Family Fun 10/15
Title: Family Fun
Author: vampire_rogue/Starlight
Rating: Between PG-15 and R. Though there might be a few scenes that should be NC17. I'm not fully sure.
Pairings: Albus/Scorpius, Draco/Harry, Lorcan/Lysander, James/Hugo, Teddy/Victorie(past)
Summary: The Extended Weasley Family Reunion draws near and the Malfoy-Potter household is in full chaos as everyone is getting ready for it. During the coming weeks it wont just be the reunion they have to deal with.
Warnings: Twincest, cousincest, sexytimes, boylove, creature!lore, disgusting cuteness, randomness and possible psychoness and semi-crack at parts.
Beta: I need one. I've gotten better at all the grammar/spelling stuff I personally believe, but I know I've probably missed a lot. I would love it if someone wanted to volunteer...
Author's Rambles: This was started for Cheryl Dyson/dysonrules for her birthmonth last year(2009), but it never got finished. I used all the prompts from last year, and the year before as well as some she gave me personally. There will eventually be a post of them on my lj. She is amazing and I adore her. This is not amazing, but it was mostly sooo much fun to write. I finished it in March and have been rewriting it all of May. It is complete and if everyone approves, I can update it weekly, or biweekly, we'll see...
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. Though I do own the members of "Dysfunction." I kind of want to write their own story after this.
Rambles #2 Also, please, please not the warnings and pairings. I know they are not everyone's thing, but they were the fandom's suggested ships, and I just added them all.
Feedback: Is absolutely amazing and I love it.
Story Word Count: 50, 00+
Chapter One.
Chapter Two.
Chapter Three.
Chapter Four.
Chapter Five.
Chapter Six.
Chapter Seven.
Chapter Eight.
Chapter Nine.
Family Fun/Birthmonth
Starlight/Rogue
Part Ten.
Saturday July 5, 2025.
Hugo was sitting alone back at the green picnic table after dinner that night. Lorcan nudged Lysander lightly and the two left whichever Weasleys they were talking to and slid into the picnic table on either side of the red head. Hugo looked up, surprised and closed the book he was reading.
"Scamanders," he greeted lightly, eyes bouncing over the crowd of family around them.
"Weasley," they returned. Lysander leaned along the table, his elbow cradling his head. "How goes the summer homework?" he asked and Hugo shrugged. "See, I didn't know the teachers even gave out summer homework once you finish seventh year. I'm actually highly disappointed."
"It wasn't for Hogwarts," Hugo deflected, not looking directly at either twin.
"Now, I know schedules for the fall haven't come out yet. There is nothing you could possibly have to do so early in the summer," Lorcan reminded Hugo.
"What do you want?" Hugo turned to look at Lorcan, then Lysander.
"See, that's the thing," Lysander admitted. "We don't really know." He shrugged casually, still smiling.
Hugo frowned, drawing his brows together. "What?"
"Well, we have this friend, and he said something needed to be fixed, though he was very vague about it all. And us, being such good helping friends, we're determined to do whatever possible to fix this thing we don't know about."
"Uh huh." Hugo said, and caught sight of Al waving at them. Hugo waved back curiously. He couldn't figure out what Al was up to, because it could only have been Al who put the twins to this.
"It would help us, of course, if you would just tell us what was wrong, but we are willing to go about this the hard way."
"Thanks and all." Hugo said. "But no thanks. I don't need your help with anything. I'm sure Al can find someone else to sick you on, if you think you will get that bored this week." Hugo closed up his book and stood to leave. The twins watched him, as he walked by Lily and Harry and James without stopping to say anything.
Lily bit her lip, looking after Hugo. She excused herself from the group and followed her cousin into his tent. "Did Albus send you too?" Hugo asked, glancing over at her.
Lilly laughed at that. "Albus day dreams about telling me what to do and actually getting me to listen. You look upset, and I don't like that." Lily slid onto the couch beside him and pulled the book from his hands. She ran her fingers over the title lightly and handed it back to him. "You are still looking to become a potions master then?"
"It is something to do," Hugo agreed nonchalantly. Lily did not by the attitude, she knew how much he wanted it, and how hard he had worked for the grades to continue in potions. "Are you still desperately wishing Al would give you a job at the club?"
"You have no idea!" She sighed, laughing. "He caught me doing Whyte's paper work the night we were all there. Made a couple comments and that was it."
"Al will figure it out," Hugo promised her. "He probably already has figured it out, but he's enough of your father's kid that it may take something dramatic for him to take action."
Lily huffed and laughed, because she knew Hugo was right.
"I've missed talking to you."
"We've only been out of school for a week," Hugo teased.
"I know, but it's different now. We are never going back. We have no more excuses for late night chats."
"You make it sound like we'll never have a reason to hide out some where and complain about life."
"Will we?" She asked, and shook her head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to dwell, not when you're... well." She hesitated, an unusual thing for her to do, and glanced away from Hugo.
"Lily?" Hugo asked, putting his book down.
"It's nothing I think you want to talk about," Lily admitted, glancing back over to him.
"Is it me who wishes that, or James?" He hesitated on James's name before finishing his question. Lily quirked her lips in a vague half smile.
"Maybe both," she admitted, though she sounded unsure. "Why don't you tell me what happened?"
Hugo shook his head. "It's James's deal, Lil. I can't just tell you."
"It is your deal too, Hugo." Lily fell silent for a while, and then turned to look directly into her cousin's blue eyes. "Why did you break up with him?"
The silence filled the tent, the noise outside almost unheard as Hugo opened and closed his mouth. "Who says I did? Who says I needed to?" He finally asked, shaking his head. His voice barely shook, Hugo was glad for that.
"Do not give me that bullshit," Lily steeled her voice and narrowed her eyes at her cousin. "I know you, and I know him. And I've known for a long time that you are completely in love with that idiot."
"It is none of your business," Hugo stated, his voice flat as he tried to look away from her. Lily's steely eyes kept drawing his attention back though.
"Bullshit, I love you both, and you're both hurting. That makes it my business."
"Not really. I wish you would just stay out of it, Lily. Your brother and I will work it out, or we wont and the family will be none the wiser."
"Hugo, tell me, what would your response be, if I told you the same thing? What would you say?" Lily worried her bottom lip, concern obvious on her face.
Hugo's lips quirked in a grin and he shook his head. "I'd tell you to get your head out of your arse and let the people who love you help you."
"Exactly," Lily smiled.
Hugo laughed slightly, shrugging. "Thanks, Lil's, but there is nothing you can do about fixing it," he shook his head. "I'm the idiot that went and fell in love with your brother."
"Well, that was stupid on both parts then," she agreed, a smirk on her lips. "Since we both know my brother is a complete idiot."
Hugo scowled at her for the insult on James, before smiling.
#
James was sprawled out on the couch in their tent when Lily got up ridiculously early the next morning. Albus was staring at him, arms crossed over his chest, lips pursed thoughtfully.
"Al?" she asked, and her black haired brother grinned over at her. As he turned, she saw the marker tucked behind his ear.
It was a Weasley Wheezes product.
"He is going to kill you," she stated.
Albus laughed. "Only when he finds out what I did, and that will not be for a while."
"Not when everyone here is going to be staring at him. You know how much James hates that when it is not on his terms."
