Albus Potter and the Healing Springs

Autumn seemed to have come quick that year. It couldn’t be put into words how nerve-wrecking Albus Potter was feeling as he approached the wall, 9 and ¾, that led to the Hogwarts Express. The Hogwarts Express was a specially charmed, magical train located at Kings Cross that led to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Albus knew that his family had been wizards all his life. Albus, like his father, was a short skinny boy with untidy black hair and beautiful green eyes that he inherited from his paternal grandmother. Lily Potter was Albus' sister, his very annoying, very impatient sister. James, Albus' brother, gave Albus a headache every day for the past 11 years of Albus' life; he was a year older and already attending Hogwarts. James was a very energetic and easy going boy with big brown eyes. He had very poor timing and a knack for interfering in other people’s love lives. He was also known for having a great fondness for mischief and a superb sense of humor. He was in his second year of Hogwarts already. Hogwarts taught students for seven years, on their fifth they’d take O.W.L.'s and on their last year they’d take N.E.W.T.'s to determine what their wizard career would be.
The moment that Albus went aboard the Hogwarts express, he noticed all the children staring unmistakably at his father, Harry Potter.
“Don’t let it worry you,” said Ron. “It’s me. I’m extremely famous.”
Ron Weasley was Albus’ uncle, being his mother, Ginny Weasley's, older brother, and also one of his father's best friends. The other being Ron’s wife, Hermione Granger.
“Go on, find a compartment before they all run out,” said Hermione. “Rose, sit with James and Albus, and don’t forget to send us an owl as soon as you arrive!”
Rose Weasley, Albus’ cousin, was also attending her first year at Hogwarts this year. She had flaming red ginger hair that she had obviously inherited from her father. She was already wearing the school robes before it was necessary, greatly resembling her mother's punctuality. Rose has also inherited her mother's intelligence and big, bushy hair. She had just escaped from the grasp that her younger brother, Hugo, had on her trying to not let her go. Children were always talking about how extremely excited they were to attend Hogwarts but when the time came everyone shared anxiety concerning what house they would be sorted into once they arrived there. Hogwarts had four houses named after the four founders, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin.
Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and all of the Potter-Weasley family were sorted into Gryffindor house. Gryffindors were known for their great courage and determination. Their rival house, Slytherin, was all about cunningness and dark arts. Ravenclaw’s were known for their great intelligence and Hufflepuff’s were known for their trustworthiness and friendship.
Albus hurried into the Hogwarts Express and found a compartment where he sat with James and Rose.
“Move! Get out of the way!” roared a near by voice. “I will push you!”
Everyone in the compartment quickly stared at each other; Albus moved over to sit next to James as soon as he saw a silhouette on the compartment door. In came a short girl with long blonde hair, pale skin, and a very messy bag with papers falling out of it.
“Is that seat taken?” asked the girl whilst pointing at the empty seat next to where Rose was sitting. Rose shook her head uncomfortably and the girl sprang up next to her.
“Hi, my name is Veronica Cambridge. But call me Ronnie!” beamed the girl, clearly excited to meet new people, even if they were looking at her like she had three eyes.
“Wow, what a name you’ve got there.” giggled James, obviously laughing at her, not with her.
It seemed quite obvious that right then and there Ronnie didn’t seem to take a fondness to James ever since. She only talked to, or atleast tried to talk to, Albus and Rose the whole way there. Once or twice you could see Ronnie give James a dirty look.
“So what house are you hoping to get into?” asked Ronnie. But Albus shied away and did not respond. Instead Rose said “I hope I get into Gryffindor; my father said he’d disinherit me if I didn’t!”
It was in fact true. Ron had told Rose back at King's Cross that he'd be very disappointed if she didn’t get into Gryffindor. Although he said it in a joking fashion, Hermione wasn’t very happy about it. Rose indeed was afraid of the outcome would be if she didn’t get sorted into Gryffindor.
“Well as for me, I am most certain that I’ll be sorted into Ravenclaw,” beamed Ronnie very proudly. “There is no doubt in my mind about it!”
