Hello all! This story is still a work in progress, but I hope that more chapters will come. It begins during the epilogue scene from Scorpius' POV and continues into the Next Gen's first year at Hogwarts. I hope you like it!

(Sidenote: Please read my Sorting Hat song, I am so proud of it.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters you know in this story.


Scorpius stood nervously on Platform 9 ¾ with his parents, about to board the train to Hogwarts for the first time ever. There were so many students bustling around the platform with their trunks. They all looked overjoyed to be going to school. Scorpius, on the other hand, was dreading it.

His father squatted down so that they were face to face and squeezed his shoulders. "Are you ready?" He asked.

Scorpius took a breath and nodded. "Just nervous."

His dad's jaw tightened. "You are going to this school to learn," he reminded him sternly. "That is it."

Scorpius nodded again. "I know."

"You will work hard. You will excel in all of your classes. And most importantly, you will not let anyone make you feel lesser than anyone else." He shook Scorpius gently. "Do you understand me? You stand up to people when they hurt you. Okay?"

"Yes, Dad," Scorpius responded.

His dad nodded in satisfaction and stood up. "Good."

Scorpius gave his mum a hug. "Try to make friends, love," she whispered. "And try to have fun."

Uncertain that he could succeed at either of those things, Scorpius said nothing. Waving to his parents one last time, he pulled his trunk onto the train.

Scorpius dragged his trunk passed the front compartments to the farthest one in the back. Confirming that it was empty, he went inside and closed the door.

He sat down by the window and leaned his back against it with his feet up. Pulling out a spell book, he kept a close watch on the door, daring anyone who walked by to come inside the compartment he had claimed.

Eventually the whistle blew and the train headed on its way to Hogwarts. Scorpius stayed in the empty compartment the entire trip. When they finally arrived at the station, he decided it was a very successful train ride. So far, no issues. Now came the next challenge.

Scorpius waited for the rest of the car to empty out before leaving his back compartment. Finally, the coast was clear, so he carried his trunk out onto the platform.

"First years!" Someone shouted a little ways away. "First years this way!"

Scorpius followed the crowd of younger students to the boats on the lake. Groups of first years filled the boats quickly, and Scorpius found himself standing next to a giant, burly man with a big gray beard.

The man looked down at him and gave him a jolly smile. "Are y'not gettin' in a boat?" he asked in a booming voice. Scorpius glanced at the boats already on the lake. "You can ride wit me," the man offered, pointing to an empty boat left on the dock.

Scorpius looked up at him again. "Okay," he nodded. It was a better option than spending an awkward boat ride with people who would ask him nosy questions about himself, and then dis him once they knew who he was.

The man pulled up the small boat and sat himself down clumsily into the seat. He took up most of the space, and Scorpius worried the boat wouldn't hold up with his weight. "Uh… sorry," he said to the man, trying not to sound too rude. "Is there a weight limit on these things?"

Luckily he laughed. "Ah, don't worry," he assured him. "I've done this for many years. More than I am willing to admit. And besides," he continued as Scorpius carefully found himself a place to squeeze into the boat. "Yer so light it probably won't even know yer in it," the man chuckled, and the boat slowly began to move across the lake.

"The name's Hagrid," the man introduced himself. "Gamekeeper at Hogwarts."

"What is a Gamekeeper?" Scorpius asked, strategically avoiding giving his own name. "Is that a faculty position?"

"Nah, I'm no' a professor," Hagrid said. "I am the right-hand man for the Headmistress. Run important errands and do secret business fer the school."

"Cool," Scorpius said. "What kind of secret business?"

"Ah!" Hagrid exclaimed. "If I told yer it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?" He winked.

The lights of the castle came into view and Scorpius could now see most of the school grounds. "The castle is mighty beautiful, i'n'it?" Hagrid commented, admiring the view up ahead.

"Yeah," Scorpius replied unenthusiastically. Sure, it was pretty glorious, but to him it looked more like an isolated prison. He was going to be ridiculed by a student body who collectively agreed that he and his family were traitors. As Scorpius' father always told him, during the Wizarding War all were forced to choose a side. And because Scorpius' father didn't, he ended up betraying everyone.

They finally reached the other side of the lake and the first years were shuffled into the castle to the Great Hall. Scorpius stayed far in the back of the crowd. At the Great Hall entrance, a man stood on the top of the stairs.

"Welcome, first years," he greeted them. "My name is Professor Longbottom. In just a moment, you will all be sorted into one of four Houses at the school: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." The crowd began mumbling and Scorpius scooted passed some students to the far right corner of the group in order to get a better view.