Albus scoffed and tucked the magic marker in his hoodie pocket. James would not be able to see Al's artwork for himself for a few hours, not until the spell wore off; but until then, everyone who looked at James would see the black lines drawn on his face.
"Jamie!" Albus called, reaching over to shake his brother awake. "Wakey wakey big brother!"
James woke swinging, and Albus ducked on instinct, the fist flying past him.
"Hello, brother," Albus teased. "I take it from this reaction that you did not sleep very well?"
"What time is it?" James grumbled, rubbing at his eyes. He felt like he had only just gotten to sleep. That he had finally been able to silence his thoughts long enough to let exhaustion take over.
"Some atrociously early hour in the morning. I think the sun is about to come up."
James tossed a couch pillow at Albus's head, who caught it, laughing, and James glared at his snickering sister.
"Why are we up this early?" He demanded. Apparently he really had just fallen asleep.
Albus shrugged, grinning. "We thought we'd go some real sibling bonding, early in the morning." They had not thought that, but there was always time for sibling bonding when it came at the expense of James's beauty sleep.
"Uh huh, so where are Score and Teddy then?"
Al was actually surprised James had noticed. No one would ever claim the elder Potter son was coherent or attentive in the mornings.
"Well, see," Lily sighed exaggeratedly and shook her head. "I did not want Teddy to rip out my throat out if I woke him up. You know that he is not a morning person, not in the least. He would also never forgive himself if he harmed me, so it seemed best to just let him sleep." Lily lied with natural finesse and Albus promised himself once more that he would be more leery when believing what she said. She walked around the couch James was sitting up on, so that he was facing Albus and could not see her face. Lily crossed her eyes at their father's youngest song.
His turn.
"And Scorpius told me to sod off, because I wasn't getting any till he got his beauty sleep. My boyfriend is kind of a diva." Albus shook his head in mock pity, a playful smirk on his face.
"And so," Lily laid her arm across James's shoulder. "We thought we'd wake you and spend the morning thinking about stupid things, until everyone gets up for the scavenger hunt."
"Damn," James swore, rubbing his eyes. "That's today? Usually Grandma waits a few days for that." The scavenger hunt happened every time they held a reunion, and everyone was forced to participate. Teams had rarely changed since the first time, except to add new participants and exclude ones who couldn't make it, or had died.
James was always teamed up with Hugo, Vikki and Dean Thomas's oldest son, Christian. Vikki was the unofficial leader, since she was the oldest in the entire group.
"Yes, I don't know why Grandma changed things, but," Albus shrugged. "You don't want to question a red headed female."
"I'm glad you remember that," Lily slanted him a look, and twisted her lips in a sneer. Albus grinned at her, rubbing at phantom pains in his right arm, Lily's teasing sneer turned into a proud smirk when she caught the action. Then Albus threw himself on the couch, right where James's head had been and closed his eyes. They left the middle of the couch free for Lily to sit, both brother's learning against their side of the couch.
"I'm going to need waking charms all day," Al complained disinterested. "I'm not used to being up most of the day, I'm awake all night, all the time."
"Till about now, usually," Lily agreed. She sat down herself, and pushed Al's hair away from his face. "You crashed really early last night though, since you had been up all day."
Albus grumbled his agreement before speaking up. "Yes, I did, and I'll probably do the same tonight."
"Well, I'm sure we can find a way to keep you up for a while," Lily decided. "Uncle George might have something. Or Grandpa. He is still collecting those Muggle drinks that taste awful, but act like coffee."
"Yes, maybe something like that will work," Albus agreed.
"So," James glared at Albus,. "Because your sleeping habits are absolutely horrid, I'm going to have to suffer?"
"Yes," he admitted.
"Huh, and Lily?" James asked, turning to face his sister. "What is your excuse?"
"I woke up early, sometimes I do that." Both of her brothers picked up on the defensiveness in her voice.
"Bullshit, you would fight Albus for latest sleeper if Dad and Draco would let you."
James was not a morning person, but because Albus worked so late into the night, he usually did not wake up until well into the afternoon. Lily would happily sleep till evening, as she had proved a couple of summers ago. Harry and Draco had put their foot down half way through the summer. After a couple interesting fights Lily had conceded to their fathers wishes.
"Well, now they can't stop me," Lily grinned and James scoffed.
"Lily," Albus asked. "Why are you up so early?"
Lily scowled at him. While she could distract James from his goal with jokes and side stories, Albus tended to pick up on what was not being said, more then what was. Sometimes. Usually at the worse times.
"I just couldn't sleep," Lily said dully.
James turned serious at that, reaching out to pet her shiny red hair. "Are you having nightmares again Lily?"
"Hardly," she snarked, looking away from them both.
The brothers looked at each other, both completely serious. The nightmares had started early on in her life, and no medi-witch or healer had ever been able to uncover their source, or why she repeatedly had them. She had taken to writing them in journal every morning she woke up with one, but in all the filled notebooks, there had been very little help to receive.
Draco had found various dreaming potions that would give her temporary relief, but they only helped if she knew for sure she was going to have one of her nightmares, and since they came so sporadically, she was never sure when that was.
"Lillian," James stressed, her full name strange for all of them to hear.
"It's not worth stressing over," Lily denied. Albus reached over, and turned her head to face him, staring her in the eyes.
"You are my baby sister, it is and always will, be worth stressing over."
"Idiots," Lily teased, blowing her red bangs out of her face. "It's nothing, I don't think. I do not want them to ruin our trip."
"Please," Scorpius's voice scoffed and the trio turned to look at him in the living room doorway. "Your nightmares are hardly going to be what ruins this trip." He slid onto the arm rest of the couch, beside Albus. "And if they are, we'll let James and Teddy beat up anyone who complains, and make sure the parents never figure it out."
Lily laughed, and pushed James further down the couch so Scorpius could squish in beside Albus. Then she changed the subject by summoning one of the new videos they had brought with them. After she put it in, she sat back with her three brothers, on the slightly expanded couch, to watch the movie.
When a large building blew up on screen, and her pulse started racing as fire danced in front of her eyes, voices screaming, she forced a laugh and pulled James's blanket around her.
Scorpius spared a look at James again, as they settled into the movie, and turned to scowl at Albus. The black haired man blinked and kissed Score's lips with a grin. Scorpius shook his head and scowled. He reached between them, into the pocket of Al's hoodie, which Score thought might have been his originally, and pulled out the Weasley Magic Marker. Albus pouted, and pulled the hand down away from James's possible view.
Scorpius just shook his head and put it in his own pocket. Maybe he would use it on his wayward boyfriend himself.
The sun did rise near the end of the movie, with the four of them squashed comfortably on the large sofa. There were other chairs and love seats, but they had learned early on that no matter how much space there was, they would all pile onto the same sofa regardless. Draco and Harry had started ordering furniture large enough for the four bodies before they went off to Hogwarts.
"Alright, that is a movie to keep," Albus decided as it finished.
"And here I was thinking it wouldn't be sappy enough for you, big brother."
"Fuck you, dear sister," Albus smiled back at her. He was never going to live down crying through The Notebook. And it was Lily's fault anyway that he had had to sit through it. She had gone through a classic movie phase, and had made Albus sit through all the sappy ones. It's not his fault they got to him in the end.
