Chapter 1 On the Hogwarts Express Albus waved to his parents and little sister, Lily, until he could no longer see them. Well, wed better go find a compartment, he said to his cousin, Rose, who was standing next to him. Rose nodded her head and they started walking down the train corridor. It was a bit hard to walk on a moving train and Albus kept stumbling. The train rounded a corner and he fell into a rather mean looking older student. “Watch where youre going, midget,” the boy said as Albus and Rose quickly ran away from him. Better find a compartment quick, Albus said. He continued to walk along the corridor, looking into each compartment as he passed. He spotted a lot of his other cousins, but didnt really want to interrupt whatever they were doing with their friends. Albus also saw a few people who looked vaguely familiar, including the Jordan-Bell twins. Scorpius Malfoy was sitting in one of the compartments with a few other boys, but Albus definitely did not want to sit with them. Albus peeked into the next compartment and saw that there was a rather pale boy sitting on one of the seats. He seemed very small and his face was quite scarred. There was also an older girl, who looked to be about Victoires age, sitting next to the boy. She looked vaguely familiar. Both of them had blue eyes and blond hair. They looked friendly enough. How about this one? he said to Rose. Rose glanced into the compartment for a few seconds and replied, Yeah, looks good to me. She opened the door and the two cousins walked in. “Can we sit here? Albus asked. “Sure,” the boy responded as he gestured to the seat opposite him. “My names Matt, Matt Eckerton.” Im his sister, Amy. Im a seventh year, Matts just starting, the girl told him. “Hi, Im Albus Potter, Albus said, And this is my cousin, Rose Weasley, he gestured to Rose. Were both first years. Hi, Rose waved. Rose sat down on the seat across from Amy and Albus sat down across from Matt. Thats where I know you two from! I knew Id seen you somewhere. My best friend is your cousin, Victoire. I think Ive seen you at her house before, Amy explained. Probably. I think Ive seen you, too, Rose responded. Albus nodded his head in agreement. Matts eyes opened wide as he stared at Albus. “So, youre Harry Potters son? You know, you do look a whole lot like him. Youve got his eyes and everything.” “Yeah, I know,” Albus said shortly, he often got sick of people telling him this. “I bet you two hear loads of stories of the battle. My parents have told me some, but they dont know all the details, just the bits that are in books. You see, were from Australia. We moved hear when I was about eight,” Matt looked nervously at his sister. “Yeah, I know all about the battle. My parents didnt tell me the full story until I turned eleven. Same with Rose, our parents told us at the same time. They didnt want to scare us, but thought we ought to know before we went to Hogwarts, since most people there will have heard all about it. But my parents dont talk about it much. Guess it brings back bad memories,” Albus told Matt before changing the subject. He really didnt enjoy people constantly asking him about his dad. “So, howd you get all those scars?” “Im, um, er, very clumsy,” Matt glanced at Amy and started to stare absentmindedly out the window. “Oh, thats ok. A friend of my parents was very clumsy, kind of a problem since she was an Auror. But she was killed in the battle at Hogwarts. Along with her husband. My dad is their son, Teddys, godfather, so we see a lot of him,” Albus told Matt. Matt just continued staring out the window. Albus didnt know what to say, he hoped he hadnt said anything to bother Matt. “So, do you have any other siblings?” Albus asked. Matt turned away from the window. “Nope, just me and Amy. I know youve got siblings. Ive read about you and them in books. A brother James and a sister Lily, right? And I think youve got a little brother, right, Rose?” Albus just looked at Matt. It was a bit strange having other people know all about you. He supposed this was what it was like for his father when he went to Hogwarts. “Yup, James is a second year and Lilys just nine, so shes not here yet.” Yeah, my brother, Hugo, is nine, too, Rose told him. Roses family was mentioned in numerous books as well, although not nearly as many as Albuss. At that moment, the compartment door opened and