Becoming a Slytherin
(Or how Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy became friends)
It was the end of the first week of classes and Albus Potter was tired as he made his way from the Great hall to the Slytherin common room. He was glad it was the weekend as he was unsure he could get through another day of classes at this point. His walk was slow, his feet dragging on the ground, his bag weighing him down.
But the weight and fatigue were not what stopped his walk a few feet from the entrance for the Slytherin house. It was the small, huddled form by the side. Pale blond hair shimmered in the dim lighting of the dungeons, giving the boy an eerie sort of halo. Of course Albus knew that it was Scorpius Malfoy, he had sat with him on the train, but he had no idea what the Ravenclaw boy was doing outside Slytherin.
Albus took a few cautious steps forward and knelt down next to the other first year. "Scorpius?" he gently whispered the boy's name as he slowly reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. When his hand made contact with Scorpius' shoulder Albus could tell the other boy was shivering. Which shouldn't have been a surprise. The dungeons were always freezing, no matter the temperature of the rest of the castle, and Scorpius was only wearing the thing button up and dress pants, his tie, sweater and robe no where to be seen. "Hey, Scorpius, what are you doing down here?"
Scorpius slowly looked up, his silver eyes shimmering with tears. His right hand gripped a piece of parchment tighter as he looked at Albus. "You'll let me in, right? I can't be in Ravenclaw. Papa is upset. He says I have to be in Slytherin. No Malfoy has ever been anywhere else." His voice was weak. "You have to let me in so I can tell him I'm a Slytherin just like him."
Albus blinked slowly, his brain needed a moment to catch on to what Scorpius was asking. He wanted to go into the boring, cold, bleak common room that was Slytherin? Albus let his legs slide out from under him and he sat on the stone floor next to Scorpius. "Trust me, you don't wanna be in Slytherin." The boy muttered. He let his bag fall from his shoulder and undid the clasp on his robe. He slid the green and black fabric from his body and draped it around his year-mate. "It's colder in there then it is out here. Plus, you can't get any sleep at night 'cause all the boys are hexing each other for something or other."
The blond shook his head. "I don't care. Papa is so upset. I cannot let him down." He whispered, huddling into the clock, pulling it tightly around him. "Please…I do not want to disappoint him anymore."
Albus looked away. He knew what Scorpius meant. James had already told him how upset their family was going to be. Uncle Ron would be angry, some of his other uncles would also be upset. How could he, a Potter/Weasley child, be in Slytherin? It was unheard of. Just as a Malfoy being somewhere other then Slytherin was unheard of. So Albus understood Scorpius' pleas.
He glanced around the hallway and glanced at his watch. The feast would be ending soon. "How long have you been down here?"
Scorpius licked his lips and closed his eyes in thought. "I…I don't know, a couple hours, maybe." He opened his eyes and looked at Albus who was staring at him. He blushed and looked down. "I couldn't go to class after I got the message from Papa." He muttered. Albus looked down at the scrap of parchment that was stilled clutched in Scorpius' hand. It wasn't very big so Albus knew there was no pep-talk about it being okay, nor was it big enough to hold many words of disappointment. The size alone told Albus that the only thing the other boy could have found on it were cold, distant words. And those were the ones that would do the most damage.
And two hours was a long time to just be sitting out here in the cold hallway.
Albus stood and offered his hand to Scorpius. "Then we'll make you a Slytherin!" Scorpius looked up to him and slowly took his hand. He was lifted to his feet and he smiled at Albus and he grinned back/
Scorpius was pulled to the stone wall that was the entrance to the lair of Slytherins. Albus gave the password and poked his head into the common room. When he couldn't see anyone he grabbed Scorpius' hand and pulled the other into the room. "Come on. You can hide on my bed." He dragged him the first years' dorms, noticing that Scorpius was staring around with wide eyes, trying to take everything in. This was his family's house and he was finally seeing what his parents had seen. He wanted to commit it all to memory so he could please his father.
And the common room was gone and they were almost to the dorm rooms. Albus threw open the door and pushed Scorpius inside first. He grinned as he watched Scorpius look around the green and silver room.
Scorpius stared at the room. It was almost exactly what he had imagined it to look like from everything he had been told about it. He walked up to one of the beds and touched the covers and then the drapes. He couldn't believe it. He was in the Slytherin dorm.
When the Sorting Hat had placed him in Ravenclaw he had felt his heart stop for a moment. That was not where he belonged. It wasn't his family's house. And when he had removed the hat and seen all the people staring at him, the hall completely quiet, as it would be for Albus Potter a few minutes later, he had felt a cold dread fill him. He had no idea what to do as he made his way to the table for Ravenclaw. He knew then that he had to find a way into Slytherin.
And now he was. He was so happy. Scorpius turned to Albus and smiled brightly at him, the corners of his eyes crinkling up in happiness. "This is great! Thank you so much Albus." He said warmly.
Albus smiled and nodded. "My bed is that one." He pointed to the one across the room. "You can borrow a pair of my pjs and my spare robe, tie and sweater. So you'll be a Slytherin. But we should hide you before the rest of the guys come in."
Scorpius nodded and he moved to Albus' bed and sat down. Albus put his bag down on the edge and pulled the curtains closed. He stuck his head in. "I'll be here in an hour or so. You can read or something. Just be quiet." Scorpius nodded, still smiling softly. Albus smiled again. "And you can call me Al. That's what my friends call me."
Silver eyes turned to look at the other boy in surprise but Scorpius nodded. "Thanks…Al."