Seventh-Year: The Next Generation

Author's Note:

Thanks for the reviews, guys! Every time I see one it gets me excited! =D

Anyways, the next chapter! Hope you like it. ;)

Chapter 12: Rainbow Farting Unicorns

"What now?" asked Albus nervously, playing with the strap of his book bag. They were in the corridor outside of History of Magic, having just finished class.

"How about we go find some Egyptian dancer girls, and have them feed us peeled grapes?" suggested Scorpius, looking off down the crowded hall.

"I hear that Persian dancers are better," said Albus incredulously.

"Persia doesn't exist anymore, it's Iran now, Albus," pointed out Scorpius.

"Oh, whatever, smart stuff. Who eats peeled grapes, anyway?" demanded Albus.

"Really arrogant and self-absorbed people, like me," said Scorpius indifferently.

Albus shook his head. "I've never in my life heard of someone who eats peeled grapes."

"Well, now you have," said Scorpius.

"No I haven't, you've never had peeled grapes."

"I have too."

"No you haven't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Okay, maybe I haven't, but I fully plan to," said Scorpius irritably.

"Of course, what, once you become the Czar of Russia? On second thought," said Albus thoughtfully, "does Russia even have Czars anymore?"

"I don't know, you were the one who brought it up," said Scorpius, still looking down the hall. "Ah, our little redheaded friend has finally recovered. If you can call that recovered, he looks dreadful," said Scorpius dispassionately.

Albus followed Scorpius's gaze. Hugo was pushing through the sea of students toward them. His hair stuck out in every direction, and his eyes were bright and wild. In his haste he accidentally shoved Elizabeth Flint into the wall. Albus saw her shoot Hugo a death glare, before she turned and continued on her way.

When Hugo finally made it to them, he was almost out of breath. "What's happened to me?" he demanded, but a smile was on his face, and his eyes danced.

Albus looked around nervously. People were starting to turn and stare, and were whispering to each other.

Scorpius noticed as well, very few things escaped his sharp eyes. He grabbed Hugo by the shoulder, and started to walk along at a quick stride, dragging Hugo after him.

"Wha--?" began Hugo in confusion.

"Come along, Hugo. We're not speaking here," said Scorpius, his eyes flicking left and right, as if daring the watching students to say something.

Albus caught up to Scorpius. "You realize you're making it a bigger scene than it was?" muttered Albus under his breath.

"Oh, yes," said Scorpius, his eyes dancing. "You do know how I love big scenes, especially when I'm the center of them."

"Oh, boy, do I," said Albus. "It's often occurred to me, how some people make scenes, but you make three-act plays."

"Aptly put, I don't know if I could have described myself better. Very nice, Albus," said Scorpius with satisfaction.

Hugo shook Scorpius's hand off of his shoulder, but continued to tromp along beside them. "Will someone tell me what's going on?"

"That's where we're headed, Hugo," said Scorpius with disgust, as if he thought that this was obvious.

"What? The common room?" asked Hugo sarcastically as they stopped in front of the Fat Lady. "You do realize it's hardly the place for privacy at this time of day, don't you?"

Scorpius shook his head. "You're lack of imagination never ceases to amaze me, Hugo. Periwinkle." The portrait hole swung open obligingly.

Scorpius shoved Hugo in, before clambering in himself. Albus followed.

"I don't like being manhandled!" snapped Hugo. A smile spread across Scorpius's face, as if there was an inside joke involved, or a pleasant memory.

"Well, we're not finished with it yet, so don't get comfortable," said Scorpius brightly, grabbing Hugo by the back of his robes, and pushing him along.

A group of fourth-year girls looked the boys' way curiously from their seats by the fire.

"Morning," said Scorpius, giving a slight, elegant nod in their direction. They giggled and looked away, blushing.

"Must you do that at a time like this?" asked Albus in exasperation.

"It keeps my mind off things," said Scorpius dismissively. Albus rolled his eyes behind the other boy's back.

They strode along the corridor that held all the boys' dormitories. Coming to the seventh-years' room, Scorpius kicked it open, and pulled Hugo inside. Albus followed, swinging the door shut behind him.