"I do hope you plan to clean up your language before the scavenger hunt today, Albus." Harry watched the four with an amused smile, and Albus turned to snark at him.
"If I cleaned up my language, they would all start thinking I was you again, dear father. You of course, remember how confusing that was the last time they mistook us for the other person. Why I do believe Auntie Fleur almost had a heart attack when she saw me kissing Scorpius!" Albus finished his rant with a scandalized gasp.
"Too bad she didn't," Scorpius whispered in Lily's ear, leaning across Albus to do so.
"And taken her daughter with her," Lily agreed in a whispered voice. Harry, of course, still heard them.
"Alright, enough," he said, looking over to them, and then he blinked. "James, what the hell did you do?"
"What did I do?" James demanded, crossing his arms. "I'm just sitting here, watching the ending credits of a movie, like a normal person. Like the only normal person in this family."
Harry blinked at him, and shook his head. He frowned at Al's innocently confused stare, and Lily's suffering sigh. "Never mind, I don't think I want to know. I am going to make breakfast, and then wake Draco, so you may want to get dressed for the day."
"Do we have coffee?" Albus asked with a stretched yawn, and Harry nodded, patting Albus's head absently.
"I'll make some. You should really try to stay up later tonight, it may help you waking up tomorrow."
"Maybe," Albus admitted. "I do believe I might have to old school it later today and take a nap."
"If the scavenger hunt ends before dinner," Scorpius agreed. "That would be a good idea."
"Has this made you think about finding another occupation?" Harry asked and Albus wrinkled his nose in disgust, not seeing Lily do the same.
"I love my club, Dad, and so do a lot of other people since they pay me to use it."
"Alright," Harry sighed, grinning at him. "I just had to try one more time."
"Third time is not always the charm," Albus informed their father. Harry left the living room for the kitchen, shaking his head as his kids teasing conversations followed him out.
The front of the tent flew open, and Hugo raced in completely breathless. "Grandma is trying to change the hunting teams and Uncle Harry needs to talk her out of it!"
He paused, gasping for breathe, and blinked slowly at the group on the couch. "Can not admit I expected to find all of you awake," he said. His eyes studiously avoided James, until he was all but staring at the red headed young man. Then Hugo let out a long suffering sigh, scowled at Albus, and pulled out his wand. James blinked as he recognized the incantation and turned menacing blue eyes on Albus.
His face, however, was clear of all black lines Albus had drawn.
"Ruin my fun why don't you," Albus sulked.
"It is what I live for, cousin," Hugo replied.
Harry came out of the kitchen to greet Hugo, and the energetic red head tried to drag him out of the tent.
"Hugo," Harry laughed, patting his nephews shoulder. "Molly will still be there after breakfast, so why not come in, eat, and then I'll talk to her for you?"
Hugo frowned, and glanced suspiciously outside of the tent. "Okay, I can agree to that. She can't just be able to go and change stuff though!"
"Uh huh," Al smirked up at him. "Who does she have you working with?"
Hugo twisted his lips in a disgruntled scowl. "I can work with absolutely anyone," he deflected. "It's because I'm awesome."
"Sure it is," Albus agreed sarcastically.
"It's true," Hugo snarked. Harry pressed a mug of hot coffee into Al's hand and his son beamed up at him.
"Thanks Dad!" he sipped the hot liquid, taunting Hugo in the same breathe.
James watched them tease each other, his eyes trailing around Hugo, and he tried to refuse to let them settle on the other red head. It did not work to well, and James found himself watching the red head instead of the banter between his siblings.
"You're James Potter, but you're not Jamie any more."
Hugo turned his head slightly, his blue eyes meeting James's own as Hugo's words from that night went through his mind again.
"I love you."
They both froze for a second, and then Hugo turned back to Albus and Lily. Scorpius had left to help Harry make breakfast.
Lily stretched across her brothers, her feet in James's lap, her head on a pillow in Al's lap. Hugo sat on a chair across from them, watching them with amusement.
"Well, now if this isn't a party of red heads, I don't know what is. I feel out of place," Albus snarked, tugging on Lily's flame red hair.
Lilly laughed, and tugged on Al's ear in punishment. "I know you're secretly a red head. You just dye your hair so we don't get to see it red."
"Uh huh, and I imagine I die my eyebrows too, is that so?" Albus leaned over the back of the couches arm, smiling.
"Makes sense to me," Lily agreed.
"Trust me," Scorpius said as he came back in. "Al is definitely not a red head."
"Ooh gross," Hugo and James whined right away. Lily blinked, drawing her brows together as she connected the dotes. Then her eyes went wide and she threw a couch pillow at Scorpius.
"That's disgusting, and too much information blondie!"
Scorpius laughed, and walked back into the kitchen. "Breakfast is ready, if someone wants to wake Dad and Teddy."
"Scoreeeeee," Albus called out from the couch and the blond turned back to him. "Bring me breakfast here?" he asked, pouting.
Scorpius laughed and walked back into the kitchen. The other three snickered, and Albus shrugged. "It was worth a shot," he said. He pushed Lily off of him and climbed to his feet. "I'll leave the waking of our family members to you lot then," as he slouched into the kitchen, finding the closest chair to fall into.
Harry replaced his coffee cup, and Al smiled gratefully.
James slid into the seat beside Albus, and Score took the one on his other side. The family circled the table as they came in, leaving the seat next to James empty for Hugo. Hugo cracked a grin, and sat beside James.
Neither really spoke during breakfast.
#
"Molly, that's ridiculous," Harry sighed at the older lady. "There is no feasible reason to change the hunting teams now. They have been set for years, and the kids have been looking foreword to them."
"But Harry!" Molly gasped. "Change is good for you."
"Sure, sometimes, but why do we have to change a good thing?" Harry sighed, and rubbed his hand over his face. "Molly... something is going on with some of the kids," he said and she stared at him with wide eyes. Harry thought back to breakfast, and the almost silence between James and Hugo. "And it might be best to not mix things up anymore then they already are."
"Your children are all right, aren't they?" Molly asked, concern showing in the grandmother.
"Yes, they are fine, Al is very tired, but Score over came the cold he had last week, so they are all alright, physically."
Molly pursed her lips, and looked over Harry's shoulder, her eyes lingering behind him. Harry turned his head, and saw Score and Albus entertaining some of the kids with Muggle magic tricks.
"Alright," she agreed. "But I'll make an announcement to tell them that I'm changing the teams next time. So they'll have a few years to look foreword to that."
"Okay, Molly, I'm sure that will be fine."
#
James watched the sky longingly, wishing he could go flying. It would be the perfect day to just take off and not return for hours. If he brought food and water, he wouldn't have to return until everyone was fast asleep. Then he could avoid the scavenger hunt with Hugo.
James sighed, and glanced over to where his red headed object of attention was talking to Uncle Percy.
"Are you excited for the scavenger hunt?" Vikki asked as she sat beside him.
James turned his head to stare at his cousin. "Vikki, do us both a favour. Don't talk to me." James turned his head purposely in the opposite direction of her, and blinked at Hugo's back again. He sighed, and closed his eyes, leaning his head into his arms.
Lorcan nudged his brother, nodding towards James. Lysander peeked over, and followed the red heads eyes, till they rested on Hugo. James closed his eyes, and put them in his head after sighing and Lysander paused.
