FIC--Albus Potter and the Sorting Hat
Title: Albus Potter and the Sorting Hat
Rating: PG13
Summary: The Sorting Hat has another surprise for Harry Potter. Turns out, Al is more his mother's son than Harry thought.
Words: 1960
Betas: lunalovepotter,queenb23more
Author Note: This was originally written for catchmysnitch as a membership application. I did get accepted, by the way.
Albus Potter and the Sorting Hat
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes-and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting…So where should I put you?"
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that-no? Well, if you're sure-better be GRYFFINDOR!"
--Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
p 131 (US edition)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."
"But just say-"
"-then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."
"Really?"
"It did for me," said Harry.
--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
p 738 (US edition)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry sat alone in the study of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, staring anxiously at the fire as if waiting for someone to Floo him. He was hoping that James would call and tell him how things went for Al. He'd never seen his youngest son look so nervous. Albus was always the most sensitive of the three children, and Harry saw a lot of himself in his son, not just their shared physical appearance, but in demeanor. Al was known to shy away from the limelight yet had a streak of mischief that Harry attributed to the Weasley half of him, much to Ginny's chagrin and George's delight.
When James entered Hogwarts two years ago, he Flooed home almost immediately upon entering Gryffindor Tower, bubbling with excitement over the fact that he had claimed Sirius Black's four-poster bed, which Harry refrained from telling him was also his uncle Bill and Ron's bed as well. Harry remembered Ron looking at the carved message, 'Sirius Black slept here and betrayed the Black family name,' and cringing yet not explaining to Harry why. Once Harry finally realized who Sirius truly was, Harry actively sought out similarly marked beds, yet there were no more.
"Harry," came Ginny's whisper, and she stopped beside him, rubbing his shoulder with her hand. "You worried about him, love?"
He looked up at her and pulled her down into his lap as he nodded. "He's so worried about making me happy when all I really want is for him to be who he's supposed to be, Gryffindor or not."
Ginny looked at him, taking in his wistful tone and the tinge of sadness in his voice. She leaned forward and placed a light kiss on the top of his head. "Do you want to Floo the school and find out?"
"No…no. If he wants to call, he'll call. Or write."
"But you want him to call," she stated, knowing that was what he really wanted. Harry nodded in agreement.
"He's just so much like me, and I don't want everyone to stare at him…to think that…that he's me…" His voice trailed off and he looked at the fireplace again. "Everyone stared at me when I got on the train and at Hogwarts. I don't want him to go through the same thing, just because he looks like me."
Harry had never verbalized much of how he felt that first year at Hogwarts, about how it felt to be famous when he really didn't know anything about what made him famous. He could only imagine what Al must be going through, being a near replica of the famous Harry Potter.
Ginny snuggled into his shoulder and felt him tighten his grip around her waist. "You never really told me much about that year." Harry turned his head and wrinkled his forehead at her comment. "I mean," she began, "about how you felt about people staring at you. It must have been awful."
"Well, no, not awful, just…weird. Everyone knew everything about me, and I knew next to nothing. Hell, even Hermione knew more about me than I did." They both chuckled at that.
"So, how long are you going to wait for him?" Ginny wiggled in his lap and made him groan. "We always have the best sex on September first. Actually, I can't wait until Lily goes off…all alone, with you, in this big house…" she whispered seductively into his ear.
"You are bad, Ginevra." One corner of his mouth was turned up in a wry smirk. "I'll give him another half hour. How shall I occupy my time?"
Ginny gladly showed him what he could do while he waited, exchanging kisses and caresses until the fireplace sprang to life with its green flames.
"OI! Can't you keep your hands off my sister?" It was Ron, shaking his head in mock-disgust.
"Ron, what do you want? We're waiting for Al to call." Ginny glowered at her brother.
"He hasn't called yet?"
"Why, do you know something?" Harry asked, unceremoniously dumping his wife onto the chair they had been occupying and rushed to the hearth. "How's Al? What House did he get?"
"Harry, let Al tell us. Ron, really, can you just go?"
"Fine. Just don't knock her up again, okay?" Ron quickly extinguished the fire and the room was once again quiet.
Harry sighed as he stared into the empty fireplace, willing it to spring to life, it seemed.
"Harry…I don't think he's calling tonight." She got up off the chair and walked over to where he sat, looking so lost and lonely at the hearth. "Let's go to bed-"
The fire once again burst to life and a smiling Albus looked back at them.
"Mum! Dad! Sorry I'm so late, but there was a long line for the Floo!" Al announced cheerfully. He looked tired but excited. Harry kept trying to peer around Al and figure out what common room he was calling from but was unsuccessful in deciphering his son's location.
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Albus charged on.
