CHAPTER TWO

THE MUGGLE HATER'S SON

Elphias Doge's dragon pox symptoms began to clear out by the end of their first week at Hogwarts. Albus would've been lying if he didn't admit to himself that it was of tremendous relief. Elphias' spark-inducing sneezes were not just startling, but somewhat dangerous as well. On their third day Elphias accidentally sneezed fifth-year prefect Jarred Snidegrass' cloak on fire. Comical at first, it quickly devolved into a chaotic mess of scrambling feet, shrieking confusion, and furious disapproval from the prefect.

Albus and Elphias shared virtually the same schedule for lessons, though where one attended Transfiguration the other went to Charms. The first two weeks of term seemed to whizz by in a flash, and the homework which they were assigned threatened to pile up quickly if it wasn't managed well.

In potions class with Professor Sharp, Albus and Elphias learned how to brew the incredibly useful Wiggenweld potion. They discovered not just the healing properties that the concoction offered for minor injuries, but also its ability to act as an antidote to the sleeping draught or draught of living death.

Albus remembered scanning over the list of required ingredients and almost giving up before they even began; dittany, billywig sting slime, seven chizpurfle fangs, horklump juice, ten lionfish spines, and wolfsbane amongst many others. What seemed to be an insurmountably complex potion to brew soon proved to be more than manageable however, and even though Elphias struggled for a time to produce the desired color and consistency which were up to Professor Sharp's standard, Albus was successful in doing so on his first try. He assisted Elphias as well so as to help him get good marks, which earned them a, "students would do well to remember that this is an individual assignment, not a group endeavor," from Professor Sharp.

In herbology, taught by Professor Garlick, Albus learned about Devil's Snare and its natural resistance to sunlight, as well as Bouncing Bulbs and their proclivity for slapping the student attempting to handle it. His face was awfully sore in the days following that lesson, whereas Elphias had avoided coming into contact with them altogether. Albus was held back after class on one occasion and praised by Professor Garlick for having an 'outstanding eye for the individual needs of any given plant.' For that, Albus had earned Gryffindor ten points.

At Hogwarts nothing ever seemed mundane. Every lesson was unique in its own right, and every class had its own interesting possibilities or educational pursuit to keep Albus interested. Each lesson offered an extracurricular option as well, with various clubs or interest groups oftentimes available to utilize. Though his lessons gave him plenty of opportunity to keep his mind focused and away from the pressing concerns of his family at home, it seemed some of the students insisted on bringing it to the forefront of his attention.

Perhaps a week after the sorting ceremony Albus began to hear malicious mutterings amongst the other students. It began with innocent stares and hushed whispers, but eventually the fact that he was the object of their ridicule became quite clear after he overheard a student discussing 'the muggle-hater's son'. They're talking about father, Albus realized. Even worse, they were talking about him. It was humiliating, fury-inducing, and it made him want to run all at the same time.

It was true; his father was now rotting away in Azkaban, but not for the reasons everyone believed he was. His father had done something terrible, Albus could admit that much, but there had been a spark that had lit the match beforehand. One that, due to the circumstances involving his sister Ariana, could not and were not brought to light. Therefore it was an unfortunate situation painted by incomplete information, and he couldn't do anything to prove that to anyone. It was perhaps the worst feeling in the world, and Elphias caught on rather quickly that Albus was struggling with something internally.

One weekend evening in the Gryffindor Common Room Elphias waited late into the night until only he and Albus remained. After everyone else turned in for the night, he turned towards his friend and admitted that he had heard the rumors and speculation running through the corridors of the school. Albus had very nearly become defensively hostile with his new friend, but when Elphias took well to his explanation of a fuller story not known to those outside of his family, Albus cooled.

It felt refreshing to know that, in Elphias, Albus had a true friend whom he could most assuredly trust. He wasn't sure anyone else could say that about those who they called their friends. After this new understanding between them, the whispers and mutterings amongst the other students became more bearable to endure.

"Err— they can't seriously expect us to get all of this done! It's like each professor has no idea that we have other classes with loads more homework," Elphias complained one morning. The Gryffindor Common Room emanated a light buzz of chatter, crackling flames, and the gentle knock of magical chess pieces.

