Fic: Follow Me to Forever
Title: Follow Me to Forever
Summary: Scorpius has disappeared, and Albus can't understand why.
Word Count: 2220
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Flangst
Prompts: Person: Harry Potter; Place: a meadow/grassy area; Object One: a grasshopper; Object Two: glass bottle; Food: grapes; Emotion: jealousy; Quote: "Well, the next time you leave, say goodbye." "Next time I leave, I'll just take you with me." - The Big Green; Freeform: Something Irish
Disclaimer: Not mine.
AN: If anybody reading this knows Gaelic, please tell me if I completely fucked up the translation, so I can fix it.
Follow Me to Forever
Albus Potter was in an absolutely foul mood.
And, really, it had nothing to do with the man sitting across from him-no matter how annoying he was being.
"I told you, Mr. Malfoy," Albus said tightly. "I have no idea where Scorpius went."
Draco ran a hand through his normally impeccable hair. "Are you sure? He didn't mention having a desire to go anywhere, or suddenly take an interest in another place?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Albus said for the millionth time in the past hour. "He never once acted anything but normal."
A fact which had driven Albus insane every night for the past week. He had lain awake until the early hours of every morning, continuously going over every detail of the past few months with his boyfriend. Scorpius had been stressed over NEWTS, and mentioned several times that he wasn't sure what he wanted to do after graduation, but Albus considered that normal for any seventh year.
"Albus, please," Draco said desperately. "Please tell me-,"
"I can't tell you something I don't know!" Albus cried, and was horrified to find his eyes welling up with tears. Draco blinked and stared at him in surprise. "He didn't even say goodbye," Albus whispered brokenly.
Draco opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but quickly closed it back. A throat was cleared softly across the room and they both turned to see Harry standing in the door to the sitting room.
"I think that's enough, Malfoy," Harry said softly. "Albus doesn't know anything."
Draco hesitated. "You-you're head Auror. You can do something, can't you?"
Harry shook his head sadly. "My hands are tied. Scorpius is of age, left of his own free will, and his letter specifically asks that he not be looked for. I'm sorry."
Draco looked like he wanted to argue, and Albus was relieved when all he did was nod shortly and stand.
"Alright," Draco said. "I'll just take my leave, then." He turned back to Albus. "If you remember anything, anything at all-,"
Albus swallowed and nodded in understanding. Draco said nothing more, turning on the spot and Disapparating. Albus immediately stood and made his way to the staircase, wanting nothing more than to shut himself in his room and yell at a boy who wasn't there. As he passed, Harry reached out a hand and placed it on his arm.
"Al-,"
"Don't," Albus said, not meeting Harry's eyes. "It's-it's ok. I'm ok. I just need some time alone."
Harry nodded and moved back, allowing Albus to continue on up the stairs. When he reached his room he quietly shut the door and then pulled out his wand to cast a silencing charm. He walked to his bed, fell face first into his pillow, and screamed as loudly as he could manage. He did it again and again, until he had no air left and his face was soaked with tears.
Sitting up, Albus caught sight of the picture next to his bedside table. It was of him and Scorpius, and had been taken last summer during their impromptu visit to the beach. James and his girlfriend had gone as well, and she had been the one to take the picture of the two boys splashing water at each other like a couple of children.
With a snarl Albus picked up the photo and threw it at the opposite wall as hard as he could. The glass shattered and the frame bent, but the picture fluttered, unharmed, to the floor. He flopped back onto his bed, the ceiling above him blurred from the tears once more forming in his eyes. Fucking hell, would he ever quit crying like a bloody girl?
He just couldn't understand what had happened. They'd been happy, hadn't they? Albus certainly had been, and Scorpius had never acted like he wasn't. So why had he left? And why the fuck hadn't he told Albus that he was, or where he was going? Closing his eyes, Albus gave up and let the exhaustion of the past week overtake him.
When he woke he was disoriented for several minutes before he remembered that his boyfriend was missing by choice. Albus closed his eyes briefly before opening them again and looking toward the window. He was surprised to see that the sun was rising-he must have slept half a day and all night.
He was still looking at the window, not really wanting to move, when an owl suddenly appeared, tapping on the glass. Albus's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the bird as Scorpius's. He shot out of bed and flung open the window to let the owl in. It circled around the room for a couple of times before settling on the back of Albus's desk chair.
There was a package attached to one leg, and Albus rushed forward to untie the small box. As soon as it was free from the owl's leg the bird launched itself back out the window.
"Wait!" Albus cried, wanting to send a note back to Scorpius, but the owl was already gone.