James walked in with two of their cousins, Ben and Cedric, and their friend Nathan. “Hows it going, little bro?” James asked. “Still worrying about being in Slytherin?” “James, shut up!” Albus responded, blushing a little. “Oh, I see youve met someone, whats your name?” James asked Matt. “Matt Eckerton.” Hi, the boys responded. Oh, and hi Amy, Ben added. Hi, Ben. How are you? Amy asked. Im good. So this is your brother?, Ben said. Ben was Victoires brother, so he had seen Amy loads of times. Yeah, Matts just starting his first year, Amy told him. Good luck with the sorting, then, Matt, Ben grinned at Matt. “Ah, well, we best be off, the trolleys on its way to our compartment, wouldnt want to miss that!” James said as he walked out of the compartment with his friends. Matt stared at Albus. “You think youre going to be in Slytherin?” “No,” Albus said, turning more crimson. So, what house do you want to be in? Gryffindor, just like my parents, Albus told him, And James and all my cousins are in Gryffindor, too. So were most of my aunts and uncles. I hope you get in, then, Matt said, Im hoping for Gryffindor, too. Amys in Gryffindor. Hope youre there, too. Im also hoping for Gryffindor, Rose announced, Although Ravenclaw looks nice, too. Ravenclaw wouldnt be so bad, Matt agreed, Thats where all the smart kids go, right? In essence, yeah, Amy told him. The compartment door opened again. Another boy walked in, along with a scared looking girl. The boy was dark skinned, very tall, with brown hair and dark eyes. The girl was quite a bit shorter than the boy, with long, wavy, honey colored hair and light brown eyes. “Can we sit in here?” the boy asked. “A bunch of Slytherins kicked us out of our compartment.” “Sure,” Albus and Matt responded. “Good. Im John Brickston and this is Amanda Tagger. Were both first years,” the boy told Albus, Rose, Matt, and Amy. “Hi. Im Albus Potter, this is my cousin Rose Weasley, and thats Matt Eckerton, were also first years,” Albus responded, And shes Amy, Matts sister. Albus pointed to Amy, who waved. “Wow!” John exclaimed. “My dad said youd be starting this year, Albus.” Amanda still hadnt said anything. Albus just smiled a little and his cheeks turned redder yet. Well, I think Ill go find Victoire, Amy grabbed her bag and got up, You going to be ok, Matt? Yes, Ill be fine, Matt told her. You sure? Yeah, you can go. See you later, Matt waved as his sister left the compartment. And youre Rose Weasley? John asked. Rose nodded. Ive heard of you, too, John continued. Your family owns Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, right? Well, its really my Uncle George who owns it. Hes Albuss uncle, too. But my dad works there a lot. My Uncle George opened it with my Uncle Fred after they left school. Theyre twins. But Uncle Fred died in the Battle at Hogwarts, so after that my dad helped Uncle George with it, Rose explained. John grinned, I love that place. So does my dad. Hes always buying me stuff from there. Mums not always happy about it since Im always using the stuff to pull pranks on my little sisters. Albus, Rose, and Matt laughed. Ive done that quite a bit, too, Albus commented. But now that Lilys a bit older its harder to pull pranks on her. “Anything from the trolley?” A witch had appeared in the doorway with a trolley laden with delicious sweets. “Definitely!” John shouted, as he jumped up from his seat and ran out into the corridor. Albus smiled. John reminded him of James. Albus, Rose, Matt, and Amanda followed John. All five returned with their arms full of food. “So, what is all this stuff?” Amanda spoke for the first time since entering the compartment. “Well, you have your cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs, and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans,” John explained, as he pointed to the various items. “Just be careful with the beans.” “Why?” Amanda asked as she tried a greenish colored bean. “Ugh!” she exclaimed. “Bogey!” Amanda spat out the bean and it landed on John. Albus, Rose, and Matt broke out in fits of laughter. “They mean every flavor!” Matt shouted. “So, you must be Muggle-born?” “Yes,” Amanda answered. “My mum is a teacher and my dads a doctor.” “Whats a doctor?” John asked. “A muggle Healer,” Matt explained. “My mums Muggle born, but shes a witch, and my dads a wizard. He works at the Ministry, in the Department