Albus Potter and the Founders Room - 2. Chapter 2 (What's in a Name)

As always I am a 26 year old gay guy and in no way am I J.K. Rowling nor to I, even in part, own the Harry Potter series or any writes to it. Those belong to Ms. Rowling and Time Warner. However as I am not charging you to read this I am well within the law to play in her world for a little while. To reiterate I own nothing (except my original characters and the unique story I’m telling), and Ms. Rowling owns everything (else). Just a warning this chapter will contain actual quotes from the final chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows which I do not own. I could not tell the story accurately without using some of Ms. Rowling words. Don’t flame me it isn’t plagiarism I am telling you it isn’t mine. If it helps think of it as quoting. Now that that is out of the way I just want to say thanks to those who have commented and I hope you will like my new chapter.

“I won’t, I won’t be in Slytherin!” young Albus Potter yelled at his brother.

“James, Give it a rest!” said his mother, Ginny.

“I only said he might be,” said his annoying brother James as he grinned manically at his younger brother behind his mothers back. Albus knew James liked to tell him crazy and probably fictional stories about his first year at Hogwarts just to freak Albus out about going to the school, but he couldn’t help getting all worked up by his brother. James just had this knack for driving people into fits especially his younger siblings.

“There is nothing wrong with that. He might be in Slyth –“

James started but caught his mother’s eye and fell silent. As the five Potters approached the barrier between 9 and 10 James through a cocky look over his shoulder at Albus, grabbed his trolley from his mother, and bolted through the apparently solid wall.

“You’ll write to me, won’t you?” Albus asked his parents knowing he sounded like a baby but not really caring as long as his brother wasn’t around to see him.

“Every day, if you want us to,” said his mother.

“Not every day,” said Albus quickly, he wasn’t that much of a baby. “James says most people only get letters from home about once a month.”

“We wrote James three times a week last year,” said his mother with a smile.

“And you don’t want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh your brother,” his father, Harry added as if Albus didn’t know.

Side by side his father and he walked through the barrier, with Albus wincing as he passed through. As they emerged onto platform nine and three-quarters, there vision was obscured by thick white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express.

“Where are they?” asked Albus impatiently trying to see through the dense vapor. He vaguely thought he heard his Uncle Percy arguing about broomstick regulations but was not about to stop and talk to him.

“I think that’s them, Al,” said Ginny abruptly as four people made their way through the mist with their very own trolley of stuff. It was one of Albus’ other Uncles, Ron, his wife Aunt Hermione, his cousin Hugo and his cousin and best friend Rose, who was also starting Hogwarts this year.

“Hi,” said Albus, he was immensely relieved that he had Rose with him. Rose for her part had a huge grin on her face and was looking eager at the prospect of a new adventure; she was even already in her Hogwarts robes.

“Parked all right, them?” asked Albus’ Uncle Ron asked his father. “I did. Hermione didn’t believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I’d have to Confund the examiner.”

“No I didn’t,” said Albus’ aunt defensively “I had complete faith in you.”

Albus’ father and his uncle began loading Rose and Al’s trunks and owls onto the train and Hugo, Rose’s brother and Al’s sister started arguing about which houses they would be in when they finally got to Hogwarts. And then as if Albus hadn’t been freaking out enough about his future house his Uncle came over.

“If you’re not in Gryffindor, we’ll disinherit you,” his uncle said “but no pressure.”

“Ron!” Yelled Hermione and Ginny together, “He doesn’t mean it,” Lily and Hugo just laughed, but Rose and Albus looked green. Ron and Albus’ dad were no longer paying attention; they were looking at a family of three that had just appeared out of the steam. The adults were all giving each other a look, but Albus didn’t pay attention to any of it. He was mesmerized by the blond haired boy walking toward him. It was the same boy that Al had knocked over in the Flourish & Blotts. The boy looked almost as afraid as Albus felt, and was sort of hiding behind his mother, and Albus knew he had to get to know him. Albus couldn’t believe that this boy was going to be at Hogwarts too. But he really should have known, I mean why else would a boy his age be buying Hogwarts school books, if he wasn’t going to the school. But Albus couldn’t help but wonder would they be friends, and what was his name?

