'And, that's how Voldemort fell,' Draco Malfoy told his eleven-year-old son, Scorpius. 'All because of Harry Potter.'

Draco was explaining wizard history after Scorpius got his letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had learnt a lot about wizard history, which included the way Hogwarts is and has been run. 'Dad? When are we gonna go to Diagon Alley? You said you'd get me a racing broom!'

'Calm down,' Draco said sharply. 'We are going the day after tomorrow, I have work tomorrow.'

'Humph' Scorpius sighed.

Scorpius sat down and reread the letter he had got from Hogwarts, the previous week, it read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

(Order of Merlin, First Class, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Mr Malfoy,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Filius Flitwick

Filius Flitwick

Deputy Headmaster

Scorpius sighed. Draco wasn't going to come with him and his mother, Asteria, to Diagon Alley to get his Hogwarts stuff, he never does what he says he will, and like that time he said he would take Scorpius to the Quidditch World Cup. He never did.

Scorpius took out the second piece of parchment, this read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Uniform

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

Set books

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Scorpius sighed once more and left the dining room to walk round the vast garden of Malfoy Manor.

He passed the dark, knotted gates, which shone in the twilight and turned left at the pathway heading towards them. This path took him away from the house, away from the memories of his grandfather Lucius and towards his favourite place in the whole of the Malfoy's estate. The path took him towards an old oak tree with a rope swing which Scorpius' father had made when he was six or seven years old. Scorpius remembered the time Draco had told him the story of the oak.

He was six and had dragged his father to the oak tree Scorpius loved. 'Look, Daddy! Look!' Scorpius had exclaimed. 'This is where a swing would be great!' he looked round at his father to see that his eyes had gone misty.

'I remember when I was a child, Scorpius; this too was my favourite tree in the whole garden. Do you know why?' Scorpius shook his head, wide-eyed. 'Why?' he asked curiously.

'Because this is the furthest place from the house, the furthest place from the terror of Voldemort's residence in this house. I was sixteen and yet I was a child and an adult at the same time. I had been branded as Voldemort's follower, to do a man's job, I was told I should be honoured to be chosen for this job, yet I was still at school, still learning about ways of the wizarding world after the safety of Hogwarts under Albus Dumbledore's protection, still a student. An unknowing student.

'I came here to think sometimes, Scorpius, to do nothing except think and dream. Something I was unable to do even in my own house with a skilled Legilimens, Voldemort, who could pick up my thoughts when I was in my bedroom, but not when I was here. This oak has been special to me, but not in a physical way, and emotional way. You should not have to use it in the same way as me, with Voldemort gone; your thoughts will be your thoughts only, unless you wish to share them'

Scorpius had just sat there for a few minutes taking it all in. He had always thought his father was miserable about Voldemort's downfall, but he'd realised that he was quite glad, quite thankful of Potter's triumph.

Scorpius came out of his reverie as he came to the old oak tree. He sat on the swing and, like his father twenty years ago, thought and daydreamed about his future at Hogwarts School. His lessons, his new friends, feasts, and teachers. The train journey worried him, he didn't know any other wizards or witches who he could sit by, and he was not that good at interacting with people. 'But I will try my best' he vowed.