Disclaimer: This is me. I still do not own any of this. Thank you.

Last time:

"I am Albus Potter. Just, please, don't make a big deal out of it. I'm finally escaping the media and…" he explained. The boy looked at him horrified.

"Did… Did you say your name was Potter?" he asked timidly. Confused, Al nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah I did. So?" The boy stood up and hesitated a little bit. Alarmed, Albus stood up and grabbed onto his shoulder. "Hey, is everything okay?" The boy shook his head and put a hand on his forehead as if he were dizzy. "Hey! Hey, are you alright?" The boy brushed Al's hand off of his shoulder and started rambling on and on about his father and apologizing and different blood types and all of this incomprehensible nonsense. He worked his way across the compartment and was about to walk out of the door when something hits Albus hard in the face. "Scorpius Malfoy!"

The silence that followed was fatal and it echoed through the hallways. Everybody in the compartment froze up and no one dared move a muscle. The words reciprocated through Albus' head. 'Scorpius Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy.' It was just a name, he thought. If it was just a name, then why did it bring back to memory feelings of hatred and pity? He remembered what his father and his uncle had said about the cowardly, stuck up, bumptious Malfoys beforehand, but never anything about the shy, nice, and fun side. Could they have been mistaken?

The Malfoy boy ran his fingers through his hair and spoke towards the door. "Don't get started. I was just on my way out."

As if it had a mind of its own, Albus' arm moved up and grabbed ahold of his shoulder again. "Why would you leave? We just started talking."

Scorpius whipped around and looked at Al with a startles expression. "So… you mean… you don't want me to leave?" Albus nodded his head and Scorpius tilted his head to the side. "That's new." The two boys walked slowly back to the seat and sat down, never taking their eyes off of each other, like the fact that they actually existed was fascinating to them. They sat in silence for a small eternity until Rose spoke up.

"Well, that would explain the whole Slytherin fetish. You're a Malfoy! That's what you're supposed to do, isn't it? That makes it okay." Then she smiled a toothy grin to prove her point. Scorpius looked at her defensively.

"Well, I wouldn't necessarily call it a fetish, but I guess I do know a lot about it. But I know a lot about the other houses too! Like, did you know that Godric Gryffindor was considered the greatest duelist of his time? He was also the biggest advocate of the four founders on allowing muggle-born students into the school. As you probably already know, he favored those who were strong and brave at heart, putting the daring and courageous students first. I personally find that remarkable and an excellent insight. I mean, what use are brains or a fancy blood type is you don't even have the guts to put yourself up on the line?" he observed loudly and boastfully before seeming to shy away and look at the ground again. "Uhh… I mean…. That's just what I think personally, I guess."

"So I'm guessing you'd rather be a Gryffindor?" Albus asked.

Scorpius raised his head and nodded slightly. "Yeah, that's what I'd like. Probably not gonna happen, though, with my family history and all. Not to mention I wasn't even brave enough to confront my dad about it. I'd feel more comfortable if I just go with the flow, which basically makes me a coward. I just don't think I'm Gryffindor material."

Rose jumped up in her seat. "Sure you are! The three of us could be Gryffindors together, like three peas in a pod! And we could have fun little nicknames, ya know? Like Al could be loser four eyes-"

"Hey!"

"And then I could be something like Rosie or Hot Stuff or… Wait! I got it! I could be the supreme and awesome Rose Weasley! And then you could be Snake boy or something! Wouldn't that be so cool? Right, so then..."

Rose's words began to fade away as Al stared at the Malfoy kid, who was laughing and smiling for the first time that day, joking around with his cousin about what nicknames they were going to have when they were best friends at Hogwarts. As much as he hated to admit it, the kid had a point. The children of former students were immediately stereotyped into which house they were going to be in based on the fact that their parents were in Slytherin or Gryffindor or whatever. All of these expectations were then piled onto their shoulders based on what their parents or siblings did in school, and nobody seemed to respect you if you didn't live up to the greatness or lowness of them. Difference was looked down upon. The worst part was, though, that the children had been brainwashed into thinking that way and believing it as well. The thought that they would ever be anything else except what they were told they should be never crossed their minds for a second, Albus included. His parents were in Gryffindor, as were his aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Even his older brother, James, had scored a position in the house. That was where he was supposed to go, at least that was what he had always believed and had thought coming onto the train. Now, after meeting and listening to the Malfoy kid who he had been told was vile, vicious, and greedy, he began to have some doubts about this whole ordeal. Maybe, just maybe, it was time for a change. A familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What do you think, Albus?" Al shook his head and jumped, surprised. This was the first time the blonde had ever addressed him specifically and he wasn't expecting it. Scorpius was looking at him with keen interest and he was embarrassed to admit he didn't even know what the heck he was talking about.

