Albus Potter and the Cursed Legacy | Scorbus

2. Time after Time

Albus decided to keep his head down low for his first term at Hogwarts. Perhaps he could make it through the year if he didn't attract any attention to himself. He could just hide in the shadows and his classmates might forget he was even there.

But that was impossible. He was a Potter. There was no avoiding the limelight. Maybe it would work for an ordinary student, but not for Albus. 

Albus was extraordinary--but not in the way his father was. He was constantly reminded of all of his father's amazing feats: becoming seeker in his first year, using the invisibility cloak to sneak around after dark, and, of course, defeating Voldemort for the second time and saving the Philosopher's stone from the hands of evil. While his father was an extraordinary boy wizard, Albus was an extraordinary failure.

It didn't help that all eyes were always on him. 

"In my father's first year, he and Harry Potter used this spell to defeat a troll!" Rose's voice rang out in the classroom during one of their first charms lessons. Professor Flitwick had just finished demonstrating wingardium leviosa and the students were eager to attempt it themselves. But all were distracted from their feathers for a moment as they tuned in to Rose's subtle boast. She made eye contact with Albus from across the room, giving him a small smile as if the attention would benefit him in some way. 

"Is that true?" A boy behind Albus leaned forward to ask him with astonishment. The Slytherins sitting nearby all turned to him with wide eyes. 

"Yes..." Albus muttered, wishing that he had the ability to apparate out of the room. Even if he could, he would probably mess that up, splinching off his arm or leg in the process.

"Alright students, give it a try," Professor Flitwick told them, "Remember, swish and flick!" 

Everyone grabbed their wands pointing them at the feathers in front of them. The room filled with a chorus of "Wingardium leviosa!"

"Yes!" Someone exclaimed from across the room. Albus looked up to see Rose, beaming with pride as her feather immediately lifted from the desk. The gaggle of Gryffindors sitting around her all leaned in to watch, emitting "ooo's" and "ahh's". 

Albus suddenly felt the attention of his housemates on him as watched him in expectation. 

Taking a deep breath and trying to ignore the burning gazes of his peers, Albus lifted his wand and pointed it at the feather, "Erm... Wingardium leviosa!" He waved his wand as the professor had demonstrated. But the feather didn't budge. 

In an attempt to recollect his dignity as those around him continued to watch hopefully, Albus tried again with more gusto in his voice, "Wingardium leviosa!" His wand emitted a single dull spark but the feather remained untouched. 

The students started to turn away in disappointment, a few letting out some giggles. They began to focus on their own feathers, many of them able to lift them as if they had mastered the spell years ago. Albus bit his lip as his face reddened. 

"Wingardium leviosa!" He tried once more but nothing happened.  

"Not much like his father at all..." He heard someone mutter from a few rows back. 

Albus' grip tightened on his wand, feeling the strange urge to snap it in half. But he knew it couldn't be the wands fault: it was his. 

"Well, it could have been worse, I suppose. It could have just blown up in your face!" A voice spoke to Albus. 

Albus turned his head to look at the boy next to him. It was the same boy he had met just two days prior in the dormitory. 

Scorpius made an exploding motion with his hands, his fingers spreading apart as if something had combusted beneath them, "Buwushhh!" He made an explosion noise before giving Albus a rather awkward smile. Albus loosened the grip on his wand, the corner of his mouth just barely twitching up.