Chapter 1: An Unexpected Turn of Events
Rose Weasley was not in the habit of judging a book by its cover. Having inherited her mother's brilliance, in both magical skill and academic pursuits, she had read an impressive number of books by the time she was eleven. In fact, she had Hogwarts: A History, Second Ed., a fairly voluminous selection, tucked inside her new satchel- though she'd read it twice already. Her experience taught her that the most interesting books might have the most ominous or even boring covers, and if one judged by outer appearances alone, one might miss the opportunity of a life time.
With this in mind, Rose regarded Scorpius Malfoy with curiosity instead of hostility. Her father had warned her about this odd boy, and his family's dark past, but how could he have known the particulars of the new Malfoy family's life, having had no contact with them for almost 19 years? He could very well have been mistaken. Then again, he might have been right. Scorpius could have turned out like his grandfather and father. In that case, Rose was prepared to heed her father's advice. All of this was pure speculation, of course. She had yet to learn anything about the Malfoy boy.
Rose chewed her bottom lip, as she was apt to do when thinking deeply. Albus Potter, her cousin and fellow first-year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, nudged her none too gently. "Hey," he said seriously. "Leave off. D'you want a swollen lip on the first night? The others will think you're strange or something."
Rose nudged him right back. "Come off it, Al. Don't be so nervous." She smiled. "Everything will turn out alright."
James, Albus's wilder older brother, trotted down the coach corridor, shoving past people to get to the two. "Oi, you two! I've found a vacant compartment! Better hurry, though. I've only pulled down the blinds to make people think there's someone inside."
Rose and Albus grinned at each other and hurried after James, who had already turned around. Unlike James, they apologized when their unnecessarily stuffed bags knocked into anyone unfortunate enough to be in the corridor as they dashed by. They finally made it, breathless with giddy excitement, to the compartment where James waited. He ushered them in with a flourish of his hand. "Victoire should be along shortly."
"Where is she, anyways?" Rose asked as she settled into one of the long seats that lined the compartment walls.
"Dunno," James shrugged. "I would guess with Teddy, but unless he snuck on the train, he's not here."
"I wouldn't put it past him," Albus said with a laugh.
James flopped down on the seat opposite Rose, and stretched out so that his legs lay on top of his brother. "Ah, it's great to have my footrest finally coming to Hogwarts with me. Those stone floors are no good for my feet, I tell you."
Albus rolled his eyes and tried to shove him off. "I didn't come to be your personal furniture."
Rose stifled her laughter at the quarreling brothers when she noticed someone in the doorway. It took her less than a nanosecond to recognize the boy.
Stark blonde hair.
Expensively tailored clothes.
It was Scorpius Malfoy without a doubt.
She forced herself to close her gaping mouth. He looked nervous enough.
"Er," the young Malfoy mumbled awkwardly. "Is it alright if I sit with you?"
James and Albus stopped their tussling. Both stared in shock at this surely impossible display of embarrassment from a Malfoy.
He started at the sudden attention. "E-everywhere else is full..." he stuttered.
The Potter brothers were still frozen in dumbstruck disbelief, so Rose took charge of the situation. "Of course!" She smiled, hoping to make him more comfortable, and moved over to make room on the seat next to her.
Scorpius slowly took the seat, though he shifted in such obvious embarrassment that Rose wondered if she had done alright. James perceived the movement differently. "Not comfortable enough for you, Malfoy?" he asked with a hint of disdain.
Poor Scorpius practically jumped at this address. "Oh, no, not at all. It's very comfortable… Sorry for intruding," he added.
"You're not intruding at all!" Rose exclaimed. "We've plenty of room to spare. There's only Albus and me, and James- oh, that's James, sorry. And of course Victoire, whenever she turns up. Victoire's our cousin. James and Al are my cousins, and I suppose that makes me theirs as well, doesn't it? Do you have any cousins? Oh, that's right; your dad's an only child, isn't he? Of course, your mum might have brothers or sisters- or brothers and sisters! So, do you?"
"Do I what?" he asked, a bit lost.
"Have any cousins." Albus filled in. He sympathized with Malfoy, having been caught up in many of Rose's whirlwind conversations before.
"Oh, well, no, I don't. My aunt doesn't have any kids, so it's just me…" Scorpius trailed off.
"Don't have to share anything with anybody, do you, Malfoy?" James asked pointedly.
"Oi, James." Albus gave him a look.
"I'm just asking."
Ignoring the other two for the moment, Rose picked up the thread. "We've got loads of cousins. It's all because dad's family is huge. There's James, Albus, Lily, Me, of course, my brother Hugo, Freddie, Roxanne, Molly, Lucy, Victoire- I already mentioned her, didn't I?- Dominique, and Louis… Is that all, Al?"