As if in answer to his unspoken question, Albus’ uncle said, “So that’s little Scorpius. Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you got your mother’s brains.”

“Ron for heaven sake, don’t turn them against each other before they’ve even started school!” Aunt Hermione said in mock seriousness. But Al wasn’t paying attention again. He was saying the boy’s name over and over again in his head ‘Scorpius, Scorpius.’ It sounded like the name of a hero from one the Muggle fantasy novels Al loved to read.

“Hey!” James said breaking Albus out of fantasies about a beautiful blond wizard.

“Teddy’s back there,” James said breathlessly, “Just seen him! And guess what he’s doing? Snogging Victoire!” He paused for a moment then continued. “Our Teddy! Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our Cousin!” He said trying to pull in Albus and Rose. “And I asked Teddy what he was doing –“

“You interrupted them?” asked Al and James’ mother “You are so like Ron—“

“--- and he said he’d come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He’s snogging her,” he repeated himself in exasperation at everyone’s apparent lack of enthusiasm at his gossip.

“Oh, wouldn’t it be lovely if they got married!” whispered Lilly. “Teddy would really be part of the family then!”

“He already comes round for dinner about four times a week,” said Al’s dad, Harry. “Why don’t we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?”

“Yeah! I don’t mind sharing with Al – Teddy could have my room!” Said James excitedly. Albus didn’t know how he felt about this new living arrangement.

“No,” his dad said thankfully quashing any possibility of a brotherly room share “you and Al will share a room only when I want to house demolished.” He checked his watch which was older than Al and said, “It’s nearly eleven, you’d better get on board.”

“Don’t forget to send Neville our love!” Al’s mom said to James as she gave him a hug. He squirmed out of her hold and said, “Mum! I can’t give a professor love!”

“But you know Neville –“she started to say but James just rolled his eyes.

“Outside, yeah, but at school he’s Professor Longbottom. Isn’t he? I can’t walk into Herbology and give him love….” He said shaking his head at his mother’s silliness, and then aimed a sharp kick at Al and ran off with a backwards shout of “See you later, Al. Watch out for the thestrals.”

This started Al on another panic, weren’t they invisible, shouldn’t he only be able to see them if he saw someone die. “I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!” He said accusingly at his parents.

“Thestrals are nothing to worry about,” His father said calmingly, “They are gentle things, there’s nothing scary about them. Anyway you won’t be going up to the school in the carriages; you’ll be going in the boats.”

His mother gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, “See you at Christmas.”

“Bye, Al,” Harry said giving his son a hug. “Don’t forget Hagrid invited you to tea next Friday. Don’t mess with Peeves. Don’t Duel anyone until you’ve learned how. And don’t let James wind you up.”

As his father was giving him his last advice he was getting more and more nervous about what house he would be in. Would he indeed be in Slytherin as his brother had taunted, and what if he was, would his dad be mad. He had been a Gryffindor just like James and was so proud when he heard that James had been sorted into his old house.

“What if I’m in Slytherin?” Albus asked in a whisper. His father crouched down and gave the boy a very strange look staring straight into his eyes.

“Albus Severus, you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.”

“But just say –“

“--- then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won’t it? It doesn’t matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you’ll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account.”

“Really?” He asked much relieved. Why would he ever want to be in a house separate from his family?

“It did for me,” said his father. This was the first time Albus had heard this. Surely James would have told him if his father had mentioned it to him. This was too big of news for his blabbermouth brother not to spill. But that was a thought for another time, the doors to the train were slamming and parents were saying their last goodbyes. Albus noticed that everyone on the platform and hanging out of the train was staring at his family.

“Why are they staring?” Albus said, couldn’t his family get a moments peace. No matter where they went in the Wizard world people would stare or ask his father for an autograph or picture. It was super annoying.

“Don’t let it worry you,” his Uncle Ron said. “It’s me. I’m extremely famous.”

At this Albus, Hugo, Rose and Lilly all laughed. As the train started moving Albus’ father started walking along the side of the train just staring at him. He just kept smiling and waving for as long as Albus could see him. And Albus stood at the door to the train long after his cousin left to find a carriage and King’s Cross Station faded from view.

