1 September 2017, 9:00 pm
At 9:00 PM the lights turned out. "My dad told me about this," Scorpius said. "First year lights go out automatically."
"Oh," Albus shrugged. "James said something about that but I thought he was joking. Like he was about Filch chaining kids up for detention. But dad said he was lying about that."
"I dunno what it's like for Gryffindors." Scorpius frowned at him. "Is James that boy who was giving you trouble for talking to me and being in Slytherin?"
Albus's eye roll was practically audible. "Yeah. He's my brother, so I guess he feels betrayed or something." He rolled over in bed to face Scorpius. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
Scorpius shook his head. "Only child. You're lucky to have siblings. I had a pretty lonely childhood."
Albus scoffed. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like I'm lucky. James is always a big prat. But Lily, that's my little sister, isn't too bad most of the time. For a girl."
"Still. It's just been me and Father and Mother, and, well, it's quiet." Scorpius looked around, but all of the other boys were snoring away contentedly. "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Sure." Albus sat up.
"Sometimes, I'd get so lonely I'd talk to the house elves."
"That's okay. We had a house elf named Kreacher, and he was pretty cool most of the time. When we were little and it would storm and Mum and Dad were away he would tell us stories from when the Blacks lived in our house."
Scorpius raised his eyebrows. "Didn't your parents get mad?"
"Oh yeah," Albus pulled his blanket up to his shoulders. "Dad got FURIOUS when he heard Kreacher told us about some of the Blacks. A lot of them were the bad sort. He said he didn't want us hearing those kinds of stories. Said they were 'a bad influence on young impressionable minds'." He grinned. "But they were awesome stories, and dad never made him stop or anything so he musnt've been too mad."
"Father says we shouldn't talk to them at all."
Albus snorted. "That's rubbish. My Aunt Hermione says we should talk to them all we want, and be nice to them because it could come back to haunt us some day." He giggled. "But that was after Uncle Ron said it would come back to bite you in the arse if you were mean to them. She gave him an earful for that."
Scorpius grinned. "Tell me the stories."
"Well," Albus scratched his head. "It was a long time ago, and Kreacher died a few years ago. He was really old. But he did tell us about this one bloke, Phineas Nigellus. He used to be Headmaster here at Hogwarts ages ago, and he was a Slytherin."
"I've heard of him. Seemed like a decent bloke."
"According to Kreacher he was awesome. He knew all sorts of magic and he could smell the fear of Gryffindors at twenty paces." Albus laughed. "I think he was making that part up though. But we used to have his portrait in our house. I don't know what happened to it though."
Scorpius laughed. "Gryffindors don't have fear. They're too stupid."
Albus laughed. "That's true if you talk to my brother." He leaned in and whispered, "He's such a git. He says he's not afraid of nothing, but that's a lie. He slept with a night light until he was nine."
"And yet he got into Gryffindor. Glad you aren't as 'brave' as your brother."
Albus reddened a bit at that. "Thanks."
Scorpius smiled. "If he gives you any more trouble about it, I'll hex his ears off, if you'd like."
Albus smiled back. "Thanks for offering, but I think I can handle him. Uncle George slipped me some stuff when mum and dad weren't watching."
"Uncle George? How many uncles and aunts do you have?"
"Oh I have LOADS." Albus sighed. "I'm probably related to about half the school. Dad's an only child, but Mum had six brothers, only one of them died." Albus started ticking family members off onto his hands. "There's Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione, they've got Rose , she's in our year, and Hugo who's Lily's age. Uncle George usually runs the joke shop, he's married to Aunt Angelina. Uncle Percy and Uncle Oliver, they're gay but we don't talk about it. I heard they adopted a baby a few months ago though. Uncle Charlie and Aunt Lizzie are up in Romania taking care of Dragons. And last there's Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur. They have Victoire, Zoe, Nadia, Emilie, Martine and Felix." He choked out running out of breath. "With one more on the way."
Scorpius blinked. "If I ever spend the hols at your place, I think you'll have to make me a chart."
"Yeah, it's a lot to remember. I have to count on my fingers to make sure I get them all. Oh," Albus added almost as an afterthought. "There's Teddy Lupin too. He's not really related to us, but his parents died and dad was his Godfather. But he might be soon, if what I've heard about him and Victoire are true," he giggled.
"You're lucky to have that big a family. Father and Mother were both only children."
"Wow." It was Albus's turn to blink in wonder. "I can't imagine not having any brothers and sisters AND not having any cousins. Sure they can be a pain in the arse sometimes, but they're nice to have around. You could have my brother if you wanted? I could probably spare him if you like." He grinned.
"Ugh! No thanks." Scorpius made a face. Then he looked down. "I don't think your family would like me much."
"Well, I like you and that's what's important."
"That's good, Al," Scorpius said. "Our friendship," he sat up straight, face completely straight, "is the stuff of legends."
Albus tried to not to laugh, but he failed miserably, dissolving into giggles. "Scorp! Your face is all," he tried to mimic Scorpius's expression and failed miserably when all of a sudden he felt a pillow hit him in the face.
"Hey, I could have been serious," Scorpius said, snatching back the pillow.
"I'm sorry." Albus looked downtrodden.
"For what?"
"For making fun of your face. Mum says it's not nice."
"No, I didn't mind." Scorius smiled.
Al was visibly relieved. "Oh good. I thought if I made you mad, you'd try and give me a swirlie. That's what James sometimes tries to do, but mum tells him off most of the time."
"A...swirlie?"
"Yeah, it's when someone dunks your head in a toilet and then flushes." Albus shuddered. "It's really gross."
"People do that? Gee, pity I didn't have a sibling," he said sarcastically.
"Apparently it's really popular in Muggle schools in America. James and I saw one in a film on the telly once and he's been threatening to give me one ever since."
"Muggles," Scorpius snorted. "The things they think of. What's a telly?"
"Yeah." Albus giggled, thinking of the more inane practical jokes he had seen on the telly. Albus thought for a moment about how to explain television to his friend. "Well it's-"
Suddenly the covers moved from the bed on the other side of Scorpius. "Could you two shut up?" a voice said crossly. "Some of us are trying to sleep."
"Sorry, Reg," Scorpius said.
"Yeah, sorry." Al looked contrite.
Scorpius smiled at Albus. "Well, g'night, then."
Albus smiled back. "G'night Scorp."
thanks for all the comments from last time everybody!
way to know rain is tired #765897: she posts hpthenextgen to her regular journal *headdesk* why am I still awake at 1:30am?