"Al, come downstairs, lunch is ready!" Albus' sister Lily called from behind his bedroom door.

Albus had been lying on his bed for the last few hours, thinking. He was surprised his head hadn't exploded yet from an overload. The thoughts that chugged around in his mind, where constantly the same ones, returning each time to nag Albus.

"Coming Lily!" he shouted back.

It was the 11th of August and their whole family was coming around to celebrate his mum's birthday. Grandma Weasley had been cooking all day and he could smell the the scent of chicken and potatoes from his bedroom upstairs; he knew his uncle Ron would be pleased with the menu tonight. Albus got off his bed and over to the door where Lily was still waiting for him.

"I hope there's pudding," Lily said while walking at a synchronised pace with Albus downstairs.

As they both descended the last step, the front door swung open to reveal a family of four. The mother, a very pretty women, had brown hair that matched her glistening eyes. The father and the two children (a boy and a girl) had red hair much like Albus' mother and sister.

"Hey Rose," Albus said, walking over to the girl and embracing her in a big, warm hug.

Rose was Albus' best friend and (although he would never admit it aloud) his favourite cousin by far. Her mum and dad (Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione) both came and greeted Albus as his elder brother, James, walked into the room and hugged their cousin Hugo (the young boy). Albus hugged Hugo and ruffled his hair. Hugo and Lily made to run away into the living room but before they could, a tall, thin boy with turquoise hair entered the house with his arm around a beautiful blonde girl.

"Hey squirt, where are you going?" the boy said to Lily.

"Teddy!" she exclaimed, turning around to face him. She ran up to him and he picked her up and spun her around. When he put her down she asked, "Where are the others?"

"They're coming," the blonde girl replied.

"Hi Victoire," James said, acknowledging the girl's comment, while Lily hugged her.

"Hello James," she replied sweetly as she smiled at him.

Victoire's mother and father (Bill and Fleur) came in the door along with her little brother and sister (Dominique and Louis). They were all blonde except her father who had long red hair and clearly visible scars running across his face.

They all went round and said their "Hello's" to the rest of the family. When Grandpa Arthur, Uncle Charlie, Uncle Percy, Aunt Audrey, Molly, Lucy, Uncle George, Aunty Angelina, Fred and Roxanne finally arrived, they all sat down to an absolutely delicious lunch.

Albus sat down between Teddy and Rose. Even though they all shared a really big table, they were still squished up tightly together. Albus preferred it that way though, it felt more homely and family-like. He knew his dad felt the same way. They were halfway through lunch and neither Albus or Rose had said a word. Unfortunately, much to Albus's dislike, Fred noticed this.

"What's going on with you two?" he asked.

"Nothing," both Albus and Rose mumbled in reply.

Fred shrugged and returned to their previous conversation. Harry caught Albus' eye and Albus quickly looked down at his half empty plate, suddenly appearing to become overly interested in his knife and fork.

Albus spent the whole of lunch thinking. He was completely tuned out of the conversation that was going on at the table amongst everyone else. Harry caught his eye on regular occasions and Albus knew that the topic would be discussed later tonight when everyone had left. It was unavoidable.

The only occasion that Albus was actually intent on listening to the conversation at the table was when his dad mentioned going to visit other family. Albus was originally baffled by the statement, but when he finally caught on, he was horrified. That was just something else to add to his worry list.

Albus was finally going to meet the Dursley's. His dad had years ago talked about Albus and Lily meeting his cousin Dudley and his kids. At least Albus didn't have to meet his dad's Aunt and Uncle. Apparently they were horrific. Well, from what Albus had heard at least.

James had met the Dursley's when he was one, but he remembered everything that happened. Dudley's two boys had tried to physically and mentally abuse James, but he wouldn't stand for it. He gave them both a nice fist in the face. When he was just one year old. Albus wasn't nearly as strong as James, he lost every arm wrestle against him, so facing these boys when they're older may be a challenge. Then again, Albus had James there to stand up for him. Albus just didn't want to become a punching bag like his dad had been as a kid. He reassured himself that James would be there for him and it would all be fine.

Everyone sang happy birthday to Ginny, including a loud bang at the end at the song as a mini statue of Ginny came bursting out of the cake, quoting things she had recently said. She opened all her presents thanking everyone and telling them that they shouldn't have. Typical adults, Albus thought to himself. That's what they all said any and every time one of them was given a present. To be honest, it was really quite annoying.

When lunch had finished, Albus and Rose quietly left the table and ran upstairs into Albus' room. Albus closed the door behind them so that they could have some privacy and then went and sat down next to Rose, who was on his bed. Normally Rose and Albus were very casual towards each other, but today was different.

There was a lingering silence in the air before Rose opened her mouth and said "Are you worried too?"

