Scorpius Malfoy Goes To Hogwarts
Year One:
Chapter Two
A Flurry of Owls
The next morning was Friday and the four first year Gryffindor boys made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They got there fairly quickly as they were able to follow a group of Ravenclaws from the fourth floor on down but it wasn't an experience they wanted to repeat since they kept glancing back at Scorpius and making rude comments. Scorpius did his best to ignore them, but he knew he would have to just get used to it because it wasn't likely to end for a while.
Once seated at the Gryffindor table they piled their plates with enough food to feed an army, or just four growing boys, and looked at their class schedules which Professor Longbottom had passed out to them. "What do we have today?" Blake asked through a mouthful of rashers before he swallowed and looked apologetic.
"It's… Double Potions with… oh, hell, the Slytherins," Albus said as he looked at their schedule and then glanced at Scorpius apologetically.
Scorpius stiffened. "Well, I suppose it's better to get it over with as soon as possible," he said and he gave a sigh.
"But we have got the afternoon off, Sam, there's that to look forward to," Halim said as he glanced at his schedule.
"If I don't get killed by a flying cauldron first that is," Scorpius said a little sardonically.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Professor Goldwyn will prevent such a catastrophe from happening," Blake said and he grinned at Scorpius. "And even if she doesn't I'm sure this place has got magic enough to fix the dent in your head," he said and they all started laughing, even Scorpius.
After breakfast the boys made their way down to the dungeons and the Potions classroom. The door was open; the classroom lit by torches in brackets on the wall, and it was empty. But based on the quantity of footsteps echoing down the corridor behind them, it didn't appear that it would be for very long. The boys took seats together at one table and waited, talking about what they'd heard about Professor Amara Goldwyn at breakfast.
They had heard that she had gone to Beauxbatons Academy in France, that she had traveled America visiting the various magical institutions scattered across the country, and that she had returned and settled in Scotland and applied for the position as Potions Master when Professor Slughorn retired about ten years after the Battle of Hogwarts.
No one was actually sure whether any of what was said about Professor Goldwyn was true, only that she knew how to speak French, but had no accent, that she occasionally said, "Y'all," with an American South feel behind it and that she was really rather pretty. For a Professor, that was.
A few minutes after the Gryffindor boys had sat down, the girls walked in together. Rose was in the lead and settled at the front of the classroom. Amelia joined her, so did Breana and Connie, all of them completely ignored the boys, not that the boys really cared very much.
Soon the Slytherins made their way into the classroom. Lester Warrington glared at Scorpius; Scorpius looked bored as he looked back. Vincent Goyle cracked his knuckles and Garridan Harper sat down immediately not looking at anyone. Then Alexis Zabini sashayed into the classroom. There was no other word for the way she walked and Gillian Harper, fraternal twin of Garridan, was clearly both awed and jealous. Eldora Connor walked in last, alone, and sat by herself ignored by the other Slytherins.
Scorpius had a feeling that he knew why. Connor wasn't a pureblood surname. It wasn't that she was ugly or disfigured, or even literally unclean; she was just… not one of them.
It wasn't often that Muggleborns ended up in Slytherin House, but Eldora Connor was indeed as Muggleborn as it got. Her father was a postman, her mother ran a library and her older brother was in sixth year, a Ravenclaw named Peregrin Connor, usually called Perry. Their mother had a fondness for J. R. R. Tolkien.
Scorpius watched Eldora Connor for a moment, mostly out of curiosity, and then she looked up at him with narrowed eyes like that of a hawk. He quickly looked away.
A moment later Professor Goldwyn entered the room from the corridor walking briskly. "Good morning class," she said calmly and she arrived at the front of the classroom at her desk with a leather briefcase in hand.
"Good morning, Professor," the Gryffindors replied nearly as one.
Professor Goldwyn looked up as she pulled a roll of parchment from the briefcase. Scorpius noticed that Professor Goldwyn pulled her dark hair into a very tight plait but tendrils escaped around her face, softening the angles of it and the dark of her eyes as well. She looked very, very familiar, but he could not place why at all.
