Chapter One
Sorting Hat Shock
The Great Hall was warm and bustling as the First Years began their walk down the center aisle. The floating candles illuminating the young students as they chatted amongst themselves, excited for the feast to begin. The House banners hung over their perspective tables, proudly displaying the colors and symbols of each one. Blue and bronze for the Ravenclaw Eagles, yellow and black for the Hufflepuff Badgers. Over the Slytherin table was the cascading colors of green and silver, embellished by a great snake, and above the Gryffindor table waved the bold red and gold, with the mighty lion prancing on its crest. At the end of the Great Hall was the head table, where sat the professors and the Head Master. The large Hogwarts school banner on display behind them.
Rose Weasley took this all in as she traveled next to her cousin Albus Potter and the rest of the First Years to the front of the Great Hall, her excitement and nervousness growing. She looked to the house tables, searching for familiar faces. The Weasley-Potter family was large and spread out over each of the Hogwarts houses. She spotted Fred and Louis sitting at Hufflepuff, Dominique was at the Slytherin table, and Victorie sat proudly with Molly at Ravenclaw. The rest of her extended family, James and her Uncle Charlie's twins, Anthony and Andrea, sat at the Gryffindor table. Rose nervously returned their waves of greeting and took hold of her cousin's hand. Albus Potter had once been exceedingly nervous for the sorting ceremony, unsure what house he would be placed in, but now he was jittering with excitement. He had told her what his father Harry had said to him about the Sorting Hat, how it would take their choice into consideration, and since then he hadn't been worried in the least. Rose was the one who was nervous. What if the Hat put her into a different house than Albus? He was her closest friend, they shared everything with each other. The idea of being separated from him made her worried.
"It will be alright Rosie," Albus said to her in a hushed voice, obviously sensing her nervousness. "Don't worry at all. We are going to be alright. How about we christen the night by getting back at James for all his teasing?" He raised his eyebrow at her, knowing that the idea of a prank would brighten her mood.
Rose glanced at him smirking, a glint of mischief dancing in her eye. She felt herself beginning to relax, giving Albus' hand a thankful squeeze.
He continued to whisper. "I tucked Puking Pastille into my robe pocket when we changed. If I get Gryffindor I'll slip it onto his supper plate. With the way he eats he will never notice it."
Giggling she nudged Albus with her elbow. "That's too tame! Isn't that Marta Thomson sitting next to him? He kind of fancies her right? Maybe we should put one of Uncle George's love potions in his pumpkin juice! Or better yet, we can do both!"
Albus looked at her with wide eyes. "Rosie that is evil!" a smile sprawled across his face. "I love it!"
They both held back more giggles as the First Years came to a stop at the head of the Great Hall. They were clustered at the foot of the steps leading to the main platform, on which stood a three legged stool. The Great Hall quieted down as a man came to stand at the top steps. He was tall, with a mop of mousy brown hair. On his deep scarlet robes shined a badge with the Gryffindor crest and in his hands he held a large scroll. Clearing his throat, Professor Longbottom smiled and winked at the nervous group of eleven year olds.
"Let us begin." He said in a rich voice, unrolling the scroll. "When I call your name, please step up to the stool where I will place the Sorting Hat upon your head. The Hat will then sort you into one of the four houses here at Hogwarts. When you are finished you may sit at the table with your new house."
Rose looked excitedly over at Albus who gave her a beaming smile. She decided right then, no matter what house Albus got into, she would follow him. She would tell the Hat where she wanted to go, and that was that. She was not going to be worried, they would stay together.
"Anders, Anna" The professor called.
A small girl walked up the steps to the Sorting Hat, giving a beaming smile to the professors at the head table as the hat was placed on her head. Rose could not believe how small the girl was. Her petite frame made her look to be eight years old instead of eleven. The hat was so big on her it went down to her ears, covering her eyes with the brim, tuffs of springy dark curls stuck out from underneath at humorous angles, and sitting on the stool her feet did not touch the floor. Chuckles erupted through the hall, Anna included, her infectious smile spreading to everyone who looked at her.
"Hufflepuff!" The Sorting Hat shouted to the crowd, a smile twisting through its fabric.
