A/N: A belated Christmas present to you all. :)

Year One, Seven

After McGonigal gave out Start of Term Notices (a few of which included no magic in the hallways, no fighting, the Forbidden Forest is, get this, forbidden), they were finally released to their dormitories. Scorpius was pleasantly full and feeling quit tired, and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for a year. It had been a long day.

"Ravenclaw first years!" he heard someone call. "Ravenclaw first years, follow me, please!" He saw a tall, black haired girl wearing robes trimmed in Ravenclaw blue waving her arms around. Scorpius rose and made his way over just in time for her to turn and start leading them. He fought to keep her in sight through all of the other students trying to get out of the Great Hall.

Hogwarts was a maze of dark corridors, moving staircases, and secret passages. Scorpius did his best to pay attention to where the girl was leading them, but soon he just gave up entirely. It was far too confusing. He'd figure it out tomorrow.

Ahead of him, he spotted Albus Potter and his two friends and shook his head, remembering the Sorting. The results had been just as shocking to him as they'd been to everyone else, excepting his own, of course. Knowing full well that Slytherin had not been an option, he'd actually been hoping for Ravenclaw. He would have died if he'd been Sorted to Huffelpuff, and his father, despite what he said, would probably have had a heart attack if his son had been put into Gryffindor.

Potter, however, had been another matter entirely. Harry Potter's son not a Gryffindor? That was practically blasphemous in some places, and yet there he was, walking in two students ahead of Scorpius, on his way to Ravenclaw Tower. Life was funny sometimes. And what was even funnier was that he didn't seem upset about it. He was just walking along, having a grand old time with his cousin and his friend like he hadn't just caused the biggest upset in Sorting history. Scorpius shook his head again.

Potter's companions weren't as much of a surprise, Scorpius supposed. Yes, all Weasleys were Gryffindors, and had been since they started attending Hogwarts, however long ago that might have been, but the girl's mother was Hermione Granger-Weasley, the most brilliant magical researcher out there. He should have guessed that her daughter would be just as intelligent. The Lovegood boy was more confusing than shocking. From what Scorpius had observed, the boy seemed like a complete airhead, but he had to admit that some of the most idiotic people he knew were also some of the brightest. Sometimes it just worked that way.

By then they had reached the entrance to the dormitories and Scorpius focused again. He might not have been able to get there by himself, but damnit, he would know the password to get in when he got there. The girl who led them turned and smiled encouragingly.

"Welcome to Ravenclaw," she said, and Scorpius fought back the urge to roll his eyes. The welcome speech couldn't wait until they'd been given the password and were inside? Although, he thought, to whom do we give it? The entrance to Ravenclaw Tower seemed to be a large expanse of old wood with an eagle for a knocker.

The girl continued. "My name is Jenn. To gain entrance to the Common Room and dormitories, you must answer a question."

"What if you get it wrong?" asked a small, mousy girl to his right.

"If you answer incorrectly, you must wait for someone else to come along and get it right. That way you learn." Jenn looked so pleased that you'd think she'd come up with the idea herself. "And there is a new question every day."

"How do you know what the question is?" Scorpius heard Potter ask.

"You knock," Jenn answered. To demonstrate, she turned and knocked once. The eagle's beak opened and a soft, musical voice said, "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolf's bane?"

"There is no difference," Scorpius answered automatically. "They're the same plant." Everyone turned to look at him, and he flushed.

"Right you are," the voice said, and the door swung open.

"See?" Jenn said. "It's that simple. Everyone file in, and good job with that question," she added as Scorpius passed her.

"Thanks," he mumbled, although he was pleased with himself.

The Ravenclaw Common Room was wide and circular with gracefully arching windows. The walls were hung with blue and bronze silks, and the carpet was midnight blue and patterned with stars. The ceiling was domed and painted the same as the carpet, stars and all, and there were chairs and tables and bookcases all around the room. There was also a white marble statue of someone who could only have been Rowena Ravenclaw opposite the door and next to another one. All in all, Scorpius found it an entirely pleasant place. He could see himself being comfortable here.

"The dormitories are though that door and up the stairs," Jenn said, pointing to the door next to Ravenclaw's statue. "Boys, go left when you reach the first landing; girls, go right. Your things are already up there, and while I acknowledge you'll need to get settled, keep in mind that breakfast starts at six tomorrow, and classes start at seven. Schedules will be given out at breakfast, so make sure you're there." With that she made her way across the Common Room and through the door. The group of first years stood there looking at each other for a moment, and then they began wandering forward.

Up the stairs and to the left. Then up some more stairs. The first door Scorpius saw was labeled FIRST YEARS. He pushed it open and saw five beds arranged around a hearth-like heater that took up the center of the room. A door to his right most likely led to the bathrooms. Two other boys he didn't know were already there, putting up posters, setting books around, generally getting comfortable.

Scorpius looked around for his trunk and spotted it at the foot of a bed by a window. He went over and started unpacking.

One of the boys looked over. "Hi. I'm Damien Winters." He was short, with short brown hair and glasses, clutching a stack of books.

Scorpius nodded semi-curtly. "Scorpius Malfoy."

The other boy glanced over from hanging a Quidditch poster on the wall. "Jackson Green."

They went back to their individual activities, and the door opened again, revealing Albus Potter and Apollo Lovegood.

"Wotcher, everyone," Potter said.

They all looked at him and he grinned. Scorpius looked away and went back to his things.

"Damien Winters," he heard Winters say.

"And Jackson Green!"

"Albus Potter and Apollo Lovegood. Good to meet you."

"You as well."

Scorpius realized that there were two beds, one on either side of his own, and so, no matter what, Potter would be next to him. He didn't know how he felt about that.

As it happened, Potter ended up on his left. As he walked by, he said, "Scorpius," in greeting.

Caught off guard, Scorpius replied "Albus," without thinking.

Potter grinned. "Fancy us both in Ravenclaw, eh?"

Scorpius nodded. "Who would have thought it?" He wasn't sure what his father would say about him talking to Harry Potter's son, but considering they were in the same House, it would be easiest not to make an enemy of the boy. After all, his father had never forbidden him from talking to Potter, and he'd want whatever would make Scorpius' stay at Hogwarts pleasant, right? Having an enemy in your own House seemed like a bad idea to him.

"Do you two know each other?" Winters asked, surprised.

Before Scorpius could reply, Potter said, "We met on the train."

"Ah."

It was quiet as the boys finished unpacking and settling in.

"Night, all," Green said when they were through, shutting off the light.

Scorpius laid in bed for a while, listening to his companions' breathing slowly even out to the sounds of sleep. Try as he might, though, and as tired as he was, sleep still evaded him. Finally, he got out of bed and crept down the stairs to the Common Room. He sat down and one of the tables and began to write.

"Dear Father,

Well, I'm not in Slytherin…".