A:N: Thank you all so much if you're still reading, and to all new readers, welcome! Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews, favs and alerts! It's such a joy to write a fic that people respond so warmly to - so keep up the good work with the reviews! Pressing the back button won't give you as much love as I will do!

I'd also like to make a note that this is by no means running the same course as Cursed Child because, let's face it: who believes that is really canon?


Albus continued to visit Severus's portrait throughout his first year. For the first month, unsure of how Severus would react to his company and not wanting to overwhelm the lonely portrait, Albus visited once a week. For the first few times, Severus would greet him with a: "It's you again," or "what do you want now, Potter?" But when Albus returned after the Christmas holidays, Albus almost detected in the Potion Master's face that he was pleased to see him, or maybe that was just the poor lighting which made his sallow face seem as if it twisted into a smile.

Rose thought he was mad that he was talking to a portrait. Albus tried to persuade Rose to visit him with him, but she thought it was weird and didn't want people to think she was weird. Besides, he wasn't her namesake. What loyalties did she have to him?

James thought he was ridiculous for wanting to visit him every week. James claimed he only visited Severus when he was in the Headmaster's Office - which was actually quite common for James. James couldn't understand why Albus would want to waste his time on him. Albus knew it was odd, but he felt like it was his duty to talk to Severus, he knew his Dad would want him to.

His Dad was understanding about it. Albus waited until the Christmas holidays to tell his Dad about it. His Dad said it was the right thing to do, that he was proud of him and that he knew Severus was happy to see him deep down. Albus was unsure about this, but he wanted to believe it never the less.

So a few days after Albus returned from home, he went to pay Severus a visit. Albus always went at a specific time: half past seven on a Sunday night. Severus was always in the portrait at that time, and Albus knew it was more than a coincidence.

"You're back," Severus observed.

"Yes I am," Albus said cheerfully, "how was your Christmas?"

"The turkey dinner was delightful."

"Really?"

"I'm a painting, I cannot eat."

"Oh yeah," Albus said, feeling stupid, "well, my turkey dinner was delightful; my Grandma is a great cook."

"Bully for her."

"I told my Dad about you."

"I assumed you already had."

"No, I thought I'd wait til I could tell him in person. He says 'hi,' by the way."

Severus Snape sighed. "Hello, Potter."

"I'll tell him you were pleased to hear from him. So what did you do over Christmas?"

"The same thing that I do everyday: visit different paintings, listen to what the Headmaster is complaining about and give council, read books, etcetera, etcetera."

"That sounds... fun."

"Riveting." Severus confirmed in a sardonic tone. "Anything else?"

Albus paused. "I don't think so. Do you know my cousin Teddy Lupin? Well, you knew his Dad, but he's finally come clean about going out with my cousin Victoire!"

"I remember," Severus began, "being nearby when they'd make their way into broom cupboards when they thought no one was watching."

Albus wrinkled up his nose in disgust. "Ew."

"Agreed."

"But yeah, that happened. Nothing else really. Grandma cried about not having everyone together, a.k.a my Uncle Fred and everyone else who's dead, and Grandad got my Aunt to show him how to use a mobile phone, and he spent ages taking photos on it and holding down on the screen to make them move. He thought Muggles were finally using actual magic."

"It's funny how the living waste their lives."

"That's mean," Albus frowned.

"It's true."

"I was going to give you some good news."

"Enlighten me."

"I'm not going to anymore."

"May I ask why?"

"Because you're being mean about my Grandad."

"How will I live... oh wait... I'm dead and the feelings of Arthur Weasley concern me no more than remembering what it feels like to breathe again."

"Do you miss it?"

"Being alive? Occasionally."

"What do you miss most?"

"The riveting conversations."

"Ha, ha, but you do miss it. Don't you miss the little things like being able to eat and drink?"

"Not particularly."

"Or what it feels like for the rain to fall on your face?"

"I've never liked the rain."

Albus paused. "So what do you miss?"

"Being able to feel things."

"Feel things? Like what?"

"You'll understand that when you're older."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Adults always say that."

"Because it is true."

"Not always."

"Always."

Albus leaned against the gargoyle statue and smirked, but quickly jumped back when the gargoyle snarled at him. "Do you miss magic?"

"Deeply."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I've been practicing with Lumos, do you want to see?"

"Not really."

"Well I'm going to show you."

"I didn't doubt for a second you would."

Albus smirked proudly and withdrew his wand from his back pocket and cleared his throat: "Lumos." Sure enough, the tip of Albus's wand lit up brightly, and Albus beamed. "Told you so."

"Not bad," Severus replied.

"A compliment. Wow."

"I wouldn't get used to them if I were you."

"I won't," Albus promised. "Nox." Albus put his wand back in his pocket. "Professor Green says I'm getting good with magic now."

"Professor Green also says that the Hogwarts founders were nothing more than myths."

"Well, that's not true."

"I agree."

"We agree on something, that's a first."

"I wouldn't get used to it."

"No," Albus agreed, "neither will I. Now you've stopped being mean, I'm going to tell you my good news."

"I'm all ears."

"My sister wants to meet you, but she won't be here for another two years."

"I will count down the days."

"But she'll be in Gryffindor," Albus continued, choosing to ignore the portrait's comment, "she's so Gryffindor like James."

"So Gryffindor?"

"Yeah, you know, unlike me. Everyone teased me about it at Christmas. It's okay for Victorie to be in Ravenclaw and Molly and Lucy to be in Hufflepuff, but I'm suddenly the weird Slytherin cousin. Grandad could barely look at me."

