Raising Albus

CH 34 Fame for James and Albus

Saturday, December 17, Harry and Ginny went to pick up James from the Hogwarts Express. Harry and Ginny were eager to talk to him about Hogwarts. As they walked through the station James was busy talking to what seemed like a huge crowd of students. James seemed to know many of the students, or they him.

When they arrived at the car Harry and Ginny made sure that Lily Luna was sitting between James and Albus in the back seat of the car, as James tried to tell Lily about all the Quidditch plays they were practicing.

The Elves had dinner ready for the family when they arrived home. At dinner Harry asked James, "Are you enjoying living in the dorm? Any special friends?"

James answered, "Hamilton Jordan and Gideon Prewett are both in my dorm room. Hamilton wants to be the Quidditch commentator next year. Almost everybody knows me! Lots of people ask, 'Is Harry Potter really your father?' Some want to know if Ginny Potter is my mother. It's easy to make friends. The only problem is that no one wants to talk about of Quidditch as much as I do. The only one I can always get to talk to about Quidditch is that Hufflepuff girl, Erica Lionheart. She's a really good chaser, on the team as a first year. Her mum works with Mum on the Quidditch column. I knew who she was, but never paid much attention to her. She's all right, but she's not a guy."

"Is that a problem?" Ginny inquired.

James beamed, replying, "Not really. Not at all, really. Many girls want to be friends with Harry Potter's son, but lots of them are all fluttery and silly. Some of them know a little about Quidditch, but Erica knows a lot, and she is really a good flyer! I wish she was on our team."

Al wondered, "Do people really ask you all the time if you're Harry Potter's son?"

James puffed out his chest and replied, "It's like I'm some kind of hero! It's kind of neat."

"What if you don't want all that attention?" asked Albus.

"Why would you not want the attention?" James scoffed. "I think it's great!"

Al implored, "You're no big hero, James. Dad did that stuff. Mum n dad."

"I AM the Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and as a first year. The last person to do that was Dad. So I am following in his footsteps," James bragged.

"What do people want to know?" Lily wondered.

"If dad is really brave," James answered. "I tell them that he is, that he isn't afraid of anything!"

"Not being afraid is stupid, and dangerous," Harry quickly interjected. "You've been told that. Courage is being afraid and doing something anyway."

"They want to know if dad really has scars," James added, trying to change the subject. "I tell them you can't really notice them, except for the one on Dad's forehead, not that much, except when Dad takes off his shirt. They also want to know if we're really rich. People keep telling me that I'm lucky, that bought the Firebolt for me, and I can get anything I want. I tell them I don't know; you make us transplant plants to make money. Lots of the students don't believe I don't have all the money I want."

"What do they ask about Mum?" Lily wondered.

"If she's really as pretty as the pictures of her," James declared. "I tell everybody that she's much prettier in real life!"

"Thank you, James," Ginny giggled.

Harry thought that James was smart telling his mother how pretty she was. Harry then asked James, "How are your classes, James?"

"Oh, they're OK. I'm getting good enough marks," James remarked.

"Are you learning anything?" Ginny wondered.