"You'll never guess what happened to me! The Sorting Hat sang a song while we all stood in front and told us that there would be surprises in store for everyone, that family tradition was being ignored, so that the Houses wouldn't be so divided, and that we shouldn't assume where we would be living and that we should think carefully about where we wanted to go, because we wouldn't automatically go where our parents were and that no one should question the Hat's judgment or think that they knew better and not to argue with it while he sat on our heads…What? Why are you laughing?"
"Breathe, love. You just looked so excited," Ginny pointed out. It was true. Al looked as if he were bouncing up and down while he spoke to them, not bothering to take a breath as he told them about the Sorting Hat's message. "So what did it say to you?"
Al straightened up and took a piece of parchment from his pocket and cleared his throat. "I wrote it down right after I sat down because I knew you'd want to know. Okay, this it what it said." Albus paused dramatically while his parents sat on the floor in front of the fireplace with encouraging smiles on his face. "Ready? 'Ah, Potter's son. And the Weasley girl. Lots of nerve and bravery here. And what's that? Your father told you his secret, did he? Well, didn't you listen to me? It doesn't matter anymore about your heritage. It's all about you, little Potter. You've got a lot from your father, but it's your mother that comes through the most.'" Albus paused again and looked at his mother with pride, smiling at her. "'She's a survivor, that one, and had to take care of herself from the first day. You do, too, eh? Any arguments from you, a place where you want to go?' I really wanted to tell it where to put me, Dad, but then I remember what you told me this morning, you know, that it didn't matter to you where I went, so it didn't matter to me. And then it said, 'I like you, little Potter, and I think this just might do your father in---SLYTHERIN!'"
Harry's mouth fell open and he felt like he had to vomit. Ginny, on the other hand, was still glowing after hearing that the Hat remembered her, when people usually thought of Harry upon seeing Albus.
Harry continued to look at his son through the flames, trying to think of what to say, but coming up with nothing.
"Dad, it's okay, really! I've got loads of friends already and it's nothing like you said…er, rather the way James told me. Professor Zabini is SO cool, Dad! And, Mum…Bradley Corner said you used to date his dad! I thought you were always in love with Dad! What's up with that?" Al anxiously looked at his mother, who was now under the scrutiny of both her husband and son.
"I…I was fourteen, Al, and your father didn't know I existed!" she answered with a hint of indignation while Harry chuffed at her response.
"I did so! I was…I was…distracted, is all," Harry stuttered while Ginny rolled her eyes and Albus laughed.
"Whatever, Dad. I've got to go now. There's so much I want to tell you about Slytherin, but I'll write to you later this week, okay?" He smiled at them and turned around, shouting to the person behind him, "Shut it! I'm on the Floo with Harry Potter!"
"Fine, fine…just…be careful, Al," Harry warned. He still didn't like the idea of his son being a Slytherin. "We'll talk later."
"I love you, son," Ginny said, a little choked up.
"Mu-um! Don't say that in front of everyone! I'm gonna go now! Bye!" The flames billowed and then died, leaving Harry and Ginny alone again in the quiet room.
Harry got up from the floor and walked to the door without saying anything. When he reached the door, he turned to her saying, "It put him there because of you. Did it almost put you there? You never said."
Ginny bit her lip and stood up, silently making her way over to him. Once she stood next to him, she took his face in her hand and said, "It said that I was full of ambition and that I needed to prove myself to my family and the world. It told me that Slytherin would be good for me. But you know what I told the Hat?" She ran her hand through his hair while he shook his head. "I said, 'I have to be in Gryffindor. Harry Potter's in Gryffindor and I'm going to marry him one day.' Then the Hat said 'Yes, I'm sure you will, young Weasley. It may take some time, but I assure you, you will get what you want.' So I ended up in Gryffindor because the Sorting Hat knew that we were meant to be together. It knows what it's talking about, that hat." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him firmly on the lips.
Harry continued the kiss and then rested his forehead on hers. "I suppose so." His voice did little to convince either one of them.
"Are you jealous that it put him there because of me? Harry…he's my son, too!" she said with a bit of indignation. "Just because he looks like you doesn't mean there's none of me in there." She stood back from him and put a hand on her hip, trying to put on her best Molly Weasley face. Harry looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. "If you remember earlier today, you told him it didn't matter to us what House he was Sorted into. Was that true or were you just trying to make Al feel better?"
"No…no, of course not. I meant it." Harry looked pained. "I just really thought he'd be, you know, in Gryffindor…like the rest of us."
"Harry, I did, too." She put her hand on his chin and stroked it gently. "But like Al said, they've made some more changes. Maybe Lily will be in Hufflepuff."
"Nah, she'll be Ravenclaw. She's smarter than me already," he said, a smile finally turning up the corners of his mouth.
"Well, you know, Harry," Ginny purred, changing the tone of her voice dramatically, "if we want one in each House, we'll have to work on it, love."
The deep timbre of his laughter filled the room as he swept her off her feet and carried her up the stairs to continue their September first tradition.
