YEAR 1: ALBUS POTTER AND THE WHOMPING WILLOW
Chapter 1
The New Beginning
Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road toward the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air. Two large cages tattled on top of the laden trolleys the parents were pushing; the owls inside them hooted indignantly, and the redheaded girl trailed fearfully behind her brothers, clutching her father's arm.
"It won't be long, and you'll be going too," Harry told her.
"Two years," sniffed Lily. "I want to go now!"
The commuters stared curiously at the owls as the family wove its way toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, Albus's voice drifted back to Harry over the surrounding clamor; his sons had resumed the argument they had started in the car.
"I won't! I won't be a Slytherin!"
"James, give it a rest!" said Ginny.
"I only said he might be," said James, grinning at his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth -" But James caught his mother's eye and fell silent.
The five Potters approached the barrier. With a slightly cocky look over his shoulder at his younger brother, James took the trolley from his mother and broke into a run. A moment later, he had vanished.
"You'll write to me, won't you?" Albus asked his parents immediately, capitalizing on the momentary absence of his brother.
"Every day, if you want us to," said Ginny.
"Not every day," said Albus quickly, "James says most people only get letters from home about once a month."
"We wrote to James three times a week last year," said Ginny.
"And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts," Harry put in. "He likes a laugh, your brother."
Side by side, they pushed the second trolley forward, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Albus winced, but no collision came. Instead, the family emerged onto platform nine and three-quarters, which was obscured by thick white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Indistinct figures were swarming through the mist, into which James had already disappeared.
"Where are they?" asked Albus anxiously, peering at the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform.
"We'll find them," said Ginny reassuringly.
But the vapor was dense, and it was difficult to make out anybody's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud, Harry thought he heard Percy, discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, and was quite glad of the excuse not to stop and say hello . . . .
"I think that's them, Al," said Ginny suddenly.
A group of four people emerged from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only came into focus when Harry, Ginny, Lily, and Albus had drawn right up to them.
"Hi," said Albus, sounding immensely relieved.
Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him.
"Parked all right, then?" Ron asked Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner."
"No, I didn't," said Hermione, "I had complete faith in you."
"As a matter of fact, I did Confund him," Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Albus's trunk and owl onto the train.
"I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can use a Supersensory Charm for that."
Back on the platform, they found Lily and Hugo, Rose's younger brother, having an animated discussion about which House they would be sorted into when they finally went to Hogwarts.
"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," said Ron, "but no pressure."
"Ron!"
Lily and Hugo laughed, but Albus and Rose looked solemn.
"He doesn't mean it," said Hermione and Ginny, but Ron was no longer paying attention.
Catching Harry's eye, he nodded covertly to a point some fifty yards away. The steam had thinned for a moment, and three people stood in sharp relief against the shifting mist.
"Look who it is."
Draco Malfoy was standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasized the pointed chin. The new boy resembled Draco as much as Albus resembled Harry.
Draco caught sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny staring at him, nodded curtly, and turned away again.
"So that's little Scorpius," said Ron under his breath.
"Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."
"Ron, for heaven's sake," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"
"You're right, sorry," said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added, "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood."
"Hey!"
James had reappeared; he had divested himself of his trunk, owl, and trolley, and was evidently bursting with news.
"Teddy's back there," he said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam.
"Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"
He gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction.
"Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing-"
"You interrupted them?" said Ginny. "You are so like Ron -"
"- and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added as though worried he had not made himself clear.
"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" whispered Lily ecstatically. "Teddy would really be part of the family then!"
"He already comes round for dinner about four times a week," said Harry "Why don't we just invite him to live with is and have done with it?"
"Yeah!" said James enthusiastically. "I don't mind sharing with Al-Teddy could have my room!"
"No," said Harry firmly, "you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."
He checked the battered old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's.
"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."
"Don't forget to give Neville our love!" Ginny told James as she hugged him.
"Mum! I can't give a professor love!"
"But you know Neville-"
James rolled his eyes.
"Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love . . . ."
Shaking his head at his mother's foolishness, he vented his feelings by aiming a kick at Albus.
"See you later, Al. Watch out for the Thestrals."
"I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!"
But James merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a fleeting hug, and then leapt onto the rapidly filling train. They saw him wave, then sprint away up the corridor to find his friends.
"Thestrals are nothing to worry about," Harry told Albus. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."
Ginny kissed Albus goodbye.
"See you at Christmas."