He cursed loudly and then looked down at the box clutched tightly in his hand. Sitting on the end of his bed, Albus tore the plain brown paper off and opened the lid. Inside, nestled on a soft bed of cotton, was a ring. He stared at it in confusion for a few moments before reaching in and picking up the thick sliver band.
It was heavy in his palm, and along the outside was an intricate Celtic knot design. Albus turned the ring over in his hand, following the design all the way around. It was incredible the way the lines moved in and out of each other, all separate but the same, working together to create a beautiful, flowing pattern.
Something caught his eye, and Albus brought the ring up; there were words carved on the inside.
lean mise go go deo
"What the fuck does that mean?" he asked his empty room.
No answer was forthcoming and Albus sighed in frustration. He placed the ring carefully beside him on the bed and proceeded to tear the box apart, looking for a hidden note-or something, anything-that would tell him where Scorpius was, or what he had meant by sending Albus a ring. Disappointment filled him when the box revealed nothing.
Biting his lip, Albus picked the ring up and ran his thumb over the design. Did Scorpius expect him to wear it? Should he wear it? Overwhelmed by curiosity, Albus slipped the ring onto his left ring finger; it was a perfect fit. He swallowed hard-and then gasped in surprise as it began to glow blue and he felt a hard tug on his stomach.
It's a portkey, he thought vaguely as the world spun around him. And then Albus was dropping onto the hard ground, the breath knocked out of him as he landed on his back. He lay there for a long moment, staring up at an impossibly blue sky and trying to regain his breath. Crashing waves sounded distantly, and the salty scent of the sea invaded his nostrils.
Was he on a beach? No, there was definitely grass beneath him. Albus slowly sat up, almost scared to see exactly where he was. Well, it was very…green. And cliffy. And actually, it was pretty damn beautiful. Albus glanced around and saw a familiar figure nearby. His eyes widened and he scrambled up, causing several grasshoppers to scatter from around him.
"Scorpius?" Albus called, hardly daring to believe that it was really him.
The figure turned toward him and Albus caught his breath at the huge smile aimed at him.
"Albus!" Scorpius called, hurrying toward him. The closer he got, however, the more his smile faded and a crease formed between his eyes. "Fucking hell, Al, when was the last time you ate anything?"
Albus blinked and stared down at himself, still in shock. "Um. I don't remember. It didn't really seem all that important anymore."
"Fuck," Scorpius muttered, his face full of guilt. "Alright, come on."
"Wait," Albus said. "Where are we?"
Scorpius grinned and made a grand gesture toward the ocean. "Welcome, Albus Potter, to the Moher Cliffs of Ireland."
Albus raised an eyebrow. "Ireland?"
"Yeah," Scorpius answered, sounding a bit sheepish. "Look, let's go back to the place I'm renting and get some food into you. I'll explain there."
He held his hand out, and after a slight moment of hesitation Albus took it. They Apparated into a small, cozy kitchen, and the first thing Albus noticed was the single wildflower on the table, being held by an empty glass bottle. Jealousy surged through him, and he had to clench his jaw in an effort not to ask who had given the flower to Scorpius.
"Relax," Scorpius said into his ear, sounding amused. "The little old lady who's renting this cottage to me gave me that as a sort-of welcoming gift."
"Relax?" Albus asked in disbelief, his shock finally giving way to anger. "You leave without a word other than 'don't look for me', and then bring me here with no warning and tell me to relax? You're an absolute bastard, Scorpius, do you know that?"
Scorpius's face fell slightly, but he didn't argue; instead he moved to the Muggle refrigerator and began pulling out the makings for a turkey sandwich.
"You are really unbelievable," Albus continued. "I've been in hell for the past week because-why? You decided to take a little vacation away from everybody? Were you that sick of me that you couldn't even tell me you were leaving? Next time you decide to go off on some hair-brained adventure you could at least say goodbye."
"Don't be daft," Scorpius said, piling all of Albus's favorites onto the sandwich. "The next time I go anywhere you're going with me. I brought you here this time, didn't I?"
Albus scowled. "A week after the bloody fact."
Scorpius sighed and placed the sandwich on a plate, adding a small bunch of grapes next to it. He brought it to the table and thumped it down in front of the chair Albus was standing behind.
"Sit," he ordered. "Eat."
Albus crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not hungry."
Scorpius clenched his jaw. "Albus, you're so thin I could snap you in half. Eat, and I'll answer any and all questions."
Albus hesitated, eyeing the plate of food. "You answer while I eat."
Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Fine."
Albus sat down and watched as Scorpius grabbed two butterbeers before joining him at the table. "Why did you leave?" he asked, and immediately took a bite of the sandwich to prove he could play fair.
Scorpius grimaced and took a drink before answering. "My family. They were all pressuring me to decide on what to do after graduation, but none of them were willing to listen to what I actually wanted. Well, except Father; he said something about knowing what pressure and choices made for someone can do, so he was pretty quiet about the whole thing."
Albus nodded slowly. "You didn't tell me they were pressuring you so badly."
Scorpius shrugged. "I thought I could handle it, but it just got to be too much."
"So why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" Albus asked. "Or ask me to go with you?"
"I didn't want them to blame you," Scorpius said. "If you knew nothing about it then they couldn't get angry with you. That's also why I waited a week before bringing you here with me. I was protecting you."
Albus bristled at that, but let it go. "Why Ireland?"
Scorpius shrugged again. "I'm not sure, exactly. It's beautiful and peaceful, for one. I felt like I could come here and get my thoughts straight."
Albus nodded slowly. "What about the ring?"
Scorpius hesitated, a slight blush staining his cheeks. "What about it?"
Albus raised an eyebrow. "Why did you send me a ring as a portkey? And what does the inscription mean?"
Scorpius stared at his butterbeer bottle, nervously picking at the label, and for the first time Albus noticed that he was wearing an identical band around his left ring finger.
"Um," Scorpius started. "The-the inscription means 'follow me to forever', and that's actually why I sent a ring. Because, you know. I'd like to spend forever with you. If you want."
A slow smile spread across Albus's face; that was the best news he'd heard all week. "Ok."
Scorpius blinked and then looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "O-ok?"
"Yeah," Albus said, grinning wider now. "But-,"
"But?" Scorpius asked warily.
"You aren't allowed to ever, ever leave me like that again," Albus said. "And you have to write your dad and tell him where you are and why. I'm sure if you ask nicely he'll keep the rest of your family away."
"That sounds reasonable," Scorpius said with relief.
"Good," Albus said, and then leaned across the table and pressed his lips to Scorpius's. When he pulled away they were both breathless.
"You know, I haven't given you a tour of the house yet," Scorpius said, eyes dark.
Albus grinned wickedly. "Let's start with the bedroom."
Summary: Scorpius has disappeared, and Albus can't understand why.
Word Count: 2220
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Flangst
Prompts: Person: Harry Potter; Place: a meadow/grassy area; Object One: a grasshopper; Object Two: glass bottle; Food: grapes; Emotion: jealousy; Quote: "Well, the next time you leave, say goodbye." "Next time I leave, I'll just take you with me." - The Big Green; Freeform: Something Irish
Disclaimer: Not mine.
AN: If anybody reading this knows Gaelic, please tell me if I completely fucked up the translation, so I can fix it.
Follow Me to Forever
Albus Potter was in an absolutely foul mood.
And, really, it had nothing to do with the man sitting across from him-no matter how annoying he was being.
"I told you, Mr. Malfoy," Albus said tightly. "I have no idea where Scorpius went."
Draco ran a hand through his normally impeccable hair. "Are you sure? He didn't mention having a desire to go anywhere, or suddenly take an interest in another place?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Albus said for the millionth time in the past hour. "He never once acted anything but normal."
A fact which had driven Albus insane every night for the past week. He had lain awake until the early hours of every morning, continuously going over every detail of the past few months with his boyfriend. Scorpius had been stressed over NEWTS, and mentioned several times that he wasn't sure what he wanted to do after graduation, but Albus considered that normal for any seventh year.
"Albus, please," Draco said desperately. "Please tell me-,"
"I can't tell you something I don't know!" Albus cried, and was horrified to find his eyes welling up with tears. Draco blinked and stared at him in surprise. "He didn't even say goodbye," Albus whispered brokenly.
Draco opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but quickly closed it back. A throat was cleared softly across the room and they both turned to see Harry standing in the door to the sitting room.
"I think that's enough, Malfoy," Harry said softly. "Albus doesn't know anything."
Draco hesitated. "You-you're head Auror. You can do something, can't you?"
Harry shook his head sadly. "My hands are tied. Scorpius is of age, left of his own free will, and his letter specifically asks that he not be looked for. I'm sorry."
Draco looked like he wanted to argue, and Albus was relieved when all he did was nod shortly and stand.