Goldwyn began to take roll. She did not hesitate on any name as she said it aloud, not even Scorpius's which he found a little odd, but then before she said, "Zabini, Alexis," she paused for a moment and it almost looked as if she were trying to compose herself. Then calmly she said the Slytherin girl's name and Alexis Zabini looked hard at Professor Goldwyn almost as if she too recognized her as Scorpius did and then the moment passed Zabini looked away and Goldwyn began to speak about Potions as a subject.
"There are many, many different types of potions that do just as many things, when they are properly made, but any or all of them can be dangerous if attention is not paid while they are being brewed," Goldwyn said in a calm and measured voice as she sort of rested against the edge of her desk and looked at them all. "It is my request that you do not fool around in my classroom, that you pay attention to my instructions, and that you remember that I did not attend Hogwarts when I was your age. I have no direct loyalties to any House, and all of you will be treated as equals depending entirely on your behavior and your performance. If you do well, you will be rewarded, if you do poorly due to inattention or your own… distractions, you will be punished. I will take points, I will give detention, depending on the offense," she said in a cool and measured voice as she looked around at them all. "No one is exempt," she said and glanced at the Slytherins and then the Gryffindors.
Scorpius exchanged a look with Blake, Albus and Halim. She seemed perfectly serious and he did not want to be the one to upset her and the others seemed to agree.
Professor Goldwyn seemed to have given them a moment to let her speech sink in and then she said, "Take notes," and launched into her lecture for the day. She talked at an even and measured pace but it didn't seem dull or boring, simply clear and succinct and that she was trying to ensure that no one missed anything.
Scorpius took copious amounts of notes, his desire to prove himself a good student and a good wizard showing itself as his hand flew over the parchment copying every word that Professor Goldwyn said. It seemed to go on forever, but then she finished and started them in the actual business of Potion making as she pointed her wand at the blackboard and the instructions for their potion were written there in a moment.
The class seemed to scramble a little in the change of objectives and Scorpius found himself being roughly pushed aside by Rose on his way to the ingredients lockers in the storeroom.
"Miss Weasley, you do not need to run or shove, you have more than enough time to complete the potion before class ends," Professor Goldwyn's voice called over the scrum. "A point will be taken from Gryffindor, be sure that it does not happen again," she said.
Scorpius was faced with Rose's steely glare as she collected her ingredients and returned to her table. "Great, she shoves me and blames me because the teacher has eyes like a hawk," Scorpius muttered under his breath to his friends.
"She's just being… well, I'll tell you some other time the stories I heard from my Mum and Dad about her parents. She's got the combination of their personalities, which… isn't exactly a good thing," Albus said in a low voice as he got his ingredients and then turned and knocked into Eldora Connor. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?" he asked quickly.
Eldora Connor simply looked at him in an irritable way and didn't say anything as she moved around him to get her supplies.
Albus frowned, confused, and rejoined his friends who had paused during his collision with Eldora Connor. "What's her issue?" he asked and only Scorpius heard.
"I think she's Muggleborn," Scorpius said quietly.
Albus's brow winged up. "Muggleborns get sent to Slytherin?" he asked sounding surprised.
"Yeah. It's rare but it happens," Scorpius replied. "Most of them hide it as long as possible," he murmured as he started the burner underneath his cauldron.
Blake snorted. "That is the dumbest thing I've heard in weeks. Doesn't that hat know that they're gonna get slaughtered?" he muttered.
Scorpius's brow went up a little. "Maybe, maybe not, but it's got nothing to do with blood, what the hat does, it's your personality and what's in your head," he said calmly as he took down the recipe for their potion in his notes and then began.
"It seems like an antiquated ritual to me," Halim said calmly having heard the majority of the conversation.
"They couldn't think of another way to Sort after the Battle of Hogwarts," Albus said quietly. "My Dad told me," he said when they looked at him skeptically.
