Chapter Five: Albus

"Hey Albus? You gonna try for Seeker?" Asked James. James had calmed down after Albus had told him about Tom but Lupin however was still pestering him about if Tom was a Slytherin spy.

"Lupin. Look, Tom is not a Slytherin spy. He clearly didn't know anything about his life or even why people were being weird about him! Besides after I told him everything he told me Malfoy was going to try and get me in trouble, and if its true then I know that Tom isn't a spy!" Yelled Albus making sure none of the Slytherins crowding around Tom could hear.

"So… about Quidditch? Albus are you going to try out for Seeker? Because this is the only time you can until next year." James said.

"Sure, I'll try it out." Albus mumbled in response.

"Oi Potter! You flirting with your friends?" A voice came out of nowhere and Albus whipped his head around to see Malfoy and some other Slytherins standing behind him. James started growling and glaring at a tall boy behind Malfoy who could've been a senior version of Malfoy himself, the boy had a pointy chin just like Malfoy and messy blond hair, he was smirking more than Malfoy if that was even possible.

"Nice to see you James." Sneered the boy.

"What do you want Rodmin?" Asked James. Clearly this was Malfoy's cousin, Rodmin. Who was just like Scorpius. Albus saw Tom and the group shuffled around him turn around to see the drama going on. Tom looked at Albus as if saying you didn't listen to me, he's trying to trick you. Albus shook his head and said,"Malfoy you don't scare us."

"Oh look wee Potters trying to protect himself from us." Mocked Malfoy. The gang of Slytherins bunched around the two cousins, they all laughed in a chorus. Tom's gang just stood there looking at Albus to Malfoy. Albus whipped out his wand and pointed it at Scorpius. James took his and pointed it at Rodmin. Both of the cousins looked surprised and then both of them took out their wands.

"You be careful Potters, I know how to curse someone with nasty magic and you'll be stuck in with Madam Pomfrey, or in St. Mungo's where you should be." Rodmin said laughing. Just then Albus and Scorpius looked at each other and opened their mouths to jinx each other when Tom stepped in between both of them and took his wand out.

"Protego!" Yelled Tom and as if an invisible shield had popped out of nowhere and the boy's jinxes had blasted on the shield and hit the ceiling.

Lupin looked at Tom. James looked at Tom. Both Malfoy's looked at him and Rodmin blasted a curse at him.

"Rodmin!" Yelled Flipped. Tom was blasted back and was slammed against the rusty castle wall, Professor McGonagall was hurrying out of the Great Hall and had seen what Rodmin had done. She looked over at the limp and slumped body of Tom and then at Rodmin.

"Mr. Malfoy! What did you do to Mr. Riddle! Detention for both of you!" She gasped. Rose, the twins and Lucy had just arrived and looked wide eyed at Albus, James, Lupin and Tom with a face that Albus hoped he would never see again, fear. There was some groaning and people looked around to see Tom sitting up and looking around. Next a Hufflepuff came out and said the most surprising thing ever.

"Professor, Scorpius and Rodmin were going to jinx Albus and James and Tom came in and shielded them then Rodmin flipped him in the air."

"Thank you very much Ms. Kingston," McGonagall said.

"You two boys, Scorpius and Rodmin. My office." The two boys looked depressed and looked at James and Albus with a nasty look and walked away. Once they were gone Albus ran to Tom's aid and kneeled down beside him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Thanks for saving James and I back there. You were really brave."

"Tom are you sure your okay?" Asked a calm and soothing voice, Albus looked up and saw Rose, the twins and Lucy.

"Yeah. I'm fine, thanks for asking though Rose." Rose nodded and walked away with the twins and Lucy following her.

"Anyway, I gotta go I probably already missed a bit of Care of Magical Creatures. I think I have Potions next with Slughorn." Tom said wearily as he sat up.

"Yeah, we gotta get you there." Said James as he hoisted Tom and carried him to Professor Slughorn's classroom. Albus looked around for Lupin but found him nowhere. He was probably moping around because he was wrong about Tom.

When James and Albus dropped Tom at his class they ran towards the Quidditch pitch and James led him around as they waited for the Captain of Gryffindor and the rest of the try out members.

When they all got there Albus went up to the Captain. The Captain was a boy called Patrick Wood who had tussled sandy hair, he had a gangly but athletic body.

"Hello I'm trying out for Seeker today."Albus said.

"Ah, following in your fathers footsteps I see Albus, good man." Said Patrick, patting Albus on the back. "Your brother, good Keeper you know, barely lets the Quaffle in. Then, Theo and Sandra the Beaters, there great, Laurence, Walter and Cassandra our Chasers. But our Seeker was in his seventh and last year so we need a new one and you would make the perfect match for a new Seeker. Small and nimble, any good with a broom?" Explained Patrick. Albus was very surprised by Patrick talking so fast.

"Well my dad let me bring his Firebolt to school." Albus replied. Patrick's eyes suddenly lit up with glee.

"That's great! If you become Seeker you'll be the fastest Seeker! Unless, I heard they were releasing a new broom, and if Slytherin get that then we're doomed! But I bet we can still play on." Patrick was starting to remind him of the first Quidditch Captain his father told him about, Oliver Wood.

"Yeah, anyway I think we should get along with the try outs Wood." James had interrupted and saved Albus from talking to Patrick.

"Right. Stay focused."

"Anyway! I see all you faithful Gryffindors are trying out for becoming our next Seeker! The rules of the Seeker are very simple. All they must do is catch this, the Snitch." Patrick held up a minuscule gleaming golden ball, which must've been the Snitch.

"I want you all to grab a broom, you will have some time to practice flying your broom around. You will have the team inspecting you and correcting your positions and if you are struggling they will help you. I will explain everything afterwards. Of you go." Albus was surprised at how calm and serious Patrick sounded now. James had walked over to him and gave him a broomstick, not just any broomstick, his fathers Firebolt.

