Out of sight

The Sorting

It was the sorting.This was what he had been worrying about all day. The sky glowed above his head. Stars twinkled brightly. He wanted to talk to Rose but she was too far back in the queue. What if they weren't in the same house? Albus would consider that to be a tradgedy.

Professor McGonagall, the newly appointed Headmisetress was calling out names in alphabetical order.

"Alan Araimier!" she boomed so that everyone in the Great Hall could hear. She placed the tatty black leather sorting hat wich Harry Potter had once worn so many years back on his head. Almost immediately the sorting hat gave a gruff shout of "SLYTHERIN" and Alan Araimier beamed, walking over to the Slytherin table whilst the Slytherins clapped and cheered him. The green Slytherin banner swayed in the wind gently. Albus stared at it in utter disgust. How could he live with himself if he was sorted into Slytherin? What would his father say? Albus imagined the endless amounts of teasing that James would put him through. No. He wouldn't be in Slytherin; he'd go to Gryffindor and that was final. His heart was pounding against his chest and he knew that he was the next one to be sorted.

"Albus Severus Potter!" McGonagall boomed once more.

Albus cautiously walked up to the chair, so carefully that it looked as if he was expecting something to jump out at him. Professor McGonnagal sat the sorting hat on Albus's head. Feelings of fear and excitement rushed through his body. He could almost see James' sneaky smirk even though he had his back to him. He waited for the Sorting Hat's words.

"Hmmm... interesting - bravery, courage; all the makings of a true Gryffindor. Slytherin... hmmm..... you would do well in Slytherin."

"Please, please, please don't be Slytherin," Albus whispred to himself, wringing his sweaty palms.

"You don't want to be in Slytherin? Why ever not? You know, this is exactly what your dad did! Very well, you can have your choice. GRYFFINDOR!" barked the sorting hat.

It fianally decided. Albus grinned from ear to ear as he walked over to the Gyffindor table. He heard the wild cheering of the Gryffindors stop as he sat down. He felt like boasting to James that he was in Gryffindor. Red and gold lanterns shone softly and the Gryffindor banner looked almost as if it was waving at him. An older boy spoke to him.

"Well well well," he said " Harry Potter's very own son in Gryffindor," he finished, politely holding out his hand for Albus to shake.

Albus shook it.

"Thank You," he said nervously, stopping the conversation to watch the sorting as he heard another name being called out.

"Thomas Malone!" roared Professor McGonagall once more.

The hat was silent for almost a minute.

"Could you please hurry up? You are delayin the feast!" McGonagall yelled impatiently at the hat.

The sorting hat groaned before croaking Slytherin.

Soon it was Rose's turn on the sorting hat. Rose was a little more confindent that Albus and unlike him, she wouldn't mind being in any of the other houses. Of course, she would prefer to be in Gryffindor but any would do for her. They all had their plus sides and down sides.

Rose was clearly a true Gryffindor for as soon as the hat was placed on her head, the sorting hat gave a bark of:

"Gryffindor!"

Rose beamed. She was looking forwards to her time at Hogwarts already.

*

When the sorting was over the annual Hogwarts feast began. Albus had never beenso hungry - or happy in his life. He was a Gryffindor. Although he was so happy he didn't forget about James. Albus glanced over to the Slytherin table where Thomas was sitting. Unfortunately, Albus knew Thomas. He was a sly, spiteful boy who often took advantage of Albus' kindness and played cruel tricks on him. Abus wasn't paticularly suprised he was in Slytherin even though he knew that he was desperate to bein Gryffindor. He caught his eye and tryed to smile sympathetically but Thomas looked away immediatly. Fine then, thought Albus, if he wants to act miserably with me, he can.

Albus was sitting next to one of the first year boys. He had ice blond hair and a pointy chin. His experession looked scared and Albus remember seeing him on Platform 9 3/4

"What's the matter?" asked Albus looking concerned.

"Well it's just that my Grandad's going to kill me," he replied shakily.

"Why? What have you done?" questiond Albus.

"I - I'm in Gryffindor."

"Thats a good thing though. At least you're not in Slytherin like Thomas over there! Our two mums know eachother from the HolyHead Harpies," laughed Albus.

"No. You don't understand, you see my grandad and my dad were both in Slyterin. My grandad was even a ... a ... Death Eater and he made my dad become one too. My dad despises Voldemort now and he loves Harry Potter for saving him but he didn't back then," the boy said.

"Harry Potter's my dad," said Albus Severus shyly. He didn't want the whole school to know that he was Harry's son or he'd have people coming up to him and asking questions. Albus wasn't the type of person who was bold of confident either.

"So are you Albus or James?"

"Albus. How do you know anyway?" asked Albus, slightly worried.

"Daily Prophet. My name's Scorpious by the way. Scorpious Malfoy," Scorpious said.

"So are you Draco's son?"

"Yeah."

Things were awkard now. Albus knew that Draco and Harry hadn't been the best of all mates when they were at Hogwarts. Infact, it was the exact opposite. They were enemies. He decided that it was best not to trust Scorpius until he truly got to know him. Until then he'd just have to stick with Rose, his cousin.

"Do you like Quidditch?" asked Albus changing the subject.

"I love it! I couldn't get enough of in the holidays because my dad's bought me the ne-"

But Scorpious was interupted by Professor McGonnagal giving her yearly speech.