Dear Mum & Dad,
Hope you're ready to stock up on blue and bronze coloured clothing!
Scorpius groaned in frustration as he tore up another piece of parchment and threw it on to the grass next to him, where he had quite the collection of wasted and crumbled parchment. All attempted letters to his parents.
He sighed and leaned his head back on the oversized pumpkin he was currently sitting against. As he stared at the cloud above him, Scorpius contemplated his predicament.
It had been four days since the sorting and he still had yet to inform his parents he was in Ravenclaw.
He knew that they wouldn't be angry. But he also knew they would be disappointed- well, his father at least. His mum would be happy as long as Scorpius was happy.
And, surprisingly, he was. During the sorting, he had told the Sorting Hat that he simply wanted to find his niche- the house in which he would succeed and fit in. The place in Hogwarts where he could make a new name for himself, and rid the Malfoy family of the stigma that contaminated their name.
The hat obviously thought that place was Ravenclaw.
And Scorpius was fine with that. His fellow Ravenclaws seemed nice, the few he had met. They were all bookish and eager for classes, just like Scorpius. He could definitely see himself happy there.
Which would definitely make his mum happy.
His father, however, was a different problem. Scorpius knew that what his father had said on the train platform- about being proud not matter what House he was in- was for the most part sincere, but it was also mostly encouraged by his mother. She had always told Scorpius' father that if he wanted to put the past behind him, he had to leave it all behind- including his house prejudices. And for his dad, if mum wanted something, he made sure it happened.
However, even though Scorpius knew his father would never express his disappointment, it would still be there. And the last thing Scorpius wanted was to disappoint his father.
So, how to break the news as gently as possible? Scorpius threw his head back against the giant pumpkin in frustration, deciding that his current predicament was hopeless.
"Oy! What are do yeh think yer doin' over there? Get away from those!"
Scorpius quickly lifted his head to find the giant, heavily bearded Professor of Magical Creatures yelling. At Scorpius. And quickly approaching.
Not having to be told twice, Scorpius jumped up and quickly started gathering his belongings.
"S-Sorry, Professor! I wasn't doing any harm- just sitting." He quickly began to reassure the giant man.
Professor Hagrid was now standing directly in front of Scorpius, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Yer the Malfoy boy, righ'?"
"Yes, sir."
"Yer not tryin' ter start up any trouble, are yeh?" The professor asked as he looked down on Scorpius.
"No, sir," He emphasized with a shake of his head. "I was just writing a letter. Honest." Scorpius sincerely explained.
Professor Hagrid stood there, keenly observing Scorpius for another minute or two, and the suspicion slowly clearing from his face. "Righ', well can't be too careful." Professor Hagrid cleared his throat and looked out at the grounds. Finally the professor spoke again, ending the awkwardly silence. "Who are yeh writin' ter there? Yeh almost looked like someone put a good confundus charm on yeh."
"Oh, erm, my parents. Just writing to tell them about the sorting." Scorpius answered, wondering if he should maybe ask for some advice- he was a professor after all.
Professor Hagrid nodded in understanding."Ah. Righ', I reckon yer having quite a time writin' a letter like that."
"Yes, sir." Scorpius paused, thinking if and how he should continue. "You see, I know my Dad won't actually tell me he's disappointed that I'm not in Sytherin, but I'm afraid that he still will be. I just don't know if I can live with his disappointment." Scorpius explained, feeling slightly foolish pouring his heart out to his new teacher.
The professor gave Scorpius an empathetic look, "Are yeh happy to be in Ravenclaw, Malfoy?"
Scorpius nodded, "Yes, sir. So far at least."
"Then tell yer father that, an' he'll be happy that yer happy." Professor Hagrid continued with a shrug. "An' if he is disappointed like yeh think he might be, well yeh can't live life tryin' ter please everyone. Yeh have ter live yeh life fer yerself. If yer happy, that should be enough fer yer father. That's all a good father can except o' his son after all- fer yeh ter be happy."
Scorpius looked down at the grass, absorbing the professor's words.
"Thank you, sir."
"Sure, hope that helped." The professor cleared his throat and then looked down at his watch. "Yer first class will be startin' soon. Don' want ter be late. Why don't yeh run alon' now, Malfoy." The professor suggested with a small, but kind smile.
"Yes, professor." Scorpius answered, still slightly nervous as he collected the last of his belonging and turned toward the castle.
"Oh, an' Malfoy!" Scorpius paused and turned back around. "Call me Hagrid, everyone does."
"Alright." Scorpius paused, considering something for a moment, "And Hagrid? Call me Scorpius." he politely added.
He and Hagrid shared a smile, "Sure, Scorpius." And then he turned and headed toward his hut.
Scorpius started on his way back to the castle, thinking that his day was actually taking a turn for the better after that conversation with Hagrid. That is until he looked up and saw that Rose Weasley was only a broomstick's length away from him.
Another problem he had been trying to avoid- Rose Weasley being sorted into the same house as him. This was going to make his promise to his father more difficult to keep.
But if Scorpius was being honest with himself, he would be forced to admit that even if they were in separate houses it would still be difficult to ignore her. For some reason, whenever he was around her Scorpius lost all sense.
Take for instance that incident in the Great Hall. When he saw her looking up at the ceiling in awe, he was so pleasantly surprised that she obviously shared his obsession with Hogwarts' castle, that he couldn't stop himself from speaking up and attempting to impress her. For one moment he had relished in the bright smile that spread across her freckled face, and then it all dissolved the second she realize it was him. And that was the exact moment he realized what he was doing. Why was he talking to a Weasley? What was he thinking? But that was it, he hadn't been thinking at all.
