Time After Everything || a Sequel to Saving Myself

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Glass crunched under Albus' shoe and he looked down, picking up the pieces of a discarded photo. He pieced it together, noticing it was of Scorpius and Draco. Albus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion when he picked up a large shard of glass that dripped blood onto the floor.

Albus dropped the glass in panic, his heart hammering against his ribs. Near the shard of glass, there was a shirt with blood across the front. Albus threw it down, his hands shaking slightly.

On the walls, the wood and paint was carved into with tally marks. A seemingly endless number of marks.

The tops of the pages were addressed to Astoria Malfoy, who was dead by Albus' knowledge. Some of the words were smudged beyond recognition by tears, preventing him from making sense of a few words. Out of context, he didn't know how anybody could read this.

They're all terrible. . .I don't even want to be here, Astoria. And he just keeps trying to be my friend. I wished he understood. He was my friend when we were children, but. . .it's not like that anymore.

On the front porch, Scorpius paced up and down the length of the porch. He put his hands in his hair, tugging and wanting to rip it out. He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. His migraine was raging earlier, but it had subsided to a slightly annoying pound.

But, before Albus could get too far into the journal, a voice said from the doorway, "What are you doing in here?"

Albus turned quickly, seeing Scorpius standing by the door with his fists at his sides. "Scorp, " Albus began, "I didn't---"

"Save it, Albus." Scorpius interjected, his tone cool and calculated. "Give it to me."

"What's going on with you?" Albus asked softly. Scorpius didn't move. "You're acting strange. Hell, you're entire room's a mess---"

"Just give me my journal, " Scorpius told him. "It's mine." He came towards Albus, lunging for the journal. Albus held it over his head, preventing Scorpius from grabbing it.

"Talk to me!"

Scorpius frantically reached for the journal, jumping and reaching. "Why are you in here?"

Albus shook his head. "Just to talk! I can help you!"

From downstairs, Albus could hear his father's faint laughter and the front door closed.

Scorpius snatched the journal from his hand, closing it as he threw it against the wall, causing a loud thump. He pinned Albus against the wall with his forearms, telling him, "Get the fuck out now."

"What'll you do?" Albus sneered. "I want to help you, Scorp---"

Scorpius shoved Albus as hard as he could, making him fall on his back. He made a loud thud and the air was knocked out of him. Albus heard a crunching noise and there was a stabbing pain in the middle of his back. The palm of his hand burned and Albus looked at it; there were pieces of glass embedded in his palm and little trickles of blood appeared on his skin.

Albus groaned as he tried to sit up but the force of Scorpius slamming into him. Wildly, Albus looked up at Scorpius, his heart pounding as Scorpius' hands tightened around his neck.

He looked into Scorpius' mercury eyes, trying to get him off as soon as possible. Scorp's eyes were glazed over with red-hot fury.

Albus grabbed at Scorpius' arm, trying to free himself. But Scorpius seemed to be stronger than he looked. Unable to breathe, Albus' struggling grew weaker and weaker until his clawing at Scorpius' hands and wrists settled into a slow pawing.

Coloured spots danced across Albus' vision but they soon disappeared and he gulped the air that he desperately needed, coughing and hacking.

Draco walked up the stairs, frowning. If Scorpius and Albus were fighting or arguing, he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Scorpius hadn't been the most responsive member of the family in a while but Albus certainly had a way of pissing certain people off if he tried hard enough.

"Scorpius!" Draco shouted, grabbing his son's shoulders and shaking him. Scorpius blinked and looked at him, taking a shaky breath. He looked over at Albus, who was lying on the ground with Harry kneeling at his side.

"Breathe, " he said. "You're okay, just breathe, okay." He told Albus, "Take deep breaths, Al."

Scorpius' hands shook as Draco shook his again, a mixture of anger and confusion and shock in his silver eyes. "Scorpius, what's gotten into you?! Strangling Albus---what the hell is wrong with you, son?!"

Scorpius looked at Albus again, who was beginning to sit up, rubbing the front of his neck as he coughed. He didn't mean to hurt Albus. . .he had just meant to get his journal back. Had he really strangled his older brother?

"I---" he began, "I---I just---"

"You just what?" Draco asked, his voice low.

Angry tears filled Scorpius' eyes. He didn't want to hurt Albus. He didn't mean to.

"Whatever, " Scorpius scoffed at Draco. Scorpius pushed him away and grabbed his wand, running from his room as Draco tried to follow. But, at the threshold of the front door, he cast a Shield Charm, preventing Draco from following him outside.

In the back of his mind, Scorpius wanted to go to Violet's house, but he decided against it. Tears streamed down his face as he ran, his wand in his hand. When he couldn't run anymore, he placed his hands on his knees, trying to get rid of the stitch at his side.

He slid against one of the trees, shivering. "Where the hell am I supposed to go now?"

You can go to his home. Astoria's voice said to him. Go there. Apparate, Scorpius.

Scorpius fished in his pocket, finding the folded strip of parchment containing the address. He said the address over and over again in his head. Before he had time to prepare, all Scorpius saw was black. He was pressed hard on all sides; his eyes were being forced deeper into his head, iron bands tightened around his chest, and he could not breathe.

The feeling left as soon as it had come and he gasped with relief. That was the first time he had Apparated and he hadn't even properly prepared aside from researching it in the solitude of his room.

He stood, turning in a small circle. None of the surrounding area looked familiar. Luckily, there was a man with a patched coat, tattered jeans, and a dirty looking beanie huddled near a trashcan.

"Er, hello, " said Scorpius nervously. The man looked at him. His face was very dirty. "Uh, see, I'm kind of. . .lost."

"Oh, yeah?" the man grumbled.

"Yes." Scorpius nodded. "I'm trying to reach this address." He held out the strip of paper to the man, who took it. He squinted down at it before giving it back to the blonde.

"Go down this street to the corner of Abbott and Markdale square. Then take the left and you'll see a sign reading the name of the flat complex."

"Thank you, " Scorpius said and the man nodded. "I, uh, don't have any cash on me."

"Don't worry about it, kid. Just keep clear of the alleyways."

Scorpius thanked the man again and walked at the edge of the sidewalk, close to the road. When he made it to the corner, he nearly jumped out of his skin when a dog began barking. With a quicker pace, he bit his thumbnail nervously.

He pulled out the slip of parchment again, looking down at it. 19. He was looking for a door with a nineteen on it.

When he finally found the door, he frowned at it. It was painted green, but the paint was chipping and peeling, revealing the sad grey colour under the green.

He hesitated.

With his hands, Scorpius scrubbed at his face, hoping a bit of colour would make him look less like a dying person and more like a normal one. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to not make it look like such a mess.

Knock, Scorpius.

Scorpius took a deep breath and knocked on the door three times.  But, when only two seconds passed, Scorpius took a step away from the door, wondering if it was too late to go now and keep his dignity.

Then, the door opened and the front light turned on, illuminating a redhead wearing jeans and a grey t-shirt.

"Hey, Erick, " Scorpius said, his throat tight.

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