A/N: Hello, people!

I don't own Harry Potter.

I have no beta.

ENJOY! **NOTE** About every chapter will begin with a flashback.****

Albus looked around the shop, trying to mentally locate where all of the books he'd need, would be. Flourish and Blotts had always been a favorite, but now with all of the Hogwarts students bustling about, trying to find their own books, he was thinking of revising his prior assessment. It was a chaotic mess and he hated how loud some of the other children were being. Did they really have to talk so much? Shouldn't they be concentrating on finding their books and getting out of the way, instead of lingering?

Rose shifted beside him, clearly uncomfortable with the whole process. She clutched his jumper sleeve tightly, supposedly trying to make her worry disappear. They both sighed in unison. This would be a while and neither of them liked to waste time. Time they could be using to shop in more interesting places.

"Should we split up? We might be able to cover more ground if we do that," he suggested, looking around.

"I don't like the though, but I also know that it's a good idea. Meet back here in five minutes?" she asked, letting her death grip drop hesitantly. Her fingers clenched in the sleeves of her own jumper. It was nervous habit of hers and she had yet to show signs of dropping it.

"Yeah. I'll meet you right here. Be careful."

They parted ways, each taking a side of the shop to peruse. They'd get double the amount of books and hopefully have everything when they met up again. Hopefully.

Albus looked at the list in his hands. Standard Book of Spells Volume 1 Redux. Okay, he could find that one. It shouldn't be too difficult. All he had to do was find the spellbook section of the shop and then in alphabetical order.

He passed signs and headed into the section that he knew held what he was looking for. Several times of having been there in the past were exceedingly helpful. And of course the bloody book had to be on a shelf that was much higher than he was! He glared at it, wondering how he'd get it down.

He looked around, completely shocked by the fact that he was the only person in this section. Wasn't he just complaining about there being too many people? Where did they all go? Right when he needed someone's help, they all disappeared. How convenient.

He looked back to the books on the shelf that hung four feet above his head. There were no stools for him to use and he and Rose had been adamant about their parents not coming with them. They wanted to experience it all on their own. No help from mums and dads and aunts and uncles. Just them getting used to having to do things on their own. They didn't need their hands to be held after all.

He was regretting that decision now. Dad was taller than he was. Not by much of course, but still taller. He could also do magic without getting into trouble. Mum would have been good too, she was taller than dad.

He sighed and pulled out his wand. He knew the wand movements and the incantation by heart. Aunt Mione was very anal retentive about proper pronunciation in spellwork. She made sure they knew the information, before going to Hogwarts. She wanted to give them a chance to get used to everything. It would make life easier. She'd said something along those lines, he couldn't remember details because she was talking a mile a minute.

Albus had never used a wand before, so he really didn't know if this would work. He hoped it would. He wasn't like Aunt Mione was when she was younger. Getting spells perfectly on the first try. Rose seemed more the type to succeed at that. Hopefully he didn't look like an idiot.

The Ministry could not detect underage magic being performed in heavily populated magical areas. He'd seen people would were certainly not old enough to have the Trace removed from them, doing magic on each other.

With a self assured nod, Albus pulled out his new wand.

His eyes narrowed on the books. He then focused on his wand. His magic had always been present within him. He could sense it, in a way. He knew when spells were being used, even when they had no visible effect on their subject. He could feel the magic working. When he realized he could sense his magic, he worked hard on it.

He was able to gather his magic into the point of his wand. When he was sure he had enough, he mumbled the words, "Wingardium Leviosa." It came out more like wing-GAR-dee-um levi-O-sa, but he still said it correctly. Aunt Mione drilled that into him at an early age.

The books moved! They slid right off the shelf and calmly into his outstretched hand. He gaped, looking between them and the shelf. He managed his first spell, on his first try! And no one was around to bloody well see it!

