I, of course, do not own this beautiful series. That blessing goes to Her Most Wondrous, J.K. Rowling. I own Owen Peador, however! He is one of my favorite HP OC's that I've made.
Sorry if it sucks. I wrote this while listening to Hollywood Undead and watching Castle. Best combination ever, but I'm not sure if it pops out good Fanfiction. But school's over in four days (SENIOR YEAR: HERE I COME!) and I have hardly any homework anymore, so I've got a ton of writing time. I might even try finishing a Hetalia fic soon! And remember kids, popping milk cartons at lunch because you're a senior and you think Mike and John (the first names of our principal and vice principal) "can't take graduation away from you" is not only not cool, it's also the worst senior prank in the history of the world. And they wonder why juniors won Homecoming? Anyway, enjoy! (sorry for the rambling!)
"I don't know if…" McGonagall trailed off, looking to the side. "If you've seen him lately. I-"
"Professor," I cut her off. Giving her one of my more serious faces- the kind I usually saved for an interrogation with criminals, or when Ginny and I had to be called in for a meeting with the Headmistress and James- I continued. "I haven't seen Albus since he ran away from home."
One of the portraits of old headmasters snickered. "Famous Potter can't even keep a stable home." It was Snape, and- even though I would have said something nasty to him in my school days- I just chuckled.
"Albus is a little unstable. It's hard when he's told lies by his classmates about how terrible I am and he's doing things I wouldn't approve of. At least, I'll just assume he's doing those things. I don't really know."
It was the truth. I had no idea what Albus did these days. Even when he was still living at home, he was either locked up in his room or spending the days at ex-Death Eater houses. Ginny and I had made the rule of not going in our children's rooms when they were out of the house, but by the time I had actually started worrying (around the time he ran away) he had cleared it out and nothing was left. Albus had turned seventeen two weeks before his sixth year, and a week later he had been gone. Everything in his room was a plain as when we first moved him in there- save the dozens of Slytherin banners, pictures of friends, and muggle band posters that had a powerful permanent sticking spell on them, and the words HYPOCRITES carved into the wall by the windows. Ginny had been a mess for days.
McGonagall's not-so-subtle throat clear brought me back. "Well, I know that Ginevra has been worried about him, even though Millicent has been taking good care of him. But he won't just stay in the room once he sees you. Odds are- he'll turn right around."
Ginny nodded next to me. "Harry brought the invisibility cloak along. We… could hide under that… while you talk to him."
McGonagall nodded. "That does work. You'll have to keep quiet, however. Perhaps a silent charm?" We both nodded. A knock at the door made us jump. "Who is it?"
"Al Potter, ma'am. You wanted to speak with me?" It was Albus's voice. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ginny bite her lip to stay quiet.
"One moment, Albus." She nodded at us and when went to the corner. I threw the cloak over Ginny and I and the Professor cast a silence charm on us. "You may come in, Albus."
The door creaked, and a figure came in. Next to me, I heard Ginny gasp before slapping her hand over her mouth. The other two didn't hear, but I didn't blame her.
There stood my middle child. He looked taller than me, but thinner. His hair was messy and raven black-like my own and my father's- but it was longer and cut oddly, with the bangs swept across his eyes like some of the people from his muggle bands. His eyes were and deep and bright emerald- the same as my own-, but filled with knowledge, far beyond someone his age. His fingers were twitching, like he was desperate to fiddle with a wand, or to dance his fingers across the piano- which was the only thing I knew he liked to do.
It was that made me notice his tattoo*. A snake with cursive writing I couldn't make out upside-down ran down his right arm. Small words were printed on his neck, what I could barely make out as a horse and a stag were ghostly on the front of his left shoulder, and a strange heart on the top of his back made me a bit angry. He was eighteen years old, and he already had four tattoos? If it hadn't been for Ginny holding me, I would have run out and smacked him.
"Hello, Mr. Potter. I am sure you are wondering why I have called you here." McGonagall's lips were thin from his sight.
"Just a bit, Headmistress." His voice was calm and smooth. It was a soothing voice and- if I was a boy his age or younger- it would pull even me into his spell. It reminded me a bit of the younger Tom Riddle I saw in the memories in the Pensive**. "I've never been in here before. No offense to you, Professor, but I can't see why my brother would want to spend as much time in here as he did." He chuckled.
McGonagall chuckled. "I'm sure he didn't want to be it in here as much as he was."
Albus shook his head. "No, of course not. But I've always thought that it takes more effort to get in here than it does to stay out. As much as I like a challenge, I don't think I'll try to get back in here anytime soon."
McGonagall chuckled and her face went slightly serious. "Albus, I noticed that you had failed to show up to your fifth year planning meeting with your head of house. Of course, it wasn't required, but I am curious. It really gives a student an idea of what they want to be."
Al smiled and nodded. "Professor Slughorn already knows what I plan to do, and I've known what I want to do for years. I've already applied, and have gotten a reply. As long as I do well on my N.E.W.T.s, when I reapply this summer, I've been guaranteed an internship for the Daily Prophet."
Ginny had to hold me back while McGonagall stared at Albus in shock. "The… Daily Prophet? Your father doesn't like that paper much, does he?"
I didn't. They were constantly following me around and writing ridiculous stories on me. I haven't trusted them since my fifth year of Hogwarts.
