Chapter One
Albus Severus Potter, son of the famous Harry Potter, stepped off the Hogwarts Express on the first day of his third Year at the most famous wizarding school in the world. The fresh autumn air felt good in his lungs, and he knew he was back in his favorite place in the world, or nearly there anyway. He just stood there, breathing, his eyes closed, imagining her. His lips curled into a smile at the thought of her face.
"Albus move!" demanded an impatient Lily. His trance broken, smile gone, he stepped aside, sweeping a pathway with his arm for his little sister.
"Your Majesty," he said in a mock humble tone. Lily huffed and stepped out, careful not to touch her older brother. Albus heard a giggle next to him, and he turned to see his cousin, Rose Weasley grinning at him. "Rose!" he laughed, hugging her.
"How's your summer been?" They hadn't seen each other for two months, not since the Potter's annual end-of-the-year party. Both of the families had been on vacation a lot. Al took a moment to look at Rose. She'd grown taller over the summer. She'd changed quite a bit since their first day at Hogwarts, when they were inexperienced eleven year olds, looking at each other nervously before being sorted. Rose looked much like her stunningly gorgeous mother, except for her glowing red Weasley hair. Freckles danced across her nose, and her blue eyes, another trait from her father, sparkled with joy and wisdom.
Al himself had changed some during the summer. He had grown at least two inches, and received a terrific tan from Mexico, where Ginny Potter had announced she'd been dying to go for ages in mid-June. He was the only of his siblings to have inherited his Grandmother's eyes. He looked a lot like his dad, Harry Potter, except his hair was more of a reddish brown than black. "My summer's been great, yours?"
"It was wonderful…" she said, then started off about the countryside, visiting Fleur and Bill and their daughter Victoire at Shell Cottage, and the Bahamas (Ron and Ginny were a bit ambitious about tropical places with beaches that summer.) Albus found it interesting, but their was someone he wanted to see more than his favorite cousin, someone who he also hadn't seen since the party.
Rose broke off, narrowing her eyes. "Have you been listening to a word I just said?" She asked skeptically. Albus realized he had been staring over Rose's shoulder, trying to find that person. Rose turned to try to see where he was looking. "Are you looking for someone?" she teased.
"Er, n-no, just trying to see where Lily went," he gasped, trying blandly to cover up his mistake.
"You wouldn't be looking for your younger sister with such dreamy eyes, Al. D'you think I was born yesterday?" When Al didn't respond, "You can trust me. With anything. You know that right?"
Al pursed his lips. What she said was true. He trusted her more than his older brother James. "Selene," he whispered.
At first Rose was incredulous, "Selene? Selene Longbottom? Luna and Neville's daughter?" Then she started laughing.
"What's so funny," asked Albus, stung. After all, he had trusted her with his greatest secret.
"No, no it's not that," she said, wiping tears away of laughter, "It's just that you never cease to surprise me!" When she saw his disappointed expression, she softened her tone. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that. I mean, she's beautiful, and fun, and smart, and really nice, but what do you like about her?"
Albus stared into at the ground, deciding his answer. Then he said, "I don't like her. I love her. I'm sure of it. And I love her because she's absolutely crazy." Rose smiled and shook her head.
"Define 'crazy.'"
"She's all the things you said and more! Her eyes sparkle, and her smile lights up the whole room! She understands me, Rose, and I understand her. She talks in riddles that make everyone stare, but I sometimes stay up all night until I figure them out. And I know she knows that I can. I guess the real reason I love her is because she's not crazy. Everyone thinks she is, but she's not. She's smarter than all of them, they just don't understand it. I love her," he finished breathlessly. Rose's giddy smile was gone, her eyes thoughtful.
"Wow, Albus, that's deep. I didn't know you could feel that way about someone."
Albus smiled, "I am my father's son. And he didn't stop at anything until he got my mother." At this Rose grinned, took Al's hand and squeezed it.
"Problem is…"
"…Daniel, I know." Selene was currently going out with Daniel Thomas, Dean Thomas' son. Suddenly a large figure cut through the crowd and their thoughts.
"Hagrid!" cried Rose and Albus.
"Yeah, yeah," Hagrid waved away the greeting with a trash can lid sized hand. His face broke into a grin, "Come 'ere you two." They rushed to hug Hagrid. From their little groups of friends, where they were catching up the summer, Lily, James, and Rose's brother Hugo rushed to join them.
Hugo was a lot like Ron in many ways, tall and gangly, a long nose, more freckles than you can count per half inch, and blue eyes. The only thing that was different was that his hair was browner than red, but still enough to be red. He described it as dark auburn to anyone who asked. Albus definitely liked him as a cousin, but he felt closer to Rose, as she was his age. At the moment he was releasing Hagrid from a hug and talking to Lily. He was Lily's age, in their second year.
Albus' mind was full of the things he had just told Rose. They were true of course, but how could he tell Selene? How could he possibly describe to her how he felt? How beautiful she looked to him?
Rose saw his frustration and suggested that they go to the boats and wait. On the way, Al was so disoriented that he stumbled right into somebody. He mumbled an apology before looking up. Scorpius Malfoy looked at him, sneering. He looked exactly like his father, there was no difference. Not a trace of Pansy Malfoy's features showed on his face. "Watch it, Potter, you'll damage my new robes," he jeered.
"Leave him alone," demanded Rose in a calm voice. Albus admired her control. He noted that her voice didn't even waver.
"I-," Scorpius began, than saw a Teacher stroll by on the way to the carriages. He narrowed his pale eyes menacingly, not daring to put up a fight. "Just watch it," he whispered between his teeth.
When he was gone, Albus turned to Rose, "Hey thanks for that. I owe you one." Rose shrugged it away casually, but he could tell it got to her. They turned to walk, but Rose stopped in her tracks her eyes wide.
"Al, maybe we should go another way."
"Why?" he asked. Rose tried to turn him around, but he nudged her away. He looked up and his breath froze in his throat, and his heart stopped.
There she was.