James made a small remark when she said that, only loud enough for Albus to be able to hear. It was known that he never really liked Ravenclaws that much because he believed they thought they were so great just for being smart. It's obvious that he believed his house, Gryffindor, was superior to all the rest.
Albus tried hard not to think about the idea of what house he’d be sorted into the whole train ride there; he was extremely nervous and couldn’t even walk straight due to his anxiety. What if he were to be sorted into Slytherin? What would his parents think!? He would be to embarrassed to write to them to tell them, but surely James would do so himself. Ravenclaw wouldn’t be that bad, and neither would Hufflepuff but it was still set in his heart that he’d be sorted into Gryffindor.
As the trolley lady came around to sell Chocolate Frogs and Every-Flavor-Beans, Albus caught sight of a beautiful girl with long black straight hair, a wicked smile and eyes that captivated him completely; she was breathtaking. Before he could even get up to greet her, she had already bought her sweets and walked away.
No one in the compartment noticed how happy Albus was after that brief encounter. All his fears of being sorted were no longer present in his mind. All he could think about was that girl, how he was longing to talk to her, he wondered deeply what her name could be.
Much time didn’t pass by when suddenly a boy with white blonde hair and a pale pointed nose burst through the compartment door. He seemed to be very afraid of something as he closed the compartment door as if something was chasing him. He wasn’t breathing normally but he wasn’t exactly panting either.
“Do you mind if I sit here?” asked the boy, “Oh my, goodness; where are my manners? Hello, my name is Scorpius Malfoy.”
At the sound of that name, Rose whispered to Albus yet another story about what her father told her back at Kings Cross. “Make sure you beat that little Scorpius in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains.”
Hermione, half stern and half amused yelled at her husband, “Ron, for heaven’s sake, don’t try to turn them against each other before they’ve even started school!”
“You’re right, sorry,” said Ron, but unable to help himself he added, “Don’t get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood.”
Rose wasn’t worried about that aspect though. She didn’t find Scorpius attractive at the very least. Or, that is what she was trying to persuade herself to believe.
Scorpius didn’t explain why he needed to leave wherever he came from so urgently, but there was a rip as clear as day light in his robe but no one dared to ask why. The whole train ride there was filled with awkward conversation and mild laughter.
* * *
The train came to a steady halt. As Albus and James exited the train, the moonlight lit up the grounds. It was a warm and calm night some might call beautiful. Albus heard an odd voice; it was deep and one could hear it above all the pandemonium. Setting his eyes on the huge man holding up a lantern, he finally saw Hagrid. His parents and broter had told him all about Hagrid; he was a friendly giant who had a personal relationship with Albus' dad, Harry, when he was at Hogwarts. They’ve been as close as ever, ever since. He wasn’t sure how he missed Hagrid in the first place as he was a man twice as large as a regular man and almost five times as wide. He had a bushy beard that merged with his hair that only left a little bit of room for a face.
“Firs’ years this way! Firs’ years!” called Hagrid, signaling all the children to a path different from where all the older children were headed.
“Hello Hagrid!” said Albus rather quietly that Hagrid hardly heard him.
“Why 'ello there! 'Ow was the train ride?” beamed Hagrid as he almost pushed about five students trying to turn around to talk to Albus.
“It was fine, nothing unusual..”
Albus then caught another glimpse of the girl with long black hair. He didn’t get to talk to her on the train, and at the moment she was in a crowd so it’d be impossible to talk to her now.
“Well, we better get to it then! Off ter the boats!” yelled Hagrid so that all the first years could hear him. “This way!”
It wasn’t much longer until all the students reached an enormous lake. The moon light reflected upon it beautifully and everyone was excited to see little boats on the shore, waiting for them to hop on. Every boat could carry three students while Hagrid had a boat all to himself.
Albus got on a boat with James and Rose. Not far behind was Ronnie, Scorpius, and a boy who Albus did not recognize. He had straight black hair that was chin length and a bit of a tan complexion. He didn’t speak to Ronnie or Scorpius, but kindly kept to himself the whole way there.
