Two

The Train Ride and The Sorting

Presently, Rose left the compartment, leaving Albus sitting alone. He watched London speed by, and soon he was watching farm fields rushing past. Would he be in Slytherin? What is he was? What would happen then? He didn't notice when the compartment door slide open. A boy with pale blonde hair and ice blue eyes was standing there.

"Excuse me, may I sit here? Everywhere else is full." The boy asked. Albus was so absorbed in his thoughts that he jumped when he heard the voice. He whirled. As soon as he saw the boy, he recognized him as the boy he'd seen on the train station, Scorpius Malfoy.

"Uh… yes." Albus said, making a split second decision. It wasn't like he wasn't supposed to talk to Scorpius. It was Uncle Ron who still had a problem with the Malfoys. Harry and Ginny had long since made peace with Draco Malfoy. Why shouldn't Albus talk to Scorpius? Maybe even make friends with the bloke?

"Good. I was thinking that I might have to sit with… yeah. Thanks." Scorpius said sounding relieved.

"No problem. Don't mention it." Albus said, and looked down at his hands, which were folding in his lap. Scorpius sat down.

"Sorry about startling you earlier," Scorpius said, biting his lip. "I'm not very good at alerting people of my presence."

"Don't worry about it." Albus said. "I'm used to being scared. My brother James likes pulling pranks. He never gives it a rest." Scorpius grinned.

"James Potter, right? You must be Albus. Dad talks a lot about how your father saved his life." Scorpius said. Albus glanced out the window.

"Yep. That'd be me. Albus Potter. I know you too. You're Scorpius Malfoy. I saw you on the Platform." Albus said. Scorpius frowned a little bit, and looked out the window too. He watched as the green fields rushed past for a few moments and fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Are you excited?" Albus finally asked to break the awkward silence. For some reason, Albus could feel tension in the air. He wondered if Scorpius felt obligated to hate him.

"Huh?" Scorpius started, looking at Al.

"Are you excited? Going to Hogwarts?" Albus asked, making his question clear. Scorpius chuckled, and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess… in short, I am excited… but there's a lot of pressure for me to get into Slytherin. Mm says that it doesn't matter what house I am in, and Dad pretends to agree with her. I think he half does. But Gramps says that I have to get into Slytherin, because we've always been in that house." He said.

"Oh." Albus said. "On the other hand, I have pressure to get into Gryffindor. It's sort of nerve wracking."

"Tell me about it." Scorpius grumbled. Albus laughed.

"Yeah." He agreed. "You have to get into Gryffindor – or we'll disown you! That's what Uncle Ron said before we left the station. That doesn't put pressure on me and Rose at all!" Albus muttered sarcastically. Scorpius frowned.

"Rose?" he asked. Albus looked down and his hands, and drummed his fingers on his knees.

"Yeah. She's my cousin. Ron Weasly's daughter." Albus said.

"Oh." Scorpius said. "The one who was heading down the hall as I was heading up. She was ranting about some guy named Louis not understanding the subtle details of what happens at Hogwarts." Albus snorted. Yep, that was Rose for sure.

"That's her." Albus said. "Louis is also my cousin. He's the son of Bill Weasly. Rose can't stand him. She thinks he's arrogant. If only she knew she was arrogant." Albus muttered the last part under his breath so that Scorpius wouldn't hear. Scorpius looked at Albus funny.

"Is she a first year?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Then how can she complain that this Louis guy doesn't know anything about Hogwarts? He isn't a first year, is he?" Scorpius asked.

"We don't know." Albus said. "We think that she's just likes complaining. And no, Louis is a third year, not a first year."

"Why does she like complaining?" Scorpius asked.

"We don't know that either."

"Whose we?" Scorpius questioned.

"Everyone who knows Rose." Albus stated. Scorpius cracked up, soon was flat out on the bench seat of the compartment laughing. His face was turning red. Albus surveyed him for a long minute. Maybe Scorpius wasn't so bad after all. He seemed just like all other eleven year old boys. He couldn't be that bad, could he?

"So, your cousin in bossy?" Scorpius finally asked after he sat up and composed himself. Albus snorted.

"That's an understatement. She's bossy and arrogant." He informed Scorpius. Scorpius raised one eyebrow.

"But she seemed so… nice… while she was ranting." Malfoy said in an odd tone. Albus sighed, and looked at Scorpius.

"She may look nice, but she isn't. At least, not all the time." Albus said. "She's really arrogant about how much more intelligent than everyone else. I bet I'll meet someone smarter than her at Hogwarts, and Rose won't be happy."

"I won't be happy about what?" Albus and Scorpius whirled towards to door of the compartment, where Rose was standing. She was already decked out in her Hogwarts robes, and was watching the two of them closely.

