Sorting Myths
Warning: The following story contains Deathly Hallows spoilers and will make next to zero sense for those who have not read the epilogue.
Characters Contained: Albus and James Potter.
Disclaimer: I neither own nor make a profit off of anything from the Harry Potter universe that had been created by J.K.Rowling.
Status: One shot. Complete.
The days of August seemed to pass by more quickly than any previous month, and before Albus was even very certain of how it had happened, the date on the calendar read August thirty-first.
"One day to go," called a voice from the doorway.
There was a moment in which Albus wondered just how much trouble he would be in if he threw his copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them at his brother's head, but the older boy had strutted into the room before Albus could decide if it would be worth his mother's wrath or not.
"One. More. Day," James repeated, drawling out each word with a grin on his face before poking Albus in the chest. "Ready for the Sorting?"
"'Course I am," Albus claimed, shoving his brother's finger away, but James retaliated by mussing Albus's hair before the younger boy could say another word.
"You can't be -- not without me telling you just what to expect," claimed the older boy. "Last term three first years left the Great Hall in tears. As your brother, it's my responsibility, destiny, delight, and so on to make sure you survive the Sorting."
Albus didn't trust James one jot with that wicked grin the older boy was wearing, but it didn't seem to deter James when he simply tried to ignore him. Instead, it seemed to egg the other boy on.
James quirked an eyebrow, looking purposefully around the room at the half-packed trunk, messy pile of clothes that had been deemed not important enough to pack, and the stack of glossy new spell books which Albus's owl had perched on the precarious top of. "I see you've gone and forgotten mushrooms."
Albus couldn't help it -- he had to blink a moment and give James a suspicious glance before snatching away the Potions kit the older boy had just lifted from the trunk. "The list didn't say anything about--"
"Of course it didn't!" James broke in, waving a hand in the air to hurry his point across to Albus. "You're supposed to make it out yourself, aren't you? 'Course, if you're thick and don't have anyone looking out for you, you'll be in real trouble when you get to Hogwarts. No mushrooms. Honestly."
Albus considered that to be going a bit too far. And he was also fairly certain that James wasn't anywhere near as trustworthy as he claimed to be. If he was supposed to bring mushrooms to Hogwarts, Albus was certain that his mum would have told him. Or his dad. His dad wouldn't let him go off to school without everything he needed.
"They sign a paper."
Once again Albus was forced to shoot James a wary glance.
Grinning as if he could read his younger brother's every thought, James tapped his finger on the pile of parchment awaiting its turn for packing into the trunk. "Mum and Dad. They had to sign a contract saying they wouldn't give you help on the important stuff."
"You're lying."
Shrugging, James sent a last amused glance at his brother as he left the room. "Think what you want, Al. Just remember -- the kids who usually forget the mushrooms end up in Slytherin."
With that, James was gone, his laughter echoing down the hall until he had pounded down the stairs to help load his own trunk into the car.
Albus stood in his room for a long moment before glancing down at the Potions kit that he was still holding in his hands. Now he really couldn't be sure if his brother was lying to him or not. He didn't want to think what would happen if James was telling the truth.
With a gulp against the anxiety that was starting to build up inside his stomach, Albus quickly stashed his Potions kit in his trunk and rushed to throw his remaining possessions inside.
Slytherin? He couldn't believe it.
But what if it was true…?