"Gryffindor is the house you want to be in," Scorpius heard a boy say.

"I think I'll be in Ravenclaw," a girl declared.

"Just so long as I'm not a Slytherin, it will be fine."

Scorpius settled for a spot next to a column, where he could see without being noticed.

"Each House has a different set of characteristics that are valued," the professor continued. "The Sorting Hat will decide which House fits your personality best. By sorting everyone into these Houses, the hope is that everyone will find their place at this school and feel welcomed." The professor gestured for them to follow him. "Let's head on inside."

They were all led into the grand room, down the long hall to the front where a podium stood. A floppy black hat sat on top of a wooden stool. All the older students were already seated at the tables around them, and several cheered when the first years came in. Scorpius glanced nervously at the Slytherin table. There were a few people he recognized because his dad knew their parents, but none whom Scorpius particularly liked. He knew they would all be expecting him to join Slytherin – not that it would really make them like him any better. It would just be a way to maybe prove himself, and show that the Malfoy family hadn't lost all its status after the Wizarding War.

He turned to look at the students at the Gryffindor table. Scorpius recognized the Weasley-Potter crew immediately, not only because of the concentration of red hair, but also because they were being the most loud and obnoxious as they cheered. Scorpius wondered how many more of them were going to keep arriving at this school. They already took up an entire section of the long table.

The room quieted, and the hat on the stool suddenly burst out into song:

Way back before you were born,

When all of you were wee,

A generation of young rebels

Thought education was key.

They rose above the old ways

Of the established Ministry,

And banded together to create something new:

A School of Wizardry!

The four founders were different,

But all had the same goal;

They wanted young witches and wizards

To learn about the magic hidden in their souls.

Godric Gryffindor taught students who were brave,

Fearless, daring, and strong;

Rowena Ravenclaw valued hard-work and intellect,

And those unafraid to be wrong.

Salazar Slytherin thought ambition was best,

Along with cunning and sly;

Helena Hufflepuff was accepting and loyal,

Teaching anyone willing to try.

They created independent houses

Each unique in their own mission,

And they gave me the role of making

A very important decision.

My job is to listen to your heart,

And decipher just who you are.

Once that is done

I'll know just what to do,

And where you end up you'll go far!

The crowd clapped on cue when the hat finished singing and Professor Longbottom began the Sorting Ceremony, calling out names in alphabetical order by last name. Scorpius clenched his jaw. He had no idea what House he belonged in.

It was not something he ever mentioned at home. In fact, it was a topic of conversation that no one at home had wished to discuss. Scorpius didn't know which House his parents thought he belonged in, and he never told them how uncertain he was about it. He just had a feeling that no matter where he ended up his father would be disappointed.

If he went Gryffindor his father would think he was another rash, stupid, big-headed prat like the Weasley-Potter family. If he went Slytherin his father would think he was cowardly like his grandfather. And if he went Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff his father would complain that his house was completely unnoteworthy and doesn't develop personal character.

So Scorpius found himself in a pretty sticky conundrum. Basically, he was doomed to be unhappy no matter what the Sorting Hat decided.

Students were gradually sorted into Houses, and each House cheered when they received a new member. Finally, the professor reached the 'M' surnames and 'Malfoy' was called.

The room hushed. Reminding himself of what his father had told him before he left, Scorpius exhaled and walked determinedly up to the podium. He held his head up confidently, and glared daringly at anyone who looked at him. Whatever nasty things they were all thinking, Scorpius didn't want to hear it. Someone snickered, and Scorpius whipped his head towards the sound. He sent daggers at a boy in the front row, and the boy's smirk quickly dropped. Scorpius smiled internally as he sat down on the stool. Professor Longbottom placed the hat on his head.

"Ah! A Malfoy!" the hat exclaimed immediately. "You must be – hold on – hmm…" The hat murmured. "My, my, this is a difficult one… How very interesting…"

Scorpius closed his eyes and hoped it would just decide already. He hated drama.

"You are very intelligent and ambitious, and certainly possess the ability to be cunning," the hat noted. "But I also sense great courage and rebelliousness in your heart. You think independently of others, and do not like following the herd." The hat continued to grumble indecisively. "Well, I must put you somewhere, so… GRYFFINDOR!"

There was a loud gasp once the hat had announced its decision. The room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. Scorpius took a shaky breath as Professor Longbottom removed the hat from his head. A loud clap echoed throughout the hall and Scorpius along with many others turned toward the sound to see a redheaded girl in the front row. She stopped clapping abruptly when she realized no one else had done the same. She glanced around in confusion.

