disclaimer! World and many characters belong to JK Rowling. Sorting hat song from fifth year book by JKR. Don't sue me!

Chapter 1

Platform nine and three quarters soon became a dot on the horizon, then that dot became all of London as the Hogwarts Express departed the station as it had so many times before, taking the coming year's batch of students to the great castle that was Hogwarts. Albus sighed and sat back in his seat, having lost track of where the platform was and with it his father. Albus Severus Potter and Rose Weasley were sharing a compartment with an odd boy they had found alone, each anticipating the sorting in their own way. Rose, taking after her mother, decided to read, whereas her cousin Albus tried to strike up conversation with their compartment-mate.

"Hi, I'm Albus! Who are you? You don't look familiar. Have you ever flown a broom? I wish I could try out for the Quidditch team like my dad in first year but apparently I'm too young. How about you? What position…" Albus rambled, until he was suddenly cut off by Rose.

Without looking up from her book, Hogwarts: a History, she stated simply, "Albus, shut up and let the boy answer." Then, addressing the boy, she said, "I apologize on his behalf. I'm Rose, and he's Albus. And you are?"

The boy looked up from the floor which he had until that point been examining with extreme importance. He mumbled a response, "My name is Scorpius." With his answer, Albus fell to the floor laughing hysterically. This earned him a swift kick in the rear end from his cousin, and the boy fell quiet again. Scorpius resumed examining the floor.

"I apologize on his behalf again. Why do I feel like I'll be doing that a lot? Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Scorpius." Then it was Rose's turn to be interrupted, as it was evident that Albus could not keep quiet to save his life.

"Hey, Scorpius, do you like to play Exploding Snap? I know I do! Come on, let's play. Just you and me though, I know Rose hates the game." Albus grinned like a madman, while Rose rolled her eyes and resumed reading her book.

Scorpius looked up from the floor at Albus, somewhat shocked by the sudden change in the boy's demeanor. "Uh, sure…"

Rose attempted to continue reading. 'The ceiling *SNAP* of the Great *SNAP SNAP* Hall is en- *SNAP* -chanted to look like *SNAP SNAP SNAP* the sky out- *SNAP* -side *SNAP*' Upon the last snap of the boys' game of Exploding Snap, Rose closed her book with a *SNAP* to rival their own. "Oh will you boys be quiet!" She yelled, losing her temper quickly.

Albus flinched at the outburst, but Scorpius merely dropped another *SNAP,* incurring upon himself the wrath of Rose Weasley. "Scorpius," Rose said in a false-calm voice that dripped venom. "I would much appreciate it if you stopped."

As Scorpius looked her in the eyes, as though challenging her, she felt ready to punch him. Albus stepped in between the two, sensing danger on the horizon. "Alright, Scorp. You don't mind if I call you Scorp, right? Anyways, just back down. Trust me." Scorpius looked away from Rose and at Albus.

"Fine, I'll back down. Albus, why do you hang out with such a priss anyway?" Scorpius asked, while sitting back down. He'd finally begun to feel comfortable around the two.

Albus turned to look at him, before saying with snide, "Because she's my cousin, you twat." Scorpius backed into the seat, seeing the two's eyes were flashing with rage. "And when we're in Gryffindor and you're stuck in Slytherin, you'll be sorry." He then sat next to Rose, who had decided it was a good time to pick up her book and begin reading again.

With this, Scorpius sat up a bit straighter, waves of sadness coming off of him. "The sad thing about that is you're probably right. My entire family has been in Slytherin, and almost all of them have turned out bad. The thing is that I don't want to be bad Albus. But somehow I feel that I'm destined for that path. I'll just leave, let you two plan for your lives in Gryffindor."

Scorpius stood up to leave, but was stopped as Albus stood up and in front of the compartment door. Rose had given up all hope of reading and had set her bookmark in her page, book aside, to watch and listen to the conversation between her cousin and this ever-odder boy. Albus spoke with finality, "Scorp, you are not going to be stuck in Slytherin if you don't want to be. My dad told me so. The Sorting Hat takes your requests into its decision. And take Sirius Black for example! He's from a long line of pureblood madmen, and he was in Gryffindor. You seem pretty brave to me, seeing as you held your ground under the Rose death glare."

At that perfect moment, an old woman with a large trolley of candy came past. She knocked on the door and said sweetly, "Anything off the trolley, dears?" The three children rushed over and began to pick their favorites. Not more than three minutes later, they were eating their fill. Rose was content with a single pumpkin pasty and two Chocolate Frogs, but the boys were sharing some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and each had many Chocolate Frogs. Scorpius smiled at the card he got from one of the Frogs.

"Godric Gryffindor. One of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If that's not a sign I don't know what is!" Scorpius was grinning ear to ear, taking this card to be a good omen. He was now very determined to get into Gryffindor house and spend the next seven years with his new friends. Rose and Albus also shared smiles with him.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A few hours later, the train began nearing Hogwarts. Rose was completely dressed in her school robes and was reading again, but the boys were so immersed in their wizard chess game that they had yet to notice how near the school was. When Rose looked up and noticed, she was about to tell them to change when Albus's brother James knocked on the door. Albus looked up and groaned, but Scorpius continued to figure out what to do for his turn.

