Title: Your Choices Make You, Not Your Family's Expectations
Author: Immortal Aussie
Email:
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG
Summary: Albus takes his father's words to heart and makes his own choices
Challenge: 100 Tales
Prompt: 86- Choices
Word Count: 1281
Albus couldn't help but smile as he remembered his father's words to him on the platform. It made sense in a strange sort of way that his father was supposed to be in Slytherin. He had always been his father's favourite to the annoyance of his brothers and mother, so he had a feeling he was the only one who knew the truth about his father's sorting and that made him glow inside. Albus had always been different from his brother and sister in a way that they didn't like. James and Lily had always been loud and boisterous which their mother encouraged but he had always enjoyed curling up with a book in front of the fire or talking about magic and other things like that with his father. He was also the only one out of the children who new that while their parents were married that they didn't love each other.
Finding an empty carriage at the end of the train he breathed in relief. He didn't have to sit with his siblings. Before placing his trunk up onto the shelf above the seat he grabbed his latest book on Potions that he was reading. He had always enjoyed them to the annoyance of his mother but his father was amused by it.
After awhile someone one knocked on his carriage door. "Come in," He yelled and the door slid open to show a young boy about his age with pale blond hair and silver eyes. Albus instantly new he was a Malfoy, his mother and siblings having warned him against them, his father though said he should make up his own mind about the Malfoy of his generation.
"Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full or has idiots in them," the other boy said. Albus vaguely recalled that his name was Scorpius. He'd always thought it was a strange name.
"Not at all, feel free to make yourself comfortable. I'm Albus Potter by the way," he said introducing himself fully aware that it would most likely result in an explosion. "You're Scorpius Malfoy aren't you?"
Scorpius eyed him warily before sitting down. "Yes, I am he. Does that matter to you?"
"Of course not. I wasn't sure if you'd want to hang around a Potter. After all we are goody-two shoes who are besotted to the light," Albus drawled.
"You seem to be different from the other Potters. I take it you don't take after either of your parents? My father has told me about them."
"No, I take after my father mostly…" Albus trailed off waiting for the reaction that was sure to come and he wasn't disappointed. Scorpius's mouth dropped and he stared at Albus like he had grown another head. "Anyway, you want to play a game of chess or something? I don't mind either way."
"Chess is fine with me," Scorpius informed hm. They played a few games of chess for the next hour or so chatting comfortably until Albus's brother and his friends stormed into the compartment.
"Albus what the hell do you think your doing hanging out with scum like him," James demanded pointing at the young Malfoy.
"What I was doing was having some friendly games of chess and having quite a good conversation before you stormed in and demanded to know what I was doing," Albus shot back at his brother.
"But you know he's evil! He's no better than the rest of his family," James tried to reason with him.
"James shut the hell up. You don't know Scorpius, I do. Dad said to make my own decisions and that's what I am doing. I want to hang out with Scorpius even though he's a Malfoy? So be it. Just get your head out of the gutter and see that everything isn't black and white, nothing is for that matter. Now get out of here so we can get back to our game of chess."
"I'm going to owl mum and dad and tell you what you have been up to," James threatened as he left the carriage.
"Well I don't give a damn," Albus shot back at him. Turning back to Scorpius he added, "I apologise for that. My brother is a git who really needs to grow up."
"It is fine. I can tell that you and I will get along. You are nothing like I imagined you would be."
The rest of the trip passed quietly enough without anyone else disturbing them. On the boat ride to Hogwarts they shared a boat with two other students by the names of Amelia Finch-Fletchy who was the daughter of Susan Bones and Justin Finch-Fletchy and a muggle-born called Cassandra West.
It wasn't long before they were standing off in a side chamber while Professor Flitwick, the deputy headmaster explained about the different houses and how the school was run. A few minutes later they were lead into the great hall for the sorting.
Looking around the hall, Albus saw the four tables full of students who were staring at them. He noticed James and his friends at the Gryffindor table and recognised a few of his cousins spread out among all four houses surprisingly.
Albus was pulled out of his musings when he heard Amelia being called. It seemed like forever before the hat called out Hufflepuff and she darted off to sit at her new house table. Next was Scorpius's turn. They had promised to stay friends no matter what houses they went into. Albus thought he'd go into either Slytherin like the rest of his family or Ravenclaw. He was proven correct when the hat shouted out Ravenclaw for him. Soon it was his turn. As his name was called the hall started to whisper and he realised what his father meant about having everyone's attention on him. It was horrible. He had expected it of course; his father was quite famous after all.
As the hat was placed upon his head he heard a voice echo throughout his head.
Well, well what do we have hear. Another Potter who is quite hard to sort, you're a lot like your father young man. You also know about your father's love which is interesting. Your older brother didn't know about that. I do sometimes wonder how he would react to that news. I can see that you would do well in any of the houses. You've got a brilliant mind, are cunning and ambitious, you know what you want, you're loyal and hardworking and brave though that last one isn't your main quality. I'd put you in Slytherin but I think, even though your father would be fine with it, the rest of your family would mutiny so that one is out unless you desperately want to go in there. No? Well then its either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw for you young man. You want to be with Amelia then? Well it better by HUFFLEPUFF! The hat shouted out to the hall.
Slipping into a seat by Amelia he saw Scorpius looking at him with a grin upon his face. Giving Albus thumbs up, Albus did one back to him and new that he and Scorpius would remain good friends no matter what happened. James looked disappointed in him but, he new that his brother was relieved he wasn't in Slytherin. His cousins on the other hand seemed happy to see him sorted where he was. Albus just hoped that his mother wouldn't mind where he was, he was sure she wouldn't but one could never know with her. His father would be fine on the other hand, he was sure of that.
