Welcome to ALBUS POTTER AND THE ZOMBIE INVASION! This story is mostly CANNON! up until Albus gets onto the train and then I'm basically just doing whatever tickles my fancy. I would like to say though that all characters belong to J.K Rowling's—the queen steering the wheel of the Wizarding World. Any characters that you do NOT recognize, however, are of my invention! Enjoy the story!

Hands—rather warm ones—closed around Albus's shoulders and shook him. Urgently. "C'mon, Al!" came Rose's insistent voice.

Albus shrugged her off, and thankfully, she budged and left with a huff, leaving Albus gloriously alone in peace, face plastered to the window, watching as his family waved, beaming and waved... and... and, he couldn't see them anymore.

But still he remained that way, willing the memory back.

Of their faces, equal-parts happy and sad.

But it was already weak. Flickering…

Albus closed his eyes, teeth grinded, trying… he needed that memory! He needed it so—

"They're gone, you know."

Albus went still. He quickly wiped the tears that had trickled out with the back of his palm. Drank in some breaths, messed up his hair, and fixed a cocky smile onto his lips that he really wasn't feeling. And then whirled about. "Who's gone?"

It was a boy.

Tall. Taller than Albus, anyway. Blonde-haired. Or no; not really blonde, but also kind of white-haired, it was really quite odd, weird really. And grey eyes, and pale skin and... and was he saying something?

"Come agan!"

The boy chuckled, and his eyes seemed to light up, a little spark going off. "Your family," the boy stepped forward, tucking in beside Albus, almost dismissing Albus's frown, and placed his hands to the window, looking quite... sad.

Then there was this small smirk on his face, not really happy, but more sad, actually. "They're gone! Mine are, too."

Albus scowled. His family wasn't gone! And he told the boy this.

The boy chuckled and gave a little shrug that kinda irritated him. "Not yet, maybe. But in time..." the boy glanced up from the window and seemed to finally see Albus's scowl because the words had died on his lips.

The boy offered a small smile that Albus didn't bother returning, and like that—in silence—they stood, gazing out the back window to the Hogwarts Express as it bundled along.

Albus couldn't help his mind drifting back to the boy's words. His jaw hardened. And he balled his fists. His family wasn't gone! And they'd never be gone!

"Hey," Albus glanced up into the boy. "I'm heading back into my compartment." Albus nodded. He was going to remain here a bit and... he didn't know just what he was going to do out there before the window but it'd be worthwhile and—

"I've got room," the boy said. He was standing in the ajar doorway of the last compartment now. Apparently, he'd got that one all for himself. "If you want, of course..." he offered, rather casually.

Actually, Albus didn't. Well, not really. He'd like to be left alone to his tornado thoughts drifting about in his heads and... well, he didn't know what else. What he did know, though, was that being alone quickly made one lonely. At least it always made him lonely. And he definitely didn't want to be seen out here by one of the rest of his rather large family. Speaking of which, it was rather surprising that that had yet to happen. Perhaps Rose had yet to tell them.

A door rang shut.

He picked up his trunk easily, smirking as he remembered asking Victoire to featherweight-charm his trunk. James, on the other hand—his buffoon brother—despite having a whole two years of Hogwarts experience to fall back on, had totally forgotten to place one on his very own trunk. Albus had made sure to tease his brother about it, and that had began the whole drama on the way to the platform.

Albus rolled his eyes as he pulled the compartment door open. His brother was... urgh.

The boy glanced up wearing a hopeful expression that became a beam when he saw Albus. Then, the boy shook his head and now he was smirking in that trickster way that made Albus reconsider his decision.

But then he'd already entered the compartment and it'd be foolish, really, to head out again and.. do what, really? So Albus shut the compartment door close and ate up the other available seat with his buttocks.

The boy smirked at him in this weird way. Like he knew something that Albus didn't, something Albus would want to know, but of course, he wasn't going to tell Albus...

Albus sighed, glancing out the window. He had quite a bit of experience with people like this. His very own flesh and blood happened to be one. His whole life was experience.