“I am going to be all right,” Albus said with newly acquired courage. A grin spread across his face as he thought about where he was finally off to, and then he turned and shut the door.

The train seemed to be packed to overflowing with students all jostling to find an open carriage. The raucous noise of students getting reacquainted after the long summer break was a little overwhelming. Albus pushed and shoved his way through the aisle trying to find to someone he knew. It was because of the crowded train and the fact that Albus wasn’t paying attention that he ran smack into the back of a tall long haired boy who was wearing a first year tie just like Al.

“Woe mate,” The boy said as he helped Albus up off the floor “you all right?”

“Yeah sorry I was looking for my family and I guess I really need to start watching my step,” Albus apologized as he adjusted his twisted robes.

“It’s alright, I wasn’t exactly paying attention myself,” He said jerking his head in the direction that he had been staring before. In front of the boys some of the seventh year girls were using magic to float three roses and slowly separate the petals. As the petals detached they would begin orbiting the three roses.

“Isn’t it so cool?” the boy said in awe.

Albus stared at the girl’s wand movements analyzing how they swished and flicked in a rotating pattern, and how each girl’s pattern was purposefully just out of sync with the other two.

“It’s an expansion on the basic levitation charm,” said Albus barley paying attention to the boy anymore, as he studied the pattern that the girls were using, “the cool part is the pattern of the flicks and swishes of their wands.”

“What?” The boy said staring at Al as if he had grown an extra head.

“Oh,” Al said blushing and enviously trying to smooth down his constantly messy hair. He didn’t usually like showing off especially in front of people he didn’t know but the spell was so beautiful in its complex simplicity that he had been mesmerized for a second. Albus loved spell craft and read every article he could get on the newest and most cutting edge spell craft research.

“It’s just the part that is so cool isn’t the spell itself. That’s something they will teach us in first year. The cool part is how the three of them are using an oscillating wand movement pattern which recent studies have shown gives more control and power to a spell, and how they are using an out of sync pattern so they are each building spell power separately and maintain spell integrity. I’ve read about this technique in Spellman’s Quarterly but I’ve never seen it preformed.”

“Again I say, ‘what?’” the other first year said to him now with a slight smile.

“Oh that’s just Al,” said Rose as she walked up behind the two boys smiling at her furiously blushing cousin. “He is obsessed with spell craft, and always has his nose in some book or other, but that’s nothing you should see how he is with potions.”

“Shut up Rose, we both know you are way better with potion stuff than I am,” Al said giving his cousin a playful punch in the arm. “And it’s not like your nose isn’t buried just as deep in your books.”

“True,” she said with a grin. “And I’m glad you can admit I’m better than you.”

“Only at potions!” Al said sticking his tongue out at his cousin.

“Wait you guys have done magic?” West asked looking scared.

“Well, only a little” said Albus.

“Yea we mostly have brewed a few potions with our grandma’s help, and a few spells with our parents’ wands,” added Rose.

“But it’s not like they were keen on letting use do magic,” explained Albus.

“We mostly had to borrow their wands when they weren’t looking,” Rose said and shot a conspiratorial grin at her cousin.

“So I take it you guys’ parents must be wizards too,” the boy said starring back and forth between the cousins.

“Yeah,” Al said with an awkward smile. It was then that Rose elbowed him and gave him a pointed look and then stared at the new boy.

“Oh,” said Al taking the hint “This is Rose . . . wait what was your name?”

“Oh come on, you haven’t even introduced yourself and you are already showing off your freaky brain, and our complete disregard for authority,” Rose said and then smiled widely at the new boy. “My name is Rose, and my harebrained cousin is Albus but you can call him Al.”

“I’m Eric Weston, but you can call me West,” He said flipping his long curly brown hair out of his face.

“Nice to meet you West, “Rose said sweetly. “You should come and sit with us in our carriage it’s just down here. Come on Al your stuff is already there.”

The trio made their way up the aisle of the train until they got to a carriage almost at the engine. As Rose stared to open the carriage two boys threw the door open.

“Fine blood-traitor see if you get any other offers,” said the bigger of the two boys as he shoved past the three first years with a murmur of “Move it midgets.”

