Disclaimer: I own the plot, and characters you don't recognize… J. owns HP (for all you clueless yet wonderful people.)
Chapter One.
"You really shouldn't worry Al," Rose Weasley whispered as she took a seat beside her cousin on the scarlet train that lead her to what she believed the journey of a lifetime. Behind the Red head, on the platform, stood her family waving and smiling as she and her cousin sat pale; she had to be brave, for Al's sake.
Albus Severus Potter sat on the blue checked seats quietly, playing with his hands; something he obtained from his father when he was in deep thought, just as Albus was now.
Rose leaned in towards her cousin, words not needed to console him. He leaned his shaggy black hair onto her shoulder, closed his emerald eyes and sighed. "What happens if we aren't together though?"
"Nothing will change, nothing," she hushed. Even as she said this, she cous not hide her doubts. Leaning back in her seat she too closed her eyes and drifted into a dose. When she awoke it was to find an elderly woman at the door of the compartment that was smiling and gestured to her cart of treats.
Declining the offer Rose sat up straight (Al was asleep against her shoulder) and drew in an intake of air.
A boy sat there, staring out the window, a book on his lap and his eyes out of focus. The contrast of his hair to hers was highly unusual; the boy had pale, almost white, blonde hair and big silver eyes lined with thick long lashes. He was beautiful.
He didn't notice rose admiring him. He just sat there, frowning a little.
Rose on the other hand was smiling, small and cute. No boy, besides Loran and Lysander and her family, had watched her sleep. In fact she felt self conscious. Had she been drooling? Blushing she looked down and admired her feet.
"Where do you want to be sorted?"
Her heart stopped beating. Even his voice is beautiful.
"Erm, ah well, I am expected to be a Gryffindor, but to be honest, I Don't want to spend my seven school years with my family. Don't get me wrong, I love them, it's just… I dunno," Rose shrugged, lifting her gaze to the boy and then quickly to the moving scenery. "And you?"
"Anywhere but Ravenclaw. I will probably be- don't judge me- a Slytherin," he paused to watch Rose's expression. He could see her questions; somehow he knew she had the respect not to ask. "My father was a Slytherin, mother a Hufflepuff. Dad sure hated the school but who could blame him? He said to me that even if he hated it, he knew that Slytherin is where he belonged."
Rose smiled. This boy had just told her something so personal and she couldn't even remember his name. Did he know hers? She hadn't even told Albus she didn't want to be a Gryffindor. Yet here she was, telling a complete stranger that intrigued her very much indeed.
"You would make a good play write. Have you ever read Shakespeare? He might be muggle but I love his work," she said as she shifted her feet and decided to chance a look at the stranger.
He held up the book on his lap, it was leather bound and aging a little, but on the cover, scribbled in gold ink was the title A Midsummer Night's Dream. He smiled:
"You aren't anything what I expected, you know?"
Rose frowned and crossed her ankles. "And what did you expect?"
"Some snob who wouldn't stop bragging about their family's accomplishments; But you aren't like that," he seemed to question her with his silver eyes as he said that, studying her freckled nose and cheeks, her scarlet ringlets and her soft pink lips.
"Umm… thank you?" was all that she replied, her cheeks had a slight blush on them. She giggled when Albus snorted in his sleep. "I am truly sorry but I forgot your name."
"Scorpius, Scorpius Malfoy. I hate it." Scorpius frowned and returned to looking out the window.
"It's not that bad, least your family doesn't refer to you as Rosie," she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "SO what brought you to our compartment?"
"Truth be told I didn't want to look like a loner but I wanted somewhere quiet. When I saw you sleeping… well it was a good opportunity.
"It's getting dark, we should change," said Scorpius. He stood and heaved his trunk off the golden shelf above him and retrieved his uniform.
"I'm already changed," Rose blushed. She wasn't wearing the robe but she wore the white shirt, pleated skirt and black shoes. "I'll face the wall so you can change."
"Might be best," Scorpius cracked a smile and dress quickly. The light of their compartment flickered on. "You should wake him."
"Oh! Albus!" she hissed at him, poking him in the ribs. He stirred but continued to sleep. "Oy, Al!"
He woke, frowned at Rose, examined the room and jumped up. "Shoot!"
