Flashforward I:
Every September for practically every year of his life that he could remember, Scorpius Malfoy sat on his sister's trolley and waved her off forlornly as she left for adventures to Hogwarts. Finally it was his turn to start his own story. There was just one thing nagging at him. "Mum," he whispered as his father carried his sister's trunk towards the train and she chartered to him about how the Quidditch team was shaping up for another win this year. "How is it decided which house you're in?" It was a well-guarded secret; not in any textbook and never muttered by any alumni. His mother tapped a finger to her nose, but then she seemed to notice something was wrong, a crease forming on her forehead.
"Why do you ask Scor? Nervous?"
He nodded, his cheeks flushing ashamedly. Sera had gone off to school with an excited beam on her face, confidently not turning back once she'd boarded the train. In some ways, he wanted to just stay home at the manor in the safety of his mother's skirts, where he couldn't be a disappointment to anyone. He didn't want to offend her, but he had to ask. "Sera said I'd never make a Slytherin. Wh-what if I'm in Gryffindor?" He immediately felt guilty, and ridiculous. "I know you loved it, and there's no way I would be- no-one's ever used the word 'brave' to describe me..."
Instead of being hurt, she hugged him tightly. "Oh honey..." She exhaled. "You are a kind, clever, brave, resourceful soul. Whatever house you're in will be lucky to have you."
"But if I am in Gryffindor?" He pressed.
She glanced over at the man sharing the same platinum blond locks as both his children. "I'll send you my old scarf." He scoffed, but it did make him feel a little better, and with a rumple of his hair she sent him off.
His father waved him over and then lifted up his trunk onto the Express. "Listen Scor," he touched his own hair nervously, an emotion Scorpius was sure he'd never seen decorating that face before. "I-uh," a man in uniform called for everyone to get aboard, so his father lent down quickly and hugged him. Scorpius didn't respond, shocked to stillness. "These are the best years of your life. Make them good, alright?" He nodded, and his father gave him a small smile before he climbed up.
"See you soon Dad!" He called out impulsively as the doors closed, stumbling sideways as the train began to slowly chug away, but it was his father rather than the speed that made him jolt. And his own reaction too. He'd never called him 'dad'. He pressed his face up against the door window, straining until they turned a bend and he had to give up. He felt refreshed though, reinvigorated. Pulling his trunk along, as well as the cage containing the owl he'd recently purchased on a trip to Diagon Alley, he'd been so excited to have one of his own, just like his big sister had gotten six years ago. After a little trek involving some awkward peering into windows he was finally greeted by some peering back at him, grins cracking across their faces as they called out "Scorp!" He smiled back easily as well, sliding back the door as he relaxed into the place saved for him by his best friend Albus, across from the Weasley cousins Roxanne, Louis and Sienna, who was technically a Zabini but they all still referred to her and her siblings as members of the Weasley clan. Albus had looked momentarily anxious before he'd arrived, but now he was all easy smiles and jokes, as if Scorpius' presence had completed him. The two of them had always been like that, cringe-worthy as some people might call it, soulmates. Albus may have had a Slytherin mother, but unlike in the Malfoy family, here the Gryffindor gene was clearly dominant. Both his older siblings James and Lily had been sorted into the house of lions. That would be a sure benefit of being in Gryffindor. They could have all sorts of wild hijinks together just like their parents had done- but it would never happen. More likely he would be in Hufflepuff all alone and shame both his parents. "What about you Scorp?"
He turned to Roxanne wide-eyed, utterly lost. "What?"
She turned to smile knowingly at Sienna so that her cornrows hit her face with such whiplash. "What house are you hoping for?" She repeated.
Before he could answer that surely he needed to know who he was. How could he be sorted without knowing that himself? Looking to Albus for guidance, his friend looked back in a similar way, as if he wished he could help him, but he was asking the same questions about himself. "I don't- I'm not sure."
Hogwarts was as grand and beautiful as he'd always imagined, even more so in fact. From the bewitched ceiling to the interested ghosts, there were things to marvel at even for a boy who'd grown up in a magical household. The First Years assembled at the front of the hall for the others to ogle at, Albus giving Professor Longbottom a nervous wave and his godfather waved back at them. The headmistress welcomed them all but Scorpius was so busy worrying about how he'd be sorted he didn't pay the speech any heed- until she was presented with a tattered old hat. He and Albus exchanged an unimpressed look without speaking, but they both leapt back when the hat launched into a song about attributes and values that left him even more confused than before. Names were called out in alphabetical order with a swirl of cheering and then it was his turn. Tentatively, he sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on his head. "You're a confused one aren't you." Amen, he nearly told the hat. "You thought you knew where you wanted to be. You thought you knew where you should be. No longer." This was not proving helpful so far. "But I can see capability for greatness in many places. Hmm..." the hat considered silently for a minute as Albus looked out at the tables. There were the Slytherins on one end: his sister at the other, along with most of the Weasley clan, save Dominique at Ravenclaw.
McGonagall whispered something to Professor Longbottom. Louis bit his lip. Roxanne and Sienna frowned. Albus gave him a thumbs up. "Gryffindor!" He felt like he'd been thrown backwards. He hadn't been seriously considering wearing red and gold ever since he'd off-handedly dismissed it. It was so... not him. The hall was silent for a moment and he remained seated uncertainly, thinking that maybe the hat would apologise for mispronouncing Hufflepuff, but it said nothing more to him. McGonagall took the hat off his head, probably gesturing to the Gryffindor because a patter of claps developed into full blown cheering. Stumbling again in a world that felt topsy-turvy, Scorpius somehow found his way to the table and was consequently yanked down by the sixth year James Potter, who slapped him on the back in a congratulatory manner for being sorted into "the only house that really matters". The worries about his father were back in full force. He'd just started calling him 'Dad'. Now he was going to get disowned. But it would be fine. He would have Al.
"Slytherin!" What? He felt light headed. This was just a nightmare.
Weasley, Louis was sorted into Hufflepuff.
What was the muggle lullaby his mum used to sing him to sleep with? Rock a bye baby on the tree top. When the wind blows the cradle will rock. If the bough breaks the cradle will fall. That's where it stopped for him. Incomplete. No-one was going to catch him. There was Roxanne and Sienna, but they would be together-they were already sat at a different table, chattering excitedly, only occasionally sending him friendly but distant glances as if they'd forgotten he was there. He looked across the tables separating them to his best friend, knowing that things couldn't possibly ever be the same.
AN: Hope you enjoyed that little (slightly lighter but nonetheless angsty) peek into the future. We'll be finding out what happened with Draco and Lucius next time and there's going to be some consequences unfortuntely.
