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Chapter 4: The Sorting and Thereafter
Scorpius wandered into the Great Hall with the rest of the students. He headed to the Slytherin table in search for one of the better seats to view the sorting. He'd slept through the sorting the year before, however, this year he was going to pay more attention. As he sat down he felt someone staring at him. James Potter was scowling at him from the Gryffindor table. He arched his eyebrows at the black haired boy, knowing that his look of innocence would just antagonise him. He chuckled when the boy's brown eyes narrowed with hatred.
Their staring match didn't last long as their connection was broken by the first years being led down the centre aisle of the hall, obscuring their view. He waved at the Zabini twins as they passed him and offered them encouragement. As they took their position at the front of the hall, they stood near Lily Potter and her cousin, Rose's brother whom he couldn't remember the name of.
Despite his decision to ban Lily Potter from his mind, he was unable to keep his eyes off her. She looked terrified and there was a fake smile plastered on her lips. He knew it wasn't sincere as it didn't reach her eyes. They were wide with fright as they darted around the room lingering over the Gryffindor table. She seemed to be seeking comfort from her family members.
She must have found it as she began chuckling to herself. Her eyes began to roam the room again. She was fascinating to watch. When she smiled, truly smiled, her entire face lit up with joy. He had to use all of his efforts not to smile in response. As the Sorting Hat began to sing, Duanne nudged him in the ribs. "What was that for?" Scorpius inquired.
Duanne wore a smirk on his face. "Fancy a wager? A galleon on the Potter girl being in Hufflepuff. Her actions on the train clearly mark her as the unintelligent type."
Scorpius rolled his eyes, "She did manage to cast the body-binding spell. I'd say that requires brains. Maybe Ravenclaw but I doubt it. She'll be in Gryffindor like her brothers and cousins before her." He pointed out nonchalantly.
"Can you imagine if she gets sorted into Slytherin." Warrington chuckled cruelly.
Goyle sniggered with equal meanness in his tone. "Yeah, I'd like to get back at her for what she did. She wouldn't last a night in the Slytherin house."
"She's watching you Goyle! Do you think she senses all the ways you want to torture her?" Warrington sneered. They burst out laughing and looked towards the Potter girl.
Scorpius laughed along with the boys. Not that he thought Goyle would be able to get his own back, but because he had no doubt in his mind, that Lily would have the upper hand. If she was anything like her brothers, then she'd learn defensive spells quickly. It already looked as if she had a few surprises up her sleeves. If there was a fair fight between Goyle and the girl, then Lily would destroy him. However, Goyle was not known to fight fair and the others would be roped in to help him.
Scorpius glanced over to the Gryffindor table as the others discussed ways to seek their revenge. James was glaring at him again so he stubbornly glared back. When he looked away, Scorpius' eyes sought Albus'. He didn't glower at him the way James did, instead he looked uncomfortable as he avoided catching Scorpius' eyes.
"SLYTHERIN" Yelled the Sorting hat. Scorpius tore his eyes from the Gryffindor table as Beatrix Avery strode towards the Slytherin table. He applauded and cheered with the rest of his housemates. After that, Scorpius watched the sorting and avoiding exchanging venomous looks with the Potters. He smiled at both the Zabini girls as they stood with the other first years at the front of the hall. They still looked nervous but nothing above the levels shown by the other first years.
Every so often he locked eyes with Lily Potter. There was a mixture of anger and confusion radiating from her light hazel eyes. He was curious to find out where the Hat would sort her. Time seemed to fly by before Lily's name was called out by Professor Davies. Scorpius heard the murmurs that flooded around the hall. Everyone was curious about the youngest Potter after the news of her encounter with the Slytherins had spread throughout the school. She held his full attention after that, he didn't care if people caught him watching her. They wouldn't read anything into it.
As she sat on the stool, with the hat on her head, she stared at the crowd. As he watched her, the colour drained from her face as she listened to the hat's words. "NO!" She yelled in a horrified tone.
There were curious murmurs across the hall again. Scorpius silently hoped that she was going to be sorted into Slytherin. Not for her to be tortured, but so that he'd be able to talk to her without attracting the anger of his housemates. She may have a few hard days at first, however she seemed strong enough to withstand it. After marking her place in the house, it wouldn't matter that she was a Potter. She would be a Slytherin just like the rest of them.