Peering into the carriage the three first years saw a scowling blond boy. It was the same boy that Al had seen in the book shop and earlier on the platform, what had his uncle called him? Scorpius, that was it, and he looked even more amazing today then he did in the book shop. When he saw the three first years peering in at him he stop scowling and started to look embarrassed and a little nervous.

“Oh, sorry about that,” Scorpius said to the three new arrivals. “Was this your carriage? I didn’t mean to steal it,” He said getting up and starting to gather his things as a great red blush spread across his face. “I was just trying to hide from my . . . ‘fans’, but it didn’t work,” using air quotes to indicating the boys who had just left.

It took every ounce of his courage, but finally just as the boy was walking out that Albus spoke.

“Wait, you can stay with us,” He said as a huge blush spread across his cheeks and nervously tried to smooth down his hair. “We have plenty of room.”

Rose gave Al a pointed look, but he ignored it, and cleared some space on the racks for Scorpius’ bag. The blond boy nodded his thanks clearly having seen Rose’s look, and after stowing his bag sat down next to Al.

“So I know these two are magical geniuses,” West said jovially obviously oblivious to the silent drama “But what about you. I’ve never even done a spell before; didn’t even know I was a wizard till I got my letter.”

“Haha, no I’m not genius, and most wizard kids only know the basics of magic,” Scorpius said “and there are plenty of muggle-borns like you who pick things up pretty quick.”

“Wait what is a muggle-born?” asked West.

“A muggle born is a witch or wizard who has muggle, non-magical, parents;” Hi said and then added “My father says that there are actually quite a few every year.”

“Awesome,” West said to Scorpius “I was starting to get scared hanging with these two. I’m Eric Weston, but you can call me West.”

“Scorpius Malfoy, but you can call me Hi,” the blond boy replied.

“Oh really?” West said with a chuckle. It took Scorpius a second to understand, but he chuckled too.

“Nah, My middle name is Hyperion,” He said with a lopsided grin “Since there is no good way to shorten Scorpius, and I go by Hi.”

“What kind of name is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy?” West said with a loud laugh.

“A family name,” Hi said rolling his eyes.

“Ah I get that,” West said sympathetically, “This is Rose Weasley and Albus Potter.”

“Yeah, hey there,” Hi said with an awkward smile for both of them as all three of the wizard children had clearly heard of one another’s family. As the train ride went on the four first years chatting mostly companionably. It was still slightly awkward between cousins and Hi, but Rose’s awkwardness was at least a little reduced as she began to see Hi as himself and not just a Malfoy. Al however was still awkward as ever though for a different reason. He laughed a little too loudly at Hi’s jokes and almost jumped out of his skin that time that Hi’s hand accidently brushed his thigh, but all in all their ride was fun. The train passed from the urban sprawl of the outer London area through to a more rural area; Al could see sheep and open fields. As time wore on a pleasant elderly witch opened the door to their carriage.

“Anything off the trolley dears?” She said with a smile.

“Oh god yes!” said Rosie as she pulled some pocket money out of her robe. He dad had made sure that she had plenty of money for snacks. He always told her that it was because she was his girl, but she knew that it was because when he was a kid they didn’t have the money for snacks. All four of them bought Pumpkin Pasties, Chocolate Frogs both the classic and the caramel filled variety, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, a selection of Cauldron Cakes, Cinnamon Imps, Chocolate bubbles filled with cream, Raspberry Dream Cream Chocolate Balls, and bottles of Pumpkin Juice and Apple Cider. The Cousins and Hi explained the different candies and showed West their favorites. Albus had always loved the Raspberry Dream Cream Chocolate Balls, Rosey was a fan of the Peppered Imps, and Hi couldn’t get enough of the Chocolate Bubbles. West liked all of their favorites but was really obsessed with Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans that is until he got a swamp mud flavored one. After that he mostly stuck with Chocolate Frogs.

“Oh what’s this?” West said as he held up the card in the chocolate frog pack.

“Oh, Chocolate frogs have cards in them of Famous Witches and Wizards. You know to collect. My dad has a huge collection,” Rose said rolling her eyes.

