On the train, Alan found himself purely by chance in a compartment with a pale blond boy who was hiding behind what looked like a photo album. That was fine by him, and he pulled out one of his new textbooks that he had not yet read. He was looking forward to Transfiguration just as much as his other classes, but he simply hadn't gotten to that book yet.

All was peaceful for an hour or two, then the compartment door slammed open and James burst in with several other boys in tow. "Oi, anyone up for a prank on the prefects? Hey! I know you! Who's your friend?" He looked the boy up and down, a scowl forming on his face. "Oh ew, he looks like a Malfoy. You can do so much better than those people. Come hang with me and I'll introduce you to the cool kids."

Alan rolled his eyes. "I'm capable of picking my friends for myself, and no I would not care to join you in making a nuisance of yourself to people you've never even met."

James looked shocked. "I'm just helping you out. Seriously, stay away from the Malfoys and their crowd, their evil bastard-ness might rub off on you if it hasn't already." He paused a moment to see if Alan would emerge from his book again, then swaggered off with his friends. Alan had almost gotten his attention back on the book when he heard a sniffle from the other boy.

"Hey, don't worry about him. He's a jerk is all."

"I hate how we're judged by our parents." He swiped at his eyes with his sleeve. "So his father is hailed as our savior while my family was on the wrong side of the war. None of us were alive then. So what. It doesn't make him a hero or me evil. He doesn't even know who I am, he just assumes because I look like my father and grandfather."

"But how are you sure who he is? Aren't you assuming too?"

"Paparazzi like to follow his family, and besides I've seen him and his father together before." He hesitated. "Granted, they follow my family too, but not as much and our estate is big enough we don't need to leave it very often."

"Estate?" Alan asked incredulously.

The other boy gave him a funny look. "Are you Muggle-born or something? I mean no offense, but everyone knows of my family."

"Half-blood, but my dad doesn't use magic much anymore. He left the wizarding world after the war and didn't tell us kids about magic until I got my letter."

"I don't blame him. Okay, well then. I'm a Malfoy. We're the richest family in the wizarding world, kinda the last remnants of the aristocracy and still pretty powerful. That tosser is a Potter. His father defeated the Dark Lord, who was trying to take over. The Dark Lord was a pretty evil guy, but my family served him because my great-grandfather got in with his lot when he was first getting powerful, and that buggered his descendants into doing so as well, because if you served him then your children kind of had no choice about serving him too. So Potter thinks he's above me because my family was on the losing side and he's the son of a hero."

Alan made a face. "What a tosser. I really hope he's not in the same house as either of us."

The other boy shuddered. "I don't imagine he'll consider anything but Gryffindor up to his standards, so I imagine I'll be safe. There's no way I'd end up there."

"Me neither. Dad's descriptions made it sound like someplace I wouldn't terribly like. Of course, he was in Slytherin..."

"As were my parents. I'm sure they'd be thrilled if I were too. But yes, that would lead to a bit of a bias."

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" The refreshment witch interrupted. Both boys dived for their moneybags.

"Malfoy, Scorpius." Alan gave his new friend a nudge in the direction of the Sorting Hat. He looked as green as the Slytherin banners above the leftmost table. Alan hoped for the sake of getting a positive start that he didn't actually throw up.

The hat took a long time to decide, but it finally shouted "SLYTHERIN!" and Scorpius staggered gratefully to his seat.

"Potter, James." James didn't seem to have any nerves whatsoever. He swaggered up and eagerly jammed the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" He smirked and tossed the hat off carelessly.

"Prince, Alan." Alan took a deep breath and tried to relax as the headmistress set the hat on his head.

"Hmm," The hat informed him, "You are a difficult one. You would do well most anywhere. An excellent mind and uncommon love of learning, but also an intense drive to do something with it. You are certainly not confrontational, but your sense of reasoning and aptitude for the subtle make you still a formidable contender."

"Better than being a hotheaded fool who rushes in without understanding what he faces." He informed it.

The hat chuckled. "You sound like your father. Yes, you would find the Ravenclaws a little passive for your tastes. I think you will find friends to complement your personality in SLYTHERIN!" Alan handed the hat back to the headmistress and hurried to join Scorpius.

I know I disappeared for a bit. My only excuse is I'm an adult with a full time job who is also trying to do charity work and apply to go back to school. I'm trying!