PS: I DO NOT CONSIDER JKR'S INTERVIEWS AS ANYWHERE NEAR CANON. So Harry's not the Head of the Auror Department, Hermione's not a lawyer, Ron's not an Auror, and Ginny's DEFINITELY NOT anything else but Harry's wife. And George doesn't marry anyone. .
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Chapter 4
The First Potter in Slytherin
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Being in different Houses did not seem to be a boundary for the four though, when they have time, Albus, Scorpius, Rose and Diana would usually go together. During breakfast, they would sit together; sometimes Diana would prance to the Gryffindor table to eat with Rose (who still couldn't seem to accept the fact that Diana worships the Quibbler), Albus and Scorpius would do the same. Sometimes, Rose and Diana would eat at the Slytherin table, despite the onlookers; and sometimes they would go to the Ravenclaw table to eat there. And there were also those weird times that they'd just want to go to the Hufflepuff table and sit there with their fellow first years, Robert Bones and Mathilda Smith.
"So what do you think about Quidditch?" asked Scorpius, tossing an apple to Albus, who caught it easily. They were near the lake where the Giant Squid resided; the three were sitting under the shade of one of the trees while Diana was near the lake, poking one of the squid's tentacles with her wand.
"Uh… it's a great sport… but… Dad's always been a great Seeker, and Mum's, you know, a Chaser… and there's my Uncle Ron… he plays for the Chudley Cannons, if you don't know, as a Keeper… and there's Uncle George, Dad says he was one of the best Beaters…" Albus said in defeat, "I don't think I'm that good…"
Scorpius looked at him in the eye. A smirk played in his lips, "Liar."
Scorpius was right. Actually, it was just an excuse. It's not that he's not good in Quidditch, he's quite acceptable in playing. But really… he didn't want to play. He'd rather watch and commentate about it.
"I don't understand what you like about Quidditch." Said Rose, who was flipping through the book Quidditch Through The Ages, "People had been…" she showed them a picture of a guy who had crooked his nose, got hit in the head by a Bludger, "… injured! INJURED! And you still want to play?!"
Scorpius looked at her and said, "Well, Little Miss Know-It-All, it seems like you're not making any effort in trying Quidditch. Or is it because you can't fly a broomstick?"
Rose glared at him and huffed, "Excuse me, but I can ride a broomstick, thankyouverymuch!" Albus sniggered a bit, "What are you laughing at?!"
"Nothing, nothing." Answered Albus.
"We're not allowed to play anyway." Rose said, returning to the book, "First years aren't allowed."
"So what?"
Rose raised a brow, "So what? So what? Scorpius, you're not thinking of smuggling a broomstick, are you?"
Scorpius stared at her in bewilderment and laughed, "What an extremely perfect idea, Rose! Now, where should I smuggle the broom…" he glanced at her once more, she was fuming, "… Just kidding. It's not like I couldn't play at home. We own this large field… hey, I have an idea."
"Oh no. No. No. No! If it's anything that's seriously against the rules, I am not going to do it!" Rose said.
"I haven't said anything yet!" Scorpius exclaimed. Rolling his eyes, he turned to Albus, "Well, if Rose doesn't want to, then why don't you go to our place at Christmas? We have this large field near our home where we can play Quidditch, Muggles can't see us there because Mum's made this extraordinary Muggle-barrier in it."
Albus's face lit up, "Really? Wow! I want to go! I'll go ask Dad if I could go!"
"Aren't you going to ask your mother's permission?" asked Diana, she had now come back from the tentacle-poking near the lake. Half of her robes seemed to be a little… wet. Albus shook his head, "Mum's not… well, she's stopped writing to me since the Sorting. I guess James had written to her about me being in Slytherin…"
Scorpius looked at him, "Huh?" Even Rose was listening, disguising it by making it seem that she was still reading the book.
"Well… not only that, though…" Albus immediately added, "Well… Dad's word at home was something like a law… so… my mum's just…"
"A wife?" asked Diana. Albus nodded, he was still clutching the uneaten apple.
"Poor woman." Said Scorpius, "If she was my Dad's wife, then she'll definitely have her say on things and not ignored."
"Shut up, Malfoy." They all looked where the voice came from. It was James, "You don't know Mum. You haven't seen her Bat-Bogey Hex!"
Rose rolled her eyes, sighed and shook her head; Albus was nervous. The last time the two saw each other in the grounds, they ended up being in detention for fighting. Diana on the other hand, looked mildly amused by things. How strange.
"Why, have you seen your Mum's Bat-Bogey Hex?" retorted Scorpius. James stiffened; Albus knew why… it was because they haven't seen it, really. Not even his Dad. A glorious smirk came on Scorpius' lips, "At least I know my Dad's got a personality."
"Shut up, Malfoy!"
"You shut up, Potter!"
"Scorpius, that's enough!" Rose slammed her book. Albus whipped his head at her, she was fuming, "James, please, just go?"
"I'm older than you, Rose."