"All these witches and wizards and they couldn't think of something better than an old Hat?" Blake asked.
"The Hat was Godric Gryffindor's," Albus said shiftily. "He created it more than a thousand years ago," he said quietly.
"Mr. Potter, please pay attention to your cauldron rather than your conversation," Professor Goldwyn said calmly from the front of the classroom.
Albus jumped slightly, nearly knocking over his cauldron, and then said, "Sorry Professor."
The four Gryffindors fell silent after that and began to make the potion they had been assigned. Scorpius had an idea while brewing his potion and he raised his hand. Professor Goldwyn walked over. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.
"Er… are we allowed to… add anything different, other than what is up on the board, I mean?" Scorpius said quickly in a low voice.
Professor Goldwyn eyed him calmly. "Do you think something else is needed, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.
"No. Not needed, necessarily, but the pomegranate seeds add bitterness to the potion, and I thought to counter it I could add some… well, some sugar," Scorpius said calmly and became perfectly aware that most of the class had heard him.
Professor Goldwyn eyed Scorpius for a moment. "Are you going to have these inventive fancies for all the potions, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.
Scorpius shrugged. "I don't know, Professor," he replied aware that she could probably take points if she wanted and there was nothing he could do. He was surprised however when she gave a small smile.
"The sugar would counter the bitterness in the potion, Mr. Malfoy given that you have made it properly. Five points to Gryffindor for being inventive. Add your sugar," Professor Goldwyn said and she walked away.
Scorpius started to grin a little bit as he got to his feet. Blake was gawping at him. Albus looked merely amused. Halim nodded. "Cool," Halim said and he turned back to his potion. Scorpius found a jar of plain old sugar in the store cupboard and he returned to his station with three teaspoons of it, one for each pomegranate seed, and as he looked up at the class he saw Rose glaring at him, again. He rolled his eyes and went back to his station, added the sugar and stirred it in before letting it simmer.
When they had finished they were instructed to scoop some of their potion into a flask, label it with their name, and bring it to Professor Goldwyn's desk. Scorpius's potion was a ruby red color that the instructions had described would be the end result and he was proud of himself. Halim's potion was a watery pink-red. Albus's was just… well, red, no ruby red, in fact it was a bit dull looking. Blake's potion was brown. He had no idea why. And when Scorpius reached the front of the class he saw Rose's potion was the closest in color to his.
"Perfect score, Mr. Malfoy, and an extra point for your inventive idea," Professor Goldwyn said as he handed her his potion.
"Thanks Professor, but it could have been a bust," Scorpius said with a sheepish look.
"Don't stifle your creativity, Mr. Malfoy," Goldwyn said sternly and then waved him off and took Rose's potion from her. "Ten points Miss Weasley," she said and marked it down.
Scorpius headed back to his station to clean up and rinse his cauldron thoroughly in the water that poured from the gargoyles mouth at the sink basin. Then he returned to his desk. "How'd you do?" he asked his friends as he stowed his notes in his bag.
"I got a nine of ten," Albus said with a shrug. "No big deal," he said putting his things away.
"I got a seven," Halim said and he smiled as he put his potions book into his bag.
"I got a five," Blake said irritably.
"Don't worry about it, it was the first one, you'll get better," Albus said with a smile and a clap on Blake's shoulder.
"I did just what the board said," Blake said annoyed. "And how'd you know that thing with the sugar?" he asked of Scorpius, more interested than hacked off.
Scorpius shrugged. "I… well, there are some potions sugar will make useless, like Wolfsbane Potion, there are some that it will change completely, and then there are some like the one we did where it'll help in a way that potion makers don't think about, taste," Scorpius said calmly.
"Neat," Halim said and he smiled.
"Homework, to be turned in next class, a foot long essay on the pomegranate and its use in Potion Making," Professor Goldwyn said loudly just before the bell signaling the end of class rang.
Scorpius smiled a little as Blake groaned. "Homework, come on," Blake said and he sounded annoyed.
