Chapter 1

As the scarlet Hogwarts Express rounded the corner and disappeared from sight, Platform 9 ¾ slowly began to empty. The noise of all the crying parents faded as the smell of smoke lingered. As they left, many people turned to look at the six who remained. Harry Potter, now the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, stood with Ginny, sportswriter for the Daily Prophet, and their daughter Lily Jr. Next to them were Ron and Hermione Granger-Weasley, Co-owner of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and Minister for Magic respectively and their son, Hugo. As the last cracks of parents apparating away stopped, the silence echoed endlessly. They stood there, staring at the spot where the train had just disappeared from view, as if holding onto the magic of the moment.

While Lily and Hugo darted around the platform, the four adults stood and thought about all the good memories which they had shared at Hogwarts. Saving the Philosopher's Stone, opening the Chamber of Secrets, saving Sirius Black, The Triwizard Tournament, Umbridge, The Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and the Battle of Hogwarts. All the memories carried a feeling, some of happiness, of joy and triumph, but for others, all it brought up was deep pain, and sadness. Grief for all those that they had lost.

Harry thought of them constantly, but being back here, so close to Hogwarts, made it feel even worse; Cedric, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, and most of all, Dumbledore. Their sacrifices haunted Harry, making the absence of his first true home sting. How unfair was it that he could still stand here today, while they could not. He longed for a world where all his friends, especially those they had lost, could all be there together, standing on that platform and watching their kids go off to Hogwarts together. But instead, their lives had been cut short, sacrificing themselves for the greater good of the entire wizarding world. It was possible that Harry himself would not be standing where he did today if it were not for them and so many others. But there he stood, along with his three greatest companions, who had helped him through so much.

Next to him, Ginny thought of Fred, her elder brother who was killed at Hogwarts. How cruel that someone so full of laughter and energy could be snatched so unfairly. A weaker women might have cried, but not Ginny. She hadn't done so since that terrible day, first after losing Fred, and later when she thought Harry was gone to. But he was still here, and Fred was not.

The deep reverence was broken by the platform guard, the only other remaining person, "Time to leave folks! Platforms closing…." He stopped in shock, his face losing colour as he noticed who he was talking to. "Minister, Mr Potter, I'm so sorry." His pocket watch crashed to the group, causing him to bend down and pick it up, his face flushing a dark shade of red. "I didn't realise it was you. Take as long as you need."

"It's ok. We need to get going anyway. Come on Lily, time to go home," Harry called out, just loud enough so the energetic ten-year old's could hear.

Lily head dropped slightly, then raced Hugo across the platform back towards the adults. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny then turned and started walking back towards the tunnel entrance.

"Albus will be alright this year, won't he?" Ginny asked, placing her hand in Harry's as they walked through the barrier together.

Harry hesitated, knowing that at Hogwarts, a normal year was something of a fantasy, "Of course he will. Honestly Ginny, you have nothing to worry about. Except maybe about how we are going be able to write six letters a week for the next eight years."

They laughed, just as they had always done, hoping this year would be smooth. But both had that feeling, that it would be anything but.

On board the carriages of the Hogwarts express, despite the overall excitement, there was one person who felt the complete opposite.

"You look as if your about to be sick Albus," said Rose, in a tone very much like her mother's. "Are you sure you're, ok?"

Albus and Rose walked through the carriages of the train, trying to find a compartment to sit in. Eventually, they found an empty one. A rarity on the Hogwarts Express, but certainly a welcome one.

"I'm fine. Just a bit nervous," in a very timid voice replied Albus, as he sat down opposite Rose. In truth, he was terrified. What if he was put in Slytherin, what if he didn't make any friends, what if he could live up to his father's name? No one could recall the last time someone from his family, neither on the Potter or Weasley side, that had been in Slytherin. He could disgrace his families name that badly, could he? His fathers last words to him, echoed in his head, "You can ask the sorting hat to not place you in Slytherin. It did for me." This didn't bring him any comfort.

"Nervous on your first day, before we've even got to school? Classic Potter." Rose elbowed his side, causing Albus to wince in pain.

But before Albus could reply, the door to the compartment slid open.

"Alb sick on his first day! I'd pay to see that!" James pocked his head through a gap in the compartment doors.

"Get lost James!" Rose slammed the compartment doors shut, James narrowly avoiding his head being crushed by ducking out and running away up the corridor.

"Finally, some peace. Why don't you get some rest Albus. It will do you some good and we're still ages away from school. I'll wake you up when we're close. Ok?" Placing her hand supportively on his knee, Albus agreed as lay down and drifted off to sleep.

Time flew by, but he was woken up by loud discussions within the compartment from Rose and an unfamiliar voice. It was another girl, whom Albus hadn't recognised and had apparently entered while he was asleep.

"I heard he is Voldemort's son."

"Really? I heard he was a werewolf."

"Who are you talking about?" queried Albus, his eyes fluttering open.

"Oh Alb. I forgot you were there. We were um," Rose's eyes flicked towards her friend. "Talking about the Malfoy kid. There are some... rumours about him."

"Rumours?" Albus asked.

"Like him being a werewolf…or Voldemort's kid. Absolutely ridiculous, I know. But Polly here thinks these rumours might be true."

Polly shrugged, "My parents were nearly killed during the war, and my uncle disappeared. The Malfoys were suspected but nothing could be proven. Dad didn't believe that the Malfoys were innocent and had truly turned back, that they should be sent to Azkaban and left to rot." She turned her attention back to the book she had brought with her. A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot, Albus read. He remembered that she lived in Godric's Hollow, the same place his grandparents lived before they were murdered.

Suddenly, the compartment door burst opened and a boy, terror etched into his face entered, slamming the door shut behind him. Two older students attempted to pry the door back open, grumbling about something to do with a werewolf. They quickly abandoned the door. striding back down the corridor, parting the crowd and forcing them to stand back against the walls as they walked through. Albus' attention turned back to the boy on the floor. His pale skin and light blonde hair was unmistakable – he was clearly a Malfoy. His wide grey eyes flicked around the room, before landing on Polly and lingering conformably. Regaining his composer, he stood up and sat on the seat across from Albus. Polly shuffled slightly further away towards the wall, clutching her book tightly, but the boy didn't seem to notice. His eyes transfixed on Albus for what seemed forever before his face flooded with shock.

"You're Albus Potter. Harry Potter's son!" He turned to Rose. "And you're Rose Granger-Weasley, the Minister for Magic's kid." His face beamed with happiness, something it clearly had not seen in a while, his voice filled with awe. "And you are?" he said, looking to a bewildered Polly.

"Polly Chapman," she stuttered.

"Right. Well anyway," turning back to face Albus. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy. I'm sure you've heard a lot about me."

"I certainly have," piped Polly, who's face went scarlet as the other three turned and looked at her.

They sat in silence for the rest of the train journey, the tension hanging in the air as the train sped towards Hogwarts.