"How long have you been standing there, Rose?" Albus asked.

"Only a second or two. I thought that I'd come back and sit with you." Rose said, walking in and sitting down. Albus noted that she didn't even ask if she could. Scorpius watched her. Once Rose had settled in, she turned to Scorpius.

"I'm Rose Weasly, but the way. I'm Broom Boy's cousin." Rose said. She held out her hand, and Scorpius gave it an uncertain shake.

"I'm Scorpius Malfoy." Scorpius said.

"I know." Rose said cheerily. Scorpius cleared his throat a little bit. He looked like he was trying to swallow a golf ball.

"Why did you just call Albus Broom Boy?" Scorpius asked.

"Oh. He's been training to try out for quidditch. He wants to be seeker. He should know that you can't try out for quidditch until second year, but… ah well." Rose said briskly. "He's never without his broom. He has Firebolt 2000, you know."

"Ugh. Don't brag, Rose." Albus said, burying his head in his hands. Rose rolled her eyes and ignored Albus.

"Do you have an interest in quidditch, Scorpius?" Rose asked. Scorpius took a minute to answer.

"I want to be a beater." He finally said. Rose smiled.

"Then it's decided." She said very firmly. Albus looked up and frowned.

"What's decided?" he and Scorpius asked in unison. Rose snorted and tossed her head, causing her frizzy reddish brown hair to ripple around her head like a wave. Scorpius eyed her oddly, scanning her from head to toe.

"Well, we're going to be in the same house. At least, Al and I will be. We're going to be in Gryffindor, because Broom Boy is brave and I have chivalry on my side." Rose said. Scorpius let one of his eyebrows rise up on his forehead.

"Yes. Certainly." Albus said quickly. Rose nodded, and continued with what she had previously been saying. While she was talking, Albus motioned for Scorpius to be quiet.

"Well, I think you're going to be in Gryffindor too, because you look brave. Next year, we'll try out for the Gryffindor quidditch team. You'll be beater, I'll be chaser, and Broom Boy will be seeker." Rose said. Albus nodded, going along with the idea.

"Okay, okay. I get it. It will be good." Albus said, trying to change the direction the conversation was quickly going. Rose was going to start talking about the usual Potter-Weasly quidditch game.

"Yes. Scorpius can come over and play for the Potter-Weasly quidditch game. He can take Victoire's place, because she's going off to college." Rose said. Albus almost groaned, because he knew that Scorpius would want to ask what Rose was talking about.

"Not to mention she's probably getting married soon." Albus grumbled, in one final, desperate attempt to change the subject of the conversation.

"Excuse me?" Scorpius asked. "Who? What?"

"My cousin Victoire. She was caught snogging Teddy Lupin earlier today." Albus said. "Lily, my younger sister, thinks it would be lovely if they get married."

"How many cousins do you have?" Scorpius asked, staring at Albus and Rose.

"A lot." Albus said, just as Rose interrupted him.

"Well, there's Victoire, Dominique and Louis, who are the children of Bill Weasly. Then there's George Weasly, who has Fred and Roxanne. Of course there are Percy Weasly's daughters Lucy and Molly too! And then there's me, and my brother Hugo. And of course Ginny married Harry Potter. They had Albus, James and Lily. Is that all of them?" Rose asked looking pointedly at Albus. Albus shrugged, and stared out the window. He felt like he was being pushed out of the conversation. Rose suddenly stood up.

"Well, sorry." Rose said briskly. "I have to be going. I promised my new friends that I'd only stop and talk for a bit." And with that Rose left, leaving Scorpius gaping. As she closed the compartment door, a charcoal grey kitten leaped into the compartment and up onto the seat. He curled up.

"And that's Rose?" Scorpius asked after a few moments of silence in the compartment.

"And that's Rose." Albus confirmed grimly. Suddenly, the compartment door slid open again, and a girl with red hair poked her head in.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but have you seen my cat Cinder? He hates his kennel and ran out on me." The girl asked. Albus looked at the cat on the seat and motioned to him.

"Is this Cinder?" he asked, standing up to give the girl a clear view.

"Yes. Thanks." The girl said. She entered fully into the compartment and picked Cinder, the grey kitten up off of the seat. She glared at him. "Cinder, you shouldn't run off like that!" she said. "Thanks again." And with that, the girl left. Scorpius watched her go.

"Did you see her hair?" he asked.

"What? No, I wasn't paying attention to her hair." Albus said. Scorpius sighed.

"It was changing color just slightly." Scorpius said. "I bet you ten knuts that she's a metamorphmagus." Albus rolled his eyes.

