his parents trying to hide their pain from him and his brothers, he could see just how much they missed her. Albus understood too. Lily was his parent’s little innocent girl and she was Albus’s little sister who looked up to him. Albus missed his little sister too.

He couldn’t exactly remember everything that happened that night that made her leave, but all he knew was that his parents were yelling at her and each other while Lily was sobbing in a hospital bed. He remembered Teddy yelling a couple of times as well. James and Albus weren’t allowed into that room.

His sister was a Slytherin though. A Slytherin. She learned like them and spoke like them. She was learning how to be like them and Albus knew that soon enough that would run over the morals that his parents told her. She already has begun to do it.

Albus wondered what Lily would’ve turned out like if she was a Gryffindor like him. Would they still be close?

“You deserve to die. You know that right?”

Albus jumped a little when he turned around by the cold hard voice. He saw Oliver Zabini standing there. He was glaring at him with a cold hard stare that even made Albus jump back in surprise.

“Back off.” Albus growled.

“Do you know that she hates herself?” Oliver demanded.

“Good for her.” Albus said, “if I wanted to talk to an ignorant Slytherin then I would’ve called on my sister.”

“No wonder she doesn’t want to go home. She has to deal with you and your hatred.” Oliver growled.

“This is not hatred.” Albus said.

“Well it sure ain’t love.” Oliver said.

Albus glared at Oliver as well.

“There isn’t a reason for you to be in my family problems.” James said.

“Yes there is considering that I’m your sister’s best friend. Or do you still call her that?”

“I don’t care who you are friends with. Get out of my way.” Albus growled and he grabbed his bloody shirt and pushed past Oliver.

Before James could open the door Oliver turned around and told Albus, “you should respect me more. I was the one who found her that night. I was the one who saved her.”

Albus froze and turned around to face Oliver.

“Do you know that she still sleeps with a lamp on beside her?” Oliver asked.

Albus felt his anger leave him again. He stared at Oliver.

“I know that you and your family couldn’t care less if I died…maybe even all of the Slytherins ever at Hogwarts, but Lily is your family and she was looking to your parents for safety that night and all she got was blame. All she got were your parents yelling at her.” Oliver said, “It’s you who should feel ashamed. You and your parents and brothers. She’s blamed herself for that every second that she thinks of.”

Albus felt his anger starting to sprout again.

“Lily has wanted to go home, but every time she sees you or your brothers she gets nothing but grief. She thinks that Alice has replaced her. She thinks that Alice took over her life.” Oliver told him, “she wants to go home, but she’s afraid that she will get nothing but an angry family. She thinks that you hate her.”

“I don’t hate her.” Albus growled.

“Then tell her that.” Oliver said, “you should be ashamed of what you did to her and you should be ashamed of what you told her tonight. She was right. No matter how much Alice is to your family, she isn’t your sister. She isn’t your parent’s daughter. Lily is. I hope that your mother and brother are okay for her sake.”

Not able to hear any more Albus stomped off with his anger beginning to come back over again. Needing to punch something Albus went outside the castle and began to hit the soft, muddy ground until he began to cry for his family.

*

Rose walked down the hallway of Hogwarts for at least an hour. No teacher was out on patrol so Rose was alone as usual. Rose had never been able to make friends. Sure she could talk to the other girls in her house, but that was it. She was usually a quiet person who liked to be alone.

Especially after what those Slytherins did to her all of those years ago. The whole reason why she hated Hogwarts was because of them. She was sure that things would get better for her when she left Hogwarts, but since the school was in lock down she was still a prisoner to them. She was glad that most of them had already graduated, but there were still some who were in their year who she couldn’t get away from. Lily was the only Slytherin she liked and that was because she knew that Lily knew better. She was a Slytherin who sometimes picked on people, but not to take it to the extent that other people had gone to.

