An: Sorry about getting this chapter up so late, it took me a while to write it. Please let me know how you all like it. Thank you Elena for your review, that means a lot.
Albus looked at his parents; they had him sitting in the study, sitting across from them both. Harry had his arms crossed.
"Albus sweet heart, why were you at Knockurn Alley?" Ginny asked, she looked stern at her youngest son.
"Of all the places in Diagon Alley you could have gone to, you go to the one place your mother and I told you not to go to," Harry said. Albus was looking at the floor. His hands folded as his arms rested on his knees. "We told you to stay in Diagon Alley a hundred times." Harry was pacing the study.
"I like going there, what is wrong with me going somewhere that I find interesting?" Albus asked looking up at his parents. He didn't see why his parents were upset. Sure the hooded figure he met there was creepy but no harm came during it.
"Did you not listen to us when we told you that it is dangerous in Knockturn Alley," Ginny said. "You could have gotten hurt or even worse. And don't even mention when you ran off. We were really worried about you today."
"I didn't see any harm there, I like going there, why can't you two just understand that?" Albus said, standing up from his chair.
"You are very close to being grounded Albus," Harry said, holding his index finger and his thumb half an inch apart, making his point.
"Oh yeah go ahead and ground me, ground me as always," Albus said, this was directed at his dad more than his mother.
"Albus we don't treat you any different from your brother and sister," Ginny piped up. "We treat all three of you the same."
"We are harsher on you because of the way you act," Harry said in a matter of fact tone.
"Whatever," Albus said crossing his arms, looking at the back wall. He could feel the adrenaline running in his blood.
"No 'whatever' Albus, you are grounded until further notice too" Harry said.
"Grounded? How the bloody hell am I grounded?" Albus nearly shouted this.
"Albus we are doing this because you broke our rules. You—" Ginny was cut off.
"Because it is a dumb ass rule" Albus said, his voice was loud, Harry was very glad that he has a silence bubble around the door. "A rule that I shouldn't have to follow."
"Our rules are set for a good reason young man, and now, we are not discussing this any further," Harry said as calmly as he could. He didn't want to add to the fire that was already Albus's rapidly growing fire. "Now go upstairs."
"No, why I am being grounded?" Abus asked, staying where he was.
"We are no longer discussing this Albus, you are grounded and that is that," Harry said.
Albus looked at his parents, he felt heated, and he wanted to yell ever curse word known to man. Without saying a word, Albus turned around and walked out of the study, slamming the door as he left.
Harry looked at the door where his son left the room.
"Were we ever this bad…?" Harry asked, scratching the back of his head. He did not understand his youngest son at all. Was he failing as a parent? He surely hoped not.
"We both have tempers that match his," Ginny said. "Some of this is more than others."
"Great, I feel a lot better now," Harry said sarcastically, he didn't like arguing with his son, things always seem to go bad when they do. Normally doors slamming and intense arguments follow suit.
"It is not your fault Harry," Ginny said, wrapping her arms around him.
"I know, I just wish I can understand him more," Harry replied.
….
Albus walked inside his room, slamming his door shut. He pressed his back against hid door. He felt heated with his parents now. Albus shut his eyes he wanted to turn into his animagus form; a large black dog. But he had no idea where he was going to go. Albus felt stumped on what to do.
Albus was an unregistered animagus, he mastered the spell fully in his fifth year after his sixteenth birthday. Albus was smart like his grandfather James Potter, after learning about animagus's in his third year, Albus began learning how to do the incantation. Before learning the spell, Albus knew that becoming an animagus was hard work and it was dangerous. Albus found learning to be an animagus to be fun, and it was even better with his best friend Scorpius Malfoy along with him. He knew his parents would not approve of him doing such hard magic without their permission. Albus guessed that was what drew him to becoming an animagus in the first place.
Albus walked to his desk, seeing the moving photo frame of his family looking up at him in the picture. He felt a surge of anger as he picked up the frame. His green eyes bore into the photo, seeing his parents and siblings and himself smiling up at him. He tossed the photo frame at his opposite wall hard, and he watched it shatter into pieces on the hard wall and fall to the floor. He dropped in the chair, leaning his head back, looking up at the ceiling.
"Hey Albus," James said opening the door. Albus didn't look up, nor did he flinch as the door swung open. "How much trouble are you in this time?"