Scorpius glanced up at Professor Longbottom, who smiled encouragingly at him. He also began clapping, and the rest of the staff followed in suit. Scorpius made his way over to the Gryffindor table as the whole room clapped halfheartedly. Everyone seemed to be judging him. Turning his back to his so-called House, Scorpius sat down at the edge of the table in annoyance. What a fantastic beginning of the school year this was turning out to be.

After the Sorting Ceremony ended, Headmistress McGonagall said a few welcoming words, and food appeared on the table. Scorpius ate alone, which honestly, he was okay with. Every time someone walked by him, they would whisper to one another. He could feel the stares from other tables. Some Slytherins passed by and snickered.

"Well, well," a slightly older Slytherin boy came up to him. "The first lion cub from the Malfoy line." Scorpius recognized him, and remembered he was a Rookwood. Zavier Rookwood. He was accompanied by a girl Scorpius did not know. "Like your father, you have chosen to conform to the winning party," he sneered. "How brave of you," he cooed sarcastically.

Scorpius pierced him with his eyes, carefully staying cool. "And like your father, you seek conflict," Scorpius shot back. "How ambitious of you," he imitated his sarcastic tone.

That comment angered Rookwood, and Scorpius met his intimidating gaze. "Listen, Malfoy," he warned. "You think you are so special, being an arrogant Gryffindor and all, but just remember this –" Rookwood leaned close to Scorpius' face. "You are a Malfoy. And Malfoys can never become lions. All you have done today is betray and anger your fellow snakes. And that means that we won't help you when the lions attack."

Rookwood turned on his heel and left the Great Hall. Scorpius watched him go, and then looked over at all the Gryffindors from whom he had removed himself. Unfortunately, he had a feeling that Rookwood may very well be right.


After dinner, Scorpius followed the Gryffindor House up to the Gryffindor tower. Like before, he stayed safely in the back of the group. A chubby black boy was speaking in hushed tones to a small Asian girl in front of him.

"Honestly, the Sorting Hat has never sorted a student wrongly before."

Scorpius' ears perked up but he kept his head down, trying not to seem like he was eavesdropping.

"I don't know," the girl responded. "Maybe the hat is getting worn out. It has been around literally since the school was founded. You'd think eventually it might go bonkers."

Scorpius scowled. That was him, alright – the wrongly-sorted student. The kid who finally made the Sorting Hat go bonkers. Wonderful.

They reached the portrait hole and the prefect (who Scorpius suspected was a part of the Weasley-Potter cult) gave the Fat Lady the password. Everyone filed inside.

"Girl's dormitory is to the right, boy's dormitory is to the left," the prefect announced. "Let me know if anyone needs help settling in."

This was the part Scorpius knew would be the most complicated. Roommates. Maybe he would just sleep downstairs on the couch. That didn't seem like a bad idea.

He was about to head up the stairs when he thought he heard someone near him say 'Slytherin.' Scorpius turned to see who was talking, and spotted that same redheaded girl who had awkwardly tried to clap when he was sorted. She was talking to a short, dark-haired boy next to her.

"I still don't understand what the big deal is," the girl hissed. "I liked Mary when we met her on the train, and I don't see why I'm not allowed to like her now."

Scorpius wandered as nonchalantly as possible behind a bookcase to listen. They had not seen him.

"Look," the boy said. "All I know is that people who are in Slytherin are nasty people. Mary was hanging around that Goyle kid, who comes from a long line of Death Eaters, and I don't think it's smart to go hanging around them."

"Vince," the girl corrected him, "also seemed like a perfectly nice guy. I'm just trying to make friends here."

"Yeah well make friends with people who aren't muggle-haters," the boy snapped. "And that includes that creepy outcast, Malfoy."

"You haven't even talked to him!" The girl exclaimed. It sounded like the boy had begun climbing the stairs to the dormitories. "And you liked Mary before she was sorted!" The girl shouted. She let out an agitated grunt and stomped up the stairs as well.

He waited until there was silence, and then Scorpius let out a breath. Well that was interesting. Maybe there was someone at this school he could be friends with.

He immediately laughed at himself. Friends. Ha.

Bucking up whatever courage he supposedly had, Scorpius left his hiding place and made his way up the stairs to meet his new roommates – or more like doom-mates.


Please leave a review and let me know what you think of little Scorpius! Rose is coming in the next chapter :)