He huffed, shaking his head to get his bangs from his face. His first real act of magic - done with a wand of course - and no one would believe that he did it! Maybe he shouldn't say anything about it then. That would actually be good, since they weren't supposed to do magic - with wands - outside of school. He knew his Mum wouldn't be happy about breaking rules. Aunt MIone would feel the same. But then Dad and Uncle Ron would probably congratulate him. Still, he wasn't going to risk it.

The first-year-to-be placed the wand back into his pocket and left the section, looking for the next.

Hogwarts: A History was next on the list and luckily, this one was level to his head. He simply plucked the books from the shelf and continued on his way.

He and Rose met up several minutes later, when the shop was less crowded.

"I found all of mine, you?"

He nodded, looking down at the books in his arms. "We should get in line, this could take a while."

It did. The two had exchanged books, until both had what they each were required to bring with them. The wait took a good ten minutes of shuffling along the line as it grew shorter for them. One particular family had five children who wouldn't stop talking and giving their mother grief. She struggled to keep control of them while levitating the five stacks of books she had to purchase. Rose and Albus shared a look. Did their combined families look like that when they went out together?

After they patiently waited their turn in line, they were finally able to purchase their books and leave the shop, parcels packed neatly.

Albus stared at the letter from his father.

Dear Albus,

I will be meeting you, James, Rose, and the combined Weasleys in attendance, in the Headmistress' Office tomorrow afternoon, directly after lunch. The password will be set to 'Turtle Doves'. Everything will be explained then.

Your father.

Okay, so he was going to get a personal answer. Better than what he had hoped for.

His father was coming to Hogwarts to personally speak with him and his family. Wow.

Albus was nervous all the next morning. Classes went by in a haze for him, though he did remember answering questions and earning Slytherin some points. He couldn't remember said questions or how many points were earned though.

By lunch, he decided to forgo actually eating, because he was more focused on other things. He sat in the Library, working on an essay he'd been given for Potions, as he tried very hard to distract himself from the upcoming meeting. He was scared for some reason. Proven by his shaking hands and the fact that he could hear his own heartbeat. A cold feeling trickled down his spine.

He hated confrontations. Especially if James was going to be there to muck it all up. He always had to put his two Knuts worth in and ruin whatever it was that Albus was trying to say. Like Albus wasn't allowed to have his own opinion about anything.

He stood and placed his books and things in his satchel. The early bird caught the worn and he didn't want to be late. It was simply rude.

The Headmistress' Tower was only able to be entered from the third floor corridor on the left hand side. The stone gargoyle guarding the large circular staircase, was of a Gryphon. He slowly stepped onto the first step, placing himself between its wings while saying, "Turtle Doves."

The entire statue began moving, raising off the ground as the staircase lengthened and spiraled upward, before depositing him before two double doors, made of dark wood. Both had golden knockers.

He grasped a knocker and rapped it against the door a few times. There was no sound. No reaction. He looked down to his note from his father and conceded that he was about ten minutes early but shouldn't someone be there waiting?

He hesitated minutely, before opening the door and stepping inside.

The office, was probably the most fanciful of all he'd ever seen and he hadn't seen many. Still, it was large and circular, possibly more cylindrical than anything else. There were bookcases shaped to the walls and rows upon rows of portraits. Tables with silvery little bobbles floating on them and a pair of steps leading to a higher part of the adjoining room.

The eyes of the portraits followed his every move, not making his trepidation go away in the least. Didn't they have something else to do? Possibly talk to one another?

There he was, a little Slytherin first year, standing in the middle of an office and completely unprepared for the near future. He stood awkwardly, not knowing if he should take one of the seats in the other room or just stand there like an idiot and wait. He resolved to stand there and not touch a thing. He didn't want to find out if anything was spelled against foreign touch. He could only imagine the horrible things that would happen.

"Boy!"

He jumped and spun around toward where the voice was coming from. He hadn't seen anyone in the room and had assumed that he was alone except for the portraits. Had one finally decided to speak to him? Why?

"By the chairs, boy," the voice called out again.

He turned and walked deeper into the office, taking the seven stairs swiftly. He looked around again, still wondering where the voice was coming from and what the person who owned it, wanted with him.

