Year 1, chapter 4

Albus Potter took a shaky seat on the three-legged stool in front of the great hall. He quickly glanced about, finally locking eyes with his brother, who gave him a grin and a thumbs up. The room went dark as Albus was thinking about how James had no right to act supportive now, after he'd been teasing him all day. Too true crooned a voice inside his head, making the hairs on the back of his neck rise up. The advice his father had given him this morning immediately surfaced in his thoughts. The sorting hat takes your choice into consideration. He'd been turning the words over in his mind all afternoon, and he'd made his decision.

'Put me in the house you think I fit best in', Albus thought firmly. 'I don't want to be put in a house just because I asked. I want to have earned it.' Very well' the unfamiliar voice inside his head replied. The moments of quiet started to add up, and the panic slowly rose in Albus' chest. He had been counting seconds since the hat had replied to him and was at two minutes when it broke its silence again. 'Better be… SLYTHERIN' the hat stated, shouting the final word to the entire hall.

The hat was lifted from his head, but Albus barely registered the change in view. There was a loud ringing in his ears, and his heart was beating so fast he thought he might collapse then and there. Slytherin. This was going to be his life for the next seven years. This is where the sorting hat thought he fit. He stood up stiffly, forcing his legs to carry him to the Slytherin table decked out in emerald green, where students were clapping uncertainly for him. He took the nearest empty seat, his mind still racing a mile a minute.

"Y'alright?" a quiet voice to his left asked him. Albus didn't even turn to see who'd spoken. "I think I might vomit." He replied hoarsely. From what seemed like very far away, he felt a small hand patting his shoulder awkwardly. Albus didn't say another word the entirety of the sorting ceremony. He was just coming down to earth when Rose was placed in Gryffindor, which sent him spiraling all over again. He wondered how his parents would react. There was no doubt that James would write to them immediately. He didn't think he would ever be able to look his Uncle Ron in the eye again – just remembering the way that he went on about Slytherins was enough to make Albus feel ill all over.

Albus spent the rest of the feast picking disinterestedly at his chicken and mashed potatoes, moving the peas around in circles on his plate. He didn't even look up when the ghosts made their grand entrance. When all the students stood up to go to their dorms, he followed the crowds as if he was in a dream. The feet in front of him turned towards the dungeons, and he did the same. Each step felt heavier than the last, and he could feel himself trailing behind, until he was alone in the stony hallway.

"Albus!" a voice shouted, and a hand on his shoulder turning him rudely finally jerked him out of his trance. Albus' green eyes met hazel ones as he stared at his older brother, who had clearly been sprinting down the halls to find him. "bloody… crowds…. So hard… to get… through" he panted, running a hand through his unruly red hair and pushing his glasses higher up on his nose. "are you… okay" James choked out, looking directly at Albus.

For the first time since he'd been sorted into Slytherin, Albus felt something other than dull panic. He felt angry. "What do you care" Albus snapped back at him. "You guessed right didn't you? I'm a Slytherin after all." James looked pained. "You know I was only joking around Al, there's er… nothing wrong with Slytherin." Albus crossed his arms. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. James had been bad mouthing Slytherin for two full years. He couldn't just back down now that his brother was one.

"Liar" Albus retorted. "Just admit that you think Slytherins are evil cowards, and that you think your brother's been one all along." James looked momentarily lost for words. That was confirmation enough for Albus, who turned on his heels to stalk down the hall. "Wait!" James cried desperately. "I never would have teased you about Slytherin if I'd thought you'd actually be one." Albus stopped mid stride. When he turned to speak to James his voice sounded cold and unfamiliar. "Was that supposed to make me feel better?" Albus asked softly. "Do you ever think before you speak?" His brother's cries of 'wait' and 'that's not what I meant' echoed down the dungeon corridor, but Albus did not turn around again, and his brother did not follow him.

Albus turned to the left down the corridor, angry and insulted. It was several moments before he realized that he didn't really know where he was going at all. He scanned the dimly lit corridor desperately, his mind already jumping to what it would feel like to sleep on the cold dungeon floor. Squinting, he made out a small figure sitting against the wall a few meters down.

As Albus approached the figure, the other young boy got to his feet. "There you are" the boy said, "I was about to go looking for you. You're in my dorm but you didn't come in with the rest of the crowd." Albus stared at the blonde boy, unsure of why the boy in front of him had waited for him. The other boy had clearly realized that Albus didn't recognize him, and, sounding slightly hurt, elaborated "you sat next to me at the feast".

A vague memory of someone asking him if he was alright surfaced in Albus' mind. "I'm sorry" he replied, embarrassed, "I er… wasn't quite myself at the feast. I'm Albus Potter" he said, sticking out his hand to shake the other boy's.

"Scorpius" the boy replied, returning the handshake. "Scorpius Malfoy". On instinct, Albus immediately retracted his hand upon hearing the blonde boy's last name. "Sorry" he said hurriedly, realizing a moment too late how terribly rude that was. "S'okay" the other boy mumbled, stuffing his rejected hand into his robe pocket. "I get it" he added, looking at his feet. For a second Albus thought he could see tears starting to brim in the other boy's salt grey eyes. "The password is Phineas Nigellus" he muttered "An old Slytherin Hogwarts headmaster". At the mention of the name, the stone wall in front of them sprang to life, arranging itself into a stone archway and revealing the Slytherin common room.

The room in front of the two boys was low ceilinged, with stone hewn walls. Muted lights of white and green hung from thick chains at regular intervals. There were low-backed sofas of green and black leather, and long dark wood tables for studying. A grand fireplace was roaring with fire, and several older students were lounging in front of it, talking and laughing. There were floor length windows at the far side of the room, where exterior fire, somehow burning underwater, illuminated what appeared to be the lake floor, with whisps of green algae floating lazily by. Despite himself, Albus was taken aback by the stately beauty of it all.

