Greetings! I've always been a big fan of this pairing so I figured 'why the fuck not'. And thus a story was born. XD I hope you all enjoy.

This will be a Scorpius/Albus pairing fic, so... slash! If that doesn't tickle your fancy, the back button is your friend.

I do not own these characters, the whole universe belongs to the lovely J. . Don't sue me. I have no money.

I will be switching back and forth between perspectives. ASP = Albus' POV and SHM = Scorpius' POV. I will typically be doing one POV per chapter, but this one bounces around a little because it's the prologue.

=ASP=

Here he was at last on the Hogwarts Express and on his way to Hogwarts. The whole thing seemed a little surreal. He'd been dreaming of such things since he was a young boy, growing up listening to stories from his parents and aunts and uncles about the castle.

He was both excited and terrified.

Excited because, well he should think that was obvious… And terrified to end up in the wrong house. James had been teasing him incessantly about how he was destined to end up in Slytherin. He felt somewhat comforted after his talk with his father though. The sorting hat would listen to him.

"Al? Everything alright?" he heard his cousin Rose ask from beside him. He barely heard her over the racket in their compartment. When Potters and Weasleys got together, lots of noise was never far behind.

"Yeah. Just… thinking," he replied after a moment.

"You won't be in Slytherin…" she said confidently. Sometimes he could swear that she could read minds. Or his at the very least. "Your father and his parents were all in Gryffindor and look at the Weasley family… You're practically a shoe-in."

"Maybe…" He was trying not to speak too much because he feared that he might be sick if he opened his mouth too often.

"You'll see. How often am I wrong?" Rose reasoned.

=SHP=

Looking out the window as the countryside passed them by, Scorpius couldn't help but notice the fluttering of nerves in his stomach. He'd had a long talk with his father the day before. It had put a few things in perspective for him.

"Scorpius, there are a lot of expectations on Malfoys. Always have been. For example, it is expected that you will be in Slytherin. I'm sure your grandfather has already spoken to you about such things, carrying on the Malfoy legacy and other such nonsense. Other students will have expectations of you as well. They will think that, as the son of a former death eater, you will be a certain way. Cruel, vindictive… evil.

I want you to forget about all of these expectations.

The only thing I want you to do at Hogwarts is enjoy yourself. Good grades would be preferable, but I was never the best student myself so I will not harp on you about that particular subject. Though I cannot speak for your mother. I just want to emphasize: do not let everyone else's expectations shape who you are. I made that mistake and I do not wish it on you. You are your own person Scorpius and your mother and I are proud of you no matter what."

Scorpius smiled a little at his reflection in the window as he remembered the talk. His parents were good people. His grandfather… he wasn't so sure. He loved him because he was his grandfather, but he hadn't liked the things he'd had to say about going to school. Lucius had dictated who he should and should not be friends with, which teachers he should pay particular respect to, and as his father said, that he should be in Slytherin. It wasn't that he minded the thought of being in Slytherin, but he wanted it to be the house he was supposed to be in, not the house he was expected to be in.

He glanced across the compartment at his best friend since childhood and laughed a little at the fact that he had his nose in a book. It was a common sight when it came to Marcus Goyle. He'd once heard his father joke that there was no way that Gregory Goyle could be his father.

"Are you already studying?" Scorpius asked him incredulously. "That hat should put you in Ravenclaw. Though your father would probably pass out…"

Marcus shrugged a shoulder, not looking up from his book, "One can never be too prepared, Scorp. I'm reading more about the sorting ceremony. Aren't you curious?"

It was Scorpius' turn to shrug a shoulder, "I sort of figure whatever's going to happen is going to happen, regardless of whether or not I've studied up on it."

=ASP=

The journey to Hogwarts had been an interesting one. He'd known about everything beforehand having questioned James on anything and everything pertaining to his first day at Hogwarts, but it was still intriguing to see everything first hand. And here they were already, waiting with Professor Longbottom to be let in to the Great Hall for their sorting. He heard not a word that Uncle Neville said for his looking around at everything. There was a lot to take in and his eyes seemed to want to do it all at once, much to the protesting of his brain.

He was surrounded by his cousins at the moment; Rose, Louis and Molly were also being sorted today. He liked his chances of ending up in a house with at least one of them. It seemed only logical.

On the other side of Louis a nervous looking blond boy caught Albus' attention. His uncle Ron had pointed him out on the platform. That was Scorpius Malfoy. His father had told them all about the Malfoys; how Draco had been his nemesis in school, how his father Lucius had tried to kill their mother and, of course, how his mother, Narcissa, had saved his own father's life. He was curious about the Malfoy progeny. He didn't look particularly threatening. In fact, he looked just as nervous as Albus.

"Alright. The Sorting Ceremony has commenced. This way please…" Professor Longbottom called to the first years.

Here goes nothing, Albus thought.

