Rose
The Hogwarts Express had almost reached its destination. Rose put on her robes and prepared to descend. "Come on, Al, put on your robes," she told her cousin.
He glanced at her nervously, "Are we there already?"
Rose rolled her eyes at that. "Honestly Al, stop acting so nervous! Keep it up and you'll end up in Hufflepuff in no time."
"Hey! What's wrong with being a Puff?" their cousin Molly Weasley walked in. Molly was Percy Weasley's daughter though she didn't inherit his serious and grim personality. She was a Hufflepuff in her fifth year. Molly was one of their nicest cousins and one of her only family members Rose felt comfortable sharing everything with. "And anyway Al, we could use a Quidditch player like you."
"Right, thanks Molly." Albus replied. Like his parents and older brother, Albus was great at Quidditch but unlike them, Rose knew he didn't intend to join a Quidditch team any time soon; he played for sheer enjoyment.
"Anyways," Molly continued, "I just came to wish you both the best of luck. You'll be great!" she gave them both a hug and left.
The train slowed down and then halted. It's time Rose thought.
Jumping off the train, Rose heard the familiar voice of a half-giant, "Hagrid!" she exclaimed.
Hagrid nodded towards the duo as they walked towards him, "Rosie, Albus, did yeh have a good ride?"
"It was alright," Rose replied. Albus mumbled something she couldn't comprehend.
"Get on one of the boats then," Hagrid said. The dark lake was filled with a bunch of boats; they were organized in a row of six. Rose remembered her Mum telling her that all first years went to the castle on the boats instead of the thestral driven carriages.
Hagrid resumed summoning all first years towards the boats. Rose and Albus got on one together. Albus was fidgeting with his watch, something Rose's grandmother gifted him. Rose began watching the other students as they piled in the boats; most of them were filled by now. Rose spotted Scorpius slowly walking towards the boat alone. He was looking around the area, his fingers clutching a book, though Rose couldn't read the title from this far. Rose was wondering what the youngest Malfoy will be like. Her father had told her stories of his school years with Draco Malfoy, none of which were very positive.
"You're Harry Potter's son aren't you?" the girl from the boat beside them was gaping at Albus. "I'm Melina Hawke," she thrust her hand forward intending for him to shake it.
"Err... hi, I'm Albus Potter," Albus replied shaking the girl's hand nervously. She was very thin with black hair and dark eyes. Rose gave him a sly smile.
"I love you father by the way," she said. "He is such a hero!"
Rose was staring at them. Melina didn't even spare a glance towards her. Fine with me she thought. She turned her attention back to where Scorpius was. He had found a boat to her right a few rows back. He was still holding his book tightly and Rose began to suspect that he was nervous. The ex-Death Eater's son is nervous about going to school, she thought amused. Maybe I'm not being fair to him, she contradicted herself. Just then he looked up and their eyes met. Scorpius' face reddened and he glanced shyly away. Rose turned her attention back towards her cousin.
That was interesting she thought.
Scorpius
Scorpius could not believe how nervous he was. The closer he got to the school the more anxious he felt. His last few words with his father rang in his mind. Draco had said he wouldn't mind Scorpius being in a House other than Slytherin. In fact, he said he'd be proud if he wasn't. In that case, what if he did end up in Slytherin? Does that mean his father won't be proud of him if he was? Thinking about that was starting to give him a headache. He truly didn't want to be in Slytherin, he would even prefer Hufflepuff over it.
He sat down in one of the small boats. Another boy came and sat down beside him without exchanging a word. Scorpius was too tense to care. He started watching the water swirl around him hoping it'll soothe him down. He felt someone watching him and suddenly looked up; it was Rose Weasley, Ron and Hermione Weasley's daughter. He suddenly felt self-conscious, he looked away feeling slightly embarrassed though he didn't know why.
As the castle came up, he, along with the other first years, stared at the massive building in awe. Even though he had seen many pictures of the school before, none of them could capture just how beautiful a sight this was.
