Albus Potter

"Albus Severus, you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

- Harry Potter to his son on his fears of being sorted into Slytherin

Albus Severus "Al" Potter (born between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006) is a half-blood wizard and the second son of Harry and Ginny Potter (née Weasley). Albus is the middle of three children, born at least a year after his older brother, James, and two years before his younger sister Lily. He was named in honour of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape.

Biography
On September 1, 2017, Albus left for his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with his cousin, Rose Weasley, as well as Scorpius Malfoy. Before boarding the Hogwarts Express, Albus confided to his parents that he feared he might be sorted into Slytherin. In response, his father told him that the bravest man he ever knew – Severus Snape, whom Albus was named after –had been a Slytherin. Harry also assured his son that, if he was sorted into Slytherin, then the house would have gained a good student and that he and Ginny would think no less of him for it. Harry also told Albus that if he preferred Gryffindor, then the Sorting Hat would take this choice into consideration, as it had in his case. Albus was very pleased with this, and it was the first time that Harry had ever shared this information with one of his children, which implies that Albus can be easily trusted.

Physical appearance
Albus takes after his father in appearance, meaning that he has black, untidy hair and bright green eyes. He was the only one of Harry's three children to have inherited his paternal grandmother's eye colour.

Personality and traits
Unlike his rowdy, outgoing older brother, Albus seems to be a quiet and thoughtful boy. He is marked by insecurity and seems to have an especially close relationship with his father. He sometimes doesn't understand why people stare at his father and he finds it very interesting why they do.

Parents
Albus has especially close relationship with his parents. When he felt insecure about attending Hogwarts for the first time and worried he would be in Slytherin, his father comforted him, and his mother did likewise when his uncle Ron teased his cousin Rose about getting disinherited if she wasn't sorted into Gryffindor house, as did his aunt Hermione.

Siblings
Albus's older brother seems to enjoy teasing him. Though the boys are close in age, James has a more outgoing personality, while Albus is quiet, and more like his younger sister. All three siblings share the opinion that Teddy Lupin would make a great addition to the family if he eventually married Victoire Weasley.

Cousins
Albus and his cousin Rose Weasley are close in age and in the same year at Hogwarts. Just like Lily and Hugo, they seem to be quite close, and shared worry over where they would be sorted. When Rose arrived at King's Cross Station to head off to her and Albus' first year, Albus was "immensely relieved" to see her and Rose beamed at him.

Behind the scenes

 * J. K. Rowling has stated that she finds Albus the most 'interesting' of Harry's children, possibly referencing a future Potter-based work.
 * Albus' initials are A.S.P., which together form the word "asp," as in the type of snake. If this was intentional on Rowling's part, it could indicate that, despite his misgivings, Albus will indeed be sorted into Slytherin. The Potters and the Weasleys have always been Gryffindors, but it would not be the first time that someone was sorted into a different house from the rest of their family (e.g. Sirius Black).
 * The fact that Albus was the only of Harry's children to inherit Lily Evans’s eyes could be interpreted as a symbolic reference to Albus’s namesake, Severus Snape, who loved Lily and was notably fond of her eyes.
 * Albus and his cousin Rose are fourth cousins once removed of their classmate Scorpius Malfoy, as all three are descendants of Phineas Nigellus Black.

Etymology

 * Albus may be the masculine form of "Alba", an ancient name for Scotland; It is also a Latin word for white, traditionally representing the forces of Good.


 * Severus means “stern” in Latin, and is the root of the English word “severe” . It was a Roman cognomen, common to members of the Severan dynasty of Emperors, including one notorious for his harsh persecution of the early Christians.


 * Potter is a very common surname of English origin. It traditionally refers to the occupation of making pottery. Beatrix Potter was a well-known English children's author. Potter's Field is the name for a burial ground for the unknown or unclaimed dead, particularly soldiers and orphans; the Potter family had many members that fit that description. The Potter Box is a model for making ethical decisions developed at Harvard University.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Notes and references
Albus Severus Potter