Albus Potter sat on the Hogwarts Express, watching his parents and younger sister disappear as the scarlet steam engine picked up speed and turned the corner at the edge of Platform 9 3/4. He wasn’t sure why he felt so sentimental about leaving home and going to school; he had been looking forward to this day since his elder brother James had gotten his acceptance letter. When James had come back from his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he had told many remarkable stories about the place. Albus wasn’t sure whether or not to believe his brother, who had an infamously over imaginative mind. But maybe James wasn’t joking. Maybe Albus would be in Slyth—

No. No, he couldn’t think like that. James was messing with him, that was all. But Albus couldn’t help think that his father had almost been in Slytherin. Of course, what Albus didn’t know, is at the time of Harry Potter’s sorting, Harry had a fragment of Lord Voldemort’s soul embedded inside of him. As Voldemort was the most feared dark wizard in a century (at the time), and a direct descendent of Slytherin, the Sorting Hat’s confusion was inevitable. This wasn’t the sort of thing you told your son. But as Harry had said, Albus could probably just ask the hat to put him in Gryffindor. Albus wondered about this. If anyone could just ask where to go, why did the school need the fraying hat after all? He supposed it was just part of tradition, and some people probably had no idea.

Albus had just decided that he would keep an open mind so the hat could decide where he would be best, the door to the compartment slid open, and Rose Weasley entered the compartment.

“Do you mind if I sit down?�

Rose looked extraordinarily like her mother. Someone (Hermione, no doubt) had coaxed Rose’s brown frizzy hair into two braids, and the effect was less than flattering. As soon as Albus nodded, Rose sat down and pulled the elastics out of her hair. It immediately regained its previously bushy state, but Rose didn’t care. That was why Albus liked his cousin. She cared about other, more fun things.

Along with Rose came the traditional Hogwarts trunk, and a small ginger cat that was part Kneazle and related to Crookshanks. Albus and his siblings had heard all about Crookshanks from his parents’ days at Hogwarts. Rose’s cat was named Amblyn, and Albus wasn’t sure why. Rose had probably read about some famous witch or wizard with that name in the extensive library Hermione had started.

Albus didn’t have a pet of his own. His mother had a snowy white owl named Flynn. For some reason Albus didn’t fully understand, his father seemed sad at the thought of a snowy owl. He knew Harry had once owned a snowy owl, but Albus didn’t understand why this made Harry sad.

The rest of the journey was uneventful. Rose and Albus talked animatedly about what house they would be in. They were joined by a sulking James Potter, who couldn’t find a girl named Celisse. Rose and Albus entertained themselves by teasing James, and pretending to be concerned when really giggling whenever James dramatically gazed out of the window.

“Unrequited love,� Rose whispered to Albus, smirking as James looked hopefully at a group of girls passing the compartment. “Must be so depressing.�

“He looks like a wreck!� Albus commented. “I don’t think I’ll ever be in love if that’s what it’s like.�

Rose looked at him pityingly. “Albus, love is a very pretty thing. If you would only read stories—“

But Albus wasn’t paying attention. She had lost him at ‘read.’

The Great Hall at Hogwarts was filled with the returning students, talking about their summer holiday. James had found Celisse, and he was doing his best to flirt with her. Victiore Weasley was looking sulky without the presence of Teddy Lupin, and didn’t even respond to the dreamy gazes of the boys sitting around her. The Headmaster, Crawley Rushmore, sat observing this years 2nd through 7th years. Professor Longbottom, the Herbology teacher at Hogwarts was talking animatedly to the Head of Ravenclaw and the Divination Teacher, Professor Lovegood. But Albus Potter couldn’t see the joy in this situation.

Instead, he was sweating bucketloads as he walked between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables towards a dusty, fraying hat. Albus wondered how such a simple hat was causing him so much internal struggle. He would keep an open mind. He had to.

“Albus Potter.� Luna Lovegood had inherited Professor McGonagall’s old job. Albus silently cursed. Damn alphabetical order by first names.

But he stepped up to the stool, and Luna placed the hat on his head.

�Don’t worry, Albus. It’s not as scary as fighting of angry blubbering humdingers. And tell your parents hello. They’re very nice people.� Albus was too surprised to answer as the Sorting Hat spoke in his ear.

�Hmm…difficult choice. Noble lineage. Gryffindor would be the obvious choice…�

“Not Gryffindor…� Albus muttered, without meaning to.

�If you’re perfectly sure…SLYTHERIN!� the hat bellowed for everyone to hear. The room grew silent. Albus froze. He had meant to say Slytherin. But at that moment he had been thinking about his Gryffindor ancestry, and hadn’t spoken clearly. And now, his Hogwarts career was ruined.

Luna swept the hat off Albus’s head, and smiled cheerily. However, she was the only one with that reaction. Rose Weasley was looking betrayed. Albus thought of their time on the train. That had been fun. He had been looking forward to more of those times. And thanks to his own idiocy, it wouldn’t happen.

He wanted so desperately to be in Gryffindor. It was his destiny. But maybe he had spoke too soon. Instead, he found himself walking gloomily to the Slytherin table, trying to ignore the accusing faces of his family, friends and family friends, and took a place next to Scorpius Malfoy, who was looking delighted at Albus’s apparent betrayal.

That night, Albus wrote a letter home.

Albus attached the letter to Scorpius’s eagle owl’s leg, and the bird took off, which was especially weird seeing as the Slytherin common room is in a dungeon. Sighing, he made his way towards his dormitory, and realized all he wanted was to get some sleep. He was stuck in Slytherin, and he had to make what he could of it.