"Bye, Al," said Harry as his son hugged him. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you're learned how. And don't let James wind you up."
"What if I'm in Slytherin?"
The whisper was for his father alone, and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Albus to reveal how great and sincere that fear was.
Harry crouched down so that Albus's face was slightly above his own. Alone of Harry's three children, Albus had inherited Lily's eyes.
"Albus Severus Potter," Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.
"But just say-"
"- then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."
"Really?"
"It did for me," said Harry.
He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Albus's face when he said it. But now the door were slamming all along the scarlet train, and the blurred outlines of parents swarming forward for final kisses, last-minute reminders, Albus jumped into the carriage and Ginny closed the door behind him. Students were hanging from the windows nearest them. A great number of faces, both on the train and off, seemed to be turned toward Harry.
"Why are they all staring?" demanded Albus as he and Rose craned around to look at the other students.
"Don't let it worry you," said Ron. "It's me, I'm extremely famous."
Albus, Rose, Hugo, and Lily laughed.
The train began to move, and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's thin face, already ablaze with excitement. Harry kept smiling and waving, even though it was like a little bereavement, watching his son glide away from him.
Meanwhile, in the train, Albus, Rose, and James sat in one of the many compartments of the Hogwarts Express.
"You ready for your first year at Hogwarts, Al?" James smiled his trademark smile.
"I guess.." Albus mumbled, even though deep inside he's scared out of his bloody mind.
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion, causing the three to jump out of fear.
A tall girl ran into their compartment, breathing hard.
"Don't… Mind… If… I.. Sit.. Here.. With.. You.. Do ya?" She asked, between loud huffs.
"No! Not at all!" James said faster than normal. The girl smiled and plopped down next to Rose, who was too busy wondering what the sound was.
Albus decided to examine her; she had light brown skin, long curly hair, bright green eyes, a scrawny body, and a height that fit the 5th Years. `
"What's your name?" James grinned, cutting of his brother's observation.
"Grimalda. Grimalda Fore." She nodded, checking out the compartment window.
"Wait, Fore as in the Slytherin; Cancio Fore?" Albus's second year brother
Grimalda grimaced at the question. "Yeah; he's the eldest of me, him, and a 3rd year."
"So, do you know what that sound was?" Rose asked, taking her eyes off the door window.
"Well, my brother, the one he mentioned" the dark hair girl cocked her head to James, "kind of got his little compartment filled with this ball of smoke, which I bought at this American muggle shop." Grimalda smirked taking out a green ball.
The door, yet again, slid open. There stood a tall boy, taller than Grimalda amazingly. Albus saw the boy in uniform; he was a Ravenclaw, showing the uniform in pride. He seem to look alot like the young girl; dark skin, darker hair, and a mischevious expression.
"Adacio." Grimalda smiled, placing her elbows on her knees, the palms of her hands on each side of her cheeks.
"I know it was your mind who had created that stupid prank, Grim!" The boy put his hands on his hips.
"Bloody hell, Addy! It was just a joke!" The girl sighed.
"Well it's not a joke when our brot her pratically throws himself on that muggle-born, Cordin Murl, thinking that that poor 2nd year threw that odd muggle device in his compartment!" Adacio yelled at the younger girl.
"Alright, Alright! " Grimalda stood up "I'm going!"
James automatically stood up before her . Rose stared at him," Where are you going?"
"Checking if that Cancio boy got a good punch in the face!"
Grimalda turned around, smirking, at James, only to earn a hard slap on the back of her head by her older brother.
Albus shuffled behind his own brother, not wanting to sit through an awkward silence with his cousin.
Adacio led the three to yet another replica of Grimalda. Though, he was taller than the two other Fore children, bulkier, and, unlike the second eldest, had his bangs just above his ears.
He was fuming, covered in dusty green smoke. Albus could tell why; under his left eye was a red bump pratically as big as the thing Grimalda got that started this whole situation.
"What?" the tall boy growled.
Adacio pounded his elbow into Grimalda's stomach, causing her to whimper in pain.
"I...exshplodebdacompartshment..." Grimalda said.
"What?" the boy raised his eyebrow.
" I exploded the compartment. " Grimalda said, this time louder.
"Well, then you're gonna pay." The boy grimaced at the girl over 5 inches shorter than him.
James, coming to aid, stood in front of Grimalda, looking up at the tall boy.
"Why do you need to pick a fight with everyone you see, Cancio?" James puffed out his chest.
Cancio stared at James, in shock, actually "Your Potter's boy."
