The New Marauders
A Harry Potter Fanfic
By Missmissa85
Author's Note: flashforeward's 'The Sorting', a story posted on fanlib, was the initial inspiration for this story. It was originally intended as a one-shot, but as you may have guessed from the addition of a second chapter, I continued this story due to the positive response I received on fanlib. I hope y'all enjoy it just as much.
Albus Potter and Rose Weasley sat quietly contemplating their fate as the Hogwarts express rumbled along.
"Rose, do you think you'll be in Gryffindor?" Albus asked his cousin suddenly.
Rose looked up from the Standard Book of Spells. "I don't know," she answered. "Dad's always telling me how much like Mum I am, and she once told me the Sorting Hat almost put her in Ravenclaw. Do you think you'll be in Gryffindor?"
"Not sure," Al said. He wasn't sure he if he was authorized to share what his father had said about where the Sorting Hat almost put him twenty-six years ago.
Rose opened her mouth to ask another question when something crashed just outside their compartment. Al opened the door and saw a small blonde boy sprawled in front of him. The half-open cage of a tarantula landed on the boy's chest.
"Stay away from us, you pure-blooded traitor!" a voice bellowed.
Al recognized the bellowing voice; it was Alfie Thomas, one of James Potter's best friends. Al could see his brother attempting to pull his angry friend back into their own compartment.
"I am not a traitor!" the blonde boy protested.
Alfie pulled his wand from beneath his robes and pointed it at the blonde boy, but Al jumped in front of him. James grabbed his friend around the waist and pulled him back before he could aim a curse at the younger boys. Rose grabbed the scurrying tarantula and put it back in its cage. Al turned and offered his hand to the blonde boy who gladly took it and stood up.
"What's going on here?" Percy Weasley bellowed as he entered the car.
"Nothing, nothing at all Uncle Perce. Why do you ask?" James said as he shoved Alfie into their compartment and shut the door.
"It's Professor Weasley while you're at school Mr. Potter," Percy answered sternly. "What is going on here?"
Percy was eyeing James suspiciously. Al could almost see the wheels in his brother's head spinning to come up with an explanation. He opened his mouth to speak, but the blonde boy's voice overrode his own, "It was my fault, Professor."
They all looked at the blonde boy and he seemed to cower under their gaze.
"You are?" Percy asked him.
"Scorpious, Scorpious Malfoy, Sir," he answered. "You see, my tarantula got loose and everyone was either running away from him or trying to help me catch him. I-it was quite noisy."
Percy raised an eyebrow and looked into James' compartment at Alfie Thomas. He looked back at Scorpious disbelievingly, but said, "All right then, I suppose you've cought the thing, right?"
Smiling, Rose held up the cage containing the tarantula. Percy visibly recoiled and James, Albus, and Rose all supressed the urge to giggle.
"Stay in your compartments for the remainder of the trip, if you please," Percy told them in his sternest voice. "Don't forget to change into your robes before we arrive."
As Percy stalked away, Al and Rose gently pushed Scorpious into the safety of their compartment. James roughly pulled Al aside.
"Al, you know who that boy is, don't you?" he asked his brother.
Al shook his arm out of James' grasp. "I'm not daft," he answered angrily. "I know whose son he is, but that doesn't matter. He's not his dad."
"He'll be a Slytherin for sure," James continued.
"So could I," Al answered defiantly.
James smiled kindly at his little brother and Al backed away in surprise. "No Slytherin would risk his own neck to help a complete stranger," James explained. "Complete, idiotic bravery. That's a Gryffindor trait."
"Thanks," Al said, unsure of what else to say.
"Be careful, Al," James told him.
"You too," Al answered doing his best to keep his suspicion of his brother's words out of his voice.
"I think Jamie's losing his touch," Al announced when he came back into the compartment with Rose and Scorpious.
"Who's Jamie?" Scorpious asked. His voice was quite shaky.
"James Sirius Potter is the tall auburn-haired boy," Rose answered most matter-of-factly.
"The one who wasn't trying to kill me?"
"Right," Al said smiling. He noticed how tightly Scorpious gripped the corners of his spider's cage and said, "Are you all right?"
"I don't want to be a Slytherin!" Scorpious suddenly burst out. "They're all Slytherins, the whole lot of them."
"Who?" Rose asked curiously.
"My family," Scorpius answered. "I'm doomed aren't I?"
"Well..." Rose began.
"No, you're not," Al answered with such assurance that Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "My dad told me that the Sorting Hat takes your choice into account before it places you. If you don't want to be a Slytherin, it will put you someplace else."
Scorpious and Rose's eyes widened at Al's revelation. "Really?" Scorpious asked.
"Yeah," Al answered. "And my dad doesn't tell lies, it's written on his hand."
Rose rolled her eyes and picked up her book. Scorpious still looked nervous and confused.
"We're gonna have to come up with a better name for you than Scorpious," Al said after a few moments silence. "That's just too much of a mouthful."
"Yeah, it is," Scorpious agreed smiling.
All the first-years stood crowded together at the front of the Great Hall. Al, Rose, and Scorpy (that was the name they had decided on until they came up with something better) were all standing together. The Sorting Hat finished its song and Professor Longbottom, assistant headmaster and head of Gryffindor house, called out the first name. The young trio wasn't really paying attention until the professor said, "Rose Weasley."
Al and Scorpy watched as Rose bounced up to the platform. Neville placed the Sorting Hat on her head and the hat said quite loudly, "More Weasleys!? It must be...GRYFFINDOR!"
Professor Longbottom didn't even try to hide his excitement as the Gryffindor table burst into cheers. When the hall quieted down he continued. A few names later, he called out, "Albus Potter!"
Al and Scorpy shared a last look before Al ascended the platform. Before Professor Longbottom placed the Hat on his head, he whispered, "Don't worry, Al, I know where you're gonna be."
The hat was only on his head for a few seconds before it announced, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Al jumped up and joined his cousin and brother at the cheering Gryffindor table.
"Scorpious Malfoy!" Professor Longbottom called.
Scorpy timidly ascended the platform. He looked back at Al, who smiled encouragingly. Professor Longbottom, with the slightest sign of hesitation, placed the Hat on his head. It seemed an eternity before the Hat said, "GRYFFINDOR!"
The Hall fell completely silent. No Gryffindors cheered. Professor Longbottom looked completely stunned. The entire Slytherin table looked absolutely gobsmacked. Scorpy wore a strange expression of relief mixed with embarrasment.
Seeing that no one was moving, Al stuck his thumb and index finger in his mouth and whistled with all his might. Rose followed his example and clapped as loud as she could. James and a few others followed suit, and soon enough, almost the entire Gryffindor table was cheering for Scorpy. Scorpy, in response, ripped off the Hat and gave it back to Professor Longbottom before taking a seat between Rose and Al.
Harry started as he heard a loud 'pop' and Kreacher appeared in front of him.
"Master won't believe what Kreacher has to tell," the house-elf told him.
Harry groggily rubbed his eyes and said, "What is it, Kreacher?"
"Young Master Malfoy is in Gryffindor." Kreacher practically spat the last word.
"What?" Harry asked, now quite awake.
"Yes," Kreacher continued. "He sits between Master Albus and Mistress Rose even as we speak."
Harry quickly leapt to the bureau and started opening drawers. Where the Marauders Map should have been was a note that read:
Sorry Dad. But don't worry. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.
Love Albus.
"Ginny," Harry called, "your son has stolen the Marauders Map!"