Rating: PG13
Summary: The Sorting Hat has another surprise for Harry Potter. Turns out, Al is more his mother's son than Harry thought.
Words: 1960
Betas: lunalovepotter,queenb23more
Author Note: This was originally written for catchmysnitch as a membership application. I did get accepted, by the way.
Albus Potter and the Sorting Hat
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes-and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting…So where should I put you?"
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that-no? Well, if you're sure-better be GRYFFINDOR!"
--Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
p 131 (US edition)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."
"But just say-"
"-then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."
"Really?"
"It did for me," said Harry.
--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
p 738 (US edition)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harry sat alone in the study of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, staring anxiously at the fire as if waiting for someone to Floo him. He was hoping that James would call and tell him how things went for Al. He'd never seen his youngest son look so nervous. Albus was always the most sensitive of the three children, and Harry saw a lot of himself in his son, not just their shared physical appearance, but in demeanor. Al was known to shy away from the limelight yet had a streak of mischief that Harry attributed to the Weasley half of him, much to Ginny's chagrin and George's delight.
When James entered Hogwarts two years ago, he Flooed home almost immediately upon entering Gryffindor Tower, bubbling with excitement over the fact that he had claimed Sirius Black's four-poster bed, which Harry refrained from telling him was also his uncle Bill and Ron's bed as well. Harry remembered Ron looking at the carved message, 'Sirius Black slept here and betrayed the Black family name,' and cringing yet not explaining to Harry why. Once Harry finally realized who Sirius truly was, Harry actively sought out similarly marked beds, yet there were no more.
"Harry," came Ginny's whisper, and she stopped beside him, rubbing his shoulder with her hand. "You worried about him, love?"
He looked up at her and pulled her down into his lap as he nodded. "He's so worried about making me happy when all I really want is for him to be who he's supposed to be, Gryffindor or not."
Ginny looked at him, taking in his wistful tone and the tinge of sadness in his voice. She leaned forward and placed a light kiss on the top of his head. "Do you want to Floo the school and find out?"
"No…no. If he wants to call, he'll call. Or write."
"But you want him to call," she stated, knowing that was what he really wanted. Harry nodded in agreement.
"He's just so much like me, and I don't want everyone to stare at him…to think that…that he's me…" His voice trailed off and he looked at the fireplace again. "Everyone stared at me when I got on the train and at Hogwarts. I don't want him to go through the same thing, just because he looks like me."
Harry had never verbalized much of how he felt that first year at Hogwarts, about how it felt to be famous when he really didn't know anything about what made him famous. He could only imagine what Al must be going through, being a near replica of the famous Harry Potter.
Ginny snuggled into his shoulder and felt him tighten his grip around her waist. "You never really told me much about that year." Harry turned his head and wrinkled his forehead at her comment. "I mean," she began, "about how you felt about people staring at you. It must have been awful."
"Well, no, not awful, just…weird. Everyone knew everything about me, and I knew next to nothing. Hell, even Hermione knew more about me than I did." They both chuckled at that.
"So, how long are you going to wait for him?" Ginny wiggled in his lap and made him groan. "We always have the best sex on September first. Actually, I can't wait until Lily goes off…all alone, with you, in this big house…" she whispered seductively into his ear.
"You are bad, Ginevra." One corner of his mouth was turned up in a wry smirk. "I'll give him another half hour. How shall I occupy my time?"
Ginny gladly showed him what he could do while he waited, exchanging kisses and caresses until the fireplace sprang to life with its green flames.
"OI! Can't you keep your hands off my sister?" It was Ron, shaking his head in mock-disgust.
"Ron, what do you want? We're waiting for Al to call." Ginny glowered at her brother.
"He hasn't called yet?"
"Why, do you know something?" Harry asked, unceremoniously dumping his wife onto the chair they had been occupying and rushed to the hearth. "How's Al? What House did he get?"
"Harry, let Al tell us. Ron, really, can you just go?"
"Fine. Just don't knock her up again, okay?" Ron quickly extinguished the fire and the room was once again quiet.
Harry sighed as he stared into the empty fireplace, willing it to spring to life, it seemed.
"Harry…I don't think he's calling tonight." She got up off the chair and walked over to where he sat, looking so lost and lonely at the hearth. "Let's go to bed-"
The fire once again burst to life and a smiling Albus looked back at them.
"Mum! Dad! Sorry I'm so late, but there was a long line for the Floo!" Al announced cheerfully. He looked tired but excited. Harry kept trying to peer around Al and figure out what common room he was calling from but was unsuccessful in deciphering his son's location.
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Albus charged on.
