Harry Potter and the Next Generation

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

There was a pecking coming from the window when Harry sat at the kitchen table, reading the rest of that day's Daily Prophet as the dishes washed themselves and the laundry folded itself. He didn't look up, he was aiming to finish the article he was reading before he had to open the window. Maybe by that time, Ginny would have gotten up and opened it instead. Then, the pecking came again.

“Harry, can you get that?” Ginny called from the family room. She was watching the tele. Nowadays every household had one, be it a Muggle or a wizard home. The whole world was just becoming so hi-tech that the Wizarding World had to keep up, or the Muggles would suspect them.

Reluctantly, Harry set down the paper, it wasn't really an interesting article anyway, and went to the window to let in the owl. To his surprise, when he opened the window two owls flew in, the family owl, Nymphadora, and the Hogwarts owl, Hermes. Attached to Hermes's leg was a piece of rolled up parchment, like this letter had been written in a hurry. Harry didn't call to Ginny. He just thought this was odd. Something big must have happened, and Harry was filled with apprehension as he unraveled the scroll— was it bad news or good news? What had happened at the Sorting Ceremony that evening? Had Albus actually been sorted into Slytherin?

Dear Dad,

I know you'll eventually tell Mum about this, and that's okay, but I want you to read this first. Albus was sorted into Slytherin. I don't know what to do. It's horrible! What if he becomes, you know, bad? Why hadn't he been sorted into Gryffindor? What did he ever do to deserve this? Can you please send a letter to Professor McGonagall and ask her to have Albus resorted? Please, anything! He doesn't deserve to stay there!

Love,

James

P.S.- That Malfoy boy was also sorted into Slytherin. Please help!

Why had he ever told his children about his childhood rivalry with Draco Malfoy? He wasn't so bad in the end. But Draco had been misguided. As had Severus Snape, whom Albus was also named after.... But Harry trusted the Sorting Hat, so he didn't know what to think. Not all Slytherins were bad, right?

Harry sighed and ruffled through his hair. “G-Ginny?” his voice cracked.

“Yeah?” Ginny called from the other room, not really wanting to go to the kitchen— her television program was just getting really gripping.

“Ginny, can you come in here? This is kind of important,” Harry called.

Ginny unenthusiastically paused her television program and came into the kitchen. She wore a purple tank top and some sweatpants, but she still looked beautiful to Harry, she always did. Harry pushed his new semi-rectangular glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“What's the matter, Harry?” she asked.

“Well, I just got a letter from James,” Harry said.

“Really?” she said. “Last year he didn't even write until a whole week had gone by and we sent him a letter.”

“Yeah,” Harry said quickly, “probably because this year is much different than last year.” He put the letter down on the table and ran his hands through his hair. He sighed. “Ginny, Albus was sorted into Slytherin.” Harry's eyes were closed, scared of what Ginny's reaction might be. But Ginny stood there. She didn't want to comprehend. Her head was spinning. What had he just said? Albus was WHAT? HOW?

Owls rained down from the sky, as was typical for the first full day of school. Parents wanted to know if their children had gotten to school safely, how the sorting went, that sort of thing. Scorpius, Tomoka, Lorcan and Lysander, and every Weasley received a letter. And so did Albus.