The second chapter is corrected thanks to allegratree ! Thank you a lot !

"Ackroyd, Uland ! "

The first student walked awkwardly to his fate. He screwed the Sorting Hat onto his head which remained silent for only a few seconds before yelling :

"Gryffindor ! "

The noisy students of the house began banging on the table with their fists and Albus thought he heard the voice of James above the rest.

"Annesley, Tobias ! "

A boy broke free from the line, trembling. He climbed on the stool and stuck the hat on his head.

"Ravenclaw ! "

Flushed, he fled from the platform toward his table that cheered him.

"Bishoptree, Seth ! "

The young wizard ran to the stool. Albus recognized the boy with whom they had shared the boat. He was as green as during the canoe trip. Maybe he was "earth sick" as well? Albus wondered if such a thing existed.

"Gryffindor! "

Seth seemed a little faint as he collapsed on a bench next to the other students in his house. Cheers came up through the ranks like a roar of thunder.
The excitement in the air was almost palpable. Albus felt as though his legs might collapse. He was afraid he would be sick. Rose clung at the sleeve of her cousin as though she was afraid of drowning.
Students marched on toward the stool. Some were confident but others were in the same state as Albus.

"Gascoigne, Fergus ! "

He crept up to the Sorting Hat. The hat did not take long to decide.

"Slytherin ! "

Fergus slid off the stool to reach his house. Albus felt uncomfortable watching the students dressed in green and silver. He did not want to be in Slytherin. It seemed that they all looked at him with unhealthy smiles. The serpent of the banner hanging over their table was staring at him with his black eyes.

"Liripine, Doraleen ! "

A tiny girl pushed her way into the line of students. She was barely bigger than Flitwick. Despite her size, she climbed on the stool with grace.

"Hufflepuff ! "

She seemed satisfied and hopped off to her table where the Hufflepuffs applauded.

"Lockton, Erin ! "

Unlike the previous girl, Erin was quite tall. She exceeded Albus by at least a head and she had dazzling blond hair. She donned the hat with apprehension.

"Ravenclaw ! "

Erin joined with her house with long strides, where all the students greeted her with ovation. She was soon joined by another girl, Moira Macmillan.
"Malfoy, Scorpius ! "

A deathly silence fell in the room.

"He's a Malfoy …"
"A Deatheaters!"
"I heard his whole family are Deatheaters …"

"Is that boy Draco Malfoy's son?"

"His grandfather is Lucius Malfoy! His whole family were supporters of Voldemort!"
"Why is he even here? He doesn't belong at Hogwarts!"
"Traitors!"
"SILENCE!" Mc Gonagall shouted from the center of the head table.

She seemed even more severe with her pepper-and-salt hair, dressed in emerald robes and a matching hat.
Albus noticed Scorpius looking at her gratefully before summoning his strength and approaching the stool. He thrust the hat over his blond hair and closed his eyes. His face was even more pale with fear.
The whole room was staring at the Malfoy. It was assumed he would be a Slytherin, like all the Malfoys. It was in the order of things, though some of the Slytherins did not even want him. They Malfoys were just outcasts !

"Well, well, Scorpius Malfoy ..." murmured the hat.

The magic hat took a lot of time to decide and it seemed to Albus that the two were talking the matter over quietly. Albus wondered what they were saying. Maybe the sorting hat really was taking Malfoy's opinion into consideration?

"Gryffindor ! "

There was a moment of daze. "What?" the hall seemed to whisper, "Impossible! Outrageous! The Sorting Hat must be mistaken!" The whole room remained silent for several moments. Then someone applauded. McGonagall was clapping her hands with a benevolent smile. Hagrid followed, then all the teachers did the same. Soon, the entire Great Hall cheered.
Scorpius's face was emotionless as though he was in shock. He sat with the other students who, despite their reservations, could not help smiling.
Albus felt relieved for him. He was glad Malfoy had escaped from Slytherin.
The list went on. Nowforth, Henry ... Hufflepuff ... Octavia, Octavie ... also to Hufflepuff ... Pandora, Robert ... Slytherin ... Albus froze.

"Potter, Albus ! "

And before he could make the slightest gesture, the whole room began to cheer.

