Old Rivalries:
Albus Severus Potter stood on platform 9 ¾. Alongside him stood his older brother James, his younger sister Lily, his mum Ginny, and his dad Harry. His parents were looking anxiously through the crowd for their friends; the Weasleys.
"Where are they?" Ginny muttered.
"There!" James exclaimed and pointed towards a family of four coming towards them.
Hermione came running over with her husband Ron, and their two kids Rose and Hugo. Rose was wearing a set of brand new Hogwarts robes.
"Hi guys," Hermione said.
"Hello," responded Harry.
After the members of each family had greeted each other, James wandered off and disappeared into the crowd. Harry and Ginny were too locked into conversation with their old friends that they did not notice their son's disappearance.
"So, how are things with you guys?" Harry asked.
"Pretty good," Hermione said. "I think Hugo is jealous of Rose because she gets to go to Hogwarts before him.
"Yeah," Ginny said. "Lily has been pretty whinny of late too. I think she wants to go more than anything.
Just then, James burst through the crowd. "I saw Teddy Lupin back there. And he was snogging Victoire. OUR Teddy snogging OUR Victoire!
"Oh I wish they get married," whispered Lily. "Then he would really be a part of our family."
"He practically is part of our family already," Harry said. "He is at our house for dinner four nights a week. And I am also his-
"He was SNOGGING her!" James interrupted loudly, saying it again just to make sure his point came across clearly.
Before anyone could try to calm James down, a family of three walked by. Harry recognized the father, Draco, who he had had many bad experiences with in the past. However, Draco had gotten better, so Harry greeted him with a polite "Hello."
Draco gave a curt nod and then walked off into the crowd, his wife and son in tow.
"So that's little Scorpius," Ron said, referring to Draco's son. "Be sure to beat him in every test Rose. It's a good thing you inherited your mom's brains."
"Ron! Hermione exclaimed. "Don't set them on each other before term even starts."
Just then, the whistle from the train went off, signaling for the students to board.
"Well, bye then," James said, permitting his mother to kiss him on the top of his head. "Don't get eaten by the thestrals Al." He gave his father a quick hug and then boarded the train, looking from cabin to cabin for his friends.
"Dad," Albus said.
"Yes son?" Harry asked.
"What happens if I am put into Slytherin?"
"Then Slytherin house will have gained a very good young wizard."
"But let's just say I am put into Sly-
"It will be fine," Harry reassured him. "Besides, the Sorting Hat takes your opinion into account too.
"Okay," Albus said. "Do you promise to write to me?"
"I promise," Harry said.
"Bye Dad, bye mum. I'll miss you guys." Albus gathered his trunk and his owl and started to board the train. He took one last look at his parents and then disappeared into the train.
"I'll miss him," Harry sighed.
"I'll miss him too," Ginny said.
Chapter 2:
Albus walked up and down the aisles of the train, searching for the cabin where he and Rose could find Neville's son, Jake. They finally found him sitting in a compartment in the back of the train.
"Hi Jake," Rose and Albus said.
"Hi guys," Jake responded.
"Where's Teddy, I thought he was going to sit with us?" asked Albus.
"Off somewhere sitting with Victoire and her friends most likely," Rose said and she giggled.
"As a matter of fact," Jake said. "That is exactly where he is."
"Wow," Albus said. "They must really like each other."
Rose giggled again. As the train started to move, Rose started to read through an addition of Witch Weekly while Jake and Albus talks about Quidditch and the houses in Hogwarts.
"I would definitely want to be a Seeker," Albus said. "My dad was one, and my brother plays Chaser so I wouldn't have to compete against him for the position."
"Oh, I would like to be a Beater," Jake said. "I think I have the right build for it. Also, your uncles were amazing Beaters."
Jake and Albus were still talking about Quidditch when the food trolley came.
"Want anything?" Jake asked as he took a few Chocolate Frogs and a cup of pumpkin juice.
"Are those frog things good?" Albus asked.
"Yeah," said Jake. "You've never had one before?"