Albus shrugged. "It's a lot, but nothing that can't be managed."

"That's easy for you to say. You heard what that shabby old hat said: the castle would be made brighter by your mere presence!"

"That's not what it said," Albus retorted. Deep down however, Albus wondered why the hat had given him praise when it had refrained from doing so with all of the other students. Was there something special about him? Or was the hat simply wrong? Perhaps it had at least gotten one thing right, that only time would tell.

Albus fiddled with a letter in his hands which was addressed from Kendra Dumbledore, his beloved mother. That morning in the Great Hall he received it from a dangerously low-flying owl, but he was hesitant to open it and read its contents. There wasn't much in the way of good news that was likely to come from home, but he knew that sooner or later he must open it and see.

"Why don't you just open it," Elphias asked. His eyes just barely appeared above a large stack of homework he had piled in front of himself. Albus felt it odd that he was being spoken to by a pair of eyes. Yet he knew his friend's eyes were right.

With a deep sigh Albus opened the letter from his mother and read the contents.

Dear Albus,

I hope your first weeks at Hogwarts are going well. Surely you've managed to make more than a few friends as well? During my time there I found that the school is only ever as good as you make it, and friends are a vital part of that rule. There will be time enough for homework and lessons, so don't forget to spend some time with your classmates. Things here at home are manageable. Your brother Aberforth decided he was going to get into a fight at school and risk exposing his magic as well. I gave him a firm scolding, but he's too young now to understand it all yet. Like you, he's had a tough time adjusting to life after what happened with your father. Though out of us all I think it's been Ariana whose struggled the most. Poor girl. She misses you Albus. We all miss you, even Aberforth. He may not show it but I can tell just when he's wishing he had his older brother. Don't let any of this be an obstacle for you though Albus. You just focus on your education, on learning what it takes to be a great wizard and represent yourself well. With any luck you'll have a promising road ahead following your time at Hogwarts. You could make us no prouder than by exceeding expectations in your courses and becoming the wizard you were always meant to be. There's something special about you Albus. I know all mothers are like to say that about their children, especially their oldest, but I know it to be true in this case. You're going to be an exceptionally gifted wizard, and don't you believe otherwise for a second. If anyone should make you feel any differently, you give me names and I'll write to their parents quicker than you can imagine. That oughta sort them out. Regardless, I had best return to your sister now. She is going through another troublesome phase again. Write me back! I should love to hear what sort of adventures you've been up to.

Sincerely,

Mother

Albus looked up from the letter to see Elphias watching him intently. "So?"

"Not so bad," Albus admitted. He folded the letter and stuck it in his robes.

"What is your family like? Do you have brothers and sisters?" Elphias moved a stack of neglected homework to see him better.

"One brother and a sister. My mother says they're not doing so good, but she seems to be handling it just fine. That, or she's putting on a face to make me feel better," Albus said. "Likely the latter."

"Well there's not much to be done about it anyways is there? You're at Hogwarts now, and you have to focus on your studies. Besides, you can always go and visit them on Christmas holiday. And you'll see them over the summer as well. All hopes not lost for them," Elphias reassured.

Albus supposed his friend was right, but it still concerned him that Ariana wasn't doing so great. Aberforth was to be expected. He had always been the disagreeable type worth picking a fight over the most petty of circumstances, but Ariana lacked the same level of agency. She was what the world was making her. Albus gave his friend only a curt nod, and then stood up from his seat by the fire. "I'm going to go study down by the lake. Might be a bit more quiet down there."

Elphias, generally understanding as he had proved to Albus to be, understood completely and nodded his head. Albus took his leave then and exited the common room. He carried a bag over one shoulder to hold his books and homework, and made his way out of the castle after descending the moving staircases and exiting through the courtyard.

Down by the shoreline of the black lake, just beyond the face of the forbidden forest, sat a secluded spot away from prying eyes. It offered a gorgeous view of the lake, the boathouse situated in the middle of it as an extension off of the rocks which served as the castle's foundation, and an overturned tree for sitting. Albus took a seat where he thought the wind least likely to disturb him or his parchments.

