Chapter Text
The train jostled along the tracks, and Albus bounced in his seat along with it, staring at the expanse of misty green outside. His cousin, Rose, took his hand and squeezed it, quickly letting go. Albus smiled fleetingly at her before staring back out the window.
Albus had mixed feelings about going back to Hogwarts. It was his sixth year, and he knew that he would be hidden in his brother’s shadow once again. James Potter was head of the Quidditch team (Keeper), handsome, charismatic, popular, and good with the ladies. All of that combined with the fact that he excelled in his O.W.L.'s with seven Outstandings (proof that some people can not even bother to study and still excel- the gift of a perfect memory). And now that James was going to be graduating Hogwarts, Albus knew that he would be overlooked more than ever.
He was not looking forward to enduring the constant praise for his older brother. Already, he was hearing it, and it was only just the morning of the new school year. Albus’ mum gabbed on about how proud she was of James as they drove to the school. When they finally got to Platform 9 ¾ she swept them both into her arms. Albus inhaled her sweet flowery smell as her red hair tickled his cheek. She said, “I’m so proud of you both. I couldn’t have asked for better young men for sons.” When at long last she broke free, she sighed. “You’re both so grown up.”
Albus’s father put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Then he grabbed James's hand. "Don't get into too much trouble, James. And don't forget the big end of the year prank. Although it'll never be as good as the one Fred and George pulled off." James laughed; it was a family legend.
Then he smiled kindly at Albus, even though there was a little bit of a guarded look in his eyes. Albus gave him the exact same smile back, only a little more wince-y. "I love you, Albus," he said.
"Now go on, you both," Harry said, and waved both Albus and James on.
“Have a good year. We’ll see you both on Christmas. Work hard and don’t get into too much trouble,” Ginny said.
Christmas- a time when Albus had to enjoy his family gushing about James all bloody day... lovely. He definitely did not want to think about that.
Albus pressed his head against the cool glass and closed his eyes. He felt movement in front of him, and without looking, he knew that Eve Lovegood had sat in the seat in front of him, just like last year. He opened his eyes to see her, and she gave him a nod.
Usually, James would beside him on the train, but this year he had ran off with some other 7th year- a Slytherin, by the looks of it. She was alluring, with her long, dark, curling hair and heavy lidded eyes, and James seemed quite taken with her. He looked at her like he wanted to eat her, which certainly made Albus feel uncomfortable.
He liked girls like Eve, cold like a snow queen, real and honest and not trying to be what she wasn't. She was pretty in an edgy way. With the sides of her scalp shaved but for a long bit on top of her head, bleached a shocking white-blonde. Her eyes were deep navy blue lined with kohl, and she had a piercing on her lip, some on her ears, and one on her wrist. She already wore her school uniform- a plaid skirt and sweater over a collared shirt- but no robes. Albus knew she wouldn't be wearing her robes later, either, just to spite the school.
“So how was your summer?” asked Eve, looking at his hands. For all her rebelliousness, she was in some ways very shy. They had been friends since their second year, yet Eve still never seemed to quite meet his eyes.
“It was… uneventful.” The highlight had been O.W.L.’s, which he did just about as well on as James. “What about you?”
“The usual. I went with my mum and dad and grandfather to search for rare creatures. We went to Asia this summer, to look for forest spirits in the more rural parts of Japan. It was really hot, but interesting, I guess,” she shrugged.
“Did you find anything?”
“Yep. This weird, huge grey creature like a cross between an owl and a bear. We don’t know what to call it. But some little girls there called it a Totoro.”
Just then, the trolley came by with sweets- pumpkin pasties, Bertie Bot’s Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs.
Albus tossed the kind woman a galleon and grabbed a handful of each. She smiled at him, eyes crinkling, and walked on.
The mood immediately liften when Albus arrived with sweets. Rose stood up and grabbed some pumpkin pasties, and Eve went for the Every-Flavor Beans. Albus sorted through the Chocolate Frog cards. He had a huge collection at home, many of which sported his father’s own name- “Harry Potter. Auror; deafeated the Dark Wizard Voldemort in his seventh year of Hogwarts, ending the Second Wizarding War.”
Rose spoke in between bites of pasty. “This summer I went to Romania to see dragons and my uncle Charlie.”
“Is Charlie married yet?” Albus asked.
“Actually, yes! Just got married a few days ago, in fact," Rose smiled. "He didn’t tell gran, and she had a huge fit. It was hilarious. The girl's awesome, though- really smart, like him. Probably knows twice as much about dragons, even though Charlie's been working in the field for what, two decades?”
“I’m jealous you got to see dragons. We saw a couple of Welsh Greens on a quick visit to Wales, but that was it,” Albus said. "And they are pretty damn boring, being dragons and all."