"Of course I am," Albus replied with a sigh, knowing exactly what Rose was talking about. "How could I not be?" he added.

"But why though? Why do we both feel like that when we shouldn't?" Rose asked him.

"That's a stupid question Rose, you know exactly what it is." he replied.

"Slytherin?" she questioned tentatively.

Albus nodded, because at the moment words weren't really expressing themselves in the right way. Albus and Rose were both really anxious about what House they were going to be sorted into next month, plus on top of that, all the high expectations that were awaiting them at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry.

"What about you?" he asked her.

She contemplated for a minute. "Well... Not being a Gryffindor, not making friends, being judged, not being as good as people think I'd be, high expectations, letting people down, being a disgrace to my family and the wizarding world and... letting my parents down," she blurted out, counting on her fingers.

Albus knew the last one was her biggest one of all, because it was his too. Except for the fact he had narrowed it down a bit - or rather a lot. He had all those fears too, but no matter how hard he tried, every time he was about to tell someone that, he just couldn't. He felt too ashamed.

"So..." Rose said unsure of what to say next. Luckily she didn't have to as she was saved by a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Albus asked.

"Teddy," a boy's voice replied.

"Come in," Albus said as Teddy opened the door and came to sit on the floor in front of them.

"So, I was listening at the door and-" Teddy begun.

"You creep," Rose squeaked hitting Teddy square in the chest with a pillow off Albus' bed.

"Anyway," Teddy tried again with his hands over his face protecting it from the pillow Rose was whacking him with.

"I was at the door long enough to understand that you two are worried about Hogwarts, what house you'll be in and what's expected of you?" he commented this in a questioning tone.

"Well, yeah," Albus muttered.

"Is that what dinner was about?" Teddy chuckled.

"Don't you laugh at us, don't you dare laugh at us, Edward Lupin!" Rose scolded.

"I'm sorry," Teddy said, "I really am."

Rose finally stopped hitting him with the pillow.

"When I went to Hogwarts, I was worried that I would be in Slytherin," Teddy eyed Albus when he said this and Albus knew immediately that Teddy had listened to their whole conversation. "My parents weren't anywhere near as famous as yours but I still felt that I had high expectations to live up to, and I thought being a Gryffindor was one of them." he continued. "The day I was sorted, I wrote a letter to Uncle Harry telling him I was a Hufflepuff. That week, I finally found out that my mum, was actually a Hufflepuff and it made me feel so much better. But I kept that letter and the day I finished at Hogwarts I looked at it again and noticed there was writing on the back. It said: P.S. A very wise man once told me that it was our choices who show who we truly are far more than our abilities."

Before either of them could make a noise, Teddy got up from the floor and left the room.

Rose stared at Albus, "You know Al, maybe we should stop worrying. Let's go enjoy ourselves with everyone else."

And with that she got up and left the room.

Rose was normally the up tight, stressful one who never let things go and can't have fun when there is more important stuff to be done. Why was this excruciatingly important situation any different? Nothing Teddy said had made a difference. Albus was still worried.

Hugo had come into Albus' room and dragged him downstairs to play Quidditch with the others. Everyone was going to play in the backyard. Albus knew he was extremely lucky to have a Quidditch pitch in his backyard. He loved living at Potter Manor.

The teams were picked by captains. Harry and James were both the seekers, so they were captains. It was Ron, Bill, Dominique, Charlie, James, Fred and George against Hugo, Albus, Angelina, Ginny, Harry, Roxanne and Teddy. Rose, Lily, Lucy, Molly, Victoire and Louis were engrossed in an intense game of exploding snap so they were going to sit and cheer when they finished they're game. As they were about to mount their brooms, they heard a shout.

"Wait for me!" a girl's voice called. Albus' head snapped around to see Alice Longbottom running towards them, with her twin brother, Frank, trailing behind.

"Where's your Mum and Dad?" Ginny asked.

"They went to Diagon Alley, to get our books for next month," Frank replied, embracing James in a typical man hug.

Hugo and Bill got off their brooms and gave them to Alice and Frank.

"We'll play the next game," Bill said with a wink. Alice and Frank thanked the two of them.

Then they all kicked off from the ground and sped off into the air.

~~~~~

~I solemnly swear that I am up to no good~

I told you the first chapter was bad. I was ten when I wrote this (keep in mind I am only 12) but please tell me your honest opinion, because it means a lot to me and I want to improve my writing.

Constructive criticism is quite welcome, but let it be known that I won't put up with put downs. Thank you to any one who has read this; I appreciate it. Please power through to the next chapter even though this one was awful. I promise it will get better.

Please comment. And maybe vote? The little star wants to be pressed😊

Oh, and what house do you think I'll put Albus in?

~Mischief Managed~
Alannah