"Over here."

He turned to his left and was faced with a portrait of Severus Snape. The former Headmaster of Hogwarts and the man whom his father seemed to find amazing. The man from the wizard card. The creepy looking man that he was named for.

"You are a Slytherin," the hook nosed man stated, obviously seeing the green on his robes and the crest on his left breast. He nodded to the man.

"You are not in trouble, are you? It is only the third day of term and Slytherin cannot afford to be affected by troublesome behavior."

Albus shook his head. "No. I was told be be here after lunch, with my other family members. I prefer to be early, sir."

Snape's dark eyes searched him thoroughly and he nodded slightly. "Your name, boy?"

Before he could answer, a man he knew all too well from old photographs, sidled up to Snape, coming in from another frame. Albus Dumbledore, his first namesake. Tall, old, with long silvery hair, and bright colored robes.

"Severus, do be a bit kinder, would you? He's just a boy. A first year at that."

Snape scoffed, "That was never an excuse when I was Head of Slytherin House. I did not allow such things and it would be prudent for him to learn such lessons early in life."

The older wizard sighed and shook his head, long silvery hair flowing from side to side. He peered over his half-mooned spectacles at Albus and smiled.

"Well then, my boy, may we know your name?"

Albus straightened instantly, chin tilting a bit. "I'm Albus, sir. Albus Severus Potter."

And there was a moment of silence as the two men in the portraits took in what he told them. Then Snape's head fell into his one hand and he mumbled while shaking his head back and forth, "Bloody sentimental Gryffindors."

Dumbledore though, was ecstatic. His eyes seemed to twinkle and Albus found himself wondering how they did that because he wasn't actually alive. He was just a bit of paint and magic. He shouldn't have been able to do that? Could portraits use magic? Oh Merlin!

"Nonsense, Severus! Why, I couldn't have chosen a better name myself!" the old wizard smiled cheerfully. Snape obviously didn't share in the excitement. He looked like he swallowed a lemon drop and moved too slow to spit it out.

The silence was interrupted by the opening of the office door and in walked James Sirius Potter. Albus found himself annoyed just by the way his brother walked. Swaggered more like. Like he owned the bloody place. Berk.

He promptly ignored his older brother, still angry for his actions the previous day. James was just a git and wasn't worth Al's time at the moment.

And James was walking around the room, touching things that weren't his and nearly giving Albus a heart attack every time something reacted to his presence. Something bad was going to happen, he just knew it.

And a moment later, in came a group of redheads and blondes.

Victoire, Dominique, Fred, Roxanne, Lucy, Molly, and Rose, who was escorting little Lily. Lily saw James first and ran over to him, throwing her arms around his midsection and smiling brightly. The others - sans Rose - were talking rather loudly over each other. Rose joined him and asked, "Too much?"

"James is touching things and he's got Lily doing it too!" Albus moaned, looking at his siblings with worry. Did they not know how to keep their hands to themselves? Was it really that difficult to respect other's belongings? Albus fretted over the thought of them getting into trouble, though he was annoyed with himself for even caring whether or not James was in trouble.

There was a gasp to his right and he saw Snape's portrait staring at his siblings in shock. Dumbledore then laid a hand on the other man's shoulder in what looked to be comfort. What was going on in their heads?

The door to the room opened again, revealing Louis, who took in the scene before him with a bland expression. He then swept up to where Rose and Albus were standing and gave them a measuring look, before turning and raising his fingers to his lips. He gave a very sharp whistle that had everyone going silent and turning to him expectedly. He stared at them imperiously, eyes sharp and unforgiving.

"Victoire Ahmes Weasley, Dominique Aria Weasley, Frederick Callum Weasley, Roxanne Beatrice Weasley, Lucille Jocasta Weasley, Molly Rhonwen Weasley, James Sirius Potter, and Lily Luna Potter, front and center beside Rose Lillian Weasley and Albus Severus Potter. Now!"

