"We've always talked about going! Well, Scorpius, next summer may be our chance. It's the perfect way to celebrate having another Slytherin in the family."
Scorpius' nerves were relentless. The day before and, indeed, the entire preceding month he had been bursting with excitement, but now his anxiety resembled something like terror. His grandfather's words were haunting him. All month long he had been looking so forward to the promise of exploring France with his grandfather in the summer- a special trip just for the two of them, but only last night did it occur to him that Granddad's promise was not a loving treat, but a threat to ensure that their ancient family tradition continued with him.
Scorpius was silent all the way to King's Cross station, and felt some anger at his grandfather for preoccupying his mind with these dreadful thoughts during this special one-time experience. His heart only skipped a little as he took his first running steps onto platform 9 3/4 .
As the platform materialized and Scorpius gasped at the sight of the hundreds of students waiting to file onto the steaming locomotive, kissing their families goodbye and beaming with excitement, he couldn't help but feel a little bit alone. Of course his parents were following close behind him, but they seemed to notice that he had private thoughts he would disclose at his own discretion, and did not press the matter.
"Draco," Scorpius heard his mother say, "isn't that Harry Potter staring at you?" Scorpius and his father both looked over. There were a few people looking over at his father like they knew him. Scorpius looked up at his father, who nodded politely at the strangers and then turned back to his wife.
"And Weasley, and Granger. I guess they remember me after all." Sighed Draco. "I guess it would be hard to forget. " Draco looked off thoughtfully for a moment and then seemed to snap out of it. He reached over and clasped his wife's hand. "Astoria, our son is going to Hogwarts." Scorpius watched a smile spread across his mother's face and she gave Draco a loving peck on the cheek. She looked down at Scorpius and crouched to his level, though he had grown so much that he was nearly her height.
"I'm so proud of how you've grown." She smiled, and planted a kiss on his forehead. Scorpius smiled. At least his mother was proud of him, which was something to be grateful for, but he still wished so much for his grandfather's approval. It was making his stomach churn. He decided he was ready to talk.
"Dad?" He said, peaking around his mother's side and looking up at Draco. "Can I talk to you?" Draco looked confused, but nodded, and took a few steps away from Astoria to talk to his son in private. Unlike Astoria, he did not bow down to his son's level. Scorpius liked that his father addressed him standing straight and looking him in the eye. He knew his father respected him, even though he was still a child, and it comforted him.
"What is it, son?" Draco asked, once out of earshot of Astoria, sensing that Scorpius was embarrassed and this would be a strictly father-son conversation. Scorpius gulped, and then spat out what he had to say.
"Do you think granddad will still love me if I'm not in Slytherin?" Once the words were out of his mouth, a great amount of the weight was lifted from his chest. Draco nodded knowingly.
"So that's what you've been so quiet about." He observed. "Scorpius, there's no sense worrying about the sorting. You'll end up where you need to be. And if that's not Slytherin… well, granddad will come around."