Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter

Nénuphar

Prologue: Ice cream is a boy's best friend

It was a beautiful day, summer was coming to an end and the weather was surprisingly agreeable, the sun shone but eventual clouds and a light wind made it bearable. Lily has always loved going around Diagon Alley, all the different people and the variety of shops would make each visit exciting for the littlest Potter who was always discovering new things at the place. That day she was expecting to find a shop dedicated to fairies, she became obsessed with the tiny creatures when she heard James - her oldest brother – talk about how he had seen one at Hogwarts.

The Potter-Weasley clan was accustomed to Lily's obsessions, every few months she would be enchanted by something new. When an interest in muggle things emerged in an eight years old Lily , her grandpa Arthur was so excited that she stayed at The Burrow for about two weeks straight going around his muggle artifacts and the pair would visit different muggle locations to discover its secrets.

But that day she wouldn't find a fairy specialized shop, but rather something she wasn't really expecting.

The Potters were wandering around Diagon Alley and going from shop to shop to find everything for a new school year in Hogwarts. Despite the excitement that being in Diagon with her family brought to Lily, she was a little bit sad that Albus was also going to Hogwarts that year and she would be alone at home. Lily dreamt of Hogwarts ever since she was three, and the previous year, she saw James board in the train at Platform 9¾. When he came home for Christmas and then over the summer, Lily made him tell her everything he'd done and everything he'd seen; he even had to run away from her a little.

'Two more years and I'll also leave for Hogwarts.' She kept thinking that over and over to remind herself that soon her time would come. When all the materials were bought, James begged to go to the Quality Quidditch Supplies as he would be able to try out for the Gryffindor quidditch team that year, Albus was equally excited because he loved quidditch even more than his brother. Lily loved flying, she would feel free and on edge every time she hoped on a broom, even though her parents forbade her of flying too high.

When Ginny and Harry finally gave in to the boys wishes, the four lovers of the sport rummaged through the shop looking for supplies and checking the newest brooms, though they probably wouldn't buy them. Lily was growing bored and wanted to explore outside, see if she could find a new store full of hidden treasures, so she decided to try and convince her mother of letting her at least go get an ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, his niece took care of the establishment since the end of the Second Wizarding War.

"Mom, I know you're all overly excited to see more quidditch supplies as the ones we already have don't seem to be enough, but can I please go get an ice cream? I'll be very quick, and I promise not to get caught up by anything actually interesting." Ginny rolled her eyes at the sarcasm and eyed her daughter suspiciously after.

"I'll let you go to Florean's, but don't you dare wander around, talk to strangers or touch things you don't know." Lilly nodded with a fake serious expression trying to contain her enthusiasm. "Here's some money. And be back fast." Lily went out quickly before her mother could change her mind; many people knew Lilly and she waved and smiled to many shop owners and passers-by. Lily walked happily, doing little jumps, and flashing a bright smile that missed one of the front teeth.

In a nearby alley, a boy tried to hide himself from everyone, he sat in a tiny bench placed in a rather dark blind alley – most likely planned to host lovers trying to sneak away from the crowd. He could still see the horde of people come and go with their happy faces, parents and children blithely shopping for a new year in Hogwarts. He just wanted to get out of there, he hated the stares and the whispers, but his father had insisted on bringing him for shopping, he wanted a boding time with his son and also wanted to provide a normal experience to his only child, although it was more traumatic than anything.

When his father encountered an old friend, Scorpius found the perfect opportunity to hide for at least a moment. Telling his father he wanted to explore a little bit more of Diagon Alley, Scorpius went straight to the place he already knew he could be hidden. Often his mother would drag him to shop in Diagon Alley and he would wait for hours as she tried numerous dresses at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He liked spending time with his mother, but shopping was boring and, again, he hated the stares and the whispers, so sometimes he'd leave his mother with all her fittings and would just sit at that same bench reading a book.

Unfortunately, Scorpius didn't have a book that day as his father insisted on caring all the bags with his materials, therefore he was observing the busy street. He liked watching people and trying to figure out what they were like and, when he got the chance to actually meet them, he enjoyed comparing his observations with the person's personality.

Scorpius was an introvert, he didn't talk to many people and most of the children he knew was because of his father's friends, yet he wasn't close to any of them. Apart from his family inner circle of friends and acquaintances, the Malfoys weren't seen with good eyes since the end of the Second Wizarding War. Though Scorpius understood the apprehension other witches would get from the simple mention of a name related to Death Eaters, he wished that they could see beyond that; after all, he wasn't even born at the time and his father did make many efforts to show his regrets.

But he couldn't change how people thought, so he would just push them away and enjoy his peaceful solitude.

And then he saw a little girl with vivid red hair trotting down the street, a big smile plastered on her face and she greeted everyone that passed by. He envied her for a moment, she looked so carefree and happy like nothing could ever bring her down. Her curious eyes looked everywhere as if they were looking for something hidden, something no one else would ever figure out. He wandered about who she was, obviously she was popular around there, but he didn't recognize her, and he didn't recall any ginger man or woman from his father's gatherings. Her family was probably an old enemy of the Malfoys, most likely fought on a different side and still held grudges.

When she left his field of vision, Scorpius looked down at his lap wondering what would have been like to be born in a different family, one that wasn't labelled as evil.

