James and Lily Potter. His brilliant green eyes devoured their portrait, and he smiled. Grandma and Grandpa—the ones he'd never met. Finally, they flicked upwards to meet Scorpius' gaze.
"Of course I'd have her eyes," he said. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"
Scorpius shut his eyes. "Wait, what?"
"It would make sense, because I'm her grandson," Albus said slowly, as though Scorpius was simply thick-headed. "Wouldn't it?"
"Her grandson?" choked Scorpius. "You're Harry Potter's son?"
"Yes…" Albus's palms began to sweat. His new friend's questioning was confusing—admittedly, his father had been the savior of the wizarding world, but he had hoped that, after nineteen years, his father's fame had ebbed the tiniest bit. Apparently, it hadn't.
"My father…your father…they hated each other," whispered Scorpius. "They absolutely despised one another." He closed his eyes again, apparently deep in thought. Albus tried to process this information. Quite honestly, it seemed unlikely. His father seemed the least likely person to hate anyone, much less a man like Scorpius's father.
But suddenly, something dawned on the young Potter boy.
"You're Scorpius Malfoy."
"That's right," repeated Scorpius uneasily. "My father's Draco Malfoy, my mother's Astoria Greengrass. She was a few years below our dads, when they were at Hogwarts. She was in her fourth year during the Battle. But…"
"Our fathers hated each other," repeated Albus slowly. "They hated each other. But then they didn't. Remember? Did your father ever tell you about the fire?"
"The fire? The fire when…Harry Potter saved his life?" Scorpius smiled. "So they didn't hate each other. Not in the end, anyways."
"So it doesn't matter, really, does it? Even though your father was a Slytherin and mine a Gryffindor, and even though they were both so very different, it's okay, because they liked one another, really." Albus smiled, pleased. Things had turned out well after all. Crisis had been averted. He had thought for a moment that he'd lose his new friend because of a past generation's unfortunate divisions…but he hadn't. Offering his last stick of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum to Scorpius and pouring a stream of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans into his open mouth, Albus thought that this was probably what having a best friend was like.
As it grew darker outside and their pile of candy became substantially smaller, a tiny, redheaded girl peered into the compartment.
"Rose!" exclaimed Albus. "It's you!"
His cousin smiled back at him. "Hullo. I just wanted to ask if any of you had seen Fae Longbottom's rat. Black, sleek, with a long pink tail? His names' Skitters, he's quite jumpy, so if you see him, be careful…oh, and we're approaching Hogwarts, I think it's best if you change into your robes before it's too late…"
She gave a final wave before leaving the compartment and continuing down the hall in search of Fae Longbottom's rat.
When Albus turned to face Scorpius, he was surprised to see an intensely pained look on his friend's face. He looked half-mad, half-bemused. Just as Albus prepared to ask him what was the matter, he snapped out of his funk, and, blushing furiously, began to unpack his trunk in search of his robes.
Deciding there was no reason to push it, Albus copied him.
When the Hogwarts Express pulled to a screeching stop in the Hogsmeade Station, both Albus and Scorpius were dressed in their school robes. Lugging their trunks and bags onto the platform, the two young wizards joined a growing group of what appeared to be first years, who were circled around a large, bearded man.
"Hagrid!" breathed Albus. Grabbing Scorpius's hand and dragging him forward, Albus greeted his family's friend with relief. Apart from Rose and Scorpius, he thought that he would probably be shunned by a great number of Hogwarts students; a fear that was as ridiculous as it was baseless. Nevertheless, Albus was relieved to see another friendly face.
"Albus Severus!" grinned Hagrid, reaching down to shake the boy's hand. "And…" He glared down apprehensively at Albus's friend, seeming to take in the characteristics of the Malfoy family and not liking them.
"This is Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy. He's my friend…I met him on the train," said Albus, grinning widely. "We've decided that our fathers probably didn't hate each other all that much if they decided to save each others' lives." Scorpius nodded behind Albus.
Hagrid smiled tentatively, then looked up to address the fully assembled group of first years.
"Firs' years, this way to the castle!" cried Hagrid in a booming voice. He turned around and lumbered towards a dock that hosted at least a dozen rowboats.
"We're expected to row those to the castle?" asked Scorpius under his breath. "Merlin's beard…"
When they clambered aboard the boats, Hagrid instructed them to sit still and stay quiet. "There's no need to rock the boat, yeh'll only get wet. Sometimes the Giant Squid has come up teh play…never a pleasant sight, though I'm well-prepared." He patted a pink umbrella, attached to his work belt, rather fondly.
Suddenly, the boats moved forwards, gliding through the dark, silent water.
"Yeh'll be able to see the castle in a mo'," declared Hagrid from the first boat. "Coming up on yer left…"
Suddenly, the boats burst from the narrow neck of lake on which they had been traveling. The first years' eyes all simultaneously flicked upwards, towards the glowing lights of Hogwarts castle. Whispers of excitement erupted among the new students. This would be their home for most of the next seven years. And it was beautiful.
When they reached the castle doors, they were greeted by an aging man accompanied by a cat with matted, dark fur.
"Filch," acknowledged Hagrid.
"Hagrid," grunted Filch. He led the dripping group towards the front hall, where another old man, clad in silver and green robes, stood waiting by a set od large, wooden double doors.
"Hello," he called cheerily to the first years. "And welcome to Hogwarts."
He smiled. "My name is Professor Slughorn, and I am Deputy Headmaster and Potions professor. It is my most fervent suggestion that you prepare yourselves for presentation before the rest of the school; make yourselves presentable, or at the very least, satisfactory…for you will be undergoing a test that will judge your House for the next seven years. I'll leave the rest to the Sorting Hat," he added, and with that, he swung open the doors.
They revealed an expansive hall. Thousands of candles floated in the air above the group, illuminating the large room bedecked with colorful, glittering hangings. The ceiling, Albus noticed with pleasure, was pitch black, adorned with brilliant, twinkling stars that winked and glowed every time he moved.
"Bloody brilliant," murmured Scorpius absently.
Below the beautiful ceiling stood four long, wooden tables, above which hung different-colored drapes. Students sat on benches on either side of these tables, staring expectantly at the group of first years, in the front of which stood Albus and Scorpius, each looking extremely bemused.
Towards the back of the room was a large window, in front of which was placed another long table. Older witches and wizards sat there, presiding over the Great Hall with an air of superiority. Albus supposed that they were Hogwarts' professors and caretakers, and he grinned, watching Hagrid take his enormous place next to a tiny wizard he only assumed was Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor. He next searched the table for Professor Longbottom, who'd replaced his father's Professor Sprout as Herbology instructor after she had retired seventeen years ago.
A tall, thin woman sporting a pointy hat moved towards a podium decorated with golden wings in front of the professors' table.
"Minerva McGonagall!" exclaimed Albus quietly to Scorpius. "Headmistress of Hogwarts! She was on one of my Chocolate Frog cards."
"Hello, first years, and welcome to Hogwarts! I hope I find you well and dry. However, I must restrict my speech to these few words, for I have a larger message to deliver: Let the Sorting begin!"