"Scorp, you do realize that the potions essay was supposed to be about the importance of potions in wizard society, not why potions are important to you personally," commented Rose while reviewing his paper. Albus smiled at his cousin and newfound friends. "Oh bugger off Rose! I didn't know what else to write about!" Scorpius grumbled and shoved his essay into his knapsack, crinkling it a bit. She giggled, and set about taking it from him and editing it into something at least half decent that the professor could grade. "Albus," asked Willow, "if you're done with your work, then perhaps you'd like to help me with mine?" he grinned. "Alright Longbottom, but you're going to have to ask Rose to spell check it, I'm afraid I'm no Ravenclaw."

They were an odd lot, the four of them. On the day of the sorting ceremony, many a student and teacher had been surprised at the results of the sorting hat's decision. The first of the four had been Willow Longbottom, who was alphabetically before Weasley or Potter, but a great deal into the hat's announcing that people were quite bored and beginning to lose attention. She was a shy girl, much like her father, and had the most curios eyes. Her short cropped brown hair curled around her face and large black glasses, which slightly magnified her purple-brown eyes. The hat had barely touched her head before shouting "GRYPHINDOR!" while the half of the table that wasn't asleep clapped lazily. She sat down with little pomp and circumstance. Next was called out "Scorpius Malfoy." Immediately, the room sprang to silent attention. The entire room stared as the pale boy nervously walked up to the stool holding the hat. The Slytherins from across the room smiled, and prepared to welcome their new classmate with devilish grins. The hat sat on his head for a while, and Albus remembered seeing the boy mumbling to himself. Albus flashed to the memory of his father telling him that he'd love him no matter what house he was in, and wondered if the young Malfoy's father had extended the same promise. "Better be… Gryphindor! And a fine addition at that!" called out the hat. Immediately the entire room went quite. Two Gryphindors, one a light headed Lovegood and the other a muggle born clapped alone with McGonagall, the Headmaster. He walked down to his new class mates, and the entire row of kids sitting near him scooted over so that he was surrounded by at least a foot of space on either side. They treated him like the plague.

But the night was not over yet. The surprise grew as Albus Potter was called up to the hat. Albus need not have worried about being sent to Slytherin, in fact it was a tie between Hufflepuff and Gryphindor Immediately the entire Gryphindor table applauded, and James stood to welcome his younger brother. But Albus did not walk to the far end of the table to be accepted by the cool older kids. Instead, he took one look at a fellow first-year Gryphindor and new immediately where he was going to sit.

"Hullo. I don't believe we've met. I'm Albus Potter." The young lad fearlessly kept his hand out, awaiting the other boys reply. His sallow cheeks and bleached white hair made him look a bit sickly, but soon they were flushed in a blush of red. "I'm S-scorpius Malfoy." Slowly, as though afraid the braver boy would bite, he extended his hand and shook it. "Well Scorpius, I was wondering if the seat next to you was taken. May I sit here?" his green eyes glowed gently, urging the other boy to accept his offer of peace. Scorpius looked at the entire empty row next to him and nearly laughed. "Well I suppose…" he answered with a small smile. The entire room let out a collective gasp as Albus Potter, son and likeness of THE Harry Potter sat down beside the son Draco Malfoy. Surely it was a trick. They would all get up and laugh and the Malfoy would be sent to Slytherin where he belonged. But it was not to be so. The entire room sat in silence for what seemed like hours, until suddenly the announcer picked up the names where she left off.

The next week, Rose Weasley, who had also been sorted into Gryphindor, dropped her possessions on the stairs, only to have them scattered by a Slytherin bully, Axis. He was a tall first year, with long brown hair that always seemed to be coated in grease or had food sticking out of it. As Axis had an older sibling who also had a love for mischief, he knew a few spells that he should not, and used a weak stupefy spell to disable her. It only worked on one of her legs, but it was enough to have her bending over awkwardly with a stiff leg, trying to recover her things. He stood there laughing, until a swift kick in the butt had him sprawled over on the floor. He stood up confused, and a small girl with mousy brown hair and the most intriguing eyes pushed up her glasses and pointed her wand at the much larger boy.

"Do you really think it wise to attack the daughter of a professor? He's taught me many things I'm sure you'll never learn to master, even when you're old enough to pronounce them. Ever heard of the Bat Boogey hex?" She stared at him fiercely, her eyes adding pounds of muscle and macho behind her short and skinny little frame. Axis stood and wiped off his pants. "You'll regret this later Longbottom! Someday you'll be somewhere all alone where your father can't protect you. Then, you'll see." He snickered evilly and continued on his way. The moment he left, all of the intimidating spirit left her, and she appeared to be quite shaken up. Rose looked at the girl in awe. "Did you really mean everything you said? You know harder spells that others don't because of Mr. Neville?" The other girl grinned, though still appeared quite terrified. "Nope. My dad is just the herbology teacher. The only thing I know about is plants." Rose nodded, understanding her sudden fear of Axis's threats. "Perhaps then you'd like to sit with me and my cousin at lunch today? As long as you don't have anywhere else to sit…"

"No, that'd be great! My dad's actually been worried that I might be overdoing my interests in botany by spending my lunch hour in the greenhouse with him." The girl smiled sheepishly at her new friend. "I'm Willow by the way. Like the tree." She said merrily, sticking out her hand to help fiery redhead off the ground. "Well in that case I'm Rose. Like the flower."