𝔓𝔯𝔬𝔠𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔟𝔶 𝔴𝔥𝔦𝔠𝔥 𝔞 𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔩𝔶 𝔳𝔬𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔩𝔢 𝔰𝔲𝔟𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔦𝔰 "𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔰𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔪𝔢𝔡" 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔞 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔪 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔦𝔰 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔞𝔣𝔣𝔢𝔠𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔟𝔶 𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢

ALBUS STARED DOWN AT HIS first test of the semester. It had been two and a half weeks since the semester started and he was thrilled that this day had finally arrived. Other than Quidditch practices, he rarely got to see Diana among the halls of Hogwarts.

This was...thrilling! His fingers twitched in anticipation and he had to force his mouth to stop from mimicking. He could turn this in now, or he could go about his day. But this choice today would make the difference between being with Diana or not. The anti-cheating quill in his hand finally scribbled his name and he flipped the paper over, taking a deep breath before he walked up to set it down on the professor's desk.

Althea was waiting for him outside, already dressed for mid-day quidditch practice. As a new quidditch player, Althea had wanted to make sure he nailed the basics before their game against Ravenclaw in three weeks. Thankfully today was theory for a new technique, so he didn't have to actually practice- just watch her do the movements.

"How do you think you did? I'm so glad that I took Advanced Potions with Scorpius over Alchemy. The know-it-all in you really enjoys science and math."

"I don't really count Advanced Potions as science. Feels more like cooking." he rolled his eyes.

"Some would argue that cooking is a science." she raised her brows, looking at me pointedly.

"By some, I'm assuming you mean Roxy?" he immediately regretting bringing up his little cousin. "Actually- forget I said anything. I don't need to know anything about you and Roxanne."

"Relax I'm not going to say anything." she caught his arm as the reached the long bridge over the lake. "I don't have any cruel intentions towards Roxanne. You know that, right?"

He didn't hesitate to reply. "I know. I'm just still not used to it. My overprotectiveness extends to all girls in my family. Not just Lily."

"I still don't understand you two." she shook her head as she mounted her broom, encouraging him to ride behind her.

"Two?"

"You and James! I remember how horrified you two were when I first starting hanging out with James. You especially thought I had a crush on James."

"You did." he huffed out. "You literally told him that he wasn't a snack but a whole buffet. If that isn't flirting I don't know what is."

"I was teasing! James is a fine specimen, but not my preference. You both looked so tense."

"Well you remember what happened the first time James met someone who said she liked him. How can we not be cautious when it comes to romance? And Lily is too trusting for her own good. She's like Rose- always wants to give people second chances, always sees the good in people."

"That incident with James was a fluke! You haven't had anything happen in a long time. In fact, James is still single."

He grimaced. "He's working on it. Let him be. And that 'incident' was Merope Li trying to drug him with amortentia! That's the same kind of 'fluke' that affected Brody when Lana gave him amortentia and he came a serial killer last year?"

They landed softly on the green grass of the quidditch field. She shooed him off her broom and scowled at him.

"That's not going to happen if you just trust other people. Scorpius and I wouldn't do anything to your cousins. You've seen firsthand how infatuated he is with Rose. And Roxanne and I are getting somewhere, but this thing between us isn't going to progress if you're not comfortable with it. I respect you and value your friendship, Albus. If you think I'm not worthy of Roxanne, then tell me. Don't just mope around."

His mood dropped instantly. "Thea, it's not that I don't trust you and Scorpius. I just don't want my family to be hurt. I don't want to have to explain to my dad that Lily is losing her mind over amortentia that some loser Gryffindor coerced her into drink. I don't want to face my aunt Hermione and tell her that my best friend obliviated her only daughter after James and I promised we'd look after her like she was our own sister. Our parents have been through enough."

Althea set her chin ontop of her folded hands at the top of her broom. "That's fair. I see where you're coming from. Well in that case, Scorpius and I will give you full reports on our love lives."

"Wait-hold on- I don't want that-"

She cut him off immediately. "Zip it, Potter. You need to learn the Bludger Backbeat before you try arguing with me on this field."

~

The test scores were passed out at the end of the following class period. He couldn't stop the smile from splitting across his face.

"Albus Potter, a word before you leave?" Professor Babbling called out.

He schooled his face into the appropriate emotions and walked past a cluster of Ravenclaw girls, at the center of which was Diana Thomas. He could tell because she had the signature blue ribbon wrapped around her half-ponytail.

"Yes, Professor?" he shoved his hands into his pockets, a perfect imitation of a slacking student.

"Is everything okay at home?"

"Yes Professor." he cupped the back of his neck. "Is this about my grades?"

Professor Babbling removed her half-moon reading glasses and set them on the mahogany table. "You're a smart student, Albus. I would hate to see you lose that roll on the second semester. I really hope to see your grades improve in lab and in lecture. I'll be watching your quiz scores until the next test. I expect a better grade. Try putting forth a little more effort. Did you at least study over break?"