"Girls mature faster than boys, if you don't know that." She turned at Scorpius, "Scorpius, if you keep on fighting my cousin and Albus's brother, I'll write to your Dad."
"And?" Scorpius was provoking her, "It's not like you know—"
"And I'll tell him that his son has been doing something illegal." She smirked, as if she had won the argument. Scorpius gaped at her.
"Can't she even make a threat?" Scorpius whispered at Albus' ear, "My Dad has always told me to break rules every now and then!"
Scorpius then proceeded to sit beside Diana, Albus could hear him ask their friend if she wanted him to bring down some spare clothes, which Diana graciously refused. Albus wondered since when did the two had been friends…
"Listen Malfoy, if you take my brother in the wrong way…" James started. He still hadn't left.
Scorpius smirked, "Nah, I'm not interested in going in the wrong way. Besides, there's no reason to, right? That'll feel extremely horrible." A malicious smile "graced" Scorpius' lips, Albus did not know how to react on it because he was rather lost.
Really lost.
He looked up at his brother who looked like he was thrown at with something rather smelly. He looked over at Rose, she had the book on her face once more, but Albus could see her ears go a brilliant shade of red. He turned at Diana, of all of them, she was the other one who looked rather confused. They looked at each other; Diana was on four, walking to Albus. She whispered on his ear, "What are they talking about?"
"I have no idea." He whispered back at her. She looked at him, "Do you think they're talking about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?"
He stared at her and shrugged, "Maybe… maybe not." There she went again with her strange creatures, maybe he should introduce her to Kreacher, she might think of the house elf as some sort of Blibbering Humdinger or something.
The thought brought a smile across Albus' face, Diana looked at him with her protuberant eyes, "Is there anything funny?"
"Oh no. Not really." He immediately tried to look for something funny, he spotted Rose bickering at Scorpius once more, and pointed the two, "They're funny, aren't they?"
Diana looked at where he was pointing. A smile spread on her face, "Oh yes. It's funny. You know, Scorpius doesn't do that to girls. I think he likes her very much, as much as he likes you too." Her misty eyes brightened as she spoke. He felt his face was burning with embarrassment; he wasn't exactly a friendly person. At least he thought; then he just remembered something. He didn't know much about it but…
"Can I ask… you a question?" asked Albus.
"You already did." Answered Diana with all seriousness. Albus stared at her.
"Oh. Could I ask you another one?"
"Apparently you had done so." Before Albus could even open his mouth Diana had already spoken, "Though you could ask me one more."
"Okay… uh… how… how long have… how long you have been friends with Scorpius?" he asked, stuttering. He felt like Rita Skeeter possessed him. Diana stared at him wide-eyed, "Scorpius and I had been friends since we were little… I mean, a lot younger than I could remember!"
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Much to Albus' surprise, being a Slytherin wasn't as bad as what he was told about when he was still outside the walls of Hogwarts.
His brother had boasted of the Gryffindor Common room being the best.
The Slytherin Common room had an extremely beautiful common room, but a little different from what his brother had told them about Gryffindor common room. Scorpius said that their tower looked quite different from his father's description, but it was fine to Albus.
It was circular and large, more of dome like; emerald and silver were the main colors, though the crystalline value of the chandelier dangling at the center of the ceiling which was one of the most beautiful diamond studded chandelier Albus had seen in his entire life, was breathtaking. The wide silken olive-colored chairs were embroidered with the finest silver threads (which he mistakenly thought for as unicorn hair!) were cozy and could drift the user into a peaceful sleep.
And yes, the Slytherin Common room too had a fire place, accentuated by emeralds on the sides.
The Slytherin students weren't as bad as what people had been talking about them; they were generally nice people, some were pranksters (though a few were really extreme), yes, but wasn't his Uncle George and late Uncle Fred pranksters back on their young days? Terrible as it seemed, people did tend to misunderstood Slytherins for being evil, dark wizards.
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"Slytherins are living up to their name, Al." Scorpius mocked the unbelievable ignorance of the other boy. Albus could not help but raise a brow at the comment, "Al? Where the hell did you learn that?"
Scorpius cocked his head to the left, where two girls sat apparently in a heated battle of wits… in Wizard's Chess. Rose, who was rather red on the face, was obviously winning (though her "men and woman" weren't actually trying to listen to her remarks) while Diana calmly swayed as if she was hearing pleasant music as she placed a pawn on the board.
There was no way in hell that Diana would know the nickname his parents gave him. So it could only be…
"DRAT! How did you win?!" Rose shrieked as Diana whistled happily collecting her pieces which were equally happy with the results of the chess game, "My dad has always been playing with me in Wizard's Chess! How can I possibly lose?!"
Diana stared at her with her wide pale eyes, a smile split her face, "Honestly, you're too stressed." She said in "a matter of fact" way.
The boys continued to look at the girls as Rose sat there bewildered at the comment. Albus sighed; it was probably not the best time to ask her about saying that his nickname was Al.
