Chapter 1 - The Train

Albus had bent down to tie his shoe. He missed the glance that his mother had given his father. It was one to be worried about the eleven year old boy. He had been acting distant and nervous all day, and James hadn't been making it easier for his younger brother with all his stories, and teasing. Harry gave Ginny a slight nod and watched as her and Lily had walked off to find James.

"Son?" Harry asked. "What's wrong?" Harry bent down to take over in tying Albus' shoe.

Albus had stared at his father. "What if I'm not sorted into Gryffindor?" He asked.

Harry gave a slight nod. James had been bugging him about that. "Albus Severus Potter." he stated calmly. "You are named after two headmasters of Hogwarts and one of them was a Slythern and he turned out to be the bravest man I knew."

"Yeah, but dad everyone in our family is in Gryffindor. Just what if it does happen?" Albus asked.

"Well then Slytherin house would have gained a wonderful new wizard." he stated. "If it really matters the Sorting Hat takes your choice into consideration."

"Really?" Albus asked.

Harry gave a slight nod. "Really."

The two stood and headed down the platform. Joining Ginny and Lily by Ron and Hermoine. Hermoine was getting Rose ready for her first year at Hogwarts as well.

"Hey lookit there." Ron stated. "That must be young Scorpius Malfoy." he said with a slight nod of his head.

Albus turned his head just as his father, mother and aunt did to stare down the platform at two of the Malfoy family. Scorpius and his mother.

"Astoria isn't looking too great these days is she?" Hermoine whispered with a saddened look. Ron had given a shake of the head at that.

Albus had taken in that note and looked at the young wizard's mother from where he stood. His aunt was right she looked horrible. Like she didn't agree with life anymore.

"Wonder where Draco is." Harry stated curiously.

Ron gave a shrug at that. "Who knows mate." he commented.

The train chose that moment to give a loud whistle and startled the four adult wizards as they started pushing their children attending first year on the train.

"Now remember to behave!" Ginny shouted to Albus but mainly his brother James. He was known for being a trouble maker.

"Will do mum!" Albus shouted.

"Remember Rosie you mustn't be too friendly with a Malfoy, and you must be him at every test!" Ron shouted.

Hermoine whacked her husband upside the head. "Ron! Do not turn them against each other before they've even reached school!" she shrieked.

"Ow 'Moine.." he muttered as the train started moving.

Rose, Albus, and James had all found a compartment together and were waving furiously at their parents each plastered against the window until their parents were out of sight. Albus plopped down next to Rose and sighed.

"Not still nervous about the sorting are you?" James asked with a smirk.

Albus looked at his older brother. James was only a year ahead of him. "No I'm not." he stated firmly.

"The why the long sigh?" James asked.

"Because I can." Albus muttered and looked away from his brother and out the compartment window.

Rose gave a slight smile as she watched the two boys. "James you shouldn't tease Albus, you're suppose to be the older brother. The one who protects him." she stated.

"Aye Rose but brothers also annoy each other once in a while, and I've got to say it's fun to annoy Albus." he said with a smile. He gave a shrug after that. "Since Albus is infact being a boring party pooper I will go find Ted. He oughta be round here somewhere." The second year stated and gave the two first years a wave before disappering into the train.

After that Albus and Rose had started to excitedly talk to each other about what they expected to do during their first year. Their conversation had lasted for about a half hour before the compartment door opened.

Two heads, one black hair with green eyes, the other red hair with blue eyes, turned to look at the sliding door. They discovered at their compartment door was two different people. One person had black hair and blue eyes, the other brown hair and brown eyes. Both looked like upper classmen.

The boy, black hair and blue eyes, was the first to talk. "Hi we're the Prefects for Gryffindor this year. We're making our train rounds finding the first years." he stated. "Warning all you guys that we're arriving to Hogwarts soon, so you should change into your robes." The boy stated.

The girl smiled at Albus and Rose and then waved as the two headed out.

"Welp time to change." Albus muttered, suddenly nervous once again.

"Mhm.." Rose muttered just as equally nervous now that they were nearly arriving.

The two had taken a moment of silence then both sighing and quickly getting up as they rummaged around the compartment then shuffling off to get on their school robes.

As soon as they had dressed they had dressed it had taken gone back to talking for at least a half hour before the train screeched loudly and came to a halt at the Hogsmede Station.

Albus looked at Rose and vice versa as the two smiled and piled out of their compartment as did every other student on the train. When they pushed out onto the platform a big figure was out there screaming out.

"Fer's years this a way! All fer's years!" the giant shouted.

Albus and Rose smiled up at the giant. "Hi Hagrid!" they both shouted and the giant turned a brightened face to look at the two.

"Well if'n it ain't Albus and Rose." he said with a smile. "You two bes' be gettin' on those boats follow me." he said and went back to shouting. "Fer's years this a way!" he boomed.

Albus and Rose both followed Hagrid, as so did the rest of the first years. They arrived at the boats.

"Three to a boat now." Hagrid stated. "No more n' that. Don't want ya drownin' so the giant squid can eatcha." he stated as he climbed into a boat himself.

Albus and Rose both stared at each other. Although, Albus' look was questioned and Rose gave him a silent nod to confirm his fear. There really was a giant squid in the lake.

The two climbed into a boat together and were joined by a black haired girl, with green eyes. She smiled at Albus and Rose and the three road the boat together in silence. Unlike the black haired girl joining them, who ran her fingers in the water, Albus made sure anything of him didn't touch the lake at all, and then finally there were suddenly kids 'ooh-ing and aah-ing'.

Albus looked up and then he realized what they were in awe about. The sight of the castle was amazing. It looked compeltely awesome to him. Too bad most of his time in it was going to be doing homework but he knew there were other things. James had seemed to brag about it countless times, so he figured it couldn't be all bad. James wouldn't brag about school if it wasn't fun.

When the boat reached the other side of the lake, Albus, Rose and the blacked haired girl all jumped out.

"Glad that boat ride is over." Albus stated. "A boat ride, on a lake, at night, big enough to fit a giant squid in the water? With first years." What were they thinking?" he asked.

Rose shrugged. "There are more things down there than just that squid you know. There's Grindlows and Merpeople too." She stated.

Albus gave her a glare. "That proves my point. What were they thinking?" he questioned.

"That the view for the first years would be great and amazing?" Rose questioned.

"Yeah probably that..." Albus muttered, and the two of them joined the rest of the first years in following Hagrid up to the school.