Albus shrugged. "Not so much the paper, but the reporters. I know it won't repair my practically non-existent relationship- and that's an overstatement- with my father, but- no matter how much Owen Peador*** likes to tell people I'm doing it to, quote "piss off my father something awful", I've always loved writing." His face and posture got excited and his smile was wide enough to make Ginny gasp a little and fidget. "Plots, dialogues, settings, details, the whole thing- I love it all. I want to travel the world and tell England all about what's happening in America, and Africa, and Asia, and everywhere else. Maybe when I get older, I'll write a book or something- when I'm too old for traveling. Morgana Pepperson is retiring next year, so I've decided to go after her spot. It'll be difficult, but as I said before, I love a challenge."
McGonagall stared at Albus with an impressed smile. "That… is a wonderful plan. I hope you do well on your N.E.W.T.s." Her face went serious and strict again. "Speaking of which, Albus. Professor Creevey has confessed a worry to me. He believes you will somehow rig the system and cheat on the exam, like- as he said- you did on the O. .****"
Albus smile fell. His frown was cold and he had gone stiff. "May I let you in on a little secret, Headmistress?" His voice was strained and filled with acid. Gone was the charm that his voice had held before.
McGonagall nodded. "Of course, Albus." She looked shocked from the change in his voice
Albus sighed. "I don't want to be disrespectful, he is a teacher and I was raised to be respectful to my elders- even though I miserably failed with my parents- but…" He trailed off, glancing towards the door.
"It's alright, Albus. Nothing leaves this room." She shot a glance towards Ginny and my hiding spot.
"Well…" Albus continued. "I believe… no… I know Professor Creevey has a grudge against Slytherins. During classes our first few years, he would break into long speeches about how the Slytherins were good for nothing, delinquents who- in ten years- would end up either dead, in prison, or on the run from the Aurors. Those of us who came from families of mostly Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, or Ravenclaws are the true blood traitors, and a disgrace to our families and their friends. And…and…"
McGonagall, who looked very shocked, nodded. "And…?"
"And I believe that he holds a grudge against my father, for- because of him- Professor Creevey's brother died in a war that shouldn't have happened, and I believe- as well as many of my friends, in Slytherins as well as Hufflepuff and Gryffindor- that he takes that frustration for my father out on me, because I'm a Slytherin and none of the other students will tell you or anyone else. From their very first week, the students of other houses are drilled with the belief that "Slytherins are evil.""
McGonagall was silent for a long time and did not speak. Albus continued after about a minute. "He is not a horrible teacher, Professor. Save the nasty comments, I could even call it one of my favorite classes. We learn just as much as the other students- sometimes more, because he'll pile homework on us over the weekend while he lets the other houses off. I've read my father's biographies, and he could be called the modern day Professor Snape- even though I doubt he is secretly an enormous hero in disguise and I will not name my children after him. I'm not saying he should be sacked, just that he needs a major attitude adjustment. That can leave this room."
He got up and headed towards the door. "May I leave now, Headmistress? I've got a Charms essay that's due in a week and I haven't started it yet."
Professor McGonagall nodded, brought out of her trance. "Of course. Happy studying, Mr. Potter."
He nodded. "Of course. It was nice to see my namesakes. James told me how exciting it was to see them his first year. I'm glad I got to see them at least once."
The portraits of Dumbledore and Snape smiled widely. I smiled along with them. Before Albus left the room, his smile disappeared and he turned towards the corner when Ginny and I were standing. "Mum, Dad."
Ginny gasped but didn't remove the cloak. How could he have seen us? Could it be the Cloak was losing its power?
Albus sighed. "Word of advice: next time you use the Cloak, Dad, make sure Mum's feet aren't poking out the bottom of it."
With that, he spun around and walked out of the office- singing some song with lyrics telling the listener to "just stand up and scream" because "the tainted clock is counting down*****"- leaving Ginny, McGonagall, nearly every Headmaster portrait, and I, completely confused.
Stars for a few clear ups, for the Moste Confusedeth.
*- The tattoo's are all carefully planned! The arm one is a snake- which is Al's patronus (in my world) with the words "Family First". The neck one is the words "Jeg Elsker Deg", which is "I Love You" in Norwegian, the language of the love of Al's life, Thora Flint (an OC). The strange heart is one I saw online, a heart made from a treble and bass cleft (so cute!). The last one are two stags- one older, one younger- and two horses- one older, one younger- to stand for his family (in my world, Lily's patronus is a horse like her mother and James's is a stag like James I and Harry). He has one more, WEP, on his lip. It has two meaning: West Everpark Drive- the street address of the Potter house (in my world)- and Weasley Evans Potter Prewett- the last names (and maiden names) of Al's grandparents. Al is very family oriented.
**- Al's nothing like Voldymort. I love him in Slytherin (I don't like stories that put Al in Gryffindor), but Al is a kind and caring person. His parents are just hypocrites…
***- Owen Peador can be read about in one of my earlier fics. He's changed just a little, but my OC's generally stay the same. Mostly, they just switch roles of who gets to be the moody depressed one.
****- In case you were wondering, in my world, Al is the smartest kid in school his fifth year (and in this story, he's in seventh). He got eleven Outstandings, one more than Hermione (which I don't get, because she was only taking ten classes, yet she got ten O's plus an E or A, so unless I failed algebra II this year (and I didn't) Goddess Rowling did her math wrong.
*****- This beautiful song is "The Final Episode (Let's Change Channel)" by Asking Alexandria. I will attend at least one of their concerts before I die! Is it just me, or does England sent out beautiful artists? J.K. Rowling, Asking Alexandria (and all its members, including the most great Benjamin Paul Bruce3), and many other people (NOT Rob Pattinson, sorry to all you Edward fans out there) are God's angels sent to earth (even if AA isnt't religious).