"We've got all weekend to work on it," Scorpius said with a smile as they headed out of the classroom and up the corridor toward the entrance hall. Suddenly he was knocked sideways into the stone wall where his elbow smashed violently and he heard a sickening crack and barely bit back a cry of pain.
He looked up through bleary eyes to find Warrington was grinning maliciously from ahead of them, where he had turned around to wave and then laugh hysterically with Goyle and Harper.
"Watch where you're going next time, numbskull!" Blake shouted up the corridor angrily.
"Warrington did it on purpose," Albus said scowling in the general direction the Slytherin had gone.
"'Course he did," Scorpius said a little thickly, cradling his arm. "Buggering idiot," he muttered his arm throbbed and he felt like his eyes wanted to roll up into his skull.
Halim looked at his arm. "Mate, I think you need the hospital wing," he said sympathetically.
"What?" Blake said looking back at Scorpius. "I know that git shoved you hard, but did he break your arm?" he asked.
"Maybe. I don't know, but I think Halim is right," Scorpius said and he winced when Albus gently pushed against a bump near his elbow. "Bloody hell, Al, don't poke it," he said a little angrily.
"Sorry," Albus said sheepishly. "But yeah, that's not supposed to happen, mate. Let's get you to hospital," he said and the group who had been slowly moving toward the entrance hall headed up the stairs into the enormous sunlit chamber that could probably have held a large house.
They were crossing the entrance hall when Blake suddenly said, "Where is the hospital wing?"
Albus frowned. Scorpius shook his head. Halim shrugged.
"Boys, is there a particular reason you're standing in the middle of the entrance hall?" the familiar voice of Bernard Griswold said from the marble staircase.
"Could you tell us where the hospital wing is?" Halim asked calmly.
Griswold frowned. "Why? Are you hurt?" he asked calmly.
"Someone knocked me into a wall on our way up from Potions," Scorpius said feeling ill and a little weak-kneed. Scorpius could tell that Griswold didn't believe that he was that brittle of bone, but he led them up to the hospital wing.
Griswold stopped Scorpius before he could walk into the hospital wing. "If someone is bullying you, don't try and hide it or think it'll go away if you ignore it," he said a little grimly and then he let the boys walk into Madam Pomfrey's domain.
Madam Pomfrey asked once how Scorpius had been injured, didn't seem to buy it, but didn't ask any more questions. In about a minute, with a wave of her wand the pain in Scorpius's arm had disappeared but she put a brace of sorts on it beneath his robes. "It'll be more susceptible to injury for the next few hours, so be careful with it Mr. Malfoy," Pomfrey said and then waved them out of the hospital wing.
"I'd like to cream that git," Blake said irritably as they headed back to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Yeah, well, if you try he'll probably cream you, or get some other Slytherin to do it," Scorpius said calmly. "It's not like I wasn't expecting this. Don't worry about it, Blake," he said as they took seats at the Gryffindor table. He could just see Warrington miming something to some of the older Slytherins, including Thaddeus Macnair, who were grinning their approval and amusement.
"It's just… annoying," Blake muttered as he stabbed a kipper.
"There were a lot of things my Dad wasn't fond of when he was here, but the good generally was better than the bad, Blake. I'm sure things will cool off in time," Albus said with a shrug and then he started in on his lunch along with Halim.
"Yeah, I know. I just… wish they'd stop looking at Sam like he was… rubbish. He's not. He's a person just like you or me," Blake muttered and then looked at Scorpius apologetically.
Scorpius smiled wryly. "Well, they don't want to think that or it'd make it harder for them to look at me as rubbish. Blake, really, I'm fine. My arm is healed, I'm fine," he said calmly and then felt eyes staring at him and glanced along the table. Rose was glaring at him again. He smiled but he knew the expression was obviously sarcastic. Rose turned away to scowl and say something to Connie. "What did I do now?" he muttered and rolled his eyes when Rose continued to glower at him.
