Sometime during all of the bustling and rush to get him to the hospital wing, the cries and demands for information from his relatives, answered by the loud "Back off!" from Rose, and the many hurried ministrations by the grandmotherly nurse Madam Pomfrey, Albus fell asleep.

He awoke in pajamas, sometime later, to a familiar hand brushing his hair away from his forehead.

"Dad?" he murmured.

His dad leaned over him with a sad smile. "I didn't mean to wake you up, son. I was just checking for a scar."

Albus was taken aback. After all, the scar his father had on his forehead had a significance that was well documented. Even though there was no scar on his forehead to find, Albus was beginning to feel the mark of his father's legacy just the same.

Albus tried to smile for his dad, but it was more of a grimace. "Sorry you had to come all this way."

His dad looked affronted. "Have I ever not come when you needed me?" he asked with a soft urgency.

Albus shook his head, and tried to sit up. Memories swirled through his head of the times his father was there for him. Times of scrapes and bruises, times when James had gotten carried away, and Albus got hurt. His dad wasn't just a hero to the world, he had always managed to be one to his family as well.

Albus' head swam a bit but he was able to make it up right.

Noticing his son's discomfort with a look of sympathy, his dad asked, "Panic attack?"

Albus nodded. "It hit me all of a sudden. Lost my breakfast in front of everybody. Pretty embarrassing."

"I'm the one who should be embarrassed. Son, I owe you an apology."

Albus turned to his dad shocked. His dad was apologizing to him? What could he possibly be talking about?

"What do you have to apologize for?"

His dad took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. "For not trusting you."

He continued on before Albus could protest. "You were afraid of flying. It hurt me that you couldn't enjoy something that I deeply love, but I let it go and didn't push. You were afraid of your wand. I never insisted that you use it. I figured you would when you were ready. You were terrified about the Sorting. I told you my secret to put you at ease. I've done all I could to make your way as painless and easy as possible. I tried to shelter you from everything I didn't have anyone to protect me from. All that effort, and what happens?"

He stared expectantly at Albus. Albus wasn't sure what he was getting at, so he shook his head.

His dad sighed. "You became a hero anyway."

Albus couldn't help remembering how he threw up and cried like a little baby in front of the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs. Some Hero!

Albus started to protest, but his dad gave him a look that told him he wasn't finished.

"Out of all of my children, you are the one I worried the most about. You were always so afraid of everything. I never insisted that you do anything that frightened you. Suddenly, you're at Hogwarts less than forty-eight hours and you're Sorted into a House I never anticipated, became friends with someone I never imagined, and wind up saving a bunch of Gryffindors with, from what I've been told, amazing ingenuity and courage."

Albus sputtered, "But I threw up! I had one of my attacks. They had to carry me to the Hospital Wing."

His dad's eyes silenced him with a stern intensity. "The fact you vomited, and had a panic attack, does not make what you accomplished less amazing. True heroes have weakness before, and afterward, but never during." He paused a moment. "I underestimated you, son. For that, I am sorry."

Albus wasn't sure how to take that, but he launched himself off of the bed his dad caught him in a hug. He felt the love his dad had for him, but this time he also sensed some weariness that he didn't understand. He hoped that he hadn't somehow caused it. He suddenly needed to know what was making his dad tired.

"So what happened, Dad?" he inquired pulling back. "Is Professor Krum okay?"

Harry nodded. "Ole Krum has taken more than one Bludger to the head over the years, son. St. Mungos wants to keep him for observation. As for the rest of what happened, we're still looking into it."

"Where's Mum?"

"I asked her to go with Krum's wife. I wanted to have a talk with you. She'll be back in a little bit, but she and I won't be staying long." He chuckled when Albus' disappointment showed on his face. "We'll have dinner with you and James. If we do much more than that, and Hogwarts will be in an uproar."

Albus hugged him again. "Thanks for coming, Dad."

"Always," his dad replied.

Over his dad's shoulder he saw a figure approaching, her hands held demurely in front.

"Am I interrupting?"

They both turned to see the feline features of Professor Bast. She crossed the room with an effortless grace, obviously being careful not to trespass on the moment.

"Alright there, Freya?" Albus' dad called.

"Very much indeed," she answered crossing to the bed. "I just wanted to take a look at Albus' wand before Transfiguration Friday. It wouldn't do to have my class blown up like that Bludger."

Albus felt ashamed. "I didn't mean to."

Freya had a warm, comforting smile on her face. "I know. But since I heard that Bludger exploding all the way in my classroom, I thought I should decide the best course of action, beforehand."

Albus had met Freya back when she was an care-free active Auror, with shaggy blond hair and a devious grin. She had more depth and solemnity to her now, a greater presence, as if the burden she had carried so many years somehow had made her more formidable.

Harry stood up. "I need to go tell Madam Pomfrey he's okay to leave. I'll be right back."

Freya shook her former boss’ hand as he passed by, then she walked over to Albus with her hand extended. Albus found his wand in the carefully folded robes on a chair beside him. He hated the tingle he felt as he picked it up, and handed it to the professor.

She took it gently, studying it carefully. "What is the core?" she asked.

"Ollivander told me Chimera scale."

She gave him a strange look. "Are you sure?"

Albus was taken aback. "He made sure we knew. Why?"

Professor Bast studied the carvings, then handed the wand back carefully with the tapered end pointed away. "It's fine, Albus. We just need to find a slightly different way to teach you Transfiguration, that's all."

Albus stowed his wand. "Why?"

She sighed as if trying to find the words. "Well, Transfiguration is a science of subtlety, and your wand is anything but."

It was all becoming too much for Albus, the way that Bludger exploded, and all that power from an eleven year old.

Albus stared at his hands. "I knew it. My wand is a freak. Just like me."

He suddenly realised who he was talking to, and what he had just said. He looked up to apologise and saw her laughing silently, so hard tears were beginning to collect in the fur at her eyes. She swiped them away, licked the back of her hand absently and slicked the fur back down.

He started to offer his apology but she placed one furred hand gently against his lips. "Please don't ruin it by apologising," she gasped with a slight wheeze.

"What did I do?" he asked, alarmed.

"You forgot," she replied with a smile. "You opened up to me about not fitting in, like I wouldn't understand. That is the nicest thing anyone has done for me in more years than I care to remember!"

She sat on the bed beside him and put an arm around his shoulders. Her chest made a gentle rumbling sound, oddly like a purr. "Let me tell you a secret, Albus. Something it took me years to learn." She turned so he could see her face.

"There is no such thing as normal."

Albus was confused. "What do you mean?"

She smiled, and her dainty little fangs flashed. "Everyone in this world is different. There's not one the same, even twins. So how can there possibly be a standard to judge by? Normal could only be one person. That would make him or her...abnormal."

Albus thought for a moment or two. "So what is, normal?"

She smiled and patted him on the back. "Normal is boring Albus, dreadfully dull, really."

She stood to go. "Us Hufflepuffs might not always be the best at everything, but we are never dull."

Albus stared at her. "You're a Hufflepuff?"

Somehow it all fit to Albus. Freya had worked so hard for so long to reverse her condition, then when she was forced to give up, she dedicated no less effort to being a good teacher.

Professor Bast looked around to see if anyone was nearby, then, reached into her robes and turned the lapel inside out to show a small gold badger pin. "We're not supposed to play favourites, but I keep this over my heart. I'm a 'Puff for life. I am very proud that you are one too. See you in class Friday. Don't worry, we'll work things out."

She waved, passing his dad on the way out. They had a short discussion before they parted.

Albus smiled when his dad said reassuringly, "Everything's set. Grab your stuff and let's get something to eat."