Scorpius flung Hugo onto one of the beds, and then sat down on another one near it. Albus decided to remain standing.

Hugo struggled up so that he was leaning back on his elbows, and not just lying sprawled on his back. He glared at Scorpius from beneath his fiery hair that stuck out in every direction like a crown of flaming thorns.

Scorpius flicked a bit of imaginary dust off his shoulder. "Don't look at me like that, we're not about to go shouting about, advertising every little thing that happens, for the whole school to hear. Hogwarts is terrible when it comes to gossip, terrible," said Scorpius, shaking his head.

"And you don't exactly dissuade it, the way you stomp around," said Albus, shooting Scorpius a frustrated look, which the other boy pointedly ignored.

"So, what's happened to me?" demanded Hugo.

"How do you feel?" asked Scorpius curiously, leaning forward and gazing at Hugo intently.

"I feel great, amazing, really. I feel...powerful. As if the whole future is at my fingertips. But I have no clue what's going on-- why I feel so great, why I seemed to have slept late, and right through class, too."

"What do you remember from last night?"

"Nothing really, the last thing that I can picture with any clarity was drinking those confounded Dragon Breaths."

Scorpius sighed, and looked at Albus. "Do you think we should tell him?" asked Scorpius ruefully. "It's bound to bloat his already considerable impression of himself."

Albus shrugged. "He'll find out eventually. And as for having a big head, you can hardly talk. I bet he gets it from you," accused Albus.

"Does not," said Scorpius, affronted.

"Oh, really?" Albus raised his eyebrows. "I bet he gets his playboy tendencies from you, too."

Scorpius shook his head. "I won't take responsibility for his dabblings with the other sex."

"Can we please get back to the matter at hand?" asked Hugo, clearly annoyed that they were talking about him as if he wasn't in the room.

"First things first," said Scorpius. "Take off your shirt."

***

Lily peered through the portrait hole. "Shoot, there's a group of fourth-years," she said, stomping her foot.

"So?"

"Well, it's against the rules for students to enter a common room that isn't theirs," said Lily matter-of-factly.

"Ah, who cares? They won't cause trouble," said Monique, brushing past Lily and hauling herself through the portrait hole.

Lily hesitated, then followed her friend.

They managed to make it halfway to the stairway, before one of the fourth-years noticed them.

"Hey, what's a Hufflepuff doing in here?" demanded a girl, standing to her feet.

"She's with me, is there a problem with that?" asked Monique, turning toward the girl, and shaking her silver hair back over her shoulder.

"Yeah, it's against the rules," snapped the girl.

"And no one has to know about, do they?" said Monique, walking up to the girl and glaring down at her.

The girl shrunk back a little, clearly intimidated by Monique being older, and having superior size.

"Good," said Monique with satisfaction. "And if anybody does hear about it, I'll know who to blame."

Monique turned, and headed up the staircase to the boys' dormitories. Lily followed her.

"Hey! That's against the rules, too!" cried the girl.

"And if you mention rules again, I'll break a few more by hexing you all the way into summer," snapped Monique, shooting the girl a glare worthy of a Slytherin.

Monique and Lily continued on their way, and there were no more objections from the fourth-year.

They slunk along the corridor, being as quiet as they could. Lily went to the fifth-years' dorm, and put her ear to it, but there was no sound from inside, so she crept along to the seventh-years' room.

She could hear dialogue from inside, so she beckoned for Monique to join her. Together, the two of them cocked their heads, and listened intently.

"No, I won't. What's the matter with you?" It was Hugo. At the sound of his voice, Monique tensed slightly.

"Just do it," demanded Scorpius's voice.

"Go boil your head, I'm not queer!" yelled Hugo.

"Stop being a prat, Hugo. If you won't, I will."

"I think he's serious, Hugo, you should listen to him." It was Albus this time, sounding faintly amused.

