In this story, this chapter is very important. It is the first time Albus and Rose walk into Hogwarts. A bit slow, I know, but I promise the next chapters will be much more exciting if you give them a chance :)
Year 1- The Marauders
Albus Potter was nervous, to say the very least. He twisted two clammy hands into knots, and his stomach churned restlessly.
"Where're you off to Rose?" He said to his cousin.
She wrinkled her freckles, making them dance in the streaming sunlight. Her hair blazed like a real fire. "To get dressed. And you should too." She frowned, but softened to a smile as she watched Albus grit his teeth. She left silently.
Albus watched the rolling hills stream past in a blur of grey and green. The memory of his father waving at him, just him and not the other open mouthed students who plastered themselves to the window just to glance at Harry Potter himself, tumbled around his head.
Feeling impatient, Albus left the compartment for some air, and swung around the older, chatting students. Some pointed and whispered, but most of them just stared. He avoided walking in on curtained compartments; he most definitely did not want a nasty shock of 'inappropriate behaviour' sprung on him.
Instead he lounged around an empty compartment near the driver. He listened to the train chug the hundreds of students to an unknown land where the great Hogwarts still stood.
"Psst!" A voice hissed from above him.
"Sorry?" Albus whispered back.
"Hey!" A small head of wild black curls peeped over a suitcase. "Mate, could you help me down there?" The boy had a heavy Irish accent and dimples.
"What in Merlin's name are you doing-"
"Shh!" The boy hushed Albus' ascending voice.
"Doing up there?" Albus whispered back.
"Insulted a sixth year. Mean lookin' fella too. Betcha any money he's from Slytherin." The boy said vehemently.
"Why did you do that?" He said.
"Called me small in front of his mates. I told him to eff off." The boy's eyes gleamed almost proudly.
"Alright then," Albus snorted and helped the boy down. He was small and skinny, with sallow skin and tangled robes.
"Thanks mate. 'S your name?" He brushed the dust violently off his hair.
"Albus Potter. You?"
The boy stopped dusting himself and looked at Albus suspiciously. "Are you really?"
"Yes."
"Cool. I'm Tommy Finnigan. Our da's used be mates, back in the day."
"So they did." Albus smiled and put out his hand. Tommy shook it vigorously.
"Mind if I sit with you?" He asked Albus hopefully.
"Yeah, go on. My cousin Rose is with us too, but she was off getting changed last time I saw her." Albus started to walk down the corridor and back to their compartment.
"Great." Tommy grinned and followed him. They hadn't gotten far before trouble found them again.
"Oi! You!" A massive, burly boy shouted from behind them. He had the face of a twisted gorilla, and a torso like a rhinoceros.
"Oh dear. Run, run, run!" shouted Tommy. The boys took off like bolts of lightning, but heavy footfalls could be heard from close behind them.
"This is the fella you insulted?" Albus half laughed half choked.
"Eh, yeah, sort of." Tommy panted. They weaved through students, trying unsuccessfully not to knock anyone over. Albus glanced back at the monstrosity of a boy galloping behind them.
"In here!" He grabbed Tommy's arm and pulled him into a little door. The two boys stood nose to nose in a dark room that was cramped and damp. They could hear the anguished roar of the sixth year as he searched in vain for the two boys. As the stomping feet finally passed the door, the two boys let out a giant sigh of relief.
"Nice thinking, there Albus." Tommy said with admiration in the dark.
"Nice thinking, Tommy. I must congratulate you on finding the biggest and scariest thing Hogwarts has ever kept in its walls."
They both burst out into fits of laughter, and hurried back to their compartment, sniggering all the way.
"Where in Merlin's name were you?" Rose raised an eyebrow at the two boys. "And you are…?"
"Tommy. Tommy Finnigan." Tommy beamed and slumped next to Albus on the soft chair.
"We were causing trouble." Albus chortled, remembering the mad man's disappointed whine.
"Well that's obvious. Look at the two of ye!" She rolled her chocolate eyes in exasperation.
When Albus' heart slowed to a normal pace, he felt his tummy groan. "Anyone else starving?" He had to shoot Rose an innocent smile as he interrupted her mid sentence.
"Famished." Admitted Tommy.
"I'm sure the trolley lady will be here any second-" Rose began but was yet again interrupted by the deafening cheers of the two boys, as sure enough, there emerged the trolley lady, all pink and warm, and laden with wonderful treats, as if she could hear their hungry cries.
"One of everything, please." said Albus, handing the woman a handful of coins.
"There you go, pet." She smiled at the three students, wheeling away again. Albus poured the brightly coloured treats onto the table.
Chocolate frogs, Every Flavour Beans, exploding bubble gum, Noisy Nougats, and more, and more were being gobbled up by the hungry children. Albus snorted with a mouth full of chocolate, and Rose squealed, as Tommy ate an elephant flavoured Noisy Nougat. He was so loud, that another boy stopped to look at their hysterical giggles.
A boy with messy white blonde hair and gentle eyes peered at them icily.
"Would you mind keeping it down, please? We're trying to have a conversation." Scorpius Malfoy stood at the doorway.
"Of course." said Rose irritably. Their laughter died as Scorpius retreated to his own compartment. Tommy started to chuckle again.
"What?" said Rose.
"Bit of a stick in the mud, ihedn'd he?" laughed Tommy. And just like that, they went back to their light hearted fun. Day darkened to night, and the train began to slow down.
