"You'll be fine, Al." James said for the hundredth time.
Albus Severus Potter made his way to the front where the battered sorting hat was sitting. He could feel everybody's eyes on him at that point. What if he was put into Slytherin? What would his family think if he was? His hands shook as he sat on the stool. The hat was placed onto his head and he felt it talking into his head, "Ah, yes, a Potter. As always, you Potters are difficult to place. Definitely not Hufflepuff... I sense wit and cunning, Ravenclaw? I can feel your courage somewhere beneath all this shivering and shaking. Could you be a Gryffindor?"
"Yes, yes, Gryffindor." Albus muttered, hoping with every inch of strength inside him that he would be a Gryffindor.
"Hmm, you are very difficult to place, indeed. As was your father and your brother. Even your Grandfather was teetering either edge of the Gryffindor-Slytherin borders. There's something in your heart, boy, something that pulls me towards placing you in Slytherin. Yes, very brave you are, but your intelligence will get you far."
This was a hat for crying out loud, Albus told himself, whatever he says, and you know where you belong. You are a true Gryffindor. A true Gryffindor! Albus closed his eyes.
"Yes, yes, you would do well in Gryffindor. But you would do better in Slytherin. There we go then, I have made my decision."
"SLYTHERIN!" The hat called out to the Great Hall. How was this possible? He was a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin. He glued himself to the stool and didn't move. He felt a tap on the shoulder and as he looked around him he saw the hall applaud him. Why were they clapping? He'd just been put in the worst House ever! His parents wouldn't ever speak to him again. He managed to drag himself from the stool and walk stiffly towards the other Slytherins. There were barely any seats left. He saw a blond boy sat by himself at the end of the table. He recognised him from the boats and the train journey. He might as well sit next to him.
"Hello, Albus, isn't it?" The boy said. Albus nodded, mutely. The boy held out his hand.
"I'm Scorpius Malfoy." Albus took the boys hand and shook it quickly before looking down again.
"Don't be frightened. I'm not going to be mean to you." Scorpius said, kindly.
Albus felt tears well up in his flashing green eyes. He tipped his head forwards and allowed his charcoal hair to cover all trace of emotion on his face.
"What's wrong?" Scorpius asked.
Albus shook his head and whispered, "I'm meant to be a Gryffindor. Everybody else in my family is a Gryffindor... I don't know what's wrong with me."
Scorpius patted Albus' shoulder, "Don't worry, the sorting hat doesn't misplace people. My daddy says wherever you're put it's the right place. But then he told me that if it wasn't Slytherin, he'd disown me."
Albus widened his eyes, "He said that?"
Scorpius nodded, cheerfully, "I expect he was only joking. You can't take people too seriously, nowadays." He said knowingly. Albus was beginning to like Scorpius and 6 years later they had become the best of friends.
...
"Oy, wake up, snakey." James lobbed a pillow at Albus' head. "We'll be late."
Albus sat up and looked about him blearily.
"By the way, you got a letter this morning from Jessica. She wants to meet you at the station." James was leaning against the doorpost; his bronze, ruffled hair was sticking out in all directions. Luckily for Albus, his black hair could behave... sometimes.
"You read my letter?" He pushed back the covers and walked unsteadily towards James.
"'Course I did. I'm not just about to let my brother get a letter covered in love hearts from a girl without me even being able to read it. How daft do you think I am?"
"You know with your hair like that, you kind of do look like a Gryffindor." Al pointed to James' hair.
"Why?"
"You look quite a lot like a lion." Al laughed. James dived on him and got him in a headlock.
They tumbled out the door and almost crashed into Lily.
"Watch out!" She called. James was laughing as he pinned both Al and Lily to the wall.
"Try get out of this."
"I reckon we can take him, Lil." Al looked at Lily and they both grinned. Pushing back against the wall with their feet, they gathered strength and released it on James who fell back against the opposite wall. He pulled out his wand and smirked.
"Guess what? I can do magic now. Guess who can't. You can't!" He let out a snigger. Just as he was about to cast a spell, Albus dragged him down to the floor and they began rolling about laughing and throwing light punches at each other.
"Boys, what are you doing up there?" Ginny's voice moved closer to them and as they looked they saw her emerge from the staircase. Lily ran for it and said, "It wasn't me."
They both stopped what they were doing and tilted their heads to look at their mother who was standing with her hands on her hips. Her eyes narrowed, "How many times have I told you to stop fighting! You're making such a loud racket I can barely hear myself think!"
James looked mischievously at his mother and then at Albus, "Hey, Al, is it just me, or do you think Mum looks like Grandma? She likes to put her hands on her hips a lot, particularly when we the gnomes go into her bedroom." James looked thoughtful.
Al let out a laugh but regretted it as soon as he saw his mother march towards them and then and pick them both up by the scruffs of their necks. "Not even dressed yet, are we? I suggest you'd better get a move on, hadn't you? This year is important for you both, isn't it? If you're not ready in time, the train will go without you, won't it?"
"Alright, alright, enough questions, woman, let me down." James knew he was being cheeky. He also knew he could get away with it. He always had been able to.
She let go of them both, gave James a quick slap on the back of the head and watched as they scrambled to get to the bathroom first. As usual, Albus won. They were both strong and fast, but Albus just tipped James off at speed.