"They are acting like scorned lovers," he said aloud. Albus glared across at Lysander, wishing he could reach other and elbow him. Instead he rapidly tapped his fingers over the wooden table they were at, gaining Lorcan's attention.
"No way?" Lorcan gaped, turning his attention back to the pair in question. "When did that happen?"
"Later," Albus hissed. "If we're wrong, we are wrong, but if we're right, it would make all sorts of sense."
"Well," Lysander turned, frowning at Lorcan. "How do we fix that?" He sounded doubtful as he faced his brother.
Lorcan said nothing, his eyes narrowed in thought.
Molly called the scavenger hunt into order after lunch, ordering the teams to pair off. There were no extra members this year, and so she handed out lists and sent then on their way. Draco glared at Harry as the brunette ran through their list.
"These get more and more pathetically obvious every time we are forced to do one."
"Be nice, Draco," Harry teased, stepping beside the blond man. "They are meant to form team work skills. Which are important to Gryffindors."
"Well, Dad," Lily called out over groups of people, having heard her father's comment. "I'm a proud to be Slytherin. I don't do team work! Can I please not do this?"
"IF LILY DOESN'T HAVE TO I DON'T WANT TO EITHER! I NEED SLEEP!" Albus shouted towards them from behind a tree.
Harry turned to Scorpius, who was beside Albus. Ron was going over the list under the tree, casting looks at the couple and Alexandra Finnigan, who were on his team.
"Do you have something to add, Scorpius?" Harry called out and Score smirked.
"Only that if Albus is going to bed, I'm going with him." Ron chocked on a breath, glaring up at the pair as he coughed.
"Luckily for all involved, none of you get to get out of this." Harry smirked at the groans from his children.
Albus read over the list of clues in defeat and handed it to Scorpius. "Easy peasy," he said.
Score nodded and beckoned their team to follow him. Ron trailed after the three young adults. He would let them do the actual work, since it was meant for the kids anyway, and just make sure they did not get into trouble.
Vikki took the lead, like she always did. James could not find the energy to participate and followed silently after them. Hugo and Christian talked about the list loudly, mostly to cover Vikki's talking about herself.
They were supposed to be doing the hunt minus one, he thought, looking at Vikki. She was supposed to be... detained thanks to Al's potion. Pity Teddy had put a stop to that. It would have been a fun distraction.
Christian turned and glanced at James, the third or forth time he had done so. James blinked back. "Something on your mind, Christian?" he asked and the brunette shook his head.
"Na, James, nothing."
"Hmm," James said. He stuffed his hands into his hoodie and looked away from them, from Hugo's own blue eyes. If his Slytherin siblings had seriously tried to talk Dad into letting them out of the hunt, James would have found a way to join them in their tent.
It would have been easier to deal with Hugo in the tent. Where Lily knew and James thought maybe Albus and Scorpius thought they knew something. They always knew most things, after all. James was not sure how he felt about his siblings knowing. A little bit relieved that Lily would still latch herself around his neck, when no one but their family was looking, that Albus would still pull pranks on him, and Score still tried to stop Al.
If James had thought about it, he wouldn't be surprised by their acceptance. Not really. But James did not let himself think about it. He had never really thought about the fact that their family had gone through some thing similar when Harry and Draco had walked in on Albus and Scorpius. Al and Score would always be the first two to take up the defence position if someone did not like how Lorcan and Lysander behaved together. They had had to do it before, James thought with a scowl. Both twins were still shaken form that, despite so much time having passed.
Albus was over protective at the best of times, after that he'd made it his sworn duty to protect the twins whenever possible. They returned the favour in various ways, and their friendship with Albus never wavered.
"James! James!" James looked up to see Vikki snapping her painted fingers in his face.
"What?" He growled at her.
"We were talking and you were not helping at all."
"That's because I ignore the sound of your voice."
"Aww, Jamie," she said and James's shoulders tensed at the sound of his nickname in her voice. "Just because some girl went and broke your heart does not mean you need to take it out of the world. She obviously was not worth it."
"I did not ask you for your opinion on my relationships now did I, Vikki? We are all aware that you would be completely wrong anyway."
"What, someone did not break your heart?" Vikki tisked. "James, there is no point in denying it. Anyone with eyes can see you're clearly heart broken. It's like your break up with Livia all over again."
"No," James shook his head, "It would be all worth it to have 'em back."
He heard the gasp, the soft, barely verbal sound, and glanced up past Vikki's shoulder. Blue eyes stared at him, and James stared back, unable to fight the magnet pull and look away. Hugo broke the staring contest, and turned and rushed away. James watched him duck behind Luna's sparkling tent, the tent furthest away from the group.
"I'll go see what he found," James lied, not looking at his other team mates as he raced after Hugo.
He found his cousin sitting on the grass, staring at a wire mesh fence with nothing in it. "What is it this time?" he asked Hugo, indicating the mesh fence.
The younger man shrugged, leaning back on the grass. "Hobbles, I think. Aunt Luna was talking about them with Mom a few weeks ago. Mom of course is convinced that they do not exist."
"Knowing Aunt Luna, she'll find a way to prove Aunt Hermione wrong."
"She always does," Hugo agreed.
James sat on the grass beside him, and picked at the grass as a distraction. "I'm sorry," he finally said, and felt Hugo pause beside him. "I'm sorry I spent so much time hiding it... hiding us, that I ended up hiding myself and ruining us."
"I'm sorry too, that I let it keep bothering me."
"It is okay for it to bother you Hugo, it makes sense. We're cousins, it's not like we can tell the world to fuck off like Al and Score did. There is blood between us, no one would be okay with it."
"Lorcan and Lysander would," Hugo said softly. "Al and Score probably, too."
"And Lily," James admitted. He smiled in amusement and shook his head before turning serious. "Could you really live with only being able to be together when my siblings and the twins are around? Or when we're alone?"
"I don't know, do I get you along with it? Without the paranoid cleanliness, and the obsessive sneaking around? The complete inability to touch me when we're in public?"
"I don't know," James squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again. "I think so, I'd hope so."
"Then, I don't know, I think so, I'd hope so." Hugo echoed as he shook his head and sighed. "We used to be best friends, no one was ever horrified by us physically dragging each other around."
"And you've always been an extremely tactile person," James admitted. "I'm sorry, Hugo. I'm sorry I ruined our friendship with... this. With us."
"You did not ruin our friendship alone, James. I could have always said no. You never had to push me into saying yes."
"I'm still sorry," James said. "You know you were... are, my best friend."
"I know. So.. maybe... maybe we should work on that first?" Hugo asked. "Maybe see if we can even be friends again, before trying anything else."
"Alright." James agreed.
"Okay, good." Hugo paused and let out an amused breath. "Maybe that will be enough to get Lorcan and Lysander off my back."
"They probably won't leave until Albus tells them otherwise," James admitted.
That was one of the ways the Scamander twins returned Al's protectiveness, by intervening on things as he needed them to. The twins were willing to do most things Albus asked them to.
James and Hugo stood up, and walked towards where they last saw Vikki and Christian. The blond frowned at them and lectured them on taking off during a group event, while Christian watched them with half curious and mostly confused expression.