James Potter's laughter rang loudly as he listened to Freddie Weasley's joke. James, Fred, Louis, Molly, Lucy, Victoire and Dominique had shared a compartment and were exiting the train together, trunks in tow, greeting students they knew and frowning at opposite houses- Slytherins in particular.
"We'll see you boys later. Behave!" Victoire, the eldest grandchild smiled as she left with her sister and two cousins to find a carriage and say hello to their individual friends.
"Ah, it's good to be back," Louis beamed while he pushed through the crowds of students and animals towards a huge man with graying, frizzy hair. "Hagrid! How are you?"
"I'm good lad. And you three?" questioned the wise man who then proceeded to call 'first years, over here; first years!'
"Good," said James as he skimmed the crowd of abnormally tiny people for two people with scarlet and jet black hair. "Seen Al and Rosie?"
"We're here!" Rose cried, she ran up and hugged James, Freddie and Louis. Albus followed, rubbing his eyes but all the while look contempt.
"Not nervous ar' ya sweetie?" asked Hagrid. He was scouting the crowd, checking numbers, making sure they were all there. "It's going to be a nice night for the boats."
"Not nervous, Al isn't either- right?"
"N-nope. I'm fine. Gryffindor here I come!" he exclaimed winking at James.
"That's ter spirit. Let's go to der boats den shall we?"
"Three to a boat! Three to a boat! Keep yer hands 'n' feet in ter boat at all times." Hagrid's voice boomed as the party of forty to fifty students followed him to the edge of the black lake. Taking the lead were Rose, Albus and new found friend Scorpius.
Taking Albus' elbow Rose lead him to a boat and along with Scorpius they clambered in and floated along the still water towards the luminous castle that stood grand and intimidating before them.
"Right, duck everyone!" bellowed Hagrid as the boats glided through a veil of ivy which hid an opening in the cliff upon which the school stood. Inside the cliff was a long, dark tunnel and they seemed to glide right into the heart of the school. The boats harbored at what appeared a small dock made of rock and pebbles.
Upon reaching the shore they climbed out of the small wooden things and one girl with pudgy cheeks and long auburn hair fell into the water. She splashed out, drenched from head to toe.
"M-M-Merlin's be-beard, i-it's cold," she chattered as she walked amongst her peers dripping. They walked through a passageway in the rock and come out onto grass beside the great castle's shadow.
Proceeding up the stone stairs they crowded around Hagrid and the huge oak front doors. The first year's watched in awe as Hagrid raised a head sized fist and knocked three times.
The doors creaked open and behind them was no other than a tall, muscular man with a huge smile and graying hair.
"Evening Hagrid. Oh- what happened hear?" he flourished his wand and it emitted hot air on the girl. "All dry now? That's better.
"Good evening students. My name is Professor Longbottom and I am head of Gryffindor house. I also teach Herbology," he spoke this as he led the students to a small room to the right, beside the entrance to the Great Hall. "Now for those of you who don't know, Gryffindor is one of the four houses at Hogwarts: Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are the others. Before we enter the great hall to join your peers you must be sorted into your houses; this is very important because during the course of you schooling your house will be like your family."
A petite girl with waist long black hair raised her hand. "Sir, what do you mean by family?"
Some of the students beside her nodded in agreement while others just rolled their eyes. "By family I mean you will attend classes with them, share dormitories with them and in your free time 'hang' with them in your house common rooms. Also at this school we have a rewards system. Every house had 'house points' and good deeds earn you points while bad ones loose you points. At the end of the year the house with the highest amount of points earns the house cup.
"Your sorting will begin momentarily in front of the whole school. There is nothing to be afraid of. Now excuse me," he said and left the crowded room through the double doors on the opposite side of the room to where they entered; behind the door laughter and chatter were easily heard.
"Daunting isn't it?" breathed Rose, slightly flustered.
"I'll say," agreed Albus whom was trying to flatten his hair and was paler more than usual.
Scorpius just stood still, not appearing like he felt anything.
Soon enough Neville returned and escorted them to the front of the hall, smiling at Albus and Rose. The first years were taken aback at the sight before them: candles floated everywhere illuminating the enormous room, golden plated and goblets sat in front of all the students and astonishingly of all there appeared to be no ceiling- just the starry night sky above them. True magic.