Albus thought a moment before answering. "I think that's all of us." To Scorpius he said, "Rose has got a wicked memory." He found himself drawn to Malfoy more than he thought he would be.
"Oh, that's right! I never told you my name!"
"Yeah, Rose. You told him about everyone else in the family and then went and forgot yourself."
"I didn't tell him about the whole family, now did I?" Rose asked haughtily. "I just told him about the cousins." She turned to Scorpius and stuck out her hand. "I'm Rose Weasley. I already know who you are."
Scorpius shook the proffered hand, though he asked, "You're a Weasley?"
Albus tensed. James crossed his arms. "Yeah, she is. And what of it?"
The three cousins were surprised when Scorpius smiled eagerly. "I've heard loads fantastic stuff about your family! I can't believe I actually got to meet you." He turned to the flabbergasted brothers. "And you must be Potters! This is brilliant!"
"What's brilliant?" The voluptuous Victoire had suddenly appeared, leaning against the open doorframe. "Who's this?"
"If you hadn't been so busy snogging Teddy, you'd know," Rose said good-naturedly. "This is Scorpius Malfoy."
Victoire blinked. "Scorpius Malfoy…?" She blinked again. "Never heard of him."
Albus and Rose facepalmed, while James said, "Sure you have. He's the son of Draco Malfoy."
"Draco Malfoy…" Victoire contemplated this. "Nope. I've got nothing."
"Think, Victoire. Think really hard."
"Is he that bloke your dad hated so much back when he was at school?"
"All our dads hated him, Victoire."
"Oh, right."
Scorpius shifted. "I didn't know your parents…" he trailed off, unsure.
"Oh, it's alright now, I'm sure," Rose said with a smile. "That was ages ago." She decided it would be prudent not to mention what her father had said at the station.
"I dunno, Rosie," Victoire said as she sat between Albus and James. "Didn't he-."
"Well, that's enough of that! Scorpius, are you excited for our first year at Hogwarts?"
He managed a tentative smile. "I can't wait."
"I expect you're looking forward to potions." James was being a nuisance again. "You look like a potions kind of guy."
"Actually," Scorpius coughed. "I'm pretty rubbish at potions."
"Really?" Rose asked, surprised. "I could help you! I know a little about it, though it's mostly what I've read. Mum wouldn't let me practice much."
"Rose, he's probably not even going to be in our house," Albus pointed out reasonably.
"What? Why? Oh, that's right; your family's been in Slytherin for ages."
"I might not even be in Gryffindor," Albus added despondently.
Scorpius looked between the cousins. "What?"
"Al thinks he's going to be Sorted into Slytherin." Rose explained.
Albus perked up. "But Dad said the Sorting Hat will listen to you if you don't want to be in one of the houses. That's what happened with him. The Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Slytherin, but he got Sorted as a Gryffindor."
"Really? Scorpius asked in wonder. "I never knew that. I suppose I'm stuck in Slytherin though. Family legacy and all."
"Cheer up, we'll see you in classes and at mealtimes," Albus said.
"That's right," Rose agreed.
"Thanks," Scorpius appreciated their efforts, but after years of looking forward to being a Slytherin, just like his father and grandfather, he suddenly wasn't so sure he wanted to be one. Rose and Albus were really nice, but they were probably both going to be Gryffindors, despite Albus's doubts.
The rest of the train ride, all Scorpius could think about was how much he was going to hate being a Slytherin and not a Gryffindor.
ooOoo
"Ethan Madden!" Headmistress McGonagall called out from the long roll of parchment in her hands. Thought she was now the headmistress of Hogwarts, she did not put on airs and still liked to read the list of first-year students to be Sorted herself.
Rose poked Scorpius in the shoulder. He was staring off into space. "Hey, you're up next. Get ready."
Scorpius froze like a cornered rabbit as Ethan Madden was Sorted into Ravenclaw. He remained frozen even as McGonagall read, "Scorpius Malfoy!" It wasn't until Rose pushed him forward that he finally moved. He stepped carefully up the short stairs leading to the stool for Sorting. He sat down slowly.
Professor McGonagall quirked an eyebrow at him before placing the Sorting Hat upon his head. She remembered his father well and didn't expect this Sorting to take long at all.
At first, no one could tell anything was happening. The Hat didn't seem to be speaking, or even moving. When Rose looked more closely, however, she could see Scorpius blinking rapidly and scrunching his eyebrows, first in complete and utter confusion, then determination.
Finally, the Hat's tear-like mouth opened. Then it closed.
Then it opened again.
And closed.
It opened a third time, and the Hat said, "Well, this is very unusual. Unheard of, even. This will shock every one of you lot, I guarantee it.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
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Blanket Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All characters, places, etc. belong to our queen, J. K. Rowling, unless otherwise specified. Such as Ethan Madden. I made him up. That's all for now!