"Hey, hey!" said Tommy. "We're ere!" And sure enough, the train stumbled to a stop, and the students milled onto the platform, illuminated by the pools of light from the lampposts.
"Firs' years! Over ere firs' years!" A deep, booming voice shouted over the excited squeals of black robes. Rose grabbed Albus' arm, and in turn, he grabbed Tommy's. They were pushed through the crowd so roughly, Albus bumped into Hagrid's leg.
"That you Albus? What is eh with ye Potters and all of you's lookin' identical?" Hagrid chuckled heartily. His impressive salt and pepper beard blocked most of his face from view, but his black eyes were warm and kind.
"Hi Hagrid." Rose said to him.
"Hi Rosie." He shot her a wink. "This way now, don' wanna get lost on yer firs' day, now do you? You only get to see Hogwarts for the firs' time once, eh know." Hagrid held up his torch high into the air. The older students piled onto horseless carriages, and bumped along out of sight. They eventually reached a black lake filled with small wooden boats.
"Maximum of three to a boat!" Hagrid shouted. Albus, Tommy and Rose sat into the precarious boat, and it glided through the water without any of them having to touch an oar.
"This is so bloody cool." Albus grinned in the darkness.
"You're tellin' me." Tommy gazed at the massive castle looming towards them. You could see it from the last mile of the train, but now you could see it with excellent detail; hundreds of turrets winding around ancient stone walls; thousands of warm windows glowing; rickety bridges crossing buildings together; acres upon acres of forestry; and best of all, the Quiddtich pitch.
Albus helped both Tommy and Rose out of the lake, and they followed all the students to the magnificent oak doors. There, waiting for them, was an ancient woman; her hair was white and wrapped in a tight bun on her head, her face was wrinkled like a maze, yet she stood as straight as a rod, her lips pursed.
"Welcome, students." She said. "Welcome to Hogwarts. As many of you already know, you will soon be chosen, and put into one of Hogwarts' four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. This is an extremely important decision, as you will stay in these houses for the seven years you attend Hogwarts. There is nothing to be nervous of," she glanced at a trembling girl with black curly hair. "As we have an excellent assessor. Follow me, students. And you will be introduced to your future house."
She opened the door to a massive hall, with a huge marble staircase leading to the upper floors. Four extremely long tables sat comfortably in the room, each filled with students. And in the middle, lay a withered and dirty black hat on a stool. Professor Mc Gonagall was already seated in the Headmistress' seat, looking old, but wise.
Names were rounded off in succession, and student after student went up to be chosen into the different houses.
"Finnigan, Tommy!" Tommy smiled very cheekily, and made his way up to the stool. "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat said. Tommy delightedly joined the Gryffindor table.
"Henrington, Nessa!" A girl with strawberry blonde hair cut to her chin stumbled up. "GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted shortly after the hat was dropped on her hair. Albus didn't notice most of the other names, except maybe Scorpius Malfoy's.
Scorpius sat twiddling the thumbs as the hat chewed over an obviously difficult placement.
"GRYFFINDOR!" It finally roared, to many aghast gasps. Scorpius sat on the cheering Gryffindor with two pink cheeks.
And then, it was Albus himself. "Potter, Albus!" the teacher called. An excited murmur broke out as he sat on the stool. He heard many 'Harry Potter!' 's, but they were soon blocked from earshot as the hat covered most of his face.
"Well, well, haven't we a rather famous heritage," The Sorting Hat drawled into his ear. Not Slytherin, not Slytherin. "What is it with you Potters and Slytherin? You could be great in Slytherin. But, well, whatever floats your boat. Hmmm… you are a troublesome little thing aren't you? Well, I suppose it best be… GRYFFINDOR!"
There was pandemonium from the Gryffindor table. James Potter hammered on the desk, and all the boys howled in victory. Confused and shaking, Albus joined his friends at the Gryffindor table. He received many pats on the backs, and shook more hands than he could count.
When there was only one more student to go, Albus' stomach protested again. He wondered did it ever stop protesting.
"Weasley, Rose!" Rose took her place on the stool. The hat covered her eyes, and her hands were twisted in her lap. The Sorting Hat didn't ponder long, he shouted just as defiantly for her as he did for Albus himself.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Rose skipped over and plopped herself between Albus and Tommy. Their fellow Gryffindor's ruffled Rose's hair and patted her back, much to Rose's irritation.
Mc Gonagall stood up, and silence fell over the Great Hall. "Now that the Sorting has been completed, and we are all ready to start a fresh year, and our minds will soon be filled with new knowledge, I shall make only a short speech." She wheezed slightly. "The Forbidden Forest, is as it says already, forbidden. House rules will be posted on each common room's notice board, and you are to comply with these rules. That is really all… so eat well, and let us toast to this new year." She lifted her glass with a solemn expression. Albus looked in his glass, and saw it was filled with a sweet smelling orange liquid. Pumpkin juice. Glasses were raised, and with pop, the food arrived on the table.
It covered every inch of mahogany wood, and smelled so delicious, Albus found himself trying not to drool. He saw Tommy in the same conflict.
"What're you doing?" said James, looking like a taller, older replica of Albus. "Dig in!"
Albus needed no more encouragement, and began to scoff food into his mouth as if his life depended on it.