The boy kept on looking at him with that smirk.

And Albus kept on ignoring him, stonily glancing out the window, watching as fields blurred by. And cows, and all sorts of animals flashed by, eating up enough of Albus's attention and curiosity. And the boy's too, because finally he was looking at it, and for once, not Albus.

The compartment door slid open. There was this young woman out there in the corridor, pushing a trolley. She couldn't be long out of Hogwarts. Five years, maximum. Kinda pretty, though. She smiled at them through the ajar door.

"Hungry, boys?"

"Starving!" the boy replied immediately.

Albus shook his head in a no.

The boy glanced at him questioningly, and in epically bad timing, Albus's tummy chose that exact, very moment to let off a rumble.

Albus was pretty sure his cheeks resembled the famous Weasley hair and the boy, and the trolley lady were both glancing at him, almost demanding answers. Albus gulped and glanced out the window.

And gasped as something... something with feathers flashed by, super fast. Somebody's owl, he was guessing. It reminded him of his own owl that he'd gotten on his birthday. But she was already on her way to Hogwarts, by now. At least that was what Albus had told her to do.

The compartment door slid back shut and Albus glanced up only to get a Chocolate Frog to the face. He peeled it off his face, scowling at the boy who'd found his way back to his seat.

"I said I wasn't hungry!"

The boy shrugged and hurled another at Albus, which he caught, scowling. "Bought a few too many. Figured you could help me out a bit." He winked at Albus.

Albus couldn't help his suspicion, holding the frogs up cautiously. "You're sure? No nothing else, or..." Well, money, really. But that wasn't too bad. If it came down to it, Albus could always get the galleons from James. Something he really should have done ages ago.

The boy removed his teeth from his Chocolate Frog, smirking like the devil, himself. "Nope." He raised his hands up which Harry took to mean 'not gonna hurt you'. "No ulterior motive here than simply two boys going down on some delicious Chocolate Frogs." The boy winked at Albus, once more, who finally wound down a little and chuckled.

And then took the wrapper off his Chocolate Frog and dug in.

"I must say, rather Slytherin of you, Potter!" Albus removed his teeth from the Frog and glanced up, slack-jawed, blinking at the boy in shock.

The boy calmly took another bite, and then wiped a small stain at the side of his lips. And then finally seemed to recognize Albus. And his expression.

"What? You didn't actually think I didn't know who you were, did you?" Albus scowled. And the boy roared with laughter. "Oh, this is rich. You did!" The boy guffawed. After a few seconds, he re-caught his breath, wearing quite the smirk. "Bet you know my name, don't you, Albus?" The boy glanced at him sharply. "Can I call you Albus? I always hated that whole always-use-the-surname-thing."

Albus nodded dumbly. But remained silent. The boy breathed in surprise. "You don't?!" The boy seemed so rattled by that. So shocked and for the first time that all-knowing smirk slid off his face to be replaced by... confusion. And uncertainty. Albus could literally see the broomstick take off from the ground in the boy's mind as he gobbled up the Chocolate Frogs.

Albus hesitantly stretched forward and snagged a couple for himself. The boy didn't seem to notice, but Albus's stomach certainly did.

In silence, the two boys ate.

Albus blatantly stared at the other boy, his mind whirring.

It wasn't all that surprising, really, that the boy recognized Albus. What was surprising was that he hadn't said anything. Most people gasped in amazement when they realized who he was. And then began beating him with questions about how magical and wonderful his life must be. But that wasn't how it'd been. The boy hardly seemed in awe of Albus.

It was a different feeling, definitely a good one. But new, still, of a stranger.

But what really made him curious was the boy's shock when he realized that Albus didn't know his name. Like Albus logically should already know that. Almost like this boy was as popular as Albus. As famous. Speaking of which, Albus still didn't know his name.

He opened his mouth, intending to—

"Wanna trade?" the boy asked, holding a Salazr Slytherin card, smirking again in that way.

Albus glanced down at the Merlin card in his hand. He did have quite a lot of Slytherin's. It was one of James's favourite topics to tease Albus about. And he also had loads of Merlin's. Which meant this deal didn't really do much for him.

