"Malfoy, Scorpius."
The hall fell silent as the Malfoy name rang out clear over the crowd. Scorpius had always been impressed by how much that one name earned everyone's attention, if not automatic hate. He knew his father was considered a traitor on both sides of the old war and that was why so many quieted as his name was called. But he ignored it as he made his way to the stool. He was not his father, he had not made the mistakes of his father, and this was his chance to be sorted.
Though he knew he was going into Slytherin. Every Malfoy had been.
He slid onto the wooden surface and closed his eyes tightly as he felt the leather slip over his head. "I haven't seen one of you for a while."
'One of 'you'? What does that mean?' Scorpius felt his brow furrow at the words whispered in his ear.
"A Malfoy. The last one I sorted was your father. Slytherin and proud of it, if I remember correctly."
'Yes, well, he still is. And he would very much like it if you were to just put me into Slytherin as well.'
Scorpius heard a chuckle, this was why he firmly believed that objects such as hats should not be able to think. "Now, now, we won't get anywhere with that sort of thinking." The hat said and Scorpius could picture the devious grin the hat wore, which made him shudder. "If I could not think then how would I be able to tell that you don't belong where your father wants you?"
"What?" Scorpius was so surprised by the words that he had actually spoken out loud, breaking the silence of the room before him. He could feel his cheeks heating up as he realized this. 'Are you saying you won't put me in Slytherin?'
"You aren't suited for them. Oh yes, I can tell you're a Malfoy, but not one that would do well in that house. You are cunning and thirst for power, but not to rule over others with. You just want to rule over yourself. Not a very Slytherin way of thought my boy. You have an air of bravery in you though."
'Not Gryffindor.' He hurriedly thought, dread filling him at being placed in that house that his family despised.
"Oh no. You aren't that brave. Won't go off and save the day, but you are brave. You stand proud by your family name knowing that people will hate you for it and for no other reason. You are determined to show people that being a Malfoy is more then what side they were on in the war."
Scorpius felt his nose wrinkle. 'Oh course I stand by my family name. I am a Malfoy. But I am not my father. I did not make his mistakes. I will make my own and learn from them.'
"Exactly. And that is why you will go into RAVENCLAW!"
Everyone in the hall seemed to only be able to see wide silver eyes as the hat was removed from Scorpius Malfoy's head. Professor Longbottom could not tell who was more surprised by the sorting. The students and staff for watching a Malfoy walk to the Ravenclaw table on the other wide of the hall from Slytherin, or the Malfoy that was making his way to a table a Malfoy hadn't sat at for generations.
But as he watched Scorpius sit down at the edge of the table, his already pale face drained of all color, he knew Scorpius wasn't surprised by what the Hat had picked, but scared of what would happen when he owled home about his house.
Scorpius Malfoy was a Ravenclaw, James Potter and Hufflepuff and a few minutes later the Herbology teacher watched as Albus Potter was placed in Slytherin.
The next few years were going to a strange set of years.