Aunt Fleur, Aunt Audrey and Aunt Hermione were in the kitchen helping Albus’ grandmother prepare dinner. Aunt Angelina, Uncle George, Uncle Charlie and Albus’ mother were outside playing a short-sided game of Quidditch with James, Fred, Louis and Dominique. Teddy was using his gift as a Metamorphmagus to entertain Lucy, Roxanne, Lily and Hugo by impersonating various relatives. Albus had to admit Teddy’s impression of Uncle Percy, who was sitting in the corner reading the Daily Prophet, was spot on. Albus’ grandfather was snoring away in a chair, Victoire and Molly were gossiping and Rose was reading a book.
Albus had decided to use this Christmas commotion as a cover to talk to his father in private. He had still not confronted him about the rumors he had heard at school. Albus didn’t know what he was hoping to hear, but he had to hear it from his dad, not anyone else.
He found his father reminiscing with Uncle Ron in Ron’s old bedroom. Albus didn’t want to interrupt their conversation, so he stood outside the door until they were finished. While waiting, he couldn’t help but overhear a few things:
“It’s been nineteen years, mate, but we’ve finally captured almost all of ‘em.”
“Yeah, almost all of them,” sighed Harry. “There’s still some more out there.”
“Like Rodolphus Lestrange,” scowled Ron. “I wish we could put him away for Neville.”
“No one’s seen him since the Battle of Hogwarts though. It’s like he vanished.”
“Who knows? Maybe he was crushed by a giant and we just never found the body,” suggested Ron hopefully.
“Well at least if he is still out there, he’s not causing any trouble.”
“Yup,” agreed Ron. After a long silence, he said “Well, mate, I’m going to go wake up Bill and see if he wants to join the Quidditch game outside. Care to play?”
“I think I’m going to take it easy,” Harry declined. “My back’s been bothering me lately.”
“And you thought you were done with pain once your scar stopped hurting,” Ron laughed. “Welcome to old age.”
Albus had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by the door when Ron threw it open.
“Whoa, Al! You scared me there,” said Ron, who clearly had not been expecting to see an eleven-year-old boy standing outside his door.
“I just came up here to talk to my dad,” Albus replied.
“All right, well I’ll see you at dinner.” Uncle Ron then went off to wake up Uncle Bill, and Albus entered the room.
“Hi Dad. Can I talk to you?”
“Sure, Al. What’s up?”
Albus had spent months rehearsing this speech, but he forgot all about that now and simply blurted out, “Are you famous?”
“Yeah…I guess we need to talk. I probably should have told you all this sooner…”
“So now you know,” Harry finished. “Don’t tell your sister yet; I want to wait till she’s older. Most importantly, don’t let this trouble you.”
“I won’t. Thanks Dad,” Albus smiled, turning towards the door.
“Before you go, Al, there’s something I want to give you.” Harry waved his wand and a parcel floated into the room. Albus carefully opened it to reveal a gleaming, silvery cloth.
“Is this””
“An Invisibility Cloak,” Harry nodded. “Actually, this is a very special Invisibility Cloak that has been passed down through this family for generations.”
“Why didn’t you give it to James?”
“He can get in enough trouble without it.”
“So, did you get anything cool for Christmas?” Scorpius asked Albus in the Slytherin common room.
Looking around to make sure they were alone, Albus pulled the Invisibility Cloak out of his trunk and said triumphantly, “Yeah, this.”
“Whoa! All I got was a Nimbus 2000. Do you know how old those things are?”
“So do you want to try it out?” offered Albus, wrapping the cloak around himself and watching his body disappear.
“Sure! What do you have in mind?”
“Oh, just a little prank on my brother,” Albus grinned.
Albus and Scorpius stood huddled under the Invisibility Cloak outside the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.
“How are we supposed to get in?” Scorpius questioned.
“We wait for someone to give the password, and then we sneak in behind them,” answered Albus.
“And what if no one comes?”
“Stop complaining. Look, here’s a Gryffindor now.”
Albus and Scorpius watched quietly as Leah Jordan said the password to the Fat Lady and the portrait swung open. They quickly climbed through the hole before it closed again, making sure not to bump into Leah. Slowly creeping up the stairs to the boys’ dormitory, Albus gently opened the door and went inside.
Fortunately, the room was empty, so the boys were free to remove the cloak. They searched the room for James’ trunk, and when they found it, Albus snatched the old bit of parchment inside before slipping the cloak back on and returning to the Slytherin common room.