Author's Note: Another request. Enjoy!

"You aren't brave enough."

"Shut it!"

The loud reply from his younger son caused Harry to jump in attention. He dropped his quill on top of his desk before slowly pushing his chair back and rising to his feet.

"You'll be a complete disgrace. Think of what mum and dad will say or grandma and grandpa even. Or Uncle Ron, Or Uncle George, or-"

"I said shut it you bloody git!"

Now Harry was moving much faster. This wasn't the first time this had happened. Over the past few days it seemed like this was a constant issue that both he and Ginny were dealing with and Harry was undoubtedly done.

"I'm just trying to prepare you for-"

"James Sirius that is enough!" Harry spoke sternly as he rounded the corner into the living room.

"Dad!" James said in a voice that gave away his every fear. "I was just-"

"Going to your room," Harry cut him off.

James jumped up. There was no way he was going to wait to be told twice.

As he passed his father a hard smack landed on his backside causing him to whip back around.

"Go," Harry instructed in a stern voice. "Before you get much more of what you deserve."

James continued on his way, obviously glad to be leaving the room, and taking the stairs two steps at a time to get to his bedroom.

Harry's eyes settled in on his younger son. Albus was sitting on the couch, intent on staring at the ground.

"Hey," Harry said softly as he crossed the room and took a seat next to him. "You know you really shouldn't let him get to you."

Albus shrugged silently, his eyes never leaving the thick grey carpet.

"I fully intend to accompany him in his room in just a few minutes," Harry continued. "Obviously speaking with your brother about how he should treat people doesn't seem to be working."

Another silent shrug.

"You know Al, your mother and I will be proud of you regardless of which house you are sorted into as will everyone else in our family."

"What if I get sorted into Slytherin?" He asked in a small voice. "How could you and mum be proud of that? How could anyone?"

"We're always proud of you," Harry spoke gently. "Listen…one of your namesakes came from the Slytherin house and he was one of the best people I ever knew. " Harry knew that Albus was well aware of this fact but he thought perhaps a reminder would help.

"That doesn't matter. I don't want to be in Slytherin, I don't care who was."

Or perhaps not.

Harry was silent for a moment as he searched for the right words to say. He thought back to his own time under the sorting hat and the memories came rushing back to him at full speed.

"You have a say you know."

"Huh?" Albus asked in a curious voice. For the first time since Harry had entered the room his son broke his staring contest with the floor and instead turned his attention towards his father.

"The sorting hat," Harry explained. "It will take your thoughts into consideration you just have to tell it."

"You're just saying that," Albus said in a soft voice.

"I'm not," Harry replied. "I promise you I'm not."

"You can tell it what you want?" Albus asked in a skeptical voice.

Harry nodded. "I did. I told it that I didn't want to be in Slytherin and that's part of the reason it put me in Gryffindor."

"You didn't want to be in Slytherin either?" Albus asked in a concerned voice.

"For reasons completely different from your own. I knew no one in Slytherin your Uncles' were in Gryffindor so therefore I wanted to be as well."

Albus was silent for a moment as he mulled these words over. When he finally spoke his voice had lost the sense of fear it possessed only seconds earlier.

"You promise?"

"Absolutely," Harry nodded.

Another moment of silence followed by a nod, "Thanks Dad."

"Anytime," Harry smiled. He gently ruffled his son's hair before standing. "And now I'm going to go have a talk with your brother."