Seventh-Year: The Next Generation

Chapter 1: Scorpius's Idea of Fun

"Look, Hugo has a new girlfriend."

"She's a tart, he'll be through with her by the end of next week."

"Why do you say she's a tart?"

"Just look at the way she let's him kiss her in public. Definitely a tart. No decent girl would allow that."

"I like tarts."

"What?"

"They're way better than scones," said Scorpius. A look of wistfulness adorned his face. Albus just looked at him with wry amusement.

It was loud, crowded, and rather rowdy in the Gryffindor common room. The fire was high in the grate, every little bit of space was crammed with people standing elbow-to-elbow, and the air was smoky from all the Filibuster Fireworks that were being set off in celebration.

The first Quidditch game of the season had been a blow out. Albus and Scorpius had proven that they were still the dynamic duo this year that they had been throughout their past six years at Hogwarts.

With Albus as Seeker, and Scorpius as one of the three Chasers, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was nearly impossible to defeat. Scorpius's favored position was Seeker, but as everyone had expected, Albus turned out to be a prodigy at that particular post.

Two white arms slid around Scorpius's shoulders from behind, but he didn't even flinch in surprise.

"Are you calling me a tart, or just saying that I don't taste very good?" asked Rose in a singsong voice, as she planted a soft kiss on Scorpius's cheek.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop on other people's conversations, Rose. But no. See, I happened to get the best of both worlds. You taste even better than a tart, but in every other regard you don't share any similarities with a one."

Rose laughed gently, as she rested her chin lightly on Scorpius's shoulder.

"Hey, Rose," said Albus, amused.

"Hallo, cousin. Good game today," she said, a twinkle in her eye.

"Why, thank you," said Albus, pulling his feet up and laying them on the low coffee table in front of his seat.

Albus and Scorpius were sitting side-by-side on one of the large red couches, enjoying basking in their victory. Scorpius was especially loving it. He always did.

"Rose, your brother is getting rather carried away over there..." said Albus, putting his hands beneath his head and resting back.

"Yes, I can't say I approve, but he won't listen to me. I didn't even bother butting in and trying to put a stop to it," said Rose, standing up straight and looking over to where Hugo was enjoying some post-victory snogging.

"That girl either doesn't know very much about Quidditch, or just wanted an excuse to kiss Hugo, and didn't actually care what happened in the game," said Scorpius, disdainfully watching Hugo and the girl in question.

"Oh? Why's that?" asked Rose.

"Because, if she knew anything about Quidditch she would have realized that Hugo only scored once, but I scored five times. Thus, she should be over here snogging me," said Scorpius, with a facetious grin up at Rose.

Rose slapped him lightly on the top of the head. "But that's my job."

"I was hoping you would say that," said Scorpius, his grin growing wider. He leaned his head back farther, and puckered up his lips playfully, waiting to be kissed.

"Ah, but see, you just got finished talking about how I'm not a tart." The corner of Rose's mouth twitched into a half-smile nonetheless.

Scorpius sighed loudly and gave Albus a dramatic, woebegone look. "You have to give me credit for trying."

Albus chuckled softly.

"Anyways, I'm going to head to the library. We have that Herbology essay due on Monday, and I want to get started on it. Besides, it's way to smoky in here," said Rose, crinkling her nose in distaste as some whooping first-years set off a couple more fireworks.

"Oh, come on Rose. It's Saturday night, and the whole house is partying. Why would you go lock yourself up, alone in the library? You know you could easily finish that essay tomorrow in no time at all." Scorpius sounded as if he knew his cause was already lost.

Rose raised her eyebrows at Scorpius. "You know I like to get things done well ahead of time. Besides, I don't really care for wild parties. The noise, chaos, and rambunctiousness drives me crazy."

Scorpius sighed loudly again, showing his obvious displeasure.

Rose smiled down at him. "You'll be alright, you have Albus to entertain you."

"Yeah, except for Albus would lose a battle of wits with a monkey. Make that a stuffed monkey. Just in case you're not catching my drift, that means he's not able to entertain me," Scorpius complained.

"I do too have wit, and I'm hilariously funny," said Albus indignantly. He crossed his arms across his chest.

"You couldn't make a hyper adolescent crack a laugh."