Albus looked. "Ignore her. She's just ticked you got a better grade in Potions today," Albus said and shrugged a bit a little grateful for the change in subject.
"Your cousin is mental, you know that don't you?" Blake said and he smiled in Rose's direction and waved.
Albus laughed as Rose turned away with a huff. "Who knows, maybe you'll best her at everything and amuse me to no end," Albus said grinning.
Scorpius shrugged. "I just… had an idea. It wasn't a big deal. I might be rubbish at everything else," he said and gave a sigh.
"Come on Sam. You won't be rubbish at everything else. You know what? Let's get out of here, go outside and get some fresh air?" Albus said with a bit of a grin.
"You know, that sounds like a really good idea," Scorpius said and Halim and Blake nodded their agreement to the scheme.
The four boys got up and walked out of the Great Hall, crossed the entrance hall and went out the oak front doors and onto the grounds. The sun was shining, although it was occasionally parsed by puffy white clouds, the grass was green and fresh smelling. It was just a good day to enjoy the air and the boys grinned at one another and wandered, exploring. They walked by Hagrid's Hut but there was a sign on the door that said he was with his brother Grawp until that evening; Albus had wanted to introduce everyone, but he could always do it next Friday when he had tea with the groundskeeper. They meandered over to the Quidditch pitch and Scorpius, Albus and Halim took turns explaining Quidditch to Blake who thought it sounded mad.
"Wait until you see a match! It's not like anything else," Scorpius said with a grin as they stood at the edge of the pitch, a few people were in the stands, a couple on brooms in the air seeming to be practicing to try out.
"Broomsticks, real actual flying broomsticks," Blake said and he watched the flying ones zoom across the pitch. "I thought that letter was mad, saying no first years were allowed broomsticks, this is ruddy marvelous!" he said grinning as he watched a girl who seemed to be practicing some maneuver on her own.
"We'll get flying lessons next week or so," Albus said amused by Blake's excitement.
"You going to tell him your Dad was the youngest seeker for any of the House teams in about a century when he was here?" Scorpius said smirking.
"Looks like I didn't have to," Albus said grinning.
"Your Dad was a what?" Blake asked, looking at Albus.
"He was a Seeker. He went after the little gold ball called the Snitch we were talking about that won the game, more often than not that is," Albus said with a sort of embarrassed smile.
"And he won more often than he lost," Scorpius said with a slight smile.
Albus shrugged. "He was a natural. I'm rubbish on a broom," he said.
"I doubt that," Scorpius said.
"Well, I think James and Lily got the talent on a broomstick. I'm too awkward for much of anything," Albus said matter-of-factly.
Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Al. Both your parents are great Quidditch players, your Mum was a professional," he said blandly.
"I'm kind of surprised you think so," Albus said quietly.
Scorpius's brow rose. "My Mum told me about your Dad and the games he played. The underhanded tactics my father resorted to out of jealousy. Ruddy hell, Al, my father dressed up like a bloody Dementor to try to scare your Dad out of the air. My father wasn't even that great a player in the first place," Scorpius said with a bit of annoyance.
"I have an idea," Blake said.
"Oh?" Halim asked.
"Let's stop assuming Sam likes his Dad… or rather shares his opinions. If he did, I don't think he'd be talking to us, do you?" Blake said calmly as he glanced at Albus.
Albus shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry Sam. I didn't mean… I just… It's hard for me to put myself in your shoes," he said quietly.
Scorpius smiled a bit. "It's not all bad. I just… don't much like the whole, I must be a Slytherin, I must hate Muggleborns, I must be a royal git thing that my father and grandfather have sort of… suggested, repeatedly, to me," he said with a sarcastic smirk.
"What about your grandmother?" Albus asked quietly.
Scorpius frowned a little. "She's… much less straightforward than my father and grandfather. I don't know whether she really actually cares what House I end up in at Hogwarts, or who I end up being so long as I don't make the huge mistakes my grandfather did, putting my father at risk," Scorpius said quietly. "I know she loves me, though, her and my Mum. My father… is Draco Malfoy," he muttered a little annoyed again.
