Scorpius eventually felt the train coming to a stop. From his spot in the bathroom, he couldn't see anything, but when he heard the rush of people leaving he decided to take his cue. After reverting to his long pale green hair and getting his trunk, he joined the queue for boats.

"Hi Scorpius." Rose and Albus were standing by him.

"Oh. Hello." Scorpius said somewhat coldly.

"Listen, I hope you weren't..."

"It's OK. It's not like I expected anything else."

Before Albus or Rose could respond they heard Hagrid's voice. "Firs' years! All firs' years over 'ere!"

"Hagrid!" Rose and Albus ran towards him.

"Well well well, what do we 'ave 'ere? Little Albus Potter! And my, if that isn't Rose Weasley!" He gave both Al and Rose a hug.

Scorpius followed them slowly and got into the back of the boat, where there was a single seat.

The journey to the Great Hall was surprisingly uneventful, as it was a clear night. Eventually the boat reached the bank by Hogwarts castle and the first years disembarked. Scorpius was one of the last to get off, and as such was one of the last to actually see the castle but he, like the others, could not help but be stunned at the sight. He had seen many pictures of the castle, but never in the flesh.

"Righ', well, let's not be wasting time eh? Got to get you to Professor Longbottom now!" The first years all followed Hagrid up the hill to the door of the castle. By the door stood a round faced, slightly podgy wizard with short red robes. He smiled at the group of students.

"Professor Longbottom, here are this year's batch."

"Thanks Hagrid. And how many times do I have to remind you to call me Neville?"

"Nah, you're a professor. Wouldn't be right."

"As are you. Go inside and enjoy the feast." Hagrid left the group and Neville started to speak.

"I am Professor Longbottom, the Deputy Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor House. I am also your Herbology teacher, so I can imagine we will all be getting to know each other in time. While you are here, you must remember that you have been given a great gift, and that the least we ask is for you to harness your talents to the best of your ability, wherever those talents may lie. We also ask you to follow the rules of the school. Are there any questions?"

A small girl put her hand up. "Yes?" Neville asked kindly.

"Please sir, are you Neville Longbottom? The war hero who fought alongside Harry Potter?"

Neville smiled. "I am, but now is not the time to discuss it. Any other questions?"

No one volunteered any. "Good. Please enter through the door and line up in an orderly fashion. Oh, and," as his eyes twinkled, "welcome to Hogwarts."

The giant oak doors opened wide as the first years all entered the hall in single file, Neville leading them. Scorpius was once again at the back, and he realised he was getting his fair share of looks. Given his disguise, he assumed they were more interested in his green hair than anything. But all the whispering wasn't about him, it was about Albus Potter and Rose Weasley and what house they might go into.

"Alright, when I call your name out please come and put the sorting hat on." Neville looked at his list.

"Bath, Anita?" No one came up. Neville took another look at the list.

"Butts, Seymour?" Still no response.

"Wait a minute...PEEVES!!!!" And Peeves the poltergeist took this as his cue to enter the Great Hall, whooping and dropping waterbombs on the first years.

"Woo-hoo! Hello, Ickle Firsties! Hahaha!"

"I knew we shouldn't have let the Bloody Baron go on vacation with Nick," Neville muttered to himself before speaking aloud.

"Since Peeves switched my list, I have no record of your names. Therefore, I will ask each of you to come up, one by one, in the order you are right now, and tell me your name once you come on the stage."

The first person to go up was the girl who had asked Neville about his war hero days.

"Name?"

"Andrea Martin." Neville announced this to the rest of the school as Andrea put the hat on. After a short pause the hat called "SLYTHERIN!"

Next up was a short, fat boy who's expression of total wonder marked him out as a Muggle-born. "Michael Branton!" The hat took a little bit longer with Michael before announcing "GRYFFINDOR!" Out of the corner of his eye, Scorpius could see James clapping while mentioning his disappointment at getting the fat kid.

The ceremony went on in a similar fashion for a short while before the big announcement.

"Albus Potter!" Suddenly the entire school, who had been mostly quiet up to now, started whispering as Albus put on the hat. The hat took a long time with Albus, considerably longer than it had with anyone else. This surprised Scorpius, who had expected it to say Gryffindor the moment it touched his head. Eventually the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and the entire house of Gryffindor gave Albus the biggest cheer yet. Scorpius could see James once again, but this time he was clapping and cheering enthusiastically and giving his younger brother a pat on the back.

Rose was up next, and once her name was announced she too earned considerable whispers. While the hat did take less time than it did with Albus, there was still almost a minute wait before the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" And Rose earned a similar cheer from the table on the mid left.

Eventually Scorpius was the last first year left standing and he walked up the stage to Professor Longbottom.

"What's your name, son?"

"Scorpius Malfoy."

"Scorpius Malfoy!" announced Neville and the room feel silent. Deathly silent. This simply exacerbated young Scorpius' fears as he put the hat on and it started whispering in his ear.

"Ah, another Malfoy? Interesting, interesting. My boy, I put your father, grandfather, great grandfather and how many other of your relatives in Slytherin...yet somehow I feel you might be different. Talent, oh yes, talent to spare! A healthy sense of defiance and stubbornness, a desire to prove yourself...but in what way, my lad, what way? Curious."

Scorpius tried to ignore the eyes of the crowd barrelling into him, yet he couldn't miss it.

