The Adventures of Albus Severus Potter

Hello everyone! I really enjoyed reading Deathly Hallows (I mean, who wouldn't?) and felt like continuing the story a bit. Beware, this fic is replete with spoilers!

Albus Severus Potter took his place in compartment on the Hogwarts Express opposite his cousin and close friend Rose Weasley. She was waving frantically down below at the sea of adults with tears in her eyes and yet with a large smile plastered on her face. Albus too looked outside and found his mother and father right below his window. His mother was stroking his arm and saying comforting words and his father was smiling at him. But Albus was churning over the words his father, Harry Potter had just told him.

'You were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I knew'.

Albus withdrew his arm and sighed as the Hogwarts Express started moving. To be honest with himself, he absolutely did not want to be in Slytherin, not in the house of Voldemort, the stupid man who gave his father so much pain and suffering.

His troubling thoughts were interrupted by Rose shaking him and pointing out of the window.

'Albus wake up will you? Your sister's running towards us to say good bye!'

Albus quickly stuck his head out of the window and saw a little girl with messy black hair and blue eyes run towards the train, sobbing.

'Lily!' Albus shouted, hoping she could hear him over the din of the train, 'Don't worry! I'll write to you and Mum and Dad as soon as I get there!'

'Yeah!' said a new voice coming from beside him, 'We'll even send you some souvenirs from Hogwarts! How about a toilet seat, eh, Al?'

'James, don't poke fun at poor Lily!' said Rose's stern voice. But Lily was now laughing and seemed to be telling Hugo, who had run after Lily to bid farewell to his sister and cousins, the story. Albus, Rose and James waved until the train turned a corner and they could no longer be seen.

The three of them took their seats, James looking rather jolly. Rose and Albus still looked rather worried.

'So…looking forward to a new life?' asked James to the two of them.

'What if I turn out to be a dunce? What if I'm actually a Squib?' asked Albus to his brother rather suddenly.

'Idiot, you can do loads of magic!' said Rose, trying but failing to conceal her own worries under her impatience.

'Yeah, remember the time you set Uncle Ron's hair on fire? Mind you, I couldn't see much difference,' said James. Rose giggled.

But Albus defiantly said 'That was an accident!'

'Yeah, right!' sneered Rose.

'Oh yeah?' Albus turned to face Rose, 'How about the time you – ..'

'Children, be quiet!' said James, 'you'll both be fine.'

Rose's and Albus' faces broke into smiles.

'Provided you survive the sorting'

'Oh no…James you're having a laugh, aren't you?' asked Rose pleadingly.

'I thought we just had to try on a hat! That's what Dad said!' said Albus vehemently.

'Hat?' scoffed James, 'yeah that was about twenty-five years ago. Things have changed, my dear children…I regret to say that more stringent measures are taken these days.'

'Strin…gent?' Albus had no clue what it meant, but it didn't sound reassuring.

'More strict, or rigid' supplied Rose, again with that look of worry on her face. 'But why would they do that?' she whispered to her cousin James.

There was a pause. And then he whispered back 'To ensure that the witches and wizards Hogwarts trains are capable of defeating another Dark Lord if there is one!'

He paused to see their anxious faces. It struck him just how naïve they were. He was positive he'd never believe such crap if he was eleven.

'Not every generation is lucky enough to have a Harry Potter' James continued, his voice filled with a bit of pride.

'Or a Ron Weasley or a Hermione Granger', added Rose. James nodded hard.

The compartment door slid open. A burly fourth year stepped inside.

'Oi James, stop scaring the midgets.'

James looked towards the source and smiled to see his friend.

'Dirk! Good to see you!'

'Yeah, well never mind that. Norberta's got this really weird animal with her and it spits!' said Dirk. Albus and Rose looked highly amused. They knew their cousin Norberta Weasley loved magical creatures, dragons being her favourite.

'Sounds great' said James in a very under enthused tone.

'Come with me please!'

'I am not going join Norberta's idea of fun. I've still got the scars from last time. And I swear your eyebrows are no longer the same colour.' said James trying to convince his friend.

Dirk merely looked at him with wide eyes.

'You'll just get rejected again! And you'll break another limb!'

'I love explosive girls. And that's why you're coming! She'd never attack her cousin…would she?'

Rose tried not to make eye contact with Albus. Albus was on the point of bursting into laughter out loud. But both he and Rose felt it wouldn't be prudent in front of these giant fourth years. He felt their size put Grawp to shame. But he had never seen Grawp so…

'Alright, Dirk, I'll come in a few minutes' James said resignedly, 'it's just that I feel I have to protect these ickle firsties from bullies like you'

'You're the bully, James', said Rose

But Dirk's face looked as though it could have lit up a dark room.

'We'll be somewhere down there, okay?' and he pointed vaguely down the train. He then set off, practically skipping.

James turned to the other two and they all laughed heartily.

'Anyway', he said after a few minutes, 'you enjoy yourselves. I'll try dropping in later.' And with that he left.

Once Albus and Rose thought had finally found some peace, the compartment door slid open again.

'Look who we have here', said a drawling voice.

Hope you enjoyed that! Please don't forget to review, it's what gives me encouragement! Tell me what you think!