A/N Do you really think that I own Harry Potter?
"What if I'm in Slytherin?"
The whisper was for his father alone, and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Albus to reveal how great and sincere that fear was.
Harry crouched down so that Albus' face was slightly above his own. Out of Harry's three children, only Albus had inherited Lily's eyes.
"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, so that nobody could hear "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."
"But just say-"
"-then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to me, Al. But if it matter to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."
"Really?"
"It did for me," said Harry.
He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Albus' face when he said it.
"But think about it Albus." Harry knew that his son was a Slytherin, he had hidden it from Ginny. Her family never understood Harry and his Slytherin side, even though they tried. That was the reason that Harry never even showed it to anyone but his Albus, the boy that looked like him from head to toe. The messy hair, the green eyes.
"I got the choice during my sorting. Sometimes I still wonder what would have happened, had I chosen Slytherin over Griffindor. Some days when I look back, I cannot help but wonder if I would be standing with the Malfoys right now. I regret my decision every single day, Albus."
"Why dad? You have a wife and us. You have aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron."
"Because we are not like them Albus. I was supposed to be in Slytherin. I could've been great. I could've been friends with Draco and Blaise, with Daphne and Tracy. Maybe I could've convinced them to stay away from Voldemort and killed him before he killed those dear to me. Maybe they would've convinced me and I would've been Voldemort's right hand." Harry laughed quietly. "I never wanted fame, I didn't want to be great. I want to be me, the whole me. There's nothing I want more than being just Harry," he smiled sadly.
"I don't expect you to understand Albus, but I want you to do one thing for me. When you have been sorted into a house I want you to go to the third floor. Follow the path down and look into the mirror there. It will show you what it shows me now."
"I love you, dad," Albus whispered, hugging his father.
"I love you, Albus. Believe I will be proud, maybe even prouder, if you are sorted into Slytherin. Goodbye Snakelet," Harry said, using the nickname he used in private only.
"Bye dad."
A/N I had been reading a Slytherin Harry fanfic and read the epilogue of HP 7 straight after. The words only Ginny heard gave me an idea. What if she didn't listen? What if Harry was a Slytherin. Harry would be proud of his son, no matter what. I think he would've been just a little bit prouder if he had a son that would be who he was. A son that did what he never could. Be himself.