Chapter 1

Albus sat in the train compartment, watching his father and the rest of platform 9 ¾ disappear. He always seemed to be thinking about the platform. James had always been telling him that the only way to get to the Hogwarts' Express was to run into a wall, and if you were "worthy" you would make it. The wall part was at least true.

"You'll see them soon enough, Albus." said his cousin Rose, bringing him back to reality.

Albus turned away from the window back towards Rose. She had her mother's bushy hair, and it was a brown-red from both of her parents. She had gotten her father's blue eyes, though, and they seemed to always stand out from her freckle-covered face. Albus looked just like his father, with the same messy, jet black hair and bright green eyes. He didn't have the scar or glasses to make him look like a hero, though.

"I know, but Christmas is in four months, and we're not even sure on plans." he replied.

"They'll write at least," Rose said with confidence, "you are the favorite child."

"That's Lily, not me."

"Then you're at least the favorite child at Hogwarts," Rose said with a grin.

Albus let a small smile creep onto his face, "I suppose so."

"Excuse me," said a new voice from outside of the compartment. The cousins turned, and there stood a well dressed, blonde haired, gray eyed boy. "Do you mind if I sit here, everywhere else is full." He said smartly, making it a statement rather than a question.

"Yeah, sure I guess." Albus said, moving over to the window to give the boy room. He put his trunk up on the rack along with the others and sat down.

"I'm Albus, and this is Rose," he said, gesturing to his cousin.

"Oh. Well, I'm Scorpius by the way," the newly named boy said, "Scorpius Malfoy."

The cousins exchanged a quick look. Both of their parents hated Scorpio's father, Draco, and they knew it well.

They sat in silence for a drawn out moment, until Scorpius finally spoke up.

"I know your parents hate my dad, and I'm sorry about that," Scorpius said, noticing the look, "but I'm not like him. Well I am, I guess, but the good side of him. Not many people see it."

Albus and Rose, without even a look, decided that Scorpius couldn't be half bad. He had all of the same looks as his father, with the pale blonde hair and gray eyes, but his hair was messy and he had a laid back aura about him. Albus thought that he seemed nice, and not at all like what his mother had said about him. Rose thought he was rather cute.

"So, I did some reading this summer, and it turns out that-" Rose was cut off by thundering footsteps coming from the corridor.

"Albus! Albus!" came the voice of Albus's brother, James, "Albus, you won't believe it!" James and three other boys, all James's age, ripped aside the door of the compartment. He paused for a moment, seeing Scorpius. "What's the Malfoy doing in here?"

James seemed more confused than angry. "He's our friend, and he's very nice," Rose piped up.

James's confusion vanished and it was replaced with a grin, "Oh well, hey there Scorpius, I'm James. I don't hate you or your family anymore." James looked like a combination of his mother and father, a good half of each. He had his father's messy hair, and freckles from his mother's side. His hair was a brownish color, only a little bit darker than Rose's. He turned to Albus, "So guess what I saw."

Albus raised an eyebrow.

"Teddy and Victoire, our Teddy and Victoire, were snogging at the platform!" Albus's eyes widened, and then he burst out laughing with James and all of the other boys in the compartment. Rose however, was turning a light shade of pink and scowling.

"What's wrong, Rosie?" James teased.

"Nothing. They're in love, congratulations to them." she said haughtily.

James turned to her, "Aww, Rosie, so sweet. Are you in love too?" More laughter from the boys, and redder cheeks for Rose. James gave a fake gasp, "Who is it, who is it?" The boys laughed yet again, until James finally said, "Oh well of course, of course, it must be mister Malfoy here." Scorpius stopped laughing, and turned a bright shade of embarrassed pink. Albus kept laughing with his brother and brother's friends until they finally left.

Albus looked at Rose and Scorpius, who were both glaring at him. "What?" he said with a sheepish grin, trying to play the innocent card.

Rose just rolled her eyes, and began to giggle. Scorpius bit his lip, and was soon chuckling with her. Albus just sat there, grinning like an idiot, until he finally started laughing too. THey couldn't stop for quite a while, and were soon wiping tears from their eyes.

When they finally caught their breath, after catching their breath already multiple times before, Scorpius stood up.

"I need to get something from my trunk," he said, looking up. He pulled it down and flicked open the chest. He pulled out what looked like a little compass, set it next him, and put the now closed trunk back up. Scorpius fell back onto the seat again, and picked up the compass thing.

"What is that?" said Albus, leaning in to get a closer look.

"It's sort of like a compass," said Scorpius, leaning against the back of the chair, "It shows you directions and everything, but it makes a map of where you are, too."

Albus watched as the background of the compass changed, and an old fashioned map formed of where they were. It showed rolling hills, latitude, longitude, temperature, and little creatures that must have been lurking in the surroundings. A small train moved on tracks during all of this, and the compass needle stayed true north.

"Woah," said Albus and Rose at the same time.

"That's not even the coolest part," Scorpius said, grinning. He popped open the compass like a pocket watch, and there was a little clock and letter compartment, that was filled at the moment. Scorpius grimaced at the sight of the letter, but pulled it out reluctantly. He read it over, and just rolled his eyes, stuffing the letter into his pocket.

"Is something wrong?" Rose said, concerned.

"It's nothing. My parents just left me a letter." Scorpius said.

"Well what did it say," asked Albus.

"They just told me good luck on getting into Slytherin." He shook his head again. "Don't they get that I just want whatever house will accept me?"

Rose and Albus exchanged a look, not believing that this was coming from a Malfoy.

"You'll get into the right house for you, Scorpius. Ignore your parents. It's not their life." Rose assured him.

"I know," Scorpius looked up at the two of them, "I think that we're all going to be in Gryffindor together." He smiled, and they couldn't help but grin back.