Harry Potter and the Next Generation

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Albus groaned as he stepped into the entrance of the Great Hall.

“What's the matter?” Rosie asked.

“No one told me lunch was free seating,” Albus said.

“Sit with me at the Ravenclaw table,” Rosie said.

“But what about James and everyone else?” he asked.

“If they want to sit with you so badly, they'll move to the table.” Rose said.

Albus, Scorpius, and Rosie all walked over to the Ravenclaw table. Tomoka beckoned them to sit with her and her friends, so they obliged. From where Albus was sitting, he could see James giving him a look like, “Why the bloody hell aren't you sitting with us?”, which Albus ignored, which basically prompted James to sit down next to Rosie, across from Al.

“I never said you could sit with us,” Rosie sneered at Scorpius.

“Come on, Rosie, I thought we were mates,” Scorpius said.

“It's free seating, Rosie.” Albus chided.

“Which brings me to why aren't you sitting with the rest of us at the Gryffindor table, little brother?” James said.

“Because I called him over here,” Tomoka said. “May I please speak now?” No one said anything, so she continued. “I have decided to start a new club. The technical name will be something along the lines of, like, the Hogwarts Talent Club or the Hogwarts Performance Club.”

“And...?” Albus said, waiting for more.

“And I want you to be in it,” she said. “Or at least audition, because we need everyone to audition first. We wouldn't want to give the lead to some deadbeat, expressionless student with the voice of a screaming house elf.”

Scorpius laughed, and tried to stifle it, but ended up snort-laughing.

“I'm glad someone thinks I'm funny,” she said.

“Well I'm up for it, what about you, Al?” Scorp asked.

“Sure I'll do it.” Al shrugged.

“Just think, my little brother Albus, a star on the stage!” James said dramatically. “Sign me up too.”

“We might actually be able to perform a proper musical now,” one of Tomoka's friends commented.

“What were you thinking of doing?” Rosie inquired.

“Well, if worst came to worst, we'd perform Cats,” Tomoka admitted. She hated that musical, but it's mainly a female-led musical. “But, we'll come to a decision once we've got our members picked out.”

“Aww, but what about--” one of her friends began.

“No.” Tomoka interrupted sharply. She didn't glare at her friend, but she sure did want to. Tomi handed the boys fliers. “Be there. Four o'clock sharp. You can come and try out, too...um...Rose, right?”

“Right.” she said. “I don't think you mentioned your name.”

“Tomoka,” she said, “call me Tomi.”

A girl with honey-colored hair sped-walked through the classroom and sat down next to Albus. She was a Hufflepuff. She brushed a long piece of hair behind her ear that had missed her ponytail once she set her books down.

“Please tell me class hasn't started yet.” she quietly pleaded pointlessly at Albus with her gold-flecked blue eyes once she plopped down in her seat.