Disclaimer: I DON'T own the universe of Harry Potter or the characters within it; Jo Rowling does. I only own my OCs and the plotline!

Author's Note: I'd love to thank you all for reviewing previously, and I hope you all love the re-write! Review and tell me your new thoughts! I know this is a short chapter but I'm hoping the re-write includes more letters as I noticed that's what you guys enjoyed the most! - El x

Letters to My Brown Eyed Beauty

Chapter Three

The entire train ride to Hogwarts was filled with utter silence. The compartment the two boys were in was awkward and unnatural, almost the same as their first ride to Hogwarts ever. The thickness of the silence could've been cut with a knife. Today reminded the boys of their sorting night when they were eleven.

The moment the Sorting Hat called out Albus' house, the entire Great Hall was in shock and nobody spoke nor moved.

"Fair enough," the Sorting Hat said to Albus, "I see what you mean but I am never wrong." Albus nervously fiddled with the ends of his robes, desperately begging for a re-sort. He looked over at his brother, James, who was sitting on the Gryffindor table. He wore this long-grin, almost as if he just expected his brother would join him in a moment. Albus swallowed, feeling as if he was about to disappoint his big brother. He hated disappointing James or his parents.

The conversation between the Sorting Hat and Albus was intense, and he could feel the sweat dripping down from his head. 'The Sorting Hat is never wrong,' he remembered his parents saying that. He knew deep down that they expected so much of him and for him to follow suit and join his brother at the Gryffindor table.

He was about to disappoint everybody, and he knew it.

It was in that moment that Albus accepted fate and let the Sorting Hat boom the news across the Great Hall.

"Slytherin!"

The entire room went dead-silent and James' smile slipped right off his lips. Albus was so scared he hardly moved an inch.

"Come on," The Sorting Hat said, "I promise they're not all that bad. You'll find your true friends. The best years at Hogwarts are ahead of you," he attempted to reassure the eleven-year-old who knew his life was over.

As five minutes passed, nobody had said a word at all. McGonagall realised her moment and cut in. "Congratulations, Mr Potter. Please join your new house," she said while jesting to the Slytherin table in an unsure manner. Shock was evident on everybody's face.

This is what Albus was terrified of when he stepped on that train this morning and now it's happened.

"I demand a re-sort," James began shouting, "It was a mistake! He's a Potter! He belongs with us," he growled, banging his fists on the table. "You better re-sort him, right now!" James was furious and he knew there must've been a mistake.

"Calm down, Mr Potter," McGonagall shouted sternly, "The Sorting Hat is never wrong," she said. "Now, Mr Potter," she turned back to Albus, "It's time to sit down."

Albus shakily stood up and began walking to the Slytherin table, feeling like the biggest disappointment. He began nervously fiddling with the sides of his robes once more. He took a seat next to the boy with platinum blonde hair whose head was faced down towards the table. Albus scratched at the back of his head, wondering if he should introduce himself. The commotion in the background felt like it was reaching deaf ears. Albus couldn't hear the fuss his brother was making anymore. He nervously stuck out his hand while swallowing, "I'm Albus."

The boy looked up and his grey-blue eyes had a curious glint in them. He cocked his head to the side while looking at Albus' hand curiously. He slowly reached out his hand, "I'm Scorpius Malfoy."

Albus smiled a small smile and upon seeing that Scorpius pulled his hand back fast. Albus shrugged, he knew it would take more than a smile to mend the bridge between Potters and Malfoys. The silence became almost deafening once more so Albus decided to fill it.

"Why weren't you as shocked as everybody else when the Sorting Hat called 'Slytherin'?"

Scorpius shrugged and he almost smiled.

The boys went back to eating quietly, one step in the right direction was enough for now.

The silence in the compartment was quiet like that night had been. Scorpius tended to become quiet when he was unhappy about things and over time Albus picked up on those things a little easier.

Albus felt he knew his best friend better than anyone did.

The first night in their dormitory on their sorting night was quiet because Scorpius felt unsure whether they could talk or be friends yet. Albus understood then and he still understands now. Some people need more time to open than others.

To interject the silence, Albus decided to ask the question that lingered in his mind. "Scorpius?" He asked, and Scorpius hardly looked up, "Hmm?"

"I was just wondering why we couldn't hang out this summer. Everything okay?"

Scorpius freezes and attempts to avoid Albus' eyes.

"Dad never explained why, he's just been off lately," he answered quietly as an attempt to put a lid on that conversation. Albus knew when his best friend was lying but he didn't push for more.

"If you had a better summer," Scorpius adds, frustratedly, "Why don't you spit it out, Potter."

He never called Albus by his last name unless he was upset.

"No," Albus frowned, "Boring without you."

The compartment continued being uncomfortable for the rest of the way to Hogwarts.

The walk to the doors of the school was done in an uncomfortable silence once more.

Scorpius was obviously very angry about something and Albus was at a lost as to what. The boys were attempting to look anywhere but at each other. Scorpius began absentmindedly kicking around a stone to avoid talking to his best friend.

Albus frowns and begins looking over at Scorpius. He felt at lost of what to do and felt like he was meeting Scorpius all over again.

'He's hiding something, and I need to get to the bottom of it,' Albus thinks to himself while nodding.

Albus pulls out an old letter from his brown eyed beauty and smiles to himself. He knew she wouldn't lie to him. She had a habit of emitting the truth at times, but she would never blatantly lie to him.

He looked at the first ever letter she wrote back to him. He never knew she'd write back, but he attached a return address for a reason. He was scared at the time to attach his own one, in case she would realise who he was. He wanted to be her friend because she liked him, and not because he was Harry Potter's second child.

Albus wanted a real friendship, and not one because of something completely out of his hands. He sneakily gave Teddy's and through all this time, Teddy has never mentioned it. He simply sends it over to their house and doesn't say anything. He was always understanding like that.

While looking over her messy handwriting, he realised that this is the letter that started it all.

His first real friend.

'Dear Green-Eyed Boy,

Thanks for sending over a new copy of that book to me. I really appreciate it. I hope it wasn't too much money. I have enclosed some in the letter to pay you back for your kindness. I borrowed it off my grandad. Just don't tell my mother, she would flip. The book is our little secret, mystery boy.

Have a wonderful school year.

I hope our paths cross again once more.

Kind regards, (is that what the adults write at the end of letters?)

'Brown Eyed Girl'

PS. Surely that's not going to stick, right?'