Of course his lack of judgement had almost been worth it, when she had thrown her chin up and haughtily explained about her mother. Anyone else would have seemed like an utter prat talking like that, but Rose Weasley was just too amusing with family pride shining in her blue eyes to be considered a prat. Scorpius was just making a mental note to find a copy of her mother's introduction, until he remembered what his father had mentioned about Rose's mother-something about an incident with her and his Great Aunt Bellatrix. And just like that, every reason he was suppose to be avoiding this girl rushed back to him.
Even if Rose was unaware of that past incident now, the moment she did find out about it she would hate Scorpius even more. So what was he doing standing here talking to her, he had asked himself as he had rushed away from her and her bespeckled cousin feeling like an absolute idiot. He had to be careful around her from now on.
Rose Weasley was trouble. And he was promising to avoid trouble in every shape and form- especially the Rose Weasley form.
But now, once again, Scorpius found himself face to face with this red-headed trouble.
For a moment the two of them simply stood there staring at each other, until Rose huffed out a frustrated breath.
"Please Scorpius, could we just do without your strange mood swings and inexplicably rude behavior today. I am having a horrible enough a day without having to survive another encounter with you."
Well that's convenient, Scorpius thought amused.
"Sure," Scorpius said as coolly as possible as he simply walked right on past Rose.
Rose watched as Scorpius' back as he made his way up to the castle, surprised he actually had done as she asked.
Which of course was a good thing, Rose reminded herself, since him leaving is exactly what she wanted. She just thought he would have been a little more difficult about it- Scorpius seemed like he was very talented at being difficult.
Well at least that was one less problem for me to deal with today, Rose thought wryly as she turned and walked up to Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid opened the door a few seconds after Rose's knock.
"Was wonderin' when yeh were goin' to come visit me!" Hagrid smiled, "Come on in. Tell me how yer likin' school so far."
"Hagrid, it's been horrible." Rose exclaimed as she rushed into the hut. "You were at the sorting, I don't have to explain."
"Maybe I'm confused, but I'd think yeh'd be excited about being in Ravenclaw. Couldn't think of a better house for yeh, meself." Hagrid said with a chuckle.
"Hagrid, you don't understand. I am my parents' oldest child! I should be following in their footsteps- continuing the legacy they started!" Rose sobbed.
"There now. I think the only way yer parents would be disappointed in yeh was if they could see yeh righ' now, goin' on like this." Hagrid shook his head.
"It's not that I think they'll be disappointed." Rose explained with a sigh. "It's me. I'm the one who's disappointed. Even though Mum and Dad might not talk about the war a lot, I've read all about what they've done in loads and loads of books. They were heroes. I want to follow in their footsteps. I want to be like them! And not being sorted into Gryffindor simply proves I don't have the courage they have. I will never be like them!"
"Just because yeh weren't sorted in ter Gryffinor don't mean yer not brave! And yeh should be proud ter be in Ravenclaw, Rose Weasley. I know yer parents will be. Only the cleverest o' students get in ter that house!
Rose nodded, mildly appeased with that remark. "Well I am pleased that the Sorting Hat thought I was that clever, but what about their legacy?" Rose ended in a whisper.
"Forget 'bout their legacy and start thinkin' about yer own legacy. Yeh get ter make yer own mark here at Hogwarts. Forget 'bout the past an' start lookin' ter the future." Hagrid instructed.
Rose sat on the oversized chair, absorbing Hagrid advice. "How do I tell them though, Hagrid? Dad was especially excited for me to be in Gryffindor."
Hagrid suddenly gave a laugh, "Yeh should get together with Scorpius Malfoy an' help each other out."
"Scorpius Malfoy? What does he have to do with this?" Rose asked in shock. "Was he here?" she continued, suddenly remembering the this was the direction she had seen Scorpius coming from.
"He was, as a matter o' fact. Havin' a similar problem as you, it seems." Hagrid explained.
"I don't think we would be able to actually have a conversation, let alone help each other." Rose said dryly.
"Well, I think yeh should give that boy a chance. I'll be the first ter admit I misjudged him too, but he seems alright."
"Hagrid, I did try to give him a chance," Rose explained. "Albus and I tried to sit with him on the train, and he's the one who told us to sit someplace else."
"I don' know. He seemed like a nice, polite young man ter me. Maybe he was just nervous on the train and you misunderstood nerves fer rudeness."
"I don't think so Hagrid." Rose took a deep breath and reflected on all the encounters she had so far with Scorpius Malfoy.
Well, he had attempted to talk to her in the Great Hall. Maybe he was trying to make up for his behavior on the train. Until you acted like an absolute prat, Rose Weasley. And then she had been the one to shun him this afternoon. Rose bit her lip with regret, thinking that Hagrid could possibly be right.
She had let one incident shape her entire opinion of him, and that wasn't fair. Well, next time would be different, Rose decided. Everyone deserves second chances after all.
Rose smiled and look up at Hagrid, "Well, I'm no Hufflepuff but I promise, next time I meet Scorpius Malfoy I will be polite, friendly, and try to start over."
"Good, I'm glad. And promise me, there'll be no more o' this cryin' about bein' in Ravenclaw. Yeh be proud of who you are, Rose Weasley, and look forward ter makin' yer own legacy here at Hogwarts." Hagrid said earnestly with a kind smile.
Rose nodded, appreciation shimmering in her eyes still wet from old tears, "I promise. Thank you, Hagrid."
A half an hour later, Rose said good-bye to Hagrid, assuring him she'd visit again as soon as possible.