Returning her gaze back to the front Rose questioned herself why a dirty old hat and stool were all that was in front of the group. Suddenly the seam of the hat ripped open and a voice sang out:
Oh, I am getting on in years,
But I am still quite good.
I've sorted nearly all of Britain,
All wondrous kinds of blood.
My job is to sort,
To divide you by your kind.
Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin,
All different in the mind.
Gryffindor noble, loyal and brave,
Hufflepuff true, toil, always seems to behave.
Ravenclaw wit and Brilliant,
Slytherin cunning and Diligent!
No matter whom you are,
You will be sue to have a treat,
Hogwarts is a school of magic,
So prepare to take your seat.
Everyone burst in applause and the hat tipped its tip into a bow.
"That was so cool!" whispered Albus, all nervousness long gone from his face. "Quick it's about to start!"
Names were called in alphabetical order by surname so out of the trio it was Scorpius' turn first.
"Malfoy, Scorpius!" called Professor Longbottom.
Scorpius walked forward towards the stool and whisper broke out among the hall. Professor Longbottom placed the hat on his head and like every student before him, the hat fell in front of his eyes.
He sat there for a full two minutes while the hall was silent. He was talking to the hat. The silence was long and deafening but finally the hate cried:
"SLYTHERIN!"
The table on the far right broke into applause and as the hat was taken from his head Scorpius still had that emotionless expression on his face. After some more people Albus was called up. From the table on the far left whistling and cheers erupted.
"Good luck," Rose cried as she stood alone.
The hat barely skimmed his head before it cried out 'Gryffindor' and Albus ran to join his brother and cousins. He waved to Rose and then gave her the thumbs up and Rose smiled and turned to face the front. From the corner of her eye she saw Scorpius watching her from among the emerald green.
Everyone had nearly been sorted except for Rose and a boy with dark brown skin and a rather attractive smile.
"Weasley, Rose."
The hall didn't seem to pay attention as yet another Weasley graced the stool the hat covered her eyes also and immediately she understood why Scorpius had been talking.
"Hmm… why another Weasley," said the hat. "But you aren't like the others. You have bravery and wit alike your mother but you seem to want to be different. Yes you love them but you are cunning and quick minded…"
The hall seemed to realize that the sorting was still going on since the head mistress wasn't speaking and they all seemed to watch the read head in confusion. Why was it taking so long to sort a Weasley?
"I think Albus is brave enough to be alone… how about SLYTHERIN!"
The entire hall froze, including the ghosts and Neville. He was so frozen Rose had to take the hat off herself and skipped to the green table and slid into a seat beside Scorpius.
"You would think I just announced I was a lesbian or something…" Rose muttered to Scorpius as she watched the last boy walk towards their table- Jayden Zambini was his name. He took a seat across from Rose and Scorpius and Rose extended her hand.
After McGonagall had ended her speech the food appeared and conversation resumed again. Most were oblivious to the piece of napkin that floated above the students but Rose wasn't. The napkin landed in front of her and in James Potter's scribbles handwriting she read:
Congratulations?
How are you feeling?
We don't hate you
Albus is disappointed though,
A little confused
Love James
Rose sighed.
"You okay?" asked Zambini who had his goblet raised in the air.
Rose nodded. "I am fine. Hey- am I the only girl who got sorted into Slytherin? There is like eight boys…"
"Erm looks like it. That's lucky; you don't have to share your bathroom or dorm with anyone. That's cool," Scorpius said. He had finished his salad and was cutting into some steak. "You can borrow my quill to reply if you'd like."
He reached into his robe and pulled out a pot of ink and an eagle feather and watched Rose scribble her reply.
I'm fine.
I love you all
Tell Albus I'm sorry
Love Rosie x
P.S I swear I saw a Hufflepuff checking you out
She levitated it back to them (having learnt the spell before hand) and then listened to McGonagall's 'bedtime' speech, followed Scorpius and Jayden and some other boys and two Prefects into the Dungeons and proceeded to stare at a blank piece of parchment in her cosy dormitory. What on earth was she going to tell her parents?
A/N good? Bad? Should I just quit it here? Read and review.