A/N: This story, including characters, settings, and entire plot-line are the intellectual property of JK Rowling, and to further extent the property of Jack Thorne.

Albus and Rose walked slowly down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, noting with awe the number of carriages already packed with students. A rattling trolley was heading towards him, and Albus pressed himself against the wall to let it squeeze past him.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" asked the wizened old witch behind it, her claw-like hands grasping the handle with surprising strength, "Pumpkin Pasty? Chocolate Frog? Cauldron Cake?"

Albus could feel his mouth watering, but before he could make up his mind-

"-No thank you," said Rose, nudging Albus to keep on moving, "We need to concentrate."

"Concentrate on what?" he said, as the trolley moved on, leaving nothing but a tantalising aroma in its wake.

"On who we choose to be friends with. Mum and Dad met your dad on their first Hogwarts Express journey, you know…"

Albus gulped. "So we need to choose who to be friends with for life, right now? That's quite scary."

"On the contrary," said Rose, smoothing down her skirt and picking a tiny piece of fluff off of her sleeve, "it's very exciting. I'm a Granger-Weasley, and you're a Potter- everyone will want to be friends with us, we've got the pick of anyone we want."

Albus wondered where this new, social-climbing Rose had come from. "So how do we decide which compartment to go in?"

"We rate them all and then we make a decision."

"Rate them? Based on what?"

"Who their parents might be, how much magic they can do already, which house they want to be in."

"Alright," said Albus, and with a deep breath - "Let's start with this one." He swung the apartment door open, and almost fell into the room with his accidental momentum. The sole occupant looked up and smiled at him. Albus smiled back, cursing himself inwardly and praying he wasn't blushing. "Hi. Is this apartment free?"

"Albus." Rose hissed pointedly, prodding him with her foot.

"It's free. Just me," said the blond boy inside, quietly.

"Great. So we might just - come in - for a bit - if that's okay?" said Albus.

Rose prodded him again, and Albus turned to her, puzzled.

"That's okay. Hi." The boy held his hand out.

Albus stepped forward to shake it, trying to hide that his hand was shaking nervously. "Albus. Al. I'm – my name is Albus…" he stuttered.

"Hi Scorpius. I mean, I'm Scorpius. You're Albus. I'm Scorpius. And you must be…"

Rose looked coldly at him, "Rose."

"Hi Rose," the boy rummaged in his pockets, pulling out a paper bag overflowing with sweets, "Would you like some of my Fizzing Whizbees?"

Rose diverted her eyes away from the bag. "I've just had breakfast, thanks."

"Sure? I've also got some Shock-o-Choc, Pepper Imps, and some jelly slugs."

"I'll have some," said Albus, as he sat down next to Scorpius. "Mum doesn't let me have sweets."

"Really?" Scorpius seemed shocked, "It was my Mum's idea for me to bring them. She always says sweets help you make friends."

"We don't need help making friends," Rose said scornfully. She sat down reluctantly and shot Albus a knowing look. "Sweets are bad for you."

Albus ignored her. "Which one would you start with?"

Rose's words had not been overlooked by Scorpius, who coughed a few times before he produced another bag. "I've always regarded the Pepper Imp as the king of the confectionary bag. They're peppermint sweets that make you smoke at the ears."

Rose tutted, and aimed a kick at Albus while Scorpius wasn't looking.

"Brilliant," said Albus, rubbing his shin and glaring back at Rose, "That's what I'll-"

Rose kicked him again.

"Rose, will you please stop kicking me?"

Scorpius looked up at Rose, who blushed.

"I'm not kicking you," she said.

"You are, and it hurts." Albus rubbed his shin again.

"She's hitting you because of me."

Albus and Rose turned to look at Scorpius, who had a sad expression on his face.

"What?" said Albus, turning his head to look at both of them, "Have you two met before?"

Scorpius shook his head, "I know who you are, so it's probably only fair you know who I am."

Albus was still confused, "What do you mean you know who I am?"

Scorpius gestured. "You're Albus Potter, she's Rose Granger-Weasley. Everyone in the Wizarding World knows who you are."

Albus gulped, and looked at Rose. "Is that true?"

She was still glaring at Scorpius. "Now tell him who you are."

