A/N: This was a one shot I came up with, it is not beta'd yet but spell checked. Please be kind and review! :)
Disclaimer: Nothing is making money off of this.
The Best Way to Learn How to Duel
Albus Potter had his nose, as always in a book. He found everything to do with Hogwarts fascinating in his first year and he knew the love for the magical castle would only grow or him as time went on. He enjoyed finding secluded nooks between stairs where he could sit in front of the window and read his texts. He loved watching the owls fly into the sunny or cloudy sky of the Great Hall above their heads. And he loved his lessons most of all.
The bell rang and Albus quickly shut his thick potions book, slipping it into his bag he hurried towards his next class, defence against the dark arts. He took his place beside his cousin Rose and waited for the teacher to enter.
Professor Clemmons was a nice enough fellow. His hair was shaggy and ginger and his complexion pale and blotchy. His robes were often singed from dealing with spell mishaps occurring in his class, which were always practical and productive (to a certain degree).
Albus and Rose both listened as Professor Clemmons took attendance then faced the class looking excited behind his brightly coloured glasses. His blue eyes twinkled as he introduced their next spell to learn.
'Today class we will tackle the basics of duelling!' he said happily. The class exchanged gleeful looks with each other.
'We will start with the simple yet most effective spell for duelling, Expelliarmus.' he said.
Albus agreed to partner with Rose. They faced each other and one side would go first in the attempt at creating the spell.
'You go first.' he encouraged. Rose nodded and raised her wand at aim, 'Expelliarmus!' she yelled with many other voices as the sound of Clemmons whistle went off signalling for them to begin.
Albus quickly used his shield charm (which they had previously learned last class) and barely defected it. He was horrendous at shield charms.
'Alright, your turn.' Rose said worrisomely. It was quite a rumour that Albus was not very able to make most practical spells, he was all book smart.
'Expelliarmus!' Albus shouted. Rose did not have to worry about deflecting his spell, for the most feeble ray of red light blasted only two feet from wand.
'It's alright there Albus.' Clemmons said walking by, however many Slytherins and even some Gryffindors chortled behind Clemmons' back.
Eventually their lesson ended with Albus feeling quite miserable. Rose was soothing towards him as they trotted off to history of magic.
'Today class, we shall be starting a project,' Professor Binns said in his reedy voice, surprisingly everyone (that was awake). It was quite unusual for him to hand out projects.
'It will be an essay-' this caused groans from those who expected something much more fun and intriguing, an essay was not worthy of being called a project.
'It will be fourteen inches long and must include a bibliography.' Binns continued.
'It will be on a specific individual that had helped or were on the dark side, in the second war against Voldemort. You will explain what side they were on and how they contributed to the war or continued in some cases. However we will have names drawn from a hat.' here he motioned to his desk where a dusty top hat laid, with names already placed inside waiting for grubby hands to take them.
'Now come up and take a name, by alphabet of course' Binns said and the first student, Terrance Adams, a very conceited classmate, strutted up and took out the first name.
'Kingsley Shacklebolt.' he read. It continued with each student reading their name off for the class to hear.
'Harry Potter.' Scorpius Malfoy read in a bored voice regaining his seat again.
'And now Mr. Potter. Come up and choose' Binns called. Albus stood and stumbled towards the hat dipping his slender hands inside and pulling out a piece of paper.
'Severus Snape.' he read. And he took his seat.
Eventually Rose picked her name, which was none other then Neville Longbottom, family friend and fellow herbology professor. When they had finished Binns began his lecture which resulted in all but Albus falling asleep.
'How can you manage to take notes in that class?' Rose moaned as they left having finished classes.
'I like more scholarly work.' Albus replied.
'Want to go start our essay in the library?' he asked. Rose however shook her head, 'Naw sorry but I am going to hunt Nev down to get some first hand information, maybe finally beat your essay marks!' she ended her speech with a laugh and hurried off to the greenhouses.
Albus sadly marched on to the library surprised to find only one other person there, Scorpius.
'Nice day out eh?' Albus said casually.
'Explains why hardly anyone is here.' Scorpius remarked. Albus nodded.
'Hey Potter, you don't think I could…' here Scorpius trailed off.
'What?' Albus asked.
'Well I have your dad…who is alive, and I assume can read or write.'
'Actually both, I'm still not sure about Rose's dad, uncle Ron though.' Albus joked. Scorpius smirked. It was then Albus realized what he was trying to ask, so Albus filled in the blanks for him.
'I can write to him tonight and ask him if he would answer any questions.' Albus said brightly. Scorpius nodded, looking happier.
'Is that what you're here to do?' he asked, Albus nodded.
'You don't know anything about him right? I only know he was a Slytherin and headmaster.' Albus asked.
