Cursed Child: re-imagined

Harry Potter

It had been a good many years since Harry had first set foot onto the mythical platform of 9 and 3/4, wide eyed and terrified of what the future beheld for him. Yet, as he gazed longingly at the bright crimson paint of the steam engine, the black funnel plummeting sweet smelling smoke towards the sheltered sky, he realised he didn't miss Hogwarts as much as he thought he would. Although the most welcoming years of his life, spending the days and nights with his closest friends,even the absurd adventures that followed him wherever he went, he was glad for the peace and quiet of adulthood.
He had of course, been offered a chance to return to Hogwarts by the new Headmistress. McGonagall was surely convinced Harry would make a remarkable Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, and Harry never disputed the idea outwardly. But, truth be told, he wasn't sure he could teach the children much more then 20 different ways to successfully use Expelliarmus. Success had been quite fortune for him, he would remark to himself. He wasn't quite sure just how he had managed it.

McGonagall had made some remarkable changes to Hogwarts in Dumbledore's absence, changes Harry wished himself he had had. Foremostly, she has altered the way in which the Sorting Hat allocated houses. It was no secret she had been campaigning to do so for a while, believing it was wrong to judge the personal mentality of a minor as an indicator of future actions for the rest of their educational years. So, with the newfound responsibilities of Headmistress, a role she so suitable filled, she decided houses would be based on how a student perceived Magic as an entity, rather then categorised  personality.  Hufflepuffs were those who visualized magic as a Gift bestowed upon them. So it was no wonder then, that many hufflepuff were muggleborn, those who believed they were gifted with the essence of Magic when their parentage had been less fortunate. Ravenclaws believed Magic was a Gateway, allowing a path for those inquisitive student to further study what is beyond muggle capability. Slyther-

"Dad?"

The worn out voice of his second eldest son broke Harry away from his rambling imagination. He glanced down at the untidy mob of black hair and startling green eyes, and felt a lump rise in his throat. Albus was so young, so alike Harry in all ways physical, his mother in personality. He crouched down, noting the shaking hands of his son.

"Yes, Albus?"

"what if I get sorted into Slytherin?"

The statement startled Harry. There had been no slytherin prejudice for a few years now, since the changed attitude of the Houses. Harry wasn't so sure why Albus was concerned by it. Nonetheless, Harry felt deep down that he needed to reassure him. He was a funny boy, beyond anxious about many things, and Harry knew facts and figures didn't work for him, reassurance did.

"Al, listen to me okay?" he placed a firm hand on the child's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Being in slytherin isn't a negative thing, son. Slytherin represents a house that defines magic as a privilege beyond all else. For you to find privilege and pride in your blood Al, that isn't bad at all, being proud of who you are, its a cherished quality Albus-" Harry brushed a runaway lock of hair away from Albus' eyes, causing the boy to turn away with a sudden jolt. The action formed a lump in Harry's throat, he tried so hard to understand his son. "Don't you forget that, alright?"

Albus gave a quick succession of nods, but refused to look at his father in the eye. Sudden shouts and a flurry of creative insults spewing from the mouth of his daughter, accompanied by James' mischievous laughter, broke Harry's attention away from Albus momentarily, leaving Albus to quickly escape onto the train before saying his goodbyes. James hung himself from one of the carriage windows, a spitball tube pressed against his lips. Lily was furiously rubbing a sticky purple substance off of her cheek.

With accurate timing, the train whistle echoed throughout the platform, pulling away from the station with developing speed. Lily waved furiously in the direction of the carriage Albus had jumped onto, Ginny blowing kisses at James, who responded with an embarrassed red face and a shut window. The Hogwarts Express slowly began to disappear from sight within moments, leaving behind a chorus of goodbyes and farewells from the parents left on the platform edge, accompanying the rhythm of the steam engine in passing.