Albus shook his head and took the two sweets that Jake handed him. He unwrapped it and took a bite.
"Look at the bottom," Jake said. "There's a wizard card."
Albus took out the card. "What the- but… that's my dad. I never knew he was a famous wizard."
Just as Albus said these words, Scorpius had been walking outside their compartment and heard what he said.
"You're the little Potter kid aren't you?" Scorpius asked.
"Seeing as how I am taller that you, I am not the "little" Potter kid but I am, as you say, the Potter kid," Albus answered guardedly.
"And you're saying that you have no idea why your father is on that card. You honestly have no idea about who your father was or what he did?"
Albus shook his head slowly. Scorpius laughed.
"I can't believe your dad didn't tell you. I mean, it's about him. My dad told me about it years ago, and he only played a small role in what happened. Ha! Your father is completely mental for not telling you. So I suppose you are going to go through life ignorant of your father's accomplishments. Well, I suppose your dad may not have told you because then you wouldn't be able to live up to his standards, humph.
"Can you tell me?" asked Albus.
"Me?" Scorpius said incredulously. "You want me to tell you about your dad? Not going to happen. How lame."
Scorpius walked about laughing and muttering, "Ha! I guess that this generation of Malfoys will best the Potter kids. Serves them right, the whole bloody lot of them."
Chapter 3:
For the rest of the train ride, Albus was too preoccupied with what Scorpius had said to really listen to Jake talk about how his parents had bought him and his brothers a toy broom when he was four years old and how the four of them would play small Quidditch games in the backyard. He was telling Albus about how one time his brother had overthrown the Quaffle and hit the window. None of them had known how to do a Repairing Charm, so they were scolded by their Mother, Hannah Longbottom nee Abbot and she banned from playing Quidditch for a month.
Jake continued to talk without realizing that Albus was not paying attention to him. Albus was thinking that if what Scorpius had said was true, and that he knew more about Harry than Albus, his son, did. Albus' thoughts were only interrupted when the train came to a halt. Albus and Jake looked out the window and saw that their train was pulling into a station. As the students started to get off, Albus saw his brother and waved. James returned Albus' wave when he saw it.
"See you at the feast, good luck," James mouthed.
As the second year and older students started towards the carriages, the first years followed Hagrid to the lake. Albus put aside his thoughts about Scorpius and his dad and focused on taking in the scenery and observing his fellow first years. He noticed a variety of looks among the students around him. There were some tall students and some that were almost as small as Lily. There were some students who looked awestruck by the scenery and some who were already too homesick to realize their surroundings. A few students stood out to Albus in particular. One was a tall boy who towered among all of his classmates. Another student who caught Albus' attention was a small, pretty girl with flowing black hair. As the first years boarded the boats, Scorpius yelled, "Don't fall in Potter; your daddy isn't here to save you!"
Several of the students laughed at Albus but redirected their mirth when Hagrid hollered, "Shut your trap Malfoy, or you may end up finding yourself like your father was; with only two friends." Scorpius face turned red, and, taking advantage of this, Albus said, "Hey everyone, it looks like Malfoy is trying to go against the effects of U-No-Poo!"
Several people laughed, and Malfoy shot Albus a murderous look. "Think your funny, little twerp," Malfoy sneered. "Just wait, soon they'll be writing stories about how fame has taken its toll on your brain. Wait, never mind, you have NO BLOODY IDEA why you're famous. See you around, Potter." The students climbed into the boats and headed across the lake towards Hogwarts. Nobody fell in, which, Albus thought, was a good omen.
When the boat arrived at the opposite shore and moored, the students disembarked from the small vessels and gaped at the castle. Albus was awed by the hundreds of blinking lights that seemed to invite him inside. Hagrid led the first years through huge oak doors and into the Great Hall. Several "wow's" came out of the first years' mouths as they gazed upon the long tables and huge house banners. Hagrid said, "First years line up in alphabetical order." The students made a line and then heard a voice. "Welcome to Hogwarts, the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"