...But there was something he wanted. And something he could get.

He stretched his hand forward, and the boy extended his, as well, smirking again. Until Albus held onto his card and the boy began frowning down at Albus's hand. Then up into Albus's face. Looking confused.

"You can have both cards." The boy gave Albus an incredulous glance. "If..." The boy was frowning again. "You tell me your name."

The boy blinked at his words. Then chuckled, his lips settling into that annoying smirk again. "Deal."

But there they remained. Albus still holding onto his card, the boy offering his.

"Scorpius."

Malfoy.

Huh.

Huh.

Huh?

This was the Malfoy scion?

Where was all the... what was it? Evil! Where was all that?

The boy tugged the card out of Albus's fingers and leaned back into his cushy seat. Scorpius, that was his name. Scorpius. "Figured it out yet, Albus?"

Albus couldn't help his chuckle. "Malfoy..."

"Potter..." Scorpius replied mockingly.

Albus sniggered. He did deserve that, he'd admit.

"You're not much... I dunno... bad."

"You're not much of a hero either, mate."

Albus smirked. No, no, he wasn't. But then neither had his father—at least on the train ride to Hogwarts.

They were quiet now.

The boy—Scorpius, Albus reminded himself—was glancing out the window now as he finished up the remaining Chocolate Frogs. Albus was already done with the ones he'd managed to nick off him.

And he—Scorpius—wasn't looking all too... smirky.

"Soo..." Albus said in hopes of breaking the annoying tension.

Scorpius glanced at him sharply. And then he gave that smirk. "Soo..."

Albus laughed. Scorpius finished up his last Frog, licked his fingers clean, rubbed the stains—very few actually, surprisingly—of his lips. Scorpius smacked his lips. "Good stuff, Chocolate Frogs, wouldn't you agree?"

Albus run hand through his jet-black hair, leaning back. "Well, it's good stuff. But I'd definitely take a Cauldron Cake over it at least five times a week."

"Dunno, mate," Scorpius patted his head appreciatively, "I, myself," he obnoxiously regarded himself, "would have a Pumpkin pasty all day."

"Why didn't you get one then? Off the trolley?"

"Right shame it is, but she was all out." And the boy genuinely did look disappointed at that. Though Albus wasn't sure if it was real or acting. Either way, it was quite funny.

But then Scorpius's face seemed to clear up and he was now oddly serious. "Which just goes to show that Pumpkin Pasties beat Cauldron Cakes all day."

"Bollocks!" Albus protested. "I mean the Cannons still sell tickets and everybody knows they're garbage."

Scorpius nodded his head. "Cannons are garbage, I'll give you that. I, myself, happen to favour Catapults."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Mate, Llewellyn is dead, and so is you guys' team."

Scorpius sat up and Albus mirrored him, feeling quite alive. "We've got a solid team this year. We replaced our dung seeker with Xi Li from Karasjok Kites and—"

"No, you haven't. It hasn't been confirmed yet and you know it, besides—"

Scorpuis waved it off. "Practically is. My old man's got some contacts in the Department of Magical Games and Sports and he says it should be announced real soon."

Albus shrugged. "You better hope so because trade season is nearly over. What is it? Just a day left, right?"

"Two," Scorpius growled. "And besides, we still got Richard Horton. Bet you our defence will be one of the best this year with him between the sticks."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, y'all better hope Xi Li is as good the hype. Because we all know the Scandinavian League isn't as strong as it used to be."

Scorpius scowled. "And just what team are you going for anyways?"

"The Bats, mate."

Scorpius snorted. "Mate, y'all ain't catching the Magpies anytime soon."

Albus pff'd. "And why not?" They were just one title away from tying it up. "They just got rid of McLeod, their manager. Replaced him with Maddock. You know that buffoon that McLeod fired like a decade ago. I reckon they're in disarray. Probably just got rid of McLeod because they pied it up again last year." Albus laughed, and Scorpius chuckled. "No, but really, did you hear? Maddock traded Campell—you know, their starting seeker—for that Irish rookie Will Grigg."

