Disclaimer: I own nothing, the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K.R.
This is just a thing I had started writing some months ago and that I felt was good enough to be published. This story is going to be a companion to my other story Just the usual, but it's not necessary to read them together.
PROLOGUE
Scorpius Malfoy stared worriedly out of the window in an empty compartment of the Hogwarts Express that kept being empty.
It looked like he wasn't going to make any friends on the train.
Not that he had much hope to begin with.
Scorpius thought of himself as a pretty decent bloke, unfortunately half of the wizarding world didn't agree with him.
Many people still thought he should bear responsibility for his family's mistakes.
He thought they should all take a hike and pull those broomsticks out of their arses.
How could he be responsible for something that happened before his birth? He couldn't! that's what he decided, just like the Potter-Weasley kids could not take the merit of their parents feats.
In the end, he and the Potter-Weasley brats were the same, he just got the crappier side of fame, that was why he was probably too coarse and mature for an eleven-year-old boy.
One could not be called the devil's spawn and expect to be oblivious to all the shit that happened around the world.
When suddenly the door of the compartment burst open and a scrawny looking kid peered inside, Scorpius almost cried out from relief.
That was before he took a good look at him and noticed that he had to be the younger Potter boy.
Scorpius instinctively sat straighter and gathered himself for an assault. But it never came.
"Are these seats free?"
Scorpius looked at the boy with disbelief. He wanted to sit with him?!
His surprise not withstanding he answered – his mother had raised him to be a polite young man, after all.
"Well, yes, as you can see."
"Good." And with a grunt the kid dragged his trunk inside and sprawled on the seat. "I'm Al, by the way. Albus Potter." Scorpius took the hand he offered and shaking it, introduced himself.
"I'm Scorpius Malfoy."
For a second they both froze.
Scorpius thought with a great deal of certainty that Potter was going to retrieve his hands with something akin to disgust, but instead he shook his head and laughed.
"Sweet. So at least I don't need to explain to you that I'm nothing special and have no plans of greatness."
"You're preaching to the choir, mate." Scorpius said, amused.
He wasn't sure of the property of a Malfoy calling a Potter mate, but he shrugged that concern off.
Bloody semantics.
"I take it you have no plans for great evil deeds or world domination?" Potter was grinning and obviously baiting him. He decided to roll with it.
"Nope, leave that to the Muggles."
"Whew, you really took a load off my mind."
Before he could reply, a group of students passed their compartment by and as soon as they saw its occupants, gasps and comments were flying everywhere.
Potter crossed his arms and fumed.
Scorpius, having learnt that the best defence was pretending not to notice, suddenly got very interested in his shoelaces.
When the storm passed Potter growled "That is so annoying. It's like they expect me to grow wings and fly any minute!"
Scorpius shrugged "Ignore them, they'll get over it. Eventually." He added with a grimace.
"Really?" asked Potter with an understanding in his eyes that set Scorpius on edge.
He better not be pitying him!
"No. They're gonna ogle and whisper and start rumors from every little thing." He snarled disgusted.
Potter sighed and looked out of the window.
Only a few seconds later he perked up and asked "So, you know which House you'll be going into?"
Scorpius laughed humourlessly "My whole family has been in Slytherin. Who am I to go against tradition?"
"My brother told me I could be in Slytherin." Potter pulled a face the grinned again "But I guess it wouldn't be so bad if we ended up in the same House."
Scorpius realized with a sinking feeling that that was probably one of the nicest thing somebody had said to him.
He laughed again "A Potter in Slytherin, now, that's never gonna happen."
"Just like a Malfoy in Gryffindor, I'd wager."
They both laughed, even though they both realized that it was indeed a sad thing for a friendship to be doomed before it even started.
…
Later that evening Scorpius was not surprised when Potter got swiftly sorted into Gryffindor.
Really, was there any doubt?
The Gryffindor table cheered as if they'd won the House Cup and he could see his almost-friend being clapped on the back as he found a seat.
But as soon as McGonagall called "Malfoy, Scorpius." with that croaking voice of hers, he could feel everybody's attention being fixed on him.
He reached the Sorting Hat, and waited for the axe to fall.
Hmmmm….what to do with you? Hmmm… extremely difficult. I wonder where you'd do well.
"So I'm going into Slytherin?" Scorpius thought resigned.
Hmmmmm…
"Hurry up, you hat! I don't' have the time of day!" he lashed out impatiently, hearing the first whispers starting all around him.
Watch it, brat! Really youngsters nowadays… I haven't had a challenge in years, let me savour this!
Quite proud, I see, not too bad a brain, also loyal to the family… hmmm, you've got some guts, yes? I dare say you'd do very well in…
"Gryffindor!"
The whole Great Hall shushed.
Merlin help me.
There were no cheers, not even one of the students clapped, the bravest ones only ventured to whisper
"A Malfoy. In Gryffindor."
"The Sorting Hat has gone mad."
"Poor boy, he's gonna have a rude awakening."
When he sat down at the table, finally relieving his trembling legs, he had the distinct impression that his House mates wriggled away from him.
He sighed and stared at his hands in his lap.
"Well, that was unexpected! But I'm kinda happy that we're in the same House." He looked up to find Albus Potter grinning at him.
"Ah, shut up, Potter. You know how long is it gonna take me to live this down?" but he was smiling.
Sooo, this is the prologue. Next chapter is gonna be form Rose's prospective, and the actual start of the story. Can't wait to hear what you think about it. Review pleaaaaaassssssseeeeeee!