"Dad wanted you to have it in case you became Seeker." James said smiling.

"What about you?"

"I've got a Nimbus Two Thousand and I don't do much just flying around three hoops, do I?" said James now smirking at him.

"Take it, I want you on the team." Albus held the broom and felt where his father had touched the handle. He felt a connection and knew the broom had been through so much with his father.

"Well, test it, we are the children of two great Seekers, aren't we?" Albus smiled brightly and mounted the broom, breathing in and out he gulped and kicked the ground and ascended from the ground into the air.

It was the most amazing thing he had ever done, he forgot everything and what happened with Malfoy in the morning, he just felt so, free. It was like being a bird, soaring through the air, he was invisible on the Firebolt, and he could control the speed of how fast it was going so Albus was drifting through the air, closing his eyes and wondering how his father felt like riding through the air knowing he would catch the Snitch. Harry Potter, the youngest Seeker in a century, that's what he heard people used to call him. Albus picked up the pace and tried flying faster the wind was rustling through his hair now and he could see the castle, everyone above him were slowly shrinking, everyone was looking at him now, but Albus didn't care he felt free, and wanted to become the new Seeker, if he never got to use his father broom he would be devastated, he felt relaxed and calm. Next he heard the whistle go off and he slowly lowered himself to the ground while the other students were struggling to get down from their own brooms.

"Well done everyone, I think I spotted a few Seekers out there. Now we'll practice on your eye coordination. What we will do is I will release the Snitch and you will all have to try and find it with us flying around and the first person to find it, we will see if you would make a good Seeker." All the boys and girls started whispering but Albus stayed focused, it could be me! It could be me! He thought not uttering a single word.

"Get ready everyone, I'm going to release the Snitch and you will all go when I whistle." Albus braced himself.

"One." He got ready to kick of.

"Two." He looked at the Snitch, gleaming in the sun.

"PHEE!" Patrick blew in the whistle hard and some students flinched and missed their chance of flying up and getting a head start, all except Albus. He saw Patrick release the Snitch and loosen his grasp, the tiny ball now had sprouted delicate wings, almost invisible, they were going so fast that Albus was confused and distracted. He saw the Snitch zoom away, circling the pitch. Albus ascended again into the sky and raced after the Snitch, his hair was ruffling in the speed of the wind and his eyes were blinking fast, he was scared that something would get in his eye. He dared to look behind him and saw a girl with chestnut brown hair and freckles sprawled across her face. She had a determined look and was almost speeding ahead of Albus. On the other side of him, was another determined boy, but he was in his second year he was also very burly and looked as is he could pound Albus. Cautiously, the girl veered her broom to smash into him. The boy on Albus's other side then looked afraid and drifted away, Albus wondered why and looked around to see the girl speeding in his direction in a position to bump him of his broom.

Albus's eyes widened and he thought of a plan in his head, wherever he went the other people would. Albus glanced at the girl rapidly getting closer to him then he jerked his broomstick down to the grass and the girl was taken by surprise. Albus grinned and saw James at the 3 hoops looking at him and chuckling as he put his thumbs up. The girl shook on her broomstick and missed Albus and instead bumped into another first year and that child went tumbling down and hanging onto his broom as the girl helped him with her dazed and confused look. Albus searched above him and lifted his broom to the air and circled around the pitch, there it was! The golden blur was buzzing around like a hummingbird and was circling the pitch higher and higher. Albus shot into its direction and thought he had to get that Snitch, he had to become the Seeker.

There he was just an inch away from ball. He was pulled back and he looked behind him, was the boy that had flew away when the girl tried to bash Albus. The boy was grabbing the end of the Firebolt and pulling himself to Albus like he was climbing a vine. Albus tried to shake him off but the boys grip was to hard. Finally the boy released and pushed Albus back while he reached for the Snitch. Albus wasn't going to let him win, he was so close. Albus dived underneath the boy and saw the Snitch slowly flying away from the boy. His broomstick was to slow, Albus smiled and raced ahead of the boy and rose in front of him. He reached out and bit his lips, focusing all his concentration he boosted a little faster, his fingers were just brushing the golden surface. Then Albus saw the Snitch getting bigger and looked behind him, the boy was shrinking and shrinking, Albus was getting faster, he turned a sharp corner and shifted himself on his broomstick. Albus fell and toppled, but he caught it! He caught the Snitch! He was grasping it as he fell and felt a large blast of wind and saw his fathers broom coming towards him. Albus reached up to grab it but it was like grabbing air as he tried to catch it, he was falling and saw the emerald pitch getting even closer as he fell. WHOOSH! Someone had caught him as he had almost fell. Albus looked up at his hero and saw a boy with almond ruffled hair and a grin stuck to his face.

"James?" Albus moaned "You saved me?"

"Don't sound so surprised my dear little brother, its not the first time, is it?" James replied. As James slowly descended, the whole Quidditch team flew down on their brooms as well, helping the other students get of theirs. Patrick bolted over, with his Nimbus Two Thousand and a Firebolt, Harry's Firebolt. His fathers.

"It survived!" Gasped Albus, relived.

"Yeah, here you go," Patrick said, handing over the broom. "But look at this! We've found ourselves a Seeker! Thank you as well to the other students who participated in the try outs, Michelle, your going to be the substitute Seeker." Patrick nodded to the freckled girl who was behind Albus grunting and muttering.

"Right, well, everyone can return to their lessons, have a good first day at Hogwarts first years!" Patrick's voice rang over the students, but Albus didn't hear him, Albus was to happy, beyond happy.

"You'll get your kit in a lesson later," Mumbled James to Albus while exiting the pitch. "Nice job by the way."