James walked in and gave Albus a disproving look. "Albus, why are you not wearing your robes? We are nearing the castle. The least you could do is follow your cousin's example, or take the cue from your big brother." He then proceeded to snicker as he looked down at the board. Albus promptly turned Weasley-red and gathered his robes from his trunk to begin changing. Then, he dropped them, noticing the move Scorpius had just made.

"Check mate. The win goes to Scorpius." Scorpius said smugly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must change into my robes. I suggest you do the same." He pulled out his robes and both boys began to change while Rose continued to read. Albus grumbled something about Scorpius being a "Bloody git" and "had no right" and how "took advantage of my distractedness." Rose overheard the grumblings and snickered behind her book.

A minute or two later, James ran an evaluating eye over his younger brother. "Alright kid, you look presentable enough. Just don't let the troll ruffle your hair too much or you'll look like Dad." As Albus was about to ask about the troll James had spoken of, his brother ducked out the door with a grin. The now terrified boy looked to Rose, who sighed and put down her book again.

"No, the sorting ceremony has nothing to do with a troll. You know James is just pulling your leg again, right?" She said this directly to him, and then muttered under her breath, "If you took the time to actually read you would know this." Scorpius and Albus heard this and Scorpius snickered at Albus's offended face.

The train lurched to a stop just as the three had finished cleaning up their compartment. They scrambled to the window to get a glimpse of Hogsmead Station, and all the many students pouring out of the train. They made their way out of the compartment only to run into another apparent first year. Albus recognized the boy as Lorcan Scamander from the Potter's various parties, which was odd because he was normally with his brother Lysander. He helped the fallen boy up.

Lorcan was much more adventurous than his brother, and was more like his mother, Luna Lovegood, than his father. He and Lysander couldn't be more different if they tried, but they were always sticking together for some odd reason. "Hey Albus, fancy seeing you here. Um… you wouldn't have happened to see Lysander's cat, would you?" Albus, Rose and Lorcan laughed, knowing that the cat could get lost extremely quickly.

Rose put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Lorcan, you know Primplepuss. She'll turn up when she wants to. Just tell Lysander to remember what your mother is always telling you. 'Things we lose…"

"- have a way of coming back to us in the end. I know I know. Just tell that to Lysander." The three laughed while Scorpius stood there almost awkwardly. Lorcan then noticed and held out his hand. "I'm Lorcan Scamander, pleased to meet you! Erm, who are you exactly?"

Scorpius smiled and shook his hand. "Scorpius is the name. I hope to be in Gryffindor and beat family tradition." Lorcan stared at him odd, and then gave a nod of recognition. The Malfoys had regained some of their esteem by turning on the Dark Lord in the end and Lorcan had seen him at some of his father's parties.

The foursome exited the train slightly behind the flow of people, but still heard the booming voice of Hagrid yelling, "FIRS' YEARS! FIRS' YEARS FOLLOW ME!" They looked at one another for support, and then joined the throng of First years who were following him. Hagrid led them to a small fleet of boats and instructed them all to "git in." The four of them took two boats, one with Rose and Albus and the other with Scorpius and Lorcan.

Once the boats started on their way, with a wave of Hagrid's pink umbrella, Lorcan turned a questioning eye upon Scorpius. "Scorpius, you haven't told them your last name, have you?"

The other boy turned his head to examine the bottom of the boat. "No, I haven't. Why would a Potter and a Weasley hang around a Malfoy? I can tell by their looks whose kids they are, but they can't tell who I am. I just want to spend the next seven years with friends who won't judge me and if that means hiding it for long enough, I will."

Lorcan gave Scorpius a meaningful look and sighed. "In that case, best of luck getting into Gryffindor. From what I can tell, you deserve it." The boys quieted and looked in awe. There in the boat, the incoming First Years got their first glimpse of Hogwarts the way so many generations before them had. For the four friends, it was breathtaking and gave each of them the strength to face the Sorting Hat.

Within minutes, the enchanted fleet reached the castle. They were met in the Entrance Hall by a short little man with a handlebar moustache. "Hello all, welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor Flitwick, Deputy Headmaster and head of Ravenclaw house. You will wait here, and when I come back to get you, you will all be sorted into one of four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. Take this time to clear your heads." On that note, Flitwick left the entrance hall and the first years milled about.

No more than a minute went by before Flitwick came back and ushered them in between the tables toward the long head table at the front. Rose looked up at the ceiling and was surprised by it. Then she remembered she had been trying to read about that when the boys were playing their Exploding Snap game. 'Stupid boys, how will I ever learn with them around?' She thought to herself. As the first years approached the Head table, they noticed a beaten-up old hat on a stool. There was a hush over the Great Hall as everyone waited for the Sorting Hat to sing its song.

The seam on the hat then spread open, and the Hat burst into song.