"It was probably just the light, Scorpius!" he said. Scorpius narrowed his eyes.

"It was becoming green, Albus." He said dryly. Albus sighed.

"Fine. Maybe you need to find her and ask her if she's a metamorphmagus." Albus said. Scorpius and Albus began to talk. They weren't bothered by Rose again, and for the rest of the trip to Hogwarts, they talked and talked. It was comfortable and nice, and Albus was pretty sure that he had made his first friend – even if it was Scorpius Malfoy.

When they arrived at the train station, Rose joined them again. Albus could almost hear Scorpius groan when he sat Rose walking up. She linked one arm with Albus and one with Scorpius, and marched through the crowd.

"Firs' years this way! Firs' years this way!" A giant of a man, which Albus knew was shouting. He walked forward to greet his old friend Hagrid. Hagrid looked down and saw Albus.

"'Lo there Albus. 'Lo there Rose. And…" Hagrid trailed off. "Blimey, if it isn't Malfoy!" He said.

"Hello Hagrid." Albus said. "What do we need to do to help you?" Albus said before Rose could open her mouth. Rose glared at Albus, but Albus kept his eyes on Hagrid.

"Righ' now ye can ge' in the boats! I'll be comin' o'er there in a minute." Hagrid said, motioning across the station to the docks. Albus could barely see them in the dark. "An' remember only two people to a boat." Hagrid said. Albus looked at Scorpius and then nodded at Hagrid.

"Okay. Thanks, Hagrid." He said. He untangled his arm from Rose's, and headed for the boats. Scorpius followed, leaving Rose still getting over the fact that she had been interrupted.

When Albus arrived at the boats, he carefully sat down in one. There was only water below him now, and Albus felt nervous. He had always been afraid of boating… Scorpius sat down next to him, and shook his head in bewilderment.

"Is Rose always like this?" he asked. "Pretty much." Albus said.

It was nearly a half hour later when the boats took off towards to Castle. Albus could see it on the other side of the lake, and the sight took his breath away. He could hear Rose in the boat next to them, loudly whispering to the metamorphmagus girl. She no longer had her cat, Cinder, and her hands were on the sides of the boat. She looked like she was gritting her teeth. Rose kept going on and on about how Hogwarts was enchanted. Albus caught a snippet of their conversation. It was about the founders.

"All four founders designed the castle." Rose said. The metamorphmagus girl cleared her throat, trying to get a word in edgewise.

"Wrong." She said. "It was actually only Rowena Ravenclaw who designed the castle. It was designed to be ever changing. It would never stay the same." Rose looked at her.

"No…?" But Rose didn't sound certain.

"Yes. Now, the Founders helped build the castle, and they designed the theory of Hogwarts but it was Ravenclaw who designed the actual castle." The metamorphmagus said.

"But…" Rose said. The metamorphmagus girl suddenly said:

"Hey! We're docking!" It was true, they were docking. Albus got out of the boats. His prediction had come true. Rose had met someone that was smarter than her. Albus felt an odd sense of satisfaction. Sure, Rose was Albus's cousin, and he loved her, but sometimes he got fed up with her. He hated her know-it-all demeanor.

Albus and Scorpius waited in the Entrance Hall to be called into the Great Hall. Albus imagined what it looked like inside. He couldn't. Scorpius looked nervous.

"Are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick." Albus and Scorpius whirled around. It was the metamorphmagus girl. Albus thought about being blunt with her and asking if she was a metamorphmagus, but decided better of it.

"Yeah. I think I am." Albus said. The metamorphmagus girl smiled.

"That's good. I wouldn't want someone throwing up during the Sorting Ceremony." She said.

"I heard you talking to Rose, on the boats." Scorpius said. "You know, you're right about Rowena Ravenclaw designing the castle." The Metamorphmagus girl blushed a little bit. Was it Albus's imagination, or did her hair have a light pink tint to it? The girl let out a sigh of relief.

"Okay, good. I was pretty sure I was right but…" she trailed off. "Do you know that girl?" she suddenly asked.

"Yeah. Rose is my cousin." Albus said grimly. The metamorphmagus let out a nervous little laugh. Now she was the one who looked like she was going to be sick. The doors to the Great Hall suddenly opened, and Professor Longbottom slipped through. He smiled at the first years.

"Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts. You are about to Enter the Great Hall, where you will be sorted into your houses. There are four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. While at Hogwarts, your house is like your family. Good deeds – like answering questions correctly in class – will earn your house points, where as bad deeds will lose your house points. The house with the most points at the end of the year will be award the House Cup." Professor Longbottom explained. "Now, without further ado, welcome." The doors to the Great Hall swung inward, and the first years stepped inside.