"POTTER ! POTTER ! "

He wondered if James had received the same greeting. Albus was too overwhelmed to move and Rose pushed him forward. He turned to her but she waved hurried him on. In his anxiousness, he tripped on the steps and he was sure he had heard his brother's laugh. The hat covered his eyes, plunging him into the darkness and it seemed that the shouts and the excitement of the hall was far, far away from him.

"Potter, Potter, you always give me a hard time, you lot ... Must the whole family be so difficult? "

The sound of laughter from the Great Hall seemed muffled.

"Your father did not want to go to Slytherin. Your grandfather also. And your brother begged me not to send him there, " said a little voice in his head.

Even James had been afraid of being sorted in Slytherin? He'd been careful not to mention that detail to Albus all the time he'd been teasing him about it.

"I suppose you also want to go to Gryffindor? "

Albus, despite his fear and his desire to plead not beg for anything. He wanted to show that he was valiant. He would not implore. He would confront his fate.

"What, you ask nothing ? It's very brave of you. I think I am going to bet with McGonagall. I bet ten thousand Galleons that the next hundred generations of Potter will be in Gryffindor."

Albus shook the edges of the stool so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Well, I think I've done enough waiting. Gryffindor ! "

He took off the hat and rushed to his house's table. He had never heard a noise like that which greeted him. All the students were shouting, singing, celebrating the arrival of Albus. James and Godric moved aside to give him a place.

"Well, you see, little brother, it was not so complicated after all! Welcome aboard! "

He noticed Scorpius sitting across from him with a half-smile. His brother's best friend, Godric, ruffled his hair. He was too struck to answer them.
Albus noticed then that the line of first years had considerably narrowed. Only ten students remained, including Rose. She regretted her surname. Why did she have to be called Weasley? She was always last! Her blood pressure was at its height and she felt like screaming and running away. Her heart drummed in her chest so hard that she thought he was going to explode. Albus launched her an encouraging look which gave her a little strength and above all, hope.
Redgcombe, Hope was sent to Gryffindor. Sullivan, Donald still trembling, rushed to Ravenclaw and Totthill, Edgar to Hufflepuff. Versmisse, Kathleen and finally Waldegrave, Bartholomeus were both sent to Slytherin.
Rose knew she would be the last. She trembled like a leaf.

"Weasley, Rose ! "

It was her turn.
She walked as if she was going to die. They could very well be playing a funeral march behind her; it would have been perfect for the mood. She grabbed that hat and placed it on her head with a deliberate slowness, seeking to delay the consequence. At the second when the Sorting Hat was placed on her chestnut hair, it bellowed :

"ANOTHER WEASLEY? Every year I am entitled to a new one! This family will eventually fill the halls of Hogwarts ... "

Rose closed her eyes and reddened with shame as the whole room laughed.

"So, my little lady, what do I see there ? "

The Sorting Hat mumbled to itself for what seemed like a lifetime and Rose felt herself in the mood to run a hundred meters.

"Really, no surprise with this family. All the same. Maybe next year will be different ? I am sure the next Weasley will surprise us ... I hope so, in fact. Gryffindor!"

Rose leapt from the seat at the speed of light before the hat changed his mind and rushed to Albus.

"We're in! We're in! " she yelled over the applause of all the others.

Her cousin could only smile at her. He understood nothing about what she had said because of the noise. James cheered loudly, louder than any other.
McGonagall stood up and the stirring stopped instantly.

"Welcome to Hogwarts ! But I must warn you, it's probably one of the last nights you'll have this much fun. We need to work hard throughout this school year ! "

All the students laughed. Still, McGonagall was serious but she said no more and sat down with the same warm eyes.
Albus was hungry. All these emotions given him an appetite. Plates and dishes before him were filled with food and he did not hesitate, filling his plate with a quantity of roast worthy of a troll. His brother took the twice as much as Albus's meal and devoured everything that passed under his nose. Godric laughed loudly and James spoke with his mouth full of potatoes.

"Well," squeaked a student from across the table, "I have a view down to the bottom of your stomach, Potter. "

Albus looked up from his plate. In front of his glutton brother, a witch was eyeing him with disdain. Her heavy brown hair had red highlights in the golden light of the Great Hall and they fell in cascades over her shoulders. Her dark blue eyes were piercing.

"I missed you too, Kwiat and would you please mind you own buisness ? " James replied with a mocking air.

