Chapter 2

The Fearful Feast

It was a dark and stormy night the day they got to the castle. But who was to judge? It was truly magnificent. Even the muggles would look up and look at that dusty old hut that no one uses (wink, wink) and be absolutely astonished at how well the weather and the landscape blended together. Of course, Albus thought it was not very pleasing at all, and when they got to the feast, he and Scorpius sat down at the Slytherin table, hoping, no, praying, that this year would be better.

"Settle down, now. Settle down!" Professor McGonagall said. "As we know, it is stormy outside. But for goodness sake, calm down!"

"Yeah, calm down so we can listen to boring announcements that we all want to listen to." James whispered to his friends at the Gryffindor table. They all quietly and slowly inched away from him, unbeknownst to him.

"James's friends don't seem to like him at all. They're literally getting away from him," Scorpius said.

Wow, Albus thought, What could he be saying to them? It was not good things.

"Honestly, sometimes I wish Voldemort would be back, just to see if his rule is any better than my dad's," James added, with a smirk.

"What the heck, dude? That's horrible, he's your father, and plus, he doesn't 'rule the world,'" a kid named Barnabas, James's best friend, said.

After the grand feast, there were a few after-feast announcements.

"Please be sure to wash your hands after the feast, a new technique wizards are trying, as I'm sure you know. As well, it shall be noted that next week, Harry Potter will be guest-speaking at the school about-"

"Harry Potter?" people in the crowd murmured.

"Wait, Dad's coming here?" James said, as he looked around and finally noticed his friends had left him. "I don't need them anyway." He smiled and let out a small laugh, as a tear trickled down his eye.

"Well, I can hear by the silent murmurs in the crowd that this is news to you. Okay then, well, Mr. Potter is coming here to give a speech about Aurors and their careers. Nothing else, and there will be no funny business, because if not, Lord knows, I will make sure you are in detention for the rest of your Hogwarts careers. Alright, Prefects, lead the first years around the building and show them the common room. Everyone else, proceed to your common room. Have a great year at Hogwarts!"

"Let's go, Scorpius." Albus said.

"Dude, I'm a prefect now. Christopher Falkus isn't here anymore, and I was asked to take his place by Professor Longbottom."

"Alright, man. That's pretty cool. I'll see you in the common room, then."

"First years, this way! Oi, first years, let's go!" Scorpius exclaimed.

Yeah, Albus was a little jealous that Professor Longbottom didn't have Albus be prefect over Scorpius. But after last year's events, he wasn't sure they would ever fully trust him, and Scorpius could handle everything a prefect could do. He was proud of Scorpius, he decided. And right at that moment, he saw Lily coming towards him.

"Lily, what's up?"

"Albus, something is going on with James. He's been acting weird."

"He's just being James, Lily. He's totally fine." But every time Albus spoke, the less he believed in that.

"Okay, Albus. But please make sure to check on him. I think he's feeling lonely."

"What about his friends?"

"They stopped talking to him after he said something bad about the announcements."

"Lily, what did he say?"

"'The day Harry Potter comes here, is the day he dies.'"

"What the heck, Lily? What did he really say?"

"Exactly that." Lily said with a sad nod.