"I hear he's pretty good, though. He literally single handedly won the Irish their fifth Junior Quidditch Cup, so..."

"Yeah, but mate, we've still got Quiqley. Remember last year when Puddlemore went to Ireland all cocky saying how they were gonna embarrass the Bats and then Quiqley smoked Benjy Williams. Smoked 'em." Albus laughed.

"Yeah, I remember," Scorpius said, scowling. "I was there with my old man."

"Really?" Albus, himself, had wanted to attend. But his father had been tied up with a case and... yeah, he hadn't been able to take Albus.

Scorpius nodded. "My old man had some business in Ireland and it was on my birthday..."

Albus nodded. That made sense. "Some birthday."

Scorpius nodded. "I was hoping Puddlemore would smoke the Bats, of course, but yeah..."

"Yeah, well, mate, sorry to disappoint you and all but the Bats are gonna keep on beating seekers outta town!" Albus said with relish. After all, the Bats held the single best defensive record in the league. For two decades straight.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that. The Bats travel to Scotland in Week Four; bet you a galleon Will Grigg gets the snitch."

Albus sneered. "Quiqley'd never allow that! You've got yourself a deal, Malfoy."

Scorpius chuckled. "Mate, Quiqley's like fifty. It's a miracle he's still going. And last year he only had 17 smokes."

Albus frowned. "He was third best in the league, mate, what're you on about?"

"That was his worst return, though, since coming into the league."

"Says loads, though, doesn't it, that his worst return is the third best in the league."

Scorpius shrugged. "Hey, nobody's disputing he's a legend. In fact, I bet he gets the Dangerous Dai Llewellyn Award once he finally gives up his broom. But you've gotta admit his glory days are behind him, mate." Scorpius could not have looked smugger as he argued his point.

Albus waved his argument away. "Meh, whatever." Scorpius laughed. "Got a chess board or something?"

Scorpius shook his head, still laughing his head off. "Of course not!" That just made Scorpius laugh even harder.

"To be fair," Scorpius said, once he was done laughing. "it is my trunk." Albus glanced at his trunk questioningly. "But... there's no way I'm getting my board out without spilling everything out."

"So... that's a no then?"

Scorpius chuckled. "Yes, Albus, that's a no!" He laughed.

Albus rolled his eyes. "Well, then, you have something in mind? Because there's still a long way till Hogwarts, I'm guessing." He glanced out the window. The sun was setting, but it wasn't quite dark yet.

Scorpius had got his wand out, and waved it. "Tempus!" he said clearly. A hazy clock shimmered to life and it read nearly five o' clock.

Scorpius stuffed his wand back into his pocket and smiled at Albus. "Well, we could just wait it out. I reckon we're about an hour removed from Hogwarts."

Albus slouched, blowing an irritated breath out. "So what then? Be silent for an hour?!"

Scorpius shrugged. "I never said it was a great idea," he said defensively.

"Right..."

"Don't you know any other games?" Albus glanced sharply at Scorpius. "I mean, except from chess and the rest, obviously. Like muggle games, maybe, I thought, you know because—"

"Don't you?"

Scorpius flushed, and shook his head. "Nope."

They fell into silence. Uncomfortable silence.

Scorpius had expected Albus to know some games. Muggle ones. Because his family was a bit more open to the muggle world. In fact, his Aunt Hermione, currently Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was a muggle-born.

"I do. I know some games but I don't have the stuff I'd need."

Scorpius nodded, like that made sense, like he understood. "Maybe we can... I dunno... recreate it?"

Albus run a hand through his hair and sighed. "Dunno. I mean the only game we could make up would be like a cards game." Scorpius looked lost. "You know, because we have cards." Scorpius still looked lost. "Chocolate Frog cards!"

His pale face brightened. "Oh!"

"Yeah..."

And then Scorpius was back to frowning in that way that made it a tad obvious he was curious. "But how?"

Albus sighed. "Dunno. Never actually tried this out, you know. I was just saying..."