They all scrambled together, until they formed one long line that was just able to fit the width of the office. Louis was walking up and down their line slowly, eyeing each of them carefully. He had the eyes of an eagle. An icy blue that could spot any detail from a great distance. He was also unnerving to make eye contact with, especially when he was angry. He was a good Seeker because of that. And the fact that a look at him could have the strongest of men crying and wetting their trousers, was enough to cow them properly.

"Is this, how you all act when there is no adult supervision? I know for a fact that nine out of the ten out you, know very well how to comport yourselves at all times. There is only one person here who is exempt from this expectation. Albus!" Louis said suddenly, nearly making his young cousin flinch.

Albus stepped forward, breaking the even line. He turned his eyes toward his ⅛ Veela cousin and waited expectantly. Things like this happened often and family get togethers and parties. Even if only a few of them were misbehaving, he'd call them all together and give them a 'talk'.

"Who among you has the excuse of not knowing better?"

He didn't even need to think about it. "Lily," he answered quickly.

"Correct," Louis nodded. Albus sighed in relief and returned to his place in line, out from the scrutiny of those sharp eyes.

"Uncle Harry is already inside the castle and is making his way here with Headmistress McGonagall. He would be sorely disappointed at your actions. Especially you, James."

Albus looked over to his brother, who was rolling his eyes. That was not good and if he didn't watch himself, Dad would tell Mum and Mum would use that soap creating charm in his mouth. And then she'd make him do Kreacher's work. Was James an idiot?

Louis quirked a brow and stepped into James' personal space. "You are the eldest sibling in your immediate family and are expected to act accordingly. You are setting a terrible example for your little sister and brother. Lily is at an age where she will absorb the behavior patterns of the people around her and you are not helping her growth. A shame that your little brother, who has only been here three days and has had to deal with the shock of uncle's fame being thrust upon him, is handling himself better than you are."

Albus nearly groaned. That was not the way to get James to behave. Albus had always been a 'by the rules' sort of fellow and James was too often compared to him in terms of behaving. James was going to hold it against him forever because of that. It wasn't his fault that he was always worried about consequences. He didn't like getting into trouble!

Louis' further admonishment was cut off when the man they were all there to see, walked in with the Headmistress.

Albus' stomach tightened slightly at the sight of his father. He suddenly wasn't feeling so ready to get an answer.

"Louis, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry uncle, they decided to get a bit rowdy and needed a calm reprimand."

Albus watched as the center of the line parted to let his father through. Harry Potter faced them all with a nod and smiled lightly. Albus recognized it easily. Dad was embarrassed. Why?

"Thanks, Louis."

He looked around and Albus stared at the floor, promptly ignoring the man who named him.

"So, most of you are probably wondering why I came to speak to you all and I think we should be more comfortable."

He waved a wand that Albus did not recognized. White and oddly shaped. Several chairs appeared for them to sit in and they all reluctantly did so. Obviously this was story time.

Harry looked at the gathered nieces, nephews, and his own children. He leaned against the desk behind him, knowing that this story had to be told, no matter how much he didn't want to do it. Still, he owed it to his son and the rest of them deserved to know.

"So, most of you know about my fame, but you don't really know how I feel about it. I think it's time to tell you about my life."

He looked in Al's direction, but his son wasn't looking at him. He was staring at the floor. Harry sighed, hating how upset he made Albus.

"On 31 October, 1981, the Dark Lord known as Voldemort, entered my home and killed my parents who died protecting me. When he turned his wand on me, his curse failed and in turn, destroyed his own body. I was left with a scar," he explained, pointing to the scar on his forehead that had never faded.

"I was then taken from the house and flown to Surrey where I was deposited, late night in the beginning of November, on the doorstep of my mother's muggle sister, Petunia. She didn't find me till seven the next morning and told me there was only a blanket and a letter. She said she wasn't given a chance to not take me in.

Over the next ten years I was reminded that I was a burden to her life every day. She made me live in a cupboard under the stairs, forced me to clean and cook for her family and allowed her son to bully me constantly. I had no friends and my entire neighborhood hated me because of what she told them. She also had me believing that my parents were degenerates who died in a car crash."