TBC.
Author: vampire_rogue/Starlight
Rating: Between PG-15 and R. Though there might be a few scenes that should be NC17. I'm not fully sure.
Pairings: Albus/Scorpius, Draco/Harry, Lorcan/Lysander, James/Hugo, Teddy/Victorie(past)
Summary: The Extended Weasley Family Reunion draws near and the Malfoy-Potter household is in full chaos as everyone is getting ready for it. During the coming weeks it wont just be the reunion they have to deal with.
Warnings: Twincest, cousincest, sexytimes, boylove, creature!lore, disgusting cuteness, randomness and possible psychoness and semi-crack at parts.
Beta: I need one. I've gotten better at all the grammar/spelling stuff I personally believe, but I know I've probably missed a lot. I would love it if someone wanted to volunteer...
Author's Rambles: This was started for Cheryl Dyson/dysonrules for her birthmonth last year(2009), but it never got finished. I used all the prompts from last year, and the year before as well as some she gave me personally. There will eventually be a post of them on my lj. She is amazing and I adore her. This is not amazing, but it was mostly sooo much fun to write. I finished it in March and have been rewriting it all of May. It is complete and if everyone approves, I can update it weekly, or biweekly, we'll see...
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it. Though I do own the members of "Dysfunction." I kind of want to write their own story after this.
Rambles #2 Also, please, please not the warnings and pairings. I know they are not everyone's thing, but they were the fandom's suggested ships, and I just added them all.
Feedback: Is absolutely amazing and I love it.
Story Word Count: 50, 00+
Chapter One.
Chapter Two.
Chapter Three.
Chapter Four.
Chapter Five.
Chapter Six.
Chapter Seven.
Chapter Eight.
Chapter Nine.
Family Fun/Birthmonth
Starlight/Rogue
Part Ten.
Saturday July 5, 2025.
Hugo was sitting alone back at the green picnic table after dinner that night. Lorcan nudged Lysander lightly and the two left whichever Weasleys they were talking to and slid into the picnic table on either side of the red head. Hugo looked up, surprised and closed the book he was reading.
"Scamanders," he greeted lightly, eyes bouncing over the crowd of family around them.
"Weasley," they returned. Lysander leaned along the table, his elbow cradling his head. "How goes the summer homework?" he asked and Hugo shrugged. "See, I didn't know the teachers even gave out summer homework once you finish seventh year. I'm actually highly disappointed."
"It wasn't for Hogwarts," Hugo deflected, not looking directly at either twin.
"Now, I know schedules for the fall haven't come out yet. There is nothing you could possibly have to do so early in the summer," Lorcan reminded Hugo.
"What do you want?" Hugo turned to look at Lorcan, then Lysander.
"See, that's the thing," Lysander admitted. "We don't really know." He shrugged casually, still smiling.
Hugo frowned, drawing his brows together. "What?"
"Well, we have this friend, and he said something needed to be fixed, though he was very vague about it all. And us, being such good helping friends, we're determined to do whatever possible to fix this thing we don't know about."
"Uh huh." Hugo said, and caught sight of Al waving at them. Hugo waved back curiously. He couldn't figure out what Al was up to, because it could only have been Al who put the twins to this.
"It would help us, of course, if you would just tell us what was wrong, but we are willing to go about this the hard way."
"Thanks and all." Hugo said. "But no thanks. I don't need your help with anything. I'm sure Al can find someone else to sick you on, if you think you will get that bored this week." Hugo closed up his book and stood to leave. The twins watched him, as he walked by Lily and Harry and James without stopping to say anything.
Lily bit her lip, looking after Hugo. She excused herself from the group and followed her cousin into his tent. "Did Albus send you too?" Hugo asked, glancing over at her.
Lilly laughed at that. "Albus day dreams about telling me what to do and actually getting me to listen. You look upset, and I don't like that." Lily slid onto the couch beside him and pulled the book from his hands. She ran her fingers over the title lightly and handed it back to him. "You are still looking to become a potions master then?"
"It is something to do," Hugo agreed nonchalantly. Lily did not by the attitude, she knew how much he wanted it, and how hard he had worked for the grades to continue in potions. "Are you still desperately wishing Al would give you a job at the club?"
"You have no idea!" She sighed, laughing. "He caught me doing Whyte's paper work the night we were all there. Made a couple comments and that was it."
"Al will figure it out," Hugo promised her. "He probably already has figured it out, but he's enough of your father's kid that it may take something dramatic for him to take action."
Lily huffed and laughed, because she knew Hugo was right.
"I've missed talking to you."
"We've only been out of school for a week," Hugo teased.
"I know, but it's different now. We are never going back. We have no more excuses for late night chats."
"You make it sound like we'll never have a reason to hide out some where and complain about life."
"Will we?" She asked, and shook her head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to dwell, not when you're... well." She hesitated, an unusual thing for her to do, and glanced away from Hugo.
"Lily?" Hugo asked, putting his book down.
"It's nothing I think you want to talk about," Lily admitted, glancing back over to him.
"Is it me who wishes that, or James?" He hesitated on James's name before finishing his question. Lily quirked her lips in a vague half smile.
"Maybe both," she admitted, though she sounded unsure. "Why don't you tell me what happened?"
Hugo shook his head. "It's James's deal, Lil. I can't just tell you."
"It is your deal too, Hugo." Lily fell silent for a while, and then turned to look directly into her cousin's blue eyes. "Why did you break up with him?"
The silence filled the tent, the noise outside almost unheard as Hugo opened and closed his mouth. "Who says I did? Who says I needed to?" He finally asked, shaking his head. His voice barely shook, Hugo was glad for that.
"Do not give me that bullshit," Lily steeled her voice and narrowed her eyes at her cousin. "I know you, and I know him. And I've known for a long time that you are completely in love with that idiot."
"It is none of your business," Hugo stated, his voice flat as he tried to look away from her. Lily's steely eyes kept drawing his attention back though.
"Bullshit, I love you both, and you're both hurting. That makes it my business."
"Not really. I wish you would just stay out of it, Lily. Your brother and I will work it out, or we wont and the family will be none the wiser."
"Hugo, tell me, what would your response be, if I told you the same thing? What would you say?" Lily worried her bottom lip, concern obvious on her face.
Hugo's lips quirked in a grin and he shook his head. "I'd tell you to get your head out of your arse and let the people who love you help you."
"Exactly," Lily smiled.
Hugo laughed slightly, shrugging. "Thanks, Lil's, but there is nothing you can do about fixing it," he shook his head. "I'm the idiot that went and fell in love with your brother."
"Well, that was stupid on both parts then," she agreed, a smirk on her lips. "Since we both know my brother is a complete idiot."
Hugo scowled at her for the insult on James, before smiling.
#
James was sprawled out on the couch in their tent when Lily got up ridiculously early the next morning. Albus was staring at him, arms crossed over his chest, lips pursed thoughtfully.
"Al?" she asked, and her black haired brother grinned over at her. As he turned, she saw the marker tucked behind his ear.
It was a Weasley Wheezes product.
"He is going to kill you," she stated.
Albus laughed. "Only when he finds out what I did, and that will not be for a while."
"Not when everyone here is going to be staring at him. You know how much James hates that when it is not on his terms."
