Prologue II: Albus

Albus Severus Potter was lying on his bed in his room and stared at the ceiling. In three days, he would find himself on the Hogwarts Express, ready to go to Hogwarts. For years he had longed to go there, a longing that only increased when his brother had started there. But now, now with the moment so close, he was afraid. No doubt that if a boggart were to walk into his room, it'd look Hogwarts-related.

He had big shoes to fill. His father had been The Chosen One. During his time at Hogwarts he had performed innumerable feats of heroism, or perhaps stupidity, but those seemed to be rather closely related, especially for Gryffindors. Regardless, Albus doubted he'd come even close to rivalling those deeds. For one, as his brother had pointed out, they were lacking a dark lord.

However, above all, Albus was afraid of a more basic thing, namely the Sorting. Not because of the procedure. His father had made it very clear that James' tales about fighting a troll was just mere fantasy, though according to his uncle Ron, facing a troll as a first year was perfectly doable. No, he was afraid of the outcome. His parents had been Gryffindors, as had been most of their friends. And so was his brother. But Albus wasn't James, or his father. He would never dare to sneak around in the castle at night and face down professors and dark wizards. He doubted very much he would possess the courage for that. He doubted very much he was Gryffindor enough for that.

Admittedly, not being sorted in Gryffindor wouldn't be the end of the world. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had all yielded fine wizards and witches. The problem was that not being a Gryffindor meant you could be a Slytherin. Sure, everyone said there was no problem with Slytherins. Everyone said Slytherin had changed. Everyone said they were good now. But he knew that everyone who said that, was relieved when their child didn't get sorted into Slytherin and then promptly told said child to stay away from the Slytherin students. They were budding dark wizards. At The Battle of Hogwarts they had shown they were untrustworthy and Albus doubted they'd gotten rid of that image in the meantime.

Albus' musings were interrupted when his door burst open and a girl with brown hair stormed in. Rose.

"Al! Why are you sitting up here? Did James do something mean again?" Rose exclaimed as she walked up to him.

"Good to see you too Rose. I see you still haven't gotten the fine art of knocking down," Albus replied as he got up from his bed and gave his cousin a hug. He tried to give her a quick one, but Rose hugged him fiercely and only let him go after several seconds. Albus gasped for air as his cousin continued to speak.

"Come on. Tell me why you are brooding up here and leaving me with the boring adults downstairs? We are almost going to Hogwarts, something you've been unable to shut up about for four years. Don't tell me you don't want to go all of a sudden!"

"I want to go Rose, I really do. But I'm afraid to let people down."

"Let people down? Al, you'll do great! You're smart! Though clearly not smart enough to stop this silly worrying. Sure, I'll be top of the class, but everyone expects that. There's nothing wrong with being second best, especially as James is not event tenth best," Rose giggled.

"That's not exactly the reason why I was hiding up here, but thanks for raising another concern Rose," Albus replied, "no, I'm afraid of…ah, forget it, it's silly."

"That it no doubt is, but that's no reason not to tell me. Even silly worries need to be dispelled and I'm the best at it. Now, speak up. That's an order."

Albus grimaced. He knew Rose all too well. Her orders were either followed immediately, or after several hours of her badgering you to comply. Even his brother James, who stood up to professors gave in to her. He took a deep breath, dropped down on his bed and spoke with downcast eyes.

"I'm afraid I'll not be in Gryffindor, but in Slytherin," he whispered.

"What? Why? Don't tell me you're a dark wizard and you've been hiding that all along?" Rose exclaimed with a mischievous grin, "I knew that pet rock of yours was a Horcrux! You were always too protective of it."

"See? That's exactly why I'm afraid. I might end up in Slytherin and then everyone will think I'm evil. I'm not, but who knows what that barmy old hat will decide? It's been set on fire after all; maybe it's been deranged ever since."

"Al, I was just joking. But really, your concerns are silly, as I said."

"I know Rose, you're always right after all," Albus muttered but Rose for once did not rise to the bait.