"I'm struggling to grasp the material this time around." he sighed with extra force. "Diana Thomas used to clarify some concepts but she told me she's too booked up for me to make a tutoring appointment this year-"

"Oh nonsense." Professor Babbling reached down to scribble something onto a sheet of parchment paper and stamped it with her seal before handing it to him. "Give this to Ms. Thomas. Set up a schedule with her for studying at let me know when you do."

"Oh thank you Professor, this is a great help." he pocketed the note, turning around to walk up the slanted stairs to exit Classroom 99, a wide grin on his face.

~

He knocked on the Ravenclaw door later that night, surprised that someone opened it. Lysander stepped outside, closing the door behind him. Albus noticed that the tips of his chestnut brown hair was dripping.

"What's going on? Rare to see you here." he crossed his arms.

"I need to speak with Diana. I have to give her something from Professor Babbling." he reached into his pocket to pull out the paper.

"Oh! I can give it to her, she's in the showers right now. The afternoon rain did not do well for Quidditch practice tonight."

Lysander reached for the note but he slipped it back into his pocket. "That's alright. I'll wait."

The younger Scamander twin gave him a weird look before shrugging and slipping back into the Ravenclaw common room. The door slid shut firmly and for a solid two minutes no one came out and he was pretty sure that Lysander had forgotten.

His thoughts melted away when the door gently swung open, revealing Diana in navy satin pajama set, a thick Ravenclaw scarf wrapped around her neck.

"What is it?" she spoke softly, gesturing for them to move closer to the stairs so other students could enter the Ravenclaw dormitory.

"A note, from Professor Babbling."

She frowned, reaching forward to grip the note he held between his middle and forefinger.

He briefly noticed that her nails had a thin shimmery coat of polish that reminded him of the inside of seashells.

"And she sent you to deliver it?" Diana flipped open half of the note and Albus quite enjoyed the comical look of pure rage she gave him.

"How are you failing Alchemy? You're one of the brightest wizards in Hogwarts."

He shrugged, leaning against the stone wall of the curved staircase as a wind whistles through the hall.

"Probably because my dear lab partner has left me in the middle of the semester."

A scowl twisted her soft features into something akin to annoyance.

"I'm sure another tutor will suit you fine." she insisted, already turning to enter the dorm.

"Double check the note. I'm positive it says you are the one to be tutoring me." he sang, muffling his smile when she flipped open the last third of the letter.

"Oh- you are absolutely infuriating." she snapped, slapping the professor's letter to his chest.

His hand lashed out to grip her wrist. Her shocked gasp revealed more than just surprise on her face. Diana's dark brown eyes fluttered silver before settled back on brown.

Albus was stunned.

"What are you?" he asked, reaching forward to brush a stray inky black strand from her line of sight.

Diana didn't respond, her breathing shallow.

"Are you a Ve-"

"DIANA! LYSANDER WON'T SHARE YOUR NOTES!"

They both jumped apart, Diana twirling the ends of her scarf as she briskly said goodbye to him.

He walked back to Slytherin dungeons in a daze, pacing in front of the fireplace as Scorpius read book after book and Althea took over training Slytherin's new Prefect.

Albus still couldn't believe what he saw. Most of her kind were Beauxbatons, but how refreshing it was to see someone like her at Hogwarts.

He could see Lily's point becoming even more validated. Diana's bloodline was often shunned against. There was no way she would risk exposure to the limelight by being with someone as notorious as a Potter- not unless her feelings were genuine for him and not his name.

Albus felt Scorpius analyzing him from his Victorian chair, book in lap as Althea took over explaining the ins and outs of being a Prefect to the newly appointed student.

"Something wrong, mate?"

Albus schooled his face into an aloof expression. "Nothing to worry about. Just going over Thea's quidditch tips in my head."

"Right." Althea shooed off the new Prefect. "You're not the type of worry about things you don't excel in."

"Potter? This is addressed to you. Someone wiggled it under the dungeon doors.

He whipped around quick to see a Slytherin first year set down a note onto the black wood table.

Albus snatched up the note before it was grasped by Althea's black claws.

"Do share with the class, Potter." Scorpius smirked, closing his book as his interest peaked.

Albus shoved the note in his back pocket. "If it's all the same to you I'd rather not."

~

He opened the note under the privacy of the Invisibility Cloak. He didn't need any of his housemates sneaking a peek.

Potter,

Room of Requirement, seven sharp. Please keep my lineage a secret.

D.

He smiled at that, feeling relief course through him. His efforts had paid off.

Albus whipped off the cloak, sliding into bed as he tucked the note into the sleeve of his pillowcase.

Tomorrow, the real work began.