"He can't still be as bad as the things my Uncle Ron said happened when they were kids," Albus said in a rather hopeful, pleading way.
Scorpius shrugged. "Sometimes he probably is, sometimes… not. I mean, he married my Mum. She was a Ravenclaw; her older sister was in Slytherin, but that's beside the point. She loves him. I'm usually sure that he loves her. But there's just this… way he looks at me sometimes, as if he wishes I were different," Scorpius said quietly.
"All right, already. I think we have explored the depths of Malfoy inequity as much as we need to right now, no offense Sam," Blake said with a bit of a frown.
"None taken. I don't really need to rehash my father with you lot. I think I know about as much as I need to about him," Scorpius said and they watched the people on broomsticks for a minute or two more and then as if by mutual understanding started exploring the grounds again.
They walked along the border of the Forbidden Forest, looking in as if they would see the unicorns, centaurs and acromantulas that were known to roam within the trees. Blake looked tempted to go exploring but Scorpius and Albus stopped him telling him that unless he could turn into an Animagus that he would likely get his arse in a sling and none of them knew any magic that could get him out of it.
Blake grinned. "Another time then," he said.
Scorpius snorted. Albus grinned a bit. "Maybe," Scorpius said and they wandered away from the dark of the trees again, moving near the lake and the large beech tree that stood a little way away from the edge of the lake.
Blake sat down beneath the tree. Albus looked at him, amused. "What? I want to sit down, sheesh," Blake said and pushed his bag off his shoulder.
Albus, Scorpius and Halim sat down beneath the beech tree looking out at the lake they had crossed the night before and the white tomb that marked Albus Dumbledore's grave. "I never thought I'd end up at Hogwarts. It seemed to take forever for me to turn eleven," Albus said with a bit of a sigh.
Scorpius smiled a little. "You know, before I got my letter I looked forward to coming, and then I got it, and remembered all the complications about being here," Scorpius said calmly. "But now that I'm here, I don't care about any of it. Warrington can shove me into walls everyday, I don't care," he said and he looked at Albus, Blake and Halim.
Albus grinned a bit. "I know the feeling," he said.
Blake hit him. Halim laughed and got hit too. "So, Sam, you going to help us with that Potions essay?" Blake asked, grinning.
Scorpius started laughing. "May as well, you'll just copy anyway," he said and he got hit by Blake pretending to be wounded.
Albus, Halim, Scorpius and Blake dissolved into highly amused laughter and then they got up and headed back into the school to go to Gryffindor Tower in a better mood than they had been since the Ravenclaws had muttered rude comments at Scorpius that morning.
They sat on the floor near the fire playing Exploding Snap. Blake nearly got his eyebrows singed off completely when he lost. Blake managed to steal a discarded issue of that morning's Daily Prophet and he read that while Halim read their Transfiguration text. Albus challenged Scorpius to a game of wizard's chess.
None of them noticed or cared about the stares of half the older students who didn't think it was right that Harry Potter's kid and Draco Malfoy's kid were friends.
The next morning at breakfast the boys were chatting amicably about what they wanted to do that weekend, other than Goldwyn's essay. Blake still wanted an excursion into the Forest, but he declined mentioning it because Albus and Scorpius were right about the lack of magical knowledge they had. Halim was about to suggest a sort of wizard's chess tournament between the four of them; Albus and Scorpius had come to a stalemate the night before, but there was a sudden flurry of Owls in front of Scorpius and Albus.
In the end when they'd got their breakfast mashed under owl feet and talons Scorpius realized that he had a letter from his mother and one from his grandmother. Albus realized he'd been written a joint letter by his parents, a letter by Uncle Ron and a completely different one by Aunt Hermione. Albus looked at Rose who turned pink, a letter in her hand as well, and he glowered at her. Albus's brother James walked over looking highly amused, "What's going on Al?" he asked.
"Rose is a nosy brat, that's what," Albus said irritably.
