A Seat on the Train

Just a little drabble in honor of the epilogue on today since it's 1 September 2017!

Friendship: Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy

Rating: K+

Albus Potter didn't know where to sit.

He had the option of joining James and his friends in the cabin they'd claimed as their own, but the thought of having to sit through hours of Quidditch game recaps sounded about as enjoyable as having his wand shoved into his eye.

He sighed. Rose looked happy enough in the next cabin down, perched on the edge of a seat between two of the older Weasley cousins. They were talking about beauty charms, which Albus knew Rose had no interest in, but the redhead with the wild curls just looked so happy to be finally going to Hogwarts that she didn't mind the girl talk. Albus smiled at her obvious excitement and continued down the train.

His father had reminded him that it would be just fine if he were sorted into Slytherin - one of the men whose name he bore had come from the infamous house, and he was lauded as one of the greatest heroes of the war.

Pity he'd never lived to see the fruits of his labours.

Though, if everything he'd ever heard Uncle Ron say about the man was true, he probably would have just sneered and been disappointed, regardless.

Most of the other cars were full, so he kept on walking, feeling more and more anxious that he'd have to go back to James' compartment and sit with a crowd of rowdy Gryffindors for the entirety of the journey.

When he finally came to the last cabin, the door was left open. He didn't hear any talking and thought for a moment that he may be lucky enough that he'd stumbled onto the last empty compartment - until he realised that there was a boy sitting on one of the worn, plush benches. He was leaning against the far wall, feet drawn up onto the bench so he could rest his book on his bent legs. His hair was the palest blond, and it almost hurt to look at with the sun shining directly on the boy's head through the window.

Albus had caught Rose in this very same position in the window seat at the Granger-Weasley home more times than he could count, and the familiarity of the studious pose made him smile and huff a small laugh.

The boy looked up, startled. Albus' little grin was still in place, so he rolled with it. "Hello, I'm Albus Potter. Mind if I sit?"

The blond boy's eyes - blue and pale as the rest of him - grew wide, and he said, "Erm...if you want to."

Albus thought sitting in silence with this boy had to be better than any of the other options available elsewhere on the train, so he simply nodded and took a seat, pulling out his own book to read.

He hadn't realised that the other boy's attention was still on him and was startled when he said, "I'm Scorpius, by the way. Scorpius Malfoy."

Albus wanted to laugh but felt it would be hypocritical, given his own rather unusual names. It was all well and good to be named after two war heroes, but 'Albus Severus'? He made up for the unfairness of it all by shortening it to 'Al.' It suited him.

He recovered from the start he'd had at the unexpected interruption and reached between the seats to offer his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Scorpius stared at his hand for a moment, seeming unsure whether Albus intended to shake his hand or slap him, but he eventually gave in and shook. "Likewise."

Albus sat down to return to his book but was again interrupted. "Is it true - that your dad saved my dad's life in the war?"

That caught Al's attention. His head whipped around and he stared at Scorpius incredulously.

He looked every bit the proper pureblood aristocrat then he went and said something like that.

Albus cleared his throat. "Erm...I think so? My dad doesn't like to talk about the war much, but I've heard him and my aunts and uncles talk about it in the other room once in awhile."

Scorpius nodded. "My dad doesn't talk about it much, either, but my mum has told me a few stories."

They both went back to their books for a while before Albus broke the silence. "Do you know which house you want to be in?"

Scorpius looked incredulous. "Slytherin, of course. Every Malfoy in recorded history has been sorted into Slytherin."

Al sighed. "My family has all been in Gryffindor so far, but I don't think I'm brave enough to fit in there."

Scorpius raised an aristocratic eyebrow. "There's more to life than bravery, you know."

"That's true. My brother keeps saying I'll be sorted into Slytherin, and I think he might be right."

Scorpius smiled. "At least we'd both know someone in our house if you did."

Nodding, Albus agreed. "It would be nice to start the year off with a friend."

And it was.