Steam poured into the platform, rising from a scarlet train that had just rounded the corner. The few families that were already there wandered about, most of them waiting for friends or fretting over children. Typical of his father, Scorpius just had to get to the platform half an hour early. He stood in his stiff black robes, with his hair combed back, more still and silent than any child should be. His mother was double-checking his trunk for all of his supplies and generally fretting over him, while his father tried to calm her down. Why they worried so much was beyond him, and Scorpius wished that they would just stop it before they embarrassed him any more in front of his new classmates. The clock crept slowly and after what felt like ages in this boiling hot train station, other families began to trickle in. Soon the station was filled with laughter and the cries of friends reuniting after a long summer holiday apart.
It was alone that Scorpius boarded the train, but it wasn't long before he spotted someone he knew. Motioning to join him in an empty compartment, he turned to Eloise Zabini.

"Eloise. Hello. How has your summer been?" He said with the trademark Malfoy drawl, as he reclined against the worn bench.

"Oh hello, Scorpius, it's been nice. Yours?"

"Well, as good as to be expected in that awful house. There are cobwebs everywhere and absolutely nothing to do."

Eloise nodded sympathetically. "Yes I suppose that would be dull. Are you looking forward to school?"

"I suppose so, it'll be nice to meet people with good values for a change. My father has already bought me a house scarf and everything, I mean you're not really supposed to, because we haven't technically been Sorted yet, but obviously I'll be in Slytherin."

"I don't know, Scorpius, Mulciber's whole family were Slytherins, I mean they were even-" she glanced around furtively and whispered, "they were death eaters in the war, he's been raised by his aunt because they're still in Azkaban. And HE is in Ravenclaw! Lavender, that is, Lavender Patil says-"

"Don't tell me you're still hanging around with that scum of a Ravenclaw! Honestly, El, you need to get your priorities straight in terms of friendships or you might wind up in Hufflepuff!" He snorted.

Eloise glared at him and continued. "Lavender, yes my friend Lavender – and by the way, isn't it advantageous to Slytherin if we have informants elsewhere? 'Know thine enemy' and all that? Anyway, Lavender was saying that his family nearly disowned him they were so upset…"

Scorpius tuned out Eloise's accusations against Mulciber and gazed absently out the compartment window. Suddenly, he stiffened and a look came over his face as if he had smelled something foul.

"Scorpius? Are you even listening? What is it?"

"Potters" He practically spit out.

The two black haired boys were walking ahead and joking, being annoying prats as befit the name of Potter. Scorpius sneared at them and was about to say something probably spiteful to Eloise, when he noticed one last Potter. Well, probably not a Potter but they were all idiots anyway… She was small but fantastically loud, Scorpius could hear her through the door as she called to her relatives. And she had the brightest, reddest hair he had ever seen.

Eloise sneared "Ugh, I bet she's a Weasley. Her freckles! She looks like she's been playing in mud. Come, Scorpius, we'll be there soon…"

Rose Weasley grew up surrounded by kids to play with. She had her own brother (who she would argue didn't count) but she also had all of her cousins, and basically-cousins (well, only Teddy fit into that category) as well as all of their friends and a couple local muggles that she got along well with. So, when her father pointed out another kid to her, she was surprised that she didn't recognize him. Her confusion cleared up quickly with her dad's explanation of one notorious Malfoy family, the youngest being Scorpius. Rose, who was loyal to her parents and to her uncle, resolved not to like him.
The train ride was a blur of exploding snaps and chocolate frogs, and although she had two older cousins to prepare her for the moment, she still gasped and sat still in shock when the impressive façade of Hogwarts came into view.
The boats were unpleasant and wet and the walk to the castle felt like it would take forever, but soon enough Headmistress McGonagall was leading them into the Great Hall and placing the old beaten down hat on a stool. The anxious first years stared in anticipation at the hat, which for many of them was more terrifying then battling a mountain troll. Suddenly, the brim split wide open and the hat burst into it's Sorting song. Rose was to scared to care about the words and focused on mentally preparing herself.
"Gryffindor." She thought. "You'll be a Gryffindor like Mum and Dad, like Teddy and James and probably Albus too. Gryffindor. Gryffindor. Gryffindor."

The Headmistress was now pulling out a sheet of parchment and adjusting her glasses, and the rustling of the paper was the only sound heard in the enormous hall.

'Aarons, Samantha' was the first to be Sorted – Ravenclaw, and the rest followed.

"Burns, Raul"

"Gryffindor!"

Rose fidgeted nervously where she stood, overanalyzing every result. Finnerty, Alyssa had parents in Ravenclay and she got Gryffindor. What if that happened to Rose? Even worse, what if Alyssa had taken Rose's place in Gryffindor? One Sorting was no surprise, however. When "Malfoy, Scorpius" was Sorted into Slytherin, she rolled her eyes. As if they even needed to bother putting that stupid hat on his head. Pureblood twit.

"Potter, Albus" was Sorted into Gryffindor (to Al's obvious relief) and the name caused a bit of twittering among the girls.

When finally McGonagall called, "Weasley, Rose," Rose could barely walk to the stool, her legs were so shaky. She placed the hat on her head and-
"Hmm let's see…" Said a small nasally voice.

"Yes… a Weasley… well, normally I'd say the choice was obvious but…"

"But?!" thought Rose in alarm

"Yes, but. As in but... HUFFLEPUFF"

The last word was said aloud, but unlike with Albus, there were no cheers, no clapping. There was mostly just silence. Eventually, someone started clapping, which got the whole hall doing it, but they sounded unsure. Never in the history of Hogwarts had there ever been a non-Gryffindor Weasley.
Rose sulked after the rest of her house after dinner, staring longingly at the receding backs of the Gryffindors, wishing she were up there in that common room where no doubt everyone was joking and laughing at the fact that she was a stupid old Hufflepuff. Not even the sight of the cozy Hufflepuff common room, or the welcoming faces of her new house could cheer her up. Why wasn't she in Gryffindor? Was there something wrong with her? She did not sleep easily that night, and her dreams were filled with her family's jeering faces.