In times of old, when I was new,
And Hogwarts barely started,
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted.
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach"
The four good friends decided.
And never did they dream that they
Might someday be divided.
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there, so I can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry's purest."
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest"
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name."
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot
And treat them just the same."
These differences caused little strife
When first they came to light.
For each of the four founders had
A house in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning just like him.
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest
and taught them all she knew,
Thus, the Houses and their founders
Maintained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony
for several happy years,
but then discord crept among us
feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four
had once held up our school
now turned upon each other and
divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
must meet an early end.
what with dueling and with fighting
and the clash of friend on friend.
And at last there came a morning
when old Slytherin departed
and though the fighting then died out
he left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
were whittled down to three
have the Houses been united
as they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here
and you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses
because that is what I'm for.
But this year I'll go further,
listen closely to my song:
though condemned I am to split you
still I worry that it's wrong,
though I must fulfill my duty
and must quarter every year
still I wonder whether sorting
may not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
the warning history shows,
for our Hogwarts is in danger
from external, deadly foes
and we must unite inside her
or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
let the Sorting now begin.

The entire hall began clapping, while Nearly-Headless Nick at the Gryffindor table was shaking his wobbling head. Once the clapping had come down, Flitwick began reading off the list of first years to be sorted. Scorpius knew he would be the first of all of his friends, but he wasn't afraid. He cleared his mind of all thoughts and sooner than he had expected Flitwick called, "Scorpius Malfoy."

There was a murmur through Slytherin house and someone yelled. "Does he need to be sorted? We all know where he'll go!" Professor Slughorn glared at his house from up at the high table and they all fell silent. Scorpius walked up and sat down on the stool. The last thing he saw was Albus Potter giving him thumbs up of good luck before the hat settled above his eyes.

Hmm, Malfoy's kid eh? Don't you belong in… Not Slytherin, huh? Well, you do have an okay mind. And you are awfully devoted too. Ahh, I sense a lot of courage. You're also very trusting, but ambitious too. Are you sure not Slytherin? Well fine I guess you belong in "GRYFFINDOR!"

That last word was the Sorting Hat's final decision, as it shouted it to the whole hall. The Sorting Hat was lifted off of his head and he walked over to the Gryffindor table in a daze. Everyone in the Hall seemed to be clapping. Well, almost everyone as the Slytherin table retained a stony silence. A few more names were called, until "Albus Potter."

Albus walked up to the hat, all confidence. The Hat barely sat on his head and only said, well there's a confident "GRYFFINDOR!" The boy got up from the stool and walked over to sit by Scorpius at the Gryffindor table. He was grinning from ear to ear, though he knew it would happen.

The next person called was "Lorcan Scamander." He walked up to the stool looking calm while inside he was screaming an at war with himself. Lorcan tried to look for his brother's reassuring face, but his eyes were covered too quickly by the Hat.

I see that you can't make up your mind. Very clever, very much like your mother. Ahh I see curiosity in there, as well as a passionate trust toward your friends. You're also confident, though you're too humble to see it. I know what house needs you most. You belong in "GRYFFINDOR!"

Lorcan got out of the chair shaking and looked at his friends at the Gryffindor table. They were smiling at him and making room for him on the bench. However, when he looked at Lysander he received a glare. He'd have to talk to him later. As he sat down, he turned to face the front as the name "Lysander Scamander" was called. Lysander sat with the hat on his head for almost a whole three minutes before it finally called out "RAVENCLAW!"

He had never seen his brother look so smug. Lorcan wondered who Lysander had met during their small time apart on the train that could have left him so different. He then saw a grinning Ravenclaw third year slap his brother on the back and felt uneasy. The Sorting didn't last much longer and ended with "Rose Weasley."

Rose walked up to the stool and didn't bother to sit down. It happened to every Weasley. The hat would spend about a second and proclaim her a Gryffindor.

Another Weasley, eh. I swear you Weasleys breed like rabbits. "GRYFFINDOR!"

A cheer went up at the Gryffindor table as the final first year joined them. The new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts took the stool and hat away as Flitwick sat down and the Headmaster, Professor Chimer, stood up. "Hello and welcome to another fantastic year at Hogwarts. I cannot wait to spend another year filled with learning with you! Now, for the first years and those of you who still don't know, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden, swimming with the Giant Squid is against the rules, and please see Filch's list of forbidden objects on the outside of his door. Now, let's dig in!"

Professor Chimer sat back down and every plate in the middle of all four tables was covered with food. All of the first years were stunned, but then began to eat. Once they had all eaten their fill, the desserts popped up and it all started over again. Eventually Victoire, the Gryffindor prefect, stood up and led the first years up to their common room. The Fat Lady smiled at her as she gave the password of "Creampuffs." She then began running off all of the rules and told them where their dorms were. Half of it went straight over their heads. Lorcan was the most alert of his friends, so he would inform them in the morning. The boys said goodnight to Rose, then headed up to their dormitory. When they got there, all three of them lay down on top of their covers and fell fast asleep.