"I could too, I have plenty of good jokes," said Albus, glaring at Scorpius.

"The only good joke you ever made was being born," said Scorpius complacently.

Rose rolled her eyes, and started to head for the portrait hole, planning to leave Scorpius and Albus to their bantering.

"Trying to slip away without me noticing?" asked Scorpius in annoyance. "You know that will never work. I see everything, and I'm always specially tuned to where you are."

Rose looked back over her shoulder. "I knew it wouldn't work, but I wasn't trying to get away without you observing me. I was just making a definite step in the direction of getting out of here."

"Without saying goodbye?" Scorpius put on a sad face. "You hurt me deeply, darling. It's like a taste of poison, like a blade to my heaving bosom." He acted out thrusting an invisible dagger into his heart.

"Goodbye, sugar." Rose blew a kiss at him over her shoulder and laughed, before turning and exiting the common room.

"Some little twerps get full-out snogging sessions, without even committing themselves." Scorpius waved a hand in Hugo's general direction. "I have an actual girlfriend, and what do I get? Air kisses," Scorpius grumbled to Albus.

Albus just chuckled once more.

"This is no laughing matter, Albus," said Scorpius in an injured tone. "You're supposed to comfort me, not make me feel worse by laughing at the dark agony of my soul."

"What can I say? I've never been the empathetic type, or sympathetic either for that matter." said Albus leaning forwards to grab a Pumpkin Pasty from the tray on the coffee table.

"What's the difference between those two again? I can never remember..." Scorpius looked thoughtful. After a moment of one of his rare silences: "Stupid English language, makes no sense at all I tell you. Arabic, now there is a good, solid, understandable language." Scorpius looked quite satisfied as he put forth this last opinion.

Albus choked slightly on his bite of pasty. "Do you even know anything about Arabic?" he asked once he had recovered himself.

"No, but that is an unimportant detail," said Scorpius, with impatience. "You know, I met an Arab once. Fellow had a big, black beard. He looked kind of angry, but I couldn't understand anything he was saying." Scorpius looked thoughtful once more. "Maybe that's why he was so angry, because no one could understand him. Though, that's hardly enough reason to be so angry."

Albus shook his head in disbelief. "Where did you see this Arab?"

"Gringotts."

"And wouldn't you be rather upset if you couldn't understand anything anybody around you was saying? I think it would feel rather like suffocating."

"Suffocating? What are you talking about? But no, I wouldn't mind not being able to communicate with anyone. You'd be surprised what waving a really big stick at someone can do. Everyone understands what a whop with a piece of wood means."

Albus decided not to make a reply to this comment, and instead grabbed another treat from the coffee table. As he sat back he had to duck quickly as a Fanged Frisbee went soaring past where his head would have been.

"Hey, watch it!" he yelled at the third-year who had thrown it.

"Sorry, sorry Albus!" cried the poor boy, who looked quite distressed at having upset the captain of the Quidditch team.

"It's no trouble, just take more care in the future," grumbled Albus.

However, the third-year's conscience was not set at ease. He quickly rushed to Albus's side. "What can I do to make it up to you, Albus?" he asked anxiously.

"Nothing, nothing, it's okay, really, er...?"

The kid's face split into a grin. "Creevey, Colin Creevey Jr. Though my dad's name is Dennis. Colin was my uncle he was."

"Figures," muttered Albus under his breath.

"Do you want me to polish your broom or something, Albus?" Colin's forehead was creased with worry.

"No Colin, it's fine, just go enjoy the rest of the party."

"But-"

"Stop annoying him kid. Beat it, or I'll force feed you Puking Pastilles for the rest of the month!" barked Scorpius.

Colin's face paled visibly, and then he turned and fled.

Albus sighed, as Scorpius grinned at Colin's fleeing back. "You didn't have to do that, the bloke just wanted to make up for accidentally chucking that Frisbee at me."

"He was just brown-nosing, besides, he needs to learn that kissing the ground people walk on is not how you get anywhere in life."

"Still, he didn't need to be dealt with that harshly."

"Oh come on, Albus, he'll get over it," said Scorpius, annoyed at Albus not being more grateful for his disposing of Colin.

Just then, Hugo threw himself into the armchair across from them. His red hair was in disarray, and his cheeks were flushed. He grinned at them. "Hiya Scorpius, Albus."