Albus was stunned. There were four long tables filled with students. There was a table at the head of it all, which Albus assumed was the staff table. There were candles floating in the air and the ceiling was enchanted to look like the starry night sky.

"This is amazing." Scorpius whispered to Albus.

"Yes." Albus responded. He was almost too stunned to breathe or walk. Everything he saw was so incredible. He stumbled forward, between two tables, with the other first years. All of them seemed to be in similar amounts of shock. There was an old moldy hat sitting on stool at the head of the Great Hall. Behind that, Professor McGonagall, a severe looking woman, was sitting in a high backed seat. The first years stopped in front of the Sorting Hat and stared at it. One of them said:

"That's a hat. What's a mangy old hat going to do?"

Then, a rip at the brim of the Sorting Hat opened, and it burst into song.

Many, many years ago,

When I was newly sewn,

There were four founders,

Who each made a house their own,

There was Gryffindor, home of the brave,

There was Hufflepuff, who always worked so hard,

There was Ravenclaw, who knowledge was of all,

And Slytherin, who liked to play the final card,

And these were the four founders,

Who brought about this school,

To teach their students,

To make sure they were not fools.

When the Sorting Hat finished it's song, Professor Longbottom whipped out a scroll from his sleeve and glanced down at it. Then he began to read off names. "Annki, Adele." Was the first name on the list. A girl walked up and sat down on the stool. The Hat was placed on her head.

"Slytherin!"

The names continued until Albus heard Professor Longbottom call:

"Kemmington, Amelia-Jane."

The metamorphmagus girl walked up to the stool and sat down. She closed her eyes as the Hat was placed on her head. Her lips were moving, but Albus couldn't read what she was saying. There was a long silence, almost too long. That was when it happened. Miss Kemmington's hair began to change. It was quickly becoming shorter and brilliant emerald green. She looked like she was going to be sick. Murmurs ran through the crowd.

"You owe me ten knuts." Scorpius said as he watched the girl's hair go green. Albus shook his head.

"I never took you up on that bet." He said. But it was confirmed. This girl, Amelia-Jane Kemmington, was a metamorphmagus. The Hat suddenly yelled:

"Ravenclaw!"

Everyone was so busy gossiping about how she was a metamorphmagus; the Ravenclaws were the only ones who remembered to cheer. More names passed. Albus didn't pay much attention until:

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

Scorpius grinned, and walked up to the steps. He sat down, but kept his eyes open. He took a nice long breath.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. You have wit… you are original and you are very individual. These are the traits of…" the Hat said. "Ravenclaw!" Scorpius stood up, and headed to the Ravenclaw table. He grinned at Albus as he passed, but he felt fear in his stomach. He wasn't in Slytherin! He sat down next to the metamorphmagus, Amelia-Jane Kemmington. She was deep in conversation with a girl that Scorpius didn't know. Meanwhile, the Sorting Ceremony was continuing.

Finally, Professor Longbottom called:

"Potter, Albus."

Albus headed up and sat down on the stool. He squeezed his eyes shut. That was when he heard the Sorting Hat's voice.

"Ah. Mr. Potter. I've been waiting for you. I know that you don't want to be in Slytherin, that much is obvious. But… do you have nerve? Yes. What about loyalty? Yes. But you also have intelligence. You are original, and you are wise… in your own way. You're competitive too. So… better be…" The Hat said. There was a long pause. Albus was pretty sure that he was going to be sick. The Sorting Hat had to announce which house he was going to be.

"Please, not Slytherin. Please, not Slytherin." Albus said under his breath.

"Not Slytherin? No, I wasn't planning to put you in Slytherin. I was planning to put you in… Ravenclaw!" Albus opened his eyes, and looked at Scorpius. He was sitting next to Amelia-Jane Kemmington and Albus's cousin, Molly Weasly. She was also a Ravenclaw. Albus rushed over to them and sat down. Amelia-Jane smiled at him.

"Hello again." She said. "I seem to be bumping into all the time today." She said.

"Yeah." Albus said. "Amelia-Jane, right?" Amelia-Jane made a sort of face.

"A.J., please." She said. Albus grinned.

"Okay, A.J." Albus agreed. They began to talk, but then Molly made a little eeping sound. She grabbed into A.J.'s shoulders and stared fixedly at the Sorting Hat.

"Rose." She squeaked. Indeed, Rose was going up to get Sorted. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head and… almost instantly it yelled:

"Hufflepuff!" Rose hopped off the stool, and skipped down to the Hufflepuff table. Albus sat back and stared at Rose. So she'd gotten into Hufflepuff. And he'd gotten into Ravenclaw. Did that mean he was smarter than her?