what our fathers never had ( ✓ )

chapter one

September, 2021

Platform 9 3/4 bustled to life as young witches and wizards of ages varying from eleven to seventeen readied themselves for a new school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Wizarding parents of the first years fussed over their children, preparing them for their long train ride aboard the Hogwarts Express, and Muggle parents stared around the platform in amazement. They'd just walked through a wall, for crying out loud!

Parents of older, seasoned students however went through their goodbyes to their sons and daughters, promising to write to them, and in turn for them to write back. This was exactly what Harry Potter and his wife Ginny were saying to their three children: James, who was starting his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, Albus, who was starting his fifth, and Lily, who was starting her third year.

After hugging his daughter extra tightly, Harry walked towards his middle child, Albus, and squeezed his shoulders, giving him a meaningful look.

"Try not to get caught up in too much trouble this year, huh?" He asked, a knowing smirk on his face. "Don't let ol' Malfoy throw you off course."

"He's my best friend, Dad." Albus rolled his eyes, moving from his father's grasp and glancing around the platform. "I thought he'd be here by now."

"Don't worry too much, love. Perhaps he's already saved you a place on the train." Ginny smiled at her son, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. Even after all these years, his parents still weren't too pleased towards Albus' friendship with Scorpius Malfoy.

"Or he's over there snogging up our cousin." James claimed, pointing further down the platform to where the aforementioned blond boy was indeed lip-locked with Rose Granger-Weasley. Albus frowned deeply, as his best friend hadn't told him that Rose had actually agreed to a date with him, and to now what appeared to be so much more than just a date. Suddenly, Albus was being squeezed tightly by a taller, redheaded man he hadn't noticed had walked up.

"Disgusting, aren't they?"

"Uncle Ron, you scared me." The fifteen-year-old admitted and Ron chuckled.

"Good to see you too, Al. Your aunt's here too, obviously." He smile and then gestured to the brown-haired woman who had her arm wrapped around thirteen-year-old Hugo Granger-Weasley.

"Hello, Aunt 'Mione." He muttered, going over to give his aunt a hug. His heart was still heavy from his best friend's betrayal. Before he could dwell on it too much longer, however, the train whistle blew, and he noticed it was reaching eleven o'clock.

"And, that's their cue to leave. Have a great year at Hogwarts!" Ginny exclaimed, hugging her three children one last time before sending them off. Albus held onto his mother for just a bit longer, and then ran after his brother and sister, boarding the train and heading in the opposite direction of them - knowing that now, James' act was over and he was back to his usual 'You're a slimy little Slytherin' ways. He headed towards the compartment he usually shared with Scorpius, and his heart sank further as he found the blond was already inside, once again lip-locked with Rose. He cleared his throat awkwardly, breaking the two apart.

"Oh, Albus... I didn't hear you come in." The blond stated awkwardly, hair messy, which was unlike him.

"No, you didn't." The dark-haired boy agreed, nodding halfheartedly towards his cousin before lowering his head. The train began to move, and he lifted his head to look out the window and watch as his parents' figures grew further and further away as the Hogwarts Express sped off. When the platform was out of view, he looked back to find Scorpius staring at him, a sad look on his face.

"Albus..." The blond began, but the other only rose his hand to silence him and stood, dusting off his casual clothes.

"No. I'm going to change, and then I think I'll go find Lorcan and Lysander. I haven't said hello to them. Carry on with uh... what you were doing." With that, the fifth year made his way out of the compartment and towards the dressing areas. Along the way, he bumped into his younger cousin, Hugo.

"Uh, Mum wanted me to ask you if you could give this to Rose. She forgot it in the car..." The ginger-haired boy trailed off, placing a golden-charmed bracelet into Albus' hands. Albus stared down at it, wondering how Rose had acquired such a beautiful piece of jewelry before nodding towards the thirteen-year-old and headed into a changing room. Once inside, he sat down on a bench and stared at it again, a grimace on his face. Imprinted into the thin, golden band was a name that he knew quite well - Malfoy.

~△⃒⃘~

Lorcan and Lysander Scamander, as usual, were quite pleasant and did well in cheering Albus Potter up. They didn't talk much in school, as the twins were Hufflepuffs, and he was a Slytherin, but while on the train, or during free periods, Albus found he liked their company almost as much as his best friend's.

"So then, Mum and Dad were cleaning out our great-granddad's attic, and they came across this awesome suitcase!" Lysander continued explain, gesturing to the suitcase by his feet, which sported the name 'N. Scamander' stitched into the top.

"They let you take that with you?" Albus asked, eyes wide as he leant forward to examine the suitcase in amazement. He knew that the twins' grandfather was Newt Scamander, who he'd read about in his Care for Magical Creatures volumes, and he knew that the man was admired greatly by his uncle Charlie. He also knew that Newt Scamander had very interesting ways of traveling, and preserving his artifacts back in his day.

"No, Lorcan snuck it in with the luggage. I believe we'll get a Howler once they realize it's gone, but you know our mum, so she won't stay upset long." Lysander claimed, and again, this was true. Luna Scamander, or as his father had known her in school, Lovegood, was a very easygoing, happy woman. She took great pride in her family.

"And you're not embarrassed by the whole school hearing your Howler?" Albus asked, munching on a Peppermint Imp that he'd gotten from the food trolley earlier in the train ride.

"It couldn't possibly be as bad as when Professor Longbottom's grandmother - how that woman's even still alive, I don't know - sent him the one last year." Lorcan spoke up, and the three boys reminisced thoughtfully to the aforementioned Howler.

Then, Albus felt a chill go down his spine, and when he looked up, he found someone standing in the doorway of the compartment - Scorpius.

"I thought I'd find you here." The blond muttered, and Albus' jaw grew tense. The twins looked at the two questioningly, as the dark-haired boy hadn't told told them anything concerning Scorpius.

"I told you I'd be here." Albus muttered in return, further confusing the Hufflepuff twins. Scorpius sighed, feeling defeated and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I suspect we'll be arriving soon, so I thought I'd let you know. See you at the table. Your seat's already saved, as you know." With that, the grey-eyed boy glanced towards the twins, nodded respectfully, and left. Albus' heart sank further, and he felt something heavy weighing him down.

As he ran his hands over his robes, straightening them for their arrival at the school, he felt something cool and metallic in his pocket - the bracelet he'd never returned to Rose earlier. The reminder of the bracelet made his expression fall even further. If this was how the school year was going to go, Albus almost wished he'd never received his letter.