Rose didn’t want to go to her room like Alice had done. She was sure that Scorpius went to Hagrid’s hut to talk to Hagrid. Hugo was also in his room and Rose didn’t know if James was now trying to find her or was still on the balcony. She also had no idea where Lily could be since she left in such a rage, but she didn’t really want to feel the anger of Lily after she was done with Albus. She realized that Hagrid always calmed her down over the years so why should this one be any different?

Rose was silent again as she made her way out of the castle. In the warm summer air she made her way down the path and to Hagrid’s hut. She saw that the lights were on and it was a comfort for her.

When Rose came to the door, she could hear the soft voices of Hagrid and Scorpius. She sighed before knocking at the door and waiting. After a couple of seconds after the knocking there was then silence and the door opened. Hagrid stood there and he stared down at Rose.

“Hello little Rose.” Hagrid said,” why are yer crying?”

Rose then realized that she was still crying and she quickly wiped her tears away.

“Come on in dear.” Hagrid insisted.

Smiling and thanking Hagrid she then walked into the small hut to see Scorpius sitting on the couch. Rose walked over to Scorpius and she then hugged him. Scorpius hugged her back fiercely.

“I’m sorry about your mother. I hope that they find her.” Rose told him.

“Thank you Rose.” Scorpius said as she heard Hagrid shut the door.

Scorpius pulled away from Rose and then looked at her as he set her down beside him on the couch. He looked at Rose and wiped the last little bit of water away from her face and asked his friend, “now why are you crying? Because of your aunt and cousin?”

Rose sighed and shook her head. Though she was upset about the situation with her family and was extremely scared for her missing family members they weren’t the reason that she was crying.

“It’s nothing. Really.” Rose answered.

Scorpius raised his eyebrows. Rose gave him a weak smile and Hagrid sat on a chair at the table.

“You can tell me.” Scorpius told her.

“No. It’s okay. You’re mother being missing is more important that me.” Rose told him.

“I’d rather that someone get me to distract that from me actually.” Scorpius said, “Please Rose. Just tell me what is going on.”

Rose gulped and Scorpius put his arm around her shoulders. Rose looked at him then at Hagrid. The old half-giant was also looking at her as well. He then offered her an encouraging smile Rose sighed again before looking back down at her feet.

“I’m over reacting.” Rose told them.

“Rose please just tell us what is wrong.” Scorpius said.

Rose felt Scorpius rub her shoulder with his hand.

“Albus yelled at me. When Hugo couldn’t find him I went out searching and I found him in the owlery balcony with a broken nose. I fixed his nose and helped to clean him up. I know that it was wrong of me to say, but I asked him if what he said to Lily was true. You know like how he said that Lily shouldn’t be there. He got angry with me and yelled at me. I know that he is worried about his mother and brother and he is angry with Lily, but he’s never yelled at me before. Never.” Rose answered opening her eyes.

“Rose.” Hagrid whispered.

“I know that me crying over it is something stupid. It’s not Albus’s fault because I asked him the question, but I never thought that he would yelled at me.” Rose answered putting her ashamed face into her hands.

Scorpius held her tighter. She felt the tears coming back and she did her best to not let them come back. Scorpius held her tighter and Rose felt Hagrid’s rough large hand on her shoulder. Rose turned more into Scorpius and she hid her hand covered face into his chest. He then hugged her tighter.

“I’m sure that he didn’t mean it Rose. His mind is just everywhere right now.” Scorpius told her.

“He prober’ee feels terrible Rosie.” she heard Hagrid tell her.

“Yeah. He loves you Rose. I’m sure he’s looking for you right now so that he can apologize.” Scorpius told her.

“I don’t deserve an apology.” Rose said into Scorpius’s chest and the others could barely hear what she was saying.

“Rose. You did not know.” Scorpius told her.

Rose cried again and this time she hugged Scorpius back and he held her till she cried herself to sleep in the arms of a man who she now realized was a friend. A friend who was always going to be there for her.