A New Beginning

By HighlylogicalGH

A/N: This is my first fanfiction ever. I hope you like it and I would really appreciate reviews!

Chapter 1: The Train

Albus Severus Potter stood there, just stood there. As the train rumbled along under his feet, the dark-haired eleven year-old stood with his back to the recently shut door of the Hogwarts express, from which he had just climbed through from Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Albus didn't know what to do or where to go.

He could look for James. But this seemed like a stupid idea, considering his older brother had never let Albus hang around with him and his older friends. He thought his best option would be to try and find his cousin Rose. He took a step forward but lost his balance as the train lurched slightly to the left. Albus steadied himself on the brass handrail fastened to the wall.

Okay, he thought. I'll just stand here until we get to school. I mean, it is a magic train, surely it won't take that long, but even as he pulled his trunk and the cage on top of it closer to him, he knew that he would be standing there for most of the day. Oh come on, he told himself. You're being stupid. Just grab your things and find a bloody compartment! But even as he thought this he knew that he couldn't will himself to move.

So there Albus stood, rooted to the spot, studying the worn scarlet carpet with much more intensity than was really necessary. After what felt like ages (but in reality was only about fifteen minutes), a tall girl with dark brown hair noticed him as she walked by. The girl was already in her robes, sporting a yellow and black striped tie and was fixing a badge of the same colors to the front of her robes.

"Oh!" she said with a start upon seeing him, standing there wide-eyed. "And what's your name?" but when he made no effort to reply she continued. "My name is Eleanor Bones. I'm a Hufflepuff prefect," she said, indicating the badge that he now saw had a badger and a "P" emblazoned on it. When he still gave no reply she said, matter-of-factly "Well you can't just stand there all day."

Albus tried to reply but all he could get out was something that sounded like "I…er…standing…"

Eleanor Bones gave him a kind smile and said "Let's go and find you a compartment. I met some of my closest friends on this train." She handed him the cage containing his snowy owl. She grabbed his trunk and led him down the long hallway, peering into each compartment as he went, until finally stopping to say "This looks good." The prefect bustled into the compartment with his trunk and heaved it onto the luggage rack. "Don't worry," she added as she led him into the nearly empty compartment. "Hogwarts is the best place in the world. You're going to love it." And with that, she slid the compartment door shut before Albus could mutter a faint "thank you."

Albus Severus finally tore his gaze from the empty hallway and froze, for he had just seen who he was sharing the small compartment with.

"Well, sit down," said Scorpius Malfoy after a few long moments of still silence.

Albus' mind was racing as he made to sit down across from the blond, pointed-faced boy he had seen on the platform. He immediately thought of the stories his father and Uncle Ron had told him about their days at school and wondered if he should take out his wand, in case this pale boy tried to jinx him. But he dismissed this thought, reminding himself that he hardly knew any actual spells, and certainly none that would help him in a duel. He slowly sat down, relieved that he wouldn't have to make a fool of himself as the other boy made no attempt to attack.

The minutes wore on in silence as the scarlet train made its way farther north. Albus stared resolutely out the window, aware of the Malfoy boy's eyes on him. This is ridiculous, thought Albus. Quit being an idiot and just say something! He resolved to be brave like his parents and after a few moments of mustering up his courage, he put on as defiant an expression as he could and opened his mouth. "You—"

"I'm not my father," the boy said quietly, interrupting Albus so that he just sat there, struck-dumb with his mouth open. Albus didn't know what to say; at least he had enough sense to close his mouth. "I'm not my father," Scorpius repeated. His tone was level, his face composed. "And neither are you," he said looking him straight in the eyes before Albus quickly turned to look out the window. "I don't think we should let the past dictate the future; I think it's time for a new beginning." He cleared his throat and said in a clear voice, "Hello, my name is Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy."

Albus glanced back and saw that Scorpius Malfoy had his hand held out in front of him. What is he playing at? Awkwardly, Albus lightly grasped the boy's hand and muttered to the floor "I'm Albus Potter." He made to draw back his hand but Scorpius held tight.

"A proper handshake," he said. "Involves eye contact." Albus looked up nervously, but to his astonishment, he saw that the boy was smiling.

They released hands and Albus watched as Scorpius' eyes roved over him in an analytical sort of way before coming to rest on the cage beside him. "She's beautiful," he said, nodding toward the Snowy Owl.

"Thanks," said Albus, grateful for this new subject. "Her name is Perenelle, my dad gave her to me on my eleventh birthday."

"Didn't your father get an owl like that for his eleventh birthday?" asked Scorpius.

"Yeah," replied Albus, a bit surprised. "Hedwig. How'd you know?"

"Oh, said Scorpius. I must have read it somewhere.

They carried on in silence for a little while. Albus was still trying to get it into his head that a Malfoy wasn't just being polite, but Scorpius was being downright pleasant! Albus hoped this wasn't the end of their conversation, and he willed himself to come up with something interesting to talk about. But after a few minutes, Scorpius spoke.

"Are you excited to go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes! But I'm really nervous! I'm really worried that people won't like me—" he stopped himself as his cheeks turned pink and he looked down. "I'm sorry," he said to his knees.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" Scorpius asked, keeping the conversation going.

"I don't know. I don't think I'm brave enough to be in Gryffindor," he replied dolefully.

"Is that where you're hoping to go then?" asked Scorpius. "Gryffindor?"

"Well, maybe. I don't know. That's where my brother is. But it would be so terrible if they put me in Slyth—" he caught himself, horrified. "Oh no! I'm-I'm really sorry! I-I didn't mean—"

"Don't worry," Scorpius interrupted, surveying him quizzically. "You haven't offended me. I personally don't really think I would fit in Slytherin."

"But, don't families usually stay in the same house?" asked Albus, shocked.

"Didn't you just say you don't know if you want to be in Gryffindor?" said Scorpius, raising his eyebrows. "Hasn't your whole family been in Gryffindor?"

"Oh, right…I guess…yeah," Albus muttered looking down again. "I'm sorry. I just thought…your dad."

"My father's not the same man that he used to be," said Scorpius quietly, staring out the window. "Nor is my family."

"No! I mean! Of course-of course not!" He stammered. "I didn't-I'm really-I never meant any- Oh! I'm really, really sorry!"

"Stop," said Scorpius calmly, looking him straight in the eyes. And then he smiled. "Albus Severus Potter, you really need to stop apologizing."

A/N Thanks for reading! This is my first ever fanfiction so please leave a review to tell me what you think! Also give your ideas for how the story should progress, I don't really have an idea in mind for it yet but I'm open to anything! Hope you enjoyed it!