As the hat made its decision, Scorpius found his eyes locking with hers. They were filled with fright and he couldn't stop the smirk which donned his face which had become a habit to seeing that emotion. "GRYFFINDOR" The hat yelled, and she finally looked away from him.
He was disappointed but noted the girl's relief about being sorted into the same house as her family. He watched her hand the Sorting Hat back to the Professor and turn towards the table on the far end of the hall. Her happiness morphed to anger as she turned her attention to the eldest Potter. She strode over to him with as much determination as she could muster and snatched the copy of the Daily Prophet out of his hand. She repeatedly struck him on the head with the object.
"What the hell Lils, you psycho!" Everyone heard James yell. He snatched the newspaper off her and held it beyond her reach.
She continued to glare at him and it was obvious that she wasn't aware that all the other students were watching and listening intently. "That was for jinxing me last night. That ridiculous hat-" She yelled and pointed towards the Sorting Hat. "-tried to put me in Slytherin. Slytherin James…SLY- THE-RIN!"
Scorpius burst out laughing with the rest of the observers, he couldn't help it. He wasn't laughing at her attacking James Potter like the other houses; He wasn't even laughing at the absurdity of a Potter being a Slytherin like the rest of his housemates; He was laughing at how cruel fate had been. The little redhead had come so close to be sorted into his house. That decision could have made his life so much better. He could have waited out her initial fury with him and then attempt to make amends. He sighed and met her furious gaze for a seconded before turning to watch the remainder of the Sorting.
Scorpius continued to watch the Sorting and applauded every time a student got sorted into Slytherin. He wasn't really interested though. His eyes kept flicking toward the Gryffindor table until a name of interest came up. "Zabini, Magdalana." Professor Davies called out. Scorpius watched Magdalana as she took her place on the stool. She looked confident at first, but then her confidence wavered. He knew what was coming before hat gave its answer.
"GRYFFINDOR." The hat roared and Magdalana immediately burst into tears. He tried to catch her eye, to let her know that it was ok, but Duanne had other ideas.
"What dragon dung!" He yelled as he stood up on the bench and stared at his sister in horror. "Make her take it again, that hat is broken." He insisted but Headmaster Croston silenced him with a wave of his hand. The room went into almost silence and Magdalana headed towards the Gryffindor table still sobbing. A minute later, Margarita was sorted into Slytherin.
Scorpius applauded with the rest of his housemates but his gaze lingered on the other twin. She was sitting talking to the youngest Potter. He wished he knew what they were saying, but they seemed friendly enough in their interactions. He knew that she would be worried, but at least she was making friends and didn't have to uphold the strict Slytherin rules. He turned his attention back to his friends, and the rest of his evening was spent trying to reason with Duanne.
The rest of the year was rather entertaining to go through. He was pleased to note that Magdalana seemed happy in her house. The rest of the Gryffindors didn't seem to mind that her family had been in Slytherin for generations. They treated her like one of them. She'd also become fast friends with the Lily Potter.
Duanne had a hard time adjusting as the rivalry that still existed between the houses, meant that no Slytherin could be friends with a Gryffindor; Not even a family member. Scorpius knew that Margarita was breaking the house rules by continuing her friendship with her sister but no one else seemed to notice. He was glad that she could be discreet about it as he didn't want her do go through all the crap he'd had to. Scorpius couldn't wait until he was influential enough to drop some of the archaic rules held by his house.
The two other girls Magdalana had made friends with were; Jessica Foxley; the muggle born from the train who had been sorted into Ravenclaw, and a little bubbly blonde Hufflepuff girl; Cordelia Longbottom. Goyle and Warrington practically waged war on the four first years. Scorpius didn't partake in the conflicts at first, but then Magdalana secretly met him in the quod one day. She'd been worried that he had thought she hated him now, and told him that it wasn't possible. He reassured her that it was ok, he was used to rivalry between the houses and it didn't bother him that she was happily defending herself. She had told him that it was ok for him to join in as well, if he did, then she wouldn't feel so bad about her own involvement.
From then on, Scorpius had joined in with the fights and enjoyed practicing his magic on such feisty and competent opponents. It earned him a few detentions and howlers from his father, but seeing the glee on Magdalana and the redhead's face when they managed to get one over his group, was totally worth it.