Scorpius sighed. "I'm Scorpius… Malfoy. My parents are Astoria and Draco Malfoy. Our parents…" he paused, "They didn't get on."

"That's putting it mildly," said Rose, snorting. "Your Mum and Dad are Death Eaters!"

"No they aren't!" said Scorpius, his nostrils flaring.

"Are too!" said Rose, standing up, her fists clenched.

"Are not!" Scorpius stood to face her, and his face fell as he realised she stood a few inches taller than him. He sat down again quickly. "Dad was, but Mum wasn't."

Rose snorted again. "Or she didn't get caught, anyway."

Albus sat, watching. He couldn't believe this had already started- fighting about the Great War and who did what.

"She never was one, not ever!" said Scorpius, his volume rising.

"Oh come off of it," Rose's voice was dripping with disgust, "I've seen the rumours in the Daily Prophet. I know all about you."

Scorpius deflated slightly, letting his breath out and sinking down into his seat. "They're not true," he said quietly.

"What rumours?" said Albus. He felt as if this whole conversation was another language, and he would never quite understand it.

Rose sat back down, shrugging. "You tell him," she said, looking at Scorpius.

Scorpius swallowed. "It's just a rumour – all a conspiracy against my father…"

Rose looked at him, silent.

He swallowed again, loudly. "Fine. The rumour is-" he paused, and sighed. "The rumour is that my parents couldn't have children, and that my grandfather was so desperate for an heir- someone to prevent the end of the Malfoy line- that they… they used a Time-Turner to send my mother back-" His voice cracked.

"To send her back where?" said Albus.

Scorpius shook his head.

"The rumour is that he's Voldemort's son, Albus." Rose finished.

There was a horrible, uncomfortable silence in the carriage after her words. Albus couldn't comprehend what she was suggesting- that this small, blond, unassuming boy who'd offered him sweets and was on his way to Hogwarts was- he couldn't be. It wasn't possible. Rose was looking at the floor, scuffing her shoe a little on the carpet. She cleared her throat, cutting through the silence.

"It's probably rubbish," she offered.

"It must be," said Albus.

"Yeah, I mean, look, you've got a nose," Rose said, looking up at Scorpius, and a small smile broke across her face. He laughed a little, and tapped his nose with his index finger.

"100% real."

Rose laughed then, and the tension was broken slightly.

"It's my father's nose," said Scorpius, "I've got his nose, and his hair, and my mother's eyebrows. I'm a Malfoy. Not that that's a great thing either, but I'd rather be a Malfoy than… you know, the son of the Dark Lord."

Albus nodded, and Scorpius smiled at him gratefully.

Rose stood up, "Yes, well, we must get going. Lot's of people on this train. Come on Albus."

"No," said Albus, settling himself back down into the seat, "I'm okay, you go on."

"Albus. I won't wait," she said sternly.

"I wouldn't expect you to. I'm staying here."

Rose stared at him for a second longer, and then turned, leaving the compartment and sliding the door closed behind her. Albus listened to the sounds of her stalking off, further into the train.

"Thank you." Scorpius smiled gratefully again.

"No, no. I didn't stay for you. I stayed for your sweets." Albus grinned back as Scorpius chuckled.

"She's quite fierce," Scorpius nodded towards the door, where Rose had just left.

"Yes," said Albus, "Sorry."

"No. I like it," Scorpius said, "Sounds like she believes the Daily Prophet too much though..."

Albus snorted, "Too true."

"So, do you prefer Albus or Al?" Scorpius popped a sweet into his mouth, and offered the bag over.

"Albus. My family call me Al, but mostly James does it to annoy me. Oh, James is-" He stopped as a plume of smoke emerged from Scorpius' ears, stunned at first, and then he laughed. "Wow."

Scorpius wiggled his eyebrows and Al took a sweet. As the train sped along the scenery changed from suburbs to countryside and the two boys munched through the bags in Scorpius' pockets. As they talked and learned more about each other, Albus was glad to know that there was someone who shared his fears about the school, and understood the implications of having a famous parent, even if it was a bit different for Scorpius. He promised himself that, even if they didn't stay friends, he would never judge this boy by the history of his family, or the rumours about his parentage, and rather by the actions of his person. It was a pleasant journey, and as the train pulled into Hogsmeade Albus felt ready to face the tests ahead.