After getting two ice creams – she would give one to her mother as a thank you – Lily started walking back to her family, only slower this time, she was still obstinate to find something new and extraordinary that day. She savoured her walnut ice cream as it cooled her from the hot breeze. Suddenly she noticed an opening behind an old truck of flowers that was now empty and abandoned; she realized that an alley emerged from the opening: a hidden secret, exactly what she was looking for.

Lily was even more surprised to find a boy sitting alone at a bench in the alley, he was around her age, perhaps a little older, and he looked sad. Lily gave him a big smile and he just stared ate her in shock – he wasn't used to meet new people, definitely not smiling weird girls.

"Hello, I'm Lily. What are you doing here alone?" She talked very fast and excitedly as if everything amazed her and she didn't have any time to lose.

"I'm Scorpius and I'm hiding from all the people who decided to shop today."

"But why would you hide from people? Don't you love meeting new people? Are you shy?"

"People usually aren't very excited to meet me. I'm not shy exactly, but I'd rather be alone than be with people who don't really like me. I guess it will be hard to hide in Hogwarts." Lily started feeling sad for the boy, it was probably awful to be alone, without real friends. Lily had a huge family, and everyone was close, they would spend a lot of time together.

"You're going to Hogwarts this year?" Lily was back to her overly excited self just by the mention of Hogwarts. Scorpius just nodded sadly. She suddenly sat by his side, startling the boy who hardly ever had someone sitting so close to him. "My family speaks so much of Hogwarts; they all say it's amazing and full of things to do and explore. They also say it's a great place to make friends." When he didn't answer, Lily stretched out her arm which held the extra ice cream. "It's my mother's favourite flavour, apricot. I think it tastes funny, but you can have it if you want; or you can have what's left of mine. It's walnut."

"Apricot is also my mother's favourite ice cream. I like it too." He took the ice cream from her with a shy smile contrasting with her wide one. "Thanks."

"I wish it were that easy for me." He finally replied. "Hogwarts and friends, I mean. At least the library there is huge, I'll have plenty of books to read in my free time."

"My brother Albus will also enter this year. He's super nice, maybe you could be friends. You can talk to him, he's friendly when he wants to be. And my other brother is going to his second year, James, a Gryffindor. He likes pranks, but I'm sure he would be your friend." Scorpius got a little bit happy seeing the effort the little girl was putting in cheering him up. He wasn't sure if he would make any friend, but it was nice to have someone to care about him.

"I'll try to be more optimistic about it. When are you joining Hogwarts?"

"In two years. I've been waiting for it since I was three. I think I'm one of the most thrilled children when it comes to Hogwarts. My cousin Hugo and I always debate about which house we'll be sorted in. Is there a house you like better?"

"I guess I'd like Ravenclaw, but I already know I'll be sorted in Slytherin just like my whole family. I think it fits me as well." Scorpius was a little less woeful about school, he only wished she would also start that year, then maybe he'd finally have a true friend.

"By that logic I'll probably be a Gryffindor. But I'd like to be different from my family. I just know that Ravenclaw is not for me."

"Even if you are sorted in Gryffindor, you could be different from your family if you want. It all depends on the choices you make."

"I'll say the same thing to you. If you want to make friends, maybe you should take the first step. Anyway, I'll be your friend in two years, if by then you are not full of friends and ignoring the first years." Scorpius and Lily started laughing and for a moment he forgot who he was, he forgot that as soon as she found out who he was, she'd probably run for the hills.

And he was soon reminded of all that when somebody interrupted them.

"Lily." A guy said firmly, staring at them in awe and apprehension ate the same time. "What are you doing here? Where are your parents?"

"Hello, Teddy. I was just talking to a friend. This is Scorpius." She rose and pointed to her new friend. "Scorpius, this is my brother Teddy. He's just graduated Hogwarts, but he loved it. He even met his girlfriend there. She has two more years. Teddy says he'll ask her to marry him when she leaves Hogwarts." Scorpius could see Teddy blush a bit when Lily mentioned his girlfriend.

"We have to go, Lily. Your parents will worry." She nodded and turned to Scorpius. "Good luck at Hogwarts. I'm sure you'll have a great time." Then she waved at him and followed Teddy out of the tiny alley. Scorpius gave a little wave back. He'd have to wait for two years, but maybe he would have a friend.

Scorpius did not have a great time at Hogwarts. He was sorted in Slytherin. What a surprise. But he also found out who Lily was, and then he was sure she would never be his friend. Lily Potter. He knew there'd be only one Albus at the Sorting Ceremony, it was a weird name, thus he paid attention. Maybe Lily was right and Albus would want to be his friend. His hopes crashed when they called him. Albus Severus Potter. A Potter just wouldn't befriend a Malfoy. And it was also no surprise when he walked proudly towards the Gryffindor table.

Scorpius' hopes were destroyed even more when her older brother, James Sirius Potter, made his life goal to irritate the Malfoy. James, his cousin Fred, and his friend Conrad would seize every opportunity to rile Scorpius up. He was controlled, but there were times when he'd snap. Needless to say, the relation between Malfoy and the Potters only went from bad to worse.

Scorpius was stuck with his fake Slytherin friends who would only talk to him because of his family influence. And he had nothing to look forward to, as Lily would certainly side with the rest of her family.

Author's note: Hope you enjoyed this first chapter, it's only an introduction to the main characters. We'll see Lily arriving in Hogwarts in the next chapter and things will get more exciting. English is not my mother language, so I'll excuse in advance for any mistakes, and if you see them feel free to warn me. I hope you follow this story, there'll be mystery, friendships, challenges and, of course, romance.