Walking up the steps to the Great Hall was hard for everyone. All the students had so much anxiety that they could barely move! They took a halt when they reached the top of the staircase as there was an elderly woman wearing a green robe embroidered in gold with a black witches hat. It was none other than the Headmistress McGonagall.
“Gather around children, gather around. I am the Headmistress, Professor McGonagall and I will be leading you into the Great Hall to get your sorting started.”
McGonagall went into the Great Hall and the first years waiting outside the door could hear her voice beginning the ceremony by letting everyone there know that the first years have arrived. She then came through the doors and announced to everyone that it was time to go inside and get sorted.
Entering the Great Hall for the first time was truly something you could just not forget. The ceiling was bewitched to look like the sky outside, the starts gleamed beautifully along with the floating candles scattered all around the hall. There were four long vertical tables on which sat the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins. At the end of the hall was one last long horizontal table which sat all the teachers and a big chair in the middle was that was obviously the Headmistress’.
When all the children got to the end of the hall where they would be sorted, they gathered around an empty stool. No one outside of Hogwarts knew what the sorting would be like. Older brothers and sisters of new comers would always lie and say they had to fight dragons, fight ogres, even fight each other. All the invented rumors that flew around made the sorting ceremony more intimidating for all the first years.
All except Albus. Albus’ father had told him long ago how the sorting took place. Students would have to sit on the stool and McGonagall would place an enchanted hat on their heads. The hat would sing a song in front of the entire school and then start to decide what houses the students would be sorted into.
When McGonagall walked to the front of the crowd with an old raggedy hat, everyone was clearly confused. All except one boy, which happened to be the shy boy that they saw on the boat earlier.
“Really interesting how the sorting hat works, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History.” he said to a boy next to him. The boy also had longish hair like him except it was a really dark brown. He didn’t seem too interested but did answer as they whispered a little more.
Albus was looking around for his brother, James, and he found him almost instantly since he was standing up laughing and putting two thumbs up for him along with his friend Rick Thompson.
McGonagall set the raggedy hat on the empty stool and a rip tore at the hats brim. The sorting hat began to sing:

Many, many years ago
Back when I was new
Four great wizards gave me their brains
Just before they were through
The great idea of Gryffindor
Saved the school from breaking down
As I could sort and decide for them
Even if they weren’t around
Everyone that’s brave at heart
Belongs in Gryffindor after all
If intelligence was your strength
Then you belong in Ravenclaw
For Hufflepuff you’d need
Trust and love to get in
But if you’re all about cunningness
Than you belong in Slytherin
All houses work in
perfect harmony
If you don’t know where you belong
Right now you shall see
And even if you set your heart
To a certain house
Your true path the real you
I, the sorting hat shall announce

Just as the sorting hat finished singing, the whole great hall broke into applause. After McGonagall hushed the students down, she began to call names from a long piece of parchment.
“Abel, Laura.”
The sorting hat quickly decided to place her in, “RAVENCLAW!”
“Abel, Kara.”
The girl was obviously the twin of the first girl called, and she was also sorted into “RAVENCLAW!”
The twins were greeted warmly by applause to the Ravenclaw table. Albus was looking as nervous as ever. He really hoped to get into Gryffindor. It was his biggest desire right now. He noticed his cousin Rose also fidgeting around nervously. He really hoped that they’d go into the same house.
“Cambridge, Veronica.”
Ronnie then stepped up to the stool very confidently. On the train she was gloating about how sure she was going to get into Ravenclaw. The hat then opened the tear in it’s brim and called out,
“GRYFFINDOR!”
Ronnie’s heart suddenly dropped. She got off the stool very unamused and almost looked like she was on the verge of tears even if the whole Gryffindor table was clapping for her. If only Ronnie knew how envious Albus and Rose were right now, having been sorted into the house of their dreams. Then a girl named Pagan Cowell was sorted into Hufflepuff. Applause broke out from the Hufflepuff table as she walked over to it very happily.
