I remember that I had a secret place that I'd go to some nights.

I was able to sneak out quite easily, considering that my bedroom was on the second floor (there was the attic above me) and was in the back of the house. The window was always open for me; even on nights when it rained and stormed.

I snuck out early this morning, actually. Around five thirty. I had put on my high tops over my socks. I wore serpent green pajama pants and an old concert T-Shirt.

There was a creek just behind the backyard; I was sitting on a large rock there at the moment. I sat facing the back of the house, so I could see if my parents or siblings were coming after me.

I took out a cigarette and a lighter. I put the thing in my mouth and lighted the other end of it.

After a few seconds, I took it out of my mouth and held it between my fingers. I blew out the smoke from the cigarette.

I had first tried this when school got out- so a few of weeks ago. It became a habit, and not a very good one.

Not a very good habit, I'm aware of that, but it takes the pain away. At least for a little while it does.

Usually, when I'm at the creek, I think about what I can do to be as well known as my family.

My dad is the boy-who-lived-twice. My mother is Ginny Potter- part of Dumbledore's Army, chaser of the Holyhead Harpies and more.

My older brother is James Sirius Potter, captain and seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, boyfriend of Alice Longbottom (only, Neville Longbottom, her father, does not know about this). My younger sister is Lily Luna Potter, chaser for Gryffindor, and the best in her year.

Me? I'm just a nobody compared to them. A Slytherin boy who isn't on the House Team, not the best in his year (that would be Rose), or anything of the sort.

I'm just sort of there, kind of like the Earth. The Earth is just... There. Everybody knows it.

Except in my case, despite me just being there, nobody knows of my existence.

Really, I'm just another person in the world that's here, not needed at all.

The chemicals in this cigarette- I put it back in my mouth- will cause me to die slowly. It will cause me pain first, and then I'll die.

After a few more uses of this cigarette, I lit up another one. After my third cigarette, I smushed all three of them with my foot and left them at the rock.

I headed back to the house; I went to the back door to get in. I tried to slide it open silently. Of course, my luck was horrible, and it made this obnoxiously loud squeaking noise.

I winced. I snuck through the door, sliding it behind me. It made another noise similar to before.

As long as my parents-

Shit.

I turned around and saw my parents standing there with their wands out. They must have been under the impression that I was an intruder.

I inwardly snorted. Like I would be a fucking intruder into my own fucking house. Only somebody stupid would do that- James would fit that category.

"Hey... Mum... Dad... Lovely weather we're having," I awkwardly stated, trying to ease the tension.

Almost on command, rain began to slam against the ground, sounding like bullets pelting the ground.

"Yes, lovely weather," Dad sarcastically remarked.

"Anyway, it's a real shame it's raining- all of the chalk on the sidewalk that Lily and Hugo were playing with the other day will wash away!"

"Albus," Mum sternly stated, tired of me avoiding the reason we where here anyway. "Why did you sneak out?"

"I technically didn't sneak out- I was technically in the backyard. Just at the creek that's behind the backyard."

"Albus Severus Potter," Dad stated.

I hated that name. It makes me sound like I'm an old man with greasy hair. Why can't it be something cool, like Dylan or something?

"What were you doing outside?" Mum demanded.

I felt that if I was veridical with my parents I would be in trouble. But lying to them would still get me in trouble- maybe less than it would be should I decide to tell the truth. They'd discover it anyways- nothing here remains a secret for long.

"I just wanted to enjoy the outside world," I bluntly lied.

"You're lying," Dad all-knowingly stated.

Shit.

"Why do you smell like- what are those things called again, Harry?" Mum asked.

"Cigarettes."

"You smell like those, young man. Were you out there smoking? Please say no."

I smirked, "If I said no, I'd be lying, and as a child I was taught that lying was a big no-no."

Dad's eyes that were identical to mine widened; my Mum's brown eyes did the same as his.

"Albus! How long have you been doing this!?" Mum exclaimed.

I sighed, "Right when school got out. For a good month or so."

Dad was silent; Mum was too.

"It relaxes me. Makes the bad thoughts vanish for a little bit. Reading doesn't help me as much as it used to."

"DAMN IT ALBUS!" Dad exclaimed.

I was a bit perplexed by this outburst; it was usually my mother who would yell. I've never seen my Dad this pissed- I heard that he was like this when he arrived at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, but that was it. He seemed more pissed than he probably had been back then.

"YOU DON'T SMOKE! IT ISN'T A GOOD THING THAT YOU DO THIS! YOU COULD DIE FROM THIS, ALBUS."

I softly replied, "Believe me, I am well aware that I could die from this. I'm fine with it."

My parents were silent once again at my sudden revelation.

"I'd rather die then live. It gets hard, you know? James is a down right dickhead towards me, and Lily probably doesn't give a shit either. And I'm constantly reminded that I have Harry and Ginny Potter as my parents, and Ron and Hermione Weasley as my aunt and uncle. Let's not forget Madison Weasley née Potter- the sister of Harry Potter- either. And all the Weasley's are my relatives. I have to live up to a whole lot. It gets annoying.

"Nobody knows of my existence. I'm just one of those Slytherin teenagers- one who can easily be replaced."

My parents were silent.

I had an urge to go back to the creek, so I walked out the back door and ran to the boulder along the side of the creek.