Albus scoffed and tucked the magic marker in his hoodie pocket. James would not be able to see Al's artwork for himself for a few hours, not until the spell wore off; but until then, everyone who looked at James would see the black lines drawn on his face.
"Jamie!" Albus called, reaching over to shake his brother awake. "Wakey wakey big brother!"
James woke swinging, and Albus ducked on instinct, the fist flying past him.
"Hello, brother," Albus teased. "I take it from this reaction that you did not sleep very well?"
"What time is it?" James grumbled, rubbing at his eyes. He felt like he had only just gotten to sleep. That he had finally been able to silence his thoughts long enough to let exhaustion take over.
"Some atrociously early hour in the morning. I think the sun is about to come up."
James tossed a couch pillow at Albus's head, who caught it, laughing, and James glared at his snickering sister.
"Why are we up this early?" He demanded. Apparently he really had just fallen asleep.
Albus shrugged, grinning. "We thought we'd go some real sibling bonding, early in the morning." They had not thought that, but there was always time for sibling bonding when it came at the expense of James's beauty sleep.
"Uh huh, so where are Score and Teddy then?"
Al was actually surprised James had noticed. No one would ever claim the elder Potter son was coherent or attentive in the mornings.
"Well, see," Lily sighed exaggeratedly and shook her head. "I did not want Teddy to rip out my throat out if I woke him up. You know that he is not a morning person, not in the least. He would also never forgive himself if he harmed me, so it seemed best to just let him sleep." Lily lied with natural finesse and Albus promised himself once more that he would be more leery when believing what she said. She walked around the couch James was sitting up on, so that he was facing Albus and could not see her face. Lily crossed her eyes at their father's youngest song.
His turn.
"And Scorpius told me to sod off, because I wasn't getting any till he got his beauty sleep. My boyfriend is kind of a diva." Albus shook his head in mock pity, a playful smirk on his face.
"And so," Lily laid her arm across James's shoulder. "We thought we'd wake you and spend the morning thinking about stupid things, until everyone gets up for the scavenger hunt."
"Damn," James swore, rubbing his eyes. "That's today? Usually Grandma waits a few days for that." The scavenger hunt happened every time they held a reunion, and everyone was forced to participate. Teams had rarely changed since the first time, except to add new participants and exclude ones who couldn't make it, or had died.
James was always teamed up with Hugo, Vikki and Dean Thomas's oldest son, Christian. Vikki was the unofficial leader, since she was the oldest in the entire group.
"Yes, I don't know why Grandma changed things, but," Albus shrugged. "You don't want to question a red headed female."
"I'm glad you remember that," Lily slanted him a look, and twisted her lips in a sneer. Albus grinned at her, rubbing at phantom pains in his right arm, Lily's teasing sneer turned into a proud smirk when she caught the action. Then Albus threw himself on the couch, right where James's head had been and closed his eyes. They left the middle of the couch free for Lily to sit, both brother's learning against their side of the couch.
"I'm going to need waking charms all day," Al complained disinterested. "I'm not used to being up most of the day, I'm awake all night, all the time."
"Till about now, usually," Lily agreed. She sat down herself, and pushed Al's hair away from his face. "You crashed really early last night though, since you had been up all day."
Albus grumbled his agreement before speaking up. "Yes, I did, and I'll probably do the same tonight."
"Well, I'm sure we can find a way to keep you up for a while," Lily decided. "Uncle George might have something. Or Grandpa. He is still collecting those Muggle drinks that taste awful, but act like coffee."
"Yes, maybe something like that will work," Albus agreed.
"So," James glared at Albus,. "Because your sleeping habits are absolutely horrid, I'm going to have to suffer?"
"Yes," he admitted.
"Huh, and Lily?" James asked, turning to face his sister. "What is your excuse?"
"I woke up early, sometimes I do that." Both of her brothers picked up on the defensiveness in her voice.
"Bullshit, you would fight Albus for latest sleeper if Dad and Draco would let you."
James was not a morning person, but because Albus worked so late into the night, he usually did not wake up until well into the afternoon. Lily would happily sleep till evening, as she had proved a couple of summers ago. Harry and Draco had put their foot down half way through the summer. After a couple interesting fights Lily had conceded to their fathers wishes.
"Well, now they can't stop me," Lily grinned and James scoffed.
"Lily," Albus asked. "Why are you up so early?"
Lily scowled at him. While she could distract James from his goal with jokes and side stories, Albus tended to pick up on what was not being said, more then what was. Sometimes. Usually at the worse times.
"I just couldn't sleep," Lily said dully.
James turned serious at that, reaching out to pet her shiny red hair. "Are you having nightmares again Lily?"
"Hardly," she snarked, looking away from them both.
The brothers looked at each other, both completely serious. The nightmares had started early on in her life, and no medi-witch or healer had ever been able to uncover their source, or why she repeatedly had them. She had taken to writing them in journal every morning she woke up with one, but in all the filled notebooks, there had been very little help to receive.
Draco had found various dreaming potions that would give her temporary relief, but they only helped if she knew for sure she was going to have one of her nightmares, and since they came so sporadically, she was never sure when that was.
"Lillian," James stressed, her full name strange for all of them to hear.
"It's not worth stressing over," Lily denied. Albus reached over, and turned her head to face him, staring her in the eyes.
"You are my baby sister, it is and always will, be worth stressing over."
"Idiots," Lily teased, blowing her red bangs out of her face. "It's nothing, I don't think. I do not want them to ruin our trip."
"Please," Scorpius's voice scoffed and the trio turned to look at him in the living room doorway. "Your nightmares are hardly going to be what ruins this trip." He slid onto the arm rest of the couch, beside Albus. "And if they are, we'll let James and Teddy beat up anyone who complains, and make sure the parents never figure it out."
Lily laughed, and pushed James further down the couch so Scorpius could squish in beside Albus. Then she changed the subject by summoning one of the new videos they had brought with them. After she put it in, she sat back with her three brothers, on the slightly expanded couch, to watch the movie.
When a large building blew up on screen, and her pulse started racing as fire danced in front of her eyes, voices screaming, she forced a laugh and pulled James's blanket around her.
Scorpius spared a look at James again, as they settled into the movie, and turned to scowl at Albus. The black haired man blinked and kissed Score's lips with a grin. Scorpius shook his head and scowled. He reached between them, into the pocket of Al's hoodie, which Score thought might have been his originally, and pulled out the Weasley Magic Marker. Albus pouted, and pulled the hand down away from James's possible view.
Scorpius just shook his head and put it in his own pocket. Maybe he would use it on his wayward boyfriend himself.
The sun did rise near the end of the movie, with the four of them squashed comfortably on the large sofa. There were other chairs and love seats, but they had learned early on that no matter how much space there was, they would all pile onto the same sofa regardless. Draco and Harry had started ordering furniture large enough for the four bodies before they went off to Hogwarts.
"Alright, that is a movie to keep," Albus decided as it finished.
"And here I was thinking it wouldn't be sappy enough for you, big brother."
"Fuck you, dear sister," Albus smiled back at her. He was never going to live down crying through The Notebook. And it was Lily's fault anyway that he had had to sit through it. She had gone through a classic movie phase, and had made Albus sit through all the sappy ones. It's not his fault they got to him in the end.