“Greenfield, Alex”
The boy with the black hair stepped up the state quite nervously, but it was expected. He closed his eyes tight until the Sorting hat called out,
“GRYFFINDOR!”
He half-ran half-walked to the Gryffindor table in glee as they applauded loudly.
A few boys were sorted into Slytherin and one girl into Hufflepuff. Then McGonagall called, with a slight look of disgust in her face,
“Lestrange, Bella”
Albus opened his eyes very wide as she walked over to the stool. It was the girl that he saw on the train! He had finally learned her name, and it was beautiful. Her long black hair was barely touched by the hat when the sorting hat called out,
“SLYTHERIN!”
Albus wasn’t sure what to think; wasn’t everyone from Slytherin bad? But that couldn’t be the case; the times have changed. Not everyone in Slytherin could be bad, could they? When Bella glanced at Albus, he suddenly felt a warm feeling inside that he's never felt before. He wished that she got into Gryffindor, he really wanted to see a lot more from her. Meanwhile, Scorpius Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin.
His mind went blank almost instantly as McGonagall called out “Potter, Albus” with a smile that seemed as though she was trying her best to fight it.
Albus walked towards the hat as if he were counting his steps. This seemed to have been the longest walk he’s taken in his life, even if it was only a few feet. He sat on the stool slowly and McGonagall placed the hat on him.
There was silence, the loudest silence Albus has ever heard. It drove him mad, he felt like he were sitting there for hours; but it had only been a minute. In that minute he heard the hat whisper to itself, “You’re not a dumb boy, no, not at all, maybe Ravenclaw is where you belong” and “Slytherin could do you well, as it could have to your father”. Albus heard a remark from the hat every few seconds and watched as everyone in the Great Hall waited for the response from the hat. The last thing the hat whispered was, “There’s a lot buried within you, but when you let it all out, you shall be great”. He then called out,
“GRYFFINDOR!”
Albus’ whole mood changed. Everything was great. He wasn’t nervous anymore, but felt the happiest he had in the past week of worrying about this very moment. As he passed by Rose he gave her a huge smile and she gave him a quick hug until he was greeted by the Gryffindor’s applause and also a huge hug from James.
David Smith was sorted into Ravenclaw, Thomas Spearet into Slytherin and Jake Webster into Gryffindor. Then McGonagall called out,
“Weasley, Rose”
As she hurried up to the hat, almost to just get it over with, the hat started to say something, “Oh, another Weasley, you are definite-” but then he stopped. It seemed as though he looked further into her brain as he said “Wait, you are different, brains, quite like your mother. Yes, I know where to put you.”
“RAVENCLAW!”
Rose’s face flushed into a bright red as she walked off the stool and walked over to the Ravenclaw table. She didn’t seem happy at all.
McGonagall then called for, “Willingham, Jonathan”. The boy who was next to Alex Greenfield was now walking up to the stool. Albus noticed that Alex was paying very close attention to this one, and looked a little disappointed when the sorting hat called out,
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
The boy was greeted greatly to the Hufflepuff table and then McGonagall called for “York, Jane” and it didn’t take much time until the sorting hat sorted her into “RAVENCLAW!”
She was the last one to be sorted, and all the students were now seated. McGonagall gave a quick speech that she ended by magically making all the plates appear with food. Everyone quickly began to eat and Albus was beyond ecstatic. His cousin Rose though, didn’t seem very happy at the Ravenclaw table which was the only downside to the bliss he felt. He looked around the hall and saw Jonathan with Pagan at the Hufflepuff table; Rose was with Laura, Kara and Jane at the Ravenclaw table. Last but not least, he saw Bella sitting with Scorpius at the Slytherin table. She was tugging him by his robe. It wasn’t hard to tell that he was quite frightened, Albus assumed he must have done something wrong to annoy her. There wasn’t any other reasonable explanation! Why would she hurt him otherwise, yes, it was obviously his fault. She wouldn’t hurt an elf, she’s an angel