There was a pause. "I'm sure that's not true."

"It is. He only said, 'can you pass the roast potatoes?' I don't blame him; I am weird."

"There's a lot of you, how could he have time for you all?"

"He had time for everyone else, even Teddy and he's not even family... I shouldn't say that; it's not very kind. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologising to me?"

"Dunno, but I feel bad for saying it. I must be boring you with all this."

"Surprisingly not."

Albus's eyes widened. "Really?"

"I know, I'm as surprised as you are."

"Do you like our little chats?"

"As much as I enjoy being dead."

"What's it like being dead? Sorry, that was rude of me to ask."

"Don't apologise," Severus dismissed, "have you not asked your Dad?"

"No, it feels... weird to think he was dead once but now he's alive - in a different way to you because, you know, he has a body and I'm not talking to him through a portrait on the wall. So what's it like? Is there an after world or a Heaven as the Muggles believe?"

"No. Before I was restored as a painting, I remember nothing after my death, but that might be because I was charmed to be here. If you want a better answer, ask your Dad, or better yet, ask a ghost."

"The Bloody Baron scares me."

"The Bloody Baron scares everybody."

"He doesn't scare Scorpius Malfoy."

"If he is anything like his father, he will be scared."

"Doesn't seem like it."

"Are you well acquainted with him?"

"Well, we get along better than our Dads did. He's alright, but he always hangs around with his own mates: the other boys in our dorms. We get on alright; we say hello and stuff like that and we sit together in Potions, but I wouldn't class him as a friend. My only friend is Rose, and how sad is it that my only friend is my cousin?"

"Have you tried to make other friends?"

"Sort of," Albus admitted, "I mean, I make more effort with Scorpius than he does with me. Like, I asked him about his Christmas and he didn't ask me about mine. Stuff like that... He's a bit odd."

"Odd?"

"Yeah, like he's really shy around other people, a bit like me. He cringes when people talk about his Dad like Neville - Professor Longbottom does. Bit like me."

"You have a lot in common then."

"Yeah," Albus admitted, "dunno, if we're meant to be friends we will be. Still got six and a half years."

"It will all fall into place."

"Yeah," Albus said with a smile, "thank you."

"Thank you?"

"Yeah, for the pep talk."

"I don't think anyone has ever described me as 'peppy' before."

"First time for everything."

"I suppose so."

Albus looked down at his watch. "Merlin, I have to go, it's nearly curfew and I don't want Professor Zabini to give me a detention on my first week back. Can I come and see you again next week?"

"Will I be able to stop you even if I said no?"

"Nope."

"Well I suppose you have found your answer."

"Yeah," Albus smiled, "I'll see you soon."

With a backwards glance and wave to the portrait, Albus headed towards the Slytherin common room. Whenever he spoke with Severus, the young boy felt as if he had spoken to a friend - or a human being anyway. Severus might not be an ideal friend, but Albus wasn't in much of a position where he could pick and choose them. But still, as he walked to the common room and down to his dormitory, he felt warmth inside of him and a happy sort of satisfying feeling. This did not remain undetected from Scorpius Malfoy.

"You look happy," the blonde noted when Albus sat on his bed.

"I am."

"Happy to be back at Hogwarts?"

Albus shrugged and took off his shoes. "I like school."

"I didn't think anyone liked school - especially you."

Albus shrugged and squatted down to slide his shoes under his bed. "Yeah, well, not everything is as it seems."

"Right... Are you going to the Quidditch game on Saturday?"

"Slytherin vs. Gryffindor? Yeah, my brother's playing his first game back after breaking his leg."

"Is he alright now? I heard your cousin aimed the Bludger really well."

"Yeah, James is alright but I don't think he's talking to Roxanne anymore."

"Must've been an awkward Christmas."

"Yeah, but not because of that."

"What do you mean?"

Albus was aware that this was the longest conversation he had ever held with Scorpius Malfoy. "It's my first Christmas back, it's a bit weird with everyone wanting to ask me what it's like to be in Slytherin but no one actually asking me. What's the term they use? An elephant in the room."

"I see," Scorpius began, "my Dad asked about you."

"Really?"

Nodding: "Yeah, asked if we got along."

"What did you tell him?"

"I said I guess so, which is right, right?"

"Right," Albus confirmed, "we do get along."

"Yeah, I thought so..."

"We have a lot in common," Albus remembered.

"Do we?"

"Yeah: we're both remembered because of our Dads and neither of us like that." Albus saw his dorm mate lower his head. "I'm sorry, was that rude?"

"No, it was right. Dunno, it's just a bit awkward cause my Dad is an ex-Death Eater and my Grandad is in Azkaban and Grandma's sister is Bellatrix Lestrange. Mum always tells me that you can't pick your family."

"You're right," Albus smiled, "I'm the same really; all the Professors expect me to be great because my Dad was great."

"Yeah," Scorpius admitted, "it's tough."

"At least we're in the same boat."

"A sinking boat."

"A sinking boat sinking into a sea filled with merpeople, a giant squid and Grindylow."

The blonde laughed. "Yeah, true."

"Well, if you need to rant, I'm here."

"Thanks," Scorpius smiled, "do you want to go to the game with us?"

"Erm, I was going with Rose."

"Bring her," Scorpius said quickly.

Uncertainly: "Okay."

"Great," Scorpius said with a smile and got into bed, "well, good night, Albus."

It was barely nine o'clock, but Albus wished his dorm mate good night and blew the candle out beside his bed.