=SHP=

Scorpius thought that he might actually throw up. What was the big deal anyways? All he had to do was put on that decrepit old hat… that would determine the rest of his school career. Yep, no big deal at all. His eyes flickered around him nervously and landed on a boy with shaggy black hair and bright green eyes. Albus Potter. He knew instantly. His grandfather had mentioned something about the 'filth' he might encounter at school, Potters and Weasleys being at the top of the list. He didn't look so bad. He looked sort of nervous too. At that moment Albus looked up at him and their eyes met for a second. Albus offered him a nervous half smile and Scorpius stared at him blankly in return. Why was he smiling at him? He didn't know Scorpius. He decided that the Potter kid was weird.

He turned back to the ceremony in time to see Marcus taking a seat on the stool. The hat was placed on his neat brown hair and Scorpius held his breath in anticipation for his friend. The hat seemed to be taking a while to decide. Marcus didn't look bothered by this at all, simply curious. He'd always been far too calm.

"Slytherin!" the hat called at last.

Marcus looked mildly amused as he got up and made his way over to the Slytherin table. The Higgs twins were next, both ending up in Slytherin also. No surprise there either. Scorpius' attention drifted and he examined the house tables trying to decide if one looked more desirable than the other. They all seemed to look pretty similar, except for the colours of their robes. Next he examined the teachers' table, noting the ones his grandfather had pointed out for good or bad. He decided he would take his father's advice and make up his own mind about them.

"Malfoy, Scorpius.

Oh right, he thought after a moment. Professor Longbottom motioned him forward with an encouraging smile and he took a seat on the stool, looking at the whole of the Great Hall for but a moment before the hat was dropped on his head and over his eyes. The hat's disembodied voice filled his mind.

A Malfoy! Hmmm you lot are usually Slytherin material, but you're an interesting case. You're brave, not afraid to let your opinions be known. You dare to be different from your family. Very interesting for a Malfoy. You're intelligent too, you would go far in Ravenclaw. Still… you are an ambitious sort like your father, but maybe in a different way. Have you a preference?

"What?" Scorpius thought, "You'd listen to what house I want to be in?"

Of course boy. I've never forced anyone to be in a house they didn't want to be in. Everyone ends up where they ought to. So? Do you have a preference?

"I want to be in the house I'm supposed to be in. Regardless of my name," Scorpius thought sternly.

Indeed, the hat seemed to be chuckling at him. Scorpius wasn't sure if that annoyed him or not. Well young Mr. Malfoy. I still think what I originally thought. You should be in… "Slytherin!"

Scorpius could not be sure if he was relieved or not as he went to go sit across from Marcus. His long-time friend smiled at him and Scorpius gave him a weak smile back. At least they had each other. He was watching the sorting ceremony but not paying attention, not really, until another familiar name came up.

"Potter, Albus."

Scorpius watched the boy approach the stool looking as though he were going to the guillotine. He supposed the boy had a lot of pressure on him, being the 'Chosen One's son and all. The hat was dropped on his head and the hall seemed to grow quiet and tense. Everyone was curious about where he would end up, Scorpius was sure. He knew he was. Why he was curious he wasn't so sure. Perhaps because Potter had smiled at him.

As it had with Scorpius, the hat seemed to be taking its sweet old time. Albus' feet swung a little from the stool as he kicked them lazily in front of him, probably fidgeting out of nerves. Scorpius wondered if he'd looked equally as ridiculous sitting there. He couldn't help wondering what sort of internal debate the Potter boy was having with the sorting hat. The hall was practically crackling with anticipation now. And then…

"Slytherin!"

"WHAT?!" James Potter yelled from across the room as his cousin Fred tried to get him to sit back down calmly, though looking just as stunned. The rest of the hall had broken in to whispers.

Scorpius turned back to see Albus get up from the stool. His face was as white as a ghost's as he made his way over to the Slytherin table. Even Professor Longbottom was looking perplexed by the hat's decision.

He sat down at the end of the table beside Scorpius and seemed to be looking at his lap in what could only be described as embarrassment. Or shock.

"I'm Marcus. Marcus Goyle," he heard a moment later, looking up to see Marcus holding his hand out to the Potter kid with a kind smile.

"A-Albus. Potter," he added as an after note, shaking Marcus' hand and giving him a sheepish smile in return.

"The rude git beside you is Scorpius Malfoy," Marcus said with a bit of a laugh as he shook his head at Scorpius. When he didn't respond right away, Marcus kicked him under the table and motioned with his head towards Albus.

"Um yeah. Scorpius. Nice to meet you," he said at last, holding out his hand to shake Albus' also.

"Yeah," Albus added, shaking his hand in return and looking at Scorpius curiously. For some reason it unnerved Scorpius more than it probably should have.

What do we think so far? Comments are love and constructive criticism is always welcome :D