He saw the older years sneer at that. They understood how callous the lie was. The younger years were frowning, but they surely didn't understand how hurtful Petunia's words had been.

Harry nodded.

"I didn't learn of magic until Hagrid had to physically track us down and hand it to me, because my uncle tried running away and burning the Hogwarts letters. He then proceeded to do what no one ever had. Give me my first birthday gift, my first ever birthday cake, let alone a cake period, told me I was magical, informed me that my parents died protecting me and that they loved me, and turned my entire life upside down in the course of an hour.

My relatives lied to me for ten years and unjustly withheld food from me for no reason. I was always punished for things I was certain I didn't do. I then learn that the people I had grown up not particularly liking, had been wonderful people and they cared about me, I felt terrible.

And then I learned during my trip in Diagon Alley, that I was famous for something I didn't remember. There I was, a child hated by everyone in my life, suddenly the focal point of others' attention. They knew who I was. They wanted to shake my hand. They smiled at me. It was odd. And then I had a vault from my parents. I didn't care about the wealth, just the fact that people I had spent years disliking for all the wrong reasons, cared about me enough to put so much away for me."

That moment had been a big deal in his life. One didn't just walk away from revelations such as those without emotional problems and he had many at that time. It took a while for him to come to grips with it all. It had hurt.

"My uncle locked all of my new things away until September first. I was left to learn what I could on the train ride there. I met a ginger who proceeded to inform me what Quidditch was and explained that chocolate frogs weren't really frogs. I was told that Slytherin's weren't good and only evil people come from that House. And the self-centered blond I had met in Diagon Alley only proved his words in my eyes when he barged into our compartment and was extremely rude. Pointing out my first human friend's hand me down clothing, which I saw nothing wrong with because I was forced to wear my cousin's hand me downs. He insulted the boy's family and their financial issues. I had grown up with nothing and didn't know I had any money to my name. I was unimpressed and I denied his 'attempt' at friendship.

My knowledge of the Hogwarts Houses was limited and it was my new friend and that blond, that decided for me. I didn't want to be there. If I was better informed, I wouldn't have denied the House when the Sorting Hat wanted to put me there. But I was given a biased view and from then on, I was Gryffindor."

He knew they all understood that. He'd made sure that Mione and Ron had told them that it was okay to be in Slytherin. That the House had changed and that there was nothing wrong with it.

"My life as the Boy-Who-Lived, was off and on. People liking me and exalting me one minute, then defaming me the next. I was a scapegoat for eighty percent of Wizarding Britain. I was Good, then the evil Heir of Slytherin, then a poor child being hunted by a mad man, then an Attention-Seeking-Brat, then a Liar, then the Chosen One who was going to kill the Dark Lord and save them all, then the Undesirable No. 1, and then the Savior-Who-Truly-Lived."

Harry gave an unamused smile. "The Wizarding World is unsurprisingly filled with backstabbers and people who are willing to sit back and allow a child to do the dirty work. I would have faced Voldemort regardless if there was a prophecy that decided my life for me. It was just annoying knowing that barely twenty percent of the magical world was going to help me. I didn't do it on my own and those who helped have been given proper attention, I made sure of it."

He turned to look at the portrait of Severus Snape, who was staring at him evenly. He looked slightly ill and annoyed. Dumbledore, who was sitting beside him within the portrait, was forlorn and apologetic.

"Fame is a fickle food and fleeting. It isn't everything it is cracked up to be. I didn't want you all to assume that you had the right to anything, just by being related to people who are known all around the magical world as heros. I do realize that we could have done everything differently, but to be honest, I had forgotten what it was like being a child.

People making decisions about my life without asking my permission of at least informing me about them first. I hated it. And I hadn't realized that what I was doing, was exactly the same. I lied to you all about my life. At least elevens years of lies for each of you and for that I am sorry. I felt that everything that happened in my years at school, would give you some hint as to what my life was like and I couldn't risk it. I'm sorry."

