The common room
"Hello everyone! Let me first congratulate each one of you to be sorted into Gryffindor. I am Molly Weasley and this is Rohan Joshi." The prefect said, as she beamed at the first years.
"Ok then! Now all of you follow me…,"said the other prefect, taking over. "We are now heading towards your common room, it's on the seventh floor, so, we should hurry before one of you sleepy-heads collapses…"
The first years followed him out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Albus could not wait to finally see the place that he had so often heard of. He actually was willing to explore the entire castle but he was too sleepy. Molly and Rohan led them through numerous doorways, hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries.
Almost as if reading Albus's thoughts, Molly said, "You might get lost round here for a few days, some of you may forever…but don't worry, you can ask directions from to the portraits."
They all kept walking, wondering how much farther they had to go, until the prefects came to a sudden halt.
"This is the Gryffindor common room. To enter you would have to speak the password to the Fat Lady, and, if it is correct, you'd be let in, or else you'd have to wait for someone to come by who does know the right password. The password is changed from time to time, so make sure you are aware of the latest password. Well, now the password is 'budaguguty'…ok, we are here now, this is the Fat Lady." Then he turned around and spoke directly to Albus, "Potter, right?"
Albus nodded.
"Well then Potter, why don't you tell the password to the Fat Lady so that we can all go inside ?"
Albus nervously walked towards the Fat Lady and said "budaguguty," hoping that he had pronounced it right. The Fat Lady in the portrait smiled and gently swung open her portrait , much to Albus' relief.
The common room was just as Albus's parents had described. Warm. Inviting. There were squashy armchairs, tables and a bulletin board, which had various school notices and posters pinned to it. It was a large circular room with a window overlooking the school grounds. A large fireplace dominated one wall. The walls were decorated with tapestries of the house , colours – scarlet and gold, with portraits of witches and wizards, some that Albus thought could recognize. It had two doors, which Albus knew led to the dormitories.
Molly pointed towards one of the doors and said, "This leads to the boys' find your names pinned to the beds and everything you need on it. Your trunks have been bought in while you were enjoying the feast and so now you can all unpack and then go straight to bed. And this one of course…," now indicating towards the other door, "leads to the girls' dormitory. Same instructions to you too. And yes, all of you be ready by seven in the morning. The breakfast is at eight, but Professor Longbottom would be coming round around to hand out your timetables…um, that's all…sleep well"
"That's not all, Weasley," Joshi said. "You forgot not one but two things. One; girls are allowed in boys' dorm but boys are not allowed in the girls' dorm. And two; that armchair over there was usually used by Harry Potter, so you might want to grab that one!" He winked at Albus and almost ran off before the girls' prefect could give him a piece of her mind. Molly tried to judge Albus's expression for a moment, then muttered a good night and left.
Albus was pleased to see Scorpius's bed next to his. He observed that Scorpius was noticeably quiet and distracted. Oh, well! He would have been pretty much the same if he would have been sorted into Slytherin or something.
"Still gloomy about being sorted into Gryffindor, Scorpius?" Albus asked him, giving him a friendly smile.
No answer.
"You hate this house for some reason?" Albus tried again.
No answer.
"I would have owled by Dad, if I were you. He would surely have something to cheer me up."
No answer, but a question.
"You said that your whole family is in Gryffindor. What would your father say if you were sorted into Slytherin?"
"My Dad said that if I would have been sorted into Slytherin, the house would have gained an excellent student. Parents don't care Scorp, your house would never decide how much they love you. And speaking of my parents, I know for sure that they don't care a bit. Hello! I am Albus Severus Potter. Named after some Slytherin Headmaster whom my dad seem to admire."
"Well unlike your Dad, my Dad was sure that his son is going to be sorted into Slytherin. My family has always been in Slytherin. I am sure i have a great aunt in Ravenclaw who was disowned from the family. Not being in Slytherin is the matter of shame, and being sorted into Gryffindor is certainly a Crime! For me going to Hogwart's meant… You know. I can't just owl Dad, and tell I am in…he's so going to...this has to be a nightmare... I could tell mother though…she might... How did this just…I should _"
"Would you please complete your sentences?" Albus interrupted, "I can't understand what you are saying."
"I can't understand myself too." Scorpius sighed, "I better sleep now. Good night."
"Good Night Scorpius, everything would be just fine."