James nodded, stilled frowning. Cancio smirked before twirling around back to his small room and opened the door.
"Oh, and Grimalda; I'm sure to see you sorted into the Slytherin"
When the door shut, James let out a breath. Grimalda stood there, cross-armed, smirking at James "That was pretty brave. Most people wimp out when it comes to Cancio."
"Just want to show my appreciation for a new friend."
From a distance, the four heared Rose's voice "Best if you three come and change into your robes, you know. The train rides almost over."
"C'mon, mates, before Rose rips our heads of." James joked. Grimalda chuckled and skipped to the direction Rose's voice came from.
"Firs' years! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid, the half giant, half wizard groundkeeper at Hogwarts yelled. Rose, Albus, and Grimalda all shuffled in front of him.
Hargrid smiled at the sight of Albus. "Alright, yer the one who's going to act like your father, right?"
Albus smiled and nodded, knowing exactly what he ment. Most people expected James to be kind and smart like his father apperently was, but their predictions were false. James, in fact, acts a lot like his uncle, George, who his mother had said got into a lot of trouble through his Hogwarts years.
When Hagrid caught eye of Grimalda, he laughed silently, "All er Cargio an' Maxima's children look nothin' like their mother. Its always their father's skin tone, hair, and eye for mischeif."
Grimalda blushed at that, mainly because it was the most accurate thing she heard all day.
"Well, c'mon then! Yer boats await!" Hagrid motioned.
The trio plopped into a wooden boat which moved by its own.
"So, Al -mind if I call you Al- what house you aiming for?" Grimalda asked, plopped on the wooden seat.
"Gryffindor, but my father said something about me being named after a headmaster, Severus Snape, who was a Slytherin, but I'm sure to be in Gryffindor." Albus nodded ,"But your brother, Cancio, back on the train, said something about you being in Slytherin?"
"Oh, that. Well, Cancio is your average type of Slytherin who thinks that his house is better than Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw. Most of my family was in Slytherin, some in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, but none in Gryffindor- well, except one."
"Who?" Rose asked.
"Me." Grimalda smirked.
"Well, good. So you, Rose, James, and I can be Gryffindors-"
"Together."
"Yeah, together."
"Whoa! Look at that!" Rose gasped, astonished.
It was the Hogwarts castle. Albus heared many things about this place, dungeons, elves, reappearing food, ghosts! Albus knew this year would be great!
"And so the adventure begins." Grimalda smirked, putting her hands behind her head.
"7 years." Albus sighed, staring at the giant castle in awe.
"Hey, at least it's 7 years with the three of us together." Rose nodded, still watching the castle.
"Right." Grimalda said. "'Ey, I can see the entrance!"
She was right. A few feet away stood Professor Longbottom, a close family friend and current Herbology professor. His smiled was wide, almost touching his eyes.
"You ready?" Grimalda asked, looking at the grand castle.
"I've been reading books about the founders of Hogwarts for the entire summer, do I seem ready?" Rose raised her eyebrows, grinning.
Chuckling, Grimalda fixed her robes and sat up straight.
Finally, at their arrival, the three got off the boat and onto land.
"Albus! Rose! You two are here!" Professor Longbottom smiled, patting the two on their shoulders.
"Oh, and you are?" the professor smiled at Grimalda.
"Fore. Grimalda Fore."
"Oh, another Fore!" Professor Longbottom smiled.
"Don't worry! I'm not as stuck-up as Adacio, nor am I as heartless as Cancio." The dark haired girl laughed.
"Oh! So what house to you plan on being sorted in?"
"Gryffindor, of course!" Grimalda said.
Professor Longbottom smiled at that answer before saying, "First years! Follow me!"
The first years walked into the Grand Hall, amazed by the beauty.
Albus heard behind him, Rose gasp. In the corner of his eye, James was sitting down, surrounded by his friends, gleaming at him.
Grimalda was staring at the Ravenclaw table, where Adacio was giving her a thumbs up and mouthing 'Don't be nervous'. While at the Slytherin table, Cancio was frowning at his younger sister.
"You nervous, Al?" Grimalda whispered into Albus's ear.
"Just as ready as you are, Grim." Albus whispered back.
Professor Longbottom stood next to a stool which, on top, was the legendary Sorting Hat.
"Ehem," Professor Longbottom cleared his throat "Gerch, Chris"
A plump boy stomped up and sat down on the stood.