The Hufflepuff table let out a cheer that was mixed with laughter as Anna happily went to sit down, her small figure quickly becoming lost in the sea of yellow. Rose giggled as she glanced at Albus. He was smiling at the Hufflepuff table with a dopey look on his face, clapping his hands vigorously for the new Hufflepuff.
"Well," Rose whispered to him. "Hufflepuff doesn't look so bad after all, now does it Al?" Giving him a nudge and a wink, watching as he blushed crimson and turned back towards her.
"Shove off." He hissed to her, suddenly finding his shoes to be extremely interesting, as the list of First Years continued.
"Andi, Jesal."
"Ravenclaw!"
"Benson, Luka."
"Slytherin"
"Clarke, Bethany"
"Hufflepuff!"
With each name called, Rose became more distracted. Her name would not be called for a while, so she began to scan the group of her future classmates. Most of them seemed to be in a mixed state of excitement and nervousness. As she glanced around, her eyes fell to a familiar looking boy with pale blonde hair. He stood off to edge of the group, looking as if he was trying to hide, a feat he was failing at. He was at least a head taller than the rest of the First Years, Rose, who was tall herself, included. His posture was slouched, like he was trying to be smaller, and his hair was slicked back away from his face. The students around him seemed to be giving him a wide berth. Rose once again nudged Al with her elbow, nodding towards the boy she asked in a hushed voice, "Hey, who is that? He looks familiar."
Albus turned his head to scan the crowd. "Oh, that tall boy? Yea, that's Malfoy. Your dad pointed him out at the station. He seems nice, although a lot of people on the train were avoiding him, including Louis and Molly, which is strange because they like everyone."
Rose furrowed her eyebrows, her dad had mentioned a "Malfoy boy" while they were at Kings Cross, and something about needing to beat him on all the tests. When he had said that Rose had just rolled her eyes, she was smart, but making sure she was best in class wasn't big deal to her. She was startled out of her memory when Malfoy suddenly looked up at her, making eye contact. His piercing green eyes met her blue, and they stared at each other. He didn't seem fazed by her at all, looking at her curiously. Rose gave him a small wave. Albus, who saw her waving, looked back at Malfoy and smiled, giving him a nod. Malfoy's gaze flicked between Rose and her cousin, a large smile forming on his face. He looked like he was about to raise his hand to return the wave when the professor's voice cut through the air.
"Malfoy, Scorpius."
A rush of whispers and gasps ran through the Great Hall, everyone suddenly giving their undivided attention to the tall Malfoy boy. His smile faded, and with it, what little color he had in face. He turned from Albus and Rose, looking around him at the crowded hall. When he saw everyone staring at him he dropped his gaze, not looking anyone in the eye.
"Oh, poor lad." She whispered as Malfoy began shuffling forward through the crowd, the students parting the way as if he had the plague. "Why is everyone so tense towards him?"
"Don't you remember Rosie?" Albus replied, his voice low so no one could overhear them. "The Malfoys were large supporters of Voldemort in the war. They were death eaters."
"I know that Al," she snapped. "But that was his parents, not him. They don't know him." Rose was very defensive when it came to people's lineage. It has always bothered her that people judged her actions against those of her parents, she wasn't her mom, and she wasn't her dad. She knew that Albus felt the same way, for them the pressure of their parentage was strong. Rose couldn't imagine how the Malfoy boy felt.
Albus gave her a small smile, his eyes turning to Malfoy. "I know Rosie, but don't worry, I'm sure he will be sorted and end up fine. Just look at him."
Rose lifted her head away from Albus, giving the stage her attention again. Malfoy was sitting slouched on the stool, and Professor Longbottom was placing the Sorting Hat on his head. His eyes were shut tight, and his hands were clenched nervously by his sides, slightly shaking. Then Rose saw him take a deep breath. With the breath he sat up straighter, his eyes opened, hands unclenched, and a determined look appeared on his face. The Sorting Hat seemed to start talking to him. Rose couldn't hear it speak, but she could see it wiggling on his head. It seemed to go on for hours. The whispering in the Great Hall got a louder, now curious to why the hat was taking so long. Even the professors began shifting in their seats, looking uncertainly towards the Hat. Rose thought she heard one ask another if they thought the Hat had broken. Just as Professor Longbottom looked as if he was about to say something, taking a step towards Malfoy, the Hat's voice cut through the air.
"GRIFFINDOR!"