Albus had read sad stories. He's read books that made him angry at the world. He'd never before heard of a story like his Dad's and he felt himself becoming annoyed. He was angry and feeling betrayed only half an hour ago and now he couldn't help but agree with his Dad's actions, though they could have been done better.

But now he knew about it all. Now he knew what spurned his family into lying. And yes, the lying had hurt, but he felt that it was at least for a smart reason, not just to be spiteful.

It was sad to say, but James was cocky and arrogant and the way he talked of their Dad's fame, had Albus believing what the man had said about feeling obligated because they had famous family. James was a bit of a snob and walked about as if he owned the world. James was the kind of person Dad had tried to stop them all from becoming, and he had mostly succeeded.

He sighed. The Grey Lady had been right. Her mother had done what she did for a good reason, just as Albus' Dad did the same. But in this instance, Albus had the chance to accept his father's apology and move on with life, whereas the Grey Lady, had suffered centuries for her actions.

The boy sighed, knowing that he had to be mature and accept the truth for what it was. This was a part of growing up. People were going to lie and deceive him and he would have the choice to either repudiate them, or accept them and forgive their trespasses against him. Growing up was annoying, but he was getting there. So far, he was much further along than James was.

The others had been reassuring his father while he was thinking. He was the last person and everyone was staring at him when he finally came back to himself.

Here came the being mature part of the day.

"I'm not happy about this," he said, realizing that his voice was shaking. "I seemed to be the only one to notice the lies and am the only one still affected. However, a certain someone explained some things to me and I have taken her advice. I understand your reasoning and I accept that you thought your were doing what was best. I can forgive this, but I want it to be perfectly clear that I am a person, I have feelings and I am allowed to have my own. Bloody. Opinion."

He fixed James with a look as he finished his small monologue. Maybe the prat would pull his head out of his arse now.

Dad obviously noticed the tensions between them, because he took their attention once again. "James Sirius, I know that you are rather arrogant for your age and you are making a large mistake, because the last James Potter became a bully that a good percentage of the school did not like. It took me years to learn what he was truly like and even longer to stop despising him and realize that he wasn't one dimensional. He grew up and became a wonderful man true, but you are turning into what he was. A bully, and if your own siblings can't stand to be near you because of your attitude, you will eventually push your whole family away. Do you want that?"

Albus looked down, not even bothering to look at his brother. James would never learn because he very opinionated.

The Weasleys were dismissed, leaving the four Potters and the Headmistress.

"Lily, I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Dad said to the little redhead.

She smiled, "I already knew."

And they were all staring at her, waiting for an answer.

She shrugged. "I've used your Invisibility Cloak a lot, you never knew."

Albus' jaw dropped. That sneaky little… Dad looked ready to burst into giggles.

"Of course you're brilliant like that."

Albus stiffly accepted the hug his father gave him and nodded respectfully to the Headmistress and then to Severus Snape and Dumbledore, before leaving the office with James in tow.

He did not give his brother a chance to speak, because he was swiftly walking down the corridor, ignoring him.

The Slytherin Common Room was a welcome sight and he sighed in relief as he sat down on a plush sofa.

"A tense meeting?"

He jerked in surprise, having not heard anyone.

"Careful, Potter."

Scorpius sat down across from him and crossed his legs. "Everything is all worked out now?"

"How?" Albus asked, unable to find the words to form a complete thought.

"You left his letter open on your bedside table."

Well then.

"Fine. Everything is all okay now. James is still a prat though."

"Not surprising, he is older and a bit of a git, according to my cousin Daphne."

"Not a 'bit', he's completely a git."

The two shared a chuckle.

"Do we have a lot of assignments?" Albus asked, realizing that he hadn't paid much attention all day.

"No."

"Oh, good."

"Nott wants to play Wizard's Chess, are you game?"

Albus looked up. He was good at that game. "Bring it."

A/N: Another one done! I made up the middle names for everyone that wasn't specified.

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