"Umm, sorry. I kinda dozed off. What the heck were you talking about?"

Rose sighed deeply and rolled her eyes. "Bloody hell, Albus! Don't you pay attention to anything? We were just asking you if you think you and Snake boy should try out for the Quidditch team next year!"

"What? Oh… yeah, sure. I'm not sure that I'd make a very good seeker, but I know from experience that I make an excellent bludger." Scorpius laughed and Rose cracked a smile.

"It's true. He does."

Al smiled and turned back to the window, gazing longingly at the endless stretches of damp summer grass, wishing he could be out there instead, sitting under a tree and reading a book or running barefoot through the delicate green blades with his little sister, Lily. Memories of fun times and echoing laughter filled his head and put a stupid, lopsided smile on his face as he delved deeper into his remembrances while his new friend and his cousin talked about who know what. He wasn't sure exactly how long he was staring out there, but it was apparently long enough for the train to reach the station and the masses of students began their exodus. Albus tried to keep up with Scorpius and Rose, but they eventually got swallowed up by the crowd which was all headed to a certain point at the end of the platform; Rubeus Hagrid, who was making his usual 'Firs' years, this way!' calls and leading them toward the lake. Albus smiled and ran toward him, almost getting knocked over a couple of times by other students.

When he finally reached him, he had to tug on the sleeves of his mammoth sized jacket and call his name a few times, which was hard for a boy his size to do over such a large crowd. Once Hagrid finally noticed him though, he gave a happy chortle and lifted the small boy up in his arms like a baby with one hand.

"'Ow 'r you, Albus?" His hair may have been a mess and his breath may have smelled like a wet dog died in his mouth, but that was Hagrid as he usually was. Al held his breath and tried to struggle out of his grasp.

"I'm fine. Train ride here was fun."

"Rosie giving you a hard time?"

Albus shrugged. "Naturally."

"Ah."

"Speaking of Rosie, have you seen her anywhere? I kind of lost her."

Hagrid stroked his tangled beard with his free hand. "Now tha' ye mention it, I did see 'er run off wit some blon' kid e'rlier."

"Scorpius? Alright then."

"Scorpius, ye say? Name dosn' ring a bell."

Albus shrugged again. "Probably wouldn't. You don't tend to do much with the Malfoys."

"The Malfoys!" Hagrid's shock made him drop Al, who landed on the ground with a thud, rolling a few feet before he stopped and propped himself up on his elbows. "What are ye doin' with the company of the Malfoys?"

Albus scowled at his friend. "You know, he's actually not that bad. From the conversations we had on the train, he's not like the rest of his family. He's smart, genuine, humble…"

"A humble Malfoy? Ha! I'll believe it when I see it."

"Then it looks like you'll have all year to see it for yourself."

Hagrid studied him curiously and it took all his effort to keep a stern look on his face while he was feeling so guilty and jumbled up inside. After a moment, Hagrid grunted and helped Albus to his feet. "I trust ye, Albus. I suppose I'll give this Scorpius guy a try. But mark my word. One day, that little weasel is gonna turn out jus' like all the others and leave you in the dust, you and Rosie both. Just don' say I didn' warn ye."

"Trust me, Hagrid. I won't." That was the last thing they said to each other before they both headed toward the docks where students were already loading onto rowboats, about to start their new beginning as a student at Hogwarts. The butterflies in Al's stomach died as he thought about his plan to change the course of his destiny again, reassuring himself that it wouldn't go wrong. He couldn't afford for it to go wrong.