Now, Scorpius was smirking in that way that made Albus roll his eyes. "So basically what you're saying is you're not smart enough to come up with a spin-off of a muggle cards game?"

"What! How d'you even get—"

Then he saw Scorpius smirking in that all too familiar way and he sighed and sank back into his seat, ignoring Scorpius's perfectly stupidly sculpted face, with his stupid smirk, looking purely perfect and... and—

"I'll show you..."

"Huh?"

Albus sniggered at Scorpius's confusion. "At school, I'll show you the game." That'd give him time. Time to actually come up with the spin-off. A decent one, as well.

Scorpius blinked at him for a few seconds. "Yeah... I mean, yeah, sure, definitely. You promise?"

Albus chuckled and rolled his eyes at the sudden turn into seriousness. "Sure, Malfoy, lil' Albus promises." They laughed together at Albus's sarcasm.

And they still were when their compartment door slid open.

And it was Victoire. And Rose, as well. And... his brother, James.

Albus sighed. This was about to get interesting.

All three of them immediately gave him warm reactions—smiles and James smirking—and then they noticed Scorpius lounging just beside Albus, and then suddenly they were frowning and he could literally see the question imprinted upon their foreheads but Victoire and Rose were too tactful to simply blurt—

"What the hell are you doing in here with a Malfoy?"

Albus closed his eyes. But not his idiot brother! Damn!

He opened his eyes. "Enjoying his lovely company, perhaps, Jamesy?" Albus noticed Victoire and Rose exchange a glance. They looked more surprised, and yes, a tinge worried.

James, though, was scowling. "Don't call me that." Then his scowl deepened. "And what d'you mean enjoying Malfoy's company? We both know he's—"

"Seemingly loads of fun!" Victoire interjected, turning to face James. "I heard them laughing. I'm sure you did too, James. Didn't you?" Victoire asked coolly, a brow raised, looking elegant and prim and... damn!

Albus and Scorpius exchanged a quick, bemused glance whilst James stuttered for a response. In the end, he settled for a nod, red-faced.

Victoire acknowledged it with a stiff one in return and turned back to face Albus. She offered him a comforting smile. "I see you've already made a friend. We," she gestured to the little 'squad' they'd gathered, "were just wondering where you'd taken off to. Quite understandable, really, considering we're family." And now she was looking closely into Albus, who gave a weak smile in response, avoiding her eyes and struggling not to gulp and just hoping, and praying to the gods—any god who'd hear him—for them to leave and just, just, just leave and—

"We'll leave you to your friend. We should be at Hogwarts in less than fifteen minutes. You might want to get yourself ready."

Rose nodded like the all-important person she thought she was. "Yeah, sorting's coming up."

Victoire spared his red-haired cousin a glance. "Indeed." She glanced back into Albus. "I wouldn't want you to regret your choice." She didn't glance at Scorpius. And she didn't need to. Her message was clear.

"Thank you for your visit," Scorpius said crisply and Albus focused on Victoire's impassive face, unable to bear to glance at the boy. "And advice," Scorpius continued, sarcasm dripping off his lips. "We were actually in the middle of a pretty fun game when you guys inter—came in. If you don't mind, we'd like to... wrap up before we arrive at Hogwarts."

Victoire smiled in that amused way she always did that always irritated Albus, gave that even more irritating chuckle and spun around so graciously it left Albus frothing at the mouth in anger and flicked her hand ever so subtly at Rose and James who obeyed her far too easily and before Albus could fully consider jinxing the back of her, the compartment door rang shut and Albus slouched into his seat, avoiding Scorpius's eyes with determination.

And Scorpius seemed more than pleased to leave him be.

Soon enough, something whirred above their ears, and a robotic voice came on, "We'll be reaching Hogwarts in five short minutes. Please make sure to leave your trunk on the train as it will be taken to your dorms according to your Sorting."

Albus sighed and closed his eyes, his stomach dancing about. They just haaaaad to mention the bloody Sorting, didn't they?

Soooooo... Are you feeling it? Drop a comment down below, tell me what you're feeling!