The secluded shoreline allowed him to focus on his homework in peace, but not for long. Miraculously, as though he was being followed rather than discovered by coincidence, a student appeared out of the forest behind Albus. He appeared to be an older Hufflepuff boy, maybe a fourth or fifth year, with a long hooked nose, black hair, and a pair of thick eyebrows which crowned sunken, solemn eyes.

"There you are," the boy said. He had been following him after all. "Now I've got you."

Albus stood up from his spot and slowly moved his hand towards his wand, which was tucked into his robes. "Got me? Are you alright?"

"I will be! I know about your father. I know that you're just like him! He was a muggle hater. A pureblood supremacist! There's no place at Hogwarts for people like you. There's no place for hate!" The boy raised his wand towards Albus.

"I don't hate muggles. I don't hate anyone. You have no idea what happened with my father, and you don't know anything about me. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I have nothing but respect for muggleborns." Albus snatched his wand from within his robes and raised it in defense, but he was too late. A flash of blue emanated from the boy's wand and blasted him in the chest. Albus felt the wind escape his lungs, and the earth left his feet below him. He felt as though he had flipped once or twice over, and then he landed with a violent crash into the frigid waters of the black lake.

Albus struggled to regain his breath. He took big empty gasps, desperate for air but finding none. Eventually he caught his breath and turned around to see the boy approaching from the shoreline. Albus desperately thrashed around in the water, searching for his wand. Somehow he felt it with his fingers and clasped his wand with his hand. Turning around, Albus shouted the first spell he could think of in the moment; one which he had only read about briefly in one of his school books, "expelliarmus!"

The boy's wand flipped out of his hand and into the air. It created an arc between them and Albus caught it in the air. Without a second thought he turned and threw the wand as far as he could muster into the depths of the lake.

With the threat of further attacks gone, the boy slowly backed away, regained the shoreline, and turned to flee. "This isn't the end, muggle hater!"

Albus watched the boy retreat into the forest before he returned to the spot where he had been sitting. To his dismay, his homework was ruined. In the attack it seemed as though some of it had been blown away, or torn completely. He hung his head in defeat, his body still trembling in the teeth-chattering wind which whipped away at his wet robes without mercy.

All things considered, Albus was impressed with himself that he was able to cast such a powerful spell upon his first try. He examined his wand, the dagaz rune handle, the finely carved dark wood, and the length, which was longer than most wands he had seen. To Albus, this wand looked as though it was made to cast especially powerful magic. As though only a true master of the arts should wield it. He wasn't sure why he felt this way, but it certainly made him feel powerful.

He collected all of the parchments he could find. Some were torn, others soggy and wet after having fallen into the lake. Others had simply been tossed about in the wind, or were lost in the trees. He cursed himself for having the idea of coming down here to study. He should've known some fool would be bold, or stupid, enough to follow him here. Albus knew that they were fearful of him and his family, and when people were afraid they often did stupid things.

Back in the common room Elphias had gone, and his homework with him. Albus set down his messy stack of papers and began to sort what he had. After what seemed like hours, but was more likely to have been mere minutes, he realized the hopelessness in such a task. The pages which had gotten wet were fading and could not be read clearly or identified. Other pages were torn and their counterpart pages lost somewhere down by the black lake.

Thinking back on the boy who had attacked him, Albus felt a sudden surge of regret and shame. The image of a wand floating aimlessly in the waters of the black lake sprang to mind. That was not a memory he wished to have, nor was it an action he was proud of. If there was one thing he had learned from his mother and father growing up it was that it is the choices you make that define you. Did he really want to be the kind of wizard who destroyed and took away? Or did he want to be a creator and a giver? A healer with a compassionate heart? He knew the answer to those questions, and so he begrudgingly rose from his seat and began the journey back down to the black lake.

To his amazement, after only a minute or two of gazing out at the waters of the lake where he had been attacked, Albus spotted the boy's wand. It appeared as though it had been lapped up onto the rocks at his feet, carried in by the gentle waves of the lake. It was as though Hogwarts itself was willing to provide him that which he needed. He stooped down, grasped the wand in his hand, and tucked it into his robes.

He made a promise to himself. He was going to be a wizard that everyone else could look up to. He was going to be a giver, not a taker, and he would win the hearts of others with kindness and understanding, not rule them with defensiveness and wrath. As soon as he next saw the boy who had attacked him, Albus was going to give him back his wand.