for the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures,” Matt told everyone. And my mum doesnt work, but shes thinking of getting a job now that Ive started school. “Oh, my parents are a witch and wizard. My familys mostly all magical, except for a few Muggle aunts and uncles and cousins. My dad is a Healer and my mum stays at home with my younger sisters, Ive got three of them. Theyre nine, six, and five. But before I was born she worked at the Ministry,” John explained. How about your parents, Rose? Well, like I said before, my dad works at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, but hes also an Auror, which is a Dark Wizard catcher. And my mum works at the Ministry. Shes the one who started all the House-Elf rights stuff. Wow, your dads an Auror, too? Thats bloody brilliant! John grinned. “What do your parents do, Albus?” Amanda asked. Albus was a little shocked at this question, since the whole magical world knew about his parents, but of course Amanda didnt. “Well, my dads an Auror. And my mums a sportswriter for the Daily Prophet.” “Yeah, Albuss parents are famous!” John shouted. “Tell Amanda, wont you, Albus?” Albus suspected John secretly wanted to hear all about the Potters directly from him, even though hed probably read all about them in books. And so, Albus, with a little help from Rose, told the story about how Lord Voldemort had killed his grandparents and tried to kill his dad, but his dad survived. He told them all about his parents years at Hogwarts, about the Horcruxes, and how Lord Voldemort met his downfall. All three students stared at Albus and Rose with their mouths wide open. Matt and John had obviously heard the whole story before, but never this accurate an account. Amanda was practically in tears. Blimey, John let out a low whistle, Your dads amazing. Yeah, Matt agreed. Albus blushed, I guess, but I just think of him as my dad. The group of five first years spent the rest of the journey discussing what they knew was true about Hogwarts and what their siblings and cousins had told them about the ancient school. Everyone agreed that the Giant Squid did not eat a different first year each year while they crossed the lake on boats, despite what Albus and Roses cousin, Fred, had said. “Well, youd better change into your robes,” Rose said an hour or so after the sky turned dark. Rose had been wearing her robes since before shed even gotten on the train. The four other students changed into their robes quietly. Once the train arrived at Hogsmeade, the five students got off and looked around. “Firs years! Firs years, this way!” a man shouted. Albus and Rose ran up to him. “Hagrid!” Albus shouted. “ello, Albus! Ello, Rose!” Hagrid responded. “Ready ter go? Heres a boat for yeh.” Albus hurried into the boat, followed by John, and Matt, who were all gaping at Hagrid. Rose and Amanda got into a nearby boat and were joined by the Jordan-Bell twins. Another tall boy quickly joined Albus in his boat. You know him? John pointed at Hagrid with an amazed look on his face. Yep, hes a family friend, Albus answered. Ive never seen someone so big, Matt commented. Well, hes half-giant, Albus told him. Thats so cool! John grinned. The boats started moving magically across the lake once everyone was in them. They sailed for what must have been at least a half hour before arriving at Hogwarts. Once they got there, Hagrid lead them into the castle and up a flight of stairs. The castle was incredible. It was big and intimidating looking on the outside. But once Albus stepped inside, it seemed warm and inviting, like he was home. The first years came to a stop in front of strict looking woman. “Good evening. Im Professor Patil, I teach transfiguration. In a moment, you will be able to join your fellow students in the Great Hall for dinner, but beforehand, you will need to be sorted into your houses. They are Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin,” she said Slytherin with a note of disgust in her voice. “While youre here, you will be able to earn points for your house for any achievements. Likewise, any misbehavior will cause points to be taken away. At the end of the year, the house with the most points earns the House Cup. Now, follow me, please.”
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 08:03:05 +0000
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