"Bugger off James," Albus said, not looking at his brother as he looked down at the door way where his brother stood.
"Oh come on lil bro how long are you grounded for?" James asked. Albus resisted the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance.
"I don't want to talk about you nitwit," Albus said standing up.
"Fine, don't tell me, I'll just hear it from mum and dad," James said. Albus shut the door in James's face. "You know Al, that is not really polite." James swung open the door again.
"James just get out," Albus said as calmly as he could.
"Not until you tell me what happened," James walked in the room and took a seat on the bed. Looking at Albus alone.
"Can't you get it through your damn thick skull already?" Albus said he was starting to feel his blood boiling now, his voice rose. "I want to be left alone."
"Oh I am so hurt by your words baby brother," James said pretending to be hurt. "I did come in here to see if you wanted to get ungrounded… but clearly you don't."
James stood up and proceeded towards the door.
"You are the number one fucking prat of all of Britain," Albus said darkly. James turned to look at Albus.
"And I take my title seriously," James said and he made a small bow at his younger brother.
"If you must know you pratt, mum and dad grounded me again because I was in Knockturn Alley" Albus said feeling slightly annoyed.
"Thought so," James said with a nod. "Dad used a silencing charm so Lily and I weren't able to listen in."
"You heard why I am grounded now so get out," Albus said pointing towards the door.
"Fine," James said as he walked out of the room. "But you—"
"Go away James," Albus said as he shut the door quickly before his brother could finish his sentence.
…
"You remember what it was like to be sixteen right Harry?" Ginny asked, as she and Harry were getting ready for bed that night. Harry walked in the room, he was still feeling fumed from the row he and Albus just had two hours before.
"Of course, the same year I realized I loved you," Harry replied getting in the King sized mattress. "Did we do the right thing Ginny? Grounding him I mean?"
"Of course we did Harry, Albus broke our rules… I don't like punishing the kids either but it has to be done," Ginny said patting his arm. "It is better than them walking all over us in the long run."
"I just don't understand him anymore Ginny," Harry said looking at the ceiling.
"I don't either Harry," Ginny said. "Hopefully he will grow out of that Dark Arts stage."
"He has been into it for years Ginny," Harry replied. Harry knew Albus had been taking a fascination with the Dark Arts for a few years. "I can still remember him running to me when I first get home from work, saying 'Daddy's home'. Now it's nothing but a glare across the dinner table."
"Be glad Lily still does that," Ginny said. ""
"That's beside the point Ginny," Harry said. "Albus has changed, and I am surely hoping that little twit Malfoy had nothing to do with it."
"Oh come on Harry, when has Albus ever been a follower," Ginny said after a small smirk.
"True, but who else can I blame besides Scorpius Malfoy?" Harry asked throwing his hands up in the air, making Ginny laugh.
"Look Harry, why don't you just bond with him," Ginny said. "Just like you do with James and Lily. You used to bond well with all three of them, making little forts with couch cushions."
Harry smiled at what felt like a distant memory. He could still hear there laughter.
"Fine, I hope your right," Harry replied. "But what should I do with a teenage boy who hates my guts?"
"Harry, I am sure you will think of something," Ginny told him.
…
Albus was standing in Diagon Alley; his dad was right by his side as they walked. Albus was surprised when his dad said he wanted to spend time with him, Albus tried to back out, but he lost the battle after a while.
"So Albus, you ready for Hogwarts to start back up?" Harry asked after an uncomfortable silence between him and Albus.
"Yeah," Albus answered, still not looking at his dad.
"What will you continue taking?" Harry asked after a while. Harry had no idea why but he was feeling nervous about talking to his son.
"Potions, Defense Against the Darks Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, " Albus said with a shrug.
"That's good, maybe you could be an Auror like me and Uncle Ron," Harry said with a smile.
"I don't know dad," Albus said. "I don't want to be an Auror."
"Well… That's ok, you should do what you want to do," Harry said, feeling bad that his youngest son didn't want to be an Auror. He knew Albus would make a good choice when it came to his NEWTS, he was smart. "Then what is it you want to do when you graduate?"
"I don't know," Albus replied with a shrug. He knew what he wanted to do, and that was to sell Dark Art objects. But he didn't want his dad to know that type of ambition.
