Albus Potter and the Passageway of Doom

Obsession

'It's so weird,' Dimitri said, starting up the game. 'All our lives, Joe and I have been able to break sticks, move leaves, make things explode without even touching them!'

'So can we,' Albus said, gesturing him to Rose.

'Really?' Joseph exclaimed. 'So we're not freaks?'

'No way!' Albus protested. 'You...you're like us. You're both wizards.'

'We're what?'

'Wizards. Right, Rose?'

'Right. Trust me, there are thousands of them all over the world! Once you turn eleven, you go to a place called Diagon Alley and buy your wand and certain ingredients. Then, you'll go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There, you'll learn to control your magic and everything. For you two, you'll receive letters of acceptance and someone will come round and explain to your parents. Albus and I both go to Hogwarts this year on September the 1st.'

There was a long, drawn out silence.

'You're lying,' Dimitri said quietly. 'You're making fun of us.'

'We're not, we swear!' Albus cried.

'You are!' Joseph shouted. 'Prove it! Do your magic, then!'

'We can't!' Rose said. 'We're not allowed to! Our parents are magic, too! We're forbidden since we know about it!'

'Get out!' Dimitri roared. 'I wish I'd never met you!'

Albus and Rose ran out of the house and sprinted back to Four Fields Park. Both knew what inexperienced wizards were capable of when they lost their tempers.

'That went well,' Rose snapped.

'What? How was I supposed to know they'd react like that?' Albus panted.

'There you two are,' Hugo said, coming up to them. 'Mum called Lily's mobile. She said to come home because there's a Dumbledore's Army meeting in the Leaky Cauldron and I think she wants you two to meet some of the Hogwarts teachers.'

'Good,' Albus growled. 'because I'd be more than happy to get out of here.'

*

'Hey Al,' Neville Longbottom said, grinning.

'Hi Neville,' Albus said, pretending to sound happy. 'Or do you want me to call you Professor Longbottom, now?'

'Only at Hogwarts,' Neville said, clapping the eleven year old on the shoulders. 'You look pale. Are you okay?'

'All fine,' Albus muttered. 'I...I uh, just need to, finish packing. I'm sort of nervous.'

'Oh, 'course, Al. I understand,' Neville said. 'Off you go.' Albus trudged upstairs and banged his door shut angrily. He kicked his trunk in frustration.

'Easy there, tiger. If you ruin that trunk, I'm not buying you a new one.' Albus looked back and saw his father standing at the doorway. 'What's going on?' Harry asked.

'I met these boys at Four Fields Park and I realised they were wizards, right?' Albus explained. Harry nodded. Unlike a lot of people, he didn't jump to conclusions, tell his son off or sigh heavily in an exasperated way. He just listened. 'Anyway,' Albus continued. 'I made friends with them. Their names were Dimitri and Joseph and Rose and I went over to Dimitri's house today to play video games. We tried to explain to them about magic but they just thought we were making fun of them and told us to prove it but we said we couldn't prove it because we weren't allowed but then Dimitri kicked us out of his house and he's going to hate me!'

'But won't he receive his letter?' Harry frowned.

'Yes, but...I wanted him to believe me!'

'I understand. I give you permission to use magic to show him if you have to. You aren't recorded in the book yet so it won't count against you.'

'I don't think he'd give me the chance to show him after today,' Albus sighed.

*

Albus and Rose passed Four Fields park the following few days and saw Dimitri and Joseph quietly talking to each other worriedly, aside from all the other children. Albus started to feel a bit guilty. One day, the two boys weren't there. Albus strolled casually into the park and asked a girl 'Where are Dimitri and Joseph?'

'Oh,' the girl said. 'well, on Sundays, they both go to this Summer London Holiday Programme. It's on Chester.'

'Thanks!' Albus said, hurrying to Rose.

'You're becoming an obsessive stalker,' Rose sighed.

'I am not,' Albus protested.

'Yes, you are,' Scorpius said, shoving his hands in his pockets. 'Al, I know when somebody is becoming obsessive. My Dad was obsessed with getting your Dad into trouble so I'd know.'

'I guess,' Albus said. 'Let me just see what they're doing.' They all peered through a window and saw Dimitri and Joseph laughing and cheering with some other children.

'See?' Rose said. 'They're fine without knowing, for now.'

'Yeah, Al. Come on, let's go,' Scorpius agreed. Albus jumped down from the ledge and walked off with his friends. He took one wistful look at the building, wanting to burst in and levitate a shoe, but turned his head and sharply walked away.