Albus Potter and the Passageway of Doom

Christmas

-CHAPTER ELEVEN-

Christmas

Christmas was fast approaching and Albus knew that with everything that was going on, it was obvious he had to stay during the holidays. During breakfast one morning, he grabbed a parchment a borrowed Scorpius's quill, writing

Dear Mum and Lily,

Hogwarts is SO COOL! I'm telling you, I'm really enjoying it. Of course it's easy with Dad here but he's so busy it's hard to really talk to him much. I'm in Gryffindor and I've made six friends. Rose (course), Max and- Albus paused. He wondered if his mother knew that Jessica was a Riddle. He glanced at her down the table and then carried on writing. -Jessica Longbottom, Scorpius Malfoy WHO IS IN GRYFFINDOR, Dimitri and Avery Irin who's in Slytherin. Joseph's become our worst enemy surprisingly and he's horribly vain and he thinks he knows everything. You'll love it here, though, Lily. Teddy's really funny and the classes are great...especially Potions. Professor Irin is strict but he always has really freaky stories to tell us! Anyway, I guess the reason I'm writing is to say that I really want to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. See, all my friends are staying and there's so much to do. Dad will come home, he said he would to see you guys and I'll come home for the first week if you want me to but I really want to stay. Please let me!

Albus

Albus read the letter through a few times and then set it down to dry. Suddenly, it was snatched by a hand behind him.

'What's this? Ooh, a ickle bickle letter to mummykins?' Joseph was sneering.

'Give it back!' Albus cried, making a lunge for it but Joseph purposely dropped the letter and then stepped on it. The ink was still wet and the whole letter smudged, ripped and ruined.

'Oops,' Joseph grinned. 'My bad.'

Albus leapt up to pound him into the floor but Jessica, Scorpius and Rose all grabbed him and pulled him down. Max and Dimitri stood up from the other side of the table.

'Get out of here,' Dimitri ordered. Joseph looked taken aback. 'Dimitri,' he said. 'Come on. We're best mates. You know that!'

'We were best mates,' Dimitri said in a nasty tone. 'That was before you got chucked into Slytherin and proved you were a no good sneak who seems intent on making anyone who's better than you, look bad.'

Joseph's mouth dropped and he jumped up onto the bench and grabbed Dimitri by the shoulders, pushing him to the hard, stone floor.

'Gerroff!' Dimitri yelled. Albus jumped up as Joseph made a move to punch Dimitri in the stomach but before he could to anything, Joseph's arm was twisted behind his back and he gave a yell of pain.

'Who the hell...?'

Albus gasped to see Jessica pulling Joseph away. She looked at him.

'Another one of your talents,' Albus said so only she could hear and he grabbed the parchment and headed up to the common room to rewrite the letter.

*

Dear Albus,

Well...I never thought that you'd want to stay during Christmas. Lily's upset, she missing you like crazy but I do have a lot of work to finish during the holidays and it would be irritating having you there. I might be upgraded to Minister of Magic.

Can you ask James if he can stay as well? Your father will come home. I hope you're not doing anything dangerous. If you are, prepare to be grounded all summer.

Mum

Albus swallowed at the last sentence.

'What's up?' Jessica asked, leaning over his shoulder. Albus pointed at the letter. Jessica read it curiously and then grimaced. 'Ouch. That's not good.'