"Exactly, and that's why I'm right now too. Your concerns are silly for several reasons. One, you're a perfect fit for Gryffindor! Remember when we went to see Hagrid and he showed us Buckbeak? No one dared to; we were all terrified, even your big-mouthed brother James. But then you stood up and petted him. You'd even flown on him if your mom hadn't stopped you."

"I only did that because I was afraid to hurt Hagrid's feelings. And I expected mom to stop me before I got on the beast. There was nothing courageous about."

"Nothing courageous? Please Al, did you see his claws? We all heard my dad's tales about how Buckbeak once nearly eviscerated Draco Malfoy. What you did took real courage. You should stop trying to play down your accomplishments though, or the hat will put you in Hufflepuff. Anyway, second reason, even if the hat's barmy, it must have some sense of self-preservation. I'm sorted first. I will give it a stern talking to and tell it to put you in Gryffindor unless it wants to get beaten up by me. And I might be short, but I can definitely take a hat."

"Okay, sure, threaten the hat. Then it will definitely put you in Slytherin, as well as me."

"Thirdly," Rose continued, "there's really nothing wrong with being put in Slytherin, no matter what my dad says. Did you hear James gush about the Defence against the Dark Arts professor? He used to be a Slytherin, he's even their head of house now, and everyone loves him. Times have changed Al. Voldemort's dead, the Death Eaters have been arrested and Slytherins aren't bad anymore."

"Yeah, Ravenclaws are the real problem, or at least that kid Davis," James shouted as he walked into the room, "real annoying blighter that is. He's the one who sold me out to professor Bakshi, I just know it. He's the only one who could have seen me hex the tables…Sorry, am I interrupting something?" James asked as the two younger kids stared at him.

"We're mostly wondering why you barged in here all of a sudden," Rose remarked, "as that's quite impolite. Everyone knows I'm the only one allowed to do that."

"Oh, dad sent me. He wanted to know why you were hiding up here instead of being downstairs. I was wondering myself. After all, I'm downstairs and there's no reason why you wouldn't want to be close to the coolest person ever," James declared, "unless you went up here hoping I would come find me so you could have me all to yourself."

"Of course," Albus muttered dryly.

"We're just up here because Al's being silly."

"Of course, he's always silly. You'll have to be more than specific than that though," James asked in a manner he no doubt thought was sly. Albus mouthed a quick don't at Rose but either she didn't see it, or didn't care.

"He's afraid of being in Slytherin," Rose answered.

"Al? In Slytherin? My little brother? That's ridiculous! You're a Gryffindor if I ever saw one," he said as he ruffled his younger brother's hair, "remember that time you told that Muggle kid from the down the street you'd beat him up if he teased Lily one more time? He was almost a head taller than you and still you stood up for your sister. No, you'll be a Gryffindor. Especially as after he had beaten you to a pulp, you repeated your warning."

"Wow…thanks James," Albus stammered, surprised by his brother's unusual thoughtfulness.

"Don't thank me yet, because if you think I won't tease you about this right until the Sorting, you're dead wrong. Now, let's go downstairs before dad worries if we've all been eaten by your new owl. Have you given her a name yet?" James asked with a wave at the snow owl who was dozing in her cage.

"You haven't named her yet?" Rose said, "but you've had her for a week now."

"I wanted to get it right. I'm going to have her for a long, long time after all."

"Especially as the best name's already been taken by yours truly. And I'm warning you, the universe can't handle the awesomeness of two owls called Sir Delivers-Mail-A-Lot," James interjected

"No, I would never do that James. One, she'd be Lady Delivers-Mail-A-Lot and secondly, everyone would just abbreviate it anyway. Everyone calls your owl Mail and that's just daft," Albus said.

"Hey, it's not my fault you people abbreviate his name. I should tell him to peck you for not properly respecting him. And at least he has a name, unlike a certain snow owl I know!"

" I've reached a decision last night actually," Albus declared proudly, "her name's Hedwig."

"Hedwig? That's great," Rose said.

"A bit unoriginal but very thoughtful of you. I think dad's been getting a bit demented lately so it's good you used a name he already knows," James added, "very cunning. Almost…Slytherin of you! I wonder what the Sorting Hat will think of that."