Let me introduce you Albus Severus Potter.
Right from the beginning I have to warn you. If you expect some extraordinary upgrade of Harry Potter you'd probably be disappointed, even though Albus looks a lot like his father. Just please do not ever mention this to him, one of the two things he hates the most is to be compared to his father. The other one is cabbage.
Don't get me wrong, Albus Potter is not any worse than Harry Potter, he is just different. And it will be obvious from the first time you meet him - the most prominent thing about his appearance is not a mop of jet black hair nor a pair of bright green eyes, even though he posses both of these features. The thing that will immediately catch your attention is his enormous ever-present smile, a skull splitting grin that is permanently imprinted on his face under all circumstances.
Some people tend to point out that Albus is what Harry Potter would look like had he not experienced such a traumatic childhood and against all odds they might be right. You'd never see such unconditionally optimistic smile on Harry Potter's face, even when he's genuinely laughing there are always ghosts of the past in his eyes. I personally guarantee you will never see any ghosts in Albus' eyes, on the contrary his eyes seems to permanently sparkle with mirth.
He might not be a natural entertainer like his cousin Fred Weasley, or an infamous prankster like his brother James Potter, but he has a special ability to lift your mood no matter how miserable you might feel at the moment and that (apart from being a son of the conqueror of the Dark Lord) makes him the most popular bloke in school.
It is also the main reason why I am hopelessly in love with him for the past 5 years. This and the fact that he is my best friend for approximately the same time.
But better start at the beginning.
I first met 'Bus (that's how I call him) at my first day at Hogwarts, more precisely in the compartment of Hogwarts Express where he joined me after being ditched by his brother. He looked exactly how I felt, throughoutly miserable and frightened.
To explain this I first have to tell you a bit about me: my name is Gwen and I am a muggle-born. When I received my Hogwarts letter, it finally confirmed my parent's suspicions that I indeed am not normal. I sometimes think that they even become scared of me a bit, because I have never been grounded nor reprimanded for anything since I first came back for summer holidays from Hogwarts.
But back to 'Bus. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. The sun was shinning and I found myself a deserted compartment to be as far away from the crowd as possible. Hidden behind the curtain I watched parents bid farewell to their offspring, various sorts of animals roaming the platform and groups of kids greeting each other after summer holidays apart. It made me feel lonely, my parents decided they'd rather not try to pass to platform 9 ¾ and kissed me goodbye already in front of King's Cross. When the train slowly started to move I sadly watched as some parents even ran along it shouting last instructions to their children. One man looked particularly miserable as he waved goodbye, a sobbing little girl clutched to his leg. His jet-black hair and her bright red made them look a bit funny couple. The platform disappeared from view and I felt my throat tighten I was on my own now, and who knew what was coming. The freight overtook me and I felt my eyes start watering against my will when suddenly two quarrelling voices outside of my compartment distracted me.
"Oh, do you have to follow me all the time? Can't I have a bit of privacy even at school?" Shouted an angry boy's voice.
"But I don't know anybody in here!" Replied another boy's voice, this time a little more squeaky and frightened one.
"Come on, half of the train is our relatives! Don't be such a baby, Al."
"They are all way too old for me!"
"And what about Rose, eh? Merlin's pants, you are so going to end up in Slytherin."
"I am NOT! Dad told me I can go to any house I choose if I really want to…"
"Yeah, well, dad will tell you anything to calm your hysterics. Anyway, I have some important business to do so amuse yourself elsewhere."
This final statement was followed by a sound of retreating steps. After a long moment of silence the door of my compartment opened and a skinny boy with a mop of black hair poked his head in. He looked on the verge of tears and asked quietly if there is any vacant seat. I just motioned in the vague direction of other 7 empty seats and he quickly sit down at the furthest corner from me. I was trying really hard not to stare at him too much but I couldn't help myself. He was simply too interesting to ignore. Apparently from a wizarding family when half of Hogwarts Express was related to him and on the top of it he strongly resembled the sad man from the platform 9 ¾. He must know then what was in store for us.
"Is really half of this train related to you?" I broke the silence unable to stop myself.
He jerked his head at my words and then blushed quite prominently.
"Not half, but there is loads of us." He answered reluctantly, shaking his head slightly. It was obvious that providing any information about his family made him feel uncomfortable but that couldn't stop me.
"What's it like? To have so many wizards in your family, I mean?" I continued eagerly.
"Normal. Well, as normal as it could be considering…well, you know…" He replied after a few moments of contemplating it.
"Oh, yeah." I wished I knew but I didn't. He was now eyeing me suspiciously and I felt my face redden for a change.