Albus could not believe it. He was in front of a celebrity ! So it was she, the famous Euphrasia Kwiat ? His brother had gotten on his nerves all summer about this girl ! Kwiat here ... Kwiat there ... At last, he was seeing her in person!

"Actually, being forced to eat my dinner in front of a pig IS my business!"

Scorpius, who was next to her, shivered. A dark aura began to bog down the air around Euphrasia. She literally glared at him with a deadly look.

"Oooooh ! Attention James, she'll blast you ! " Godric laughed, nudging his friend's ribs playfully.

The witch arched an eyebrow contemptuously.

"I don't think I was speaking to you, Longbottom. And, look out! Your father is watching you."

She smiled. Godric turned to his father who, from the professor's table, was gesturing to him to mind himself. He dived into his plate, red with shame.
As the dishes paraded, Albus noticed that James opened his mouth more and more as he chewed. Kwiat pretended to ignore him but her pursed lips betrayed her, which further encouraged James to continue taunting her.
Nearly-Headless Nick were walking on the Gryffindor table, crushing all the food, cooling it off considerably. He pulled his head off everytime a first year asked him what was meant by "nearly-headless" which made them yelp with fright. Indeed, it was enough to take your appetite away.
Rose talked with Hope Redgcombe, who was still trembling with emotion.

"I really thought I would faint My father had not talked about it ... " she whispered, fidgeting her short blond hair.

Rose nodded vigorously.

"I can not wait for the Quidditch season to start ! I really want to pound Slytherin into the grass!" James boasted, bulging his chest.

Indeed, he and Godric were Chasers. The Finnigan twins, Renold and Arnold, were playing at the Beaters position. Kwiat was the Keeper. As for the Seeker, it was Heath Thomas who held the post. The son of Dean Thomas and Lavender Brown was excellent.

"Seriously, I feel that this year will be good for Gryffindor! Tremble before us, Slytherin! "

And he went into a gargantuan bout of laughter.
Albus checked if his brother had not changed his drink to alcohol. Without warning, James began to sing the Hogwarts Anthem. Soon, the whole school followed him. Everything was cacophonous. All students ended at different times and Godric was the last to finish in the general applause.

"Thank you for your wonderful interpretation, Mr. Longbottom, but now everyone go to bed !" McGonagall ordered, clapping her hands.

All remnants of the carnage which had been the banquet disappeared in an instant.

"Let's go, Gryffindors, follow me ! "shouted the Gryffindor House prefect.

Thomas Heath imitated her voice, exaggerating at least four octaves. James, Godric and the twins giggled. The witch turned.

"Heath, just because you're my brother that does not mean I can't punish you! What would you say about a little stay with Filch ? I am sure he will look after you. "

The Gryffindor Seeker paled with terror.

"That's better! Hurry up, Gryffindors!"

While they followed the prefect, Albus kept turning around, watching with apprehension for Peeves. He had no desire to meet the poltergeist who James claimed was even more of a bully than himself. They climbed the stairs and after a few turns, arrived opposite the portrait of the Fat Lady. Luckily, the joking ghost had not shown his dreadful head.

"Password ? "asked the portrait who swooned in her pink dress.

The leader cleared her throat.

"Fried Pullus."

The woman made a bow while the panel rotated. The students rushed into the dark portal and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room. The colors of the house, red and gold, were everywhere. A fire crackled in the hearth of the fireplace. Bulky, plush chairs filled the room.
A huge picture hung on the wall. Harry Potter in his Quidditch clothes held the Golden Snitch in his hand with a shining smile. Albus approached and read :
"Harry Potter
The greatest Seeker who ever played in Gryffindor. Known for his courage and strength and for his kindness and benevolence."

Rose hopped up to her cousin.

"Good night, I'm really tired. See you tomorrow !"

And she climbed the spiral staircase leading to the girls' dormitory. Albus stifled a yawn. He would do well to imitate Rose's example, as he didn't think he could stand much longer. He discovered his trunk lying on his bed. He quickly changed clothes and went to bed. He noticed that Scorpius was already lying in the bed next to him. Only a tuft of blond hair was protruding from blankets. He was pretty sure he also heard James snored in the second dormitory.
Albus smiled and then, fell asleep.
He would need his rest as the serious business would begin in the morning, after all.