Albus entered the large station immediately full of awe. Great stone arches, hundreds of muggles all wanting to be or get somewhere. Nearly all of them staring at mobile phones with little to no luggage. Which made Albus and his family stick out like a sore thumb with their large trollies. This actually quite embarrassed Albus.
It was just the same as when James had come but this time, it was his turn. Everything seemed brighter, bigger and extremely nerve racking. Albus had been practising for weeks his Gryffindor-ry walk and voice in order to make sure he was in Gryffindor.
"You're going to be in Slytherin, Slithery Slytherin!" taunts James just out of earshot from his parents Ginny and Harry Potter. Albus shrugged it off, he just had to concentrate on looking like a Gryffindor – bold and confident. Gryffindors would not fight back at that their annoying brothers – Albus thought, they would rise over the issue. Slytherins would stupidly fight back or get revenge.
"Did you know that Slytherin's where all the losers go and they get so corrupted by their loser loneliness that that they go dark and do dark magic" James whispers in Albus' ear. Dark magic makes him shudder. However, he once again tries to overcome it.
"But you're a loser, so I guess it settles-
"Dad. He keeps saying it." Albus runs over and complains to his dad, he didn't care if it wasn't Gryffindor-ry, James was being annoying which Albus supposed was also very un-Gryffindor-ry.
Albus' Dad stares through his old round glasses, his green eyes full of fatherly discontent,
"James, give it a rest." He sighs. James doesn't look the slightest bit embarrassed and decides rather ignorantly to not stand down.
"I only said he might be in Slytherin. And he might so…" Harry glares harder at James using his perfected "stand down" glare. And in an instant with these silent words passing between them James declares surrender, "fine" he says begrudgingly.
Albus is worried, James is so incredibly Gryffindor, Albus thinks, brave but reckless and a bit ignorant too. This showed it all. And Albus is beginning to wonder, if James is so Gryffindor and Albus is so little like James…
Albus pushes this thought away, there are far more things to be worried about. For one Albus is going to be away from his parents. Albus looks up at his mother Ginny, her red hair and warm smile resembling so closely to his sister Lily. His eyes resembled his mum, though, grey-blue eyes.
Sometimes Albus found it odd that his siblings were named after their dead grandparents – and that they looked like them quite a lot too (well their hair colours because his sister had Ginny's face.) Albus also felt a bit left out that he wasn't, another thing that separated…
No, Albus thought, I will be in Gryffindor, not Slytherin, I may not be like my siblings but that doesn't mean I will be in Slytherin. Albus begins to worry more, feeling just a tiny bit of sweat rising on his hairline. He looks up at his mum again.
"You'll write to me, won't you?" Albus squeaks. His mum smiles back.
"Every day if you want us to." His mum reassures him. Albus realises how childish and unGryffinfor-ish he sounded and faintly hears his brother sniggering even amongst the noise of Kings Cross Station.
"No. Not every day" Albus says using his grown up 'Gryffindor' voice, "James says most people only get letters home once a month. I don't want to…
Albus' dad stops the movement of the group near platform nine, "we wrote to your brother three times a week last year." He said in a reassuring way with a faint smile.
"What? James!" Albus looks at his brother accusingly, now he feels really silly and un-Gryffindorish. His mum puts her hand on Albus' shoulder "Yes. You may not want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh your brother."
Albus continues to stare as James' mouth forms into a Cheshire Cat grin "Can we go now please" James says in an innocently cheeky voice. Albus turns and sees the entry way. To an unsuspecting Muggle, it looks like a brick wall between platforms nine and ten but every wizard knows it's a secret portal to the Hogwarts express. A train which takes all the witch and wizarding children to Hogwarts once they turn 11.
Albus looks at his dad, and then his mum nervously. His mum once again to reassure his worries said: "All you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten."
At that Lily gives a little jump and squeak "I'm so excited." I am so nervous, Albus thinks.
"Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best to do it at a run if you're nervous." Albus tries to hide his fear but is still failing miserably, he takes in a big gulp feeling it go down his throat.
"I'm ready," Albus says in a voice as confident as possible. He then looks at his dad on his right and his sister on his left as they put their hands on his trolley. His mum goes with James. Before Albus I entirely ready Harry and Lily begin to run and soon he finds his feet running to as they head straight for the brick wall…