"Where should I put you, Scorpius Malfoy? Where?"

Scorpius was about to say Slytherin, but then he remembered Albus and Rose being nice to him. He remembered James' scornful tone and how he seemed to think he was a Dark wizard just because of his surname. He remembered his mother and father both telling him to go his own way and not feel he has to do anything just because they did it. And at that moment, Scorpius knew where he wanted to go.

"Put me in Gryffindor."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure. Put me in Gryffindor."

"Ah, young Malfoy. It will be a tough journey for you in the house of the lion. Do you have the heart to face it?"

"Yes."

"Very well. GRYFFINDOR!" The entire school went silent. Scorpius could feel his hair changing colour from green to a bright red. As he made his way down the stairs the teachers started applauding and eventually so did some of the students, led by Albus and Rose. At about this point, Scorpius noticed that James Potter had fainted and, despite himself, he couldn't help but smile. He eventually made his way over to the only vacant spot at the table, between Al and Michael Branton.

"Thank you."

"No problem. So, why'd you choose Gryffindor?"

"What do you mean, choose?"

"Oh, come on Scorpius." Rose said in a somewhat know-it-all tone from across the table. "Everyone knows that when the hat takes as long to put you in a house as it did with you, it basically means the hat can't decide and it's leaving it up to you."

"Was I really that long?"

"You took even longer than Albus."

"Wow."

"I'm sorry, do you all know each other?" Michael spoke for the first time.

"Oh...sorry! Hi, I'm Rose Weasley." Rose offered Michael her hand and he shook it.

"I'm Scorpius Malfoy."

"Albus Potter."

"Oh...hi guys. I'm Mike." Mike shook hands with both the boys.

"So are you all witches and wizards?"

"We are. And so are you."

"No I'm not. My mum's an accountant and my dad's an electrician."

"That doesn't mean anything. My grandparents are both dentists and my mum was the smartest witch in her year."

"That's somewhat comforting. So what about your parents?" Mike turned to Al and Scorpius, which was greeted by both boys staring at their feet. Neither wanted to discuss their family histories.

"Um...my dad's like a wizarding policeman. And my mum's a sports writer." Albus spoke first.

"Really? Wow, that's cool! What about you, Scorpius?" Scorpius couldn't shake this off.

"Um...he doesn't really have to work. He's pretty rich anyway."

Before Mike could say anything, he was interrupted by Professor Flitwick rising to give the headmasters address.

"Welcome, welcome to another year! I trust your minds have all been well rested and are prepared for another excellent year of knowledge!" He smiled at the school.

"I would like to make our first years aware that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students." His eyes focused on a now-conscious James for a second. "Also that all Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes products are banned from the school, as are up to seven hundred and sixty three other things that Mr Filch has taken the liberty of writing on a list you may find in his office."

He chuckled again. "But now is not the time. I am sure you are all tired from your journey and eager to rest your minds for tomorrow, so I will bid you goodnight." As he raised his hands in dismissal, chairs and tables scraped along the ground as students departed.

"Where do we go?" asked Albus. At that moment, though, there came a call of "Gryffindor first years! Over here! All Gryffindor first years here!" and Albus, Rose, Mike and Scorpius started to follow the voice. However, as he was getting up Scorpius felt himself being pulled under the table. He thought he knew who did it, and his guess was correct as he saw James' snarling face.

"I know how the hat works, Malfoy. I know you asked for Gryffindor."

"Yeah. So?"

"So there's only one reason why scum like you would want to be in Gryffindor."

"Cause you guys have a tower?"

"Don't get funny with me, cunt. I know what you're planning."

"Well, good. If you could tell me what that is, I'd appreciate it."

"Don't play funny with me, Malfoy. I'm watching you," as James crawled back up. Realising that the hall was empty, Scorpius had no option but to follow James to Gryffindor Tower.

They eventually made it up to the Fat Lady.

"Password?"

"Debaser," said James.

She swung forward to let them both through. Not interested in hanging around the common room, Scorpius headed up to his dorm to find Albus already there.

"You're OK! Where were you?"

"Oh," Scorpius considered mentioning James' thinly veiled threat before deciding better of it. "Just...looking for a bathroom."

"Well, there was one here all along."

Scorpius chucked slightly as he started to unpack his trunk. "Ironic, isn't it?"

"How?"

"Our dad's hated each other. Hell, I think they still do. And look at us. Sharing a dorm together for the next several years. Hell, we're probably gonna be best mates."

"I don't think my dad hates your dad. Well, not any more at least."

"Well, who knows what can happen or could have happened."

"Yeah. Hey, I'm gonna go grab a Butterbeer from the common room. You coming?"

"Nah, I reckon I'll have an early night."

"OK. You want me to get you one?"

"Nah, I'm cool."

"Goodnight." Albus uttered as he closed the door and Scorpius lay back on his bed.

"What's Dad gonna think of this?" he wondered out loud as he laughed to himself softly and pulled out his iPod and found the song he wanted.

"Here's a thought for every man

Who tries to understand

What's in his head

He walks along the open road

Of love and life

Surviving if he can

Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say

Chained to all the places that he never wished to stay

Bound with all he weight of all the words he tried to say

As he faced the sun he cast no shadow..." were Scorpius' final thoughts as he drifted off to sleep.