"Not so clever now, are we?" Ginny laughed and went back down the stairs.
...
There she was. Jessica was waiting by the barrier for Albus: his Jessica. He couldn't help but smile as he saw her light brown, curly hair sweep the air in the wind.
"See you later, Mum." Albus gave his mum a one armed hug and his Dad clapped him on the bag.
"So, is that Jessica then?" He asked. Albus nodded, a little embarrassed.
"You'll have to bring her over for Christmas, if you want to that is." Ginny smiled as Albus nodded again.
"Yeah, I will do."
"Take care, James." Ginny said, "When I say 'take care' I mean don't do anything stupid."
James kissed his mother on the cheek, "When have I ever done anything stupid?"
"When have you not done anything stupid?" Harry looked over his glasses at James, with a twinkle in his eye.
"Yeah, James, when have you not done anything stupid?"
The Potters turned and saw Hugo Weasley laughing with his Dad.
"Go on, you'll be late for the train." Ginny ushered them all towards the barrier and waved to Jessica, "Hello, Jessica, hope we can see you at Christmas?"
Jessica nodded and smiled, "Yeah, hopefully." She then joined Albus through the barrier.
...
Once Albus had changed into his Slytherin robes, he waited for the trolley to pass by their compartment. He was sat with Jessica, Scorpius and his girlfriend.
"Oy, Potter." Albus turned and saw Lysander, Luna Scamander's son surrounded by a load of other Ravenclaws.
"Is that a girl with you? Or is it a sister of yours?" He laughed.
Albus jerked his head up, "She's my girlfriend, actually. You know I only have one sister, anyway."
"So you're not gay with Scorpius then? Or are you all in the same relationship?" He snickered, nastily.
"I reckon you're jealous just because I have a girlfriend. You know one of those things that you don't have?" Albus retorted. He wasn't in the mood for Lysander. It was a shame because his family was good friends with the Scamanders. They were all nice apart from Lysander.
"Begging your pardon, Potter, but I have got a girlfriend." His friends chorused with laughter.
"I'll bet she's a real bitch, then." Albus was getting more and more annoyed.
"Wait, don't you know?"
"Know what?"
"Don't you know who she is? I'm surprised she hasn't told you." Lysander's grin widened.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'll be right back." Lysander left.
"Take your time." Albus muttered. Jessica slipped her hand into his.
"Just ignore him." She squeezed gently with her hand.
"Here she is." Lysander strode into the compartment holding hands with... no... It couldn't' be...
"Lily, what the-?" Albus stood up and saw his sister's face redden. Lysander... Lily... it wasn't true.
"You're having me on, aren't you?" Albus said, the disbelief blatantly obvious in his voice. Lysander leaned down and kissed Lily right on the lips. She pushed him away.
"Not in front of my brother!" She complained.
Albus wasn't sure how to react. "Why didn't you tell me, Lily?"
"Well – I mean, I knew you wouldn't like it..." She looked down and Lysander wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"What kind of a brother are you that even your own sister can't confide in?"
Albus stared at Lily but she wouldn't meet his eye. Turning away, he said, "Get out of here."
"Was that a threat?" Lysander gave a titter that really grated on Albus' nerves. He decided to pretend that they weren't there. Striking up a conversation with his friends in the compartment, Albus waited for Lysander to leave. When he finally did, Albus got up. "Be right back."
He made his way down the aisle of the train until he found James. He was also sat with a girl.
Albus unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Don't tell me you've been keeping secrets as well." He eyed the girl James was sitting next to.
"What are you talking about?"
"Is this your girlfriend?" Albus pointed to the girl.
"Not really sure. How about it, Jocelyn?" He turned to face the girl who smiled and nodded vigorously.
"Right, that was normal." Albus rolled his eyes, "Anyway, the reason I came here was to ask if you knew about Lily?"
"What about her?" James asked as he slung his arm over Jocelyn's shoulders.
"She's dating Lysander." Albus said.
"I'm sorry, what was that? For a minute it sounded like you said Lily was dating Lysander."
"She is."
James sat for a moment then stood up and grabbed Albus, "Come with me, Al. I'm paying old Lysander a visit." He got up and they found their way to Lysander's compartment. He was sat with Lily and a group of friends who were all laughing raucously.
James swung open the compartment door and Albus watched as they all stopped what they were doing; Lysander didn't pick on James as he was older than him and stronger.
"Hello, James, how are you?" His arm that was draped on Lily's shoulders automatically dropped to his side.
James' jaw clenched and Lily lowered her head and stared down.
"I need a word with you, alright?" James jerked his head and indicated that Lysander join him outside. Lysander looked uncertainly about him but nodded his head.
"Yeah, what do you want?" He asked, shooting wary glances at his friends who were all watching him, worriedly.
"So it's true you're dating my sister?" James was staring hard at him while Albus was leaning against the compartment door, arms folded tightly.
Lysander nodded, his lips pursed in one tight, white line.
James opened the compartment door causing Albus to jump back. Then he said loud enough so the whole carriage could hear, "If you break her heart, Lysander, I'll break your neck, got that?"
Lysander's cheeks were flushed and he nodded once and quickly as he sat down. James and Albus left for their own compartments, "Oh and Albus, if he bothers you, either, let me know, won't you?"
Albus nodded. Although he and James had their differences, they were probably the best of friends.