"Hmm. Hard one, you are. The loyalty of a Hufflepuff, but the creativity of a Ravenclaw."
Chris Getch stiffened at that.
"Must it be; HUFFLEPUFF!"
The Hufflepuff table cheered, Chris earned plenty of slaps on the back.
After a several 'RAVENCLAW's and 'SLYTHERIN's and 'GRYFFINDOR's and 'HUFFLEPUFF's, Albus heard a familiar name."
"Fore, Grimalda."
Grimalda shot Albus a nod before heading for the stool.
Professor Longbottom placed the Sorting Hat on top of her head.
"Ah, yet another Fore child. But, you're different. Your brothers' sorting- simple. You- no. You have the dedication of a Hufflepuff, the intelligence of a Ravenclaw, the leadership qualities of a Slytherin, and the courage of a Gryffindor."
Grimalda closed her eyes and began whispering something.
"Why not, young Grimalda? Cancio may not look it; but he planned on you being in Slytherin so he could watch over you. You would do great in Slytherin, for a fact."
Grimalda ignored the Sorting Hat and continued to whisper.
"Well, I've never sorted a Fore in this house, anyway. GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table went wild, but James was the loudest of them all.
"Potter, Albus."
Albus's heart leaped, possibly twirled a few times also.
Albus walked to the same stool the rest of the students sat on. Plopping on to it, Albus looked at Girmalda, who gave him an inspirational smile.
"Ah, yes, Albus Severus Potter; youngest son of Harry James Potter. Hm, you seem exactly like your father. Tough. Very tough. You would do great in Slytherin, for a fact. But, Gryffindor blood runs in you."
"Please not Slytherin. Please not Slytherin." Albus chanted, following what his father had said.
"Your father did say the same thing, you know? Young Albus, your faith is chosen. GRYFFINDOR!"
Albus smiled. He ran to the Gryffindor table where James hugged him and Grimalda ruffled with his hair. They sat down, knowing who was next.
"Weasley, Rose."
Rose shuffled to the seat. Professor Longbottom placed the Sorting Hat onto her dark red hair.
"Just like your mother, except, not.. Simple, it is. RAVENCLAW!"
Albus's gasped. He turned to Grimalda, who caught his eye and shrugged, frowning.
At the Ravenclaw table, Rose, who was rubbing her arm, nervously. Adacio scooted to the side, giving Rose a seat.
"And I almost forgot; Malfoy, Scorpius."
A pale blonde boy walked to the stool, sitting down.
"Easiest one today, I know exactly where you belong-"
The Slytherins smirked at that, sitting up.
But no one expected the answer that came after.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Everything went quiet, everyone wore a confused look.
But, suddenly, there was clapping. Albus looked up to his right to see Grimalda, clapping slowly, smirking at Scorpius. Smiling, Albus stood up and joined her. James shot up from his seat and starting clapping, with more of his friends joining. Soon enough, all the Gryffindors were cheering the young Malfoy on.
Scorpius walked to the table, looking down at the ground.
"Hello Scorpius!" Grimalda smiled patting the blonde child on his back.
"H-Hi.." Scorpius stuttered.
"C'mon Scorps!" Grimalda put her hands on her thing, doing her common nicknaming stage of a friendship thing, "The Sorting Hat didn't just put you into a house! You belong here! Now act like it!"
Scorps (Albus seemed to like the nickname) smiled at Grimalda's usual excitement. "So, Scorps, how was your summer?" Grimalda asked as every other house murmured about the 'Scorpius sorted in Gryffindor' situation.
"Good, I guess. But, my father planned on me being sorted in the usual house Malfoys get sorted in; Slytherin."
"No need to worry, Scorps, you're one of us now." James smiled.
"Students!"
The Hogwarts students look up to a tall woman with wild dark hair that led to his waist. She was wearing a long brown cloak which stopped at the floor.
This woman was Professor Aeigidia Corvinus, current headmistress of Hogwarts. She was smiling, eyes sparkling.
"I want to welcome you all the first years to what they are safe to call, their second home. First years; welcome to Hogwarts; School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
A/N: Alright, I started off the book with the epilouge of "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows" which belongs to J.K Rowling, not me, not the creepy neighbor, not you, just J.K. Rowling. (I actually cut off some of it so it stops at Al entering the train.) Hogwarts, half of the characters in my 'Albus Potter' Fan Fiction series, and many other things belong to J.K. Rowling. My characters are Grimalda, Adacio, Cancio, Professor Anta, and some other professors and students