I'm blown away by the feedback, thank you all so much! This chapter is really just a filler, for Scorpius to get in touch with his classes and the routine. Next chapter is where Rose will come in!

I Am Not My Father

The Revelation

Scorpius couldn't lie, he imagined his first week to be brilliant.

He'd be sorted in in to Slytherin, welcomed with howls and cheers from his future friends. The teachers would adore him and he'd be the most brilliant boy in his class. Scorpius knew before he even started Hogwarts that this wouldn't be the case, but secretly, he just wanted to be welcomed. He didn't want to be looked at as a traitors son. He didn't want his father to be looked at as scum for past mistakes. As much as Scorpius wanted a clean slate, he knew that the way he was being treated was just humans being human. Judging came to humans easy, and Scorpius was just a big ball of disgust in their eyes. Not like Harry Potter's children. Oh, no. When they were born they were seen as perfect, little angels just because of their father and that's how they'd be looked at for the rest of their lives. They were sons and daughters of champions. Scorpius was a son of a criminal. People couldn't look past that, they just wouldn't.

"I'm a good kid," Scorpius whispered to himself, his voice breaking towards the end. He found himself reassuring himself more and more that he wasn't the disgusting boy everyone looked at him as. He knew it was the truth, too. He was his own person. He wasn't Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy was an entirely different person, but Scorpius respected him just as much. The man was his father after all. A great father, an amazing man. Why couldn't he let his past just dissolve, like the snow towards the beginning of spring. A start of a new era, the start of new life. It wasn't as easy as the changing of seasons though, Scorpius knew that. In life the past didn't go away, it stuck forever. Whether people liked it or not, and that was the worst part.

The first day of classes was an exciting and nerve wracking time for first years. Nobody wanted to be singled out by a teacher, be hated, or even get detention. Scorpius didn't bother going down for breakfast, he wanted to avoid as many social situations as possible. He didn't want to get in another fight, or eat tainted food. Alone. Wasn't that the word of the week for him? Scorpius found 'alone' the most friendly word to him lately. Alone, Scorpius couldn't be judged, alone, he could let down his guard, alone, everything was content.

Classes started on a Monday which meant he had Potions class first period and then Defense Against the Dark Arts during the day. Potions went quickly, the teacher, Professor Slughorn, merely introduced himself and went over his expectations and requirements for the course. No one payed attention too much, the professor was an old man, with baggy eyes and a balding head. Some students were starting to make bets on how much longer he would last before retiring or merely dropping dead. Scorpius didn't want to judge the man immediately based on his age because he seemed like a self-assured teacher. Although his eyes were old and tired, they held wisdom and strength. And he was in charge of Slytherin. At one moment the professor remarked at Scorpius's house sorting, "Honestly, Scorpius. I taught your father and I could sworn any of his children would be in Slytherin."

"Traitors run in the family!" Someone cheered loudly, sending howls of laughter, "He was bound to be messed up!"

"Pardon?" Professor Slughorn's old age left his hearing less sharp than they had, "Say something about ketchup?"

Defense Against the Dark Arts is probably where Scorpius's day turned the most sour. The teacher was new, with deep brown hair, border lining on black, and striking pale blue eyes. He was a young man, much younger than Professor Slughorn, and always seemed to have a wicked smile on his lips while he spoke. He was very extravagant, always moving his arms and his eyes reading exactly how he was feeling.

"Welcome! Welcome!" the teacher boomed, "I'm just starting my teachings this year at Hogwarts, but I'm hoping all goes well..." he trailed off, much like Professor Slughorn going on a spiel of how the class would go and be conducted. He seemed to go off track rather much, connecting whatever he was saying to a past experience and his talk would be prolonged for five more minutes.

Students already got off track and began whisperings, "Won't last a year. This job is cursed! Has been and always will be. You've read about the guy who You-Know-Who possessed?"

"Hid right under his turpin!"

"Oh, well, I don't know he's rather handsome..."

Suddenly the teacher did a lovely spin and grinned, "Thank you, Julia! I very much appreciate the compliment, but please keep your ears open as well as your eyes."

The young girl named Julia flushed a delightful shade of purple while another student asked, "Sir, you have yet to tell us your name."

