from your father
Harry Potter knows what it's like to cry. He has done it plenty of times and isn't afraid to admit it. He cried when he defeated Voldemort because it was over. He cried when he found out how many friends he had lost. He cried after he married Ginny because that beautiful woman loves him. He cried when James was born and Albus and Lily because they are the pride of his existence.
He is the Boy Who Lived, but to them he is Dad and that is enough.
He doesn't cry they send James off because he's going to Hogwarts, and that was one of Harry's only homes. He knows that his oldest son, rowdy and unpredictable, will be fine.
James gets sorted into Gryffindor and stirs up all kinds of trouble, but Harry can't bring himself to really care. Ginny asks him for help, but Harry's pretty useless since he looks at James and all he can see is Sirius. Ginny understand though, and he loves her for it.
Harry almost cries when it's Albus' turn to go. He asks about houses and the innocent glimmer in his eye tells Harry that he's genuinely afraid his parents won't love him if he's not a Gryffindor. Harry's never been good at advice, but he tries anyways. Albus is less shaky, but still uncertain and as Ginny takes his hand, Harry fears for his son.
The first letter of the year is one he dreads to open. Ginny lets him read it first and leaves him alone. He sits alone at his kitchen table, envelop clutched in his hands. When he breaks the seal it feels almost foreboding. The scrawl is messy and Harry almost can't read it. There are words he picks out and none of them make the rest of the letter seem very exciting.
There's a tiny wrinkle, a stain, on the page and Harry knows exactly what it is from. There isn't much to be gathered from Al's letter, but Harry isn't optimistic.
James' letter answers the real question. The words are panicked and join together, but he gets the gist. To James it was always a game. He pushed and pushed Albus, just to see how far his brother would go without breaking. Harry's oldest is guilty and unsure and Harry knows that there will be damage control to be done at Christmas.
Because Albus is in Slytherin.
And then Ron phones, working the phone properly thanks to Hermione, and he starts talking so fast that half of the words go right through Harry's ears without registering. He manages to catch that his best friend is talking about his niece Rose. Ron is proud, that much is discernable from his tone, and Harry knows why.
Because Rose is in Gryffindor.
Ginny's by his side then and she reads the letters while Ron chatters and Harry sits numbly. His wife curls her fingers on his shoulder and Harry knows that she isn't disappointed. She loves their children just as much as he does. The next thing he knows is that Hermione has taken the phone and is scolding Ron. Rose must have told them about Albus too. Hermione doesn't really say much, but she wishes them a good night and hangs up.
Harry Potter would easily admit to taking his wife in his arms and crying. It isn't because Albus is in Slytherin. He couldn't give a rat's ass where his son ended up, but it's because of what he'll face. James is fine. James is the golden boy who followed his dad to Gryffindor.
Albus won't get to have that comfort. He's a Potter in Slytherin.
Eventually Ginny has to let him go because someone has to tell Lily before their youngest comes running. Harry doesn't want his little girl to find out this way. It's better if his wife just breaks the news gently. Lily's only 9 so she doesn't have the prejudice lodged in her mind that others do. She'll still love Albus and for that Harry is grateful.
He pulls out some parchment and ink and he writes back. Albus needs him here because he is not just a father, but also a role model and an excellent wizard. Reassurance is the first thing that hits the page. He is still Albus and being in Slytherin doesn't change that.
Albus and James come home from Christmas. At first Albus' letters were nervous and a little bitter, but always constant. As the days ticked by, the frequency decreased greatly, but he seemed happier. Harry isn't quite sure what to expect from his son, but he hopes he won't have to do damage control.
The boys get along fine and Harry is a little surprised because James is decked out in red and gold and Albus wears silver and green. They really do look like Christmas when they stand together for photos. If you add in little Lily, it makes everything even more spirited. They still fight like brothers, but Harry can see that maybe something has changed.
Albus avoids his father. Harry tries to corner his son, but keeps it subtle. He doesn't want Albus to know, but he's worried. He wants to hear if anyone has given him trouble. He even tries writing to Neville, but burns the letter before he sends it. Albus wouldn't want him snooping.
Like before, he finds out from James. His eldest asks Albus if his friend is coming to the Burrow for New Years and Harry's ears perk. Albus has made a friend. The Slytherin Potter just shrugs and says that he and Rose invited him, but they're not sure if his father will let him come.
Harry jumps in, asking if there is anything he can do to ensure that Al's friend is able to come. Both his sons give him wary looks and tell him it's probably for the best that he doesn't.
Harry is confused. Albus avoids all conversation about his mysterious friend for the rest of the holidays. He eventually just straight up tells his dad that he's doing fine in school, he has friends and no one has given him trouble for being in Slytherin. And he is enjoying it.
When Ron phones again, Harry is distracted. Ron chatters on about Rose's new friend and how unacceptable he is and Harry barely listens. Albus is doing fine and then he realizes that Rose's new friend is also Albus' new friend. He tries to ask for the name, but Ron just rants on and eventually Rose confiscates the phone from her father. There's a little arguing in the background before his niece ends the call.
He gets to meet Albus' friend on New Years Eve. He's polite and kind of shy and very intelligent. Hermione and Ginny both like him a lot, but Ron gives him a nasty stink eye. Lily blushes like a little schoolgirl when he looks at her and Hugo follows his father's example. Rose, Albus, James and the other Weasleys who attend Hogwarts just treat him like part of the family.
Harry isn't quite sure what to think because Albus' best friend is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy.
At the end of the celebration, before everyone goes out to watch George's enchanted fireworks, Albus and Scorpius approach Harry. They're both a little shy, but Harry just smiles. He treats Scorpius exactly how he treats Michael, James' friend. He even throws in a small thank you since Scorpius helped Albus fit in amongst the other Slytherins.
Albus is surprised by his father's friendliness and when Rose comes to fetch Scorpius and him, he stays behind to speak to Harry. Albus doesn't even have to get words out as Harry just opens his arms and hugs his son. He is proud of him, even in Slytherin, and knows that he will do great things.
He hears Albus sniffle and Harry smiles. He would be lying if he says that his eyes aren't wet too.
Because he is Harry James Potter, but more importantly because he is a dad.
Author's Note: This is the first in series of short one-shots about fatherhood from the perspectives of many different fathers from many different fandoms.
I started with Harry and Albus because it's the first thing that came to mind, but I'm open to doing many more from many different perspectives like Tristan and Piper (PJO), Frederick and Annabeth (PJO), Ron and Rose (HP), Draco and Scorpius (HP), Tom and Marinette (ML), Norman and May (Pokémon), Ash and his father (Pokémon), Jason and the jiper baby (PJO), Mars and Frank (PJO) and potentially others by request. The ones listed above are ones I have interests in writing, but I'm not sure they'll all be done.
If you have a request, leave it in the comments, send it to me over PM or message my Tumblr (nicolewrites)
- Nicole