"Alright," Draco said. "I'll just take my leave, then." He turned back to Albus. "If you remember anything, anything at all-,"
Albus swallowed and nodded in understanding. Draco said nothing more, turning on the spot and Disapparating. Albus immediately stood and made his way to the staircase, wanting nothing more than to shut himself in his room and yell at a boy who wasn't there. As he passed, Harry reached out a hand and placed it on his arm.
"Al-,"
"Don't," Albus said, not meeting Harry's eyes. "It's-it's ok. I'm ok. I just need some time alone."
Harry nodded and moved back, allowing Albus to continue on up the stairs. When he reached his room he quietly shut the door and then pulled out his wand to cast a silencing charm. He walked to his bed, fell face first into his pillow, and screamed as loudly as he could manage. He did it again and again, until he had no air left and his face was soaked with tears.
Sitting up, Albus caught sight of the picture next to his bedside table. It was of him and Scorpius, and had been taken last summer during their impromptu visit to the beach. James and his girlfriend had gone as well, and she had been the one to take the picture of the two boys splashing water at each other like a couple of children.
With a snarl Albus picked up the photo and threw it at the opposite wall as hard as he could. The glass shattered and the frame bent, but the picture fluttered, unharmed, to the floor. He flopped back onto his bed, the ceiling above him blurred from the tears once more forming in his eyes. Fucking hell, would he ever quit crying like a bloody girl?
He just couldn't understand what had happened. They'd been happy, hadn't they? Albus certainly had been, and Scorpius had never acted like he wasn't. So why had he left? And why the fuck hadn't he told Albus that he was, or where he was going? Closing his eyes, Albus gave up and let the exhaustion of the past week overtake him.
When he woke he was disoriented for several minutes before he remembered that his boyfriend was missing by choice. Albus closed his eyes briefly before opening them again and looking toward the window. He was surprised to see that the sun was rising-he must have slept half a day and all night.
He was still looking at the window, not really wanting to move, when an owl suddenly appeared, tapping on the glass. Albus's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the bird as Scorpius's. He shot out of bed and flung open the window to let the owl in. It circled around the room for a couple of times before settling on the back of Albus's desk chair.
There was a package attached to one leg, and Albus rushed forward to untie the small box. As soon as it was free from the owl's leg the bird launched itself back out the window.
"Wait!" Albus cried, wanting to send a note back to Scorpius, but the owl was already gone.
He cursed loudly and then looked down at the box clutched tightly in his hand. Sitting on the end of his bed, Albus tore the plain brown paper off and opened the lid. Inside, nestled on a soft bed of cotton, was a ring. He stared at it in confusion for a few moments before reaching in and picking up the thick sliver band.
It was heavy in his palm, and along the outside was an intricate Celtic knot design. Albus turned the ring over in his hand, following the design all the way around. It was incredible the way the lines moved in and out of each other, all separate but the same, working together to create a beautiful, flowing pattern.
Something caught his eye, and Albus brought the ring up; there were words carved on the inside.
lean mise go go deo
"What the fuck does that mean?" he asked his empty room.
No answer was forthcoming and Albus sighed in frustration. He placed the ring carefully beside him on the bed and proceeded to tear the box apart, looking for a hidden note-or something, anything-that would tell him where Scorpius was, or what he had meant by sending Albus a ring. Disappointment filled him when the box revealed nothing.
Biting his lip, Albus picked the ring up and ran his thumb over the design. Did Scorpius expect him to wear it? Should he wear it? Overwhelmed by curiosity, Albus slipped the ring onto his left ring finger; it was a perfect fit. He swallowed hard-and then gasped in surprise as it began to glow blue and he felt a hard tug on his stomach.
It's a portkey, he thought vaguely as the world spun around him. And then Albus was dropping onto the hard ground, the breath knocked out of him as he landed on his back. He lay there for a long moment, staring up at an impossibly blue sky and trying to regain his breath. Crashing waves sounded distantly, and the salty scent of the sea invaded his nostrils.
Was he on a beach? No, there was definitely grass beneath him. Albus slowly sat up, almost scared to see exactly where he was. Well, it was very…green. And cliffy. And actually, it was pretty damn beautiful. Albus glanced around and saw a familiar figure nearby. His eyes widened and he scrambled up, causing several grasshoppers to scatter from around him.
"Scorpius?" Albus called, hardly daring to believe that it was really him.
The figure turned toward him and Albus caught his breath at the huge smile aimed at him.
"Albus!" Scorpius called, hurrying toward him. The closer he got, however, the more his smile faded and a crease formed between his eyes. "Fucking hell, Al, when was the last time you ate anything?"