"'Lo Hugo," said Albus, looking with disapproval at Hugo's disheveled Quidditch robes. "Been enjoying yourself, have you?"

"You could say that." Hugo's grin grew even wider -if that was possible. He wasn't embarrassed at all.

"Good work, Hugo," said Scorpius, a twinkle in his eye.

Hugo chuckled. "Thanks, Scorpius."

"Scorpius, don't encourage him please," complained Albus.

"Oh, but see, he's not my relative to be worrying about." Scorpius smirked over at Albus.

"You always have to make my life more difficult, don't you?" demanded Albus.

"Oh yes, it's so much fun to get you worked up."

"I do not get worked up," said Albus, looking pointedly away.

"And you never deny anything."

"Nope, not ever."

"Of course."

"Yes."

Scorpius's eyes were sparkling with mirth, as he grinned over at Hugo, who returned a grin just as large.

Hugo reached for a glass of cold pumpkin juice. "Is it just me, or is it quite hot in here?" He tugged at the neck of his robes.

Scorpius laughed. "It is a little warm in here, I'll admit. But I doubt that really has anything to do with why you're overheated."

"I guess that's true," said Hugo, smiling to himself.

Albus turned and glared at his cousin.

"Relax Albus, you need to learn how to enjoy yourself more," said Scorpius stretching out his legs, and leaning back further into the cushions.

"Just because I actually try to be responsible, doesn't mean I don't know how to have a good time," Albus muttered.

Scorpius shook his head. "You're always as stiff as a board, Albus. Maybe you need to follow Hugo's lead and get a good snogging session. That would be sure to cheer you up. Don't worry, I'm sure there's at least a couple of girls around here who wouldn't mind kissing a Quidditch captain and hero, even if he is a boring old miser like you." Scorpius and Hugo were grinning like mad at each other once more.

"I'm not boring."

"Albus, you wouldn't know fun if it was holding onto your hair and screaming in your face: 'fun has struck again!'"

Albus sighed in defeat. "Okay Scorpius, I know what's coming. What is it you want to do now?"

Scorpius smiled from ear to ear. "Get your broom and invisibility cloak, and come with me."

"Can I come?" asked Hugo, eagerly jumping to his feet.

"No!" said both the older boys immediately.

"Fine," sulked Hugo, going off to find some of his other friends.

***

"No way. You've got to be kidding me, Scorpius." Albus was standing at the edge of the Astronomy Tower, and was staring over the side of the parapet. The drop was sheer and long; the ground could barely be seen hundreds of feet below them.

Once they had grabbed their brooms, the two boys had snuck past the revelers and out of the common room while beneath the invisibility cloak. They had slunk through the abandoned and dark corridors, creeping along like criminals in the night.

When they had reached the Astronomy Tower, Scorpius had dumped the cloak unceremoniously on the floor, and immediately rushed over to the wall.

Albus, after picking up his beloved cloak that had once belonged to his grandfather, had gone over and stood next to Scorpius, peering over the edge.

"Do you want to get us killed?" Albus asked in disbelief.

"Oh come on Albus, now this is going to be fun."

"It doesn't fit my idea of fun if you end up as dog food, splattered in a ten foot radius. And I don't think the school would appreciate us redecorating for them either." Albus was still gazing down into the darkness, hoping against hope that Scorpius would give up on his crazy idea.

"Albus, trust me, when are my plans ever not safe?"

"Always." Albus pointed out.

"Okay, that's true. Maybe I shouldn't have tried to use that argument," said Scorpius placidly. "Anyways, when are my ideas not fun?"

"I guess they might be considered fun if you think of near-death experiences that way," muttered Albus to himself.

"Come on Albus, it's time to start."

Albus looked up now, hearing Scorpius's voice from a different position. "What are you doing? Get down from there you idiot!" he yelled.

Scorpius was now standing up on the parapet, his broom in one hand.

"Relax Albus." The half-full moon's light shown off of Scorpius's blonde-white hair, bleaching it to silver. His face was cast in shadow, so Albus couldn't make out Scorpius's expression clearly, but he thought the other boy looked rather exasperated. "You know we're both good enough fliers to pull this off. Neither of us will get hurt in the slightest."

