Chapter 3

It was dark when the train pulled up in the station and there was Hagrid with his large swinging lantern to meet the first years as they got off the train.

Albus saw James was already greeting their parents' old friend.

"Hiya Hagrid!" His older brother greeted enthusiastically. James and Albus, or Al as he was more commonly known, looked very much alike except James was 3 inches taller, 3 years older and had brown eyes instead of green.

"Hello there James," Hagrid greeted, "now yeh run along to the carriages," he called as he waved, "an' stay out of trouble, yeh hear, o' yeh parents be hearing from me!" This had been Hagrid's constant refrain from the minute James Potter had started at Hogwarts; as he seemed to have inherited his father's and grandfather's talent for trouble.

Beside him Albus heard Rose sigh.

"Honestly," she said in a tone very much like her mother, "will he ever learn, you think he would know better by now."

Albus stifled a smirk. He was feeling much better than he had when he had left platform 9 and three quarters at least his brother getting in trouble was nothing new, he had been getting into trouble alongside his cousins for as long as Al could remember.

Hagrid watched as James disappeared before turning his attention back to the first years.

"First years, first years, this way!" Hagrid bellowed over the crowd and Rose, Albus and Scorpius fell in the line and followed the rest of the first years towards the boats that would take them across to the castle.

Albus had heard many things about Hogwarts from his parents and cousins, least of all Teddy and Victorie who had long since graduated. The castle was every bit as magnificent as he had imagined, although he had heard a fair number of details from Rose who was already reading Hogwarts: a History for the second time.

They were greeted at the doors by Professor McGonagall, headmistress, although she still took the responsibility of bringing in the new students and helping with the sorting ceremony before the welcoming feast.

"Thank you Hagrid," the severe looking woman said crisply, "I'll take it from here."

They were led through the long corridors to a room just off the Great Hall while McGonagall went through the rules and regulations specifying what was expected of them over the term. Albus noted some of the boys looked bored while most of the girls listened attentively. McGonagall left them to their own devices for a few minutes before she returned a short time later leading them to join the rest of the school.

As Albus and most of his cousins were at the back of the line they had a fair ways to go before McGonagall got to any of them, the tall slender boy they had met on the train, Scorpius, was first.

"MALFOY, SCORPIUS" McGonagall called.

Scorpius came forward and sat on the stool, as Albus expected the hat was quick with a verdict.

"SLYTHERIN!" It yelled to the Hall.

The Slytherins cheered and applauded as Scorpius joined them, although there were a few whispers, probably of children of the others that had fought in the war Albus thought.

There were half a dozen names before Albus was called, and he thought he saw the headmistress smile before reading his name.

"POTTER, ALBUS"

Albus made his way up to the stool. It was only then he realized his knees were shaking slightly and all the uncertainty he had felt on the platform earlier came rushing back. His first thought as the hat fell over his eyes was:

What am I doing here? Where do I go?

A small voice seemed to answer his very thought.

"Where do you go, eh? That is the question, is it? You definitely want to prove yourself, that's for certain, unsure of your path yes, but greatness there is in you yet!"

Should I be in Gryffindor?" Albus thought, or should I be in Slytherin?

"Hmm…" The hat murmured. "Uncertain you are, yes, but if there is something you want you only have to ask."

Anything, Albus thought, I'm really fine with anything, dad said Slytherin, isn't bad anymore, is it?

The hat muttered for a few more minutes before shouting.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherins cheered once more while there were mutters and murmurs from the other house tables.

"A Potter? In Slytherin? Did I hear that right?"

Somewhere over his shoulder Albus knew James and the others were giving him a funny look, but for the first time in months he didn't really care.

After he was settled Albus continued to watch the rest of the Sorting. The last person in line he knew by name was Rose and finally her name was called.

"WEASLEY, ROSE"

The hat didn't take long deciding with Rose, it seemed to know exactly where she belonged the moment the hat touched her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Then Rose made her way over to the Gryffindor table, smiling at Scorpius Malfoy as she went, Albus thought he saw her mouth "hospital wing" as she walked past. Looking down at the table he saw Scorpius was still sporting his black eye.

Albus turned and watched as Rose took a seat at the Gryffindor table, most of his family was in Gryffindor, and for a moment he felt strangely lonely, but at least he knew someone in his own year and his eyes returned to Scorpius Malfoy.

…

Following dinner, McGonagall dismissed the students and they filed from the hall, still chattering. As Albus followed one of the Slytherin prefects towards the dungeons, he noted Scorpius Malfoy was no longer in the line behind him.

…

Rose was on her way to Gryffindor tower when she saw Scorpius Malfoy walked quickly by her. It was only then he turned his head and winked at her before asking another prefect something and heading up the great staircase and Rose knew he was taking her advice. The thought made her feel strangely warm.

…

It was sometime later before Albus saw Scorpius again.

"Hey," he called, "where you'd disappear off to?"

Scorpius gestured to his face.

"Hospital wing." He replied.

"You actually listened to my cousin?" Albus asked, not even bothering to keep the incredulity out of his voice.

Scorpius shrugged.

"Hey, she knows what she's talking about. Madame Pompfrey wanted to know how I managed to get into a fight on the first day of school before the term had even started. I told her I hadn't started it, that the boys punched me, at least they're in the upper dormitories at the moment, but I'm hoping now they don't actually hate me."

"Hey," Albus said, "at least they won't be teasing you like they will me, half of them think I have a piece of a dark wizard in my head like my dad did… And that's the only reason the hat put me in Slytherin."

"Well I guess we're going to have to stick together," Scorpius said firmly, "we can watch each other's backs if they decided to beat either of us up."

The boys slapped hands as they climbed into their four posters.

"Deal!"

AN: This is my last chapter of this story for now, I don't know I'm going to continue it or not. If I do it will focus on Albus, Scorpius and Rose primarily, but at the moment I've written all I wanted to write at this time.