Chapter 2 - Sorting

Rose and Albus had found a empty compartment and were sitting down when the door opened and a blonde head peeked in, "All the compartments are full, can I sit here?" It was Scorpius.

Rose nodded, after looking at Albus, who was too pale with fear to care, "Sure. Hey, you're the Malfoy boy, right?"

Rose barely saw the wince he made, "Yeah, I'm Scorpius Malfoy. And you two are? I think you're a Weasely and a Potter, but I'm not sure."

Rose grinned, "I'm Rose Weasely, and Mr. Shaky over there is Albus Severus."

Albus broke out of his funk long enough to mutter, "Don't use my middle name.", before falling back into it.

Scorpius looked shocked as he took the seat opposite the cousins, "Severus? As in Severus Snape?"

Albus snapped out of it again and nodded, "Dad said that even though he was a Slytherin, he was a good guy and the bravest man he ever knew."

Slowly, Scorpius began to smile and the three began to talk excitedly throughout the train ride, about anything and everything. Such was the ease of three 11-year-olds making friends.

By the time they got to Hogwarts, the three friends were all in their robes, excited and also nervous to get sorted into their houses. Scorpius reasoned that he would probably be a Slytherin like all Malfoy's had been, Rose was debating between Ravenclaw or Gryffindor being her house, while Albus didn't have any clue, which scared him to death.

They exited the train together, and followed the shouts calling for first years coming from a large man, well half-giant. It was Hagrid, "'Ello, Rose, Albus. Who's your new friend", Hagrid squinted down at Scorpius, "He has the look of a Malfoy."

Scorpius chose to speak up here, "I am a Malfoy, Scorpius Malofy. Is it true my father was nearly killed by a hippogriff in your class? He always moans about it, but my mom tells me he's just being dramatic, that it was only really a scratch. My mom is usually right about things like that."

Hagrid gave a big, booming laugh, and grinned at Scorpius, "I like you, young Malfoy. Your mother is right on this one, he tried to 'ave the animal killed when he was the one who didn't listen to my instructions and disrespected the animal. But, you'll learn all about them third year. Now get into a bout, they're about to leave."

Hagrid was right, they were about to leave. The three scrambled into a empty boat and sat just as the magic jerked at the boats to take them across the lake. Soon they reached the shore and were ushered to the front doors of the Great Hall, where they met Neville, Professor Longbottom at school.

"Welcome to Hogwarts", greeted Neville, "Soon we will enter the Great Hall, where you all will be eating meals for the rest of your school careers, and will be sorted into one of the grand four houses. Each house has it's good history, as well as it's bad. Slytherin is famous for being the most, and only, evil house because Voldemort and most of his death eaters were sorted there, and that Gryffindor is the house of hero,s and only good comes from there. I am going to inform you that that is false. Slytherin produced some good wizards, Severus Snape, who spied on Voldemort for Dumbledore, and Slughorn, a potions master of good skill that recently retired. On the other hand, Gryffindor has produced their share of dark wizards, the man that betrayed Lily and James Potter, Harry Potter's parents, not his children, of course", at that he gave a smile to Albus, who smiled back at the family friend, "Peter Pettigrew, also known at Wormtail. He was a Gryffindor and the vilest one I've had the displeasure of knowing. " Neville smiled kindly out among the students, "Well, lets get going into the hall. The ceiling will amaze you once you get in there."

Neville wasn't kidding; the three had all heard stories of the amazing sight the sky on the ceiling was from their parents, but no words could describe the actual sight. Tonight it was clear, so you could see the pinpoints of millions of stars along with half of the moon across the inky black sky. At the front of the hall sat the famous Sorting Hat. As soon as all the first years enetered the Hall it burst into song.

The 4 Founders charmed me to do their bidding

To sort you into the houses you belong in

But, remember that we are one

Even with the separation

Gryffindor wished for those who were brave to the core

He liked to go on adventures

Helping destroy things for those in need

And wanted to teach those like him

Slytherin wished for those who were sly and cunning like he

Coming up with defense and attack options to protect the castle

He was the one who talked people into getting students to the school in the group

And wished to teach those with the same skills

Ravenclaw treasured intelligence in her students above everything else

Where sheer brain power was needed, you would find her

She created spells and potions to teach

And wished her students to be just as successful as she.

Hufflepuff taught all the rest

She was the one to care for the grieving and ill

And taught her students that kindness and hard work is the best qualities of all

She loved them all and never wished to discriminate.

Just because you have some of these qualities

Doesn't make you better or less than the rest

So put me on your head

and I will tell you where you belong

The hall burst out in cheers and the list of people to go up and get sorted began. Several students were called up to be sorted. 10 had sorted, 2 to Hufflepuff, 3 for Ravenclaw, 2 for Gryffindor, and three for Slytherin before on of their names was called. "Scorpius Malfoy", called out Neville.

Whispers broke put around the hall as he neared the stool for sorting, each step he took made him feel more nervous, hear more of the unkind words of the others. After seemingly forever, he reach the stool and sat on it, and the hat was placed on his head.

The hat spoke into his mind as soon as it was placed, "Hmm, another Malfoy. You don't seem like the others I've all sorted though, you aren't as self-centered, or as intent on blood purity. You even have some of the bravery of a Gryffindor, making friends with the Potter boy and Weasely girl after your father warned you they might not be kind to you. But, you still fit the qualities of a… SLYTHEIRN", the last word was shouted aloud and Scorpius could hear the cheers coming from the table and the polite clapping from the other as he stood on shaking legs and walked over to the table, sitting with the other recently sorted first years, who immediately introduced themselves to him eagerly, the girls probably having dreams of a perfect pureblood marriage with him already in their heads.

He simply gave them a polite smile before turning his attention back to the sorting, watching as Albus went to get sorted. Almost as soon as the hat touched his head it cried out, "Gryffindor!", and he watched as his new friend sat among his grinning family members who were all patting him on the back and saying that they knew he would be with them in Gryffindor, despite his fears to the contrary.

After a few more minutes of sorting others, it came to be Rose's turn. The hat touched her head and she heard it in her mind, like Scorpius had. "Ah, another Weasely. But you are also the daughter of Hermione Granger, who I almost put in Ravenclaw her first year. You follow after her more than your Weasely ancestors, though you do have a great deal of Gryffindor courage. However, your brains outweigh it, so it'll have to be.. RAVENCLAW!"

She heard the roar coming from the normally quiet Ravenclaws as she stood and made her way to their table, sitting next to a friendly looking girl who introduced herself as Alaine. They began discussing different books they had read to prepare for this year and almost instantly became friends.

It seemed to her that she, Albus, and her two new friends were going to have a wonderful 7 years at Hogwarts, and that made her hopeful.