"What exactly is it you plan on doing, anyways?" grumbled Albus grudgingly.

Scorpius smiled in the partial darkness, knowing he had won. "We jump," he said simply, indicating the open space beside the tower.

Albus clambered onto the parapet and stood beside Scorpius, maintaining his balance by stretching out his arms in both directions. He had his broom ready in one hand. "We just jump? And what, fall to our deaths?" asked Albus, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Scorpius's face and trying not to look at the long drop right next to him.

"Try not to be thick on purpose, Albus," complained Scorpius. "That's where our brooms come in handy." Scorpius waved his broom in Albus's face. Scorpius, unlike Albus, looked like he was completely at ease standing just inches from possible death.

"Hey, stop that!" said Albus in annoyance, but unable to do anything because he was still using both his arms to try and keep his balance. "Why couldn't we just stay with the party? I thought you liked being the center of those type of things," complained Albus.

Scorpius shook his head. "Parties are good and all for awhile, but they get dull fast. This is going to be a lot more exciting." He smiled broadly.

Albus groaned. "Is there anything I can say or do to make you change your mind?"

"Nope." Scorpius grinned. "Goodbye, Albus."

Albus's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if I go first, there's no guarantee you'll follow."

Albus's eyes widened in surprise. "You wouldn't."

Scorpius only grinned wider in response.

Albus turned to jump down from the danger of the parapet, but he was too late. Stretching out his broom, Scorpius rammed the end of it into Albus's side.

Albus's eyes went wide in horror, as he swayed back and lost his balance, tumbling over the edge of the parapet.

"Don't steal all the fun, Albus!" laughed Scorpius, throwing himself off the top of the low wall after his friend.

The two teenagers tumbled towards the ground. The air tore at the scarlet Quidditch robes they still wore. The wind whipped through their hair.

Scorpius whooped with delight as he fell. Albus yelled in mixed terror and surprise.

Scorpius stretched his limbs out in all directions, enjoying the thrill of the fall. Albus struggled with his broom, attempting to get astride it.

Finally, Albus managed to gain control of his broom. He was just fifty feet from the ground when he pulled to an abrupt stop, breathing heavily. "I swear, one day Scorpius is going to be the death of me," he muttered to himself, looking down for Scorpius.

Scorpius was still zipping towards the grass at the foot of the tower, not looking like he was anywhere close to stopping.

"Does that idiot have a death wish?" hissed Albus angrily.

Just a few feet from what would have been a nasty collision, Scorpius whipped his broom between his legs, pulling up sharply and whipping along just inches from the top of the blades of grass.

Reluctantly, Albus allowed half a smile. "A feat that would have made Wronski himself proud."

Scorpius made a quick turn, and came soaring back, still close to the floor. Just as he came to where the wall entered the earth, he pulled upwards, soaring parallel to, and just barely off of the stone tower. Scorpius flew past Albus so fast on his way up the Astronomy Tower that Albus was left spinning in a circle from the wind blast that hit him.

Albus had to clutch at his broom to make sure he didn't fall off. Scorpius looked back over his shoulder at him, and laughed.

"Why you-" Albus drowned out his own voice as he shot after Scorpius.

The two of them collapsed over the top of the parapet and onto the cold stone tiles.

Scorpius threw his head back and laughed.

Albus's chest was heaving up and down. "You- are- inconceivable!" he gasped between breaths.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Say what you like Albus, you can't deny, that was fun." Scorpius's usually blue eyes were silver in the moonlight. They shone with exhilaration.

"Well... maybe a little," Albus replied grudgingly.

"Round two?" Scorpius asked with enthusiasm.

Albus sighed. "Okay, but if you knock me off this time, it won't be pretty for you."

Both boys got to their feet simultaneously.

With a cry of delight, Scorpius ran and threw himself off the tower.

Albus sighed once more, and followed it up with a smile. It was impossible for him to not break down and have a good time with Scorpius.

Breaking into a sprint, Albus leaped over the parapet. Diving towards the ground, he let go of his worries. He let himself be immersed in the moment.

Author's Note:

This is my opening chapter for this new fic. I hope you enjoy, and that you don't give up on it yet if it didn't capture you right away! Please review and tell me your thoughts. Criticism is welcomed.