"I heard they're pretty shy, though, you must've been lucky."
"Deer are shy, doesn't stop you from seeing 'em all. The. Time," Albus said, causing them to laugh.
There was an easy silence, as the mood in the room began to lift. Then Rose piped up randomly.
“Bloody hell did James go?!”
“Language, Weasley,” said a cool voice in the doorway.
Albus looked up and frowned. It was Scorpius, lazily leaning against the doorjamb. He slowly combed his hand through his white blonde hair; it stuck up in the front like a duck’s tail.
“What do you want?” Rose sneered.
“Nothing,” he said, too fast, and a blush spread across his cheeks. “Just you all to... uh... shut up! Nevermind.” He slammed the sliding door and left.
Rose frowned. “That was... awkward.”
“Yeah, well,” Eve rolled her eyes. “Of course he's awkward. He's in love. Everyone knows he fancies Lily.”
Albus burst out in laughter- real laughter- for the first time in weeks. “Yeah right!” he said, between gulps of air. “She’s a Gryffindor. He’s a Slytherin. Our parents are rivals, always have been. That’s the most ridiculous thing I think I’ve ever heard!”
Eve just looked out the window and shook her head. “Well, I think it’s obvious.”
Rose rolled her eyes. “Who knows, Albus. Who knows.” She twirled a lock of her explosion of loosely curled red hair with her finger. "Love works in mysterious ways."
Rose was usually much more vivacious, but today she seemed a little bit subdued, like she was in a dream world. Her personality fit her appearance; she was plump, with big brown eyes like her mother’s and an explosion of freckles on her face.
The door slid open again, and in squished Lily, Hugo, Hetal Patil, and Fred, and suddenly the tiny room was crushed with people and sounds.
“Where have you all been?” asked Rose.
“Prefect meetings and crap,” grinned Fred, proceeding to wrap his orange and red striped tie around his head.
“I’m so glad it’s finally over,” groaned Hugo, rumpling up his auburn hair.
“They really are stifling,” Lily smiled apologetically at Albus.
Albus smiled back feebly. He hadn’t gotten the prefect badge last year, and it was quite disappointing. At least James never got one either, and neither did Albus’s father.
Lily and Hetal smiled at Eve and sat next to her. Albus noticed the way Hetal’s long black hair and gold nose ring sparkled in the growing sunlight. Even her skin shimmered, though he didn't know how.
“How are you?” Hetal asked Eve.
Fred scooted in next to Rose and proceeded to take up half the bench. “Oy, Rose, you’re quiet today!” he said, pulling one of her curls and watching it spring back.
“Sorry, don't worry, I’m... fine,” she said. This was definitely very uncharacteristic of her. And then her eyes brightened, as she looked out the door through the window, and gleefully shouted “Make room, guys!” The door opened, and Owen Finch walked in. “Hi, everyone, oh, there isn't any room.” He turned around.
Rose grabbed his hand quickly. "Don't leave!" Owen looked back and smiled at her, his face filled with light, and then Rose nudged Fred and somehow they made a spot for him. It was all very romantic, Albus supposed, trying not to think about how his arm was pressed uncomfortably against the wall.
Rose kissed Owen's cheek.
“It’s like a family reunion in here,” laughed Fred over the din. “Who wants to play Exploding Snap?”
And so for the rest of the ride they played Exploding Snap in the tiny compartment, with great hilarity, Fred providing a running commentary. Slowly but surely, Albus felt his spirits rise; one couldn’t be unhappy with all the loud, happy voices.
But all too soon, Albus felt the train slow, and the heavy feeling spread over him again. He shrugged on his emerald green robes over his plain slacks, button-down tee and sweater. The robes signified that he was in Slytherin house; they used to be black, but the school wanted there to be a wider difference between the different houses. Albus, however, did not like the change; it only made him feel more alienated from the rest of his perfect Gryffindor family, and most of his friends, who were almost all in different houses. It gave more reason for him to be overlooked; he was a blemish on the family. He could have at least been sorted into Hufflepuff or something a little more respectable, even if it would've been boring.
The train screeched to a stop, and Albus jostled out, splitting from his family and friends to the other Slytherins. He felt his mood darken even more and he scowled as the other Slytherins sniggered and pointed at him. At least Scorpius looked just as grumpy as him.
“Happy to be back, Potter?” he muttered, not even bothering to smirk.
“Delighted. You?” Albus said providing a weak sarcastic smile.
“I’m just so glad, especially with your face to see every day,” he rolled his eyes and stomped ahead.
“Weak, Scorpius, weak.” Albus shook his head and followed.