Storms don't last forever

It was the first quidditch match of the season, and Brandon was excitedly getting ready to watch the game. As much as he loved quidditch, he preferred only to watch, rather than participate. It was a cold day, the leaves dropping off the trees at alarming rates and he was 100% sure Rosa or Lily would throw leaves at him or each other. He wrapped his warm red and gold scarf around his neck and prepared to leave, just as Toby entered the room.

"Oh good, you're here!" Toby looked impatient. Brandon frowned at him.

"What's wrong?" His question hung unanswered for a moment, as Toby's eyes filled with tears.

"My brother joined the new death eater group!" Toby sighed and sat on his bed, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his jumper.

"There's a new death eater group?" Brandon asked in surprise.

Toby nodded. "It's lead by the Yaxley's. They hate muggles and want to strengthen the magical line. They also want to 'turn worthy muggles magic' and wipe out all muggles, ruling the magical world like you know who wanted to do." He explained. "And people are joining them, I thought we were past all that."

"Apparently not." Brandon shook his head, trying to get his head around what he had just been told. "They haven't killed anyone, have they?"

"No, at the moment they're not doing a lot." Toby answered.

"Maybe your brother will change his mind?" Brandon suggested, Toby sniffed again and nodded.

"Maybe." He agreed sullenly. Brandon patted his shoulder and stood up.

"Come on, the game won't watch itself." He announced, Toby just nodded sceptically and followed him out of the door.

^^^

As it turned out, it would have been better if they had allowed the game to watch itself. They won, but barely. It was an embarrassing win, with half the team in the hospital wing and the only reason the won being an accidental own goal from the Slytherins. Brandon had hoped the game would cheer his friend up, but that hadn't happened. There would be a party later, but even that, he knew, would not lift the sad mood that his friend was in.

"Hey, what's up?" Brandon jumped as he heard Lily's voice, so engrossed in his own thoughts, he hadn't realised she was stood beside him.

"Oh- I, nothing." He answered, but she didn't look convinced. Before she could answer, Scorpius Malfoy dragged Brandon away from her and into the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Brandon yelled out at once.

"You have a boyfriend right?" Scorpius asked, he seemed scared, nervous.

"Yeah, you know I do, you met him." Brandon was confused, what was wrong with Scorpius.

"How did you get him?" Scorpius asked.

"What do you mean? He's a person, not an object, you can't just 'get him'." Brandon couldn't get any sense out of the older boy.

"I want a boyfriend, and you are going to help me." Scorpius told him, Brandon sighed.

"No I'm not, I'm going to my common room, and you're going to figure this out on your own." Brandon turned to go, but Scorpius stopped him.

"Please. I need your help." Scorpius seemed desperate.

"Why? Why me?" Brandon asked.

"Because you're the only one who knows." Scorpius said. Brandon's eyes widened.

"You haven't come out!" He yelled, Scorpius covered his mouth with his hand.

"Shh! Now please, help me!" The blond boy yelled.

"If you don't want to come out here, I can't help you here." Brandon said, Scorpius sighed and buried his head in his hands. "But I might be able to help you in the holidays. Meet me two days after we get back, outside my house."

"Thank you." Scorpius nodded.

"Now don't come near me again, I don't want your problems." With that Brandon left, leaving the blond boy with his head in his hands.

^^^

"What did Malfoy want?" Lily asked as soon as he joined his friends in the corner of the common room.

"You guys have to promise never to tell anyone, okay?" Brandon told them, they all nodded a once.

"He's gay." Brandon told them.

"What?" Rosa yelled, over the chatter she wasn't heard.

"You're kidding!" Toby and Helen asked at the same time.

"He wants me to get him a boyfriend." Brandon told them.

"Really? What did you say?" Lily asked.

"I said I'd help him." Brandon asked.

"Why would you help him?" Rosa asked.

"I don't know." Brandon confessed, "I really don't know."

^^^
Despite the party still going on, Brandon left the common room and went up to his dormitory, where he found Toby sitting on his bed.

"What's it like, being away from him?" Toby asked suddenly.

"Who? Danny?" Brandon asked. Toby nodded. "I miss him."

"What would you do, if he joined the army, or something. Or a rebellion?" Toby asked.

"I'd... God I don't know. Toby why are you asking these questions?" Brandon asked.

"I don't know what to do! My brother has joined a group that wants to kill people! He has no reason to join them! Bran, I want to disown him. I don't want him near my family anymore!" Angry tears spilled down his cheeks as Brandon took a step back, the anger in his friend's eyes was not one he had ever seen before.

"Toby? Hey, calm down, you need to write to your mum." Brandon sat down beside him and put his arm around his friend's shoulders comfortingly.

"What if he kills my muggle friends? Or your muggle friends? Or your boyfriend? They're all in danger and it's his fault!" Toby answered. Brandon froze, not once had it crossed his mind that people he loved, that he cared about could be in danger because of crazies from his world. A world cut off by theirs.

"Toby, I honestly don't know how to make you feel better. But I can tell you that we'll find out a way to stop them, whatever it takes. I know you feel betrayed by your brother, but I know that if he could even think of doing this to you, then he's not worth it. And you deserve what's worth it." Brandon told him.

"I feel like you've said this before." Toby murmured, but he had calmed down considerably.

"It's true Toby, and I'll say it a million times to anyone if I have too, but people deserve better when they're betrayed, whether it's by a brother who joins a group aiming to kill innocents, or by an alcoholic father who walked out on his family."

"Thanks Bran. You're a good friend." Toby murmured.

"I just want to make sure you're okay. You're my friend." Brandon answered.