Albus blinked and stared down at himself, still in shock. "Um. I don't remember. It didn't really seem all that important anymore."
"Fuck," Scorpius muttered, his face full of guilt. "Alright, come on."
"Wait," Albus said. "Where are we?"
Scorpius grinned and made a grand gesture toward the ocean. "Welcome, Albus Potter, to the Moher Cliffs of Ireland."
Albus raised an eyebrow. "Ireland?"
"Yeah," Scorpius answered, sounding a bit sheepish. "Look, let's go back to the place I'm renting and get some food into you. I'll explain there."
He held his hand out, and after a slight moment of hesitation Albus took it. They Apparated into a small, cozy kitchen, and the first thing Albus noticed was the single wildflower on the table, being held by an empty glass bottle. Jealousy surged through him, and he had to clench his jaw in an effort not to ask who had given the flower to Scorpius.
"Relax," Scorpius said into his ear, sounding amused. "The little old lady who's renting this cottage to me gave me that as a sort-of welcoming gift."
"Relax?" Albus asked in disbelief, his shock finally giving way to anger. "You leave without a word other than 'don't look for me', and then bring me here with no warning and tell me to relax? You're an absolute bastard, Scorpius, do you know that?"
Scorpius's face fell slightly, but he didn't argue; instead he moved to the Muggle refrigerator and began pulling out the makings for a turkey sandwich.
"You are really unbelievable," Albus continued. "I've been in hell for the past week because-why? You decided to take a little vacation away from everybody? Were you that sick of me that you couldn't even tell me you were leaving? Next time you decide to go off on some hair-brained adventure you could at least say goodbye."
"Don't be daft," Scorpius said, piling all of Albus's favorites onto the sandwich. "The next time I go anywhere you're going with me. I brought you here this time, didn't I?"
Albus scowled. "A week after the bloody fact."
Scorpius sighed and placed the sandwich on a plate, adding a small bunch of grapes next to it. He brought it to the table and thumped it down in front of the chair Albus was standing behind.
"Sit," he ordered. "Eat."
Albus crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not hungry."
Scorpius clenched his jaw. "Albus, you're so thin I could snap you in half. Eat, and I'll answer any and all questions."
Albus hesitated, eyeing the plate of food. "You answer while I eat."
Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Fine."
Albus sat down and watched as Scorpius grabbed two butterbeers before joining him at the table. "Why did you leave?" he asked, and immediately took a bite of the sandwich to prove he could play fair.
Scorpius grimaced and took a drink before answering. "My family. They were all pressuring me to decide on what to do after graduation, but none of them were willing to listen to what I actually wanted. Well, except Father; he said something about knowing what pressure and choices made for someone can do, so he was pretty quiet about the whole thing."
Albus nodded slowly. "You didn't tell me they were pressuring you so badly."
Scorpius shrugged. "I thought I could handle it, but it just got to be too much."
"So why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" Albus asked. "Or ask me to go with you?"
"I didn't want them to blame you," Scorpius said. "If you knew nothing about it then they couldn't get angry with you. That's also why I waited a week before bringing you here with me. I was protecting you."
Albus bristled at that, but let it go. "Why Ireland?"
Scorpius shrugged again. "I'm not sure, exactly. It's beautiful and peaceful, for one. I felt like I could come here and get my thoughts straight."
Albus nodded slowly. "What about the ring?"
Scorpius hesitated, a slight blush staining his cheeks. "What about it?"
Albus raised an eyebrow. "Why did you send me a ring as a portkey? And what does the inscription mean?"
Scorpius stared at his butterbeer bottle, nervously picking at the label, and for the first time Albus noticed that he was wearing an identical band around his left ring finger.
"Um," Scorpius started. "The-the inscription means 'follow me to forever', and that's actually why I sent a ring. Because, you know. I'd like to spend forever with you. If you want."
A slow smile spread across Albus's face; that was the best news he'd heard all week. "Ok."
Scorpius blinked and then looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "O-ok?"
"Yeah," Albus said, grinning wider now. "But-,"
"But?" Scorpius asked warily.
"You aren't allowed to ever, ever leave me like that again," Albus said. "And you have to write your dad and tell him where you are and why. I'm sure if you ask nicely he'll keep the rest of your family away."
"That sounds reasonable," Scorpius said with relief.
"Good," Albus said, and then leaned across the table and pressed his lips to Scorpius's. When he pulled away they were both breathless.
"You know, I haven't given you a tour of the house yet," Scorpius said, eyes dark.
Albus grinned wickedly. "Let's start with the bedroom."