"It's amazing!" the boy beside him spoke for the first time. Scorpius found himself nodding.
Rose
Soon the boats stopped in front of the huge castle. Rose quickly scurried to the line of students standing in front of the school gates.
The doors opened revealing a golden corridor filled with floating lights. The pictures all at once started talking though Rose only understood the first two.
"Oooo… look Wallus, new first years," a lady from a painting to her right said.
"Hello, first years!" another woman from a portrait to her right greeted.
Rose was delighted by the castle already. She couldn't wait to see the moving stairwell, the Quidditch pitch, the Great Hall and especially the Library! All the stories she had heard from her parents and her family came to mind. She was thrilled at the idea of finally beginning her own story.
Rose watched as the Headmistress made her way towards them. Rose had met Headmistress Sylvia a few times before. The former Head, Minerva McGonagall, visited the Weasleys sometimes and would often bring Selene Sylvia, her former apprentice.
"Good Evening young wizards and witches," Professor Sylvia started, "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Get into two parallel lines and follow me." They did as they were told and were off to the Great Hall.
The older students were already seated on the four different tables representing the four Houses. The hallway went silent as they walked in. As her and Albus passed through the tables, she heard some of them start to murmur about them.
Rose had to admit, she was feeling a bit nervous now. She was so sure she wouldn't be but standing in the front of the giant hall, she felt very small. She caught the eyes of Molly sitting in the Hufflepuff table and the older cousin gave her a wink and thumbs up.
They stopped beside the platform at the front. The ancient looking Sorting Hat stood on a stool in the middle. It's a wonder it can still talk after being burned to char Rose thought to herself. The hat began its song.
A thousand years ago or more
I became the Sorting Hat
With two noble Witches, two great Wizards
The founders here they sat
A mutual wish they held with them
To teach all those with magic
But they valued each, a different trait
And split apart in tragic
Gallant Gryffindor, so grand, so bold
Only wanted the brave
Fighters he would teach them to be
The rest can go to grave
The all so humble Hufflepuff
Will take the good and kind
True and loyal they'll turn out
With a gracious, loving mind
The intellectual Ravenclaw, smart and fair
Taught those if it's knowledge they seek
Wondering and Curious is what they care
With Wisdom they will speak
Sly was Slytherin with deep acute
Only taught those with power
Had to be cunning, tricky and shrewd
With craftiness they tower
So, let me look inside your head
I promise I don't bite
You won't go to the wrong place
And you'll see I'm always right
Applause for the hat rang throughout the room after it finished. Professor Sylvia came forward with a big scroll in her hand. "I will call you in alphabetical order. You will come up here beside me and put on the Sorting Hat. The hat will tell you which House you'll be in." She opened the parchment and started reading off the names.
The first girl, Briana Boore, was sorted into Gryffindor. The golden bannered table on the right erupted with cheers as she took her seat. One by one the students each got sorted. Rose was too nervous to really pay attention to all of them and her mind kept drifting away. The name that came next however snapped her attention back to the sorting.
"Scorpius Malfoy," Sylvia's voice called.
Rose placed her eyes on the young boy as he made his way towards the hat. Her earlier suspicion turned out to be true, he truly was nervous. Everyone's eyes fell upon him and there were a few mutterings here or there. Professor Sylvia placed the hat on his head. It took longer for the hat to decide where it would put him than any other student so far. Rose noticed Scorpius' mouth moving, it seemed like he was chanting something.
The hat finally shouted its decision, "RAVENCLAW!"
The protests were immediate. Most of Slytherin house was shouting at the hat yelling at it to change its decision. The other houses stared at the boy, baffled. Rose was completely taken by surprise as well. She hadn't even considered the chance of Scorpius being in any other House than Slytherin; he was a Malfoy for Merlin's sake. She stared at him as he took the hat off and handed it to Professor Sylvia. She thought that he must have been feeling as shocked as everyone.
