Albus stormed straight towards the Slytherin common room. He couldn't believe it. James of all people, his own brother, had joined in on the almost daily torment towards Slytherins from the other houses. Normally, Albus could just ignore it and concrete on whatever he happened to be doing at the point of time. He had been doing just that earlier in the library when he heard a very familiar voice, calling out names at his housemates and cheering on others.

Barely remembering to say the password (Frogs toe all of things) and thundering up the stairs, he throw himself onto one of the many couch scattered around. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the signup sheet for those staying during the Easter. There were only three names on the sheet and it was unlikely anymore would join since they left for the holidays two days from now.

Maybe he should stay here this Easter. It wasn't just James, but he'd seen Fred and then rose send a sneer or two towards anyone in the house of green and sliver.

Was he really wanting to deal with that with OWLs coming up and the quidditch match against Gryffindor the first week back?

Standing up and walking over in a slight haze with all these thoughts in his head, he signed his name on the paper before turning to write a short letter to his parents explaining he wasn't coming home.

…

"Why aren't you packing Al? We do leave today you know, and half of your stuff is still spend about!" He looked quite the sight, Scorpius did, his arms flailing about around him as he talked.

"Because Scor, I'm staying here during the Easter." Albus amazed himself at how calm he sounded saying that.

"Wait what? Why?" Scorpius had a look of immense confusion on his face, clearly trying to figure out why the hell Albus Bloody Potter, who always talked about loving it back home, wasn't going home.

"I don't want to."

The blond Slytherin opened his mouth as if to argue, but Brutus Nott came in, reminding them the train was leaving soon and they had to go now if they wanted to catch it.

…...

The salty scent of the Great lake mixed with the pine of the Forest filled Albus' nose. He was sat outside under a willow tree next to the lake, a light breeze flowing over him every now and again. The sun was out and warming the earth, the birds were chirping and flying about. A perfect Easter Sunday.

If he was home.

Admittly he was half regretting staying at Hogwarts. He had gotten some sweets and eggs from his family, even James had sent him a letter, but he was still missing home.

But then again, he hadn't got anything from his cousins and had all his homework done.

Maybe he was happier here. Just he had nobody to talk to.

"Umm, can I maybe sit with ya?"

Spoke too soon.

Albus opened his eyes to see a girl his age standing in front of him holding a bright red box with the words Maltesers on it. She had a pair of jeans on with a marron jumper and marron shoes (Trainers he thought the muggles called them). Her auburn hair was pulled to the nape of her neck and her green eyes were filled with curiosity behind thin blue frames.

"I don't mind." He replied, a little colder than he would have liked.

She settled a little to his side, facing him. She brought the red box to her front and opened it to reveal a chocolate egg warped in foil and in a carboard basket thing. She unwrapped the egg from the foil, spend the foil around the carboard thing and crushed the egg with her hands into bitesize pieces. She popped a bit in her mouth then held it out to him.

"Want ane? It's Malteser chocolate, so it's pretty decent." Her accent wasn't English but didn't sound foreign either.

Taking a piece, he asked her where she was from in England.

For some reason, it made her laugh.

"Why are you laughing? I just asked where you were from." He sounded just as confused as he felt.

"I'm from Britain, just not England. I'm from Scotland, Midlothian to be exact." She replied as she wiped her eyes.

(Of course, not everyone from England idiot He thought to himself)

"Oh right! I'm sorry I didn't -"

She shook her head cutting him off. "It's alright. Being with as many English people as there are in Hogwarts, you pick up a bit of the accent. That's probably what's confusing ya."

Albus nodded his head slowly. That at least made some sense.

"Anyway, what house you from? I keen your no a Gryffindor, I would have seen ya."

Ah. So, she was a Gryffindor.

"Slytherin"

Instead of the insult or "Oh right" then abandonment he was excepting, she nodded her head and replied with "That's cool. My brother was in Slytherin but he left last year."

He tilted his head. She did look a little familiar, but he couldn't think who her brother was.

"What's your name?"

"Morgan Dowie."

Albus nearly choked. She was a Dowie?

Last year, there had been a very Slytherin 7th year called Scott Dowie. He had gotten Head Boy and was everything Slytherin house stood for.

And yet, his sister was a Gryffindor.

"You mean your Scott's sister? As in the Ultimate Slytherin Head Boy Scott Dowie?"

Again, she laughed.

"Aye. Though you'd be surprised, he never wears green at hame and is nearly as stupidly brave and reckless as James Potter, the eejit."

"James is my brother"

Her eyes widened and she started to mutter apologies because Merlin I'm sorry I didn't mean to call him an eejit.

Now it was Albus' turn to laugh.

"I agree with you. He is an idiot and a jerk."

Morgan (she really did suit her name Albus thought) raised an eyebrow.

"You guys argue or something?"

He shrugged. "More like he bullied the Slytherins with my cousins and now I'm not speaking to him but sure, I'm arguing with him."

"I'll punch them for ya." She blurted out.

They connected eyes for one second then burst out with laughter.

Maybe not all Gryffindors were like his brother, He thought.

"Hey, ya never told me your name!" Morgan exclaimed, pointing her finger at him.

"Albus. I'm Albus" He smiled at her and she returned with a large grin.

"I'm just gonna call ya Al alrigh'?"

That sent them both in to fits of laugher.

(Maybe he should've been so happy when the day the term started again, his brother had gotten a broken nose.)

(And maybe, he should've returned her smile across the hall when James came in after going to the hospital wing.)

(But then, maybe it was the start of something beautiful)