"I see, Rose dumped you, and now you've gone queer. And Albus, being the good friend he is, is supporting you!" Hugo's voice was accusatory. "Well, I'm not, and I won't have any part of it. You hear me? I won't, I won't!" Hugo's voice was getting slightly more distant, as if he was backing toward the far side of the room.

"Oh, Merlin! You're an idiot, Hugo. I'm not queer. Now take your stupid shirt off!" Scorpius voice was getting rather exasperated.

"Get away from me!"

"Come here!"

"No, get away! Ah! Geroffffomeee!"

There was the sound of a crash from inside the room. It was followed by two consecutive, loud thumps.

"Ah! Help me! Rape, Rape!"

Monique shifted her position slightly, and accidentally stepped on Lily's toe.

"Ow!" gasped Lily, before she could help it.

There was immediate silence from within the room, followed by footsteps.

Lily and Monique turned and started to struggle away from the door, hindered by the narrow corridor. But it was too late, the door swung open, revealing Albus.

He was framed by the light pouring from the room behind him, and a bemused expression written all over his face.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he asked.

"What is it, Albus?" came Scorpius's voice from somewhere behind Albus's body.

"You might as well come in, I guess," said Albus to the frozen figures of Lily and Monique. He turned and re-entered the room. "It's Lily, and Monique is with her," he said, addressing Scorpius this time.

Lily shrugged at Monique, and followed her brother.

Near the far end of the circular, medium-sized dorm room was Scorpius and Hugo. A dresser lay knocked over by them, and Hugo lay on the ground, with Scorpius straddling his waist. Scorpius had the younger boy's arms pinned to the floor above his head with one hand, and had the other in the middle of the act of taking the redhead's shirt off.

"The tart?" asked Scorpius, looking up and raising an eyebrow.

"What the hell?" said Hugo, staring up in surprise at the two girls.

"May I ask what's going on?" asked Lily, mild curiosity coloring her voice.

"No wonder Hugo dumped me. I must admit, it never crossed my mind that my main defect was that I'm entirely the wrong sex for him," said Monique.

"Hugo doesn't really surprise me...but Scorpius, I never suspected you," said Lily, smirking slightly.

"Oh, shuttup," said Scorpius. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Oh? And what is it then?" asked Lily.

"I'm just trying to get the prat to get his shirt off. If he wasn't being so bloody difficult this wouldn't be needed," snapped Scorpius in irritation.

"And the fact that you're trying to get my cousin's shirt off is supposed to console me?" asked Lily, resting her cheek on her fist thoughtfully.

Albus looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh. Scorpius glared at him. "Why'd you let them in?"

Albus shrugged. "I couldn't help it, you set yourself up too well."

"Get off of me!" bellowed Hugo.

"Be quiet," said Scorpius, scowling. However, he obliged a moment later.

Hugo struggled to his feet, looking non too happy, and straightening his shirt out.

Scorpius leaned against one of the posts of the nearest bed, and crossed his arms. "Okay, first off, what is Lily doing in Gryffindor Tower? Second, why are the two of you in the boys' section? And third, what in Merlin's name are you doing eavesdropping on us?"

"Well, that's simple," said Lily. "The answer to all of them is the same: we want to know what's going on."

"What's going on?" asked Scorpius blankly.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about," said Lily.

"No I don't," said Scorpius stubbornly.

"I think we all want to know," said Hugo, sitting down on a bed.

"Well, what I want to be enlightened about, is how you even know that there are things going on?" shot Scorpius at Lily.

Lily shrugged. "It just so happened that we went out for a short flight last night, and we saw you returning to the castle."

"My luck," muttered Scorpius under his breath. "Well, it's about Hugo, so he has the right to know. But it doesn't concern you, girls, so you should just bugger off."

"If Hugo doesn't mind us listening in, then I don't see why it should bother you," said Lily.

Scorpius opened his mouth to make some snide comment, but Hugo was faster. "Yeah, I guess I don't mind."

Scorpius looked at Hugo as if he was crazy. "I don't think you would say that if you knew what it was," he said.

Hugo shrugged. "Something that makes me feel so great doesn't seem to me like it'll be something that I'd mind other people knowing."