James laughed. "She's a girl, of course she's nosy. What do Mum and Dad have to say?" he asked.
Albus shrugged. He glanced at Scorpius who was staring at the envelopes in front of him with a rather horrified look. He frowned. "How'd your family find out?" he asked.
"I'm not sure I want to know," Scorpius said quietly.
"At least it's not a Howler," Halim said firmly.
"True," Scorpius said.
"I'll read mine, and then you read yours and we can figure out what's going on, yes?" Albus said and was amused when Scorpius shrugged and James leaned over his shoulder while he read his letter.
Dear Al,
Dad and I have had a rather, interesting, visit from your Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione based solely it seems on a letter from Rose. Don't go harassing your cousin, Al. According to Rose, Draco Malfoy's son has been made a Gryffindor and you are, "getting on grandly." Apparently there was considerable sarcasm in Rose's letter and Ron seems to think someone has hexed you, or Rose, or both. I love my brother, but he's always been paranoid and annoying.
If it is true and Scorpius Malfoy has come to Gryffindor, and you and he are friends, then I'm proud of you for looking past your Dad's history with his father. You are a good boy, and you have good judgment. If you think this boy is worth being friends with, then as far as I am concerned that is the end of that. I love you sweetheart. And your father wants to say something.
Al-
Congratulations on getting into Gryffindor, both you and the young Malfoy. I find myself reminded of my godfather, Sirius, I've told you about him before, that he came from a "Slytherin" family and went to Gryffindor; that he was your grandfather's closest friend, and a number of other stories. All I will say about your being friends with him is that as he's ended up in Gryffindor, he's not his father. And I'm proud of you. Never forget that and ignore your Uncle Ron. Do not blame Rose for this… bombardment. I think she's more annoyed that Scorpius bested her in Potions than your being friends with him. Good luck in classes, don't forget about tea with Hagrid next Friday. I love you.
Always, Our Love,
Your Mum & Dad
Albus laughed a little as he read the letter. Then he opened the one from Aunt Hermione.
Dear Al,
Rose has written to your Uncle and I saying that you have become friends with Draco Malfoy's son and that that same boy was Sorted into Gryffindor House. I want to tell you to ignore your Uncle. He has a long memory and a bad temper, which I feel that Rose has inherited. I was never fond of Draco Malfoy. You have heard Ron and your Dad teasing me about slapping him in third year. It did happen. But I am not going to hold Draco Malfoy's sins against his son, and I'm glad you aren't either. Don't let Ron convince you otherwise.
Congratulations on making Gryffindor! See you at Christmas, for sure.
With Love,
Aunt Hermione
Albus smiled a little. He remembered the story about his Aunt slapping Draco Malfoy. He sighed a little and opened the letter from Uncle Ron.
Al,
What are you thinking making friends with a Malfoy? And taking his side over Rose's! I don't know how you can. No Malfoy is worth your time. Get rid of him before he stabs you in the back.
Sincerely,
Uncle Ron
Albus looked at his Uncle's short but to the point letter and frowned. "My Uncle is a git," Albus said and he sighed and looked at Scorpius passing Blake and Halim the letters to peruse as they wished. "What's the verdict?" Albus asked.
Scorpius had watched Albus read the letters from his family and then call his uncle a git. He sighed quietly and opened the letter from his mother first.
Dear Scorpius,
Your father and I have heard about the Sorting Hat putting you in Gryffindor. I am not sure what his true feelings on the matter are my dear, but I know if he were angry he would have written himself. As it is, he asked me to write. Perhaps he thought I would know better what to say.
As far as I'm concerned, I would have been proud of you even if you'd ended up a Hufflepuff, and although I am partial to my old House, Ravenclaw, I feel that you're probably safer outside Slytherin. I am so proud of you. I am sure your father is too, but he is as steeped in tradition as his father was before him. He'll get over the shock and be fine, and if he isn't, I'll hex him. I love you darling. And I've never had anything against Harry Potter or his family, so your friendship with his son Albus doesn't upset me.