'Ask him yourself.' Scorpius said casually.
'Huh?' Albus questioned.
'There's a painting of him, it's in the headmaster's office my dad said.' Scorpius answered.
'Brilliant.' Albus said as Scorpius headed off, Albus took a seat by the window and began to read his potion book.
He was so engrossed in his book he hardly realized until the librarian told him so, that it was nearly dinner. He scurried to the Great Hall, only to be tripped on his way there. He hit the floor and watched as his potion book skidded across the floor.
'Ow.' he said as he gingerly stood, he found himself surrounded by several boys from his year, including Terrance.
'Of course it hurts, for the Baby Potter!' Terrance laughed. Albus quickly realized he was unable to go around any of them, so he discreetly drew his wand.
But not discreetly enough, Terrance spotted it and sneered, 'What are you going to do? Go all heroic on us like you dad?'
'Like he could, with his crappy spells!' a horse like girl named Penney whined.
'Pathetic Potter!' Terrance called out pushing Albus against another, larger boy who pushed albus back against Terrance.
'Leave me alone.' albus snapped.
'Or what?' Terrance said whipping his wand out, they squared each other off and both boys yelled 'Expelliarmus!'.
However both spells were stopped midair and the barely surviving beam of pink light, and strong jet of red coming from their wand tips dissolved into thin air.
'I believe a discussion is in order.' a stern voice said. Their transfiguration professor, McGonagall, had come forward.
'Now, I believe a trip to the headmasters office will suffice.' she said and led them away.
Albus had never been like his older brother James, he did not enjoy quidditch or playing pranks. An unlike James he was not attempting to swoon various female students. Albus also was distinctly different from James in that he had never been in trouble at school, until now.
'Well boys,' said Headmistress Mullins, a clever witch with bright mauve eyes and matching robes, her ebony hair floating down her back nearing her thighs.
'I believe twenty house points will be taken away between Slytherin and Gryffindor.' she said brightly much to the glares o the bullies.
'Now, please leave, you have been warned, act such in a way again and detention will be served. Albus please stay.' she said dismissing Terrance and his cronies. They quietly left.
'Now Albus, I must ask you, has anything like this happen before?' she asked quietly offering him a piece of chocolate she always stashed in her desk.
'No.' Albus lied. He had grown accustomed to lying, coming home on Christmas break with spell burns he had hidden from Professors and the school nurse he grew used to lying to his parents.
'Alright.' she said uneasily. It was then Albus stood to leave and she offered another piece of chocolate. Albus took it smiling and ate it while absently staring at a portrait of a rather unpleasant looking man. He thought of how his father had once told him, keeping sweets was mandatory for Headmasters.
'And that is why their teeth will never forgive them.' the portrait said in an icy voice, startling Albus, how did he know he was thinking that?
'Severus! Don't use Legilimancy on the poor boy!' Mullins scorned.
'I can't help it, it doesn't help he looks just as much of a dunderhead as his father.' Severus replied.
'Albus here is in the top most of his class, especially potions.' Mullins said smirking at the portrait.
'How strange.' Severus snidely remarked.
'Now, now, Albus should be getting to class.' Mullins said.
'I have a study break, but Headmistress, may I remain here, I'd like to talk to him.' he said motioning to the portrait, who surveyed him with his eyebrows raised. Mullins thought for a moment then agreed leaving them alone.
'Severus Snape.' the man said in a bored voice. Albus flushed realizing he did not know his name at the time and the man had realized it too.
'Albus Potter.' he replied.
'Of course, how very Gryffindor of a name.' Severus said disdainfully.
'Obviously you cannot see my robes.' Albus snapped feeling angry at this ridiculous man, 'I'm Albus Severus Potter. And I'm not a Gryffindor.'
It was then Severus Snape took in the boys robes, they were neat and perfected and… green and silver.
'You were placed in my former house?'
'Yes.' Albus said bitterly. Severus raised a single eyebrow, seemingly intrigued, Albus continued.
'I'm hated by the Slytherins because I'm Harry Potter's son, and all the Gryffindors hate me because I'm in Slytherin.' he said angrily.
'I see.' Severus said thoughtfully. He traced his mouth with a thing finger observing the boy before him.
'And I'm nothing like my father, he's brave and I cry a lot, I cant fly and hate camping, and I cant even disarm.' Albus said miserably.
'Why not?' Severus prodded.
'Because I'm a loser, I'm pathetic.' Albus echoed Terrance feeling he now whole heartedly agreed.
'I assume your attacker?'
'Yes.' Albus answered.
'When I was younger, I was tormented by muggles in my class at day school. They hated my used clothing and my appearance. I would go home to my parents fighting constantly. Eventually my mother home schooled me until I received my letter for Hogwarts.' Severus said surprisingly even himself by revealing so much about his past.