Scorpius sighed, and looked at Albus once, before plunging into the story. He started at the part where Albus and Hugo found him lying in the alley. He went from there and talked about the bar, the musicians, and how the three of them got drunk together. Then he related what happened to Hugo outside, the two old men in the green suites, and all that they had told him. He finished up with arriving back at the front door of the school.

There was silence for a few moments after he finished talking.

"Amazing," sighed Hugo, eventually. He looked up at Scorpius with bright eyes. "Who'd ever think I was a Diviner? This is great."

Scorpius let out a bark of laughter. " I'm sure it's not going to all be singing butterflies and rainbow farting unicorns."

"I can take it," said Hugo confidently.

Albus rolled his eyes. "Don't get a big head."

"What's this about climactic events, then?" asked Monique. "Does that mean something big is coming?"

"That is the general impression," drawled Scorpius.

"Well, what are we supposed to do about that? Should we tell someone? The Headmistress, maybe?" demanded Monique.

Scorpius shrugged. "Why does everyone look to me for answers? It's not my problem. I told you guys, now it's on your shoulders. You especially, Hugo, seeing as it's you who's the actual Diviner."

"Well, what should I do?" asked Hugo.

"I don't know, and I don't care. I'm not your mother, I don't make your decisions for you," said Scorpius.

Albus's brow was furrowed in deep thought. "I think you should probably tell Aunt Hermione. These things are too big for us. Besides, she'll know what to--" he was cut off as Lily, letting out a little choked cry, grabbed a nearby bed stand and knocked it over. The clock which had been sitting on it hit the floor with the sound of shattering glass and splintering wood.

Everyone in the room stared at her with wide eyes that were filled with surprise. Lily's own dark eyes were locked on the knocked over bed stand. Finally, throwing up her arms, and letting out another strangled noise, she turned on her heel and fled the room.

There was a moment of silence as everybody watched where Lily had disappeared through the door.

Once again, it was Hugo who broke the silence. "She's been awfully, unexpectedly moody the last few days, hasn't she?" he asked of no one in particular.

Monique turned to go after her, but a hand landed on her shoulder, stopping her. She looked up in surprise to see Scorpius's intent blue eyes on her face.

"I'll go," he said.

"I don't think--" began Monique.

Scorpius shook his head to silence her. "Let me. Please, trust me," he said.

"I should be the one, I'm her brother," said Albus from behind them.

"And I'm the only girl here, so clearly, it should be me," snapped Monique.

"Maybe I should go, I've known her my whole life..." said Hugo, though his voice was filled with doubt.

"No!" was the combined and immediate response. Hugo scowled.

Monique started forward, but Scorpius pulled her back. "Get your hand off of me," she half-snarled. "You have no right, I'm her friend." She packed as much meaning as possible into that one word. It said very clearly that neither Hugo, nor Albus, nor Scorpius could be considered Lily's friend, because the way they treated her.

Scorpius actually took a step back, surprise mixed with something else -- realization maybe -- written on his face. It was brief, and the next instant an expression of cold indifference was the only thing visible.

Monique looked past him to Albus, whose face was a picture of pain. She actually felt bad for him for a moment, for what she had said.

Her eyes slid past Albus to Hugo, who merely looked astonished.

She started to leave again, but once more Scorpius stopped her. This time he stepped in front of her, and grabbed her by the wrist. He lowered his face to her ear, so that only she could hear him.

"If Lily doesn't consider me her friend, then why don't you let me make it up to her?"

"How do you know it's not you that she's upset at?" hissed Monique.

Once more Scorpius pulled back slightly in surprise. He looked at her intently, and then said softly, "If that's the case, all the more reason it should be me."

"Fine," said Monique stubbornly. "Then go, but if you hurt her, or make me regret this in the slightest, you'll be very sorry you volunteered."

Scorpius laughed. Turning slowly, he strode gracefully from the room.

Author's Note:

You got to love singing butterflies and rainbow farting unicorns! And peeled grapes of course, don't forget peeled grapes. =D

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