Always & Forever,
Your Mother
Scorpius sighed a little in relief. His father wasn't intending to come and drag him from the school and send him to Durmstrang and he was grateful. His mother did know his father better than he did, and if she said he wasn't angry then he wasn't. But he looked with some trepidation at the letter from his grandmother and then he opened it.
Dear Scorpius,
Your Grandfather and I have heard from your father about your appointment to Gryffindor House. Your grandfather Lucius is furious, but he seems to forget that our family does not hold the standing it did when Draco went to Hogwarts. I, personally, would rather you in any House other than Slytherin at this time, for your safety if nothing else. Lucius will come around; it will simply take some time. Don't worry.
I have known for some time that you have found life as a Malfoy less than pleasant, that you knew going to Hogwarts how you would be treated by both sides of the Dark Lord's war and yet you went, and did not run. If that is not the bravery that those Gryffindor's claim to love, I know not what bravery is. It is long past time that our family moved in a different direction, a different path through the woods, so to speak.
My time, your grandfather's time, even your father's time, is gone. It is your time now. Make what you can of it, so long as you are happy, Scorpius, I don't care what Lucius or Draco think. And I know your mother will support you regardless of House loyalties. I stopped caring about such trivial things the day of the Battle when I told the Dark Lord that Harry Potter was dead when he was not.
How that boy survived, I do not know, it was never explained, I don't rightly care. But since being a Gryffindor will bring you in contact with his children, I will say this; Harry Potter was an impertinent teenager, but he became someone the Wizarding community adores. He has likely raised his children right if only because of the scrutiny he has been afforded since he was a child.
I would rather you friends with his boys than the Goyle's or the Warrington's. I love you. Always.
Grandmother
Narcissa
Scorpius had expected his grandfather's anger, but he knew little of his grandmother's mind other than the bits and snippets she had told him about the War, the Dark Lord and Harry Potter and his father. And she had always sounded so distant, as if she hadn't been there, and what she said coincided with what the history books he read about the Battle of Hogwarts and Voldemort's defeat.
"Sam, what's the verdict?" Blake asked as he looked at Scorpius's rather impassive face.
"My Mum is cool. My father… wants to stand by tradition, but she thinks he isn't exactly angry. My Grandfather is furious though, and my Grandmother doesn't give a hoot what House I'm in, in fact she never wanted me in Slytherin to begin with," Scorpius said with some surprise.
"What about Al?" Halim asked.
"My Mum never had anything against him. My Grandmother would rather Al than Goyle or Warrington," Scorpius said and he turned and looked at Albus, he smiled.
Albus grinned. "Maybe things aren't as bad as you thought, Sam," Albus said.
Scorpius smiled a little. "I have only heard my father's opinion second hand," he said quietly. "But I don't care what he thinks. What about your family, Al?" he asked.
"Mum and Dad and Aunt Hermione do not care that we're friends. In fact, they've all pretty much said they're proud of me for looking past our family history. My Uncle Ron, though, he's another matter entirely. Seems to think you'll stab me in the back," Albus said and he rolled his eyes. "Mum says he's always been paranoid, so I don't care much about what he thinks," he said with a grin.
Blake grinned and then turned it into a sappy smile. "Alright, we're all set to take over the world now, we've a Potter and a Malfoy, they shall prevail," Blake said dramatically. Halim smirked a bit and hit Blake on the back of the head.
"Git," Albus and Scorpius said as one then started laughing. Halim and Blake shortly joined in and James Potter who had heard pretty much everything, ruffled his brother's hair and walked away to rejoin his own friends. Albus, Scorpius, Blake and Halim left breakfast grinning and headed back to Gryffindor Tower. The crisis was over; everything was well with the world, at least as far as the four of them cared.
Rose Weasley watched them leave and glowered as they went annoyed that her letter to her parents had done nothing to change anything. She was absolutely convinced that Scorpius Malfoy would ruin her cousin Albus.