"I do hope you plan to clean up your language before the scavenger hunt today, Albus." Harry watched the four with an amused smile, and Albus turned to snark at him.
"If I cleaned up my language, they would all start thinking I was you again, dear father. You of course, remember how confusing that was the last time they mistook us for the other person. Why I do believe Auntie Fleur almost had a heart attack when she saw me kissing Scorpius!" Albus finished his rant with a scandalized gasp.
"Too bad she didn't," Scorpius whispered in Lily's ear, leaning across Albus to do so.
"And taken her daughter with her," Lily agreed in a whispered voice. Harry, of course, still heard them.
"Alright, enough," he said, looking over to them, and then he blinked. "James, what the hell did you do?"
"What did I do?" James demanded, crossing his arms. "I'm just sitting here, watching the ending credits of a movie, like a normal person. Like the only normal person in this family."
Harry blinked at him, and shook his head. He frowned at Al's innocently confused stare, and Lily's suffering sigh. "Never mind, I don't think I want to know. I am going to make breakfast, and then wake Draco, so you may want to get dressed for the day."
"Do we have coffee?" Albus asked with a stretched yawn, and Harry nodded, patting Albus's head absently.
"I'll make some. You should really try to stay up later tonight, it may help you waking up tomorrow."
"Maybe," Albus admitted. "I do believe I might have to old school it later today and take a nap."
"If the scavenger hunt ends before dinner," Scorpius agreed. "That would be a good idea."
"Has this made you think about finding another occupation?" Harry asked and Albus wrinkled his nose in disgust, not seeing Lily do the same.
"I love my club, Dad, and so do a lot of other people since they pay me to use it."
"Alright," Harry sighed, grinning at him. "I just had to try one more time."
"Third time is not always the charm," Albus informed their father. Harry left the living room for the kitchen, shaking his head as his kids teasing conversations followed him out.
The front of the tent flew open, and Hugo raced in completely breathless. "Grandma is trying to change the hunting teams and Uncle Harry needs to talk her out of it!"
He paused, gasping for breathe, and blinked slowly at the group on the couch. "Can not admit I expected to find all of you awake," he said. His eyes studiously avoided James, until he was all but staring at the red headed young man. Then Hugo let out a long suffering sigh, scowled at Albus, and pulled out his wand. James blinked as he recognized the incantation and turned menacing blue eyes on Albus.
His face, however, was clear of all black lines Albus had drawn.
"Ruin my fun why don't you," Albus sulked.
"It is what I live for, cousin," Hugo replied.
Harry came out of the kitchen to greet Hugo, and the energetic red head tried to drag him out of the tent.
"Hugo," Harry laughed, patting his nephews shoulder. "Molly will still be there after breakfast, so why not come in, eat, and then I'll talk to her for you?"
Hugo frowned, and glanced suspiciously outside of the tent. "Okay, I can agree to that. She can't just be able to go and change stuff though!"
"Uh huh," Al smirked up at him. "Who does she have you working with?"
Hugo twisted his lips in a disgruntled scowl. "I can work with absolutely anyone," he deflected. "It's because I'm awesome."
"Sure it is," Albus agreed sarcastically.
"It's true," Hugo snarked. Harry pressed a mug of hot coffee into Al's hand and his son beamed up at him.
"Thanks Dad!" he sipped the hot liquid, taunting Hugo in the same breathe.
James watched them tease each other, his eyes trailing around Hugo, and he tried to refuse to let them settle on the other red head. It did not work to well, and James found himself watching the red head instead of the banter between his siblings.
"You're James Potter, but you're not Jamie any more."
Hugo turned his head slightly, his blue eyes meeting James's own as Hugo's words from that night went through his mind again.
"I love you."
They both froze for a second, and then Hugo turned back to Albus and Lily. Scorpius had left to help Harry make breakfast.
Lily stretched across her brothers, her feet in James's lap, her head on a pillow in Al's lap. Hugo sat on a chair across from them, watching them with amusement.
"Well, now if this isn't a party of red heads, I don't know what is. I feel out of place," Albus snarked, tugging on Lily's flame red hair.
Lilly laughed, and tugged on Al's ear in punishment. "I know you're secretly a red head. You just dye your hair so we don't get to see it red."
"Uh huh, and I imagine I die my eyebrows too, is that so?" Albus leaned over the back of the couches arm, smiling.
"Makes sense to me," Lily agreed.
"Trust me," Scorpius said as he came back in. "Al is definitely not a red head."
"Ooh gross," Hugo and James whined right away. Lily blinked, drawing her brows together as she connected the dotes. Then her eyes went wide and she threw a couch pillow at Scorpius.
"That's disgusting, and too much information blondie!"
Scorpius laughed, and walked back into the kitchen. "Breakfast is ready, if someone wants to wake Dad and Teddy."
"Scoreeeeee," Albus called out from the couch and the blond turned back to him. "Bring me breakfast here?" he asked, pouting.
Scorpius laughed and walked back into the kitchen. The other three snickered, and Albus shrugged. "It was worth a shot," he said. He pushed Lily off of him and climbed to his feet. "I'll leave the waking of our family members to you lot then," as he slouched into the kitchen, finding the closest chair to fall into.
Harry replaced his coffee cup, and Al smiled gratefully.
James slid into the seat beside Albus, and Score took the one on his other side. The family circled the table as they came in, leaving the seat next to James empty for Hugo. Hugo cracked a grin, and sat beside James.
Neither really spoke during breakfast.
#
"Molly, that's ridiculous," Harry sighed at the older lady. "There is no feasible reason to change the hunting teams now. They have been set for years, and the kids have been looking foreword to them."
"But Harry!" Molly gasped. "Change is good for you."
"Sure, sometimes, but why do we have to change a good thing?" Harry sighed, and rubbed his hand over his face. "Molly... something is going on with some of the kids," he said and she stared at him with wide eyes. Harry thought back to breakfast, and the almost silence between James and Hugo. "And it might be best to not mix things up anymore then they already are."
"Your children are all right, aren't they?" Molly asked, concern showing in the grandmother.
"Yes, they are fine, Al is very tired, but Score over came the cold he had last week, so they are all alright, physically."
Molly pursed her lips, and looked over Harry's shoulder, her eyes lingering behind him. Harry turned his head, and saw Score and Albus entertaining some of the kids with Muggle magic tricks.
"Alright," she agreed. "But I'll make an announcement to tell them that I'm changing the teams next time. So they'll have a few years to look foreword to that."
"Okay, Molly, I'm sure that will be fine."
#
James watched the sky longingly, wishing he could go flying. It would be the perfect day to just take off and not return for hours. If he brought food and water, he wouldn't have to return until everyone was fast asleep. Then he could avoid the scavenger hunt with Hugo.
James sighed, and glanced over to where his red headed object of attention was talking to Uncle Percy.
"Are you excited for the scavenger hunt?" Vikki asked as she sat beside him.
James turned his head to stare at his cousin. "Vikki, do us both a favour. Don't talk to me." James turned his head purposely in the opposite direction of her, and blinked at Hugo's back again. He sighed, and closed his eyes, leaning his head into his arms.
Lorcan nudged his brother, nodding towards James. Lysander peeked over, and followed the red heads eyes, till they rested on Hugo. James closed his eyes, and put them in his head after sighing and Lysander paused.