"Oh come on, you're a smart kid, im sure you have a thought by now," Harry said, hoping this was leading somewhere positive. He didn't want another row.
"I really don't know," Albus said looking at his dad for the first time. "Its hard to choose a career, especially when I am expected to become a Quidditch star or Auror."
"Where did that come from?" Harry asked, looking at his son with a worried look.
"My teachers," Albus said.
"Look Albus, your mum and I don't care what profession you choose, you still have time, your going in your sixth year. We don't care, just as long as you alone want it and you work hard to reach it," Harry said. He really hoped this was working. He wanted his son to be happy, and so far things were looking up.
"What if it has to do with Scorpius Malfoy?" Albus asked.
"Why?" Harry asked suspiciously. He knew Scorpius Malfoy was the son of his once arch enemy; Draco Malfoy.
"No reason," Albus said looking away from his dad.
"Its not illegal is it?" Harry asked, keeping a suspicious tone.
"Of course not, were not stupid dad," Albus said.
"I didn't say you were," Harry said, knowing full well where this was going.
"Of course you were, I'm not you or James, both in all mighty Gryffindor," Albus said, his voice starting to rise up, a few people were noticing.
"Look Albus, your mum and I know your own person, we want you to do whatever job you want, as long as you are happy," Harry said, keeping his voice calm.
"Oh really? You probably think I'm just a big disappointment for being a Slytherin," Albus said.
"No, no Albus you are not," Harry said as soothingly as he can.
"Then what are we doing here then?" Albus asked with his anger still in his voice.
"I wanted to spend time with you," Harry said as truthfully as possible, he didn't want to lie.
"You sure haven't done that in the last couple of years," Albus said glaring at his dad.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry asked.
"It means that you haven't spent time with me since I became a second year," Albus said with venom. "And don't tell me work has anything to do with it because you take James everywhere. Then you and mum buy him stuff even when he and Fred land more detentions than anyone in their year alone!"
"I—Albus I am very proud you, you have done better in Potions than me or your mum has ever done, I am proud of you for that," Harry said, his son's words stung his heart. "You have done amazing in school Albus, your mum and I are very proud of you for that."
Albus looked at his dad, wondering if he should believe him or not. A part of him did, and another part of him did not.
"We are only hard on you because you don't follow our rules that we have set," Harry said, he noticed that Albus's emerald eyes shone bright. Harry had a feeling that he was saying the right words.
"Then why don't you guys trust me?" Albus asked, Harry had to lean in close to hear him. "You trust James and Lily more than me."
"Albus Severus if you want us to trust you than you have to prove that we can, not just ask for it," Harry said with an encouraging smile. "Even James has to prove that he is ready."
"Oh that's rich," Albus said, trying to keep his voice calm now. "You trust someone who has the fucking intelligence of muggle squeaky toy."
"Don't use curse words Albus," Harry said, his gaze turned hard. "Do I have to remind you Albus that we get reports about you as well from school? Do I need to tell you how many reports we have had about your language in class? — I don't want to argue with you Albus."
Albus looked away from his dad, stuffing his hands in his jeans pocket; his green eyes looked at the ground. "Then why do you always start them then?"
"I don't like arguing with you Albus, I really don't," Harry said, he wanted to pat Albus on the shoulder, but he decided against it. "I guess we are more alike than what we think then."
Albus cocked an eyebrow as he looked over at his dad.
"Do you trust me?" Harry asked, he smiled as he looked at Albus.
"It's not just that dad," Albus said. "You never follow through with me; why else do you think I am surprised that you even brought me here."
Albus ran a hand through his hair on the back of his head, a gesture he always did since he was a baby. "You never even taught me to shave."
Harry had no real clue on how to respond. He wanted to wrap him in a hug and hold him close forever, and never let him go. "Albus… I—I would apologize for anything I did, but I can't… I have always tried my hardest to be there for you. But it is not always my fault; I want you to know Albus that I have always loved you since the day you were born."
"I don't want to talk about this dad," Albus said as he started to feel a wave of emotion that he could not explain. Did he just feel better at what his dad jut told him? That his dad loved him? And that he was not a disappointment after all?
…
AN: I have decided to re-do this chapter so that it can tie in better with the first chapter.
I hope you all like it.