“Who did you get?” Hi asked as he gobbled one of the Chocolate Bubbles that were floating around his head.

“’The first and only known wizard to survive the Killing Curse, earning the title ‘The Boy Who Lived.’ He is particularly famous for his defeat of a Basilisk in 1992. He becoming the ‘Master of Death’ for a short time by gaining possession of the Deathly Hallows, and defeated the Dark wizard Voldemort, in 1998. Since then he has worked tirelessly to revitalize the Ministry of Magic.’” West said and then glanced at the front of the card “Umm, says Harry Potter . . . Hey, is this guy related to you Al?”

Al, Rose and Hi just chuckled in response.

“What?” West asked not understanding, but the witch children just kept laughing.

“He is my dad,” Al said finally taking pity on the very confused West.

“Keep looking you might get my parents,” Rose said, and then breathed a small gout of fire from her mouth.

“Wait, your parents are Famous witches and wizards?” West said. And the Cousins just nodded, while Hi looked decidedly embarrassed.

“That’s got to be cool and suck all at the same time,” West said. “I get that; my mum is a famous singer.”

“Wait,” Hi said sitting up suddenly “Weston. . . Your mom is Katy Weston? I love her!”

“Who’s Katy Weston?” Al said and then looked at West “Sorry, we don’t really follow Muggle music.”

“No, it’s cool. It’s one of the things I’m looking forward to about going to Hogwarts; that not a lot of people will know about my mum here.”

“Wait,” said Rose speaking directly to Hi for the first time this trip. “How do you know about a muggle singer?”

“The Wizarding world as a whole hates my family or did you not here Geoffrey Goyle and his posse as they left?”

“What, Why does the wizard world hate your family? And why does that mean that you know Muggle music?” asked West.

“Well, it’s complicated. There are two things you should know about my family. They have always been quite wealthy and powerful, and they have historically not been the nicest of people,” Hi began diplomatically, at which Rose snorted . . . loudly.

“Ok, so they have been right gits,” Hi said with a glare at Rose. “My family was part of a group called Death Eaters. They were the followers of this dark Wizard named Voldemort, but my father and Grandmother betrayed the Death Eaters.”

“So the Death Eaters hate us because my family betrayed them, and the rest of the Wizarding World hates us because my family used to be Death Eaters. Since the wizard world as a whole hate my parents and they were use to a certain lifestyle they decided to become rich and famous in the muggle world. My mother joined the boards of a bunch of charities to meet the upper class ladies, and my father became rich using magic to succeed in the real-estate market. So I was pretty much raised in the muggle world.”

“Wait, really?” Rose asked amazed and slightly impressed. She, and Al to a smaller extent, had been raised half in and half out of the wizard world since Rose’s mom and Al’s dad were raised in the muggle world before they went to Hogwarts. So Al and Rose knew how to get around in the muggle world, they loved muggle fashion (which was becoming really popular with young witches and wizard anyway), and mostly understood muggle technology.

“Yep, but it’s not like my parents like muggles or anything it’s just all that was left to them,” Hi said “I have always liked Muggle stuff, and all my friends are muggles.”

“Then it must suck that you have to go to Hogwarts, and won’t be going to school with your friends,” Al said quietly to Hi.

“Yeah,” Hi said “it does suck, I miss them,” he said giving Al an appreciative look.

As they continued talking the sun started to set and eventually a voice echoed through the train: “We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes’ time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately.”

“Shit we need to change still,” Said Hi jumping up and starting to pull out his robes and uniform from one of his green alligator skin bags.

“Well I’ll leave you boys too it,” she said since she already had her robes and uniform on. West, as Al was beginning to realize was normal, was totally unfazed by changing in front of the other boys. He changed without a hint of modesty and chatting amicably with the other boys as he did. Hi was much more modest changing into his shirt and robe before turning his back and changing into his uniform trousers. Al was just trying not to look at Hi as he changed so he wouldn’t have an embarrassing bulge in his robes. All in all it didn’t take them long to put on their first year robe and uniform. By the time the train pulled into the station in Hogsmead the boys were dressed in their uniforms and were standing at the train doors with Rose.