Soldiers and Serpents //Scorbus

23 In a Day's Work

Bright platinum hair whipped in the air, an exhilarating expression was etched into the boy's face. The cold air made his cheeks faint pink and his lips red. The two students were flying over the river Thames. It was overcast, no sun out. Boats were out on the water, probably providing tours and such to tourists. Scorpius held onto the broom with his feet, and held his hands out to the sides. Aries was in front of him, riding her own broomstick several feet away. Their speeds were matched. Same expression of freedom. "Verdimillious!" Her spell sent firework-like green sparks up into the air, exploding above them.

She looked back at Scorpius with a wide grin, and he laughed. Below them, muggles looked up at the sparks in surprise, some figuring they were a part of a tour. Technically it was illegal to use magic underage outside of Hogwarts. But it's not like they cared. Scorpius leaned back down, grabbing his broom to speed up beside her. "Bridge!" He yells over the wind, gesturing to the bridge they were coming up on. He made a gesture to the top of it, and Aries nodded. They both climbed in elevation, going up to the top where the support beams held up the bridge. Scorpius slowed to hover, and then dismounted. He sat on the edge, swinging his legs over the side, dangling over the deepest river in London. Beside him, Aries follows his lead.

She sits a couple feet away, laying her broom down beside his. "Whooo!" She screams into the air, half of her volume immediately being taken. The wind bit at their face with what felt like tiny shards of ice. The cold months not relenting. Scorpius relished in it. "We should lay under the train tracks in Oxford. It's a rush."

"Under them?" Scorpius replies. She nods, a mischievous look on her face.

"Yeah, we wouldn't be in danger. Still, having a machine that could crush you instantly roar above your head? It's amazing." Her response had Scorpius laughing. This girl was literally crazy; he was growing fond of it. "What? Scared?" She lifted one of her legs up on the platform, putting most of her weight on a more sturdy surface.

"As if." Scorpius answered, raising his voice slightly so she could hear him over the breeze up there. Aries smirked. "So why did you bring me? To do this?" He wondered, gesturing to the river below them. The Carrow girl shrugs, combing her black hair with her hands to fix it from the wind. Scorpius didn't think it had even messed up but he said nothing.

"I wanted to see if you were fun. Danny has a stick up his ass lodged so high that he probably cleans it with his toothbrush." Her response had him laughing again. Something about flying- the air all around you, hair whipping across your face. If one wasn't afraid of heights- which he obviously wasn't- it was a natural stimulant. It was exciting, releasing endorphins. "Turns out, you're not just fun, you're my kind of fun." She sounded pleasantly pleased. Scorpius just smiled. "So I asked around about you."

"Don't believe everything you hear." Scorpius replies.

"Is it true you are best friends with Harry Potter's son?" Her question didn't get a reply, just a curious look. "I assume so, considering that's the only person I saw you hanging out with. Albus Severus Potter."

"Is there a point why you're bringing this up, or are you just that fascinated with me?" Scorpius wondered, making the girl smirk. He didn't know where the conversation was going but he was ready to get it over with. Not only was it rather boring; but he didn't feel the need to explain the depth of his friendship with Albus to someone he barely met. Aries got the hint.

"It might be useful. Down the road, you know?" Aries clearly wasn't going to give it all away in one go. "Does Albus get on with his father well?"

"You should ask him yourself." Scorpius suggests with a smile in her direction. He was positive she wouldn't; and even more so that Albus wouldn't tell her if she did. "So since I'm here, how did you know my name? The name my father gave me, anyways."