DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter series. All other standard disclaimers apply.

An elderly Rubeus Hagrid, still the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, led us into a small room just outside the Great Hall. Scorpius stood to my right and Albus to my left, looking instead of moody, nervous. I reached down and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Al," I whispered. "It's not as if this is life or death."

Al scoffed. "Easy for you to say, Rose." He didn't use my nickname. That meant that either he was angry with me or that he was too nervous to be carefree. In this situation it was the latter. "Both your parents were Gryffindors. And you're smarter than everyone in Ravenclaw. You're honest, you're loyal. You don't have a bad bone in your body. You don't have to be worried about getting into Slytherin."

"What house do you think your parent's were in, nitwit?" I asked, shoving him with my shoulder.

"Yeah, but you're not named after a Slytherin Head of House. 'Severus'," he mumbled.

I sighed. "He wasn't evil, he was just—"

"Don't say it!" Al snapped. His bright green eyes glinted with anger. "It doesn't matter what he was. He was a Slytherin."

Al snatched his hand from mine and stared ahead, his arms crossed over his chest. I looked away and down at my feet, blinking back tears. I felt Scorpius's questioning eyes on my face.

"He's just scared. That's all," I mumbled to him.

"Welcome First Years," a familiar voice stated above the din in the small room. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." I looked up to see Professor Neville Longbottom. When he saw Albus and I he winked, then continued, "For the next seven years the House that you will be sorted into tonight will be something like your family here at Hogwarts. You will have classes with the members of your House, sleep in the House dormitories, eat with the other House members, study with them and spend free time in the House Common Room…"

Looking around the group of First Years I saw several familiar faces: Lorcan and Lysander Scamander, Justin Creevy, and Phillius Longbottom, the Professor's son. There were so many people I didn't know, too. I wondered, while the Professor was speaking, which one of these faces would become my best friends here at Hogwarts? Which ones would I share a Common Room or dormitory with? Which ones would I play Quidditch with?

Scorpius nudged me and I realized that the Professor was saying something important. "…The staff has also asked me to inform you that due to some...pranks played by two Hogwarts students who shall remain nameless-" I rolled my eyes as I realized Professor Longbottom was talking about James and Fred, "-the Squid and the merpeople of the lake have become rather hostile. The Headmistress advises that students do not go near the lake this year until relations with the fish...er, the lake population have been improved. And now, I believe that concludes all the announcements, so, if you will all follow me, the Sorting Ceremony will begin."

I heard Albus gulp loudly beside me and, forgetting that I was supposed to be mad at him for before, grabbed his hand and Scorpius' and walked into the Great Hall between my cousin and...well, I guess I'll call him my new friend.

Albus

The Headmistress was a stout woman by the name of Edwina Abbott who, with a slightly Scottish accent, announced that she would call us alphabetically by first name. She said this was because, "Stoodents teynd to cahl each uther by their lahst nahmes only. We wahnt to promote unity heere at Hogwarts. So we'll use the first nahmes not the lahst."

If Rosie hadn't been holding my hand I'm sure I would have collapsed of nerves. Leave it to my parents to name me Albus Severus instead of Severus Albus. I tried to remember how to breathe when she called, "Alboos Potter".

That was my name. Rosie pushed me forward and I stumbled up the stairs to the infamous Sorting Hat. The only thought running through my mind was, "Please not Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin. Gryffindor…"

I closed my eyes as Professor Abbott placed the Hat on my head. Immediately after, I heard a voice in my ear and practically jumped off the stool.

"Aahh, a Potter…," it cackled.

Please, not Slytherin, I thought, remembering what my father told me about the Hat taking your preference into consideration.

"I can tell that you're very loyal—but Hufflepuff isn't for you. Brains don't seem to be your strength—"

Not Slytherin. Anything but Slytherin.

"—so Ravenclaw would be a mistake. You're full of ambition and courage, I can see."

Not Slytherin.

"Why not, eh? It's a good House. You'd do exceptionally well there…" I shuddered when the Hat repeated, "Exceptionally." If the Hat were a person I imagined he would be stroking his chin while working this out.

Please, not Slytherin.

"I can see you'll do very well there…very well. Not hindered by your family…hmm. Yes, I think you'll fit in nicely there…SLYTHERIN," the Hat shouted.

My eyes flashed open and I immediately searched the crowd of First Years for Rosie. I knew, without even seeing my own face that it was in the exact same expression as hers; eyes wide, mouth open and completely pale.

There was no applause, not even from the Slytherin table. The entire Great Hall was silent. There was no noise, not even from the Professor's table. I walked slowly down the steps as Professor Abbott called, "Amelia Hitchens".

I sank into an open seat at the end of the Slytherin table. Not even my first day at Hogwarts and I was already the odd Potter. The one to be mocked. I was the Slytherin Potter. The evil Potter.

The spineless, cowardly Potter.

I looked over to where my brother James was sitting, stunned, at the Gryffindor table, where I should be.