Sometimes he wondered if his parents' got something against him that's why they called him Albus Severus. Sure, his father had named him after two Headmasters of Hogwarts… but don't they have any other name?
"Am I stressed? Am I? Am I?" Rose scrambled at the two boys, who were backing away from her, "I'm not stressed! See!" she broke her face into a forced smile, "How can I be stressed when I'm smiling?!"
The boys only looked at each other.
Girls were freaky.
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A puff of smoke was emitted by the small hut's chimney, and its window had an undeniable glow as the light passed through its mirror.
Albus, Scorpius, Rose and Diana ran towards the small hut on the grounds, their black robes billowing against the afternoon wind. They were invited by Hagrid to come by his house once again, though he wasn't that fond of Scorpius. Another puff of black smoke emanated from the small chimney.
Hagrid was back. And he was going to tell them about his adventures.
The four huffed and puffed as they arrived at the step before Hagrid's hut; it was just minutes since they got the owl from Hagrid.
They knocked on his door. No one opened it, though they could hear old Fang's excited barks and…
"Woof!" a strangely small bark-like sound reverberated from inside the hut. Scorpius paled, "Oh brother. Don't tell me he's raised wolf cubs." There was a rather strange hint of panic in Scorpius' voice. It seemed like he wasn't that friendly with animals.
Albus knocked on the door again. No one still opened it. And knocked, knocked…
Rose rolled her eyes, "Stand aside, Al."
"Don't call me Al." Albus retorted.
"Oh shut up, Al." she said glaring at him, Albus felt someone tugging his robe. It was Diana, she tiptoed and whispered on his ear, "I think she's up to something." Albus looked at her and sighed.
Rose closed her eyes, and with a breath she shouted, "Hagrid! If you don't open the door, I swear I will—"
The door swung open, the four jumped.
"Wha'?! Wha' exa'tly will yeh do, yeh lil 'Moine?!" Hagrid burst out of the door, he was sweating badlym "Yeh kids are…"
"You told us that you're talking to us about your adventures with Grawp! Here! And what are you hiding?" Rose straightened herself, it was plain clear that she was certainly Aunt Hermione's daughter, "I will OWL my mother and tell her that you've…" another of the small barks got her attention, she walked a bit to the right to see what Hagrid was hiding, "—oh my! How cute!" she exclaimed, she turned at Hagrid, her eyes brightening, "Oh, Hagrid, please, please, let me hold them! Please!"
Albus and Scorpius looked at each other, and Albus knew they were thinking of the same thing.
What the heck was she talking about?!
"Those are wolf cubs." Diana pointed as Hagrid gave way to the other girl. Okay, so she wasn't always like Hermione.
"What?!" Albus and Scorpius said in unison. From the look of Scorpius' face, he was about to faint.
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It was a nice and peaceful day at the Burrow.
Or so they thought.
BANG! CRASH! WHHHHEEEEEEEE!!!
A high pitched voice erupted from the kitchen, "DUNGBOMBS AGAIN?!" Molly Weasley charged from the kitchen, apron worn, wand on the right hand and a spatula on the other. Her face was flaring, and her equally flaming red hair did not make the scene any better, "Percy! Your son is wrecking havoc again!"
"Mother, how can you be sure it's him?" Percy asked, peacefully sipping a cup of coffee, reading the Daily Prophet. Beside him sat George, a small smirk of triumph on his face and on the other side of the table was their father, Arthur who was now tinkering a Muggle mobile phone.
Molly turned to her son, "Percy, son, the name says it all."
CRASH!
"FREDERICK! COME DOWN HERE IMMEDIATELY!" Percy and George now had their hands covering their ears. Mrs. Weasley may now be a little older, but certainly she had not changed at all. And neither did Arthur Weasley.
"Now, now, Molly," started Mr. Weasley. He had now set down his favorite "playthings" a.k.a. Muggle "artifacts" (in normal people's terms, normal stuff), "Fred is still a child, we should let him—" A firecracker had just been set on the stairs, and Mrs. Weasley was furious, "—play."
George smiled. His twin brother might be mighty glad that Percy had named his only child after him, "So how's Penelope?" asked George, just feeling the need to ask.
Percy sipped his coffee once again, "Oh she's fine. A great Healer, my Penny. Absolutely wonderful. It's pretty nice to have breaks every now and then to spend with…" A sad smile jerked on Percy's lips as his mother brought the young Weasley from the stairs by the scruff. The small boy had a band-aid on his left face and he had the same flaming red hair that was present in the Weasley family, even the freckles were there. It was funny, because the boy looked and acted so much like, "… Fred."
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"Slytherin? Slytherin?"
"Yeah. He's just sent me an owl."
"What is wrong with him?! Why is he in Slytherin?!"
"It's not bad; Snape was in Slytherin after all."
"IT IS!"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I… Fine… See you at dinner then…"
"Sure."
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A/N: Sorry for the crappy chapter, but I hope somehow you enjoyed it. Ja!