By the end of that year, he realised that it was going to be impossible to banish Lily Potter from his thoughts, so he gave up trying. Instead, he looked forward to their meetings, even when it ended with a trip to the Hospital Wing for himself.
When he entered his fourth year, a lot of the Slytherins whom had taunted him when he was younger, had left Hogwarts. He was now half way up the hierarchical snake ladder and none of the younger housemates would dare cause him any trouble. On a whim, he secretly began trying to fix his friendship with Rose. She was the only one though. He didn't dare try to work things out with the Potters just yet.
On the whole, the year went well except for an argument between him and the house Quidditch Captain in the first week. It resulted in him being suspended from the team. He and Duanne decided that they weren't going to provoke Magdalana's friends that year as it was causing problems between their friendship during the holidays. The Zabini children spent a lot of their holidays at the Malfoy manor and it was clear how uncomfortable Magdalana found it.
One conversation stood out clearly in his mind. Magdalana had told him that although she loved him like a brother, Lily Potter was her best friend. If it came down to things, she would choose Lily over the rest of them. Scorpius didn't blame her: She'd had it tough at home since she'd been sorted into Gryffindor. Being friends with Lily and connected with the Potters, would definitely ensure that she had a happier future. Scorpius and Duanne managed to call the other two boys into line and their interactions with the girls, were nothing more than light teasing.
His fifth year was pretty quiet. With his O.W.L.s that year, Scorpius spent most of his time studying. On the upside, he was back on the Slytherin Quidditch team! Duanne had joined him this time. His favourite game of the season was Slytherin versus Gryffindor. He was up against the three Potters and for the first time, he'd actually enjoyed goading them; Rose had not approved. By the end of the school year, he'd completed his O.W.L.s gaining an Outstanding in each except for an Exceeds Expectations in A History of Magic. He'd shared the top spot with non other than Rose Weasley!
His sixth year was a nightmare. Lily Potter had turned into the most beautiful creature he'd seen in his life. It was one thing, thinking of her as the innocent child she'd been, but quite another seeing the woman she was becoming. Everything about her now aggravated and frustrated him. The way she sighed when she was bored; an innocent flick of her waist length hair, revealing the pale skin of her neck; her dazzling smile which had him so captivated that he looked her way every time he heard her distinct laugh. She was driving him crazy!
He found himself attracted to her in ways he'd never experienced before. He hated her and yet he didn't. He did hate her boyfriend though. Eoin McLaggen was a sleaze, there was no way he was good enough for her. Every time he saw them together, all he wanted to do was send the boy to the Hospital Wing for the rest of the year. Scorpius' sixth year, was the year he first found out; he didn't handle jealousy well.
He started taking it out on unsuspecting victims and even Lily herself. Soon, Howlers from his father became a weekly occurrence but somehow they managed to keep the news from his mother.
The worst incident had resulted in Lily and himself falling into the Black Lake. After the shock of finding himself in the icy waters, he realised that Lily was being dragged beneath the water by a group of Grindylows. He risked everything to rescue her but when her brothers noticed her distress; They came to help. They'd all assumed that Scorpius was the cause of Lily's trouble and Scorpius had let them believe it. Things got a bit nasty after that and their parent's were summoned to Hogwarts.
The grilling from his father had not been pleasant. However, when Lily's father had confronted him about what had happened, Scorpius had reluctantly surrendered the memory of the event to him. It was that or be expelled from Hogwarts. After the Headmaster, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter had watched what had actually occurred, they had been shocked. Scorpius was embarrassed that the legendary Harry Potter knew how he truly felt about his daughter. He'd had to beg him not to tell Lily. Scorpius didn't want her knowing that he had tried to save her. She preferred to think that he hated her and Scorpius was ok with that; for now. After the meeting, his and Lily's father had left the Headmaster's office muttering to each other.
When Scorpius had returned to lessons the next day, everyone was surprised to discover that he hadn't been expelled. James Potter was as aggravating a sod as ever after that, he kept looking at Scorpius suspiciously. Scorpius often wondered if the ridiculously observant James Potter had noticed the way he looked at Lily on the odd occasions that he let his guard down. Fortunately, he'd never confronted him about it.
Scorpius kept his head down and was relieved when the year ended.
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