"What is Slytherin?" I blurted out after few excruciatingly silent moments.
"You are a muggle born, aren't you?" He narrowed his eyes.
"A what?" I asked puzzled, I've never heard this word before.
"You are a muggle born!" He exclaimed victoriously and for the first time he smiled. It was a genuine broad smile and somehow it managed to make the sun shine brighter.
"But what does it mean?" I was still confused though his smile was so contagious that I started to beam myself.
"Your parents are muggles…they are not wizards, right?" He continued when I kept staring at him blankly.
"No, they are bank clerks." I replied stupidly.
"You mean, like goblins?" He goggled at me incredulously.
"Heavens no, they are people!" I laughed and he produced the warmest grin possible.
And thus our friendship began. We both got into Griffindor, to Bus' immense relief, and we became pretty much inseparable even though we were as different as it could be. I was the one forcing him to do his homework in time; he was the one pulling my nose from books to show me the beauties of night flying. He was my guide of wizarding world; I was his bottomless source of muggle-world information. Soon I found out all about Bus' family and also that the sad man on the platform 9 ¾ was indeed his famous father. "I am not my dad", he always retorted whenever someone compared him to Harry Potter, so I quickly learned not. In our third year we both got into Griffindor Quidditch team, both as chasers. It was quite a shock for me because, in spite of Bus' tutoring, I didn't think about myself as a particularly skilled flyer and tent to fall from my broom more than was healthy. I suspect Fred Weasley, the Quidditch captain at the time, got a lot to do with it, he has always had a soft spot for me and even though I crashed into one of the goalposts during my audition I got accepted in the team.
Third year was my happiest year at Hogwarts but also my worst. It was a year when girls all over school got mad about Albus, shouting their lungs out at our every Quidditch practice, ambushing him in the corridors, trying to lure him to a date. The first March weekend during a particularly crazy encounter in the Entrance hall one Annabelle Hickins (local beauty) even kissed Bus square on the mouth. I felt as if someone had slapped me. I was shaking with rage, barely restraining myself from poking Annabelle's wonderful eyes out. There and then I realized that I was in love with him. It came suddenly and painfully like a bullet. I wanted to shout but instead I ran away as fast as I could, ignoring all curious stares on my way. Images of me kissing Bus filled my head and I got scared: nothing is going to be the same. I was right, more than I wanted to be. The very next morning Bus entered the Great Hall hand in hand with Annabelle and my heart broke. He was so happy (even happier than normal); all he could talk about was his new girlfriend, and all I could think of was pushing Annabelle off the stairs. So I started avoiding him and inevitably he got angry with me.
"What is going on? You've been hardly talking to me lately?" He cornered me one day.
"Well, you've been otherwise engaged…" I avoided his piercing gaze.
"What do you mean?" he narrowed his eyes.
"I just don't like being the third wheel, that's all." I explained as calmly as I could.
"You didn't even have the chance of being the third wheel! I hardly saw you at all!" He bellowed.
"You didn't look like you miss me much!" I retorted, finally giving in to the anger that was building in me for the last two months. "The whole world doesn't involve around you, you know! I got better things to do than to babysit you all day!"
He looked taken aback, his famous smile wiped out of his face for once. I felt my cheeks redden under his long searching look but I stood my ground. I secretly hoped he would ask me what was happening so I could tell him what I felt for him, ask him to leave Annabelle and be with me. But I know I wouldn't do it, I missed my chance. He was with her and he was happy, end of discussion.
He gave me a long searching look and for what felt like eternity we were just staring at each other. My resolution was seeping out of me under the power of his x-ray green eyes. I felt no longer angry, I felt absolutely miserable. My eyes started watering and I knew that unless I do something quickly I would be weeping at his shoulder any moment. He must have noticed or maybe he might have felt the same, because his look softened and he reached his hand for me.
"Gwen, I…"He started, taking my hand in his. His eyes sparkling with new strange light I never saw before. It was mesmerizing, my heartbeat quickened and my cheeks got even redder. Maybe, just maybe he is about to declare his undying feelings for me, and he's going to promise to ditch that stupid girl.
"Al, darling, there you are! I've been looking for you everywhere!" The high-pitched tones of Annabelle's voice pierced my thoughts. Albus let go of my hand immediately. The moment was gone and so I turned on the spot and walked away before they start kissing or doing other highly impertinent stuff.
"Gwen, wait!" He shouted after me but I didn't turn.
"I see you in class, Albus." I replied automatically. At that precise moment my heart hardened and I swore to myself to never let myself fantasize about 'Bus. He made his choice, and there was nothing I could do about that. I had to move on. And so I did. Well, at least I tried.