"How silly of me! Basil Price, Professor Price to you lot, I was named after an old headmaster of this school, oh I remember as a young lad..." and he went off on another dribble of stories. The class was almost over when he reminded everyone, "Defense Against the Dark Arts is a very important class for you young wizards and witches. As young as you are you'll one day grow up to be our protectors as well. You need to know how to protect yourself from the bad guys-"

"Here that, Malfoy!" a kid screamed from the back, "This class is going to give us the knowledge to kill you!" Scorpius felt his organs twist. What had he done? He didn't provoke the kid. He had been sitting in his seat, silent. Why did someone have to try and get him angry, much like in Potions class?

Professor Price did not find this amusing, "Now that wasn't very nice. Ten points from, oh what house are you in, Gryffindor? Yes, yes. Hateful slurs never solve anything, once in my years of Hogwarts..."

"Slytherin strikes again," the same boy groaned then began talking to another, "Didn't your father excel in this class? That's how he brought down You-Know-Who I bet, right I am? I bet you'll be top of the class."

So, Harry Potter's children were getting the glory again. Scorpius felt sick to his stomach, letting everyone else's voices drain in to the background. When class was over, Scorpius debated asking for the Sorting Hat to be placed on his head one more time. Then, for a moment he was just going to forget about the request, but then a Slytherin rushed in to him muttering, "Keep out of my way, traitor." and he knew he had to make the sorting final. His legs felt like jello though, as he pushed himself to the head master's office and when he made it to the doorway his hand trembled. However, without even knocking the door opened. Scorpius found himself hovering over a small man, Professor Flitwick, who was looking rather cheeky.

"Hello!" Professor Flitwick welcomed, "I thought I sensed someone, tell me boy, is everything alright?"

"Y-Yes," Scorpius stumbled over his words, not realizing how small the man really was, "I was...I was just, I was just wondering if I could have the Sorting Hat sort me again? I believe there was a mistake, sir."

"Draco Malfoy's son, correct?" Professor Flitwick mused making his way over to a dusty wizard's hat, grabbing it, then pacing back to Scorpius, "You look just like Draco as a boy, nearly identical."

Scorpius felt a small bit uncomfortable, "We're different though, we are, sir."

"Oh, no need to convince me," the aging goblin smiled, then frowning looking at the hurt in Scorpius's face, "The hat doesn't make mistakes, Scorpius."

"But it may have this once! Please, sir. I'm a true Slytherin, I am! Truly, I'm sure!"

"Now, just because your father-"

"This has nothing to do with my father so stop thinking that! I am a Slytherin!" Scorpius replied most angrily, and for a moment was speechless, before murmuring a quick, "I'm sorry, sir."

Professor Flitwick looked absolutely amused, "No need in apologizing, young Scorpius. I'll allow you to be sorted one more final time, but let me tell you, this is all."

"One more sorting!" Scorpius nearly beamed with a toothy smile, "All I need, sir, thank you!"

"Very well," Professor Flitwick placed the Sorting Hat on top of Scorpius's white blonde head with much reluctance. The hat however, did not talk to him like before. The hat sat on Scorpius's head for maybe five seconds before letting out a, "Mmm..."

Slytherin

But the hat thought otherwise with a yawn, "A Gryffindor, just like before."

"No! Please, you must be mistaken!" Scorpius began pleading, he could feel hot tears swarming his eyes, "Please...once more, again"

Professor Flitwick had a quiet voice grabbing the hat, "I'm sorry, Scorpius. The hat will repeat Gryffindor as many times as you wear it."

Scorpius's grey eyes bore in to the hat, who after a moment responded to his glares with a simple saying, "You are so much more than who your father was."

"Again, with my father! I know I'm different from him! I'm Scorpius! But I am a Slytherin! Please, Sorting Hat, why-"

"Oh, I think you know why," and it's mouth closed, not wishing to answer anymore questions.

Professor Flitwick put a hand on Scorpius's shoulder as the torn boy shook his head, "But I don't."

"You are in Gryffindor for a reason, Scorpius. That reason is what you must figure out."

"I'm tired of these riddles," Scorpius growled and glared at both his head master and the hat, "Goodbye, sir, and, um, clothing. Thank you." He marched out of the room, his words spitting with hate, "Fine! If I'm a Gryffindor, than I'll be the best damn Gryffindor anyone has ever seen. I'll be better than Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley," he was in a pure rage, his face turning red at the scene, "Everyone will like me, I just have to prove myself. Yeah, I'll be the best. I'll be better than that Albus Potter too, and-"

"Yes?" a voice interrupted his raving. Scorpius flinched, worried about who had heard him having his rant and eyes rose high after seeing it was none other than Albus, his eyes filled with curiosity on why his name was mention. Scorpius's bad known luck had struck again.

