Sin #3: Pride
Next-Gen Character #2: Scorpius Malfoy
For: reveur-de-minuit's 'Seven Deadly Sins' Challenge.
In which pride comes before the fall and Scorpius is hurled into an Abyss.
A Sinner in Gold
The Great Hall was huge, and filled with people. Candles floated in mid-air and five tables paved the way to the front of the room. Scorpius glanced around, whipping his head back and forth, wishing that he could look everywhere at once.
The long-limbed man who had introduced himself as Professor Longbottom lead the way and Scorpius huddled along with the rest of the first years followed like sheep. Professor Longbottom stopped, just before the horizontal table where tall people in various coloured robes sat and pulled a scroll from his robes. As he began to read off the names in alphabetical order, Scorpius stared up at the teacher table.
The woman who sat in the centre was very old, and had her steel grey hair up in a tight bun. Her face was stern, but not in a horrible way; simply as if she had seen everything and would not stand for the same trick twice.
As the number of students surrounding Scorpius depleted, he found himself shooting glances towards the Slytherin table. Both of his parents had been in the house of the snake. Green and silver was the theme in the mansion Scorpius had grown up in, although his parents were not opposed to people from other houses. They were both simply very house-proud.
Scorpius couldn't wait to get his Slytherin badge sewn to his too big, black robes that scratched his neck and swamped around his feet.
Professor Longbottom called, "Malfoy, Scorpius." Where there had been quite before, the silence was now deafening. A pin drop could have been heard. Edging his way around a girl with blue eyes and red hair, Scorpius remained unfazed by this reaction. He was used to it.
With wide grey eyes and a slightly arrogant smirk, Scorpius Malfoy sat down on the stool. His last clear glance around him was full of faces and light. Then his vision was obscured by a large and tattered black hat.
"Well, well, well," said the hat. Scorpius felt something stir inside of him… this didn't sound so good. His father had been sorted into Slytherin almost immediately and although his mother had been considered for Ravenclaw, she had confirmed that the hat had been pretty quick in deciding on Slytherin for her too, "A Malfoy."
"Yes," said Scorpius in a low voice. "Scorpius Malfoy; do you have a problem with that, hat?"
"I was only stating a fact," said the hat, sounding a little miffed. "Many would not wear that name with such pride."
"I am proud of my name," Scorpius held onto the edge of the stool to stop himself from ripping the hat off his head.
"That's somewhat bold of you, Mr Malfoy," said the hat. "And daring as I see it, you are rather reckless. I doubt people applaud you for that,"
"I thought you were meant to be sorting me," hissed Scorpius. "Not finding out my life's story."
"Bold, daring and reckless," the hat's voice had become rather sly. "I think I know exactly where to put you."
Scorpius' eyes were suddenly clear of fabric as the hat roared, "GRYFFINDOR!" His heart was beating loudly and pulsing in his throat. This was a bad dream; it had to be. But it wasn't, slowly people began to clap. Scorpius stood at the front of the Hall with a sinking feeling inside of him and shaking legs.
This wasn't right, he couldn't be a Gryffindor… he just couldn't.
Professor Longbottom gave him a gentle shove which sent him stumbling down the steps. A rush of laughter echoed through the building. Scorpius slunk over the Gryffindor table, trying to look as small as possible.
He sat, head in hands, wondering where it had all gone so wrong. What would his father think? The people around him were wearing red and gold and smiles as they welcomed another member into their midst.
Scorpius' head span and he held back tears; he was definitely not acting like a Gryffindor now. The hat had made a mistake. What would his father think? Scorpius filled with dread even imagining the answer.