Albus Severus Potter is the second son and middle child of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. His sole appearance in the original book series is in the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, where his apprehension about attending Hogwarts and the possibility of being sorted into Slytherin house serves as a primary emotional focus. His name honours two formidable and complex Hogwarts headmasters, Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, symbolising reconciliation and his father's mature understanding of bravery.
Albus's story in the novels is confined to a single scene on September 1, 2017, nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts.
At eleven years old, Albus stands on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters with his family, preparing to board the Hogwarts Express for his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is visibly anxious and confides in his father, Harry Potter, that he is afraid of being sorted into Slytherin house, a fear stoked by his older brother, James Sirius Potter. Harry comforts Albus, telling him that he was named for two Hogwarts headmasters. He specifies that one of them, Severus Snape, was a Slytherin and “probably the bravest man I ever knew.” To further assuage his son's fears, Harry reveals that the Sorting Hat will take his personal choice into consideration. On the platform, Albus is accompanied by his cousin Rose Granger-Weasley, who is also starting her first year. He observes Draco Malfoy with his wife and son, Scorpius Malfoy, from a distance before boarding the train to begin his magical education.
The novels provide no specific description of Albus's physical appearance. In terms of personality, Albus is portrayed as sensitive, quiet, and more introspective than his older brother. His concern about his potential Hogwarts house suggests he is burdened by the weight of his family's legacy. He shares a close and trusting relationship with his father, confiding his deepest insecurities to him before leaving for school.
As a first-year student just beginning his magical education, Albus's magical abilities are untrained and largely unknown. He is a wizard by birth but has not yet been seen to perform any magic.