Scorpius felt no need to be polite and snapped, "What?"

"You said my name," the young Albus said warily, "Didn't you?"

Scorpius certainly didn't need interrogating at the moment,"Don't be so rude to think you can eavesdrop on other people's conversation just because you're a Potter!"

Albus's green eyes looked rather scared, like he'd be attacked, "Oh, I'm sorry. You're the Malfoy boy, right?"

"Scorpius."

"Yeah, Scorpius," Albus smiled, happy the other boy's glare had fallen, "I'm Albus. I'm sorry about my brother trying to give you that prank toffee the other day. He can really be a-"

"Your brother?" Scorpius could see the resemblance, both dark, untidy black hair, but how they held themselves were different. The other boy was cocky and menacing, while Albus seemed shy and quiet.

"Y-Yes, James can be kind of mean, you see. My Uncle owns a joke shop and I don't know how many times I've eaten a treat that gave me a bloody nose. James thinks they're funny, though. Don't take offense, he'd do it to anyone."

"No!" Scorpius snapped, "He did it to me because your father didn't like mine! He did it to me because I'm in Gryffindor and he doesn't think that's right!"

Albus didn't seem to understand, "Well, if you're in Gryffindor, you should be in Gryffindor."

"What?" Scorpius raised an eyebrow at him. This was the first time someone recognized it was ok for him to be in the house.

"Well," Albus and Scorpius began walking together to their common room, "I've never known of the hat of placing someone in a house they didn't belong. You must have earned your spot to be a Gryffindor. My father's friend Neville, everyone believed to be a true Hufflepuff, but he was a true hero during the Battle of Hogwarts."

Scorpius mouth twitched, fighting a smile, "Yeah, Longbottom, right? He's our herbalogy teacher. Cut off the head of...his snake."

"Yeah!" Albus grinned, "A real champion."

Scorpius scoffed, "Champion?" He hated that word, Champions had done nothing for him but brand him a traitor and he said in an unimpressed voice, "I could cut a head off a snake, easy" He couldn't deny though, whenever he read stories about the battle, Neville beheading Nagini was the part he looked most forward to. It showed even though Neville was looked at as a coward, he was different than what everyone perceived him as. Scorpius ventured on, "You must know a lot about champions." When Albus gave a confused look Scorpius shook his head, "Your parents!"

"Oh yeah," Albus muttered giving off a shrug, "They're just normal."

There was a brief, pregnant silence and Scorpius said quickly, his eyes not leaving the ground, "If you were sorted in to Slytherin would your parents hate you?"

"I thought about that for a while, before school started, you know?" Albus's eyes gave off a sparkle, "But no. They love me a lot, but I did ask a little while before boarding the train. My dad said that Slytherin would just have a wonderful addition, but he's my dad, anyone's would say that."

"Yeah," Scorpius placed his hand in his pockets, uncomfortable, "Anyone's dad would." But how could he say that when he was skeptical about how his father's reaction of how he was sorted would be, "At least you're in Gryffindor."

"Yeah, but speaking of which, I gotta go write my parents, they want to know about the first day, dorky stuff," Albus's face reddened when he realized he used the word 'dorky' and rushed off saying, "'Bye, Malfoy!"

"Scorpius," Scorpius said in a whisper than loudly yelled, "Call me Scorpius!" Albus, however, was already too far away to hear, "Idiot." Scorpius kept a harsh look on his face, but somewhere in his chest felt lighter. The words this young boy had said. About a father's acceptance and his encouragement that Scorpius belonged in Gryffindor. They kept repeating in Scorpius's head, and more and more did Scorpius's eyes grow wide in bewilderment.

That night, Scorpius took his quill and parchment and etched out a few simple words to his father.

I've been placed in Gryffindor, but I swear, I will still make you proud.

Scorpius almost sent that message, too, but left it scrunched in his pocket, waiting until when he could send the letter, with every worry out of his chest.

"It'll be okay," Scorpius closed his eyes, his head propped against a pillow, "It will."

"Stop talking to yourself!" one of his room mates yelled.

"Yeah, shut up!" another agreed in a slow, groggy voice.

But Scorpius still kept smiling, talking to oneself may be a sign of insanity for some, but an escape and hope for others.

Finally! A happy moment for little Scorpius(: I intended this chapter to be more of a filler, Rose will come in next chapter. As I said in an authors note before, I needed to create a new Defense against the dark arts teacher and here he is! I hope you guys liked the chapter! Please Review!