"The boy's dorms are this way" Scorpius said, pointing to a great dark wood door to his right, still not looking Albus in the eye. Albus followed shyly, still embarrassed by his reaction to meeting a Malfoy. The last name was infamous in the wizarding world. The fact that Harry Potter himself had testified in Draco Malfoy's trial, resulting in his acquittal was not unknown to anyone. And Lucius Malfoy, notorious death eater, and Scorpius' grandfather, had made headlines in the Daily Prophet just last year when he was released from Azkaban after serving a lengthy sentence. Clearly the reputation of both of older Malfoys weighed heavily on Scorpius' shoulders.

Behind the dark wood door was a long corridor, with seven equally spaced doors. Scorpius pulled on the polished silver handle of the closest one, which was ornately carved with the number '1'. This opened to another long hallway, with three doors to the right. Scorpius stopped in front of the farthest one. Four name plaques of more polished silver revealed its occupants: Scorpius Malfoy, Albus Potter, Tobias Travers, and Esmond Warbeck.

Scorpius opened the door wordlessly, and Albus stepped in tentatively behind him. To their right, two boys were already unpacking the trunks that lay at the end of their fourposter beds. The bedsheets were rich emerald green, and matching curtains hung from the posts. Upon noticing Albus and Scorpius, the other two boys abruptly stopped their conversation.

"So, it is true then. I thought I hallucinated during the sorting ceremony. There really is a Potter in Slytherin" the taller boy of the duo said, the ghost of a laugh in his voice. Albus shrugged, trying his best to look nonchalant. "Guess so" he replied. The other unknown boy crossed his arms over his chest. "That's Toby." He said, "I'm Esmond". "Warbeck eh?" Albus replied, trying to make conversation despite the iciness he'd detected in the other boy's voice. "Can you sing then?". As soon as he'd said it, Albus knew he'd made a mistake. The other boy scowled. "She's a great aunt." He answered. "And an embarrassment. If you ask me to sing for you again, you'll regret it."

"He didn't ask you to sing for him" Scorpius piped up to Albus' left, in a voice barely above a whisper. "Just made a joke."

"Wow" Esmond replied. "So the Malfoy actually does speak. I was beginning to think you were mute. Tell me, are you a death eater like your grandfather? Or do you just pick your side by who's winning like your dear old daddy? I for one am not sure which one is worse" he sneered. Scorpius sunk his shoulders, looking like he wished he could disappear. It was Albus' turn to feel indignant.

Pulling out his wand, he turned to face Esmond. "Leave him alone" he threatened. Esmond pulled his own wand out quickly. "Learned any good hexes in your walk to the common room Potter? Didn't know you were so studious" he mocked. Albus winced internally. It was true that he didn't know any spells he could use, even if he wanted to. Before he could think of a retort however, Tobias jumped in. "You don't know any spells either Esmond" he chastised. "I'm not any happier to be sharing a dorm with the two Slytherin outcasts" he continued, turning to Albus and Scorpius, lest they think he was speaking in their defence. "But I also don't want detention my first night in the castle. I vote we just leave each other alone." Esmond looked like he was about to disagree, when Tobias added, only to him "Just pretend they don't exist. It's easier that way."

Albus and Esmond lowered their wands, both scowling. "Whatever" Esmond muttered. Albus shrugged, turning pointedly away from Esmond. Scorpius offered him a small smile that seemed to say 'their loss' before heading to his trunk to start unpacking. Albus followed suit.

To Albus' surprise, there was a pile of neatly folded clothes resting atop his trunk that he did not recognize. He opened the creamy white letter that rested on the pile, and, noting the Hogwarts crest, scanned its contents.

Dear Hogwarts student,

As part of the ministry's continuing efforts to uphold the international statute of secrecy, we are piloting a new program to teach young witches and wizards how to blend in 'on the streets' of muggle communities. The rise of muggle 'technology' that allows them to capture videos and pictures and store them on the 'internet' has led to serious security breaches in recent years. It is therefore our wish that Hogwarts students begin the practice of 'blending in' as soon as possible. Effective immediately, Hogwarts robes are only to be worn on feast days, and daily uniforms will now consist of the enclosed muggle clothes. Please practice your ability to pair these muggle clothing items.

Warm Regards,

Hermione Weasley

Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Albus smiled to himself when he noticed his aunts name. She hadn't mentioned she'd been working on this, though he didn't often speak to her about her work at the ministry. He picked up each item of clothing in the pile in turn, inspecting them. There were three pairs of pants, two black and one grey. Three collared white shirts paired with a black blazer bearing the Slytherin crest, a similarly styled black cardigan, and an emerald green crewneck sweater. Finally, he felt the smooth silk of his ties, one plain black, and the other alternating stripes of green and silver.

"This must have cost the ministry a fortune" Tobias remarked, holding up a pair of trousers with a faint look of disgust on his face. "I don't know why they didn't just add this to the school supply list". "Must've not had time" Esmond replied. "My dad's high up in the ministry, and he would've had notice. It must've just gone through. Probably didn't have enough time to stock the shops." "Stupid muggle clothes" Tobias muttered, refolding the trousers "what has this school come to".

There was an unspoken agreement in the room that Albus and Scorpius were not to participate in the conversation. Having just calmed the tensions, Albus had no desire to jump in to say that he disagreed. Privately however, he was proud of his aunt's work. He thought that it was about time that Hogwarts had a uniform update.