"They are acting like scorned lovers," he said aloud. Albus glared across at Lysander, wishing he could reach other and elbow him. Instead he rapidly tapped his fingers over the wooden table they were at, gaining Lorcan's attention.
"No way?" Lorcan gaped, turning his attention back to the pair in question. "When did that happen?"
"Later," Albus hissed. "If we're wrong, we are wrong, but if we're right, it would make all sorts of sense."
"Well," Lysander turned, frowning at Lorcan. "How do we fix that?" He sounded doubtful as he faced his brother.
Lorcan said nothing, his eyes narrowed in thought.
Molly called the scavenger hunt into order after lunch, ordering the teams to pair off. There were no extra members this year, and so she handed out lists and sent then on their way. Draco glared at Harry as the brunette ran through their list.
"These get more and more pathetically obvious every time we are forced to do one."
"Be nice, Draco," Harry teased, stepping beside the blond man. "They are meant to form team work skills. Which are important to Gryffindors."
"Well, Dad," Lily called out over groups of people, having heard her father's comment. "I'm a proud to be Slytherin. I don't do team work! Can I please not do this?"
"IF LILY DOESN'T HAVE TO I DON'T WANT TO EITHER! I NEED SLEEP!" Albus shouted towards them from behind a tree.
Harry turned to Scorpius, who was beside Albus. Ron was going over the list under the tree, casting looks at the couple and Alexandra Finnigan, who were on his team.
"Do you have something to add, Scorpius?" Harry called out and Score smirked.
"Only that if Albus is going to bed, I'm going with him." Ron chocked on a breath, glaring up at the pair as he coughed.
"Luckily for all involved, none of you get to get out of this." Harry smirked at the groans from his children.
Albus read over the list of clues in defeat and handed it to Scorpius. "Easy peasy," he said.
Score nodded and beckoned their team to follow him. Ron trailed after the three young adults. He would let them do the actual work, since it was meant for the kids anyway, and just make sure they did not get into trouble.
Vikki took the lead, like she always did. James could not find the energy to participate and followed silently after them. Hugo and Christian talked about the list loudly, mostly to cover Vikki's talking about herself.
They were supposed to be doing the hunt minus one, he thought, looking at Vikki. She was supposed to be... detained thanks to Al's potion. Pity Teddy had put a stop to that. It would have been a fun distraction.
Christian turned and glanced at James, the third or forth time he had done so. James blinked back. "Something on your mind, Christian?" he asked and the brunette shook his head.
"Na, James, nothing."
"Hmm," James said. He stuffed his hands into his hoodie and looked away from them, from Hugo's own blue eyes. If his Slytherin siblings had seriously tried to talk Dad into letting them out of the hunt, James would have found a way to join them in their tent.
It would have been easier to deal with Hugo in the tent. Where Lily knew and James thought maybe Albus and Scorpius thought they knew something. They always knew most things, after all. James was not sure how he felt about his siblings knowing. A little bit relieved that Lily would still latch herself around his neck, when no one but their family was looking, that Albus would still pull pranks on him, and Score still tried to stop Al.
If James had thought about it, he wouldn't be surprised by their acceptance. Not really. But James did not let himself think about it. He had never really thought about the fact that their family had gone through some thing similar when Harry and Draco had walked in on Albus and Scorpius. Al and Score would always be the first two to take up the defence position if someone did not like how Lorcan and Lysander behaved together. They had had to do it before, James thought with a scowl. Both twins were still shaken form that, despite so much time having passed.
Albus was over protective at the best of times, after that he'd made it his sworn duty to protect the twins whenever possible. They returned the favour in various ways, and their friendship with Albus never wavered.
"James! James!" James looked up to see Vikki snapping her painted fingers in his face.
"What?" He growled at her.
"We were talking and you were not helping at all."
"That's because I ignore the sound of your voice."
"Aww, Jamie," she said and James's shoulders tensed at the sound of his nickname in her voice. "Just because some girl went and broke your heart does not mean you need to take it out of the world. She obviously was not worth it."
"I did not ask you for your opinion on my relationships now did I, Vikki? We are all aware that you would be completely wrong anyway."
"What, someone did not break your heart?" Vikki tisked. "James, there is no point in denying it. Anyone with eyes can see you're clearly heart broken. It's like your break up with Livia all over again."
"No," James shook his head, "It would be all worth it to have 'em back."
He heard the gasp, the soft, barely verbal sound, and glanced up past Vikki's shoulder. Blue eyes stared at him, and James stared back, unable to fight the magnet pull and look away. Hugo broke the staring contest, and turned and rushed away. James watched him duck behind Luna's sparkling tent, the tent furthest away from the group.
"I'll go see what he found," James lied, not looking at his other team mates as he raced after Hugo.
He found his cousin sitting on the grass, staring at a wire mesh fence with nothing in it. "What is it this time?" he asked Hugo, indicating the mesh fence.
The younger man shrugged, leaning back on the grass. "Hobbles, I think. Aunt Luna was talking about them with Mom a few weeks ago. Mom of course is convinced that they do not exist."
"Knowing Aunt Luna, she'll find a way to prove Aunt Hermione wrong."
"She always does," Hugo agreed.
James sat on the grass beside him, and picked at the grass as a distraction. "I'm sorry," he finally said, and felt Hugo pause beside him. "I'm sorry I spent so much time hiding it... hiding us, that I ended up hiding myself and ruining us."
"I'm sorry too, that I let it keep bothering me."
"It is okay for it to bother you Hugo, it makes sense. We're cousins, it's not like we can tell the world to fuck off like Al and Score did. There is blood between us, no one would be okay with it."
"Lorcan and Lysander would," Hugo said softly. "Al and Score probably, too."
"And Lily," James admitted. He smiled in amusement and shook his head before turning serious. "Could you really live with only being able to be together when my siblings and the twins are around? Or when we're alone?"
"I don't know, do I get you along with it? Without the paranoid cleanliness, and the obsessive sneaking around? The complete inability to touch me when we're in public?"
"I don't know," James squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again. "I think so, I'd hope so."
"Then, I don't know, I think so, I'd hope so." Hugo echoed as he shook his head and sighed. "We used to be best friends, no one was ever horrified by us physically dragging each other around."
"And you've always been an extremely tactile person," James admitted. "I'm sorry, Hugo. I'm sorry I ruined our friendship with... this. With us."
"You did not ruin our friendship alone, James. I could have always said no. You never had to push me into saying yes."
"I'm still sorry," James said. "You know you were... are, my best friend."
"I know. So.. maybe... maybe we should work on that first?" Hugo asked. "Maybe see if we can even be friends again, before trying anything else."
"Alright." James agreed.
"Okay, good." Hugo paused and let out an amused breath. "Maybe that will be enough to get Lorcan and Lysander off my back."
"They probably won't leave until Albus tells them otherwise," James admitted.
That was one of the ways the Scamander twins returned Al's protectiveness, by intervening on things as he needed them to. The twins were willing to do most things Albus asked them to.
James and Hugo stood up, and walked towards where they last saw Vikki and Christian. The blond frowned at them and lectured them on taking off during a group event, while Christian watched them with half curious and mostly confused expression.
TBC.