'When I came here I was sorted in Slytherin, but I was a half blood which was looked down then.'
'Did they hurt you?' Albus asked softly.
'No, I instead pretended to be like them, my best friend who, was in a different house then I, she was a muggle born and one day, to be like them I called her an unforgivable term.'
Mudblood.
'I lost a friend because I acted cowardly, I tried to make myself into what I am not.'
'But you're a hero!' Albus protested.
'So they say, but given what I know today I would have made my choices in the past differently, that being said, you are not a coward. You are who you are and that makes a difference.'
'No it doesn't.' Albus snapped, Severus was shocked and Albus began his rant, 'Everyday I'm picked on, and hurt and made fun of, because I CAN'T be like my dad, like they expect, I'm not what they think I should be, whether I'm Harry Potter's son or a Slytherin, so I'm nothing.'
'Pull out your wand Mr. Potter.' Snape said suddenly. Albus was surprised and the man looked at him impatiently, 'Well? Are you deaf?'
Albus did what he wad told and faced Severus with his wand arm raised.
'Now, who do you want to be? A Slytherin or your father?'
'Neither I want to be me.' Albus answered honestly.
'Then think that as you raise your wand arm and fire the Expelliarmus charm.' Severus said. Albus was not surprised to see a large cushion near the other end of the room as if begging to have a spell fired at. So he took aim.
'Expelliarmus.' Albus said, yet only a pink soft beam barely sprouted out, he tried twice repeating the words in his head, but to no avail.
'Honestly, what are you afraid of, hurting someone?' Severus asked.
'No.' Albus said 'of being hurt.' he whispered.
It was then that Severus saw, the child that was himself, peering from behind the glasses of the boy before him.
'The best friend I once had, her name was Lily Evans.'
'My sister is named Lily!' Albus said. Severus gave a smile, but with no humour, twisted and almost sadistic.
'Lily eventually married your grandfather James Potter.' he finished.
Albus gaped at him, it was his grandmother!
'No one deserves to be called what I said to her, or treated by those whom believe similarly, I do not let me make that clear, and if I could have changed it I would have, but we have to live on with our choices and make amends four our mistakes. Think of those you are protecting by standing for yourself and what you believe in. it does not matter what house colours you wear if you think along those lines.'
Albus nodded with full determination, but before he could continue, he heard someone above him blow their nose rather loudly.
'Disgusting.' Severus said, the portrait to his left revealed a twinkling old wizard in colourful robes and with a white beard.
'Excuse me dear boy.' the man chuckled. Albus noticed the man below the frame, Albus Dumbledore.
'I've heard so much about you!' Albus said happily. The older man smiled and Severus snorted.
'My dad mentioned you too, not much but he said not to worry about Slytherin, you see James was teasing me about being put in there. My dad said you two were the bravest head masters he had even seen.'
Severus blinked, evidently confused, however the elder Albus grinned.
'Now shall we see this Disarming spell?'
Feeling far more pumped, Albus turned towards the pillow, and imaged it was every person he had seen bullies like Terrance pick on, he raised his wand and shouted,
'Expelliarmus!'
The blast of red light burst from the tip of his wand, causing Albus to fall backwards from shock of its power and force, he watched as it hit the pillow dead centre and caused the room to be covered in feathers.
'Very well done!' Albus Dumbledore clapped.
Severus Snape did not applaud but stared at the boy, with such reminiscent eyes of his beloved Lily, and merely said quietly, 'You are truly a Slytherin.'
Albus Severus Potter felt so proud, he was about the thank them when the door banged open and Head Mistress Mullins bounced in.
'Ah I see your just wrapping up, I hope you got what you needed for your assignment Albus?' she asked.
'Assignment?' Severus asked, 'That's what you wanted to talk to me about!'
'And I learned far more.' Albus said sincerely. Severus surveyed him for a moment before nodding.
'Do well on your potions exam.' was his final words of farewell. Albus smiled and followed to the door that Mullins was holding for him.
'Thank you.' Albus said, Mullins nodded looking far wiser then her younger age portrayed, she then said, 'What happened to my favourite pillow?'
The portrait of Dumbledore broke into laughter and Severus merely smirked. Albus quickly apologized and hurried away before she could say anything else.
Albus headed back to the Slytherin common room feeling far braver then before. His hearts welled knowing full well, he would be able to not only defend himself, but others.
'Hey you want to hit the library up and maybe write that letter?' Scorpius asked catching up with him.
'Oh yeah.' Albus said.
'What's got you all happy?' Scorpius asked.
'I just had the best lesson in duelling ever.' was Albus would say.