"You'll never guess what happened to me! The Sorting Hat sang a song while we all stood in front and told us that there would be surprises in store for everyone, that family tradition was being ignored, so that the Houses wouldn't be so divided, and that we shouldn't assume where we would be living and that we should think carefully about where we wanted to go, because we wouldn't automatically go where our parents were and that no one should question the Hat's judgment or think that they knew better and not to argue with it while he sat on our heads…What? Why are you laughing?"
"Breathe, love. You just looked so excited," Ginny pointed out. It was true. Al looked as if he were bouncing up and down while he spoke to them, not bothering to take a breath as he told them about the Sorting Hat's message. "So what did it say to you?"
Al straightened up and took a piece of parchment from his pocket and cleared his throat. "I wrote it down right after I sat down because I knew you'd want to know. Okay, this it what it said." Albus paused dramatically while his parents sat on the floor in front of the fireplace with encouraging smiles on his face. "Ready? 'Ah, Potter's son. And the Weasley girl. Lots of nerve and bravery here. And what's that? Your father told you his secret, did he? Well, didn't you listen to me? It doesn't matter anymore about your heritage. It's all about you, little Potter. You've got a lot from your father, but it's your mother that comes through the most.'" Albus paused again and looked at his mother with pride, smiling at her. "'She's a survivor, that one, and had to take care of herself from the first day. You do, too, eh? Any arguments from you, a place where you want to go?' I really wanted to tell it where to put me, Dad, but then I remember what you told me this morning, you know, that it didn't matter to you where I went, so it didn't matter to me. And then it said, 'I like you, little Potter, and I think this just might do your father in---SLYTHERIN!'"
Harry's mouth fell open and he felt like he had to vomit. Ginny, on the other hand, was still glowing after hearing that the Hat remembered her, when people usually thought of Harry upon seeing Albus.
Harry continued to look at his son through the flames, trying to think of what to say, but coming up with nothing.
"Dad, it's okay, really! I've got loads of friends already and it's nothing like you said…er, rather the way James told me. Professor Zabini is SO cool, Dad! And, Mum…Bradley Corner said you used to date his dad! I thought you were always in love with Dad! What's up with that?" Al anxiously looked at his mother, who was now under the scrutiny of both her husband and son.
"I…I was fourteen, Al, and your father didn't know I existed!" she answered with a hint of indignation while Harry chuffed at her response.
"I did so! I was…I was…distracted, is all," Harry stuttered while Ginny rolled her eyes and Albus laughed.
"Whatever, Dad. I've got to go now. There's so much I want to tell you about Slytherin, but I'll write to you later this week, okay?" He smiled at them and turned around, shouting to the person behind him, "Shut it! I'm on the Floo with Harry Potter!"
"Fine, fine…just…be careful, Al," Harry warned. He still didn't like the idea of his son being a Slytherin. "We'll talk later."
"I love you, son," Ginny said, a little choked up.
"Mu-um! Don't say that in front of everyone! I'm gonna go now! Bye!" The flames billowed and then died, leaving Harry and Ginny alone again in the quiet room.
Harry got up from the floor and walked to the door without saying anything. When he reached the door, he turned to her saying, "It put him there because of you. Did it almost put you there? You never said."
Ginny bit her lip and stood up, silently making her way over to him. Once she stood next to him, she took his face in her hand and said, "It said that I was full of ambition and that I needed to prove myself to my family and the world. It told me that Slytherin would be good for me. But you know what I told the Hat?" She ran her hand through his hair while he shook his head. "I said, 'I have to be in Gryffindor. Harry Potter's in Gryffindor and I'm going to marry him one day.' Then the Hat said 'Yes, I'm sure you will, young Weasley. It may take some time, but I assure you, you will get what you want.' So I ended up in Gryffindor because the Sorting Hat knew that we were meant to be together. It knows what it's talking about, that hat." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him firmly on the lips.
Harry continued the kiss and then rested his forehead on hers. "I suppose so." His voice did little to convince either one of them.
"Are you jealous that it put him there because of me? Harry…he's my son, too!" she said with a bit of indignation. "Just because he looks like you doesn't mean there's none of me in there." She stood back from him and put a hand on her hip, trying to put on her best Molly Weasley face. Harry looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. "If you remember earlier today, you told him it didn't matter to us what House he was Sorted into. Was that true or were you just trying to make Al feel better?"
"No…no, of course not. I meant it." Harry looked pained. "I just really thought he'd be, you know, in Gryffindor…like the rest of us."
"Harry, I did, too." She put her hand on his chin and stroked it gently. "But like Al said, they've made some more changes. Maybe Lily will be in Hufflepuff."
"Nah, she'll be Ravenclaw. She's smarter than me already," he said, a smile finally turning up the corners of his mouth.
"Well, you know, Harry," Ginny purred, changing the tone of her voice dramatically, "if we want one in each House, we'll have to work on it, love."
The deep timbre of his laughter filled the room as he swept her off her feet and carried her up the stairs to continue their September first tradition.