When he was a small child, Albus’ siblings used to joke about him being the odd one out because he didn’t have red hair. Lily’s was just like her mother’s and James’, whilst less vibrant, still had undeniable red hues. But Albus was the only of his siblings to get his dad’s. He didn’t mind it so much back then. After all, he wasn’t actually that different from them. They were just messing around.

Albus never liked quidditch growing up. His mum was an ex-professional and his dad and his siblings were all exceptional at it too. Albus didn’t really get it. He preferred being on the ground. He accepted that maybe he didn’t fit in in that regard either. But that was okay. He was still a Potter.

Albus’ heart plummeted the moment the sorting hat announced where he’d been placed. He was the first of the Weasley bloodline to not be put in Gryffindor, he was the first of the Potter bloodline to not be put in Gryffindor. It wasn’t right; he was getting further and further away from the rest of his family. He briefly let himself dwell on a memory; an argument he’d had with James. He was nine, and he’d snuck into James’ room over the Christmas holidays and put his Gryffindor uniform on. James was angry that Albus had gone through his stuff, but Albus just wanted to be like his big brother. The memory turned sour.

Selfishly, his heart broke to see Lily go into Gryffindor. He’d hoped maybe he wouldn’t be the only one, that maybe she’d be like him, that maybe she’d prove he wasn’t the odd one out. He didn’t know why he was kidding himself, because at that point he’d already accepted that he was.

Lily made the quidditch team in her second year. Albus was happy for her, of course. But she made it onto a team captained by his brother and with Rose as their star player. His parents gushed about James and Lily’s playing, and his aunt and uncle praised Rose for her’s in equally high regard. Albus would just pick at his dinner as his family’s conversation effortlessly continued on without him.

When Albus was in his fourth year, James got a serious girlfriend for the first time. James had gushed about plenty of girls before, but he really meant it with this one, Albus could tell. She wasn’t James’ first girlfriend though, that had been when he was fourteen - Albus’ age. Albus often got quipped for that, about when he’d get a girlfriend. It wasn’t exactly his fault that his brother and his dad had done so well by his age. Albus wasn’t even sure he wanted a girlfriend. Maybe that was just another way he didn’t fit in.

Albus realised he was in love with Scorpius Malfoy not long after. Despite everything, that was what made him feel more left out than ever before. Now he wasn’t just a dark-haired, un-athletic, Slytherin Potter, but he was a dark-haired un-athletic Slytherin Potter in love with the son of his father’s old school rival. What on Earth could be more isolating than that.

My best Scorbus duo!!

Scorpius Malfoy is so Mirrorball by Taylor Swift coded

“We’re, uh, well in sixth year they teach you about… about unforgivable curses.”