As Rose watched him walk over to the Ravenclaw table, she was astonished to find that he didn't look shocked at all. In fact, he looked a bit content and satisfied with himself. He sat down on the edge of the table keeping his eyes low. The Sorting ceremony continued. Soon it was Albus' turn.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled from on top of her cousin's head. Rose, along with the Gryffindor table, clapped loudly as he went and sat down. Rose knew her turn was coming and she was getting anxious again.
After four more people she finally heard her name. "Rose Weasley."
She slowly walked up the platform, almost tripping on the second step. She sat on the stool beside Professor Sylvia and faced the crowd of students all staring back at her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. You can do this, Rosie she thought to herself.
The professor gently put the Sorting Hat on her.
Hmm…another Weasley. You lot just keep coming, don't you? The hat spoke.
Err…I guess? Rose thought back.
You're head's a lot like your mother's. The ready mind and the boldness, though the former trait is greater than the latter. I know exactly where to put you.
Rose knew even before he called it out. "RAVENCLAW!"
Rose breathed a sigh of relief. Ravenclaw was good enough, at-least she would be in a House with other intellectuals. The Ravenclaw table was clapping noisily. She saw Albus smile at her as she was walking to take her seat, she smiled back.
Another first year sitting towards the end of the table scooted over making room for her to sit. The other girl was small with red hair though the shade was darker than Rose's. Her hair however, Rose noted a little enviously, flowed back straight unlike Rose's hair which often looked like a giant bush.
Rose sat down and watched the remaining students get sorted. Only one other person got sorted into Ravenclaw. After the ceremony, Professor Sylvia stood up to announce the rules. Rose wasn't paying much attention. She was only a few seats away from Scorpius Malfoy; she could see the other students who sat beside him trying to avoid him. They even refused to look at him straight in the face. Scorpius stared at the Headmistress not looking at anything else.
Soon, the feast began. The girl beside her spoke first, "Hi, I'm Rheya," she introduced herself.
"It's nice to meet you, Rheya. That's a very pretty name by the way. I'm Rose," Rose replied, "Though you probably already knew that."
Rheya laughed. "I did, but I'd thought you'd like to tell me yourself."
Rose had already taken to her. Rheya seemed like she would be a nice friend. "Are your parents wizards?" she asked.
"Only my mum," Rheya answered, "My dad's a Muggle, though he thinks it's great that I turned out to be a witch. I have an older sister and she doesn't have a single drop of magic in her."
"Oh…that's too bad," Rose said.
"Not really. It's a pleasure to get away from her, she can be quite obnoxious."
Rose smiled. "I know what you mean. A lot of my cousins are obnoxious, but coming to a boarding school doesn't help in my case since they're all here as well." Rheya laughed at that.
The two girls took a break from speaking to eat. There were all kinds of food from pies, to roasted turkey to five different types of cakes and pastries. Rose took a bit of each. She loved food! It was a trait she inherited from her father.
Rheya was the first to speak again. "So, what do you think of Scorpius Malfoy?" she asked eying the blonde boy. Rose had forgotten about him for a little while. She turned her head towards where he was sitting; she noticed that he barely had any food on his plate.
She turned back to Rheya, "What do you mean?"
"Well, don't your families hate each other?"
Rose didn't know how to answer that. It's true her father didn't like the Malfoys; her mother never says anything bad about them but even she tries to avoid any confrontation with them. But did that mean they hate each other? "Our families don't hate each other exactly. I guess they have a mutual agreement to avoid each other."
"So, does that mean you'll be avoiding Scorpius? What's with him being in Ravenclaw anyway? Isn't he supposed to be in Slytherin?"
Rose looked over at the boy again. "I don't know, Rheya… he doesn't seem so bad."
A/N- I already had this chapter typed so I uploaded on the same day. I hope you like it! I love getting reviews!
