Chapter 1 Missing I stand alone by the lake, watching it glitter in the sun. Some people would think this behaviour odd. But, no. Not for me. I'm Albus Severus Potter. The Slytherin. The oddball. Some people say that I'm not really a Potter. I shake my head and turn back to the lake, when suddenly a voice from me says, "Al." I turn. "What is it, Hugo?" I ask my little cousin. Hugo ended up in Ravenclaw, just like Rose, and the three of us, along with Louis (a Hufflepuff) are the only ones who aren't in Gryffindor in our family. We are all very close. Hugo bites his lip and says, "Headmistress McGonagall told me to come find you. She stopped me in the halls. It must be important." I stand up. "Alright," I say. I ruffle his hair as I walk by and step back into school. I stop in front of the Gargoyle and say, "Albus Dumbledore." The Gargoyle turns up to reveal the staircase and I step through. I knock when I reach the door, and someone calls out, "Come in!" I open the door and stop in surprise. Headmistress McGonagall is staring down at her hands, and my Mum sits across the desk from her, sobbing. My eyes widen. "Mum?" I ask. I rush up to her, my bag hitting the floor as I kneel down next to her chair. "Whats wrong?" Headmistress McGonagall stands up. "I will find James and Lily," she tells us before leaving. "Mum?" I ask again. She wraps her arms around me, shaking and I wrap my arms around her shuddering shoulders and say, "Wh-What is it? What's wrong?" I swallow. Is Grandpa dead? He's been sick lately, and… But then, wouldn't all of the cousins be in here, not just me, and soon James and Lily as well? My family… … Bloody Hell. "Mum, where's Dad?" I whisper, fear leaking into my voice. "He- He's- gone," she cries. "Nobody knows where he is. He disappeared." I swallow; I turn sharply to the side, letting out a breath. It can't be… not Dad… no… he wouldn't…
Chapter 1 continued Missing Mum let's go of me and I stand up and walk over to the window, biting a trembling lip. Dad can't be gone. I allow a few tears to drip down my face before taking a shuddering breath and thinking, "No, Al. You can't be like this. Think of James… and Lily and Mum and everyone else. Be brave. You might be a Slytherin instead of a Gryffindor, but you have to do this for them." I roll my eyes slightly. So much for cunning and ambition and all that only looking out for yourself stuff. I breathe in and out deeply a few more times, and then the door slides open. Lily and James follow Headmistress McGonagall inside. "Whats going…?" Lily's voice dies in her throat as she sees Mum sobbing in the chair. James and Lily look around in panic, and then their eyes land on me. "Al?" Lily asks. "What's happening?" I stare at her sadly, trying not to cry again. Tears fill my eyes anyway. I turn away, looking out the window. This sets James and Lily off the edge. They have never seen me cry before. James looks back and forth between Mum and I and says, "Whats going on? Mum? Al? Please…" I turn my hea slightly, my breath hitching, and say, "D-Dad…" "What?" Lily breathes. "What?" "He's gone," I choke out, my voice breaking.
Chapter 1 continued (again) Missing It takes a moment for it to settle in, but when it does, Lily begins to cry. James freezes, his eyes going wide behind his glasses, his breaths becoming distinctly shallow. Headmistress McGonagall sighs. "All the important tests for the year are done," she says softly to Mum. "We only have three weeks left. Take your children and go home, please." Mum nods slowly, still crying softly. Headmistress McGonagall turns to us and says, "Pack your bags, and deliver these forms to your teachers, please." She hands each one of us a small stack of papers. We stand there for a moment. James is still completely frozen, his eyes flickering back and forth, shock written across every line of his face. Lily continues to sob, looking like she's not ever going to move. I walk to the door and leave quietly, taking my forms with me. I drop off al of my forms for my classes- Astronomy, Herbology, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Potions and Divination (Aunt Hermione about had a conniption when she found out I was taking the subject and acing it)- without any problems except the one for Defence Against The Dark Arts.