I'm in Slytherin. Am I even worthy of being a Potter?

Rose

I stood there, completely astounded, like someone had Stupefied me, as I watched Albus retreat to the Slytherin table. Beside me Scorpius whispered, "Was he just placed in—"

"Yeah," I breathed.

"Did the Hat make a—"

I shook my head. "The Hat never makes a mistake," I said.

We stood there, shocked. I hardly even registered the clapping and the shouts as Phillius Longbottom was sorted into Gryffindor.

My cousin, the son of Harry Potter – The Boy Who Lived – was just sorted into Slytherin.

I barely heard as Professor Abbott called my name. If Scorpius hadn't nudged me back to reality I would have stayed rooted to the floor. I trembled as Professor Abbott placed the Hat on my head. If Albus was sorted into Slytherin, maybe I would be too.

The Hat spoke in my ear almost immediately. "Ah, another Weasley," it sighed. "But you're different from your family—"

Oh, Lord. Different in a bad, Slytherin way?

"—much more intelligent, like your cousin—"

Which cousin, I wondered.

My head spun toward the Ravenclaw table where my older cousin Lucy – the Head Girl – sat. In light of Albus's recent episode I had forgotten about Lucy. She smiled at me encouragingly.

"But," the Hat continued, "everyone already knows that you are brilliant. Why beat a dead horse?" The Hat laughed a rough, throaty laugh. "Yes, I know exactly where to put you. You'll do well with him, I can tell…"

Oh, no. Not with Albus in…

"GRYFFINDOR," the Hat shouted.

At that moment about half the Gryffindor table, all sporting hair of some variation of red – or, in James' case, black – stood up and applauded. I looked to where Albus sat alone at the Slytherin table, smiling half-heartedly, trying to be happy for me, and waved to him before joining the majority of my family at the Gryffindor table.

Scorpius

I smiled and clapped as Rose was sorted into Gryffindor. I followed her red, bushy head of hair as she was greeted warmly by multitudes of other red heads—her cousins, I assumed.

There was one student between myself and Rose, a boy named Ryan MacDuff who climbed the steps to the Hat confidently. I smiled to myself, focusing on which House I wanted to be sorted into. Gryffindor – it may be odd, and my family—well, my father—might be furious, but if Rose is there, then I'll at least have one friend.

The Hat shouted "HUFFLEPUFF" and I knew it was now my moment of truth.

"Scorpius Malfoy," Professor Abbott called. I was one of the last students remaining; there was no one to push me forward, so I did it myself.

Professor Abbott placed the Hat on my head and for a moment all I heard was quiet humming. I was confused because my father had told me that the Hat talks to you although, he said, "It knew exactly where to place me. In Slytherin, just like all the great Malfoy's in our family. And you Scorpius," he had said, patting me on the shoulder, "are—will be—a great Malfoy."

I remembered asking him, "But what if I'm not great?"

My father's gray eyes turned to ice and he stood up. "You are a Malfoy, Scorpius. Greatness is in our name." I shook my head to clear his voice.

It was then that I heard the Hat's voice in my ear.

"You are a tricky one Mr. Malfoy. Intelligence, loyalty, ambition and bravery. Very rare is it for someone to exhibit qualities from all the Houses. Let me think…" The Hat fell silent and I took this as a moment to think, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor. Please, not Slytherin. Rose is in Gryffindor. I'd like to go to Gryffindor.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. I think you would do well in Gryffindor. Much more successful than in Slytherin…But still…No, it's got to be…But your family name…The determination that is inside you…I think…Gryffindor…"

I saw the students of the Great Hall leaning in, as if they didn't quite hear the announcement. With shaking hands Professor Abbott lifted the still muttering Hat from my head. Slowly I made my way to the Gryffindor table.

"The Hat said Gryffindor, didn't it?"

"I thought so."

"Bloody hell." I knew that had come from Rose's cousin James.

"Could it have made a mistake?"

I heard the students muttering as I walked between the tables. When I sat next to Rose she smiled at me.

"The Hat never makes a mistake," she whispered, then turned to clap for a recently called "Susan Burke".

I looked around, uncomfortable with the curious and disgusted stares of the Gryffindors and the furious and disgusted stares from the Slytherins. I couldn't decide which were worse; the ones from my own House or from another.

I trusted Rose, but I couldn't be sure that the Hat hadn't made a mistake after all.

A/N: Wow, I'm amazed at all the feedback this has gotten! Thanks to everyone who reviewed for their kind words! I hope no one got confused with the changes in P.O.V. The character's name in bold and italics signals the changes in P.O.V. I thought I'd change P.O.V.'s to show what the Hat said to each of the students, what are some views on that?

Special Shout-Out to BruisedAndBattered: Thank you for your review! The first one! Well, Rose and Scorpius are in the same house. And I think it'll be interesting to have a Potter in Slytherin.

That's all for now folks.